The Reluctant Queen

Chapter 6

A/N: Hey guys! 

Uffda, 2019 is already crazy! I hope you guys are having a great start to the new year! 

Thanks again and Enjoy!

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Louis' POV:

He wasn't sure how the fire happened. He only knew that when he saw Sophia get injured, for him, he felt a pain he didn't know possible. He could only describe it as if there was a crack within him, a part of him that was freed. 

And it had come out in a wave of blue flames. 

The masked men screamed in agony, unable to avoid the blast. But Louis ignored them. He didn't use his magic to hurt the men. No, this spell came about without his consent. The magic spilled out of him and he didn't know how to stop it. As if in a dome, a circle around him remained flame-free, following him wherever he moved. With his body shaking in fear of what he had just done, he picked up Sophia as gently as he could. His arms went around her bridal style, holding her close to his chest. She was still alive, her breath small and shallow, but there nonetheless. He walked out of the fire and down the path, leaving the men behind. 

And then, as if it never happened, the forest fire vanished. No smoke, no damage. The men that were once screaming were now standing, gasping for air and fleeing the scene, their clothes covered in mud, but otherwise fine. Not a burn mark on them. 

But Louis didn't care. He didn't have the time to care if those men ran off to alert the king. And the fire. There would be time to be afraid of the uncontrollable power that just escaped him. For now the only thing he could think of was Sophia. 

The wound was in her lower abdomen, and it was continuing to bleed profusely. There was no telling if the blade was enchanted. She could have been poisoned or, God forbid, cursed. He had to treat her now, and if he waited a moment longer she could die. So he did what he had hoped he wouldn't have to do.

He glanced around him, making sure the men had completely fled. He then placed her down in the grass. He raised his hands above her, only hesitating for a moment. Healing magic was tricky, and could go south quickly. Louis wasn't lying when he said his magic became unstable when he was stressed, and he had already used much of his power for the accidental forest fire.

But he had no choice. He spoke the spell, his hands hovering above her wound. A bright, green light shinned from within her, before dimming to nothing. 

Ugh," he moaned. He knew, with the ache in his limbs, that there was no magic left in him to spare. He carefully checked Sophia's injury, which had now closed, before picking her up again. Sophia gasped in his arms, still unconscious. He held her tightly before moving her over his back. They were still a few hours from town, and there was no time to waste.

Sophia's POV: 

"Cover your hair." Louis tossed me a plain gray headscarf. Just a few hours ago I had woken up while Louis was carrying me piggyback style. Now that we were in town, we had already found an inn to spend the night at and some new clothes for the both of us. When I came to, we were both covered in blood, but no matter how many times I asked Louis about the details of what happened, he avoided it.  It was fuzzy, I remembered the men confronting us on the path, but that was about it. 

"Why?" I asked as I retied my hair into a bun with the ribbon he gave me. We were currently in our room at the inn, waiting for Louis' friend. He went on about a secret spot where they would leave messages for each other. I'll be honest, I wasn't really listening to his explanation, but according to him, she knew we were in need of her help and should be here soon.