The Kings Bride

Chapter 16

How long have I been in these woods? How far did I even get before he came and forced me back to the castle? Why are they still not found. I can feel the dirt between my fingers and the sweat sitting around my neck. I take a deep breath and keep shouting their names but all I get in return is my echo. It's laughing at me, I lost my children and here I am shouting in the woods alone in the dark for my children to come home. My pants have dirt stains and my shirt is wet with sweat. How did this even happen? I stare up at the trees and the black night sky isn't normally clear instead full of dark clouds. What's happening? I keep moving and listening when I hear a crunch behind me. I stand still and listen and hear the crunch again.
"Demitri!" I scream throwing a shield up around me till he comes. I'm shaking, staring into the black woods waiting. I'm trembling, whoever's following me has to be gone by now, they wouldn't wait would they? Within the next seconds I see Demitri and guards I had said were fired. I lower the shield and fall to my knees, Demitri catching me. He moves the strands stuck to my face out of the way and holds me. I look up at him, worry across his face, he kisses my forehead and stands up with me in his arms.
"Someone was following me Demitri. I heard a branch snap behind me, whoever they are took them, and they were coming for me."
"Artemis please stay in the castle tonight. I have people searching for them." He begs quietly into my ear.
"What if they are out there waiting for one of us to rescue them, what if they think we don't know they are missing?" I cry.
"Love they know we would burn every village till they are found, they haven't lost hope, so neither can you."
"I don't feel well Demitri." I shake, chills run up my spine. He quickens his pace to get us out of the woods but it only makes me hiss in pain.
"Stop, please, stop!" I cry, he stops and I begin to move to get out of his arms and once I reach the floor I fall to it, sharp pains course through my whole body. He quickly drops to the floor besides me and looks down in the same direction I am.
"Call the doctor Demitri, I don't think he's making it." I cry staring down at the stain of blood seeping further down my pants. I faint when a sudden sharp pain follows through and I feel like everything I've ever known is gone.

Waking up in my bed with a cloth being rubbed against my face soothed the burn I had waking up, I stare over at the woman and once I can finally gain consciousness I put a name to the face.
"Pearl." I whimper. Crying against her hand, she sits besides me in the bed and just holds me tenderly.
"Artemis, don't cry, everything's alright, the doctor said-"
"What did he say? I miscarried, please don't tell me that Pearl I can't hear that, anything but that." I cry heavily.
"He's fine." I stop crying and stare at her.
"What?"
"It was a hemorrhage, it was flushing out of your system from the stress he made it, for some unexplainable reason, he survived."
"Really?" I smile holding my stomach.
"He's still in here?"
"He sure in momma. But you're on strict bed rest, the hemorrhage isn't done flushing, you're gonna be bleeding for a while, your doctor was trying to avoid this but with all the stress."
"Where's Demitri?"
"He went looking for them once he brought you here, he hasn't been back since, none of them have."
"None who?"
"Every single guard in this palace."
"I thought-"
"That after you "fired" them they would all just leave? You may be Queen but there checks and blood supply come right out of the hand of their King. And plus, they all kind of knew it was an emotional thing, you found out they were missing and nobody noticed who took them. We all understand, but let them do there job now Artemis, they are trained for this."
"Please tell me your daughter is nearby, I need to hold her for an hour or two." I whine, she smiles at me and nods her head walking over towards the couch with a pillow on the edge and a sleeping baby in the middle. She cradled her and brings her over towards me and lays her besides me, I watch her stretch in her mama's arms and then curl up besides me once she put her down.
"She's gotten so big." I smile.
"Yes and Lincoln hates every minute of it. She's got him so tightly wrapped around her finger, I don't think he would have ever thought he'd have his own blood child so he cherishes her." She says.
"She's lucky to have a dad as strong and goofy as him, when I first came here he was so welcoming unlike Parker, distant and shy, but Lincoln made my time here better than it would have been with all his puns and tricks."
"You need to rest, I'll be around the castle, you have Lenora so I know she's safe, go to bed Artemis."
"I'll try. It's just, how can I sleep so peacefully knowing my children and off with someone who wants to hurt me and Demitri?"