Hunted Queen

Chapter Fifty Two • Roads

Hello loves! As a thank you for sticking with me and this story, here is a bonus chapter for this week ❤️ Also, this story reached 90K reads this weekend!

Thank you so much ❤️

Lots of Love to all of you!

-Jade- 

Each village they traveled through on their journey, Jade's suspicions about Rowan's treatment of his people became reality. A gruesome and awful one to witness, but true nonetheless. 

Homes that were close enough to the roads, had been plagued by soldiers heading to the front. Just like Eirir's farm, many had met their end by fire. Leaving burnt remnants as a token of their presence, putting families on the streets without protection and no way of earning their living because there was usually nothing left. People had had their livestock taken without fair compensation, others' had been taken, or stolen, and those who put up a fight had been dealt with in savage ways. 

Jade had grimaced in disgust and horror when a villager had told her and her companions that the king's men had showed up one day and unleashed hell upon him for not giving up his possessions. They had demanded him to hand over his goats, chickens and whatever grain he had for the purpose of feeding those at the front. Upon being refused and told that they needed to pay, he had been brutally beaten nearly to death in the streets in front of his friends and family. Jade had almost hurled what little content her stomach held when he reluctantly shared that after all of this, two of the men had urinated on him. Also, in front of the entire village. None dared to move or leave, so they just watched, despite everyone's wishes to not see what was happening in the middle of the day, in the middle of the street. Brother Richard had turned pale the the story as well,  while Ove and Eirir's faces were set in stone. Not letting any emotion emerge to their faces. Jade figured that since they had been through their fair share at the hands of Rowan's men, they had sadly grown used to stories such as these. 

"Fucking animals the lot of them." Jade had hissed under her breath and simmered at the thought of her husband's uncle and his ruthless men. 

Brother Richard had eyed her the very second the last word had left her, having heard the outburst despite her trying to be quiet. He looked like he wanted to hear her thoughts, knowing they concerned the people they both pitied.  However, what Jade was thinking, and planning was not something she could share in front of Eirir. So they had to wait, and she had let the monk know this with one sharp look before averting her eyes to something else. 

To herself, she vowed that every last soul that had been wronged by Rowan and his so called men, would be offered shelter and a place to live in her realm. Judging by what she had seen so far, Rowan's kingdom would soon be empty if he and his men did not stop and think of the repercussions their heartless and evil actions would have. And she repeated this vow to herself more than once each day that passed. 

A week after Eirir had joined  them, they rode out of another village which people also showed traces of the monsters that were supposed to protect them. 

Jade sat down on her seat when she could no longer stand the sight of several smoke pillars rising from the village. With frustration she combed her hair back with her fingers. "How can a leader let this happen to their people?" She spat out into the air. "Calling him king is an insult to others holding the same title." She added in a whisper to herself. "Can he not see-" 

"If you are talking about the king,-" Eirir cut her off gently, hearing her resentment clear and loud. "He simply does not care. Many have traveled to meet him in court but sadly pleaded to deaf ears." He continued.