Til Kingdom Comes - The Banished Prince Vol 1: The Beginning

Having Sir Blackie Around

The cold morning breeze was quite refreshing after Frank and Gwen had washed themselves to prepare for the trip towards the nearest civilisation. Sir Blackie was bounding alongside them as they bade us for luck before they made their trip onwards.

Sir Blackie had been with us for just several days but was already being accustomed to everyone, as if it was meant to be together from the start we left the kingdom of Darlington.

Animal instincts were much better than humans. They knew instantly who it could trust and who it couldn't. In some instances, it would be better to be an animal rather than a beast.

The location of the traps that had been laid earlier on was acknowledged by both Crystal and Heather as they would be taking care of them and to make good of the unsuspecting prey.

This would ensure us to have a constant supply of warm-blooded food in the next few days. With a pouch of fish hooks fashioned by Gwen on the past nights, this enabled us to catch those readily available fishes from the stream for our own food too.

We all bade them good luck and have a safe journey to and from the next settlement as they both readied their essentials and informed their children to be good while they were gone.

The twins nodded their heads and proceeded to help out with Granny Kayla and Granpa Jack tasks and made the encampment stocked up with firewood.

At least with the children around, they could be of some form of help around to gather firewood et cetera. They are also proficient at fishing so we would be able to get lots of fish to preserve them into salted fish.

These preserved fish could last quite a long time and it would also be a great accompaniment to have with plain gruel.

Soon, after ensuring that the 10 silvers and 20 coppers were being secured within their bodies, they made their way out with Sir Blackie that led the way. It was as if Sir Blackie knew where it was going as they made their journey of the 3-day trek.

=*=

"Frank, it had been more than a week since the Prince had been with us and mingling with the commoners just like one of us. Would you think he would make a good ruler and forget about us once he ascends the throne?"

"I don't think there's any throne he would ascend to at this juncture. Besides, Darlington had been nearly razed to the ground and I believe in the next few months, nobody would remember the existence of Darlington."

"There's only the 12 of us left from Darlington and there are no other accounts that could state where our origins come from. Not only us but the Prince ad well."

As for him mingling among the commoners, just leave him be. Besides, he got nowhere else to go and there's no way he would have survived right to this day if we hadn't noticed him from afar that day."

"I guess so, Frank. I sincerely hope he would not forget us if he happens to have a footing towards his goal and being a ruler since he is the heir to the Macleod's Royal bloodline."

"I have faith in that kid. Even at his age, he has an air of dominance about him. With his intellect, he would be able to go far given the opportunity. As the future ruler, where ever he may be, I am sure he would be able to govern with his right mind, just like his parents did."

"Frankly, it's comforting for us to know that we should be with him and protect him since he doesn't have any inkling on living and surviving on his own at all. I even was sceptical of him on the first day we made our encampment. He was literally clueless...!"

"Yeah, I think so too. Even a dog like Sir Blackie understands his meaning and intentions, what's more, us, as humans. Isn't that right, Sir Blackie? You have a good favourable instinct towards our Prince, haven't you?"

Sir Blackie looked behind at them and barked once as it chased it's tail in a circle a few times before prancing around on its hind haunches, like as if it was performing a celebratory dance for the duo.

Frank and Gwen trekked for half a day before they took a short break and had some jerkies that they shared with Sir Blackie. Gwen decides to hunt small game along the way so that the supply of rations that they had brought along would last till the trip back to the tiny encampment.

=*=

"Crystal, what are you intending to make? Would you like me to lend you a hand so at least I could learn some skills from you? This looked like a reed to me but it looks quite flexible." I asked when I saw that she was typing up 2 pieces of slim and pliable pieces of wood that resembled some kind of reed.

"Oh, this wood is a climbing plant and it's part of a family plant called a liana. Kayla showed me the other day and this could be used to make a chicken coop that would fit at least 4 of them inside."

I was wondering to myself whether there were really chickens out here in the forest because for the past few mornings, I didn't hear any rooster crowing aloud to indicate the sunrise or something like that.

"These smaller ones are for the rooster as it would be more aggressive if placed together with the others. You want to try your hand at this?" Crystal motioned for me to sit across her as she showed me the ropes on how to construct a few of them.

"I didn't know there would be chickens out here in the wild. How is it so since I hadn't noticed any of them around?" I queried as I was delighted to hear about chickens as it would be able to supply with meat and eggs.

Baby chicks would also mature within a month to a month's end a half under domestic captivation and it could provide us with chicken meat.

"These are the red jungle fowl. These chickens are able to take flight and they normally would stay on top of branches to hide from predators as well as to take a rest for the night. Gwen had set several traps near their roosting areas and we would be visiting the areas to see if one was snared."

"Wow... I didn't know chickens can fly." I speculated to myself as I assisted Crystal to make those chicken coops to trap them in order to cultivate them. I can't help to think that there would be chicken meat and eggs in time to come.

Crystal smirked at me as I was fumbling with the process in making the chicken coop and had to be guided in how to make a proper knot in order to secure the two canes properly.

After assisting Crystal, I walked over to the shelter that they were currently constructing. Kayla and Heather were preparing the walls of the shelter by using the screwpines leaves instead of using the tree bark. They were glad that I joined in to help and Kayla can't help to tease both Heather and I.

"So I have heard that both of you are childhood friends, right? Do you have any plans to pursue the relationship from being friends to be a couple? Most people married young in their lives, as young as 14 years of age. You should know about that right, Young Master?"

Kayla initiated the conversation as I was helping Heather to complete one section of the wall by interweaving the leaves through the rows of twine that was made from jute. Jute plants grew abundantly in the area and it was a source to make hemp thus turning them into threads, twine and rope.

"I... I am not thinking about that at all. Besides, would a royal accept a commoner like me?" stammered Heather as she sheepishly bowed her head low and continued her work.

I could only reply by scratching my face as I looked at Heather and then at Kayla. Even if her weather-beaten face made her look older than she was right now but her eyes shine with a sparkle when she mentioned about the both of us.

"Of course my dear, I don't think Young Master would have any objection at all. Furthermore, you had known each other for so long, I am sure you would have some feelings for each other." Kayla continued to poke fun at both of us, and her intention did lift up the spirits around us immediately.

"Haw-Haw... Keeping mum and not answering means it is an affirmative answer, am I right, young master? Even though you are presently befitting to be called a fallen and banished prince, definitely he would be qualified to be called Prince Charming in the eyes of the beholder... Haw Haw...! "

Jack loudly guffawed at the looks of both Heather and I as Heather looked at me sheepishly and blushed incessantly. As for me I simply said that there are matters of the heart that should be considered to take a baby steps at a time.

"Besides, in our current situation right now, the maintenance of this encampment is of great importance and the survival of its settlers are of its utmost priority. Without food, we would not be able to sustain for very long."

"Look at me right now. I am simply a bonkler about survival especially living off the land. I won't even know if the berries that I had acquired before would even be poisonous or not. Luckily I recognised those berries as edible. If not....."

I trailed off the rest of the sentence as I was struck again with the pang of the loss. Even though it had been more than a week, I can't simply put away the events in the recesses of my mind and bury them forever.

Seeing the change in my facial expressions, Kayla immediately changed the subject and mentioned about going to the woods to gather back some fruits.

"This way our young master would be able to recognise the various types of edibles and bring back here and maybe try cultivate them."

"It would a chore going to and fro and getting what we need while we could just plant them right by the river bank, right?"

I nodded at Kayla and continued with the task at hand before we broke for lunch. After a short meal, I followed Kayla into the woods, both of carrying a gathering basket that was made from the liana plant. It was extremely convenient and light to carry such a basket since I could easily reach in and grab the fruits to eat along the way as well.

=*=

Sir Blackie who was leading the way froze on the spot as its hair stood on its end, making it looked bigger than usual. It bared its fangs at the area in front of it and growled deeply.

"Shh... Keep it down, Sir Blackie. Frank, we have a company ahead. Hold him down while I check the area ahead of us."

Gwen grabbed her bow and nooked an arrow and slowly crept a few steps ahead and shushed Sir Blackie, while Frank held down the nape and calmed it down. "Be quiet now, Sir Blackie. Don't give out our position and be still."

As if Sir Blackie understood what Frank had said, it immediately calmed itself down and lay down close to the ground on all four. Gwen went up ahead some distance away and came back soon after. She was gone for quite some time and when she returned she was grinning from ear to ear.

"There's absolutely nothing to fear now, Sir Blackie. Thank you for giving us the heads up or we would not be able to survive if we were to stumble upon that darned group." Gwen patted Sir Blackies's head and Frank noticed that Gwen's hands were covered with patches of dried blood, and it looked as if she had just returned from a fierce battle.

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