Nerissa was already starting to accept that he was dead. It had been a week, and she hadn't stepped foot in his room since he left. She told herself it was because she's busy but part of her knows that's not true, but it was good enough because the work is too much. There are so many debts that he hadn't touch that were sitting overdue. The gold soaps are well received and are selling high but the kingdom's finances are still in trouble and she will have to cut down the knights and soldiers' pay by more than half and even with that she can't sustain it for long. She can't really tell how they will take it, or the citizens when she brings back taxing, but it will be a mess no doubt. It had seem so smooth, wise and successful when he was running it, but now...everything feels chaotic, overwhelming and foolish.
She picked up another document needing final confirmation. This one was a list of the judges for the judiciary he was creating. She scan through the document. He had often talked about it; she liked the idea, but leaving it as it is would cost the coffers almost hundred gold coins per year. She picked up a pen and started scribbling down the suggestions. The pay will have to be reduced to a silver per month and the judges outside of the major cities and regions' capitals will have to be scrapped.
A commotion outside the door made her stop and listen. The door opened gently, and a knight entered. "The daughter of the king of Mittelreich insists on seeing you, Your Majesty."
Princess of Mittelreich? That's a very unexpected visit.
"Let her in"
The knight bowed and left, and soon the princess came in, with a smile.
She looked around the King's office room, seemingly impressed. It was grand, but her son never used it much, preferring the comfort of his room.
"Hello Queen Mother" she greeted, and Nerissa felt momentary relief on been called Queen mother but then the princess said, "I come to claim what's mine by right"
Nerissa's brow arched up. "And what's that?" she asked as the princess took a seat.
"The kingdom of course" she gave a thin smile. "I am the King's betrothed and his seed grows in me. It's only natural"
"You are neither the king's betrothed nor the first or only one to have his seed growing in you" Nerissa replied, struggling to keep her anger in check "The King's betrothed as recognized by Drakoria is the druid girl. You needed to beat the king in 17 weeks' time to become his betrothed"
"I would have beaten him"
"But you didn't," she countered immediately. "And unless you have your father's army to take it by force I suggest you start going"
Amara didn't like the mention of her father.
"That sounds like a threat" she smiled but it was no smile "I don't like threats"
"You don't know what a threat sounds like, young lady" Nerissa said, her rage building up.
Freckles of ice began forming on the floor around Amara's feet and onto the seat she was on. Cold breath escaped her mouth. She wasn't bothered by them but impressed that waters found in the air, invisible to the eyes, were within the queen's control. She is said to be a genius, but much is not known about her fighting capabilities and Amara didn't bother to read the reports about her from the last war, but she was excited.
"Don't make this your fight, Queen mother" said Amara, standing to leave "You have no claim to the throne. I hope next time I come I would be made aware who my rivals are, they are the ones I have a fight with"
And with that she walked out. Nerissa almost went too far. So they are the ones responsible? Mittelreich.
She dropped the pen and leaned back, her anger palpable. She never cared for the throne but now she feels Mittelreich have to pay for what they've done. Their ambitions is decades late but as strong as they are she's not all too bothered. It's not impossible to convince the rest of the southern plains to come to their defense, after all they know after Drakoria one of them would be next, but how can she do it? What would he do?
She thought about it for a few moments then picked up a sheet and started writing to Montreal.
┌─────── ♕ ───────┐
I laid there for a few minutes waiting for the pain to subside but there was no signs of that happening so I forced myself to sit up then slowly struggle to my feet. The air was heavy I couldn't stay there for long.
I leaned against the wall and dragged myself forward in the darkness. It wasn't long when I reached the end. I knew the stone key wouldn't be far and I started looking for it blindly in the dark and got it on the fourth push.
With a groan, the heavy rock started to move but very slow as if it was struggling. At first I thought it was because of the sheer size and weight of the rock but then the first rush of air came in, thick with scent of damp earth and decay.
Finally it shifted enough to reveal a narrow passage. I squeezed through the gap with my prize and with enough effort I was out into a forest.
The canopy was so dense that only specks of sunlight pierced through. I looked behind me. The exit was within a natural cave, it edges covered in moss and ferns, indistinct from the surrounding rock. Thick roots twisted around the entrance and the forest was a carpet of leaves.
"No way anyone have been through here rec--" I was cut short by the sound of wagon. It was low and continuous which meant it wasn't in a hurry and the beast of burden was probably walking. They were coming through my way so I waited and soon an old wagon pulled by a black horse came into view about 40 feet before me. It took moments after it came, after I began approaching, for the driver to notice me. He was instantly surprised and quick to draw blade.
"Hello" I said, hands up. "I mean you no harm"
He was still looking at me like I came out of nowhere. His eyes cautiously scanned around for more people while his blade remained pointed at me.
"We have nothing of worth," he said, his voice croaky. "But if you insist, I've been told I'm very good with the sword"
He twisted the blade halfway as he said it. With how tattered my clothes are and how dirty my face is I don't blame him for thinking I was a low life but what stood out the most was that he didn't recognize me, and that was good news.
"I'm sure you are" I replied, "But as you can see I'm in no condition to fight" His eyes flicked to my slowly bleeding wounds before returning to my face. "I just need a ride and a place for the night."
I saw one of the tears in the wagon's cloth canopy move, like someone was trying to peek out.
"Sorry can't help" he said but as soon as he said that there was movement in the wagon and soon a woman jumped out and began walking towards me.
"Ahli!" he called, "Ahli get back!"
The woman ignored him, intent on reaching me. He quickly jumped down from where he had been standing and began rushing after the woman. They both reached me at the same time.
The woman flashed me a smile then proceeded to check my stitches, deaf to her companion's loud concerns. Her hand touched a stitch and I twitched out of reflex.
"Can you walk?" she asked, her eyes kind.
"I can manage" I replied.
"Come let's get you to the cart" she said, putting an arm around me to aid me"
"What? No! Not happening!" the companion objected firmly.
"He will die, you churl!"
"That's not our problem!" the companion countered rudely. "We can't just pick up a random stranger and bring him with us with Nura at the back. What if he is a bandit?!"
"Does he look like a bandit?!" the woman argued referring to my clothes.
The man looked, and what seemed like the first time noticing my trousers. I saw doubt register in his eyes but still he said "He could have stolen it"
The woman gave him a look wondering if he was actually stupid enough to believe a bandit would wear stolen expensive clothes rather than sell them.
"Fine!" he boomed, "he rides in front"
"No, he needs to lie down he is too injured"
"He rides in front with me, Ahli, or not at all" the man charged.
The woman wanted to argue but I chimed in, "It's fine" I said, "I will ride in front"
She turned and considered me for a moment, wanting to argue further but stopped and gave her companion a 'we will continue this later' look and stormed off.
I followed the man to the driver's seat with me leading the way. They didn't recognize who I was and I didn't want to ask where we were to avoid them giving me a reason to kill them.
"Cover up whatever that is" he said, referring to the cube when we were seated. "To avoid inviting bandits thinking it's something of worth"
I considered it for a moment before taking out the last shreds of my top and wrapping it, leaving my upper body bare. He cracked the reins while I was at it and the horse began to move.
It took forever but we finally reached the village just before the sun set. In the green valley two stone cottages with thatched roofs sit quietly among the rolling hills. Overgrown paths with wild plants wind between the houses.
We stopped at the first house. I joined the man to climb down. At the back the woman had gotten down and was helping someone else down. A little girl. She was looking at me curiously. I flashed her a quick smile and she returned it.
"Let's go inside" the woman said to me and we began walking in, the man's eyes on me as he work to detach the horse from the wagon.
We walked through the dark in the first room to another. A bedroom. The narrow bed stands unmade, it's heavy blankets and pillows in disarray. She sat me on the bed, told what seem to be her daughter to get the 'healing bag' while she proceeded to light an oil lamp. It reveal the room to be poor and almost abandoned. The floor was scattered with old books and forgotten trinkets. Simple weathered portraits hung on the walls.
She carried the oil lamp and knelt before me, checking the wounds.
"It's a miracle you survive this far" she said then exchanged the lamp for her healing bag as her daughter came back in. "How long ago were you stabbed?"
"I don't know" I replied, winced as she applied a poultice on it. "a day, two, three I can't tell"
"And who stitched it?" she asked.
"My partner before she died" I lied. "We were ambushed"
She didn't say anything to that. Whether she figured I was lying or not I couldn't tell. After cleaning it and rubbing poultice on them, she brought out long clean clothe and began wrapping over the wounds, one at a time.
"And where was this place you were ambushed?" I heard the man ask from the door.
I looked and found him leaning against the door's edge, his suspicious yet calm eyes on me.
"I have no idea" I replied and turned away, uninterested how he felt about it.
Few moments pass, when the woman was finishing with the bandage I asked, "where are we?"
She looked at me then back at what she was doing. "Yeorin" she replied simply.
"What territory?"
"Verde"
Verde? That's at least 3 days from where I fell. How is that possible?
"Drakoria?" I asked trying to know if there was another region with the name.
The man scoffed and left the door when I mentioned Drakoria.
"Not anymore," the woman replied, standing up and packing to leave. "The rebels took it back few days ago"