The Swordswoman of Arden

The death of the lioness

Lex's pov

"Tell me it wasn't you,"

I yelled at the battered and bruised woman in front of me, the arrow quaking beneath my trembling fingers. I knew she was responsible, I just wanted to hear her say it. I was struggling to let the arrow fly after our history together.

"To think all this could have been avoided if you just stayed with me," Isobella twisted, a creeping smile about her exterior. She could say all she wanted, but she wasn't getting in my head again, not after I knew the manipulation she was capable of.

"Don't you dare pin this on me," I snapped back, unable to contain my anger.

"I haven't seen you in over ten years, and clearly that was the best decision I ever made."

"You loved me!" she howled, pain etched into her voice, but I shook my head and laughed.

"We were barely grown. I never even liked you, let alone loved you," I spat.

As I swept a glance at all the damage she'd caused around me, that was all I needed to make my decision.

The princess was inconsolable at my feet, a withered heap atop the forest floor. King Creon was seeing red, and Mattheus sobbed rivers over his father's lifeless body. No man should have to witness their whole world in a pile in their arms like that, it was abhorrent. 

I knew what I had to do.

With one final look at the knightress, I let my arrow loose. It sung through the air before meeting its final target with a dull thud.

I felt it, I really did. The sharp pain radiating from the inside out, slicing through the walls of my veins as betrayal oozed from her wound. Dark blood trickled from the hole where her heart should have been, anyone who could vanquish a dynasty so, had none. 

The bloodthirsty lioness inside her had lost it's prowess, and she toppled to the ground below. Suddenly there was nothing threatening about her, crumpled in a heap at our feet. The skeletal leaves blew faintly across her lifeless body. No one spoke, and no one moved. The birdsong had ceased and the rustling wind faltered.

She had dug her own grave by showing her wretched face in the Kingdom again, her ego and copious bloodlust proving to be her downfall. 

And I just happened to be the reaper.

The bow in my hand felt as if it were morphing into a scythe, and the dark cloak I was wearing became far too heavy and suffocating all of a sudden. I shook it off me violently and dropped the bow on the floor beside it, unable to process my actions. 

My head was spinning, round and around in an endless circle. Eyes upon eyes were gawking at me as I felt myself unhinging from reality. What was to become of me? Perhaps I would meet the same fate as Isobella for making the wrong decision, I...

The Princess' hands touched my face, and the spinning slowed. She was like magic, her presence alone held a peace like no other, and I soon remembered there were others around us, pulling myself together quickly. The knights weren't even looking, they still had their eyes fixed on the dead body, I suppose it must have been my mind playing tricks on me. 

The Princess looked solemn, and her eyes spilled tears filled with questions and worries. It must have looked as if Isobella and I were recent, but in actuality we were never even real. I could not explain all this to her now, not with the King stood 10 paces from us. I wished to hold her like I would never let her go, yearned to make myself her safety net. All I could manage was a shake of my head, an interpretive glance and a brush of her cheek. Morgana's tears mingled with the fanciful blood on my hands, and pain tainted my heart.

To hell with it.

My arms fell round her tight, and she let me catch her, not for a moment caring about her father's stare. I wasn't nervous when I looked up at him, and he appeared grateful rather than angry if anything, maybe I did make the right decision. I hushed the Princess, cradling the back of her head with my gloved hand as she nestled into the crook of my shoulder. Her sobs wracked through me, but they were calming down. The King walked over, and touched the Princess on the shoulder. She sprung away from me, eyes wide in anticipation. I swallowed, understanding it would be better to throw myself in the path of the horse than get the princess in any trouble for becoming as close as she had done with me.

"I must relieve myself immediately King Creon, this never would have happened if it weren't for me. I will respect whichever punishment you seek, whether it be banishment or even facing the guillotine, I will take whatever you decide."

The Princess panicked, and started pleading with her father, but she needn't bother, the King had already made up his mind it seemed. 

"Enough."

His voice was quiet, and the Princess started crying softly, taking my hand and clutching it to her.

"You can't take her Father, I beseech you," she begged, and I held my head up high, allowing the King time to make his sentence.

"Enough bloodshed."

I breathed out a breath I didn't even know I was holding, and the lady bowed her head in silence.

"We're going back now" he stated, and I nodded my head, turning to go in the opposite direction, trying to shake the Princess' grip on my hand without showing her the tears building in my eyes. I wasn't sure if banishment from her would be a fate worse then death, but I was about to find out. 

A different hand landed on my shoulder, and I turned back round, confused. 

"All of us," the King confirmed, a faint and kindly smile adorning his tired face.

Usually, I would have shown my everlasting gratitude to him there and then, but I could tell all he wanted was a simple nod, and to return to the castle as soon as possible. 

"Please take my daughter back safe, I don't want her out here any longer."

"Of course Sire," I bowed my head as the Princess hugged her father.

"Tomorrow is a new day Morgana," he reassured her as he kissed her on the cheek.

Edward handed over our horse, and I helped the Princess up. 

"I'm so glad you're staying Lex, you deserve your title more than any one of us."

I was taken aback, Edward wasn't usually kind to anyone, and I really appreciated it. I shook his hand firmly, thanking his generous words before climbing up onto the horse myself. She wrapped her arms around me and I bit back a smile.

"Let's go home," she sighed.