Flora was unable to shake the sickly feeling she had during the entire ride to the slaughterhouse. She knew what to expect. She had done so herself. It was not unusual to kill or cull animals on a farm. Nevertheless, she had never been to a slaughterhouse. Having never assisted with the Spring or Fall Inspection, she had never had to go to a slaughterhouse. She had never needed to visit anything more than the quaint butcher's shop in the town surrounding the castle.
Really, she berated herself for not preparing for this sooner. It was only practical, a part of a growing population. A necessary evil to support so much and so many. She reminded herself of these things as the large farm came into view. She was immediately impressed by its size. Similar to the buildings in the city, this one was large and made of brick and stone. It was a stark contrast to the open countryside that it was in. Already there were farmers herding in large groups of cattle, sheep, pigs, and horses. Fenced pastures dotted the area around the building, holding even more animals. Wandering between pastures were ducks, chickens, and various other poultry. The building itself was nestled between two small streams, and it looked as if several small channels had been dug to divert water into the pastures and building.
Despite the number of animals, Flora noticed that the pens were kept clean as they got closer. King Erick had already resumed his kingly appearance, and farmers and helping hands had taken notice. One of the younger men immediately stopped what he was doing to run up to the two of them, a second somewhat older man following suit.
King Erick and Flora slowed down to a trot and met the two men close to the gate of the farm. "We'll take 'em for ya." Said the older of the two, both of them bowing before the king. King Erick gave a simple thank you before hopping off horse and handing over the reins, Flora doing the same.
I hope they don't get mixed up with the rest. Flora's anxiety only got worse as the horses were led away. Penelope handled things just fine, but Condor was none too happy about any part of the process. He shied at the handler, spooked at the gate, and nearly screamed at the mess of animals that were being led to various pastures. She was startled out of her worry when King Erick put a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
"They'll be alright." He told her, his voice firm but his eyes gentle. Before she could say anything, he quickly resumed his impassive expression and the two went towards the large slaughterhouse. Flora tightened her grip on the strap of her book bag, trying and failing to not bite her lip as emotions bubbled through her.
"I'm sure you'll find everything up to standard and then some." Said the younger of the two men as Flora and Erick followed them into the large building. They were dressed in average farmer's clothes, those being working shirts, rough paints, and simple boots. Many of the people working here were dressed similarly.
They entered into a room with a high ceiling, the clean grey brick staking up all the way. The room was large, with many people and animals about. Just as Flora thought, little channels of water ran through the floor of the building. I've never seen that before, why would they do that? She got her answer when she saw one of the farm hands pushing animal waste into the channel, the water swiftly taking it out of the building.
King Erick carried on a polite conversation with the two men as Flora brought out her book to take notes. The first thing she noticed was just how clean it was. They were definitely signs of use, with old stains that couldn't be washed away and dusty corners, but the majority of the building was much cleaner than she expected. She followed the group as they inspected the actual process of killing and butchering the animals. A cow was brought in from one of the adjacent pastures, and Flora's gut clenched. She prepared herself for a brutal and bloody end, but it wasn't quite so.
Instead of the slow death at the hand of a short knife that she was used to at her father's farm, the workers here had a much larger and curved blade. One held on to the animal's head, the animal giving a pitiful lowing sound as the second swiftly cut across the animal's broad neck. There was a deal of sputtering and choking as the animal released its life onto the floor, and then it was over. The men then grabbed a hook, sinking it into the flesh of the animal's leg and it was hauled away into another room. It was all so… Quick. Efficient. You could almost forget that it was a living being as the carcass hung from the chain, slowly being brought into the next room.
Flora busied herself with taking quick notes on the treatment of the animal and its condition as she and King Erick followed their guides towards the next room. In the next room, a butcher was already skinning and opening the animal's carcass. He was a larger man dressed in similar clothes to the rest save for the large bloody apron. He got to quick work as he gutted the body of the cow, dropping the useful parts into one bucket and the others into a second bucket. A helper was running back and forth with various tools and exchanging the buckets as they filled. Blood pooled down the grates of the floor as the butcher did his work, from skinning the animal to pulling out its entrails. This is the part where I always get sick. Flora thought miserably as she wrote more notes reflecting the efficiency of the process.
"You'll see we've been able to improve our standards to supply the highest quality meat and animal products to the kingdom, Your Majesty." The older of the two men said, pulling Flora out of her thoughts. Erick gave a nod of approval as he eyed the building. It seemed as if he was simply appreciating all that these farmers worked so hard for, but Flora briefly caught his eye and saw something more. He's looking for something. She realized, taking a moment to glance around the room as they followed their guides to the meat cooler.
"None of this would have been possible without your parents' funding," The older man continued. "So we of course continue to strive to always do our best. For them, and for our kingdom." He finished with a proud glance at the new room. It was very impressive. It was kept cold by a Winter magic user, who was currently inspecting the meat and pulling in the latest cow. Flora returned to writing notes when she felt a gentle hand on her elbow. She looked over to see King Erick eyeing her as he talked to the two men.
"We appreciate all the hard work you've done for us." He was saying. "As well as taking the time to show us your latest work. We've already taken up much of your time but we need to see the rest of the animals now." King Erick left no room for argument, and the younger of the two men quickly nodded in approval. The older one however, seemed a little soured. Whatever had offended him quickly passed as they continued the tour of the facilities. How long has it actually been? Flora contemplated everything they had seen so far. She couldn't give an accurate idea of time however, lost as she was in detailing everything she saw. It could have been one hour or it could have been five for all she knew.
They passed by several doors and a couple of staircases that Flora assumed were simply offices and maintenance levels as the group headed outside. Once there, they were able to see the animals in the pastures. Like inside the building, small trenches had been dug for water to flow through. The pastures were very neat with clean fencing and healthy animals. By all means the farm was up to code and then some. Flora wrote this down as the group passed by several pastures of various animals from pigs to sheep to cows. What hurt the most were the horses. She knew they were food just like the rest, but there was something different about horses. She held them to a higher standard than the rest, more than just meat. She gave a quiet sigh as they finished their inspection.
It did not help when Flora realized just how hungry she was. It was well into the afternoon now, the sun starting to come down from its highest point as they walked back towards the slaughterhouse proper. I imagine they have plenty of food here. Flora thought hungrily, watching as a few chickens scratched the dirt. I don't entirely want to think about it though. She thought warily. More than once she had to kill her own food on the farm. The worst part was how long it took to kill and clean an animal only for the food to last just long enough to be eaten.
"If it's not too much, Your Majesty, we would like to invite you both to stay for the night. We've prepared guest rooms for you both." The younger man spoke eagerly, excitement shining in his eyes. Upon closer inspection, Flora realized he had the golden amber eyes of a shifter. He's likely a part of the felidae or canidae clans. Flora noted, taking a closer look at the rest of him now. She felt her usual trepidation and uneasiness take hold. She took a step closer to Erick, not realizing it until he brushed against her.
"It is a very kind offer." King Erick started, looking over both the men. "But I'm afraid we're on a very tight schedule and we must keep going." He eyed the older man, and Flora's gut went from uneasy to full blown anxiety. What did he hear to make him turn down such an offer? She tried to hide her growing concerns by flipping through her log, looking as if she were just double checking notes.
"Ah, I understand." Said the shifter. "Well, we'll make sure to pack some of our best meats in your saddlebags and send our prayers for safe travels." He finished. King Erick thanked him, and the two men bowed before Erick and Flora left. She hurriedly put her book and fountain pen back into her book bag and closely followed King Erick. The leather satchel bounced on her hip as she did her best to keep up with his long stride. He really is in a hurry to get out of here. The thought nagged at her as they went to collect their horses, both of which were doing just fine and had not been mixed in with the rest as Flora had feared.
Condor whinnied as he saw her coming, and nearly ran to the gate as she arrived. He put his long head into her hands and she relished in the simplicity of his joy. She couldn't help but feel happy as well, stroking the bottom of his jaw where he liked it best. He leaned into her pets, eyes closing and lips wiggling as she scratched a particularly itchy spot.
"You two really are a great pair." Erick's voice pulled Flora out of her revery as she turned to look at him. There was a hint of a smile as he looked over her and Condor, a sort of appreciative glow in his eyes. "I'm really glad you were able to wrangle him." He said, turning his gaze back to Flora. She grew hot under his stare.
"It was really nothing." She mumbled, returning to Condor and trying to look anywhere else but Erick's face. Why does he keep looking at me like that? A rush of emotions threatened to bubble to the surface and Flora was not ready for even a single one of them. Instead she grabbed Condor's halter and led him out of the pasture.
There was a moment where Erick didn't say anything as he grabbed Penelope and led her out through the gate. Flora could practically feel his stare bore into her as she took Condor to the small tack shed where their supplies were waiting, along with a farm hand who was gathering their things.
"Don't be so hard on yourself." Erick said quietly, and Flora paused to look at him. A thousand words hung between them as he looked back at her, his face full of guilt and pity. She was too shocked to give much more of a reply than a nod of her head and thank you. He stood there a moment more before turning back towards the tack shed, taking Penelope with him. Flora followed a few steps behind.
The farm hand was polite and quick, getting both of the horses saddled and reined in no time. Looking up, Flora saw that the sun was even lower now, and her hunger was even stronger. She couldn't help the sound of her stomach rumbling as the farmhand gave them each a decent sized pack of food. With an embarrassed laugh she took her bag with a quick thank you and followed King Erick as they left the farm behind them. He picked them up into a canter almost as soon as they were out of the gates, making for the road that led them further into the kingdom's lands.
"Don't eat the food yet." He warned, never looking back as they continued to ride. She had just begun to open the bag, but the sternness of his voice made her quickly close it back up and tie it to her saddle. Her stomach grumbled noisily in complaint.
"You really think they did something to the food?" Flora asked, looking forlornly at the bag as it bounced against the saddle.
"It's possible." Erick replied tersely, using his magic to once again hide his golden antlers and unicorn mark. "I can't be sure until I can see it." He informed her. She was able to catch the look in his eyes, a storm of dark emotions that sent a shiver down her spine. She turned her gaze to the path ahead, doing her best to ignore both her noisy stomach and mess of thoughts and emotions as the two continued to ride.
After a while, King Erick led them onto a smaller path, one that was not often used. It was really more of a bridle path and not anything like the road they had just been on. Tall grass grew on either side, and soon the sparse trees became thick as they headed deeper into the forest. The sun was getting low and cast long shadows through the woods. Flora suppressed a shiver as she followed Erick, who had slowed down to a trot as they navigated the dense forest.
King Erick said nothing as they continued deeper into the forest, the sun setting low into the sky and casting a fiery red across the forest landscape. As the last of the light began to flicker out, Flora was able to make out a small cabin sitting nestled between the trees. It was quaint, and old. Very old, the wood dark and smooth from age. The two quietly walked their horses to the front of the cabin before King Erick jumped off Penelope.
"I'm sure you've already guessed but we'll be staying here tonight." He motioned towards the cabin. Despite its age, it seemed to have been kept in at least livable conditions. The door looked like it still functioned, and the glass of the windows were intact. There were large webs hanging in the frames of the windows with fat spiders in the middle. Flora couldn't hide her shiver of disgust at just how large the little beast was. Erick gave a similar grimace. "As much as I detest the buggers, this will be far safer than staying with them." He informed her, leading his horse to a small fenced in pasture with a little run-in shed. It wasn't much, but could easily fit the two horses as both Erick and Flora untacked their horses. It was difficult in the growing dark, but the two soon had everything off the horses and were heading through the door of the cabin.
Inside, the cabin was in a similar state as it was outside. The wood was darkened with age, the floor smoothed over in places that were used the most near the table, hearth, and bed. More webs, both old and new, clung to the corners. The small table was dusty, and the cabinets were sparse with only a few dishes in them. Enough for one, maybe two people. The hearth was simple, with old iron pokers on one side and a pile of ash in the center. The bed was similarly covered in dust, and Erick was already beating the dust out of the covers. It was quaint, and with a little work, could be very homely.
"What is this place?" She asked quietly, setting down her saddle and horse tack by the door. It can't be just some cabin in the woods, she thought. He knew exactly how to get here after all. She turned to face him as he continued to clean up the bed, pulling a large quilt out of the chest at the foot of the bed.
"It belonged to my parents." He said quietly, laying the quilt out on the bed. "It was their sort of home-away-from-home." He told her, neatly fixing the quilt over the bed. He didn't look at her, but stood there as if contemplating.
"I'm sorry." Flora apologized, her voice almost a whisper. Erick shook his head.
"Don't be." He said with a sigh, turning back towards her. "Sometimes these things happen. We learn to get through it." He attempted a smile, but Flora could see it did not reach his eyes.
"We'll get through it together." She replied, doing her best to return the smile, however pain filled it might be as thoughts of her own family came back to haunt her. It had been three years. Three years of stuffing the emotions away and pushing through life. It was as if being with Erick had opened up that box of emotions, tears threatening to break through.
As if he could see right through her, Erick's gaze turned full of guilt and pity once more. He gingerly walked up to her and embraced her. "Together." He said quietly. She wrapped her arms around him, leaning into him as tears quietly fell down her face. She did not want to admit how much she had been holding back, even to herself. But in his embrace, there was something that made Flora feel safe. She felt safe enough to let some of her emotions through, even if it was just a little bit. They stood like this for a long moment before Erick gave her a final squeeze and let go.
"Better?" He asked, his hands gently on her hips and his eyes full of concern.
"Yes, thank you." Flora rubbed her eyes with the heels of her hands, and Erick pulled away from her with that confirmation. He gave her a small reassuring smile before returning to setting up the cabin for the night. He pulled a few old logs of dried wood and set them in the fireplace. With what looked like years of careful practice, he breathed a small line of fire and the wood lit up, lighting the room with its warmth.
Unsure of what else to do, Flora grabbed both the food they had initially brought with them as well as the bags of food that the slaughterhouse had provided for them. She set them all down on the small table and opened them up, opting to eat some of the bread and cheese that was left from their own rations. Erick was soon beside her, carefully inspecting the bags of food that had been given to them just earlier today. With a careful eye he looked over both the preserved jerky and fresh meat. He turned it all over in his hands, smelling and poking the meat several times over before deeming it safe. Flora gave an inward sigh, grateful to be able to eat some good food and not just rations for the road.
Erick gave her a sly smile. "I didn't think my food was that bad." he joked with a mischievous glimmer in his eyes.
"Oh, it's not that, it's just- I mean." Flora stammered, and Erick laughed. He actually laughed, something full and warm and not like the small pleasantries he had given to the workers earlier in the day. Flora grew hot. "You're just as bad as Dante, aren't you?" She accused him, and he feigned injury in a very similar manner to Dante.
"I'm hurt would even suggest such a thing." He said with a coy smile, playful trouble dancing in his eyes. Flora couldn't help but roll her own eyes, which caused him to laugh even louder as he set about cooking the meat. "I suppose he rubs off on you after a while." He said at last, setting the meat in a pan above the fire.
"I suppose so." Flora said with a sigh, packing away the rest of their food and supplies back into the saddlebags. It wasn't long before Erick had the meat thoroughly cooked - perhaps a little more cooked than Flora would have liked - and the two got to eating their food. They said little, but Flora could see Erick was contemplating something as thought worked behind his eyes. She caught him glancing her way more than once, and it was killing her to know why. He needs to stop looking at me like that. She thought uncomfortably as she shifted in her chair. I don't know what I'm going to do but… She couldn't finish the thought as he looked at her again, and heat flushed not only her face but the rest of her body as well. She looked away.
"Er, sorry." He started. "I was just thinking about the bed situation." He mumbled. She gave him a confused look. There's plenty of floor space this time. She puzzled, looking over at the bed on the other side of the cabin.
"It's just that, with the spiders and all, I wouldn't want to be on the floor this time." His voice trailed off at the end, and Flora looked back to see him looking rather ashamed of himself. She almost laughed at the thought, before she too thought about the idea of a spider crawling up her as she slept. The thought sent shivers down her whole body, and she nearly cringed.
"I suppose you're right." She mumbled, trying desperately to shake the image of spiders crawling up her sleeping body.
"If you're not opposed to the idea," Erick started. "We could share the bed again. And this one is much larger." He quickly finished. It would seem he was still embarrassed about this morning.
"I really don't mind." Flora waved a hand. "I mean, I've never really slept that close to anyone before." She started. "But it wasn't unusual to sleep with others in the loft of the barn before we got the bunk beds in the worker's house." She informed Erick. A flash of something like jealousy crossed his face before it was quickly replaced with concern.
"You slept in the loft of the barn? With others? While working at the castle?" He asked incredulously. She nodded. He looked surprised, clearly no one had told him and he had never seen it before.
"It wasn't for very long, at least not for me." She tried to reassure him. She had known what it was like to sleep in worse conditions, but felt that stating that would only upset him more. Wait until he finds out what it's like in the poor district. A little voice said, but Flora knew that it would be wrong to point something like that out. He's clearly trying his best. She told herself.
Erick seemed to be at least a little relieved by this, but concern still creased the lines of his face as the two cleaned up for bed. It was late, and Flora knew they would be getting up early yet again. Possibly earlier, given that they had to get out of the woods and back to the road.
She was cleaning the dishes when King Erick stripped down to his undergarments, and not for the first time she questioned why. I know he runs hot, she reminded herself. But why does he trust me so much? This thought mingled with others as she was yet again reminded of his muscled body covered in injuries both new and old. The cuts and bruises from his training only a few days ago still remained, but seemed to be on their way to healing. He caught her looking at him and with a red face she quickly turned back to cleaning the dishes.
"Did you want some help with that?" His voice was in her ear, and she turned to find him next to her, a hand hovering by the small of her back. One look in his eyes told her that he knew exactly what he was doing. And that she was going to fall right into his game.
"Um, sure." Her voice came out like a squeak, but he smiled all the same. It was not like his playful or usual smile, but one that flashed his teeth in a handsome way. By the gods, what am I doing? She couldn't stop the flush of heat as he reached over her, cleaning the last of their dishes all the while still in his undergarments. Muscles flexed in his arms as he scrubbed the plate clean. This man is going to be the death of me. Flora thought as Erick smirked at her, taking the dish that she had been cleaning out of her hands and setting them both beside the sink.
"Well, that wasn't so hard." He said, his face still plastered with a smirk as he returned to the bed. Flora quietly replied and followed before realizing she was still in all of her clothes, boots and all. She quickly took off her jacket, vest, boots, and kept going before she realized she had reached her own undergarments. Erick gave her a look as she heated up with embarrassment.
"I mean, as long as you're comfortable." He said as he climbed into bed. She didn't want to look even more stupid, and a little part of her agreed that she did feel comfortable with him, but she still hesitated before agreeing and joining him in bed. At this rate the rumors will be true. So much for being a respectable woman. She chastised herself. If sex was all he was after, wouldn't he have just done so by now? A little voice quipped, and suddenly a new fear blossomed in her chest. It did little to quench the heat stirring inside her, but her thoughts rumbled louder than usual when she felt his back press against hers.
"Erick?" She asked quietly, the question so close and yet hidden behind her troubled mind.
"Mmhmm?" He mumbled, rolling over to face her.
"Um. I hope you sleep well." She mumbled. She could see the confusion in his eyes, but he said nothing. Instead, he gently wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in.
"Don't be afraid to tell me no." He said quietly into her hair as she leaned into him once more. We've been out for three nights, and each night we've found a way to sleep together. Flora noted, the pounding in her heart slowing as she eventually drifted off to sleep. That night, she did not dream of fire or dragons, and Erick did not wake up choking. Instead, the two slept peacefully, arms and legs locked in embrace as they clung to each other. And so the night went on, and Flora felt like it was the best she had slept in the years since losing so many of her family to the plague.
Erick did not stir even once. He did not dream of his memories, but rather of his own fantasies. His dreams took him to a quiet life, one without being the king of a land locked in civil unrest. He dreamt of the cabin, of living away from the rest of the world, and of having a small family with a small farm. As he looked around, he saw that Flora was there with him, and he knew that everything would be okay.