"I would like to know one thing", Jasper broke the silence.
"What?" Aaron and Charles asked in unison.
"Who is Charles?"
The person in question raised a brow at the person who came up with the question and Aaron smirked.
"I mean, I am the royal secretary. But who is Charles? What is his position?" Jasper looked at Charles and nodded his head urging him to answer the queation.
"He was the royal secretary before you came", Aaron said as Charles looked uninterested.
"And now what are you?" Jasper turned back to Charles.
"Retired royal secretary", Charles said blankly looking ahead.
"You are no way a retired anything", Jasper shook his head, chuckling. "You work more that any person of your age". He turned his head to Aaron. "You tell me, Aaron. What is Charles?"
Aaron thought for a moment. "Well, since childhood, he was as close to me as I can allow a man to be. My mother trusts me only with him. So I would say the old man is my bodyguard".
The trees were now very closer to each other so they had to duck their horses every now and then.
"We should have tied our horses outside the forest", Aaron said ducking his horse.
"Yes. Charles would have carried
you in his arms", Jasper chuckled.
But Aaron and Charles glared at him.
"It won't take time to bury you here, alive", Aaron warned.
Jasper straightened his smile and cleared his throat. "How old are you exactly Charles?" He asked innocently.
"I dont properly know my age. But if estimated, closer to fifty perhaps", Charles too, ducked his horse.
Aaron thought Charles would be his mother's age. The old man was the formal royal secretary, formal army lead of his kingdom and a confidant of Ambrose family's secrets.
"Well, an old man is what you can properly say". Jasper bobbed his head when Charles glared at him.
Aaron found the number of trees decreasing. And finally, they found the lake. It was a very cold and silent surrounding. Still lake surrounded by thick forest.
They climbed down from their horses. Aaron scanned the view but couldn't find a single person. He removed the kerchief from his pocket and tied around his wrist over his chain. Charles nodded at him slightly, approving it. Showing the witches the chain of their own being could prove good or bad, they couldn't be sure. Better to hide it.
"It doesn't look like anyone lives here", Jasper said eyeing around the place.
Aaron roamed a bit. While walking, something brittle came under his boot and he looked down to find a bone. Charles and Jasper joined him when he picked it up. "An animal's bone. Looks burned", he observed. "Someone must have eaten here".
He looked around again to find no one.
"I'm not really sure if I want to find a witch", Jasper folded his hands.
They heard a rustling of leaves and when they looked at their right, they saw a child about three years old, coming out from the trees and walking near the lake.
All three of them were astonished.
The child was clad in a dirty brown cloth, not a shirt, not a frock which could give any indication of it's gender. The child was so thin as if not being fed for many days.
They began to walk towards him, or maybe her, and the child saw them and ran into the trees back. Aaron ran to catch up to him.
"Your Majesty", he heard Charles voice and their footsteps behind him.
He reached the child and stood in front of him to block his way. The child turned and found Charles and Jasper. No where to run, the small thing began to cry. They all looked at each other frowning.
"Quiet child, we won't harm you", Jasper raised his palms to the child who began to cry even louder. Jasper scratched the back of his neck.
"Koko!" Aaron turned and found a woman thin as a stick running towards the child. Aaron moved aside and she clutched the child to her chest. She too, was clad in the same dirty brown cloth. Her shoulders were so thin, they looked scary. She eyed them fearfully shivering.
"No need to be afraid", Charles said. "We won't hurt you".
"We just want to know where you live", Aaron asked. He tried to look at the woman's wrist for any symbol but it wasn't visible from where he was standing.
The woman pointed towards the trees she came out from
Aaron looked back but saw nothing.
"Can you take us there?" He asked.
The woman widened her eyes and shook her head, clutching the child tighter.
"We won't hurt you. We are here to help you. I am the king of this land". Aaron hoped she showed where they lived. As per his knowledge, he hadn't allowed any person on his land to be so frail.
The woman eyed them fearfully but started to walk slowly in the trees. Aaron followed her and Charles and Jasler followed him.
After few steps, he reached a very small bare land between the trees. There were two tents made of pieces of cloths and dried leaves. It was as if a child had made it, not meant to be lived in.
As they neared, few people came out of the tents. Few men and few women.
All looked just so closer to death. Weak, thin, hollow-eyed. Aaron swallowed looking at them.
Charles stood in front of him when those people started to approach them. "It's alright, Charles".
Charles moved aside a bit, still closer to him.
Aaron looked at the man and asked. "What do you eat?" Because no other question mattered right now, after seeing their health. And he didn't think they could answer any other.
The man replied in a weak voice, "Animals".
Jasper flinched at the answer.
"Do you have a work? Do you earn?"
The man shook his head.
"We are witches", the woman behind him spoke. "We can do whatever you want if you give us food". The man touched her arm to stop her from saying further.
Aaron looked at Charles who also looked seriously at them.
"We are not allowed anywhere else. So we stay here", the man said.
They were four women and three men. Two of the women clutched a child each in their arms.
Aaron wondered how were they ever going to survive. That they even survived childbirth was a miracle itself. Perhaps it was because they were witches. But nonetheless, in that condition, they won't live much.
Aaron was here for a reason. But now, he forgot about everything else and just the right thing mattered. He cursed and ran a hand through his hair. "I will give you means to earn". He turned to Jasper. "Jasper, send people tomorrow to find them houses to live", he ordered.
Jasper came to his ear. "They are witches, Aaron. They have never been proven to be good".
"They are better left to themselves, Your Majesty", Charles advised.
The witches looked at them. "We won't go anywhere. People will kill us and our children".
It was true. If any people found out that they were witches, it might prove harmful to them.
Aaron decided what to do. He eyed those thin men. "Have you ever harmed anyone?"
The men shook their head.
"Alright, I'll send my men here. They will build you cottages right here. You men, Can you cut logs of wood?"
The men looked at each other and nodded.
"Good. I will send people here to buy it. They will give you food in return, under the condition that you wouldn't create trouble for anyone".
All of them began to look at each other wide eyed and nodded.
Aaron gave a short nod in return. "Jasper, take care of it".
"It's not a good idea, Your Majesty",
Charles whispered.
Jasper too, voiced his thoughts out. "Try to understand, Aaron. Witches never proves faithful. They-"
"I don't give a fuck if they are witches". Aaron gritted out from his teeth only for their ears. "They are people on my land and they are on the verge of dying of hunger. If they are in my kingdom, they won't be punished until they commit a crime. As long as I reign, I won't let a single person, let alone innocent children, on my land die because of starvation. He flashed his eyes as his chest heaved.
Charles and Jasper looked at him intently.
Jasper nodded. "I will take care of everything".