CHAPTER 79: JOURNEY TO THE WEST [2]

"Please, please..." Aeron said as he raised both hands in surrender.

"Identify yourself," the man behind him commanded, with his blade still pressing against Aeron’s neck.

"Calm down," Aeron replied nervously. "I am not an enemy, just a wanderer."

The man scoffed. "A wanderer? A wanderer who has been following us for miles? That can’t be a coincidence, you know, right?"

Aeron opened his mouth to explain, but before he could, a voice came from behind.

"Stop, Ser Odegard."

The sword was lowered at once. Aeron turned and saw Ser Devic riding forward, with several guards following close behind. Devic was calm as he went closer to Aeron.

"Do you not know him?" Devic asked Odegard. "He is harmless."

Odegard sheathed his blade and stepped back. Aeron let out a breath of relief as Devic came to stand in front of him.

"And so we meet again, young dragon," Devic said with a faint smile.

"Ser Devic, thank the stars," Aeron replied with his voice calming from the tension.

"I didn’t think I would see you so soon," Devic said. "Now tell me, what are you doing here?"

Aeron glanced around at the circle of guards. He saw how they looked at him and how their hands rested close to their swords. He hesitated, not wanting to speak openly before them. Devic noticed he wasn’t at ease. With a wave of his hand, he led Aeron aside, away from the others, until they stood some distance ahead.

For a moment, neither of them spoke. Then Devic said in a calm voice. "He didn’t make it... did he?"

Aeron’s face looked sad. He gave a small nod.

"Tell me," Devic asked quietly, "where did it happen?"

Aeron swallowed before replying. "It was the night after we left the capital. We had almost reached home and stopped at a village in the north. He said we should rest the night at an inn. But when morning came... he was gone."

Devic closed his eyes and bowed his head. "May he rest well." For a long while there was silence between them. Then Devic lifted his face again and looked at Aeron’s eyes. "And his family? How did they take it?"

"At first, badly," Aeron admitted. "But they are strong, like he was. In time, they came to accept it. They are managing now."

Devic gave a slow nod, though his sorrow was still clear. Then his gaze hardened slightly. "And what about you, young dragon? What are you doing here, following the Phoenix Guards of all people? I thought you never wanted anything to do with the capital again. I thought you would forget this place and never return. Yet here you are."

Aeron looked away. "I did," he said. "I wanted nothing more than to forget this place. The capital is the last place I ever wished to see again." He took a deep breath and turned back to Devic. "But I had no choice. There is trouble in the kingdom, greater than before, and every capable person is needed. Even me."

"You sound just like your father," Devic said with a small smile. "He always knew how bad things were, but he would still risk himself to save others."

"Yeah," Aeron replied quietly. "And that’s what got him killed."

Devic’s smile faded. "Seems like someone finally told you what really happened."

Aeron gave a bitter laugh. "I wish she hadn’t. It’s not an easy truth to hear."

"Perhaps not," Devic said softly. "But here you are, still standing. So tell me... are you heading to the war, or are you searching for the princess?"

"I only wanted to know about the war," Aeron answered. "How it really went, what really happened. That’s why I followed you."

Devic took a deep breath. "No talk of the princess?"

Aeron stayed silent.

Devic’s gaze lingered on him for a moment before he spoke. "Well, the battle is over now. And how it went..." He paused, shaking his head. "It was bad. Very bad. I’ve never heard of anything like it."

He shifted in his saddle, looking out at the horizon. "I wasn’t there myself. The Phoenix Guards were ordered to remain at the palace. Rumors said Lord Vanyr was preparing a rebellion, and since his sudden disappearance, there’s been no word of him. Because of that, the princess went to war with only the generals and the armies at her side. But they were crushed.

"The defeat was overwhelming. The generals barely escaped with their lives, dragging what was left of their men with them. They say the fighting lasted all night... and by morning, the enemy had vanished. So had the princess." He said.

Aeron frowned. "All night and a very high number of armies fell? So these enemies... are they really what people say? Bones?"

Devic nodded slowly. "I’ve never seen them with my own eyes. But when we arrived after the battle, the fields were littered with skeletons, rotted bones, not fresh ones. No living enemy remained. So yes... I believe the stories. They are what people call them." He lowered his voice. "But whether they captured the princess, or whether she fell in battle, we don’t know. Her body was never found."

Aeron’s eyes hardened. "Well, I have no interest in looking for her. Not after everything that’s happened."

Devic studied him closely. "Listen boy, none of the history between your families is her fault. All she ever did was be born as the king’s daughter. That’s not her crime."

Aeron’s jaw tightened. "Her father murdered mine. My father served him loyally, and he killed him in cold blood. That’s all I know."

"Served him loyally, yes," Devic agreed. "But think carefully. Why would a king move so quickly to kill a loyal friend? Ask yourself, if things were as simple as you believe, would you still be alive now?"

Aeron blinked, caught off guard. "What do you mean?"

Devic leaned closer. "I mean, the king gave your father a chance to live, and he gave it away.

"..."