Page 53 of Dead Crown
“Yes,” lied Jaki. They’d had a couple of Eriks before, and Jaki hadn’t been friends with either.
“Yeah, I remember,” said Father.
“Mm.”
“I’ll tell two guards to go with you.”
“I don’t need guards.”
“Son, I’d rather you not go off on a trip with no one to watch your back. You're not invincible, and times are hard. A lone man with good clothes and a horse…”
Some might consider the horse to be good eating. “Fine. I’ll pick two I can stand for a longer period, okay? There are a couple in the city I know and like.”
“Good. When do you think you’ll be back?”
Jaki sighed as he shifted in front of the fire. “I don't know. Erik’s not well.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I think I’d prefer to stay a while with him. I can write when I get there and see how he is. I’ll be leaving in a couple of days.”
“Sounds good.”
That was one problem solved. Father didn’t even think to ask where exactly this supposed Erik lived. Then again, it wasn’t like he’d suspect Jaki of sneaking across the border.
***
When Jaki left early one morning, he said goodbye to Father in his rooms and told him the two guards he’d picked were ready to go.
Jaki simply got on his chosen horse with his pack and left. The gate guards were barely paying attention, and nobody questioned what he was doing. After all, the Crown Prince wouldn't risk his life and travel to West Iceland by himself, right? How silly. Thank Elira he was a grown man and didn’tneed proper parenting because Elswere wouldn’t be very good at it anymore.
Jaki wore plain clothes under a thick, black cloak and probably appeared like any other traveler. His horse was decent, but he might have bought it in better times. If anybody thought he looked good for robbing, they’d get a sword to the gut. He kept a dagger up his sleeve too.
Outside of the city, things weren’t any better. He passed an abandoned-looking farm, although someone watched him from the doorway of one of the glasshouses. With the person’s hood up, it was hard to tell if it was a man or a woman, and they didn’t move.
Jaki traveled late into the night when needed to find towns so he could sleep at an inn. He’d brought plenty of money to purchase food along the way, although he didn’t dare take the asked-for price at shops without complaint. The last thing he needed was someone nearby to think he was loaded.
“That’s ridiculous for bread!” he argued with a shopkeeper. “It’s cheaper back in-”
“Then go somewhere else! I’m not budging."
"Do you think money grows on trees? I haven’t had work in weeks-”
A vein bulged in the shopkeeper's forehead. "Do you think bread or flour grows on trees?! Take it or starve. We’ll all be doing that soon anyway.”
Jaki kept up his grudging attitude as he handed over the money and left with his loaf of horsebread.
He was also wary of anyone he passed during the day, and when he saw a family with children struggling along with packs and no horses, he was tempted to give them what food he had. Since he was near the border, the nearest place was at least four or five days away.
He couldn’t go to outposts and ask the soldiers for a place to sleep along with a meal. They’d wonder what in the realm he was doing there, and someone would run to send a dove to Father.
It was easy enough for a lone rider to slip through, and he stuck to the forest as much as possible. After a couple of days in the wilderness, he almost could have convinced himself that he was entirely alone in the realm, and no one else existed.
On day three, he saw a thin snow bear and the baby she’d died birthing. It happened more and more as the lands died. Nothing had picked at the corpses which looked fresh, and with the cold, he figured the meat would still be good. It was tough to cut off a hunk from the bear but worth it. He left the rest since it would be too much to carry. Maybe another traveler would be fortunate to find it soon.
After mostly horsebread for days, the meat was heaven when he cooked it over a fire later. Stuffed, he slept as close as possible to the warmth and couldn’t wait until he could have a bed again.
He was more looking forward to bringing Lumi back. He’d certainly sleep better knowing his brother was finally safe. Jaki wasn’t entirely sure about how to tell Elswere when the time came, although the truth would be a good place to start.
