Hunted Queen

Chapter Two • Who are you?

Thank you so much for all the love on the first chapter!

*Very long Chapter*

-Jade-

As the monk helped Jade to stand, his eyes fixed on those who had chased her. She let out a relieved sniffle and squeezed his hands while trying to stand. The monk's eyes turned to her and became filled with sadness when he felt how desperately she clung to his hands.

 As Jade tried to get on her feet, she slipped on the wet stone steps. The monk caught her and prevented her fall while he redirected his gaze back to the men behind her. A wave of low murmurs had erupted among them when she slipped. 

When she stood, the murmuring slowly died out. Had they discussed ripping her from the monk after seeing how weak and tired she was? 

"Come, child. Make haste." The monk whispered and put his right arm around her shoulders. He slowly ushered her indoors, out of the storm and into safety. "I will pray for their souls tonight..." He mumbled in concern, closing the door behind himself and Jade simultaneously. 

Jade stood, finally safe, shivering on the other side of the doors. She felt ice cold, numb to her bones. Fear still played its part in her visible shivers as well. However, they lessened now that she was out of harm's way. 

"Let us find you some dry clothes and a hot meal. How does that sound?" The monk asked after having let out a heavy sigh. "Yes. Yes, let us do that." He mumbled and looked down for a second. Jade interpreted his behavior as if he was not completely sure if he had made the right choice of granting her refuge. It would doubtlessly have dire consequences for him and this priory if or when Rowan got word of this. She did not blame him for having those thoughts. If he had them. 

"Thank you." Jade said through stiff, trembling lips. Even though her voice was close to a whisper, it managed to jump off the stone walls and create a small echo. "That sounds nice. All of it. Thank you, brother." She whispered and listened to the faint echo again. 

The silence in the priory was deafening. For the first time in a long time, her shoulders slouched. Every muscle relaxed and eased into rest. What followed next was not so comfortable; knots in Jade's back and neck awoke angrily. They were tokens from being tense and alert all the time. Sleeping on the ground could not have helped either. A hot bath would be the best remedy, but she could not ask any more of the man that had taken her in. A hot meal and new dry clothes was more than she could have dreamed of an hour ago. 

Suddenly, from the other side of the massive doors, they could hear soldiers shouting to Ulf. It was hard to hear exactly what they were shouting due to the storm's rumbling, but what she could clearly hear over thunder and ear deafening rain was Ulf's furious bellowing as he and his men were forced to retreat, empty handed.

"You can call me Brother Richard." The monk informed her kindly. Warmth now radiated from his grey eyes as he gave her his name. It was almost as if hearing Ulf's bellow had made the monk sure of that he had made the right choice. 

Jade smiled faintly and nodded at Brother Richard. Now, she was safe.

"Follow me." He said and swept his left arm towards a hallway to their left, urging her to walk with him.

Jade was brought to a kitchen with floors and walls of stone, just like every part of the priory she had seen up until now, which was solely the entrance hall and a number of hallways. The kitchen was as bare as the rest of what she had seen of the priory. It had two workbenches, three tables with sets of two benches each. On the walls hung sconces, spreading warm light throughout the room and one circular wooden chandelier. That was all. This kitchen was not at all like the one in the castle. Elizabeth's kitchen had at least three counters solely to prepare food on, then there were counters where she kept the food waiting to be prepared and so on.