Our departure was greeted with significantly more fanfare this time around, thanks to the group of humans who were joining us. As the First Prince had promised, a small group of magic users and a contingent of Palace Knights were set to accompany us, and their families had gathered to see them off. All around me, people were exchanging tearful goodbyes, as though their loved ones were heading to war rather than embarking on a journey to hone their magical skills.
“Oh, my precious little boy!” bemoaned a round, silver-haired woman of middle age. “I can’t believe they’re forcing you to leave us like this!”
“Mother, please!” Evan de Vray groaned, his exasperation evident, “I already told you that I volunteered to go. I’ll be fine.”
It would have been laughable had it not been for the tears streaming down his mother''s face, as if her heart had been shattered. But I supposed that she had it harder than the rest, as her son really wouldn’t be coming back anytime soon.
Lady Carlotta and the Duke of Shelfort came to bid me farewell, assuring us that we would always be welcome in the eastern duchy. Lady Carlotta also reminded me that I still owed her a conversation over tea, so Andrian promised her that we would visit the Shelfort manor the next time we could get away from the village. Surprisingly, I found myself agreeable to the idea. I had thought I would never want to return to Vrayna again, but I’d grown fond of the Shelfort family and thought it would be nice to see them again.
As we passed through the inner city, the Royals gathered in the streets, sparkling like jewels in the morning sun. The females fawned over the departing knights, demanding assurances that they would return. A few of the Royals we had met in the cafe even approached Andrian and me, offering us gentle farewells and entreating us to look after their kin.
The First Prince, surrounded by his ever vigilant guard, accompanied us all the way to the gates of the inner city. I had expected for us to part ways from there, but he continued on with us into the main part of the city. The bustling streets, filled with merchants hawking their wares and customers haggling for deals, came to a temporary standstill as we passed. The crowds parted like waves, a hushed awe overtaking them as they made way for our entourage.
I couldn’t say for sure, but I had a feeling this was the first time the golden-eyed heir had ever ventured into the main city. At the very least, it was the first time he had done so outside of a carriage. The First Prince, despite his middling years, regarded the city with wide-eyed wonder as we passed through the bustling markets and crowded streets. That wonder, however, quickly gave way to dismay as we entered the slums.
“As you can see, Prince Elantro, your city’s slums are an affront to common decency,” Rastari remarked quietly, his voice so low that only those closest to them could hear, “Can you truly say that you are proud of how you allow your citizens to live?”
“No, General Rastari, I cannot” the First Prince replied, his voice heavy with shame, “I truly didn’t know that it was this bad.”
From what I was hearing, I had to assume that our Princely escort had been Rastari’s idea. Judging by the First Prince’s increasingly sorrowful expression, it seemed Rastari might have succeeded in sparking the change he wanted to see. For my part, I was simply relieved to see that spark ignited by someone who wasn’t me.
The First Prince continued on with us until we reached the beast camp on the outskirts of the slums. Witnessing firsthand the efforts of the beastmen, who were still hard at work distributing the last of the food they had brought, he looked truly abashed. I could only imagine how it must have stung his pride to see the beastmen doing more for his people than he ever had.
Unlike when the Second Prince had appeared, the denizens of the slums didn’t cower in fear at the sight of their future King. Rather, they gazed at him like he was a mythical figure brought to life. As they fell to their knees, prostrating themselves before him, there was reverence in their eyes.
The Palace Knights who weren’t guarding the Prince sprang into action, helping with the food distribution by carrying bags of grain to their intended locations with surprising alacrity. Since the Royal kin were rarely allowed to leave the inner city, I could only assume that this was their first time witnessing the devastation and starvation that existed in their own city.
We bid a final farewell to the First Prince and Amelie, who had accompanied him. The empath looked like she might collapse under the weight of the emotional burden brought on by the misery of the slum''s inhabitants, yet she managed a brave, wavering smile for us as she said goodbye.
“You both deserve all the happiness in the world,” she said, a tearful smile gracing her face, “If I can, I will seek you out in your village one day, once the aftermath has settled. Though, I believe that will be a long time from now. His Highness has a good heart, but he has been incredibly sheltered. He truly didn’t understand until today. No words can truly express what his eyes have now seen. The poverty and suffering of his people has become a reality for him, rather than a concept, and I think he may finally be ready to become the King they need. I hope to greet thee on the other side, Falyn. You as well, General Andrian, and the rest of your companions.”
“No matter how many times I say it, it will never feel like enough,” I replied, “Thank you, Amelie, for everything you have done for me. Your kindness meant more to me than you will ever know and I will always think of you fondly.”A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
“Aye,” Andrian agreed, “Our door will always be open to you if you find yourself on the other side of the borderland.”
She hugged us both tightly before leaving with the First Prince to return to the Golden Palace.
When we reached the center of the beast camp, we came upon a grain cart that had been converted into a makeshift prison. Inside that prison were my father and his men. No longer a Duke and his knights, they sat in sullen silence, watching the bustling camp with rage and hatred written on their faces. And beneath it all, defeat.
And that defeat was the most beautiful and satisfying thing I had ever seen.
I smiled bitterly as I approached their cage—uncomfortable and filthy, lacking even the space for them to properly lie down or stand. My father noticed me first, his scowl deepening as our eyes met. Despite his disheveled state, he straightened his back and narrowed his gaze.
“I suppose you think you have won?” he asked, his voice rough and dry, as though no one had thought to give him water since his arrest. They probably hadn’t, not that I was concerned.
“Well, since you’re the one in a cage, I can’t help but think so,” I replied, meeting his glare with unwavering confidence.
“Worthless bastard,” he muttered, his voice laced with disdain, “You’re even stupider than I thought.”
I choked out a laugh, “What do you possibly think you can do to me now?”
“Me? Nothing,” he replied, “I’ll probably spend the rest of my very short life in this cage. You made sure of that, didn’t you? You ungrateful waste. You should have died alongside your whore of a mother. But you’ll get what’s coming to you.”
“You’ve lost. Is it so hard for you to accept that?” I asked, meeting his venomous glare with one of my own, “Your worthless, stupid, disappointing bastard defeated you. All I’ve got coming to me is a long and happy life with my mate.”
“You didn’t get all of us,” my father said, a sadistic glint lighting up his eyes, “He’ll be coming for you and you will learn the true meaning of pain.”
“No, that’s not going to happen,” I retorted, my voice steady and cold, “and do you want to know why? Because I killed him. He’s never going to hurt anyone again and neither will any of you.”
I didn’t wait for my father’s response. I turned my back to him and walked away.
By early afternoon, the camp was packed up and we were ready to depart. We were only a few movements out of the city when we stopped to set up a new camp for the night, far enough away from the human population for the beastmen to properly let loose. The human magic users, too sensible to enjoy the wilder atmosphere, quickly retreated to their tents, looking scandalized.
Their escort, however, seemed to view the loud camp as their first real adventure. I saw Evan drinking with a group of females, charming them effortlessly. I took it as a good sign that bringing him along hadn’t been a mistake.
That night, I sat by a large fire with Andrian, slowly savoring a mug of mulled cider. A deep sense of relief washed over me, knowing that it was all finally over. The treaty was signed, my father would be brought to justice, and I was going home. Albrecht, the monster I thought I would never escape, could never touch me again. He was dead and I had killed him.
“So did it make you feel better?” Vargas asked, sitting down next to me by the fire.
“Did what make me feel better?” I replied, confused by his sudden question.
“Seeing him reduced to a lifeless hunk of flesh,” he elaborated, “Did it make you feel better?”
Realizing what he meant, I wondered if he had read my mind. I paused to consider the question before simply saying, “Yeah, it did.”
Vargas let the subject drop and stretched his legs out in front of him. After a moment of silence, he said, “I’m heading east after the execution. Apparently, there’s been a huge increase in monsters attacking villages. There’s been some other weird shit going on, too. Them letting me come to Humanland was one of my conditions for going. But joke’s on them, ‘cause I would’ve gone anyway.”
“I’ll miss having you around, but have fun with the monsters,” I told him with a laugh. Vargas was always up for an adventure or a fight, and the lion village rarely offered him either. Andrian and I had both suspected he wanted to go back.
“I will,” he assured me, “It was nice to take a break, but I’m ready for some excitement.”
“Just be safe. I’d be pretty upset if you didn’t come back.”
“Have a little faith in me,” Vargas said with mock offense, “I’ll show you! I’ll bring you a dragon head as a returning gift.”
For a brief moment, I was terrified that he actually would.
Andrian and I traveled with the army and its prisoners back to the trading city in the desert. By the time we arrived, my father and his men were half dead from sun exposure and dehydration. Despite their miserable state, there was no room in my heart for pity. They deserved every moment of suffering, and I once again lamented Albrecht’s comparably merciful demise.
Their executions were a public affair, held in the city center for all to witness. I watched unflinchingly as my father’s head was removed from his shoulders by Marshall General Zeke. His eyes found me in the crowd, and he offered me a grim nod just before he swung his sword. As the crowd erupted into cheers, I was finally able to accept that it was over. I was free from his tyranny forever.
We left the trading city the next morning, both of us eager to return home. Against my better judgment, we left Evan de Vray behind. We both knew I didn’t need him as my knight, but I was still shocked when he begged to be allowed to go east with Vargas. He convinced me when he pointed out that serving as my knight in the lion village would be no different from serving as a Royal Knight at the Palace. He longed for a true adventure, and it felt hypocritical to say no after I had accepted his service to free him.
And so, we bid farewell to Vargas, Evan, and the rest of our traveling companions, then set off into the desert. We barely rested, traveling from sunup to sundown, pushing our horses to their limits. After what seemed like far too long, we emerged from the jungle and saw the familiar arches of the lion village up ahead of us. We were finally home.
The End.