Hunted Queen

Chapter Ten • Friends

-Jade- 

There was not as much time for the walk as Jade had wished. They never even made it to the city gates before Loren insisted they returned to the castle. The wind had picked up remarkably, tearing at every piece of clothing it could get its invisible claws on. It had taken them an hour to walk here and Jade was not pleased that she had to cut the tour short just because of wind and rain.

"My queen." Loren urged when Jade lingered in one of the many squares of the city. It was not the largest square, but it was bigger than two others she had seen so far. She was amazed of the size of the city, which had always seemed so small from inside the castle. "We better head back. There is a storm coming and I do not want you outside the walls when it is here. There is no protection on the walk back up." 

It is just water and some wind... She pouted internally. She would rather get wet than go back. However, she had tortured the man enough for one day and decided to not agonize him any further. 

"It is going to be a bad one." Loren remarked as if he had read her mind.

"But I have not yet seen the main square." Jade argued and shot Loren a pleading look. "I am sure the storm will not be that bad." She said, looking up into the dark clouds forming above them and grimaced a little at the sight of it. 

He is probably right. Those clouds indeed looked very dark, but they could not be far away from the main square now. 

"I would rather have you come freely." Loren murmured after a long silence. Jade turned in surprise of his tone and noticed that his jaws were clenched. He was growing more impatient. "Your grace." 

Jade pouted her lips at her guard but played nice. He let his shoulders relax somewhat when he saw her making the decision to come without a fight. 

"Thank you." He said as she walked up next to him. 

"What do you think William is doing?" She asked quietly and pulled her hood up when she felt little drops of rain hit her cheeks. 

"Brooding, most likely." Loren answered her. They chuckled and shared a look. "I do not know." 

"Before he found me." Jade began. "Did you go with him on these sort of things? Battles, wars or whatever he left to do?" 

"Yes." Loren answered. "As his personal guard I went were he went. As I do with you, your grace." 

Jade sucked her teeth in annoyance when he addressed her by her title, but ignored it. "What did he do when you were with him then?" She continued. 

"Depends on which mood he was in. Most of the time we sparred or drank ale." Jade remembered the night Loren and the king had told her that William used to have drinking contests with them. 

"Right, the drinking games." Jade chuckled. Loren nodded and smiled at a memory. "No girls?" Jade asked even though she knew the question was wildly inappropriate, and that Loren would never answer it.

The guard stopped abruptly from her question and stared into her eyes. She smiled cheekily. "Come now, Loren! No girls?" She asked laughing. "The two of you are no saints. Do not lie to me." 

She reveled in the panic rising in Loren's eyes as it seemed like he could not decide what to tell her. Sure, she knew William had not been with another before her, but what about Loren? Was there not a special someone which her guard's heart beat a little harder for? Who could make Loren's heart skip a beat?

"Are you still with me, Loren?" She laughed quietly when he never recovered from her question. The eyes were widened and he moistened his lips hesitantly.