ADURAS

Part 30: Cunning Strategies

Hazard and Yena sit on the steps of the house oasis, his feet on the grassy sand sparsely. The scorching sun did not highlight too much thanks to the cloud covering, the moist air so strongly caressed their skin, the ripples of lake water rolled towards the edge. The weather is very common in the desert when entering the rainy season.

"You're helping me because you don't want to be the king's bodyguard anymore? Give me a good reason to believe."

Head down and lips closed. Yena stared at the big toe, forcing the brain to look for excuses.

"Ult .. I don't like working for him. But, there's no choice. My life would be much worse if I didn't try to be a useful person to her" Yena said, feeling so honest. Because perhaps, he expressed his deepest feelings.

When Yena turned her head, Hazard was looking at her. Flat, but deep. A very difficult look. Is that a sympathy look? saddened? moved? or suspicious?

"What's wrong?"

Hazard shook his head slowly. "No, I was just watching you. Maybe, you're lying?"

Cone lips and furrowed eyebrows. It clearly looks like his annoyance. "I'm not lying."

"Really?"

His gaze diverted, Yena could not resist the deep and serious gaze of Hazard. It feels like something is racing in the chest.

His eyes turned on Yena's arm. Yena's fingers that were tied to her knees became the base, looking a strong unease there. "All right, I believe." Leaning a faint smile from Hazard with the netra staring back at the lake. At least Hazard already knows what he has to do after this.

Meanwhile, behind a pile of sand and shrubs, a sky blue-eyed youth went from hiding. He's Samper, his footprints all over Reda.

...

"You seriously want to ally with me?" ask Hazard. He stood face to face with Yena, in the middle of the night.

"Sure, but I need to secure my family first. King Firan, for sure, will target them as hostages" Yena told a lie. In his heart he laughed out loud because he had managed to trick the murderer. After all, Yena did not want to betray her master. He has sworn.

"Well, I'll go through the scroll. Reply if you're ready," Hazard explained without displaying an expression. A little dangerous for Yena, because she has trouble reading the feelings of the other person. It would be helpful to detect his emotions.

Hazard said goodbye, then darted like lightning. His presence is no longer visible. Seeing with his own eyes, his hair bristled. Of course Yena must tell the King, because it will be very useful if one day Hazard launches the action.

...

In front of her mother's house, Yena knocked on the door three times. But, no one said. He peered through the wooden window from his crevices. The only thing in the dark, there are no inhabitants. It's freaky.

"Mother! I'm home!" yena shouted while banging on the door loudly. The worried look was clearly imprinted from his face.

Without a second thought, Yena took a swing, kicked the door until it made a loud noise. Instantly the door came off its hinges. It makes a big bang!

"Mother! Adam!" yell Yena. The net circulated in all directions in the family room. The moonlight shone on the wooden floor from behind the open door.

Yena's panicking. He broke into Layha's bedroom door. But, there's no one. Turning on Adam's room door, and nothing, just a moss-green blanket looked messy with his low table rolled over to the side of the mattress—like something was kicking. Then Yena squeezed her head, annoyed with the negative thoughts that continuously hit her head.

Lastly, Yena went to the kitchen. It's so dark in there. Yena returned to the living room, intending to take the hanging lantern and light it up. Unexpectedly someone with a large, veined hand smothers his mouth until it is difficult to breathe. Yena muttered, both her hands tightly clutched. Until the black color of his eyes rose and finally fainted.

🍂🍂🍂

The sound of iron rubbing against the ground, the laughter of some men resuscitated Yena from fainting. However, a cloth covered both of his eyes. Everything looks black except the torch light sneaks up a little and explains the view.

Yena eavesdropped on their chatter from a distance, appearing to be talking about the King. And he just realized his hands were tied back. The occupied floor feels rough, filled with small rocks, or just dry soil.

The smell of earth and old iron is quite clear here. Yena inched forward, her head until it hit the thick iron bars to make a ringing sound!

Yena grimaced with a slight cursing. The sound of iron shoes approaching Yena, he could smell the very thick smell of alcohol.

"You better shut up. Your Majesty is coming soon."

A man's voice sounded from outside these old bars. Yena looked up immediately. "Who are you? Why am I being treated like this?" screeching, with abnormal breathing and teeth grinding. Angrier.

"It doesn't matter who I am, you'd better just sit down, Miss."

His voice sounded clear, like it was parallel. Maybe the guy is squatting. Yena was upset to hear the man's words, but from a distance her focus was distracted by the sound of mutually acceptable shoes, and a man's screech on his subordinates, ordering them to march.

Caught the knock of the shoe with the wooden pedestal so smooth, some people walked towards Yena's position now. Immediately the blindfold is pulled away.

Wait, Sameer?

"You must be wondering why your friend could be here, right?" King Firan patted Sameer on the back, "of course because he worked for me. I assigned him to watch over you and the people around you." Continue smiling with your chin raised upwards.

"But I am not a traitor" he said. Fists hardened until the books turned white. Looked hard at the King.

"Indeed, you have not betrayed. Even after looking at your memories, Counselor Zain said you had no desire to betray. Truly I am flattered" said the King, kneeling before Yena. His arms slit into the crack of the bars, clutching Yena's chin, they met a look.

"No one can be sure whether you will be faithful until the end or not, after your relationship with the enemy becomes closer. Do you think I'll let it go?"

King Firan took off his grip violently. Get up and walk out. Sameer and Eden follow him from behind, Yena dies inside. Really, Yena could be this kind of class is a very embarrassing thing. Not to mention, his mother and Adam suddenly disappeared. Don't tell me King Firan took them hostage.

"You don't have to worry. Your family is safe under the watchful eye of the King."

Yena quickly looked at a burly man beside the bars. The burly man looked smirked. "Thank God, at least your family's fine now."

"Where are they?"

The man ignored Yena, he left without a word, passing the guards who were playing the stupid game—Adu Panco without a bet.

Yena bit her lips. He can't do anything, anymore. His sword is gone, the King has certainly taken it. Pain in the chest begins to feel. Free has been faithful, if in the end will be thrown away.

Now, how should I?

He thought, looking down with his eyes closed. He remembered the desert killer, so close to him, but Yena only realized. When a smile spread, he thought he would be saved by Hazard. What a very naive thought.

🍂🍂🍂

"You're doing great, Sameer. Don't you want to take Yena's place?" asked the King, the three of them were still in the hallway of the stairs leading to the top.

"Become Your Guard?"

"I won't force. After all, you still have someone to look after, don't you?"

"Bec-yes ... Your Majesty."

Eden noticed Sameer's movements. When fished with something that must be 'maintained' his personality instantly changes. Various feelings are clearly drawn from the glances of his eyes and the look of his face. An assassin he had seen for the first time seemed to be hiding something. Should Eden investigate?

The three of them came out of the underground passageway. Right and left were two guards standing guard at the end of the hall.

The King looked over, looking at Sameer. "Ah, what about your supply of Buno masks. Is there a lot?"

"Your Majesty don't have to worry, I haven't lacked anything."

"Good, if your supplies are running low, just say so. Counselor Zain will soon give you a new mask."

"I understand, Your Majesty," he said, bowing respectfully.

The corner of the King's lips was turned upward. He soon went with Eden.

...

Sameer pensively on his way. Camel mounts walk leisurely until it does not feel time passes so quickly. It was dark, and he had to reach Dokka soon. The city where he went home.

You still have someone to look after, don't you?

The question still lingered in his mind. Not because Sameer felt burdened, just that the question was so terrible.Sameer's weakness was really held tightly by the King.

In his jacket pocket, Sameer pulled out a silver-robed necklace in the shape of a sun. There is a beautiful jewel in the middle of it emitting moonlight.

Fist tightened, the necklace is a very valuable object for Sameer. It's his liaison with someone who has to be 'guarded'. "In a moment, only until this business is done can we be together again" he murmured, his gaze turning silent, full of longing that was very clearly imprinted there.

.

The Buno mask, pure white, is a disguise mask created by Zain, a mixture of human nails and various other materials. The Buno mask can only be worn once. After it was removed, the mask instantly became ashes.