Don't Be Curious- A criminal who did the impossible

Chapter Fifteen

"You alright Zander?" Jaksa asked, catching up to the prince. "You're very quiet."

"I'm fine, just listening to what you daffodil heads are talking about." He answered, nodding his head towards Thomas and Cass. Theythey were still chattering excitedly. Jaksa smiled, adjusting himself on the horse. It was silent between the two for a while. Both lost in their own thoughts to start a conversation. then Zander spoke up. "Jskks, What was it like to live every day out here? You've never really talked about it." he said quietly, as not wanting the other two to hear. Jaksa smiled

"Well it was alright. Of course I didn't get a big meal or a warm bed but I quite liked the freedom. Winter was the worst, cold and dark all the time." The prince frowned. " sounds awful." Jaksa chuckled.

"I can tell you don't go out anywhere at night. It's a dangerous place. I got this scar." he said pointing to his nose. Zander raised a brown question.

" How did you get it?"

" I've seen plenty of horrible creatures in my time out here, but the worst? Humans. They do anything for a bit of gold. Once my face was plastered all over towns and Castle walls, I was a walking prize. This group managed to sneak up on me while I slept and tried to tie me up. I fought back, obviously, and got slashed on the nose. Without proper healing, it got infected and scarred pretty quick." Once he stopped talking, he realised that Thomas and Cass were also listening.
"I never realised how hard it was out here." Zander spoke sympathetically. Jaksa rolled his eyes and playfully punched his arm.

"Whatever. You tried to hang me, remember?"

Zanders face reddens. "And it wasn't my choice, I tried to convince my father not to!"he huffed.

"Oh how sweet." Jaksa sneered.

"Stop flirting and watch where we are going." Kass snapped. Thomas agreed. Jaksa laughed, but Zander stayed silent. When the night came, they decided it would be better to just use more blankets rather then make a fire. Thomas complained that he was hungry, and Zander scolded him for being childish. "Food is scarce here. You'll learn that once you've finally started hunting"

" I said I don't want to hunt, it's cruel," Thomas protested, but Zander only rolled his eyes. The night went by quickly, but in the morning Kass couldn't be bothered to wake up, so Thomas poured the rest of the water on his face. With the final complaint from Cass, they set off again, this time the prince was behind Jaksa tattering excitedly with his brother and Kass about the mountains. Jaksa had tuned out of their conversation while he rode on ahead.

the excitement he felt the previous had turned to nervousness while he contemplated leaving. What if he didn't like it? What if he liked it TOO much? Would Zander let him stay? Would he even want to stay? A voice dragged him out of his thoughts. He turned his head slightly, and saw Zander looking worried, and Kasumi, grinning brightly. Thomas was a little way behind them, but still seemed happy. Jaksa smiled sheepishly at them. "What was that?" he asked. Zander rolled his eyes.

"We asked if you were excited to go, and you didn't respond," he grumbled.

" Oh right yeah, can't wait," he responded, trying to flash a smile. Zander wasn't convinced he rode up to him with a concerned expression.

"What's up, are you feeling sick?" He muttered. For a moment, Jaksa didn't know what to say, he looked away from the prince and huffed.

"Yeah I'm alright, I'm just a little nervous about getting there."

"Look, if you don't want to go, if you want to go back-"

" no no it's fine, but after so many years I am finally going to see what it is and it's kind of scary. It's like... I know nothing about it. I only know rumours, nothing has been confirmed. It's weird to think that it was once my only goal, kind of pathetic actually."

"Nonsense! It wasn't pathetic at all. At least you had a goal. All I did was sit in the castle and wallow, you had something to go for, I didn't" Jaksa snapped his head towards the prince, anger in his eyes.

"Are you kidding me!? You are a prince, what do you mean 'nothing to live for'!?" he mocked, gripping the reins tighter. Zander was taken aback. He had never seen Jaksa so angry. He took off before the prince could respond, now riding a few paces ahead. The prince didn't bother going after him. When Jaksa was angry, it was best just to leave him alone, at least until he cooled off. Jaksa rode ahead, while Zander was a little ways behind him with Thomas and Kass, (who had stopped talking to listen to the argument) were at the back. Conversation between the group dwindled.

Then, as the sun began to peak over the mountain tops, they saw the gates. Everyone stopped apart from Thomas, who was looking confused at the sudden pause. A strange wave of devastation hit Jaksa that he didn't find pleasant at all. The ride towards the gate was silent and eerie. Zander was stiff as he felt more awkward than anything it felt like hours before they finally reached the gates. The panic had finally set in. "Zander, I'm not ready." Jaksa gasped, eyes wide. He gripped onto the horse's reins tightly, so his knuckles started turning white. Zander reached out and took hold of his wrist.

"We did not go all this way for you to just wimp out." Zander whispered dangerously, and for the first time Jaksa felt slightly intimidated. He let out a shaky breath and ushered the horse forward. He could feel hazel eyes boring into the back of his neck.

Thomas and Kass were already by the gate looking up at the spikes that protruded through the top. It was silent for a moment.

"Maybe no one's home." Jaksa remarks sarcastically, silently hoping that that was true. Zander rolled his eyes and called up.

"Hello?" he called up to the towering wall. No response.