Sequel: The Game ›
Status: complete, but revisions are being made
The Pauper Princess
Chapter Nineteen
We all exited the study, Jegan heading to the dining hall and us to pack our belongings and vacate our rooms. Ekohl didn’t let go of my arm until we were safely up the stairs.
“Watch yourself,” he whispered when we entered the deserted hallway. “You are speaking to him like you are equals.”
“We know,” Mehta said, placing her hand on Ekohl’s shoulder. “We all have to be more careful now.” Ekohl nodded and went to his room. Mehta and I followed his lead and entered our rooms as well. There wasn’t much to pack since most of our possessions were still in the wagons. I folded the few dresses I had draped over a chair, and sadly looked to the one I was wearing. I dreaded riding in it, but I didn’t have any other option. I sighed and resigned myself to a long, uncomfortable journey.
Just then, there was a knock at my door. Thinking it was Mehta, I quickly opened it, but it was Ekohl who greeted me.
“I thought you might need these,” he said, extending an odd bundle of cloth me to take. I took the bundle and unfolded the cloth to find it was a cloak wrapped around a shirt and pair of pants. I let out a sigh of relief. I immediately gave Ekohl a quick hug.
“I was worried I would be spending the entire trip falling out of my saddle.” Ekohl gave me a small half-smile.
“Try not to get hurt this time. I’m running out of extra clothes.” I couldn’t help the smile that graced my lips. I nodded, and he walked away toward the stairs.
“Ekohl,” I called. He stopped at the top of the stairs and gave me a questioning look. “Thank you.” He nodded with a smile and continued down the stairs.
I closed the door and quickly replaced my dress with the shirt and pants and braided my long hair into a single plait down the center of my back. I packed the last dress away carefully and surveyed the room to be sure I remembered everything. Satisfied that all was as it should be, I sat down on the bed and started lacing up my rugged leather boots.
These boots- the ones I had worn during the bandit attack- had been coated with rust-colored mud and infused with the smell of death. They brought back vivid memories of the blood-soaked ground during the bandit attack, and I was tempted to get rid of them, but in the end, I decided I didn’t want to break in new boots. I had spent over an hour trying to clean them a few days ago, but I could still smell the sharp metallic scent of blood. I finished with my boots quickly, reluctant even to touch them.
I was suddenly anxious to start travelling. I quickly wrapped Ekohl’s cloak around my shoulders, but I noticed something odd upon fastening it. Attached to the cloak was the badge that signified Ekohl’s position in the royal guard. Such badges are passed down as soldiers ascend through the ranks of the Kyshian army. When one man moves up, they give their badge to a person of their choosing who is to replace them. Ekohl had been given this badge by his father shortly before his death, rising to the position of a royal guard to the king. It was a great honor at such a young age, and I know the badge means a lot to Ekohl. I use it to fasten the cloak for now, but I know I can’t keep such a precious emblem.
Remembering that I am supposed to be hurrying, I push my thoughts aside. I collect my belongings and make my way to our wagons. They are sitting beside the inn’s stable, right where they have been since they were first recovered. I pack my belongings away quickly.
I am just about to return to the inn when I notice a new addition to our recovered items. Just a few paces away is the carriage that we brought from Kyshia. It’s horribly battered. It doesn’t even look like it could travel properly. Stepping closer, I can see gouges made by swords and arrows cover much of it, and the lower portion is stained a deep crimson.
Approaching slowly, more and more details come to my notice. I can see now that some of the wheels still have pieces of leather from where the horses’ reins had been tied, and later cut. I made my way around to the carriage door, and immediately froze. Right there, in the very center of the door, is a bloodstained gouge, larger than any of the other nicks and scratches. I can see right through the hole into the carriage. Just as Mehta said, the sword had gone all the way through. I put my finger through the hole. Knowing that the stains here were from my own blood sent a shiver down my spine.
“Hey!” A man’s voice called. I jumped, startled by the sudden noise. I turned and saw that he was one of the Lequinian soldiers. “We’re leaving,” the man said before walking away. I looked back at the hole, then stalked through the stables to follow the stranger. Passing a mirror in one of the halls, I realized I’d been crying. My eyes were bloodshot, and my eyelashes were stuck together. I hastily wiped at my eyes and took a minute to compose myself.
I hadn’t expected the carriage to affect me so much. Suddenly, though, I wished it hadn’t been brought here. I wished it had been burned right there in the forest and reduced to nothing more than ashes.
“Watch yourself,” he whispered when we entered the deserted hallway. “You are speaking to him like you are equals.”
“We know,” Mehta said, placing her hand on Ekohl’s shoulder. “We all have to be more careful now.” Ekohl nodded and went to his room. Mehta and I followed his lead and entered our rooms as well. There wasn’t much to pack since most of our possessions were still in the wagons. I folded the few dresses I had draped over a chair, and sadly looked to the one I was wearing. I dreaded riding in it, but I didn’t have any other option. I sighed and resigned myself to a long, uncomfortable journey.
Just then, there was a knock at my door. Thinking it was Mehta, I quickly opened it, but it was Ekohl who greeted me.
“I thought you might need these,” he said, extending an odd bundle of cloth me to take. I took the bundle and unfolded the cloth to find it was a cloak wrapped around a shirt and pair of pants. I let out a sigh of relief. I immediately gave Ekohl a quick hug.
“I was worried I would be spending the entire trip falling out of my saddle.” Ekohl gave me a small half-smile.
“Try not to get hurt this time. I’m running out of extra clothes.” I couldn’t help the smile that graced my lips. I nodded, and he walked away toward the stairs.
“Ekohl,” I called. He stopped at the top of the stairs and gave me a questioning look. “Thank you.” He nodded with a smile and continued down the stairs.
I closed the door and quickly replaced my dress with the shirt and pants and braided my long hair into a single plait down the center of my back. I packed the last dress away carefully and surveyed the room to be sure I remembered everything. Satisfied that all was as it should be, I sat down on the bed and started lacing up my rugged leather boots.
These boots- the ones I had worn during the bandit attack- had been coated with rust-colored mud and infused with the smell of death. They brought back vivid memories of the blood-soaked ground during the bandit attack, and I was tempted to get rid of them, but in the end, I decided I didn’t want to break in new boots. I had spent over an hour trying to clean them a few days ago, but I could still smell the sharp metallic scent of blood. I finished with my boots quickly, reluctant even to touch them.
I was suddenly anxious to start travelling. I quickly wrapped Ekohl’s cloak around my shoulders, but I noticed something odd upon fastening it. Attached to the cloak was the badge that signified Ekohl’s position in the royal guard. Such badges are passed down as soldiers ascend through the ranks of the Kyshian army. When one man moves up, they give their badge to a person of their choosing who is to replace them. Ekohl had been given this badge by his father shortly before his death, rising to the position of a royal guard to the king. It was a great honor at such a young age, and I know the badge means a lot to Ekohl. I use it to fasten the cloak for now, but I know I can’t keep such a precious emblem.
Remembering that I am supposed to be hurrying, I push my thoughts aside. I collect my belongings and make my way to our wagons. They are sitting beside the inn’s stable, right where they have been since they were first recovered. I pack my belongings away quickly.
I am just about to return to the inn when I notice a new addition to our recovered items. Just a few paces away is the carriage that we brought from Kyshia. It’s horribly battered. It doesn’t even look like it could travel properly. Stepping closer, I can see gouges made by swords and arrows cover much of it, and the lower portion is stained a deep crimson.
Approaching slowly, more and more details come to my notice. I can see now that some of the wheels still have pieces of leather from where the horses’ reins had been tied, and later cut. I made my way around to the carriage door, and immediately froze. Right there, in the very center of the door, is a bloodstained gouge, larger than any of the other nicks and scratches. I can see right through the hole into the carriage. Just as Mehta said, the sword had gone all the way through. I put my finger through the hole. Knowing that the stains here were from my own blood sent a shiver down my spine.
“Hey!” A man’s voice called. I jumped, startled by the sudden noise. I turned and saw that he was one of the Lequinian soldiers. “We’re leaving,” the man said before walking away. I looked back at the hole, then stalked through the stables to follow the stranger. Passing a mirror in one of the halls, I realized I’d been crying. My eyes were bloodshot, and my eyelashes were stuck together. I hastily wiped at my eyes and took a minute to compose myself.
I hadn’t expected the carriage to affect me so much. Suddenly, though, I wished it hadn’t been brought here. I wished it had been burned right there in the forest and reduced to nothing more than ashes.