Druids Rise

Chapter 12~A great risk

I wake up early as I always did Katiline walking in before I had put on my tunic her eyes lowering instantly "my lord forgive me" she giggled her face showing a slight blush.

 "it's alright Katiline" I said to her as I grabbed a tunic from my drawers and put it on weaving the strings through the holes they needed to go through then I tied them together pulling on my jacket and doing the buttons up.

"Katiline why don't you stay a while" I said sitting back down on my bed after dressing.

 "my Prince I cannot if I'm caught lingering here too long..." She started before I cut her off.

 "nothing will happen I am the prince remember" I said moving over to her and guiding her chin upwards with a gentle touch just my figures under her chin.

 "I will protect you even if we can't be together due to the positions we are in" I said softly before letting my hand fall away from her skin.

"My lord" she said softly looking at me her soft brown eyes searching mine.

 "yes Katiline?" I asked waiting for her to speak once more.

 "I wish to be closer to you than I am now but it can't be so" she said softly her eyes so full of sadness and longing I could not help myself without hesitation I took a step towards her and gently pulled her close laying a kiss upon her soft velvet lips.

When I pulled back her eyes flutter open and she smiles a blush flowing onto her cheeks "M..my lord Trystan" she stuttered

 "shhh no one must know about this" I said softly before stepping back from her and watching her slowly move back into her calm self before she left the room in a slow hesitant sort of motion as if she was caught between a dream and reality one of which would not release her.

"what have I done Katiline will never trust me again or she will tell someone she should not" I quietly whispered to myself as I sat on my bed in the silent realizing our hidden moment together would not be a secret forever. I did not regret the kiss to the fullest extent I did regret letting her walk out as if it was a crime to love someone who was not of royal blood as I was taught, but love was not found in those you were forced to love.

After a few more minutes of sitting around I got up and started off having planed a meeting with Joseline, Darius, and Matilida. I took a horse to see them in the lower town dismounting when I saw them a guard nearby taking the steeds reigns in his hand with a small bow in which I nodded back to him and ran off chasing the others as we started off.

Before we knew it we had walked all the way to the woods talking and laughing having the time of our lives passing many people on the most used trails of the wooded path leading to the southern gate of Lishengure.

 "why don't we head back now tis' almost sunset and you know how father will be if I am to return a second after the ravens calling" I said as the others nodded and we started to head back though something didn't feel right.

As we got closer to the castle we saw a man sitting on the side of the road his horse waiting for him his cart sitting on the road side full of colored stones while other rocks were in water and covered in sea grasses. 

"sir are you alright?" Matilida asked the man as we got closer to him.

 "yes I be just fine young lady now move along" he snapped as he sat at the edge of the road.

Matilida sighed and waved us on though as we walked away a large shadow crossed over us the man getting up and stepping onto the cart urging his horse into a full gallop moving swiftly to the gates of Lishengure .

 "I thought there was something off about him!" Matilida shouted before running after him the rest of us falling behind her our paces matching as we ran to the kingdom's gate only to find we should have never left.