An Arrow to My Chest

When I wake up, Gerard isn’t by my side. I groggily turn around and look around my room – nothing.
I rub my eyes before I sit up – a hand behind me for support. I look around the room. He isn’t here. And-
His clothes are gone. There’s only mine on the floor.
I jump out of bed and pull my pants on. He might just be down by the fire. Cooking breakfast? Please?
Suddenly I hear a horse neigh, and I run out of my room. I look down over the wooden railing.
Gerard must’ve heard my footsteps, because he looks up at me – a frown appearing on his face – before he jumps up onto his horse, pulls at the rope around its neck for it to turn around, and then rides away.
I quickly whip around and pull the burlap away. I grab my case and throw it over my shoulder before I turn back to the railing.
I reach back for my bow and an arrow, and quickly pull back the arrow and tighten the string of the bow. I’m about to shoot the beautiful black horse, when I notice the chest under Gerard’s arm. He took it with him!
I aim the yew-arrow and release it in a curve-shot.
The arrow swishes through the air – spinning.
And as always, my aim is perfect. The arrow shoots right into the lock of the chest – twisting it open. The lid jumps up, and with the next leap Gerard makes off his horse’s back, the mysterious content of the chest falls out. As it falls to the ground, the sun reflects on its shiny material. I’m slightly blinded by a ray shooting off of it, before it hits the ground.
Gerard abruptly stops his horse and jumps off of it. The horse stays put as Gerard runs over to the shiny thing. That’s when I notice what it is.
It’s a marital crown – the kind of crown a King of one kingdom gives to another King of another kingdom, when they decide to combine their kingdoms by having their children marry.
But why does Gerard have this? Perhaps his father – a King – is dead or too ill to travel himself to our kingdom and hand the crown to the King who puts it on his daughter’s head. And so Gerard must do this himself.
Oh, no!
Gerard is marrying Prince Jon’s sister!
Our King is away – only the druids know where to – and Prince Jon is ruling our kingdom in the meantime. He has no children, but he does have a sister – of a marital age.
Gerard is getting married.
All of these conclusions rush through my head, before Gerard is even back on his horse. He’s put the crown back in the chest and closed it.
He looks back over his shoulder and spots me. He frowns at me, before he kicks his horse’s sides and rides off again.
I reach back for another arrow and pull back the string. I aim at Gerard. First at his head, but then at his shoulder. Then at his hand.
But I can’t let go of the arrow. I can’t shoot him.
I slowly let my aim lower.
I stare as he rides away – not looking back once. His black hair whips at the back of his neck.
I can see tears well up in rim of my eyes – blurring my vision slightly.
Soon he’s out of my sight. He’s disappeared behind the pale-green leaves on the trees. Though I can’t see him, I still stare off at where I last saw him. Where I last saw his beautiful hair wave in the wind, and where I last saw his horse’s hooves pound against the grass.
A tear lets go and rolls down my cheek.

“Frank?” In shock I let go of the arrow. It shots down to the ground and wiggle back and forth. I stare at it.
“What’s going on?” Ray Scarlett asks. I don’t respond. I don’t even move.
“Frank?” I hear his footsteps come closer. He stops. Then he walks away, and I can hear him rip away my burlap. He returns by my side.
“Where’s the rich guy? Where’s Gerard?” Another tear tears itself away from my eye – slowly running down my cheek. He told me he loved me. I told him the same.

“What’s up?” Little Bob’s voice sounds tired. His footsteps are heavily approaching from the opposite side of where Ray Scarlett’s came from.

“Gerard escaped,” Ray Scarlett says – panic in his voice. Another tear rolls down my cheek.

“What?!” Little Bob sounds hysteric.
“How the fuck did that happen?” He walks closer to me. I remain unmoved.
“How the hell could you let him escape?!” Another tear rolls down my cheek.

“Little Bob,” Ray Scarlett says softly, yet with a certain amount of determination in his voice.
I hear them both sigh.

“Sorry, Frank,” Little Bob whispers. I swallow.
Softly Ray Scarlett wraps his arms around me, and I can’t help but break down. I let my bow fall onto the porch, before I turn and press my face into Ray Scarlett’s chest. My sobs take over my body.
I’m not sure after how long, but at some point Little Bob picks me up and gently carries me back into my room. He settles me down on my bed, and I curl up into a ball. A blanket is placed over me. Then they leave me – all alone.