A Duty Fulfilled

Chapter 16

            ''You wouldn't kill me,'' Adam said, though his face betrayed his doubt.

Peter studied him for several moments. What had gotten into the man's head? It was almost like an evil spirit of sorts.

''And why not? You hate me. I am the duke, I could say it was an accident and nobody would think different.''

Adam stared up at him from the ground and swallowed, realizing that he may be drawing his last breathes. 

''But, you're right, I wouldn't.'' Peter sheathed his knife again, stood up, and offered a hand down to Adam. 

Adam's eyes widened in surprise but grasped it firmly and allowed Peter to pull him up.  

              ''However, if you take another swing at me, I might be forced to think otherwise.'' Peter smiled, and lightly touched his cheekbone which was already swelling. 

''Have you never hit someone in your anger?'' Adam crossed his arms and glared at Peter. 

''I always gave them a reason before hitting them,'' Peter scoffed, exasperated at the young man. ''But right now I do not care about why you hit me. I only know that we must find James and Avelina before it is too late.'' 

''And that's exactly why I hit you,'' Adam shook his head. ''It would do more harm than good to rescue them, our plan is about to move forward. Aldwin is assembling the rebels as we speak. They need us alive, not captured, and beheaded.'' 

Peter's fists tightened, and it was as if Adam read his thoughts. 

''I don't believe Richard will kill Avelina, he is narcissistic, murdering her won't make a point since that is what he is doing across the isle. He will punish her, but likely won't cause her bodily harm.'' Adam said this casually, though Peter could detect the note of seriousness in the situation. ''However, if you are captured, he will kill you the snap of his fingers, you pose a threat far greater to him then Avelina ever could.'' 

''And James?'' Peter hadn't forgotten about his dearest friend. 

''James will sit in a prison cell until we storm the castle, he is of no consequence.'' 

              It pained Peter to admit so, but Adam was right. He hated to think about what might become of Avelina and James, but attempting a rescue would jeopardize the rebels' cause. Every nerve within his body protested against it, especially when he thought of the torture James might endure to determine Peter's whereabouts. Peter and James hadn't parted on good terms either, which made Peter all the more desperate to bring him back. 

''Did you mean what you said? That you love Avelina?'' Adam said in a neutral tone. 

 He'd said that? Peter hadn't realized he'd uttered the words that had slipped from his mouth. 

He had admitted something he'd known deep down for some time. In spite of their situation, he wanted to laugh. How could someone he'd only known for a couple of weeks, change his entire life? 

''I did.'' 

Adam grunted, ''do you intend to marry her?'' 

''If she will have me,'' Peter said. It seemed all of his questions he'd been asking himself the previous night were being answered. 

                       Adam grunted once more, '' bit hard to do that when she's getting cozy in Lord Richard's castle.'' 

''Then I suggest we get moving,'' Peter didn't smile but could sense a mutual treaty between the two.