A beating heart

Chapter 12

12.

Her hurried steps sounded of the dark corridor walls as she followed the guards from her chambers. Her head still felt heavy with sleep and her muscles were straining with every movement. The sudden exercise made her mind spin and she tried focusing her mind, ignoring the darkness creeping up on her.

She was confused, the guards hadn't told her anything besides that she was needed in the courtyard. Was it Henry again, had he summoned them again? The thought made her stomach turn and her hands instinctively sought to protect her belly. The King scared her and she had barely left her chambers since Lola's death avoiding the mad ruler at all cost. Kenna had always stayed with her keeping her Queen's company, though her friend was likely more terrified than her.

Her pulse was quickening and she could feel the nervousness rising in her limbs, her fingers shaking and her mouth a thin line. Before they turned the last corner, she halted for one last moment as she braced herself for what might awaits her around the corner. Drawing in air, doing her best to ignore the anxiety clouding her mind, she stepped forward.

There were people gathered, standing in small groups, filling the corridor leading to the court yard. Most were in their night garments, just like her, only wrapped in thin robes, the ladies' unbrushed hair tumbling from their shoulders as they huddled together to keep warm. What was the meaning of this, it made no sense to her. Her eyes scanned the crowd for any familiar faces and found the the dark head of hair, illuminated by the sparse torch light. She hurriedly tried to wrap her thin night robe tighter around her middle, her belly already to big for most of her garments, hiding the goose bumps covering her skin.

„Bash, what is happening?" she nearly tripped, momentarily forgetting the weight of her belly, but caught herself just in time as she rushed towards her husband.

The gloomy light was glistening in his eyes as he opened his arms for her, but he seemed unusually tense. Something was terribly worn, she could sense it, almost smell his fear. She had never seen him looking so nervous as he did right now and the suspense was nagging at her.

The hushed voices of the surrounding courtiers filled the corridors and the sky was still pitch black against the windows. It was a warm summer night but the spooky ambiance was sending chills down her back as she caught people staring at her.

„Mary, are you alright?" Bash enveloped her, placing a quick kiss on her forehead.

She nodded in response, her fingers clinging to his back. It felt so good to hold him close, to feel his warm skin against hers as she allowed herself to relaxing in his arms. He held her tightly, and she could feel his heart pounding against her chest.

„What happened?" she repeated once more.

„The King, Henry, he ... he jumped. They found his body in courtyard." he sounded unsteady, his breathing uneven against her skin.

His words took her by surprise and she wasn't sure how to react. It was not what she had expected to hear and her mind was reeling, trying to puzzle together the meaning behind his words. The King had jumped, but why? Was it the madness in his head, had it driven him to jump from a window? Where was he know, instinctively the fear returned.

„Is he, is he dead?" she whispered the words, their meaning heavy on her tongue.

„Yes, he was already gone when the guards found him." he sounded distressed, his voice shaking ever so slightly and his eyes refused to meet hers.

She didn't quite understand why, but relief flooded her body. It was wrong to wish anyone dead, even your worst foe, a sin before god, she knew that. But all that had happened, Lola's death and the King seemingly growing madder by the hour, had been a heavy burden. If he was truly dead, her mind refusing to quite believe it, it was all over. Peace would return to court and they were finally save, all of them. He was dead, truly gone, he wouldn't hurt anymore people, she wouldn't loose anymore of her friends to his madness. The baby, Bash, her friends, they were all finally save.