Chapter Fourteen #5
Garran sighed faintly. “We do not wish to hurt Tiberius in any case,” he told her. “How could you think that?”
Douglass didn’t answer. She was still glaring at her brother. After a moment, she turned to look at Tiberius.
“What has happened that you must flee to Isenhall to warn your brothers?” she wanted to know. “Will you tell me what you know?”
Tiberius smiled at her, a gesture that had the ability to completely disarm her. How could anything be wrong in the world with a smile like that?
“The details would not concern you,” he said softly.
“Suffice it to say that I must go or my brothers will die. As much as I adore you, nay… as much as I love you, I must return to Isenhall. I must fight with my brothers, Douglass. I should never have left them but my heart was with you… I had to make a difficult choice. Now I must make another one. I must return to Isenhall any way I can. Even unto the death.”
Douglass reached out, grasping his hand and holding it fast. “I love you, also,” she whispered, tears in her eyes. “Oh, Tiberius, of course I do. I told you that you would always be my forever and I meant it. Where you go, I go, and we are going to Isenhall.”
He lifted her hand to his lips, kissing it sweetly.
For a moment, it was just the two of them in that room; no Garran, no Davyss, no Henry, and no de Montfort.
Just them and the love they had declared for one another.
Tiberius wanted very badly to take her in his arms but he didn’t want their first true embrace and their first kiss to be public.
For once, he didn’t want to make a spectacle of something as intimate as a kiss.
He wanted it to be something just the two of them would witness, something meaningful and special.
He wanted to show their newly-found love the respect it deserved.
“Then get behind me,” he commanded after a moment. “I am going to try and walk out of here without a fight. Stay close.”
Nodding fearfully, Douglass tucked in behind him, her hands on his waist. He was so tall that her head only came to mid-back on him, and she laid her head against him for a moment, feeling his warmth and strength.
It was a thrilling moment for her, but it also served to fuel her fear.
She was terrified that Tiberius was going to get hurt if he tried to leave without being able to brandish a weapon, as he had promised her he wouldn’t do.
She didn’t want to see her father and brother injured but she didn’t want to see Tiberius injured, either.
Slowly, Tiberius began to walk towards Davyss and Garran.
“Will you let me pass, Davyss?” Tiberius asked. “I am asking that you let me pass without resistance. As a personal favor to me and to Gallus and Maximus, I ask you. Will you honor me?”
Davyss was preparing to hold his ground, as miserable as he had ever been. “I cannot,” he muttered hoarsely. “You know I cannot, Ty. Please do not ask me.”
Tiberius didn’t slow down. He kept a slow, steady pace, drawing ever-closer to Davyss as Garran drew close to Davyss as well, shoulder to shoulder, in a show of solidarity.
“Don’t, Ty,” Garran begged softly. “Please don’t push this matter. We cannot let you go.”
“Is it because of your sister?” Tiberius asked softly. “Is it because she has joined herself to me?”
Garran shook his head. “It is not that, not any longer,” he said.
“You have convinced me that your feelings for her are true. I know you too well. I know what it is when you are infatuated, but with my sister… it is different. I know it is different and I am no longer resistant. Just do not prove me wrong, ever, or I will kill you. You know that.”
Tiberius paused. He was only a few feet away, looking at Garran and knowing the man spoke the truth.
All he could do was nod. But more than that, he could see that he was going to have to lay hands upon both of the knights to move them out of the way.
His heart was aching in so many ways that it was difficult to isolate just one.
All he knew was that this situation, the one they had always feared would separate them from their closest friends, was about to do just that.
He was about to hurt his friends and he almost couldn’t stand the pain.
But he couldn’t stand the loss of his brothers even more.
“Please,” Tiberius begged, one last time. “Please move aside so that I may save Gallus and Maximus. For my brothers’ sakes, will you please move aside?”
There was such sorrow in the room, such grief between them.
Garran was stricken with it, as was Davyss.
But before they could reply, denying Tiberius yet again and undoubtedly entering into some manner of physical altercation with him, they all heard the sing of metal as a sword was unsheathed.
Tiberius turned in the direction of the sound only to see Tallis flying off the staircase and hurling himself in his direction, weapon drawn.
Quite quickly, the situation turned deadly.