The Prince has no choice but to fight. He needs to realize that. But what if he doesn't survive? What happens then? Chevalier wondered as he leaned out the window of the tower post. He'd gone up there after his discussion with Siegfried and had been there for over an hour, sorting through his memories, trying to remember anything and everything he could about that night. What happens to me if that time comes? Lorelei had said she'd seen my future, but... He shook the thought out of his mind.
Chevalier knew he'd have to track her down eventually, but where to look? With a two week's head start, even a normal human being could be a continent away. But would she leave? He wasn't sure. He squinted his eyes and tried to think. What had she said? She had all of the old fortuneteller's memories, so maybe she knew something else about the Prince that she hadn't said.
"Why wouldn't the old fortuneteller have told us she was having visions all this time? Did she see something that scared her?"
Suddenly one of the chief guards burst through the doors to the tower. "Sir!" He saluted, out of breath.
Chevalier turned around, ignoring the salute. It made him feel uncomfortable. "Don't do that."
The guard relaxed, but responded urgently: "Sir, there's a commotion in the dungeons."
"That's not my responsibility. And I'm not your boss. Take it to your commanding officer."
"But you've been requested, Sir."
"Requested? By who?"
The guard lowered his voice. "It's her, Sir. She's back."
"What?" He pushed past the guard and started his way down to the dungeon as fast his he could, the guard on his heels.
"Sir, should I alert the Prince?"
"No, I'll handle this! He doesn't need to know she's here. Not yet." He stopped at the top of the stairs, "This is the only exit, right?"
"Other than the drains, yes."
He bit his lip. "I'm going down alone, and I'll send up the other guards that are in there. Get some guards stationed outside the drains, and some right here. She can't get out again."
"Yes, Sir." He saluted again and started back outside. Chevalier sighed, annoyed.
Down in the dungeons, Lorelei was sitting crisscrossed in the middle of the floor, facing away from the guards.
"What's going on?"
"Well, the other prisoners are gone, and we just found her here. I've no idea how she got in, and she sure won't tell us. She just kept asking for you, Sir."
"Thank you, I can take it from here."
"But Sir-"
But the look on Chevalier's face was enough to silence the guards. They disappeared up the staircase. He turned back to the girl on the floor.
"What are you doing here?"
"Don't sound so hateful. I'm here to help you." She didn't stand up.
"I doubt that." He walked around to stand in front of her.
"I do mean that. Why do you think I'm here?"
Impatiently, "That's what I asked you."
"I mean why do you think I'm here, in this prison?" She motioned around the empty space. "Hardly an advantage for me," she sighed. "I thought maybe if I let you lock me away down here, you'd listen to what I have to say."
"So you have more 'information' for me? Maybe this time you could warn me before someone gets hurt."
She jumped up. "Look, I'm sorry, okay? I didn't have a choice." She hung her head. "I would have helped save her, but I couldn't. When you see the future you can't just change it, you know."
Yeah, he did. He hadn't had a choice in becoming the Prince's Knight. But even if he had had a choice, he still would have said yes.
"If it's any consolation, the Prince will get to see Tullia again, very, very soon. And I don't mean in death." She looked at Chevalier, and she was actually crying. "He's really scared, isn't he?"
Not yelling this time, Chevalier asked again. "Just tell me why you're here. Now."
"The Raven's going to return, sooner than predicted. He's going to attack tomorrow at sunset."
"Why should we believe you?"
"Because she's telling the truth, Chev." Siegfried walked through the archway at the bottom of the stairs.
"Prince, what are you doing-"
"I saw the guards outside by the river. Why didn't you tell me she was down here?" He looked over at her tear stained face.
Keeping his eyes fixed on Lorelei, Chevalier turned towards Siegfried. "I was going to, but I had to make sure of something, first. You shouldn't be down here, Sig, it's not safe."
Siegfried rolled his eyes. "Obviously, but I need to hear what she has to say."
Lorelei smiled at Siegfried. "Prince, thank you." Then back at Chevalier. "Some people just have trust issues."
"I don't have trust issues, you're the one that-".
"Please, Chev. I want to hear."
Begrudgingly, Chevalier stood off to the side, sword in hand.
"Thank you. Lorelei, you think the Raven's coming tomorrow, not on my 18th birthday. Why is that?"
"When my grandmother died, I inherited her memories and powers. I don't know how, but the prophecy has changed. That's all there is, though. He's coming back, but there's no way of telling what the outcome will be."
The Prince's face fell. "So, I could die tomorrow. And the Raven's going to destroy this kingdom."
"I'm so, so sorry, Prince." She started to walk towards him, but Chevalier held his sword across her chest.
"Stay where you are." Unemotionally, he asked "You said he was going to see Tullia again. Why?"
Glaring at Chevalier, Lorelei answered his question. "I'm so much more than a fortuneteller. I'm a wizardess, too. Which means I may be able to do more than warn you."
"How?"
"Another prophecy was made, about a year ago." She pushed Chevalier's sword away with her finger and approached the Prince. She laid the single finger on his chest above his heart. "Your heart, Prince. The purest out of any human heart. And the Raven wants it. That's why he's coming now."
"What? For my heart?" He clutched his chest. "But why now?"
"He knows how pure it is. And he knows that if he devours it before you turn 18, before you become an adult, then he won't be able to die, ever. No one will be able to kill him." She looked at Chevalier. "Not even you, Sir Knight."
The Prince went white. "That can't happen... That just can't happen."
Chevalier wasn't sure what Lorelei was trying to do, and he refused to trust her. "Prince-"
"I know more than anyone what the Raven is capable of, Chev. It's my duty to my kingdom to protect them." His voice cracked.
"You can't trust the word of a witch like her. For all we know, she could have told the Raven exactly what she told us."
"I'm right here, you know." Lorelei waved her hands at Chevalier. "I don't care if you trust me or not. I just know the Prince needs to be prepared. That's the future we need to follow. After that, the visions just... stop. That's when you get to decide what happens. Until then, there is no other course you can take."
"I make my own decisions, thank you. I don't need a crazy witch telling me what to do."
"Oh, really? Tell me then, was Knighthood the path you chose?" She said, mockingly.
Chevalier opened his mouth to retort, but he recoiled instead, slightly hurt.
"I thought so." She turned back to Siegfried. "Prince, I really think you should trust me. It's the only path possible for you to take."
Reluctantly, the Prince answered her. "Fine. Tell me what I need to do."
...
Note from the author: So this chapter is a little short. Sorry about that, unless you find it refreshing, then never mind. Thanks for everyone that red the last 2 chapters, it really means a lot :)