Richard woke up early the next morning, to find Matty talking and eating with Edmund, about everything that was spoken of the night before.
âHow do you feel brother?â asked a worried Richard.
âMuch better, now that I know our father is still aliveâ replied Edmund.
âHey where is Rohanâ asked Richard.
âHe is in the inner chamber sleepingâ replied Mattie.
âWhen can we travelâ asked Edmund
âAs soon as Rohan wakes up, we can start out for Endorâ replied Mattie.
âYouâre coming? But how we only have three horsesâ asked Richard.
âRohan, found another horse and picked up your belongings from the farmerâs placeâ stated Matty
âGood thinkingâ replied Richard.
Two hours latter Rohan woke up and packed his things and they rode away continuing their journey east. About a week later they came upon two Knights who were arguing with as Edmund thought the most beautiful woman in the entire world.
âYou have to return to the castle my ladyâ ordered the first knight;
âI shall never return there, my father is evil and deserves to dieâ replied the woman.
âYou shouldnât speak that way about the Dukeâ roared the second knight as he slapped her. At that moment Edmund drew his sword and dismounted in a blink of an eye and yelled
âA noble knight should NEVER strike a young ladyâ as he stepped closer and both knights drew their swords as well, looking both nervous and scared at the blue sword that was glowing blue in Edmundâs hand. They attacked at the same time without speaking. Edmund parried the first knightâs blade while the other knightâs blade slashed a deep slash down his right cheek bone, splashing blood everywhere.
âYouâll pay for thatâ replied Edmund as he stabbed the first knight and wheeled around to the second knight and swung his sword and loped of his head. And then turned to the young lady and said kindly âMy Lady are you ok?â âIâ¦..Iâ¦..thinkâ¦..soâ she stuttered. âWhatâs your nameâ asked Edmund gently
âMy name is Elizabeth and yours kind sirâ replied Elizabeth without taking her eyes of from Edmund.
âA worthy name for a Goddessâ Edmund said to himself, but replied to her âMy name is Edmund, my lady and this is my brother Richard, and are companions are Rohan an ex-soldier and Mattie who is a healerâ replied Edmund softly.
âLet me have a look at that wound, my princeâ requested Mattie gently.
âOkâ replied Edmund obediently as he let Mattie look at his face. âIâll heal it for you my Lordâ said Mattie.
âNo, it will remind me of this wonderful day I met a beautiful Goddessâ replied Edmund while turning red in the face, because he heard Richard and Rohan chuckling about what he said.
âPrince?â asked Elizabeth in shock.
âYes, my brother and I are Princes of Endorâ answered Edmund with kindness.
âThe lost Princeâs?â asked Elizabeth with surprise.
âYes, mamâ replied Edmund followed by their story of their lifeâs.
âWow, I canât believe it, I have been rescued from my evil fatherâs knights by a long lost Prince of Endor, If my father finds out, heâll have us all killedâ exclaimed Elizabeth.
âAnd who is your father and why did his knights want to harm you?â Interrupted, Rohan. Elizabeth finally took her eyes off from Edmund and replied
âMy father is Maddox Duke of Anglesire and he sent his knights to take me home or kill meâ âMaddoxâ replied Richard in anger.
âEasy Brotherâ ordered Edmund.
âBut,â started Richard. Before, Edmund interrupted him.
âHer father wants her dead like he does the rest of us, so we need to protect herâ said Edmund smiling because he had taking a liking to Elizabeth.
âYouâre absolutely rightâ replied Richard
âExcuse meâ exclaimed Rohan
âYes, Rohan what is itâ asked Edmund
âI think that we should get under way soon, before someone finds us with these bodies and tries to cause us more problemsâ replied Rohan
âYour right, my friend, we should go, Elizabeth will you ride with me, until we find another horse for you to rideâ asked Edmund.
âYes, your highnessâ replied Elizabeth with a bow. They climbed onto their horses and continued riding east. During the ride Edmund was deep in conversation with Elizabeth.
âSo why do you hate your father?â asked Edmund
âBecause he is evil, and he sends innocent boys and men to their deaths in this stupid war he is fighting, and he killed my motherâ replied Elizabeth.
âI understand nowâ replied Edmund sadly.
âI hope you kill himâ said Elizabeth
âI intend to and then if you donât mind Iâm going to come a courting youâ exclaimed Edmund
âis that a threat or a promise?â asked Elizabeth, happier then she has ever been in her miserable life.
âA little of bothâ replied Edmund with a big grin.
âI hope soâ said Elizabeth. After a few minutes of silence Elizabeth spoke
âI am sorry about your cheek.â
âDonât worry about that, my Lady itâs just a symbol of sacrifice for a beautiful lady that I would do over and over againâ replied Edmund. Elizabeth rode along in silence hiding her flushed face from being flattered. Then Edmund stopped his horse and spoke
âwe have ridden a good twenty miles since the encounter with the knights and its late we should camp hereâ
âI agreeâ replied Rohan. They dismounted and picketed their horses and unpacked their bedding and cooking supplies. Edmund gave Elizabeth an extra blanket and said
âElizabeth take thisâ
âThank youâ she replied
âYour welcomeâ said Edmund.
âIâll light a fireâ said Richard
âIâll cookâ said Mattie
âIâll scout aroundâ added Rohan.
Within minutes, Richard had the fire blazing and Mattie had roast mutton sizzling over the fire and she cut up chunks of corn bread and poured some dark mead for them to drink.
âEdmund, how do you expect your father to react once he reaches his castle in Endor? Do you think he will believe you and Richard, about who you are?â asked Elizabeth.
âI donât knowâ answered sadly because he nor Richard had thought about it before now, What if their father didnât believe them? Just then they heard a horse approaching in the darkness. Just as Edmund drew his sword they heard Rohanâs voice speak out of the darkness
âDonât kill me, youâll have a need of me before your battles are over.â A moment later Rohan walked into camp guiding a horse. It was the most beautiful creature anyone of them had ever seen.
âA beautiful white mare, for a Goddessâ said Edmund to answer everyoneâs silent questions. Then Mattie spoke
âLetâs eatâ as she handed out plates of roasted mutton and corn bread and cups of dark mead. âWe are getting low on meat and we still have many leagues to go before we reach the castleâ stated Mattie.
âRohan and Iâll go hunting in the mourningâ replied Richard.
âGood ideaâ said Rohan
âWe should turn inâ suggested Mattie while watching Elizabeth doze off. Richard and Rohan took turns on watch.
Early the next morning before the sun started to rise, Richard walked over to where Edmund and Elizabeth where sleeping. After standing there watching them sleep with a smile, enclosed in each otherâs arms peacefully thinking to himself, âHe couldnât have picked a more beautiful woman.â He bent down quietly and gently shook his older brotherâs shoulder awake while whispering.
âEd be careful, were going to go hunting now, keep an eye on the campâ
âOk I am awakeâ replied Edmund while gently sliding out from under Elizabeth and strapping on the fire sword.
âI am proud of you, big broâ exclaimed Richard.
âWhy is thatâ replied Edmund
âI am not blind you know, I am glad that your finally happy you found a Goddessâ replied Richard.
âJust go get some meat you big lugâ retorted Edmund with a grin.
Richard picked up his bow and turned to Edmund and said while handing him his staff, âProtect Vincent until I return okâ as he walked out of camp towards Rohan who was waiting just outside of camp. Three hours later Richard and Rohan returned with four skinned and butchered deer and requested to start moving on, in which they did.