The Black Death (A Medieval Action/Romance)

Chapter 21

Chapter 21

 

“I’ll tell the others,” Thomas looked at her with wide eyes and urgency, “I know Drystan and the others, they would want to know you are safe!”

“No!” Izzie reached out and gripped his arm, pulling him back behind a tree, “You must not tell them that you saw me!”

“Why?” Thomas looked at her with worry lingering in his eyes but she knew him enough now that she knew he was worried for her rather for himself, “Drystan is-”

“-Drystan most of all cannot know!”

“Why?” Thomas begged her, “He loves you.”

Izzie closed her eyes in desperation, “I know.”

“Then I don’t see why I can’t-” Thomas moved to walk passed her and back to the camp.

“-Because he’ll come after me,” Izzie pulled him back behind the tree, her eyes lingering on the bruises on his face that she had put there, “Just like I would go after him.”

“Where are you going?” Thomas frowned, watching her with confusion.

Izzie looked over her shoulder at the forest, “I’m going back into the castle. I have to kill the prince,”

Thomas froze beneath her grip, “There must be another answer other than violence,” Thomas begged her, “If we simply talked to the Prince, I’m positive he would-”

“-This is not the time for words, Thomas,” Izzie stepped back, “I shall rest tonight and as soon as night falls tomorrow evening, I shall enter the castle,”

Thomas was silent.

Izzie turned back to him, “Promise me you won’t tell Drystan or the others about this. They must go their own path. Promise me, Thomas!” Izzie urged him.

“I- I promise,” Thomas nodded his head pertly; his eyes soft as he recognised that they may never see each other again.

“I’m sorry about . . .” Izzie nodded her head at the cuts and bruises on his body.

“You saved my life,” Thomas took her hand paternally in his, “I shall pray for you,”

Izzie was transported back to when they first met; she would have striked him down long before he could touch her hand let alone utter words of such comfort in her ear but now she just smiled, “Thank you,”

She did not believe that such words would fall on anything but deaf ears where she was concerned but she knew it would help Thomas recover when he learnt of her death.

“I must return,” Thomas looked at his feet before he dropped her hand and started to backtrack through the forest to camp, “And Izzie . . .”

“Yes?” Izzie whispered.

“He knows,” Thomas smiled, “Drystan knows.”

Izzie had promised herself she would not break down but hearing that made her heart sing and she cursed him for giving her something to live for.

She had been confident that Drystan would not mourn her passing and that there was nothing left in this world for her but now he went and said that.

Izzie said nothing as she watched his hooded figure walking back through the forest; snapping every twig and branch as he went.

It brought a smile to her face as she watched his clumsiness; staring at the space he had been long after he had left.

“You should not have lied to him,” A brute voice told her solemnly as Iagan stepped out from behind the tree he had occupied for the last ten minutes.