"How about Dave?"
I clearly saw their reactions after I asked about Dave. No one opened their mouth nor reacted. Neither flinch from my question.
The silence is what makes me feel so uncomfrotable. This is not what I wanted. And I am hundred and one percent sure about this person named Dave.
It must have been the effect of that attacked. But I was pretty sure I knew who that was. The memories were all blurry, but Dave was like an alluring man.
Sitting beside me is Flora and across is the damned dragon. As soon as I asked about Dave, Eiliff decided to take a horse instead.
I sigh and rested my chin on my knuckles.
"My lady, do you feel well?" Flora.
"A little bit."
"Does it bother you now?" The damned dragon ask.
"What is?"
"Forgotten memories."
"I don't quite get it."
Basilisk sighed and look outside. "Even I, the greatest dragon here don't understand it. The memories you have are being suppressed."
"Suppressed? By who? And what for?"
"My lady..."
I look at Flora's worried gazes. "What's the matter, Flora?"
"This trip will take longer. I think it is better for you to rest now."
I blew a small sigh before ignoring this damned dragon. I rested my back and try to follow what Flora said.
"How long will it take us to our next destination?" I asked.
"Probably two to three more hours my lady." She answered. "And the next destination will be the Winter land now."
Oh, that cursed land. Sun has never risen there for some reason. And the main cause of it was because of a greedy ruler of that land.
"It will be cold there, so I have prepared your clothes once we reach there."
"Yes, it will be very cold there." Basilisk.
"Have you been there?"
"Well, few times when I needed to visit the area." Basilisk answer to my question.
"Don't dragons usually stays in their homes?"
"Not really. Anyhow I owe that magicians sometimes, so visiting that area is one of the conditions they made. Especially that damned Baley! Making me as if I am his slave!"
"So, you are saying that you owe Baley your life? Did he somewhat helped you? What happened?"
"It's gonna be a long story my lady."
The way this damned dragon smirked make me more curious.
"We have few hours to stay inside this carriage. You better humor me."
"How long have you been with the magicians, if you don't mind me asking.."
"Months...maybe four or five." I lost count of the days that I have been living in this world.
"Hmm, I see, you're more adapting their attitudes..." He even snorted after commenting. "Well...."
As he started his story, about how he met the magicians, well only Baley who helped him in a condition of checking the entire Winterland, nothing was fascinating to hear more from his story.
He was ambushed by the so-called mercenaries who was trying to steal his gems, Baley was there and helped him. His gems were secured and also his life.
"Didn't you mention you were the greatest dragon? How come you got ambushed?"
"You see, there are common people who knows how to deal with dragons, like myself. They can actually use magical apparatuses to hurt us, dragons."
"Dragons are mighty and prideful...that's what I know about..." To think that the dragons exists in this world, where they are only myths in where I came from.
"That damned Baley did something to me that I cannot disobey him!" His voice anguish. His eyes reflect with hatred, towards Baley?
Wait, Baley?
"You sure it's Baley?"
"Not everyone who looks innocent are innocent my lady.." He said in a defeated voice.
"You sure it' Baley?" I look at Flora. "Does his words makes sense to you Flora?"
Flora shook her head. "I am not aware of it too."
"See..."
"Baley, is someone who weild his magic well, and let's not forget that he was trained by the tower's master."
"I am curious about something. Just how powerful these magicians?"
"They are powerful enough, that even the royal family in this land are being careful around them."
"Is that how the world sees them? They look harmless, though."
I heard him heave a deep sigh, before smiling awkwardly at me. "That's right. They are harmless, around people like you. I mean they can be dangerously harmful if someone gets in their way."
Well, he mentioned them about being dangerous? The only thing they did was to protect me. I saw how Baley always have that smug smirk on his face, but I never really saw how his facial must look like when his angry.
Eiliff is always cold. Sahana, well he looks softie. Chess is also the one who doesn't look like he will kill a fly, nor Arcon.
Arcon.. "Where is Arcon?"
"He's with them." Basilisk. "So, tell me now my lady. What did you see back then that you stop Sir Arcon to fight back?"
I stop looking outside the small window and look at him. Dragons are also strong magic users. They are sometimes more capable of seeing through the situation than the other magicians. Is what Flora said before.
"You stopped Sir Arcon to fight back, right? I am just curious."
"You weren't there when that happened."
"So, will you tell me your reasons?"
I stopped Arcon to fight back because I felt like he was the target of that attack. I was not even sure back then, why did I stop him from doing whatever he wanted.
I slightly tilted my head and look at this dragon, who's in his human form. "I don't know.? Did I stop him?"
This dragon look straight into my eyes. "I met someone who has the same mana as you."
"Pardon?"
"Someone who has the purest mana of all. You know there are several types of mana in this world."
"You are saying that, you knew something about me right?"
"Hmm, I know, just from a single glimpse, you were aware that you are not someone who came from this world. But aren't you confuse as how you understand the situation you are in?"
"Seems like this dragon loves to beat around the bush.." I look back into his eyes. Gazing back at him, his silver eyes shines.
"Suppressed memories...do you need my help? Shall I help you remember your past?"
"You---" My words hangs in the air when the door opens.
"Stop trying to argue with the lady..." It was Arcon who has a displeased emotion. "She can be a bit of violent. And no one will help you once she beats you to a pulp."
"Arcon.!" My mood lighten up when I saw the three idiots.
"Is he bothering you my lady?" Arcon.
"Why would I be bothering the lady? We are just having a unique discussions here." Basilisk.
The carriage suddenly stops. "Can I ride the horse instead?"
"My lady, it is safer for you inside the carriage." Arcon, who's voice changes from being cold to gentle.
"But, can you..." I pointed the dragon. "Do something about him?"
"Should we beat him in your stead." It was Baley who responded.
"No violence.." I laughed. "J-just..."
"Is he bothering you?"
The cold wind blows when I heard Eiliff's voice.
I followed Eiliff's eyes that landed to Basilisk. He's simply smiling.
"You know how harmless I could be around the lady.." Basilisk.
Without notice, I jumped out the carriage and stand near Eiliff's horse.
"Let me ride with you." I simply commanded at Eiliff.
I heard him sigh.
"Tell me, what did that damned dragon said? Were you offended?" Eiliff.
"Nah, it was nothing. Being in a carriage is boring. I can't see the sorrounding." I, instead said. I don't want to continue what we were discussing about, with that damned dragon.
Baley and Arcon helped me sit on top of the horse, while Eiliff held me to be comfortable.
"Thanks."
"My lady...will you be fine?" It was Sahana's voice that I heard.
He's the acting coachman.
"Yeah, let's keep going."
I felt the cold breeze through my face. Looking around while riding the horse is better than inside of that carriage.
"What did that bastard do to you?"
My moments with the wind stops when Eiliff started his words.
"Nothing."
"Did he somehow made you uncomfortable?"
I close my eyes while enhaling the fresh air. "It wasn't like that." I open my eyes and focus my sight to the road. "He's annoying. Acting like he knew about everything."
"Dragons are one of the few races who can weild their magic as powerful as they needed. If he said something, half of it must be true." Eiliff.
"You know..."
"What is it? Tell me..."
When I open my mouth to start, it didn't end easily. I told him everything. Before we were attacked. Of how I felt before the house got annihilated. Even before I stop Arcon from fighting back. The uneasiness my heart felt. The reason I kept stopping Arcon. Of how he'll be the target of that attack.
"Seems like that dragon knew about your abilities.."
"Do I have one? Am I not being protected by you people. Magicians..?"
"Flora mentioned the same thing. When you were attacked while bathing. She said that you gave her warning about those intruders. Isn't that an ability to foresee dangers?"
I didn't answer him.
"There is a limit on how we can detect dangers that lurking around us, but in a second, you're aware of what will happen. You stopped Arcon, what do you think will happen to him if you didn't stop him?"
I close my eyes and rested my back to his chest.
Trying to recall what I was seeing if Arcon fought back.
"He..he will lose an arm.." I gulped and continued. "..and his life.."
"I'll see what I can do to prevent this from happening again.."
He utter those words sincerely.
"Get some rest..."
"I still have a question to you.."
"Ask."
"What happened to Dave? suppression of memory. Did you do something about that?"
"What kind of memories you have with this Dave?"
I didn't answer him. It's that I can't even answer him. Dave? I feel like I know him, but I don't.
I don't understand either, why Dave?
'My lady..'
The gentle voice that I kept hearing. The image of a well-built man standing behind me. The one who offers his hand to help me.
"H-he..."
"Don't force yourself to remember. It will drain you small brain."
This brat!
"You really don't know how to read the room." I mumble, which he heard.
"We are currently outside, lady."
Tsk. How can this man be like this? I mean, we were having a great conversation, then suddenly he'd said these things to me!
"Are you comfortable here?"
After a few minutes of silence, he asked.
"Yeah, this is better than inside that carriage."
"It is safer inside the carriage."
"Safer? Isn't it safer around you?"
I heard him cough. So I tried looking at his face.
"You think so?"
"About what?"
"About being safe around me?"
His voice weakened.
"Why is that? Why must you ask a lot of questions too?" I ask, becoming irritated. Answering a question with another question, it's tiring!
"So that I will know how you'll answer."
I roll my eyes. "Nevermind that. By the way, I've been having chills now. Are we near there yet?"
He pulled my coat to cover me. "I think we will reach the boundary of that land."
"Don't you have beaches here?"
"Beaches?"
"Yeah, I mean coastline." It really is getting colder now.
"Those coastlines are near the Prince's palace. We could go there if you wanted."
"Oh, you mean Prince Sarawat, right?"
"It's annoying to get involve with the royal family, so don't get closer to him."
"Aren't you being hostile to him? What did he do to you?"
"He didn't do anything. Atleast not yet."He answered. He pull me closer to him. "It's getting colder here now. Get inside the carriage now."
"Can't we just teleport there? You can teleport right?"
He didn't answer me. "Baley, we are almost here."
"Yes master. I will go talk to the guards." Baley immediately went to the 'guards' they mentioned.
"Is this the Winterland now?" I curiously ask Eiliff.
When my feet are finally on the ground, Flora, who's carrying another coat on her hands.
"My lady, here wear this." She handed me another coat and help me wear it.
"Thanks. Are we in our destination now?" When I heard footseps behind, I came to look for Arcon.
"Are you feeling comfortable my lady?" Arcon.
"Am good, thanks.." I check the entire area. Those walls are quite huge. As high as my eyes can reach.
"This is the Winterland. Sun has never shine here for quite a long time." Sahana.
"Really? It must be hard for those who live here."
"My lady, the snow inside the territory will be harsh." Arcon.
"It snows, too, in my town back to where I live, so I guess this much will be fine." I gave them all an assuring smile.