Kingdom Come

Chapter Fifteen: Traveling

Norman teaches me a few more tricks to help smooth everything out, and then I go to the marketplace. I buy a small saddle pack that I'm able to simply swing across Auraimien's bareback. I then buy food, water, and first aid. I then glance up at the setting sun and start off toward my home.

On the way home, my mind is full of guilt. I won't be there to check up on his wound anymore, and he could pull the stitches again... or he could get an infection... I shake my head slightly,

"Auraimien, I'm worried about Zack," I whisper aloud, the world is dark now, a soft blanket of dark blue overhead with a nice full moon and speckled stars. She nickers underneath me, her hoves clomping softly on the road.

I pet her neck, staring ahead into the inky blackness, my mind totally filled with thoughts of Zack.

After a minute, Auraimien whinnies sharply and stops, and my eyes widen. I listen for a moment, clomping from behind me. I quickly swerve Auraimien into the nearby treeline, pulling her up behind some bushes, and she somehow knows to lay down. I press myself against her, hoping to hide along with her dark coat. I pull the black cloak over myself as much as I can, hoping it'll help keep me hidden. The sharp and quick clomping stops,

"Damn it," I hear someone growl, "I thought you said a lone woman was riding on horseback this way,"

"Y-yes, s-she was," someone whispers fearfully,

"You better hope so," the first person growls, and they rush away. I wait until I can't hear them anymore, and then a few extra terrified, silent minutes waiting. I then ease Auraimien back into the road, though I stay further toward the side of the road, and instead of letting my mind wander, I pay diligent attention to the sounds around me.

After hours of letting Auraimien walk and trot along the road, the sun starts to rise, and I find a nearby town to turn into, I find a small hotel, and get a room near the stable, where I hand Auraimien's reins over to a stablehand. I turn to walk back to my room, and Auraimien lets out an enraged neigh, stomping her foot, and pulling at the reins in the stablehand's hand. I rush over, grasping the reins, she immediately stops pulling.

"S-Sorry, she's not great with new people. I can help get her into a stall, I'm leaving in the morning so after putting her in the stall, just let her rest and give her some food?" I ask softly, the stablehand nods in relief. I gently lead her into a stall and slip the reins over her ears. "There you are Auraimien, please be good okay? I'll be right back in the morning, I swear," I tell her, looking into her soft eyes. I gently stroke the side of her neck, she nickers, and gently nuzzles her nose into my cheek. "Good girl," I press a quick kiss against her nose, and turn, handing the stablehand her reins, "Thanks!" I tell him with a large smile. I walk back to my room and quickly collapse into bed.

I wake up the next evening and go out to get Auraimien, I put on her bridle, and we start on the road again. As the sun sets, beautiful streaks of color light up the sky. I wish I knew if Zack was okay... I sigh, patting Auraimien's neck,

"Auraimien... I know you're just a horse, but I really need to talk to someone," I mumble, she nickers warmly, "Maybe, I should just call you Aura. Auraimien is kinda long," I tell her with a small chuckle, she neighs softly, "I'll take that as a 'yes'!" I proclaim happily, "I'm not sure if Zack's gonna be okay. His wound was bad when I left, and if he pulls the stitches out again... I doubt he'd be able put them back in again. And he also might get an infection and not even know-" I get cut off as Aura lets out an annoyed huff. She swishes her tail slightly. I pat her neck with a sad smile, "I don't want to go home," I whisper softly, "I know it sounds kinda awful, I mean, who wouldn't want to see their parents and go home? But... my parents... they're... I can't even describe them. They're so controlling. I... can't do ANYTHING for myself, they always tell me to do things for the kingdom, and the kingdom alone, but they take that as me doing things for them, and them alone. They see themselves AS the kingdom. They don't look at, or even CARE about, the people in the kingdom. I don't understand it. They focus on relationships with other kingdoms, but not on the well being of everyone inside the kingdom itself," I tell her, my jaw ticking slightly. I guess them being absent as parents ended up good for me, otherwise I might be the same way...

I sigh again, looking up into the night sky.

"Oh well... I can't do anything until I've become the Queen. And for that to happen, my parents either need to step down, or die. I don't want them to die... they might not be the best parents or rulers, but I still love them... but I also doubt they're going to step down until I'm married, and they'll probably marry me off to some Prince, and then I won't really be a ruler here... or at least not as I'd like. And honestly, even if I was, all the Princes I've met would never allow me to do anything without their permission, and a lot of my ideas would get turned down immediately," I tell Aura with another sad sigh. So... all I can do is dodge marriages, and wait until my parents get tired of it and step down... or die. I clench her reins in my fists for a moment, letting myself be simply angry for a minute, but a second later I release my fists. It's not useful to anyone for me to simply be angry.