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ββββ πππ πππππ βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
β β’ guardsman/knight β’ location: secret meadow β’ mentions: klaus, tag β’ tags: elric
- Kit knew Elric enough to have suspected a similar reaction to the one the prince was letting slip up. He had every right to feel unnerved; Kit himself was troubled by the news, but as a knight and a guard to the prince, he had been trained to cover it up. Outwards appearances never matched what occurred within, though. Dread filled him whole, the way rain poured into their nearby stable barrels. His heart palpitations fluttered the same rhythm blackbirds flitted their wings against a windy day; his eyelids were heavy, as heavy as the sword he carried on his first day of training. The autumn air had grown bitter; gone were the delightful perfumes the flowers presented, and Kitβs senses were now only filled with the dampness of the nearby mud puddles, mingled unpleasantly with the breath of the ghostly stranger, and topped with an unpalatable sprinkle of infectious rust from an old sword. Still, Kit held it together, a stoic look planted atop his features as his bright blue gaze hovered over Elric. Hand over hand, Kit held him close, his other remaining steadily across his elbow.
xx βElric.β Kit could see it in the princeβs sapphire irises; the heat of the news was melting him whole, pushing his consciousness down into the damp ground they stood upon. Piece by piece, Elric was retreating back into another world, the dreamy look in his gaze gone, replaced with an unpleasant horror. His gaze flitted towards Nelson, whose nostrils were flaring. βElric,β he spoke once again, removing one hand from the princeβs upper body to tap his knee. βCome down for a moment.β Formalities had been wiped clean; there was no time for such words. The news was striking, equivalent to a sword against sword, and Kit fretted the worst would happen if the stunned prince remained on his mount. The shift in the atmosphere didnβt do Benedita much good, either. While Kit had made the decision to remain on foot, given how sensitive the dappled grey mare was, it did not stop her from prancing around the same way he often found the foals in the field doing when eager to get moving.
xx βBreathe,β he commanded, forcing his tone to remain steady; a hushed whisper against the belligerent breeze. If it weren't for their height difference, given Kit was not atop his horse, nor Elric, on the ground, he would have embraced the prince; touch of any sort seemed to pull the blond back to reality. βWe must find the King. We have time.β Time was a tricky thing, an unpredictable gamble one often tied themselves up in without truly knowing, but Kit was confident with his words. The stranger arrived on foot, looking far too timorous for Kit to feel like it was too late. He had become the white rabbit, and the hours tickled on distressingly. He wasnβt sure when the clock would stop its rhythmic beat. βIt was a man β a single man, on foot. A spy, I suspect, or a cast-out. He informed me that King Ode wants land, and if he cannot have it, he will turn to war.β He paused, reluctant to answer one of Elricβs many pressing questions. βHe was not one of your men.β This was spoken quieter, given the audible disappointment that washed out Elricβs final words. βHe was from Terrowin. Heβs gone now,β he added quickly, pulling away from the prince so that he could remount his mare. βFled before I could even finish my sentence. He was not a threat, I could sense it. I believe his life is at just as much risk as our own will be if we do not act quickly.β
xx Placing his boot in the stirrup of his saddle, Kit hoisted himself up and onto Bennieβs back, his sword clinking unpleasantly against the leather he settled in. βLet us find your father and take it to his office. The council will need to be informed. Elric.β His tone smoothed over once again, and he side-stepped his Andalusian closer to his friend. βNothing can be confirmed yet. We have time.β
xx Grasping time was the best thing Kit could do to keep his nerves below the surface; the last thing Elric needed was for the knightβs own reaction to break out like a last-minute tidal wave. Kit wasnβt the planner, nor was he the organizer. The royals had that under control, with their endless ways of scheming. Kit was the protector, the one who took orders and followed through with them. He didnβt feel it was necessary to remind Elric at that moment that he lacked knowledge regarding their realistic options, and how each would follow through if they were to go through with them. He was only the fighter, the loyal protector.
xx And he would do anything in his power to keep his loved ones safe.
xx βWhen this is over,β he continued, reaching out towards the prince once again, βI promise you we will come back here. If luck is on our side, we can pray this is all simply a misunderstanding. But I assure you, itβs best to plan in case then imagine a different scenario.β
xx Perhaps that was an unintentional scolding towards the prince, and while Kit winced a bit as he spoke such words, he did not try to rope them back in. Elric was a daydreamer, it was unquestionable, but he wasnβt fool-hearted or weak. When given the proper guidance, he had the ability to make some fine decisions. That was needed now.
xx The susurration of a distant cry called out, then, breaking the tension between the two young men. It was one of a bird, explicitly, but one nonetheless that forced an urgency to course through his veins yet again. βCome,β he instructed, back in business mode as he twitched one side of his reins, snapping Bennie around. βWe must find your father.β He only hesitated for a fleeting second, enough to ensure himself that Elric had both heard and obeyed his orders, then kicked his mare into the full-fledged gallop. The chilled air was painful against Kitβs face, scraping his skin like branches when riding through the woods, but Kit didnβt once slow down, not until he was able to catch sight of whom was unquestionably the King himself. Kit leaned back in the saddle, his gloved hands gripping his reins tightly. Ocean eyes retreated back to Elric. βGo,β he urged him, nodding in the Kingβs direction. βI believe this is your duty, as future King.β He watched Elric a moment longer, gaze softening, voice easing; βItβll be okay.β
