Kingdom Come

Chapter Seven: Preacher

I quickly turn, making certain to not make a single sound as I run. After a minute or so, I find myself full out sprinting. I don't know where I'm going, but I just NEED to get away from him. I can't help it, I'm terrified.

I trusted him. A lot, and now I know how flimsy the trust was. Built on the lie of who I was, and on the lie that he wouldn't hurt me.

I just keep running. I just... run. It's all I need to do. I don't need to think, because once I start thinking, I'm going to think about Zack. So I keep running, blocking out all of my thoughts. My feet pound the cobblestone and my muscles burn and my lungs desperately suck in breaths.

I round corner after corner, entirely lost. I just keep running.

Before long, I run into someone, I bounce back on the cobblestone, looking up at what seems to be a tall priest. His eyes are almost entirely white, and his hair is a gray-brownish color.

"S-Sorry sir," I mumble nervously. He holds a red book in one hand, and a necklace with a golden cross around his neck.

He stares down at me for a second. I scramble to a standing, brushing myself off. I swallow my fear,

"I-... I'm lost, can you tell me where I am?" I ask nervously,

"You're in sector B2 of Dealie," he tells me calmly, I nod slowly, swallowing nervously again.

"Could you... point me to the nearest guard post?" I ask,

"Who are you running from child?" he asks, not answering my question. I hesitate,

"N-no one. I'm just trying to get back home," I tell him,

"Do not lie child. It is a sin," he says firmly, his voice booming slightly. I force myself to not flinch.

"I-... I just need to find a guard post," I tell him again, my heart racing wildly. I know that there's no way Zack followed me, he didn't even know I was there... but I still feel like prey.

Prey being trapped by a predator.

"Come with me then," he says simply, turning around, and walking, straight-backed. I scramble to catch up to him. He'd... make a good noble.

You can often tell nobility for peasants simply from the way they carry themselves. Nobles are training to never slouch, to keep their backs straight, and shoulders pulled back, as a show of confidence and authority. Peasants have backs bent from work and don't have the time to walk with the slow grace nobles do.

I swallow again, this time to swallow the bile at how wrong it feels to know that. How wrong it feels for it to BE that way.

I follow him through the maze of streets, my feet tapping on the worn stones. He stops suddenly,

"Look around. What do you see?" he asks, I glance around for a moment,

"A bunch of buildings?" I offer at first, he stays quiet, and I continue, "they're worn and shabby. They don't keep the residents warm in the winter and cool in the summer. There's overflowing trash by the back doors," He turns toward me,

"What do you know is true but you aren't seeing right now?" he asks. I answer immediately.

"Hungry people. Starving children. People dying of starvation in abundant fields that they've worked hard on. People... people working hard and having the benefits torn away from them," I tell him softly, looking down guiltily at my shoes.

"And what are you going to do about it princess?" he asks. My head snaps up, my eyes wide, "Yes. I know who you are," he says, answering my unasked question. I hesitate for a moment,

"Cut back on how much the palace takes. Let people eat from their own fields, with the excess going to the villages," I tell him slowly, remembering plans from ages ago, "Paying more to workers and farmers for their products," I add, "cut back on how much splendor the palace has and using the extra rooms in the palace as places for impoverished citizens to use," he smiles slightly at me.

"There are many more problems you aren't privy to. And you will never be as a princess. You've just shown me how inventive you are in solving problems, and you'll need to apply that to problems you won't see as a princess," he tells me,

"What does that even mean?" I ask, not quite understanding,

"I'm saying; you can only learn so much as a princess. As a commoner, you can learn much more. But as a commoner, you can only do so much. As a princess, you can do a lot. If you really want to make changes, you're going to need to learn as a commoner so once you go back to being a princess, you can fix the problems you saw," he says, looking down at me. I look down at the cobblestones, shuffling my feet slightly.

"But... how am I supposed to learn as a commoner?" I ask softly,

"You already have started. You must simply live as a commoner, and you'll learn of their struggles," he says, I look up at him,

"But I... I feel greedy," I whisper, "I..." I trail off, "I enjoy being a commoner. I feel like I'm shying away from my duties to bask in the freedom I've found," I tell him honestly.

"You're still young. You deserve at least a little freedom. As long as you pay attention to people's problems, and take steps to fix them, and make lives better, you're not being as greedy as you're making yourself out to be," he tells me calmly. I slowly nod. "Now then. The man you're traveling with is around this corner," he says, I nod again,

"Thank you," I whisper, I slip around the corner.

Zack's talking to some man, a tiny portion of their conversation reaches my ears. It's about another target. I quickly slip around another corner, making sure to stay quiet. I go around a few more corners and find the bustling marketplace. I retrace my steps and end up back at the room. I quickly crumple up the piece of paper with the note I'd written.

I throw it away, but keep the bag of coin on the table. I sigh, sitting down on the bed. I reach up, and slide my hand under my shirt, grasping the small charm.

I tug it out, looking down at the small symbol.