Waiting for Spring - Part I

Chapter Twenty-Four

Once it may have been so that Windsor and Ward was but one kingdom, ruled by one ruler. It is uncertain how far back in history one must observe to see the separation, the cataclysm if one so wishes.

Even so, the term knight, ser or dame, as a title lives on. Yet in Ward, it is a nobleman's title. The knight is one who has risen in the hierarchy, allowed to own lands and hand out justice to his or her subjects. It is the path of knighthood that commoners seek to rise in honour.

In Windsor, the knight is a protector, stripped of all titles, lands and fortune. A knight gives up his old life to begin anew.

So how is it that knights that once belonged to one kingdom became what we observe as two opposites?

- On knights, a portrayal on gallantry, by Killian the traveling dwarf

The long hallway was drenched in darkness and it took quite some time before April's eyes adjusted. Theron's torch gave away just enough light so that she did not stumble across any lose cobble. It was uncomfortable not to know where the corridor ended. An endless nothing stretched on forever.

The walls seemed to crawl inwards, tightening around them. April veered left only to veer back right again. In total blindness she felt the stone press closer to her. She quickly lost track of the time as well, not knowing whether they had walked for an hour or a passing moon. Theron's echoing steps was all she could follow.

He kept quiet for a long time, constantly trying to listen for any echoes of the ones they pursued. He knew, or at least claimed, that they would catch up sooner or later. He was right too.

Theron suddenly halted and put his hand out in front of April. With a hush he stood completely still. In the distance someone was groaning in pain. Theron picked up the pace and hurried forward. The boots tapping on the stone echoed throughout the tunnel. April tried to keep up, but was ultimately left in the darkness only to almost trip over Theron in the end. He stood bent over the Idwallian king.

It was hard to see in the dim lighting but it was obvious that Connor was bleeding heavily. He was sitting in a pool of blood, his ivory breeches and fur-trimmed robe all covered in dry red. Theron observed the man with wide eyes while keeping a worried look upon his lips. He swore silently and tried to get eye contact with the king who seemed to be lost in some sort of trance. With a hard and a loud slap from Theron's palm he woke up and shook his head in confusion.

At first he just looked at April but then he seemed to realise that the infamous assassin was just inches away. Panic emerged in his sapphire eyes and he made an attempt to crawl backwards only to hit the wall. Theron simply sighed.

"Just kill me and be done with it, assassin. I'm as good as dead anyway," Connor said and spit the other man's way.

"Shut up, king. I was paid to save you and to kill Archibald."

"By whom?"

The king was apparently surprised. He groaned once again and Theron took a look at the wound. A large dagger was still clogging a nasty looking wound in the man's thigh. Immediately April remembered the horrible feeling of having a blade in chest. For a moment she felt sick and looked away. Her head throbbed worse than ever and her pounding heart hurt more and more with every beat. She touched her non-existing wound, but there was nothing to feel.

"Is it bad?" the king inquired with a calm tone and Theron shook his head in response.

"Mayhap. We are in a bad position here. Far from any of the entrances."

"I'll die down here won't I?" The man sounded awfully worried. April studied his bruised face for a while. It was hard to judge his age. He looked though and strong, yet his grey hair gave him away for an old and fragile man. April wondered what she had expected.