"Hello Adelaide." Is all Simon needed to say, a half grin curving his lips, before she tore herself away from Iolas and rushed to him. Her fiance pulls her tightly to his chest.
"Simon it can't... it cant really be you!"
She sobbed into his shoulder, unable to hold back tears.
"I thought you were dead. I mourned you for months!"
She shrieked, completely overwhelmed.
"Shhh, don't cry my sweet. I'm back now." He soothed, stroking her red hair.
Iolas didn't want to watch but couldn't bear to look away.
"B-but how?"
She raises her gaze to look at his face.
"The men... they saw you... I saw you fall to your death."
She grabbed his chin and moved his head side to side to be sure it was really him, and not some ghost or figment of her captivity, or grief stricken imagination.
"I did fall, and it broke nearly every part of me." Simon said.
"I hit that icy water and everything went dark. But I was saved by an angel, healed too. Given another chance, to come back here, back to you."
Overwhelmed with his own emotions and happiness to find her alive, he pulled her into a gentle kiss.
Simon's mouth greeted Adelaide's much like the old friend that it was.
He tasted safe, warm and familiar, and she instinctively kissed him back.
Iolas looked away, his eyes drawing to the floor, unable to watch.
You deserve this. He told himself.
This pain you're feeling.
You've earned every bit of it after what you've done. God you were such a fool.
He thought. They broke apart, and the way she smiled up at him after made him feel as if his very heart was being sliced from his chest.
She loved you first but you choose poorly. You broke her heart so now you must humbly and silently let her break yours.
A child sized pair of honey colored eyes peeking out from behind the bed temporarily distracts Iolas from his self loathing. Soon he saw 5 more sets of eyes staring at them from the other side of the room.
"As much as I hate to break up this tender and touching reunion..." He cleared his throat to say.
"We are not alone." The prince pointed towards the direction of the bed.
"Who are they?"
"Those would be my fellow wives."
She answered, motioning them to come closer.
An array of strangely dressed beauties step out of the shadow's. All of which, with child or with a child in arms.
"You're... you're married?"
Simon's jaw tightens in anger.
"Unfortunately..." She holds up her hand to show a crude ring.
"Did... did he... defile your virtue?" Mumbles Simon, fraught with a mixture of worry and anger, placing a hand to her stomach.
Her eyes flashed briefly to Iolas at Simon's choice of words.
"NO!" She retorts defensively,
"No. No. No! Just married, moments before the attack, so he didn't.... I'm fine."
Iolas let out a sigh of relief. Glad she was unharmed, and also that she didn't elaborate further on the issue. He had enough enemies as it was and didn't feel like being beaten to death by an angry fiance.
The battering ram strikes against the door, bringing them all back to their current reality. Up above They could hear the cries of men. They were outnumbered and outgunned, but yet they still fought.
Iolas turned back towards Simon and Adelaide.
"We have just moments now."
He warned.
"We are going to need a plan."
Simon nodded, taking Adelaide's hand.
Iolas scanned the room and saw his ship through the cabin window.
He had aligned The Guardian directly to this Bloodhound, so his men could easily board the enemy vessel. An open cannon port was just only a yard away. Another thrust of the battering ram and the door begins to splinter.
"Break that window, throw a line or something, just get them across to that ship. I'll hold them off." Iolas unsheathed his sword and turned towards the door.
Adelaide grabs his arm.
"But that's suicide!" She exclaimed.
He shot her a sad sort of smile.
"That was in the job description my dear. Now go!"
"Take care of her, will you?"
He plead to Simon, as soon as Adelaide was as out of earshot.
"Of course." He answers bluntly before smashing the glass of the window with the hilt of his sword.
Simon started helping the children through first. The door gives way with one final, mighty crash; sending bits of wood splintering in all directions. Sword in hand the prince took a deep breathe to prepare himself to face the six oncoming barbarians. Too many for him to defeat and he knew it.
Weapons barred they all lunge for him, and for a brief moment, it is as if time slowed down.
Iolad dodged and weaved his body around his attackers, trying to hold out just long enough for the others to escape. He had a moment of clarity, had accepted his fate, and was ready for it.
He incapacitated one of the enemy by striking him hard to the head with the flat of his blade, and ran another through shortly after. Iolas was already exhausted from fighting his way aboard and down here, and knew he would not last much longer. But that was ok, he didn't need to, and admittedly another part of him didn't want to. Out of the corner of his eye he watched as, with all the others safely evacuated, the stableboy helped Adelaide and then climbs out the window himself, with a child on his back
Another sigh of relief escaped him. He had done it. It didn't take much time after that before his feet were knocked out from under him. Iolas hit the cold floor hard, his armor smacking against the wood with a loud bang.
His sword is kicked out of my hand and within a split second an enemy sword is raised above his head.
At least it will be quick.
He willed his eyes to stay open, a prince after all, valiant to the end, finally, at the end.
But instead of the sword coming down and decapitating him, his assassin is pierced from behind with an arrow.
The barbarian keels over and lands just beside him. In the doorway stands the Commodore, crossbow in hand.
Using the rest of his assailants distraction to my advantage Iolas quickly rolls out of the way and pushes himself to stand.
"I leave you alone for five minutes..." The aging military official says, dropping his bow, he unsheathes his sword to join Iolas in my battle.
"This was suicide!" He scolded his prince after laying waste to the last enemy standing. The fight had not lasted much longer, as while these thugs may have brawn, they were no match for highly trained Isles swordsmen.
"More than likely." Iolas answered, wiping his sword against the bed spread, staining the green fabric a crimson red.
"I thought I trained you better!"
He scolded the prince like he did when Iolas was just a boy.
"We're you trying to get yourself killed Your Majesty?!?"
"No." Iolas spoke through half truth. "The Queen needed to escape, along with other hostages, I stayed behind to buy her some time."
"Oh goodness...." his eyes widened. Unfortunately for the young prince, The Commodore could almost always tell when being lied to, hence why the king had chosen him to accompany his son.
"You were!" He accused and Iolas did not defend.
Instead he sheathed his sword and took a stride towards the door. The Commodore grabbed his shoulder and jerks him back around. Eyes filled with what could only describe as a mixture of disappointment and disbelief, he scans Iolas up and down.
"You're..." He pauses upon a sudden realization.
"You're in love with her!"
Iolas refused to look at him.
Holding my expression as stone-like as he could.
"Now is not the time..." Iolad argued but the older man wouldn't have it.
"You're in love with the Queen. This time in earnest."
He stated his point again.
"Don't lie to me boy..." He scolded.
"You are in love with her and would hoping to get yourself killed honorably in battle rather then watch her love another!"
"She needed time to escape. That is all." He stated firmly, pulling away from him and making a break for the door.
The pain of Iolas battle wounds and bruises paled in comparison to the ache that throbbed in in chest.
________________
A/N: Happy.., actually, does the day even matter anymore guys?
Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter. Please dont forget to vote and comment.
-QueenOfGeeks
YOU ARE READING
A Thorn In The Ice
Historical Fiction"I fully expected you to say that I was the sort of Prince whose story would involve going into cahoots with the dragon, rather than slaying it." Iolas smiled, but their was a level of seriousness to his statement. "That is where you are wrong, de...
