Pirate's Treasure

Chapter 26

I knew it'd be easy to lose them. I knew Kenilworth like the back of my hand. They chased me for a while, but I lost them at the trader's market. When the nobles noticed me, they whispered about me behind my back. But I loved seeing the faces of the nobles, their eyes wide and jaws dropped as I walked past them. They thought they were seeing a ghost. Serves them right for trying to arrest me.

I went around and took the long way traveling through the forest. Over the river, and soon, I was only a short distance away from my home. And the closer I got, the more excited I became, and my speed gradually increased until I was at a dead sprint. The thought of me finally seeing Henrik finally set in.

"Henrik!" I exclaimed, weaving through the last layer of trees and into the clearing, still sprinting as I closed in on the property. The house still stood, although there were dead crops and weeds that had sprouted or looked like they haven't been tended to in months. Did Henrik really rely on me that much?

"Henrik!" My excitement finally burst as the door slammed open, and I cringed when the wood hit the stone wall. But there was no response in the silent home. "Henrik?" I called in the house, stepping inside when I didn't hear a reply again. I let my finger slide on top of the layers of dust on chairs, the table, and multiple other objects. "Oh, he's at work." I realized, stepping back outside. "Duh." I made my way back outside and headed to the sign, which I was relieved was still standing. I dropped to my knees swiping my finger across it just in case. The one thing that wasn't dusty. "He'll be back tonight."

"Elisa?" I gasped and whipped around to the voice, who was my distant neighbor, and older, gentle woman, who I almost forgot about. "You're… you're back."

"I am." I confirmed, standing up. "Do you know when Henrik will be back?"

She let out a sympathetic sigh, "Oh Elisa, you've been gone a long time."

"Only a year." I corrected, "Maybe he married that wench that he loves."I muttered, kicking the dirt with my foot. I was excited to see Henrik, but I could've gone another year or two, or the rest of my life, without seeing her.

"He was one of Robin Hood's men, wasn't he?"

My eyebrows furrowed in confusion, but I confirmed her question. "Yes, he is."

She looked down at the ground in front of me, avoiding my eye contact. "About two months after you… left." She started, taking my hands in hers, "All of Robin Hood's men were hanged in a public execution. Only Robin Hood made it out. It was awful."

My heart stopped. My breathing stopped. My thinking stopped. Everything stopped at once when she was done saying those words. And my world was crumbling on top of me. "What?" Was all I could manage to say in a whispery breath.

"Yes, but-"

I screamed. And again. I cried. And again. Repeated everything. It must've freaked her out, because she hurried away while I was on the grass, watering it with my tears. Henrik's dead!? No! He can't be dead! I won't let him be dead!

"Henrik!" I cried over and over, somehow hoping he would show up. He couldn't die. He was too young to die!

As I raised my head, my eyes fell on the sign. All of our names. All of our memories. They were all too young to die.

My hand traced everything on the sign. "That's it." I whimpered, wanting to wipe my eyes, but emotionally couldn't. "I'm alone."

"You're not alone." I heard his voice, a happy one to hear, but not the one I wanted at the moment. As I looked up, Christian held his hand out for me. "You will never be alone again."

"Christian!" I whimpered, taking his hand as he yanked me up and into his arms. His arms wrapped  around my back so tight that I could tell he didn't want to let go. I didn't, either. "I can't believe it's you."