Saudade (Published under Indie Pop)

Chapter 64: Peril in the East Castle

Chapter 64: Peril in the East Castle

The morning sun had already shown itself completely showering me with its comfortable warmth when I finally made myself out of the woods. I could already see the East Castle in the distance, standing proudly and firmly, and waiting for me. And like a child who had been away from home for a long time, I hurried towards it, urging the horse to run faster. The men guarding the gates immediately noticed my arrival and alerted the East Castle soldiers. When I got nearer and they realized who I was, they opened the gates.

They watched dumbfounded as I rushed through them to the entrance of the East Castle. Tarnus was giving orders to his men when my arrival caught his attention. His eyes lighted up when he saw me and without second thoughts, he left what he was doing and ran to my direction. I, on the other hand, dismounted the horse hastily to meet him. My feet didn't even touch the ground as Tarnus caught me in his arms, spinning me in a tight embrace. And at that time, I cried for my heart knew that I was home.

"Did they hurt you?" he asked.

I frowned. "They didn't hurt me. It was Threy who stole me on my wedding day, Tarnus. It was also him who rescued me from my assassins in the Eastern woods. He came back and saved me. He would never hurt me."

But Tarnus still looked unconvinced. He stared at me skeptically, searching for any signs of injury. "Maybe, he's just using you; playing with your emotions knowing that you feel something for him. He could just be controlling you."

I didn't want to consider such possibility because it hurt to imagine that he would do that to me. It would definitely break me.

"No," I protested. "He'd never do that to me. He loves me."

Shock registered on Tarnus' face upon hearing those words from me. He wasn't able to speak right away. He just stared at me and the changes I had during the times that I was away from the East Castle. He saw the marks Threy left on my neck, the one Lord Chester despised at the Lake of Dreams, and his expression darkened. He let go of me and took a step back as if the woman he was just holding in his arms suddenly turned into a complete stranger.

"But you were the little sun of the East Land. I protected you like you were the only hope we had."

I winced as he said those things like they were all in the past – as if the days when I was their little sun were over. He felt too disappointed and betrayed.

"Tarnus –"

I tried to explain the misunderstanding that was breaking us apart but I knew that it was too much for him to understand at the moment. There was another important person I had to meet and giving him time to think about what I just did might help us.

"My mother, where is she?" I asked calmly.

He shook his head disapprovingly and answered, "In her room. She'd been sick and waiting for you while you're happily in the arms of your lover."