Asha of the Border — Chapter 10

A VILLAGE AT THE FOOT OF THE MOUNTAIN RANGE, THE PLAGUE HOUSE.

*plague house: a place where the bodies of plague victims are kept in isolation.

DAMN... THE STENCH IS SUFFOCATING.

I KNOW THEY DIED OF THE PLAGUE,

BUT HOW CAN THEY JUST LEAVE THE BODIES HERE TO ROT LIKE THIS?

HOLD OUT YOUR ARMS.

I'M GOING TO USE THIS TO MEASURE YOUR HEIGHT.

OKAY, THIS ONE.

I’LL BE BACK BY EVENING.

C-CAN’T I G-GO WITH YOU?

I NEED TO GET THIS DONE QUICKLY.

AND...

I’M GOING TO NEED YOUR BRACELET.

IT’S TO MAKE SURE THE PEOPLE WHO DROVE YOU HERE

STOP LOOKING FOR YOU.

CAN I HAVE IT?

THE HEIGHT AND BUILD ARE ABOUT RIGHT...

SHOULD BE ENOUGH TO PASS HER OFF AS THE PRINCESS.

YOU MUST HAVE BEEN SOMEONE'S FAMILY, TOO.

I'M SORRY, BUT I NEED YOU.

SO THAT'S HIM.

THE ONE WHO TOOK THE PRINCESS.

I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHY YOU TOOK THE PRINCESS.

DAMN IT, IS HE FROM THE KINGDOM?

IS THIS A PERSONAL GRUDGE?

OR ARE YOU AFTER RANSOM?

I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.

JUST BE ON YOUR WAY.

OR PERHAPS IT'S A PATHETIC SENSE OF HEROISM.

I COULD KILL THIS PATHETIC BRAT

IN AN INSTANT.

BUT THAT WOULD MAKE WAR BETWEEN THE MOUNTAINS AND THE KINGDOM INEVITABLE.

IN THAT CASE...

IF YOU'RE TRYING TO DECEIVE THE ROYAL COURT,

THEN YOU AND I WANT THE SAME THING.

THE COURT WANTS THE PRINCESS DEAD,

AND WE WANT TO PUT THEIR MINDS AT EASE.

A FEW DAYS LATER

HOW CAN SUCH TRAGEDIES KEEP BEFALLING US?

THAT UNFILIAL CHILD...

SHE WAS A THORN IN MY SIDE EVEN WHEN SHE WAS ALIVE,

SHIRKING HER DUTIES,

AND NOW SHE TESTS ME FROM THE GRAVE.

TO HAVE TO DELIVER SUCH CRUEL NEWS...

YOUR MAJESTY, AS YOUR HUMBLE SERVANT, MY HEART BREAKS.

ENSURE THE PRINCESS

NEVER LEAVES THE MOUNTAIN RANGE AS LONG AS SHE LIVES.

IF YOU PROMISE, I WILL PROVIDE A BODY TO BE SENT TO THE PALACE.

SINCE WE'RE STRIKING SUCH AN IMPORTANT DEAL,

SHOULDN'T YOU AT LEAST TELL ME WHO YOU ARE?

THE PRICE FOR THAT WOULD BE YOUR LIFE.

KEEP IN MIND THAT THIS AGREEMENT IS ONLY POSSIBLE

BECAUSE WE ARE STRANGERS TO EACH OTHER.

SO IT'S EITHER DEATH

OR ACCEPTANCE?

DAMN IT. FINE.

A DEAL MADE BECAUSE WE'RE STRANGERS? MY ASS.

I NEED SOMETHING TO TRACK YOU WITH.

I'LL HOLD ONTO THIS UNTIL THE DAY I DIE.

AS IF I'D GO BACK TRUSTING ONLY THE WORD OF THAT BARBARIAN.

HEAR ME, OH STARS.

I HEREBY BIND THE LIVES OF THE PRINCESS AND THIS BARBARIAN AS ONE —

FROM THIS DAY FORTH, THEY SHALL SHARE A SINGLE BREATH,

AND THEIR BOND SHALL NOT BE BROKEN UNTIL THE DAY THEY DIE.

IF ONE STRAYS FAR, THE OTHER WILL ALSO SUFFER.

IF ONE'S BLOOD RUNS COLD, THE OTHER'S HEART WILL ALSO CEASE TO BEAT.

IT HASN'T BEEN LONG SINCE HER FATHER PASSED...

HOLD A FUNERAL FOR THE PRINCESS

AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

WHO WILL INHERIT THE THRONE NOW?

THAT'S NOT HER.

THAT'S NOT MY FIANCÉE,

RENÉE GROER.

OH, YOU LOOK PLEASED.

FEELING PROUD NOW THAT YOU’VE FINALLY TAKEN HER IN?

AFTER WALKING ALL OVER THE TRIBE’S HIGHEST ELDER?

I’M ECSTATIC. SEE? DANCING FOR JOY.

AND LOWER YOUR VOICE.

SO UNCIVILIZED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT.

AND WHAT IF I DON’T, YOU BASTARD?!

DEAN! YOU IN THERE?!

GO SEE, RIVER DEAN.

THEY'RE CALLING FOR YOU, NOT ME.

YOU KNOW BETTER THAN ANYONE

THAT NO ONE WOULD COME LOOKING FOR ME, EDEN.

DAMN IT.