The Bounty Hunter

Chapter Forty Two

Chapter Forty Two

The council seemed to have fixed most of the problems that Lassirus’ short reign had caused; the only thing they couldn’t remedy was the grief of the deaths which it had created. Since Finred had agreed to be coronated their days became filled with plans for that instead and Finred, who could still feel the mounting dread at the thought of it, sat bored in their meetings as they discussed dignitaries to invite and set dates for his coronation and his wedding. With every day that passed the coronation loomed nearer; on the morning of the event, Safita escaped the bustle of the castle, which had rapidly filled with people from all the neighbouring towns and countries, and headed out into the garden.

“So we saved Varenna,” Safita breathed quietly when she happened across him gazing out over the city. He jerked his head once and frowned. “I wish… If only I was free to do what I wanted…” he sighed.

“You are,” she replied, “and you’ve decided to do what you were always supposed to; you’ve decided to fulfil your duties.” Even after all this time she could recognise the old Finred that she had once known, buried deeply under the burden that he carried, and she blinked back tears as she stood beside him, joining him in looking out over the city.

“You know I don’t have to… I’ve shirked my responsibilities once… If I spoke to Varenna alone I could…” He looked at her, traced her profile with his eyes and wondered when the wild woman he had met in the Outlands had become someone who was as comfortable surrounded by the most powerful people in the country as she was alone in the woods. Her brown eyes met his and she smiled sadly. “Don’t… You can’t…” she sighed, “you’re not a runaway prince pretending to be a bounty hunter anymore… You’re about to become the king and it’s fine to carve your own path when you’re in the Outlands but if you don’t marry her then you could start a war.”

“I would be happier with you,” he whispered and she bit her lip, placing her hand lightly on his for a second, running her thumb along his warm skin before withdrawing quickly. “Who wouldn’t?” she joked, twitching the corners of her mouth as she smiled, the false joy never reaching her eyes. “But you can’t so…”

“Why won’t you just let me love you?” he asked.

“Because you don’t have the freedom to love me Finred,” Safita replied angrily. “My life has been an exercise in sacrifice and if there’s one thing I thought this problem with Lassirus would have taught you, it’s that sometimes we have to give up what we want for the greater good. Give up on me because I’m not good for you and marry Varenna and be happy.”

“But I love you,” he said stubbornly.

“Fine!” she shouted, throwing her hands into the air. “Love me! I don’t know why you love me but do it! I’m not going to stop you as long as you love me from afar and while you’re married to the princess of Pallia!” Finred paused and looked at her, examining her in silence as she turned away from him, deflated. “What are you going to do afterwards?” he asked. She shrugged and stared resolutely outwards. “Maybe move,” she answered. “Nell has been thinking of buying a small house near the sea to oversee his trades better; I could go there, I suppose. I’ve always loved the idea of the sea. Hergun’s going to go back to the Outlands soon; he says that the city doesn’t agree with him but really I think he wants the freedom to travel and see Joah… Favia said she’s going to try and stop me but… she’ll fail.” She let out a tiny laugh and shut her eyes momentarily; she had spent so long trying to get home and now she was throwing all those years of struggle away just as she had found one; it was all because of the man standing next to her and she tried to make herself hate him but she couldn’t quite manage it.

“Please stay here,” he said, placing a hand on her shoulder; she shrugged it off and moved away from him, once again erecting one of the many walls she had had around her when they had travelled together.