Both men donning the massive helmet made it hard for either of them to talk amongst themselves, which meant they couldn't squabble either, a gift to everyone in the vicinity.
Making sure both were securely upon their horses, helmets in place, Charlie proceeded to her seat, legs shaking a bit as she climbed the stairs once more.
If anyone noticed no one mentioned it, which Charlie was grateful for. She felt jittery about the whole event in general, but her father being up there, and Bass, magnified those feelings.
Connor gave her a sideways glance as she mindlessly sat down, "should've figured dad would have to get out there and show off."
It was only a low murmur, but loud enough to where she could hear him and feel the animosity lacing his voice. She wasn't sure what he could possibly be bitter about, unless he himself wanted to joust, but like her, was told no.
In that case she could understand, but she wouldn't begrudgingly hold it over their heads. That seemed much too infantile and silly. Besides he was a prince, if he wanted to joust he just had to stand his ground and promptly assert himself. For Charlie it was a bit more difficult.
She noticed Connor wasn't the assertive type, and while it wasn't always a negative, Charlie couldn't say for sure whether or not she liked that quality in her future husband.
Internally reprimanding herself for getting so distracted, she focused her attention back on the match starting. There were still many apprehensive faces in the crowd, but for the most part everyone seemed just as excited.
Mimicking their expressions, Charlie clapped along with them as her father appeared on one side and Bass took his place on the other.
Other than the sounds of the horses pumping at an alarming speed, the arena was eerily quiet. As the two neared one another, the end of Bass' lance caught Miles below the ribs in his gut.
He slid a faction of an inch to the side, and then righted himself, preparing for another go.
Each time one got struck, Charlie felt herself shifting closer and closer to the edge of her seat.
At one point when Bass nearly fell over, she gripped the chair so hard she could hear it cracking under extreme amounts of pressure.
Flexing her hand, she relaxed, still not moving from her permanent position, which she hadn't realized was so close to banister.
Upon hearing the snap of Bass' lance as it pounding against Miles' armor, Charlie flung herself forward, only to be restricted by Connor. She would've been vexed, but when an outlier piece of wood fell at her feet, she realized it would've hit her had it not been for Connor.
She covered his hand with her tiny, delicate one, smiling kindly in gratitude at him. That was until she took in her father's crumbled up form as he lay immobile upon the ground of the arena.
No one said anything, no one even moved from their seat.
It was Charlie who reacted first, ripping herself away from Connor as she bounded the stairs quickly, two at a time, with Nora hot on her heels.
She didn't have to look back to know it was Nora, she just knew, she wasn't sure who else was behind her, but she didn't rightly care.
Bass, already dismounted, was at Miles' side, pulling the constricting helmet off his head and maneuvering him onto his back.
"Miles, hey Miles, look at me. Look at me Miles damnit."
Every syllable, every word got more pronounced the more frustrated Bass got, not intending to give up until Miles at least made a peep.
Pulling him up as his arm wrapped around Miles' mid section, he did his best to contain the look of fear on his face when he felt warm liquid seeping onto his hand.
It was blood, he could see it out of the corner of his eye, but his face remained stoic as Charlie sank to her knees.
Desperately, she clung to Miles' hand, not seeing the blood collecting at his side, "father, can you hear me? Are you alright? Father…PLEASE—just please, say something, anything."
Her grief-stricken eyes peered up at Bass helplessly, "why isn't he saying anything?"
Bass gulped, "he's going to be okay Charlie. Nora, come on, help me get him up."
Mutely complying, Nora inserting herself between Charlie and Miles' limp body. She knew Charlie was in a fragile state, but getting Miles up and to a place where his wound could be examined was the priority.
Unwinding Charlie's frozen hands, Nora let out a sigh of relief when she pried them apart enough to wrap her arm, cradling his body.
As soon as she got a grip on Miles' body, they hauled him to his feet, shuffling quickly towards the direction of the castle's main entryway.
"Come on," Bass snapped as she cursed herself for looking back at Charlie, who still sat on the ground. Nora knew Miles' health was important, but her first concern would always be to ensure Charlie's safety.
Jeremy didn't overstep his boundaries until he saw Nora's fleeting form, only then did he appear at Charlie's side, ushering her up.
Connor as well stood on the other side of her, saying something, but Charlie couldn't hear a word of it. She could barely get her feet to walk one in front of the other, and once Connor saw he shut up, walking alongside.
Rachel, Danny, and the rest of their guards were already in the castle as Charlie entered, going straight down the long hallway.
Elbowing her way in through the sea of people, she got a good look at her father who looked even worse than before. His usual pigment now a dull shade of white and sweat beaded on his forehead. That's when Charlie's eyes panned downwards acknowledging blood for the first time.
Air constricted in her lungs as her chest tightened.
Nora's voice barely registered in her head, "I need everyone to promptly exit the room, there's not enough space in here for us all."
Lowering her voice, she looked to Rachel, "you're welcome to stay your majesty, but I'm afraid everyone else really must leave. The sooner the better."
Sympathetically she glanced over to Charlie, who didn't so much as make a sound, but turned on her heels and strode out of the room, along with everyone else. The last thing Nora wanted was to shoo her away, but tight spaces meant little room to work.
When the door shut securely, Nora went back to frantically shuffling about the room as Rachel sat down at the end of the bed, careful not to get in Nora's way. She laid a comforting hand upon Miles leg. She couldn't quite reach out and grasp his hand.
For awhile it was silent, Nora said nothing as she tore the chain mail garment off with no apparent struggle and ripped off pieces of cloth to bind his wound.
She wanted to tell him it was coming to be alright, talk to him, say anything, but it was Rachel's place. The same Rachel who didn't know the first thing about comforting anyone. Still, she was the Queen and Miles' wife. It was her right.
Finally Rachel broke the silence, but not to address Miles, "you know the first time I met Miles, I knew he was going to bring me nothing but heartache."
Nora never faltered as she cleaned his wound the best she could, but Rachel knew she was listening, "I could just see it in his eyes, and in his attitude. And I'm not talking about this, I always knew he was rebellious and didn't care for the rules. I'm honestly surprised he made it this long without getting seriously hurt. I married him anyway because I didn't care. I kind of liked that about him. I'm not even referring to his complicated, messed up relationship with Bass."
If she meant neither of those things, it only left one option.
"It's funny, when Charlie came here I was sure he was going to send you along with her. I couldn't imagine a time you were ever parted from her side," Rachel laughed sadly.
"And when I brought it up to him, he said Jeremy was going to keep an eye on her, and that Charlie didn't need you. Charlie didn't need you," she repeated the phrase as if just know understanding, "but he did. He didn't have to say it, it was obvious since the first day. I just foolishly hoped it would go away. I kept thinking it was just because you were the only other woman who stuck around for so long and put up with him. But that's not the case now is it?"
It was a rhetorical question, but as soon as Nora finished bandaging up Miles, snugly securing the knot, she turned around, "your highness—"
Rachel held up her hand, "please just, just call me Rachel, and spare me the pity. I am above that."
Nora nodded, "I don't pity you, I envy you. You have everything I've ever wanted. You have two wonderful children who you hold at arm's length, refusing to acknowledge where their strengths lie. Instead you try to mold them like their clay. Picking them apart and squeezing them into whatever shape you see fit."
"That's what mothers do Nora, they make the best decisions for their children, even if it doesn't seem like it. Even if they end up being the villain. I don't suppose you'd know what it's like to be a mother."
It used to burn a lot more to hear that, but now, Nora didn't flinch like she used to. It was still a dull ache, but not as strong as the battering ram she once felt.
Solemnly she shook her head, casting her eyes at the floor, "no, I wouldn't. I was pregnant once though, but it wasn't in God's plans to bless me with a child. I don't hold a grudge, or sulk about what was taken from me. I accept the role I have and the hand I was dealt with. I would give anything to have the life you have, but I don't. Instead of seeing that you fixate on everything else."
"No, what I have is a title. You have their love. Charlie's, Miles', probably even Danny by now. I fixate on that because it's all that I do have. It has been a constant competition all my life, if not with you, then with Bass and I simply can't do it anymore."
Nora's chest rose and fell with every intake and exhale of breath, but she said nothing after Rachel's bold assertion.
"I hope that, if you don't intend to act on any expressed feelings, you will at least do the right thing and step aside. All I'm asking for is a chance for Miles to love me, really love me, without the constant reminder of his past lurking around every corner. He needs to be able to let go, and if he can't, then you need to be the one to let him go, at least for awhile."
Clearing her throat, she went back to looking at Miles, ignoring Nora's flabbergasted form as she sank down in a chair nearest the door. All they could do now is idly sit by and weakly pray.