"Will you be visiting us again soon?" Derek asked Guinevere and Granger with his adorable pout which made the couple smile.
"You can count on it. Keep up your good work at swordsmanship and be good to your parents." Guinevere told him gently.
Derek grinned and stood straighter than normal, "You can count on me!"
Odette smiled at her son's enthusiasm before she walked over to him and placed her hands on his shoulders.
Guinevere couldn't help but wish her son or daughter would be this enthusiastic too.
"We'll see you all soon. Love?" Granger turned to Guinevere expectantly as the carriage awaited them.
Guinevere turned to him and took his hand as they climbed into the carriage.
The trip was quiet and this made Guinevere feel drowsy. It has been a long and eventful day and she was exhausted. Granger noticed this so he took her hand in his to get her attention.
"You can rest on my shoulder, love." He whispered to her.
Guinevere smiled and rested her head on his shoulder before she gave his hand a gentle squeeze. She let her eyes close as the carriage went smoothly. The trip would take up two hours so she got time to sleep.
Granger rubbed his thumb against the back of her hand gently as she slept. He thought about the conversation they had at lunch. He sure wanted to have kids with her and start a family. He was more than excited but judging by her reaction earlier, he thought she still wasn't ready and willing and he'll respect that.
Just then, the carriage came to a violent halt which made the couple onboard jerk forward. Guinevere instantly woke while Granger placed his arm in front of her to stop her from falling off.
"What's going on?" Guinevere whispered to him in shock and confusion.
Granger frowned and concentrated on listening to anything unusual around them. This wasn't good.
"I don't know...I need you to-"
The door of the carriage swung open violently which caused Guinevere to gasp and hold on to her husband who instinctively wrapped his arms around her trembling form.
"Princess Guinevere! Please step out of the carriage!" A woman's voice called out.
Granger and Guinevere recognized that voice. It's been three years since they've last heard it but they remembered it clear as day.
"Beatrice..." Guinevere mumbled which made Granger reach over to the small chest he placed under the seats and took out a gun from it. Keeping one of his weapons in here turned out to be a great idea afterall.
"You stay in here." He told Guinevere who frowned as he slowly walked towards the door.
"We're staying in here. If she so boldly attacked us, I'm sure she's got the upper hand. We need to think things through, here." Guinevere whispered to him.
He knew she was right. Beatrice obviously have everything figured out.
"Princess Guinevere? I know you're in there sweetie." Beatrice called out again in a sickening sing song tone.
Guinevere bit on her lip in thought. So far all she's been calling for was her. She probably doesn't know Granger was in here too. She just hope she didn't.
"I'm facing her." She whispered to Granger who immediately frowned and opened his mouth to protest but she raised a hand, "She's only been asking for me and she probably didn't know you're here too...we can use that against her."
"Don't make me drag you out of there, sweetie." Beatrice called out again.
Granger gritted his teeth and nodded, "I'll strike her from behind then."
Guinevere cracked a small smile and nodded but Granger kept a serious face.
The princess then proceeded to climb out of the carriage and glared at the insolent woman before her. Beatrice looked thinner and her hair was a mess. Her dark green gown made her look intimidating and Guinevere could see anger in her eyes.
"Ah, it's so....refreshing to see that pretty face of yours again." Beatrice said.
"You're committing treason once again, Beatrice." Guinevere pointed out, making sure to sound confident.
Granger slowly and quietly climbed out of the carriage through the window from the other side of the vehicle so Beatrice wouldn't notice.
"A small price to pay for what I'll be doing." Beatrice grinned and looked at Guinevere's torso momentarily.
This made Guinevere flinch slightly. Her hand absentmindedly made its way to her belly and watched Beatrice as she smirked.
"A small price for two lives I'll be taking today."
Granger frowned in confusion as he crouched down to the ground, waiting for a good opportunity to strike. The coachman was lying motionless on the ground just a few meters from him.
"Are you here to kill me then?" Guinevere sputtered in disbelief.
Beatrice laughed, "After you ruined our name, you think I'd let you go so easily? Oh sweetie, you're playing with fire here. I'll be killing you, your husband, and your unborn child."
Granger's eyes widened at the revelation. Their unborn child? Guinevere's pregnant?
"You think I'd let that happen?" Guinevere spat and conjured a ball of magic before she sent it flying towards Beatrice who deflected it with her own magic with ease.
"Still so weak and pathetic." Beatrice laughed and with a flick of her wrist, a wave of light flew towards Guinevere who barely dodged it.
Granger instantly sprung into action, dashing closer to Beatrice. He pointed his gun to her head and fired but she only smirked and a barrier materialized before her, crumbling the bullet into pieces.
"Ah, how fortunate. The whole family in one place. Makes things easier for me."
A ball of magic sent Beatrice back violently which made her gasp in shock. Guinevere managed to cast her energy wave towards her while she was distracted.
"Tsk, that wasn't fair." Beatrice mumbled and sent her own magic hurtling towards the couple.
Guinevere tried to conjure a forcefield of her own but it wasn't strong enough that Beatrice's assault sent her falling back to the ground. She let out a yelp of pain as she fell hard, her hand cradling her back which took the impact.
"Guinevere!"
Granger, who managed to dodge the assault rushed to her side but Beatrice didn't give him the chance to get any closer.
A massive wave of magic enveloped him and had him levitating on air, his hands and legs getting bound by some kind of ropes of light.
"Oh this is too easy. I thought I'd get to have a bit of fun before I finish the three of you." Beatrice chuckled.
She then made Guinevere levitate as well and bound her with the same ropes she used on Granger, only this time, she made it a bit tighter.
Guinevere let out a yell of pain as her mind immediately went to her baby's condition.
"You witch! You let her go! Torture me instead!" Granger spat.
Beatrice cackled and shook her head, "Always the knight in shining armor! Sorry handsome but I want the three of you dead and gone!"
Guinevere let out a scream of pain when Beatrice casted another spell on her that overwhelmed her senses completely. Everything stung she could feel her strength slipping away.
Granger struggled against the ropes, yelling his wife's name desperately which only made Beatrice laugh louder.
Just then, a gunshot echoed throughout the forest and her laughter died and so did the spells she casted, which sent the two falling down to the hard ground. Granger let out a grunt while Guinevere moaned in pain.
Her vision was getting blurry by the minute as the pain took over. Her trembling hand instinctively made its way to her stomach in desperation.
Granger crawled to her trembling form and gently held her close to him once he recovered. He then looked over to Beatrice only to see her wounded and being pinned against the tree by none other than Gusion.
Guinevere squinted to look at the scene and noticed a redhead woman with a sniper pointed at Beatrice as Gusion pinned her against the tree with a dagger to her throat.
"You're not killing anyone today, mother."