Chapter 11: Escape

There were many many trees around her. Karigan thought that she was in the middle of a forest. But she didn't know what forest, nor where it was located. She didn't see anything but the trees around her. Except for up ahead, there, she saw some kind of glow, a white, almost silver, glow. She had no idea what she thought it was. But, despite the uncertainty of the situation, Karigan began wandering that way, just to find out what it was. There was no sound from any animals at all, not even the calls of the crickets that one would usually hear at this time of night.

After a while, Karigan finally went through the tree line, uncovering a clearing with one being standing in the middle. It looked like a woman, dressed in a milky silver dress that was loose on her body and rustled to an invisible wind. The woman was almost regal in posture and yet, she was still young and beautiful in the face. Long, thick, flowing, silver hair cascaded down her shoulders and back in subtle waves. Karigan recognized her immediately as the dead queen of the Eletians. Queen Laurelyn.

"Daughter of Kariny, welcome," the queen said to her; her voice seemed to echo as if it was going through time itself.

Karigan glanced around her, and then asked, "Where exactly where am I?"

"They are your dreams Daughter of Kariny. But I am here with you now to show you of what is to come in the future," Queen Laurelyn said walking toward Karigan to stand in front of her.

"Why?" Karigan asked.

"You will face troubling times ahead. I must show you a few scenes of your future so that you can know that it is not the end of you," Queen Laurelyn answered.

"What's going to happen?" Karigan asked, allowing herself to be led by the queen toward the opposite side of the clearing.

"You shall find out very soon Daughter of Kariny," the Eletian answered, receiving a frustrated sigh from her companion.

"I guess I have no other choice. I'm sure that you'd show these to me soon enough. If not you, then most likely someone else," Karigan said. The queen chuckled and led Karigan toward the tree line opposite from where Karigan first found her. Once they got closer, Karigan began to see another light; it was almost shaped like a door or archway. Then, curiosity got the best of her and Karigan passed the threshold of light right beside the Queen of Eletians.

***Scene 1***

Karigan looked around her; she seemed to be standing inside this small room. Queen Laurelyn was still standing beside her, looking down upon her, almost as if she was interested in what her reaction would be to seeing scenes to her future. To tell the truth, Karigan was a little apprehensive about it all, but then, she was also extremely curious about it all. Karigan got even more curious about it all once she saw herself looking at herself in a mirror.

The other Karigan was standing in front of a mirror dressed in a silver colored dress that looked like it was made from silk. The sleeves were incredibly thin (spaghetti straps) and rested on her shoulders softly. The top of the dress hugged Karigan's curves until the dress reached her waist, then the fabric draped down her legs; allowing free movement. Her hair was put up in a bun that was a little loose. Her new sword was on its belt hanging off the back of a chair.

There was a knock on the door just as the other Karigan was smoothing down invisible wrinkles on her dress. The door opened and Karigan saw her father come into the room. He looked around the room, and he even looked right through where Karigan and Queen Laurelyn stood. He looked back at his daughter that stood in front of the mirror. "How are you?" he asked.

The other Karigan looked away from the mirror to look back at her father, "I'm a little nervous . . . scared."

Stevic's brows furrowed, "What are you scared about? Are you having second thoughts?"

Karigan shook her head quickly, "No no, I'd never have second thoughts about doing this. But, what if the Mirwellians find out where I am?"

"Kari lass, if they did, Zachary wouldn't allow them even 50 leagues away from here," Stevic said. "You'll be fine," he said, gathering his daughter in his arms for an embrace. "Everything will be okay," the he chuckled, "In my opinion, the only thing that you might want to be nervous about is the wedding night." Both Karigans got red in the face. Then Stevic went on to say, "I remember your mother and I's wedding night―"

"Da!" the other Karigan said, "Please don't go there." Stevic laughed.

After he calmed down, Stevic asked, "Are you ready? All the guests are seated and Zachary is just sweating with anxiousness." The other Karigan glanced back to the mirror before nodding to her father.

"I'm ready," she said.

Stevic nodded too and then tucked the shorter, blonde hair behind her ear, since it was too short to fit into the bun. "Okay then," he sighed, "let's go and get you married then."

Karigan looked up at Queen Laurelyn and the Eletian queen looked back down at her, Karigan asked, "Is this it or . . .?"

"No, we're going to follow them," Queen Laurelyn answered. Karigan nodded and followed behind the father-daughter duo as they left the room and down a set of stairs. Karigan looked around the little village that they now walked across behind Karigan and her father. The village wasn't much, but it looked like it could house at least 500 people comfortably.

After a while, Karigan saw a larger building compared to the others. The double doors leading inside were wide open to let people look inside, there were pews that were almost filled the church. Music was playing inside and Karigan caught a glimpse of an alter. Now rather reluctantly, Karigan continued following her future self and her father. She felt a gentle hand on her back; Karigan knew that Queen Laurelyn knew what she was feeling, and for some reason, Karigan had to see this.

The other Karigan and her father didn't stop once they reached the inside of the church. Karigan's heard started to beat frantically, almost as if she was going through it at that exact moment. The music changed and got louder as Karigan and her father started down the church isle. Karigan and Queen Laurelyn settled in the back of the church to watch. Karigan couldn't help but gaze as her would be husband and admired how handsome he looked. He wasn't garbed as Sacoridia's high king; he was just wearing a plain wool overcoat over a cotton dress shirt, a pair of breeches, and a pair of shined boots. His auburn hair was loose with no crown atop his head. Karigan thought that he even better than what she usually saw him wearing. Zachary looked like a man, a normal, hard-working man.

Karigan watched from the back of the church as the other Karigan and her father reached the end of the isle. Zachary stepped down from before the alter to now stand in front of Stevic and Karigan. Stevic and Zachary exchanged a few words that Karigan couldn't hear from the back and then Stevic joined Karigan and Zachary's hands.

Queen Laurelyn nudged her arm so Karigan looked away from the scene before her. The Eletian queen said, "It is time Daughter of Kariny. I only have limited time to illustrate these to you and I still have one more scene to show you. We must leave now so that you may see both of them before you wake."

Karigan swallowed past the lump that was beginning to form in her throat. "B―but it's only just started. Must we leave now?"

"Yes, we must," the queen replied, "Besides, this is your future, so I can't show you too much."

Karigan glanced back at her own wedding playing out right in front of her and then nodded, defeated. She said quietly, "Let's go then." Before she knew it, Queen Laurelyn took her hand and her vision was blinded by a bright white light.

***Scene 2***

Now it was dark again, and Karigan found herself in a forest again. But only this time, Queen Laurelyn was standing beside her again, guiding her along through these visions of her own future. This time, though, it was raining a bit heavily. And yet, Karigan and the Eletian queen were not being hit by the rain drops that fell through the tree limbs above them. Queen Laurelyn said, taking her hand again, "Come, this way Daughter of Kariny."

Queen Laurelyn led Karigan deeper into the forest, she led Karigan toward a destination that Karigan had no idea.

Until Karigan and the Eletian queen suddenly came upon a small camp site occupied by only one. And yet again, Karigan saw her own face that was shadowed and sheltered under the hood of a cloak. This time though, Karigan thought she saw something that the other her was holding protectively to her chest. Upon further inspection, the other Karigan had tears running down her cheeks that slightly mixed with the rain that fell from the skies.

Karigan couldn't smother the need to come forward closer to the other her. She needed to find out two things: what she was carrying, and why she was crying. And she wasn't going to find out by standing almost 20 feet away from the camp. She knelt down on the other side of the fire and looked into the face of her future self. And then Karigan heard something, it was coming from whatever the other Karigan was holding close to herself. When Karigan focused on that, she saw the bundle in her future arms; it caused her breath to hitch. It was a baby.

"I wish that there were better visions of you with your child. But this is as peaceful as I could possibly find within this time period," Queen Laurelyn said from behind her.

"Why am I crying?" Karigan asked quietly.

Karigan heard the queen sigh from behind her, "That child is no more than a day old. The village that you birthed in was torched once the Mirwellians found you. You managed to escape from their capture before they could find out your exact whereabouts."

"And where is Zachary?" Karigan asked, staring at the child bundled up in as many blankets that the future her could gather up.

"He doesn't know of your labor. He knew of your pregnancy, but not of your going into labor. Right now he is still at the castle, trying to help you from the inside," Queen Laurelyn answered.

Karigan didn't know what to do, so she just knelt beside the fire, staring at her future self holding her upcoming baby. And then she asked Queen Laurelyn, turning around, "What was the gender?"

"You graced your husband with a son," the queen replied, also gazing at the scene in front of her.

Karigan swallowed past the lump that was beginning to form in her throat, and then she asked Queen Laurelyn, "Is this the last scene?"

She heard the queen sigh and then say, "Yes. You will be awakening from your sleep any moment now." And then she said, bringing Karigan back to her feet, "But I must tell you one last thing before you wake. This is your future, no matter what road you take in your awakened state, you will already have taken before what I have shown you. Like I have said before, you are coming upon trying times for both yourself and those you love the most. But, you must remain strong, and sure in your decisions that you will make. Trust those who you love and those who you rely on the most, because if you make one mistake, it can and will cost you your life. Do you understand?" Karigan blinked and thought all of the information over in her head, and then she nodded slowly. Queen Laurelyn was looking at her very seriously and then she too nodded and then said with a hint of finality about it, "Good. Then I bid you much luck Daughter of Kariny. And I bless you with much happiness."

The next thing that Karigan knew was the blackness the surrounded her, as well as the unbearable pain that engulfed her. Trying to dilute the pain, Karigan took a shallow breath in and opened her eyes slowly.

The first thing that she saw was the deadly smiling face of Lord Governor Mirwell. And above his head, he pointed a dagger right to her chest.

Leaving his crown on the cushion of his throne, King Zachary took off down the length of the throne room and into the castle corridors. He knew that his faithful Black Shields were just steps behind him, and he knew that behind them, was the two Eletians who would take his Kari away to be healed in the peace of the Eletians. It mattered not that he wasn't acting like the king that he was supposed to be, all that he cared about was getting to Karigan before Lord Mirwell did and finished what he had started.

As he passed windows to the castle, King Zachary glanced out of them to see pitch blackness; it was as if time as against him. He had to get Karigan out of the castle before midnight this night. Then and only then would Karigan be safe in the care of these strange Eletians. It was that thought that pushed the king to his physical limit. He ran the entire way to the mending wing. And the only thing that he stopped momentarily for was to draw a blade out of a decorative wall piece just in case he should need it.

Once he made it to the mending wing, the first thing that he noticed was the Green Rider guards that had posted themselves at Karigan's door were lying on the floor of the hallway. They were lying in a puddle of their own blood and two Mirwellian soldiers had taken their place. The Black Shields immediately took the lead in front of King Zachary and charged at the two men. With the point of the Weapon's blades at their neck, they surrendered without incident and knelt on the plush carpet. They held up their hands in surrender to King Zachary and his Weapons.

King Zachary ignored them and turned the handle on the door to Karigan's room. He found with increasing anxiety and apprehension that the door was locked. Glancing around at his Weapons and the Eletians, he mustered up his left over strength and rammed his shoulder into the door. The wood split right down the middle but didn't break. Taking a deep calming breath, he gathered his strength again and this time kicked on the door. The door split in two and one part of it fell to the floor and the other still remained attached to the hinges. King Zachary stormed through the threshold and was met with a frightening sight.

Lord Mirwell was standing over Karigan as she was lying on her sick bed. And he was holding a dagger high above his head in preparation for the final killing blow. Without having a second thought, King Zachary charged Lord Mirwell and just as he was bringing down the dagger, King Zachary rammed his shoulder into the lord. Lord Mirwell fell to the side and cried out in pain as his hip hit the stone floor heavily. The dagger slipped from the lord's grip and fell to the floor with a clang and it slid away from Lord Mirwell's reach. King Zachary brought up the sword from the wall decoration and struck the lord in the head with the pommel. The lord fell limp instantly.

King Zachary dropped the sword and rushed to Karigan's bedside. Her eyes were wide open and her breathing was shallow. She asked weakly and very hoarse, "What in the hells was that?"

He couldn't help but smile, "That," he said, "was me saving you." King Zachary bent and said, "This is going to hurt, but stay with me Kari." He gently wiggled his arms under her and carefully lifted her up and into his arms. Karigan tensed, winced, and even cried out in pain as King Zachary tried to get her as comfortable as possible while in his arms. He whispered, "Stay with me. You're almost done Kari, just hang on."

"W―what are you doing?" she asked, her eyes started to droop again.

"We must leave now Firebrand," the strange Eletian said urgently.

"I know let's go," King Zachary said, carrying Karigan carefully out of the room. King Zachary took the lead again as he walked down the castle corridors as quickly as he could without hurting Karigan more than she already was. It felt like it was hours that went by by the time that they finally made it to the courtyard before the gates. In the middle of the courtyard, there was an elegant looking covered wagon. There were two, beautiful, snow white horses that were harnessed to the front of the wagon to pull it.

The brown haired Eletian ran to the front to open a door to the back of the wagon and pulled himself up and onto the wagon. King Zachary stood at the back of the wagon and waited as the Eletian sat down on the edge of the door. Gently, they transferred Karigan from one man to another. The Eletian scooted back and struggled to his feet to walk over to a bed inside of the wagon. Gently, he lay Karigan on the bed and then stepped back, looking at the king expectantly.

King Zachary climbed up onto the wagon and walked to the bed where he knelt down. The Eletian left and closed the door to prevent everyone else from looking inside. King Zachary grabbed Karigan's hand tightly and he heard her ask sleepily, "I don't understand. What's going on?"

The king swallowed past the lump, "Karigan, you're wounds have started to fester with infection. You have a fever and are dying. I'm sending you with some Eletians that have said that they can heal you. I have no other choice but to let them take you." He stroked her cheek with his thumb, "I can't lose you Karigan. Not now, not when we've just―"

King Zachary was interrupted when he heard shouting and the scream of steel against steel. "Your majesty, they need to go now!"

King Zachary closed his eyes and then pushed back the hair from his love's beautiful face. "I love you Karigan," he said, right before he bent and captured her mouth with his. Karigan responded as much as she was able and then they separated.

Just as the king was getting back up, Karigan was able to say quietly, "I love you too Zachary." King Zachary gave her a sad smile before he left the wagon and closed the door.

King Zachary was immediately surrounded by his Weapons and he realized that Mirwellian soldiers had come out to meet them with swords rather than words. King Zachary shouted, "Stop! That's an order!" He looked back momentarily to see the Eletians slip away from the fight and run to the wagon and climb up to the front seat. And then he cracked the reins and the two horses sprung forward at an immediate gallop out of the gates of the Sacoridian castle. He thought, God's speed to you.

Well, here's the next chapter for you all. I'm really sorry that it took so long to update, but I've had school and then the publishing of my first book that I've had to get done. I really hope that you all like the chapter since it's now the longest chapter in the fanfic so far. If you all can, I'd really like more than two reviews this time. Thank you all for your understanding.

And one more thing, I may not be able to update again until after the holidays. So I'd like to wish everyone an early Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, etc.

thylacine67