SHATTERED CROWN

CHAPTER 003: Winter has passed.

Camyre’s POV:

Pushing my way to the top, my hands were the first to come up the surface, struggling and pushing the upper half of my body up the surface of the pile of rubble, dusting myself off and taking a huge burst of air to feel my oxygen deprived lungs, dabbing at my eyes to remove the particles that had trickled within.

After taking in huge gulps of air, I scanned the mine, or what it would have been if it was still standing. The area was deserted, devoid of any human life. Taking in deep breaths, frowning as I realized they had left us behind, abandoned us in the rubble.

I groaned, wincing as I pulled the rest of my body free from the pile of rocks. Each movement ached, but I had no choice but to keep going, and finally, I came up free, my clothes were tattered and my lungs burned continuously.

Dusting myself off, I trudged through heaps, deep within the first, it was dark, a crescent moon hung in the midnight sky, and the shadows in the forest were barely visible, but it had an eerie feeling as though hiding behind them were creatures out of the world.

Gritting my teeth against each other and pushing the feeling to the back of my mind, I dragged soggy and bare feet through the mud of the forest floor, in an attempt to reach my home.

Holsenberg was a far-off village, I had known this as we had taken at least half a month before we had arrived at the mines, walking back would not be the ideal thing to do as I could barely even stand properly, feeling a pain that crept up the side of my legs and was barely able to walk, limping every few steps and wincing in pain,

In my attempt to escape this wretched place, I hadn't noticed that my legs had been bleeding rather profusely, it was not surprising considering I had the entire cave had collapsed on me, honestly. I was all but lucky to be alive, which made me wonder how I was.

After limping through the woods, the rain began to platter in drops before pouring down in anger, lightning flashed across the sky and the sound followed, sending a chill down my spine, one would think I would feel a bit cold being drenched under this weather, but I felt normal and I didn't see the need to stop and trudge forward.

My bare feet were covered with mud and my vision blurred as I wiped the downing water from my face. Ahead of me, lights flashed and I squinted to get a better view, hope blossomed in my heart as I realized there was a tavern in front, increasing my peace as the need for survival had been the only thing keeping me alive.

Stepping onto the docks, the warmth of the tavern surrounded me like a coat, shaking off the little beads of water droplets before pushing the door open.

Walking in slowly as attention was pulled towards me, although the tavern was bare, there were still a few people that sat around the wooden tables, at least three of them at the counter who returned to their drinks, not caring about a wretched-looking man that had just barged in.

I made a beeline towards the counter, “Hello, I need your help,” I frantically said, my voice hurting as this was the first time I was using it since I had pulled myself out of my remains.

The bartender gazed up at me, her face twisted in disgust as she peered at my appearance, I wouldn't blame her, I looked like a drenched dirty mess, “Please I need your help, I need a place to stay for the night, anywhere at all, at least until the rain dwindles,” I pleaded, using the counter as support for my weak body.

Once again she remained silent as she took a step back away from me, she said "A room's three shillin', it is." she said in an Eastern accent.

“Three shillings? That's a rip-off,” I yelled angrily, not believing a room in a shabby-looking tavern would cost so much, and I didn't have that kind of money with me at the moment, “Please, I don't have anything with me at the moment, just help me out,” I tried to calm down as pleaded.

There was nothing on me as I tapped my body in search of a bulge in the inner part of my clothes that had survived the crash and the journey all the way. Digging my hand into my coat, and fishing out the item, I realized it was the same pearl that I had pulled out back in the mines, it had survived all that crash. I frowned as the pearl began to pulsate once again and I wondered what it was.

Pushing it back down as I didn't want it to drag more attention than I already had, glancing back at the bartender, offering a tightlipped smile, “Please, I don't have anything on me, I'm just coming back from the mine crafts that had collapsed, please just…….” I trailed off exhaustedly.

A few seconds passed and I watched as her face morphed from disgust to confusion, the tavern had become quieter than before, and the only sound that could be heard was the pattering rain that fell heavily outside.

“Mines? What mines, love? Ain’t no mines ‘round here, far as I know that have collapsed,” she argued.

I retched back, mirroring her confusion, there should have been an announcement that should have been released.

"Ain't been any mines since winter, months ago. What on earth are you prattling' on about, boy?" a gruff voice sounded out from behind me.

I stared at the buff-looking man with a drink in his hands and his expression said how much he was quite certain of this information, they all were.

The implication of this was unbearable I shook my head in disbelief. “What month are we in?” I inquired hurriedly to the bartender.

"Winter's been gone for four months now, love. We’re in the month of the Lunar Solstice, don’t you know?"