The Missing Regent (A "The False Prince" Fanfic)

EIGHT

We had stopped early on during our journey to get another horse because although the Hazel didn't weigh much Sapphire was struggling from all the weight. We picked up a nice pony named Montengo for Hazel to ride. She was a cute girl, and she knew how to ride well. Roden had gathered a little strength and was now sitting up behind me.
Serena had requested we stop at Farthenwood. Even though it was out of our way, she wanted to see where our story began. As we rode up to Farthenwood, the wooden platform that King Vargan and Bevin Conner had erected to hang Roden and I still stood there. I turned around and glanced at Roden who was now strong enough to sit up on his own behind me. He grimaced. After the whole ordeal, we had released all of Bevin Conner's servants and gave them excellent referrals so they could find work elsewhere. Since all the servants were gone, Farthenwood looked very dirty.
"What is that for?" Serena asked as we brought the horses and pony to a stop. Roden and I followed her eyes to the wooden platform.
"Part of the war," Roden replied his face still grim.
"But we weren't hanging anyone," I added quickly hopping Serena's mind didn't go there. "The deceased King Vargan erected that wonderful piece of art himself." I glanced at Hazel who was curiously looked at the platform.
"It looks like a stage!" she cried dismounting Montengo and running up to it. The remainder of the ropes hung high above her head and my only hope was that she wouldn't look up.
I jumped off of Mystic leaving Roden to get off on his own and ran up on to the stage with Hazel. "I have come to challenge thee to a duel," I exclaimed withdrawing my invisible sword and pointing it at her.
Hazel glanced at her mother before playing along. It wasn't traditional for a girl or woman to fight but I didn't see why not.
They had aided in the war and there was no reason not to teach her. "And I challenge you, Your Ma- Jaron!" Hazel shouted back at me, unsheathing her imaginary sword from her side.
We fought with our imaginary swords for a while before Hazel made a stab at my stomach. I dropped my invisible sword and fell the floor clutching my side. Hazel giggled as she forgot about her sword and ran to my side.
"I guess you win," I gasped before dramatically sticking my tongue out, closing my eyes, and pretending to be dead.
"I win!" Hazel shouted rising.
     I opened one eye and saw Roden getting off of Mystic. He was still a little slow but looked much better from the previous few days.
"I challenge thee, Hazel!" he shouted as he pulled his sword from his side. He charged up the platform with his sword but then pantomimed dropping it and picked up Hazel instead. He swung her around and around in the air.
     I jumped off our new stage and watched the two of them. The air was filled with Hazel's shrieks and giggles along with Roden's deep laughter.
"She misses her father," Dawn said her head still facing forward. "And I can't fix that."
"I'm sure you're trying your best," I told Dawn.
Serena has joined the couple on the stage and the three of them held hands and danced around singing a Carthyan song.
"I'm dying," Dawn continued still facing forward.
Those two words took me by surprise. I turned fully toward her. "Did you just say what I think you said?"
"Yes. Hazel doesn't know. I haven't told her. Last season, I contracted a rare form of disease. It eats you away from inside." Dawn looked completely serene as she watched her daughter play around with Roden and Serena.
"Then I'll find you the best physician," I said taking a garland out of my pocket and rolling it over my knuckles. It was a nervous habit, but it was also something that I had used to prove to Conner that I was the boy he wanted to be his false prince when I had first come to Farthenwood and meet Roden.
"No," was Dawn's response. "No. There's no cure. Back when Judson was alive, he did fairly well. We weren't rich like this," she motioned around us. "But we weren't dirt poor either. I asked around. Eventually, I found a doctor who told me that there was no cure. And I've come to terms with it. I'm going to live my life to the fullest. I've been searching for someone to look after Hazel after I'm gone. And when I found you, I was worried that if I asked you it would be too much. But now I can see who she should be with...who she deserves."
     I turned and watched Hazel, Serena, and Roden. The three of them seemed so happy, and also oblivious to what Dawn had just told me. I didn't want to interrupt them but I knew Dawn wanted to talk to Serena and Roden.
     I ran up onto the platform and joined them in singing the Carthyan song. Dawn joined us and we all belted out the last line with smiles plastered across our faces. "Hazel, do you want to see the secret passageways?" I asked her.
"Sure, but can Ma, Serena, and Roden come to?" Hazel asked. Her eyes glanced between us four.
"No one knows the passages like me," I said before Roden or Serena could say anything. "And I'm the only one who has scaled the walls," I added with a mischievous grin.
"Excuse me, Your Majesty," Serena said. "But you did what?"
"Come on Hazel," I replied without answering Serena's question. "Let's go."
    Hazel followed me to the entry to Farthenwood. Since there were no servants living there anymore the place was filled with dust and cobwebs. I first took her the bedroom where Roden, Tobias, and I had stayed in. Suddenly the door closed behind us. I whipped around and grabbed the handle just as I heard a key turn and a "click" as the lock engaged.
    I rattled the handle just a little for good measure and then looked at Hazel. The color had drained from her race and she instinctively latched onto my arm. Someone had just locked me in my old bedroom in Conor's deserted house.
    I quickly looked toward the window, the very same one I had claimed to have gotten scratched on during my stay, when really Tobias had cut me with a butcher knife. I went over and tried to open it. The window stuck. Frustrated I kicked my boot into the wooden floor. That's when I noticed Hazel had let go of my arm. I looked up and noticed her eyeing a carefully hidden door at the far side of the room.
    "You were saying something about secret passageways Jaron?" she asked in a small voice. "I think we'd better use them."
    I grinned and joined her over by the entrance to the secret passageway. I eased the door open and Hazel once more latched onto my arm.