Chapter 97:
Forbid Us Something and That Thing we Desire*
The rain had slowed, but the humid cold in the air made Silas shiver as he pulled his coat tighter to his collar, buttoning the stray button over his collarbone, ensuring he would maintain at least some of his body heat in the biting chill of the upcoming winter. His horse was quick and listened to his commands succinctly, making him feel more at ease at leading the enemy away. Silas could only guess who the enemy would be. Could it be Captain Laurent, the man that had kidnapped him in the past? Was it the person who captured his family? Or was a bounty hunter sent by the palace to kill them once and for all?
If only I had killed that damn prince in the first place, it would have never come to this. Silas sighed, his lips trembling in cold as he used very little of his mana to heat his body, sending the blood to his extremities. The shivering stopped, but the pain of the chill still lingered. Silas urged his horse forward in the opposite direction of his family, traveling in an erratic fashion towards the north-west until he could shake off the trailing person's scent.
Though he could not hear the person, he could sense the person nearly 150 meters away from his current location. Whoever the person trailing him was, they must have been a skilled tracker. Though Eva and her crew were well trained, this person was able to find the general direction of their carriage and follow it, even after the rain had washed away their traces. Silas could only shake the person off their trail by purposely leaving markers, such as hoof prints and other scattered hints to keep his family safe.
After traveling nearly 800 meters on his horse, Silas slowed his pace, feeling the pursuer's presence begin to fade. The stress was wearing on his frayed nerves, and he could not help but let out a deep breath as he reached into his satchel and pulled out his canteen that Eva had prepared for his journey. The water was cool and sweet, and Silas could not help but take an extra gulp as his hood fell back from his head, softly falling on his shoulders.
Scattered drops of rain fell on his long blonde hair, and he used his other hand to push back the stray hairs that fell in his vision, his green eyes staring up at the sky with a hint of melancholy. A foreboding feeling was gnawing on the bottom of his stomach, spreading to his chest like the vines of an invasive plant. Though he and his horse were beginning to tire, Silas knew he could not stop just yet. That person was still close enough to track him, even if he could not sense him.
Just a little more… If I lead them off the trail just a little more I can lose them in the forest and circle back to catch up with my family. Silas closed his canteen and placed it back on his waist as he urged his horse forward once again, feeling the cold eat away at the wet clothes covering him.
It was reaching the end of the year, nearly days before the last season would change into winter. Snowflakes had yet to fall for Silas, yet he could still feel the cold of the rain, threatening a difficult winter ahead. While the Faelfier Kingdom had all four seasons, due to its location to the west, it had lesser winters compared to the harsh conditions of the Yursear Kingdom and the Vartien Kingdom. Soon, he would be home to that temperate climate once again, enjoying it with his family.
The longer Silas traveled, the more fatigued he felt. More than an hour had passed since his initial separation, but the figure following him seemed to have disappeared into the forest, bringing Silas some relief as he slowed his horse in the middle of a rocky, unused forest path. The horse wined in response to his change of pace, but Silas patted the side of the horse's neck as he spoke to it gently, urging it to follow his lead and turn to the west, leading him back in the direction of the Faelfier Kingdom.
Leading his horse slowly by the lead, Silas shivered, adjusting his hood once again to shake off the scattered droplets of rain as he leaned forward, looking through the dark woods with a wary glance, unable to feel relieved yet.
As his horse passed a large bundle of trees, Silas was unable to see a figure approach him from some distance from behind. The figure was disheveled, their once perfectly combed, navy blue hair in disarray, their formal, tailored clothes torn and full of dirt and rain, even under the cover of their hooded cloak. The man's face was bloodless, pale as the light side of the moon, but his cheeks were dyed red, blood from a head wound dripping down his cheeks. His lower lip trembled as he gripped the reins of his horse tighter, attempting to contain himself as he saw the lonely figure disappear into the narrow path in the woods.
I finally found you. He stifled a laugh, almost unable to contain the joy that overwhelmed his heart. You're almost in my grasp. After all this time… Clarence did not want to rush this moment. Each time he attempted to confront the elf head-on, there was no winning, no victor, only two losers and an escapee. He would not have it happen again.
I was unprepared before… incompetent. Clarence swallowed the saliva in his mouth as he stared at the elf's back, quietly leading his own horse forward with determination. Now I know how to take care of you, Silas.
As Silas continued through the narrow stretch of the dirt path, he found the forest strangely quiet, almost too quiet. As the weather chilled, the nearby birds had already migrated south, and many of the warm-blooded animals had already begun to hibernate for the coming winter. However it was as if Silas had been caught in a soundless bubble, trapped in a space where he could neither intrude or escape.
Pulling the reins of his horse, Silas abruptly stopped, his eyes widened with fear as he stared around him, leading his horse to move slightly as he stared behind him at black void of shadows produced by the dimming plants surrounding him. His heart beat began to steadily rise, leading blood to rush to his fingers and legs, urging him to escape.
Go. Go now! Silas's gut feeling screamed danger, and Silas could only listen. He clutched his reins and forced his horse forward, yelling, "Go! Hurry!"
His horse listened to its willful rider, feeling some fear in itself as the horse bolted forward, stumbling over the freshly-wetted rocks under its hooves, stomping down the overgrown plant growth with a steady patter of steps. Silas leaned forward to maintain his balance on his horse, occasionally glancing behind him, sensing an approaching figure only a few short meters away. Like a demonic being, the figure shadowed around Silas, and though he could not see the person pursuing him, he could hear the steps of their horse's hooves with distinct clarity, as if that person were already next to him, breathing down his neck.
The faster the two ran, the further they entered the uninhabited forest. Silas continued straight until he heard the sound of running water, most likely coming from a large stream or river.
I can lose him there! With a harsh tug, Silas pulled his horse to the right, causing the horse to neigh loudly as he darted towards the river with the horse. The horse ran forward nimbly, but Silas was still scratched by baring tree branches, causing a strand of blood to roll down his cheek. He did nothing to wipe it away, focused forward on getting away from the persistent pursuer.
Once Silas broke through the trees and to the stream, his horse's hooves made contact with the water, producing splashing sounds in the knee-deep water. Icy cold water splashed up to his feet and legs, drenching part of his pants as his horse quickly wadded through the water. With little mana left in his body, Silas could only focus his energy on maintaining his quick pace, ignoring the person behind him momentarily as he led the horse onto the dry land across the river.
The figure behind him was a step late, but Silas did not turn to look at the person as he urged his tiring horse forward, begging wordlessly for the horse to keep going, just a little further, until he could lose the other person.
Just a little farther, just a little more…! The horse's breathing was labored, as was Silas's. His heart was threatening to pound out of his chest, a cold feeling permeating through his veins like shards of ice. They cleared the river, but their pursuer was still hot on their trail. If I make a sudden turn, it may buy me enough time to lose them.
Before Silas could make the sharp turn to the left, something flew through the air, making a shallow sound as it cut through the air, aimed towards his horse. The shiny silver object met with Silas's vision, and his eyes widened as he attempted to reach out his hand and grab it, but the object was too fast, missing Silas's fingers by a hair-width as he heard the horse whine aloud. The knife whizzed by Silas and his horse, but the knife was enough to startle it, causing the horse to buck and make Silas lose his balance.
"Fuck!" Silas screamed, feeling the horse trip over itself, its legs bowing beneath him as Silas quickly unlatched his feet from the stirrups and jumped to the side, his body heavily hitting the ground, knocking the wind out of him as he landed heavily on his left shoulder.
Silas snapped his head up immediately, unsheathing his dagger as he looked up at the person that had started all of this.
Clarence. Silas thought to himself as he looked up at the smug, pale figure on his horse, mania masking his handsome features. Looking at the prince, who looked otherworldly with his pale, translucent skin and blood dripping down his face, Silas felt breathless. Silas knew this feeling.
He was afraid.
The prince sat tall on his horse, holding another dagger in his hand as he stared down at Silas, covered in dirt and rain water. He looked weak, laying on his side as he attempted to prop his body upward, glaring with his burning green eyes, his hatred palpable to the young royal. He could sense fear in the elf, hidden deep within his anger. Clarence glared back at him smugly, anger and disgust, and something else, much deeper in his ocean-like eyes, something Silas felt he recognized, but could not put the words to, stared back at Silas.
I can't fight him like this. I need to escape. Silas thought, his eyes moving to his horse that had been startled by a dagger. The horse protested from the hard fall, but it did not seem to be having difficulty moving on its own. As his horse moved, Clarence began to speak, drawing away Silas's attention.
"How the tables have turned, Silas." Clarence savored this feeling of superiority as he got off his horse and approached Silas, leaving only a short distance between the two as he stepped forward again, attempting to intimidate Silas by his tall stature alone.
Silas was clutching his shoulder, his knife hidden behind his palm, pain began to shoot down his lower left arm and chest. There was a high chance it had become dislocated from the fall, as Silas could not move his fingers without a racking, searing pain. He gritted his teeth and pushed himself back using his feet, creating some distance between himself and the prince as he stared up at the young man. While there was no weapon in the prince's hands now, there would be one soon.
"I should have killed you long ago, you demented animal." Silas spat, moving backwards enough to rest his back on the trunk of a nearby tree. Using the tree as leverage, Silas slowly began to lift himself up, groaning in pain from his injuries. His cries of pain made Clarence's heart race painfully. Clarence looked Silas up and down slowly, taking in his familiar appearance with a slow crawl of his eyes. Like a predator looking over a wounded animal.
As Silas struggled to stand, Clarence followed Silas's heavy gaze and turned his attention to Silas's horse. The horse had finally stabilized on its four hooves, but it was wary, staring at Clarence with its large eyes, fear shrouding its long face. As the prince approached the horse, the horse stepped back, looking wary of the person who had just harmed it.
Clarence's bright smile disarmed the horse as he stood next to it for a moment, as if sizing it up as he stared at the horse's bruised legs with some pity. "That must hurt, doesn't it?" He slowly raised his hand, as if attempting to pat the horse.
Silas saw the prince's hand raise and his eyes widened. He knew what the prince was planning, "No-!"
Before Silas's words of protest could be heard, Clarence swiftly lowered his right hand and slapped the rear of Silas's horse. The force of the slap reverberated through the small area, and the horse squealed aloud, lifting its front legs as it ran forward blindly, dashing away before it disappeared into the woods. When its steps could no longer be heard, Silas looked at the prince with disgust and disbelief, feeling the bitter taste of rage fill his mouth.
Clarence stared at Silas with an amused smile, rubbing the palm of his right hand with his left as he said lazily, "Now you won't be able to escape. We just reunited, after all. I can't have you run away like the slippery snake you are, now can I?" He asked, spitting out his words with that same, venomous smile he had staring at the horse.
A chill traveled down Silas's spine, his eyes narrowed as his brows furrowed, the pain in his body growing worse. I'm running low on mana… too low. I don't know how long I can fight before I'll collapse. Feeling weak, Silas's vision had already begun to blur on the edges, causing him to narrow his eyes, straining to maintain his full consciousness.
I still have my dagger. All I need is one good stab in his neck or heart. With no care or reason, Silas was the first to attack, hoping to use the element of surprise to disarm the prince as he attacked, allowing his left arm to hang loose as he used his right hand to attack. He quickly darted forward, catching Clarence off guard as the small dagger in his hand.
Swish. The dagger missed, gazing past Clarence's injured head as the prince lifted his own dagger, swinging it towards Silas with an amused expression.
"How weak you've become, Silas." Clarence taunted, stepping back as he slashed at Silas again. Silas ducked to the left and returned upwards with a swift stabbing motion, aimed at the prince's heart. "What a pity." The dagger was knocked off course only inches away from the prince's chest.
"You…" Silas's words slurred, his fatigue beginning to show. Silas shook his head vigorously and regained some semblance of alertness, continuing his onslaught of attacks.
The pair ebbed and flowed, moving back and forth like a pair of elegant dancers, much as Clarence and Charlotte had done at the ball to announce his future queen. However, there was an exchange of emotions, a set of unspoken words shared at each step, passing by at each slash that had been parried by the other. The emotions varied, swimming around the pair like dragonflies fluttering across the surface of the water.
Yet Silas could feel himself weakening. No matter how hard he had tried to fight it, he was exhausted. He had pushed himself to the limit for too long, and the horrible pain in his shoulder was making it difficult for him to focus. Silas began to see doubles, his right arm becoming just as sore as his left arm as he slashed his dagger forward again. There was no technique, no style, just wild slashes, like a cornered beast attempting to defend itself from a larger predator. As he parried a slash from the prince, Clarence pushed him back hard enough to knock Silas to the ground, making his head smack the muddy ground with a loud bang.
"You can barely stand and you still think you can fight. How laughable." Clarence spoke, his eyes falling on Silas with annoyance. If he knew the battle would only last this long, he would have entertained him sooner. What a shame he had been pushed into the wall by Silas. Had he not, what would the outcome have been?
If we fought at the palace, the guards would have interrupted this moment between us. Clarence thought in passing as he redirected another one of Silas's gradually weakening blows, his eyes narrowed. They would have harmed him, taking him away from me far too soon. This is much better. We can take our time, Silas, just the two of us.
He would not kill Silas yet, he could not. There was still much to do, so many memories to share, so much lost time unsavored. Revenge would not only come in death, but from the pain inflicted by one's enemies. Physical pain, mental torture… it was all what Clarence had experienced after his repeated brushes with death caused by this damn elf. The elf no longer held the scythe, but rather he was the fallen martyr that had been tied to the pyre, threatening to burn at any time.
Silas stood once more, his body swaying as he stepped forward once, then twice. The dagger in his hand slowly slid out of his grasp, dropping to the ground, but Silas was too dizzy to recognize it had already fallen. The closer he came to the prince, the narrower his eyes fell until they were barely opened, just enough for Silas to see the prince's shadow standing in front of him. Silas moved his hand forward, as if he were still holding the dagger, but there was nothing in his grasp, only air. Clarence did not mind this, however, and instead opened his arms, welcoming Silas's figure as his eyes finally fluttered shut.
Silas fell forward, his hair brushed back by the air as his body lost all of its power, the lack of mana causing a searing pain to tear through his body, more so than the pain in his left shoulder. His expression was flat, empty as the forest around the pair as a pair of long arms wrapped around the elf's body like chains, restricting him to his side. The man pulled the shorter elf towards him, leaving his pale cheek to rest on his arm as he looked closer at the man he had such a predestined fate with. The elf was pale, fragile and light in his arms. Even supporting his weight with one arm was not much for Clarence, who had trained with swords that were much heavier, he felt.
A sick smile spread across the prince's face as he pushed aside the light bangs on the elf's uninjured face with his fingers, the calloused texture of his fingertips brushing against the soft skin beneath it.
How delicate, how sweet. He could not wait to break his new, precious toy.
Carrying Silas in his arms, Clarence brought him to the horse, managing to lift himself and Silas onto the saddle as Silas's unmoving body rested in front of Clarence, his head leaning on the prince's shoulder as the prince's arms trailed around Silas's waist, trapping him onto the horse, no longer allowing any escape.
"It's time to return to the palace, Silas." Clarence laughed, his eyes bright blue as he giggled sweetly, like an innocent child. He turned his horse around, moving down towards the path he had come. His horse trotted down the path at neither a fast nor slow pace, allowing Clarence to savor the victory he had finally obtained.
…
END OF ARC 3
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Here is the lovely end to arc 3, and the final chapter before we begin arc 4 (I kept saying 3, forgetting the first arc entirely ahaha)! I can't wait to discuss Clare and Silas's future romance (the journey there.... I love that). Do you have any thoughts on what will happen at the palace? Or Clare's mental state? ==;
We will be taking a 2 week break, returning June 3rd for the new arc! I'll be starting my second BA program this Fall, so it gives me time to get my paperwork in order >y< I'll be majoring in Film and TV~! Very excited for that :D
Thank you all for reading and sticking with us. We're almost to 100 chapters, so I recommend rereading if you need something to fill up those 2 weeks of no updates ;u; We will resume June 3rd, returning with Friday updates. See you then!
*Quote is from Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales C;