Collapse (Part 3), Scene v1

Kismet grabbed the unlit torch on the other side of the tunnel entrance before they ventured forth. They walked and walked through the cave, finding no sign of the entrance. Delphi clung onto Kismet’s arm with every step, eyeing her surroundings warily. “Are we almost there? I’m tired, and my feet hurt.”

“Hopefully it’s not far from here, but there’s still no way to tell. We must’ve been really deep inside,” replied the general.

“Here, I’ll carry you if your feet hurt,” said Kismet, handing the extra torch to General Raze. The Catheran scooped the princess into her arms. She was covered in dirt and small scratches, but luckily no blood. Her frightened face and disheveled hair pained Kismet. The Catheran feared what hardships of reality may come next.

“Say, Razelin. Why did you come back to the garden, anyway?” asked the king.

“Kismet received a warning from Lucas that you were in danger.”

“I found him a little north of his home, but I was too late. He’d been stabbed by the time I found him. He told me something terrible was going to happen, but I was attacked before I could learn more from him,” explained Kismet.

“He was stabbed?! Why would someone do that?” asked Delphi

“He obviously knew something, and someone didn’t want him to tell anyone,” answered King Marcus. “It’s such a shame too. I heard he was a great person, and a promising candidate. May The Great Goddess show him peace.”

For hours they walked through the darkness, following the withering torch flame. Hunger gnawed at their bellies, and their throats began to dry. Kismet still carried the princess in her arms since she said nothing of wanting to walk again, but the Catheran didn’t mind. The young princess curled against her body to hide from the frigid air of the cave. The four of them slowed down as the king let out a small laugh when a small unused campsite sat before them. “Looks like they really planned everything out. I must admit, I’m impressed by whoever organized this. To calculate where this cave leads to, and dig a tunnel right to the greenhouse, it must’ve been in the works for quite some time.”

Even Kismet found it a bit unusual for the king to be so positive after what happened that morning. But looking at Delphi’s reaction, it did seem to distract her from their grim situation. She probably didn’t realize what creatures might’ve been living in the caves, or the possibility of more people waiting for the men who abducted the king. There was no doubt he understood the situation they were in, but he always protected Delphi. “Since this is here, it must mean the entrance is still quite a ways away. Maybe we should rest for awhile,” suggested General Raze.

“You read my mind. I’m not used to all this walking, and a warm fire would be nice right about now,” agreed King Marcus, walking to the pile of folded blankets near the stone wall.

“Please rest, Your Majesty. Let me take care of that.” The general quickly lit the fire pit and went to the king’s side.

“It’s fine Razelin, I’ll do this. Tend to the fire, and see if there’s any food or water around. I’m parched,” he insisted.

Kismet set Delphi on the first blanket the king laid out. The young princess looked around with a frown. “The ground is hard and cold. Isn’t there anything softer?”

“Sorry, but it doesn’t seem like it. I don’t see anything else here,” said the general, returning to the fire.

King Marcus finished laying out a fourth blanket next to the fire, adjacent to Delphi. He handed her the spare blanket. “Guess we’ll just have to make due with what we have. At least we have a fire to warm us up.”




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