Rowan

Chapter Twenty Two

Whoop finally reached 100 pages on the word doc for this story omg. Part is just a deleted thing I decided not to use BUT it still counts. Enjoy loves! This chapter is longer than usual I definitely thought it would be short as heck.

Chapter Twenty Two

Word has spread quickly of the body of the forest, like a disease finding new victims. It had started off as being blamed by an animal but that was twisted and played with until it was now blamed on the King, who should have never left the castle.

More people began leaving, scared because of the killing. They had believed they were fine before as it had been quite some time since the King had left the castle. But now with the body, no one thought they were safe anymore.

The castle had grown so quiet that it echoed throughout each hall. I seldom saw anyone else when I walked up to the King's room, excluding the times Sage and Todd were by my side. Even the cook had left, leaving us all to fend for ourselves. Sage and I took turns cooking while Shaterria would run into town and fetch anything needed.

I had taken the King back to the castle when Sage found and informed us that the councilmen were no longer there. Since then, King Sandalius had not left his room. I supposed I would not either if I was not sure whether I killed a man or not.

I had taken to keeping him company and making sure the curtains were drawn back in an attempt to at least expose him to the sun. Todd joined me each time, although he was reluctant. But as time passed, he'd grown to learn the King was not just a predator. Now, instead of slinking into a corner, he would sniff around the room in curiosity before finding something to mess with.

At the moment, I was with the King who was sitting in a chair with his head in his hands. I could see his thumbs rubbing his temples in a slow, circular motion as if trying to smooth out his irritations. However, it did not seem to be working because he'd been doing so for quite some time.

"Kieran," I murmured, hoping to catch his attention. I came upstairs every day in hopes of continuing the conditioning we'd been working on. I would talk to him and get him to walk around the room, sometimes guiding him downstairs when I assured him that most had already left. He would believe me occasionally, but for most days he did not, just as he hadn't today.

It had succeeded, his hazel eyes flickering up and studying mine. "Perhaps a walk will help? We do not have to stray far," I said, watching as he shook his head immediately.

Sage, who had been keeping Todd company, spoke up. "We can all walk downstairs. We do not have to leave the walls of the castle. Most have packed and left so we will most likely not encounter another." I looked at him briefly, giving him a thankful gaze, before walking closer to the King.

"I am not going downstairs. That is final," he said firmly, looking away from me and out the window. No matter how hard he worked, I could catch a glimpse of longing in his eyes. He'd experienced the outside world for the first time in a long time and had just begun to realize what he had been missing.

"You cannot continue to sit here moping like a child!" I snapped, both pairs of eyes turning towards me. I frowned, crossing my arms. "I will stand by what I said. I allowed you to take it easy for a bit because I knew this was hard but you cannot progress if you do not go anywhere but in this room. There's only so much we can do here," I said a little more softly, my voice losing the edge it had.

The King was improving, that much I could say with unwavering certainty. However, he was already beginning to retreat back into the man I had met before, losing his hope and any bit of change that had happened. Staying in this room would only continue his downward spiral until he crashed at the bottom.