2.2 The mist

Gazing at the queen, she hit the reins of Onyx and forwarded at her. A smirk formed on the lips of the queen. She was waiting for his moment. To face Cressida directly. The moment she got the king in her hand, Cressida killed him. She couldn't let go of this. She was the cause for all the deaths that happened in their family. Killing Cressida would only suffice her and her vengeance.

Hitting the reins, Cressida speeds up her pace. Her eyes didn't leave the sight of the queen. She was sitting on an open carriage, pulled by two horses. The queen hit the reins of the horses and rode her carriage towards Cressida. With a grim smile on her face, she raised her hands and loaded her bow at Cressida. Cressida knew what was she going to face. Attacking the queen directly would not be easy. Many of her soldiers will be guarding her. The moment, she gets closer they might jump on her from anywhere. Holding the dagger in her mouth, she pulled out her bow and arrow. Though her eyes were fixed at the queen, her sight was everywhere. Her mind was cautious of the surrounding. The more she gets closer, the faster her heart was beating. She gulped the fear, gritting her teeth tightly at the dagger. Her hand began to shook.

Sensing an attack from the right, she changed the direction of her arrow from the queen to the right. A white horse jumped towards her from the dust. She flinched by the sudden appearance. Her hands that were stretched out and the bow that was loaded to attack, loosen up. Lycaon stooped forward and held the reins of her horse. He then rode in the opposite direction against her, pulling her horse along with him.

Onyx turned around and followed Lycaon's lead. Putting her bow back, she took the dagger in her hand. "What's the matter? Why are we retrieving?" Cressida asked. She then looked back through her shoulder. The queen was turning her carriage too.

When Lycaon didn't respond, she pulled the reins of Onyx to stop him. Both the horses neighed and halted by the pull. Lycaon gazed at her with anger. "I asked you something?" Cressida said.

"Seems like you have lost your eyes along with your brain." He said, letting go of her horse. He then made his way towards their tents near the castle.

Cressida looked around, she didn't understand what was going on. Following him seems a better option. Coming to his side, she asked.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"It's the mist," Lycaon said and disappeared in the dust. Taking the lead.

When Cressida caught up with the others at the tents. Lycaon, Zorion, and all the remaining soldiers were already there. She jumped down from her horse. Her back ached by the movement. She glanced her eyes at the soldiers. Most of them were injured. She couldn't stand the blood that was covered on every soldier. She inched back, looking at them. Some of them were being treated. Some were washing the wound with water. Meanwhile, a leg of the soldier was being cut, it was halfway hanging. He screamed in pain. Panting heavily, she moved back. 'What is this? This is very loss.' She thought. Her head was turning dizzy by the view. The metallic smell of blood and injured soldiers, everything reminds her of the massacre that happened at her castle. She was hearing painful voices and screams. Unable to stand anymore, she rushed into her tent. As soon as she was inside, she placed her hands on the strategy table, to keep her on her feet from falling. The pawns on the table in front of her shook as she placed her hands with a thud.

"It's because of loss of blood." She said to herself and took out her armor. She then tore the piece of clothing that was kept on the table and tug off her shirt. The sudden movement of the curtain took her attention. She looked back through her shoulder and saw Lycaon entering the tent.

"Why are you in my tent?" Cressida asked looking forward, holding the strips of clothes against her chest.

"Maybe you have forgotten what belongs to whom." He said, standing at the strategy table.

Cressida began to wrap the strips around her torso, covering the back wound and tying it in the front. She prefers not to answer until she was decent enough to look at. When she was done, she turned around facing Lycaon, his eyes raised from the table to her, following her form from bottom to top.

"What is the mist?" Cressida asked, breaking his staring gaze.

Scoffing a laugh, he walked towards Cressida. "This was your first and last part in the war." He said.

Raising her head to meet his eyes, she spoke. "I am not going to back off, this is the war that I started and I am going to end it." She said.

Holding her upper arms, he shook Cressida. "Look at you, don't even know what a mist is, neither can you protect yourself." He said.

Flinching his hands away, she spoke. "You don't have to worry about my protection. I can save myself."

Moving forward, Lycaon pinned her between the table and him. "Now protect yourself from me." He said, leaning forward.

"What do you think you-" Before she could finish her sentence, he held her hands behind her back with his one hand and her hair at the back of her head with the other to lift her head. He then crashed his lips against her. Stooping forward, he deepened the kiss. Her eyes widened at his act. She neither can use her hands to push him away nor she could kick him back. She was stuck in between him and the table. When she ran out of breath, he could feel her chest hammering against him. Breaking the kiss, he let go of her hands and hair. Looking into her eyes that turned moist, he straightened his form. She rubbed her lips by the back of her hand, gazing at Lycaon. She knew exactly what he was thinking. His action showed how weak she was in front of him. She couldn't even defend a kiss from him.

Seeing her silenced form, he was successful in displaying his message. "I saved you once, you owe me now." He said, stepping back. He then turned around from her, showing his back to her. "I am not going to save you again, nor I'm going to live my life with another blame of letting my wife kill."

Calming her breaths, Cressida straightened her form. She didn't want to stay here for a moment. She wanted to rip her head off and hang it on the sword. Fisting her hands in anger, she picked up her shirt and armor and left the tent.

Lycaon looked by the side of his eyes as she left. He then walked towards the table and kept his hand on it. Closing his eyes, he took calming breaths.

"What was I doing?" He murmured to himself.  This should not have happened, he thought. I can't let her weak me down. A girl in life is nothing but weakness. He slammed his hand on the table in anger. It can't be. I detest every female and I should continue to do so. Opening his eyes, he looked at the pawns that fell by his hit. Picking them up, he arranged them back on the battle table. He then gazed at the table to the strategy. He has to finish this war soon. The sooner this war finishes, the early he could be away from Cressida. He decided, as soon as the war ends, he would give her the papers of her kingdom and let her go free, breaking the marriage. The papers could be the price of breaking the bond. He can't stay anymore with her. If she stayed by her side, he would be ruined. He couldn't take the risk. He has to let her go.

~~~~~~~~

Putting on her shirt and armor, Cressida ran out of the tent. She couldn't stand another moment in the tent, in front of him. Her heart was still beating fast. She never felt that way before. Either it was because she felt defeated or she feared him. She didn't know what that feeling was. All she knew, it was something that will pull her down.

She decided to check on Onyx before the next phase of battle starts. She was not going to stay here and do nothing like a coward. This was her war and she needs to fight in it. The mist was still in the air. She looked at the battleground, except for the white layer of smoke, she couldn't see anything.

'What is this mist all about?' She thought. There was one person who knows everything and who can answer it. There were many secrets about him. Being Leander's brother, he might know many secrets of the north too. She searched for Zorion, he was not with the rest of the soldiers. Searching from tent to tent, she halted on hearing some distinct voices.

....

H. LOCKHART