Crowns of Flame and Ice - Book One

(18) The Beginning of the End

Two days later I stood in the courtyard of the castle, the shadow of the wall causing me to shiver. The fog that hung heavily in the air was starting to disperse thanks to the bright sun shining through. A slight sprinkling of frost blanketed the ground, a sure sign that winter was now upon us. The massive wooden doors had been pulled open to reveal the kings stood in the doorway with guards flanking them on each side. Quilo stood to my left, a large sword sheathed at his side. I scowled at the bag on his back, why did his look so much smaller and lighter than mine? I hadn't packed that much, clothes, underwear, books, a small first aid kit Rosie had made for me and... a lot more books. I huffed, adjusting the straps across my shoulders that were already digging into my skin.

"Give you life to protect your kingdom son," The king said, looking at Quilo. He bowed deeply, a hand at his heart. I rolled my eyes, my father just stood there glaring at me. I gave him a happy little wave and said "as heartwarming as this goodbye is, we need to leave now." I patted Quilo on the shoulder as I passed and he snapped his hand out, catching my wrist. "Do not ever fucking touch me" he snarled and I grinned up at him.

A horn sounded and the huge black gates swung open revealing the city beyond. I took a step forward and halted at the sound of the roaring crowd beyond. There were hundreds of people, all smiling and waving. Children, men and women, and families all stared at us. My breath quickened and my heart pounded, all of these people were relying on us to bring the kingdom together. It was all a lie and I hated myself for it. A sharp jab at my back had me stumbling forward a few steps through the gate and I carried on walking, plastering a happy little smile onto my face I'd seen mother make a thousand times. This was so different to when I'd paraded through the crowd at the ball, those people were not relying on me to bring peace to their land. A bitter taste filled the back of my throat as I pushed the guilt far, far down. I only hoped the gods would go easy on me once I passed.

Quilo walked beside me, his face appeared neutral, almost bored. I really wanted to stab him now, how could he feel nothing for these people we were about to betray? Did he seriously believe this nonsense about magic being restored and bringing peace to the kingdom? I couldn't look at the happy faces on either side of me as we walked, instead, I focused on the sound of the crunch beneath my boots, the blaring sun above, the rise and fall of my chest. The dust path curved and I saw the familiar road that led towards the dome and the arch of The North Bridge up ahead. The crowd was beginning to thin out now and I loosed a breath as we passed them. I stopped before the bridge and saw the glittering water of the Sevian river. It was strange to see it reflect the sun instead of the stars but it was beautiful all the same, I wondered what creatures lived under the surface. I looked up at Quilo who seemed even more distant than usual, his gaze staring across the bridge. "Are we really doing this?" I asked, adjusting the straps on my bags and tucking a loose strand of red hair behind my ear. "Do you see another option?" He snapped and I glared before taking the first step onto the bridge.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Hours of walking in silence later we reached the bustling centre of Penden Market. As Quilo had said, we received only curious glances from passers-by as we walked. I marvelled at the rough beauty of the place, stalls and stores alike were crammed together, all selling different types of fabrics, clothing, jewellery and supplies. But it was the stalls in the centre that caught my eye, rows of wagons were all lined up in neat lines. Each one we passed was covered in different types of foods and spices, my mouth watered at the smells that hung in the air. I gasped, running over to a nearby window and pressing my hands against the glass. Inside nestled on a bed of black velvet was a stunning matte black fountain pen with gold details. I'd never seen such a beautiful pen before. Quilo came up behind me and sighed when he saw what caught my attention. "We don't have time for this Anala" He snapped, a flare of irritation brightening his crystal blue eyes.