SAYA

CHAPTER 50

Saya does not know how long they're riding for but they stop at a grassland when it is bright and sunny. Peter helps Saya down, her eyes, red and puffy from all the tears she shed because she left her man behind. She wants to get on the horse and turn back but she's smart, that would only be getting in his way and she will not do that to him, besides, his people need their king. She just prays to the gods that they will keep him safe.

"Do you think it's wise to stop at an open grassland?" Saya asks, looking around.
"Our armour does not have any symbol of Moore and neither does your outfit or Nabir's. No one will suspect much, and if they do, Julius and I can take them," Peter replies walking around, taking a look at the view.

"It will take us two days to get to get to Sheath. We better rest up and continue in an hour just to get to a considerable distance by nightfall," Julius says while sitting on the grass.

Saya had just remembered that she does not have a relationship whatsoever with Julius; they're practically strangers. The princess sits down beside him, clearing her throat. Julius turns to her bowing his head, acknowledging her presence.

"I just want to thank you for helping me escape." Julius shrugs, "I'm just following orders," he stares at the sky picking at the grass.

Saya nods, standing up and rubbing her belly. "Are you okay My Lady?" Nabir asks, looking at her worried.

"I'm fine, the baby is probably just moody," she says taking a seat beside her.

"I know how it feels having a loved one at war. When I was with the commander, my heart was never at rest when he was away. I was always worried, and most times I cried. But the king is different, that war will not take him out," she consoles.

"I hope so, but that's not the main reason I'm sad. I'm just worried the war will go on for a while, and he might miss the birth of our baby," she explains, her hand involuntarily caressing her belly.

"Don't worry, he would never miss such a life changing event," she smiles. Saya nods giving her a faint smile.

"So! I never got the chance to ask you. How does it feel to be pregnant?" Nabir asks in an attempt to ease her mind.

"It's great but annoying at the same time. I get sudden and weird cravings, and meals that I usually eat now disgust me. I also get tired a lot and sleepy, but it feels like my normal belly, just that it's huge now. The positive definitely outweighs the negative though, like feeling my baby kick and talking to her. But most of all, it is the fact that I'm so in love with her father," she says, smiling at her.

Nabir smiles back, nodding at what she says. "I can't wait to have a child of my own! Marriage, pregnancy, children, I want to experience them all," she says staring at the grass.

"How is the relationship with you and Peter?"

Nabir looks at her shaking her head, "It's nothing serious. We're just friends." she defends looking somewhere else, in an attempt to avoid her gaze.

"I think I just heard my name," Peter says, walking up to them. Nabir stands up immediately, walking away. Peter looks at her confused before taking a seat next to Saya.

"We are travelling around the kingdom of Moore to get to Sheath so it might take a little longer to get there."

Saya nods, rubbing her belly, "I just hope my baby doesn't suffer from this stress."

"Are you okay?" he asks.

"I'll be lying if I say yes. I just left Xerxes at war with nothing but his baby in me. All I can do is hope and pray he comes back to me safely," she says fighting back her tears. He also left her with the royal decree but she doesn't say that out loud. Now is not the time.

"He'll be fine. The king has never lost a war. It might take a while, but he will certainly emerge victorious."

A tear falls down her cheek but she quickly wipes it away. "I think we should continue our journey, please. I want to spend less nights sleeping on the grass."

Peter nods helping her up. "Let's go!" he exclaims, as he helps Saya onto the horse. Nabir comes back with Julius, both of them mounting the horse. Nabir and Julius? No way.

They set out again, covering a lot of ground, but stop in the woods when it starts getting dark outside. Peter and Julius head out to look for food while Saya sits by a tree, Nabir attempting to start a fire.

"I'm sorry I had to drag you into this," Saya says, holding the cloak tight against her skin, as it's getting too cold for her.

"My Lady, you're my friend. Please don't apologize," she says grabbing sticks and placing them in front of her.

"I never asked about your family Nabir," Saya stares at her back as she puts dry leaves on top of the sticks.

"I was born into slavery so I never knew them. After the king abolished it, those who had nowhere to go were taken in as maids and servants to work and get paid."

Saya never knew about this, but then again she never asked. What kind of friend is she?
"You've been through a lot, My Lady, please don't take not knowing to heart," Nabir says, starting the fire. She turns smiling at Saya, gesturing to her to come by the source of heat, which she does immediately, warming herself up.

After a few minutes the men are back with berries and a dead grasscutter.

"Princess should eat the meat since she's eating for two," Peter announces, but Saya shakes her head. "I'd rather eat the berries,"

"They're cherries," Peter says, handing a branch to her.

"Even better, thank you so much." Peter takes a skin of water from the bag beside the horse handing it to her. She bows in appreciation rinsing her hands and berries before quenching her thirst. She slowly eats them watching the twins and Nabir discuss as the meat is cooking over the fire.

She finishes her berries and drinks more water. "I need to ease myself, I'll be back"

"I'll come with you princess," Julius says, standing up. "No, it's okay, I won't go far at all," she assures, before she heads a bit deeper into the forest. She squats at a little grassland and eases herself. When she's done, she heads back to the fire but a wood snapping sound gets her attention. She looks around, making sure there's no one following her, but when she takes another step something bites her leg.

"Ah!" she exclaims. She looks down and steps on the culprit immediately, smashing it's head; it was a snake. She quickly rips part of her gown tying it around her leg as tight as she can to stop any poison from spreading throughout her body; she's really tired, and all she wants to do is be with Xerxes right now.

She struggles to get up, and starts limping back to her crew, holding the trees like her life depends on it. She had picked up the snake before walking back so she would look at it under the fire and know if it was poisonous or not. But by her sudden dizziness and sweating, especially when she was just cold a few minutes ago, it seems the snake was poisonous. "Help!" she calls but not loud enough. Her mouth is getting numb, and her legs too. She falls to the ground hitting her side on the floor, yelping in pain. She begins crawling back trying her best to call for help but her mouth does not move. Her dizziness gets worse, and she stops crawling. She turns so she is on her back, tears leaving her eyes. She's too tired to do anything, too tired to keep awake, her baby kicking badly.

'I'm sorry baby, please hold on for me,' she says in her mind, struggling to keep her eyes open. Her breath comes out in small pants, before she finally slips into total darkness.

The princess's eyes open a bit, but she hears muffled shouts, her eyes not focusing. Before she knows it, her vision fades again.

Saya opens her eyes once more, but it is too bright for her to make out anything. Everything is still muffled and she feels her baby kicking, but yet again, her eyes fail her.

Oh Lord, what is going on? Find out next time on SAYA

Too corny? Haha, I'll take my leave now.

Anyone interested in a Labor Day Special? Double Update coming to you tonight! :)