Chapter 5: Waking from Her Slumber

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"Attention, citizens of Montefort!" a man shouts from an elevated podium. "Sanfellios has fallen. King Embolar of Sanfellios and King Forarte of Klestia have been pronounced dead!" What? I stare in utter shock at the man. Dad is dead? Then what happened to Delsair?

"Dear Lord," Josephine whispers.

"What happened?" General Taire urgently asks the speaker.

"Dunno," the guy gruffly says. "Just got told to yell this. Just doin' what I'm told."

"Who's your boss?"

"Printer. Kinda an arse. Probably just gonna tell ya to wait for the paper to come out "

"Like hell he will," Taire growls. "Where is he?"

"Straight down the road behind me. You'll see it. The sign is self-explanatory."

"Thank you, sir."

Just as we are walking past him, the man calls, "Aye, knight boy." We stop. "Might wanna stick close to that royalty girl there. Bad things happen to those who flaunt their wealth here."

"Is that a warning or a threat?" Taire cautiously asks.

"Warning. I don't have a death wish," he snorts. "Just keep an eye out, yeah?"

"Alright."

Finally, we begin walking down the dirt road he sent us on. Why exactly are we spending the night in a town that hates people with money? That seems like a recipe for disaster... and assassination. I keep close to Taire, nearly hiding myself from all passersby.

"These people don't seem hostile," Josephine states.

"Believe me, they are," Rafael says.

"How so?"

"You don't wanna know."

"Huh?"

"You don't wanna know."

Josephine closes her mouth and looks forward with a troubled gaze. It cannot be that bad. Just as I think this, my eyes fall on a mob. Immediately, Josephine gasps and covers my eyes, leading me somewhere dark. Everything in my body goes numb, and my mouth goes dry. That man... what did they do to him.

"Why didn't you warn us about this?" Taire nearly yells.

"I honestly thought this was a diversion; go to the least expected place possible."

"That man was on fire and hanging from a damn balcony!" the general exclaims.

"Not my fault you chose this place," he points out. "Look, the village outside of here is safer. I'll take you there."

"Good. I'll go visit the printer with the princess to keep her safe. Go fetch the carriage. We are getting the hell out of here," General Taire orders, his tone wavering ever so slightly.

"Alrighty."

Rafael walks off without a care in the world, but Josephine lags behind ever so slightly, shooting a spiteful glare at the general as she goes. She must really hate her own son. He makes me seem almost godlike.

"Are you alright, princess?" Taire asks me.

"No," I bluntly reply. "No, I'm not."

"I am so sorry this had to happen," he apologizes. "Montefort has changed so much."

"Why would they do that?" I whisper, my eyes filling with tears. "Why?"

"I cannot answer that, milady," he replies softly. "I just... I'm so sorry." He hesitantly places a hand on my shoulder and, for once, I allow it. "Let's go see the printer." I only give a nod in response.

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