Sean lay some blankets for his master. As he carefully cleaned his wounds and replaced the clothes around them. They looked a lot more serious than before and he hoped Aaron would make it to the end of their journey.
"Keep the clothing light for now. We will need an extra layer when I get to the sea" Aaron instructed while wincing slightly from the pain. His eyes were all swollen from the lack of rest the past days.
"We should eat something" He added before Sean got into the bag they had and brought out the buns he had bought.
"This is cute Sean. Is it really to feed men or do you intend to get a girl on the way" Aaron joked as he bit on the food. "Not bad"
"Thank you. Sire" said a bewildered Sean. What his master just said had reminded him of his fiancé back at Udemia and he wondered if she was doing okay. It had been two days since they left and luckily no one was aware of Sean's connection to Aaron. His best bet was that she was still alive.
"Trust me, you don't want her dragged into all of this" Aaron reassured him and he sighed in agreement. Suddenly, Sean felt bad for the prince. He had no one waiting back home for him. Hoping for him to be save. He had just killed the only blood relative he had and even all his past relations with women where strictly for business benefits.
That was Aaron. He didn't keep relations that weren't beneficial anymore. He didn't visit anyone just for the pleasure of it, even his own father. He went to war and came back to an empty home. Void of any other human or emotion. He was just a young man, yet he had seen the battlefield more than Sean himself had ever in his life.
He had never received the love of a parent and was always cast aside from his siblings. Used as a weapon in war and now he had emotionlessly killed his own father.
Sean couldn't full comprehend his master's actions and ways, but he had vowed to protect him and he swore to do so.
"Don't lose track of the hours, Sean. In four days exactly, we need to take action" Aaron suddenly said pulling Sean away from his thoughts.
"Yes, Sire".
IN THE KING'S STUDY.
"Any news from our men?" asked a very furious Hendricks.
"No, Sire. They are carefully scanning every area around. Our men in the neighboring lands are equally doing a thorough search, Sire." The guard was very tense at the moment. The whole kingdom was in turmoil since the dead of the king and the disappearance of Aaron.
No one knew which prince will strike first and people where keeping away resources in case a violent war broke out. However, the cause of the King's dead was never revealed to the population. So as not to cause more chaos.
"He has a plan. I am certain of it. Why else would he have killed father?" Hendricks was persuaded that Aaron was nearby waiting for their time of weakness to attack.
"You must find him. And when you do, bring me his head." He added firmly as the guard was dismissed.
The atmosphere was tense in the room where the remaining six brothers gathered. No one believed any of their siblings would actually spare them. However, they all silently used the search for Aaron to prolong the inevitable why cautiously preparing themselves to attack.
"He was quite impatient. Couldn't let the old man close his eyes on his own." Adriel, the fifth son, scoffed. "What a fool. We need to find him by all means, we have no idea where he is and what his plans are. That is very dangerous."
"I agree with you brother" said Paul. As he got up from his seat and walked to the window, "I have my men surrounding the borders in case he wants to leave or wishes to come back."
"That asshole"
"What about mother?" asked Adriel?
"Clark had her moved to the west. Till things are quiet here" Hendricks assured them.
The secret army hidden by the king for his favorite son was no secret. Every of his children knew already who it was and he was going to be the next victim after Aaron was dealt with.
Meanwhile, on a boat somewhere in the south of Esso.
"Your highness, it's been a two days already". Sean said.
"The time is passing painfully slowly" Aaron scoffed as he sat up right. "Can I get some water?"
Sean hurried over to his side and served him some of the water they had. Aaron had some of it and decided instructed Sean to have some too.
They were seated together on the floor of the hold. Not a single sound but the swaying of objects when the boat passed over currents. They killed their boredom with Sean's stories as he hoped his master's would not close his eyes and not wake up any time soon.
"Your highness, when all this is over, what do you plan on doing?" he asked curiously. Suddenly, Aaron burst into a wild laugh.
"It hasn't even started, you know" then he took a deep pause as he looked over his shoulder. "I will become king and put an end to this ridiculous ritual."
"What of you Sean?" he asked.
"Well, I plan on getting married, having kids and serving by your side for the rest of my life, Sire". Sean said and Aaron put his arm over his shoulder.
"Great dream, comrade". He smiled.
"We should rest. We need enough strength in the coming days" Aaron said as he lay down.
"Yes, Sire".
Soon, Sean drifted off to sleep. However, like every other night, Aaron couldn't close an eye. He then recalled a letter he found on the body of one of the guards the night of the king's death.
He opened it and found out it was a letter from his father. No designator.
He read through it over and over as his interest was picked by one particular part. Witches, powerful and dangerous to bring a nation down. Their spells and chants could get all supernatural beings under their control. His father wouldn't joke about such in his last words. Which only meant the existence of witches was not only a mere myth.
However, if the race was said to be extinct, why will the ancient kings put so much efforts in guarding the kingdom against them.
One part of the letter was true without doubt. Being a king was more of a sacrifice than an accomplishment in the kingdom of Udemia. One person, with a heart so big he could carry the sins of all his siblings and lead the kingdom till he takes his last breath.
He felt his father could have simply avoided this by having just one child.
However, perhaps he couldn't see this outcome when he finally was crowned king. But he paid the price, he lived his last days in constant fear of death, in regret and in pain. Aaron wondered. Did he regret too, the dead of his mother?
"Your highness" Sean said "I think we should get to it"
"By now we should be around the coast of Okta." Aaron said as he put his cloak on and adjusted his sword and started heading out.
"Sire, please let me" Sean pleaded as he got in front of Aaron. This made him sigh. "Give that to me then" he said as he seized the luggage and they got out of the hold.
If their calculations where correct, they were five men on the boat and getting rid of them would not be very hard.
As they got out, the men noticed them.
"O! Who do we have there? You get on without payment?" The captain said as he drew out his sword and the others drew theirs too.
"Sire, please stay right behind me" Sean said before launching at one of the men closest to him. He flung his sword to his side and left a deep cut before twisting his arm and throwing his sword to the further side of the boat.
The second man was already charging forward but Sean blocked his attack with the back of his sword and kicked him hard in the belly between twisting his limbs to disarm him.
He fought continuously as he disarmed all the men including the captain.
"I always enjoy watching you in action, Sean" Aaron cheered.
"You flatter me, Sire"
"However," Aaron left from the angle he stood and picked up one of the swords which lay around.
"This unfinished job might cause us problems in the future." In less than five seconds the heads of the four injured men lay on the floor beside their bodies. The captain watched in horror.
"Just to thank you for the ride. Believe me I wish we could solve this otherwise" Aaron said before swinging his sword across the captain's neck.
"Now, Sean we need to do something about these bodies." Aaron instructed as Sean pulled them to the edge of the boat. With no one in sight, he flung them into the sea, one after the other.
Aaron had several bandages and clothes pressing his major wound just so he wouldn't bleed out and leave a trail. "We're not swimming far" Aaron said seeing Sean's worried expression. He got to the edge and then into the water.
They crossed the waters to the next land. The land of Sekka.
Once on the dried land, Sean hurried to his master's side to check the state of his wounds and the clothes and bandages had really helped.
They carefully began their journey to the nearest station and took a carriage to Nactar.