Several days passed. Kelton kept his knights busy, only stopping when Dawson informed them that food was ready. He fell into bed each night exhausted, but felt better than his knights when morning came thanks to Mȧthair ministrations. He had just paired up with his knights the following afternoon when the front door crashed open. Sir Hamnet and Sir Droyn sprinted from the room to check it out. Sir Thomas followed, while Sir Hett and Sir Juleack stayed to protect Prince Kelton.
‘They finally made it back,’ Mȧthair said, as elevated voices and a cacophony of sounds echoed down the entry hall.
Sir Thomas came back into the room. “Sirs Gruph, Fran, and Houton have returned. Sirs Fran and Gruph need treatment and we are down a horse.”
Prince Kelton shook his head in disgust. “Bring them all here.”
“Yes, My Prince.”
He waited until the knights returned with Sirs Gruph, Fran, and Houton in hand.
Sirs Fran and Gruph sank to their knees. Sir Houton dropped a little slower. “Sire, forgive….”
Prince Kelton slapped his cheek with the edge of his sword, drawing blood. Then he lifted Sir Houton’s chin with the tip. “Forgive?” he asked coldly. “Betrayers are beheaded. Thieves are hung. And you three are both! I have no need for such men among my knights.”
“Sire,” Sir Gruph gasped as Sir Fran coughed and a little blood dripped from his lips.
Prince Kelton leveled the tip of his sword at Sir Gruph’s throat. “…I will spare the servants the task of scrubbing more of your blood from these floors or trying to find a sturdy enough tree to strangle the breath from your treacherous hides, but do not think I will forget. This will not go unpunished.”
Sir Houton bowed lower and Sir Fran fell to his side.
“Get them out of my sight.”
Sir Juleack, Sir Hett, and Sir Droyn half carried, half escorted, Gruph, Fran, and Houton from the room.
“…Shall I ask Ponderosa to tend their wounds, Prince Kelton?” Sir Thomas asked.
“Check with the others first. Ponderosa is here to attend Nathaniel first and foremost.”
“Yes, Sire.”
Sir Thomas left and Prince Kelton turned to spar with Sir Hamnet.
No sooner had they finished a round of stances and traded partners that a scream was heard in the distance. Sir Hamnet reacted immediately, deflecting Sir Juleak’s blow and bolting from the room. Sir Juleak and the rest of the knights soon followed after him. Prince Kelton arrived to see Sir Hamnet’s sword sticking out of Sir Gruph’s chest and Ponderosa steadying her stance with Sir Hamnet’s help. He folded his hands behind his back then turned to Sir Hamnet and Ponderosa.
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“Step forward, Sir Hamnet,” he commanded.
He did so without hesitation.
Ponderosa’s expression turned concerned and she hurried forward and started to kneel in front of Prince Kelton when he stopped her.
“You need not worry,” he said to her. Then he turned his attention to Sir Hamnet and said, “No more secrets.”
Ponderosa bit her lip.
“Sire?” Sir Hamnet asked in confusion.
“Exchange your tokens.”
Ponderosa’s brow furrowed.
“My Prince, I….”
“Exchange… your tokens,” Prince Kelton repeated.
Sir Hamnet turned to Ponderosa with a look that lacked confidence. Ponderosa calmly bowed her head then pulled a black quill out of her hair. She held it for a moment then tucked it into the laces of his tunic. Sir Hamnet touched the feather then bent down and slowly drew a purple and gold handled dirk from his boot. He held it on his fingertips before tucking it into the rope belt around Ponderosa’s waist. She looked at the dirk, tracing the handle thoughtfully.
“Very good,” Prince Kelton said before he turned to the rest of his knights. “Sir Hett, please get the servants to take out the trash.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Sir Hamnet, you may retrieve your sword. Everyone else is dismissed.”
Sir Hamnet approached the bed to pull his sword out of Gruph as the other knights filed out of the room. Prince Kelton started to follow once Sir Hamnet had cleaned his sword and returned it to its sheath.
“Why, Kelton?” Sir Hamnet asked softly.
He turned back to face Sir Hamnet. “Because sometimes a man in love needs a kick in the pants.”
“And Ponderosa?”
She smiled slightly and bowed her head respectfully.
Prince Kelton turned a little more toward Ponderosa. “Is Mȧthair well?”
Her brow twitched slightly in confusion before she nodded. She motioned with her hands that she was asleep with Nathaniel.
“Very good. I will leave the two of you to talk.”
Ponderosa nodded.
He heard Sir Hamnet blow out his breath as he stepped out of the room. Whatever the tension between them, he hoped they would figure it out. In the meantime, he had a Dinakal and a baby to check on.
When he reached their chambers, he found the door locked. Pulling out his key, he unlocked the door and stepped inside. The fire in the sitting room was nothing more than embers, but the bedroom doors were closed and locked as well. Prince Kelton unlocked the bedroom door as well before he stepped inside.
The fire in the hearth was burning well and Mȧthair was sleeping with Nathaniel, just as Ponderosa had motioned. He sat beside them and petted Mȧthair. Even when she was asleep, he’d never had trouble hearing Ponderosa’s telepathy, so why did it seem blocked now? Had something changed while he was away training his knights?
“Mȧthair?” he asked softly.
Her slow, steady, breathing didn’t change.
“Mȧthair,” he said a little louder, flicking one of her ears with his fingers.
Mȧthair’s ear twitched, but she still didn’t stir.
He sighed. “Why can’t I hear Ponderosa anymore?”
‘Trauma,’ Mȧthair replied, taking a deeper breath and stretching before she curled up around Nathaniel a little more.
“Trauma? …Sir Gruph?”
‘No. Older trauma. Deeper trauma.’
“Why aren’t you being straight with me?”
‘Sir Hamnet will be in soon.’
“He….” Prince Kelton stopped when he heard the outer doors burst open.
‘Stay,’ Mȧthair said, derailing his decision to get up to check it out.