Chapter 25: The Man on the Horse

A Chapter by Emunah June.

"Stop!"

I remove my lips from Koda's, and we both turn around at who's voice was yelling at us.

A man in nothing but shining gray armour arrived on horseback. Koda's whole demeanor dropped as she held onto me. "Who dares kiss the runaway maiden?" the man asked in a low voice. He was wearing a helmet, so it was hard to make out what he was saying.

Koda shivered. "I...I..."

I brought her into me. "You're not going to hurt her!" I shouted.

The man jumped off his horse and approached us. "Dearest maiden, why do you do this?" he asked, placing a hand on her shoulder. I pushed his hand off. "Don't touch her," I spoke in an acidic tone.

The man paused, then turned his head towards me. I swallowed hard. "She's my maiden, I have every right to touch her," he spoke in a loud booming voice. I feel myself growing defensive. "She belongs to no one! She's a human being, not some sort of property! How dare you--"

"Alphonse, enough."

Koda finally speaks as she pushes herself away from me. Her head is hung in shame, and when she looks up she gives a fake smile. "I..I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have--"

"Leading this gentleman on as you did wasn't the proper thing to do, fair maiden. A woman of your status has no right doing so," he interrupted in a calm but stern voice. Koda nodded, then glanced back at me. The man touched her shoulder again. She looked up in surprise. "You aren't mad at me?" she asked, eyes bright. He shook her head. "Of course not. We all make mistakes," he said.

"K-Koda, who is this man?" I ask, walking up to her. She looks back at me and smiles. "Don't play such silly games with me, Alphonse. You know him!" she said with a small laugh. I look up at the helmeted figure, trying to place the voice. No matter who I matched it with, the voice fit no one I knew. I walk over and place my hands on his helmet, ready to remove it, but Koda stops me. "Alphonse! How rude!!" she shouted, and I lash my hands off. "Wh-What?" I ask, wondering what I had done so wrong. She shrugs her shoulders. "You're keeping the poor dear waiting," she said.

I stare in confusion.

The man pulls off his helmet to reveal Brother.

I gasp.

His voice changes back to the one I grew so accustomed to. "Come now, maiden, the king has many words to speak with you," he said harshly, holding his hand out lovingly to her. Koda points to me. "Alphonse, don't keep the poor thing waiting too much longer," she says, then moves her finger to pointing behind me.

I turn.

The girl with the sewn up lips is behind me. She's staring in the hopes to tell me something, but she knows no words will escape her lips. I gasp in surprise, then look back at Koda. Brother is helping her onto the horse, and she's smiling at him. He looks back at me. "You may want to come as well. The king wishes to speak with you as well," he said as he hopped on the horse too. Koda wrapped her arms around his waist, and he smiled. "My maiden and I are off. We shan't be back for some time...for...quite some time," he said as he turned around and kissed her neck.

I sit in a deja vu.

Where had I seen this before?

He turns forward and grabs the reigns. "Please, young commoner, make your way to the palace hastily. If you keep the king waiting, your head will be his within the hour," he warned as he turned the horse around and sped off into the heart of the darkness.

I sigh.

Well, thats just perfect.

I turn to look at the girl again, but she's gone.

I feel alone.

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