Crash

Even as we slowly reached the end of this long horse ride, Rusha didn't wake up.

Why aren’t you waking up, Rusha? Is there something wrong with you? Are you hurting? Please let me hear your voice!

However she didn’t answer me.

Worried she would fall down, I decided to tuck her inside of the shirt's pocket. Well, I should be thankful for now that I wear a shirt instead of a dress I guess.

“My lady, we arrived", Dalton said.

However he abruptly stopped making me lose balance, almost falling from the horse. Not just him, everyone else did so.

“Is something wrong, Dalton?”

“I can’t say for sure, but just in case don’t stray away from me. First we should get down”

“Right.”

Dalton gently lifted me to put me down, then he gave another young knight the reins of his horse.

“You all stay back, My lady you come with me.”

We dashed towards the entrance gates of the estate.

“Why would the gates be open?” Dalton wondered at the sight of the gates being wide open as if someone forced his way inside.

“Something must have happened while we were away, quick get inside young lady Mirabelle might be in danger!”, Luca screamed. He and Teiran were already running towards the main building. A few knights followed them quickly.

“Dalton you should go as well!” I insisted.

“It would be better if I remained by your side, my lady.”

“Dalton they need you, you are a legendary swordsman aren’t you? Also, don't you have the duty of a husband to carry on, you have to look for your wife now instead of worrying about me!”

“But my lady!”

“Dalton! You leave me no choice! I command you to go now!” I declared

“As you wish my lady, please take care of yourself. You two right there.” He looked towards two knights who were at the front gate waiting.

“Yes Sir!” The knights replied.

“I leave the lady in your care. Protect her at all costs!”

“Yes sir, very well!” They answered.

“My lady, please stay safe!” Dalton said worriedly.

“You too Dalton, now go!” I pushed him a few steps forward.

And with that Dalton left, leaving behind half of the knights and me.

“My lady, we should keep a distance until the situation is cleared.” One of the knights turned to me.

“Yes Sir knights we should! Certainly!” I responded.

So we took a distance and rested at an uphill. I sat down and we waited.

We waited and waited. No one came. Just like that a lot of time passed by.

“Did something happen to the Knight Commanders Troop as well?” One knight asked another knight..

I also wonder. I couldn’t see anything except the entrance gates being widely open, which surely is unusual for a ducal household. Were they attacked? Something felt rather ominous in this place.

“Sir Knights, did any of you by chance know what happened inside? Why were Teiran and the others in a rush and why did we stay behind, if it was an urgent situation the more men the better or would that be wrong?” I asked. I couldn’t wait any longer. Almost more than half an hour passed since they went inside.

“They did it out of consideration for you my lady” A blonde haired knight answered.

“For me, why?”

“My lady, do you know that there are some people who are able to see from an animal's eyes as an ability?” He responded.

“I did hear that something like that exists but never met someone like that.”

“We have one knight who is able to see through an eagle’s eyes and he saw well”

“Please don’t mind me Sir knight just tell me.” I genuinely want to know what you fear to tell me.

“When the eagle flew all over the estate the thing he saw was bloodstains my lady. As you were a victim before it might have triggered your traumatic experience so the Commander also wanted you to stay back.”

“Teiran said that?”

“Just before he left to head inside, he ordered us to not let you in.”

“Even in such a moment…” He thought about my well being. Teiran, you always mean every word you say don’t you? That’s the type of person that you are.

“But my lady, would you assume that it has something to do with what happened back at your estate?” The knight asked me.

“What makes you think so?” I responded.

“Well we can’t be certain, but there was a message left.”

“What did it say?”

“Bring us the lady in the velvet dress or next time we won’t leave it at that!”

“Lady in the velvet dress?” Who would that be?

“Certainly you also don’t know who it could be right? That hero that vanished 15 years ago. The lady in the velvet dress. Nobody remembers her face or if she possessed an ability, however they said the moment she arrived, you wouldn't have to worry because you would be safe.”

“Nobody remembered her?”

“It might be an ability of some sort. It seemed like she didn’t want to be found. As if she had something to hide.” a red haired knight added.

“Thank you for the information Sir…”

“Gerard, my lady you can call me Gerard.”

“I see, thank you Gerard!”

But I do wonder. Does this have something to do with that man that attacked us in Karkava? Or the killer who went crazy in my hometown?

Rusha, would you know more? You still haven’t woken up even after the whole tumult that happened, why?

As I was about to check on Rusha, I realized something.

If it was the same case as in Karkava where the man suppressed the abilities then noone, not even Teiran could use his ice. They could be in danger.

“We waited long enough! Let’s go, Knights!” I dashed ahead. The Knight rather flabbergasted followed me.

“My lady! Please wait for us, it's dangerous!”

Right when I reached through the entrance gate, just in the blink of an eye,

It crashed.

A loud earsplitting crack ripped through the air.

The blast sent me collapsing on the floor.

And then it all went silent.

…