The knight's destiny
Episode 15's
A cold wind blew on a campground. The campground consisted only of a large campfire and several stone blocks that were used as stands.
A dense pine forest was seen in the back while a meadow lay ahead. There was only one person who was in front of the campfire, that person was Lithia who was sitting bending her knees on top of one of the stones. With the clothes complete, this woman was just silently pensive on the spot.
Lithia's eyes only partially opened due to boredom with the situation. A sullen face stared at the yellowish-red bonfire, observing the swaying flames.
Every now and then Lithia's eyes glanced towards one of the nearby trees. A tall tree with several people tied at the foot of the tree. The two beastmen who were in their human form, were bound with each back attached to a tree trunk.
“Huft~ when do they come?” muttered Lithia while sighing rather long.
Not long after her complaint, Lithia heard rapid footsteps echoing above the ground. He stood up from his place and looked towards the source of the sound.
The green lizard was four meters long and one meter wide, creeping towards where Lithia was waiting. The tail of one and a half meters swerving in rhythm with its running steps reaching speeds of up to 70 km/h.
Sitting on top of the lizard, the three people held on tightly so as not to fall down. Luragorn, Duke, and Sima sat consecutively on the green lizard's back.
Dust and grass fly when the road is stepped firmly. Luragorn pulls the mouth straps that the lizard controls and stops the lizard from running.
“Why were you guys so long?” asked Lithia with a pouting face and both hands at the waist.
***
Four people and two big lizards sat around the hot bonfire. It's very awkward to remember what just happened. Lithia silently put on a forced smile, Luragorn was pecking with her face to the ground, Sima was pensive with a Luragorn-like pose, and Duke was just leaning against one of the trees while looking up at the sky.
The Duke's eyes opened in half with an occasional long sigh. The situation of silence made the four of them just shut up without speaking a word.
“Can we use that lizard?” asked the Duke who broke the silence.
“A .. yes of course,” replied Lithia connecting talks.
“Then, we just use it to go to the next city.
“O ... o .. of course.”
“Then ...,” Duke stands up from where he sits and pats his pants to remove the soil and dust stuck, “We go now.”
“Alright, let's hurry,” reply Lithia who also stood up.
***
Heavy footsteps accompany a silent night. Two large green lizards ran under the bright starlight. The visibility was now five meters away thanks to the Duke's flint. A red stone as big as a human head that emits lighting as far as five meters in the surrounding area.
One fruit was held by the Duke who was on top of the same lizard as Luragorn. One more fruit is held by Sima who is on top of the same lizard as Lithia.
The lizard controlled by Luragorn had a gap of two meters more forward than the lizard controlled by Lithia. High forests of dense pine trees decorate the side of the road. The sound of an owl is sometimes heard when passing through that long road.
“Mr Duke, I'm sorry. Can't protect your train and derail this mission,” said Luragorn opening talks.
There was no response from the Duke sitting behind him making Luragorn stunned as he continued to stare ahead.
“Nothing, it was just a car anyway,” replied Duke in a flat tone that sounded limp.
Behind Luragorn lizard there is a running lizard on its right. The lizard replaced by Lithia and Sima appears only two meters away from the head of Luragorn's lizard.
“Sima, please. It's okay, you're safe now,” said Lithia trying to talk to Sima.
“I did survive, but master Duke's carriage did not,” reply Sima with his head bowed grasping the firestone very firmly as if he wanted to destroy the stone.
Silence became the situation that accompanied these four until they found a small village area in front of them.
“What if we just stay tonight?” ask Luragorn to give input to Duke.
“Alright,” replied Duke in a flat tone.
The two lizards stopped in front of the village gate. These four survivors descended from their mounts and walked towards one of the inns that seemed to be open to anyone.
The village with a very simple and quiet house, made the four of them walk carefully so as not to cause a commotion. Lighted torches that light up only on the terrace area of the house, showing the situation that everyone has fallen asleep soundly. Luragorn binds their two lizards at the resting place of the mount animals that are indeed reserved for survivors and travelers.
These four people entered an inn and booked two rooms to serve as a place to rest. Of course the Duke paid for both rooms. One room was filled by Luragorn and Lithia while another room was filled by Duke and Sima.
***
The five-square-meter wooden room with a window and only contained a simple mattress inside, became a place to stay for Luragorn, Lithia, Duke, and Sima. Luragorn is one room with Lithia while Duke shares his room with Sima.
Lithia jumped onto the bed on her back while Luragorn sat on the floor staring at Lithia. Lithia then sat on the edge of the mattress and fixed her position to have a discussion.
“So? What does Princess Lithia get?” ask Luragorn.
Lithia shrugged both of her shoulders while shaking her head, “Nothing at all.”
“No?”
“Yap, no. Other than the fact they are from the Beastman District, there is nothing else I can know.”
“So yes ...”
“Hmn ...”
“Already, I'm tired. I want to sleep,” said Lithia quickly while yawning long.
“B ... alright. Rest, Princess,” reply Luragorn who then took a sitting position leaning against the wall.
In the room next to them, that was the room occupied by Duke and Sima. Sima seemed to close her legs and both her hands rubbed each other in dismay. Duke lay on his bed staring at the ceiling.
“A .. anu ... Mr. Duke,” Sima said slightly stirred.
“What?” replied the Duke in a flat and quick tone.
“Begini ...”
“That train problem, just ignore it. Sleep.”
“Ta ... but ...”
“You didn't hear? Sleep!”
Sima immediately fell silent and suddenly closed his eyes quickly in fear at the Duke's cry.
“M .. sorry ... The train is not safe. The treasures of Mr. Duke .... I should have been ...”
The duke immediately stood up from his bed and slapped Sima hard
*PLAK!
“Don't you make me lose enough!”
Sima bit her trembling lower lip as she received a hard slap on her cheek. Sima could only bow and could not speak anymore. The duke directly held onto both of Sima's shoulders tightly while giving a sharp look full of anger.
“Listen to me! Once again you do that ...,” firmly Duke tries to hold back his teeth that are grinding withholding emotions.
“M ... m .. sorry, should–”
“IF YOU'RE DEAD, I'LL BE TOTALLY BROKE!”
The shout made Sima raise his head and look at the man in front of him. Sima's eyes were round looking at the scene in front of him.
A sharp staring eye was flowing quite heavy tears. Sima was confused whether the Duke was scolding her or the Duke was sad on her. Sima moved his hand and swept away the tears on that angry face.
“Master Duke crying?”
Suddenly the Duke retreated and raised his hand then wiped away his tears that came out. The duke turned around quickly while trying to ease his cries.
“Already, enough! Sleep on! Don't repeat it again!” exclaimed Duke who went straight to the bed and enveloped himself.
“Alright, Mr. Duke,” Sima replied with a faint smile on her tiny face.
***
The next day, the journey resumed. Although there was nothing else that meant to be escorted, it was still the Duke clean hard to complete the journey. A week has passed and the journey is over. Luragorn and Lithia escort Duke and Sima to the Fisherman Village area, ending the escort mission of these two adventurers.
The journey that was only taken using this lizard finally paid off. These four people were planning to part ways right at the entrance of Fisherman Village.
The sky is bright and then the community does its activities, becoming a cover for these four people. The Duke and Sima were standing facing the gate while Luragorn and Lithia were on top of the lizard mounts.
“Until you meet again, Lily,” said Duke as he swung his right hand, “And don't forget, you owe me a shop!”
Luragorn and Lithia only smiled after doing their mission.
“I did not expect Mr. Duke not to fuss over this matter,” said Luragorn.
“Ya ... we did fail to protect his carriage, but,” Lithia glanced towards Sima who was standing next to Duke with a smile on his face, “We did not completely fail.”
“Means Princess Lithia?”
“Nothing,” replied Lithia with a little laugh.
“What Princess Lithia sure?”
“Already, let's go home.”
“B ... b .. alright.”
The Duke spread his arms while looking at the departure of Luragorn and Lithia. The Duke put on a distinctive smile by the merchant and looked at Sima.
“Let's get back in business!” exclaimed the Duke while taking out a gold coin in his pocket.
“Alright Mr. Duke,” replied Sima with a radiant face and a thin smile attached.
