Each year the Kingdom of Khearia throws a festival in remembrance of one of their most beloved kings who had tragically perished along with his wife and second son. His first son, Prince Fabian, was the only one to survive. Witnesses claimed his cro...
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"Are you trying to work it out?" Thomas asked him, referring to the skirmish.
ㅤAlex regarded him, surprised they were still on speaking terms. He wouldn't dare point this out.
ㅤ"Of course I am. I want to know who my enemy is."
ㅤAlex's feet were sore on the dusty path to Hitchleigh, with blisters forming around his sandals. They were amongst open meadows and grassland instead of forests, with hardly any trees in sight. The sun was brutal and unforgiving, abusing their lack of shelter. A sky so blue it was sickening and the smell of baking skin all took Alex back to his childhood.
ㅤAll the knights were used to training under such conditions and could mostly ignore the discomfort. Yufus and James could, too. Fletcher, though, was trudging like a corpse in mud, uncharacteristically silent.
ㅤ"Why don't you ask James?" Thomas suggested, with only a slight undertone of spite. "He's probably figured it out already."
ㅤ"No, I haven't," James said.
ㅤAlex startled, his heart beating out of his chest. James had been right next to him and Alex hadn't known for how long. If there was one consistent thing about James, it was his silent feet.
ㅤ"We could try asking Yufus," Thomas tried, keeping his voice low. He subtly looked over his shoulder. "He was there at the skirmish, last night."
ㅤAlex wasn't so sure. He found it hard enough to trust people anyway, let alone a foreigner. The unfamiliar accent felt coarse and shifty to him.
ㅤ"Harrison told us to be careful around him," Alex said slowly.
ㅤThomas shrugged. Alex doubted he particularly cared either way.
ㅤAlex thought about it again. "Though... I say fuck it. He'll only be telling us information he already knows. Asking isn't a crime."
ㅤAlex sought out James' gaze to solicit his approval but James' response was bland and uninspiring. It was strange. James was often a step ahead of the rest of them and his decision-making capabilities were sharp and shrewd. He was a natural leader. Yet, he always deferred to Alex. He only offered his opinion once he thought it was an outright necessity.
ㅤThomas looked over his shoulder a second time, hesitating.
ㅤ"Hey, what did you say to him?"
ㅤAlex followed his line of sight. "Hm?"
ㅤ"James," Thomas clarified. "What did you say to Riley?"
ㅤAlex caught it; a slight crack in the facade. James was bothered.
ㅤ"Nothing he'd want me to repeat, I'm sure," James stated. "Keep that head down, snoop."
ㅤThomas rolled his eyes but ultimately did just that. He slowed his walk, falling back in line with Fletcher and the horse. Alex didn't care to listen to their conversation.
