Chapter 114 Anger and Fear
In the air, above the east coast of Costa Lunas Bay.
Hernando and Snowfall flew near the mountains, heading towards the city. He saw the larger, more distant mountains where the wild Pegasi live. They communicated mentally while they were flying.
Hernando: We must fly over Colina Alba, the royal castle, Colina Verde, and finally the peninsula.
The man created images of the places in her mind. She knew them all. She increased her altitude to take advantage of a favorable wind. The first part of the city they saw was made up of farms and fishing villages. She flew directly north, towards Colina Alba.
Snowfall: The bipeds have attacked my family.
Hernando: Yes, our family.
Snowfall: I feel anger. I think the All-Mother is angry. They have broken the peace.
In a room in the manor house on Royal Island.
Danilo was reading some maps that Eneko had provided him with. The girl, Kerstin, came in and stopped beside him. Her face reflected sadness and guilt.
Danilo: Do you need anything, girl?
Kerstin hesitated: Yes. I feel very bad. I am nobody. But it was I who fled on the Pegasus instead of someone else.
The priest took her face in his hands: You are just as important as anyone else. You escaped a bad and dangerous situation. This week has been very difficult for you. None of that is your fault, I promise.
Kerstin: But why did he do that if I am not a bad person?
Danilo: Girl, sometimes people hurt others. It is a flaw in the person who does it. The king was a very bad person. He liked to hurt innocent girls, like you.
The girl looked at the ground and tried to hold back her tears.
Danilo: When I entered the castle many years ago, I met a kind man. He spoke to me very gently and treated me well. But, after a while, he tried to harm me. He believed that his kindness entitled him to my servitude in certain matters.
Kerstin: What happened?
Danilo: I ended my relationship with him. It was difficult because I had feelings for him. I was already an adult. I cannot imagine how difficult it must be for a young girl like you.
Kerstin: Is it okay for me to be glad that he died?
Danilo hugged the girl: Yes, yes. The man who hurt me died very recently, and I am glad about that. The monster who hurt you deserved to die.
She wept softly: How long will I feel broken inside?
Danilo thought that even seven years later he still felt pain in his heart: I do not know, I do not know.
In the air, above the sea.
White Stockings was flying at a great height so she could observe a wider area. She could glide easily thanks to the strong winds.
White Stockings: Islands of dead wood.
Floriano: How many?
The Pegasus projected an image into the mind of the man.
He counted twenty-five ships moving in three rows across the sea towards the north.
Floriano: It is the fleet from Puerto Blanco. But the large ship is not there. We need to fly further north.
The Pegasus flapped her wings for a while and increased her speed. An hour later, she spotted more ships.
White Stockings: I see more islands moving. One of them is very large.
Floriano: Fly lower, carefully, my beautiful girl.
She descended slowly towards the sea and the area located to the east of the ships. Floriano watched the large ship until he could distinguish a blue flag with a running Unicorn and a Pegasus flying above it. He saw some men waving flags on the ship.
Floriano: Can you fly alongside them?
White Stockings snorted and reduced its altitude and speed. As they passed by the ship, the men started shouting.
Many voices: Queen Olivia! Queen Olivia! Steel and blood!
White Stockings: I see the man who was flying with my sister.
Floriano: Excellent. We need to fly south, to Isla Oveja.
In a prayer room on Isla Real.
Olivia gazed at the statues of the Pegasi of yesteryear. She lit a prayer candle for the riders. The duke entered and sat down next to her.
Wulfhelm: Forgive me, my queen.
Olivia gave a small smile: It is fine, Duke.
Wulfhelm: Can I ask you something?
She nodded her head.
The young man: Why did you name me Duke?
She thought for a few seconds: Because you seemed to be as afraid of power as I was. I believe that those who do not fear power are more likely to abuse it.
Wulfhelm: You are wise for your age. My mother likes power. And I believe she abused her power over my father, and he died because of it. She used her power to devise a plan that would allow me to ascend to the throne. But she did not think about how many men would die in the process.
Olivia: I cannot stop thinking about those who have already died for me.
Wulfhelm: I think I saw that in you. That is why I wanted to support you.
The queen smiled a little more. The young man took her hand and held it gently. Her heart began to beat faster. He looked into her eyes and felt something new and intense. They both smiled, but their minds remained preoccupied with the danger of their situation.
In a banquet hall.
Eneko: Are you a friend of the queen? From which noble house?
Lupita: Oh, yes. I do not belong to a noble family. I am a servant.
The woman of the street knew that the truth was too harsh to tell the child.
Eneko: Fine. Some of my friends are servants in the house. Are you worried about something?
Lupita: Yes. I have a good friend who participated in the fight. I do not know if he is safe or not. He has supported me during difficult times.
Eneko: We have priests of the Pegasi and the Unicorns, in case you want to pray with them.
Lupita: You are very kind, mLord.
The young man knew immediately from her words that she was not a servant of the castle. But she had a kind look about her. The inhabitants of the Royal Island were the most despised nobles in the kingdom. He had learned to evaluate people without paying attention to their noble titles or family background.
Eneko: I think you have a promising future.