THE Knight's Hidden Princess
Chapter 91: It Wasn’t Much But It Was A Start

Chapter 91: It Wasn’t Much But It Was A Start

We rode for days in the woods, not stopping for anything because there was no time to waste. At first it had been exhilarating because I felt the wind on my face at the same time I experienced the steady hoof-beat underneath me alongside my driving resolve. A deep sense of fatigue had started penetrating through my body but I still pushed on, unable to risk stopping.

I moved my Seat in the saddle while enduring the increasing pain that swept through my Legs. My endless hours of riding left my muscles in burning pain and made my hands stiff through hard grasping of the reins. Still, I did not slow. Not until the horses did.

Heather’s mare let out a hard panting breath before it suddenly slowed down to a stop and following suit was Eddie’s stallion. The horses were tired as were we no matter how hard I tried to deny it.

"Let’s stop and get some rest!" I declared to which everyone heaved out a visible sigh of relief.

The moment my feet hit the ground I felt pain travel up my legs, nearly sending me to my knees and I had to clench my jaw, forcing myself upright.

"We should have stopped long ago." Heather said as she walked towards me and handed me a water bottle which I drank from greedily.

"Yeah." I said my voice hoarse, "But there was no time and we are not stopping for long, just till the horses get enough rest." I informed her.

Heather gave me a small nod in response, "But of course my lady."

Eddie walked ahead, his eyes scanning the darkened trees before nodding. "I will go check the perimeter, make sure it was safe for the night.

It is safe for the night, I’ve spent night roaming these woods so I know that it was pretty safe! I wanted to tell him but Eddie had already walked off.

I sighed before picking up the horses’ reins then led them towards the adjacent water source. They moved without delay as their fatigue revealed itself through their sluggish footprints when they walked through the moist ground. The horses drank from the water immediately upon reaching it as they relished the liquid refreshment for a short moment.

I left them be as I turned my face towards the sky. The sunlight faded away while the golden rays turned into deep crimson then violet. The trees received dusk like a delicate breath while daylight extended its last beams which created moving darkness throughout the forest.

We couldn’t afford to stay long, even though the woods were familiar it didn’t mean we were invincible to the things that lurked in the shadows it provided, both human and monsters alike. There was also the fact that I needed to get to Reagan before he reaches the border, I couldn’t let him die alone!

I couldn’t let him be a victim of my father’s wrath! My father ruined enough lives already, I couldn’t let him ruin my husband’s too!

A rustle from the tree startled me out of my thoughts. My hand instinctively reached for the dagger on my waist and I turned only to find Heather walking towards me slowly with her hands raised in surrender as she approached me.

"It’s just me." She says and I immediately relaxed, "I already set up the bed roll and tent for you."

I turned back to the water where the horse were still drinking, "That’s okay, you go get some rest first."

"Alright my lady!" Heather responded with a bow before she turned to leave.

I hesitated for a minute before I decided to ask. "So how’s Eddie?"

From my peripheral vision, I saw Heather turn to look at me. "How about you go ask him?" Heather retorted.

Fair enough! I thought to myself as I folded my arms across my chest.

Heather heaved out a sigh before she came to stand right next to me. "He’s just a boy you know?" She said turning to look at me, "He is at that stage where he is filled with nothing but excitement. He just doesn’t want to let Sir Reagan down. He idolizes the man by doing everything he asks and you just threw it in his face, that wasn’t very nice of you."

"I know." I responded with a groan, "I just...I just..." I trailed off not sure how to open up exactly.

I knew what I said wasn’t nice to Eddie. I shouldn’t have said that and I have no excuses for my actions, he also didn’t deserve to be treated that way. "For the first time..." I started, "I have people I care about in my life and to think that they could be wiped out by my father’s cruelty just makes me sick with fear. So I have to do what I can to protect them, but most times...most time I feel like I’m doing things wrong!"

"Who says you have to do things alone?" Heather asked before she turned to look at me fully, "Listen to me, you have done more for us than you realize, you’ve proven times without number that you are nothing like your father. You have people in your corner, earned a lot of people’s trust and you do not have to carry this weight alone."

I swallowed hard, hugging my arms around me. It wasn’t that I didn’t trust them but the fear of sharing my nightmare made me forbid them from understanding it although I never doubted their trust in me. My fear remained so deep that I could not comprehend it yet I expected everyone else to understand it completely.

Heather must have seen the hesitation on my face because she took a deep breath and placed her hand on my shoulder. "I know you think you need to be brave all the time and carry all these responsibilities, being brave isn’t standing alone and fighting battles. It’s about knowing when to let someone stand with you, to open your heart completely to trust."

I stepped away, gazing at the blackened trees, my chest constricting. "I don’t know how," I confessed, my voice little more than a whisper.

Heather smiled at me slightly. "Then let us show you." She said before she turned to look back, "Although, I do know somewhere where you could start."

I followed her line of sight only to see her looking at Eddie who was busy seated on a rock, sharpening some stick. "Yeah, I guess I could do that." I stated to which Heather beamed at.

Patting me on the shoulder slightly, Heather turned to walk away leaving me alone. Drawing in a deep breath, I turned and walked towards Eddie who still didn’t look up even though I knew he could hear me.

I plopped myself down on the space right next to him. "Hey." I said and didn’t get any response which I deserved, "I’m sorry."

Eddie’s movement halt on the stick he was busy sharpening and he offered me a sideway glance before he continued sharpening in silence.

"I shouldn’t have spoken to you like that." I admitted softly, "You didn’t deserve that and you are not a dimwit, you are one of the smartest person I know."

Eddie didn’t say a thing at first. All I could hear was the clinking of his knife on wood. I breathed in and watched how the shavings would curl up and fall into the ground.

"I know you look up to Reagan and how he entrusted me in your care and I know you want to prove yourself but the truth is I’ve never had anyone take care of me." I said and I could see that Eddie seemed to be listening in on my words because his movements were slower. "I was just afraid and I was scared and I still am, of letting people get in. I guess that fear got the better of me and I lashed out you. That’s not your fault, it’s mine."

Eddie stared at me again but didn’t say anything. Okay then! I thought as I released a breath and rubbed the back of my neck thinking of more words to say.

"You know I admire you too, you have that fire, that drive that is rare in kids your age. It’s something I’ve come to love and also respect."

Eddie finally stopped sharpening and glared at me totally this time, his face ambiguous. "You do?

Finally, some progress! I thought to myself as I nodded my head in response. "Oh Yeah. And I guess, I guess I shouldn’t have shut it down. I just—" I hesitated, took a breath. "I’m scared, Eddie. I don’t want to lose the people I care about. And sometimes I get so caught up in trying to protect everyone that I forget that I’m not by myself in fighting."

Eddie final turned to look at me for a long moment before he sighed and set the stick down beside me giving me his full attention. "I get it." He mumbled, "And I know you say all of these things but the truth is I know I’m not what you expect as a guard, I get laughed a lot and picked on to." He says with a snort, "But the truth is I just want to help, I do not want to be left behind, not again." He said a shadow falling over his face.

I stared at Eddie, picking up on the word he just said. I suspect there must have been some story behind it but I didn’t press. I guess it wasn’t something he wanted to share now! I thought before I offered him a smile. "Then I guess we’ll just have to figure things out together."

"Yeah." Eddie mumbled before he picked up his stick, "I will keep the first watch."

"Actually, mind if we do it together?" I asked with a smile on my face to which he just gave an hesitant nod at, it wasn’t much but it was a start!

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