Dedicated to: AngelWings1795
(Thank you for the mention. You may like this one as much as the last 2)
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"To be trusted is a greater compliment than being loved."
-George MacDonald
As Adelaide slumbered, she dreamt of Simon's death. Even though it was all but a speck to her in the distance, Simon's death haunted Adelaide, more so than her brothers'.
The scenarios her brain cooked up to supplement her lack of view were harrowing. Simon being dragged down into the depths of the freezing water, Simon turning to ice in the snow, Simon being dug up by the Vikings and roasted over a hot fire. The possibilities were endless.
She woke up in the night, drenched in a cold sweat, instinctively her hand reached out into the space beside her.
The empty cold air that met her fingers shocked Adelaide into the reality of what she was doing.
Pulling her hand back in and sitting up, she pressed her lips into a fine line, and internally scolded herself.
What was the world coming to when to seek comfort for her night terrors she would reach out for her former mortal enemy.
She wasnt suprised that he was gone, for Iolas had spent the whole day avoiding her gaze, and saying as little as possible, it was such a stark change to the day before, when they had played in the snow with the children.
He looked today as if something greatly bothered him, almost even disgusted him. She saw him for only fleeting moments throughout the day, as he would come in to check on her, or take meals with her but the prince spent the entirety of the time with his eyes locked onto either the floor, or his plate.
Unable to stop chastising herself for wishing for aid from her terrors, she stepped out of bed and wrapped herself in a thick wool cloak before creeping down the stairs and out the door. The queen walked in the direction of the stables in search of Chester. She needed to feel his soft fur in her fingertips, to seek real comfort and sit next to him, remembering the good times.
With footsteps as light as a mouse, she neared the barn where Chester was kept, a wave of woe struck her when she saw the barn door was halfway ajar, but she took a breath, and brushed it off to a forgetful stable hand.
Nobody will ever care for these animals like Simon did.
She thought to herself with a wave of sadness, stepping through the barn door and closing in behind her so as not to let any more precious heat escape.
She passed the horses, most of them sleeping, standing up, as horses like to do; until she reached the very last stall.
"Chester?" She called softly as not to greatly disturb the other sleeping equines, when his big brown head did not immediately pop over the stall door, another pang of dread gripped her stomach.
With bated breath she took the last few steps and peered into the dimly lit stall; but the brown donkey was gone.
Adelaide shook her head. It couldn't be. Chester would never run away.
It looked like he had kicked the gate open and escaped. Searching for Simon no doubt, she thought, as it wasn't the first time this had happened. Crippled by worry, and without even thinking, she followed his snowy tracks.
Adelaide ran out into the snow, stepping over the rubble of a recently demolished section of wall, searching for a patch of brown in the sea of white.
"Chester!" She shouted.
"Chester!"
Distraught and completely over taken by her fear she ran into the woods as fast as she could in the deep coat of frost.
Simon's deaths played in loops in front of her eyes and she found herself helpless to do anything but search for her last piece of him.
Eventually her rush faded, and Adelaide soon realized that she was very lost, and even more alone.
Defeated in every sense, she buried her face in her hands.
YOU ARE READING
A Thorn In The Ice
Historical Fiction"I fully expected you to say that I was the sort of Prince whose story would involve going into cahoots with the dragon, rather than slaying it." Iolas smiled, but their was a level of seriousness to his statement. "That is where you are wrong, de...
