Grizzled
#S2 Episode 5
The dawn is behind the hill. His red tinge slipped through the cracks of the window frame across there. The sky is bright soon. Last night I had enough food and sleep, but still woke up with high stress levels.
The reason was obvious, I had already reneged on the promise to go home before afternoon while it was already morning. Besides, I didn't know about the business I had to finish to get that fucking Luska to drive me home. Ah, even he hasn't picked me up like Aquila said.
Speaking of Aquila, I'd rather ask her a question than Luska later. Too bad, he looked closed and uncaring.
“I am now just an ordinary civilian unrelated to government policy. Well, that policy is no longer a public secret, but if you hear it for the first time from a former opposition like me, guess how I'm going to get even more hostile for brainwashing you,” replied Aquila who now looked busy cooking. He was no longer wearing his flying clothes.
We were on the second floor, one level below the spire room where I arrived here yesterday.
“Policy? What policy?” muttered, “I need a picture of your position. Who is Luska? And you are now just an ordinary citizen? Former opposition? Is Brother Garuda also on the same side as you?”
Aquila sighed bitterly, “You are so chatty! This tower has been full of question marks since you came! If you really want to know, from my point of view, Luska is an unpleasant part of the past! Again, that's from my point of view! So, I don't want to talk about him. Ask me anything, I'll answer, except about the guy, okay?!”
“Ah, ba ... well,” answered me while scraping a few times.
“You don't want to shower?” ask Aquila.
“I can take a shower?” askaku.
“If my guess is correct, Luska won't care about your cleanliness. What he prioritized after picking you up must have been talking about policy ...”
“Didn't you say you don't want to talk about Luska?”
My question was answered by Aquila's cold gaze. Heh, who actually spoke wrong?!
“Alright, alright! I'll take a shower!” my words immediately rushed the same as when glared at mom, “by the way ... bathroom next to where?”
Aquila pointed to the side of the room opposite the cooking place, a circular basin on the floor that I thought was the stairs leading downstairs, but it turned out .. Is it really just a basin like an empty swimming pool? Too shallow, if I had sat into it Aquila could even see me from where she stood. He pressed something against the wall that made the water start to fill this basin.
“I can lend you a suit of clothes, hopefully our size is the same,” Aquila said before descending the stairs to the lower floor. All I did was stare until the water stopped rising, filling half the basin.
“You haven't been in a soak yet?” ask Aquila when she gets back. Me? Soaking in here? Seriously, huh?!
“Dih, what's that reddening face of yours?! All this time there was only me and my grandmother here, the place to soak was deliberately made open just like that.”
“Oh, sorry, I'm not used to bathing in the open with other people in the same place even though you're both female.”
“Ah, fussy! Who will be watching you?! I will be more busy preparing breakfast and potions for my grandmother!” aquila replied grumbling with annoyance. I just grin while tying my hair.
“By the way, where's grandma? I haven't seen him since this morning,” said I started to dip my toes, not expecting the water temperature to be this warm.
“There is on the first floor, pampering yourself in the therapy chair,” replied Aquila. I don't know much about the therapy chair she's referring to, but I'm sure Aquila's still on her budget, so it's useless to ask. Sometimes Aquila's temperament tries to remind me of someone, but who is it?
“Originally, my late grandmother looked like your grandmother, you know!” my words finally that will tell a lot of stories, “beliau closed the age three months ago after complications of his internal organs, but the most upset me in recent years is Alzheimer's disease that he suffered.”
I paused for a moment, silent into the memory when grandma was still there. The only sound that could be heard in the entire room was the sound of Aquila pestle pounding something, perhaps a concoction ingredient for her grandmother while the water in the pool where I was soaking smelled refreshing even without soap bubbles. My skin also felt more tight and clean.
“My grandmother was so loving and I loved her more. My sister and I were closer to my grandmother than our own parents. Everything changes after the symptoms of the damn disease slowly take hold of it. Senile grandmother, who she remembers only having one grandchild, my sister. While if I appear before him, he will scream hysterically and mope with me to throw me out. Finally I relented, no longer approaching grandma despite wanting so much. We were further separated after he cared for his uncles and aunts, staying in their home until the end of the age.”
Silent. I did not know that Aquila was silent looking at me because my position was behind her.
“I'm a little upset –no, anyway, very upset– for missing a lot of opportunities at the last moment, let alone not being in grandma's memory. I became jealous of Aquila who still had time to do many things for her loved ones.”
Ah, shit, my words seem to have a taste, stuck at the base of the tongue, so bitter. I don't want to have to swallow it. Something about forgetting and being forgotten always provokes bad feelings for me. Maybe the loss of some of my memory was a punishment because I was upset with my grandmother.
“Your story makes me a little grateful,” Aquila said.
“Do not be a little, dong! Thankful a lot ...”
“But it turns out you are much more attractive than I thought,”. I turned my head because I was feeling uncomfortable when Aquila looked at me who was soaking.
“A ... what, anyway?!”
“Do not misunderstand! Where is your mind going? I mean, that thing on your nape, have you ever noticed it?” tanyakanya. I touched the part he meant.
“What's up? There is nothing!” my answer.
“You must know the tattoo on Luska's right forehead, it turns out you also have the same motif on your nape.”
“Wah, time?! Since when?!” I just don't believe it. If there really was such a thing, my father and mother would have seen it and would have interrogated me. Moreover, Yasinta, he would definitely be so bawled wondering. Clearly the tattoo Aquila was referring to appeared recently.
“It's a surprise that you asked back. Ah, it seems like sooner or later I will also get involved. This is a big sign! It is only fitting that you can calm grandma yesterday,” murmured. Heh? What say?
“Sorry, I forgot your name. Let me remember again, who?”
“Shira, Shira Amanda,” I grabbed a towel, felt enough after cleaning myself. Right after, a noise rang out on the top floor. The sound of horse shoes dominates. The clothes Aquila provided I hurriedly put on while Aquila herself had climbed up the stairs, checking the situation above. This plain black turtleneck outfit is the same as Aquila's, but it's a bit of a joke when I wear it.
“I didn't hear anyone say excuse me,” said Aquila ruffled waist greets the ones who came.
“Greetings, Your Majesty! Sorry for my delay!” he came down from his half-horse half-horse half-garud. Well, I remember Brother Garuda!
“I should pick up Your Majesty immediately before this woman affects you a lot,” he said again.
“My skills affect people far defeated by you, as long as you know!” reply Aquila.
“Thank you! That's a compliment to me,” replied Luska with a smile.
“OK, stop! You owe me a lot of explanation because Aquila herself hasn't told me much much else to the point of influencing me! Earlier stand up and don't act weird to me, please, it's laughable!” my answer.
“It's good to hear it, Your Majesty! We can talk about everything in a comfortable palace, that's my destination to pick you up.”
“No, deh, just here.”
“You better follow his words. Don't make this guy linger here,” Aquila replied.
“I'm also not pleased,” reply Luska.
“Alright, I'm coming with you, but Aquila is too,” my bargain.
“I have no business, sorry!”
Aquila left the room.
“Hey, I don't want to go anywhere! Please, Aquila! You're the only person I trust!” my door.
“You can't trust someone you just met last night. Too naive, you can't even save yourself, let alone the whole country!”
“Ha?”
“If Your Majesty trusts Aquila just for giving me a ride last night and this makeshift outfit, then Your Majesty can definitely trust me beyond it after I deliver to the magnificent palace where you should be.”
“Terserusah, please take me wherever you want. I want to leave not because of that palace, but to charge your explanation!”
Luska's smile widened, asking me to climb onto her mount, “Mari, Your Majesty!”
“One more, the person who wants to be truly trusted need not say that he needs it. Just like a good person who does not confess well,”.
“I will remember,” replied Luska pulling the leash of the beast through my waist, “it turns out you are not as naive as Aquila thought. Your Majesty can certainly save many people.”
The horse-bodied creature with the head of a garuda –which I don't know what it's called– stretched its wings, took a swing before flying through the wide tower window. My heart was pounding not because I was riding a strange creature alongside a similarly strange man, but, hey.
I'm not scared! I'm not scared! I'm not scared!
Please, just this time I don't want to be afraid to stare at the green expanse of the forest area and the eye-indulgent hills, several tens of meters below my trajectory. It's too beautiful to miss. The sun is not too high. The atmosphere felt so warm to my face, it was like brushing my hair. Our mount creatures are making noise. His distinctive curves echoed to various directions. The quelus of her neck feathers was golden in color, soft and beautiful glittering.
“He must be proud to be the mount of the new leader of our country,” said Luska.
“What?” I don't really hear his voice carried by the wind.
“Actually the Aquila tower is connected with an instant portal in the palace, but for the sake of introducing His Majesty to the White Country, a conventional trip like this is the best choice.”
“Oh, time?”
The best option if this animal stops flying is getting higher. The scenery has changed into a boring arch of the horizon of the ocean to enjoy. My fear returned when I saw the waves on the coast. It's not funny at all if I fall and then fall into this super deep and wide puddle.
“How far is it?” I was wondering about that.
“In a moment, Your Majesty!”
“A minute?”
“Ya,” replied Luska spurring the speed of this flying beast.
“But I have not seen any land,” I replied closing my eyes, getting more tense as we moved up instead.
“We'll see it above the cloud.”
“What?!”
“The pulse center of life of White Country is above the clouds! Hold on, Your Majesty!”
Heeehhhh?!
“I DON'T LIKE HIGH PLACES!!”
.Seriate.
