Camelot

Seventeen - High Priestesses

A/N - Two chapters in one day! Happy reading fans - VOTE/FAN/COMMENT/ENJOY

Seventeen – High Priestesses

 

Madeline and I galloped through the woods that evening on a pair of horses we’d bought off a woman in a nearby city. I’d never seen Madeline so fiery and I rode behind her as she charged through the woods with only Leith on her mind. It made me laugh that she’d been so opposed to him before and now that she had answered her feelings, she openly admitted to caring for him.

We’d reached Warrendor by nightfall and left our very tired horses in the stables to rest. The people were anxious at my arrival, having not seen me in a very long time and we were followed by the constant whispering as we travelled through the castle. The stares of the people burned into me.

We passed the throne room and Brandon came running out, clearly eager to see me after my many months of absence. Madeline and I did not stop and he was forced to jog to keep up with our pace.

“My lady, the two men have been executed and there had been no news of any fronts moving against us,” Brandon reported. “We have been awaiting your return. Where is it you’ve been?”

“Not now Brandon,” I said, waving my arm. “We have very important business to attend to and we need not be disturbed.”

Brandon stopped and we continued on to the dungeons. Although appearing fiery and determined I saw that Madeline’s face was drained of all colour. She was just as scared as I was. We both knew that there was a chance that we could never get our old Leith back. The thought never left our mind.

Leith was being kept in the deepest part of the dungeons, which had been built for those who were no longer welcome in society. While those who had committed serious treason were often kept here, those with mental illnesses were also restrained here.

“He shouldn’t be down here!” Madeline snarled. “I told them to take him to the hospital. They’re treating him like a prisoner.”

“Who made the call?” I asked.

“Brandon,” she growled. “He wouldn’t listen to a word I said. He wouldn’t even let me take Leith to Ganden with me.”

I went to answer her when the screaming started. We were within mere metres of Leith’s cell now and the screaming belonged to him.

“LET ME OUT OF HERE!” he yelled. “I AM NO CRIMINAL. I AM A KNIGHT AND I DO NOT DESERVE TO BE TREATED IN THIS MANNER.”

Madeline ran towards his voice and I saw her kneel at the cell door in which he was kept. Leith continued to yell, either not noticing her or being completely unaffected by her presence.  

“SHE’LL COME FOR YOU! SHE’LL COME FOR ALL OF YOU!” he roared.

I reached his cell and his yelling ceased. Leith was standing at the door of the cell with his hands on the bars. His eyes were wild and his hair was long and dirty. His eyes were sunken in the back of his head and he was thin and pale. Madeline was right - he was no longer the Leith we knew.

“Leith I’m here,” Madeline was sobbing at my feet. “I’m right here.”

Leith took no notice of her words and continued to stare at me blankly. His hands shot through the gaps between the bars and closed around my neck, causing me to gasp for air. My hands scratched his own as I tried to get myself free, but he seemed to grip me tighter, closing off my airway.

“L-Leith,” I gasped. “It’s m-me, it’s E-Emalia.”

“DO NOT SPEAK HER NAME!” he yelled. “I WARN YOU, SHE’LL KILL YOU ALL.”