Chapter 9
1189 Words
CHAPTER 9
Things were unfair and there’s injustice. Especially to those who didn’t belong to rich families, Aragorn decided. What would his life be if he didn’t belong into the royal family and even being the crowned prince of Caspian? Would he remain alive in this cruel system?
A man died because of him. A man who just happened to fool people to earn a lot for his son and daughter lost his life. Aragorn knew it wasn’t his fault. It was the law’s fault. And it is being unfair.
Aragorn left his comrades, walked to the deeper part of the forest. Winds gushed, made the bushes and trees sway calmly. Insects diverted as he stepped on his way. He didn’t have any specific place to go. He wanted to be alone, in the forest, in the middle of it.
The sky extended its happiness, contrasting with what Aragorn was feeling. By looking at it, it is impossible to rain.
Aragorn knows he’ll come back late. He needed this time for the reconciliation of himself.
Aragorn stopped walking as his sweat drenched all over his body. He sat in an almost flat tone, limbs weren’t crossed. He kicked all of his frustration on the stone near his foot. He felt hopeless for change. He thought he was weak, useless, and would not be a good king in the future.
While sitting on the stone slab, he heard a dog crying. Crying out of fear and agitation. His eyes looked around, looking for the source of the sound. He stood up from the stone slab, followed the sound with his well hearing ears. His ears were a canine’s and he could quickly search for the sound source.
Minutes of wandering around, roaming his eyes, finding the dog, he saw an adult brown dog with light brown fur on the street, hugging the wooden branch of it, crying. He stared at the dog’s eyes. Hope, fear, and a call of help were traced in the dog’s eye.
How can this dog climb up all the way there? He asked himself. The tree wasn’t leaning on anything. It was not tall, but difficult enough for a dog to climb. Maybe it was brought there by a phoenix or an eagle.
“Wait for me there,” Aragorn said. He thought of plans, how to climb the tree, how to get to the dog, save it and keep it. He never tried climbing a tree before. If he does today, it was his first time, an incredible experience.
He can actually let the dog stay there, let it cry, let it die on the tree. But his heart can’t stop it. He can’t let anyone suffer, even a dog.
He walked to the main bark of the tree, stepped his foot on it. It was rough but slippery. Maybe because of the rain that happened in the previous days. He reached the thick branch of the tree, hoping it won’t break with his weight. His hand slipped on it, almost losing his balance, almost falling from the tree, but he did great.
Aragorn continued thriving to the top of the tree. The dog was staring at him, sobbing for help. Aragorn is its only hope for now.
Aragorn succeeded in climbing the tree. He sat on the branch where the dog was and slowly moved towards it. He pulled its big mass, heavy just like a child. He’s lucky that the dog did not bite him or scratch his skin.
The dog was a baby carried by Aragorn. Aragorn felt that he’s a father of the dog. He smiled when he reached him. He stoke it’s head up to its back. The dog felt safe in the hands of Aragorn, it grinned and licked Aragorn’s arms, tickling him.
Aragorn never had a pet. If he could only carry this dog to the hut without making it feel hungry, he would pet him. He can bring this to the palace, make servants take care of it.
Aragorn looked down, planning to bring the dog with him. He carried the dog and was about to step down when he realized there’s no way for him to bring himself on the land while carrying the dog.
SPHYRA saw Aragorn running away. She followed him, planning to kill him. He’s the prince of Caspian and she thought he was spying on her, to kill her, to tell other people that she is alive.
She saw her hurrying towards the deeper part of the forest, sitting on a slab of stone, kicking smaller stones that reached his feet. Then, I stood up. She heard a dog crying. She tried to look while her eyes were still on Aragorn.
She was about to show herself when Aragorn looked over the tree. She saw that he saw a dog, a light brown adult dog. He climbed the tree, and Sphyra remained in her place. He had trouble climbing the tree but he succeeded. He petted the dog on the tree’s big branch. And when he looked down, worry plastered on his face.
This is it, a great opportunity, Sphyra thought. Aragorn is vulnerable. He can’t go back down when he’s with the dog and Sphyra’s liking it.
Sphyra didn’t plan to be a killer. She didn’t want to kill anybody, but she had to. She had suspicions on Aragorn and if she let it pass, she’s going to be killed.
She came out from the place she was hiding. She showed herself to Aragorn.
“You again? The phoenix?” Aragorn asked when he saw Sphyra’s face. He’s great at remembering people’s faces even though he had only glanced a bit at them.
“Yes, my prince. You lied to me last night that you’re not the prince of Caspian.”
“I didn’t lie. I just didn’t happen to tell. Yes, I’m the crowned prince of Caspian and I think there’s no problem with that at all.”
“There’s a problem with that!” Sphyra showed the dagger she used if she needed to step for fire. “You’re spying on me and want to kill me.”
“I don’t and I won’t spy on anyone. I didn't even tell anybody about your existence.”
“Don’t fool me again, Prince Aragorn. Tell why are you doing that and when you’re planning to kill me.”
This woman would believe everything that she believed, Aragorn decided.
“I’ll tell you but help me bring this dog down.”
Sphyra gasped. Without a second thought, she helped Aragorn bring the dog down.
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