A Crowned King (Complete)

Chapter 16

The village of Snowshield was just on the horizon, but close enough that Mako could make out the dark shapes of the buildings cloistered together against the elements of the snow. A real smile split his features for the first time at the sight of civilization. This was the beginning of his mission that much was clear.

The buildings of Snowshield were cluttered together, each building made of wood. Most of them were one story buildings, but there were a few that were two. The roofs were thatched with straw, a very queer thing for him to see on buildings. A small wall of wooden spikes about three feet high were stuck in the ground, seemingly protecting the buildings and those within.

The Prince looked over his shoulder and saw Winter walking behind him. Her booted feet kept sinking into the snow up to the back of her calves, but she ignored it. She saw him looking at her and she smiled brightly at him. Her smile lit her golden eyes from within, making them glisten like molten gold. It was one of the most beautiful things he'd ever seen in his life.

"We're almost there." Mako told her with a happy smile. He couldn't wait to get out of the elements. Hopefully he could find a bed that was somewhat comfortable and a meal other than salted beef or horseflesh. Both had grown tiresome to his palate and he would happily spend money on a good meal right now.

The Ranger nodded her head. "I see that. Snowshield will likely welcome us with open arms." she told him, looking away with a glint in her eyes that he didn't recognize. He wondered about it, but he chose not to question it. At least not right now anyway. Maybe he would later.

As they grew closer to the village the Prince could see people moving about, going on with their daily lives. Most everyone was dresses in roughspun clothing and had long, dirty-looking hair. The men wore their beards unkempt and they appeared to have dirt on their bodies from lack of washing. It was then that he knew this was a place of little to no wealth and he felt pity for these people.

Reaching the village outskirts the two companions passed through the spike-gate without facing a single guard. In fact as he looked around he noticed that nearly no one wore a weapon or armor on their person. Those that did had only ragged leather armor or a sword that was nicked and hardly used.  These people were so poor they couldn't afford weapons or armor.

He frowned wondering to himself how it was that the Lord Steward could have anything to do with this. It just didn't seem possible considering how poor their land was. Besides that, what would they benefit from it? Star would still have a King afterwards and they would be risking war by assassinating the King, a war they couldn't afford. It made him wonder if he was on the right track or not.

"Are you alright?" Winter asked and broke him from his reverie. He looked to her and nodded with a sullen look on his face.

"These people, they're so poor. I've never seen such poverty on this level. To not even be able to afford weapons or armor...it touches the heart." Mako replied in a quiet voice.

Her brow furrowed in confusion. "You've never seen such poverty? I thought you were raised on Copper Island where you had to fight and claw for everything?" she asked witha raised eyebrow.

Too late the Prince realized that he'd been caught in a lie. Part of him wanted to tell her the truth and end the charade. However the other side of him -- the side that was thinking with his logical mind instead of his need to be honest with her -- told him that nothing good would come from it. She would be angry at him for not telling her the truth and could terminate his contract with her. Worse, she could go to people she knew in power and turn him over. As a foreign diplomat disguised in a foreign land it could be construed as an act of war through espionage. That left him only one option.