The Broken Crown

Chapter 18

Okay, a tiny warning. Like, the last line has a slight implication towards sexual stuff. And the line has a paragraph of its own. You'll be fine :)

Adrianne

The vast lands of the north were tough. They weren’t as white as Adrianne had always imagined, not yet covered by the thick layer of snow that came in the winter. In the eastern parts of the northern Etheron, she had heard the snow melted away as it fell except for in the coldest of winters. They said that forces of fire loomed beneath the stones on which they travelled, forming and shaping the landscape even as they watched.

Adrianne found herself shivering as she thought of those things. The plentiful of roads that there had been in the south had long since turned into only one, wide path, which snaked its way through the mountains.  On each side of their procession, tall mountains rose looming, touching the clouds above. It was always cloudy here.

She no longer rode her fine horse but a small, strong pony. It was not as fast as her own mare, but its legs were twice as wide with hooves that easily found support even in the most uneven of terrains. Its rich red colour mixed with sandy hair, much like Thomas’ or her lady-in-waiting Gabrielle’s in texture, was a strange mix.

But at least the mountains gave some sort of shelter for the winds. She could still heard them howling through the cliffs and rocks above her, sometimes mixed with the howls of wolves. She found she did not particularly like the North.

“Your Grace,” a rider panted; he’d just appeared from further behind in the line of travellers. “I have pressing news for you.”

Her husband nodded. “Go on.” Adrianne thought she heard a bit of hoarseness to his voice.

“A group of thieves broke into Lionhall…”

“What?”

Adrianne turned her head to see that it was, in fact, the dwarf who had spoken. He looked baffled, for once not wearing a smile. “Don’t worry yourself,” Raymond said. He was the only one riding between her and the stunted man. “You might be Head of the Royal Bank, but you do not own it. You do not lose anything.”

Lord Thomas smiled wryly and the world seemed to once more be a joke that only he laughed at. “Then why do I bear the responsibilities?”

“No one lost anything,” the rider said. “The thieves were caught and beheaded two days ago.”

“Poor men,” the dwarf said, shaking his head as though he truly felt for them. “Losing their heads trying to steal – what? – the debts of the Crown?”

So suddenly the seriousness of their crime disappeared, Adrianne thought to herself. “The Crown has plenty funds. My lord father has seen to that.”

“Those are not funds, my dear, those are loans. And loans are to be repaid some day – even if you are the crowned King of Etheron.”

“My father shan’t force the King himself to pay him back until it can be afforded,” she replied, granting him only a quick glance before smiling to her husband. He smiled back, and she did not care if it was not a smile of love. At least it was somewhat of an acknowledgement, more than she had ever received.

“Ah, yes. Your father will remain noble and loyal.” The small man gave her look. “Until, of course, he can no longer afford such luxuries.”

Ahead of them, a large gate appeared. The wall was built in large bricks and spanned from one mountain to another. On top of the wall, she could see soldiers stand at the ready. Soon enough, the gates were opened for them.