The Rainlands: Grand Delusion

Chapter 32: Now We're Burying Bodies

The palace was silent. His feet smacked against the cold tiles, and he breathed out a sigh.

"Alone." He whispered. There were many long rectangular tables in the great hall, a place for feasting and dancing, all empty. He strode over to a small desk in the corner, and picked up a glass. Sniffed. Dark, liquid, a slightly sour yet fruity scent. Wine.

"You can't stay like this." A voice intruded on the silence.

Levi felt himself jerk awake. In his arms, sleeping peacefully for once, Jasmine mumbled, her mask askew. He fixed it for her, his fingers briefly pausing at the straps tying it to her head, wondering what was beneath. I...I still haven't seen her face. Funny, it feels like I've known her for so long but I don't even know what she looks like. Though he wanted to stay like this forever, eventually he shifted and she opened her eyes. Oops.

"We should get going." She murmured, sounding a little embarrassed. Levi nodded, though he didn't really want to go. Jasmine quickly untangled her legs from his and pushed off her palms to sit up. As she did, she forgot about her wound and gasped as the pressure hit her left arm.

"Let me help." Levi offered but Jasmine brushed him off.

"I'm fine!" She said, unsteadily getting to her feet. Levi looked at her doubtfully but couldn't think of anything else to say so rose as well. The sky was dark, probably for a few more hours. He wasn't sure how long they had slept, and he was just glad that nothing had come out of the forest.

"We should search them." Jasmine remarked, and Levi sighed. Do we have to? He knew there was no good reason not to though so he slowly got up as well and walked to the nearest man, the one missing his leg. Trying not to look directly at the man's face, he bent down and began to peel off his armor. He had to use the man's own knife from the ground to cut the straps. Rummaging around, he found nothing which could be used to identify the body, just some bread and cheese as well as a small coin pouch which Levi took. Walking away with the man's knife, Levi started searching the last corpse, keeping an eye on Jasmine in the corner of his vision. After they were finished, they shouldered their packs once more.

"Find anything?" Jasmine asked. Levi shook his head. She sighed, "That's what I thought, that guy was emptier than a blank slate. Whichever one of my siblings is responsible for this is being careful to avoid leaving anything which I could use as proof. Still, even I can't believe they'd do this while my father is still alive. They were never this bold before." Levi just shrugged, his enthusiasm for the Capital waning with each word. I can't believe I used to want to go there. Eastrain might have been boring but at least nobody was trying to kill me! Jasmine made as if to leave and Levi paused for a moment.

"What?"

"Should we bury them?" Levi asked quietly. After a few seconds Jasmine turned around.

"We don't have anyway to dig a hole that big. But we should get them off the road so at least there's a chance anyone coming this way will miss them." She jumped into action quickly, dragging a body, struggling with one arm. Levi felt a little bit awful, but it had been his idea so he had no choice but to help out. When they had gotten the bodies out of the way, Jasmine nodded, satisfied. "There, that should work. As long as no one investigates too closely."

"Okay." Levi replied blankly. He didn't really know what else to feel. Now we're hiding bodies. Despite being over the moon when he had woken up, he now felt very thoroughly horrible. Jasmine looked at him askance, and he could sense her confusion even through the mask. "I just...I just don't feel like much of a hero." He said, almost feeling guilty for admitting it. Jasmine ran her fingers through her silver hair, pulling at some of the snarls which had developed overnight.

"I know, Levi. I know. But if there's anything life has taught me it's that thing's don't go the way the stories do, and stories leave out all the nasty bits. Everyone wants to be a prince or princess until they realize how many bodies lie under the throne." She sighed. "Just try to hold it in until later...no wait that's not what I mean. Just...look, I know this is all new to you, but keep in mind that we are trying to save the Rainlands. If we hadn't been willing to fight, these men would be burying us right now-"

"I know! I know!" Levi shouted, and Jasmine stopped, taken aback. "I get why we're doing all this. It just doesn't feel...right. I won't hold us back anymore, so don't worry about it!" This time he turned and started walking. Behind him, Jasmine was silent as she gave him space to sort out his thoughts. Why am I worrying about the lives of common men? He thought. Then he realized that that was not one of his thoughts. What? Wait, was that a memory? No one told me that Reincarnations could do that? Maybe I should ask Jasmine what's going on? But I don't really want to be the one to talk first...

Even though he wanted to know what was going on, he just couldn't find it in himself to ask her right now so he stayed quiet. They trudged along the trail without a word for a long time. The sun appeared and rose high into the sky as they went, making good ground. Then they heard a rustle and dropped down. Levi spotted it first, a huge snake-like creature but something was wrong with it. He pointed it out to Jasmine wordlessly, an unspoken understanding had formed in them during these situations. Carefully, he approached, wondering if it had seen him. When he was about twenty feet away, he got a better look at the thing. It IS a snake. But my gods, the size of it. And it's skin...it's...hairy? Can we walk around? He took his eyes off of the serpent to ask Jasmine what to do. That was when it struck.

Whoosh!