There was finally silence in the carriage. Her eldest daughter ( the bride to be) had worn herself out with her ranting and raving about the King of Orkney, while the younger two had simply been happy to b outside of Uther’s castle. The littlest had barely touched her first decade, and foolishly loved her father more so than her mother. She had more to her name than either of her half siblings.
Cador rode somewhere towards the rear of the traveling party. He’d have been cast out by now ( having been knighted ) had Igraine not been so caring for her firstborn.
Jordyn rode beside them, vigilant and protective as always, despite the world’s view of him. He was older now, but still the best at his trade. Like a lap dog he always came back, though his loyalties were split. Igraine couldn’t blame Uther for his distrust of her champion, he was still loyal to his Duke first and foremost.
Igraine still wore her timeless beauty, though grief had settled in her bones. She was thinner now, hairs becoming grey. She was simply tired, and such fatigue was her finest accessory.
Her head raised off her hand, which had been propped so bordely there, at a site time betrayed to her. She moved to better look at him, her head sticking itself out he carriage window, such beauty returning to her fair face.
“Gorlois!” She called, spying the mountain of a man, looking for some confirmation that it was him.
She could already see Jordyn drawing nearer to her, to silence this fit of insanity before Uther would turn his horse to silence it himself.
“Gorlois!’ She called again, this time opening the carriage door, waking her children- and jumping out.
it was Jordyn who tried to stop his steed first to get to her, but she didn’t mind the mud because she saw him clearer now.
Time had betrayed her because she saw him. And she ran. It was as if years fell from her face and the curtain of sadness was pulled back.
it had to be him, “ beloved,” She called as she stumbled.
Jordyn had dismounted, seeing Uther kick his steed to reclaim his bride.
It was obvious who would get to her first.
To those that had known him ( whether in fear, hate, or love ) it was clear : it was a ghost who stood there with eyes that grew uncharacteristically large & a mouth that became briefly agape. Alric, what have you done ? he wondered. He ought to have stood, stood & faced the King as any honorable man should however, there was something more here. The Queen appeared to have come running for HIM, speaking the traitor - Duke’s name & behaving as though this mere field - worker were the buried Aurelius’s hand. &, surprisingly, it didn’t startle Alric as much as it ought to ; in fact, it merely chilled him, as if there were a spirit brushing into his thoughts & making an alien life seem suddenly so comforting. Fancifully, he thought of himself with HER, riding in processions, smiling at the bewildered faces that were becoming vaguely familiar.
It fit.
Wholly, truly, imaginings of that existence made more sense than the dirt smudged onto his skin. Gorlois ? Gorlois was dead, gone, lost to the same battle Alric had sacrificed his mind to. Some had said this was the Lord’s trial for him or a form of penance for a deed he was perhaps regretful for in another life but, maybe . . he was simply living the wrong life.
Instinct bade him step toward her, lower the curved blade, before he realized what he was doing. A glance toward the King stopped his feet, stuttered his gait & all at once made the elder turn. There was a wrath there that spooked him entirely, sent him running in a frenzy toward the near wood ; he leap’t what obstacles he could & careened through the rest in a single - minded panic. No, that man who had come barreling forth from the line would have no mercy on this specter.
As he ran, Alric wondered, pumping his legs until he reached the comfort of the thick foliage & stumbled with a heaving chest. He wondered, he wondered this poor harvester had never seen royalty, knew not the difference between the crests or houses . .
how had he known that was the King ?
& why did he immediately hate him so ?
dailybridgerton
dededos
romaincrisis
titsay
yousharknotpass
turnnoffyourmind
