Heed My Warnings and Survive (Second Draft)

Chapter Thirty

The days passed quickly, and the nights even faster, I had gotten much better, and could even run if needed. Soon enough we had reached the castletown. We did have to sneak to Coan’s house, but I was confident, my dreams had been restless the past few nights, but they told me we would reunite with our friends soon, and how I so hoped that to be the truth.

We reached Coan’s home quickly, and entered, and to my joy, and relief, Finley was sitting at the dining table, asleep with his head on his arms. My mouth curved into a smile, when I saw my friend. I wanted to wake him, but decided against it. I didn’t know how much sleep he had gotten over the past week, but I assumed it wasn’t a lot, so letting him sleep seemed to me like the kindest thing I could do at the moment.

“I’m going to go check on Whin, and I assume Kiara’s in the spare room, so I’d advise settling down in the parlor, I’m sure there’s a fire going,” Coan said. Balor, and I both nodded, and entered the parlor. There was indeed a fire going, and there was a small couch, big enough for one person to lay comfortably.

“You can take the couch. The hard ground might hurt your back, or wherever you got injured,” Balor said.

“Thank you, and it was my ribs,” I said. Balor waved his hand dismissively. I rolled my eyes.

The night was peaceful, which was quite rare for me, and I slept soundly, no dreams, and no one attacking us in the middle of the night. I could finally relax. We were together again, and we were safe.

The next morning I woke to the sound of voices in the dining area. It was Finley.

“Kiara you’re not supposed to be walking around. Draven would kill me if he knew I’d let you get out of bed,” He said worriedly. They must have been the only two awake, and hadn’t yet seen me. Kiara chuckled. My heart sank as I heard how weak that chuckle was.

“Don’t worry Fin. I’m fine, I just.” her words were interrupted by a sharp gasp. I heard her catch herself on a dining chair.

“You’re not fine. Please go lay down,” Finley pleaded.

“Fin I don’t want to be alone in that room any longer, you’ve been down here the whole time we’ve been here, and Phonwhin has her own troubles, there’s no one here for company,” she said. I rose from the couch, and walked to the dining area.

“Perhaps I could keep you company,” I said entering the room. They both jumped, and turned to look at me.

“Draven!” They said in unison. Finley ran over, and gave me a tight hug. I grunted, and laughed.

“Cracked ribs Fin. I have cracked ribs.” He let go.

“Sorry sorry sorry,” He said. I chuckled again.

“No worries, I’ll be ok.” My eyes then landed on Kiara. Her eyes were sunken, her hair messy, her figure looked slimmer, but that could’ve been due to the baggy formless dress she wore. She did however have a brightness in her eyes I’d never seen before, as did the smile she wore, it made me feel warm, and safe.

“Hello,” She said. I smiled back.

“Hello,” I replied. I walked to her, and Finley discreetly left the room. When I reached her, she wrapped her arms gently around me, and I did the same, her tender embrace made me happy, if only for the reason that it was her, Kiara, the woman I loved, and one day intended to marry.

“I missed you,” She whispered, burying her face in my shoulder.

“And I you.” I kissed the top of her head. I pulled away from the embrace remembering Fi,ley’s words from a few moments prior.

“Finley said you were hurt?” I said. She nodded.

“My back. I’ll show you.” She sat on one of the dining chairs. “Unlace the back,” she told me, referring to the back of her dress, which was laced and tied loosely. I did as she said, and saw a few amateurly tied bandages, they were bloodied, and needed to be changed.

“Can we go somewhere you can lie down so I can get a better look at them?” I asked. She nodded, and I helped her walk up to the spare room she had been staying in. It was fully stocked with medical supplies which I was extremely thankful for. She layed on her stomach on the bed, and I cut away her bandages, and the sight I saw enraged me. On her back were at least twenty lashes, made by a whip, bleeding, and irritated from improper care. I wanted to scream, and yell, and cry, and punch Devin in his stupid nose, but right now I needed to be focused.

I treated, and bandaged her wounds, and she told me about her stay with Devin.

“He kept me tied up, and told me he wouldn’t feed me, unless I accompanied him to his tent, and when I didn’t he eventually got mad enough to have his guards punish me,” she said, indicating the lashes on her back. I balled my fists, and gritted his teeth,

“Not sure if breaking his nose will be enough anymore,” I mumbled.

“What?” Kiara asked

“Maybe an arm?” Kiara chuckled.

“Let’s think about that later. I’m pretty hungry, can we go downstairs?” She asked, rubbing her stomach. I nodded, and we went down to the dining area, where Finley, Coan, and Balor sat. Balor stood so quickly at the sight of Kiara that he knocked his chair over.

“Kiara. Are you alright? Are you hurt?” He said, in a worried voice, rushing over to her, and checking her over for injuries. She winced as he lifted her arm.

“I’m ok Balor, just a few scrapes,” She said, downplaying how severe her injuries were. Balor furrowed his eyebrows.

“No you’re not,” He said, looking into her eyes. “He hurt you. Didn’t he?” He asked. Kiara took a deep breath, and nodded, suddenly bursting into tears. I took half a step forward, wanting to comfort her, but she leaned into Balor, and he put his arms around her, in a protective, but comforting embrace, glaring daggers at me. I walked over, and sat beside Finley.

“Where’s Phonwhin?” I asked,

“She’s making breakfast,” Coan said.

“Shouldn’t you do that?” I asked. Coan put his hands up defensively.

“I offered, but she nearly beat me away with a wooden spoon.” I chuckled.

“Well I’m sure it will taste delicious,” I said.

“Well however it tastes, make sure she thinks it tastes good, or she might kill you with her sword,” Coan said. Finley laughed.

Kiara, and Balor broke apart, and came to sit at the table, Kiara beside me, and Balor beside Coan.

“Oh Kiara I nearly forgot. We found this,” I said, taking her ring off my neck, and holding it out to her. She smiled.

“Why don’t you keep it for now? Keep it safe,” she said.

“Really?” I asked. She nodded, and I slipped it back over my head.

A few moments later Phonwhin came out with a pot of porridge, and a small ramekin of sugar.

“Coan could you get some bowls, and spoons?” She said. Coan nodded, and exited the room. Phonwhin set the pot in the center of the table, and looked around.

“Hello Draven,” She said with a soft smile, walking over, and kissing the top of my head, in a very motherly sort of way, it made me happy.

“Hello Phonwhin,” I said. Giving her a smile.

“And Balor, so glad you could join us.” She walked over to him, and gave him a quick hug.

Coan came back with the bowls, and spoons, and we ate, talked, and laughed. Even Balor cracked a few smiles. It truly was like a family meal, of which I hadn’t had in a very long time.

The next few weeks we spent healing, and laying low at Phonwhin, and Coan’s, and in truth I didn’t want to leave, but I knew we had to, we were still escaped prisoners, and if we were found with them, that could get them arrested, and even executed. So we left, and were once again traveling through the dark harsh woods.