Traitors of the Realm - Kingmaker Book 1

Saria - On the Run Chapter 28

 The day passed them by as they walked along on the edge of the riverbanks, following the stream that could lead them toward Alcadia. Come morning, when Saria finally got tired, she stripped herself naked before jumping into the waist height river, ignoring the men around her. What made things worst, the water seemed to be as clear as the day itself. King Algar shook his head before turning his face toward the other direction. Damien looked at her, unpleased while Nestor was smiling as he looked on.

"Turn away now," said Algar, "before I put a knife in those eyes of yours. Nestor turned immediately, listening to the splashes she'd made by swimming around. When Algar looked up, he saw a large tree standing tall before them, it was full with fruits that was purple in colour. He jumped from where he stood, grabbing hold of the lowest branch before pulling himself up.

"Saria," he called out, as he sat on the branch. "Do you remember these," he said, picking a few of the rounded fruits. He tosses a few into the stream, listening to her giggle as she grabbed hold of them.

"Yes," she answered. "I haven't eaten climate in years," she then confesses.

"This is nice," said Damien. "Father, daughter bonding."

"Why do you sound so gloom?" Algar asked him, before throwing a few down for him and Nestor. "Didn't Ryker ever hold you and play with you when you were a baby."

"You're very funny," the Prince replied.

"Ryker did play with him," Saria admitted. "That's how he dropped him on his head."

"If you weren't the mother of my child, I would strangle you right now."

"I dare you," said Algar jumping down. "Let's see how many women you can rape when you have no limbs to aid you in your pervertedness."

"Your threats mean nothing to me," Damien said laughing. "They are as empty as your army." He then left him, walking ahead. Nestor followed, while sucking the fruits as fast as he could.

"Get dress Saria," said Algar, "we need to keep moving. In here we're unprotected."

"Everywhere we're unprotected," she told him, just before getting out of the water. "Valtray has no mercy, nor should we."

"Being in that family has corrupted your morals and values," Algar told her.

"Being in that family has taught me that no one is just, people are evil, all they do is tell lies and whisper amongst each other in ways on how to ruin a person."

"Not all people are the same," he replied, walking away.

 They kept moving, cutting down vines that looked like snakes, while deviating from the tracks that held tall picker like trees, with fruits at the top. Nestor found his own way, seeing a small open area where it seemed like a perfect place to build a camp. Saria stood where she was, holding her father back as Nestor entered in. Damien stood behind them, watching as the commander walked further in. Nothing happened when he reached the centre of the clean open area. When she saw it was clear, she allowed her father to enter, walking behind him as Damien followed.

"You thought it was quicksand, did you?" asked Nestor, laughing as he looked around. Saria wished it was as he had said, seeing him fall to his demise would be a spectacular scene, one she'd only imagine. She kept looking around, seeing no faces hiding in the bushes, nor structure hidden amongst the trees.

"Somethings wrong," she said, feeling a vibration under her feet. Before she could make a run for it, the ground beneath them sunk, casting them down into what appeared to be a large rusty iron pipe. One by one they fell into a large court yard, where bones and human skulls were lying scattered around. Multiple tunnels surrounded them, with darkness filling each hole. The only light there was, were the one that glimmered from the tunnel in which they came.