A New Hero

A Lie's End

Rosamund glanced away from the startled Knight to find Myra waving her hands and sneering. Her sister was torturing the woman more, but given the circumstances, Rosie couldn't entirely blame her.

She wished she could tumble into a bed. No, a cool bath to scrub the muck of the fight off, but she had so many other matters to attend -- like finding housing for all her people and protection. At least on that matter, she had help.

"Rosie," Henry reached over with his gloved hand to catch hers, his crystal eyes burning with sympathy, "we'll guide your group to Redcliffe. Keep you all safe."

With a grateful smile, Rosie wrapped her arm around his shoulders in a half hug, "Thank you. I hoped you'd offer because we're..." In turning to encompass the mass of her people in pain, she caught sight of umber eyes burning into the ground in barely repressed agony. How badly was the wound hurting her? Rosie's heart leapt into her throat at the idea of this woman she barely knew, this woman that was trained to kill and could still be here to kill her, perishing.

She moved towards Anjali, wanting to properly check for blight, when a man dashed through the camp. His eyes hunted over the various faces before he slapped his cheeks and shouted, "There she is!" It wasn't until he was practically on top of her that Rosie recognized the archer she sent back to warn his people. "Miss, you saved me. Saved us all. If them monsters got into our town..."

Turning away from Rosie, he revealed a small child with a pile of golden curls clinging tight to a woman's hand. The man's voice caught as he sucked in a snot filled breath, "Or they took my baby. I... Please, please stay, let us help you anyway we can."

Smiling, she patted his worn hands, "We'd be delighted." The townsfolk appeared from behind the archer, fanning out to assist in anyway they could. Rosie leaned closer and whispered, "Incidentally, do you think there's a chance to arrange a bath?"

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Redcliffe was exactly how she remembered, the palace surprisingly inviting for one that was so easily fortified. Having half of your walls end in a cliffside overlooking the lake would do that. But the doors were thrown wide open, people from the local village lining up the sides to welcome back their beloved Arl's son. Henry waved from his horse, Rosie perched in front of him. She'd offered to walk, but he wouldn't hear it. She was -- after all -- to be queen, and queen's rode.

Dozens of roses littered the ground, people suddenly pointing towards the girl positioned before the saddle horn who was wishing she put riding pants on instead of being stuck sidesaddle. She brightened her smile while internally screaming, "Yes, it's your princess. Doing her best to keep her ass from sliding right off this poor horse. If you're wondering, it's not going so well."

Every now and then Henry had to reach over to keep her steady, but he did it so smoothly it was barely noticeable. As they reached the front doors, the horse coming to a standstill in the courtyard, Rosie was finally free to slide off. She didn't wait for the gallant Henry to dismount, the woman needing to revive her asscheeks before they lost all feeling permanently. A few of the watchers jabbed and laughed when she glanced back at the Arl's son with his hand extended towards her.

Putting on the same stupid smile, she gripped onto her cousin's hand and helped him out of the saddle. "Well," Henry chuckled having landed close to Rosie, "we appear to have arrived."

"And in one piece, all thanks to you."

"I'd say your retinue had a hand in that," he extended his gallant arm back to the squires who stood in their finest all lining in pairs behind them. While Ser Daryan and Ser Michael led the pack, the latter requiring a cane while his leg healed, Gavin stood close in deference of his service. Beside him was Anjali, her eyes hooded as she stared around the strange courtyard. Whenever they landed upon Henry, she'd stand up a bit taller and shift her neck as if she was sizing him up. The first time Rosie saw it she assumed she was imagining things, but their entire trip to Redcliffe while the old cousins caught up, she never stopped. Rosie didn't understand. Unless Henry reminded her of someone else she hated, it made no sense.