DEVOTION - THE WEEPING MONK [PART 2 COMING IN AUGUST 2023]

CHAPTER TWELEVE

He sighed. "This suffering, it will cleanse you." He spoke, trying to let him know that he was being cleansed. He is saving him. "You parrot their words, but you know that it is all lies." The green knight replied. "I can feel it in you. Your good. I've seen it."

"You don't know what you're talking about!" He snapped at him. The knight chuckles. "Oh really? I have seen it. You saved her. You cared for her. You know exactly who I'm talking about. If you really cared for her like, I think you do. Saved her? You know very well, he is going to kill her." The green knight finished. "I can feel it in you my brother, you care for her. You need to save her." He sighed in frustration. "You are not my brother." He growled at him. "I don't care for her."

"Really? Then why did you come? Surely it wasn't to mock. You thought she was here with me?" He immediately widened his eyes. It was true. He thought she was there. He refused to face him to give him his answer.

"They have turned your mind so far inside out... that you do not know the difference between kindness... and hate. Who did this to you." The green knight spoke. He couldn't finish explaining. He didn't want to feel this emotion, again. He felt again. He didn't care for the girl. He didn't care for Gwen.

"We are saving souls. Your soul."

"Tell that to the little ones that you burn." The green knight blurted.

"I don't harm the children."

"You burn their homes. You slay their mothers and their fathers and you watch your red brothers run them down on horses. You see it all through those weeping eyes. That makes you guilty." When he said those, flashbacks ran through his mind. Gwen had said that to him. People kept repeating this through his mind. He couldn't take it anymore. He needed to leave. He began making his way out of the tent only to pause when the green knight spoke.

"You can fight, I've never seen anything like it, you could be our greatest warrior. Your people need you. Gwen needs you." He growled in anger. Tightened his fist. He didn't care. He didn't care. He kept repeating that in his mind.

"And you are not my people!" He turned around shouting."Then tell them. If this is where you belong, then tell them what you are." He stopped "I'll pray for you," He replied sternly.

"And I for you," the green knight replied and looked down towards the ground and slowly. He couldn't help himself to feel an ache in his chest. All those words he said were true. He denied it. It's breaking him slowly he needs to forget this. He needed to. It was going to break him. He needed to find her.

GWEN POINT OF VIEW

"We are so glad that we finally met you." Father Carden spoke. Gwen widened her eyes, waking up from a deep slumber. She was in another room, Gawain wasn't there. "Where is Gawain?" She blurted. Father Carden laughed, "He is being cleansed. We do the same thing for you but we can't you're valuable. You see your blood is unique. We never saw a half-Viking and half-Fey."

"I'll never serve you, old scum!" She spitted into his face. Father Carden smiled, grabbing a hold of her neck, nearly choking her. "You stupid girl! You're not valuable to us. You're valuable to King Cumber. He has been looking for you."

"What?" She nearly chokes out. Father Carden held a good grip. "I bet you didn't know. You're the missing girl he has been looking for. We don't know why? He has been looking for you," Immediately her eyes became watery. "I can't breathe!" She chokes out. Father Carden sighed. "You stupid girl! Stupid girl?" He let's go. He slowly backs away staring at her. "Your hair resembles him. You know that."

"I never heard of the King Cumber!" She shouts breathing heavily. He laughs. "Well you're sure in for a ride. Your stupid girl. Don't you get your worth is so valuable, we're unsure if we give you to the Ice King. Surely, he will snatched you up. Now that we have you, he'll make us a trade, he can't refuse."

Gwen nearly tears up. "Why? I'm no worth." She blurts out. Father Carden laughs, "Surely you are. You know what? I don't care for the Ice King. You'll be handed to him as a bargain. Then after it's win-win. Don't make me choose the other option where we killed you in pieces, if you tried to escape. Nobody knows of this, little girl!" He turned around and began walking away.

She sighed. "I don't even know why he wants me!" Father Carden turns around once more. "You don't know really? You came from across the sea. Surely you know you're a Viking?" She looks into Father Carden's eyes, unsure. "I don't know. I don't even remember my parents."

"Your Viking, Gwen. Just know that." He left her plainly confused and in pain.