Mahnu, An Immortal's Journey

Chapter 44

Several days after returning to Conrella, the King demanded to know what was going on as he hadn't heard news of Mahnu, just the news of Sedric not being found.

"Marcus! If you know something, please tell me!" King Richard stated, using his authority, which was rarely used upon his good friend.

Upon their trip back to Conrella, King Richard had talked to Marcus and they had become closer, but at this point in time he wasn't thinking of their friendship, but of the fact that he had not heard anything about his beloved Mahnu!

He had been unable to stop himself from thinking of the worst-case scenarios that could happen to her...What if Sedric was going to go after her, now that he had gone? What if she is taken captive? What if...She was hurt!?

Marcus looked down, unable to meet His Majesty's eyes. He had been trying to prepare himself for this very question for days, but still failed to feel that way...

That was because...

"Tell me!" King Richard yelled.

"...Reports stopped coming in two days ago, I don't know what is transpiring, Your Majesty." Marcus could only tell the truth...He could only...Watch and hope that His Majesty does not loss himself to this news...

"Dammit!" The King left the room and started walking, Marcus following and having a bad feeling...

"Your Majesty?" Marcus asked, already feeling like that the King was already acting different, just after hearing one sentence...

"I'm going to Bena!"

This response...Marcus started to feel anger grow inside of him, "But...You just returned to Conrella. You have..."

"Enough!" The King yelled. He stopped walking and leaned against a pillar along the path, "Why are there no reports...What happened?"

Marcus breathed in, seeing that the King had stopped, it gave him some hope that His Majesty won't do something rash, "The last report announced that Mahnu had started to travel here, that they had made it to the first rest point with no problems. They planned to continue to travel here and return one week from departure."

The King turned to him with a questioning look. "But the knights wouldn't have gotten there yet...Why did they leave without extra protection?"

Marcus silently cursed those who had made this decision, "The report didn't say."

"Why didn't you tell me?" The King asked Marcus. Didn't he know how important Mahnu was to him?

Marcus sighed, "Your Majesty, I didn't think much was wrong and that a report should arrive at any minute. But if there were a problem, how would you act? Bad enough to hit the Queen again?"

King Richard stared at Marcus with wide eyes. "You...Refused to report to me...Because of how I might act?"

Marcus bowed, "Yes, Your Majesty."

The King went to strike him but remembered his words.

'Bad enough to hit the Queen again?'

Wouldn't Marcus be right if I were to hit him right now? Dammit!

Lowering his arm, he felt himself start to tremble and he clenched his hands together to try and stop it!

He couldn't blame Marcus, yet...

Mahnu was just too damned important to hold in this information! What if she was being followed!? What if, right now, she was in so much trouble that I wouldn't ever get to see her again!?

What if Marcus told me as soon as he knew, and we were able to stop some calamity from happening!?

It was at this time that King Richard could not hold in his anger!