An Oath Of Lords And Ladies (ARTK, Book 1)

Chapter 25

Janor 25th, 3328 A.G

Nara felt sorry for the servants of House Beckett, who would have to smell the stench of multiple people who hadn't bathed in a full month. The cold helped a little- but not much. The official freezing period was over, though it would take a few more weeks to warm up to normal temperatures- after which it would snow only a few times a month and stick to everything the rest of the time.

She flipped through a book she'd picked up in a larger village on animals unique to Kaeles- though she wasn't really reading it. All she could think about was eating fresh vegetables and meat- not the overly salted stuff in jars.

She knew it wouldn't be long; four or five hours if Tuyon was correct, and she wasn't sure if she could take it much longer than that. Renard was a tolerable travel partner, but being trapped in a tiny box with anybody for a month would drive anybody mad.

She glanced at him, hardly long enough for anyone to notice- yet he did.

"What?" He set a jar of pears down that he'd been shoving in his mouth.

"Nothing." Nara shrugged and focused her attention back on her book.

"You were looking at me." He raised an eyebrow. "So what have I done to annoy you this time?"

"Nothing-" She paused. "Yet. We really need to get out of this... cage."

"That we can agree on." Renard slightly titled his neck, trying to get rid of the ache that'd plagued him the past week. Just like the last ten times in the past hour, his attempts were unsuccessful. He sighed, not wanting to think about how painful the trip home would be.

Home.

It was a strange word to him. Officially, House Ashhand was his home. Unofficially- he still felt a calling to the island he'd grown up on, though he could acknowledge it made no sense. What was left for him there? Power he wasn't interested in? At least he had some sense of free movement here.

House Vraemore, while large- was still small enough that you could see the ocean surrounding it if you went up into the overlook tower.

In the early days it'd been so unbearably cold, but now he was so used to it he couldn't remember what heat from all directions felt like.

Whether he wanted to admit it or not, he was turning into an Krobanian.

Renard tapped the top of the carriage twice, and it immediately stopped. Seconds later, one of the three guards riding on his side opened the door.

"What is it, your grace?" The guard asked.

Your grace- now that he definitely wouldn't get used to. He'd been called 'My Lord' since before he could walk, so the past few weeks had sent small shocks through his body each time the words left someone's mouth. He'd played it off, but being a part of the only existing royal family in the world by marriage.... that was something.

"I.... How much further do we have?" Renard asked after he'd gotten over the shock.

"Shouldn't be ten minutes." The guard shrugged. "Tuyon greatly overvalued the time."

The guard jerked his head sideways, to the front of the carriage. Renard then peeked his out- and could make out House Beckett's crops if he squinted. At the most, they'd have a mile to go ( Nobody in their right mind would build farms too far away from the safety of walls in the continent Ebon).

Renard wanted to cry again. He could put up with moments more, at least that's what he told himself. He stuck his entire body back in the cramped box, and the door was shut again immediately after. When they moved again, he said a silent thank you prayer to gods he'd never believed in.