The journey to the Crystalball Kingdom had already started an hour ago. They all moved along the road on the edge of the east of the forest. Because that's the main road that is the safest and far from the death of the Diamond Kingdom. So that Jackson's troops will not know their movements.
By this time it was probably still around eleven o'clock. The atmosphere of the morning that will change to noon soon.
The girls felt thirsty, so they all stopped for a while. Several pieces of bamboo made into bottles were brought by the soldiers. Of course all the bamboo pieces contain clean water taken from the same spring.
All the bamboo bottles come from a long piece of bamboo which is cut to the right part.
Even though the soldiers seemed to be having trouble carrying the pieces of bamboo used as drinking water containers, they still tried to be enthusiastic. Of course, the pieces of bamboo that are made into bottles do not have a lid, so that when they walk too fast, the water inside can spill or splash. The piece of bamboo is more like a glass tube measuring thirty centimeters.
"Is it far, Aubrey?" Ask Royce.
Aubrey nodded and rubbed the surface of her lips. The girl just took a sip of water and sat down on a low rock. "Yes, because we walked around on the edge of the forest. If we depart from in front of your royal gate, it will be easier for us to access the road to my palace."
"Soon we will be out of the forest area, are we going to pass through the residential areas of the residents?"
"Yes, Royce. We will pass through the houses of the residents, then pass through the big market, then around the edge of the green lake. Then after that we have to pass through the pine forest. And after passing through the pine forest, we will just step on my kingdom's territory." Aubrey said.
Hearing the girl's explanation, everyone seemed to take a deep breath and sat down on the ground. The six soldiers looked tired and they put all the bamboo pieces filled with water carefully.
Edgar has always walked with Frans. Frans was indeed in charge of helping Edgar walk, because the wound on Edgar's stomach had not completely healed.
While Athena of course helped her father walk. The girl took turns with her mother. Because Erick's leg was still lame and of course the wound on his leg had not healed yet.
While Lucy always walked beside Aubrey. The girl understood the situation and conditions, so she could only obey and be silent. She didn't want to bother Athena, so Lucy chose to move independently.
"It's better if we take a short break here. Luckily the weather is not hot today. I'm sure that we will all reach our destination." Royce said. Then he sat down beside Frans.
Then Frans looked at a soldier who was still dragging a wooden cart. The wooden cart was placed beside a tree and inside the wooden cart only contained food in the form of grilled fish wrapped in wide green leaves.
Then Frans looked at Erick, then he looked at the drinking water bottle made of bamboo. Frans seems to be thinking about something.
"We'd better eat now. Then after eating, we have to hurry on our way so we can arrive quickly and not enjoy the journey in the dark." Frans said.
"No matter how fast we walk, I think we will still get there when the sky is dark, Frans. There are two men who are sick. And look at uncle Edgar's stomach. His blood is seeping out again. He really needs help and we should immediately change the cloth dressing that is on his stomach. Meanwhile, my own father also can't walk normally like you. The stab wound on my father's leg is quite deep." Athena said firmly.
Frans took a deep breath. "Athena, I don't mean to force things. Instead, I want to give an idea, but you are too quick to respond to what I say!"
"What's your idea?" Athena asked directly.
"Uncle Edgar and your father can ride in that cart. I think it can fit two grown-ups. Plus there are four handlebars so us fit men can take turns pushing and pulling the cart. All the work is easy when done together. Why didn't we all think about that earlier? Look at that rather useful wooden cart filled only with packages of grilled fish that aren't heavy at all. I think we were all too busy just now, and made us miss the easy way." Frans said.
Everyone immediately stared at the wooden cart. And some soldiers immediately slapped their foreheads, because they also felt that they were so stupid.
And Royce chuckled softly. He himself was also not aware of it.
While Lucy and Aubrey both shook their heads. Aubrey chuckled softly and rubbed Lucy's shoulder. "Look at them, Lucy. They're all laughing at what just happened." Aubrey said.
Lucy chuckled too. "We all ignore the function of the cart, hahaha."
Hearing Lucy start talking and able to laugh, Aubrey smiled in relief. She gently rubbed Lucy's shoulders.
"Ouh, what has made us all so stupid? Even I didn't realize that." Royce said.
Frans chuckled. Likewise with Edgar and Erick. At least this atmosphere can make them laugh for a while and forget about the very stifling conditions.
Nancy just smiled a little while changing the cloth on her husband's feet. And of course she would change the cloth dressing on the wound on Edgar's stomach. Only Nancy could take care of the wounds on the two men. Because Athena admitted that she was not very good at treating wounds on other people's bodies.
"Later all the bamboo pieces that are still filled with water can also be put in the cart. Uncle Edgar and Uncle Erick can hold all the bamboo pieces so that the water doesn't spill." Frans said.
"Hahaha, how stupid we were from earlier." Edgar said he himself was still laughing about it.
The six soldiers also laughed. Then two of them stood up and immediately took the package of grilled fish in the cart.
They all decided to follow Frans' idea. They ate thirteen grilled fish and shared it equally according to the number of people and the same number of fish. Everyone eats one grilled fish. Luckily, the freshwater fish were large and enough to fill all of their stomachs.
And for Lucy, the grilled fish was too big for her. So the girl couldn't finish her food all at once. The rest of the food was immediately consumed by Royce.
After filling their stomachs, they all immediately drank and continued their journey.
Edgar and Erick sat in the cart. The wooden cart was pushed by two soldiers, and two other soldiers pulled the front of the cart. So that the load on the wooden cart was lighter and they could all move faster.
Only four pieces of bamboo remain which are still filled with water. And the four bamboo containers were held by Edgar and Erick.
*****