The sun fully rose from its slumber. With the new day, the ex-prisoners knew they must continue moving away from the Den. They'd need new clothes, and new looks. The group gathered what little they had and set out, traveling through the forest, on the search for any town anywhere that would hold them. Nothing of them would aid them, their attire, their look, all would know they were trouble. Some would go and report the group to the guard or the local force. The group had nowhere to go. Too wary to enter towns, they hunted in the wild, continuously moving from small camp to small camp. A few of the group died.
Rilia had kept track and knew a week had passed by. At this point, the group started learning how to make their own clothes and had their hair cut over the time. They were ready to enter a town. It would be the town of Gorton, they'd enter. Upon arrival, the group wasn't met with disdain or worry, instead all that could be noticed was the burly brown haired man among them.
"A Free Executioner!" One man shouted.
This small town has never met one of the death bringers. But the tales of them still spread far. Some questioned why the Executioner traveled in a group, but none had the courage to speak to one so widely revered. From the crowd came the town's leader. An older man, short and tempered.
"Executioner! Why do you travel with such odd folk? Why have you come to Gorton?" The older man said.
Dathma stayed silent. He didn't wish to speak. Rilia tried to speak but her attempt was squashed. The town would only trust the words of a Executioner.
"My next execution lies among the group I travel with, as by my oath, they shall not die until they reach their final destination." Dathma said without pause nor moment to gather his words. He continued.
"We've come to Gorton, as that is what my execution, and the group they travel with, wanted. That is all it is."
Gorton's leader smiled.
"If that is true dear Executioner, then I apologize for the trouble we've caused. Our town doesn't see folk too often. Most who come are traders or Merchants from the Realm."
The leader asked all of the town to return to their lives and treat the new travelers as one of their own. The townsfolk listened and the group began using things gathered on their travels to barter. Clothes, foods, weapons, they got as many things as they could. But some of the group stole from the townsfolk, two were found out. The stealing angered the townsfolk greatly and the hostilities between them and the group worsened and worsened. After only two days, the group was back on the road, two members short. Luckily, they'd gotten a map in town.
When night came, the group resorted to its old camping. Rilia looked over the map and began speaking to Casimar, who still had much weighing on his mind.
"What was it you said a week ago, Casimar? That you'd take the Kingdom from its King?" Rilia asked.
"Yes, what of it?" Casimar asked back.
"I'm just wondering if you were serious about the entire endeavor or if you were just showing your extreme hatred for the King."
"Of course I'm serious, I'm just waiting for this group to settle in so I can start my journey for the East."
"You wish to go it alone, jester?"
"I do."
It was then when Rilia revealed to Casimar she hadn't planned on going out of her way to save him. But once she found out he was the Royal Jester, she knew he could be an asset. Now that the group were on their feet and looked more than weary travelers, they could go their separate ways after reaching the stalwart city of the Eastern end of the Kingdom. Ladrio. Rilia told Casimar that she was a member of the Eastern Crest. A group fighting to free themselves from the tyranny of King Magito, and she wanted Casimar to join that fight. Casimar looked to Dathma, as if for guidance, but obviously none came as Dathma sat in silence. Casimar questioned why Rilia hadn't told him this yet. She answered: "Well if we weren't going to survive, there'd have been no point."
"But my executioner wouldn't let me die." Casimar responded.
"I meant me and the others, Casimar."
Casimar in his travels had noticeably become quiet. He also seemed lost in thought and aware of only the thoughts floating in his mind. Rilia had come to notice this.
"If you wish to take away the Kingdom, then why didn't you try and help us in Gorton? Even if I was cut off, you could have still tried." Rilia asked.
"Gorton is a small village, impressing them is unnecessary, I need to impress armies not people." Casimar said back, sternly.
"Armies are made up of everyday people Casimar."
Casimar knew what she was saying, that he needed to be more active if he wished to achieve his goal. He didn't trust Rilia, at least not that much, but her words still rang true. She'd Casimar much too think on for their journey to Ladrio. But it wouldn't be short, and he'd need to accomplish and learn more on his way.
In Spalio, Contavion returned to his brother with not a single word of good news. Magito could say one word to his brother after hearing his words.
"Go."
Contavion fled the room and once again Magito sat in silence. His son was listening in from outside the room. He didn't understand a single lick of it. But he knew his father's malice. A maid finally got up and found the boy. She would bring him back to his studies, where he'd stay till night came. But he did ask one thing.
"Madam, where is mother?"
She couldn't answer, all while, in the capital accompanied by guards, was Amerala. Amerala's eyes were red from days of crying. Her husband had decided he wanted nothing more to do with her but she wouldn't be allowed to go free. While in her captivity, she'd grown dizzy and started to crave more food. It took time, but she eventually realized that she was pregnant with the Jester's child. She knew she'd have to hide all of her temptations. If word of her pregnancy reached the King, hell would be brought upon her and her unborn child. She knew she couldn't hide it forever. Despite it all, the child brought some comfort to the grieving woman's heart.