Crowned Compass ✓

𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 42

"You've surely grown boy," Kingsley said as he placed a hand on Adonis's shoulder.

Adonis nodded.

"They took your voice, didn't they?"

Adonis nodded again.

Kingsley shook his head and patted Adonis's back, before lighting a cigarette, "I was almost in that pit as well, pal. Got outta there as quick as I could."

"You were once serving for my kingdom?" I asked.

He chuckled, "I serve no one dear. I simply did their dirty work for profit."

"That's low," I mumbled.

"Yeah, well...when you're threatened by shackles and blades, the only thing you can do is survive and hope to not become a slave," he said and took a long drag, before blowing out a cloud of smoke, "No matter how. Break or be broken. That's just the way of life."

I blinked and looked up at Kingsley.

I was learning something everyday.

Nothing was like the castle. Maybe outside wasn't everything I had hoped.

Every place...every person...had a burden to bear.

● ● ●

We all walked into a market. I had never been through an actual one.

I watched children run over to Adonis, trying to grab his sword, and he freaked out in response.

I rushed over to him, "Whoa, whoa, whoa! It's okay. Just children, remember?"

Adonis froze and looked down at them, letting a little boy hold the case of his sword.

He gasped, and started swinging the case, "Wow, I want to be a knight!"

"Selia, you're just going to let our kids loose like this?!" I heard from beside me, seeing a blonde man lightly raging towards a red headed woman.

She stuffed her mouth with a potato, "Hmphf?"

The blonde man shook his head and went over to the kids who were crowding around Adonis's legs, "I am so sorry, sir."

He took the case out of his son's hands and handed it back to Adonis, "You look like a traveler. Are you from around here?"

I thought to help him out, "Hi. I'm princess Lessi from th--"

He seemed to know me already, "King Adon's daughter, right?"

"Yes actually."

"I'm Nicholas, king of Haven, and over there is my wife, Selia."

Haven..?

"Is she related to Kyle by any chance?"

"His sister," He nodded, "That would be her."

Selia walked over to us all with a basket full of potatoes.

Kyle was right about her potato cravings.

"Hi," she giggled, "I'm-"

"I've already introduced us honey."

"Oh, less work for me," she mumbled, stuffing another baked potato in her mouth, "Want one?"

"N-no. I'm fi-"

She handed me one anyway and I couldn't help but start chowing down.

Adonis and Niccolo stared at us both.

"Is she a food lover as well?" He asked Adonis.

Adonis nodded.

Selia held one up for him, "Want?"