Ancient Kingdom Time Forgot

Chapter 14

“I’ll never be able to make this right to her.” Raiden stared off into the distance as Agneta was putting on his armor. He was refusing to make eye contact for fear he might see the sympathy in her eyes, and right now he needed to keep a clear head.

“No, don’t say that, she loves you!” Agneta replied as she pulled the leather straps to tighten his breastplate.

“Bridgie is the most wonderful person I know, she reminds me so much of my grandmother, Odette, her looks, her mannerisms, everything. My grandmother was wonderful, she was loved by all and understood the world, she never tried to hide anything, and my Bridgie is just like her, she loves you, she will have nothing to forgive, you are her life, now save her!” Dr. Hawthorne said as he came up behind Raiden putting his hand on his shoulder in comfort.

Raiden holds back a sniffle and clears his throat as he pulls down his shirt. “I will get her back and kill the Ainsleys.” His voice changed as he gathered the black paint and wiped his fingers down his face.

“It’s time!” Miles shouted as he came inside the room, they watched the sun touch his concerned face.

Agneta stepped in front of Raiden as he began to walk toward the door, “Jeius, su pre a quant, wranna mun, bu fass, bu gud, yea dadu doe” She leans her forehead against his, for a brief moment before he moves her aside and heads out the door.

“What did you say to him, my dear?” Mrs. Watson asked, walking up to Agenta, and grabbing her hand.

“I told him, Cousin, you are a brave, wonderful man, be fast, be safe, and I love him.” She replied holding back tears from falling down her rosy cheeks.

As Raiden stepped out onto the icy tundra his heart was pounding in his chest, he squinted his eyes looking for his rivals as the sting of the harsh wind sliced his face. “Where are you? You cowards!” his chest barrelled as he stood up straight peering at the dark figures moving closer through the storm.

“Oh, we didn’t forget about you princess!” Sheamus boomed his baritone voice as he slung Bridgette in front of him like a shield.

“I want a piece of you, pretty boy!” Coffrey’s voice rattled as he appeared from behind Sheamus twirling his knife and ax. He started sprinting toward Raiden as his ax and knife clashed with Raiden’s sword, the steal sang as they pushed back and released the connecting weapons. Raiden swung Hum Kai and sliced Coffrey’s face from forehead to chin. He fell back, blood came pouring out, Coffrey was now blinded from the blood spilling into his left eye. He quickly rotated his left arm and clashed again with Raiden’s blade, disoriented from the blow he staggered and quickly tried to mimic the motion with his right arm. Raiden turned to the side and slid his sword up Coffrey’s thigh, slicing through his abdomen. Coffrey fell to his knees and screamed as he dropped his weapons grabbing onto his thigh, he knew his fate Raiden had cut into his artery and he would die within minutes. He quickly turned his head to look at his cousin Sheamus who was watching in disbelief, his mouth had fallen open as he threw Bridgette to the icy floor taking out his sword and running toward Raiden as Coffrey fell to the ground.

“You’ll pay bastard!” Sheamus cried out as they clashed swords. Coffrey was Sheamus’s only living relative, his father, Elphege was tried for treason and beheaded when Sheamus was twelve. His mother, Osennya, was convicted as a conspirator, and with a stroke, he was an orphan. He went to live with his Aunt Coreealonius and Uncle Neapoli his father’s brother, but that was short-lived they were both executed for rallying a rebellion against his brother’s death. Sheamus and Coffrey only had each other, they did everything together, they made a blood pack when they were younger swearing to avenge their parents. That was the only thing Sheamus could think of as he swung his sword down hitting Raiden’s shoulder. Sheamus smiled as he lifted his sword out of Raiden’s fresh wound, as he swung it around Raiden quickly shielded his side with his sword and twisted his body out of the way. Quickly, he drew his sword back again intending to thrust it into Raiden’s stomach, but Raiden fell back and landed on the ground, thinking this was the end and a new beginning for Sheamus he desperately tried to get to his feet.

“Bear!” Bridgette yelled the most blood-curdling scream. Sheamus looked behind him and Raiden quickly impelled him through the chest. He staggered back reaching for the sword sticking out of his chest before falling.

“Quickly!” Raiden yelled running toward Bridgette, grabbing her tied hands, and yanking her to run away from the danger.

“There’s no bear Raiden” she spoke softly, “Thank you” she smiled at him. His wound drew her eye and her face turned to concern. He quickly untied her and lifted her into the air wincing as he laid her back down. “Why is no one else here?” She looked around the bare frozen wasteland holding onto Raiden’s arm.

“No one is allowed to be here, by invoking principalays the royal must fight his opposers alone, and the victor shall enter back and be proclaimed King.” Raiden struggled to smile through the pain as he grabbed her hand.

“What if you were badly hurt? Would no one come to assist you?” She asked confused tearing a piece of cloth from her tattered dress to wrap his wound.

“No, the victor must go back, after a day if no one emerges then soldiers would come to find the bodies.” He watches as she tilts her head and scrunches her face tying the bandage. “It’s treason to wish death upon a royal, and during the battle, someone would surely think about the sovereign dying, someone could also assist one party to win and it is forbidden.” He grabs her hand and gently pulls her close as they head back under the ice back to their kingdom that no one could dispute now. They are quickly greeted by the Ealdormen, pulling Raiden to the side inspecting him, dressing his wounds, and sending their hardy congratulations. As they are the only ones to be in the Great Hall, to see who emerges from the frozen earth, the bloody battle, to be the first to lay eyes upon the new king, be he foe or friend. They undress and bathe him in cold water with honey, they dress him in white silk and anoint his head in what smelled like blackberries and mint Bridgette thought as she patiently waited and watched these old men not miss a beat on fawning over their true and undisputed heir.

“Come your Highness, your subjects await your return.” Ealdorman Amos bellowed as he cleared his throat moving slowly toward the large white and gold-lined doors.

“Wait!” Raiden said as his head whipped around to find Bridgette in the same tattered clothes. “Clean my bride-to-be, find her clothes, and we shall go in together.”

“Your Grace, it’s just not done!” Ealdorman Silas spoke up as he grabbed up his robes from the floor so he could walk closer to the tired and wounded sovereign.

“She has been through enough!” Raiden barked at the old men standing around him. They bowed as they grabbed Bridgette and put her in the bath.

“I have clothing for the Queen to be.” Ealdorman Leif stepped up with a white dress embroidered with pearls.

Though she was not anointed she still felt like a Queen, she grabbed onto Raiden’s hand as he lifted their hands in front of them as the double doors opened and bagpipes started playing. They started walking down the aisle to the two thrones in front of the room, taking notice of each face eager to greet their new royals-to-be. Following behind were the Ealdormen, Ealdorman Saxon, and Ealdorman Callum was behind Ealdorman Leif, they were swinging thuribles and Ealdorman Leif was carrying a large old book. Before Raiden and Bridgette sit on the thrones, Leif climbs the stairs to the icy-looking podium and places the book in front of him.

“Friends, family, subjects of Aktoria, we are gathered not to crown a new King but to bless the true King. Undisputed to protect us all, he has struck down all threats from our beloved home, and we thank him by anointing his head with our good wishes and ask blessings from his ancestors that have surely done the same.” Ealdorman Leif raises his hands above his head, as he turns his head to Ealdorman Silas watching him dip his thumb in oil and swipe it across Raiden’s forehead. He then turned to the crowd and let out a wild yip. The room quickly filled with the smell of roses and lavender.