Jade Medieval

Chapter 46

♞For Our Kingdom's Sanity♞
"Mint!" Kiara hissed as the familiar man dotted through the woods running straight past us.

"Yes! Ha!" He says loudly causing the group to shush him loudly," Oi! Like that would help!"

The Princess unnecessarily bows at him causing Kiara to barely stiffle her laughter. Mint takes his friend's remark with stride.

"Not everyday I get the honour to meet a lovely Princess," he says kissing her hand softly.

To my suprise the Princess laughs at his character. Her cheeks turn the slightest shade of pink beneath her makeup. Mint notices and straightens his posture with pride.

I take a breath refocusing on the plans at play.

"You are late," I frown crossing my arms," escort the Princess and go."

As he guides her away like a gentleman I think it best to shout at him once more.

"Don't play romantic hero!"

"Like it's an act!" He shouts back and I watch him bow deeply, wobbling unsteadily on the uneven earth.

"You're an act jester," I say with laughter and he and Kiara join in.

He gestures an arrow to the heart causing laughter all around. He always was a joust. As Mint led the Princess away Kiara and I hurried back to the battle that was underhand. By now the southerners would have been lured from the church and engaging in battle.

Never would I have imagined the grave day that loomed ahead. We broke the crest of the hill to witness the bloodshed. Kiara nodded at me and we readied ourselves to fight. This was the big battle, the fate of everyone I held dear would be found today on this field.

"For Queen and Kingdom!" I shouted raising my sword.

"For Queen and Kingdom!" echoed Kiara.

We rushed into the town's square where the fighting was most heavy. My blade was dripping with blood but I remained unscathed. Kiara split from me now to join Hark who was being cornered and I searched for Lenöch who seemed to remove himself from the battle.

"Cowardice is a poor look on you Lenöch!" I shouted making my way towards Joseph's Gospel.

I saw a large man in furs leap from the side window and run towards the back field. He broke through the stained glass to escape. I rid myself of my cloak and dashed after him.

"What took you so long?" I heard a familiar voice call.

"Fillip!" I gasped and ran alongside him after Lenöch, "Mint was late."

"Sure you just didn't have a Sunday's foot?" He laughed teasingly.

We needed to kill Lenöch to force disorder for the Southerners and demonstrate our Kingdom's strength. He could not escape us. We had followed Lenöch to the cemetary grounds. He was resting upon a tombstone failing to breathe properly.

"The great Lenöch," he said theatrically throwing his hands up, "defeated by a child and a maid. How is that possible?"

He lifted his eyes to meet mine then flickered to Fillip's.

"You shall die here," Fillip pointed his sword to Lenöch's throat.

He began to chuckle a wicked way as if possessed. He moved back behind the tombstone and kicked it with great force onto Fillip's shin and foot. Lenöch then threw his body underneath Fillip's sword and burried a dagger in his side. I was in shock and slashed Lenöch with my sword angrily. He took his sword from its place and we began to clash as I led him from Fillip whom tried to free himself from the heavy stone. He called insistently for help from Kiara or Mint or anyone else's name that came to mind. I met his eyes desperate to come to my aid.

Lenöch was beastly in strength but I was faster. His movements were exhausting to evade however, I felt my legs weaken as he forced me from the cemetary grounds up a hill. I scratched him a few times in attempts to land a stab. As of yet he failed to cause me bloodshed. We clashed swords and he grew frustrated that I managed to escape his murderous swordplay.

Fanfare went off in the distance.

"It seems without you your men have fallen or given up," I found myself smiling which only served to irritate Lenöch more," my Kingdom is mighty."

Lenöch charged at me and gashed open a wound on my arm. He kicked his boot outwards and I fell on the side of the hill. Desperately I reached for my sword and swung managing to slice at his legs. He moved backwards cursing at me. His face grew red and I felt frightened to be underneath him as I was. In one motion he forced my sword from my hand and forced his sword between my legs to pin me by my dress to the ground.

His face twitched and he knelt himself down despite my protest. My one arm was bleeding terribly and the other could not fend him off. I screamed out as he tore my dress from me and laughed wickedly at the sight of my underclothes and bodice. I could taste the whiskey on his breath as he forcibly kissed me quiet. I dug my teeth into his lips until he tasted the blood and pulled off for a moment's time. Lenöch dug his nail into my wound and yelled at me to be still. I fought back tears unable to move and cried out once more for Fillip with everything I had.

"This is gonna hurt you alot more than me," He grinned devilishly and I spat at his face and squeezed my eyes shut praying to God.

Warm blood fell upon my face and I felt Lenöch's body suddenly pressed against mine, hand moving to feel the curved of my figure. I was shaking and horrified when I realized Lenöch suddenly wasn't moving a muscle and was drooling onto my bodice. A deep grimace escaped him yet I still could not escaoe the weight of him. Was he playing a trick? My eyes refused to open until I felt him pulled off of me and heard Fillip's voice although I wasn't able to focus on his words.

"Jade" I finally heard him crying my name," I'm so sorry, the damned stone would not budge then when it did my leg gave out...I'm so sorry. He is gone now my love, you are safe. I hope that monster didn't hurt you or take your purity- I'm so sorry. Please speak to me."

He had wrapped my arm in part of my dress that had been torn and covered me in his shirt. I was being rocked in his arms when I finally willed myself to open my eyes. I began sobbing instantly and he held me tightly begging for my forgiveness which I mumbled wasn't necessary as it wasn't his fault.

I realized all at once how hurt Fillip was. His foot was crushed funny and he was bleeding from the stabwound.

"We need to get you to Kiara," I said fearful of his pale colour.

"You're probably right but I'm afraid I cannot walk, I can only crawl awkwardly," Fillip looked at me concerned more so of my wellbeing that his.

"Kiara!" I yelled over and over.

I had near given up to try to drag Fillip into town when her familiar face came racing up the hill on a horse. I pleaded with her to help Fillip and she dressed his wounds best she could with supplies from the horse's saddlebag. She grimaced at the sight is us both but was very fixated on the medicines and Fillip's foot.

"You will live but with a limp," she spoke kindly," good the devil is dead."