Jade Part 7 (The FINAL chapter!!!)

Ivy kicked the sides of the horse and shouted him on, but suddenly the clapping of other horse hooves grew louder behind her. She turned back to see Prince Tryte gaining on her.
"Not so fast princess," He shouted, pulling up closer.
Ivy kicked the horse harder, but it was no use. Tryte had the faster animal and he grabbed her reigns.
"Let go!" Ivy shouted, trying to pull free from his grasp.
But Prince Tryte shoved her from her saddle and she smacked to the ground, unconcious.
"Stupid fool," Tryte murmured as he galloped hastily away towards The Crooked Creek.

Tryte pulled his horse to a halt as he saw Jade's captured silouette, standing on the bridge. The Prince's guards had his hands already bound and they stood around him, waiting. He dismounted and approached quietly, drawing his blade.
"Untie his hands," Tryte commanded. The guards did so.
"Aren't you corteous?" Jade mocked.
"No," Tryte replied. "I just enjoy a fight... not that it will be much of one with you!" He looked at his men, "Clear away!"
"I half expected you not to show," said Jade as he massaged his wrists.
"What? Do you think I'm a coward?" Tryte asked, stopping at the foot of the bridge.
"Will you come no closer?" Jade asked.
"I will come when I'm ready."
Jade laughed. "You mean you're not prepared?"
Tryte was outraged and charged Jade in anger, but Jade leapt into the water.
"You said you were turning yourself in!" Tryte shouted.
"I did, but not to death." Jade snapped, standing up in the knee deep water and glaring up at Tryte.
"Your green eyes hold anger," Tryte smiled, "But I can see fear also."
"Only a fool wouldn't be afraid."
"I'll take that as a compliment," Tryte grinned, keeping his eye on Jade as he descended the bridge.
"I didn't mean I was afraid of you," said Jade.
"Oh? Then what frightens you so? My blade? I noticed you don't have one."

Suddenly a messenger pulled up and charged through the crowd of men. He began to shout, "The King is dead! The King is dead!"
Tryte's eyes suddenly drifted towards the sky, glistening with wonder. But his eyes suddenly turned pained, for Jade had plunged a dagger from the creek bed into Tryte's heart.
Tryte's guards stood astonished and then collapsed to the ground, asleep for Carbuncle had appeared on the scene and cast a spell upon them.
"I was afraid of this, what I was about to do - if it be right or wrong," Jade whispered to Tryte, who's watering eyes looked up at him from the muddy bank of the creek.
"But it looks like we both got what we wanted," Jade added. "You lived to be King and I lived to kill you."
"No!" Fresia shouted, running into the water and lifting Tryte's head into her lap. "No..." She began to cry and stroke Tryte's blanching face.
"Tryte," she whispered. "Jade is your son."
Jade jumped up from Tryte's side, overcome with a sickly hurt, as if he suddenly recognized their relation. His wide eyes watched as his father whispered his last words.
"No... what have I done?"

Jade turned away from Tryte's corpse. He gasped for air, overcome with astonishment. Then Carbuncle went to his side and rested his hand on his shoulder, but Jade could only fall to his knees, tears streaming down his cold face.

Then the Northern King came through the crowd with Ivy and Blake and then Tryte's men began to stir. They all stood gazing at Carbuncle, who had walked to the bridge and stood above the crowd. He began to speak,
"So you've lost two Kings today, but you have another."
"How is this?" Blake asked, who was puzzled greatly.
"Jade was the son of Tryte and so the rightful heir to the throne."

Suddenly all the men bowed to Jade and Fresia, who set Tryte's head to rest on her scarf, lead Jade to the side of Carbuncle.
"Long live the king," she said and everyone repeated it after.




Three days later Jade wed Princess Ivy and on that day, as he held her in his arms he whispered, "Now you're finally mine."