The Bounty Hunter

Chapter Forty Seven

Chapter Forty Seven

Sunlight lit the city, turning every white house into a gleaming beacon, and Safita squinted as she looked out over the walls; her elbows rested on the warm stone and she smiled as she watched the tiny people go about their business. She felt completely at peace, not at all angry at Ultuc’s belief that she had become sentimental. It was far from how she would once have reacted - he was right, the Palace had softened her but it was not a bad thing to have happened.

“You’re terrible,” Nell had sighed when she told him what she had done. He had been angry at first, worried that she might be discovered and punished.

“It’ll be fine,” she said, knitting her fingers together. They were cold, frozen by fear, but it would fade more easily than her guilt had she kept it a secret.

A noise behind her startled her from her thoughts and she turned. Finred stood beside her, his hair transmuted into a golden halo by the sun. “Where have you been?” he asked.

She shrugged. “Around. How are your duties?”

He sighed and shook his head. “Not the ideal way to spend my time. I suppose you heard about Ultuc?” He glanced at her and she nodded. “It was probably for the best. We had no proof of his involvement… The Pallians weren’t happy but Favia thinks that we have staved war off for the moment. I never realised that she was quite so good at negotiating.” He chuckled and his face lit up with the first true smile she had ever seen. “I was a little… lost at first; I could not have done anything without her help.”

“You should make her your queen and use her skills more often,” she said. Out of the corner of her eye she saw him frown at her and shake his head again. “No,” he replied, “I could never marry Favia. She’s… well for one, she would never be interested in me. I’d like my queen to be willing.” They both laughed and Safita stared out over the city again, resolutely ignoring his gaze. “I ought to tell you,” she said slowly, “it was me. Who… freed Ultuc. I didn’t think that he deserved to die for a crime he hadn’t committed and you know how much I hated him.” Her words fell out of her mouth as she tried to fit them all in before Finred began screaming at her. “And then when I freed him he revealed that it had been him; he had been under Lassirus’ orders…”

“I see,” he said, his face impassive and his voice eerily calm.

“I’m sorry; I hope I didn’t cause too much trouble. It was impulsive. I just… focused too much on myself and how I had found it in myself to forgive him that I didn’t think about anyone else.”

“You forgave him?” His voice was curious.

“Well, after I nearly killed him. He was not particularly grateful for his deliverance. He even went as far as to tell me that I was easily manipulated and that ‘the Palace had softened me.’”

A tiny smile twitched one corner of Finred’s mouth. “I cannot believe you being manipulated.”

“Are you angry?”

He heaved a sigh and gazed out at the horizon. “No… there is nothing to be gained by angry about something which has already happened. Clinging onto anger and hate only breeds ill. In any case, I was not too happy about his execution. He was an unpleasant character but I do not believe that he was inherently evil.”

“You are a far better person than I,” she said. “Even if I am now ‘soft.’”

“But you have always been like that,” he replied. “You could never hide the final, vulnerable part of your character. Better to be vulnerable and human than needlessly cruel. It is not a weakness to be vulnerable or kind or to retain that through hardship; rather, it is a strength.”

“I am not kind.”

He frowned at her and moved closer. “Well you are complex; I know you can be cruel but so can we all. However, you can only improve. You are certainly vulnerable though; you have been ever since I first met you, all those months ago.”

“Oh?”

“Yes. It’s part of what kept me with you while we travelled. I was intrigued.”

“And the other part?” she asked wryly.

“Necessity. I needed to keep an eye on you and make sure you didn’t find me,” he grinned.

“What’s keeping me with you now?” she asked.

He eyed her silently. “I think you know.”

“I don’t understand why.”

He smiled and looked away. “Me neither but…”

“But what?”

“But even though I know that you don’t want to be loved I love you regardless. I don’t know why but I do.” He shrugged helplessly. “I have for a long time, I think. I would prefer it though,” he continued, “if you gave me a better answer than the last conversation we had.”

“I didn’t give you an answer,” she muttered.

“I suppose that’s true. You just walked away. Which actually, is an answer in itself.”

“Yes,” she said finally. “Yes I do love you and I’d prefer not to because it’s difficult but unfortunately I’m… Well if you want an ex-criminal I’d…”

The words refused to form a coherent idea in her mind but she would have had trouble finishing her sentence anyway because Finred had grabbed her in a kiss. As he pulled away from her he gave her yet another dazzling grin and she smiled in return. “I suppose this might help me become a little kinder.”

Hi everybody! I have a number of apologies to make: firstly for taking so long to update, second for the horrendously corny ending (I might edit this in a few months and plunge them into a war or something, we'll see) and thirdly for potentially missing things.

I was planning on a couple more chapters but when I sat down to write this I forgot what I was doing so if there's anything you think I've missed, feel free to leave a comment detailing it all and I'll try and fix it (or direct you to where I address it or tell you that it's supposed to be like that in which case please don't attack me) so make sure you check the comment replies again!!!

Thanks for supporting this; I know it hasn't exactly been the fastest journey but I hope you enjoyed the story. Please don't forget to vote/comment/share etc. it'd be amazing :)