"Of course there won't be anything good in here. This place has nothing but fruits. They even have cooked rice." Saluk said after a moment. He was rummaging the entire tent for a while now. There are only fruits scattered on the ground.
Saluk picked some, wiped it with his already soiled pants and ate it. He couldn't care less. He was so hungry. He offered some to the girl sitting by his side but the other party only stared back at him not responding. Saluk didn't bother her anymore. Maybe she wasn't hungry.
"I'm stepping out now. I suggest that you also leave this area. Some of the bandits might return here. Their leaders are still alive out....." Saluk said again but stopped midsentence. The girl doesn't understant a word he is saying.
Saluk tooke a deep breath and started speaking slowly again word for word and gesturing around like an idiot.
The girl only stared back at him.
"This is such a pain." Saluk sighed.
He moved to one corner of the tent and picked up a dagger. He checked it for a while, then walked towards the girl.
"You look too frail and weak to carry a sword, so here's one for you." Saluk said and placed the dagger in front of the girl.
With a final look at the girl, Saluk sighed and stepped outside.
"Young man, i want to know something before you leave." Saluk heard a voice and turned around. He saw the bandit leader looking at him from the ground. His breathing seems a little stable now.
"Sure, just don't ask for my name because i'm not telling you." Saluk answered back.
"It's fine, by the way, i am called Bar-nu, and this is my brother Rankala." The bandit leader said.
"I'm still not telling you my name. i'm leaving now. Recover quickly or your treasures will be stolen from you." Saluk said, gesturing the still standing tents.
"Nevermind those treasures. I just want to know, do you possess any occular magic? That's why you are covering your eyes? You're not really blind, are you?" Bar-nu asked.
Saluk paused. So this man thought that he was using some kind of occular magic all this time? He doesn't even know what it is. All he did was run and jump around, trying all his best not to get hit by their relentless attacks.
"I'm not telling you. Maybe. Maybe not." Saluk said, trying to act all mysterious.
"Of course you will not tell me. But i believe you have occular magic, that was why we weren't able to hit you cleanly." Bar-nu said.
"Okey, i have that occular magic then." Saluk said nonchalantly
"Just remember that someday, i will find you. When that time comes, i will kill you for sure." The bandit leader said again.
"You've been threatening to kill me all night, it's already annoying." Saluk said back and started walking away.
The bandit said something again but he didn't bother to listen anymore. He have heard enough threats for one night.
'What a bother.' Saluk thought.
Well, atleast he was able to free one of the captives. All he needs now is to get away far from here and look for a place to rest. He will look for food when the sun was up. He was so tired.
He was by the tree line when he heard a sound of footsteps behind him. He quickly jumped away and turned around expecting another attack.
He saw the girl flinched and fall to the ground. She was clearly surprised by his reaction.
"What the hell!" Saluk can't help himself and exclaimed. He was surprised too. He did not expect this girl to sneakily follow him.
"Okey, i will let you come with me. i think my aunt, Tiya Sameng will be thrilled to have you." Saluk thought for a while before deciding. He gestured the girl to come forward.
The girl didn't move from her position. Then she slowly stood up and turned to look at one of the tents.
"You want to get something from there? Well, I think it belongs to you anyway before you were captured by the bandits. Go ahead and take whatever you need." Saluk gestured the girl to go on.
The girl looked at him for a second then headed to the tent. Saluk followed her to the tent's entrance.
It took the girl almost an hour inside. Saluk wasn't bothered, maybe the girl was changing her clothes and cleaning herself up.
Saluk just stood outside and let out a yawn. The moon was slightly dimmer tonight than last night. The fire around the area was gone already. It already run out of wooden spears to burn.
He looked again to the direction of the bandit leader. The guy looked like he was still breathing. Saluk yawned again
'Nights outside the village is really dangerous' Saluk thought to himself. 'Last night i got into a fight. Tonight, i got into more fight. I wish the harvest season will come and pass quickly so i can come back home.'
Saluk was in deep thought when the girl finally stepped out from the tent. The girl was covered in dark cloak. Only the lower part of her face was visible.
The girl handed him a folded fabric.
"Thank you." He said and accepted it. It was also a cloak. Saluk then noticed that he doesn't have the upper part of his clothes. It was ripped and gone but he can't remember exactly when. 'Maybe i lost it while fighting the bandit leader.'
"Can we go now?" Saluk asked the girl. Then he scratched his head again. 'Why can't i shut up?' He thought to himself.
He gestured the girl to follow him and the girl nodded.
"That's better" Saluk muttered. And they walked away.
Saluk walked with the girl close behind him. He retraced the small path that leads back to the forked road earlier that day. It took them a long time to reach the forked road. He was walking slowly and after every minute, he will look back to see if the girl was still behind him.
"Let's rest here. We will continue our journey when the sun rises." Saluk said, gesturing the girl to sleep. He pointed a patch of grass that surrounds a large tree. He scanned around the area for any potential danger and finally sat down on the base of the tree.
The girl walked over and carefully laid on the grass.
Saluk nodded then closed his eyes. He was so tired. This has been a really long night.
The sun was already above the horizon when Saluk opened his eyes. The girl was sitting on the grass watching him, as if waiting for him to wake up.
"Good morning to you, too." Saluk muttered and stretched himself up.
They immediately resumed walking onwards. He intended to go back to the river to clean himself up and perhaps catch some fish. They didn't walk too long before Saluk heard the sound of the water stream. The river was running parallel with the road afterall.
He gestured the girl to follow him to the riverbank then gestured her to sit on a rock and wait. Saluk removed his cloak and stepped into the water.
It took more than an hour to catch enough fish for both of them and cook them. Satisfied with the food. Saluk gestured the girl to go to the river to clean herself. Then he turned around and closed his eyes.
He heard the girl say something. Maybe to thank him or sonething but he wasn't sure. It could have been a warning for him not to dare to take a peek. Of course he wouldn't take a peek on a girl who he even thought haven't come of age yet. He has manners afterall.
He thought about the treasures back at the bandit's base instead. It was a huge waste.
"Ehermmm..." Saluk heard the soft voice of the girl after about an hour.
'She surely took her time' Saluk thought.He opened his eyes and stood up.
"Ready to go?" He asked again?
He turned around to face the girl and gestured again. What he saw made him stop dead on his tracks.
"You have the demon's eyes too?" He blurted out loud.
The girl's eyes has the same color as the sea. Saluk has never seen his own eyes obviously but he was told many times by the people around him that his eyes has the color of the sea.
The girl in front of him has an eyes with the color of the see, too. Obviously she is not a demon. A girl as frail looking as her will never pass as a demon. Then she must be like him. An unfortunate human with the demon's eyes.
The girl just blankly stared back at him.
Saluk quickly remove the bandana and pointed his own eyes.
"Look we have the same eyes." He said again. He was so excited he can't help himself.
The girl stared at him for a while before she spoke.
He didn't get anything as usual.
"Sorry, i don't understand a single word you said." Saluk shook his head slowly. But the smile was still in his face. He's not alone afterall.
The girl in front of him fell silent for a while, then she removed completely the hood that covered her face.
Saluk was taken aback again. The girl's hair has the same color as the sunset. Saluk didn't notice it last night because it was so dark and her hair was so dirty. Now it's shinny like the color of the sunset.
Saluk was speechless.
"Eiram." He heard the girl said, gesturing to herself. Then points at him with a questioning look.
"Sorry' I really don't understand you." Saluk said again, shaking his head.
"Eiram" The girl said again, gesturing to herself once more. Then she pointed her finger towards him and looked expectantly as if waiting something from him.
"Wait, you are called Eiram?" Saluk was unsure. "Eiram?" He repeated the girl's words and pointed his fingers towards her.
The girl quickly nodded her head.
Saluk almost laughed out loud. 'Of course that's the first thing someone will do if they meet a new person. To introduce themselves. This is a good sign.' He thought.
"Eiram, Saluk." He said. Pointing first the girl, then himself.
"S...Saluk?" The girl repeated his name softly.
"Yes, Saluk." He affirmed excitedly.
His day was already made. He just got himself a new friend, and he doesn't have to hide his eyes fom her.
Saluk was smiling to himself when they started walking again. Then it suddenly hit him. He can't bring the girl back to his village if she has also the demon's eyes too. Saluk glanced back to the girl following him. 'What a pity.' He thought.
They were walking on the road now. Saluk can't leap on trees this time because his little friend here. They were walking on the road that leads to the other unnamed village. This girl looks like a noble, it's obvious from her fair skin. Maybe someone could help them when they reached that village. Someone who can speak her language. If they can't find anyone, the would simply leave.
Saluk still wears the bandana over his eyes. Unlike the girl on his side, he is not comfortable wrapping himself with a cloak. They did not encounter anyone on the road which was a good thing.
"We are near the village now. I can see the top of their sentry outpost already. " Saluk said more to himself. The girl was just silently following him behind.
He intended to walk on when he noticed a pillar of smoke rising from the village.
He quickly lead the girl away from the road and back to the trees. He can sense danger.
"Stay here, i'm going to take a look." Said in a low voice. He didn't wait for the girl to say anything. Saluk jumped to the highest tree near him.
'That village is burning. But where are the people?' He thought.
From his position, Saluk estimated that he must be a little more than 2 kilometers from the village. He could clearly see the fire. 'But the village is so still, There is no people running around. Have they gone and evacuated already?' He wondered to himself.
He was about to jump back down when the he suddenly heared a loud crack of thunder coming from the village.
Is the village being attacked? This is dangerous. We have to go back.
He jumped down from the tree and gestured to the girl that they need to go back.
"It's not safe here. Let's go." He said.
The girl seemed to understand him and nodded hurriedly. She had seen the fire and heard the loud thundering sound too.
This time, they walked through the woods.
The road was not safe anymore.