Chapter 217: A Couple of Strangers
Aideen glanced at the round clock hanging on the wall of the reading room. It had been more than twelve hours since Khala, Ahspid, and King Yuraon had left her to defend the castle against the Holy Army. She was beginning to feel anxious.
She had just returned from the underground shelter, where she had spent the last several hours with the people of the North, helping the maids serve food and ensuring everyone was comfortable and well. Now, it was time to check on Taru’s condition.
’He is still sleeping... I didn’t have enough time to help him with his powers while we slept; perhaps it is affecting him negatively.’
The princess adjusted the red scarf around the dragon’s chin and stroked his spiky head, watching as the snowflake on his forehead responded with a soft blue glow to her gentle touch.
Leaving Taru in the attentive hands of Saife, Aideen made her way from the shelter all the way up to the watchtower. She carried a hot meal and a cup of aromatic tea for the knight stationed there.
"Thank you, Your Highness, but you should have sent someone else instead. You must be exhausted!" the knight exclaimed.
Aideen offered him a kind smile and stood by the small window, which provided a view of the snowy landscape.
"It must be witchcraft... It’s still early in the day, but the sky is almost black. It looks very ominous." She turned to the knight and asked, "How is it going? Any progress?"
Biting into a slice of bread, the knight replied, "The bandits managed to push the Holy Army all the way back to the west. You can barely see them from here now, especially in this darkness."