The Dead King

Chapter 3 - The Offer

Chapter 3 - The Offer

"Did you sleep okay?" Loid asked King Marin as he threw a coat on.

"I didn't sleep a wink. Too many thoughts in my head, I think," Marin responded.

"Your voice is sounding better," Loid noticed.

Marin nodded. "It is getting easier to talk. I have to say, it's hard to get your lungs working after they've been inactive for as long as mine have."

"Let alone your whole body." Loid smiled a bit.

Yesterday, the two thugs Rocko and Phil had brought Marin to Loid's inn. The old king was now feeling more down to earth than ever before. He yearned for conversation. He missed interaction with other people. Some people say being in a coma for decades feels like a one night sleep when you wake up.

This was not the case for Marin. Being dead for 200 years caused so much of his mind to slip away. He felt like he had been gone for a very long time, in some black void that was inescapable. He had finally returned.

The four had conversation in that inn room for hours. Marin got Rocko and Phil to admit they had been secretly looting the castle behind Loid's back, despite Loid forbidding them to ever go to the castle. He was not very happy about that. Rocko and Phil did back up most of Marin's story though, describing how they had always seen him dead on the floor when they wandered the castle.

It all lined up in Loid's mind for the most part. As far fetched as it all seemed, it was believable to him. After talking for a while, Loid's wife Evelyn came around. Marin tried acting as far form being suspicious as possible, and said the mask was just for privacy, that he was 'very self-conscious' of his looks. She was a sweet older woman with gray curly hair.

Loid had also explained that the mountain range they were nestled in started becoming quite snowy about a hundred years ago, he guessed due to shifting weather patterns. He assured him it wasn't anything to worry about.

As night fell, Loid instructed Phil and Rocko to head home, and he would lodge Marin at the inn for free.

"That won't be necessary", Marin had said, flashing a few gold coins in front of Loid. He didn't question it, just accepted it and said thank you. He offered a meal too, but quickly realized that nourishment like that was not needed.

Morning was here, but the previous night Marin had requested that they all take a journey up to the castle with him. As much as Loid had shown disapproval to the idea for a while with Phil and Rocko, he gave in without too much fight, showing some guilty interest in wanting to see the castle himself, as well as truly solve the mystery of Sullivan Marin.

"Let's go pick up Rocko and Phil at their house, and we will head out to the castle," Loid planned. "Ev! We're heading out!"

"Be safe, dear," the two heard from the doorway behind the bar. Loid grabbed the handle to the front door, and the two older men walked out to the snow covered street.

"They live just over here," Loid pointed a ways down. As they started walking, Marin noticed several villagers out and about, working on various tasks. He could feel the eyes of them staring at him.

"Everyone seems to be noticing me..." Marin pointed out.

"Don't mind them. They just aren't used to seeing strangers in the town, especially ones with masks like yours. Heroca is a bit isolated, you know. They won't bother you since you're with me."

"Heroca Town. I feel like that was not the name of this establishment 200 years ago." Marin stated.

"You might be correct. Mind you, I hadn't been born yet that long ago, so I wouldn't know. I retired here shortly after the Harmon Wars were finished. Opened an inn. Been doing that ever since."