Isle of the Damned

Bond

We travelled out of Zemaris with no problems. The road to Ethoris was going to be a long one; we'd have to travel through two other kingdoms to make it there. We were currently heading through Avarin in which King Malik and his wife, Queen Fenella ruled. Luckily, this kingdom was small compared to others and so shouldn't take a huge amount of time to cross over. They were also considered to be 'shut off' from the politics of other kingdoms and wouldn't be looking out for us under King Seth's instruction.

The reason this kingdom was able to survive without all the politics is because a treaty was signed during the black war. This land was considered a haven for the injured. They acted as a physician for all people, regardless of where they came from. Due to the other kingdoms wanting to expend all their energy on the war they decided to sign a treaty basically stating that as long as Avarin wasn't involved in politics and they dealt with the dead/injured from the war they were not to be attacked or involved. Treaty's like this one are held in high regard in this continent. To break one is to commit a huge betrayal. Consequences written in the contract will be carried out to the best of everyone's ability should anyone decide to go against it.

I was glad to be in neutral territory, so to speak. We would still be being hunted by King Seth's men but at least the royal family wouldn't be coming after us. It was nice to feel somewhat safe despite the lack of Myla and Evander. I missed them, not just for their protection but for their company. Myla and the twin's friendly banter was always a great source of entertainment and now that two of them had gone there was a huge hole in the group. Alvaro was certainly a lot more down, despite how much he tried to hide it. James and Ava were lovely, kind people but certainly not entertainers. We had Prince Tyson but given how everyone else was feeling he stayed silent, not wanting to cause any upset.

"Let's take a break, we've been travelling for a while," I said, looking back upon my tired group. All of us looked miserable and tired. Things had not been easy and I was grateful that they'd decided to stay with me. 

"Alright, we'll soon be heading into Queen Yara's land anyway and she does not like us. If we keep travelling we'll end up sleeping too close to the border. This forest will be as good as any," James agreed. 

"Let's make camp," Ava said hopping of her horse. 

We set up a camp that would rival the first one we made a few nights ago. Since we weren't in such a rush we were able to create a larger, warmer area. We set up a fire pit to cook meat on and ensured the horses were well fed. It was quite therapeutic going through the motions of setting it up. 

"Hey, Queen of the damned. Wanna go for a walk?" Prince Tyson asked me after we'd finished setting up. 

"Sure."

Tyson and I set off together, walking through the forest. It was a really gorgeous area. Tall trees surrounded us and vibrant colours were all around. The leaves variated from browns to oranges, to greens and purples. The ground had many a flower growing. The sun shone on the top of the forest causing a contrasting effect to where it's rays could not reach. The birds sang and insects chirped, it was truly peaceful.

We walked in complete silence for a while. I followed the prince throughout the forest, unsure of where we were heading. He eventually stopped just through a dense patch of trees and when I caught up I was in awe. A gorgeous lake, surrounded by wildflowers sat in front of us. The deep blue water rippled slightly in the gentle breeze and within it, I could see the wispy white clouds reflected. 

"Did you know about this place?" I asked, uncertain if this was just coincidence.

"I did. I travel a lot for my father and so over the years, I've discovered a few different locations. We're lucky we ended up so close by," he replied, looking at me. 

"It's beautiful," I whispered. 

"It is. I thought it only fair that if I, a prince, got to see this then so should a queen."

My heart did a little somersault. I don't know why he had this effect on me, no one else ever has. I smiled widely at him. 

"Want to sit for a bit?" I questioned. 

"Sure."

We sat down, side by side, whilst a few minutes of welcomed silence passed.

"Do you know if the others like me?" 

His insecurity shone threw in the sudden question. I was surprised he was being this venerable with me. 

"They do. They're just upset over Myla's decision and Evander's injury. They don't necessarily trust you but they do like you. I'd be surprised if they didn't, you're quite funny."

"thank you. I was worried they'd hate me for my father's actions."

"You're your own person. They recognise that," I reassured.

"There's something I need to tell you," he said, jumping topics. 

"What is it?" I asked as I tilted my head to the side a bit. 

"My fathers offered a reward for your capture. He's willing to pay extra for you alive. He wants to make an example of you. The messenger from Brilanthi described you to him so they know what you look like."

"Oh... I'm not sure how to feel about that. At least he just killed my parents without inflicting suffering on them. I suppose his hatred of us has grown since then." 

"I'm sorry about your parents."

"Don't apologise. Nothing can reverse it now. I do miss them terribly though. They were wonderful."

"What were they like?" he curiously probed. 

"Amazing. They believed in peace among kingdoms and that everyone has the capacity to be good. They used to tell me every night before they went to bed that they loved me. I miss them so much," I explained with a sad smile.

"You're lucky to have had parents like that. I never met my mum. She apparently died during childbirth and although I love my Dad, I am starting to see that he is a little crazy."

"You never noticed before?" I jokingly asked, trying to lighten the mood.

"I mean, he's a lot more convincing in person than you'd think. Although I'm starting to realise his cruel streak, to me he was always kind. I got away with quite a bit more than I should have. I have some of his values instilled in me but I also have Kace's and a few other palace workers guidance. It's been confusing trying to work out which lessons have been the right ones."

"It sounds like a struggle," I said with sympathy. It must be like having the devil and the angel on his shoulder but the devil is his father and so he values him more than he should. 

"It is. No one wants to believe their father is a bad person. I still find it hard to accept he killed your parents for trying to show people that they're human too. I still want to believe there is some good in him."

Instead of arguing that his father was indeed evil like I truly believe he is, I put my head on his shoulder. He didn't need my opinion right now but he did need my comfort. I do suspect, however, that at some point, my extreme opinion about the king of Zemaris may cause a rift between us. At least, we managed to create a deeper bond as we continued to watch the sun move around the world and the clouds float by.