Bound by Crown and Blade

2:The Warrior’s Silence

"I can see you Nova, feel you. Reach for me and you will burn. Just like your kingdom once did. Choose wisely child, I will give you the same fate I gave your loved once. Your people, your land.

Your mother."

"Huh." Nova gasped as her eyes opened in fear. All she heard were voices of one woman. This was a new one nightmare but very real.

She was still in the SUV, as it went through the night like a bullet.

Nova opened her eyes and all she saw was trees everywhere. Slowly she pushed her body up and sat when the man right next to her continued to drive.

"Where are we going?" Her voice c***k. But nothing from him.

"Who were those people?" She asked looking behind and saw nothing but dark trees. Still no word from him.

And then she clenched her fist. "My aunt—she is."

"She brought us time. That is what she did." His thick voice came through, finally. But she was not amused. Rather she glared at him, pissed off.

"Brought us time? Is that what she was, an accessory? "

"She is the reason you have life again. So don' waste it." His voice clipped and harsh and this silenced her. He was not cruel, it was the truth he spoke.

He stopped the car and got out.

"Get out." Even his whisper was rough. She only frowned.

"No." Nova whispered, shaking her head and backing away.

"I am not asking you." His brown eyes got even darker as he turned to look at her. He growled at her in frustration.

"Who are you?" She asked, scared.

"We don't have all the time in the world. You need to rest." He said, walking to the back of the car, and pulling something large.

"But I don't know you." She whispered, suddenly scared to go further.

"You do not have to know me. Now, listen to me and get out."

"And why am I supposed to trust you? You could be one of them." She said, backing away. The man put his head down, breathing hard.

Without warning he got to the other side and she watched. He opened her door harshly, this scared her.

Grabbing her by her arm and pulling her out of the car. she stumbled and fell right on his chest. Feeling something sharp in hers.

"And have I killed you yet?" He asked, looking her dead in her eyes.

"Have I hurt you. Did I put you in harms way? Killed you?" He whispered with a growl. His eyes turned dark.

"TELL ME?" The man growled.

"Huh." She gasped. There was a silence in the forest. Her body stopped.

"You do not know the world yet princess. You have a poor judgement of character and of what is right, and wrong"

"Now let's go." He said, breathing on her.

He turned but Nova pulled away from him. Staring.

"I just saw my aunt use magic, something I didn't know she could do. She hurt people but they were trying to kill her. I saw men attacking her, hurting her, coming for me. Breaking our house that we built together.

My aunt isn't here with me. Maybe she isn't even alive. I had to leave a woman that I call my mother, behind." She said and this time he listened.

The anger on his face left.

"I think I have the right to not trust you. Even though you didn't hurt me, harm me or thankfully kill me." She whispered.

Again there was silence. The man took a deep breath, letting it out.

"I was told to find you" He huffed. "By who?" She was curious.

"Doesn't matter. And your aunt is alive and safe." He said making his way to the mansion and she followed his last steps. That answer is enough for her.

"This isn't fair. You burst into my farmhouse, burn everything, drag me with you and now you won't talk?" She snapped.

Another silence.

He unlocked the doors that looked ancient and kicked it open, walking in and she stood outside.

"OKAY, I just want to know your name." She asked, having enough of him.

The man stopped on his track, glancing slightly at her. She was patient.

"Arthur." He said.

"That's my name. Arthur Marcellinus Amaranthus. I am here to help you, protect you. That is what I was born to do." He told her the truth.

She was stunned.

He said nothing more and walked into the old large house deep in the forest. They couldn't be found here.

"Arthur." She whispered.

Inside the house was too clean, sparse and prepared.

"You are safe here." This large man walked through the house. Then to the back door.

"There is food and water for you. And your room is over there." He pointed right behind her. she noticed double doors.

"What? That's it? No explanation? Or telling me why there is magic around me? Why my hand was glowing today... anything?"

"You want more answers than earn them all." He huffed making her narrow her eyes.

"And how do you propose I do that? Oh wise, guardian with a sword?" She was pissed and he knew it.

Arthur glanced at her a little longer, then said, "Survive this."

The words hit her like lightning.

Her anger pushing through fear.

"I watched Rebecca bleeding in front of me. I couldn't do anything. I watched and asked her to tell me what to do. That is how bad it was." She whispered.

Looking down at her hands, all still red.

"This blood belongs to her. So please, I deserve answers. And you are the only one who can give that to me."

Arthur watched her carefully and then walked towards Nova. Slowly, like a predator. She refused to back away.

Arthur stopped inches from her. staring into her eyes like he was reading her. She gulped, heart beating fast.

"You want the truth?" He asked, voice tense and low.

"You are not just anyone Nova. Your entire life, your name is all a lie. All built to hide you from death that has been stalking you since your birth."

Nova blinked hard.

"And what am I?" He held his gaze.

"The last heir of Thornmere." He then turned away. "A kingdom that died a day after you were born. Because of a Queen who feared your bloodline."

She stayed quiet.

"Queen Dahlia Lilith Marvain." He said.

"Dahlia? My aunt once spoke of this name with someone on the phone." She muttered.

"She is a Dreamweaver, Nova. She feeds from fear" He said.

And Nova recalled the whisper she heard in the car before she woke up. But she didn't speak about it.

Slowly Nova sat, looking at the ground.

Arthur didn't comfort her. He only placed a small dagger on the table in front of her.

She glanced at it, biting the side of her cheeks.

"In case I'm not around you." He said, walking upstairs.

____________________

The room was quiet where Nova was sleeping, on the king-sized bed. The moonlight was right on her face. But something changed suddenly. Nova moved as the cold wind rushed into the room. An unnatural touch breezed her skin.

Even a small whisper came.

"Wake up Nova." And her eyes immediately opened from the call. She glanced around the room. Only to see shadows of trees outside, dancing.

"Nova." Came a saint voices from the forest.

"Wha---?" Immediately got out of bed, bare feet. Confused she walked out of her room.

"Arthur?" Calling out for him, but there was no response. She frowned and looked around but the house felt very empty. Quickly she rushed towards the door to see if Arthur was there.

But nothing.

"Come to me." Her heart skipped a beat as she gasped. Nova immediately felt a pull, she couldn't understand that magnetic feeling. Walking to the back door, Nova stepped out into the night.

The air forcefully touched her skin, and the grass beneath her feet felt weird, cold and wet. But she walked towards the forest. The strong wind pushed her hair behind her shoulders. And there she saw something.

Beyond the edge of the tree line, she saw a woman standing. Her hair was like fire, her eyes very soft. Nova had the same eyes. It was as if she was looking like her own reflection.

Nova knew.

"Mama." Nova recognized her mother almost immediately. She moved forward no longer afraid, but that spirit didn't leave. Nova's vision was blurring as she reached her mother.

The spirit looked at her up and down, with love in her eyes.

"You have grown Nova, grown beautiful." This was the first time Nova heard her mother's voice. She wanted to be trapped in this moment

"Is this real?" Nova dared to ask.

"No love, not truly, but a part of me is here, watching always." And was enough for Nova.

Her throat tightened.

"Why didn't you come to me before?" She asked, her mother's spirit tilted her head.

"This was the right time. The flames inside of you are waking." She said, a Nova wiped her tears.

"I have always wanted to see you mama. Even in a picture but there was no----" She couldn't even finish.

"I know, I wish I could have given you a different life. Where you grow with your family, your father. A proper destiny, peace.

You are born a Queen Nova, never forget that.

This is your life now Nova. You only have to keep moving forward. The power in you is ancient and it will test you, hurt you into what you are meant to be." She said.

However, Nova reached out her hand to touch her mother. but it passed through.

"Take what is rightfully yours Nova." She whispered, slowly walking away.

"No, wait please. Don't go." Nova begged.

"You must be strong Nova. She is coming, but you will not face her alone." The wind howled, the light around her mother fading

"Don't leave me, please." Nova said as the figure wash away. Nova shook her head, her eyes wondering all around.

"MOM." Nova yelled, sprinting, breathing heavy. Her barefoot scrapping through the stones.

"MOM."

Nova was running, running and running when suddenly she felt an arm slamming around her waist.

"No." She struggled as she was pulled back.

"Let me go." Nova screamed but Arthur held her back and close. His grip got tight, spinning her around.

"She was right here. My mother."

"She was not here Nova." Arthur broke her when he said that.

"Let me go Arthur" She said but he held her closer to his chest.

"STOP THIS NOVA." His lowers voice unforgiving. His grip strong.

"The Queen, your mother is no longer here Nova. What do you think you are doing outside." He screamed at her but she wanted to get away.

"Let go."

"This forest will be surrounded by assassins the moment you step out of this property. I've used the protection spell to keep you safe.

Remember why you are here" He was frustrated.

"I don't care." She screamed staring at him.

"She came to me."

"STOP. The moment your air, your scent moves out of this property. Very soon this place will be filled by the Queen's men. It is my job to take care of you, and you are making it difficult for me." He said pulling her closer to his body.

She gasped as the reality hit her. pulled her body away from him.

"She was here. She came to see me. Me." She poked her chest.

"I was not a weapon to her, not a prize. She came to see her daughter. And you cannot take that away from me." She whispered and was about to walk away.

Her breathing got heavy but he immediately grabbed her pulling her closer.

"You want to believe it was her? Fine. But hear me out. The Queen is dead and she gave her life to save yours. The same life you don't care about."

He said, breathing on her.

"That wasn't your mother. She isn't flesh or blood, it was not real and if you want to take one more step out of this boundary, take it. Then you will understand how real your life will get."

He grabbed her harder, there was no space between them.

"At the moment, I see you and you see me. And that is real." Their faces too close. Chests almost meeting.

There was silence between them and no one looked away from each other.

"I just wanted one more moment to tell a proper goodbye or even, I love you, to my mother." She barely whispered, shivering

He noticed it

Immediately she turned around, going back to the house.

Heart hurting.