Chapter 25: Chapter 25

THE SILENCE AFTER

The chest kept creaking, but wouldn't open. I felt deep sobs erupt in my throat, but I didn't feel like crying. Every word from Florence reverberated in my ears.

So my father's name was Lou. I looked like him. And he hadn't wanted me any more than Florence had. who was now dead. Like my baby I guess...

Suddenly Arin fell to his knees in the snow next to me and just like me grabbed the blankets and the bottom of the chest with both hands and tugged at it. "Hit it."

He pointed to a small squiggle in the center of the lid. I did what he said, over and over again. At some point the wood squeaked and the lid opened. Arin pulled him open with all his might.

"That she's already so rusty..." he growled.

As soon as my arms fit through the opening, I reached in. And felt two little hands. Arin finally threw the lid open so I could get Armin out.

I immediately hugged him, tossing aside the sheets I had wrapped him in before he was kidnapped, and stared at his chest.

"He's breathing..." I gasped exhaustedly and started to tremble indignantly. The sobbing started again.

Arin immediately grabbed the child and placed it in the crook of his arm. Gently he tried to blow air into his lungs. Armin's eyes stayed closed and his little arms hung limply around him.

"How do you know that?" I almost couldn't get the sentence out.

"I spent a lot of time in the library back then. I read a book that says you can save someone from drowning. Maybe that will help him too..."

We were both powerless and shocked. And that Arin remembered something like that at that moment could really help Armin...

In fact, he started coughing and spitting. And scared to whimper.

Arin immediately handed my child to comfort me. It's hard for me to stop crying myself...

I looked up at my soot-smeared husband. He swallowed hard and ran his fingers through his hair. His sword lay beside his thigh, blood on it. We both sat in the snow. I didn't feel the cold at all.

Arin gently brushed my singed bangs from my face and rested his forehead on mine. We only stayed like that for a short time. Then he bent down a bit and pressed his hard, cold lips to mine. The hut is still burning. The world stood still for a moment...

"I'll take you home..." Arin breathed, wiping the trickles from my cheeks. Then he slipped one arm under my knees and one against my back. Seconds later he got up with us and led us to my stolen mare.

"Where's Pocket?" Arin just shook his head reassuringly and climbed up behind me.

The hut was almost completely burned down. On the black spot in the snow, only black glowing pieces of wood lay.

"I built this hut with Syman..." Arin had to swallow for a moment, but then urged the bay mare on.

"I'm so glad you're doing well..."

I leaned my back against him and placed my coat over Armin and me. I put it on and immediately his crying stopped.

"Nobody fed you, am I right?" I grumbled softly.

Arin could have cried with relief. Everything had gone well. And apart from a few scratches, they were all fine.

Elain fell asleep leaning against Arin's chest after a while. She had somehow tied Armin to her with her coat so that his son slept on her shoulder. He was tired too. After it was all over...

Eberhart had fled, Florenz was killed by a falling beam... His child almost suffocated in his mother's old chest and Elain almost burned to death.

Thank God he hadn't taken Syman with him.

It was the middle of the night when it started snowing and Arin arrived in Eberworry. He had to pick up Syman. Who knows, he gave the boys credit for not shutting an eye. In front of the inn where Syman was staying, Arin stopped and whistled. He was too tired to dismount.

The lights went on in three rooms.

"Syman..." he growled. Then the boy rushed to the window.

"Arin!"

"Go pack, we'll ride on soon."

Syman nodded brightly and disappeared again. Now they were finally all together again. In the city where her story really began.

Where Arin was captured and in whose woods he was beaten by Avan. In order to consummate the marriage between Elain and himself immediately afterwards at the river.

So that he could then be caught again at the castle of the white knights, and then quarrel with his brother again... but all this not only brought Arin closer to his wife, but it also reconciled him with his homeland.

And now he had a child, a home, and a purpose in life. And that's just because one day he received a letter from Duke Eberhart and his wife inviting them to an important meeting. Just because he could escape from Avan longer that way, he went and ran into her.

On Elain. The bride he never wanted.

EPILOGUE

It's spring, the sun is shining and peace has finally returned. Let's see how long, because Arin and I stayed at the White Knights' Castle.

My Black Knight's reputation has soared after everyone heard of Florence.

At that time, Eberhart rode straight into the Campbell brothers and was immediately taken to the castle, where he committed suicide three days later.

And Benita, that tough lady, survived. Since then she lives in the dungeon where her father visits her regularly. In three years she will be released, but she has to leave the country. If she is seen again, she will be executed.

Syman has actually conquered the little girl he had a crush on and is constantly skipping work at the forge. Arin has rebuked him twice for it and almost beat him up once.

Now Armin is sitting with me in Elizabeth's garden, Arin's mother. He plays with the water for the plants and giggles like nothing bad has ever happened to him in his life. And that makes me incredibly happy.

In spring the garden is even more beautiful. Because the different plants are starting to bear buds and some are just starting to flower. It's just amazing to see a flower sprout every morning after breakfast.

"Hi." Arin appears in the Celtic Gate. He looks angry. But when he sees Armin beaming at him like he's a hero, that goes away for a moment. He lifts the Dirty Boy off the ground. "Have you seen Syman?"

"At least not here..."

Arin kicks his feet angrily. "This time I'll beat him up no matter what you say!" After Armin gets impatient, he puts him back in his place. "I'm going to find him now. And God have mercy on him, this ungrateful little-"

I catch up with him in the archway and stop him. "Try to understand him, Arin."

He snorts indignantly.

"The boy will be eleven next month. What does he know about women and their uncontrollable urges!?"

"Uncontrollable urges, my lord?" I put my innocent face up and rub his tense abs up and down over his linen shirt.

His eyes scowl, but he smiles. "Since he's got you backing him up, he's a lot more spoiled than before..."

"Never mind." Just as he bends his head down towards me, he hears Syman's giggle and stops.

"Oh but!" Then he stomps away.

Well, Syman has to take care of himself. Armin pulls on the tail of my skirt and shows me his dirty little hands.

"He really looks just like Arin." Avan approaches and beams at Armin with delight.

I haven't seen him for a long time. Since bringing Eberhart here, he has had to contend with many authorities over Arin. Everyone wanted to sue him for Florence, but Avan brushed that off.

"Indeed?"

With a warm smile he lifts Armin onto his hip. "Confusingly similar. Am I right, Armin? My prayers weren't answered."

"Arin can't have been that bad after all."

They smoothed out the ties between Avan and me. Now he's like my big brother. All Campbells became that, like my big brothers. And i love it.

Avan smiles maliciously and hands me Armin. "You'll see. See you later, I'm looking for Arin. God help him if I find him."

And the circle closes. "Say, Bye Bye Uncle Avi."

Avan raises his finger menacingly. "Everything you say now, I'll let your husband out again." Then he disappears too.

So I stand with my dirty little Armin in my arms between fragrant and blooming flowers and couldn't be happier.

Even Arin is happy here and wants nothing but a little daughter. "After Syman and a son of my own, I finally want a little princess!"

For dinner, Taran pulls Armin onto his lap. He enjoys spending time with him now that he is about to marry Melodie the kitchen maid. Kora has been promoted under Ben's command and has already found a lady with his uniform on, and he's eating from her hand.

After that, I'll wait for Arin in our chamber. After Armin finally fell asleep, I have time to change and comb my hair again. Ever since Benita attacked us in the night, I haven't slept well and I always think the next morning that Armin has disappeared again. I haven't quite got over it yet. But soon I will also close this chapter...

Arin's soft lips brush the back of my neck. "What are you thinking about?"

"To many things." His hands hug me and his head pops up next to mine. His black fringes hang slightly over his forehead, his brown eyes shine. I have to smile. "As always."

"However." The dimple in his cheek shows. "That makes you different from many women."

I have to laugh and push him away. "You're not nice."

"No." he pulls me to his chest and smiles. "I am the Black Knight."

That's him. And he's mine. I snuggle up to him and laugh. "Thank God."

"That's what I mean!"

END