I scan our surroundings, looking and listening for anything unusual. Brook moves to keep Clap between her and the trunk of the tree. Her ears swivel and her nose twitches. "What's going on?" Clap cranes her neck and places her chin on Brook's foreleg to gaze curiously at her.

"It's alright. Someone's out there and I'm trying to find them. Please, stay quiet." Clap nods in reply.

The snake slithers forward in my mind as I strain to catch anything. Black veins fall from my eyes as the snake's presence grows. It begins to take over, but I hold it back. Dust thrums with energy at my feet, ready to follow what I say.

A flash of color through a break in the trees catches my attention. "There." I point over Brook's shoulder.

"Don't make any noise. Let's see if they'll miss us." Miss a giant blue unicorn? Let's hope so. Dust rattles around me, swirling at my ankles, when the crashing footsteps grow louder. My muscles tense and my fingers curl around the sword buckled at my hip. Moments seem to stretch into hours as I keep my eyes locked onto the direction the footsteps are coming from.

"Freedom?" The creature draws closer, and I immediately recognize her from when I'd run into her before. Her lion's mane is matted and a few of the feathers on her rainbow wings are missing. Chunks of flesh still hang from her frame.

"Oh, my god," she murmurs, drawing closer. Her black eyes are fixated on Clap.

"F-Freedom?" Brook's voice cracks and her mouth hangs open. Her head is pulled back, ears drawing toward the sides of her head.

"Is that you, Clap?" Freedom takes a few tentative steps forward.

"Wh-who a-a-are you?" Clap's nose wrinkles as she tilts her head to the side.

"I'm Freedom."

"Who i-is she?" Clap whispers her question, looking up at Brook.

"She's... she...," Brook trails off.

"I'm your mom," Freedom finishes. Clap looks between the 2 several times, curling her lip as her tail drops to the ground and her ears draw back.

"Wh-what? N-no! My mom... S-sh-sh-she's-she's dead. That's why Brook's my mom. She's dead, she's dead, sh-she's dead. Y-you're n-not her. You're lying. Yes, you-you're lying. She's dead." Clap's flanks shudder, and she paces in circles.

"Come with me, Clap. Let's talk for a moment," Brook says after sending an apologetic look toward Freedom, who only nods. The 2 of them walk away, and Brook murmurs something in Clap's ear.

They stop once they're out of earshot and continue their conversation.

Freedom staggers over to me, stumbling a few times. 1 of her wings snaps outward to keep her from falling. "What are you 3 doing out here?"

"We're, uh. We're keeping a necklace away from the King."

"You need Clap to do that?"

"Yeah, she's the only 1 who can outrun anything that could be done to try to capture it."

"So she's fast." Freedom chuckles to herself.

"She can break the speed of sound. Ask her though; I don't know too much about it."

"I wish I could've been there," Freedom says, ears drooping.

"I'm sorry." I shift on my feet, rotating my ankle and letting it crack.

"Don't be. You had nothing to do with it."

"I'm a Soldier. Was a Soldier? I don't know."

"You're not Bryant."

"I'm the Dust Devil."

"You're not Bryant. Besides, you had nothing to do with my death. Or bringing me back to life. God, why didn't Arcane just leave me alone? I was dead."

"Clap?"

"Brook raised her since I died shortly after she was born. Clap wouldn't have recognized me. Her reaction makes sense; I was dead, and Brook told her that at some point. I don't know why Arcane brought me back. I died, and I should've stayed that way. That being said, I would've given just about anything to see Clap again, and I'm so happy to see that she's doing well."

Before I can reply, Brook and Clap return. "Brook s-s-says you came back t-t-to life."

"Yes, yes I did."

"S-so you're like a-a-a zombie." Clap's eyes grow wide. Brook opens her mouth to speak, expression a look of panic, but Freedom laughs and replies 1st.

"I... I suppose that's kinda true." 1 of Freedom's legs gives out and she stumbles backward, though she quickly regains her balance and murmurs a hasty 'sorry'.

"A-and y-you're my mom."

"Yes, I am." Freedom's reply is slower this time.

"B-Brook s-s-said you're my mom, so... I-I guess you a-a-are." Clap sits down and her gaze trails across the ground without any particular destination.

I lean against the tree, shifting my weight to the side so my ankle can rest. Every so often I listen for any unusual sounds that are out of place in the forest. The snake listens too, eager for blood, but also to obey any command given by the Amethyst Throne.

"S-so basically I have 2 moms?"

"Yes, I suppose." Freedom nods. "I'm sorry I wasn't there."

"Wh-why a-a-are you c-crying?"

"Because I cannot believe I'm seeing you again. It's been so long." Freedom reaches out her trunk and brushes a few of Clap's bangs off to the side. Clap tenses but doesn't move.

"You w-w-were dead."

"I was, but then I was brought back to life."

"A zombie mom... That sounds kinda cool, doesn't it?"

Before Freedom can respond, the snake slams into the front of my mind. I drop to my knees, gritting my teeth as a tsunami of pain crashes down on me, and I yank at my hair until it feels like I'm about to rip it out. "Clap, run," I manage to spit out.

"RUN!" I snarl when no 1 moves. The snake strains to break free. It's eyes are locked on the pendant hanging around Clap's neck, and it trembles in excitement like a kid who just saw the biggest piece of candy.

"They must've caught up to us," Brook says. "Clap, run. I'll be right behind you."

"Are they the Guard and Soldiers? And they want to take the necklace from Clap?" Freedom eyes me warily.

Stay back, snake. You're not going to take the pendant away from Clap.

Clap's footsteps patter on the ground until I hear her break the speed of sound. Hopefully she can keep that up for long enough. Brook follows after her.

"What the hell?" They're here. My heart sinks to my toes, and I exhale to try to stay calm. My fingers clench into fists and I tremble as the snake fights harder to take over and hunt down the pewter pendant. Sweat drips down

"What the-. Who-who are you?"

"Who's she?"

"Have you captured the Dust Devil?"

"Dust Devil, are you alright?"

"Would you like some assistance with whatever's going on, Dust Devil?"

"Might we help you, Dust Devil?" Stop, stop, STOP! Just shut up! Shut up... please... just go away so the snake will stop reacting to you all. I bite back a cry when pain lances through my body, making every nerve scream. The snake takes advantage of my lapse in defense to take over more of my mind. Ebony veins drip from my eyes.

"What have you done to the Dust Devil?" I can imagine a Guard or Soldier pointing their weapon at Freedom, face a mask of anger. Or perhaps not so much of a mask.

"I haven't done anything to him. This is all the Amethyst Throne's doing."

"You liar. Do not speak such vile things about the Amethyst Throne. It is where My Sovereign, His Excellency, His Honor, His Highest of all Highnesses, King Garonda XIV resides. Do not disrespect it."

"The Throne is something I should have destroyed long ago. I watched as it tore apart the Ragdon we once had. I watched as it distorted Ragdon, turning it into something that was not what Ragdon was. I did not do anything. I stood on the sidelines, and it resulted in me losing my daughter and soon after being killed. I will not say anything different about the Amethyst Throne."

"Liar. You know nothing about the Amethyst Throne. Do not speak again about the Amethyst Throne."

"I will not li-." Freedom is cut off. I hear a drawstring go slack, and the sound is followed by an arrow whizzing through the air.

Thanks for reading! I really appreciate it! If you enjoyed the latest chapter of The King's Remorse, please consider a vote and comment! 

Uh, oh. A Guard just shot an arrow. What's going to happen?

Will Luke be able to keep back the snake?

Will Clap and Brook be able to keep away from the Guard and Soldiers? Clap may be fast, but her speed doesn't last long.

Any predictions as to how the rest of the story will play out? What's happening in the White Tent Sea?

I hope all is well :)

-Werewolf14-