"I see... Thanks, sweetheart."
Caleb ended the conversation he was having with the Duchess over his communicator, returning to his seat. In the past 24 hours, he and Jess had spent their ti travelling and resting in the wilds.
While he could have made the journey within a few minutes, he was in no rush. The king’s summons was most likely to simply reward him for the part he played in subjugating the demons and healing.
It was nightti, and the duo had decided to rest up in a forest a few kilotres away from the Crownlands. It was a place anyone would consider dangerous if they were not strong enough to traverse through.
But Caleb and Jess were not just anyone. They could afford to sit right in the heart of the forest and not fear the magical beasts around. Dealing with the creatures was as easy as flicking his fingers, scaring them off.
A quick look around and dinner was decided – boar at. They had prepared a small bonfire for the roasting as the two sat on logs and made small talk while waiting for the at to cook.
"How bad is it?" Jess asked with raised brows. "I bet they didn’t ntion how the Count actually died."
"It doesn’t really matter." Caleb shook his head with a sigh. "As far as they are concerned, we were in the Count’s manor and caused the explosion that killed him. We’re now wanted criminals with huge bounties on our heads."
"So we can’t just show our face in public?" Jess scoffed as she rolled her eyes. "Seems your relationship with the Duchess hasn’t spread yet. I’m surprised her people can keep their mouths shut."
For a minor noble to have the guts to go after the partner of their boss took a certain level of courage and craziness. That, or they had no clue that was the case.
The duo knew their little stunt with the Count was bound to raise waves. However, they had underestimated how fast news could travel and to what extent the Count’s family would go to seek retribution.
They were now public enemy number one – the nobles were calling for their heads. If no one knew his na before, now, the entire kingdom and their mothers knew.
Apparently, they were tagged ’noble’ killers – lawless individuals who believed they could do whatever they wanted. The two were basically taking the law into their hands, completely ignoring the laid-out protocols and laws for handling conflicts.
Caleb chuckled at the last part before his expression slowly turned serious. "And you’re right. Showing our faces in public would only draw unnecessary attention and trouble. Our priority should be eting the king."
"And how would that happen?" Jess was a bit sceptical. "Even if the Royal family owes you a great debt, his advisors and officials were not around during that ti.
"Your deed could be seen as a way to gain their trust before stabbing them in the back. People have been known to cook up elaborate sches to bring kingdoms to their knees, you know? One good deed doesn’t clear all the bad ones."
Her input was spot-on. With the reputation they currently held, it would be arrogant of them to think the king would still want to see him with the sa intentions as before.
This was the second ti Caleb’s na had been associated with harming a noble for no apparent reason. While the first noble could be said to have lived, it still did not inspire confidence in the authorities.
Nothing from the Royals was out yet, however, Jess could see the nobles using this incident to push their own agenda. And from what Duchess Silvia told them before they left, things could get really troubleso.
"..."
Caleb didn’t have an imdiate response to that. In all honesty, this was all new to him. He wasn’t one to particularly care about the authorities and their politics. He was a straight-up guy who discovered he enjoyed the thrill of the fight.
’She makes a good point. With our reputation, it would be hard to see the king normally, even if I choose to make it a private eting.’ Caleb pondered silently, his eyes glued to the roasting at. ’The king won’t be blindsided a second ti after what happened with the corruption scandal.’
While Caleb was lost in thought and considering his options, Jess focused on making the final touches to their dinner. She grabbed a plate by her side and sliced a large portion for Caleb.
She made sure to slice them up nicely before passing the plate to Caleb. "Here, I’m sure we’ll figure out sothing. For now, we have to eat."
"Thanks," Caleb accepted with a warm smile.
He had his own plans on how to et up with the king without being attacked on sight. His actions from a stranger’s point have been lawless, seemingly paying no respect to those in power. No one would feel safe around such a person, even if they helped you once.
’Betrayals co from those closest to us, huh...’ He picked up a piece of at and tossed it inside his mouth, gently chewing and appreciating the explosion of flavours. ’Mm, this is good...’
While he had no plans of betraying anyone, it was his word against his actions. He believed the Royals would at least give him the benefit of the doubt. Their side of the story wasn’t told at all.
Co the next day, they would be in the capital, and Caleb already had a way to reach out to the king privately. Hopefully, the king would agree to et them.
Soti later, Jess and Caleb finished their als, cleaned up and decided to get so rest. "I’ll take first watch. Go ahead without ." Caleb suggested.
"Mm," Jess nodded and moved towards Caleb. "Don’t think too much, alright?" She placed a soft kiss on Caleb’s cheeks before moving inside the set-up tent.
Caleb calmly watched Jess enter the tent before turning to stare at the flas. He picked up a stick to stoke the fire, his thoughts racing. ’Let’s see what tomorrow brings...’
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