The entire procession moved as one. The pace was fast, and the carriage was throwing Kilian around, to the point he was holding on to the side, as to not fall to the floor repeatedly.
"Urgh."
His insides were in turmoil, and his pounding head was not feeling any better than the night before.
He peeked out of the window, seeing Dante's figure riding with the other knights, his physique now more impressive than many of the others.
A flash of dark green made him turn his gaze to another rider.
"Him!"
A dark green-robed man was riding behind Dante.
The haughty expression was just as Kilian remembered from the time that man had slapped his face, for helping a wounded person drink water.
He knew they would need a healer, and his grandfather had probably pressured this man to join them, possibly to make amends to the Archduke.
Kilian grinned at the obvious discomfort the green-robed man was having. The guy even stared back at the carriage several times with a sour expression.
"Does he know I am in here, or is he angry he can't get a free ride in this?"
Kilian found it all amusing, though if he had known how to ride, he would probably have preferred horseback over the constant hard movements of the carriage.
He felt his stomach turn, and he had to hold back retching.
The scenery had changed to the hills and fields, that he had seen when leaving the Heathgrave fief, and he opened the window to get some fresh air, to calm his mind and body.
"Halt!."
The carriage suddenly stopped and with it, all the knights around it.
"We are setting up camp here for the night, everyone complete Your tasks!"
Whoever was yelling, had a voice that rang over all the loud noises from the many people, and soon the men had started setting up a temporary camp in the area.
Kilian was thankful the carriage was finally at a stop, and his hot cheeks were cooled against the wooden wall next to him.
His eyes soon rested with him, and he fell asleep.
"M..Master Kilian."
The door to the carriage was open and Dante stood by the door, reaching with his palm resting it on Kilian's forehead.
"You got worse… you shouldn't have come."
Kilian brushed Dante's hand away with an annoyed expression.
"It is fine, I just need to rest."
Dante disappeared from the doorway but soon reappeared, with a green-robed man following.
"Here, could you take a look at him?"
Dante was speaking to the man who soon recognized Kilian.
A flash of fear crossed the face under the green hood, and it made Kilian smile at him, as innocently as he could.
"Yes, I can check him."
Kilian snorted but said nothing as the man entered the carriage. Dante closed the door, leaving the two alone inside.
Kilian stared daggers into the man's eyes, already thinking this person was useless, but his body was craving some pain relief, and he reluctantly let the man get closer to him.
"Alan Ryna." Scoffed the man under the hood.
His face looked more annoyed than Kilian felt, and it still had a haughty sight to it.
"Why are you traveling with us? You are just slowing us all down."
Kilian raised an eyebrow at the bravery of this man, who somehow thought it was ok to speak to him in that manner.
'Us?'
Kilian clicked his tongue and looked down at the man, who was feeling Kilian's pulse at the wrist.
There was a slight tingle under his skin, and the healer had started pouring in his mana, to detect any sickness within Kilian.
The sweat on his forehead was slowly running down, and the feeling of a foreign power inside Kilian made him nervous.
"Sit still!"
Kilian was tempted to talk back, but his pain was finally alleviating, and he sighed in contentment.
"It is a good thing, the Archduke is sending you back to the fief, You are a Heathgrave by birth, not a Valen, don't climb too high."
The voice was low and full of malice. Like the man resented Kilian for having a position higher than he should.
It only made Kilian smile.
"Is that what you think we are doing, sending me back to the Heathgraves?"
Kilian did not correct the statement but just waited for Alan to speak first.
"Francis told me, you had run off, and that you were a useless idiot."
Kilian laughed, his body was feeling better after getting treated, and now he could not hold back. The bravery of the man before him was hilarious.
"Well. let's see what Francis says when I arrive."
It was not the reaction Alan had expected and he retracted his magic from Kilian, and sat back in the seat as if he had the right to rest there.
"Are you good friends with my brother?"
Kilian flashed a broad smile when asking, and even Alan took a few seconds to change his expression from awe at the sight, to repulsion.
"Yes, The young Heir, took great care of me at the Academy."
Kilian shook his head. He now knew this man had been filled with the stories of the incompetent and broken third son. The disgraced younger brother to the ever so magnificent older one.
"I see, then I am looking forward to seeing how he will greet us when we meet again."
Kilian tried to hold back more laughter, as he knew the heathgraves were not going to invite them for tea when they showed up.
He knew that they would probably be ready to receive them with all the might they could muster.
Normally a fief lord and his family were untouchable on their own land, as only the king was of higher rank on their land, but this time they came with the king's command.
They had a right to enter, and they had the right to force their way in if what they came for was not provided.
Alan did not seem to leave the carriage, even after having completed the treatment.
Kilian did feel better, and he was too exhausted to fight this man with useless words.
'He will be busy soon enough.' he thought, ignoring the presence in front of him and closed his eyes, finally getting a good rest.
"What are you still doing here?"
The tone sounded angry, and Cratos Valen had reached in to grab the robe of the man who had been caught looking at the sleeping Kilian.
The force was so strong, that the robed man was pulled from the carriage and landed several feet away from the entrance to it.
"You were not hired, to leisurely laze around."
Many of the knights around them had spread out and stepped away from the robed man, all staring down at him in contempt.
"How dare he take advantage of the young Duke."
Someone whispered.
"Was he just sitting there, staring at him while he slept?"
Alan was panicking. He had been staring at Kilian, admiring the features, and had even been tempted to touch the smooth-looking skin.
But as he had reached out to do so, Cratos Valen had almost ripped the door open and pulled him away.
Why was that kid who looked so weak and girly, protected this much?
Even though he was a healer sought out by many, and from a Marquess household, he had never had this many protect him.
The jealousy filled his stomach, but he got to his feet and walked away.
Kilian had woken up, and was amused at the whole situation, but made sure to change his expression back to that of a clueless when the knights directed their attention to him.
All the knights present bowed to him, and several of them greeted enthusiastically, all wanting to see or get a smile from the Young Duke they all admired.
The camp was bustling with life, and as fast as it had been set up, it had also been taken down in the morning.
They were on the road again, and Kilian was able to endure the carriage ride.
The treatment had been helpful, and he felt a lot better, though he had no intention of thanking the man who had helped him.
It took them 2 more days to arrive at the Heathgrave fief, and Kilian looked out of the carriage as they went through the town close to the mansion he had left only months ago.
The whole procession stopped and spread out along the fence guarding the residence, and the servants who had noticed them had run away instantly.
'Not much loyalty here.' Kilian stood beside his grandfather, at the main iron gate. Waiting for the Heathgraves to respond to their…intrusion.
Finally, the knight commander of the fief came up to the gate, and without opening it, stared directly at Kilian with a smirk, ignoring the big presence of the archduke.
"Why, if it isn't our youngest, has your grandfather found out how useless you are, and sent you back?"
The words were filled with overly fake concern, and Kilian rolled his eyes, only angering the burly man.
There was a small snicker somewhere behind Kilian, and he could guess who it had come from.
'They must think we can't enter without violating the laws.'
Even the king would have to reprimand the Archduke if that was the case.
Kilian smirked at the man and pulled out the document, that the Count had signed only a few days prior.
"If you hand over the Countess, then we will leave."
There was a loud displeased grunt from the huge man next to Kilian, and Kilian knew that even if the Archduke was here to retrieve his daughter, he was also not against having to break down the gate if they did not comply.