the Rogue is the only thing I can think of right now.”
Jade emerged from the washroom then dressed in her white blouse and brown pants and came to say goodbye to Delgrab.
“I’m assuming we are leaving now?” she asked Aston.
“After a quick breakfast, of course,” Alys announced as she came back into the room.
The look in her eyes told Aston that he would do best not to argue. He nodded. “Of course, Alys, after breakfast.”
The woman smiled and went to her kitchen. Sounds of cooking could be heard soon after: simmering bacon, crackling fire, and the clanking of pans. It didn’t take Alys long to have everyone seated at the table and eating their fill. Aston excused himself while Jade was still eating to prepare the horses.
Jade helped Alys with the dishes before turning to Delgrab. “ Th ank you for everything,” she said, smiling at him. She wanted to hug the big bear of a man, but she still felt a little uncomfortable. She knew that Aston trusted these people with his life, but she was still a stranger to them.
“You are welcome here anytime, l ass,” he said, placing a chaste kiss on the back of her hand . Jade left then, going into the back to say her farewells to Alys as well.
Delgrab walked outside, where Aston was already waiting for Jade, the horses ready to go. The knight grabbed his friend in a hug . “Goodbye for now, Delgrab.”
Delgrab leaned in close to Aston, whispering in his ear. “You take care of her, Aston. She needs you.”
Aston nodded at his friend, a small smile gracing his features. “I will.”
Alys came out of the cabin and grabbed the knight i n a hug, squeezing his arms to his sides. Aston laughed, pushing Alys back and giving her a gentle hug in return.
“You be safe, Aston Smith. Do you hear me?” she scolded, tears in her eyes.
Aston nodded. “I will, Alys. I’m going to fix this, I promise.” Seemingly convinced, Alys smil ed at him, pulling him forward and giving him a light kiss on the cheek. Ja de came out of the cabin and walked over to her stallion, clambering on. Aston followed suit, hoisting himself onto Sterling. With one last look at Delgrab and Alys, standing arm in arm in the cabin’s front yard, Aston and Jade rode into the forest.
* *
“How far is Northsbury from Fridel?” Jade asked Aston.
Aston frowned. “It’s almost a two day ride. I’m afraid we can only rest as long as the horses need to. I ca n’t afford to miss t he Rogue.”
Jade nodded and turn ed away. The Rogue Royal was a touchy subject for her. She needed to tell Aston what she knew, but she feared he would abandon her. Instead, she kept her secrets inside. “I guess it’s good that we stayed with Delgrab and Alys, then. It was nice, sleeping in a real bed, having dinner with real friends.”
“That won’t happen very often as long as you’re with me, Jade. I don’t have friends aside from Delgrab and Alys. Even in the palace, I was always alone,” Aston warned her.
“I don’t mind. I’m sorry I was a bit…stuck up when we met. I’ve never been on my own before. I’ve always had my parents arou nd to take care of me,” Jade apologize d .
Aston met her gaze and smiled. “It’s fine. We should hurry, though. The Rogue was supposed to be at Northsbury in two days. If we don’t ride faster, he will kill the king and leave before we ever get there.”
Jade nodded her agreement and urged her horse int o a brisk canter , allowing Aston to move ahead of her and lead the way.
* *
As night fell, Aston was forced to slow down. He couldn’t see where he was going anymore, and his knight’s training didn’t help this far from Fridel. It had been almost a year since he’d been to Northsbury. He’d gone with Talbot and King Donn the winter before for the king’s winter ball. The path was unfamiliar, and, for the second time since his death sentence, he found himself afraid.
“Is something wrong, Aston?” Jade asked, bringing her horse up beside Sterling.
Jade emerged from the washroom then dressed in her white blouse and brown pants and came to say goodbye to Delgrab.
“I’m assuming we are leaving now?” she asked Aston.
“After a quick breakfast, of course,” Alys announced as she came back into the room.
The look in her eyes told Aston that he would do best not to argue. He nodded. “Of course, Alys, after breakfast.”
The woman smiled and went to her kitchen. Sounds of cooking could be heard soon after: simmering bacon, crackling fire, and the clanking of pans. It didn’t take Alys long to have everyone seated at the table and eating their fill. Aston excused himself while Jade was still eating to prepare the horses.
Jade helped Alys with the dishes before turning to Delgrab. “ Th ank you for everything,” she said, smiling at him. She wanted to hug the big bear of a man, but she still felt a little uncomfortable. She knew that Aston trusted these people with his life, but she was still a stranger to them.
“You are welcome here anytime, l ass,” he said, placing a chaste kiss on the back of her hand . Jade left then, going into the back to say her farewells to Alys as well.
Delgrab walked outside, where Aston was already waiting for Jade, the horses ready to go. The knight grabbed his friend in a hug . “Goodbye for now, Delgrab.”
Delgrab leaned in close to Aston, whispering in his ear. “You take care of her, Aston. She needs you.”
Aston nodded at his friend, a small smile gracing his features. “I will.”
Alys came out of the cabin and grabbed the knight i n a hug, squeezing his arms to his sides. Aston laughed, pushing Alys back and giving her a gentle hug in return.
“You be safe, Aston Smith. Do you hear me?” she scolded, tears in her eyes.
Aston nodded. “I will, Alys. I’m going to fix this, I promise.” Seemingly convinced, Alys smil ed at him, pulling him forward and giving him a light kiss on the cheek. Ja de came out of the cabin and walked over to her stallion, clambering on. Aston followed suit, hoisting himself onto Sterling. With one last look at Delgrab and Alys, standing arm in arm in the cabin’s front yard, Aston and Jade rode into the forest.
* *
“How far is Northsbury from Fridel?” Jade asked Aston.
Aston frowned. “It’s almost a two day ride. I’m afraid we can only rest as long as the horses need to. I ca n’t afford to miss t he Rogue.”
Jade nodded and turn ed away. The Rogue Royal was a touchy subject for her. She needed to tell Aston what she knew, but she feared he would abandon her. Instead, she kept her secrets inside. “I guess it’s good that we stayed with Delgrab and Alys, then. It was nice, sleeping in a real bed, having dinner with real friends.”
“That won’t happen very often as long as you’re with me, Jade. I don’t have friends aside from Delgrab and Alys. Even in the palace, I was always alone,” Aston warned her.
“I don’t mind. I’m sorry I was a bit…stuck up when we met. I’ve never been on my own before. I’ve always had my parents arou nd to take care of me,” Jade apologize d .
Aston met her gaze and smiled. “It’s fine. We should hurry, though. The Rogue was supposed to be at Northsbury in two days. If we don’t ride faster, he will kill the king and leave before we ever get there.”
Jade nodded her agreement and urged her horse int o a brisk canter , allowing Aston to move ahead of her and lead the way.
* *
As night fell, Aston was forced to slow down. He couldn’t see where he was going anymore, and his knight’s training didn’t help this far from Fridel. It had been almost a year since he’d been to Northsbury. He’d gone with Talbot and King Donn the winter before for the king’s winter ball. The path was unfamiliar, and, for the second time since his death sentence, he found himself afraid.
“Is something wrong, Aston?” Jade asked, bringing her horse up beside Sterling.
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