A Curse Of Blood And Sorrow

Chapter Eight

Avery

It's been two days without Blake in the castle grounds. I've found myself walking through the corridors feeling sorry for myself. This isn't like me at all. I think I let Rebecca get to me more than I let on. I shouldn't be thinking about a guy whose father literally walks with the enemies. He could be asking Blake about all our secrets. Blake could be telling him I'm alive. People could be on their way to kill me. The longer he's away, the more nervous I get. "Avery. He's coming!" Becca yells from her place on the balcony. I grin and rush out of my room, sprinting down the many stairs to the doors. Opening them wide, I see Blake on Blue galloping through the fields towards me. I run out to greet him. He stops Blue just before me and gets off of her. I run into his arms and hug him tight. "You came back." I whisper into his ear. His arms tighten around me in surprise.

"Of course I came back Ave. I wouldn't leave you and Rebecca here alone." He whispers back. I smile and kiss his cheek. I am so glad he's back. Reluctantly, I let my arms drop from around him.

"Come on, let's get you inside and you can tell me about your trip back home." He nods, taking my hand and walking us back inside together. I'm not sure how I feel about him holding my hand. We aren't dating and I doubt friends just randomly hold hands. Maybe they do. What would I know, all my friends were stuck up pricks who cared more about titles than anything else.

"So. How is your father?" I ask, almost bitterly.

"We don't have to talk about him if you don't want to. All you have to do is say so." Blake replies calmly.

"I'm sorry. I don't mind talking about him, honestly. I'm just nervous around the idea of him. If he was working for the rebel group he might have figured out who I am and he might've told them alive. They could be planning an attack right now for all I know." I express my concerns.

"He hasn't told them. I promise you."

"How do you know he hasn't? You haven't been there. He could've easily been there and back in the time you've been here. He could've gone straight there when you released him from here."

"Avery. I asked him. He swore on my mum's life. He won't lie on that." He assures me. I feel better that he asked on my behalf. But I guess it isn't just for my sake. If Kinnon had found out about me, the whole of Astrother would be under attack and he would be put in danger. That's probably why he did it. For selfish reasons, not for me.

"Anyway, how is he?"

"He's good. I think. We didn't really talk much whilst I was there. I mostly helped him with farm work. He can't do much of it on his own anymore. But he refuses to sell up even though it would really help out our debt problem."     He admits.

"Well, you're free to come and go whenever you want. Maybe just let me or Rebecca know when you plan on leaving."

"Maybe you could come with me next time?" He suggests.

"Absolutely not. She is not going anywhere." Rebecca says, announcing herself to us, making me jump. She manages to sneak up on you without you ever knowing. "Someone will recognise her, you fool." Blake holds up his hands in surrender.

"Okay hold your horses, it was just a suggestion. Nothing is set in stone. I get it, okay? No one can know the princess is alive. Anyway, when's our next training session?"

"After lunch." I announce happily.

"None for me, I ate before I left home." Blake says, glancing at Rebecca for approval.

"Actually, will you.....will you sit with me whilst I eat lunch?" I ask nervously.

Blake smiles. "Of course I will."

As we all sit around the table whilst I eat lunch, I can't help myself from breaking the silence that has been cast over us since Rebecca announced her hatred of Blake's idea - although I approve of his idea, Rebecca can never know how much I want to go ahead with his plan. "Blake?" I ask tentatively.

"Yeah?" He replies, completely unconcerned.

"When do you plan on leaving us? You can't stay here forever. The beast may never come back here and your time will be wasted. You should spend time with the family you have left. You never know when your time will end."

"Avery, your royal highness of Astrother, I made a vow on the day I found out who you were to never let you out of my sight. You cannot come to my home so I will stay here for as long as you let me. I do not care about wasting time, as you said, I can go and visit my father as often as I like, I'd rather protect you from the beast with Rebecca than leave you here on your own. Believe it or not Ave, you've become a good friend of mine." Blake states confidently, like he has all of our lives planned out. I share a look with Rebecca before going back to eating my soup like the good little princess I am. Blake must've seen the looks I share with Rebecca before he clears his throat forcing me to look at him again. "I know you two are hiding something. I'll be here to listen when you are ready to trust me." He gets up and walks out of the room before either me or Rebecca can say a word in response. Rebecca gives me a look that I've seen one too many times. It's a look that says 'you messed up, fix this.' before walking out herself and leaving me alone in the cold kitchen. I find I notice the cold more when I'm alone.

I stare down into my soup, no longer hot and no longer in the mood to eat. "Aww, is the princess all alone? Anything bad could happen to her." Says an all too familiar voice. Aaliyah.

"Not today Aaliyah. I'm not in the mood."

"Tough. Today is my birthday and I get to do whatever I want and I want to annoy you."

"I thought you didn't want anyone to see you on your birthday, Aaliyah. What is so special about today?" I reply deflatedly.

"Today marks 3 months until you will be gone forever." She says with an evil glint to her eye.

"What?!? I thought it was for as long as possible?"!?" I screech. She can't just change the rules like that. It isn't fair.

"Because I'm bored of waiting for you to admit defeat. But I'm interested in where this Blake character is going to fit into all of this." She admits before disappearing into thin air once again.

"Damn it." I mutter to myself.

I get up frustratedly and go and find Rebecca. Like always, she's outside doing a workout. "Hey, Becca. We may have a problem." I say staying out of the way of her knife throwing practice.

"What do you mean?" She asks tensely, picking up on my evasiveness. "Avery. What have you done?"

"I haven't done anything?! I protest. In response, all I get is a raised eyebrow and I sigh. "I really haven't done anything. I had a chat with our favourite witch. We have three months."

"Three months till what?"

"Until it's all over. Until I'm gone. I have three months to live." I reply solemnly.

At that moment, Rebecca chooses to release her knife in shock. It flies right past my cheek and lands in the tree behind me. "Jesus. Becca! Are you trying to kill me?!"

"Sorry. Sorry. You have three months? Why? Why is she doing this?"

"She said she's bored of waiting. That Astrother is not going to get any worse than this and because she wants to know how Blake is going to fit into all this." I condense what Aaliyah told me.

"That bitch! I'm going to kill her." She says angrily.

"I'm sorry Rebecca, but I need to get out of these grounds. I need to see my kingdom for the last time." Reluctantly, Rebecca nods.

"Okay, fine. I understand that. Just take Blake with you and talk to him about it first." I nod and walk back into the castle.