Angus McFife - The Fallen Soul

The message from the Hootsman

I slapped myself on the bed in my chamber and closed my eyes. I wanted everything to disappear. I wanted it to be just a bad dream and I woke up, opened the door, and saw the prince with bright eyes, a few days of stubble, surrounding a crooked smile, signifying the scum bag that had been born in his head and I was supposed to be his accomplice.
Eh, that's how it used to be when he was learning complex maneuvers... Or when we were on the spaceship and he came to wake me up. Once he lowered the warning sirens to wake me up... Dimwit...
I shook my head and got out of bed. I decided to go out into the city. I threw on my cloak and headed out. In the hallway, I stopped at one of the doors. That used to be his door. I touched the shackled wood... And I kept going away. I didn't have the strength to open the door and enter the place. Not today.
It was busy outside. I wondered what day it was. Probably Wednesday. I headed for the market. Markets were held every Wednesday in Dundee. People from all over the area gathered there to buy the unique goods of the royal city. Feathers from the wings of pegasus, dried leaves of mandrake, scales of sirens... There were a lot of goods that couldn't be found anywhere else in Fife. I let the hustle and bustle of the city drown out my inner voice full of guilt at the death of the young king. The message did not seem to have spread among the peasants yet.
I headed to the mead stand. I needed to drink something.
"Ah!! Ser Ralathor! So you're back, huh?" Horatio smiled.
He was the salesman I used to go to regularly... Mainly spoil Angus...
"How was the journey?" he asked.
At the same time, he pointed to the barrel with the best mead.
"Long," I said, nodding my head as a sign that he could pour it.
"What about being here without King Angus? You've always come here with him," he asked.
It stabbed me in the heart. I had no idea that just mentioning him could hurt so much.
"I see that the harvest was good." I changed the subject immediately.
"Yes, it was. This year we have the best mead far and wide," he said, handing me a mug.
I wanted to pay him, but he refused the money. I got goosebumps. I felt as if something was watching me. I immediately turned around, but I did not see anything.
"Is something going on?" Horatio asked.
I watched the entrance to the darkened alley not far from the stall.
"No. Nothing..." I said cautiously, sipping mead.
It was delicious. Apparently, fresh. I thanked him and walked away.
The whole time I walked through the market, I could feel the sight of that something in my back. However, every time I turned around, it was gone.
At dusk, I returned to the castle and went to my chamber. I was horrified by the figure I saw by the window, as soon as I opened the door.
"Hootsman?!!" I blurted out.
"Shhh!" He hissed and motioned for me to close the door.
It was the demi-god of the galaxy, who helped us many times. Seeing him here was... Startling. Something had to happen.
"Have you spoken to the king and queen?" He asked.
I nodded. "Why do you ask?"
"So they already know what happened," he said.
I nodded again. Why was he here? What happened? It couldn't have been a good thing.
"I need you not to tell anyone what I'm going to tell you now," he said.
"I promise," I said.
The tension in me was running high. I never understood how Angus XIII was able to communicate with him in complete peace.
He looked at me with a serious look. What he then said turned the life I thought I would now lead completely upside down.
"Zargothrax..." he said. "He's alive..."