Nomad {Editing}

::Chapter 8:: Old Friends

The people may have changed in the decade since Charlie had been here last, but the palace was almost entirely the same. Down to the paintings which hung from the walls, and the curtains covering the windows.

Yet it felt much less familiar then the people. It was a place which scared him to the core. For he had almost no good memories of being in this place.

Only ridicule, hatred and terror. Mostly from the people who were meant to serve and help him.

Charlie tried to remind himself that he had grown a lot since back then, but it did little to help his fear.

Keeping close to his older brother like a shadow, the pair slipped through the halls in silence. It was dark outside, so it appeared that all but the guardsmen had retreated to bed for the night. Yet even they watched Charlie with caution.

Like though they expected him to snap at any moment. At least they were in their right minds.

With the stares of what felt like a thousand men burning into his back, the pair found their way to the castle gates. Even in the pale light of the corridors, brightened only by the candle lamps hanging from the walls, the gate's glittered gold.

His father wasn't a humble man. The King enjoyed showing off his wealth.

Even if the people suffered as a result of it.

"Open the gates," Robert let up the cry to the people sitting on the gate top.

For a moment, nothing happened. Charlie could see eyes peering down at them, trying to figure out if it was friend or foe. He could see one of them recoil, as the man recognised who Charlie was. They didn't need to be asked twice.

With a great groaning, the gates were pulled open. Revealing the outside world, lit only by moonlight. Waiting to be explored.

Robert had slid through the small gap, Charlie paused to look up and call. "Thank you," before he followed his brother into the outside world.

Before he had taken two steps into the courtyard, Charlie was smacked by the wind like a wall. It took his breath away with it's iciness. Forgetting how cold it could be perched on the clifftops like his father's palace was.

It was almost a perfect silence aside from the crash of waves from somewhere bellow them. It loomed bellow them in the darkness, Charlie could remember the days he and his brothers and sister had spent playing in the depths. Before life had gotten difficult.

The sound made him melancholy to this day, even if it was nearly twenty years ago since he had been that young.

As the pair made their way down the clifftops, along a familiar road. The crashing waves played as their soundtrack, not bothering to try and raise their voices above the great sound. The two brothers were happy to continue in silence.

When they reached the bottom of the cliff, Charlie could have made his way to the square blind folded and backwards. Even after all these years he knew the paths and the scents.

Even if they weren't linked to particularly happy memories.

Charlie could hear the pub before he saw it. The sound of jovial voices, laughter and music seemed to boom from it, even from a couple of hundred metres away. Charlie could all but smell the alcohol coming from it.

Familiarity sparked in his chest as the pair made their way towards it.

Unicorn's Vanquish was the only pub for a few miles, and it could be found at the centre of the Palace square. Tucked beside the baker and the blacksmith, it was arguably the most popular place aside from the Church.