1

"I'm sorry." He whispered as a tear fell from his eyes. Frowning up at him, I tried to speak, but the air in my lungs left as the feeling of something sharp entered my stomach. Gasping in shock, I watched as Markus pulled his hand back taking the sharp object out of me.

Staggering back, I looked down at my stomach. Blood oozed out of the wound, coating my once crisp-white shirt with red. Placing my hands over the wound, I looked up at Markus.

Standing by his side was Anna, a victorious smirk on her face. "Well done, my love." She whispered.

Turning his face to Anna, he bent down to kiss her.

"Fall back!"

Present day:

The pain was the first thing I could register. It felt like my insides were being pulled apart as bile travelled up to reach my throat. Gritting my teeth, I tried to focus on anything but the pain I was feeling. The last thing I could remember was the searing pain in my stomach, as the one person I truly loved stabbed me with his sword.

Markus.

Opening my eyes, I squinted at the bright lights that greeted me, instantly regretting my want to see. Blinking a few times, I looked around the room. From what I could see, I was in a white canvas tent, as I laid on what looked to be a dark green stretcher. Around the room were a variety of herbs and medical utensils. A tray off to the side of the stretcher, had bloody bandages covering most of the silver tray, causing panic to stir in my chest.

Reaching down to my stomach, I placed my hand on my bare middle only to feel something damp and warm there. My middle area was wrapped with a bandage, and as I moved up onto my elbows I felt that stretching pain again. Hissing through clenched teeth, I looked around the area. I was in the tent alone but the sound of chatter had me quickly lying back down. Closing my eyes I listened to the two female voices as the tent flaps opened.

"Are you going to the hanging?" A grunt followed as the female companion replied.

"Of course. I want to see that traitor hung for what he did."

The footsteps came closer as I tried my best to stay as still as possible. "I just feel sorry for the female rider. She nearly died because of him." Spoke young lady.

The feeling of the thin blanket being lifted had me gritting my teeth before one of the ladies gently pressed her hand on my middle.

"Yes well, Markus deserves death for what he did. Rider Abagail is lucky to be alive."

"She should be dead. If it wasn't for the King rushing to the Cave of Noelle-."Sighing, the lady took her hand off my middle covering me back up. "Yes well, the rider is lucky that Sir Robert knew what she needed."

The sound of the voices faded as they left the tent. Slowly opening my eyes, I let their words sink in. Markus was being hung for his actions, and some Sir Robert had known how to help me. Ripping the blanket away from my body, I forced myself into a sitting position. I was in pain, but I had to get there before he was hung. I needed answers. The Markus I knew wouldn't do this, I just knew he wouldn't.

Staggering to my feet, I limped towards an old shirt and pants resting on a wooden chair. Putting them on, I slowly made my way to the tent entrance. Pushing back the flap I noticed I was in the middle of a mass array of tents. It was like some kind of compound, considering we were covered by thick forest trees, I had a feeling they were using this as a means to not be seen. Looking around the area I checked for any signs of people walking by, and once I knew it was clear I limped out. As I moved around the scattered tents, the sound of cheers towards a clearing caught my attention. Moving towards the clearing, I spotted a few people rushing towards the area as if they were about to miss something exciting. Wrapping my hand around my middle, I gazed at my surroundings. All I could see were tents but off to the side was a rack of weapons. Swords, spears, shields and a few wooden bows with some arrows hung in the middle, sat untouched by those passing by. Staggering towards the weapons, I grabbed a bow and a few arrows before heading in the direction of the voices.

Set in a small clearing below thick trees, was a wooden hanging station. It looked to be made just for this occasion, and I could only hope I wasn't too late. As the fear began to rise, grunting and shouts came from my left followed by cheering from the crowd that had gathered around the podium.

Gazing in the direction I had heard the grunts, I felt my heart drop. Being dragged by Matthew and Talios, was Markus. His ankles and wrists were in cuffs restricting his movements, causing him to trip in his steps. Gripping the bow tighter in my hands, I crouched behind a bush only to regret my actions a second later. Hissing in pain, I gritted my teeth, as my breath quickened along with the throbbing pain in my stomach.

Pulling Markus up onto the platform, I watched as William placed the noose around his neck before tightening it, causing my heart to leap into my throat. As William turned towards the crowd I frowned at his appearance. He looked exhausted as his face had become thinner, with a slight dark stubble now covering his jaw. His once short brown hair had now grown to his shoulders. He wore a plain white shirt, with the first two buttons undone. His brown leather pants were dirty, and his once clean silver shoes were now replaced with black leather boots.

Holding his hand up, the crowd hushed into low murmurs. "Today we hang a traitor to our lands!" He shouted. Holding out his hand to Markus, he glared at him. "He had aided the Dark King in his task to take over our lands, leaving us without homes and our family."

Stepping closer to Markus, William gritted his teeth. "He killed one of our own and the former King."

Gasping in shock, I covered my mouth causing a child to turn around at the sound. Ducking lower into the bush, I felt tears prick my eyes. If King Albert was dead, that means the villages had been attacked. Tightening my grip on the bow I felt anger flow through me.

"Because of this, we hang Markus Dwell for his actions!" The crowd shouted at the declaration, with a few men spitting on the ground as a sign of hatred. Turning to Talios, William nodded. Watching Talios walk towards a leaver I felt the air escape my lungs.

"No," I whispered. Aligning the arrow with the bow, I pulled it back just as the lever was pulled and Markus fell. The rope pulled tight as his full weight sailed towards the ground.

Releasing the arrow it sailed through the air. Hitting the rope at the right angle, it severed, causing Markus to fall to the ground below. Landing with a loud thud, Markus gasped for air as he clawed at his throat. Shocked gasps echoed around the clearing as a few people screamed in shock, with some mothers grabbing their children in fear.

Grabbing his sword, William jumped down from the wooden podium. "Who did that?" He shouted. "Show yourself!"

Dropping the bow, I wrapped my hands around my waist as I felt my body starting to become cold. The pain I had tried to forget came back with a vengeance now,

letting me know I was in serious trouble.

Stepping out from the tree line into the clearing, some of the villagers gasped in shock. A few people looked completely terrified. "I thought she died?" Whispered a man to his wife.

Staggering closer to the scene, I watched as William ran towards me as Talios and one of the many soldiers grabbed Markus to prevent him from escaping. Wrapping his arms around me, William looked shocked. "I-I thought..." He trailed off, eyes full of tears.

"I was dead?" I chuckled, only to have regretted it seconds later as tears sprung to my eyes at the sharp pain. Hissing I bent over, thankful for William's support around me, otherwise, I would've fallen to the ground.

"Abagail?" A voice whispered.

Gritting my teeth at the voice, I slowly lifted my gaze to his face. He looked like he had gone through hell and back. Markus' face was covered in dirt, with a few bruises sitting on his left cheek.

Exhaling through clenched teeth I stood taller despite the agony I was in. Glaring at Markus, I felt nothing for the man before me. "Death is too easy for him," I said.

Markus frowned. "Please, Abagail, I didn't mean-."

"Enough!" William shouted. Turning to me he frowned. "Why did you save him?"

Why did I save him? He was my childhood friend, my first love and someone I looked up to but yet he tried to kill me. I was hurt and in pain from his attempt to kill me, yet I had aided him to stop his death. Sighing, I licked my chapped lips.

My mouth felt dry, and my throat hoarse as I spoke. "Death is too easy of a punishment. He should be locked away to suffer in silence for his crimes. Guilt is worse than death."

Shaking his head, Markus tried to move towards me. "Please let me explain!"

"Take him to a tent and tie him to the post." Spoke William.

I watched in silence as the crowd protested at the change of punishment. I could hear William responding but my only focus was on Markus. He was trying to get to me, his eyes full of tears as he was being dragged away. I wasn't sure if I cared for him right now. I felt numb, the only thing I felt was the searing pain in my stomach as black dots started to appear in my vision. Taking a deep breath, I allowed my eyes to close. The only sound I heard was shocked gasps as I fell.