Jade Medieval

chapter 25

The first thing i felt was a breeze blowing on my face. A woman's voice spoke softly yet the words where mumbled, mixed up and slurred. My ears strained to understand them. It was hard but i realised I knew her voice. It was Flea.

My eyes snapped open and I squirmed, suddenly sweaty and shaking.

"What? What?" I mumbled repeatedly

Flea stopped waving a book and sighed," thank goodness! My arm was getting tired!"

My eyes fell upon a family sketch. It was hung above a tiny glowing hearth. The frame was a simple wooden item a child would make when they where lonely in the woods. I noticed the faces. Faces created by charcoal lines and curves. I saw Little Josh, his parents, some other adults i didnt know, Deliah,and a dog. Micheal wasnt there.

"He Must've been the one to sketch it," i said aloud but quietly, almost a whisper.

"Who?"

I looked around the room craving to see his face. The goofy blue-green eyes, his dirty hair. I missed it. I hadn't allowed myself to truly remember. I had tried that night in the teepee but I should have known. I needed to hear him again, to touch him, to see him, to say goodbye. At the very least i could see him!

I felt Flea wipe my cheek," what did the woman say to make you faint?"

I looked at my hands," its a long story."

Flea shook her head and fixed her leather shirt,"tell me."

"The woman told me that this man i was with was going to propose. His name was Micheal and I really liked him, in fact now that he is gone I think I was falling in love with him."

She said nothing but she rubbed my hand and nodded her head.

It was like that for awhile. In the warm room. Soon my back became stiff from lying on a wooden floor with only a few blankets to soften the ground.

"Where is Deliah? Is she asleep? I need to ask her something then i will join you guys," I said after Flea told me where the other two where.

"She should be in the kitchen," she pointed to an archway behind a wooden bench," if not she's asleep. See you soon."

"Dont wait up," i said as she left through a back door, shaky arms more solid as I was on a mission. Flea nodded as she left.

I went around the bench and stepped into the kitchen. The walls were made of brick by the hearth. It smelled of potatoes and cheese. The fire in the hearth was low, near dead. I found Deliah on a stool resting her head on her hands. Her face was tear strained and sorrowful.

When she saw me she looked straight at me," i had forgotten he was," her voice caught.

"Yeah..." i said softly slipping onto a stool beside her and bit my lip," Miss I was wondering if you had a drawing of some sort of Michael? I just...i need to see his face."

She looked at me sadly," wait here."

I sat and waited for her and when she came back she was carrying a piece paper. She left it face down and said she was going to sleep now. I nodded and told her I'd be out in a minute and she said i could keep the drawing.

When she had gone i turned the paper over. I studied the face meticulously. I smiled at him.

"Michael..."

I folded the paper up carefully and walked out the building.

Morning came soon and we had mounted our horses thanked Deliah and headed off. Whilst i was out we had gained the actual location of Fillip and Alexa. A drunken old sot in the village had spilled his guts to Henry and Jocelyn. Both literally and figuratively after he had grabbed Jocelyn.

I led the group with Henry focused on the task ahead. I couldnt save him but I could save them. We were set off to the small, but powerful, kingdom of Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald is a rich kingdom but as of yet hasnt been involved in more than three wars. They have skilled soldiers but mostly kept to themselves. That is, I suppose, until recently.

We dismounted our horses a mile before the kingdom following a hand drawn map. Our cautious steps sunk into the muddy path and each squish sound reminded me of a thousand drums beating. The path we where on snaked up the hill to Fitzgerald's gates. A handful of tired archers stood their posts but most relinquished their duties to a ghost.

The walls where made of cobblestone and ivy streaked its surface climbing over the edge. There were piles of hay along the side and I could see a wooden door. Two guards stood watch.

"Behind that door is a passage that takes you down to the dungeons. Source said they were keeping Fillip and Alexa in the same cell," Henry said.

"Alright, well I'm going down there," I pulled out my sword," whose with me?"

Jocelyn looked to Henry for approval but he shook his head and took her aside. I heard snippets of their conversation.

"-I can do it-" she said.

"-its dangerous-"

"-I can-"

"-I want you with me..."

So it went for a few minutes until they came back. Jocelyn scrunched up her nose.

"Best you go Flea, Alexa is..." she searched for a description," important to you."

Flea nodded seeming content with Jocelyn's careful wording. We made plans for Flea and I to bring the others down a hill to the east of the castle and take the long way around the base of the hill to our horses.

"Lets go!" I said at last after plans where drawn.

Flea and I hurried up the hill, feet slick on the mud. I came up behind the guards and silently used the handle base of my sword to render them unconscious. We followed Henry's information down a passageway to a smelky hole reaking of ill men.

The coughing and weezing consealed our footsteps and it was easy to make the jailor reconsider. A sword to the throat and a dagger to the heart does it. I tied him to a pole and gagged him as Flea took the keys and checked the cells. I followed her to find Alexa and Fillip in the far cell. Closely woven together in a long lingering kiss. Alexa was sobbing with streaks of red down her back and Fillip was bruised like and old apple beaten nearly to a pulp.

Flea wavered backwards unsteady on her feet watching this. Unable to tear her eyes away. I opened and closed my mouth trying to find words but failing. When the two broke apart I caught Alexa's eye filled with anger.

"How could you?!" Flea scowled," How?!"

I fumbled with the key and finally found one that dit as Flea paced the hall clenching her fists trying not to scream anymore. Alexa was crying more now the only thing she could say was:" I was scared."

Fillip never met my eye. So, as our jobs required, we brought them around the hill to the horses with eerie silence mostly but angry shouting near the end. When we got to the horses Flea sprung on hers and sped off.

"What got into her?" Henry asked.

"Alexa was making out with Fillip," I answered then flipped to Alexa and pounted a dagger to her," what are you? You say you like women not men then you make out with one? Why?"

"I was scared," she wimpered to me.

"Yeah well alot of crap has happened to me and you dont see me making out with anyone."

"I dealt with it differently but I'm not assamed truly. I feel badly that Flea was witness but I had been scared. I wanted to be normal be someone I'm not. I was scared."

A tear rolled down my cheek and I opened my arms and hugged her.

"Its okay, just...talk to Flea," I said to her after the hug.

"I didnt want to hurt her, I was looking for confort and I was scared and confused," Alexa sighed and climbed behind Fillip who had already mounted a horse. They took off in the path of flea and Jocelyn, Henry and I followed them. Quiet and to ourselves the whole ride back to Dehlia's.