Chapter 137: Chapter 137
KAIST:
The arrow came very fast. I had no time to avoid it.
“Kaist!”
I was thrown violently into one side so swiftly that I still couldn’t believe it all happened!
My father – he pushed me fiercely into one side and shoved me away into safety!
“No,” Ignis grumbled. I looked just in time to see my father’s wolf got hit by an arrow where his heart was located.
“No,” I cried yet again. My body was hurt in the fall. I limped into my side half crawling just to get to his body, which stumbled into the ground like a piece of rag.
“Father… Father, hang on!”
His body had gone back into his human form. This was a bad sign!
“Kaist, son,” he mumbled.
“Save your breath. Let’s get out of here first!”
Ignis turned himself into a half wolf. We clutched my father’s figure and climbed the stony wall that separated us from our freedom.
It was a steep climb. I could hear the arrows swoosh past me as I try to go up the wall with my father in one hand while I touch the wall with the other.
“Kaist, leave me here…Leave me and go,” I heard my father’s raspy voice.
“No! Save your breath. I’ll go get help once we lose them.”
“No, Kaist… Listen… No matter what, you are the rightful king. You are the king. You are my son. No one else…”
“Father, stop it!”
“No… Say it… Repeat my words loudly, Kaist.”
My father must be delusional now… How can he make me swear as king when he was in the verge of dying like this?
“Repeat them. Swear on me…”
“I am king. I am your son and no one else!”
“Good… Now, save your sister and mother, then come back and claim the throne…”
And just like that, the arms that had been active a while ago limped on the sides.
I couldn’t even think straight now. I half-climbed and half called to my father to open his eyes again.
I forgot the dangerous situation I was in. Almost at the top now, I felt one and then another sharp sting of arrow swoop past me.
Father… Maybe I won’t be able to fulfill those promises I just made…
As I almost let go of the last rock that I held on for dear life while still carrying my father’s body, a hand extended itself towards me.
“Ugh, help yourself up, you’re too heavy!”
I stared upwards. At first, I couldn’t see the face of the person who was aiding me because of the darkness of the night. However, the smell that wafted through the air did not lie…
There was no mistaking it. It was cherries and cream mixed with the sweltering heat of the forest. I know of only one person with that scent.
“Da-Dahlia?...”
“Well if you know me, hurry and pull yourself up, will you?”
Using the last ounce of force in my body, I holstered myself up. I ended up coming on top of Dahlia.
“Dalhia… It’s really you!”
Normally, her face would have lit up. It had been a long time since we had seen each other.
However, Dahlia’s face was red, and her eyes were moist as if she had been crying. Her cheeks were also puffy.
And the most astonishing thing was that she was naked underneath me…
How in the world did she get here?
“Excuse me, but we don’t have much time. I think they are going to catch up on us soon,” Dahlia said, not really caring about the position she was in.
“W-What?”
That’s right. For a split second there, I had lost track of what was happening as I saw Dahlia in this part of the woods. I was still being chased by Jeteris’ men from the capital.
“Alright, let’s -,” I staggered and yelped as I realized that two arrows had hit me from behind.
“Don’t worry… I’ll take care of them,” I heard Dahlia said.
I don’t know if it was my own delusion since I was slowly losing consciousness, but as I look at Dahlia one last time, it seemed that something flashed out of her hands…
In my mind’s eye, it looked like red, hot flames.
******************************
“Are you awake now,” I heard Dahlia said
My eyes fluttered open. I could hear the sound of rain, and I could even smell it.
“Y-Yes…”
“Be careful. You still look very weak and so does your father.”
Just then, I realized we were inside a cave. Dahlia was already clothed, but didn’t her clothes look a tad familiar?
“Ah, you must be wondering about my clothes and yours. I found it near the place where the wolves attacked you. They must have left it behind as they transformed.”
I can’t believe it. The Dahlia before me felt different. She didn’t look scared at the prospect of those wolves attacking her and even had a hand in stealing their clothes…
“What happened back then? Did we lose our attackers?”
“Yes, that’s right, and also you and your old man fainted because of your wounds.”
Father? Yes, I almost forgot…
I looked around the cave and saw another makeshift cot. I went over towards it.
Thank the Goddess, what I feared did not happen! My father was just soundly asleep, but he was definitely breathing.
“He didn’t look so well… Even if I had healed him, I don’t think he could last for a long time…”
“I know, but still, thank you. I guess I could really rely on you even in these times, Dahlia.”
For a few minutes, neither of us said anything. We only listened at the sound of the rain.
“You’ve called me twice by my name now… You really do know me well, don’t you?”
My eyes widened as Dahlia’s words sank into me.
“What do you mean I know you well? Of course, it’s me – Kaist! I’m your best friend, remember? Did you hit your head or something?”
She started to laugh, so I thought it was all a joke.
“How did you know I hit my head?”
“Wait! What?”
So it was not a joke? She really got into an accident and lost her memories?...
“Just today, I ran away from people who wanted to hurt me. I heard some skirmishes in the woods, so I went to investigate. When I peered down, I saw you climbing against the wall. I heard you speak my name without hesitation… That means I could trust you, right?”
She sat closer towards me. “I lost my memories a few weeks ago and got myself out from some bad company… You said we are best friends, so please tell me: who am I really? Where did I come from? More importantly, how did I come to wed Tristan?”
I guess the surprises for me just kept coming and piling up…