THE Knight's Hidden Princess
Chapter 166: My Purpose

Chapter 166: My Purpose

They were after us!

I didn’t need to look back to know the draumheimiers were after us. Ada clutched the baby close to her as she ran while Ivana and Heather stayed behind to help me. My legs hurt, every part of me hurt. The uneven terrain and roots made me stumble as I ran as fast as I could. It was starting to get dark, and when it was it was going to become difficult for us to see.

The angry cry of the draumheimiers became audible as their proximity increased the panic in my heart. But I wasn’t scared for me, I was scared for my friends. The only thing I was doing right now is slowing them down. I turned to look back just a glimpse and I saw they were starting to start to gain in on us.

"You guys have to go on without me." I breathed out as I tried to hobble away while leaning on Ivana.

"Shut up Dahlia and keep moving!" Ivana hissed at me.

I shook my head at her, "If we continue like this, we are all going to be dead."

"But that doesn’t mean that we are going to leave you here." Ivana countered as she dragged me, "You can do this. We just have to find somewhere to hide, like maybe a cave or something."

I kept quiet after that and continued to follow after them. We leapt off logs of woods, climbed on rocks while trying to ignore the angry yelling and curse words that were coming from the mouth of our pursers. Each step I took hurts, like my whole body was protesting against each movements but I swallowed the pain and kept on moving. If not for anyone else, for my son.

Ada stopped for a minute, panting heavily as she clutched my child close to her. Her eyes darted around frantically before her eyes widened. "Right there!" She yelled as she pointed towards a large waterfall. "We can hide there till the next morning and I’m sure reinforcements are on their_ GET DOWN!" Ada suddenly yelled and we didn’t need to be told twice.

I fell down chest first on the ground, causing my breath to get knocked out of me just as I heard the sound of an arrow whistle over my head and Ada moved out of the way just as the arrow embedded itself on the tree right in front of us.

"Those fucking bastards!" Ivana cursed as she turned around to glare at us but the only sound

"We need to move now!" I hissed at them as I buried myself into the earth and crawl on my stomach, trying to make myself unnoticeable.

The sound of my baby letting out another cry made me realize that I couldn’t put them in this situation any longer. It took me a long time to figure it out but I realized that the draumheimiers were not hear for treasures. No one goes through this length to get some gold and coins.

They could have scared us easily and took what they wanted but now, they wanted to kill all of us and through it all, I realized they were all heading for me which meant that all they wanted was me. This wasn’t a raid, it was hunt.

My body trembled and it wasn’t from the cold, this was something else and I realized that it was from the decision have to make.

"You have to go on without me!" I said as I turned to look at Heather who closed her eyes and with the way her lips tightened I knew it was from frustration.

"I thought we talked about this, we are not_"

"No, you talked and I am talking now so I need you to listen to me now." I whispered, "I am going to get up now and lead the draumheimiers bastards away. I need you to..."

"No!" Heather’s words were firm and final but I continued anyway.

Something inside of me broke but I ignored it and continued, "I need you all to be safe and I need you to protect my son. I will try my best but if anything happens..."

"No, no, don’t say that." Heather shook her head at me, "Anything else but that, just...just...."

"Make sure you raise my son right. Treat him on how to be a good person, Reagan isn’t going to be home mostly and he is going to be..." I drew in a shuddered breath, "Well you know how Reagan is but I’m sure he will come around and raise our son well in politics and matters pertaining to war I guess and Ivana, I trust you will treat my son well, tell him everything he needs to know about the court. How to be a gentleman when he takes his first step..."

"Why does it sound like you are going to die?" Ivana asked, "You can’t die, you are the black knight. The best damn fighter in the whole of the country, hells even as good as your husband." Ivana retorted.

I smirked as I released a breath then looked up as I tried to blink away the tears that gathered at my eyes. "You know we never really had a duel before? I always wondered what it would be to dwell with the bravest knight, the one they call the hellhound."

"And you can still do that..." Ivana urged, "You can still dwell with him, all you have to do is just come with us and I know I sound like a bitch but swallow the pain and move forward, stop acting scared."

"I’m not scared of pain, I’m scared of what the pain of watching you all die will do to me." I said with a smile and that shut Ivana up immediately, "Now, all you have to do is promise me."

"Dahlia...." Heather breathed out, "You can’t, don’t do this to me please."

"I promise!" Ivana answered cutting Heather off, and I knew right then that I could count on her.

Heather glared at Ivana but I smiled at her. I reached up to grab her hand while smiling up at her. "Thank you, thank you." I breathed out.

Ivana smiled wryly at me, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. I turned to look at Heather who was crying silently and then I turned to look at Ada who was holding my son in her arms.

"Ivar." I breathed out and Ada looked at me, "Ivar, that’s my son’s name. Ivar, my little warrior." I said as I smiled at him.

He was born in battle so it was only fair that he has that he has a name befitting of a warrior which was what I would believe he would grow up to be.

"Mommy loves you so much." I whispered as my first tear rolled down my cheeks, "Tell Reagan, I love him!" I whispered before I stood up and though there were a few quiet protests, I made my decision.

I took off into the woods as fast as I could. I knew the draumheimiers were going to follow after me and so I ran faster, going towards the opposite way of the cave we had found. I heard angry yelling and cursing but I still pushed myself to run faster. I stumbled a few times but I still ran, the thought of them finding my baby and my friends was what kept me going through the pain.

Branches struck my face, sharp stones cut into my bare feet as I ran. My lungs burned with each movements but I refused to stop. I had no weapon and I had already lost a lot of blood so my steps were sluggish but what pushed me to run faster was my purpose.

Behind me, the angry driven roar intensified while their footsteps sounded heavily behind me. They were closing in which was good, that was what I wanted.

I struggled to maintain control on my body while pushing deeper into the woods. I just needed to get them away from my friends and perhaps find someone to hide. They were never going to find Ada and the rest, all they wanted was me and I was willing to sacrifice myself too. But I also didn’t want a life without my baby. I know it was selfish of me but I still want to be part of his life and I was going to do anything, anything for it.

Just a little bit further, just a little bit further and perhaps, just maybe...just maybe there was a way that I could...

A searing pain traveled up my spine, followed by soundless gasp. Gray skies flashed above my head as my world tilted around me. I blinked away the pain, trying to get myself to take another step but I couldn’t.

It was all too much and I guess, I guess this was it. This was where my story ends.