His Executioner

Casimar continued his travels among the escapees. He never entertained or cared for a single one of them besides Rilia. His follower Dathma never let up. Not for a millisecond. His stamina was more than all of the escapees combined. With time passed, the escapees entered a new town, or rather a small city on the river Hart. Harten was ruled by a woman who dressed herself as a man. She went by "Callum." Only the largest cities and regions were governed by lords deemed fit by Magito. A newer city like Harten still had time before royal intervention. Callum was a soft ruler. Letting the city folk do as they pleased. Harten's river militia acted as its policing force.

The escapees entered the town through its one entrance. A bridge crossing over Hart river. None of the escapees aroused suspicion. Why would they? The militia instead had all eyes on the Free Executioner. However, once Casimar told the militia that the Executioner was traveling with him. Intrigue arose.

"You are due for death?" A river militiaman asked.

"I am." Casimar answered.

"Did you ask for an executioner yourself? Are you that unhappy in the world?"

"It's complicated."

"As are all things. Welcome to Harten."

The militia allowed Casimar entry. They didn't even question Dathma who walked right through the city's entrance. Each step he took rattled the bridge. The old logs crackled. The ropes strained. But the bridge held for Dathma. The group entered the city. So many stared at Dathma. As was usual. But Harten wasn't awestruck at just Dathma. They were awestruck at the fact two Free Executioners graced their fair city with their presence at the same time. As Casimar's group walked the cobblestone streets of Harten, they came across a tavern. Many of the group wished to drink and waste away for a couple hours. Through the tavern window. Rilia saw another large man, draped in the black cloak of the Executioners.

The group entered the tavern and immediately, the Executioners caught looks at each other. Their mutual respect for each other could be read through the looks on their faces. Executioners on duty kept to themselves and their victims. When off duty in the Executioner offices around the realm they could act more welcoming and less formal. But when on the job. Mere gazes were all Executioners used to communicate with one another. The other Executioner sat across from an old man, wishing to go out painlessly.

Casimar's group all bought themselves drinks. Rilia, Casimar, and Dathma stayed sober. Dathma sat a table away from Casimar to give him privacy. He would only sit with Casimar if asked to by Casimar. Rilia and Casimar spoke whilst the others drank.

"Only a week from Ladrio now, Casimar." Rilia said.

"Hmph. Then the real work begins soon. What is your position in the Eastern Crest?" Casimar asked.

"Well, before I was jailed three years ago, I was one of the leader's top advisers."

"How does the crest's leadership work?"

"There are many sects inside the crest. But atop them all is the leader, Onus. He gives his advisers reasonable big amounts of power. He acted as a check on all of us."

"Seems like he is still all powerful. Who keeps him in check?"

"The other sects. Our system is odd but it only exists for the now. When we get in power, things will be different. There won't be a King anymore."

Casimar found the thought distasteful. He wanted to steal the Kingdom, not destroy it. Casimar wouldn't say this to Rilia. For now, they needed each other.

"Destroying the entire monarchy is extreme is it not? Spalis has had many great kings." Casimar said.

"Then you should blame Magito for his heartless rule. You know what he is like first hand. You were his jester after all. He threw you in prison because he didn't like a joke or yours. He is demented Casimar!" Rilia said passionately.

"That is not why, Rilia."

Casimar didn't wish to tell Rilia or anyone why the King had thrown him out. He didn't believe it to be of his benefit currently.

"So what, you wish to keep the King? How would we? His brother falls in line. We have no clue on the ideas of his son. Changing the system is better. So we never deal with a bad son again." Rilia argued.

"You can restart the royal line. There can be a new royal family. Maybe it would have some connections to the old one, but it would be different from the Kultis line."

"The new line can sour and picking who is worthy to become the new King and the new Royal line would be impossible."

"It's not impossible and all it takes is changing how the King rules."

"You can argue this more with Onus. It's not me you must convince."

Rilia and Casimar moved on from the subject. Instead they spoke of the past. Rilia began to pester Casimar on his past. She wondered of his origins and where the great Royal Jester came from. Casimar laid out his origins from northwestern Spalis on the border with Farahbo.

"A northwesterner, aye?"

Rilia chuckled at the thought. Most from the Northwest remained there, they even had their own separate dialect. The lands of northwest always gave an eerie feel, due to the effects of the old war. The Northwest's population was low but its tales were vast. Magito had picked an odd one for his Royal Jester. As Rilia began to speak of her childhood in the East, a man was thrown into the bar through its wooden-shuttered window. It was one of the town's militia, and he'd stabbed through the stomach with his own spear.

From outside the bar walked in, Fritus de Arabel.