The Kouga Clan people were in a riot. Eyes blazing into ours, shouting out every thought and concern. With mild threats and high worry they gathered around to question us. Words drowning into each other in a kind of violence I wasn't used to. After seeing Ugo, they became suspicious and panicked. They wouldn't listen to a thing we said. Even me, who failed to answer them about the boy before, was susceptible.
They were questioning if I was actually free. If we were somehow trying to trick them. Like bandits who pretended to pass out on the side of the road. Even I understood their concerns. They asked if Ugo was one of those strange monsters they'd heard about, or if we were working for the Kou Empire. Spouting nonsense about things I'd never even heard of.
Aladdin clung to my arm, but he didn't seem bothered by this at all. Baba stayed on the other side of him, calm as ever. Toya, on my other side, tried to defend us. "I don't think this girl or the child could be an enemy spy! We should think about this calmly!" I was so grateful to her right now for staying on our side. And to have a friend here. Someone who trusted me, who trusted us.
"But why was he passed out, and why were they waiting in the foothills? Isn't that suspicious? And how did they get there?" One of the men asked, the others agreeing and pushing for an answer.
"Let them explain then! I'm sure they have a reason!" Toya shouted, but you could hear the nervousness in her voice. It was just her against this crowd. No one had ever stood up for me. Not when I was a slave, nor before then. "Stop all of you!"
The crowd hushed, Doruji took the lead in questions. "Tell us then. How did you get there?"
"I.. I don't know.." I responded, sharing a glance with Aladdin. We just were there.
"I wish we knew," Aladdin added, "I just want to know how we can go back. I was in a town called Quishan. Have you heard of it?"
The people started murmuring and whispering to one another. "Yes, Quishan!" I replied, "I was there too! Serving Lord Jamil! You must've heard of him right! He recently passed away after leaving for a dungeon.." I'm sure they'd heard word about a new lord in town, or the passing of one. They must've.
"Who?" Most of them asked, others responding with silence. He was nothing here. I shut my mouth, sinking back into myself.
But the town name rang a bell in a person or two. "I once heard that name from a caravan from out west," one of them noted. "It's said far past those mountains and much more is a land of sand rather than grass. My ancestor made the journey once. Said it took five years."
Aladdin and I froze. It was that far away? 'I may never see them again.' It's unlikely I'll cross paths with any of the other mansion slaves from way out here. The people who were by my side during those times. And Morgin, is he even looking for me?
"That's too far away, is there even a country out there?" Some of the people asked. But we were worrying over how to make it back. At least they were starting to listen and understand. Any suspicions of us started to drop, but we'd have a lot of explaining to do.
Baba smiled at us, "The spring market is in two weeks. You can join a caravan and make it back faster." We would have a way back now. Aladdin smiled up at me. Seems we'd be traveling together for quite a bit longer, but it was exciting. "You can stay here until then," Baba told us.
"Okay, but only for two weeks!" Aladdin exclaimed.
Toya paused, staring at us for a moment. "Are you in a hurry to get back?"
"Yes, you see.. I made a promise to a friend." He looked deep in thought, and I too remembered the last moments as we left the dungeon. We both had a friend to go back to, but we could work together and share this adventure.
"What about you?" Toya asked me.
"It's best I go as soon as I can. There's someone I want to see again before.. before I decide what I want to do with my life." I thought of Morgin. He was the person I was closest to, one who was always there for me. I didn't even know what I wanted. Even when I did as I pleased I never truly knew. So I'll journey for myself. And when we meet again, I'll be able to tell him.. I know what I want now. And if I still don't know, I guess I can ask what he did to find out for himself. A smile traced my lips, I still had the future ahead of me. Now there was a hope I'd never experienced before. A freedom.