Oh gods, what do I do?! H-he's laying there, barely breathing, and I'm surrounded by all his dead men! It looks as if I was the murderer!
Jack slowly fell to one knee, and looked over the other male's body for injury. The king seemed alright, minus the scratches that had torn some of his clothing and had left small trails of blood on his physique. Huffing, Jack looked up and saw that the sun was nearing the horizon, meaning he did not have much time left.
Damn, the wolves are going to come out soon! What the bloody hell am I going to do?! I can't leave him here in the cold, especially when there is wildlife that can attack him! Perhaps, I can saddle him to Snowflake, and then ride home. I hope he is not too heavy...
Hesitantly, Jack pulled the fallen man up, grunting at the weight of the said male. Snowflake trotted over to the brunette, bending down slightly so his owner could haul the wealth man on top of him. Huffing, Jack wiped the small line of sweat that developed on his forehead, pausing a moment to relax and check on the king.
Thank the heavens, he's still insensible. I wouldn't know how to explain this to him, anyway. Hopefully, Mother won't fret too much with one extra guest...
Sliding behind the slouching gentleman, Jack grasped the straps connected to Snowflake's bit, and snapped them gently. The three of them left the wrecked carriage behind as they travelled in the direction they came in, slowly making their way back to the Overland cottage. By the time they reached the front door, Jack's mother was standing there with an irritated expression, eyes wide with relieve, worry, and anger.
"Jack, where were you?! I specifically told you to take the shortcut, so you would reach home sooner! Why the bloody heck did you take such an unnecessary amount of time to get back?! And, care to explain why you brought a person back with you?"
Hopping off his horse, Jack smiled nervously at his mother. He glanced back at the king, who was still unconscious, and gulped. "Um, well you see, t-this isn't any person, Mother. He's royalty." Sarah's eyes went wide as she arched one slim eyebrow, questioning the likeliness that the man was actually a rich person.
"Explain."
Immediately, the boy began stuttering his explanation, but the woman only held a finger in his face. "Not outside, honey. You wouldn't want this man to catch a cold, now would you?"
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"...That's how I found him in the forest. I didn't know it was him at first, but when he turned onto his back, I got a clear look at his face and realized it was the king! Mother, please let him stay! I don't know what the other townspeople would say about this, so they may not let him shelter with them! We may be his only hope."
Sarah studied her son's face, face set like stone. She looked over at the man laying on one of the chairs, and analyzed his features. He had thick eyebrows that were the same charcoal black as his hair, smooth and tanned skin, a sharp nose, high cheekbones, thin lips, and a small, black goatee. He was her definition of handsome.
Blushing slightly, she looked away, and gazed into her child's pleading eyes. She knew he wanted to keep the king safe, even if that meant staying awake at ungodly hours to nurture him. Her face softened into a kind smile, and she huffed at the unusual situation before her. "Fine, but he is sleeping in that chair. Either that, or he goes into the barn."
Smiling happily, Jack leapt into his mother's arms, and hugged her tight. "Oh, thank you, Mother! I will take care of him, I promise! Now, do you happen to have any leftovers from dinner?" His mother only laughed, eyes filled with mirth and love.
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Moments later, the king had woken up, groggily seeking for water. Jack complied to his want, and helped him sip at it. The male went unconscious once more, not even releasing a single question about his whereabouts before falling to sleep from exhaustion.
Many days went by like this. Jack's little sister, Mary Selina Overland , questioned who the man was very often, but she talked to him every once in a while. She considered him to be her new friend, even if he never answered her questions or comments. Jack was happy his sister was so kind and talkative with a person she did not know, mainly because then (once the king woke up), he would not have to worry about her throwing a tantrum. His anxieties were already sky-rocketing, especially because the king was feeling well enough to ask the boy for his name, and to feed his own body. He did not want to think about the king being annoyed with his sibling, and what he might do to her.
A few more days went by, and the king was walking around the small home, helping out here and there. The first thing he had said to Jack when he was standing on his own feet was, "Thank you, Jack. Thank you for nursing me back to health. I can never repay you for this."
The brunette was able to attend to his regular chores now, since the king was alright. He brought the rich man out once in a while, to show him the animals and to let him breathe in the fresh air. Whenever he went out to the town's market, he would leave the older male with his mother. At first, he would constantly wonder if the two of them were fine; his mistrusting mother left at home with a person she did not know whatsoever. But, that concern passed when he began coming home to see the king and his mother laughing and having joyous moments together. It made him beam with exhilaration, primarily because it had been years since he last saw his mother this content. He only hoped that she would stay that way after the monarch left.
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It had been a month and two weeks since Jack had discovered King John Richard 's body in the forest. The wealthy man was aware of what happened (after Sarah explained to him), and was entirely thankful for such kind people to exist in his kingdom. He knew that he had to return to his position as the ambassador of his people, but he did not want to leave so quickly.
He was in love with the woman who always talked to him whenever Jack was shopping, or when Mary was sleeping. He was in love with Sarah.
He loved the way she laughed at his ridiculous jokes, how she gazed lovingly at both her children (no matter what they did), and how her chocolate-colored eyes twinkled and sparkled in the firelight. He loved the way she would hum a quiet tune to herself, and dance a bit when she was cooking supper for all them. How she was as beautiful as any temptress, swift and quick as any hunter, soft and caring like a nurse, and educated like a schoolmaster. He even loved how she would give him brief, but kind glances whenever she thought he wasn't looking.
That's why he decided to risk everything for her that one night.
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During supper, the king fingered the item he was hiding in his pocket. He was sweating profusely, incredibly nervous about springing the question.
"So, your Highness, how have you been doing so far?" Surprised with the question, John whipped his head around and looked at Jack. The boy was giving him a knowing look, smiling as he looked between his mother and the king. He winked, and gave John a quick nod. With the boy's reassurance, the king sucked in a breath of air, and said, "Oh, it's going very well, my dear boy. But, I have an important story and question to ask you mother."
Sarah raised a eyebrow in curiosity, setting her spoon down. "Oh really," she replied. "And what may this be about?"
"...It's about my life." John started talking about how he used to live in this very same town all his life, and how he grew up with only his father, who hated him. He spoke about how he promised to share everything he had with the town, and how he shared his house with those in need once his father had passed on.
"But, none of you have to feel sorry for me, I disliked the man very much. He was just too selfish and rude to everyone, even his own parents," the king added. "I just wonder what it would look like now if he had been selfless..."
He went on about how he was elected as king, and how it took months for his castle to be built. And, then he went to how he had met his wife.
"...She was a wonderful woman, all of you would have loved her. I met her when I was handing bread out to some beggars on the streets. She was reading some of the children a book about rabbits and tortoises. I was in love with her after a few months of courting her, and all that time was worth the wait. So, I married her. She was beautiful, perceptive, clever, charming, graceful, and very generous." John turned to face Sarah, smiling softly at her. "She's just like you."
Jack's mother blushed, looking down at her plate in attempt to hid it. She had taken a liking in the king ever since Jack had brought him to their cottage, but she never admitted it.
"Unfortunately, she grew very sick after three weeks. The doctor had said she had yellow fever, and we searched everywhere for a cure, but we did not find one. After her death, I lost all the passion I had for love, and I was sure I would not find anyone I would love ever again. Until, I met you."
Mary and Jack watched as John gripped their mother's hands, and pulled her to her feet. They both smiled when the king went to one knee, and pulled out the flower ring he had crafted earlier.
"Sarah, I have only known you for a few weeks, but I know these feelings I have for you are stronger and brighter than the sun itself. I love you for everything you do, from the way you speak to the way you gently tap your graceful fingers on the table while eating. If I had more sources, I would have prepared something more than this, but this, unfortunately, is all I was able to make with raw materials. So, will you, my dear Sarah Overland, allow me to take your hand in marriage?"
Tears were running down everyone's cheeks, but they were all happy tears. Rubbing her eyes, Sarah let out an excited laugh, before launching herself into John's arms, hugging him tightly.
"Of course, I would!"
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Author's Notice:
Hello, everyone. I want to say that, the names of some of the characters are unreal. John Wrightham Overland and King John Richard are characters that I have created on my own, in order for the plot to procced. Therefore, the names are mine, so you must require permission to use them.
Anyway, some things to keep in mind for this story:
(Some random words) - represents thoughts
(Some random name ) - is a character name
(--------------------x--------------------) - represents a break in paragraphs/new subject