They had started to pack up to leave from having their lunch, when Mahnu suddenly said, "Wait!"

William ran to her and became alert, looking out over the land around them. "What is it?"

"...Two of Sedric's men. They are after me."

Jaclyn looked around but didn't see anyone.

"Over there." Mahnu pointed, and William asked if they will attack.

"Yes…But since I pointed in their direction, they are a little conflicted, especially since we are alert to their presence now."

Jaclyn looked at the rock, to where Mahnu had pointed, and saw that it was still quite a distance away. "How do you know someone's there?"

"Shh!" Mahnu said, pulling her head down and she ducked down as well.

Moments went by, then Mahnu said, "One of them will leave to report back soon, we'll leave then. Jaclyn, you and I will immediately go to the carriage and we'll all leave as soon as possible. Don't worry about packing up any more things. Do you understand?"

"Ah...I don't see anyone." Sincerely, Jaclyn had tried to look in the direction Mahnu had pointed in but did not see anyone at all!

Is Mahnu sick? Was this the secret? That she was paranoid or something? Maybe she has a huge imagination and is fun, and…Maybe that’s why the King likes her so much?

 

"William, you may have to pick Jaclyn up, she's questioning things." Mahnu didn’t put Jaclyn’s thoughts into her mind at all, while she focused upon the two men that were some distance away.

"Yes. But don't leave my side." William stated, putting a hand on Mahnu’s shoulder.

Looking up at William, Mahnu gave him a small smile and raised her eyebrows, "It's not far to the carriage, William, it'll be fine."

A minute went by and Mahnu spoke again, "Okay, one has left. Let's go."

Mahnu grabbed Jaclyn's hand and raced to the carriage, William watching from behind.

"Go!" Mahnu said, upon sitting in the carriage with Jaclyn, and their entourage left in haste.

Being pulled by the hand and now back inside the carriage, Jaclyn looked at Mahnu, worried.

People shouldn’t play along with something like this, if anything, the person making up these stories and what not should be treated by a certain doctor.

Jaclyn wasn’t only worried about the people here doing as Mahnu stated, but she was also worried about the King. What if these ‘episodes’ would put the King in danger?

Frowning, Jaclyn started to ponder upon how she would treat this type of problem. She was a doctor, tending to wounds and colds, but this type of sickness was something to do with the head and she had not looked much into it at all…

 

 

A few minutes went by, as they continued to go at a fast pace towards Harval, then Mahnu looked out the window of the carriage, and said, "William?"

"I'm here." He rode his horse closer to the moving carriage.

"They are both behind us again. They had horses too, he must have raced to get the other to return and to follow us again." Mahnu sighed.

They were in the open, hardly any place nearby offered somewhere to hide. She cursed silently and put her hands into fists.

"Mahnu? You need to calm yourself down." Jaclyn's voice surprised Mahnu. "It's...It's not good for your health."

Mahnu stopped to Jaclyn's voice. She put a hand gently over her tummy and nodded, "Okay."

The sudden urge to protect her child was a new feeling to her.

But even though it was new, the amount of protectiveness she felt, was quite a large amount and Mahnu was surprised at herself…

She had protected Princess, the boy and Richard…But this was different…

This was something she hadn’t felt before…

 

Jaclyn sat beside her and asked if she could check her pulse, having accepted that her job, at the very least, required her to look after this unborn child.

Mahnu consented to the doctor's orders willingly and was even eager for Jaclyn’s response. Just the idea of something going wrong with Richard’s and her child, made her feel alarmed!

Jaclyn remembered the King's words, about keeping Mahnu's pregnancy a secret, but with Mahnu's obvious action of touching her tummy...Does she already know?

Mahnu closed her eyes and put her head back, trying to become completely calm once again, but it was difficult. Hearing the thoughts of the two men following them, how could she become calm!?

Mahnu’s forehead was checked, and Jaclyn moved around, before saying, "Drink some water, please, Mahnu."

Mahnu did as she was told and felt a little better. "Thank you."

"Water, you must drink more of it."

Complying, Mahnu drank some more water, as they silently continued.

Drinking was still a hard task and Mahnu had troubles when she tried to continuously gulp the water down. Not only was drinking water not a normal thing for her, but she had no thoughts to how she was drinking it either. She just did not want anything wrong happening to their child, as she was worried…

Jaclyn saw that and stated that sipping the water should be fine too.

Mahnu smiled happily, feeling like her situation wasn’t as dire as she had thought, and converted to sipping the water instead.

Jaclyn was a bit worried. Mahnu was a consort of the King and the normal behaviour of a consort with a beverage, was to sip it...Did she not know the proper way for a consort to act?

Mahnu grudgingly ignored Jaclyn's thoughts.

…She had really thought that she had to get as much water inside her as quickly as possible, never having thought that ‘looking like a consort’ was something she had to worry about!

…Sometimes, this Jaclyn was too much!

 

***

 

"Mahnu...The horses..." Half an hour later, William's voice came through the window.

Sighing, Mahnu wasn't sure on what to do...

Sedric’s men had followed them the entire time, not relenting at all!

As they had travelled further along their designated path, closer to Harval, Mahnu felt worse and worse as the time moved on.

The carriages were jumping around and the constant sound of the wheels turning and the horses galloping, made Mahnu felt like she could throw up!

But all she could do is think about what they should do, since they were still getting tracked and the threat was still looming…

"Why don't we take you and Jaclyn on horseback?"

William’s question seemed plausible to Mahnu, but Jaclyn interrupted her thoughts, "Ah! William...Mahnu can't...Shouldn't..." Jaclyn didn't know how to say that riding a horse, while pregnant, wasn't a good idea. Well, it wasn’t like it couldn’t be done if their life was on the line, it was just something that should at least be thought of against if otherwise.

…And to Jaclyn, this wasn’t a life and death situation…She found herself having no choice but to just play along with Mahnu’s antics. Her job…Was to look after the King’s child, and this was at least something that she could do!

"Understood." Mahnu stated, sighing and going silent again.

Being able to have let go of the carriage may have given them more time, but the idea was completely void now!

 

"Stop and let the horses rest." Mahnu suddenly said.

"But...Mahnu..." William was sure that Mahnu would still be safe but wasn’t it best that they try and keep their distance, even if they slow down, it’s better than stopping completely!

"What else are we to do?" Mahnu said, angry that she felt sick and had to endure the carriage being so bumpy!

If they kept going, she might just do something really embarrassing!

She had been a God for so long and vomiting now…

How could she let the happen!?

Not only that, but there was only two men chasing after them, not a whole army!

Only two!

She wanted to take her anger out on one of them!

…Already, Mahnu was ready to go one on one with one of the people following them all this time!

 

Jaclyn found herself not as scared. Is it because I don't think anyone is following us?

In fact, even she was a bit stressed out to how fast they were going! It’s no wonder Mahnu wanted to stop, as Jaclyn figured that she might feel even worse, being pregnant and all.

When the carriage stopped again, Mahnu got out, nearly tripping upon the last step!

Letting out a grumpy moan, Mahnu stood up straight and went to William. "Just in case, I think one of you should take Jaclyn to the King and let them know we are being followed."

"But...Your safety comes first, Mahnu!" William stated frankly. He liked the cute, dimpled girl but his job was Mahnu after all…

"And what of her safety?" Mahnu asked, just as frankly.

William looked at Jaclyn, now out of the carriage. He couldn’t deny it, he wanted her safe as well, so to give an answer, of course he could only agree.

After nodding, he pointed to one of the two knights that were travelling with them. "Take Jaclyn and ride to the King. Tell him two of Sedric's men are after us...Protect Jaclyn."

Mahnu looked at the knight, also saying, "They are right behind us. You will have to go around."

"Yes, understood, Your Highness." Even though Mahnu hated the verse, ‘Your Highness’, this was no time to quarrel…

Mahnu walked to Jaclyn, and said, "No questions. Get on the horse and go with him."

"…This is getting a bit out of hand, Mahnu." Jaclyn said, pity in her eyes and her voice clearly stating that something was wrong…

Ignoring her, Mahnu looked at the knight, and said, "Take her and go."

"Wait! This is preposterous, Mahnu...I think that you are sick!"

Mahnu stood before Jaclyn, now seated on the horse. "Can you trust me...If you can't...Go back to Bena...Now, go!"

 

Jaclyn looked back at Mahnu, while being carted away by a knight and his horse. She had no time to say anything!

All of a sudden, in this strange behaviour, Mahnu thought that she was suddenly in peril and Jaclyn wished she had enough courage to state to the people here that none of this was real!

Why did she say that, though? What does this ‘episode’ have to do with her trust? Is she in complete denial, as well as delusional? Trust her? She wants me to believe her...But...Look at what they were doing!

They were running for nothing, stressing out for nothing! This all was…

Just as Jaclyn was questioning her own sanity, someone on a horse cut them off. "Are you Mahnu?"

What?

"No, she's not."

The rider left, back to the direction of Mahnu and they continued to gallop in the opposite direction. "Wait! Why did you claim I wasn't!?" She yelled at the knight.

Before she knew it, everything was already over!

Who was that person, and…Asking for Mahnu…

What was going on!?

"I have to protect you."

"But..." If it was all true, they would..."We have to go back!"

Whether it was true or not, someone had asked for Mahnu and he might hurt her!

 

"No. We are going to the King." The knight stated bluntly.

She always hated people who just did as they were told and didn’t ask any questions!

"Mahnu's in danger!" Jaclyn yelled angrily.

"I am following orders!" The knight yelled back, not slowing down in the smallest degree.

Jaclyn looked back to see nothing. Mahnu had been already out of sight for some time.

Mahnu's words, were they true the entire time? But if they were…Then how did she know?

'Two of Sedric's men, they are after me.'

She had not seen anyone until that unfamiliar man had asked if she had been Mahnu…What if he was there all this time…

Could it…Have all been true?

Jaclyn couldn't work everything out, but this 'secret' she was talking about, seems to be something that is endangering her life, when they had stated that it wouldn’t...Should I get involved with this?

'It is a big decision Jaclyn. I like you because you are honest, but to stay with me, you have to be prepared to protect the biggest secret in Kralaide!'

All her words...Were they all true!? 'Can you trust me?'

...What do I do? Jaclyn asked herself.

 

Jaclyn didn't feel like they were riding long before they came before the King.

Looking at him, Jaclyn quickly looked away. She felt guilty…

She even felt ashamed.

Still not sure on what to think…She decided to say nothing…

"What's going on!? Why aren't you with Mahnu!?"

"Forgive me, Your Majesty. I was ordered to come to you directly, to tell you that two of Sedric's men are after Mahnu and I had to protect the doctor."

"Dammit!" The King galloped ahead at full speed, surprising Jaclyn.

The King had already felt weird, ever since passing by the obvious place that Mahnu had probably had her lunch. Seeing that some things had been left behind, a ominous feeling had taken place, making him go faster than they had already been going…

Seeing the King this way…

Had he accepted everything that was said without question?

If perhaps Mahnu had told me, I might know why people were acting like this…But I had not given Mahnu a chance to trust me…

If there was a problem…Maybe the problem was me…

With wide eyes, Jaclyn watched the King race off, seeing that even the horse she was on, travel back as well…

Everyone else raced up to catch up to the King and Jaclyn admitted that she did finally fear for Mahnu's safety.

If it were all true, then…Those men might get her!

 

***