"Kincade?" Astryd gasped. Of all the people she thought to walk through those doors, Kincade was most definitely not one of them.
There was an eerie silence as Astryd watched Kincade. The first thing Astryd noticed was a prominent bruise on his cheekbone that was black and blue. Nonetheless, he stood tall and proud in the frame of the doorway and looked confident despite being alone. Astryd felt a twinge of hope as she searched for the rest of the Crescent's crew behind Kincade, but she saw no one. Kincade was on his own.
After an extensively long pause, Astryd turned to look at the king. Bancroft's face was so beet red that Astryd wondered if he had been holding his breath for the entirety of the silence.
"Kincade! I knew it! I knew you'd come back for us!" Tom said with a cheer like only someone young and innocent could.
"SIEZE HIM!" Bancroft bellowed. Bancroft pointed a meaty finger at Kincade and advanced on Kincade. Astryd was amazed to see Kincade did not even flinch at Bancroft's powerful voice. He merely stood still with his chin held high.
"What are you doing here?" Astryd tried to ask, but she was surprised she even made a sound at all. Her voice came out in a whisper that could have been carried away by a gust of wind in an instant.
The guards near the doorway reached Kincade first. Quick as a flash, there was one guard on each side of Kincade, holding his arms in place.
"What's the matter old man? Are you threatened by my mere presence now? I'm flattered, but as you can tell, I'm unarmed." Kincade did his best to gesture to his lack of weapons while his hands were bound. He was wearing the same old tan trousers and loose work shirt and leather vest that he always did, and there was no belt to secure a cutlass.
Astryd remained on her knees with James still hovering over her with a hand on her shoulder. But James watched mesmerized as events unfolded, looking just as confused as Astryd was.
Astryd noticed that Tom was doing everything in his power to be defiant. He had a newfound confidence in Kincade's presence. He jerked and pushed and pulled, but the guard holding him kept him secure, carefully watching events unfold.
With a reluctant tone, James interjected, "Sire? Shall I still execute the girl?" Despite the circumstances, Astryd enjoyed hearing James's voice tremble. James kept his sword firmly gripped in his hand, eagerly awaiting orders.
"SHUT UP!" Bancroft barked. Astryd could feel James jump from his hand that was still pressing her shoulder toward the floor.
"Glad I still make such an impression when I walk into a room," Kincade remarked with an amused tone.
"KILL HIM! KILL HIM NOW!" The king bellowed. His roaring voice echoed in the hollow chamber, and Astryd could have sworn she felt the ground shake beneath her trembling knees.
"Now, hold on," Kincade shrugged the guards off and raised his hands up defensively. He held to his confident demeanor, but Astryd could see a slight tremble in his raised hands. "I'm a little hurt, Bancroft. You wouldn't kill me. We are practically family after all."
Suddenly, Astryd's world faded away. Her senses dulled and her world became hazy as something clicked in her head. "Amir?" she gasped.
Her voice must have been just loud enough to hear because for the first time, Kincade turned to look at Astryd, and she could have sworn she saw him wink.
"Do not play games with me, boy," Bancroft snarled. "You know you are not welcome here."
"You can't be serious," James scoffed, his confidence returning, "Thomas is not the prince," he paused, "is he?"
YOU ARE READING
New Horizons (A Pirate Story)
Adventure"How dare you bring me aboard this ship without so much as telling me what you are?" She yelled. Kincade let out a smug grin, one that infuriated Astryd even more. She took a few more steps toward him so that they were mere feet apart. He looked dow...
