Oh My, I Messed Up the Story

Chapter 118: It Was All Over

I woke up in the infirmary with a bandage wrapped around my neck. Al was holding my hand so tightly that it had gone numb.

When he saw me stir, that same frantic look as before filled his eyes. "Katie? Are you okay? Can you speak to me?"

"Al," I groaned. My neck did hurt but I hadn't received damage to my vocal chords. "What happened?"

"Sigmund is dead. Duke Orla killed him when he was seconds away from killing you. You lost quite a bit of blood and needed to have stitches. The doctor promised me that you wouldn't have a scar as long as you keep the wound clean."

Tears filled his eyes before he continued. "I'm so sorry. I was completely useless and couldn't protect you. If the duke hadn't been there" He cut himself off, too emotional to finish that sentence.

I was confused. What was he doing there in the first place? "Why was he there?"

The man in question appeared in the doorway and answered himself. "Something Sigmund said before I went back to my estate bothered me. Halfway there I had to turn around and come back so I would not lose my mind wondering. It seems I arrived at the right time."

If he had arrived even a minute later I would probably be dead. I couldn't believe I was still here because of my old enemy's intuition.

"But why would you"

"A mind like yours cannot go to waste in such a terrible way," Duke Orla said loftily. "The Kanta have much to gain from you. Do not disappoint them."

It was perhaps the nicest thing he had ever said to me. I was at a loss. First he saved my life then his attitude toward me did a complete 180. For the first time he was supporting what I wanted instead of trying to use me to further his own agenda.

Maybe I had misunderstood him all this time. Or maybe he had changed the same way so many other characters in this story had.

"Thank you," I said fervently. "Really. I will always owe you for this."

Al nodded and spoke thickly. "As will I. Anything that is in my power to give you as repayment for saving herI will."

The ghost of a smile appeared on the duke's face, making him seem much warmer than usual.

"I am afraid there is nothing I want that you can give me. Perhaps I can call in a favor one day once your nation has been established. Or you could testify on my behalf that I killed a prince of Annalaias in defense of another so I do not meet the same fate. That would be repayment enough."

"Of course," I promised quickly. "We can both do that no problem."

Duke Orla nodded. "Then I have no further business here. I must return and explain the situation to the king. Prince Alpheus, would you accompany me as a witness? Oh wait. I forgot you are actually Clan Leader Alamar. Whatever you are called, I need you to come with me."

Al stood and followed him, reluctant to leave my side. I shot him my most reassuring look. I wouldn't be going anywhere.

The duke turned to bow toward me before he left. "In case we do not meet again, I wish you a speedy recovery Katie."

It was the only time he had ever called me by my actual name. He had been one of the worst offenders Catherine-ing me to death. I was so shocked by this that I wasn't able to get out a reply.

Franz had wanted Sigmund gone anyway and with multiple witnesses it was easy to dismiss the whole case. The dowager queen was distraught at losing her oldest son and shut herself away in her rooms for the rest of winter.

Rosenia was relieved he was gone though I couldn't tell what her true feelings were regarding her miscarriage. As promised, we pretended Sigmund had died from natural causes so she could go home and live the rest of her life in peace. She returned to Rowenhilde shortly before the first snow of the season.

It took Al and me months to recover from the trauma. Both of us had nightmares about the event but at the very least we had each other for comfort when one or the other woke up in the middle of the night.

I couldn't believe how things ended. Instead of dying in a revolt of the commoners as a tyrant king, Sigmund had been killed by his closest friend.

Duke Orla surprised me. I hadn't thought he cared enough about my life to do something like that after I rejected him so many times. He might not be such a terrible person after all, even if he was a villain in the novel.

He had saved my life at the very last possible second. As much as he had creeped me out since I met himI would always owe him for that.

Al hated it but he would too. The man who had always seemed intent on stealing me away had been the reason Sigmund wasn't able to take me away from him forever. The irony wasn't lost on either of us.

I wanted to find a proper way to thank him but wasn't sure how. Maybe someday I would find the right words and perhaps a valuable gift. Though nothing would ever be as valuable as the life he extended.

It was all over. The danger, the political intrigue, the ruined plot. It was nearly time for my husband and me to write our own story without having any guide to go off of.