Nomad {Editing}

::Chapter 25:: Sombre Parade

Not even the birds offered their songs as soundtrack to their sombre parade.

Whereas before they had been aware of what would meet them on reaching their destination, it had given them at least some certainty. This time, the group were in the dark, even if they were on their way home.

It left them in terror, even if it was well masked for the sake of their dignity in front of the people who yesterday had been their enemy. Anyone with half a brain could have caught it on the air, they were petrified.

Yet they continued, in spite of every bubbling emotion, capable of being sliced with a knife.

Again bound by the wrists, and this time grateful for it. Knowing full well had they not been there, he wasn't sure if he would have been able to keep himself from killing far too many people.

There has been enough death, Charlie thought. As though convincing himself to think of anything else, other then the burning around his wrists. It allowed him to hold it together enough, for the time being at least.

Fortunately though, this time he wouldn't have to make the journey on foot. Awarded a horse for everything he had done in the past few days. Every step made him ache, but the pain was less then it would have been on foot.

Robert in front of him, a guide for the horse and something for him to cling onto without the use of his hands. The jolts the journey sent through him, made him certain that every step taken would send him to the merciless ground.

Evie and Briar rode on either side of the pair, in an equally sober silence. Their eyes focused only on the woods in front of them and little else. As though they were certain every shadow would contain a new danger.

Danger had now been redefined, and Charlie was to be the poster child.

Charlie's eyes, by now growing lead like from exhaustion. He had half dozed off by the time that the horse beneath him suddenly stopped and he grunted. Slamming into Robert inadvertently, drawing a groan from the pair of them.

Jerked rudely from his nap, Charlie sat up with a growl. Looking around with a snarl he forgot about the bindings around his wrists. By the time he had realised what had happened, Charlie had half shifted and leapt to the ground.

They were home.

Landing with a thump, he didn't look anywhere but the great castle doors.

Barely noticing Robert dismounting behind him, he had eyes only for the window he knew lead to the hospital wing. He wasn't sure what he had expected to see, but there was nothing of note for him to see.

The more selfish part of him would have killed to find somewhere warm to lay his head and sleep for the rest of the week. There's a better chance of a blue moon rising, Charlie thought through drooping eyes.

Under the very silver moon, they made their way into the castle.

Everything was chaos on entrance into the palace, what felt like hundreds of people were buzzing around like bees in a hive. A number were chasing through the crowd, trying to find those most injured and in need of medicine, others were like excited children desperate to find out what was going on.

Managing to escape from the chaos, he had almost begun to set off in the direction of the hospital wing. When he saw a pair of people doing the same thing, but a few steps ahead of him. He paused, a growl drawing from his throat when he saw who it was.

King James, followed closely by Anthony.

And apparently he wasn't the only one who had noticed.

Robert was his shadow before Charlie had fully been able to process what he had seen.