Chapter 11
1044 Words
"Oh, of course, I remember quite plainly. Everyone would accidentally fall from that small carriage we were always playing with, into the mud and we'd gladly roll over it, then there's you, few seconds on the mud, you immediately stood up brushing your skirt and you'd always manage to fix the broken wheel. You were quite a gem, even back then." Raha said before letting out a sigh, " Ahh, good ol' days, innit? She added.
"They were, and I will do anything for the coming generation of this kingdom to experience such momentous childhood once again. They shouldn't' be in labor at a very young age, for that atrocious so called king Demetrius. No words can measure his lack of humanity."
"I know, Scar. He's such a heartless person, and that is coming from me, a bandit. I just can't stand those hideous, grotesque face of him, paired with a heart of stone. Acckk!"
I stood there thinking.
"Then you should join me, Raha. Join my party. We''ll have his head at the palm of our hands and we'll take back the kingdom, we'll make life better for our people."
"Oh no, no, no, Scar. You're on your own. Besides, he's got a lot of army standing alongside him and he could kill us instantly. I don't want to die, at the hands of some ugly, cold-hearted human!"
"Isn't it time for you to cut back from all this banditry stuff you're doing now? Besides, you're no better than Demetrius if you keep swindling people every time. I know you're better than all this."
"Hey, watch your mouth, princess! I know this ain't the purest way to earn a living but I do earn money enough to keep myself alive. And I only choose those people who deserve some karma. I don't prey on the weak, innocent ones. And if I help you, there's nothing in it for me. So I won't concern myself with your problem."
"But Raha...you are a part of the kingdom, don't you remember?"
"Not anymore, princess. That's been ages ago and I'm not even a royalty. I wasn't even liked by your father! He was mean to me. I chose this life now and I'm happy with it. Can we just get this over with?"
"But you were part of the family, Raha. I know father had a hard time liking you at first, but he was like that with everyone; the truth is, eventually he just didn't want to show it but he really cared. Remember that one birthday you had when you were ten?"
"What about it?"
"He's the one who planned that surprise for you. I just added a few of my touches, but it was all him."
"I..." Raha uttered, no words were coming out until, "Nothing will ever change my mind, Scar. Let's just get this over with, please." She said firmly.
My face saddened at her response. We always treated Raha as one of our family ever since she was a baby. My mother found her crying in a basket one night, helpless and vulnerable. She was unprotected and she looked so adorable. I was just a toddler, about two years of age back when that happened. My mother decided to take her in and since that day, she was like a sister to me. When she turned twelve, she decided to leave us and live on her own after a year of finding out about the time we found her. We tried, with the best of our capability, to convince her to stay but nothing seems to change her mind. A year after that, I just found her roaming Draco, stealing stuff from strangers, together with a bunch of bandits around her age. But she remains a family to me after all that happened. That's something Tucky doesn't know about her.
"Here..." I said as I hand her the pouch that was hanging on my wrist. She grabbed it and started counting.
"Alright, the elements are right over that counter. Get it and please close the door on your way out."
"Raha, I..."
"Just get it and get out, please?" she irritatingly stated, as she interrupted me.
I can't help but let out a huge sigh, grab the elements she traded for some golden coinage, and silently headed out of her door. She didn't even say goodbye. As I shut her door, I glanced at it, giving a melancholy sigh. I then decided to pick an old torn scroll left lying on the ground and wrote what I was about to say to her a while ago. Then I slipped it under her door.
It is not always about flesh and blood but the heart which makes the family.
You may have kissed us goodbye, but you haven't left our hearts.
Our doors always remained open for you.
Now that it's just you and me, that's left of us,
May you find it in your heart to join my hand for our mother's glory.
I continued on with my way, keeping a head for a lookout for some danger lurking around the corners.
Fortunately, I managed to pass through the very busy market, unnoticed, thanks to my little disguise.
As I head down the street headed towards the forest, I saw the same group of men from a far distance, still on the same spot. Then it suddenly occur to me; an important, special trade was about to happen today. I just overheard it from the locals gossiping back in the market. Someone might be on a quest, I thought. Too bad, the news has gotten all over the crooks' ears. Looks like the adventurer's in quite a big trouble and these delinquents might be the trouble.
As I continue walking, a man up the distance seem to be headed to Draco. From the looks of it, an average man wearing an alabaster white tunic with a wide buckled belt, a grayish form fitting pair of pants tucked inside a knee-high boots, he might be the adventurer who's about to get slain by these crooks though I cannot perceive what his face looks like because of the distance. I subtly slowed down my pace so I can observe what was coming.
- Writer
