After the fourth day of returning to Conrella, they both set off for Harval, leaving Betty and Donald behind.

The King was a little sad that Mahnu didn’t mind as much, like she still wasn’t used to having them by her side. She seemed to accept things rather too easily still, whether it would upset her or not.

But he was already taking a large group of people with him as it was!

Rick had stayed in Conrella these four days to venture back with them and then there were guards and a few servants to help them with eating and whatnot. On top of that, the King had a few extra people, to help bring back his Queen and children that were still in Harval.

Choosing to travel by carriage, the King nestled into Mahnu's hair and whispered, "You'll get to meet the Princess again."

Mahnu entwined her fingers with his and murmured back, "Are you trying to send a hidden message to me?"

The King chuckled, thinking it was better to lie, "No! But you will like her. You did before."

"Richard..."

King Richard sat back to look at her. "Yes?"

She smiled but didn't say anything. For some reason, she always liked that he gave her his full attention…

"What?" He said curiously, yet at the same time taken by her beautiful smile.

He had rarely seen her smile and for her to do it so easily…It was hard to get used to, but he was fully prepared for it!

Having his woman smile more, seemed like a new priority of his now!

 

Mahnu laughed, "Nothing! Absolutely nothing! Oh...I met someone yesterday. They had the strangest look on them and that's why I stopped and talked to them. They said that there's a strange rumor going around."

"Mmm." King Richard murmured, nestling himself into her hair once again. "And?"

"Well, they said there's an old tablet that's been seen."

The King moved back away from her again, looking into space for a moment.

"Stop the carriage...Marcus!" The King's yell startled Mahnu and he squeezed her hand, before turning to the window where Marcus was.

"What was the last news of the tablet?"

Marcus was silent, they had been searching for it with a third of the Loyal Royal Knight Army all this time. "...It is still not found, Your Majesty."

"Mahnu just heard a rumor regarding the tablet...Mahnu tell us again what you heard."

 

Mahnu told them everything, even the part how she had somehow saw the tablet being passed to what she knew as the Governor Sedric. How could she possibly know who that is, when she had never met him before?

What she was more worried about though, was how she had seen it in her head. And not only that, but the place where the tablet had been passed to another…Was not where she was in Conrella…

It was precisely this reason that she had left to go back to the residence the day before, in which William thought instead that it was because she was feeling strange about being followed.

When she told them what she had seen in her head, they both just stared at her.

"I know it sounds ludicrous, but I think that person has the tablet. And the one that I spoke to...Was there himself, I think, I saw it from his memories...Tell me, there's something wrong with me."

Marcus looked at the King and the King swore under his breath.

He did worry about what Mahnu was going through, but at this moment, with what they heard, it was very important to get this tablet!

They had so much trouble with it over two years ago and finally they got some news about it now!

"Were going to Bena, change the course." The King stated firmly. He will have to visit Harval afterwards, after they destroy this irritating tablet!

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Mahnu was livid, they believed her? Why?

"Don't look like that, is it so strange for a man to trust his woman?" King Richard bit his lip. She had read someone's mind, I'd be a fool not to trust her!

Mahnu was silent for awhile but she hadn't felt well for a day now and wondered if she should tell Richard.

It'll pass, she thought, looking out the window.

It had started with a dull pain in her head…But as the hours went by, it was starting to get worse and worse…

 

***

 

Pain speared through Mahnu's entire body.

Being disconnected in her arms and legs, feet and hands, felt utterly excruciating.

"Haha, look at you now. The Betrayer of God's, Savior of Mankind! Haha."

Mahnu screamed as her dream led her to more pain that seemed so overbearing that she felt herself slipping away.

It felt like it wasn’t real but real at the same time, that was why she always hated having nightmares.

Most of the time her nightmares would show something else, most of the time on a loneliness that would shudder her soul. This time…This time was the worst pain that she can ever remember feeling.

Having something pull at her body and feeling her body slowly break, even hearing it break, was unbearable…

A black darkness came across her then and she again felt that loneliness…

 

"Mahnu! Dammit! My god, Mahnu! Breath!"

King Richard had taken her, still screaming, out of the carriage to have her suddenly go limp in his arms. Luckily, he saw that it was only for an instant and she started to breathe again as she had hit the ground when he had laid her down.

Mahnu took a deep breath in and opened her eyes.

Tears started to stream down her face as she started to recall her nightmare.

"I...I was..."

"Hush. Just breath. Please breath!"

"They...Tortured me! I was torn apart!"

Mahnu hiccupped and took another deep breath in." They called me...The Betrayer...Of God's"

Mahnu clung to King Richard and continued to cry. Not just because she felt like what her dream had shown her was the truth, but also because she had never felt so overwhelmed in these two years!

She was so thankful right now to be able to have someone to embrace her, after feeling all that loneliness.

"Oh, Mahnu! My dearest, Mahnu."

The King didn't know what to say or do as he held her tight. Seeing her screaming so loudly, scared him so much. But he became absolutely frightened when she had stopped breathing!

Hell, both of them just had a nightmare!

His trembling had not come to an end as he also felt his heart was racing at an extreme rate…

He hugged her tighter, rocking her as she continued to cry…There was just no way he could be happy to let her out of his embrace until his heart was normal and he was no longer trembling!

 

For quite a few minutes, King Richard hugged Mahnu, unable to leave the place they raced to, outside the carriage.

With her hands grasping at his clothes and having covered her face, King Richard couldn’t help but believe that this woman was the most pitiful creature upon Kralaide. Yet, he had never been so thankful for something in his life!

Having her come so close to leaving his side forever, he took in deep breaths and was finally able to calm down.

…She's remembering the past...Dammit! The King cursed silently. What's going on?

He stood up, with Mahnu in his arms, and went back inside the carriage. "Go, stay on course until we arrive at Bena. Send someone in advance to find a doctor!"

 

Mahnu laid there quietly, as she listened to the wheels turning over and over on the rocky road. What's wrong with me? She thought. What kind of dream...Was that? Could it have been real? It felt...Real…

"Richard?"

She felt his hand on her face.

"Ye...Yes?" He said, after he cleared his voice.

"Who am I?"

Mahnu opened her eyes to see him staring at her sadly. He took a deep breath in and said. "You have a deep past. One that I don't know much of. But I do know that you help people. You have helped so much, Mahnu. You even saved my life...Twice, or three times!"

"Really?" Mahnu smiled. She was glad.

But at the same time, not knowing who she used to be suddenly became a big problem…

Before now, she had not worried about it, thinking she might be better off not remembering…But now, it seemed that she had done something terrible and even had gone through something that she probably shouldn’t have survived!

For the first time in two years, she felt a sense of horror to her past. A past that she might have to remember and accept…

"Yes, you are remarkable."
Mahnu closed her eyes again and sighed.

Sleep ended up taking her to yet another place, that seemed like the past.

 

...It looked like she was back in the town of Brackan.

"What are you doing here, Betrayer!?"

"It's time." Mahnu found herself saying to the two others in front of her.

One person laughed. "Time for what?"

"The time for God's is over!" Her own yelling scared her.

Someone came at her, but she rammed into them too and the earth beneath them shock for a moment, wind escaping in a rush. The power and strength used was out of Mahnu’s expectation and she looked on with absolute surprise and shock! The floor beneath their feet was shattering!

Mahnu felt herself talk in haste, "For I could not achieve peace through words or actions, I entrust my power into this box, to protect the future of mankind!"

Mahnu stopped talking, as they attacked her, and she was pushed with a huge amount of force into a brick wall, leaving a huge hole in it!

With a cough, blood came out of her mouth. She picked up the box and continued, "I am willing to sacrifice, to achieve that peace I could not obtain without this box!"

Mahnu heard her thoughts of the time. 'Take my immortality! Take the sufferings I feel from humans. Take my God powers. Even take my hearing thoughts of others and if more is needed take my memories...Take my whole existence!'

...I must...Lock the box. ...Feeling herself holding onto her consciousness, only through extreme willpower, she locked the small box in her hands and with the last ounce of power she had within her.

Only then, was she able to sleep...

 

 

Mahnu opened her eyes and breathed in. Sitting up in the bed, she found King Richard laying next to her sleeping.

"...I was a God."

No wonder she hadn’t died to that torturous pain!

After a moment, while she became calm again from remembering her nightmare, Mahnu put her hand over Richard’s face and kissed him, waking him up.

He kissed her back sleepily at first, but then put a hand to her face and pulled her into him.

Feeling her being urgent and aggressive, Richard was unable to stop her and met her half way with everything. If she wanted to ravage his mouth, he let her and did the same to her. If she put a hand inside his inner robe, to start pulling it off him, he let her and did the same in return…

To Richard, whom didn’t mind having gotten woken up, he felt like his dearest Mahnu needed comfort. Not wanting, just to pass the time or have fun, but needing it…

Nonetheless, whatever she wanted, whatever she needed, he was willing to provide it for her. He was willing to have her take whatever she wanted from him…

Yes, she thought, help me forget. For a little while.

She put her hand around his waist and her leg over his and he took her invitation to lay on top of her.

For a man, seeing a woman take initiative like this could only turn him on. How could he not want the woman of his dreams!? How could he not see how perfect she was for him!?

Her soft body beneath his drove him on and he kissed the woman that wanted more…

He is so gentle, she thought, his touch is like happiness spreading throughout my whole body.

Relief quickly turned into pleasure…

"Richard." She moaned, as she put her legs around him.

There wasn’t anything holding back Richard’s desire, as he not only entered her, but he groaned out her name.

His loving embrace took her away from reality…And at the same time completely satisfied and made her lover happy.

 

***