Trial Four: Kingdom of Harte

There was a smile on Lynn's face as she rode her horse on the way to the next kingdom. However, that smile quickly left her face as she thought about the event the day before.

They had stopped by the river for a moment as the horses rest. Lynn stood beside her fellow knights and took a drink from her water. The powder that Mr. London had given her was doing a fine job for her as her soreness and tiredness ebbed away out of her.

Looking over at her prince, he stretched reaching his arms out and let out a yawn. Lynn felt her lips smile behind the mask before looking away. Glancing at the king and queen to see how they fair, they were speaking to one another in a soft tone. It seemed like they were distracted in their conversation.

"Lynn," Garret said walking over to her with a smile.

"Prince Garret," Lynn bowed slightly.

"My prince," Richard and Constantine bowed as well.

"What can we do for you?" Constantine questioned with a smirk.

"Sir Constantine, Sir Richard," Garret greeted, "I just wanted…"

"Time alone with this pretty lady?" Constantine quirked a brow and Garret flushed.

'So beautiful,' Lynn smiled and laughed quietly.

"Alone to do what, Prince Garret?" Sir Richard tilted his head, but his eyes where shining.

"Just to talk," Garret cleared his throat looking at Lynn under his lashes, "if that's okay?"

Lynn was about to say yes, but Constantine interrupted her.

"My prince, if I may," Constantine cleared his throat and crossed his arms, "if you wish time with our beautiful knight, please keep in mind that your father and mother would need to approve first."

"But," Garret looked at him with a frown and glanced back to see his parents still talking away.

"I could demand you too," Garret's frowned stayed as he looked back at Constantine.

"You could," Constantine nodded with a grin.

Lynn let out a sigh and attempted to step forward, but Richard held her arm back. She glanced at him, but he was looking at the prince. What are they doing?

"Will you demand it of us, Prince Garret?" Richard questioned with a straight face, "Will you demand us not let the king and queen know of this?"

"I do not care if they know or not," Garret stated clearly with no hesitation, "I love my mother and father, but I also love Lynn," he looked at her and Lynn felt her cheeks warmed, "she is the one I wish to marry," he paused for a moment before standing up straight and looking Richard in the eyes, "I will do so even if my parents do not approve," his stern voice wavered and quieted down, "if, if she would have me."

Lynn watched Garret still hold Richard's eyes, but his hands were clenched against his coat. She could see the tension in his body and the pursing of his lips.

"I do," she said quietly as her face flushed.

Garret turned to her with eyes shining and a smile that put the stars to shame.

She stepped forward and was about to reach out but paused. The king and queen weren't too far away and she wasn't his yet, nor he hers.

"Go on then, my prince," Constantine waved, "be quick."

Garret smiled and reached for Lynn's hand. Fingers wrapped around one another, she followed her prince some paces away from everyone.

"How do you fair, Lynn?" he asked rubbing his thumb over hers.

"Much better now," she wanted to lean in and kiss him, hold him, anything.

He sighed with a smile as a soft laugh escaped his lips, "I as well."

They just stared at one another as the sun slowly float over the sky. Garret, her prince and love, was glowing like an ethereal being. She does not deserve him.

"My parents are surprised, you know," Garret said softly, "they didn't think you would make it this far."

"I am not surprised," Lynn sighed and felt her hand squeezed.

"I never doubted you," Garret stepped closer, "worried of course, but I know your strength my love."

"Is that so?" Lynn felt her lips curl.

Garret laughed and leaned closer.

"Garret," the king's voice, soft yet demanding in the space they were in.

Garret leaned back with a frown, a squeezed on her hand once more.

"May our love grow, my knight," he whispered pulling away.

"May it grow, my prince," Lynn smiled and watched Garret returned to his father.

She caught his eyes for a moment and then he sent a short nod. Her eyes widened. Was her eyes playing tricks on her?

"Lynn," Richard spoke up as they watched their highnesses enter the coach, "this decision is a bad one."

"And what decision would that be?" Lynn looked at Richard.

Richard stared back with his lips thinned and a dip if his brows. Constantine had already gotten on his horse and rode to them.

"The unity of kingdoms depends on you," Richard explained, "there are very few princes amongst the kingdoms."

Lynn knew that. Of course, she did. Everyone told her to let her prince go. She even told herself, but-

Huffing out, she went to her horse. She felt Richard hold her like he used to in order to lift her, but she shook him off.

"I do not need your help," Lynn glared at him and he stepped back with thinned lips.

Ignoring the guilt she was feeling, she got onto her horse and pretended that conversation never happened.

Letting out a sigh, she saw the Kingdom of Harte. The thick bordered walls of foliage sent a strange feeling running up her spine. Her father had told her this kingdom was known for their bow and arrow game.

Lynn didn't feel as unprepared as she did at the Kingdom of Ellestra, because she does well with a bow and arrow. But there was something, strange. There were less and less trees and scenery as they neared the Kingdom of Harte, so how was this Kingdom thriving with greeneries?

The gates were so large and high. Why would one need a door as such?

She glanced at her fellow knights to see them more serious than the other kingdoms. Being on alert, she made sure to take as much as she could in case a situation occurred. Following a man on a horse before them, they arrived at a large clearing where many villagers and knights surrounded.

'This is a lot of people,' Lynn thought as she tightened the rein.

As they neared, Lynn could feel a sharp burning on the skin around the gem. Clenching her teeth, she tried her best to breathe through her nose.

Why was it burning? She had taken the powder that Kurt had given her and it had been helping, but this place made her feel claustrophobic in such an open area.

"King Alastir, Queen Celeste, and Prince Garret," the king stood dominatingly, "welcome to my kingdom."

"King Valor, Queen Annabelle, Princess Arora," King Alastir greeted.

"Come," King Valor said, "sit. We shall go ahead and begin. My daughter has been waiting for this day for some time."

"It is true," Princess Arora smiled and glanced at Garret, "I hope the trip was not too far."

"It was worth the journey," Garret smiled back to which the princess grinned.

"I heard you have a child representing your kingdom," King Valor looked at Lynn, "she had bested them so far. I am impressed."

"Yes," the king nodded.

"She is," Queen Annabelle paused, "Sir Christian's child, is she not?"

'How did she know?' Lynn looked at the queen.

"She is," Queen Celeste stated with a bland tone.

"May I see your face, Sir Knight," Queen Annabelle asked and Lynn glanced at her king to see a nod.

Removing her helmet and mask, she saw the queen walking toward her.

"You definitely have her looks," the queen whispered holding her face as if she would break, "but your eyes are definitely your father's."

Lynn watched the queen smiled softly and pulled away.

"If I may ask, your highness," Lynn bowed, "you've met my mother and father before?"

Queen Annabelle's face tightened before she smoothed it out with a deep breath.

"Many years ago," she said quietly, "good luck to you then, Sir Knight."

Lynn bowed again and noted that she must ask her father about Queen Annabelle.

"George," the king called out when once his queen returned to her seat, "are you ready?"

The man named George walked through the crowd and stood before the royals of both kingdoms.

"I am," he said adjusting his quiver over his shoulder.

"Good," the king nodded, "rules are to hit as many targets with the bow to win. You must stay five feet away from the target for it to be counted. If more than one arrow hit a target, it would not be counted. If any opponent's arrow hit the skin of their opponent will be disqualified."

'That was very detailed,' Lynn thought.

Must be five feet away to hit a target. The most targets hit, wins. Cannot wound opponent. Cannot hit target more than once.

"Sir Knight, ready your bow and arrow, child," King Valor stated in a way that made Lynn's stomach turn.

She does not like this kingdom at all.

Bowing and retrieving her weapons, she stood before them once more.

"There is no need for your helmet, Sir Knight," King Valor's stare was like looking into a wild boar.

Lynn nodded and placed her helmet next to her bag.

Go stand in your designated area and George," King Valor looked at the man, "my daughter is worth every arrow."

'Worth every arrow?' Lynn looked at the princess to see her smiling at George.

"Understood, my king," he place his arm over his chest and bowed.

Lynn followed George into the clearing and saw the marking on the floor with a 'F' to represent her kingdom. Readying her grip on her bow, she looked to see some of the villagers were holding targets.

"Begin!" King Valor's voice boomed in the clearing and targets were being shown and thrown.

Lynn quickly pulled her arrows out and did her best to hit as many targets as she could.

Each target she hit it was like a thump to her gem. The bigger the target, the stronger the force.

'What is happening?' Lynn was feeling dizzy and she placed her hand on her head to stop the pressure.

"Go George!" "He's hitting so much! At this rate he would win!"

The crowd cheered and Lynn bit her tongue to focus. Pulling more arrows and hitting more targets, she did her best to ignore the pain throbbing at the front of her skull.

The villagers tossed the targets in different directions hoping she would not hit them, but Lynn had a mission, a promise. She needed to win.

George heard the crowd and felt his smile widened. This would be easy. Yet, the crowd's pleased tone turned to worry and he glanced at his opponent. She was still hitting targets.

'What?!' George gritted his teeth, 'that mage lied to me!'

Glancing at the king who was staring at him with narrowed eyes and his daughter doing the same, George pulled his quiver off his shoulder and took out an arrow.

'Well then,' George placed the nook against the bow string, 'looks like I am forced to do this, child.'

He pulled the arrow back until the string tensed.

"Hey, Sir Knight," George called out to the child who was five feet away from him.

He watched her turn to him and he let out a breath.

He relaxed his fingers.

The arrow flew.

It hit its mark.

She screamed.