Of Shadows & Light

Ⅷ. Meredith 🗡

The king frightens me. And that's coming from someone who's only heard of the stories.

I never actually met him.

When I got off the bed, my leg was still in pain. So I nearly doubled over. I gasped but Roderick caught me before I hit anything.

"Did the herbs not work?" he asked.

They should've by now.

I looked over at the water. "Was there something in the water?" I asked.

I looked up and he looked confused. He walked over, letting me go so I could catch my balance.

I watched as he picked up the cup. "Nothing looks out of place. So I don't know if it was."

Part of me knows there's something in that water. But I won't say anything. I reach for my bag but he grabs it before me and slings it over his shoulder, helping me walk through the pain in my leg.

"I can walk on my own." I assure him.

"Considering you almost fell over because you got out of bed, I don't think you can."

I can't tell if he's trying to tease me or not, but I don't like it.

We made it to the top deck and that's when the rest of his little group waited for him.

"Is she alright?" a blond guy with elf ears asked.

"The herbs haven't worked yet." Roderick responded. His grip around me felt uncomfortable. But I think he was right about me not being able to walk. I can already tell that if he wasn't holding me, I'd fall to the ground in an instant.

We walked into the kingdom grounds and I could already tell it wasn't a pleasant place to be at night.

There were sketchy men in almost every alleyway and drunk people getting kicked out of pubs. Not to mention you could hear faint screams from the distant, they were most likely in the wood, from what could've been shadow monsters.

I was so tired that I was practically slipping in Roderick's grip. But I couldn't pass out. Not out here. My heart was racing when we kept getting closer to the castle.

Why did Roderick only have one guardsman and one warrior come with him?

Surely there are people out here that want to get him and he thinks he only needs two people with swords.

We barely made it to the gates when I nearly fell over and winced. Roderick stopped in his tracks and looked down at me.

"You're sure you don't want me to just carry you in—" he started.

"Don't."

I don't want this man touching me in the first place, but I'm too exhausted to fight him.

We continue walking to the castle and the guards stop us right at the gates. I can barely hear what they're saying because I'm too focused on the pain in my leg.

Before I know it, we're in the castle. And there's faint talking in the hallway.

"Father, wait–" a young female voice says.

"I'm making sure it's your brother walking in through those damn doors." an older male voice says.

When I look up, I see the princess who is rightful to the heir and the king. The princess and Roderick look alike. The king on the other hand looks nothing like the two.

Roderick stops walking, so I do too. But he helps me stand up straight, I've been nearly crouching down ever since I fell.

"Father." Roderick says in a low tone. I don't think he likes his presence here.

"Who is that son?" the king asks.

He pushes me forward so I can answer myself, but I'm too anxious to say anything. The king is looking right at me. His eyebrows raise. I backed up, in fright. But I backed up into someone. Roderick. I turn around, thinking I can get past him.

He looks at me. He wants me to say something but I can't. I faintly shake my head, and when I try to get past, he catches me.

"Say something," he whispers.

"I can't." is all I can get out.

His father clears his throat.

Roderick sighs. "Her name's—"

I fall to the ground and hear a faint shout of my name.

"Meredith!"

It sounded like Roderick's but I couldn't place it.