Take my hand

Chapter 2

Keir arrived back at the castle on horseback in the early hours of the morning. The castle gates opened as he arrived. A few servants waited in the courtyard before taking the horse back to the stables.
"Good morning, Lord Keir." An older man said before bowing.
"Good morning, Herold." Keir said walking inside being followed by Herold.
"How was your trip?" Herold asked. Keir adjusted his coat before looking at the man.
"It was good. Three days, long enough to get what I needed to do, done." He smiled for a second before going to the kitchen.
"My lord." Herold puffed as he hurried after Keir.
"What, Herold?" Keir hissed looking down at the food.
"Lady Enya was not happy with your disappearance. The last few days she has been asking to see you once you get back." Herold said looking toward the ground.
"She is still in the dungeon?" Keir cocked a brow looking at the cowering man.
"Well, yes. We weren't given any instructions with her. We kept her-" a loud crash cut off the speaking.
"I left instructions!" Keir yelled and the room began to dim.
"I was not given these instructions, my lord." Herold spoke softer.
Keir rushed inside of the castle and made his way down to the dungeons. He opened the door and walked over to the sleeping Enya. His hand gently touching her cheek. She stirred in her sleep as Keir picked her up. He made sure not to wake her so he used his wings to fly through the castle and placed Enya gently tucked into her bed. It took another trip to the dungeon and back to being up all of her things before he left her to rest soundly in her new room.

Silas was back at the citadel and it was being filled with decorations to celebrate the return of the prince and his success in the mission.
"I hope there weren't many casualties." The king, Silas's father said looking at his son. They shared very similar looks but Silas had a slightly more mystical look to him, and seemed slightly more feminine.
"Father." Silas said softly before putting on a sad face. He looked at his father and sighed heavily. "Enya, was one of the casualties.." he mumbled slightly. The king turned and looked at Silas.
"You were meant to marry her in the spring. How could you let her die!?" The king yelled.
"It was an accident. She fell over the railing during a battle and I couldn't save her..." Silas pinched himself hard enough to bring on a tear. He sniffled before wiping away.
"We need to find you a new wife, sooner or later you'll need to marry. And marry well. Does her family know?" The king asked. "She was my ward but she still had family." The king sounded almost heart broken.
"I haven't informed her family yet." Silas said before taking a seat.
"Well, better do it soon or I will." The king said before walking towards a door. "That elven whore of yours won't be the next queen." He said walking out of the door.

Enya woke up and hummed as she felt the weight and comfort of the blankets and pillows surrounding her. She sat up and looked around. A smile appeared on her face before she got out of bed. Enya grabbed a robe she saw hanging and slipped it on before quietly opening her door. The hallways were dim with candles lighting the walls about 2 metres apart. She started walking through the hallway, keeping her steps light. Murmuring was heard further down the hall. She stopped once she had reached the sound of voices. Keir and Mila. Mila was holding a tray of food and Keir was still in his riding gear.
"Good morning, M'lady!" Mila said and bowed. "I have your breakfast." She smiled. Keir turned around and looked at Enya.
"Good morning, Enya. I hope you like your new room." He smiled and turned towards her.
"I do like my new room. Good morning, both of you. Why were you gone for so long?" Enya asked looking at Keir. She crossed her arms and huffed.
"I had business to attend to. I did give orders for you to be shown to your room but Herold and Mila heard none of that so I apologise for you having to stay in the dungeon for the time I was gone." Keir said before sighing. "I ordered them to decorate the room how I remembered your dream room would be." He put on a smile.
"Well, it is a very nice room. I thought I wasn't getting a room until I let you tell the story of what really happened that night. That night gave me this." Enya rolled up her sleeve showing her arm covered in burns. Keir looked at her arm and sighed.
"When you are ready to hear it, I shall tell it. How about we have breakfast together first?" He suggested and looked at Mila.
"I can go grab M'lords breakfast if you'd like!" She said before looking around. Enya laughed a little and smiled at her.
"I'll take my tray, relax Mila." Enya continued to smile before taking the tray from Mila.
"I'll be right back with yours, M'lord!" Mila said quickly before hastily walking out of sight.
"Did you carry me to bed?" Enya asked looking at Keir. He looked back at Enya and nodded.
"Yes I did." He whispered.  Enya smiled more and nodded.
"Thank you, for saving me, for the room, I really did miss you when you disappeared." Enya spoke softly. Keir sighed before grabbing Enya's arm and lead her through the hallway. He opened the door, the room was a mix of greys and blues. He walked Enya to the table and sat down next to her. She set the tray down before also sitting and looked at Keir.
"I'm really sorry about disappearing three years ago." Keir said grabbing Enya's hand, avoiding eye contact by looking at her hand. "I found Silas's family had been keeping something from me. A few weeks before I left, I was given this place. My family owned it but the king took it away once I was born, since he feared one day I'll grow too powerful with the help of my mother and father in such a place, but with that they also took something this castle needed to stay alive. I went to retrieve it and I did possess the item but Silas followed me and set the forest on fire." He words began to break slightly and he gripped Enya's hand slightly. "Then you ran into the forest and a tree branch fell on you. I had to fly you out." He said letting go of Enya's hand lifting up his shirt showing a similar burn scar on his right ribs. "I got burnt and lost the item getting you to safety." Keir almost whispered. Enya put on a smile and cupped Keir's face gently.
"We'll get back what the King and Silas stole from you. I promise." She kissed his forehead then Mila had arrived with Keir's meal tray.

Silas was sitting at his desk in his chamber in the citadel writing the letter to Enya's manor where her family lived when Celia came into the room. He looked up and put his quill down before standing up.
"Is everything all right?" He asked making his way to her. She nodded and put her hands around his neck.
"I saw your father. He doesn't seem like he is in a good mood." Celia stated before pouting. "I know he doesn't like me but he could at least be a little nicer."
"My father is quite distraught over Enya's accident. He was happily going to make her my queen. He adored her. She was like the daughter he never had after my mothers passing." Silas said before moving some of Celia's hair out of her face. "Do your sources have any movement on Keir?" He asked. Celia nodded and moved over to Silas's bed and huffed.
"My sources tell me he went for a three day ride somewhere and didn't tell anyone then there was talk about someone special at his castle. Paid to get a room done up and so on." She ran her hands up and down the blankets before laying back. "It's so exhausting having to do the small things to get by and let into your room." She pouted again staring at Silas. "Come over here and hold me. I dislike entertaining old Fae when I can't see you." Celia grumbled. Silas made his way over and climbed on top of her.
"There is not much I can do to make my father like you unless you stop entertaining others and only stay loyal to me." Silas stared down at her as his voice softened. She wrapped her legs around Silas's hips and nodded.
"I can do that if you find me another job to do." Celia hummed. She ran her hands through Silas's hair.
"I shall speak to my father about what I can do to get you in his good books. If I can convince him I am in love with you and wasn't with Enya, he might allow you to be my Queen." He said before kissing her. Celia giggled a little and nodded at Silas.
"That could work. You could court me." She teased. Silas chuckled and shook her head before slipping out of her grasp.
"I must finish and send off this letter. Enya's family needs to know about her." He said walking back to his desk and picked his quill back up and continued to write.
"It's such a shame. Such a powerful Fae lady falling to her demise. There aren't many dragon tamers anymore. Had she found a dragon yet?" Celia asked. Silas looked up and leant back in his seat.
"Not to my knowledge." He said. Celia nodded and stayed laying on Silas's bed.

Once Silas was finished writing the letter, Celia had fallen asleep so he took this opportunity to go speak to his father again. He carried the message for Enya's family and once he saw a messenger, he took the chance to get the note sent.
"I need you to send this to the Dustsong Manor. It is urgent." Silas said before now making his way to greet his father once again. He walked into the hall where his father deals with the peasants requests and listens to their problems.
"Father." Silas said before the room quickly emptied.
"What is it, my son?" The king responded and arose from his seat.
"I wish to court Celia. She has sworn faithfulness to me and I really do love her father." Silas said rather quickly.
"You, what?" The kings voice grew in sound.
"I love her." Silas repeated.
"You can not love a Fae whore. Do you know how many men have been with her? She is wired to be unfaithful." The king stated.
"She swore to me she would stay faithful. If she fails then I shall exile her myself." Silas stood his ground and stepped closer to his father. "I know I was meant to love Enya, care for her, marry her, but now she is gone, I feel nothing towards the future we could have had. I wished the future I had planned with her was the future I now can have with Celia." Silas continued. The king stared at his son. His eyes filled with anger.
"She has been merely dead a week and you wish to not grieve. Enya was your friend, she was almost family. You've lost Keir and Enya, how am I supposed to know if my son will be a good king if he cannot keep a good ally alive or in his circle. Until you can prove your love for Celia and she prove hers back, you may not court her. That is final." The king stood his ground and sat back down. "You may leave." He said and shooed his son away. Silas was glad the king did not dismiss the idea. Silas returned to his room with a smile on his face.