Escaping this place was harder than we thought. Five was good, but he could not make a miracle out of that situation.

Janilla accidentally alerted us to a guard and wasted all of Five's good effort getting us as far as the bailey of the castle.

A senior guard came to us and before we knew it, Canus approached us looking quite dark in his features.

There were bloodshot eyes from recent crying, but he looked quite troubled. "What are you doing out here Carmine, thank Benedict you did not wake the whole keep, but why are you leaving?"

This looked bad, but I was in the mood for revenge. "I was thinking on what you said and have decided to leave as Acomn ordered me to."

"He did? But why?" Canus asked.

I looked away. "Terrible things chase me, I do not want you to be placed in danger because of me. Besides, the walls have ears. The family said no to our possible engagement, no? Then we have no reason to be torturing ourselves here."

Canus blinked his eyes at me, but his face softened as he waved to the guards. They left. Canus said, "No, you will stay. You may not be able to marry me, but you can live here."

"I am hated here."

"Not by me."

I looked up and felt good to hear that. Grabbing both elbows with opposing hands, I rocked.

He motioned beyond me. "Out there is dangerous right now. Just stay the night, please. Look, how about I reach out to someone in Ascus? Will that do?"

I fidgeted. The possibility came to me. I looked out at the dead night. The shapes, I could barely make out anything in the moonless night.

A few fires burned here and there. I shivered. It would be hard to ride in this darkness. I wanted a safe bet into Ascus if I could manage.

Plus where would I go? I never wanted to sleep in the wild. A terrible experience I wanted to avoid.

I sighed. "Fine."

He clapped his hands. "Great."

***

"Carmine?"

Why was everything black?

"Carmine?"

Who was calling my name? That voice… Where—

"Carmine?"

My body quivered as I tried to move, but could not. What was this?

Move, move, damn it!

A hand brushed against my shoulder.

"Car—"

I ripped myself up and looked around to see Five on one side and Janilla on the other. Janilla, closer, yet she looked at me with concern. Her hand moving back as if afraid of me.

I leaned up and allowed the sheet to roll off my chest and arms, it slumped into a heap on my lap. My head shook off the confusion. "Another one."

"Nightmare?" Janilla asked.

I glanced at Five.

Five tilted his head. "I sensed no presence. Only your distress, your fear was—high."

Fear huh?

I napped for a while more and was invited outside by Canus which was good, I needed the fresh air and was terrible at beating Janilla at Boomon. My desire to sign up was high as well. I brought the arrow gun though, because I still needed practice I just needed some private place to do it. The spear was given back to me, much to Acomn’s chagrin.

The three of us stepped out in our best robes.

We came out to this grassy field where east of us laid this vast low-cut savannah. What rested there were tall columns that covered it sparsely.

The north had a hedge wall and sculptures cut out of shrubs lining the border of the crosswalk.

I saw Canus at the end of a field with Nor and Acomn behind him. On the benches were ladies and many of them were sending either looks of disgust or marvels of curiosity in our direction.

Five, what are they saying?

To paraphrase, some are wondering why such a beautiful man like myself is with such ugly women. Some are wondering what is my lineage.

I snickered. They are just spiteful plebians. Include Janilla in the discussion.

As we stopped some distance before Canus, Five crinkled his eyebrows and turned his head with concentration. He noted the jester walking up to Canus.

The jester is weary of the satchel you carry on your shoulder. She also thinks Janilla is very beautiful. Five mused to us.

Janilla said, "What?" Then she looked at the jester.

I patted her on the arm and grabbed it sending her a warning. Five sent you his thoughts, so can I.

Janilla gave me a shocked side glance. “I don't want him in my head,” she whispered harshly.

Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

Janilla, welcome to working for me. Also, speak with your thoughts, not your mouth.

She frowned at me.

The jester turned around and I was about to ask Five about that satchel comment when Canus spoke, "Good to have you. We were thinking to go on a hunt for foxes and wondered if you ladies wanted to come watch."

The most boring activity that could have been laid before us. "Sure," I said.

They moved to the outskirts of the field where this small forest grew with a beautifully radiant assortment of fruits and flowers in the castle's backyard.

We got our horses, for Janilla could not ride, so she rode behind Five which pissed her off. Her thoughts were like a machine gun of negativity.

I had to say something. Hm, Janilla you do realize Five can hear you hauling insults at his bumpy riding, you know that right?

Janilla gave me a pointed stare as we galloped in spot. If he does not like it he can stop reading my thoughts. Also, stop reading mine!

I shrug. I cannot. It’s a two-way street bitch.

Aaarrrggh!

Five looked at the men and their dogs running about. I do not mind.

Janilla shot a glance at his back and closed her eyes.

The men returned. One fox got impaled on Nor's spear as they rode over. The ladies by the crosswalk clapped emphatically. I winced at the dead animal as Janilla mirrored my thoughts.

These women will clap anything to endow a man. Janilla's voice echoed in my head.

I laughed. Canus and Nor pushed Five to join the fray. He was resistant, so was Acomn. I told him to go just to anger Acomn.

That was the idea, but it turned into a farce as Five soundly with no help of a dog, thrashed the boys at the war games catching eight foxes in the same time they took to track and catch one.

Acomn shook his head, while Canus and Nor were shocked. Every lady wanted to know who Five was and If he was betrothed. Actually, they straight up assumed Janilla was his wife which she kindly denied though her thoughts was a muddled mess about it.

Five just kept quiet and I had to speak for him mostly. He had no noble lineage and it was rather hard to make up one. It was easy to check and I was not looking to be called a liar. So, I said he was my shy bodyguard of unnoble birth.

Some ladies lost interest, well, some. The others orbited him like he was the king. Canus did not seem bothered by it as his attention was on me and conversations about crops.

"...that it was. They came out back then looking for lemons and hoping for a brief deposit on their crop yield. I felt sorry for them," Canus said.

"They hoped like fools—nothing of any rapport. I remember my father just looked at them and shake his head. He was like—No, we waste no more gold. I mean your crops are doing great for you?"

Canus shook his head. "Yes, but—" He sighed and his voice fell in volume when he said, "I don't feel like a King."

There was no one close around us as Janilla was next to Five and his orbiters. Nor stood opposite them talking. Acomn got followed around by the Jester who crawled and barked at him and I cracked a smile seeing his annoyance.

I swayed closer to Canus as he looked into my eyes. "Why?"

He laughed briefly, but It felt forced almost cynical. He sucked in air. "I am a joke. I have not ruled this country since your disappearance. I could n—not function. All I did was sleep. Ha. I had nightmares—I saw and envisioned your death countless times. They said you were dead. I was—haunted by it. Ha, ha, I sound weak, do I not?"

Was it me speaking or him? It sounded so familiar that it was frightening.

I stepped close and laid my hand on his chest. My head shook. "No, you are still my King." Minus the muscles, but his gentle personality and tangy humor never changed.

The man I fell in love with. I was starting to remember why I loved him.

"King Canus!" Canus and I turned our heads to see the mother walking up to us. Beside her was a dark beauty, full-figured woman with twisting braids that were wrapped up in an hourglass bun.

The necklaces were many, each bigger as they went lower down her chest and each a different color. She wore a thin gray robe. It contained patterned intricate white borders.

There was a low round cut cleavage and it was well endowed in her bosom compared to mine.

I looked down pulled by instinct and felt discomfited standing at similar heights as we traded stares at each other.

The mother of Canus gave me a respectful nod. This new woman did not.

Janilla's voice in my head, What is her problem?

Five chimed in, She hates Carmine.

She can stand behind Corona, it is a long line. Janilla thought.

I snickered. The mother quirked an eyebrow at me. I pursed my lips. Guys calm the chatter, you are making me laugh.

The mother turned towards Canus as her eyes sliced through me then shifted to him. "I went through my harbingers and got in touch with Adu. He is sending an envoy to pick up Ascus's rightful ruler Carmine. The envoy will travel heavily armed ever since the attack in Eathen and considering the threats at her life."

Canus clapped his hands and said, "That is great. So what about that connection with Para's friend, the Lady of Nuvember?"

The mother waved that dismissively. "That lowly noble is not who you should have placed the hands of the Queen in. Adu is the current King he is the one I contacted."

Nor said as he passed his mother. "Adu could want her head. It seemed odd he would want the rightful heir when he is fighting a war against rebels who reject his rule. You sure she should trust him?"

Good question.

The mother scowled at the comment. Nor replied as his eyes rolled downward. "My apologies, that was out of turn."

No, it was not.

The mother gave Nor a knowing gaze as he stood beside the King. Canus spoke, "Was the King of Eathen told of Carmine's status?"

The mother said, "Yes, yes. So Carmine can stay here until the envoy comes for her. Then we will be ri—" She froze twisted her lips in indecision then smiled. "Fortunate to have helped the great late King's daughter and hope their God Ashuor looks favorably down on us."

Five chimed in, She almost said rid of you.

I realized.

"Please Carmine if you will, could you allow me a private word with the King," the mother said. The jester appeared from behind her and was doing this shaking dance with its arms going down and up its body as it swayed side to side.

Nor smiled at the display as Canus said, "I love this Jester." His mother turned and noted the dancing Jester, instantly frowning at it.

Canus turned to me. "I will talk to you later my dear."

I bowed before him. "Yes, your Majesty."

The other woman made a face at this display remarking. "Your curtsy is rather poor. Were you raised properly?"

I clenched my fist and held my anger in as I raised up. Canus was about to speak when he turned towards her then he froze. So did I, as the jester stood beside her and mirrored her stance.

Right hand on the hip but the difference was it was rocking its head like a scrutinizing bookkeeper. The mask made it funnier.

The woman growled. The jester came closer and grabbed her arm and drew it towards the mask as if it was kissing it. The woman swung her arm upward as she twirled away. "Arrgh! What are—"

The jester instantly stoned its body and fell like a rock hitting the ground hard. It flopped and slumped like it died.

We all widened our eyes at this. Canus looked at everyone with concern before asking aloud, "Sandream? You okay?"

The jester's upper body came up. Sandream pointed at the woman and said in the then recognized female voice. "I fear she has not washed her armpits, properly."

Acomn and Nor laughed out loud, while the Canus tried to restrain the smirk that was fighting to come up. Even the mother smiled. The beautiful woman fumed with quaking arms and murderous eyes at Sandream who ran off with shaking buttocks at the infuriated woman.

I nodded at Canus and made a quick exit to Five and Janilla. We left towards the forested garden.