Chapter 32: Kate’s Moment

[Fiore's Castle, study room]

The King was doing some paperwork while the queen sat on settee in his study room. She blew a puff of air to cool her pipping tea, before taking a sip. The king sighed and placed the quill down. She caught a glance of him from the corner of her eye, and she placed the teacup down to ask, "What's wrong, Anderson?"

He leaned back and rest his head on his seat and replied, "It's... Nothing, Elena."

She giggled and walked towards him, "I've been with you for such a long time, do you think that I don't know you well or something? You're worried, aren't you?"

He remained silent.

"I'll take that as a 'yes'. To be honest, I'm worried myself too. I thought letting her go is an opportunity to gain experience, but for some reason I have a bad feeling for quite sometime now." Elena frowned, "Are you mad with my decision?"

Anderson looked at his wife and gave another sigh, "I can't be mad at you, can't I? If something bad happens, we just need to get her back, no matter what. So, as of now, we can just wait."

Elena felt a little guilty because she might actually put her daughter in great danger. She sat back down and hoped that her daughter will be fine.

*****

[Inn - late afternoon]

Kate just could not stop shaking. She wiped her tears with her trembling hands as she plopped on the floor. She then crawled over to Zack and called out for him, "...Zack?"

There was no response.

"What should I do...?"

She was about to cry again, but she told herself to not do that. She needed to do something now, otherwise she will lose her only remaining kin - Her brother.

She scurried to bathroom to grab a towel. Once she did that, she washed her face to freshen herself up.

She stared at her face at the mirror. The reflection that stared back was someone who was fearful. She did not like it. She did not want to give in to her fear, but as of now, she looked as if she would.

She took a deep breath and smacked both her cheeks, which jiggled upon the contact, "Zack! Needs me now! There's no time to be scared!"

Determined, she then tightened her tiny fists and pushed them inwards as she nodded to herself once.

After rushing out of the toilet, she kneeled down next to her Brother and tied the towel around his wound, in an attempt to staunch the wound.

Luckily, he was slender enough to have the towel tied around his torso. He was still unconscious, so she had no choice but to help him up by using her whole body to support his, "Zack is heavier than he looks..."

She wobbled to the door and realised she had no hands to open it. She wanted to dropped him gently, but she ended up falling down with him. She got up and apologised at the unconscious body, before opening the door. She turned back and carried Zack as she staggered out of the room.

"I need to find help."

She exited the building, and walked on the bustling town of Fiore. She felt very anxious, since all eyes were on her. She would normally hide behind her brother, but now she could not. She pushed on and walked a couple of metres. She had no idea where to go, she wanted to just cry again, because she just did not know what to do. Just then, a familiar voice called out for her, "Kate..."

Her brother was conscious, but he was in so much pain. He was having a hard time breathing, since his chest was in a wreck.

"Zack!" She wanted to hug him, but that would be a bad idea. Instead, she asked, "Where do I go? I need to get you some help."

"Let me go first, you must be tired... What happened...?" He grimaced with every breath he took. Talking was a difficult task when his body was in that state.

She refused to let go of him and instead, she just explained what happened, "Three bad people came and attack us, they got Rachel and Robert!"

Images of what happened began to flash through his mind. However, everything was still in a blur.

"Oh yeah, Kate still don't know their real identities. Maybe I should tell her later. Well, maybe we can head to that place, they can help. I got to inform them to, they can save Beck and the princess. As of now, I really have no choice." He wanted to protest, but he was just in too mush pain.

"We should go to the Fiore's castle..." he forced out, "...The king and queen can help."

Kate eyes widened, "That castle?!"

"Yeah..." He nodded.

"But... But... Okay." She did not want to argue with him because he was already in such a state, so she just followed his instructions.