Chapter 3 The outcome III

The captives didn't want to be a scapegoat just like Aurelia so they quickly rushed to gather themselves together and started moving in a single line.

For people to be forced away from their kingdom was a disgraceful act and this was the case of the Reeves.

The atmosphere was dull and heavy as everyone was in their own thoughts. Either they were still mourning their loss or they were thinking about their future in Devontae. It made a great hard impact on the captives.

Aurelia was the most bitter one. As a Princess, she had never experienced such a life and her parents never taught her the hard way. They didn't teach her about Kingdoms and wars as the little she knew was what she read from books.

All through her life with her parents, they never had time for her and we're always busy each time Aurelia asks about them.

The captives were allowed to camp close to the riverbank. While some of them were drinking water and others washing up, Aurelia sat on a small rock a bit far from the river bank still reminiscing about her parents' death.

, she couldn't recognize them after they were killed and that broke her heart so much. The air around her was gloomy and sad.

"Hey! Have some." A boy who seemed eight years old said while handing her a pouch which contained water.

"I don't need it, thank you." She replied and forced a smile so as the boy to not feel dejected.

"You need to have some water or you might die before we get to Devontae, don't you know?" The boy asked and forced the pouch into her hand. "Drink."

"Alright, I'll take a sip." Aurelia replied and took a few sips and then gave it to the boy.

"It's not enough. Drink more....This might be the last water we would drink on this journey. So drink a lot so I can refill the pouch." said the boy.

Aurelia was amazed at his smartness and sharp tongue. "Okay." She said and drank the water till it was filled up.

"I'm full. Thank you." She replied and wiped her lips with her hand. "Now off you go..." She added.

The boy's eyes suddenly turned wet and glistening before raising his finger to her. "You're driving me away after drinking the water I offered you."

Curling her fingers into a fist, Aurelia grabbed the boy by his shoulder and said, "Little boy, what do you want? I don't have money or anything."

"I don't need your money, I just want to follow you.... Please."

Aurelia was taken aback by his statement and he was also causing a scene with her. "Why do you want to follow me?" She asked to see him hesitate a little.

"Because you're always at the back. I can't walk with the crowd." He replied and stared at her with hopes.

"What if I say no?" She asked.

"I'll still follow you because I can't walk as fast as the crowd but you have the opportunity to walk slowly." He said and looked ahead.

"Okay." She agreed.

The boy nodded his head eagerly, "thank you. I should go and fill this pouch with water." He added and ran off before Aurelia could respond.

Aurelia smiled and looked to her side. Her smile turned wider when she saw Aldophus walking towards her with a thick material in his hand.

"How are you?" He asked and handed her the blanket.

"I'm fine. Thank you." Aurelia answered and took the blanket.

Aldophus stared at the girl who was staring at the ground for sometime before taking a good look at her. Her black hair was filled with dried twigs and rough while her face and dress was covered with dried mud.

He still couldn't fathom why Cassius couldn't kill the girl despite wanting to do so. "I saw you curling like a ball last night so I asked one of the guards to lend me a blanket. It would kill the cold." He said to see her lift her head.

"Thank you. I really appreciate it." She said politely and smiled.

Aldophus was stunned for sometime before clearing his throat. "I would be over there if you need anything."

"Okay." Aurelia replied.

After Aldophus left, the boy returned back with his pouch already filled with water and sat beside Aurelia.

***

"I know that face. You're not satisfied even after taking down the Reeves Kingdom, right?" A lady with brown wavy hair asked. One could easily tell with her dressing and aura that she was a woman of affluence.

Cassius was standing at a large balcony overseeing the towns and villages.

She's Roxanne, the King's advisor.

After Roxanne's father who had been the royal advisor to the Devontae royal family passed away, his daughter took over from where he stopped.

Cassius didn't mind the fact that she was a woman because he found her advice more useful than her fathers.

Many ladies were jealous of Roxanne for that while some were still eyeing the position because they saw it as a ticket to become closer to the King.

Cassius was a single ruler without a Queen and many ladies knew that Roxanne being the King's advisor, they wouldn't get any chance of becoming noticed by him.

"Nothing's changed. Aurelius was supposed to die by my hands but I was a little late." He said and grabbed the edges of the balcony.

Roxanne smiled and crossed her hands above her chest. "There's a remnant from the Reeves family isn't it?"

Cassius was taken aback by the sudden question."How did you know about that?" It was as if someone had just discovered his most secret treasure.

"What? Are you surprised? Information is the key. Just do the justice by killing her yourself."

He then turned to face her before exhaling sharply.

"A ruler must be feared by many no matter what, including Kings and Queens as long as you live by a decision."

Cassius smiled and flicked her forehead, "you would do well as a Queen, do you know that?" He asked.

Roxanne laughed softly and started trailing her fingers in his skin. "Sadly, I wasn't born a Princess." She said and kissed him.

***

The captives were two villages away from Devontae where they would be sold to the establishment. A center for slaves.

Many of the captives have tightened their belts for what is to come when they get to Devontae. Especially the girls. Many were scared of being sucked dry by those monstrous creatures while those who were vampires were ready to face reality.

"Do you know that when we get to Devontae, we would be sold as slaves?" Aurelia asked the boy who goes by the name Carl.

"Yes. Who are slaves and why are they called slaves?" He asked. For a boy of his age, he was more sensible about his surroundings, making Aurelia wonder how old he really was.

"Slaves are people who are used or exploited by others such as masters and mistresses." She explained slowly.

"I don't want that. My parents in Reeves were rich before the war, I can't be a slave right? I'm too little right?"

Aurelia smiled unceasingly because of Carl and his curious questions. "Of course, how can a handsome boy like you become a slave? You won't become one okay."

"Okay." He replied and happily jogged beside her as they were behind the crowd while Aldophus was behind them.

Aurelia turned to look behind her and saw Aldophus smiling at her. She kept walking with Carl when an idea suddenly popped into her head.

Carl isn't just a smart boy, he will become an intelligent boy when he grows up and Aurelia already found the perfect person for him.

"How old are you Carl?" She asked with a soft smile on her face. It would be good to know his age. Right?

Carl hesitated a lot this time and refused to say a word. Instead he asked for a negotiation. You tell me yours and I'll tell you mine beside you're the eldest." He mouthed and stared at her hopefully.

"I'm Sixteen, turning seventeen in three months." Aurelia said proudly.

"Still so little." Carl murmured to himself.

"Did you say something?" She asked.

"No. I'm eight years old." He said and patted his chest.

While both of you were engrossed in their thoughts, Aldophus' horse suddenly galloped towards the crowd of captives.

"We would soon arrive at Devontae, all of you must coordinate yourselves because you all are now slaves. You would be sold to the establishment tomorrow. Is that clear?" He shouted so the whole crowd could hear him.

Though they responded to him, their hearts were heavy.

"Aurelia, do you hear him? He said all of us are slaves... And me too?" Carl became restless.

"No. You're not a slave okay? You're Carl not a slave." Aurelia tried to calm him down. You can never be a slave.