Banished Prince Charming

Chapter 15 - Sharing Is Caring.

"Mars... Are you asleep?" a soft girl's voice broken the silence inside the shelter as I think the other occupant might be thinking why I kept tossing and turning in my sleep. That voice belongs to Heather, and she was the only only one that knew of my pet name.

"Not really... This is the first time having you lay down beside me and I can't help and wonder what would happen in the next few days and weeks or even months to come..."

I spoke gently to her and tried not to wake the rest of the settlers who might be cupping their ears to listen to the chaotic aftermath when they placed a man and a woman together in a confined space.

I slowly sat up and sat cross-legged while Heather too did the same as me. It seemed that both of us would have a long night of... Talking!

"Mars... I knew that it may be abrupt for you to make such a decision in your life but rest assured that it would be best solely for you. My parents had steeped over to the other side for some time now and even though when I reflect back thinking of them, my heart felt like a sharp razor had run through it."

"The pain is still there, yearning for them and I knew you would be doing the same thing for the members of your royal family. Nevertheless, I am ready to be by your side and to give you all the support that you need."

Heather spoke up while she sat across me and tried to peer into my face with the mellow light of the moon that was bright in the cloudless sky.

"When did you become so serious? The last time I remembered was that we were having a tea party in the cellar with Tanya. Your parents got sick and so does the rest of the town folks. More than half got well and your parents succ.u.mb to the unknown illness."

"It seems like yesterday we were having the tea party and now we are cohabiting together in this shelter. Time really waits for no man and the present right now seems unfathomable." I voiced my thoughts to Heather.

"Let's not talk about the past. We could only use that as an example in life and what we could do right now is to look forward in life. What do you intend to look forward to and what do you wish to achieve in your life?"

"There are so many things happening in my mind as well as in my heart but no words were able to be formed at the moment. We could only plan for the future but God would have the final say."

I tried to form the right words in my head before u open up my mouth to say those what I had been planning to say. I had learnt it from the old King that forming words without thinking had no means to be retracted.

"They would be building an earthen oven tomorrow right? That was your initial plan since there's a similar oven in the Royal kitchen before."

"That's right. A large earthen oven that would be used to produce baked loaves of bread. Even though we might have a few ingredients but I am sure it won't be a big deal. Bread without any preservatives might be able to last longer in cooler weather."

"Mars, do you realise that this is the stages in rebuilding the lives of the people around you and giving them a glimmer of hope towards a better life in the future? Without your investments, things would not work out and our life would stagnate right until the day we become old, withered and then die."

I thought for a while, absorbing her words that really made sense. Hope is what these people were looking for and hope was what I would be able to provide at the moment. Fortunately, everyone was able to help and chip in with their support expertise even though we lacked a Blacksmith at the moment.

The mention of the nomads sparked an interest within me and I am looking forward to their arrival. I understand from Marcel the merchant that these nomads had an excellent way of handling their livestock, moving from one place to another and practically living off the land.

Deep down, I was hoping to develop this tiny settlement as much as possible but the sudden insurgence of popular ion might swindle the provisions at a drastic rate.

"Yes... Everyone is looking forward to hope and expects to have a better living standard at the end of it. I too, am hoping to build the foundation that had been laid by our people."

"Tomorrow there would be an earthen oven and the next project I have in my mind would be a wooden bridge or platform to safely cross over to the other side of the bank without getting wet."

"Then the improvements in the storage c.h.e.s.t where we store our food to make it sturdier and more lasting. For all those items that were being made as a temporary measure, it would then be rebuilt to make it a more homely place. Don't you think so?"

"I agree with you, Mars. At least you have your plans for the future and this would also bring hopes to the lives who would be living underneath you." Heather spoke up as she shifted to sit close to the uncovered entrance.

The doorway was left open to let the draft in since we weren't intending to do anything at all. Heather sat there with her back against the edge of the doorway as she hugged her knees close to her c.h.e.s.t.

Sir Blackie who positioned itself in front of the doorway on the spacious ground noticed our movement and decide to prowl the surrounding before returning to rest at its usual spot. He would be doing this several times in the night and taking its test in between with one ear perked up to detect any intrusion.

Sometimes I wondered if this poor dog had suffered the same fate as us before it decided to be part of this tiny settlement that had been christened to be called 'GraceHaven'.

"That's where you are a bit wrong, Heather. A ruler walks among his followers and never will have his follower to be underneath him. If the foundation is not strong, a ruler would be easily overthrown. Simply because any ruler who is standing above his followers would definitely rule with an iron fist."

"The old King is not like one of those. He settled for a Manor instead for a grand castle. The Manor was made of wood panellings and was quite humble even though it was 3 floors high."

"There was no moat surrounding it and town folks would be able to come and meet the old King if they have any kind of difficulties. Isn't that right?" I replied to her in the best of knowledge on how the old King would be ruling the kingdom.

Not only does it impose lesser restrictions, but it also gives a boost whenever areas that need to be enhanced such as the favourability and fairness towards the people. "A ruler ensures peace and tranquillity as well as fair trade commerce that would be a win-win situation for the people and visiting merchants alike."

"You are right, Mars. I overlooked on certain areas and lost my perspective a while back. You had been taught well, Mars. I am proud of you. You would carry the Macleod's family name with great honour." Heather finally sighed as she gazed at the large moon above.

"You too are a Macleod the moment you step into this household. Even though there nothing much to look at right now, but as long as this shelter keeps away from the sun and the rain, it's a blessing for us right now."

"I'm going to rest now, you too have your rest as well. I'm going to announce to them my plans right after they had completed the earthen oven and bake it under the sun for some days before firing it. Once it's ready, we would be having our own bread very soon."

'At the meantime, we would be thankful for the pan baked ones first. As long as there's something that would fill our tummies, I would consider that as better than starving with nothing to eat."

"Alright then, I'm off to sleep. I would like to see the kind of seeds and the method of regrowing the used vegetables from Kayla. Goodnight Heather." I then laid down on the thatched floor covering and curled up in a fetal position, trying my best to sleep.

"Goodnight my Banished Prince Charming." Heather crawled on all fours towards her side and she laid down as well... And felt that this night is the first night that seemed to be the most chill of all nights.

All because this was due that she had given away her favourite blanket for the children instead.