The King's Mistress

Chapter 15

Clink...ting...swish.....slice
The sounds were too loud and too much to bare.
Slice...slice...
Eric's shirt was now ripped to pieces.
Slice... slice...thud.
"ERIC!!!" I said running to him.
The force of Leo's jab sent Eric flying.
He was laying on the ground. I came over to him his dark brown hair laid in a mess on top of his head mostly soaked with sweat and blood. It was clear too that the dirt that they fought on was also drenched with blood. It was more Eric's than Leo's.
I got to Eric touching him lightly trying to get a response from him but it was already too late. Eric was dead. It was known from the moment he stood up for me that his fate was already sealed. Leo was a much better fighter due to his many years of training.
Leo just stood there unresponsive and uninterested.
I still stayed by Eric's lifeless body having no need to get up and having hardly any life left in myself. Eric was now as cold as ice.
I could no longer hear his voice. I could no long see his bright face that was once full of happiness. Eric had gone through so much from losing his wife to now losing his life. Most of his outcome was my fault and I blamed myself for his troubles and his untimely death. 
Leo came over to me taking my arm pulling me up to my feet like I was a beaten child who fell down to stop the punishment. I kept my eyes on Eric as Leo picked me up.
"Let me go" I said yanking my arm away. I ran toward the cottage getting to the door before Leo grabbed me once again.
"There is no need to go back inside" Leo said.
"Yes, there is" I said dashing inside for my dresses that Eric had bought me not but a few hours ago. I ran up the stairs almost falling as my feet carried me to the room the dresses were in.
I found the box grabbing it up tightly in my arms. The small box was white as snow with a bit of twine around it that was now loosened.
The box now suffered the unending rain of tears that fell on it. It was all i had to remember him by. I couldn't take anything else with me back to the castle. It would be sold or burned by Leo which ever he saw fit for them.
I slowly walked down the wooden stairs to the door were I took one last look at the place.
When I turned around Leo was standing at the door back clothed in his robe of gold which was draped around him. His robe was training behind him most likely made of the heaviest and finest materials.
Leo stopped me from going outside while a knight got rid of the body. I tried to fight pasted him but Leo had me in a tight embrace.
I didn't have enough strength to fight Leo so I stood there being squished in Leo.
It wasn't until he let go that he noticed the box in my arms. He didn't question he just stared at it for a moment trying to make up his mind to take it from me or just let me have whatever was in it.
I held it tightly hoping that I wouldn't have to fight to keep the dresses.
On the way back home to the palace I made no fuss. Leo had me riding with him back on his horse. It was a short ride back but it was silent. Leo made no effort to talk to me but I could feel the tension in the air that he wanted to say something. I looked forward while Leo kept me between him and the reins of the horse.
I had caused so much trouble not only for me but for Eric and now I couldn't tell him how sorry I was. My tears fell from my eyes silently as we rode into the courtyard. I got off the horse standing still until the stable keeper took the horse from me.