Heartfelt - sequel to Heartless

Chapter 18

'SO, ONLY A FEW SOLDIERS are going to come with us, to be . . . discrete, and then, we meet the rest at . . . the Beach. I become queen and we attack?' Catherine asked, making sure she understood everything. She closed her eyes, hundreds of questions swirling in her mind. Jest came to her side.

'Don't worry. I'm going to be there with you and I'll protect you.' He grabbed her hand and squeezed it. Cath looked him in the eyes.

Raven flew through the open window inside and sat on an armchair. 'They're ready.'

Cath removed her hand from Jest's and nodded firmly.

They walked the halls and went outside to the stables where Hatta and the rest were waiting. She quickly counted the soldiers outside. For a crossing to the enemy's territory, the number did not please her. The other troops would go the opposite way, on the far east side and meet them at the Beach. Jest said they had to not draw attention to themselves.

Jest took a horse's reins from Hatta's hand and stroked the bridge of the horse's nose in a smoothing motion.

The horse reminded Catherine of a night sky without stars. You could lose yourself in the darkness, much like its black equipment blend in with its fur, barely visible anymore.

Cath watched as Jest got up on the saddle and extended a hand for her. She grabbed his hand and put one foot on the stirrup and Jest helped her get up in front of him. She set her legs on a side, but Jest moved one over. 'Jest!' She turned her head to him, shocked. She still had to pretend to be a lady and could not sit like that on a horse.

Jest leaned in and whispered in her ear: 'No one's going to know, my lady.' Catherine turned around hopelessly and arranged her dress the best she could.

~♡~

They were now in the Knight Square on the west side. Cath looked around. They were all supposedly training stations, but it didn't seem like it. The grand building of the said chess piece was hovering over the few . . . houses that circled it. They looked identical to the ones in the city. 'Do knights live here?' she asked Jest confused.

'Few. The trainers and some guards. It's like this in every square.'

Catherine turned her head towards him and back at the houses. 'They do it willingly?'

Jest nodded. 'Someone needs to protect the station at all times. The Queen lets them move in one of those houses. Even with family if they want to.' He inclined his head to a side. 'Well . . . most lost them. That's why they give their loyalty to the Crown and train others. To help for a better world. '

Catherine nodded slightly, getting the idea. The war never stopped for them. She could change that, Jest said, and that was their initial plan, but after everything that happened, now the plan changed a bit. But she'd still fight for Chess.

She could die, she knew that, but she was ready to risk it if it meant she could get her heart back. She didn't know how much time she had left.

Over the week that passed, the pain returned in waves, at different times. They tried to find a pattern to them, but there was none. They came all of a sudden, without any warning first. Her body would soon give in.

'You'll see we have a stone wall in front of the Pawn Squares; look for it once we get there. It is mostly only remains now, but it protected, at least at some point, everyone. The Red one is behind the Pawn Squares.' Jest let the implication sink in before he continued. 'The Red Queen cares more about protecting the nobles and sacrifices the civilians every day.'

Cath knew why Jest was telling her all those things; to make her understand what kind of a person the Red Queen was. She kept silent the rest of the way.

The path to there was safe, although they were far into the White territory, so it made sense. Catherine still didn't know what she'd do once they were attacked. She hated to admit that she was fairly useless and didn't know how to wield a sword properly, unlike Jest. She hoped he could train her a bit once they got to the Rook Square, even though it was not lady-like to even hold a sword and her mother would probably faint at the mere idea, no one seemed to care about that sort of stuff here. 'Do girls fight here?' Catherine asked, once they passed the houses.

'Yes, some. If they want to.'

Chess was very different from Hearts. It didn't believe only men had the power. After all, the queen was the most powerful piece in chess. 'I want to know how to wield a sword better,' she said firmly, sitting straighter on the horse. She knew the basics, and had some . . . experience with one, but it wasn't enough.

'I'll teach you,' Jest replied as if it was already obvious he'd do that.

Catherine could finally see the rook building in the distance. She was tired of sitting on this horse. They were right at the border of the two squares. The Rook Square, to her 'luck', was in a forest.

They had already passed the Bishop Square, which was also in a forest, but they were closer to the castle and it was safer. 'Almost there,' Jest whispered. Cath could sense his gaze scanning their surroundings, which now were only trees. She heard the whisper of the water from the river.

Right as she was about to say something, Jest wrapped his whole arm around her waist firmly and a tower covered them. They were a few meters away from their previous spot, where now lied an arrow stuck in the earth.

Jest got off the horse. Catherine looked around as she heard Jest pull his sword out. 'We're being attacked,' Jest whispered.

'Yes, I got it,' she replied frustrated. He let out a small chuckle. He extended a hand towards her, his eyes still scanning the area. Cath took it and got her feet on the ground. She suddenly heard two swords clashing together in the distance. Jest slowly moved in front of her. Hatta and Jest shared a glare; the former nodded slightly. Hatta was out of sight in a minute, going after the sound. Soon groans and swords clashing covered the peaceful sounds of the birds and the water's whisper.

Catherine's grip on Jest's arm tightened. He was still standing in front of her, listening closely to the sounds of the battle. His whole body seemed eager to join too, Cath could tell. But he was holding back to stay and protect her. She hid behind him better, looking paranoid around at the trees.

Raven came flying to them and then transformed back in human. 'There are archers in the trees, and it's quite the scene. They don't seem to have any specific aim; their attack seems to be obscene.' At the last part, Raven looked at Cath. Jest nodded. She squirmed in fear. So she was right, they were in the trees.

'How many on ground?' Jest asked.

Raven shrugged his shoulders. 'They keep coming, swords in hands. With all their might they stand.'

Jest cursed. He turned to Catherine. 'I have to go. But if anything happens, just scream my name. I'll come back as soon as I can,' he promised and took another sword out and handed it to her.

Cath wanted to tell him that she could not fight a soldier born with a sword in hand, but he left before she could get a word out. Great. She was alone, in a forest, during an attack.

At least she had the horse.