A Devious Exchange

Crowns and Old Crows

"Daylight at last!"

The rumbling of a storm's promise was underway, but it didn't lessen the truth one bit. We had finally reached our norm, back to a society where nothing but the tall grass and acres of land hindered us from home. The cloudy sky and rolling hills looked so much better than a dusty mine. I breathed in the crisp, cool air eagerly, wishing I could scrub my lungs free of the dirt and dust.

I couldn't tear my eyes from the small camp even as Tomathy continued to shout and frolick like a schoolboy over to the horses, whom didn't share one lick of the same spirit.

"I can't believe it myself. I never would have thought I'd miss the feeling of seeing the front of my nose and not catching my boot on every step."

Nicholas' sudden voice behind me made my shoulders jump, a tight smile painting my face as I looked over at him respectively. Still dizzy from the new light, my voice came out soft and hoarse, "Yeah, it makes you appreciate the little things, doesn't it?"

He nodded, casting his eyes over the plains once more.

Being able to fully stretch my back out after crouching down for so long felt so relieving... shooting tingles bounced down each bone of my spine in relieving cracks of bliss.

...But the feeling was outlooked. His presence, even now just standing casually next to me, drew a tightness in my chest. My eyes lingered on him warily, his previous words digging a pit in my stomach.

"The King will not be pleased."

And that was only the tip of the iceberg. The exploration in the caverns had changed my opinion of Nicholas entirely. On one hand, I tell myself he's my friend, a man who saved my hide from a village bruite the moment we first met. The one whom promised to have my back at each turn. He's charming, a ladies' man, a protector... one that I poured an ounce of my sacred admiration into.

But not anymore. Gods no...

I couldn't overlook the obvious. Nicholas had two different sides to him- the man I met was not the same as the soldier down in the depths of the cave. The Captain yielded seriousness, uptightness, and downright brutality alongside his Commander (ex Commander I should say). And his harsh cracks at Miook in finding the truth about Atticus' death showed truly whom his loyalties ultimately lied.

Not that I didn't hold any loyalty to the King- he is my "ruler" after all, and I accept that. But to hold such loyalty to the point of ratting out your best friend? To have him killed?

I could only pray Nicholas wouldn't trench that far. I guess I'll never know what he would've done since he doesn't know the whole truth. And he never will. That I will promise.

Nevertheless, he was still here, standing beside me now with that stupid dimpled smile. I scratched my fingernails along my arm, glancing away.

He gave a meaning to a double-edged sword, and man, did that one side yield an edge.

I still feared he- or any other soldier- would find out the truth. If either me or Miook made one slight slip up, we'd both be dead. It made my head hurt the more I worried, and it didn't help how Miook never brought it up again. At any moment I could be on the end of a chopping block if the matter was pressed more.

Nicholas turned to me then, giving me a sheepish smile. "It does. And... I owe you an apology, Jo."

I snapped my chin to the side, slightly shocked. An apology?

I glanced over to him warily. His smile was warm, his beard bristles finally broken out after not shaving for the few days. Even despite the cave's grimy conditions, his hair didn't look that bad- nor did his shirt have too many holes or tears. You could tell he at least tried to brush his hair neat to some extent.