Break

Chapter 8: A Cold and Starry Night

My eyes keep wandering from the outside to General Faust. He seems so calm and poised despite being thrown into an unknown situation. He's also quite handsome; the cold steel blue of his eyes stand out against his pale skin, and his short black hair fades into a thin beard on his well-defined and flawless face. He looks like the kind of person who'd kill a man without any mercy. He looks like he should be a king.

"Do you need something, milady?" Faust asks me.

"Um...." You did it now, Penelope. Think of something! "How did you get your name if you didn't know the one your mother gave you?" Nice!

"Delsair gave it to me," he says. "He said it was from a book about a knight slaying a dragon and saving a princess. Apparently, my name was the knight's. I have worn it proudly ever since."

"Jacobson Faust," I murmur.

"Unique, isn't it?" he chuckles. "Princess Penelope Embolar of Sanfellios is a special name as well."

"Wouldn't yours be General Jacobson Faust if we are now going by full titles?" I point out with amusement.

"Technically," he says. "My real title would be King Jacobson Faust of Androsta, but I owed Klestia a few favors for getting me into such a position."

"But you told Raf-"

"I told him the partial truth. What he doesn't know won't hurt him," Faust cuts me off. "Yes, I was an orphan of Androsta, and yes, Delsair saved my ass, but I didn't go to the rank of general at first. I was Delsair's advisor and tactician. However, when we conquered Androsta some years back, we only overthrew their tyrannical monarch. King Forarte put me in charge of Androsta and dubbed me its new king. However, at the same time, I was also given the position as general of the Klestian army. I wore the name of general more proudly because of the nature of the word 'king.' One does not think of fairness and justice when they hear the title, but a general is decisive, smart, fierce, unwavering. I want to be those things. I always have."

"Why couldn't you tell Rafael this?" I ask him.

"It would take too long. We needed to go," he says. "It's nice to be on the move though. There's so much to see outside of the palace walls, right?"

"Yeah," I agree as I look back out the window. "It is off not having everyone bowing to me though. In a way, I kind of miss it."

"That is where we are different," he says. "How many of those people bow out of fear?"

"None," I scoff. "It is a sign of respect."

"I've heard the talk, milady," he tells me. "They call you a spoiled brat and a lost cause."

"I am not!" I huff.

"Then prove them wrong."

"How?"

"Defeat the mage, get back there, take control, and fix the damage that has been done," he says while looking out of the window on his side of the carriage.

"Can you help me?"

"You'll have Delsair to help you."

"But you've been a king longer than both Delsair and me. Please, General Faust."

"Fine," he gives in. "You owe me."

"How much?"

"To be determined."

"How much farther is Klestia?" I ask him.

"We should make it there by sunset," he answers. "I... hope you like it there."

"Why?"

"It's home," he says softly. "I just hope that one day you, too, can call it that."

"Thank you," I say with a slight smile.