The Darkest of Truths

Chapter 13

By the next day we were ready to go and much to my surprise not only were my weapons returned to me but the King was in fact joining us. As per usual, you wouldn't have thought that he was a King by looking at him as he was wearing dark fighting leathers as opposed to those fancy tunics King Thaddeus and Tristian wore. He looked like what Tristian thought he looked like whenever he dressed like one of us. The King managed the look very well.. He actually looked normal, more approachable, like he was one of the crowd.

He looked nice.

"Is something wrong, Karma?" the King asked.

Damn! I was staring!

"No." I said, almost too quickly. "Are we ready?" I asked in hopes of changing the subject.

The King smiled.

Smug bastard.

"We're ready, just waiting on Aleister and Olenna. Rick will be staying behind to keep and eye on things," he explained and I nodded slowly.

I glanced over and saw two guards wearing leather clothing similar to the King's readying a bunch of horses. I tried my best to contain my excitement.

"You like horses?"

I snapped my attention back to the King.

"Yes - I mean no! I mean-" my words failed me as his sudden interest caught me off guard.

He laughed, not a mocking one but a lighthearted laugh. When he recomposed himself he looked at me with a smile and asked, "would you like me to introduce you?"

I do! I really, really do!

"Yes," I grumbled as my love for animals betrayed me.

There were six horses. Two black, one brown, one completely white and one was white with black socks. The King introduced me to them one by one and let me have a minute to let them sniff my hand before they let me pet their muzzles. Except for the brown one, she was a bit stubborn and not fond of strangers and I respected her request for space.

I was particularly fond of the white one with the black socks. When I reached my hand out for him to sniff he immediately pushed his muzzle into my hand, requesting pets which he got plenty of.

I didn't even notice Medelan Aleister and Olenna arriving with their things.

Once I did, I straightened up and got ready to leave with them, trying my best to ignore the knowing smile the King had plastered on his face. Everyone cheerfully waved us off and wished us well as we rode by. It was a strange site as I recalled the solemn looks everyone in the Dustlands had when I left. I guess everyone here believed that we would return while the Dustlanders knew that I wouldn't.

I wonder what stories people have come up with about my supposed death. Maybe there were no stories, maybe they didn't care enough for stories.

When we rode through the gates, officially leaving Lunara I couldn't help but look in the direction where Pulvaria would be. The temptation wasn't as strong as I thought it would be. After all, there was nothing waiting for me there except a noose, a treasonous knot they called. They would hang me there for days in the sun.

They did it once before.

A soldier, a kind man, who refused an order directly from the King.

They left him dangling for days, on the wall between Lowen and Highlen.

It was a very hot summer that year.

The smell was awful.

I doubted that I would smell any better.