Page 141 of A Kingdom's Heart
William’s arms wrapped around me, steadying me as I swayed. I
could see the fear in his face, but he said nothing.
We both knew what we had to do.
He lifted me gently, his arms trembling slightly. The crowd parted, silent now. My gown was soaked in blood, and each step left a dark mark on the stones. I looked once at my father. He didn’t look back.
William held me close as we walked away from the courtyard. Away from the crowd. Away from everything I had ever known.
And though my body was weak, I clung to him. Because even in the ruin of everything, he was all I had left.
CHAPTER FIFTY NINE
IRIS
He carried me through the courtyard, his steps uneven but steady. The guards didn’t stop us. No one dared. The only sound was the soft trail of blood dripping from my gown onto the stone.
We reached the stables. The scent of hay and earth filled the air. His horse, Corven, neighed softly as if sensing the storm around us. William moved quickly, his breath heavy, his face pale.
He lifted me onto the saddle, settling me in front of him. I felt his arm wrap around me, his hand pressing firmly against my wound. His other hand gripped the reins. He didn’t speak. He didn’t need to. His silence said everything.
The gates loomed ahead. The same gates that had once welcomed me home now stood like a wall between who I was and who I had become.
The wind brushed against my face. My vision blurred, not from pain but from the weight of everything I was leaving behind. My father. My kingdom. The life I once knew.
William clicked his tongue softly, and Corven moved forward. The hooves struck the cobblestone, echoing through the courtyard like a heartbeat fading away.
He held me close, his hand still pressed against my stomach, warm and trembling. I could feel the rise and fall of his chestagainst my back, the steady rhythm of his breath keeping me awake.
Neither of us spoke. There was nothing left to say.
As the castle disappeared behind us, I rested my head against him. The night swallowed us whole. The pain dulled for a moment, replaced by something deeper.
Grief. Love. Freedom.
And as the wind carried us into the dark, I knew this was the beginning of something neither of us could ever escape.
—
We had been riding for hours. The wind had grown colder, the sky painted with streaks of orange and red as the sun dipped behind the trees. My head rested against his chest the entire way, my body weak, my vision hazy. I was surprised I hadn’t bled out, but William’s hand never once left my wound. He held it tight the whole ride, whispering my name whenever my eyes began to close.
When he finally pulled on the reins, I lifted my head weakly. My breath caught in my throat.
We were there. His cottage. The same small house in the middle of the wilds, surrounded by forest and quiet. The place where everything had begun.
Nostalgia filled me. I remembered the first night I had come here, the rain, the fear, the warmth of his fire. It felt like another
lifetime.
He climbed down first and then lifted me carefully from the horse. I could feel the strain in his arms, the trembling, but he didn’t say a word. He set Corven loose to rest near the fence and carried me inside
The moment we entered, the familiar scent of smoke and pine hit me. It almost broke me.
William moved to the bed, the same one where I had once slept the night we met, and laid me down as if I were made of glass. His hands trembled as he reached for the torn fabric of my gown.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered, and tore the blood-soaked cloth away from my stomach. The air hit my skin, cold and sharp. He froze when he saw the wound. For a moment, the world seemed to stop
stop with him.
