Stalemate | A Rise To Power

𝘑𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘢

⋘ ──── ∗ ⋅ ◈ ⋅ ∗ ──── ⋙

Junia followed Clovis down the gravelly road, struggling to keep up despite the fact that he was barefoot after he had given her his boots. They were too big, but Clovis insisted she wore them, stuffing the toes with leaves to make up for the difference in their shoe size. He flinched every time he walked over a sharp rock and Junia flinched as well, guilty for wearing his shoes. She couldn't make herself give them up, however, even as she knew how selfish it was.

"Where did you get that knife from?" she asked as they walked, focusing on the weapon he carried in his left hand. He had used it to hack away half her golden locks and then thrown dirt and mud at her, so she looked like a lowborn commoner. For himself, he had ripped off the crown embroidery on his tunic and thrown mud on his green breeches.

"I took it from a dead man on the way up," Clovis replied curtly.

"Oh," Junia said, looking down at her feet.

"What did ya expect?" he mused.

"I... thought you would have tackled someone to the ground or something more dramatic."

Clovis shook his head, smirking at her.

"Life ain't all about knights in shining armour," he said. "And even if it were, I wouldn't be one. The armour would be too heavy for me."

Junia smiled. "It would be rather annoying, I suppose. But I could never be a knight, anyway."

"Hones'ly princess, I don't see the appeal in it. For now, I'll stick with being a servant boy."

"But you can't be a servant anymore. We are now travellers heading down to see my brother."

"See? You can be whatever you want. Even a knight. I bet you never thought you'd be a poor traveller before, but here we are."

Junia frowned. She'd never thought of it like that.

"True," she shrugged. Men unfairly ostracised women in the North, South, and East, but there was a lot less sexism in the Free Isles and the West. She had never liked the idea of fighting, however. Annalee was the reckless one; Junia was just the bookish twin.

Clovis examined her for a moment before looking ahead at the road again and continuing, Junia keeping up in silence. There wasn't much to say.

"You aren't very talkative," she said after a while.

"Neither are you."

Junia folded her arms childishly. "It's just you don't start any conversations."

"So now it's me who has t'start the conversations?" Clovis mused, continuing to walk without looking at her.

"When I start a conversation, you never keep it going."

"Why should I? Talking is a waste o' energy."

Junia sighed.

"It's just so boring," she moaned. "And I need to talk because if I don't talk, I... I start thinking about things. Do you not think about things?"

Clovis paused and turned to face her, stopping. The road was big enough for people to walk straight past, which they did.

"No offence intended... I just meant..." Junia began, stuttering slightly.

Clovis shook his head and continued to walk.

"You just look... sad," Junia said. "Is it my fault?"

"She was my friend," Clovis muttered, confusing her. "My best friend, and I left her there. Ran straight to the exit and left her. She may be dead."