The Seeress

Chapter Thirty-Six

The seeress was prevalent throughout the walls. She knew that there would be a party bent on hunting her. Thus, Agnetha made sure to cast duplicates of her own image many times. Dozens of her all performed the same chant, but only one of her cast those spells. Harold was sure that he was guarding the right one, as there were several copies of her that he could still see.

"I suppose that it'll take them long to find your true self, Lady Agnetha?" Harold said. 

"The illusions of myself I had made only served to distract them," Agnetha answered. "I still need you all to keep them at bay. By the time those bastards will find me, the army would have already breached the gates,"

But in the distance, Harold saw the illusions of her cut down one after another. It was clear that they were approaching her true self. As Agnetha continued through her trance, Harold saw a party of men wearing Westhaven's colours coming towards them. Harold signalled his fellow guards to defend, knowing full well that Agnetha would be defenseless. Harold was quick to notice and signalled to his fellow guards. 

"They are coming! Brace," Harold said, as the colonials soldiers were quick in engaging with them. Harold himself nearly fell to their swords, and he had to quickly take a few steps back. Despite managing to kill a couple of them, Harold found himself surrounded by them. The rest of the guards fell dead, leaving him all alone. And he saw that Agnetha was still in a trance from behind. 

"Surrender the seeress and you will live," the sergeant said, as Harold sighed in pain. He felt a sharp pain in his body. Indeed, he realised that one of them had hit him, and that blood was coming out. He saw the coat arms of theirs as he gritted his teeth further. Harold forced his two legs to remain to stand and raised his sword at them. "Look at you, you do not even look like one of them,"

"Come and get her," Harold panted with effort, as one of the guards recklessly attacked. Harold quickly parried and slit his throat. Before another landed a blow at him. Harold could only move his head down to avoid the oncoming blade. 

 Harold strikes at them instead, his spirit determined to protect her. 

Harold felt another sharp pain, as he saw the blade enter his guts. His vision blackened, and he immediately fell, seeing the crowd of soldiers surrounding him. He saw the guards moving past him as Harold used all of his effort to stab another of them. Their reaction was swift, as Harold felt another sharp pain in his back.

Harold stumbled down to the ground. He looked towards the night sky and tried to breathe properly, to no avail. He saw the blade hovering above his head, it was clear that they bothered to give him mercy. He closed his eyes gently as he let go of his sword. And he fell, glistening bright lights were the last thing he saw.

...

Harold could barely open his eyes; he still trembled with his wound and the cold wind. The sun coming at dawn made his pain more bearable. He was barely awake, as he felt less of his body gradually. He turned his head to see that Agnetha was very well alive, and unharmed as well. 

"Are they..." 

"They are gone now, you can rest," Agnetha said, as Harold felt her cloak on his skin smoothing his skin.

Harold also felt warmth, the smoke sizzling from the corpses that surrounded him. He then felt Agnetha holding his head with her slender hands. Harold could hear her tremble as he saw her hands covered in blood. Agnetha hesitated.

"The wound... it's too strong..." Agnetha said.

"It is okay," Harold said.  "Leave it be... leave it... do not tend the wound please..." 

Agnetha merely adjusted Harold's body, as he slowly gave the knife to her. The one that he wanted to use to kill her. He struggled to place it in Agnetha's hands. Whom her hands too trembled. "My body is broken... All I want is that you free me from this,"

"Harold..."

"Do it," he said without hesitation. "You are the only one who can do it..." 

Agnetha hugged Harold closely, seeing her escort bleeding in his guts. She hushed him as her tongue let out a soft choir for him, tugging his head as she softly gripped the blade. Harold took another breath, her soft, delicate face obscured as Agnetha dealt the blow. 

Agnetha saw her companion give in to the pain. Whilst it is true that Nordlund and Westhaven despised each other, Agnetha shed a tear at his passing. She looked as his eyes froze and his fingers went cold. Agnetha then closed his eyes gently and gave a soft kiss. She saw the fires of the castle slowly dissipate, allowing her to regain her energy back. She saw in the distance, that the vikings had already taken over Broncaster. 

"I will remember you," she said. She kissed his brow as the cold winds hallowed.