𝘚𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘴, 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘓𝘪𝘦𝘴

The Next Plan (part 1)

"Lena." Hilda said. "Focus."

"Sorry." Lena muttered.

"You will be when you can't defend yourself when someone's attacking you."

"Too far, darling." Wymond said. He and Kamden had been watching the girls fire arrows all morning. Hilda said that Ferox came back late yesterday so he had no idea that she even left the house.

Wymond watched as his wife did the movement of firing in a circle that he had seen before and she still hit every tree she aimed at.

"How do you do that?" Lena whined, obviously laughing was the only way she was going to feel better about her sister being far better than her!

"Let me help." Kamden said as he stood from the tree stump and moved over to Lena.

"I am not past hope then!" She joked.

Hilda smiled at the pair and moved to sit next to Wymond. He put his arm around her shoulders and she rested her head in his neck.

"This is how it should be." She said. "Where Lena and I are free to do whatever we want and love whoever we want."

"You have sort of done that anyway." He said.

She laughed and looked up into his eyes.

"I was not going to let father decide what I was going to do... and it seems that I taught Lena well!"

Wymond cupped her face and rested his forehead on hers. "I love you." He whispered.

***

As Kamden put his arms around Lena to guide her hands on the bow, she felt a pang and a flutter inside her. What did that mean?

"Like that." He said. Lena felt his breath in her hair behind her ear. "There. Now... release."

The arrow hit the tree right in the place where he aimed.

"Just like that!" Lena said, turning and smiling up at Kamden.

"Easy." He said, grinning. "Now you do it alone."

She took a deep breath, fixed the arrow in place, picked out a different tree, aimed... and fired. The arrow went directly into the spot she wanted it to go.

"Well done, Lena." She heard Hilda say but it was only quiet. The world seemed to have been blocked out when she saw Kamden's face. It was pure joy. His smile lighting up his already bright blue eyes.

"Well done, Lena." He said, still smiling a gorgeous smile.

He moved towards her, arms outstretched. He gathered her in them and she closed her eyes. He smelt of the woods: pine needles and damp earth. His arms were strong and his chin rested on the top of her head. She tilted her head back so she could look into his eyes and grinned at him. Suddenly his mouth moved closer to hers and without stopping, their lips touched.

***

I looked up at Wymond, shook my head and smiled. My sister and his best friend were standing in a tight embrace just a small distance away from us. I suddenly remembered when I did a similar thing with Duke. I pushed down the thoughts - I was only making do with him when I thought Wymond and I were never going to be possible.

"Let's leave them." Wymond said in my ear.

"Yes... please."

He took my hand and led me away to a small clearing of trees where we had left our bags and horses tied up before we found a good training area.

There, we opened a bag and pulled out blanket and laid it on the ground. I opened a second bag and pulled out some bread and cold meets for everyone to share. I had picked Lena up from the castle, telling Mother we were going out for the day so she ordered the chef to arrange some food for us to take. Mother always ensures that we have more than enough food so there is plenty for two more.

"How do we get away from here?" I asked Wymond once we had sat down. "We just need to leave this town. We don't belong here."

He nodded and took me in his arms. He cradled me as he spoke. "I know, my love. We do need to get away, I agree. As soon as we have found out what is in the dungeons we can leave."

"But what if we leave now? What if we leave and find another town? Then we can form an army and we can take Mythgrave down." I sat up and looked directly at my husband. "Surely that is better than waiting longer? When we have more people to fight, then we can see what is down there."

He looked into my eyes, his eyebrows raised and creasing his forehead. "What if no one forms an alliance with us? Then what? It is better to get into the dungeons whilst we are still here and see what is going on. Then, yes, we will go to another town and we can fight - but only if necessary."

"You don't understand." I said and when he started to shake his head in denial, I cut him off. "You don't understand, you don't. I'm sorry, I can't stay here much longer. Not with Ferox. I need to get away. I need to. Please, I am desperate."

Wymond hushed me but I backed away.

"Please." It came out as a whisper. "Please."

"We have to see what is there. You just need to hold out a little while longer."

"I can't." I shouted. "I can't wait longer. Anyway, how much longer would it be? Days? Weeks? Months, maybe? You don't understand."

"Then what do you do?" Wymond snapped back. "Either leave now and no one will go with you or stay and we all leave together."

"Would you let me leave now?" I asked even though it was pointless.

"No-"

"Well, there you go then." I snapped. "It looks as if I will be staying here, biding my time before I can leave, but with an increased risk of baring a child."

It looked like I had just slapped Wymond in the face. He just sat there staring at me, hopeless. His mouth opening and closing like a fish. "Do you know for sure you are with child?" His voice was strained.

I shook my head, my hair falling in front of my face. Then I felt his fingers brush my hair back and I felt his palm on my cheek. Wymonds arms engulfed me and as he rocked me in our embrace, I felt all the emotions that I had been hiding spill out of me: worry and anger and hatred. I sobbed into his chest as he held me.