Trial is Over

The scream pierced through the clearing and Garret felt his heart stopped beating.

Lynn, his dearest and most important person in his life, was doing so well. This was her strongest skill and he knew she would do well with her bow and arrow. Targets after targets were being hit and he felt the overwhelming excitement.

But Garret knew, he could feel it in his bones that there was something wrong. Lynn's posture was shaky and her grip on the arrow was hard. She was blinking excessively as if to keep them focused.

He watched her turn to her opponent. George, was it?

Why was he pointing the arrow at her?!

What was he-

Garret saw the arrow release and it flew to Lynn.

Cold. No. Freezing dread like blue flames licking all the heat from you.

He saw the arrow hit its mark.

The gem shattered. The arrow fell.

Lynn was screaming.

He was running.

Faster. Please faster!

When he got there, Lynn was on her knees breathing roughly and scratching her mask.

Garret got down on his knees before her.

"Lynn, please," Garret tried reaching for her.

She was shaking and hyperventilating.

"Let me," Garret pulled her hands away and quickly undo her mask.

Lynn gasped loudly and clutched the ground, bring dirt into her nails.

Garret could see it. The darkening of her skin as black as coal spreading through her skin. It looked like the blackness was looking for an escape as it searched through her body.

"Lynn!" he shouted in front of her.

She was scratching her throat and tearing skin. Garret tried to stop her by grabbing her hands away, but Lynn was strong.

"Please!" Garret pulled her closer still trying to hold her hands still against her neck, "Please. Stop."

Her breathing sounded harsh against his ears and he squeezed her hands harder. She felt so cold and clammy. Garret did not know what to do.

He could hear voices around him screaming, yelling, sounds of swords, but none of them mattered more than the uneven breathing of the person against him.

"Please Lynn," Garret said softly against her skin, "Please stop."

Lynn couldn't breathe and everything was hurting.

Her throat, it was blocking air from coming in.

She needed to open it.

She couldn't breathe.

Something is stopping her from opening her throat!

Why?! She had to breathe. She can't die!

Her promise! Their promise-

'Lynn, please,' the voice sounded like she was underwater.

Still can't breathe. Must open-

'I need you,' the voice continued and she felt something wet against her skin.

'Please Lynn, my love,' the voice sounded closer and she stop fighting the restriction of her throat.

'Don't leave me.'

"Gar…ret," Lynn forced out of her lips to feel her prince freeze, but quickly pull back to look at her.

"Lynn!" Garret touched her face wiping the tears from her face.

"I-" Lynn felt something move up her throat and before she could stop it, she coughed it out all over her love.

"Lynn," she could hear him so close holding her as her body shook.

She tried to respond, but everything was hurting and her eyes felt too heavy. His embrace was just so warm, so safe.

Closing her eyes fully, she accepted the darkness.

'I'm sorry my love. I have failed us,' was her last thought.

-o-o-

Voices faded in and out. Pain, hot and burning felt like blazes against her skin.

She could feel fingers on her cheek, warm and big. She leaned against it and felt the fingers stopped its movement.

"Lynn," the gruff voice sounded through her hazy mind, "Wake up honey."

"Pa…" she tried, but the cough escaped her lips.

She felt her body turned over to the side and felt a cool cloth against her face. Her tension relaxed and she opened her eyes slowly.

Blinking in the light from the lamp, she saw her father's relieved face.

"How are you feeling, sweetheart?" Christian asked watching her daughter.

Her daughter didn't reply as she closed her eyes, but she looked more relaxed. After a few strokes on her cheeks, he could hear her soft breathing.

Christian watched her for a moment afraid that she would stop breathing like her mother. Leaning down, he placed his head against her shoulder and let the tears fall.

When he woke, Christian was on the bed with his daughter pressed against his chest. Running his hand down the back of her head, he glances at the window to see it light out. He pulled slowly not to wake his daughter and got off the bed.

Touching her face, he saw the darkened skin slowly fading from her skin.

'The gem,' Christian ran his fingers across it.

As good as new. No chipped or broken pieces.

Knocks came to his door and he kissed the top of his daughter's head, before heading to the door.

When he opened it, he saw Christian and Richard standing with eyes blazing behind a calm façade.

"Sir Christian," Constantine bowed, "King Alastir requested you."

"Before we go," Richard bowed as well, "We must talk first."

"I agree," Christian's lips tightened with narrowed eyes as he stepped back.

Both knights walked in a few steps and turned to him.

"Is she doing well?" Constantine asked once the front door closed.

"What do I need to know," Christian said instead crossing his arms.

Constantine frowned and looked at Richard who nodded.

"King Valor from the Kingdom of Harte stated he had no acknowledgement leading to the event that occurred. If King Alastir is accusing him, the he will declare war upon our kingdom," Richard explained.

"War," Christian glanced at his daughter's direction where she lay asleep, "Then it shall be."

"King Alastir will not do it," Constantine spoke up after a short pause.

"What!" Christian shouted before pulling his anger back, "Our king is not going to declare war on the kingdom that almost killed my daughter, his knight?"

Christian saw the two knights nod.

"What's worse is King Valor blamed King Alastir for the situation occurred," Richard continued.

"And if Prince Garret does not marry Princess Arora," Constantine added, "Then he would declare war."

Christian felt like ten people were sitting on his chest. How dare King Valor declare such nonsense.

"What really happened?" he let out a breath and uncrossed his arm, "Not what the king wants you to tell me."

Constantine and Richard looked at one another for a moment.

The air was tense and Christian could feel his blood boiling. Motioning for both knights to sit at the dining area, he sat opposite them and waited.

"Lynn was winning," Constantine started, "She only had a few mor targets left, but her opponent turned to her with his arrow aimed at her."

Richard continued, "It happened quickly. Before we were able to reach him, the scene occurred and Lynn was attacked."

Christian noted the clenching of hands and narrowing of eyes on both men.

"That piece of-" Constantine mumbled for a moment before clearing his throat, "We quickly took the culprit down as Prince Garret-," Constantine paused and took a deep breath, "It was painful watching it."

Christian knew it. The king did not want him to know the details, but for what reason? His daughter is lying in bed right now!

"Sir," Richard looked away for a moment, "Lynn had scratched her throat and her fingers were covered in her own blood."

Christian felt his stomach clenched. What would cause her to do so?