The Winter Sun

Chapter 23

It was only until the last bunch of arrows sank into the ground and the certainty that no one was following them that their gallops faltered.

They slouched on their horses, the aftertaste of what just happened finally catching up their sore muscles. For a while, rash breath and the clip-clop of the horses' hooves against the ground were the only sound filling the air.

Despite the heaviness of his eyelids, Lach's mind twirled. What will happen to the Kingdom? To Ornuv and its people? Had the Kingdom fallen into the hands of those intruders? Was the throne lost? Were they damned? He glanced at the Princess. She stared into space, the aftershock still carved into her face. The King's head thudded against the ground. Blood gushed. The crown rolled away. Lach's throat tightened. He glanced again at the woman. The words simmered in his mouth, burning his tongue, for they wanted to be released. He looked ahead. The empty white road stretched forth. He couldn't do it. He wouldn't be able to bear her heart breaking into pieces.

He couldn't do that to someone else.

The pitiful face of his own father flashed before his eyes. He was a boy again, useless and too young and too weak. Because if his own strength couldn't prevent his father from being taken away, so would his cries, right?

But it hadn't.

Lach inhaled deeply and let his torments marinate inside the silence.

It was the Princess who stopped his suffering. "They have Lily..." she started. "Ezri is dead, and I have no idea where Father is." Lach's hands tightened against the reins. "I have lost everyone I know and love in a single night." She let out, voice fractured.

"We don't know that yet." A tentative smile, but Amaya's face only shadowed.

"I have nowhere left to go."

Lach's palms were marked red. "I will bring you to my home," he assured.

"We will be safe there for a moment, and then..."

"Then nothing...I have no home to return to," Her dull eyes found Lach's. "All I ever wanted all my life was to go beyond those gates... The Sun God has a way of granting your wish unexpectedly." her chuckle was dry, utterly devoid of that melodious and lively hue.

"We will find a way," Lach assured. "I promise."

The Princess smiled tightly. "Don't make promises you cannot keep." She passed past him before Lach could reply.

**

"Release me!"

Two arms dragged Lily as she wriggled. That's only when her knees hit the cold hard ground that she looked up. Light barely passed through a small window, and chains were attached to a wall. A dungeon. A silhouette stood under a shadowed corner before it revealed itself to the light. Her eyes shone under the wet curls plastered on her face. "Commander!" she let out a relieved sob. "We are attacked, we-"

Zakrus seized her with his gaze, and Lily fell silent. Something dreading crawled to her back. "Where is the Princess?" he asked.

Lily shook her head. "I- I have no idea. I hadn't seen her since last night. Commander, we must find her before-"

Zakrus's features hardened. He kneeled down in front of her and grabbed her chin. Lily's breath itched, and her eyes glistened with fear. "I am not going to hurt you," he said, but she sobbed as tears fell down her bruised cheeks, wetting the commander's hand. "I just want you to help me," he removed the wet strands on her forehead. "If you tell me where the Princess is, nothing bad will happen to you."