[b]Walter Chapter 1: The end of an age[/b] Walter pressed his head against the wood. He was surrounded by a cluster of golden hay which nestled its way into his sleeves and caused severe itches across his face. The cart bumped for a moment as the mule that dragged it brought it over a larger rock. Walter peered next to him where Olive lay, the woman attempted a smile but it came across as anxious and pale. They had been hiding like this for hours, he had kept count. ”How much farther?” She whispered over carefully. ”I'll check.” Walter nodded his head against the planks and then brushed his way out of the hay, to peek his head out through the top. He looked to the cart's driver, the man whom he had paid his last sovreigns and for a moment considered what exactly he might say to him. The driver spoke first, however. ”Nobody's out here, son.” The driver gestured his free hand across the green landscape and its many dots of ripe farmland. Walter looked around, canvasing the area. In the far distance he could see the dark blot that was Monarch's rise, standing out as a beacon of luxurious civility in the otherwise simple, yet beautiful landscape. ”You and your missus can come out.” The driver continued, grabbing the reins of his mule again as he spared a glance back at Walter. ”Oh! We're not...” Walter felt a blush strike his face, he cleared his throat and stroke a hand across his lightly bearded cheek, Olive appeared next to him, her usually smooth hair was cloven and tangled in strings of both hay and wild brown curls. She gazed around the landscape before smiling timidly over towards Walter. Whom was caught without something to say. He stuttered for a moment, touching at his own hair, jet black and also unusually untamed. ”You eh, got some...” He mumbled. She trailed his hand with an emerald eye, then touched her hair, finding the bother. To which she only giggled delightfully and ignored. She moved her gaze to the front of the cart and then climbed over the railing which held the bundle of hay in place. She sat herself next to the driver and went on to excitedly thank him for his help. Walter watched their conversation without listening, he found himself smiling as he was staring at Olive, her simple sweater and ankle-low skirt were scrunched and fit well with the poor state of her hair. She had never been so beautiful. Walter caught himself smiling and abruptly shook it off. He couldn't think about that, not after everything that had happened. There were still so many things to do and the future had no place for his feelings. He sighed in mute insecurity and looked back down the road they had traveled, he had never been one to look back but Walter felt that this would haunt him forever. They were far away from the capital now, off the main road and on their way to safety. The landscape was slowly changing and trees started to pop up around them, eventually becoming a surrounding, green forest. Walter looked back from his nature gazing with a snap as he heard Olive say his name. ”Huh? Yes?” He exchanged his brooding stare with a kind look. Olive giggled and smiled effortlessly in return. It seemed she was unbothered. Walter could only give her a flawed smile and spare her of the harsher truth as best he could. ”I said... Where are we going now?” Olive smiled, leaning her arms over the railing to peer at Walter. He sighed out of his mouth and looked past both Olive and their paid off driver, down the forest road they were travelling. ”We're going home."