I Will Be the Greatest Knight

Chapter 516: Returning Alone

"What?" Irene questioned in total disbelief. "He took off with the dragon?"

There was only one answer: Sylaron. However, she only came if there was something truly urgent, especially in the colder seasons which she did not prefer to be in.

Bren turned towards Sven and silently pleaded for the seasoned knight to say something because he felt as if he were going to get in trouble.

"The kid is right," Sven confirmed. "Sylaron blocked our path and seemed to beg the Commander to go with her. He told us to continue as usual and he would tell us himself if something changed."

Irene nodded slowly. It was an answer she was going to have to accept because Henry was stern with the dragon and would only leave if he could sense her worry. She had to wonder what Sylaron must have communicated for him to decide to go.

"Very well," Irene relented. "Then we will continue as usual. Just as he said."

By then, the others had also come to greet those arriving and they started to move their items towards the protected area by the rock wall. The others were curious as well, but what had been explained was enough for them for the time being.

Even though Irene was disappointed, she was sure to put on a front so the others wouldn’t be uncomfortable. Worry still ate her up enough that even after they hunted and started to go to sleep, she opted to stand guard and would switch with Felix halfway through the night.

With a sky devoid of clouds, Irene quietly walked out and away from the camp so that she could silently reflect on the current situation.

This led her towards the edge of the mountaintop where there was nothing but a massive drop. That wasn’t on her mind, though. Instead, her eyes searched for her family’s ancestral grounds despite knowing she wouldn’t see anything. The moonlight reflected on the tops of clouds showing that the entire Sunstoian north was likely already facing snow this season.

She breathed out a sigh.

"I miss you already, Henry."

But she knew she should focus on those already asleep and relying on her for protection. It brought her to a stump in the forest where she had a good view all around.

Despite a few times of practically nodding off and having to pick up a stick to whittle away at with her hunting knife so she could distract herself from her tiredness, she made it until the moon had gone halfway across the sky before she woke up Felix and told him that it was his turn to take over for the night.

Irene was then finally allowed to settle into the blanket roll she had set up for herself hours before, but she only lay on top so she wouldn’t have to loudly remove her armor or risk it in case anything bad happened.

She felt unusually tired and willed herself to build back up her stamina. The weeks she had of a break around her wedding and her father’s death had certainly taken its toll on her.

Her last thought before sleeping was of when she and Henry were up there alone. She wished she realized then how much he would come to mean to her, but she had to believe that the path they led had meaning and purpose. Timing was out of their hands.

A handful of hours later, Irene woke up to the sound of the others already packing up their things. The fact that she could now get meaningful rest while in armor was always amazing to her. There was a time as an apprentice when she would toss and turn while she tried to get comfortable, but it seemed she had adjusted.

As the knight stretched, she glanced around for Felix and seeing that he was overseeing the apprentices getting food together, she said, "Why’d you let me sleep so late?"

"You were first to guard," Felix insisted. "And the darkness under your eyes is going to cause the Commander to throw a fit for how we must have treated you during the winterization."

Felix smirked at her and she rolled her eyes. At least he was in more of a joking mood recently. It was like the old Felix had returned to them, but it was often at the cost of herself. Whatever was making him happier, she would take it.

"So polite," Irene muttered sarcastically as she got up and began to clean up her own things.

Bren was quick to give the dame breakfast despite her having her own and she thanked them for the bread and sausage, scarfing it down eagerly before getting on her helmet. She imagined Bren’s attentiveness had further meaning, but she wasn’t going to pry further. He would always choose to impress Henry even if it was through her.

They all convened on the other side of the crop of trees they slept nearby and everyone looked to Felix and Irene expectantly, waiting for further orders.

"Shall we switch sides?" Irene wondered out loud. "It would be good for those who haven’t been up here before to experience the other side."

A knowing smile spread across Felix’s face, but he tempered himself rather quickly and nodded in agreement.

"That’s a good idea," he complimented. "Then we will switch sides since we all left our horses at the same point towards the bottom. We won’t need to camp tonight since the way down is far faster than the way up. Godspeed, everyone."

When the group separated into two and Irene and Felix were off once more, they sped on until they reached the point at which you had to rely on a rope to get yourself down because of how impossibly steep it was. They could have taken a kinder path where there was even an old, dilapidated hunting cabin, but it wouldn’t have been amusing that way.

Irene steeled herself so that the apprentices wouldn’t see her scared as she and Felix easily went down the rope as if it was nothing to them. However, when they were both at the bottom and the apprentices were looking down, horrified, she uttered under her breath, "Heavens, it’s as awful as it was the first time."

Felix laughed under his breath, not allowing the others to hear.

The two were then greatly amused as Hugh threw himself into the danger first. The others were hesitant as they followed the surprisingly brave newbie to the bottom. They were starting to realize that if they didn’t behave as bravely as Hugh, who was new as an apprentice, they would lose any opportunities of getting attention from the knights.

Irene was satisfied when they made it to the bottom and found that they made it there first as the sun set. It only took a half hour for the rest of them to meet up with them where they checked to make sure everyone was in one piece before moving on.

They arrived at the Duke’s Tower with dusk leaving and night settling in.

Irene was shocked to find that Henry still hadn’t returned. Would she really be going to bed without her husband that night?

A late supper came and went before Irene was settled in bed wearing only a long tunic, but she didn’t think sleep would come easily despite how exhausted she was.

And that’s when she heard a knock on her window that caused her heart to jolt. Someone being three stories in the air could only have one explanation.