Hello! Here is the next chapter. I hope you enjoy!
The trio moved in complete silence, Silas holding Brago's reins as the old stallion followed the knight down the path. Anaya stared at the young man, hand tenderly running through Berend's hair as the boy nuzzled into her, dry tears staining his rounded cheeks. However, Anaya could not bring herself to cry. No matter what, she could not bring herself to cry. Instead, her eyes lingered upon the man before her, one hand comforting the boy and the other holding onto a rein.
"Silas." Anaya called out, the man turning to look towards her several seconds later, giving her his attention, "I'm sorry. I never meant for this to happen."
"Do not fret, my lady. I shall see him again, when God beckons me." Silas replied, silence once again reigning, "I would like to pray for his soul when we get the chance."
"May I pray as well? I wish to help, even if it is something as small as shortening Purgatory." Anaya asked, Silas remaining quiet as he let go of the reins, slowing his pace towards Anaya before wrapping his bloodied fingers around her dirt smeared ones, interlocking.
"Thank you. I just wish I could right my wrongs. You are far too kind to me." Anaya replied, lip quivering as she felt the man's thumb rub against her skin, receiving her answer and comfort.
"Are you alright, Berend?" Silas asked softly, looking at his younger kin. Berend looked upon the knight with tired eyes, yet despite the lingering threat of tears, the boy nodded and smiled weakly.
"That is my boy. Be strong, Berend. Everything will be alright. I promise." Silas replied, his steel eyes locking with Anaya's blue, their grip tightening despite the sweat that formed between their palms.
"Silas is right, Berend. We are just going somewhere safe. We will be fine." Anaya added, trying the hide the uncertainty in her voice, though both she and Silas knew that may not be true.
Brago snouted softly, as if agreeing. The slow pounding of the stallion's hooves was all that was heard for several minutes, the trio remaining quiet as they traveled farther down the road.
"Silas? Silas, I have to pee." Berend stated, Silas groaning softly as he broke his hold of Anaya, the woman pulling the reins for the stallion to stop.
"Down you go. Go behind a bush will you? And preferably not too far away that you get attacked by an animal, God forbid." Silas chastised, lifting the page off the saddle and onto the ground, Berend nodding.
"Don't worry, Sila! I'll be quick!" Berend responded, running off into the forest.
Brago shifted, Anaya being bounced on her stallion's back, sighing.
"Do not worry, Anaya. We will be fine." Silas replied, sensing her mood.
"So you say." Anaya muttered, bitterness in her voice.
"You do not believe me?"
"I believe that you will try, regardless if you succeed." Anaya replied, shaking her head before looking at the man, hair messy, "I think you should leave me. I will only be a burden."
"Do not be ridiculous. I fought for the lives of both you and your child and I shall not lose you because you claim you shall be a burden." Silas stated, obviously not liking the option.
"Then what shall we do, Silas?! I know that you barely have any coin! What about food and shelter? Maybe you could live for yourself but not all three!"
"I will get money, Anaya, I swear I will. At best I could be a mercenary. At least that way I could somewhat restore my honor."
"Yet what if that someone recognizes you or I? They would kill us or report us because of me! I do not want that to happen! I almost lost you once because of me! I do not want it to happen again!" Anaya cried, face flushing with red.
"And it shall not. I swear it. No one will recognize you or I, Anaya. So long as you are with me you are under my protection, and I shall keep you safe."
"But not legally. I have nothing if something happens to you. I have no dowry to live on, my child is fatherless and I am without a husband."
"Then marry, Anaya. I understand it will be hard, but if it is for your own survival you must." Silas suggested, Anaya looking as if she were going to truly cry.
"I cannot get married, Silas! No man would want me! I have no dowry, I will be no gain to my husband, I am not a virgin and I am with child! Who would want a bride that is not a virgin, Silas! WHO?!" Anaya screeched, Brago being startled by the woman's harsh voice as the stallion went to rear, only to be pulled down by Silas.
"Brago! Brago, no! Easy, easy, my friend." Silas cooed, patting the old stallion's snout in an attempt to calm him before looking at Anaya.
"Anaya..." Silas started, but faltered as he heard his younger kin approaching.
"Sorry I took so long, Sila. I thought I saw a dragon fly over the mountains. Did you see it, too? Big and black it was!" Berend exclaimed, eyes gleaming despite the recent events, Anaya quickly wiping her eyes dry.
"I am sure it was just an eagle, Berend. Dragons do not exist. You should know that." Silas lectured, Berend appearing crestfallen that his older cousin didn't believe him.
"I know what I saw." Berend stated, crossing his arms, yet pushed no further.
"Do you want to get back up on Brago?" Silas asked, Brago's ears twitching at his name being mentioned.
"No. I'll walk." Berend replied, kicking a nearby rock as Silas sighed and shook his head, leading Brago by the reins.
Night began to fall as the trio eventually found a tavern, Anaya's posture being stiff and rigid at the encroaching darkness.
Looking around, Anaya noticed a stall, and with the aid of Silas, got down and ushered Brago into the stall. Brago's lips shot out at the humans, trying to see if they had any treats, and gave an almost human like groan upon getting nothing.
"Awe, I am sorry, Brago. I will have something for you in the morning. I promise." Anaya replied, patting her horse before turning towards Silas and Berend, none seeming too thrilled.
"Stay behind me, you hear me? Lord knows how many urchins and cutthroats are here." Silas muttered, opening the door and immediately hit with the smell of alcohol, dazed slightly before pressing further inside, Anaya putting her hands around Berend's shoulders in a protective manner as they followed.
Silas scanning the area, only seeing one rowdy group in the back corner. By the look of their weapons and armor, they appeared to be mercenaries. Great.
"And tonight, we shall rid the world of the sky-plague! For death, or glory!" One of the men cried, Berend's eyes going wide.
"I told you, Silas! A dragon!" Berend exclaimed, excitement in his voice.
"Berend, hush!" Silas shushed, beginning to speak with the host of the tavern.
"Do not listen to them, Berend. They are drunk." Anaya whispered, leaning towards the boy.
Anaya listened in on the conversation, her blood freezing as she recognized the name 'Mordred'. Not King Arthur's son, no, but an ambitious French mercenary. She heard her father and uncle speak highly of this man. Even Richard did, who was apparently a distant cousin to Mordred.
"Anaya, why do you not take Berend up to the beds? Oh, and take this too. I shall join you shortly." Silas asked softly, practically shoving a piece of bread in both their hands and ushering them upstairs swiftly, noticing the man as well.
Once paying the host, Silas stayed downstairs for a while, trying to learn on what Mordred was hunting. In the few minutes he listened, Silas heard no word of the Duchess being his quarry. Instead he heard drunken ramblings of some dragon.
Content, Silas made his way up the stairs, opening the door to Berend's room. Berend seemed less than thrilled about staying the night in a tavern.
"Sila, it smells in here." Berend whined, Silas chuckling.
"You just have to get used to it, Berend. And stop calling me Sila. It hurts my manly feelings. All one of them." Silas replied rather dryly, Berend grinning a wolfish grin.
"I shall not stop calling Sila because I know that you are secretly a girl."
"That scarf is a present." Silas stated, Berend rolling his eyes.
"That you never gave and kept it. I know the truth!" Berend replied, bouncing on the bed slightly with his knees out of boredom, Silas rolling his eyes.
"Of course you do." Silas spoke, turning around to leave, "I shall be back. I need to see how Anaya is doing."
Upon hearing this, Berend made a kissing face and chanted, "Silas and Anaya sitten' in a tree! K-I-S-ahhhh!" Berend shrieked as a pillow thrown full force at him, knocking the boy over as feathers flew every which way, followed by the sound of the door closing.
"Anaya?" Silas asked, knocking on the woman's door, "May I come in?"
Silas waited for several seconds, hearing something that sounded like gasps and short moans before hearing her voice, "Come in."
Silas opened the door to see Anaya sitting on the bed, the woman trying in vain to wipe the tears from her face, blue eyes red and puffy, a hand on her slightly bulging stomach.
"Hello." Anaya spoke, voice soft and meek as she tried to smile, Silas approaching slowly.
"Hello. Do you feel better?" Silas asked, Anaya nodding, licking her lips.
"Yes. I do. How is your arm?" Anaya asked, seeing the dried blood on the armor from the shiv.
"It is fine. Truth is, I completely forgot about it."
"And I forgot I was with child." Anaya replied, Silas giving her an odd look, yet knew what she meant. They both had different things on their mind that made them forget reality. Looking towards her table, Silas noticed the piece of bread lying there, untouched.
"You have not eaten. Why?" Silas asked, Anaya looking at him.
"I am not hungry. Where is yours?"
"I ate already." Silas replied, Anaya staring at him, studying him.
"No you did not. Here. Take half of mine." Anaya replied, ripping her bread in half and offering one half to Silas.
"No, Anaya. You need it more than me."
"Either you eat all of it or you eat half of it." Anaya stated firmly, Silas sighing before taking the bread.
"Harpy...Anaya, why is is that you cry now, when you are alone?" Silas asked, Anaya looking at him, and smiling gently.
"Because I have two faces. One for the Duchess, and one that is just Anaya, just as you have a face for the Knight, and one for just Silas. But I suppose it does not matter now, does it? I look like a sewage rat as of now!" Anaya laughed slightly, Silas chuckling, taking the woman's hand as he kneeled on the floor.
"Get off the floor! I am not your better anymore. I never was, just as you were never my lesser."
"Yet a man cannot honor a woman by showing he respects her?" Silas asked, still holding her hand.
"Is this Silas or the Knight talking?" Anaya asked, looking at the young man with curiosity.
"Silas." Silas replied, smiling as he pressed his cracked lips against her hand. Anaya's eyes began to involuntarily water as she stroked his hair before kissing his brow.
Suddenly, a cry was heard that caused the pair to jump, Berend practically breaking down the door before screaming once more upon seeing the pair, thinking he was interrupting something only to be firmly grabbed by Silas.
"Berend! Berend, quiet! Berend!" Silas cried, shaking the boy back and forth to shut him up, his younger kin looking as pale as a ghost, hyperventilating.
"I-I sa-saw i-i-it! I saw i-i-it, S-S-Silas!"
"What did you see? Berend, answer me! What did you see?!" Silas asked, worry in his voice as he shook Berend more to try and get him to speak, Anaya unsure how to react.
"D...D...dra-gon..." Berend whispered, Silas' facial expression becoming blank as his arms fell limply to his sides.
"Berend, there is no..." Silas paused, sniffing the air. It smelled like piss. Looking down at his cousin, Silas felt like slamming his head through the wall. Berend had pissed himself in terror.
"Oh, Lord! What am I to do with you!?" Silas cried, Berend not even responding in his terrified state.
"It is alright, Silas. I can wash it out." Anaya offered, Silas looking at the woman before shaking his head, sighing, "Lord give me strength."
I think Cynder will come in on the next chapter. Please give me your thoughts and thank you for your support!