We The Kings: Book Two

Chapter 4

I began to head out of the woods. I needed a horse. I followed the road, avoiding people as much as possible. The nearest road was lifeless. I didn't come towards a town, but a small farm with three horses. I carefully approached the homestead.

The horse was black, with a long mane. It was fenced in with two chestnut colored horses, but the black horse seemed the least skittish.

I got closer to the fence and hopped into the pasture. First, I went to the barn to take the saddle, then I can't back for the horse. He remained calm as approached him and led him out of the pasture. I mounted him and began to ride away.

A man then ran out of the small home as I galloped away. He yelled.

"Stop! Get back here!"

I went faster and sped away from the old man and his homestead.

I didn't feel good about stealing the horse. I remembered when Samuel wanted to steal a horse back when we really needed it. I refused, and told him we couldn't steal from the innocent. I had just done what I convinced him not to. I needed it, I told myself. I had nothing. I needed transportation if I were going back to my kingdom.

The ride felt long. My legs were sore. I tried to avoid the main road and people as much as possible. I only saw a few merchants traveling, nothing that alarmed me.

I approached the boarder to Lafayette two days later. I was nervous. My home. I had no idea what to expect. I expected everything to be in ruin, ashes of the lives that were once lived there. The lives of the ones who trusted me.

I entered the boarder town Daniel had instructed me to go. It was small, on the boarder of Naporia and Lafayette, but laid in the Lafayette side. There were still homes and businesses running. There were no Lafayette flags anywhere. There were very few people outside. They all kept their heads down, avoiding looking at each other..A blacksmith shop was open on the edge of the quiet town. I saw a man working with medal outside.

I kept my head low and kept my hood up. I deepened my voice as I approached him.

"Excuse me, sir. I said.

He stopped what he was doing to look up at me with reluctant eyes.

"Yes? Can I help you?"

"I'm looking for someone. Johnny Torres. Do you know where I can find him?"

"Keep your voice down." He said in a hushed tone. He broke eye contact with me.

"Excuse me?"

"They could be watching. Johnny left. Go down the main road two towns and then to the woods with the purple mushrooms. But you didn't hear it from me." He said quietly.

"Have a good day, sir! Enjoy your horse shoes, sir." He said.

"Thank you. Good day."

I mounted back on my horse and followed his directions. The forest with the purple mushrooms? Lafayette must've been infested with Vendov soldiers, I thought to myself. My people were scared.

I followed the road. As I got father into Lafayette, the roads began to get busier. Merchants and single travelers alike passing each other. There were two Vendov soldiers on horses. I tucked my head down. I began to get filled with anxiety, my chest tightened. My moist palms dampened. Act normal, I told myself. Act normal.

They passed me on the road and spare a didn't glance to me. I took a breath of relief and trotted the rest of the way to the forest.

Once I arrived, I tied the horse out. I began to walk through the forest. Purple mushrooms, he said. I kept an eye to the ground. I didn't see any purple mushrooms. Who had even heard of purple mushrooms?

I came across a small home deep in the woods. There appeared to be no one. I was surrounded by tall trees.

I suddenly heard a loud drop from behind me, next thing I knew someone was holding a sword to my neck, another to my back. I put my hands up in surrender.

"Who are you?" A woman's voice said.

"I'm. Lee. I'm looking for a man named Johnny Torres."

"Why? What for?" She pressed the sharp sword closer to my throat.

"Please! Daniel Cohen sent me!"

"Daniel.." She muttered, lowering her swords. I turned around to face her.

"Yes, Daniel. Can you please help me find Johnny?"

"You're looking at em. I'm Johnny."

I stared at her in confusion. She was a middle aged woman with dark hair and a round face. She wore pants and dark clothes. She had several silver piercings stabbed through her ears.

"You're Johnny?"

"I am. Do you have a problem with that?"

"No! I'm just surprised is all, you don't typically hear of women possessing that name."

"My dad was hoping for a boy, I guess. Why are you here, Lee?" She put her hands on her hips.

I pulled down my hood.

"Daniel told me to come here. He said you were the best person to train me to fight."

"What do you need to learn to fight for?" She said, sliding her swords away.

"I have some.. Debts that need to be paid. Yeah."

"You think that can fool me, your highness?" She laughed.

"You. You know me?"

"Yes, Zander. I was at your coronation. Come inside."

She prepared some tea for us. The inside was almost empty. I sat at a wooden table as she boiled the water.

"I trained Daniel. He told me he wanted to become a guard at the royal castle. I taught him everything he knows. He's a strong man, but he started pretty  scrawny and weak, but he was persistent. Pushed himself to the limit, passed his training, and became a guard. He invited me to the coronation to see him in the front row of the guards. I was so proud of him. It was from a distance of course, with the all safety precautions in place. I left before the ball started after. Good thing I did, I heard it got pretty bloody."
She brought over the cup of tea to me, hot steam rolled off it.

I thanked her.

"It did. Daniel got injured pretty badly defending the castle." I said.

"That's what he told me in his letters. He also told me you assigned him with the task to protect the Queen."

"Yeah, I trusted Daniel with my life. Even more so, hers." I took a sip of my tea.

"You have to be careful, your majesty. Vendov soldiers are everywhere."

"They're trying to hold their position on Lafayette?" I asked.

"Oh, your majesty. There is no Lafayette anymore."