Queen Without Crown

Chapter 73 Facing the Swamp-Dwelling Beings

The group rode for less than an hour to reach Masserjarvi's meadow. The sky is clear tonight. The moon shone brightly and stars scattered about it.

This very friendly weather does not reflect the rainstorms of a few hours ago. Only the muddy and muddy streets became evidence of the rampage of nature just a moment ago.

"I'm not sure exactly where the lake is. " Said Prince Gaurav after circling around the place.

"We rest first and wait until morning." Eldrige.

"But what about my brother? " Prince Sagar's voice sounded anxious.

"Don't worry, that thing won't kill Princess Elok. She'll wait until the full moon to make her a bride." Eldrige tried to calm the young Prince down.

Hearing Eldrige's words, they all reflexively gazed towards the moon above.

"We should be able to save the Elok Princess before tomorrow night." Reciprocity.

"Now it's almost midnight, go to sleep." Prince Gaurav ordered Princess Elok's sister to sleep.

The noble teenager was a bit confused to lay his body on the wet grass. He had never spent a night in the wild before.

Seeing the confusion in Prince Sagar's eyes, Prince Gaurav immediately took his blanket which was always stored in the saddle pocket of his horse.

"Sleep here! " Prince Gaurav unfurled his blanket to Prince Sagar.

"Thank you, brother! " Prince Sagar immediately laid his body on the blanket.

"Don't worry, we'll be on guard all night."

The soldiers took turns to stand guard. While Prince Gaurav was sitting leaning against a tree trunk, he was still not sleepy. In his heart he felt guilty and disappointed in himself for failing to protect the Elegant Princess.

Prince Gaurav never thought about why the woman decided to follow the creature. Was it in his heart that the Elok Princess really did not believe him?

"Why not rest? " Eldrige suddenly sat down next to him.

"I'm thinking." Prince Gaurav.

"Don't think too much. This is all the result of thinking too much."

"Whatchu mean? "

"I just found out that you guys are being betrothed. "

"What relation? "

"Women don't like to wait too long. Don't confuse him. Don't wait until he decides to let you go! "

"What should I do? "

"Ask your heart. How important is this woman to you? "

Prince Gaurav directed his gaze upwards, towards the brightly shining moon. If she fails to save the Elegant Princess, then tomorrow night the woman will be the pair of lake-waiting creatures.

But he still had no idea how important that woman was to him. Was there a special feeling he felt towards that woman?

All he knew, the Elok Princess was not as annoying as he had thought all along. The woman was quite sweet despite being a bit stubborn. And he was really not willing, if that woman had to spend her whole life being the couple of those strange creatures.

Prince Gaurav was very sleepy. Several times he yawned. He hasn't slept since last night. His body really needs rest.

When Prince Gaurav decided to close his eyes, his ears suddenly heard something.

"PLEase..! "

Prince Gaurav immediately straightened his back and sharpened his hearing.

"PLEase..! "

It was like the voice of the Elegant Princess. Prince Gaurav turned his head to the side and saw Eldrige asleep. He did not want to wake the elf, so he continued to walk past the sleeping warriors to find where the Elok Princess was.

"PLEase..! "

Prince Gaurav continued to walk through the dark and wet meadows. In the sky, the moon disappeared covered in clouds.

Prince Gaurav saw in the distance that a woman was walking on her back, her dark hair fluttering in the wind.

"Elelegant Princess? "

Prince Gaurav sped up his pace to catch up with the woman. But over time, the woman's body sank.

"Don't go in there! " Prince Gaurav realized that the woman had entered the lake.

Prince Gaurav immediately ran to chase into the lake. The cold water gushed every time his foot stepped.

Prince Gaurav saw the woman getting deeper into the lake, more than half of her body was already submerged in water. Her long hair floated on the surface of the water.

Cipak..

"PLEase..! "

The woman looked at Prince Gaurav with her eyes shining like two small torches. His face was filled with small scales like fish.

Prince Gaurav was shocked when he saw the woman's face and immediately let go of her grip. But the woman's hand is now changing pulling her further into the middle of the lake.

Prince Gaurav's body sank further and his breathing ran out. The surface of the water was now almost at his nose.

As his head got deeper into the water, Prince Gaurav suddenly felt something shining around his waist and pulled him out of the water.

But the grip on his hand did not escape, the creature was also attracted to the mainland. Prince Gaurav's body was blown off the grassy ground.

"Who is he? Do you know him? " Eldrige stands before Prince Gaurav. The elf smiled mockingly while pulling his whip.

Prince Gaurav immediately withdrew his hand held by the creature, but the creature was reluctant to take it off.

"He likes you." Eldrige laughed a little.

"Help me, Eldrige! " Prince Gaurav could not stand the cold hand grip of frozen fish.

Eldrige then threw his whip. The tip of his whip twists the creature's neck. Then Eldrige pulled him tight and threw him deep into the middle of the lake.

Byuurs!

The sound of the splash blurred, breaking the silence of the night. Ripples of water that form a circle, seen widening from the place where the creature fell.

Prince Gaurav shivered in the cold and looked pitiful. Moving his finger, Eldrige let out a yellowish glow that felt warm and illuminated Prince Gaurav's body. Instantly Prince Gaurav's body was dry and not cold anymore.

"Come, we'll rest again. I'm gonna build a fence so the thing doesn't come again." Eldrige.

*****

It was night when King Satria and Queen Gita came out of the house of the old man named Suteja. They were invited to tour the village for a while and invited to Danang's house. The house was empty, the wife and son of Danang had left the village.

There was not much they could find anymore, then after a short pleasantry they finally said goodbye to Suteja.

"Be careful on the road! " The old man waved his hand.

When passing through the birch forest, the atmosphere looked dark. The dim situation made the place look creepy. The last light is a street lamp at the boundary of the settlement that was ignited by Suteja.

The stems of birch trees that during the day upright, now somewhat drooping sign that the plant began to rest.

"Stop a minute! " Queen Gita suddenly pulled the bridle. The woman looked a little panicked.

"What's wrong? " King Satria was confused by his wife's attitude.

"Look over there! " Queen Gita pointed towards the birch trees on the side of the road. Someone was sitting on the branch of one of the trees. He was brushing his long hair. His dangling legs were swaying in the air.

"Who is he? " Queen Gita's voice trembled, her heart racing.

"We go through it slowly and stay alert! " Said King Satria.

The King of Satria rode his horse slowly while watching the man. In the closer distance, it was obvious if it was a woman. But it feels very awkward there is someone who combs his hair on a tree branch, in this creepy place.

"Who's there? " King Satria was a bit screaming to call out to him.

The movement of the woman's hand stopped, slowly she flicked her hair to the side. Then his head started to move and turned to look at King Satria.

"Am I pretty? " The woman's face was very pale, her thin lips curled up a strange smile.

"No!" King Satria answered him honestly.

"Aarghs.. " The woman screamed with a sharp shrill voice as if piercing the eardrum.

Srek..

Suddenly, several figures moved on the branches of birch trees on the left right of the road. Those figures were all long-haired women.

King Satria and Queen Gita are on the lookout. They realized that the women were the Rusalqas who had been terrorizing Yaselda Village all this time.

The women then turned their heads towards King Satria and Queen Gita simultaneously. Their shining eyes glared sharply.

"hihhihih! " The laughter of the women sounded terrible.

They began to creep down with odd movements. Their large numbers began to besiege King Satria and Queen Gita.

Queen Gita looked at her husband for strength. King Satria held his wife's hand to appease her.

"Don't be afraid."

The voice of King Satria reassures Queen Gita. The woman nodded and began to take her bow and get ready to face the creatures.