Chapter 91
The Grand Emberforge Mine had worked without pause for generations.
Day and night, the sound of pickaxes striking stone echoed through the mountains.
Today...
The mountain answered back.
A deep, thunderous groan rolled through the valley.
Then came the collapse.
The morning council had barely begun when hurried footsteps echoed outside the chamber.
The doors swung open.
Theo entered, breathing hard, "Your Majesty."
Every conversation stopped.
Lucian looked up immediately.
Theo rarely interrupted a council meeting.
If he had...
Something was terribly wrong.
"What is it?" Lucian asked.
Theo took a steadying breath, "We've received an emergency dispatch from Emberforge."
Lucian straightened.
"The northern mine has collapsed."
Silence swept across the chamber. Even the ministers seemed unable to react.
Lucian's expression hardened, "How long ago?"
"Less than an hour."
"The rescue has already begun, but..." Theo hesitated, "...they believe many miners are still trapped underground."
A knot formed in Lucian's stomach.
His next question came almost instinctively, "...Aurora?"
Theo lowered his eyes, "We don't know, Your Majesty."
For a heartbeat...The room seemed to disappear. He heard nothing. Saw nothing.
Only one thought remained. Please... Let her be safe.
Lucian pushed back his chair, "Prepare my horse."
Theo nodded immediately.
"At once."
One of the older ministers rose, "Your Majesty...Duke Owen commands one of the finest rescue forces in the kingdom. They may not require—"
Lucian looked at him, "If Lady Aurora is there..."
His voice remained calm, "...then that's where I need to be."
No one spoke again.
Within moments, the council chamber was empty.
Brian had just finished sparring when a palace knight came running across the yard.
"My Lord!"
Brian lowered his practice sword, "What happened?"
"The King has ridden for Emberforge."
Brian frowned, "Why?"
"The northern mine collapsed."
The colour drained from Brian's face, "...Aurora."
The knight blinked, "My Lord?"
Brian handed over his sword, "Saddle my horse."
"The King hasn't summoned you."
"He won't need to." ,Brian fastened his cloak, "I already know why he's going"
The rescue camp had expanded across the valley.
Smoke drifted from hastily lit fires.
Stretchers lined the medical tents.
The injured arrived one after another.
Aurora wiped the sweat from her brow with the back of her sleeve before moving to the next patient.
"Emily. Bandages."
Emily handed them over without a word.
Aurora began stitching a deep cut along a miner's forearm, "You'll have a scar."
The young man managed a weak smile, "My wife says scars make a man look handsome."
Aurora smiled back, "Then she'll have no complaints."
The man laughed despite the pain.
Emily quietly placed a cup beside Aurora, "My Lady."
Aurora didn't look up.
"Drink."
"I'm fine."
Emily sighed, "You've said that all morning."
"I mean it."
"You also haven't eaten."
"I will."
"When?"
Aurora opened her mouth, "...Later."
Turner walked into the tent just in time to hear it.
He looked at Emily, "Has she eaten?"
Emily folded her arms, "Not a bite."
Turner wasn't surprised.
He picked up a piece of fresh bread from the nearby table and held it toward Aurora.
She glanced at it, "I don't have time."
"You do."
"I have patients."
"So, eat while walking."
Aurora gave him an unimpressed look, "You're becoming rather demanding."
"I've had a good teacher."
Emily laughed.
Aurora finally accepted the bread with an exaggerated sigh.
"There."
Turner gave a single nod, "Much better."
For a brief moment...
The weight hanging over the camp felt just a little lighter.
Owen stood silently before the collapsed shaft. His eyes moved slowly over the broken supports.
Something bothered him. He crouched beside one of the shattered beams.
Alistair joined him, "My Lord?"
Owen pointed, "What do you see?"
Alistair studied the timber, "It split beneath the weight."
Owen shook his head, "Look again."
Alistair leaned closer.
His expression changed, "...Those aren't fractures."
His fingers brushed the wood, "They're cut marks."
Owen nodded, "Someone weakened the supports."
Neither man spoke for several seconds.
Finally Alistair asked, "Do you think it was deliberate?"
"I don't think.", Owen stood, "I know."
A chill settled between them.
Alistair instinctively scanned the tree line.
Nothing moved.
Only the wind.
Only the forest.
Yet neither man could shake the feeling...
Someone was watching.
The horses had been running for hours.
Theo urged his mount forward, "Your Majesty..."
Lucian never slowed.
"You need to rest the horses."
"I'll rest when we arrive."
Brian finally drew alongside him, "You've barely spoken."
Lucian kept his eyes on the road ahead.
After a long silence...
He finally answered, "I'm afraid."
Brian looked at him in surprise.
Lucian almost never admitted fear, "I keep thinking..."
His grip tightened around the reins.
"...what if I'm too late? She's stubborn, she will put herself in danger to help someone"
Brian looked ahead.
For once...
He had no words.
One of the younger knights suddenly pointed down the road.
"Captain!" ,Turner looked up.
A plume of dust rose in the distance.
Several riders approached at full gallop.
The royal standard fluttered above them.
"They're here."
The crowd instinctively stepped aside.
Lucian swung from his horse before it had even come to a complete stop.
His eyes searched the camp.
The wounded. The rescue teams. The tents.
Then...
He saw her...Aurora.
Her sleeves were stained with blood. Soot darkened her dress. Loose strands of hair framed her exhausted face.
She looked utterly worn...But she was standing.
Relief hit him so suddenly he almost stumbled.
Aurora looked up.Across the crowded camp, their eyes met.
Neither moved.
Neither spoke.
After a long moment, Aurora offered him a small, reassuring smile, "I'm alright."
Lucian let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding, "...Thank God."
Not as a king.
Not as the Crown.
Just as a man.
Nearby, Owen quietly witnessed the exchange.
A few paces away, Turner saw it too.
Neither spoke.
Neither needed to.
There were questions for another day.
For now...
The mountain still held men beneath its stone.
And every passing minute mattered.
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