- QUARIA -
Buckaril were durable beasts of burden which possess immense physical strength and stamina, this made them the ideal mounts for mortals to pull heavy cargo across Morland.
The buckaril looked like normal horses, but they had two pairs of front legs and a bulkier body. However, their large and bulky bodies made them slower than the average horse which made them easy targets for fast-riding bandits.
Molina rode on the cart heading the transport, it had two buckaril pulling five carts together. The second pair of buckaril were led by one of Lord Frenial's servants, these also pulled five carts behind them.
As the one tasked with protecting the transport, Hielgan was saddled on a horse that he used to regularly patrol the transport. Hielgan would slow his horse and follow the transport from the rear for a few minutes before speeding up to the front once more to check up on Molina.
It took the transports nearly half a day for them to make it to Quaria, Molina led Hielgan through the gates towards Lord Frenial's storehouses in the city.
After making sure Molina had settled down, Hielgan made his way back to the Bouncing Clam to give a report about the job.
"Hielgan!" The Innkeeper, Hersey exclaimed at his sight. "News of your incredible feat in Seabes is already circulating around the adventurer's guilds."
"That soon?"
Lord Frenial had sent word ahead of Hielgan to the Bouncing Clam, news of the job's completion was later reported at the guild hall to earn the Bouncing Clam reputation points.
"With your incredible efforts, the Bouncing Clam could retain its former glory!" Hersey's smile widened and he skipped about like a child.
Hielgan felt saddened that he would have to tell the old man the truth of what had transpired during his job in Seabed. Hersey clutched his arms and pulled Hielgan into the joyous skipping to celebrate his success, but Hielgan resisted until Hersey noticed his glum expression.
"What's the matter Hielgan? Were you hurt?"
"No. I wasn't." Hielgan sighed. "I wasn't the one who completed the job, I am sure Lord Frenial must have stated otherwise in the letter, but-"
"He did." Hersey cut Hielgan off. "He said you might be worried about how the situation cleared itself in Seabed."
"He did?"
"Indeed."
Hersey understood Hielgan's feelings and explained to him that the reason he was overjoyed was because of his return, Lord Frenial had written a separate letter for the old man, and in that letter reported how Hielgan had handled himself and cleaned up after his mistakes.
"It was a refreshing trait, Lord Frenial had written those words in bold." Hersey clutched Hielgan's nape and looked him in the eye. "When the deities Tearl and Oris had their child Quara, he did not know that his presence would cause a war that would lead to his father's death."
Hielgan recalled the story of the ancients, the beings now divine.
Tearl had betrayed the trust of her parents Tazuriyari and Mayurinari by having a child with Oris, an ancient deity. In his fury Tazuriyari struck Oris from the heavens and sent him crashing to Morland, killing him.
Unfortunately, he was not done. Tazuriyari also tried to kill Quara the child of Tearl and Oris. However, standing in his way was his counterpart Mariyunari.
Mariyunari pleaded for Quara's innocence and vowed to protect him, seeing her determination Tazuriyari allowed Quara to live.
The story of Quara was one of the more tragic stories in the ancient texts, however, Hielgan found it hard to understand how similar it was to his situation.
"What I mean Hielgan is that it does not matter the circumstances that bring you into a particular place, as long as you choose to live the right way, you will be alright."
"So you are not mad about me not accepting the reward money?"
"Not at all. This Inn has been rundown for some time, what more can a few hours, days, or weeks do to it." Hersey smiled warmly.
Hielgan could feel the sincerity of the old man in his voice and the reservations he had about him immediately dissipated.
That night, old man Hersey gave Hielgan his room back, and Molina chose to rent a room in the same Inn as Hielgan, the Bouncing Clam. Hielgan felt bad for letting a noble's niece sleep in a below-average Inn. However, Molina cheerfully paid for her and her servant's room in advance and in full.
After a long day, Hielgan felt he truly needed this rest, but before he could close his eyes he felt a peculiar aura in the air and before he could react he heard a familiar voice.
"I heard you were back in town."
The figure stood by the window, Hielgan did not respond to it since he could not tell who it was.
"Who's there?"
"Oh Hielgan, you spend a few days outside and you have already forgotten who your master is?"
Stunned by the individual's proclamation, Hielgan immediately realized who it truly was.
"Princess...?"
The dark silhouette moved towards him and came into the lamp's light, Hielgan rolled out of his bed and knelt on the floor as a pair of chromatic eyes gazed at him from above.
"I'm glad you are back Hielgan, but the time for trivialities is nearing its end." The Princess sat on a chair at the table and peered at the light. "There is a war brewing in Quaria and though you are not strong enough, I need my dragon by my side."
His defeat to the saber had not been publicized, as a matter of fact, Hielgan had been praised for killing the saber, but the Princess' words reminded him of the truth which he had accepted and he could not help but revere her power.
"You honor me more than I can ever take credit for, your majesty..."
"That is just perfect." Her blue eyes glowed with wit and Hielgan could not help but consider his words to have been the trigger. "You see Hielgan, you deserve all the credit."
"What do you mean Princess?"
The Princess smirked and the lamp immediately went out, in the darkness, Hielgan felt the Princess' presence vanish from the room, and he could barely tell if she had even been there in the first place or if had dreamt the whole meeting.
Regardless of what had transpired, Hielgan wanted to know what the Princess truly meant when she had spoken those words.
The next morning Hielgan resumed his escort duty with Molina and proceeded to follow her around the city.
Molina's job was to distribute all the crops she had brought from Seabed to their regular merchants in the Quaria, she and Hielgan traveled from one merchant to another as they delivered several crates of produce to her customers.
"Oh I have been waiting for these Molina, thank you."
Molina was praised for the rest of the morning, it was no wonder Lord Frenial trusted her so much with such a daunting task. It also seems like the produce from Seabed lived up to its reputation, because none of the merchants had no complaints about it.
Lord Frenial seemed to have built up a reputation with the people in Quaria, it was no wonder he was doing well and as for Molina, she appeared to be in her element. Hielgan could barely see any of her nervous interactions with any of the merchants.
Seeing how well everything was going for Molina, Hielgan's thoughts drifted off to last night. The Princess had reappeared before him once more, she may have been glad to see him. Unfortunately, just like in their previous encounter, the Princess had spoken words that sounded like a riddle to him and he struggled to understand what she had meant.
'What did she mean by that?'
Hielgan sighed.
"Why would she take such risks?" Hielgan blurted his thoughts out unmindful of Molina who had heard him mutter.
"You seem tired Hielgan?"
"Oh me? I am fine." Hielgan perked his cheeks and changed the topic. "The peddling seems to be going well."
"Yeah. Uncle Frenial has always made it his priority to support the people of Quaria." Molina explained with admiration. "His efforts made these people what they are today, and what I am today, is all because of him and I would risk it all to fulfill my chosen duty."
Hielgan felt the answer was oddly long, then he realized she may have heard him as he mumbled about the Princess', Hielgan smiled lightly.
Molina looked at him with a weird expression, and Hielgan wondered what she might have been thinking about.
Hielgan could not help but wonder why she did the strangest of things at times, always blipping when he did not expect it. For a moment Hielgan noticed how cute and innocent she was, and he immediately realized how dangerous Molina was to guys like Hielgan because she was the type of girl he could easily fall for.
'Oh father, strengthen my scaly draconic heart.'
After her business was done for the day they rode back to the Inn and parked the cart outside the Bouncing Clam, as Molina led the buckaril into the stables Hielgan noticed a hooded figure watching them.
When Hielgan eyed the hooded figure, the figure proceeded to walk away and slip through one of the alleyways, Hielgan hesitated but eventually followed the figure.
"Hey!"
The figure continued to walk away as Hielgan ran after the mortal, and when he caught up to the hooded figure he grabbed it by the hand, but to his dismay, the cloak collapsed on itself and Hielgan found himself holding an empty robe.
"What..." A note was left in the hood of the robe, Hielgan took the note to see what it said.
'Her majesty summons you.'
Hielgan grit his teeth and wonders if this was a trick, a prank pulled by someone who had seen the Princess enter his room at night.
The chances of this being a trap were high, Hielgan wondered what sort of community the Princess had dragged him into and found it hard to trust the note.
"Tch. A trick." Hielgan muttered.
Suddenly a voice as soft as a feather brushed against his ear, and in that voice, he heard a soft-spoken voice say.
"The central city square, she will be waiting for you there."
Hielgan returned to Molina and told her to wait in the Bouncing Clam and told her that he had some urgent business to attend to. Hielgan then made his way to the city square and found a large number of people gathered there.
Before Hielgan could retreat, he noticed that the people were gathered around and listening to someone.
"What's going on here?"
The people around seemed to ignore him, so Hielgan squeezed through the crowd and made his way towards the center of the group. If the Princess had called him out here, he had to know what was the reason for it, he had too many unanswered questions.
As he drew closer he could hear a lady speaking at the top of her voice, and before long he found himself looking at that lady.
"Princess?!"
Unnoticed by the Princess, she continued on with her speech.
"...the adventurers in this city are losing their will to fight, and this is not only because of the recruitment being done secretly by these shadowy groups but also because our adventurers are no longer being recognized in their towns." Hielgan felt the weight of the Princess' words abash the crowd as she spoke. "The citizens no longer venture into guilds to seek tales of valor! And our adventurers are no longer being rewarded for their magnificent deeds..."
Hielgan figured that the Princess would be preoccupied with a particular activity, but he had not expected that it would be this big of an activity.
'Sadly Princess, I am not much for big crowds.'
Whatever this was, Hielgan did not want to be a part of it. He had made his way to Quaria to join the Royal Knights, not to become an adventurer.
As he turned around to make his bumpy way out of the tight crowd, he heard the Princess shout out towards the crowd.
"You over there! Hey, get him up stage now!"
"Wait what?"
The crowd suddenly heaved Hielgan upwards and lifted him with their hands, and like a wave pushing a boat at sea, he felt the hands beneath him push him towards the stage where the Princess stood with her attendees.
Hielgan stood in front of the Princess, and in her eyes, he knew he was a stranger.
"Princess...?"
"Yes, and what is your name, young adventurer?"