The tenth chapter of Sapphire.
"Sapphire, listen. You have to hold on to me. I'll be holding the reins, so it will be up to you to keep hold. No matter what, don't let go," he shouted over the intense thunder of hooves on the desert ground.
"I promise I'll hang on!" she called. With a kick to Storm's side, they picked up speed. Soon everything was a blur. Storm's stride was sure, but the armies were gaining on them. They were now as fast as Storm could go. They rode on, but soon were only a quarter of a mile away from the troops. As of their present distance, an arrow fired by a soldier on the front lines had the potential to take them down. Soon, the unspeakable happened.
A rain of arrows flew forward. Seth was quick and agile, and was able to swerve through the steady fall.
"Duck in front of me. I'll be your shield," he called. She did as she was told. "An arrow fired from behind wouldn't be able to hit you!"
"But it could hit you! She called over the deafening sounds of the approaching horses.
"That's just a risk we'll have to take!" he shouted back. He was right. An arrow shot from behind would have the potential to kill him.
The most skilled horseman of the kingdom was in pursuit of them also. Suddenly, he got an idea. He didn't want to kill Seth first, he wanted Sapphire. He aimed his arrow to the side. It got the exact angle. It spun through the air with an evil whir.
The entire world seemed to stop as the arrow hit right on the intended target: Sapphire's left shoulder, right near her heart. An arrow shot from the side could be fatal. With a scream, she started to fall off the back of the galloping horse. Barely having to think, Seth caught her with his right arm.
He held her close as her breathing became bated. Her crimson blood soaked his shirt. She was losing too much blood. Tears fell down his cheeks. She had fainted. Still, he road on. If he stopped, she'd have less of a chance. They both would.
By almost three in the morning, it was only his willpower and her faulty breathing that drove him on. He finally lost the army. Just to confuse the army with the tracks in the sand, he doubled back a few times and went off track occasionally. When they finally reached the palace, be was on the verge of breaking down. He picked her up gently in his arms and carried her into the master bedroom. Placing her on the bed, he ran to find some bandages. He walked back to the room with what he had found. He cleaned the cut with soap and water and bandaged her shoulder. Her breathing was soft and slow, and her pulse was weak. She didn't move as he tucked her in. She seemed to be in her last moments.
More tears formed behind Seth's eyes.
'Why does everyone I love have to die?' he thought to himself as another tear ran down his cheek.
"If you can hear me," he started in a choked up voice. "I love you." A tear fell from his cheek and hit her still hand. He didn't know what to do but cry as the person who had made his life worthwhile drifted away.
*Will Sapphire die? Find out soon.
"Sapphire, listen. You have to hold on to me. I'll be holding the reins, so it will be up to you to keep hold. No matter what, don't let go," he shouted over the intense thunder of hooves on the desert ground.
"I promise I'll hang on!" she called. With a kick to Storm's side, they picked up speed. Soon everything was a blur. Storm's stride was sure, but the armies were gaining on them. They were now as fast as Storm could go. They rode on, but soon were only a quarter of a mile away from the troops. As of their present distance, an arrow fired by a soldier on the front lines had the potential to take them down. Soon, the unspeakable happened.
A rain of arrows flew forward. Seth was quick and agile, and was able to swerve through the steady fall.
"Duck in front of me. I'll be your shield," he called. She did as she was told. "An arrow fired from behind wouldn't be able to hit you!"
"But it could hit you! She called over the deafening sounds of the approaching horses.
"That's just a risk we'll have to take!" he shouted back. He was right. An arrow shot from behind would have the potential to kill him.
The most skilled horseman of the kingdom was in pursuit of them also. Suddenly, he got an idea. He didn't want to kill Seth first, he wanted Sapphire. He aimed his arrow to the side. It got the exact angle. It spun through the air with an evil whir.
The entire world seemed to stop as the arrow hit right on the intended target: Sapphire's left shoulder, right near her heart. An arrow shot from the side could be fatal. With a scream, she started to fall off the back of the galloping horse. Barely having to think, Seth caught her with his right arm.
He held her close as her breathing became bated. Her crimson blood soaked his shirt. She was losing too much blood. Tears fell down his cheeks. She had fainted. Still, he road on. If he stopped, she'd have less of a chance. They both would.
By almost three in the morning, it was only his willpower and her faulty breathing that drove him on. He finally lost the army. Just to confuse the army with the tracks in the sand, he doubled back a few times and went off track occasionally. When they finally reached the palace, be was on the verge of breaking down. He picked her up gently in his arms and carried her into the master bedroom. Placing her on the bed, he ran to find some bandages. He walked back to the room with what he had found. He cleaned the cut with soap and water and bandaged her shoulder. Her breathing was soft and slow, and her pulse was weak. She didn't move as he tucked her in. She seemed to be in her last moments.
More tears formed behind Seth's eyes.
'Why does everyone I love have to die?' he thought to himself as another tear ran down his cheek.
"If you can hear me," he started in a choked up voice. "I love you." A tear fell from his cheek and hit her still hand. He didn't know what to do but cry as the person who had made his life worthwhile drifted away.
*Will Sapphire die? Find out soon.