Moat surrounded the Royal Capital of Vengaria. Entrance is only possible after those who want to enter get verified by the guards posted outside. There's a post inside responsible for lowering the bridge, and once the verified walk over the moat, there's a gate which requires approval before entering.
Tilly and Elena waited in line for a while since during this time, there's many people from all over wanting to go in. The bells chimed, something that rarely happens, and the only reason is to signal to the world that the doors are open for them.
One guard laid eyes on the red-haired beauty waiting in line. "Elena! Back so soon?"
Tilly turned to her new friend, amazed. "You know people from the Royal Capital?"
"He'll get us in…"
Elena smiled and looked at him. "I got some more material to sell…"
The guard blushed. He turned back toward the post and shouted. "Open the gates!"
He signaled the girl to go in. Tilly walked with her, but nobody paid any attention to her. Elena walked with all eyes fixated on her. Even the brown-haired girl with the bun was flustered walking beside her. But it was more because of the constant staring in their direction, something that Elena seemed to be used to.
As the enormous wooden gates creaked open, Tilly walked in with wide-open eyes. She gulped once she laid eyes on the majestic sight in front of her. Streets buzzed with life in a plaza as big as her village, if not bigger.
Buildings she'd never seen before stood proudly beside one another surrounding the plaza. Elena walked unfazed through it. Since she was familiar with it, it didn't make such an impact. "We are going this way…"
Tilly followed right behind her at a slower pace so she could take it all in. She dawdled around a lot, but Elena didn't disturb her. Coming from a small village herself, understood what Tilly was feeling.
The girls took their time and walked through the various vendors. She might have been low in funds, but Tilly's determination to try every food stall available got the better of her. Elena stopped her from needless purchases and instead took her to a single stall located the furthest from the others. "This one here has the best skewers…"
Elena turned to the woman behind the kiosk. "We'll have two specialty skewers please…"
"Oh, Elena! Back so soon?"
Elena smiled and cheekily replied. "Auntie… I couldn't let a day pass and not have your delicious skewers!"
The woman smiled and put her hands on her chest. It made the girls feel the sincerity and warmth of her words. "You honor me…"
It took her some time, but she delivered the two specialty skewers to Elena and Tilly. The girl with the bun took one bite and her eyes showed sparkles. "Auntie, it's delicious. Juicy meat, crunchy exterior and the enhanced flavor with these herbs with vegetables is simply…"
She didn't even finish her sentence and gulped it down. Tilly begged Elena to have another, so they bought two more each and waved goodbye.
Elena wore a proud smile on her face. "See?"
Tilly noticed that the red-haired beauty wanted her praise. She chuckled while patting her. "Yeah, it's delicious!"
The girls sat on a bench and enjoyed their snack, while looking at waves of people coming and going. Carefree families within the safety of the walls made an impression on Tilly, whereas in her village, they all took turns guarding the place.
They never knew when a wild beast would attack them. And that was the least of their worries. Lately, bandits pillaged and burnt the surrounding villages, so they had to keep a vigilant eye.
Some time has passed, and Elena got up. She urged Tilly to follow her. "How about we visit the merchant now?"
The brown-haired girl nodded and followed her friend. She walked behind her at the same steady pace as to not get next to her. For one, she didn't know the way, but she didn't want to be left behind either. If Elena would get further even by a single step, Tilly covered it in an instance, all the while looking around and taking it all in.
At some point, the scenery changed. The clean streets became humid and the light areas got darker. Unlike the open area where it showed safety, it's like they changed places with another town.
A sense of danger lurked in Tilly's heart. She only felt at ease when she saw the crimson hair in front of her. Elena emitted a radiance and safety that Tilly would feel comfortable with as she basked with it in her presence.
They went past the plaza, deeper into the Royal Capital, through alleys and houses. Tilly was following Elena and mostly, she said nothing. When the area became less luxurious, she was worried and grabbed Elena's oversized shirt. Her trembling voice escaped her mouth. "A-Are we going the right way?"
Elena's voice was stoic and calming. "We are almost there."
The girl with the bun kept holding onto the shirt with two fingers. She was afraid to let go when she saw rats squeaking about. Fellows with tattered clothes sat in the streets, and children would share a piece of bread.
Tears welled up in her brown eyes. Her whispering voice didn't meet a reply. "This is the Royal Capital?"
"Elena!"
"Hey, it's Elena!"
A couple of children ran and hugged her. The red-haired beauty smiled and patted their heads. "We'll get something yummy later, yeah?"
The children rejoiced and let the woman pass. Tilly, who was behind her the whole time, couldn't help but smile. A warmth bubbled in her heart, making her tear up. She turned to Elena and whispered. "I thought commoners couldn't enter the Royal Capital!"
Elena shook her head. "They can enter, but the taxes are unbearable. For those who can't pay it... well, you see how it is!"
It's a shock Tilly felt for the entirety of their walk. Her mind wondered to those around her and the ache in her heart grew stronger.
They walked some more until Elena stopped and Tilly bumped into her with her nose. "We are here!"
Tilly peeked from behind her shoulder and saw a crooked wooden sign with cracked tips hanging by the side of the moldy building, secured by a single chain. "This is Aruda's Shop"
At first, Tilly was hesitant and her feet seemed unable to move, until Elena grabbed her hand. All her worries washed away when she felt the warmth in Elena's slightly calloused hand. She knew her friend wouldn't harm her, therefore; she followed with a smile, but not before wiping her tears.
Elena and Tilly walked in through the wooden door with metallic bars. As soon as they stepped in, they met a smiling older woman behind a counter. She was a little chubby, wearing a long dress with a few tears here and there. She tied her blond hair to a bun, and she had brown eyes. The moment she saw Elena, her happiness lit up the room. "Elena!"
"Mrs Aruda! This is my friend Tilly. She has some tusks for sale."
Aruda urged them to come in. She walked past them and locked the door, something that had Tilly feeling scared. Mrs Aruda looked over at the girl with the bun's direction and smiled. "What do you have for me?"
Elena turned to the visibly shaken Tilly. "Tusks are valuable and these parts of the city are dangerous. Locking up the door is for our safety!"
Tilly felt more at ease after Elena's explanation and secretly sighed in relief. Elena took out her tasks and put them on the counter, with the brown-haired girl following along.
Mrs Aruda picked up the ivory and took it to another room in the back. Moments later, she returned with a few pouches full of silver coins. With a smile, she put it on the counter and turned to Elena. "You can count the silver!"
Elena shook her head and politely replied. "No need, Mrs Aruda!"
As always, Elena, trusting her, pleased her. She brought out her tea set and poured them some bubbling fragrant tea, which Tilly never had before. She found herself in a bliss, just smelling it.
The girls spent almost an hour in Mrs Aruda's place before leaving. As promised, Elena bought skewers and gave them to the children in the slams. After eating, they played with Tilly for a while and bid farewell when they had enough fun.
They reached the plaza, where they went their separate ways. Tilly wanted to stay there for a few more days and help the children however she could. Elena, though she didn't agree with her decision, she could only accept it. "I'll see you in a week. Keep safe until then!"