That evening.
Inside the Keeper’s house, all his sons and daughters had gathered, their spouses close by. The atmosphere was tense, everyone quietly preparing for the journey ahead.
The eldest son leaned in, voice barely above a whisper.
"Father... are you sure we’re leaving everything behind?"
"Yes," the Keeper replied firmly. "We must go before this kingdom collapses completely. It’s already falling apart."
His wife looked up from where she was sorting through their belongings.
"But... leaving everything we’ve built here..."
"Just pack what we need, and the money. I’ve already gone to the bank and taken out enough for the journey. Once we reach Armand, I can withdraw more if necessary."
She exhaled softly, a small smile on her lips. "After all these years, you’re leaving your post?"
He nodded, face set with quiet determination.
"Yes. There’s nothing left for us here. Trying to hold together a kingdom this close to ruin will only drag us down with it. Once I deliver this decree to Lord Garius, I can guarantee you, the first thing he’ll do is close the trade routes from the Human Kingdom to Armand. And I’m sure Arjam will be sealed off as well."
His wife smiled gently. "Arjam was my birthplace, so I don’t mind if we end up there. But... are you sure you’re ready to leave? You were born in this town."
"There’s nothing for here now," the Keeper said, his voice low but resolute. "Even if this is where I was born, living under a suffering, crumbling kingdom will only bring more hardship for us all. It’s better we leave while we still can."
"What about our relatives?" the eldest son asked quietly.
"Don’t worry. I’ve already hired a ssenger," the Keeper replied. "The day after tomorrow, he’ll deliver word to all our kin. After that, it’s up to them, move out or stay."
He turned to his sons, giving clear instructions.
"We leave tomorrow morning. You two, make sure to wear your royal armor and ride horseback. The rest of the family will travel by horse wagon." He glanced around at his other sons.
"I’ve already prepared hidden weapons inside every wagon. There’s no telling if our road will be safe, bandits have grown bold these days. If only we could contact Armand and ask for an escort..."
The Keeper took out a rolled leather map and spread it across the table.
"We have a few options," he said, pointing. "First, we can take the main road straight from the capital to Armand. That route passes through several noble territories. It looks safe, but we can’t be sure, might take three to five days if all goes well."
He traced another line.
"Or, we could head for Arjam first. We all know Armand’s patrols keep the roads in Arjam clear, no bandits there. From Arjam to Armand, I’m certain they’ll escort us the rest of the way. The only problem is the stretch from the capital to Arjam. Garka’s region isn’t exactly safe, but if things go smoothly, we could make it in two or three days, so long as we don’t stop too much."
The eldest studied the map, then asked, "What if we hire adventurers to bolster our guards?"
"That’s possible," the Keeper replied, "but not here in the capital."
"Why not?"
He moved to the window, motioning for his sons to check the others. After a mont, satisfied no one was listening, he answered in a low voice.
"If we start hiring adventurers here, the crown will get suspicious. They’ll wonder why the Keeper and his sons need so much protection. Why not just ask the local nobles for their guards once we reach their regions? That’s what they’ll expect. If they sense sothing’s wrong, we might not even make it out of the city."
He rolled up the map, gaze steady.
"We need to stay quiet. We’ll arrange extra protection once we’re beyond the capital’s reach."
He turned to his third son.
"You’ll go with the others, separate from us. I’ll ride with your eldest brother on horseback. You lead the family toward the wagon. We’ll et up again after we pass the first gate out of the city."
"Yes, Father," the third son replied, nodding.
"Good. Now, everyone, get so rest. At dawn, you’ll all head to the wagon first, before the sun rises. If anyone stops you, show them this travel docunt. It will look like you’re just going on a family trip to the next town. Once you’ve gone ahead, your brother and I will follow once the sun is up. We’ll regroup at the border town, right between the capital and the next region."
He handed the docunt to his third son, then looked around the room.
"Go rest. Tomorrow will be a long day."
After making sure his entire family had gone to rest, the Keeper settled into the quiet of the living room. He cupped his hands around a steaming cup of tea, letting the warmth ease the tension in his chest.
Inside his mind, frustration simred.
The current king... he’s not fit to rule.
He ignores every voice of reason, dismissed Gilmon and the old royal advisor, Jarn, without hesitation. Now, he only cares for his own region and the capital, turning a blind eye to the rest of the kingdom.
He listens to no one. Takes only the advice he wants to hear. Casts aside anyone who stands in his way.
The Keeper exhaled slowly, staring into his cup.
At least Gilmon and Jarn found a place under Lord Garius. I’ve heard they have hos of their own now, provided by his hand.
Let’s hope everything goes smoothly.
The problem is, I can’t be sure if Kimar will catch on.
But my first priority is to get my family safely through the gate. Once we’re out of the capital, and we reach the border between the capital and the next region... I’ll make sure we take the back road, avoid the main town altogether. No unnecessary stops.
If we must stop for food or rest, I won’t let the wagon pull into town. Instead, I’ll send my sons to the adventurer guild, hire a party on the spot to escort us the rest of the way.
And hopefully, the other ssenger I hired will reach Armand with the fastest horse. If all goes well, Lord Garius will get the ssage in ti and send an escort to et us sowhere along the route.
He stood and glanced around the quiet house, letting his gaze linger on every corner.
It’s hard to leave this place, earned with my own hands, from the days of my youth, through marriage, all the way to growing old. But better to leave it behind than to suffer under this kingdom.
Besides, once my resignation as Keeper of the To is finalized, I doubt the king would ever allow to remain in the royal capital. It’s better to be safe than sorry.
He looked around one last ti, then exhaled slowly, the weight of decades settling on his shoulders.
Let’s hope everything goes exactly as planned.
( End Of Chapter )
User Comments
0 comments from readers