Chapter 18
When I reached the spot where the moonlight shone through the canopy, still in the shadows, I witnessed the carnage of battle for the first time.
There were five dead bodies, and blood littered the clearing.
When I scanned them, I realized that none of them were my knights.
Or Rowan. I breathed a sigh of relief and I stepped out into the light.
The knights had fought fiercely, but even Gareth, Barca, and Jon hadn't anticipated this.
Barca groaned on the ground, clutching a deep wound in his shoulder, with Jon at his aid while Gareth held a defensive position, his gaze beaded on the route the Black Dragons had escaped from, expecting them to come back.
They were loyal knights, Julian had selected them and Edith had vouched for them.
And they were one of our strongest too, with Gareth being just under Aldric as the Vice Manager of the Knights.
He was a middle aged man, around my fathers age, and they'd been friends since childhood.
I knew he was loyal. Barca and Jon were younger, only slightly older than me in their mid twenties.
They were young and brash, but also loyal, and though they weren't as strong as Gareth or Rowan, they'd held their ground well tonight and I was impressed.
Rowan was still standing, but barely. He was breathing hard, his cloak torn, a thin line of blood trailing down his arm and a deep gash on his side. Three of the Black Dragons assassins lay motionless on the ground around him.
And yet, despite his injuries, he was grinning.
"Took you long enough," he called out breathlessly, as he watched me enter the clearing.
Rowan exhaled heavily, sheathing his sword as he turned to me.
He staggered toward a tree, finding it hard to stay standing with his bounds, but even in the dark his face held his usual smirk, and somehow, I found that comforting.
I let out a slow breath, my pulse still racing.
The second wave of attackers had come out of nowhere, striking with lethal precision.
The Black Dragons. It was no coincidence.
They had been watching Rowan, following him.
When they saw it was only two of us riding into the wilderness, they must've thought it was the perfect time to strike, and leave no evidence.
"My lady," Gareth came running up to me, his sword drenched in blood.
I didn't answer either of them. I was still in shock, my gut twisting at the sight of the dead bodies with entrails falling out.
I watched the faces of Jon, Barca, Gareth, and Rowan.
That could have been one of them. I clenched my fists at this stark realization.
Battle was not something to laugh at, and it was not as grand as what I read about in books. It was awful, and gut wrenching.
Rowan wiped blood from his cheek with the back of his hand. He sat clutching the deep wound on his side, and had managed to prop himself up against a tree, "So," he drawled, "that was quite the little ambush." I swallowed hard. He wasn't stupid. He knew. "At least this one was real."
As I wrestled with my feelings, trying to keep my legs from trembling, I looked over at him.
But I couldn't manage a reply. I was desperately trying to get my mind working again, and fought tears that welled in my eyes.
To hide my face from my knights I crouched beside him, pressing my hands over his wound to stop the bleeding.
Rowan tried to push me away. "It's just a scratch," he said, though his easy grin faltered and I could tell he was in immense pain.
I stared down at the deep gash. "It's not a scratch," I said grimly, forcing my words not to tremble.
"We need to stop the bleeding." At that moment, I wish I'd paid more attention in my health classes.
But we didn't have any gauze or medical tape—in this world, my knowledge was practically useless.
Gareth came to my aid, taking my place. "It's alright, my lady. You needn't bloody your hands." He ripped a strip from his tunic and bound it around the wound tightly, eliciting a sharp cry from Rowan. So he's still human.
As he finished dressing the wounds, Gareth turned to me. "I'm sorry lady Rosaria. We should have known they were here. Our ignorance put your life in danger."
"I—"
"Well well, Lady Rosaria, hmm? Duke Leland's daughter.
So I was right." Rowan smirked. The blood from his wound stained the cloth red, and he was sweating from his temples.
I didn't know how he managed such an expression, or even to speak, but as the adrenaline wore off, he would slowly start to feel more pain.
We needed to get him back to the manor so he could be treated.
Rowan continued, though his voice was more labored, "And I was also right, that you were testing me."
Gareth nodded, casting a look of respect toward the mercenary.
"You were pulling your punches, hiding your strength.
As soon as we crossed swords, I knew, you were not someone to be trifled with.
" He wiped the blade of his bloody sword and placed it in his sheath. "Thank you for protecting our Lady."
Jon and Barca approached us, with Barca slung over Jon's shoulder. They were both injured pretty badly, although not as badly as Rowan, and they could walk.
"That makes me right twice," Rowan smirked. "Maybe I really am a genius."
"You were wrong once, too. I thought you said they wouldn't be able to track you down." I tried to keep my voice steady as I spoke. Despite my words, I wasn't mad at him. I was just glad he was alive.
"That cancels out. Still right once," he smiled. He struggled against Gareth, who helped him to his feet and leaned him against his shoulder. "Please, I can walk on my own. I've faced worse wounds in battle than this."
Yet as he took a step forward, he faltered, and Gareth came to his aid again.
"Let me help you," he said, coming beside him.
Rowan, reluctantly, was forced to accept.
He cast a glance at Jon and Barca. "We need to move.
If they were tracking him, there might be more on the way, and we can't give them time to regroup. "
Jon and Barca caught up with us, and the four of them hobbled along as we made our way back to where they tied the horses.
At their insistence, I walked in between them, in case of another ambush. I would never get used to being treated like nobility, and I never felt myself superior to them. But with each wounded step they took, I felt sick, and guilty. I was just glad they were alive.
I clenched my jaw. The Black Dragons had been watching Rowan's movements.
This was bad–the surviving Black Dragons had seen me, not my face, but they'd seen enough to have me on their radar.
I couldn't let them trace me to the Duke, or it would ruin my whole plans.
As the adrenaline wore off and my nausea subsided, my mind began to work.
I turned to Rowan, who struggled alongside Gareth, still clenching his wound, my mind racing. "You need to disappear."
His brows rose. "Disappearing isn't exactly my style."
"You can't go back to town," I said, ignoring his flippant tone. "If they were willing to strike here, they'll come for you again."
Gareth nodded. "That is true, my lady. And I suspect they'll be on even higher alert now that we've killed five of them. We've, or rather Rowan, has shown them we're not someone to be trifled with."
I appreciated Gareth's wise insight. At times like these, it was always good to have experience.
Jon cut in the conversation eagerly, craning his head from his position in front of us to look back.
"You fought bravely, and killed three of the Black Dragons.
Gareth killed one, and he's the strongest Knight I know.
Jon and I barely managed to kill a single one. For that, you have my respect."
Rowan let out a low chuckle as he hobbled alongside Gareth. "Respect, huh? Well, I'd say I was just lucky, but we all know I'm far too skilled for that." He flashed Jon a cocky grin, clearly enjoying the praise. "Besides, when your life's on the line, you tend to get very motivated."
Gareth could only shake his head, witnessing Rowan's cheeky arrogance first hand.
But he'd also seen how strong he was, so perhaps it was well deserved.
"You have a unique style of swordsmanship.
I'd like to ask you who your mentor is, but I think we'll have to save that conversation for another time," he turned toward me. "What do you suggest we do?"
I hesitated, then spoke. "Rowan, I don't doubt your capabilities. I know you were a careful spy, so that just makes the Black Dragons even more dangerous," I said grimly. "You'll come back with us to the estate. We'll treat your wounds, give you a new identity. You'll stay hidden. For now."
He blinked. Then, to my irritation, his usual grin returned. "Why, my lady, are you inviting me home?"
His response made Barca chuckle. "I like this one," he said enthusiastically. Then, looking in my direction, he quickly changed tune. "I mean...uh, s-sorry, my lady."
I rolled my eyes and turned away. "For now, yes. But don't worry, you won't have to stay cooped up in the walls for long. You'll get to face the Black Dragons again, eventually."
"Im... looking forward to it," Rowan said, flashing a grin, but his voice trailed off, and in the next few moments he passed out from the blood loss.
"You fought bravely, now rest," Gareth said, dragging him along. As an experienced knight he was strong, but lugging along that much dead weight for an extended period of time would make anyone tired.
I came along side him, easing his load by taking the other arm of Rowan. This started Gareth. "My lady, you can't—"
I held my hands out to stop him, my gaze steady. "It's fine, Gareth. I don't mind getting a little blood and dirt on me. I'll live."
Though he didn't like it, Gareth reluctantly accepted my help and we followed the injured Jon and Barca through the trees until we came to the horses.
The horses Rowan and I had been riding, thankfully, had run away and found these ones. I took the reigns of one of the black steeds and held it steady as Gareth hoisted the limp Rowan on its back.
After leaning Barca against a tree, Jon fetched him some rope tied to one of the saddles. Gareth secured him as best as he could.
"Will that hold him?" I asked.
"It should," he nodded. "We'll ride slow until we get back to the manor."
After that, he helped hoist me on the other black steed, and the other knights did the same.
Thankfully, though he had a bum leg and arm, Barca was alright to ride.
We made our way slowly through the trees, with Gareth in the lead with Rowan's horse, me beside him, and the other two knights behind us, watching out for any danger.
——
By the time we reached the manor, dawn was breaking over the horizon, painting the sky in soft hues of violet and gold. The ride back had been grueling—Barca barely stayed conscious, Gareth was stiff with exhaustion, and Jon kept scanning the tree line as if expecting another ambush at any moment.
We made our way through a hidden entrance to the estate, a hole in the fence that had never been patched.
It was times like these I was glad to have Gareth as an ally, not only for his wise insight but also for his years of experience.
He guided us as we avoided the gaze of the guards who were switching shifts and the servants who were just beginning their work for the day.
I couldn't afford being seen by someone I didn't trust, like Clara or Reginald, and the numerous list of names Edith had provided me with.
We dismounted at the back side of the manor near the servants entrance, and I ducked inside quickly.
In the servants sleeping quarters, a few were starting to stir. I dodged around them as best as I could, keeping to the shadows as I made my way around the halls, hoping to find the person I was looking for.
"Edith," I murmured when I spotted my trusted informant.
She was already awake, wiping down a tray in the dimly lit kitchen.
Her sharp eyes flickered over to me, in my battered cloak, covered with dirt and blood, that spattered my face as well.
None of it mine, of course, and most of it was Rowan's.
Her eyes widened. "My lady!" She spoke in a hushed whisper, but with great urgency. She rushed over to me. "What happened?"
I shook my head "Not here," I whispered, "Follow me."
Setting the tray down, she followed me out the door, and nearly let out a shocked gasp when she saw the battered group of knights. When she saw the wound on Rowan's side that was dressed to the best of Gareth's ability in the moonlight, she looked grim.
"Follow me," she said. She led us through a quiet corridor to a small storage room, one rarely used. "I'll fetch some bandages and hot water," she said quickly.
As soon as the door shut behind her, Gareth eased Rowan onto a cot, wincing as his own shoulder tensed in pain.
"I'll take care of the horses," He said gruffly, then looked at Barca and Jon.
"You two, stay here, and get your wounds treated.
Return to your quarters as soon as you can, and I'll try to cover for you. "
He left quickly, just as Edith arrived with two other servants, who I recognized as Missy, one of my personal attendants, and Beth, an older woman who worked in the kitchen.
They were both on the safe list, and though they didn't know much about the Black Dragons or Julian and I's plan, I knew they could be trusted with at least this much
"Alric and the other knights must not know of this.
Neither must Clara or any of the other servants outside this room," I said grimly.
I didn't trust them. "If word gets out about this, it is falling on all of your heads.
" I hated making threats, especially an empty one such as this, but I had to remember the power I held in my grasp as their lady.
I trusted them, but trust could be betrayed easily.
Understanding my tone, Edith and the other servants got to work dressing the wounds of the knights.
I furrowed my brows as sweat beaded down Rowan's forehead.
He was in tough shape. He fought valiantly and bravely though, and was willing to wound himself to protect me. For that, I owed him my trust.