The King's Artist

Ch 21: A Simple Touch

Adelaide felt her heart drop as they road up on the port city of Breton. Even from the distance they were at, Adelaide could distinctly see their shapes moving around the docks, but the darkness made it difficult to clearly see what they were loading or to visibly identify their features. The rescue party had left their horses in a far-off field and had approached the city on foot, quietly and concealed by shadows. The heavy armor that many of the soldiers adorned rattled a little as they walked, but Adelaide still found herself impressed by how silent they moved despite the heavy steal platting. She, herself, wore little to no protection. She had some chainmail on under her shift, but the armor was too heavy for her, and it restricted her movements too much.

Jasper knelt beside Adelaide with a hand on his sword as he scanned the city. With a wave of his hand and a few military signs, the soldiers began spreading out, circling around the city to approach from different angles. It was a mere scouting tactic at this moment. They had no intentions of attacking until they had eyes on Henry.

Adelaide made quick eye contact with Jasper before nodding and heading off in her own direction, making sure to keep low with a hand close to the sword that was strapped around her waist. Just like Henry, Adelaide had been trained in sword fighting. Not as intensely as Henry, but she knew how to defend herself at least. Despite her basic training, however, Kayden was repeatedly glancing back in her direction until she had disappeared into the city.

Adelaide moved carefully over the stone streets, ensuring the building shadows concealed her presence from anyone watching from a distance. The other soldiers had all disappeared, as well, and the silence that followed their absence made Adelaide's heart pound painfully in her chest. Her breathing was fast and restricted, and a sickening sweat had begun down her back and over her forehead and hands. Her fingers twitched nervously as she moved and the silence of the night was consumed by her breathing and heartbeat.

She found herself frozen as she arrived at a large courtyard with a monastery to her left and several more buildings surrounding the space. Adelaide's eyes scanned over the area trying to find another patch of shadows to hide in. She checked behind her briefly before taking a hesitant step out into the moonlit courtyard with her eyes shooting in every direction.

She nearly had a heart attack when a figure darted from the shadows and across the courtyard.

Adelaide quickly ducked back into the darknesses with her stomach in her throat and her body now officially drenched in sweat. Adelaide had unknowingly drawn her sword, and her eyes found the running individual kicking open the monastery doors hastily with hands bound together and a mad panic in his movements.

Adelaide immediately recognized Henry and felt her entire body relax in relief. Her breathing and her heart rate returned to normal, and a sudden calm overtook her body. She lowered her sword with a broad, grateful smile spreading across her face, and shuffled across the courtyard with little to no concern about whether or not Henry had been followed. If Jasper or Kayden had seen her lack of caution, she would surely have been scolded.

With her sword returned to its position at her side, Adelaide hauled open the monastery doors with a groan. The doors were heavy and squeaked a little as she pushed them closed, and Adelaide found herself wondering how Henry had managed to merely kick them shut. With the doors sealed tightly behind her, the room was plunged into darkness. Very little light seeped through the windows, and it took several seconds before Adelaide's eyes adjusted to the space, taking in the curve of the ceiling and equally, spaced columns that lined the room.

"Henry," Adelaide whispered into the dark. She began shuffling forward carefully, checking around the corners for a figure or shape that resembled Henry. Upfront and towards her left, Adelaide saw a figure move hesitantly around one of the columns. Adelaide let out a sigh of relief as her blue eyes landed on Henry's brown. She could see him relax, as well, at the sight of her and he seemed unable to fully grasp that she was there.