Chapter 118

Chapter 118 Old habits.

“Sir Antony.” Doris bowed her head because she wasn’t sure what else to do. The old man only laughed and she felt the heat crawl up her neck. She hadn’t yệt broken her old habits.

“No need for that, my child. It seems I’ve been in the dark about some of the matters between rogues. I woke up this morning to an empty house and village.” Sir Antony brushed his hand across one of the horses though a sad look formed along his features.

“They haven’t told you anything?” Doris asked in disbelief. “Surely you must have noticed the tension—“

“I was told it was being handled respectively, now I see that wasn’t true.” He glanced over her shoulder.

She didn’t have to turn to know that William was there. Sir Antony didn’t smile, but he didn’t glare at least. “You look just like her.”

His soft tone shocked her a bit. Doris glanced back to see William clench his jaw. They all knew he meant William’s mother that used to live in this very camp. “Must be why my father hates me.”

Doris cleared her throat and took a step closer to Sir Antony. “Is there anyway you can help us? Perhaps they would see reason if you were to intervene. I know how highly they all think of you.”

“I’d first like to know what the prince is doing in my territory. I haven’t had a chance to ask him personally.” Sir Antony kept his eyes on William and Doris was starting to feel as if she was invisible again. “Didn’t you get any of my invitations for a private meeting? I was beginning to think my messenger was keeping them for himself.”.

“I did. I didn’t think they would be useful to me.” William said calmly. Doris looked at him, surprised. She didn’t know that he had been ignoring an invitation with the founder of the rogues. Doris hadn’t seen Sir Antony come out of his cabin since she arrived, she thought he was just unwell.

What did he mean that a meeting wouldn’t be useful to him? She couldn’t think of anything more useful than having the founder of rogues on your side.

Sir Antony offered a small, sad smile. “I know you are the reason my people are separated. You owe me a reason, the very least.”

“I would think you would be the one to owe me something.” William spoke as if he was disinterested in everything around him. The disrespect was plain, but Sir Antony only looked amused by William’s mood.

“William, what are you talking about? I thought you—“ William silenced Doris with a glance that could have cut her. She narrowed her eyes at him and balled her hands into fists at her sides.

“I came to unite the rogues back with the kingdom, but not everyone is happy with the idea.” William forced out as if Doris had tortured him to say it. “I wanted peace between our lands.”

“Oh really? And how would you expect to do that?” Sir Antony asked curiously.

“Once I become king, I’ll be able to enforce peace towards the rogues. Any mistreatment won’t be tolerated under my order. All I need is the rogues agreement and support but it seems most of them won’t stand still enough to listen.”

“Once you become king? I was under the impression that your older brother is first in line.” Sir Antony tilted his head. She admired how calm and kind he sounded whenever he spoke, even when he was confused himself.

“My brother doesn’t know what’s right for the kingdom. He’s just a copy of my father, no peace or goodness will come out of his ruling. The rogues will be treated the same if he takes the crown—“

William took a deep breath. “I know how to be the king these lands deserve and I came here to prove it. I just need a chance to convince them of it.”

“I see.” Sir Antony nodded. “I’m not sure how you will get their approval, but you can certainly try.”

“Do you know if the villagers were taken to Life Pharmacy?” Doris asked.

“I would think they were. There’s no where else big enough to hold them.” Sir Antony patted the back of one of the horses. “You better get going before they try to make a ruling themselves.”

“Aren’t you going to come help?” William asked with a sneer. Doris wanted to stomp on his foot, he wasn’t trying very hard to get on the rogue’s favor.

“Oh my dear boy, I’m not fit for a horse any longer. Besides, something tells me that this is something for you to eam on your own.”

“Thank you for wasting our time.” William grumbled and went to mount a horse on his own. Doris ignored his outstretched hand and went to mount her own horse with much difficulty.

Once she was finally on, she nodded her head to Sir Antony. “Thank you for your time. I hope we see you again before we leave.”

“I would certainly think you will.” Sir Antony smiled.

Doris lightly motioned for her horse to move out of the stables. William said nothing as he kicked his own horse to go faster. Doris glared at the back of his head and tried to make her own follow close by.

Doris gripped on tightly to the reigns and tried her best not to fall off and make a fool of herself as she followed William up the path. It was the first time she had to steer her own horse, but she at least knew how to hold on well enough and her horse seemed to want to follow William’s.

He didn’t turn back once to make sure she was behind him and it only made her more angry at him. He spoke to her as if she would always be around no matter what he did or said, and she couldn’t wait to prove him wrong once they were back at the palace.

Once Life Pharmacy came into view, William slowed his horse immensely. His head jerked to the side and he suddenly pulled off to the side and down a path that led the other way. Doris almost flew off her horse when she tried to follow him. She gripped the horses neck and tried to steer him towards William again.

The arrogant prince didn’t think to make sure she was fine as he bolted down a new path. Doris tried her best to catch up and luckily her horse was fast enough. He halted to a stop up ahead. Doris pulled her reigns back to stop her own and a wave of snow exploded from the ground.

“What is it?” Doris shouted through her pants. He glared at her over his shoulder for shouting, but she didn’t care. She was close to finding a nearby rock to toss at his head.

“William? Doris?” A voice said from the nearby trees.

“Patrick?” William called. He stepped out from between the trees and looked as if he had been dragged through the mud. William slid off his horse and embraced his friend as if he thought he had died. Doris slowly slid off her own horse and almost fell right in the mud crusted snow. Several other guards from the palace came out behind him and Doris felt a little bit of relief to know they had survived.

“What happened? We went to the camp—”

“Enzo was taken as prisoner from Life Pharmacy. They deemed him a traitor and injected him with something that made him weak.” William glanced at Doris and they both knew what he’d been injected with. That must mean he was completely weak to them at the moment without his wolf.

“We saw them coming and left before they could catch us. We came here in hopes to find you since the church was already empty by the time we got there.” Patrick explained. He gave Doris a simple nod and she offered nothing more than a smile. “We have to get him out of there, I know exactly where they would have taken him “Doris said.

“It’s too dangerous. All of their guards have pulled back and returned here. We simply don’t have enough people to help.” Patrick said lightly. Doris sighed.

“He’s in there because of us. The least we can do is help them! We have it in us to help. William, you know we have to do this.”

.

William looked away in thought. “If we help him escape, then that’s all we’re doing. We can’t carry this battle on our backs.”

“If we help him, he might know how to get their attention again.” Doris said. William raised his brow.

“Perhaps we can trick the rogues into following us to another location and there—you can tell them all about your plans of peace.”