Chapter 10: Wake up
For a long time, they rode in silence. Tiamat Cypher-Dumont doing her best to stay calm and Keenan, focused on getting them to safety.
"Where are we going?" Tia asked after moments of enduring the silence.
"B-back to the highlands, w-we are safest there" Keenan replied. His words were sluggish like he was drunk.
"No! No! Just ride to the Midland, I want to go back home!" Tia objected strongly, causing Keenan to stop the horse.
"Why are we stopping? They might still be after us" Tia turned around to look. She was afraid of the rusting of the dry leaves on the ground.
"Sir Del'matal, we need to keep going" She insisted.
"Can't…I am about to lose consciousness. Listen to me, head west until you get to the little creek then take your left back to the castle. King Joan will protect you"
"I don't understand…why? Are you not coming?"
Tia hardly finished talking when he fell from the horse.
"Keenan!" She came down and went to him. It was when she saw it. The blood gushed from his abdomen. She pulled his shirt up exposing an injury.
"Oh my!" She exclaimed and pressed her hand to his injury."Why didn't you tell me you were hurt? Why would you hide your pain from me?!" She yelled at him.
Keenan struggled to keep his eyes open.
"Listen to me, Tia! Run! Leave me here and go..go!"
Tia watched with a desperate look on her face as he slipped into unconsciousness.
"Keenan, wake up! Keenan!"
*
Fye picked up her skirt and tried to walk as fast as she could without breaking into a run. She was crowned princess, anything less than a live lion pursuing her didn't warrant her to run.
She made it in time to enter the king's court and shut it behind her before the Noble houses stole the king's attention.
Joan stood up as soon as she entered.
"Fye.."
"What are you doing to find him?" She asked him.
"Fye, control yourself! You can't be seen crying over a mere knight!"
Fye grabbed his hand and brought it to her face. She allowed her tears to wet his hand. She cried for a few seconds as she pleaded with him.
"Joan…please. You have to find him. He is Del'matal!"
Joan looked away briefly. He has always hated seeing her cry. It always made his world spin backwards. Always distracted him and made him have the urge to give her the world. The urge to make everything better.
He needed to keep a clear head if he planned to get his lead knight back, so turning around, Joan left her.
Fye followed him right behind.
"Joan, are you going after Sir Del'matal and the Queen?"
"Fye at this moment I am not your brother. I am the King of the highlands. I don't have time to hold your hand!" Joan didn't stop walking and so did Fye.
"I don't need my hand to be held, your highness. I am not a little child but I am however the crown princess and issues concerning the highlands is my business"
Joan stopped and looked at her. "Fine, Keenan and his wife left Maverick two days ago and they never made it to the Midland. Their coach was found dead, it looked like an ambush and now I have to do something about it if you would excuse me"
Fye quickly wiped her face. She knew it now that Joan was going to help them.
Joan heard footsteps and turned around to find two of his knight behind him.
"Your highness"
"Now, is not a good time commanders" Joan just wanted to be left alone.
It wasn't too much to ask.
"We found Del'matal or at least one of our spotters did"
Joan turned around and gawked at them.
"Where?" He asked them.
"According to my spotters, they are heading to the isle of the blessed" the knight answered.
Joan stared blankly at him. Was he supposed to know where that was?
"What does that mean?" Joan's gruff voice was cold too.
"The Isle of the blessed is the only place rumored to have real magic and it is here near the boundary between Maverick and Janna kingdom" the knight clarified
"I am going after him" Joan walked out
"I am coming with you"
"No. Fye, stay"
"I am not a dog, Joan"
Joan stopped walking and looked at her "Sorry but you can't come with me. The kingdom needs a ruler while I am gone and you are it, little sister. And I can't keep you safe and bring Del'matal back home. I need to go now, we are at war with Janna kingdom and if they get a hold of my lead knight…"
"Alright. I will stay. Just go!"
Joan made his way down to where the knights were. They were training and they didn't stop on his account. They were allowed not to.
"Halt!" Joan ordered and everyone obeyed.
"We are going after Del'matal. Sir Liam will choose six men to journey with me to the isle of the blessed to rescue Sir Keenan Del'matal. Pick sir Walters too. We leave in two hours"
Joan walked the halls in long strides. He had a short period of time to say his goodbyes and prepare his men to rescue someone who would die for him.