The two soldiers who had been looking for a spring came back with both hands full carrying a wooden bucket filled with water. They just got the buckets near the springs they found. Most likely someone had left the buckets there before.
Everyone immediately surrounded the two soldiers.
Yes, of course everyone is very thirsty. Even Lucy, who was still crying, kept moving closer and Athena helped her to drink. Aubrey also approached all of them. The girl is already holding a wide leaf and looks clean. Then she dipped the leaf into the water in the bucket, then she tried to drink gracefully using the broad leaf.
No one commented or gawked at how gracefully Aubrey drank. Everyone doesn't care about that. The important thing is that they have succeeded in wetting their throats with clean water that comes from a spring.
After drinking, they sat for a moment to feel the water they had drunk flow slowly towards the stomach. Of course they were all hungry, but there was no food. So just by drinking a lot, it can lie to their stomachs that feel sore from hunger.
"I'm sorry, prince. Since earlier I just stayed here to wait for anyone to come. So I didn't think about the condition of my stomach and didn't try to find food." Athena said who looked guilty.
But Royce shook his head and his lips smiled a little. His dry and slightly chapped lips began to smile. "It's okay, Athena. We are all in a state of anxiety and panic. And the task of finding food at a time like this, is not your job. We are all the same people now. Don't think of me as the crown prince anymore. Even now we are all in the forest. We're not in the palace anymore. I also don't wear my crown anymore. So, for all of you, consider me just an ordinary young man." Royce said.
Athena remained silent. Frans and the six soldiers were also silent and they lowered their heads. Of course they all felt awkward if they had to comply with the request.
Meanwhile, Nancy managed to put Lucy to sleep. Nancy sat leaning against the wall of the small building, then her legs were straight. And Lucy lay with her head resting on Nancy's left thigh. Then Nancy patted Lucy's arm gently, until the teenage girl began to fall asleep.
And Aubrey was still pensive. She was still sitting there hugging her knees. Her eyes looked glazed and her face looked so tired. The girl had also removed the crown from her head. And she threw the crown in any direction.
While Erick and Edgar were already lying in the small building. They had finished being treated by Nancy and they both had to rest to recover.
"I understand that you all still feel very awkward with me. And I'm grateful that you all still respect me. But please, now I'm the same as you. I even lost my parents. I'm no longer a crown prince." Royce said again.
"But I believe, I will always believe that you will return to the Diamond Kingdom as crown prince and wrest that power from Jackson. You will remain a crown prince to all of us, Prince." Frans said.
And all seemed to nod, so did Athena. Meanwhile, Royce felt that what Frans had said was impossible.
"Fine, then it's up to you. But I hope that in a few days time, you won't have to think of me as a crown prince anymore." Royce said.
Frans felt sad that he chose to turn his face in another direction. The six soldiers also just kept quiet and didn't want to look at Royce.
"Ah, we'd better bury the King and Queen immediately." Frans said. The man deliberately diverted the conversation.
Royce immediately stood up and he agreed with Frans' words. The six soldiers immediately stood up and prepared to carry the bodies of the king and queen to be buried somewhere in the forest.
They couldn't postpone the burial to tomorrow morning. The bodies of the king and queen would start to smell bad and would be swarmed by lots of flies. So they had to do the burial quickly and this very night.
If the bodies of the king and queen were left waiting until morning, Frans was afraid that he would invite many wild animals such as snakes or tigers.
Royce pulled out one of the torches stuck in the ground. Then he approached Athena first. "Sorry, I had to take one of the torches with me. When I get back, I'll make three more."
Athena nodded. "Yes. Take care, prince. Where will you bury them?"
"It's not far from here. My mother really liked the beach. I think I'll bury them at the edge of the forest facing the beach. I'll tell you in the morning where their graves are."
"Ah, all right."
"You don't sit here alone, Athena. Join Aubrey. It's been suffocating for me to see her sitting like that. Can you calm Aubrey and put her to sleep?" It turns out that Royce always pays attention to everyone around him. He also still cares for Aubrey.
Athena smiled and he nodded. Then Royce immediately followed Frans and the six soldiers who had already walked off while carrying the bodies of his parents.
There was only one torch still stuck in the ground. The light from a single torch couldn't illuminate much of the area. But that one torch was enough to keep them safe from the little bugs.
Athena sat beside Aubrey. She follows Aubrey's sitting style, which is sitting hugging her knees.
"Are you cold, princess Aubrey?"
Aubrey shook her head. "Not."
"Then why have you been sitting like that since earlier? Even now it's not winter and the temperature tonight isn't cold either. If it's cold, the dress we wear is also enough to warm the body. Sitting like that for no apparent reason will only make you feel cramped in your legs." Athena said.
"No. My legs are fine. I don't have low blood pressure!!"
Athena smiled at Aubrey's words, which sounded annoyed. "Hmm, fine then."
"Then why are you imitating my sitting position?" Ask Aubrey. She began to be interested in interacting with Athena.
"I just wanted to try it. But apparently my legs don't like sitting like that." Athena replied. Then she immediately straightened her legs and sat back comfortably.
Aubrey didn't answer again. The girl just stared straight at the forest road that looked so dark ahead.
"You were waiting for your father to come pick you up?" Athena asked.
"Yes."
"I don't think that will happen tonight, Princess Aubrey. Prince Royce said, it is very likely that King Philip is still walking alone to the Kingdom of Crystalball. Then he will try to discuss with all his troops. And Prince Royce said, it is likely that King Philip does not dare to order his troops to attacked Jackson. All of the Diamond Kingdom's soldiers were lost. Jackson's troops are still hundreds in there."
Hearing those words, Aubrey turned to Athena. "Then won't my father come to pick me up? Doesn't my father worry about me and let me here?"
"It's not like that, princess Aubrey. Your father will definitely keep trying to find you. But I'm sure it won't happen any time soon. The situation right now is still very chaotic. And tomorrow morning we must move to a safer place. We have to find another place first that contains residents. If it's been about a week, then it's safe enough to move again."
"Then, you forbid me from returning to my kingdom?"
"No, princess Aubrey. Prince Royce already has a plan. He will escort you to the Diamond Kingdom, when conditions are clear. Therefore, calm down. And you should go to sleep soon. Staying up all night in the woods like this will only give you a headache." Athena said softly.
Aubrey snorted softly. She didn't reply to Athena's words. But she immediately straightened her legs, and she began to try to close her eyes. Even though she slept in a sitting position like that, Aubrey still tried to make herself comfortable.
Athena smiled. At least she managed to get Aubrey to do what she said. Then she also tried to fall asleep and ignored the sound of her hungry stomach.
*****