Wyatt quickly undoes the buckles on the harness, and I scramble out of it. I need to be ready if anyone comes after Clap. Or anyone, but especially Clap. Freedom made me promise to keep her safe, and I agreed without hesitation. There's no way I'm breaking the promise I made to her. Only over my dead body, but even then, I'd find some way.

"What are you doing here?" I move closer and can hear someone asking an unknown person a question. Their tone is friendly; no one knows when King Garonda XIV has sent someone to the White Tent Sea in an attempt to find someone who treats them wrong so he can punish them. No one has come back from those. It's a death sentence.

"Where the hell am I? What's the name of this place? It's not Ragdon, is it?"

"Excuse me, sorry. Sorry, coming through. Excuse me." I squeeze through the crowd, Clap pressed up against my foreleg.

"A unicorn? Who are you? Like a cheetah or something?" A deer and what appears to be an eagle are side by side. Two green triangles wrinkle beneath the deer's eyes as she frowns. A wide assortment of earrings run up both edges of her ears, and her forward-pointing horns cast sharp shadows over her face. One of the eagle's wings appears to be broken, and I make a mental note to get Miles if needed.

"I'm Brook. This is Clap. This is the White Tent Sea. Apart from King Garonda XIV's castle, this is the only other place inhabited on Ragdon." I leave out the part where Dove and several others are currently out searching who knows what corner of Ragdon. And the fact that Ky and Phoenix lived outside of the White Tent Sea and survived just fine.

"What the hell. Are you hearing this, Icarus?" The deer turns to the eagle, Icarus, with a snort.

"Yes. It proves what we were hypothesizing about. There are other... versions, I guess, of Ragdon." Icarus smiles. His shaggy, golden feathers ruffle in the breeze. When he turns slightly, I see that Icarus's wing was never broken. It has been bound in such a way that the wing rests awkwardly at his side, partially extended but the wrist held sharply closed.

"Come with me, alright?" I nod my head so the two will follow me and Clap.

"Why?" The deer raises an eyebrow.

"I would like to know why you are here. I thought you might prefer a more private environment. But if I'm wrong, we can continue chatting here. Whatever makes you more comfortable." I shrug.

"Whatever. Lead the way. Let me shift back first though. I need to stretch my legs." Before I can ask what she means, the deer is enveloped in shimmering lights. In the deer's place stands a human, dressed in a pair of shorts and a loose tank top. Spiky hair has replaced the horns, but the earrings remain. I internally frown in confusion but keep my face neutral.

I thought only Wolf, Dove, and King Garonda XIV could shift, but apparently not. I'll need to figure out where Icarus and the deer-girl came from. And if they're with King Garonda XIV or not.

The deer-girl talks quietly with Icarus as I lead them to one of the meeting tents by the Earth Tree. Clap settles down in the corner. "What's your name?" I ask. "I know yours is Icarus."

"Why should I tell you? Names hold power. What if I don't want you knowing mine?" I sigh.

"Alright. I just thought it would be nice to know what to call you. Sorry." This will be fun...

"Don't be. I was just seeing what your reply would be. I'm Seneca. And that's Icarus." She jabs a thumb toward the eagle.

"Do you need help getting out of those binds, Icarus? I can have Clap go get Miles, one of the doctors here." Clap perks up when she hears her name.

"It won't come off."

"Like it's stuck or it's not coming off at all?"

"It's not coming off at all." Icarus shrugs.

"Ok..." My voice trails off.

"So what are we doing here?" Seneca picks at her fingernails.

"I was hoping to learn what you two are doing in the White Tent Sea."

"Hmm. Want the short version or the long version?"

"Whichever you prefer. Just make sure it's the truth."

Seneca nods and proceeds to tell me that she and Icarus had been living in what she called an alternate reality of Ragdon. Hers looked similar to the one we were in but only she and Icarus had any form of magic. She didn't say why, but I made a mental note to try to figure out if it was just that the two of them had been born with it or if something had happened. Seneca went on to say that a little over a month ago about two dozen people had shown up out of nowhere. After searching for answers, they had figured out that other realities of Ragdon existed. She left out how, but I didn't push on it. Not yet, at least.

"And now we're here. Questions?"

"S-s-so y-you're from a-another dimension?" Clap's eyes widen in awe.

"U-uh," Seneca stutters. "Yeah. Like an alternate timeline for Ragdon."

"Whoah, th-that's s-so cool."

"Thanks, I guess?" Seneca shifts on her feet, crossing her arms across her chest.

So they're from another dimension of Ragdon, an alternate timeline? I guess if Arcane could shed the Midnight Tear and stop time and send those he perceives to be evil to an alternate timeline, like create a fork in the road of time, creating two separate paths, then Seneca and Icarus living on an alternate dimension of Ragdon isn't all that farfetched. But still, what on Ragdon are they doing here? Are they just trying to figure out where those two dozen people came from?

"Why did two dozen people show up in our Ragdon?" Quite the bite, just like Phoenix.

I open my mouth to reply, but yet another series of shouts sound a ways off. You've gotta be kidding me. A shrill scream echoes across the White Tent Sea. I mentally curse. Seneca and Icarus can wait; they're not the main threat right now. "What's going on?" Icarus follows me and Clap outside the tent. Seneca trails behind him.

"King Garonda XIV, if my presumption is correct."

"King What-What?" Seneca curls her lip.

"K-King Garonda XIV. He's th-the K-King of Ragdon, b-but Brook s-says that name i-is made up. A-a-and h-he's bad." Clap prances beside me, tilting her head to the side as she states who King Garonda XIV is.

"The hell? That's a dumb name."

"You're preaching to the choir," I mutter

"Can I meet him? He seems like an interesting guy."

"You can't."

"Why not? Where is he? Point me in the right direction and I'll go there myself. With Icarus, of course." If only it was that easy.

Thankfully, we reach the location of the screams before I need to reply. A swarm of Guard and Soldiers surrounds a group of Ragdonians who are kneeling, hands tied behind their backs and heads bowed. The Soldiers have their swords drawn, and the lead Guard is barking orders.

"Who are they," Seneca hisses in my ear.

"Guard and Soldiers. The Guard are in the leather uniforms, and the Soldiers are in the metal armor. They work for King Garonda XIV."

"Are they good or bad?"

"Bad," I murmur, instantly regretting it as Seneca nods her head. Her body is enveloped in light and she shifts to her deer form. She shoves her way through the crowd, hooves clattering against the hard-packed soil.

"Hey, Guard and Soldiers! Yeah, you."

"Who are you?" The lead Guard's eyes flash and his lip curls as he snarls the words.

"Doesn't matter. So what are you doing here?"

"I'm carrying out My Sovereign, His Excellency, His Honor, His Highest of all Highnesses, King Garonda XIV's wishes. It is my greatest honor to fulfill every one of his desires, and nothing can compare to the joy and happiness it brings me when I can deliver upon his wishes."

Seneca breaks out into a burst of cackling laughter, throwing her laughter as she crows.

"Oh, my god. This has got to be a joke, right? Who-." 

"Do NOT insult My Sov-."

Seneca frowns at him. "Don't interrupt me. It's rude. Who taught you manners? It's basic curtesy. Wait until someone's done talking, simple as that."

"I'm carrying out My Sovereign, His Excellency, His Honor, His Highest of all Highnesses, King Garonda XIV's wishes."

"Does that grant you some immunity? Cuz that's the dumbest thing I've heard."

"Get her," the lead Guard barks. The Guard and the Soldiers nod, some standing by the bound Ragdonians while the rest advance on Seneca.

She smiles in a sick way, reminding me of Phoenix.

"Took you long enough," she snickers. Her weight shifts back and her head lowers so her antlers are level with the Guard and Soldiers.

"S-Seneca! Get back!" Clap darts forward faster than I can react.

"I'm not worried about a few measly attackers. If this so-called King has something he'd like to say to people, he can come and say it himself. But if he doesn't have the guts, then he can shove it. Boy, am I gonna enjoy this. It's been a while. Need to stretch my muscles."

I blink slowly. Really like Phoenix.

It's quickly clear Seneca has a similar fighting style to Phoenix.

It's brute force, gouging gaping wounds and slashing bloody gashes. Just lashing out at whoever's closest until they fall. Her hooves flash, digging into a Guard's shoulder and tearing at the flesh. I can see bone when she turns. She gains a few cuts and wounds but she doesn't slow. 

Seneca's antlers pierce a Soldier's armor, and he becomes stuck. Seneca takes several steps backward quickly and throws her head from side to side in an effort to get free from the Soldier. Blood pours from the wound, streaming down the Soldier's armor as he howls in pain. His hands fumble as he tries to get ahold of Seneca's antler but he can't; his hands become slick with scarlet and his fingers slip when he tries to grasp Seneca's antlers.

No one moves as they watch Seneca battle against the Guard and Soldiers. A few murmur to their neighbors in awe, while others slowly shake their heads, disapproval written clearly across their faces.

Clap paces through my legs, ears and tail flicking in anxiousness. I lower my head down to her level.

"It'll be ok," I murmur. Clap doesn't reply.

Seneca finally frees herself from the Soldier, and she stumbles back. A Guard takes advantage of her imbalance and slashes a gash across her shoulder. Why he didn't go for the kill I don't know. Blood gushes down Seneca's foreleg, soaking into the soil.

"What? That all you got?" Seneca wrinkles her nose in a sick grin as she blinks blood from her eyes. The remaining Guard and Soldiers scowl. They step over the bodies of their fallen comrades.

When one of the Guard nocks an arrow in his bow and presses the tip against Seneca's forehead, she simply snickers, no other reaction.

"Try again," she says simply. "It's gonna take a little more than that to kill me. Maybe move back a few feet? The arrow's got nowhere to go."

"It's going to go through your skull. Trust me on that."

"Ever heard of stalling?" Seneca raises an eyebrow as she smirks, lowering her stance, and ducking her head.

When she lunges forward, her antlers carve long lacerations on the Guard's legs and abdomen. The Guard immediately hunches over, arms wrapping around his middle as blood pours over his skin. She doesn't blink an eye, and instead, she moves on to the rest of the Guard and Soldiers.

The wound on Seneca's shoulder continues to leak scarlet, staining both her dark fur and the ground beneath her. She shakes her head, and blood splatters on the ground.

Nobody moves. The murmuring has stopped, and it's like everyone is holding their breath. Clap hides behind my forelegs. I know she wants to watch, but she doesn't want to risk seeing someone else fall at the hands of King Garonda XIV's Guard and Soldiers.

But somehow, I doubt Seneca will fall. She reminds me too much of Phoenix.

Why are you sounding like Phoenix is dead? He's too stubborn to be killed before he gets the chance to kill King Garonda XIV. If Seneca's anything like Phoenix, it's gonna take a little more than a few daggers and swords to kill her.

As Seneca moves closer to the remaining two, a Guard and a Soldier, the Soldier begins to tremble ever so slightly. Seneca smiles. "Oh, you're new, aren't ya?"

"Why are you doing this exactly?" The Guard tightens his grip on his dagger as Seneca takes another leisurely step closer.

"You were going to kill innocent people. So I'm just returning the favor. Not that you're innocent."

"W-we were just f-following My Sovereign, His Honor, His Highest of all Highnesses, King Garonda XIV's wishes. Whatever he wishes, it is my greatest honor to make it come true."

"Excuse me?" A horrified look washes over the Guard's face as he turns and looks at the Soldier.

"Wh-what?"

"How dare you call My Sovereign, His Excellency, His Honor, His Highest of all Highnesses, King Garonda XIV by anything except for his chosen title!"

"Did I-I mess up?" The color drains from the Soldier's face.

"Yeah. Yeah, you did. You know what happens to those who disrespect the rightful King of Ragdon?"

"It was an honest mistake," the Soldier pleads, holding his hands out as he takes a step back. "Please, I-I didn't mean any disrespect, I promise!"

"You're a Soldier, too. Soon, we won't be needing any."

"L-Luke?"

"Yeah, the ultimate Soldier. You won't be needed."

Thank you for reading the latest chapter in The King's Remorse! I really hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I've enjoyed writing it! Things are really starting to get interesting now. Dove, Phoenix, and the rest of the group are off finding the new Midnight Wolf, supposedly Wolf. Clap and Brook are in the White Tent Sea, where Seneca and Icarus have appeared and where the Guard have revealed Luke, the ultimate Soldier.

Who or what is this Luke?

What's going on with Seneca and Icarus?

How did they go from their dimension of Ragdon to the one Brook and Clap are on?

Until next time, stay safe and healthy!

-Werewolf14-