The Royal Quest

Chapter 14. Father's Last Words

Dahlia ran as fast as she could, trusting Baron for whatever he had planned and hoping that he could save Jamie.

"Hey! Come back here!" A man's voice running after her shouted but Dahlia refused to look back and held on to her sword tightly. 

"Princess!" She suddenly heard someone calling her from a dark corner. She roamed her eyes and darted at Mr. Hugh hiding. 

"Mr. Hugh!?"

"Come, follow me." He said which Dahlia obeyed. 

The man led her to a wooden wagon covered with thick canvas and kept her hidden inside.

"Shh…" Mr. Hugh put a finger on his lips.

Dahlia stays still, until they are certain that there is no more danger around.

"Save my son." Suddenly Mr. Hugh utters, staring straight into Dahlia's eyes.

The princess took a deep sigh while her eyes started to well up.

"I wanted to, but you see… I am weak. I couldn't even fight a single man. I am so useless. Maybe they are right after all, that I have no potential to rule a kingdom." She sadly let out and started sobbing softly.

"Maybe it is time to go back and just accept my fate." She added.

"And marry a man you don't love?" Mr. Hugh retorted.

"Yo-you knew?" Dahlia wondered.

"I actually have no idea that you are the royal princess, since I never had a chance to enter the palace or have the privilege of seeing you in person. I'm just a farmer and I've been here my whole life, until I met my wife, Jamie's mother. Unfortunately, she passed away after giving birth to my son." Mr. Hugh started.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Dahlia said while sniffing, trying to stop her tears.

"In this village, we never desire material things. We are content with what we have and we're happy. Just like a haven where I wish to raise my son, to grow well. But, Mr. Sullivan came and ruined everything. He started to act as if he owned us. We tried to resist, but every time we did there was always a consequence. We even tried to reach out into the palace but it seems he has a connection inside. Someone that is protecting him from his crimes." Mr. Hugh explained and sighed.

"You can't be frightened, stay courageous and believe in yourself. You are our only hope, Your Highness." The man broke down in front of the Princess.

"Take my son, save him. It is not safe here anymore." He begged.

"B-but, I'm going north. I am not going to the castle of Haru." 

"I know, I understand. Make use of him in your adventure. I would rather let my son be by your side rather than watch him losing an arm."

"Wha-what?"

"Sullivan will not stop until he gets what he wants and fulfills his pride."

"But I can't. It is too dangerous." 

"I believe in you. You have the royal blood that runs through your veins. I know you can do it, show them that you can and, when you succeed, get rid of all the evil that surrounds the palace. Rule kindness and compassion, just like what you always wanted, Princess Dahlia. Save the future of Haru Kingdom." Mr. Hugh said as he bowed his head in front of the lady. 

Dahlia was stunned by how the man trusted her so much and the feeling of determination not to fail her people once again overpowered her. 

"Let's go back to Baron and save Jamie," she suddenly says as the man quickly moves.

"Yes, Your Highness!"

Mr. Hugh rides rapidly back to the scene while inside the wagon is the motivated princess, holding on to her sword.

'This time, I'll make sure to make use of it.' She thought dauntlessly while taking off her cloak so she could move freely.

Dahlia peered to find out their location and noticed a commotion in the middle of the road. She had a glimpse of Baron holding Jamie behind him while pointing his sword at the men after them.

"Just go straight ahead, Mister," Dahlia ordered.

"Yes, Your Highness."

Mr. Hugh ran the two horses rapidly and crashed everyone in front, shocking the enemy in surprise of their arrival.

"Get in!" Dahlia yelled at Baron.

"Princess!? Didn't I tell you to run!?" Baron scolded the princess while helping Jamie to get up in the wagon. 

"Shut up, Baron. You are so annoying!" Dahlia countered as she pulled him to get inside as well.

"Don't let them escape! Go after them! Get the princess!" They heard Sullivan angrily demand.

"Father!" Jamie felt relief seeing his father.

"You see what you have done now, young man!? You also put the princess's life in danger!" Mr. Hugh scolded his son while running the wagon.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to." Jamie apologized with his head bent down.

"There they are! Faster!" They heard someone shout outside. 

Baron peeked and saw Sullivan's men still after them.

"They will not quit until they get you," Baron said, looking at Dahlia.

"I need to get down to stop them." He proposed.

"No, you can't do it alone." Dahlia was worried.

"You are staying here and make sure you escape safely. Do you understand?" Baron strictly told the princess.

"Baron, no! I'm not leaving you!" She countered, but Baron just stared at her with cold eyes while holding on to his sword and moving to get out. But before he could jump out of the vehicle, Mr. Hugh stopped him.

"Baron, the soldier. Right? Why don't you make sure that the princess can escape safely?" 

Baron turned to look at the man in front with furrowed eyebrows. Confused.

"Jamie, hand me the chest beside you." He ordered, and Jamie handed him the rectangular chest.

"Baron, can you come here and take my place? Don't worry, these horses are not so hard to handle." He said with a forceful smile.

Baron moves and takes charge of the riding. While Mr. Hugh opens the chest with a sword inside.

"It's been so long for me too." He playfully said, revealing his dangerous possession, and turned to his son.

"Jamie, from now on, you have to follow the princess. Serve her with all your might and make sure she is always safe. Do you understand?" He told his son with a serious expression.

"Ye-yes, father," Jamie answered.

"Don't let me down this time, young man."

"Yes, father. I promise." Jamie swore while he started to shed tears.

"I love you. Your mother would be so proud of you." Mr. Hugh said with a smile as he gently patted his son's head.

"Mr. Hugh," Dahlia muttered as she couldn't resist her tears as well, visualizing the possible danger that the man is going to face.

"It's alright, Your Highness. Please take care of my son."

Dahlia nodded in response while hugging Jamie.

"Baron, don't stop. Just go forward and don't look back." Mr. Hugh said before he finally jumped off of the wagon. 

Baron swallowed the lumps in his throat and struck the horses to run them faster, as he didn't want the man's sacrifice to be in vain.

They made it out of the village, leaving everything behind, including Mr. Hugh. Once Baron is satisfied with their location, they decide to take a break for a moment. On an uphill road where they can overview the whole Kingdom of Haru.

"How are you feeling?" Baron asked the lady and stood beside her, facing the west as they watched the sun slowly setting.

"I'm fine, I'm just worried about Jamie." She honestly said, staring at the young boy who was quietly seated on a rock while playing with a stick in his hand.

"Let's just give him space for a while. In the meantime, we need to find a place to spend the night."

"Baron." Dahlia took the man's hand and squeezed it gently.

"Thank you." She let out, while Baron was astounded by her.

"Sullivan would have got me if it weren't because of you and I'm sorry if I'm being so hard and never listening to you." The Princess apologized heartedly.

Baron looked down at her and smiled as he changed their hands and now it was his holding hers.

"I swore to protect you no matter what and will not let anyone hurt you as long as I am here, my Princess." He said while his eyes were glued to her like a magnet, tracing her face down to her lips. He swallowed hard, trying to resist the temptation.

"I never thought this journey would be this cruel. I wonder what will happen next." Suddenly the princess let out and sighed, withdrawing her hand from Baron and turned to the blazing view of the sunset.

"This is no longer a journey, Your Highness," Baron responded.

"This is war, our battle, and we need to win this. We have to stride forward, whatever awaits ahead. We cannot turn back now in the name of all of the sacrifices we had." Baron remarks.

"Mr. Hugh," Dahlia mumbled, remembering the courageous father who wanted a better world for his son to live in.

"But I cannot bring Jamie into this war." She added, looking up to Baron.

"I understand," Baron said with a smile. 

"We'll find a safe place for Jamie, so don't worry. Okay?"

Dahlia nodded in response with a forced smile.

"Well, I guess we will be staying here for the night and leave at dawn."

*****

"Are you certain that the lady is the Princess?"

"Yes, my Lord. A hundred percent sure. Plus, she gave me this," Sullivan handed the man some golden coins that Dahlia gave him.

"Then how come you didn't succeed in taking her? She has no skill. Were you that useless? I give you the Heinzfield to be stronger, to be more efficient. Now what happened? You let a weak lady slip away from your hand!?"

"I apologize, my lord. But she's with a man, a skilled fighter, and besides, I wasn't ready at the moment. I never expected that she would stay in the village," Sullivan explained anxiously.

The man stared at the shillings and suddenly smirked viciously.

"Seems like she really is determined to go north." The man chuckles.

"Unfortunately, I don't think she could still manage to fulfill her objective after this nightfall. And also, I will never let Massimo Gor have the opportunity to kill Dahlia Reese." He added, and Sullivan responded with a smirk as well.

"Prepare your force and this time don't fail me. I want Dahlia's head before the sun rises. Understood?" The man demanded strictly.

"Yes, sir!" Sullivan responded and quickly turned his heels to prepare his men.