Burden Ridge

Odelia's enemy

My lungs stopped functioning, and I felt myself slip back a little. My breathing came tight as I faltered to a pillar in the hallway.

"I'm the one who delivered her to the castle grounds!" I squawk. "I'm the one who shot her with my arrow and practically killed her, it's my fault she's dead!" His arms wrap around me.

"The woodland is a part of the castle grounds, she was in our sector," Jaymes whispers then continues "It wasn't your fault." I hear a heavy thundering voice from the passage lobby, downstairs and Jaymes and I look to each other than sprint down to it. Jaymes grabbing his blade and seizing it up so the light from the rose window burned down, intensifying the red down the strip of the face. There set a man by the guards screaming damning words to the Queen. My sister sat whimpering on her throne of satin.

"Hey! State your business!" Jaymes yells putting his arm in front of me, advising me to settle still as he moved closer. That's when I noticed the way he dressed. A white tunic with blue stripes down the face. Odelia.

"Wait, cease!" I yell "Disarm him and let him inside." I maintain, restraining this time. Avice looks to me and permissions to the patrols.

"I assume you know what you're doing." Avice adds. The guards separate their arms and authorize the soldier inside.

"Sir, what's troubling you?" I question and stride toward the center of the entry hall, so if I peer up the chandelier's last edge, should it fall, would be precisely on my head. The soldier looked dumbfounded and then studied at my foot, a beam spread across his face as he swayed closer. I could hear the metallic echo of Jaymes pulling his blade out of its threshold. I throw him an eye, and he shoves it back in.

"Forest, girl." He stammers.

"I beg your pardon?" I propose moving closer. He was lanky, well, taller than me, his shoulders were broad and he looked about the age twenty-four. Young, like me. His hair was a jumble and palms were hidden I recognized immediately who I was talking to, even before he pulled out and satin white segment of material with bleeding crimson drips.

"The man of the forest. Pleasure to meet you. Thank you greatly for washing my drapes." I reveal and everybody in the area ceased. His smile inched up a little intense, but the tenderness was nevertheless there.

"You didn't mention a man, from the forest, Ayeth." I grin at James to say "not the time".

The soldier's smirk was damaged and brisk.

"You're the reason she's dead," the soldier spits. "All we wished was to get here, to finish the Queen's quest." I stared at him in disbelief. A loud derisive laugh echoed throughout the hall. I watched as a tear streaked down his face. I glance up at my sister and she looks just as astonished as myself.