𝐒𝐈𝐋𝐕𝐄𝐑 𝐑𝐄𝐅𝐋𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 ✯ 𝑝𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑝𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑒 ✓

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍

'I can slow down the infection, but we need to get her to Anvard as fast as we can,' he said while rummaging through the satchel until he found the vial with the powder of a crushed and dried Maeris flower. It was nothing like the juice of a Fire flower as it wouldn't miraculously heal her, but he hoped it could serve its purpose long enough.

Seren mixed some of the powdery substance with the water out of his flask while walking quickly back over to Rosaleen and sinking again on his knees. He dropped some of the liquid in her mouth, closing her nose to force her unconscious body to swallow it. Her breathing became less shallow as she did so and a short wave of relief washed over him.

'How long does she have?' Rabadash asked as Seren moved one of his arms under her leg and his other around her back, lifting her up from the ground. Her body radiated with heat while her skin seemed to drain of more colour by the second, and Seren answered he didn't know.

'We must make haste,' Seren encouraged the Tisroc, walking over to his horse with Rosaleen in his arms and although Rabadash nodded in agreement, Hashim cleared his throat loudly.

'A Tisroc does not race over the lands, not for anyone' the aghas said with a low voice, looking directly at Rabadash. 'Your father would not be pleased.'

Seren turned halfway around to look between the Tisroc and the aghas, and to his horror Rabadash seemed to lose his backbone.

'Your Grace,' Seren began, the muscles in his back straining from keeping Rosaleen lifted. 'She's your emissary, you have a responsibility to take care of her. If we do not ride to the castle as fast as we can, she will die. The Kings and Queens of Narnia would not be pleased,' he repeated parts of Hashim's words between gritted teeth while shooting the aghas a furious look.

Rabadash silenced both of them by raising his hand, the gears inside his mind spinning rapidly, but then his dark eyes snapped in Seren's direction as he made a decision. 'Get her to the castle, fast. I, aghas Hashim and my foot soldiers will follow as soon as we can. I think I know the way from here, I've been to Anvard before as a young boy.'

Seren searched the Tisroc's eyes but he seemed to be genuine. Still, a bit in hesitation, Seren closed the remaining distance between himself and the horse, but Rabadash nodded in encouragement.

'Go. You and Rosaleen promised to guide us through the desert, which you did. We can take it from here on by ourselves.'

'Thank you, Your Grace,' Seren said before lifting Rosaleen's body in front of the saddle and quickly climbing on the horse himself as well.

Rabadash helped him to get her in a sitting position and Seren wound one arm around her middle while grabbing the reins with his other hand. He pressed his heels in the horse's belly while Rabadash smacked the flat of his hand on the horse's gear, and the animal sprang into a thundering gallop, its black manes and tail dancing wildly with the wind.

Time slowed down and sped up simultaneously as the horse raced over the land, and all Seren heard was the whistling of wind, the thundering hooves and Rosaleen's struggling breath.

At the horizon, the sky darkened to a kingly purple and the first star glittered at their north side, above the towering mountains. A white foam appeared on the black horse's flanks from exertion and its staccato breathing became shallower and shorter as the hours passed, but still, Seren kept forcing the steed forward, almost relentlessly.

At times, Seren could barely feel Rosaleen's breathing under his touch and in those moments his heart skipped several beats until he felt her chest rising and falling softly again.

'Don't give up, Rose,' he whispered, glancing shortly at her closed eyelids as the back of her head rested against his shoulder. In the faint light of the upcoming sun, Seren could swear he saw her eyes moving behind their eyelids in a response, and although she didn't open her eyes, he added, 'We're almost there.'

He focussed his gaze upon the horizon again, pressing his heels in the horse's belly once more when the steed threatened to slow down.

The red-stoned castle rose proudly against the morning sky, its many towers reaching for the clouds above, and Seren truly hoped Rosaleen had enough strength left in her to stay alive until they reached the court's physician. . .

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