The Crimson Throne - A Grimdark Tale

"Mr. Ares, if Lady Estella is uncomfortable with your proposition. Then please allow her to change the sitting arrangement." Cecil intervened.

"No Sir Ascania, Mr. Ares is right." Elaine sighed. "I would only hinder your performance by sitting next to you. You would have a better advantage in protecting me by riding alone." Also, I don't want to go against Elias since I still need him to help return me to the magician's tower.

"As you wish, milady." Cecil lowered his gaze and returned.

"Please have some breakfast before you leave." Clara approached the entourage and handed everyone some dry sausages and a loaf of bread. She then stopped in front of Elias' stallion and looked back and forth between Elaine and her superior. A tint of jealousy flashed and disappeared in her eyes. Then, suddenly realizing her peculiar thoughts, Clara's cheeks burned. "Here, please take your meals and have a safe trip." She shoved Elaine and Elias' food in their hands and hurried away.

Elaine watched the girl's disappearing figure. It seemed Clara misunderstood something. Nothing could or would ever happen between her and the male protagonist. Fate had determined he would belong to the female protagonist, not Estella nor the orphan girl he considered his younger sister. In Elaine's opinion, Clara would have a happier ending if she could recognize the cruel fact.

"Hurry and finish your meal, Lady Estella. We should depart soon." Elias reminded Elaine of the time. "Also, the ride will be bumpy, so you should hold tight onto me or the horse's mane if you don't want to hit the ground."

"I'm done." Elaine stuffed the last sausage in her mouth as ladylike as possible and held onto the horse's mane. "We can go."

Elias raised a brow but did not question her choice. He then whistled and shouted an order, steering his horse toward the east. "Depart." Cecil and the rest of the entourage followed.

Elaine felt her hip was on the verge of exploding. Elias did not bluff about the bumpiness. She could not tell how many hours had passed, but they had already jumped over several obstacles. The high velocity and constant bumps worsened Elaine's aches while sweat bullets dripped from her forehead. Endure it. Endure it. She told herself. In a few more hours, she would reach the magician's tower. Then she could go through the portal to return home and rectify the situation.

"Lady Estella, you do not look too well. We should stop and rest." Elias' voice rang in her ears.

"No, we need to continue. I am fine." Elaine replied weakly.

"I am afraid that if we continue like this, you will lose consciousness even before reaching our destination."

"I have to get there on time. We need to proceed. Please! This is an order!" Speaking became exhausting and made Elaine stop for breath between each sentence.

"Unfortunately, milady. I am not one of your guards." He whispered, then shouted another command, "We all stop here. Let's rest for a while."

Elias carried Elaine from the stallion and placed her carefully on a patch of grass. "Do not worry, milady. I always keep my promise. You will arrive on time."

Elaine lifted her head to look at the young man who would one day cause her demise. Elias from the story was a keeper of his words. But could she trust this version of him when the reality differed vastly from the book's description?

"Thank you."

"Rest. I will be back soon." He advanced toward the other soldiers.

"Milady, are you alright?" Cecil dropped from his steed and ran toward Elaine. He then pulled out a jug of water and passed it to her. "Please drink some, milady. It might ease your exhaustion."

Elaine accepted the jug and nodded in gratitude. "Thank you, Sir Ascania." She opened it and drank almost all the water in one gulp. It tasted sweet in her mouth, like an oasis in the middle of the desert. Cecil was right. It did reduce her tiredness.

"It seems you recovered a little, Lady Estella." A few minutes later, Elias came back. He observed her for a while. "We might be able to continue our journey."

"Yes, I have regained my strength."

"I discussed with my soldiers. There is a less rugged path to the magician's tower, but it would delay us a while longer since it is a roundabout."

"No! I can endure it. I do not want to be late." Elaine rejected his proposal. "You promised to return me to the magician tower before sunset." Their eyes met, locked in a battle of wills. Though Elias' gaze was intimidating, she was unwilling to give in. Stubbornness permeated her eyes.

Elias glowered, but eventually sighed in defeat. "Fine. You win, milady. We will continue our current path."

"Thank you, Mr. Ares." She beamed at him.

"You should smile more, Lady Estella. It suits you better than that scowl you always carry around." Elias concluded.

"Thank you for the 'advice.' I will take notes for the future." Elaine's eyes twitched, and her smile frozen.

He chuckled.

What is so funny? She looked down, trying hard not to glare at him.

"It is time. We should depart." Elias came over, extending his hand.

"No need, Mr. Ares. Sir Ascania will assist me." Elaine stopped him before he could pick her up again. "Sir Ascania, if you could please." She nodded toward Cecil.

"As you wish, milady." Cecil smiled gently and held onto her hand, aiding Elaine toward Elias' horse.

The Vice Commander retracted his hand and walked behind them.