Chapter 39 Deceived

"Don't touch me!... Ever!... I don't... Just leave me alone! Leave me alone!" Amanda yelled to Prince Alasther as she managed to relase herself from his grip. He was trying to hold and keep her from hurting herself with such an erratic behavior.

Amanda was still in cries and shivered hitting the floor with her fists. The Prince threw himself on the floor after Am to comfort her. He tried to calm her down telling her how brave Maik had been. Alasther told her how Maik gave his own life to defend him and her and for that he was a hero. But nothing seemed to relieve Am's pain. Her best friend was death and she accused the prince for his broken promise. She felt betrayed.

Amalthea stood up in cries and ran towards Jocelyn who was a few steps behind her. Am talked to her mother sobbing. "Mamah, I want to go home!" Jocelyn nodded to calm her daughter. Am burst in wails and left running to the front patio straight to the room she was occupying in the castle.

Prince Alasther was devastated. He wanted to run after Am to ease her pain, but both Queen Cephora and Jocelyn told him that it was better to leave her alone. Am was submerged in a big angst, and his presence would make it worst. She needed to alleviate her sorrow and mourn for her deceased friend. It was better for Alasther to give her some time.

Am was laying with her face buried in the bed. She could hear a faint knock on the door, but she didn't reply. Not wanting to wait for her daughter to answer, Jocelyn entered the dormitory. Jocelyn felt so overwhelmed and distressed... Her heart was breaking in pieces for her daughter's suffering.

Jocelyn sat on the bed next to her weeping daughter as she caressed her wet-with-tears-hair. She spoke to Am in a soft and gentle voice. "Am, my sweet, I understand the pain that you are going through now. I know how is to lose someone you love... You feel empty, impotent, desperate. Then you feel anger and anguish... You can sense your heart is breaking in a million pieces inside your chest and it hurts. God knows that I felt the same when your Papah was assassinated! But Am, you can cry a sea of tears and hate and blame everybody... And nothing will bring Maik back to life. He was your best friend. Got gave you the opportunity of sharing with him moments in your life that you will never forget. He was a smart, funny, brave, and courageous youg man. He loved you with his life... to the point of giving his life for you in battle... a battle no one forced him to go." Now Am sat down to face her mother.

-"Mamah... I want to leave home tomorrow morning. I want to take Maik's body with us and prepare myself his body to the funeral ritual... Oh, Mamah... It was my fault... It is my fault! Everything is my fault!"- Am hugged her mother and cried over her lap for hours.

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Maik's father set on fire the pyre where Maik's body laid over a bed of dry branches and aromatic herbs. The pyre was placed in the middle of the Pillars, for it was Maik's special place. The whole village was there on the small hill now covered with snow. Everyone was mourning the young hunter's lost. All the people in the village admired him in life for his skills and his good character.

The pyre was burning immediately. Maik's body was now wrapped in the flames that were consuming the dry twigs with intensity. The bishop resident the castle's chapel was doing the pertinent prays for a Christian funeral ritual. Maeh and Am were embraced in a hug, both sobbing and moaning as they witnessed the pyre consuming and tumbling down to the snowy hill in the middle of the crcle of monoliths. The same place he had confessed his love to Am... and gave her first kiss... just a few months ago.

The white smoke and the aroma of the plants used in the ritual elevated Maik's soul to Heaven. Am knew her best friend now was an angel that would protect her from above... The pyre was then reduced to ashes the cold winter breeze was carrying away into the woods Maik loved so much.

There were high-ranked officers from the Black Armada, elegantly attired. They handed in a flag with the colors of Abhainn to Maik's parents, for he died in battle. They also gave the family five pounds of gold and a gilded sword, symbolizing a posthumous homage for his service to the crown.

After the ritual concluded, one by one, the villagers left the Pillars and returned to the village. The pyre had consumed entirely. With it, a piece of Am's soul consumed too... a part of her whole existence had blown away by the winter breeze... But she knew she would never be able to forget her best friend... Maik.

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A few months had passed since the funeral rituals. Winter stroke with fierceness the kingdom of Abhainn, and with it the Village in the Woods. But the cold season was coming to an end, fortunately. Am had been secluded in her cottage, because of the weather and for she avoided to see anyone, including her girl-friends. She refused to have contact with any person but her Mamah... She felt ao depressed... The duke and the prince also had come to visit Am, but she refused to see them both. She was still hurt for Maik decease. She blamed herself and the prince for his death.

Am tortured herself with the idea that if she hadn't left the village and succumbed to the vain world of the parties, masquerades and soireés, nothing of this would happen. If she had chosen Maik and married him, she was able to be happy... and he would be alive... Nothing of this... poisoning, wars... Everything happened whe she started feeling for... Alather... her prince...

The red haired had almost flagellated her mind and soul fo feeling now the way she felt for the handsome prince. She had tried to erase all the memories that had to do with him... but it had been imposible... She felt a mixture of love and hate... She felt betrayed. She placed her best friend's life in the prince's hands... and he broke his promise... for he hated him now.

One early spring morning, Am was gathering firewood in the back of her cottage. She felt that weird sensation of being observed. She turned around, and in fact, there was someone behind her... Lord Roderick.

-"Good morning Am."- The duke greeted her as she walked with the heavy load towards the back entrance of the cottage.

-"Good Morning Lord Roderick." - Am replied in a plain voice tone. The duke immediately offered his help carrying the firewood. Both Am and the duke entered the cottage through the back door. Am signaled the floor as the place to put the dry logs, but she didn't utter a word... she was ignoring the handsome man's presence. As the duke placed the wood on the kitchen's floor, he broke the silence.

-"Am, you can't avoid people for the rest of your life... What wrong have I done to you, that I've being rejected me for months?"

Am walked to the living area without looking at him. The duke followed her as he continued with his talking -"Am. I came to make you a proposal... but don't answer until I finish talking. Is that clear?"

Am then turned to face the duke and gave him a defiant look. The duke stood in front of the red haired maiden as he talked again -"I want you to come to Lannishire with me... as a friend... without compromises... You need to leave these four walls... you have to breathe a different air and go far of this village for a while... I promise I would not bother you with love proposals... unless you want me too... Am I care for you, and staying here makes no good to you... Besides, you can accompany Lady Charlotte, who wants to see you again, for she likes you so much... What do you think?"

Am thought for a moment. She scratched her head and looked to the duke. Then she finally answered, -"Is my mother behind all this?"- The duke gave Am a crooked smile and winked reassuring her suspicion. Am took that for a "yes" and finally accepted the duke's proposal.

Am thought it was better to leave to Lannishire. Being with Lady Charlotte and far from the village will lift her spirits. And, Lord Roderick had nothing to do with the fatidic events. And she needed to avoid prince Alather and thinking about him at all cost. She was determined. Am was going to Lannishire with Lord Roderick.