Final chapter! =( I know!
But this was a great ride!
Thank you so much for your support , your reviews and messages and a special thanks to "the girl with the silver arrow" for your help!=)
I love you all and I hope that you will like this chapter!=)
Till next time!
Leith stood there open mouthed in shock.
He tried to comprehend what had just happened.
The mill was destroyed. Its remains were burning hotly and brightly. The redish, yellow and orange colours stood in a stark contrast against the blue sky.
The mother crumbled to the ground and let out a cry worth the howl of a wolf. "Not my little girl!"
The miller had his hand on his wives shoulder, but could not move an inch. Frozen he stared at the remains of his existance.
Somehow it was as if time stood still for a moment.
The only thing that moved were the flickering flames.
After what felt like an eternity the soldiers started to move.
"Well, better tell the Queen the bad news!"
"Nostradamus did predict it as I heard." The other one said, while they mounted their horses.
Leith wanted to say something but did not know what.
The soldiers simply rode off, but there were other people coming. Men from the closest village who had seen the smoke and wanted to inquire if there is anything they could do to help.
Some were already about to carry buckets of water to fight the flames.
Leith walked towards the burning ruins to look at the damage.
The whole building was burning down to a pile of ashes, there was no chance that any creature inside could have survived the explosion.
Leith ran his hand trough his hair.
It could not be!
This could not be happening!
He was about to turn away in order to help the others, but suddenly he heard a soft crying sound.
He looked around.
It came from behind the mill.
Some of the trees had also caught fire.
He walked towards it.
And there right between the trees sat a small figure on the ground.
Leith ran towards it and let out a sigh of relief.
"Jeanne!" It was the girl who had run back into the mill in order to safe her toy.
She was covered in blood and was shaking violently. When Leith approached her she did not seem to be able to hear him.
"Here!" He screamed and waved towards the people. Some noticed him and ran towards them.
He looked at the surrounding area. Could it be possible?
He set off on a search through the near trees.
"Bash! Can you hear me? Bash!"
He was so nervous.
Suddenly he stumbled over something and only in looking back he saw that it was a man.
"Bash!" He knelt down beside him.
Bash was also covered in blood and unconscious. Leith shook him, but there was no reaction. Frantically he searched for his pulse point and then he waited. His fingers were trembling.
Nothing.
"Come one!" He grumbled.
But then he felt it.
There was a heartbeat and he laughed out.
"Thank you, dear Lord!" Leith ran to fetch a wet cloth and returned as quickly as possible. He wiped Bash's face and tried to wake him up.
After a while Bash stirred and Leith grinned. The injured man groaned and coughed. His face looked so painful that Leith did not dare to touch him again.
"Bash, can you hear me?"
Bash blinked. There was a loud ring in his ears. He saw Leith through a hazy fog. He saw him moving his lips, but he did not hear a sound. Bash blinked and shook his head.
"What?" The ringing subsided slightly. It was as if he was under water.
"Are you all right?"
Bash shook his head again and tried to sit up. His hand flew immediately to his head. He groaned in pain. Blood was running out of his hair. His lungs hurt like hell with every breath he took, but he was alive.
It had been a week since the explosion of the mill.
Bash was on a good way back to health. They had spent their time in a tavern in the village close to where the mill stood where Bash could be nursed back to health. He was still sore and his ears were still ringing now and then but he felt much better.
Leith entered the room.
"Here, I got you some tea."
"Thank you, Leith. For everything! You saved my life!"
Leith smiled. "I promised to bring you back and that's what I am going to do."
Bash nodded and sipped the tea.
"When do you think you will be able to ride?"
"Right now."
"Are you sure?"
Bash nodded. "Yes. The sooner the better."
Leith nodded and helped Bash up. He groaned and grimaced as the pain wandered through his whole body.
Outside they slowly walked to the stables and Leith was worried and wandered if Bash would really keep up. But with every step Bash grew more certain. With every step he fought and his movements became more fluent.
They came across a bakery were many people were working and putting food onto a cart.
"What is all that work for?" Bash asked curiously.
"Oh it is a tragedy!" Exclaimed an old woman. "The King's bastard brother died!"
Bash raised his eyebrows. "Sebastian de Poitiers is dead?" He asked and looked to Leith who turned pale.
"Yes! Can you imagine? It happened last week when the mill burned down! You must have seen him there! He went back into the building to rescue a small girl!"
Bash nodded. "Yeah, I might have seen him then."
"And the King of Navarre chose to marry now! Quite disrespectful! Even cruel if you ask me!" She exclaimed.
Bash suddenly stopped breathing as he tried to understand what was happening.
He felt shaky and suddenly Leith's hands were on his shoulders guiding him to the ground. He sat down and put his head between his knees, trying to breath.
"Kenna would never marry him!"
Bash scoffed. "I am dead, Leith!"
"The soldiers must have spread the news at court. But I swear to you that Kenna does not want to marry the King. She was desperate to get you back! We must hurry! Now!"
Bash shook his head.
Leith stood up. "Sebastian de Poitiers, you will stand up now, get on that horse and ride back to the castle! Now!" He ordered and Bash looked up at him as surprised as the other villagers who heard him.
"But…" The woman started.
Bash drew a deep breath while he looked into Leith's determined eyes.
Then he nodded and stood up.
"All right! Let's stop that wedding then!"
They walked quickly down the corridors.
The soldiers who saw them stared at them with open mouths. They stared after them, but did not dare to approach them in case they were ghosts.
There was no one particularly familiar, but a young servant girl who jumped as she saw the two men. She lost the balance over the silver plate in her hands and the plates and glasses crashed onto the floor with a deafening clash.
"Oh Lord! I meant, Sebastian…I…"
Bash quickly interrupted her. "Sarah, where is everyone?"
She was as pale as a sheet and could only stare at him frightened as death.
"Sarah, where…"
"…the ceremony…in the throne room…" She mumbled.
Bash left her standing even though she looked as if her legs were about to give in on her every moment, but he just had one thing on his mind right now.
He rushed on towards the throne room and determinedly pushed the doors open.
It was full of people and everyone turned around to take a look at who was disturbing the ceremony. There were whispers and outcries.
"Bash!"
"Good Lord!"
"He's alive!"
Everyone was talking and bustling to see if he was a ghost or indeed still alive.
Bash just walked towards the front of the room and the people formed two lines to let him through.
He stopped when he saw the happy couple.
*Flashback*
Horses whined and hooves clambered on the cobble stones.
Mary looked towards the window.
She was eagerly waiting for the soldiers she sent out to return. Everyone actually stopped everything they were doing. Kenna let the cloth she was embroidering sink into her lap. Catherine and Nostradamus stopped their talk and Francis stopped his pacing.
Antoine entered the room with Lola.
"We just saw the soldiers return to court." She announced and everyone went rigid.
All the eyes were on the doors now and every ear was listening to the footsteps outside in the corridor.
Finally, after an eternity, the doors opened and a servant announced the soldiers.
"Your majesty!" The soldier bowed.
"What? What are the news?" Mary asked eagerly.
Kenna stopped breathing.
The soldier looked guilty. "Sebastian de Poitiers is dead."
At first everyone was silent, but suddenly Kenna cried out loud. "No! No, he is not dead! No!" Her voice broke and Lola quickly rushed to her side. "Kenna!"
"He is not dead! No! No! No!" The tears rolled down her cheeks freely now.
Antoine seemed to look smug though no one noticed him.
Bash stared at the couple at the front of the throne room.
The bride wore a beautiful white dress and the husband looked very dashing.
He frowned then and opened his mouth to say something, but he did not know what.
"But…"
"Bash!" Mary called and rushed forward with Francis following her. "We were told you were dead! We all thought that you died!"
"I…" Bash was cut off by Francis who hugged him. Bash crumbled in pain leading Francis to quickly let go off him.
"Bash, what happened?" Mary asked looking him over.
"Get Nostradamus!" Francis ordered, but Bash shook his head.
"Not now!" He drew a deep breath and willed for the pain to subside. He looked at the happy couple again, but the pain in his eyes had nothing to do with them.
"Where is Kenna?" Was all he wanted to know.
He looked over Mary's shoulder at his half-sister standing next to the King Antoine of Navarre.
"Probably dying in the street where she belongs!" Claude called out and Mary frowned.
"What is that supposed to mean?"
Claude just shrugged.
Bash looked furiously at her.
She smirked. "You thought she was the one getting married, didn't you?"
Leith quickly put his hand onto his shoulder. "I might know where she is!"
Bash nodded and spun around.
"Bash!" Mary and Francis called after him, but he did not stop. All he wanted to know now was where his wife was.
Bash stormed out off the castle and followed Leith to the horses. They galloped to the house where he had been living with Greer lately.
They burst through the front door.
Leith discovered a note on the table.
"Greer! Greer!"
"Kenna! What is wrong? Is it the baby?"
"No! Bash is dead!"
"What? No!"
"The soldiers Mary sent out for his search announced his death, just like Nostradamus predicted. And you should have seen Antoine's face!" Kenna felt dirty as she thought about his eyes. Panic gripped her body. "Greer I cannot stay here! I am all alone and Antoine and…I cannot stay here!"
Greer put her arms around her friend. "You'll be fine, Kenna. Breathe! Did they say anything about Leith?"
Kenna shook her head. "I don't know."
Greer sighed. Fear gripped her as well, but she was going to be strong for Kenna now. "Well, we will leave then."
"Really? Are you serious? Greer, you don't…"
"Yes! I will leave a note for Leith, he will find us if he…"
"…when he comes back! You mean." Kenna sniffed.
Greer tried to smile and nodded. "Yes."
"They're gone." Leith announced to Bash and handed the note to him. Bash quickly scanned it. His face was a mask of seriousness and he decided:
"We have to find them!"
They stormed out of the house and towards the reigned horses.
Leith nodded towards the south of the castle.
"I believe Greer would go down that road. She's told me that if she ever needed to leave she would go down there."
Bash nodded. "Let's go then."
They rode next to each other towards the forest.
Why had they not waited?
But then for what?
Bash didn't know what to think.
But he knew that he wanted to see Kenna's face. And after that he knew nothing, what would happen then he did not know.
There was a scream and Bash spurred his horse on from a canter into a gallop.
A woman screamed and he made his horse run towards it.
He wouldn't be late. Not this time.
Not ever again.
"Let go off me!"
It was Kenna's voice. He was sure of it.
He saw a cart behind the next corner.
"Help!" Greer cried when she heard the hooves.
As Bash got closer Kenna immediately noticed him and froze.
"Bash!" She gasped and she did not dare to believe her eyes. He was here!
"Let the women go!" He demanded of the man who held Kenna by the arm. Jumping of his horses he drew his sword. There were two other who rounded in on Bash from behind.
"Or what?" One of them sneered and beat with the branch in his hand into his palm.
Leith came round the corner. "Or you need to get past both of us."
He came to stand next to Bash with his own sword and the men didn't know if they should be scared or laugh.
Bash spun around and swished his sword through the air disarming one of them while hitting the other. Kenna kicked at the man holding her and he cried out when she hit him where it hurt most.
Bash was at her side after merely a second. "You okay?"
She nodded.
The man suddenly jumped at Bash and got him at the head. Bash cried out, but pulled all his strength together to fight him off. His body was still sore.
Leith fought the other two off before coming to Bash aid and slicing the arm of the stranger open.
"I think it's time for you to leave!" Leith said pointing his sword at the thief.
Bash moved next to him and straightened mimicking Leith, while Kenna and Greer stood securely behind them.
The thieves looked angrily from one to another before they withdrew hesitatingly though.
Bash slackened because he could not hold his pose any longer.
Kenna rushed towards him. "Bash! You're bleeding!"
So that was the warm sticky feeling that crept down his cheek. He shook his head. "T'is half as bad."
"Let's go back then. We didn't get far and we cannot go on." Greer said and everyone agreed.
Back in Greer's small house Kenna ushered Bash over to a chair. "We have to clean your wound."
Greer quickly brought her a clean cloth and water.
Kenna smiled at her, before she turned to Bash.
"Leith, let's put the horses back, shall we?" Greer asked and they left the room.
Bash twitched slightly when the cold cloth touched the wound.
"Sorry." Kenna mumbled, but went on.
Bash watched at her concentrated face. Her eyes that were fixed on his wound. Her lips that were pulled together in concentration.
"There all done."
"Thank you." Bash answered and looked at Kenna. He took her hand and Kenna got a soft expression on her face.
"Bash." She couldn't say his name often enough. "I am so sorry! For everything! I have been so stupid! I realised that when you were gone and did not come back that…" Her voice trembled. "…that I could not live without you! Bash, I love you and you are enough! You are! I realised that! And I pray that you can forgive me! If not now, then maybe some day. I do not care if you never get a title or start calling yourself Bash, the Bastard. I don't care! If only you could forgive me."
Bash looked at her out of gentle brown eyes.
"Kenna, I don't know…"
"Take your time! That's fine! I will wait!"
"Would you please let me finish?" He asked and Kenna nodded. "I don't know what happened while I was gone, but I know that despite all the things that you have done, I cannot forget you."
Kenna looked hopeful now.
Bash put a strand of hair behind her ear.
"I want to put our differences aside."
Kenna smiled. "Then let's do that! I want to spend the rest of my life with you!"
Bash smiled as well and pulled Kenna to him in a hug.
He breathed her in and cherished how tightly she held him.
"Bash." Kenna suddenly withdrew. "There's another thing I need to tell you."
Bash's face grew serious and Kenna was afraid of his reaction.
She fiddled around with the hem of her sleeve. "After you left, Antoine came to me and tried to blackmail me. I was to spy on Francis and Mary, but I didn't. I managed to go out of his way and tell him lies. I don't think he figured me out."
Bash frowned. "What did he threaten you with?"
Kenna chewed on her lip. "He got to know that…that…I am with child." Bash's eyes widened. "With your child, Bash!" She smiled slightly. "We are having a child."
He was speechless.
"Bash? Are you okay?"
He shook his head. "Yes, but how would Antoine use that against you?"
"He would tell everyone it was his. That I was unfaithful."
Bash balled his hand into a fist. He wanted to kill him.
"You do believe me, don't you?" Kenna asked afraid that his anger was directed at her.
He looked at her.
His hand slackened.
Suddenly he pulled her towards him and his lips crushed hers. They were warm comfortable and tasted like home. Kenna kissed him with so much passion that there was no more space for doubts between them.
When they parted he pushed a strand of hair out of her face and nodded slowly.
"Yes, I do."
Kenna laughed and threw her arms around him while tear drops fell from her eyes.
She has never been happier in her whole life!
Bash had seen him walking off to the stables and that's where he followed him.
"Navarre!" He called impolitely after the king, but he didn't care.
Antoine turned around and smirked.
"Bash! To what do I own the pleasure?"
"I know what you did!"
"And what should I have done?"
"You and I both know it! Treason and you threatened my wife!"
Antoine inclined his head. "And I assume you have proof?"
Bash moved closer to his face. "Not yet!"
"Well, since me and my wife will leave in two days, you better start finding something! Or are you angry because I married your half-sister?"
Bash pushed him away and drew his sword. "I will find proof!"
Antoine grinned and turned his back defiantly on Bash. "Send me your troops when you found one!"
Bash wanted to drive the sword through his back!
He really wanted to kill him, but he was no murderer.
And he did not want to spend the night in the dungeon but with his wife.
She would help him get over this and he would feel so much better when they were finally living away from court.
Bash took hold of her hands and Kenna frowned slightly.
"Kenna…" His voice and look were suddenly quite serious and she feared that nothing good would come out of this talk. However, his thumbs drew soothing circles on the back of her hands.
"I know that originally neither of us wanted this marriage. I have no titles or lands which I know you long for. I am merely a bastard, I may not always be gentle and my hands are rough and calloused I don't look like much and I know that all this is not enough, but I want you to know one thing: I am yours. Truly yours. It's not much, but it's all I can give you…and I want to live with you ssomewhere away from court."
Kenna stood there in awe in front of the man she had never dreamed of marrying. Who would have thought that Bash knew so sweet words.
His eyes pierced Kenna and she snapped out of her reverie. It was her turn to say something, anything. She smiled softly ad put a hand upon his stubble.
"Bash…my Bash. I assure you that it is enough, that it is more than enough! And in fact it is everything I could ever dream of!"
"You changed."
"I have grown. But you changed as well."
"I realized that you are the most important thing in my life!"
His hands flew up to her face and his lips captured hers in a soaring kiss.
"I love you! I love you so much!"
Suddenly his face lit up in a bright smile. His hand pressed against Kenna's stomach.
"Our child?"
Kenna nodded and laughed. "Yes!" She threw her arms around his neck. "I was a bit scared that you wouldn't be happy. You are happy aren't you?"
Bash grinned boyishly. "Yes, Kenna. I am more than happy!" He spun her around and she squealed surprised and laughed.
