The only voices I was used to hearing in the morning had been Court's, Xerxes's, and Lyell's. But today there were other people in the cabin.
I could hear Court talking with them when I woke up. The sun had risen by now and the smoke had cleared up. I pushed myself out of bed and went over to the wardrobe and dressed myself before walking out of the room.
I found Court in the living room with Thorin and Lotus.
Xerxes was on the couch, and I assumed Lyell is in his room resting.
"It's your call now Court, do we stay, or do we leave?" Thorin watched Court who sat on the couch next to Xerxes deep in thought.
"Has there been any sightings yet?" Court asked.
"Nothing has been spotted, but there has been some activity around the line. My guess is a minotaur from the hoof prints found. They aren't horse ones either." Thorin answered.
"Do minotaur's come in pairs?" Court asked.
"No one really knows. I think they come in mated pairs, but we try to avoid any contact with them. They aren't exactly predictable." Thorin answered.
"We wait for everyone that is injured to recover and then we should start looking for somewhere else. All the bloodshed is bound to start bringing in other creatures and we aren't exactly in positions to defend this land especially with the humans gone." Court told Thorin who nodded.
"I will be back once all my pack members are healed. We'll meet up halfway with the other wolves who escorted the surviving humans to the city." Thorin informed Court who nodded.
"Until then." Court murmured and Thorin nodded as he stood up and waited for Lotus.
The two left with Thorin sparing me a glance.
"I'm going to check on Lyell, see how he's healing." Xerxes informed Court who nodded.
Xerxes walked over to Lyell's room as Court sighed. I stood there in the hallway unsure what to do.
"You can come over Ruby, you don't have to stand there." Court broke the silence as he turned to me.
With his words I came over to the couch and took a seat next to him. Court turned to me and gave me a smile.
"Is everything okay?" I asked and Court nodded.
"Yeah, we're just discussing some important things that need to happen." Court told me and I nodded.
"Are we leaving here?" I asked.
Court looked over. "Yeah, we're going to be leaving. It's not a decision I wanted to make but defending our territory from any of the creatures who get a whiff of all the blood isn't worth the outcome. We'd be best off just leaving and settling somewhere else. Let them come do whatever they please at the village." Court told me.
I nodded. "I'm sorry." I murmured.
Court turned to me. "Don't apologize Ruby. You had nothing to do with it. If anything, you saved a lot of people and me." Court smiled at me as he set his hand down on mine.
"People still died though." I murmured.
"Death is a hound that stalks war. There will always be death where there is war."
I couldn't argue with him on that. Court leaned over and kissed my forehead before giving me a smile.
"I hold no ill feelings for you Ruby, and I never have. I love you, Ruby. And it means the world to me that you chose to stay with me over going with your parents. And I promise you Ruby, I will give you the best life I can give." Court held my hands as he smiled at me.
"I love you too Court." Court smiled at me.
He leaned forward and kissed me. I kissed him back before he pulled away and smiled at me.
"Should I start getting packed for when we leave?" I asked.
"You have a few days, Ruby. Thorin and I also must figure out how we are transporting everyone and our belongings. Moving isn't as easy as it looks, we have never been a nomadic people. But as the leaders of our pack tough decisions must be made for our survival. You have time Ruby, don't stress too much." Court shifted on the couch as he glanced around the cabin.
I could tell he was upset that he'd have to leave. Even if he spent his time between the king and queen's home and this cabin, the cabin would always be something he held dear. Maybe one day they could come back.
"You could always take any of the remaining horses and the wagons that survived." I told him.
"We could, thank you for the advice. I'll send some of my people out to look. I may have them collect any animals who weren't taken with." Court smiled.
"How is Lyell?" I asked unable to resist the subject anymore.
"He's alive. He has a bit of fever, but nothing he won't recover from. His healing should start kicking in here soon." Court told me and I nodded.
"That's good." I murmured and Court nodded.
"Well, I'm going to start getting everything in order. Get some of my members out to the village to salvage anything we could use and check on Celeste." Court told me and I nodded.
"Okay, be safe." I murmured and Court smiled.
"I will, feel free to make yourself anything. I'll be back soon." He pressed another kiss to my forehead before pulling back. With that he left to go sort out his pack.
☾
Since Court was gone for a good portion of the day, I decided to make myself some stew to go with some of the bread I baked right before everything had happened. A fresh loaf and I decided some stew would go well.
Xerxes had butchered a few animals from the shed they kept them in. Most of it was game from the forest since they didn't have the monthly sacrifice.
I didn't mind it though. I sliced up some of the venison to put in the stew. Along with some water and let the broth develop naturally. I sliced up some vegetables before tossing them in and then some seasoning and herbs I found.
Then I let it boil up as I sliced up the bread and took out some butter for it. I opted out of the jam.
Once the stew was done, I took down three bowls.
I had felt useless from last night. Lyell had gotten shot by a crossbow bolt because of me. The least I could do is give him a stew. Even if he had been an absolute ass and scared me, he still took that crossbow bolt and killed the guard who grabbed me.
A stew is the least I could do.
I poured the stew into the three bowls and cut up the bread before grabbing the two bowls and going to Lyell's room. Xerxes hadn't come out, so I decided I'd bring him a bowl of stew as well. It'd be rude to only bring Lyell food.
I knocked on the door and waited for an answer.
"Come in."
I opened the door to Lyell's room and walked in. Lyell had a nice room. It wasn't anything special, but there was a large bookshelf full of books. I hope he didn't have to leave them.
Xerxes was seated on one of the fur chairs watching Lyell. Lyell was on the bed buried beneath a fur blanket.
"I made stew and fixed you two up a bowl." I told Xerxes.
Xerxes accepted the two bowls from me before sitting back down. Lyell looked up from the fur blanket before pushing it down. Xerxes handed him the bowl which he accepted before laying back down in bed.
"Thank you, Ruby." Xerxes thanked me and I nodded before leaving the room.
I cast a glance at Lyell. "Thank you, Lyell." I murmured and he glanced up before returning his attention back to the stew I prepared. Silent recognition.
I walked out of the room and went into the kitchen and prepared myself a bowl of stew and sliced up some more bread for myself. As I sliced up some bread the door to the cabin opened and Court stepped in.
"Smells good in here." Court noted.
"I made stew." I told him and Court smiled as he came over to me.
"I can make you a bowl if you want." I offered and Court nodded.
"Thank you, Ruby." He leaned down and pressed a kiss to my neck before going to sit at the table.
I fixed up another bowl of stew with a slice of bread before going over to the table. I set his bowl down in front of him before taking the seat across from him.
"How did things go today?" I asked.
"Good, just the basics mostly. Making sure everyone is okay from last night. Sending condolences to any families who lost a member and getting everyone ready. I also went to the village as well." Court told me.
"Did that go well?" I asked.
Court nodded. "It went very well, and there were horses left over that people hadn't taken with and some carts. A decent amount of patrol horses and cart horses for the guards. I also took some things from my home for Celeste." Court told me and I nodded.
"That's good." I murmured and Court nodded.
"It is. I just have to get some things in order, and we will be looking for a new place to settle down in." Court told me and I smiled at him.
He took a deep breath. "Here's to the new life." Court chimed and we began eating putting aside the future ahead of us just for a moment.
1620. And we now just have the epilogue left! Next book will be published right after the epilogue goes up like the rest of my books! The Forest will be the last book in the duology as I want to explore the forest that surrounds them and see where the two packs go! ***