Glory in Our Defiance • Zarry

13. - The Road to Peace

Nottingham Castle, 1485

The day of the battle, Zayn wakes up with the anxious wondering whether the letter he wrote for Harry will get to Wawrick in time. It is the first thought he has and the next is the deadful realization that he will have to face the love of his life in a battle just in a few hours.

Even before breakfast, he went to the castle's chapel and prayed on his knees for longer than ever in his life. The plan is too risky not to. He and Harry will have to rely on each other, on themselves and on God to take up the things mortals do not have control of.

His mother seems cheerful, like the deaths of thousands slaughtered by her men bring her great joy. All the Lords that haven't already left for Bosworth the night before seemed to be in similar moods as his mother. It was making Zayn's stomach turn on itself so he retreated back to his chambers where he stayed until it was time to leave and start the journey to Market Bosworth.

He is still not wearing full armor as they leave for it is too heavy for a few hours of riding. Especially in this warm weather and sunshine.

Zayn gets surprised by Peter, Harry's squire, just as he is about to walk into the stables to get his horse.

"Your Grace," Peter whispers, gently grabbing Zayn's forearm to capture his attention. "I have a letter from Prince Harry for you."

Zayn shakes off the shock, taking the letter that's already in Peter's outstretched hand along with the ring. "Thank you. I am very grateful you got here before the battle."

Peter nods. "I am honored to help you, Your Grace. I must leave now, they could find me. I still need to get to Bosworth at some point today."

"Of course," Zayn agrees. "Goodbye, Peter."

"Goodbye, Your Grace."

Peter disappears in the darkness of the stables and Zayn doesn't waste previous seconds, breaking the seal and reading right away.

The content of Harry's letter warms his heart, making this grim day seem at least a bit better. He cannot wait to see him again, touch him and not just dream of it constantly.

Harry calling himself his betrothed makes Zayn smile. It seems like it isn't even real, this possibility of being with Harry and not hiding in shadows and night. All this fighting will be worth it. Not just for their love, but for peace as well.

Zayn pockets the letter and the ring too. He takes Harry's advice about using the thought of their future together to give him strength and courage. After all, he would do anything for Harry. This chance is rare and precious and they cannot waste it. Too much is at stake.

xxx

Market Bosworth, 1485

The war gets noisy on the battlefield. Shouts of pain, armor clanking against each other, weapons meeting in mid air. The sound is chilling to the bone but in the moment you don't have time to think about it. Only later you realized you heard hunders of men shout as they were dying and you saw some take their last breath. Blood mixes with the ground and creates maroon mud that seems so innocous because it looks like regular mud from distance. Horses stomp on corpses, people do too. It is a strange, like it was its own world and you do not care about anything else but surviving.

Zayn kills for the first time in his life. Or maybe he doesn't. Maybe the blows weren't deadly to the soldiers attacking him. Who knows? The death toll is too high either way. It could have been zero if less than a dozen of people had listened.

He spots Harry about an hours into the battle. In a shiny plate armor with a white rose on his chest, he is hard to miss amongst the men in mismatched and outdated armor. Just like Zayn, he is sat atop a horse, fighting off soldiers from above.