CHAPTER 15 (Part one)
Two days pa.s.sed and Marcus finally saw Mahnu"s carriage that had stopped alongside the road. To angry to even question why, Marcus continued, with one goal in his mind.
Mahnu notices Marcus"s thoughts and for a moment grows weak at the knees in terror.
"Mahnu?"
Trying to calm down, Mahnu looked at William. They were already in a predicament with Sedric"s men that have nearly surrounded them. But now, it seemed another problem has arisen.
Marcus didn"t seem to be thinking straight, so Mahnu couldn"t depend on his help. But...He did want to take her away...
Sedric"s men are all here for her. Mahnu looked around, she could possible save these people by going with Marcus...But...His thoughts...They were dark, ruthless and a raging mess. With his one goal already known to her, would it still be wise to go with him?
Mahnu quickly tried to make a choice. Lives were on her shoulders, including her own…
The humans around her were quite a number, reaching forty or fifty. Feeling them already being a bit skittish, because they knew they were being surrounded, Mahnu could only see one choice. This choice reminded her of when she had taken the box and gone into Brackan, alone.
Sacrifices…Wasn’t that what she always was? Sacrificed her own kind, her power, her time, effort, and now, her future with her loved one…Their own child…Her mortal life…
…Sacrifice…Was that the Bain of her existence? Was this the end? Her destiny?
Mahnu wanted to hope that the Marcus she knew could be there, somewhere inside of him. Her hope for that was small. His hatred…Anger… It was like he had been holding it in for many years. That he hadn’t vented his rage and now…All of it had overpowered the man she had once known…And this rage…Was all directed at her!
I’m sorry Richard, Mahnu cried out inside her heart, I may not come back this time.
"William." Mahnu said softly, "Don"t follow us till Sedric"s men are gone."
"Mahnu? What are you talking about?" William looked at her curiously. He had no idea that Marcus was coming towards them or of his intentions towards Mahnu.
Then Marcus rode up to Mahnu, "Come with me!"
Mahnu looked at William sadly and put her hand towards Marcus. He pulled her savagely towards himself and galloped off without another word.
***
It was another two hours after that the King arrived and finally saw Mahnu"s carriage. Sighing, he continued, but was interrupted by one of the knights following him. "Your Majesty. I just saw someone hiding!"
The King stopped. What was going on? Her carriage is right there! Why?
Then more people were seen. Some of them went to kneel, putting down their weapons, others were running away in fear.
"Get them all!" King Richard yelled. He galloped towards the carriage in haste, worried for Mahnu"s safety.
These people have surrounded this area, were they after Mahnu? Does it mean that they are Sedric"s men? Is that why reports had been stopped, because they had been intercepted!? Mahnu!?
He searched and searched and finally stopped the horse in front of William. "Where is she!?"
William looked up from his strategy plans of attack and couldn"t believe that the King was in front of him. "Your Majesty!"
"Where"s Mahnu!?"
William took a moment to respond. "She was taken away by Marcus about two hours ago."
"What?...Marcus?"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Why?"
William was confused. How can the King not know? Marcus was his most trusted Loyal Knight! In haste, William thought back to when he saw Marcus last. "He came, ordered Mahnu onto his horse and took her. She told us not to follow until Sedric"s men were gone."
The King stared at William...What was Marcus doing? Why was it like this? "Sedric"s men are being attended to now. We will pursue after Marcus and Mahnu. Jaclyn, you will accompany us! What way did they travel?"
William ran to a horse and helped Jaclyn onto it and they followed the King, as he started to travel in the direction that William had pointed to.
***
Marcus had taken Mahnu to the road that goes between Harval and Conrella. They went to an inn there along the roadside and he starts to interrogate Mahnu as a hostage.
"Tell me...One good reason why I should let you live!"
Mahnu had kept silent this entire time. She was unable to do anything due to Marcus"s anger and her own puny, human strength.
She felt...Absolutely...Helpless...
Was she going to see Richard again? Was she really to blame? If she really ran and tried to live, would she get away? Should she pay with her life? And what of this child"s life?
His question ran through her head and she blurted out, "I saved the humans!"
"And now, you are ruining the King and with that Kralaide! That reason is no longer sufficient!"
Mahnu helplessly tried to free her hands, from the rope above her head, but it was no use. She was trapped with a person with one goal. Just like the little boy from centuries ago. He continued with his goal. This time...The goal was her and her existence!
Marcus"s normal goal was to be by His Majesty"s side...How could she change it back when she knew that they had a fight?
Mahnu was at a loss for words...
Marcus sneered at her and got closer. "I don"t understand the power you have over him...Is there perhaps gold on your body?"
He stripped her harshly and Mahnu felt a tear drop down her cheek. She felt utterly powerless.
Marcus touched her skin and saw how soft it was, but found no gold. Not daring to look, Mahnu shut her eyes tightly, knowing Marcus was still curious.
She flinched to his touch and tried to move away, making Marcus laugh.
"I don"t see any gold! Why does he like you so much to go to such lengths? It has to be here." He put a finger over one of her nipples. "Surely, your body holds his desire. But he loves the Queen, he doesn"t have to love you. He just loves your body, right?"
Mahnu let out a sob, hearing his thoughts of anger and rage flow through her. She could see that if she didn"t do anything to change the outcome, he was going to rape and kill her.
Breathing in sharply, Mahnu calmly said, "I"m sorry that you had a fight with Richard..."
Suddenly, he slapped her hard!
"Don"t call His Majesty that!"
Mahnu stared at him, not letting the pain show, "You know your King! He is a good man! You know he probably regrets saying what he did to you!"
Marcus stopped for a moment and Mahnu thought that she may have gotten through to him.
But then he laughed, took out a knife and dragged it over her skin. It was very sharp, leaving a thin line of blood from where it had travelled down the side of her body.
She interrupted his cold silence, "Thank you. I a.s.sume the people back at the carriage are now safe because of you."
"What?" His surprised answer gave her some hope.
"We were being surrounded by Sedric"s men."
Marcus was stunned. He hadn"t even realized.
"I could have told them your thoughts too...But I don"t want you to be hated by others and scare them about my safety. Now, they probably think that you are a hero."
Marcus stared at Mahnu. She was right, she would have known what he was thinking, but instead of saying anything, she had taken his hand.
"For anything..." Mahnu coughed, due to thirst, then continued, "For anything you do, whatever you do to me...I forgive you....I know this isn"t the real Marcus."
He let out a laugh. How is that possible? He could go to the lengths of raping her and killing her!
"That"s right. You could go that far...But you still love your King and Kralaide! I understand why you are angry! So, if it makes you feel better, use your hate and anger...But only on me! Don"t hurt anyone else!...Why don’t we go back...Together...After you have calmed down."
"Haha! Tricks! You want to run as soon as I turn my back!"
Mahnu coughed again, she tried very hard to ignore the hunger, thirst and pain flowing through her, "If I wanted to run or wanted you killed. I would have snitched your thoughts!"
Seeing that Marcus was starting to think more clearly, Mahnu sighed in relief, she had been honest with her words and hoped that they went through to him.
Marcus had been silent for awhile now and Mahnu didn"t want to interrupt him. He had thought of what she said to a degree that he somewhat believed her. But why? He looked at her and wondered why she would still want him to return when he had hurt her.
His thoughts all changed before Mahnu could stop it. It was such a quick change that Mahnu was startled and didn’t know how to act. His sadness and regret took over and he couldn"t even hear her call his name.
The reason why I lived, was for the King and Kralaide. I had abanded my post, I defied the last orders given to me, I ran away, kidnapped His Majesty"s woman...Touched her skin, made her bleed and tied her up! There was no chance...I can"t go back...My reason for living...Is gone...
Mahnu shouted and shouted, with her voice now so husky that it could hardly be heard, had no effect.
In mourning, Mahnu could see his next course of actions. She couldn"t hear her own weeping and wondered why her eyes, that were watching Marcus, were getting blurry. There was just no way...No way she could let him do that! Why was he so closed off now? His mind had even become blank!
He put food and water by her, covered her up with his outer clothing, then cut the rope with his dagger.
Mahnu raced to take the dagger but Marcus held it too high. "I will do it myself."
Wiping her eyes, she could still see only blurry objects as she heard is sorrowful voice. His words cut her heart to pieces and she whimpered in despair. "Don"t hurt yourself! Please! I don"t want the dagger to take your life!"
Marcus tried to push her away gently but she continued to pester him, so he wouldn"t attempt suicide. "I don"t want to hurt you anymore! Move away!"
His yell was full of emotions but that didn"t stop her from continuing to try and save his life. But...Marcus had enough...He pushed her down to the ground. Walking to another room, he closed the door and locked it.
Mahnu tried to open the door, crying and shouting, "Please! Please! Marcus don"t! Don"t kill yourself, please!"
His voice went through the door to her, silencing her for a moment. "Look after His Majesty and his child."
Tears continued to blur her vision and her hand touched to door softly, in hope that she could still save him.
Then...A noise of someone hitting the floor stopped her, she even stopped breathing.
Unknowingly, she slumped to the ground and she started to shake her head in defeat, "No! No! Marcus!"
Mahnu wanted to scream, she wanted her voice to be so strong that he would open the door for her. But it was so weak, she was so weak!
Letting out mournful cries, Mahnu put her head against the door. It"s just, so hard...She thought. So hard.
She had travelled far, done many things, yet, couldn’t save a life.
Was this what it was like to lose someone you trusted? To lose someone close to the one you loved?
Her pain went out to Richard, who she knew, valued Marcuse very highly.
So hard…To live…Is living worth going through all this…Loss and sacrifice?
How…What…
Feeling utterly defeated, she felt like her life had just puffed up in smoke. Her hand fell from the door and limply stayed beside her. Her tears fell to the floor and she could hardly feel her legs. Pain, Sorrow, regret...Mahnu tried to block it all out, she didn"t want to feel anything anymore.
Not knowing or caring for how long she had spent in that spot, but she didn"t move and found herself falling asleep due to exhaustion.
***