NOVEMBERLAND: the little shieldmaiden

7

I had gotten Grim out of the room, and the man was being taken care of. We went back to my room so we could talk alone. "Why did you do that Grim?"

"He threatened to kill you," he then said quietly after sitting down on one of my chairs.

"What did you say?" I asked and turned to him. I had given him a wet cloth to put on his black eye that he had gotten from the man.

"That man threatened to kill you Saga," he repeated with a higher voice. "He said that he would put a sword through your body, just as it was done with father."

I was shocked, the images of father getting a sword slid through his body appeared in my mind again. It was like I was struck by the same pains as I had at that time. "Why would he kill me?"

"Well, I don't know, he just whispered it in my ear whilst I was talking to him and a group of nobles," he answered and looked up at me with a tired look. His black eye had swollen down, and his dark green eyes had begun to appear again.

"So they knew who it was? He was not a stranger?"

"Yes, I was introduced to him, but I don't remember much. He was a lord I suppose," he said and looked at the bloody cloth.

"Cal?" I asked because it could lead to the incident in the forest.

He nodded and went to the bowl with water to get colder water onto the cloth, and to remove the blood. 

"I have to know who he is," I said and began walking towards the door. "You'll handle yourself, brother?" I said as I held the doorknob and looked over at his tall muscular body sitting on the chair.

"I'm twenty-one years old Saga, I can take care of myself," he said with a strict voice, meaning that he wanted me to leave. 

I opened the door and started walking towards the dungeon where they kept the prisoners, I had to check there first, but it was a long way and I had to ask my way to find it. The location of it seemed sacred, as it was something that people should not know about. I walked and walked trying to find that place, I had to speak to that man, he could be a great lead or the reason behind the mysterious man in the forest. He might own lands in that area, who knew? 
When I had walked around for a while I had no idea where I was, all the halls looked the same, and it was like my first days at the castle, just like a maze. Maybe it was supposed to be like this? So that the prisoners had no idea how to get out. But I had to find that man, he was so important, I had to know. He might even know something about father, and not many knew how father died. 

"Saga," a voice behind me said as I was in my little bubble. When I turned around I looked at Gryffin, and he looked so much worse than I had ever seen him. It was as if life was dreaded out of him. He walked towards me and took my hand gently, "You're okay."

"Yeah, I am," I said and went completely still. It was as he had changed, he looked so vulnerable, the tall king looked even more skinny and so fragile. His eyes were darkened, but the light green colour still pierced at me. 

"I was so worried. I'm so sorry Saga, I'm so sorry that I hurt you and that I yelled at you," he said and it was as he was about to break down.

"It's okay," I said and placed my hand on his skinny cheek, and a tear simply dropped down. "You're okay Gryffin, it's alright."

"You don't hate me?" he said and his dark eyebrows formed into a saddened look as if he was looking for mercy.

"No, I don't hate you," I said and placed my other hand on the other cheek. "Don't cry, you have nothing to cry for," I said and gently smiled at him.