Chapter 26: A Promise - 2
THIRD PERSON POV
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Evelina knelt on the cold stone floor of the training hall, the Knight’s Trial Elixir clutched in her hand, tears streaming down her face.
The memory of Prudee, his earnest promise to protect her, echoed in the vast, empty space, a poignant reminder of a bond shattered by time and loss. Her own choked words, "I should have been the one to tell you that," hung in the air, a testament to her enduring grief and a deep-seated need for strength.
Another memory, softer, yet equally vivid, raced in her mind, a moment of pure, innocent devotion.
The sun was warm on her skin, and the air in the Sapphire manor gardens was thick with the scent of blooming roses. Evelina, then a slender girl, at the age of eight, was carefully picking the freshest, most vibrant flowers, their petals soft against her fingertips. These weren’t for the manor’s vases; these were for Prudee, a small, secret offering to her knight.
A faint, whimpering sound reached her ears, a distressed cry that seemed to come from the dense, overgrown bushes at the edge of the formal garden. It was a dog. Its cries were soft at first, then grew louder, filled with pain. Evelina’s brow furrowed with concern.
She took a step towards the bushes, but hesitated. The undergrowth was thick, tangled with thorny vines, and she could see the glint of tiny, dark insects crawling amidst the leaves. A shiver of disgust ran down her spine. She was afraid of the creepy crawlies, the unseen things that lurk underneath the overgrown brushes.
She couldn’t rescue it herself. She needed her knight. Without a second thought, she dropped her basket of flowers and ran, her blue hair streaming behind her, towards the far end of the garden.
There, amidst a clearing, Prudee, six years old but already possessing a fierce determination, was practicing his swordsmanship. He moved with a focused intensity, his small body a blur of motion, his wooden sword slashing through the air with different sword swings – parries, thrusts, slashes. He was utterly absorbed, lost in his aspiring knight’s dreams.
"Prudee!" Evelina called out, her voice breathless. "Prudee, come quick!"
He stopped his practice, his wooden sword lowering. He turned, his face flushed with exertion, a bright, eager smile on his lips. "My Queen! At your service"
"There’s a dog!" she gasped, pointing towards the bushes, her eyes wide with urgency. "It’s crying! In the bushes! But... but I can’t get to it. There are... there are bugs!"