Rosewood Kingdom

Uprooting

Hours later, York kept the combined wagons lazily pushing east. He had the grand idea of putting her wagon on the back of the wagon he'd made, filling both with supplies from her cottage. It was clear they couldn't go back there under no circumstances for a while.

Helia had yet to awaken. He yawned, attempting to shake the sleep from his eyes. The moon was high in the sky and gave plenty of light. York didn't want to slow down to give the next round of assaults a chance to catch up.

Meanwhile, Damien of Washington walked around his private chambers in irritation. "So all we have is a wet bag of clothes? Did you see a body?"

"No sir. The knights insist they haven't seen a body yet but are certain that York is dead. But I haven't heard word from the other knights from surrounding kingdoms at this time." his most trusted advisor, Judas of Parker, spoke up.

"Don't worry, My King. Your coronation will go on as planned."

"Good. Now out!" Damien yelled.

The next day, Helia finally awakened in the back of the wagon. She massaged her head tenderly. York stood at the mouth of the cave, shirtless and the sun shining on him divinely. With the morning sun in her eyes, Helia blinked even harder. "Did I die? Is this heaven?" she mumbled.

"How am I supposed to answer that, Helia?" York spoke. He leaves the spot where he watched the valley in front of them to help her down.

"What happened yesterday?" she asked. York contemplated telling her the truth.

"We had to leave your cottage..."

"Obviously!" she yelled. "York, what happened?"

"Nothing we can change." He looks off in the distance. "I found some fruits and berries." He points to the pile behind them deeper in the cave.

"We're in a cave!" Helia scratched her head. "I have a knot on my head. You know what...fuck it." she mumbled.

"I'm doing the best I can!"

"Since the day I met you, it's been hell! I want you gone! I want to go back to my life."

He looked at her in sadness. "That's not an option anymore, Helia."

Her eyes widened in anger. "Like hell! Watch me!" she yelled and stomped away from the secluded cave.

"Helia!" he starts after the small woman.

Back in Shadowcourt, the town was feverish with excitement. The news of their former king being dead meant the townspeople could move on. In just a few weeks, all traces of King York's reign were erased. Queen Millicent and Baby Prince's grave was left untouched out of respect for her.

Damien dressed in the traditional pure white suit with the white cloak and cape. Crowds of townspeople showed up for the coronations of their new rulers. The waning winter sun shined just above the castle that he was about to rule from. He and his wife sat on the thrones side by side.

The pope and main councilman brought the cheering crowds to silence.

"Good day to you all!" the pope began. "Today we start a new era." The crowd cheered again.

"A new king has risen. A competent king. A knowing king. The king we've prayed for for generations!" the councilman continued to rain praises on Damien.

After songs from the church choir, the pope grabs the crown that once adorned York's head and gave a prayer. "O Lord, we thank you for this day. For this is a day of celebration. We thank you for delivering the rightful king to us in our time of need. I, Pope Benedict, pray that Damien of Washington leads us compassion, vigor, and honor. In your name Lord God, I coronate Damien of Washington king." He places the crown on the man's head.

"I now pronounce you King Damien of Shadowcourt." The crowd goes crazy. Just as the crown is adorned his head, red pigment appeared on the area where the man's heart would be...

In the far east, York held Helia's hand as she dangled over a cliff. "I'm scared." She choked out. She'd been fussing and yelling at York for uprooting her life when she'd slipped.

Using all of his strength, he heaves them both far off the side of the cliff.

"Don't do that shit again, Helia." He held the small woman in his arms, breathing hard.

"I won't."

Meanwhile, the knights continued their search. Bloodhounds led them with a trail of scent. Then the trail goes cold at a rushing river. "No way he crossed that shit on a horse."

"We gotta try." One of the knights shrugged and guided his horse across the rushing water. Soon the rest of them followed.

Later that night, Helia ate the rest of the berries. York stoked the fire in silence. Their horses grazed in the small green patch. "Spring is coming." She spoke up first.

"I noticed." The conversation goes flat. "I'm sorry, Helia."

"I am too." she turns her back to the man. "But what's done is done. Tomorrow we figure out this place." And with that she leaves him alone to go back to the covered wagon.

Mikaela and Brie popped up in the back of the cave. "They're still hunting you."

"Dead or alive remember?" York sighs sadly. "I never intended to bring another life into this."

"What did you think would happen when you didn't leave her cabin after the first night? She can never return as Helia of Eastmont."

"The best protection she can have is a new name." Mikaela suggested.

"And married."

"Stop."

"How do you explain a man and woman traveling together?" Brie reminds him. "When you come up with an idea, I'd love to hear it."

"That shit doesn't make sense."

"Just pretend to be married. Until you're fully integrated here."

"I'll see what she says..."

The next day, the pair of strangers rode into town with the wagons. The people of the town square turned in curiosity. Whispers were traveling faster as they found their way to the meat and vegetable stands, respectively.

"I think we should get a drink." York pointed to the saloon a few yards away.

"I can't go in there!" Helia yelled. York ignores her and grabs the horses to park outside.

"Y'all lost?" a burly man, taller than York, walked up to the pair. York still stands to look the man up and down. The man's accent was distinctive.

"No. Just new in town." He spoke. "Problem?"

"We don't need new people. We full."

"Well that's too bad." York sits down to his drink and meal. The burly man punches the newcomer in the face anyway. Helia gasps. A fight ensues anyway. They were equally matched until the man fell over. The rest of the saloon stood in shock at the savagery they witnessed. York dragged the man doubled his size out of the saloon seemingly with ease. "Who next!" he yelled. His eyes turned dark. "I said, WHO NEXT!"

"Welcome to Winter Springs." A kind spirited woman walked up to him. "Harold does that to every single newcomer that stops through here for a time. I told 'im somebody was gonna beat his ass one day."

"Thank you." York barely glanced at the woman. His eyes were on Helia. "Excuse me." he mumbled.

"If you need somewhere to stay, my father owns the inn just up the road. Tell them Olga sent you."

"Thank you, Olga."

"By the way, what's your name?"

"...Yo-Zeus of Rosewood."

Thoughts? -Patrice