The Prince and The Prowess

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fourteen:

The route ahead of us to Nellasta was just open road, so we decided to set up camp somewhere for the night just outside of the city, hidden in the crevasses of rock at the edge of the forest. Setting up camp was easy, but we were careful to mask our path in case anyone was following us. I had Zayden build our fire as I went searching for our next meal in some of the small patch of wood.

I came back with plump venison and Zayden came running over to me.

“Look what I have found.” He said, holding up a piece of parchment.

I took it from him and was shocked to see decently accurate drawings of us on a bounty. We were each put up for five-thousand gold pieces. My face was intricately painted on the right side, the red color of my hair shining off the page. I stared into the brown eyes that certainly weren’t mine.

“This depiction is so bias – my hair isn’t that red, and there’s no way I look that intimidating.”

“And look at me!”Zayden ripped the paper out of my hands and pointed to his ears on the drawing. “My ears are not that big.”

I laughed. “I don’t know, it looks pretty spot-on to me.” I frowned, then. “But that’s a problem. Now the people are definately going to be looking for us.” I took the paper back and read my name: The Prowess, Azria. Maybe Dorian would be looking for me?

“We better destroy as many as these bounty letters as we can find.” Zayden took the parchment and threw it into the fire. I watched as it burned. “We need to destroy any evidence of the Prince and the Prowess.”

We were both quiet for a moment. Then I said, “Well, they aren’t going to find us”, but we both realized that neither of us knew that for sure.

We settled for bed as soon as we were done eating. I slept on one side of the fire, and Zayden sat a little ways out, keeping watch. I stared at his silhouette through the fire, and wondered why on earth fate brought us together. We were from two different worlds entirely – I had never thought in my life that I would be so close with one of the King’s sons! It was strange, but I was glad he was here.

Minutes went by, followed by the hour, yet I couldn’t get myself to sleep. I wonder how long it would be till it was my turn to keep watch. I shifted again, groaning as I did so.

“You’re still awake?”

“Sadly, yes.” I mumbled.

“Thank goodness. I was starting to worry for you – no man would ever marry you if he knew you would make that much noise while asleep. He would go mad.”

“Zayden!” I said.

“C’mon, shall I sing for you?”

“You would make the birds die.”

“Preposterous. I have the voice of a swan.” He moved from his watch position and sat beside me. “I’ll sing you a lullaby.”

I remembered my father’s lullaby, and wondered whether Zayden’s would be similar to his. “Did your mother sing it to you?”

“Something like that. It was my personal lullaby, but I can share.”

“Okay.” Said. I snuggled cozily in the grass and closed my eyes, letting him know I was ready.

And he sang.

“The sun has hid, the gods forbid

That you stay awake any longer.

So sleep, my son, till the morn’ has come,

And dream, let your thoughts wander.”