Kingdom's Hope (16 page)

Leinad cradled Tess in his arms. The wound was deep, perhaps fatal. All of the emotions he had tried to bury over the past years surfaced in an unstoppable flood. His feelings for Tess had grown with each moment he spent with her. Sometimes it was subtle; sometimes it was obvious. All of the time he had spent denying the inevitable he now regretted. Tears welled up in his eyes, and he wished he could defy reality and recapture his time with her.

“Tess,” he whispered. It was a name he had spoken a thousand times, but now it was so much more than the name of a fellow warrior.

Tess grimaced a gentle smile. She lifted her hand and touched his cheek. Her patient waiting was over. She could see that in his face.

She gathered strength to speak. “You … have been … and always will be … my hero.”

Leinad wanted to take her place. If only he had kept his eyes on Zane until he had ridden away.

Leinad covered her hand with his own and pressed it tight against his cheek, then brought her hand to his lips, closed his eyes, and kissed her fingers. Two teardrops spilled from his eyes. He drew her closer and gazed into her eyes as he had never dared to before.

Her eyes returned his affection, and only now did he realize that her feelings for him had always been waiting … waiting for him to welcome them. What a fool he had been.

“I love you, Tess!” Impossible words yesterday now seemed so easy to say.

“I love you, Leinad!”

It was a union of two companion hearts. The walls of self-protection were down. Tess coughed and grimaced at the pain it brought, but the contented smile of a homecoming came to rest in its place. Leinad anguished over the possibility of losing his newly discovered love so quickly.

Audric knelt beside Leinad and placed a compassionate hand on his shoulder. The hushed silence of the Noble Knights was broken only by the distant sound of a galloping horse.

“Rider approaching,” came the words from an anonymous voice. Leinad didn't care. These few moments with Tess were too precious.

The rider and his beast rushed near to Leinad and halted in a wash of wind. Gabrik dismounted before his steed had completely stopped. He ran to Leinad and Tess and knelt beside them. His stern, penetrating eyes were accompanied by a countenance of sorrow.

Leinad silently questioned Gabrik, who did not respond but immediately began to work on Tess's wound. The sweet odor of the same salve Gabrik had applied to the fatal wound of Leinad's father triggered the painful memories of many years ago.

“How effective is the Life Spice on such a wound?” Leinad asked.

Gabrik bandaged Tess's side, but the blood continued to soak through. “The wound is fresh, and the salve may save her life, but only temporarily. One can fully recover from a wound this deep only if the entire body absorbs the Life Spice.”

A sliver of hope broke through the deep sorrow in Leinad's heart. “How is this … absorption accomplished?” he asked.

Tess moaned and Leinad grabbed her hand. She squeezed his hand to help bear the pain.

“Hang on, Tess!” Leinad said.

Her eyes rolled back and she closed them. Unconsciousness was near.

Leinad looked in earnest at Gabrik. “How?”

Gabrik was slow to answer. “She must be taken to a place where the food, the water, and even the air contain the Spice.”

“Where is such a place?”

Gabrik made Tess drink from his water flask. Leinad grabbed Gabrik's massive arm and looked straight into his eyes.

Gabrik spoke quietly. “It is across the Great Sea.”

One of the Noble Knights pointed to the north. “Sir Audric—look!”

Zane's army was fast approaching to finish the battle and take Chessington. The Noble Knights were weary and knew they could not withstand this evil army a second time.

“Ready yourselves, men!” Audric cried.

A line of gallant men, both wounded and whole, rose up to give their all in defense of their city and their people.

Leinad could not leave Tess, though he knew he must join his fellow knights in this final battle.

Gabrik finished a second wrap on the blood-soaked bandage and handed Leinad his flask.

“Keep her drinking the water,” he said and rose from his work.

Leinad held Tess closely. She grimaced, and his sorrow turned to anger against his brother. It swelled within him, and his hand found the hilt of his sword. Zane deserved to die, and nothing would stop Leinad from executing the judgment he deserved. Leinad regretted the mercy he had granted his evil brother, for it might cause the death of his faithful friend—his love.

“Zane will die for this offense!” he said fiercely. He began to lay Tess on the ground, but she found the strength to grab his arm. She looked gently into his eyes. “No more killing, Leinad,” she said softly.

Leinad touched her cheek, and she smiled. He marveled at her beauty both inside and out. Then unconsciousness overcame her.

He looked up and saw the dark army descending upon the Noble Knight remnant. The rumble of horses' hooves beat upon the ground, and the earth shook beneath them.

“If only I could stop it, I would, Sunshine,” he said sadly.

Just then Leinad heard the blast of a trumpet. Gabrik stood before the Noble Knights with his sword in one hand and a golden trumpet in the other. The valley was filled with the brilliant pitch of the lone horn.

From beyond both sides of the near horizons, a force of mounted men began to appear until there was no gap in the majestic line of Silent Warriors that framed the valley. They drew their swords and held them aloft.

Zane's army slowed its advance to a stop as the men
gazed in fearful dread at the massive force that encompassed them from above. An eerie silence lasted for a moment and then was broken by the rumble of horses' hooves as the army fled north once again, this time to save their lives.

The Noble Knights cheered, and the people of Chessington rejoiced to see their enemies disappear from their valley.

Leinad's rejoicing was constrained by the anguish in his heart. Tess's breathing was shallow and irregular. Gabrik returned to Leinad and knelt beside him.

“I will take her across the sea,” Leinad said, denying what he knew was not possible.

“I'm sorry, Leinad. You know it is not allowed,” Gabrik said. “She may go, but she cannot return. I know it is hard for you, but at least she will live.”

Leinad was torn inside, but there was no decision for him to make. She might live for a time in Arrethtrae, but eventually she would die. He could not risk Tess's life for a few years of companionship.

Leinad leaned close to his newfound love and kissed her forehead. “I love you, Tess,” he whispered.

Tess opened her eyes. “I would rather die than live apart from you, Leinad.” Though her voice was weak, the sparkle in her eyes reflected the inner strength Leinad had come to rely upon year after year. “I will not go.”

“But if you remain here, you might die, Tess,” Leinad argued against his warring heart.

“I …” she found another breath of air “… will not go!”

Leinad gazed into her eyes and smiled. “I've never
known a woman like you, Tess.” He leaned closer and held her tightly.

T
HE
S
ILENT
W
ARRIORS RETURNED
to the realm of secrecy from which they had come, and Tess was safely transported back to Chessington. Leinad left her side only long enough to say good-bye to Gabrik, his lifelong mentor, protector, and friend, who had lingered to say farewell until after Tess had been cared for.

“You were victorious over the Shadow Warriors then?” Leinad asked Gabrik.

“Yes.”

“Did Micalem defeat the Dark Knight?”

“He was deterred, but he will return, Leinad. One day he will return. You must prepare the people, for he wants to rule Arrethtrae, and Chessington stands in his way.”

Leinad nodded, but at the moment such thoughts were overwhelming.

“When will I see you again, Gabrik?” Leinad asked.

“Maybe tomorrow … maybe never. Only the King knows, my friend.”

Leinad knew by his tone that their missions were on different paths now.

“Thank you, Gabrik,” Leinad said. “Thank you for everything.”

Gabrik nodded, and the two men embraced.

Gabrik mounted his steed and saluted Leinad. “Remember the promise, my friend. Remember and believe.”

Leinad saluted back, and Gabrik rode out of Chessington.

Leinad returned to Tess. Audric soon came, and Leinad sent him north to retrieve the sword of promise from the fallen tree. Then he waited … waited for his Tess to recover. For the promise was for people who had a heart like hers—a heart that was faithful to the Code and to the King.

F
IVE DAYS LATER
, T
ESS WAS
strong enough to sit up, and the color in her cheeks was pink again. Leinad held her hand and smiled. On the battlefield, their lifelong relationship had changed in a moment, and now a river of newly expressed love flowed between them.

“Tell me, did you find the vision you've been searching for?” Tess asked. “Did you find the key to the kingdom?”

“Yes, Sunshine, I did.” Leinad reached for the majestic sword still wrapped in its cloth and held it before her. “It is a promise for the people … for all of us.”

Tess's eyes gleamed, and she lifted her hand to touch Leinad's cheek. “Deliver the promise, Leinad.”

T
HE SQUARE OF THE CITY WAS
filled with all the people of Chessington. The midafternoon air was cool, but the bright sun was unhampered by a cloudless sky, and it warmed the skin. Beside the oak tree in the center of the square, Leinad sat tall upon his powerful horse so all could see him. Audric, Tess, and all the Noble Knights were by his side.

“Noble people of Chessington, today is the day of hope
for us all—hope for a future kingdom that will surpass the glory of the days of Quinn. My father saw the dawn of the kingdom of Arrethtrae, but we stand in a kingdom that is on the precipice of true greatness. In the Red Canyon, the King gave us the Code to live by, and it was our guide and our light through many dark days. Today He gives us the key to that future great kingdom. It is …” Leinad withdrew the majestic sword and held it high for all to see, “… the sword of promise.”

An exclamation of awe swept through the people, for they had never seen a sword of such magnificence. The golden hilt supported the gleaming steel of the blade as the sun reflected off its edge.

“What is the promise?” asked a young man in the crowd.

“It is the promise that one who is worthy will someday take up this sword and be our king. He will deliver us from the Dark Knight and his evil Shadow Warriors. The one who is worthy will save us! The one who is worthy is the coming Prince!”

A cheer rose up, and all the people rejoiced at the promise of the coming Prince. They celebrated with a feast to remember their past and to embrace their future. For a time, they forgot their fear and their sorrow, and the promise of the Prince gave them the hope of a future for which they longed.

OF BATTLE AND OF PEACE