Betrothal's Price

Chapter 26: The Fortunate & The Unfortunate

They were all just outside the EverGreen Forest. They were going to be free.

But just as hope arose in them, as if some greater evil were scheming, Bråulio returned from his patrol of the area with bad news; several other Scaths had spotted them. The whispers returned for one last hurrah, and every elf's ears twitched at the noise before it was in human earshot.

Bråulio searched around for a way out in order for the plan to actually succeed. These people deserved second chances to live peacefully. With an instant decision, he turned straight to Taylor, Liam, and Isla.

Liam glanced at him and nudged Isla. Isla took a single look at him and instantaneously knew what he was planning.

Bråulio spoke to gather everyone's attention before the Scaths were visibly approaching them. "Prince Liam, Lady Isla, take care of them. Get them out of this kingdom, free them once and for all. I'll hold them off." He ordered, a sad glint in his eyes. "If ever you come across her and if she remembers me, tell my wife  I was still fighting to reach her. She lives in the Borealis Ocean. Good luck, everyone." He worked to not shout or raise his voice too high.

The whispers began to echo once more, and Bråulio pressed, "Go! Now!"

Liam gathered forward the Littusians, his expression glum. Isla shook her head. "I'm helpin' you. You deserve to come home, too." She walked forward.

Bråulio raised his head, "No. You have a kingdom, a lover, and family to look after. If by any chance, I make it, I make it. If not, may I be at peace. Now, go." He turned around and shot an arrow directly at a charging Scath.

The Scaths were now visible, and surrounding their targets, striving to reach all of them. They ran in their almost complete circle, chasing the Littusians to reach them before they lost them in the forest.

Faster than lightning, Bråulio shot an arrow at several Scaths, but as if never ending, right as one Scath was shot another stood behind him charging even faster than the one before.

Isla tried to help Bråulio, but Taylor grabbed her wrist, "Come on. You heard him. We need to go."

Isla struggled against him, "No, he needs help, we can't just leave him. I can help him."

Taylor hung his head as he continued to try pulling her. "We can. He wanted us to. We need to help the other Littusians. We have those people to save and help. You can't help him, the most you'll do will be kill yourself."

Isla still tried against him. "We can't abandon him! You guys have the others handled, I can help him. I can save him." She watched as Bråulio was raised with too many challenges than he could handle.

The Scaths all took their chances to infect him, over and over again. They attacked him with punches and kicks, blows he could not avoid and physical contact he could not counter. Although, killing quite a few, stabbing them with the tips of his arrows when they got too close to him to shoot, Bråulio was losing a losing battle with no backup to help him. He took one good look at them mouthing "go".

They were only a few steps to freedom. But Isla stared in terror as Bråulio pulled his final arrow from his quiver and directly jabbed it into his own chest, killing himself instantly. Blood pooled from his body and the Scaths looked to their closest targets.

Taylor pulled at Isla, and with only slight hesitation Isla obliged and ran. They had no choice but to leave him there.

They ran into the forest and rushed everyone to move even faster. Liam had run straight to the back of the group to look for Isla and Taylor as well as keeping a good account of everyone's presence. He sighed in relief when he spotted them and finished his count before heading to the front of the group to continue his lead.

When the Scaths lost their trail, they fell back to look for survivors, people left behind, and their own that were injured and the hundred of them missing.

Everyone of the Littusian survivors celebrated their victory in escaping but mourned the loss of the leader that banded them in the first place. They all continued to walk, following Liam and Isla who walked in front of them all.

Isla looked at Liam, putting aside her regrets to be sure he was doing okay. " Hey, Liam? Are you- are you doin' okay?"

Liam shrugged, his expression, for once, difficult to read, "Yeah, I just- I finally know how Mom always felt when they would go to war. It's hard to deal with the deaths of people that fought to help you. I wish we didn't have to leave him. But we had to lead everyone else to safety. What about you?"

Isla flinched at the remembrance of the sight of Bråulio's death. "I'm.." She struggled to lie about her emotions as she looked at him. ".. Devastated. I feel like I should've done somethin'. I should've just ignored what Taylor said and helped him. Liam, I stood right there as Bråulio stabbed himself with an arrow. I could've fought them off or helped, at least. I just feel like I should've done more. But I didn't."

"Isl-"

"But while I could've, maybe I shouldn't have. I don't know. It feels like I abandoned him, but at the same time, I feel as if there wasn't much else I should've done. Is that weird or odd?" Isla interrupted Liam to finish her point.

Liam responded, putting his arm around her shoulders in comfort. "It's not. It's a start. A start of something new."

Isla chuckled, "Poetic."

Liam mock bowed, "Why, thank you!" They both giggled a little. When serious again, Liam looked around at their surroundings. Still nothing but trees around them, but the path grew fresher and fresher. Few bushes with berries crossed their path, but no one dared to pick at them.

They were walking deeper into the forest, and everyone could feel it. Liam and Isla remained in the lead, discussing their next moves.

When at a common conclusion, Liam stopped and turned around, "Everyone, we have an announcement to make clear before we all continue. Petra is currently unavailable for anyone here to inhabit. There's a lot going on over there that we don't want anyone to be forced to be a part of. For those who want to return to your homes in Silvestria, take advantage of your freedom, and head there now. We can't lead everyone to their homes or destinations. So if you want to head to your Silvestrian homes, you will be taking a separate path. For those who are going to a Human Kingdom then we'll lead you to the nearest Hortusian or Demergan village. Right here is is the start of the pass between Littus and Petra. Through here we can pass through without either kingdom being aware. We wish we could help you further, but unfortunately-" Liam was cut off by Charlie.

"No, you have helped us enough. Few of us have heard and seen enough to understand the trouble you three alone are in. Dorka knows her way to Demergo."

Dorka stepped up, her light blond hair blowing in her face by the wind. "I do, Charlie and I have been speaking and we've come to a conclusion with a few others. I will take on bringing everyone else to the Demergan village, you three must get going before a Scath attempts to find one of you. We can all manage from here. You three have done more than enough, getting us out of that wretched kingdom being at the top. We do not ask anything more or less of you."

Liam and Isla looked at each other in shock. Liam blinked, "Oh. Uh.. You're sure we should just leave you guys?"

Dorka smiled, "You are not leaving us, you're trusting us. We can take things from here. Now, go before anything happens."

Isla slightly hesitated, but accepted it. "Taylor! We're leavin'." She informed.

Taylor nodded and gave more flowers to the children on Ash. He then gently carried each of them off of her and led Ash towards Liam and Isla.

Everyone said their goodbyes, and parted ways.