Chapter 21
Fear

The thunder of hooves echoed across the ground, a meeting of power and earth, a junction of grit and speed. Muscles and sinews rippled beneath Jane and Jester as the cob raced through the wilderness. Foliage crumpled and snapped beneath the beast's hooves, as thin branches and wind whipped at the riders as they passed.

Pain laced Jester's leg, bringing tears to his eyes, but the fool gritted his teeth. He pressed his thighs against the body of the cob, one arm clutching its mane, the other steadying Jane.

"We're almost there, m'lady," he murmured. She nodded imperceptibly, her face ashen. Her red curls, matted and dishevelled, bounced meagrely with each stride of the horse. "We're going to make it," he muttered, more for himself.

An image of Ippolito's vacant eyes flashed across his vision, and the fool's gut lurched, his eyes stinging with water. He would have to tell Eleonora… A hollow echo roiled through his torso, somewhere between a sob and wound, between grief and emptiness. His arm tightened around Jane, bracing himself as much as her. It was wrong. It was so wrong…

They needed to get back. For Ippolito's sake. For Jane's. For Maia's.

Oh, Maia.

What will Godric say? The thought echoed across his mind, sinking in his gut. He should have stayed…he should have stayed in his sister's place and sent her ahead with Jane. His lips formed into a thin line, determination paired with fear.

"Mmphf…" Jane's head lolled lightly, a soft groan escaping her lips. Her face blanched, freckles stark against the bloodless colour. Exhaustion and pain dug lines around her eyes, twisting her mouth.

"No, no. Steady Jane, stay with me. We're almost there. It will all be alright, I promise. It will be alright," Jester murmured frantically. His legs urged the horse on, pressing into the road. The cold nipped at his face, biting through the rain, as the trees whipped by, growing more and more familiar. It must be close, he thought, a heavy wave of fatigue coursing through him. It's somewhere…there! Suddenly the path curved, and the foliage began to thin. A faint glow glimmered through the darkness like a beacon, and Jester's heart all but leapt from his chest. Pain and joy mingled, bubbling from his lips.

"Yes! We're safe, Jane, we're safe. Hold on, lady knight," he breathed. The caravan pulled into sight, and the babble of voices and light glowed through the night. Horses whickered and the sounds of the camp wafted through the air like music.

"He's here! He's back!" Someone called.

"Jester! You're safe!" Another crowed. Figures moved in the darkness, their voices full of warmth.

"Thank God!" Octavia's voice rose from the din. "Oh, Jester, child, thank the Almighty you've returned. We were beginning to fear that— well, never mind what we feared." The woman shook her silver head, biting her cheek as her eyes fell on Jane. Suddenly her gaze grew sharp and full of urgency. "Oh heavens. This must be Jane. Pass her here, child. Wymund! Come help us. By God, she looks as though she could fall from that horse at any moment. Are you alright, my dear?" Wymund emerged from within the closest caravan, his cloak still slick with rainwater. There was a gash along his cheek, barely patched by a poultice. The man nodded gruffly, but his dark eyes were gentle as he reached to help Jane from the horse.

"Easy now, lass. If you will allow me?" The man offered. His eyes turned to Jester. "What happened?"

"We…we were attacked…" Jester stammered. "It came from nowhere. The brutes fled with the other captive before we got there, as did Maurus. And Ippolito…he…he fell when…" An ache cut through Jester's voice, and his gaze lowered. Something black and heavy seemed to weight his words, constricting his throat. Octavia's eyes widened. Wymund's face filled with horror. The lump thickened in Jester's throat as he continued. "I-I'm so sorry. He did not make it. I-I brought back his blade. There was an axe that came from nowhere. There was n-nothing I could do." Jester's voice broke, and Octavia's face grew heavy, her gentle expression taut with pain.

"My God… may his soul find peace in paradise," she breathed. "This is grave indeed. But of course, the fault does not rest on your shoulders, Jester," she added. Jester's vision blurred as he nodded, fighting against the lump in his throat. Loss rolled in waves over his body, aching heavily.

"He saved me," the fool choked. "If it weren't for him, I would not be standing here alive with Jane."

"Ippolito was always one to give," Octavia murmured, blinking away tears. "We shall honor his memory and his sacrifice with dignity. I should break the news to Eleonora." She shook her head with a sigh. "Get inside, nephew. Rest. I can see you're in dire need of it and healing."

"And you? Are you hurt, lass?" Wymund asked Jane gently. Jane grimaced.

"My leg. A-and my arm…I can barely bend it," she said. Exhaustion coated her tone, along with something else Jester could not place.

"Bring her inside, Wymund," Octavia ordered. "Amice will tend to you, dear. Your ordeal is at an end. You're among good people who will keep you safe. I swear it."

"Thank you," Jane nodded. Her voice was quiet, and something ached in Jester's stomach. He longed to hold her close. But wait…His impulse was interrupted by a swift recollection.

"Wait, Octavia…there's more…I…I need to speak to Godric." Jester said, dismounting with a wince. His leg throbbed with a white pain.

"Godric?" Octavia repeated slowly. "I'm afraid he's yet to return, Jester. I confess I had hoped he would be with you." The woman bit her lip. "I have not seen Maia since we returned, and…"

"That's just it, Octavia. Maia came to the encampment. She saved our lives, but she…she remained."

"What do you mean, 'she remained'?" A voice asked quietly. Jester turned sharply, his eyes meeting a pair of furrowed brows and rain-soaked strands of dark hair. The man leaned heavily on his staff, and his cloak was splattered with a copious coating of mud. A swortshort hung at his hip.

"Godric!" Jester sighed, relief flooding through him. "Thank goodness you're here! It's Maia…she…she snuck into the encampment."

"What?" Godric blanched. "What do you mean? Where is she now?"

"She…she saved our lives, and then she made us leave without her. I swear, I never realized what was happening until it was done. She said to tell you to find her where the whistle meets the water…does that mean something to you?"

Godric froze, his grip tightening on the staff. His dark eyes were wide with an unspoken terror.

"Aye, it does, but by all that is holy I pray you heard wrong. Jester, how could you let her do such a thing?" Godric gasped.

"Don't chide the boy, Godric. Let is a generous word when it comes to your wife," Octavia admonished. "Stubborn as a mule… or that babe of yours."

Godric ran a hand through his tousled man, shaking his head.

"How could she be so foolish! I told her to stay behind…to think of Hart…to stay safe." The man cursed lightly, his face contorted with exasperation and fear. "I should have never let her out of my sight. How could she do this?"

"But… surely she will be safe… with her gift, I mean," Jester said slowly.

"You don't understand," Godric sighed. "'Where the whistle meets the water.' That is the worst place she could go."

"What do you mean?" Octavia asked.

"St. Florian's Falls. It's a legend, a song we sang once, and well… nevermind the details. She's going to St. Florian's Falls and I need to find her before she gets there."

"I don't understand. Why?" Jester said slowly.

Godric sighed, mounting the cob Jester had abandoned.

"Because if I'm right, she's walking straight into the arms of Cliff and his men," Godric replied gruffly. With the flick of his heels, he turned and tore off into the night, a blur of love and fear.

Author's Note: On the fifth day of Christmas, Mintermist posted late!...heh. Yeah. Hi friends. So, that may have been the slowest "weekly" update I've had in a while. Reason being: my work became my life and my original-writing and education ate the rest of it. So my sincere apologies. But better late than never, as I always say? Thank you to the kind readers whose reviews manage to shift me into remembering to write, even when things are hectic like now. You're awesome! And in good news, while this may be a semi-transitional chapter: I have the chapter two chapters ahead written. I just need to get the in-between points ironed out.

Anyways, I'll try to post something more this Christmas (or Hannukah or Kwanzaa or Festivus or whatever else you celebrate!) season, in hope that the Krampus doesn't get me.

Xox,

-Mintermist