15.6

The Grims guarding the alley weren’t listening so Davey bellowed over their hubbub, ‘Put your fucking weapons down. She’s with me and the King.’

The Grims reluctantly lowered their weapons.

Davey rushed over to Luna and hugged her hard. He was even more amazed to see she had Duke with her.

Davey grinned in disbelief and got down low. The dog dived on him, his black tongue rasping across Davey’s cheek.

‘Hello, boy,’ he chuckled as the little dog rolled onto his back and began wriggling and huffing excitedly. ‘Where did you find him, Luna?’

He looked up when Luna didn’t reply for a good few minutes. She was just staring at the alley floor.

He stood and faced her.

‘Am I fuckin’ pleased t’ see ya, Davey lad,’ she bellowed. Tears ran down her face as their arms wrapped around each other.

‘My God, Luna, I didn’t think I’d ever see you again.’

‘Me neither.’

‘How’s Tia?’ Davey said, his excitement impossible to miss. ‘Is she here too? I don’t see her.’

The pause seemed to draw out for an eternity.

Luna stiffened in his arms. She inhaled forcefully. Exhaled just as hard. He felt the rush of warm air on the side of his face.

She inhaled again.

Davey pushed her away a little so he could see her face.

His heart sank when he saw the misery etched into her pale features.

‘Davey lad…’ she began, but the rest of her faltering explanation was hidden beneath Davey’s cry of anguish.

She went to hug him again.

He pushed her away a second time.

Straightened.

Stared her in the eye.

‘How?’ he managed between anguished sobs.

‘She was hit by one of the rounds from Cross’ dozers.’

Davey gasped.

‘It was quick, I can say that for it. But that’s about all the fuckin’ comfort I can give ya, Davey lad.’

Finally Davey relented and let her hold him.

‘She loved you, Davey lad. Always has. Promised she always will.’

He sobbed hard against her shoulder, but she felt the slight nod of his head as he acknowledged this.

‘And she knew you felt the same way.’

Davey nodded again.

His sobbing hit a new intensity.

Solomon appeared from one of the doorways. He looked sleepy, wiping a hand over his brow and blinking his eye intensely as the light in the alleyway hit it.

‘Happy days to ya, Paul lad. What’s all the commotion out here?’ he asked one of the Grims bearing the makeshift curtain rod spears.

Davey looked up and saw the king.

His sorrow hit new depths when he realised the king had yet to find out about Tia.

‘Luna? Does my eye deceive me?’ King Solomon bellowed. ‘Praise the Gods you made it here.’

The mirth of his greeting was knocked out of him like a kick from a prize stallion when his gaze fell upon Davey and Luna, still locked in their mournful embrace.

‘Aw no,’ he said. ‘Fuck no. Please tell me it isn’t true.’

Davey met his eye and, tears rolling down his cheeks and dripping from his chin, sadly shook his head.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

All the strength left the King’s legs and the big man staggered.

Two of the Grims went to catch him, but he took them down with him as he fell.

The Grims followed him down, slapping his face and trying their best to revive him.

He came round with a heart-wrenching wail.

Davey had never heard such a sad, desperate sound.

Then the big man began to sob, his entire body quaking.

He beckoned Davey to him, threw his arm around his shoulders and pulled him in tight.

Davey was lost in his sorrow but he still felt alarmed by the ragged wheeze of the King’s breathing.

‘She was too good for this earth, Davey lad,’ he managed between sobs.

‘I’m so sorry,’ Luna said.

Solomon looked up at her. ‘When it’s your time, it’s your time,’ was all he said before he bowed his head again.

The night passed in a haze of steam and hooch and stories about Tia.

Solomon told all of them about how they had met in the City of Dogs.

The king, Davey and Luna all took turns to break down and console each other.

‘At two tomorrow afternoon we shall gather to mourn the loss of my daughter, Princess Tia of the Freelands,’ Solomon said, his voice back to its booming volume. ‘You are all welcome to attend, my brothers and sisters.’

Then he shuffled off to his apartment, his posture slumped.

Davey had never seen a man look so dejected and broken.

His own sorrow threatened to drown him, but he felt even more sorry for the king.

He knew he would blame himself for Tia’s death as he had for the fall of the Freelands. He knew he’d have to keep a close eye on him.

The next afternoon the cloud gathered as Solomon had requested.

Fisherman Jack had managed to get his hands on an old suit. The king had made the best of it. Davey was reminded of the first time he’d seen the king in a suit for Reverend Cross’ funeral.

But this time instead of bursting out of the suit, the king seemed to drown in it, like he’d shrunk not only in spirit but in body too.

The effect was alarming.

His hair was done smartly, his beard as neat as it ever got.

He smiled when he saw Davey, but the smile didn’t go all the way up to his eyes to form those wrinkles that lit up his entire face.

Davey’s smile felt the same way.

‘Fit for a king,’ the king said, pointing to Davey’s smart but stained suit.

He held Davey hard. They shared a tear.

Duke snuffled around their ankles as they sobbed.

‘Stand strong, Davey lad. This is the worst part.’

Davey nodded.

‘Let’s get this over with.’

‘Thank you my brothers and sisters for gathering with us here today,’ the king began. ‘I wish it were under happier circumstances but such is the will of the Gods.’

The assembled Grims bowed their heads.

‘As some of you will know, I took Tia under my wing and took on the role of her dad. I did this willingly because of the good heart she possessed. And I would do it a thousand times over again, were I lucky enough to be given the chance.

‘Now, as she takes her rightful seat up there amongst the Gods, I have a request for you all. I request that you hold her in your thoughts and hearts.

‘I ask that you make peace with your rival clouds and seek some common ground. I ask that you all stand together and look out for one another.

‘And I ask that you welcome us newcomers into your cloud and look after us for as long as we are in your company.’

The Grims all nodded and roared their assent.

Dirty hands collided in unison as the Grims clapped for the king.

‘And I ask you to stay strong, no matter what the coming days may hold. Remember that the Gods are on our side in all of this. Jack lad, you know the way I ran the Freelands. I would like to think that that feeling of togetherness and community would carry on.’

‘Of course it will, King Solomon,’ Jack beamed, raising a glass hooch bottle to toast the king’s idea.

‘So, before I leave you to your festivities, I would ask you all to raise a glass to Tia.’

‘To Tia,’ the crowd repeated.

Solomon drank heartily from the bottle Fisherman Jack pressed into his hand.

‘May she live forever in our hearts and memories.’

Solomon thanked the crowd for their support and broke down anew.

A forest of arms reached for him, seeking to comfort.

Davey and Luna were swallowed up in their arms too.

It seemed the entire cloud was holding them.

‘Stand strong, all of you,’ Fisherman Jack said. ‘Let the light of those you have lost guide you through these dark times.’

‘Beautiful words, Jack lad,’ the King smiled sadly.

The night passed in a haze.

‘OK, that’s it,’ Solomon said, a reluctant air about him. ‘I’m going to hit the sack.’

He bear-hugged Davey close to him.

‘It’s been an honour to spend my days with you, Davey lad. You’re becoming an awe-inspiring young man. I thank the Gods that they allowed our paths to cross, however briefly.’

‘Me too. But we’ve got a long road still ahead of us.’

‘I thank the Gods every day,’ he said, squeezing him a little harder.

Then he was heading off to his apartment.

Solomon paused and looked back over his shoulder for a second. He raised his hand, gave Davey a sad smile then disappeared through the doorway.

Davey wasn’t to know it then, but this would be the last time he saw the king.