Always yourself, Part II

Two days after the Cursed King's defeat.

Betta placed the hammer in Jacks' hands, ensuring he'd have a tight grip on it. Her expression was just as stiff, and to any of the knights around it'd seem like she was grieving for a lost companion.

Oscar and I were doing just that, true.

Yet Betta…

The mere fact that she couldn't hide the shake of her fingers as they placed the shield on top of the hammer hinted at the frailty of her composure.

She stepped down from the small boat. On board, Jacks was tied to a hardwood platform—the type that wouldn't float in water. Now that she'd finished the last part of the arrangements, the priest proceeded with the ceremony.

As he chanted, all other knights—including Oscar and even Betta—silently prayed along.

But I…

I didn't.

I couldn't.

On one hand, because I wasn't certain what to believe in anymore.

On the other, because even if I still wanted to follow the Church’s teachings, I was blaspheming at this very moment by hiding a Cursed's offspring. If what they preached was true, I was becoming a follower of the Unholy.

If it wasn't… then I was saving a life.

Which should be the correct thing to do, shouldn't it?

"Drill it into your head, Cory, the first person you must save is always yourself. Not out of any egoistic sense of preservation, but because that's the best way you'll be able to aid others," Jacks had told me once.

"You're the type of boy to put himself in danger in order to save someone. I respect that. It's the mark of a true Paladin. But it's also a terrible habit—an instinct that you must restrain."

It was ironic—if not downright offensive—that he'd tell me such a thing. Jacks had sacrificed himself to protect Oscar. It only made sense that I wouldn't heed his advice.

And thus, there was someone I didn't care about saving. It simply wasn't a priority. What was more, they were also the one person whose mistakes I'd never forgive, because they had to do better than that.

Because it was your fault that Jacks died.

The priest began rowing the boat away from the coast. It was a slow process, and everyone present would wait every second of it, watching the vessel get smaller and smaller.

When he got deep enough into the lake, to the point that the boat was just a brown leaf in the green mass of water, he took a torch and burned the ropes keeping the platform on board. And so, Jacks slid down into the water, still tied to his bed, which then sank at the bottom.

Back to where life first came from.

ᗢ᠃ ⚘ ˚ ⚘᠂ ⚘ ˚ 𖦹 ˚ ⚘ ᠂ ⚘ ˚ ⚘᠃ ♡

Two months after the Cursed King's defeat.

Bringing an unhatched egg that I had to keep concealed for a four-month trip was definitely not my brightest idea.

Well, at least this also meant I'd done a good job caring for it.

Since it hatched. Right in the middle of the night. Then started scurrying around my tent like a brat jumping around his new room.

The semblance with its mother wasn't quite there yet—this thing looked like an oversized crystal mark with six legs. It was even transparent like one.

But as long as it remained the size of my palm for a little longer, I'd probably be able to keep it hidden.

If I could just get my hands on it.

"Can you stay still for one second?" I hissed.

My words seemed to mean something to it, as the critter did stop sprinting around the tent. However, the message it got wasn't quite what I'd intended—it went from sprinting through the place to scuttling around my body like I was a jungle gym. Took about twenty minutes of nonstop dashing for the thing to slow down enough that I could catch it. When I did, it started munching on my finger.

"Well, at least you make your intentions clear."

One of my bags was full of all kinds of preserved snacks—raisins, rice crackers, dried fish and various types of nuts, mainly cashews. I laid out everything while not letting go of the little menace and one by one brought each of the treats to its mouth.

I knew I'd found something it liked when it stopped biting my finger. The bugger ate about its entire weight in dried fish and raisins, then got so still I worried I'd fed it something I shouldn't have.

"Did you fall asleep?"

My next thought was to put it back in the bag so I wouldn't need to play another game of catch in the morning. Yet when I tried to place it there the legs wrapped around my thumb and refused to let go.

"Fine, fine, let's find a compromise that will get the two of us what we want."

I tied the bag closed with both my right hand and the creature inside. The one problem was that I didn't know whether the small guy still needed abundant water or if it was better to poke holes in the bag for airflow.

ᗢ᠃ ⚘ ˚ ⚘᠂ ⚘ ˚ 𖦹 ˚ ⚘ ᠂ ⚘ ˚ ⚘᠃ ♡

Morning came, and fortunately the lil' guy hadn't woken up yet. I carefully undid the grip of its legs around my fingers, and managed to keep it inside the bag. I'd also found a delicate balance where I kept some water at the bottom but also a few holes on the upper part.

The rest of our routine went as usual and without my… umm… 'pet' causing any suspicion.

Although 'usual' had lately been less lively than in the past. Betta had kept to herself ever since Jacks passed away, and while Oscar managed to get her to show a hint of sweetness from time to time, it was only a spoonful of sugar in a barrel of coffee.

Fortunately, there was someone else there to support her.

"Aw you big baby, can't you see I'm busy gathering up my stuff?" Betta said to Amanita when she nudged her from behind. "You want attention that much, eh? You do? You do? Com'ere."

She threw herself at the oxen and, despite her weighing about a twentieth what the animal, Amanita still dropped on the ground. Betta cuddled her entire side by waving her arms like she was making a mud angel on her fur.

'Her'. That's right. Amanita is a 'she'.

So even if I didn't know my little buddy's gender, I should've at least been addressing them with something other than 'it'.

What about a name?

Hmm…

People called the mother a Cursed King so… for now I could call them Prince and if I ever figured out they were female I could change it to Princess.

Yeah, that works.

I'm going to take good care of you, little Prince. I promise.