The Witch And The Prince

Ch. 13

*I hope you are still liking the story*

As I moved away the men were preparing the bodies to be burnt. It's the best we can offer being so far from any village or major city. When we return we will have to notify the families. Anger boiled underneath my calmness. I should have been closer. I should have came back as soon as I got that bad feeling, but I didn't. Now we have two unnecessary deaths. I will have to stay closer to them despite the fact the only reason I put so much distance was because of William.  

William began a short speech about the ones we lost and then ignited the bodies. It was well past midday before the fire died down low enough to leave it. We moved slowly with sadness in our hearts. I padded over to Will fixing to offer him the option to ride on my back until Grunther returned to normal. He was petting him lovingly as I approached​ them. They both looked over at me with a knowing expression​. "He was the last gift my mother gave me... Before she pasted away..." He whispered so soft I barely cought it. I know how important the things our parents give us that are our last gift from them. Trust me I know more than anyone how important it is. I also know how it feels to lose it. " I am so sorry Aurora... I had no idea..." His words fell silent. He now understands my reaction when he asked me to leave. Will we have to go. I whispered to him softly. He looked over at me "I know." You can ride on my back if you want I told him.

He looked at me with a strange look.  What? "I've never rode a  giant cat before" He remarked. I  gave him my best panther grin  just  hang on I won't let you fall. I said as I  laid down so he could climb  on. He scrambled up my side tickling me as he went. I stood once he seemed situated. "Whoa, you're  taller than I  realized" he whispered as he gripped  my smooth hair. I turned back to the men so he can give his commands. He  instructed  them to stay on my flanks and the dragon and Griffin to fly with in eyesight. He gave the command to move out. I lurched  forward  into a slow trot and then into a lazy  jog. Trying  to keep pace with the others.

We had been traveling  for a good hour maybe two. I had became  frustrated  with the slow pace, but it was necessary. "Are you ok?" William asked. Yes, I  just hate this slow pace.  He  smiled at my childish  response "I know  but it is necessary" I know but I don't have to like it I stated flatly. "No, I  guess not" and those were the last words spoken until  we made camp.

We were camped on the top of a  high hill. It was very  revealing but we had a good vantage point in case of  another attack of some sort.  I  had finally shifted back to my humanish form. It was still strange for me to discize  my looks
I was sitting  by the fire just staring at it. Watching it slowly  eat the wood to ash. Everyone else done went to the bedrolls. I  was not tired  and volunteered  to stay up. I  was in and out of thought.  I  would  switch between  pushing  my mind out and scanning the area to just sitting  and running through the events of the past week.  I was pushing my mind out to scan the area when I  heard his thoughts. It was like he was standing in a room were no one could hear him and he was shouting at the top of his lungs. "You need to quiet your mind." I whispered out.  "How?" "How did I  know you were here?" I said  as I  glanced over to him. "Yea" he whispered as he sat beside me. "Easy...I was trained to  stay aware at all times." I glanced over at him again out the corner of my eye. I  felt strange around him. The familiar stranger. I  knew the kid, but not the man that now sat beside me. I stated into the fire with a new heat and intensity. "Why are your thoughts so loud tonight." I suddenly blurted

This time he glanced over at me. "If you can hear my mind why don't you just read it?" "Because, I can't read what you're thinking." I said as looked at him "I get flashes of your thoughts, but that's it. I can't focus on what you are thinking  because  you can't  focus on one thing." "Good, I  don't  like you in my head." "Will, I  don't  want to know  what  goes through your  head. Sometimes I  wish I  couldn't  read minds, but it's just something  I have to live with."

We fell silent and just staired at the fire in peaceful  silence. "You should  get some rest. You spent a lot of energy today. With you being  shifted all day then healing Grunther." He whispered "I  couldn't  sleep even if I tried." He glanced down and to the fire. He suddenly  scooted  closer to me. "Then I  will stay up with you. I  can't  let you  stay up all night alone." A smile spread across  my lips as I  studied  his face. "Oh my gosh you do smile." With that small sentence my face spread in a giant grin. "Oh god it's blinding me." I smacked him, yep, I  smacked the prince. "Bite it..." I retorted  to his light teasing. It was something we used to do as kids. I  rember us always picking at each other. We were  inseparable like brother and sisters. "What happened  to us." Will whispered  out  of no where. "Time, distance, and life's  tragedies. That's what happened and that is what has shaped us into the young adults we are now." I  whispered  "Are the rumours  true Will?" "Which ones? Are asking about the once where I am the heartless bastard prince or the ones where my country will plot to kill me and the king?" We were now touching  arms we had moved so close to each other not even realizing it. "I guess all of them." I whispered  not really  wanting  to know now, but it being to late. "Yes they  are..." He said flatly. I  was speechless. I had no idea what to say to that. So I  just staired at the fire in silence. "I guess you now see me as a monster to don't  you."  I looked up into his face to see a hard mask, but be hind that mask I could see the broken  boy waiting for my reply. "No" "what?"   "I said No, I  don't....do you want to know what I see." I asked him. "Yea" "I  see a boy who had to became a man to survive." I  said as I  looked into his face " I  see someone who had his freedom stripped from him. I  see someone  who would do anything  for his homeland. I  see what a king should be." I whispered  the last part out and looked back at the dwindling  fire. That quietly crackled and popped. We fell silent  and spent the rest of the night like that.

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