Reagan

I get up from the bed to the smell of food cooking and the sound of children playing. The innkeeper and his wife have 2 children Kaiser and Austin.

Kaiser is a bay just 3 years old, but Austin is much older, about 10 years old.

Today we are supposed to be going to the outpost. Diane told us that from here, it should only be a few hours ride. Which means we are far from where It all happened, the blast and all.

I get out of the room and go down to meet everyone. As I walk to the kitchen, the youngest of the boys, Kaiser, grabs onto my leg. 

He looks at me with this huge smile, and he let go bringing his hands up, signaling for me to bring him up. The older boy Austin comes over in a hurry grabbing Kaiser, which startled Kaiser.

A loud noise escapes the boy's mouth. Austin tries to calm him down, but it doesn't work. I take Kaiser into my arms and softly speak to him.

"Shhh, it's ok. Don't cry. You're ok."

When that didn't work, I begin to sing to him; I remember mom use to do that when I was younger.

Rock-a-bye baby on the treetops when the wind blows the cradle will rock when the bough breaks The cradle will fall And down will come baby Cradle and all.

He quiets down and smiles at me. Precious things he is.

I turn around I realize that the parents are there looking at me with attentive eyes.

"Sorry, I didn't mean any harm," I say to them.

"No, no, this is the quietest he's ever been. Thank you."

"Not a problem...."

"David."

"Well, you welcome David."

I hand the child to his wife, and she says,

"How did you know to sing to him?"

"I didn't...as a child, music always calmed me. My mother uses to sing to me whenever I got that way. I tried talking to him at first, but that didn't work, so I chose to sing."

"Well, thank you to you and your mother. A special lady she should be."

Yes, well, the memory was special, but it was always hard to picture that moment. I could tell it to you like it was yesterday, but the face of my mother never came about.

I smile and nod at them, and I head into the kitchen. Everyone is already there and eating.

"Good morning," Diane says to me

I smile at her and giving her a pleased nod.

David comes in and begins sharing the food. While he does that, the children and their mother come into the room and sit at the table.

She places a plate with bread, slices of cheese, and some sliced meat on the side in front of me. I wait for everyone to get their meal, and then I begin eating.

Everyone is outside, getting ready for our leave to the outpost. David and his wife were so kind to let us have their horses. I walk towards the children saying my last goodbyes.

"Austin, you gotta be good and keep your brother out of trouble."

"I will," he says, and he lunges at me, giving me the biggest hug. I smile.

"Remember, whenever he's sad, just sing to him, ok?"

He nods.

"I'll come to visit when I can."

"Promise?"

"Pinky promise," I say, extending my right pinky towards him, and he does the same.

I go to where everyone else is. There are only 4 horses, so we had to pair up. Simon and William will ride together. Madeline offers to ride with me, and Gwen rides with her mother.

Waykeyme tells us that we won't ride back to the outpost with us. He was opposed to the idea in the very beginning. But we were all going into the lion's den. I couldn't help but think maybe something else has him so opposed to going there.

The fourth horse was his to go his own way. Madeline says goodbye to her friend.  She wasn't as sad as I thought she would be. However, she leaked very little emotion. 

She walks up to me, points at the horse, and say,

"You know how to ride?"

"I do, actually."

"Good, I'll ride first, and when we break, you'll take the reign."

She seemed upset, though, that anger may not have been intended for me; she passed her aggressions nonetheless.

I mount the horse sitting behind her. It felt weird. I had never been so close to someone. Especially someone I barely know.

But maybe I could get to know her.

"You ready?" She says to me

I give her a quick nod. She looks at Gwen, giving her the ready signal.

Crack

The reigns beat against the backs of the horse. We are on the move; I turn to give my last goodbyes to the children. I wave until their image is no longer visible to me then I focus on the path ahead.

We have been riding for a while, and it was finally time to switch. We all stop in our tracks, get off our horse and take a break, drinking some water and catching our breaths.

It hasn't been much talk between Madeline and me, so I decided to spark something.

"Who was Waykeyme to you?"

"A friend." She said abruptly.

"Forgive me if I think you're lying."

"And forgive me if I think that's none of your business."

"I didn't mean to pry."

"Well, you did."

She scoffs at me. She turns in Gwen's direction and says...

"Gwen, can we switch? I need to talk to mother."

"Sure," She says a bit awkwardly.

Gwen walks over to me, and Madeline goes to her mother.

"Is everything alright?"

"Yea, yea, all's good. It's just been a while since I've felt the reign of a horse."

"Where did you learn how to ride?"

I think about her words study them even.

"I took classes after my father died."

After saying that, I mount the horse, and she follows after me.

"Do you mind if I put my hand around you?"

"No, I don't."

She wraps her hands around my waist, which shocks me because I thought she would go for something like my shoulder, but she didn't.

"Heyah," I say, cracking the reign against the horse, and we are on the move again.

We ride through the path Madeline and her mother are leading.

"I'm sorry if I struck a nerve earlier."

"It's fine, honestly. Anything that reminds me of my dad usually does that to me."

She smiles at me, and we ride in silence for some time.

Several minutes passed by, and we are on some landscape. A hill, to be exact, looking over the lands. Gwen points to a city in the distance and says,

"That's the Outpost. Amazing, isn't it?"

"Beautiful. So the outpost is like a resistance city?"

"Why hasn't anyone attacked this place?"

"They can't attack what they can't find."

"We are too far off from the capital city."

Madeline comes over to us with her mother.

"Young prince, your journey is just about to begin," Diane says

"Our journey as 'friends' well that has ended whether you would like it or not sooner or later you're going to have to accept a role. The superior role. From now on, it is Prince Reagan unless the prince orders otherwise."

"Well, I do order otherwise, and Prince Ray will be fine. You may address me as you please, but others in this group can and will be my friend if they'd like."

"As you wish."

"What will happen to Simon and Will?"

"Well, if they can't find something useful, they'll live as all the common folk, I suppose."

"No, they won't. Simon is smart, and he gives the best advice. You're a Council member, aren't you?"

She nods her head yes.

"And that's a group of those who oversees and advises on matters that will best suit our lands?"

"Yes," she says.

"Then you'll have another member Councillor. And William he is skilled in military strategy. His father taught him. He can be in the army, or if there is a higher-up to that like a royal guard, then he'll do that, but I will not allow the very people who kept me alive for years to be gone and forgotten as common folk. Is that clear?"

"Of course, I shall take the young Simon under my own wing, and I'll arrange for Williams training as well."

"Good."

I look out at the two. They're off their horse and play fighting in the grass. I let off a small chuckle. Diane and Madeline trot forward.

"I think giving orders looks good on you," Gwen says to me.

I laugh a little

"Well, to be honest, I'd do anything and be anything if it ensures the safety and well-being of those two."

"Well, I'm happy we have someone like you on our site, and I'm happy I can be your friend."

I smile at her.

"Come on, you two, we're on the move," I yell to them as I trot my horse forward.

We are at the entrance of the city. Four guards stand at the gate—one of the steps towards us.

"State your business."

"We are here to see the general."

He turns to the other and singles to them to open up the gate.

"I'll escort you to the general myself."

"No worries." Another gentleman says, stepping forward.

"Captain Sol."

"Councilor, lovely to see you after all this time."

"Well, I guess I could say the same, in the least."

"Gwen, Madeline, good to see you back as well. Who are these three, might I ask?"

"Prince Ray heir the Amberfalls throne and her friends."

He lets out a loud laugh and says,

"Are you kidding me? Everyone knows the king and queen had a daughter. This is very low, especially for a woman of your statue."

"May I remind you who you are speaking to?"

"Your warning might have gotten somewhere if you weren't trying to spread such lies." 

I get off my horse. Gwen follows me. I step towards him and say, 

"I am very well a woman Captain. I'm just not one to conform to the rules of such. And if the Councilors warning was not getting anywhere, then listen very carefully when I say men with a tongue like yours get nowhere in my world, and now we have no time to waste because my home is falling to ash."

"Yes, a home you barely knew existed."

"You may get to speak to all the common folk like that, but may I remind you that you're talking to the prince, Captain," Diane yells to him.

"Whatever you may have against me, I don't care for it because this isn't about you. It's about the order, and I am here to restore it."

He says nothing looking at me in some disbelief. I shocked myself too. I had never spoken to someone the way I spoke to him. Coming here just set something new in me.

"Well then, best bring us in," Diane says.

"Of course, Straight to the General." He says, pointing to one of the gate guards.

"One of my guards will show you to the high tower. I have other duties to attend to if you don't mind."

"Of course," Diane says.

The gates are opened, and we're met by so much beauty. The beauty of the people, the area, the sounds, the smell. It was all so invigorating. 

But this feeling is something bigger. It was the feeling of acceptance. I am no longer just Reagan. Now I have to be a leader to all here and from here on my life, and everyone's here will never be the same.