We were sitting down under a tree, leaning against the rough tusk but neither of us complained. We were out cold, and this time I was actually sleeping.
I wonder what that was in the morning? It had me completely startled.
"Quinn, are you awake?" I heard Oswin's voice next to me. "If you are, do not open your eyes." He sounded alarmed, and I won't blame him, because I saw it too. I just didn't react enough.
It was just too soon to be facing new trouble. We just had a death experience in the morning. And I'm not lying when I say I cannot hold that sword right, I limp out everytime. But it was well hidden underneath my dirty robe.
Coming back to the present, there were three figures, wearing royal blue robes and hoods, totally standing out from the commoners. "We should leave." I suggested.
"No, It'll turn out to be sceptical."
"Sleeping under a tree while no one else is, is more sceptical than that." I almost rolled my eyes.
"They look harmless."
"They're armed." I pointed out. "We should leave. The backdoor, into the green."
"Follow my lead." Oswin paused for a second, before bringing and yawning. He stretched thoroughly like an exhausted farmer and shook me awake. "Hey, it's time to go-"
"Excuse me, are you a resident of this village?"
I choked, opening my eyes at the tall figure. Lately a lot of people seem to be intimidating.
"No, we're not." Oswin politely replied. "Is there any problem you might be facing?"
"Ah, yes. There seems to be no one around the moment we arrived. It's bothering me a tad bit."
I looked around the village view, no one around, completely different from just a minute ago. Was it the impact that these three held? One of them looked like a woman.
"We just want to know the way to Oldwest town." The woman spoke, taking her hood off. "We're surviving nobles from Scaldris clan."
She was a brunette, hair left loose and eyes sinking into her skull. Right, so everyone had a rough day.
Oswin looked at me, and I gave him a nod he was expecting.
"Prove it." Oswin gulped, one hand on his blade, as we both rose up to our feet in unison.
"We crossed the borders from Welshborn to all the way here. We want to fight and succeed." The third one said, no almost growled at us for being cautious. He pulled his sleeve up and forwarded his wrist. "We're true nobles of Scaldris. This, is our identity."
I looked at Oswin, as if I knew what he was doing. Did this little spreading fire on their wrist prove their nobility?
Oswin nodded at me, and I knew, yes they were nobles. I never would have guessed it, though.
"I'm sorry for your loss." I offered a tight smile but dropped it when I saw how unwilling they were to talk about it. "We were heading towards Oldwest town, would you like to join us?"
"No." The woman refused. "Give us a lead, and we'll be on our way."
Oswin took it from there, from explaining the route to being humble with them. I just stood by watching, until they left.
"I've never met one until today." Oswin turned around with an unreadable face.
"A noble, you mean?"
"Yes." He picked up his bag. "Do you think all of them have their walls built up so high?"
I shrugged at that. "Who knows?"
He looked at their backs, as they disappeared into the distance, leaving us behind to trail. It's a little disapproving, the way they talked or the way they asserted their dominance over the situation.
"I feel sorry for them." I pulled up my own bag and flung it around my shoulders. "For who they are, and who they have become."
Oswin's gaze remained on the path they walked for a few more seconds before he decided he needed to hit the toilet.
There are probably other survivors from the other two clans, and Aenor from Mora. Their survival should be promised. They cannot fight this war, they need to hide and stay safe.
Then again, you cannot be a noble and not fight for your clans. It's just how they are, probably.
I've got a hunch that this'll probably mark the darkest period of history in forever. There has never been such gruesome deaths of nobles, nor such an event that can ever cover this.
Would I be meeting them in Oldwest Town?
After all this, will we have the serenity we wish for? Sounds far-fetched.