The King's Crest

Chapter 6

"Thank you, Charles for taking care of Katerina, she didn't need to see that. I really do appreciate you caring for her. I'm afraid Katerina and I will be leaving for a while with reasons that cannot be discussed, but feel free to stay as long as you would like. I hope to see you when we are back. Should you be gone by then then I will come visit your kingdom as would be appropriate," Jeremiah strictly told Charles before commanding me to walk with him.

We walked quickly into the castle corridor. We walked down hallways and upstairs and around the twists and turns. Had I not grown up in the palace I would have been thoroughly confused. Jeremiah didn't speak at all, he just kept walking quickly pretty much ignoring the fact that I was with him. After a few moments of silence and him trying to ignore the world I couldn't take it.

I pulled Jeremiah to the side and made him stop still gripping his shoulders. "I may not be royalty and you are, but I am also your best friend. You're practically my brother! Listen to me, please. I know you better than anyone in the world, why are you trying to hide your feelings so much from me right now?"

"You wouldn't understand what I'm going through! No one does!" he yelled back as he tried to withhold from crying.

"I wouldn't understand? I lost both of my parents when I was a little kid no more than six! I lost them because they were protecting your parents! So don't you dare tell me I don't know what it means to lose someone you love. Not to mention, your mother was like a mother to me, too!" I said back just raising my voice a little, angry thst he could so easily forget my past.

At this point he started crying, "I'm sorry Kat, you're right. I don't know how you dealt with it," he paused "I want to talk to you about all if this, but we don't have time. My father has ordered us to meet with him. Even if we did have time, I have no way of putting into words the emotions that are flooding through my mind," He tried to wipe around his tears once again, struggling to be strong. I did the only thing that seemed sensible, I wrapped my arms around him and hugged him tight. After a couple seconds he returned it, neither of us caring who might have seen us. It didn't last long before he lifted his head back, but it was enough to encourage Jeremiah, and myself, to keep going on for a bit. "Alright Lady Katerina, it's time to go." Once again regaining his composure.

We started walking again in a little less of a hurry. The tension resided and we walked together in sadness as the two best friends that we were. We came to two great doors covered in gems of all shades of blue, set in white gold. The guards were expecting us, they merely opened the door announcing our presence. We walked in, all of us looking a little battered.

Until this night I had never seen the king cry. The king was completely enveloped in his sorrows. No one had lost more tonight than the king I saw sitting before me. Though it wasn't normal for me I did a deep curtsy and held it until told to rise. "Katerina, stop with the formality, I'm sorry for my current state," the king declared.

"I apologize, Your Majesty," I replied.

"Father," Jeremiah respectfully said.

"Both of you know what happened in the ballroom, the tragedy of the death of the best queen who has ever lived in Vezana; the death of my forever bride. That's not all I'm afraid though. I knew that there had to be some sort of message somewhere. In the process of having the castle and kingdom searched, I went into the vault. The king's crest is gone. In its place we saw the symbol of an eagle instead of our wolf. Rethain has stolen it. I cannot go retrieve it, but someone needs to. It is the mark of who is royal here. Without it, we aren't royal. This means, while they are holding it, while that arrogant Prince Alexander is holding it, if I am to die, he is my legal heir.

"We need to send a group, small and unlikely to go after it. Or at least wouldn't be noticed. They need to blend in. I say no more than four people should go. Jeremiah, please consider carefully. I would go myself, but while they are holding that, I can't die or our kingdom will go to them." All around the room were audible gasps as people began to realize the true importance of the king's crest.

"I will go, father. It is my duty. They stole what I need to become king, it would only make sense if I were to go to retrieve what is mine. I will most likely be executed should they become rulers of our kingdom. I would be considered a traitor and killed for such treason. But if I go, as the best fighter in our kingdom, I have a chance of taking back what is mine and living. If I die retrieving it, so be it. I'll die with respect and love from my kingdom, not viewed as a coward. What better way for me to prove myself to my kingdom and people?" Jeremiah bravely declared.

"Are you sure about this my son? Not everything about being a king is honor. Do you really understand what is at stake?"

"I do, father. I want to do this. Please?"

"Very well."

"Then I'm going too!" I suddenly burst out.

"Katerina, no. It isn't safe!" Jeremiah and King Isaac said in unison.

"Jeremiah, you said it yourself, I can beat all of your soldiers in a battle. I'm one of the best here, you'll need my help. Not to mention, it will add to our ability to blend in. No one would expect you to bring a lady into battle. People don't normally send ladies on missions. It's perfect!" I retorted.

After great contemplation and murmurs through the throne room, there was a reply. "Very well then. What other people do you want to go with you?" the king asked.

~~~~~

Plans were made to leave that night. Jeremiah and I chose to bring one guard whom Jeremiah was familiar with. His name was Sir Kenneth and he had trained harder than almost every guard. He didn't come from a rich background which made him nicer and more appreciative than the rest. I had met him many times, so we too were acquainted, but not as close. Most are afraid to try to fight me because they are afraid to hurt a lady. Kenneth was one of those who was afraid to hurt me.

We had to blend in which meant that I was able to wear my normal blacksmith clothes. However, I wasn't allowed to tell anyone, even my uncle where I was going. Kenneth had some clothes that would work for him, but I needed clothes.

We decided to quickly sneak into my uncle's shop to grab some clothes. The king had generously given me some armor for small men in case it was needed, but I needed normal clothing, too. I instructed the men to stay outside while I went in because they don't know how to be quiet. When I was in, I was careful to step as lightly as possible on the old creaky wood.

To my relief my uncle had fallen asleep on a chair downstairs near the fire and most likely wouldn't hear me rummage through my stuff upstairs. Quietly, I went up until I pulled the curtain back that revealed my private living quarter. I swiftly walked to the back of my room and opened my armoire. I only took out three casual dresses and a couple aprons. I shoved them in my sack and continued.

After clambering downstairs and almost waking my uncle I knew I had to get out fast. I was stopped only by a single question: should I grab some weapons from the shop? I decided it was too close to my uncle and continued. Besides, I had my personal dagger that used to belong to my mom. The men also already had weapons so I knew I didn't have to worry about them.

At this point the sun was about to rise which was always the coldest part of the day. In anticipation of this I wrapped my cloak tighter around me and put up my hood before stepping back outside. It was even colder than I imagined. The warmth of the shop made the cold even more shocking. The Kenneth and Jeremiah were looking at me though so I knew I couldn't visibly show how cold I really was.

"So, the journey begins," I said as together the three of us began our walk out of town.