Our Kingdom Come | KingdomCraft

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪx - ᴀ ᴘʀᴏᴍɪsᴇ

OLD YOUTORIA

Lizzie rode ahead as she and Joel ventured to the Jhalved Mountains. The road was rough, narrow, and it snaked around large hills, oak forests, and dangerous ravines. She held the map in her hands, tracing their path with her fingers.

"We're going to pass plenty of villages, so we won't have to carry too many food rations on our journey." Lizzie kept her eyes fixated on the paper as she spoke.

The horses did not tire on the long journey, but Lizzie and Joel did. Every night they would set up a small camp, and every day they would ride through the fields of the independent region. The two barely spoke to each other. Only occasionally when Lizzie wished to remark on a change of direction.

The first village that they reached was a day's ride away from the Taigan border, meaning that it was also a day's ride away from the mountains.

The two decided to stay in the village for the night. The villagers were kind and hospitable, offering them a room in an inn free of charge.

"No, we couldn't possibly accept," Lizzie stated, shaking her head. The innkeeper and his wife offered once again.

Lizzie opened her mouth to reject but Joel grabbed her arm, pulling her close.

"Could we just accept these peasa- kind people's offer? We've been camping since we left the Aya village.

Lizzie tugged her arm away from Joel's grasps. How dare he. But he had a point, her back was starting to hurt from resting on the dirt.

"If it is fine with you," she said, turning to face the couple, "then it's fine with me."

The inn was small and clearly only recieve travelers in strange circumstances such as this. The innkeeper explained that it simultaneously acted as a bakery, which was the reason their business could thrive.

Joel was handed the key. "Wait, is there only one room available?" He asked. Lizzie was already waiting upstairs and it would surely be a difficult situation if they had to share quarters.

The inkeep's wife heard the worry in his voice. "Oh, don't worry, young lad. There are two beds in the room. You and the beautiful lass up there won't have ta' share."

"Oh, good." Joel released a breath. "Good night then."

He ascended the creaky stairs to see Lizzie peering out a window. He unlocked the door to their room.

"What are you looking at?" He asked as he pushed the door open. Inside was a cozy room, with the promised two beds on each side.

Lizzie spun around and headed into the room. "You can see the mountains from that window." She quickly claimed her bed, the one under a window overlooking the town below.

Joel, by default, chose the bed closer to the door. He had a bedside table with a small lamp set on it. He grabbed the wool blankets. Thank goodness, they would provide him with heat in the cold north climate.

He sat on the bed, his posture straight and similar to how he sat on his throne. He wondered what is happening to his kingdom now. He remembered the events that led him here, sitting in the same room with the Alpine Queen.

Those men. He hadn't thought about who they were, he was busy concerning himself with how to get away from them. But they attacked him, a King, while he was surrounded by his guards. It a plot to dethrone him, that much was clear. But who were they sent from. It had been weeks, perhaps a month, since he was forced to flee. And for the first time he felt safe enough to think about his situation.

Lizzie eyed Joel as he sat on his bed. His eyes were unfocused and he stared out the window next to her.

"That's some good posture, Joel. I've never seen someone of a lower class sit in such a way." Lizzie remarked.