Winter's Past

Chapter 8

Chapter 8

          So I wandered to my chambers. I wounded, through the castle using little used and outdated passage ways. I didn't feel like seeing others at the moment.

          I walked into the door and shut the heavy wood door and collapsed onto my bed. My mind was going at a hundred miles a moment, so even though I was exhausted I would not be sleeping anytime soon.

          I got up, and an attempt to not feel useless I got my flute out. I had neglected the smooth wooden instrument for days. Put as soon as I blow through the mouth piece music came to me. I payed now attention to what I played, just let the music flow naturally.

          And that it did. Played until I'd played out all my emotion and frustration. Then I collapsed and fell into relaxing sleep.

          I'd slept for several hours I know that when I awoke; My body felt rested and my mind refreshed. A figure stood beside my door, they were closing it I realized. I starred for a moments before I identified the man in my chamber, Kendrick he carried no candle or torch and I was surprised how easily he moved around my dark room. 

          He slowly moved to my bed side and unaware I'd already awoken, he shook my side. “Avalon.” He said in a low tone. He was quite close to me and I could see the light in his brown eyes. “You slept through the committee meeting.” I noticed that his face seemed distressed. “They want to let you go, to go save your father.” he said

          I couldn't comprehend what he was saying and got out of my bed, Pulled my cloak of the floor where'd I'd left it and pulled it  over my shoulders and lite my bed side candle. Then I turned to Kendrick, “Now, what did you want?”

          “The committee is torn. Even without your opinion in some want you to go and try to bring back your father.” He said and then continued. “Which is  crazy we can't risk sacrifice one monarch for the chance of recapturing another.”

          I spoke my thoughts, not sparing Kendrick what the words meant. “I don't think so. I want to go.”

          “What if you die, Avalon? Who will run Abony?”

          I smiled slightly as I processed the answer to his question. “You will Kendrick.” I said with a open mouthed smile.

          I couldn't see his response, from his facial expression.“Now your being foolish. Nobody would let me run the castle.” he said with his face and body very serious and stiff.

          “They would if we were married, or planned to be married.” I said stepping closer to him.

          He starred at me, as if he was waiting me to say just kidding. But I didn't move. “This,” he gestured between me and himself “Is not supposed to turn out that way.”

          “So. We were kids when we said that. I was expecting to marry some prince charming, I didn't know I'd already found him.

          It seemed to take him an extended period of time to understand , what I had just proposed. “You know what your saying. You'll be tied to me for the rest of you life. Expected to bare me children.”

          “Yes, Kendrick I understand,” I moved closer to him.

          “You won't be able to marry the fifth born prince of Gracia or the eighth.” He said and we both laughed.      

          My father had tried to get every single prince of Gracia to try to romance me; their are eight of them. And I have complained about the situation since I was ten. Our parents would talk, and I would sit with eight boys around a dinner table.

          “That will be one less thing to deal with.” I said cheery and happy. I noticed a change in Kendrick.

          “You'll have to deal with traveling on a deadly trip to save someone who may already be dead.”

          “My father is not dead! I'll have your best warriors with me. I'll be fine,” I said leaning against and looking up straight into the eyes.

          He seemed to resign slightly. Then he kissed me; passionately. And I kissed him back. His arms wrapped around my waist, causing my cloak slide off my shoulders but I found warmth in a different source. At some point from mutual exhaustion we went to bed. Kendrick stayed with me and we curled under the blankets and I fell asleep in the arms of the man I love. I vaguely remember him blowing out the candle, before cuddling against me.