A Dark Knight

9. News

I spent the night in Niall's house. I was happy in his home but I already missed my own. When morning came, Niall's father left to go set up his bomb shop and his mother went out to feed the pigs. We on the other hand went up to the castle's stables. I didn't realise we were holding hands until we walked in and Clara smiled and asked if we were boyfriend and girlfriend. I had pulled away quickly and the two of us must have looked embarrassed because she started laughing.

"You aren't the only ones!" she said motioning towards the corner where Ruth and Jake were chatting together.

"We're not in a relationship!" I told her.

Kelsey walked in the door holding Josh's hand. They were both smiling but Josh's face darkened when he saw us.

Emma and Eve burst in closely followed by Charlie. All three of them looked scared and upset. "F-Father said we must evacuate the town! Mother's friend, Rose from Tara has sent news that King Liam is gathering men from armies all over Ireland to attack us. H-He thinks that we are trying to build an army to overthrow him since we now own Navan and Dundalk!" announced Eve.

Everyone went silent and looked at her. After a long uncomfortable silence Jake muttered loudly, "Well... We'd better go then..."

"Lord Ozzie also said that Niall, Jake and myself have to make sure all you girls don't go looking for trouble" announced Charlie smiling.

"What about Josh?" asked Kelsey.

"He needs to go to the knights in case we are found." explained Emma.

He looked at Kelsey, put a hand on her shoulder and promised he would be fine. They hugged and he left. I thought they were quite cute but as Josh left he scowled at the rest of us.

I didn't want to be looked after by the three remaining boys, I wasn't a baby. And I certainly didn't want to be fleeing from our country either. I knew that attacking King Liam was suicide but I would rather die fighting than hiding.

Since Jake was now helping us, Lady Caroline sent a brown outfit just like ours. He got into it as soon as we had left the gates. He was armed with a long wooden staff. I didn't think he looked very threatening.

The knights had gone to lead the people from Navan to safety while we headed to Dundalk to wait for their return. The journey was slow since most of the townsfolk didn't have horses.

Some of the knights that had come to protect the people weren't happy with our triumph over Dundalk since they weren't the talk of the town and they kept calling us knaves. We just ignored them. If they attacked they would be executed by Lord Ozzie since his daughters were here.

We spent the first night in a small forest ten miles from town. Here I decided I was going to go and try to stop the king. I shared a tent with my friends and when everyone had gone to sleep I walked out the tent flap, unhitched Link from a nearby tree and was about to head back south when Niall spoke,

"Where're you going?" He was smiling.

"I'm going to Tara!"

"On your own? That's suicide!"

"I'm not going to run because the king thinks we're attacking!"

"I can't allow you to go." He pulled me off the horse and blocked the way back.

"I'll walk then."

"I'll tell the others."

"Tell us what?" The rest of the girls came out, but Charlie and Jake were still in the tent. "Tell us that Jade is going to Tara? Well we'll go too!"

"But you can't!" Niall protested.

"You can't stop us." said Clara.

"I can tell Lord Ozzie."

"Yeah, you go to tell him and we'll be gone by the time you get back!" Kelsey retaliated.

"Of course i'm going with you! You like my acting?" His reply was a kick from Kelsey.

We all mounted our horses and headed south towards Tara, leaving Charlie, Jake and the rest of Drogheda behind.