The Thread Of Fate

Chapter 3

We walked out of the castle. It was still dark. The General was waiting for us with three horses and the chubby man from earlier.

"Should I get another horse from the stables ?" The General asked Dominic, "For the Queen?"

It was weird to be addressed as such. In my heart it felt as though nothing had changed and yet at the same time, I knew that my life had been turned upside down.

I was in denial.

The last few events had been stashed away into a corner of my brain and I was trying hard to keep it that way. I knew it was best to let things take their natural course of action when I had no control over them.

I had experienced my fair share of problems and I knew how to deal with them. Henry had taught me a lot in life. He had always believed that time had the ability to heal everything, that things did get better. Thinking of him brought forth emotions from the past. I didn't have the luxury to fall to pieces. I needed to snap out of it.

"No." Dominic's voice brought me back to reality. I didn't know whether to be sad or grateful. He gestured for me to get on the white horse.

"My King, may I speak with you about something that is bothering me?" the General asked. Dominic nodded and the General added, "in private?"

I started to walk away but Dominic caught my hand.

"Stay." it was an order and my first instinct was to defy him.

Nish had been the only royalty that I had ever come across and I had grown to hate him. It had generated a bias in my heart against all of them. I was conscious enough to realise that Dominic was different. Besides, I had no other choice than to obey him at that point. Running away without a plan was foolish and so I nodded. He then walked away from me and towards the castle with the General right behind.

"Don't think you're above us." the chubby man said to me with disgust etched on his face. "When I find out what your plans are, I will expose you and have you executed."

I was baffled. The man truly believed that I had something up my sleeve. I was in no mood to fight so I decided to reply calmly.

"Executing me means killing your own king." I reminded.

"Oh you naive girl!" He laughed, "You think he would risk his life for you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Don't think you can kill him." He was looking at me with distrust but I saw uncertainty in his eyes. Abruptly, he turned his focus on something behind me and bowed. I turned around to find an extremely serious looking Dominic.

"Get on the horse." his tone was terse and the General looked at me with pity. I wondered if they'd had an argument about something.

Without wasting any time, I turned to Eurus. Horses were something I didn't have a lot of experience with but Dominic's expression stopped me from asking for his help.

I placed a hand on the horse's mane and he jumped away, violently. I stepped back and looked to the General. He seemed like a sane man and offered me a sympathetic smile.

"The horse only likes His majesty's touch." He said and I nodded.

"Down Eurus!" Dominic was visibly angry. He looked at me, expecting me to climb once the horse settled. I had trouble doing so since the horse was too big for me.