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

TEN

"Who are you and where have you taken Hazel?" I was enraged. My knife was pointed straight at his face. He was backed against the concrete wall and his nose was bleeding from when I knocked heads with him.
"Erick is dead because of you," he seethed at me. His breathing was ragged and shallow. "Sedgewick has taken-" and the pirate slumped to the ground, dead.
"Taken what?!" I shouted in frustration. Then it hit me. If the pirates were here then Roden, Serena, and Dawn were all in danger. I left the pirate in the kitchen and sprinted outside. "Roden! Serena! Dawn!" I shouted. There was no answer. That's when I noticed a trail of blood on the ground. "No, no, no." I followed the trail and found Roden slumped over the fountain. "Roden!"
He raised his head in response, but he had been badly beat. Blood gushed from a wound on his side, his nose was bleeding and most likely broken, and his sword and knife had been stolen.
"We've got to get you back to Dryllaid. Come on." I helped Roden into a sitting position and examined his wound. It wasn't too deep, just long, it wove its way from beneath his left rib to his right shoulder blade.
"They- they took-" Roden's breathing labored.
"They took Hazel, Serena, and Dawn. I know."
There was a rustling in the bushes nearby. I let go of Roden and pulled out the knife from my boot. "Who's there?"
Serena limped through the clearing. She had leaves all through her hair,  her dress was torn, and a big bruise was forming around her right eye. Serena's face was solemn. "They have Dawn and Hazel."
I quickly went to her side and helped her limp over to the fountain. She gingerly touched Roden's side and he inhaled sharply. "Sorry."
Roden shook his head. "I should be used to this by now."
I paced in front of them. "We need to get to Dryllaid. Our horses are gone and there's no way you two can walk to a town. I think I have to leave you two here although there's a possibility that the pirates could come back for you."
"No." Serena carefully slipped her left boot off. "They left me once they heard my name. They know Roden and I know Tarblade. They're not taking anyone close to you that knows Tarblade well."
I kicked the dirt with the toe of my boot. "Alright. We'll get you inside and then I'll go to the nearest town." With Serena on my left and Roden leaning heavily on my right, we slowly entered Farthenwood. I left them in the servant quarters, stairs were too much work, and took a bucket to fetch some clean water. When I returned, I found bandages, alcohol, and some cloths to clean Roden's wounds. I was surprised Farthenwood hadn't been raided yet. It had only been empty for about a year but there were desperate Carthyans everywhere.
"Shh," Serena whispered putting a finger to her lips when I returned to the servant quarters. Roden had fallen asleep. I quietly set the bucket of water and supplies next to the bed. "I can tend to his wounds when he wakes. Go to town."
I looked at her. Her right eye was swollen to the point where I doubted she could see out of it and her left foot was also swollen to about twice its normal size. "Are you sure?"
"Go Sage- I mean Jaron. I'm sorry Your Majesty, you just look more like Sage than Jaron right now." Serena lowered her eyes humbling herself.
I looked down at my clothes and noticed she was right. I had bruises and scrapes on my arms and my shirt was torn in various places. But Serena was right, Sage's spirit was back. "I will be back as soon as I can." Then I left her and Roden to go find help.