Luna stared back at the tall stone wall in front of her. Below is the closed door they called the 'gate' of the Murdoklan forest. Its door has carvings of unreadable writings.
Just a moment ago, Grey and she passed that gate with difficulty. Fortunately, they were able to make it just before it finally closes. The knights cheered as they saw them successfully pass the gate in the small gap left.
The wall slowly fades in sight. She watches it disappear in front of her until only a space is left. A horizon of deserted land.
"It will reappear again after several years when the gate opens up," Grey uttered.
He's standing beside her.
Luna looked around and saw a vast area of desert sand. No trees, plants, people, or houses as she expected. An empty land.
Luna glanced up at Grey with questioning eyes. He chuckled at her expression.
"We are in the Murdoklan desert. We have to travel to the nearest town. It will only take two days.
She sighed in relief.
She took out Porcha and started to treat her.
"She must be very special," Grey uttered as he watched her treating Porcha's wounds.
"She is. She made me survive the forest."
"I'll call the healer," Grey said.
The healer helps Porcha. Her wounds close but she's still unconscious.
"She will be better in a few days." The healer said.
"Thank you." She responded.
"We have to leave now Luna. We can only travel the desert by night. The heat of the desert is very extreme. We have to reach the nearest oasis before sunrise."
"Alright."
Luna rode on Coco while she looks around. All she can see on the horizon is the gray outlines of desert sands under the bright full moon and stars. The wind is called but her heart is warm.
Luna sighed in relief as soon as she realized that she is finally out of that place. Porcha is resting inside her bag. It seems that she tried to enter the dark forest because of the traces of poison in her feathers but she already treated the poison.
She must have tried to search for us.
Luna's heart feels broken looking at the poor animal she carefully kept in her bag.
"Luna," Sebastian called her.
Luna turns to Sebastian who is riding his horse. He approached her.
"Sebastian." She uttered his name with a smile.
Since that day when he cried on her shoulder because he remembered his sister on her face, he become distant. She just thought that he was still embarrassed.
Luna glanced at him as he tried to move his horse along with them. Then he gazed at her with a serious expression.
"I'm so glad you and the prince were able to make it out safe from the forest." He uttered.
"Me too. Thanks to Grey I was able to get out of that place." She answered.
She saw the hesitation on his face. But he looks at her again with a firm expression.
"But... I hope you'll know your place."
Luna's smile went away and pulled Coco to a stop.
"What do you mean?" She asked confused.
Sebastian stopped his horse and turned to her. He gazed at her.
"The Prince is a strong person, he is feared by the enemies. He went to war and fought with bravery. He strives to prove his worth as the rightful heir to the crown. His duty as a royal prince to the empire is his top priority but... you made him waver. He returned for you even after I told him the risk of that action." He uttered. He sounds concerned.
The Prince always made the empire his top priority and that made him a good leader but he changed.
Luna still did not understand what he really meant.
Indeed, she wouldn't have made it if Grey didn't return for her since she does not know the exact location of the gate. She also wonders why he came back for her.
"Luna, I'm very grateful for your help in the forest. I don't know what will happen to us if you weren't there. The prince thought the same. He even wanted to adopt you as his legal sister once we reach the capital."
"Sister?" Luna asked.
Grey wanted me to be his sister... Does he see me as a sister?
Sebastian exhaled deeply. He's struggling to express his thoughts.
"I know you like the Prince."
Luna holds her breath as the words come out of his mouth. But she can't deny it.
"I can see that in you. But since we're outside of the forest now, you have to restrain yourself from your reckless behavior that would affect the Prince. He's fond of you but please don't take advantage of that. You will only drag him down once his enemies see an opportunity in you. You may not understand now. But my goal is to protect the prince and help him become the crown prince."
"I don't want to harm him. I'll also protect him." I responded.
"Luna, you may not know but, the Prince is still not crowned because of his lowly origin. The emperor is looking for a noblewoman with an influential background that can support the Prince. And you can only protect him on the side. You can never cross a line. Because once you do, the Prince will suffer."
Sebastian is too honest that it hurts. She's also angry but what he said is all valid. She's just a savage girl from the forest. She can't offer anything to support him. If the politics here is complicated like he said, her existence might affect him.
"I understand." She answered shortly trying not to show her emotion. But right now, she's indifferent to Sebastian. She thought they were friends.
"I hope you didn't take it to heart," Sebastian said as he led his horse to proceed ahead. She followed behind him.
I already did Bastard.
She took a stone from her bag and throw it at the back of his head.
"Ouch!"
Sebastian turned to her with a furious expression.
"Did you do that?" He asked.
Since no one is behind him except her, she can't deny it.
"Ops! I slip. I was only trying to throw it on the sand."
Sebastian glared at her and she glared back.
"You obviously did it on purpose! Why would you even throw a stone in the sand?"
"It's just I feel like doing it." She answered nonchalantly.
"What are you two doing?" Grey asked as he was approaching them.
"Nothing." They both answered but throws angry glances at each other.
"We have to reach the oasis before daybreak. Don't drag behind. Luna, you follow behind me." Grey commanded.
Luna followed behind Grey as he led her but she turned to Sebastian for the last time and stick her tongue to annoy him.
Instead of getting annoyed, Sebastian felt a dejavu. Georgina used to do that childish thing to him. If she can't win in an argument, she would just glare at him or throw something at him while he's not looking then stick her tongue.
Sebastian dismisses the memory. Luna is not Georgina. Georgina is forever gone.
Prince Grey is right when they talk that morning to console me. I should focus on the future, not the past. I should focus on my duty to help the Prince. I can't be like my mother who almost got crazy and brought home a girl who looks like my sister to act as her dead daughter. I can't treat Luna as my sister. I won't replace Georgina like what mother did.
Luna is tailing behind Grey. She's staring at his back, thinking of what Sebastian told her earlier. Grey glanced back at her and noticed she was in a daze.
"Are you alright?" He asked.
She nodded.
"What were you talking about with Sebastian earlier? You seem to argue." He asked with curiosity.
"It's nothing. He's just being childish."
Grey chuckled.
Luna glanced at Grey who is now looking up ahead.
Does he really treat her like a sister?
"Grey, thank you for coming back for me." She uttered with a smile.
He glanced back at her and nodded.
"I'm delighted that you are here with me outside the forest."
Luna blushed.
"M-me too." She responded.
"Ahem!"
Sebastian inserted his horse between them and started talking with Grey about random things. He didn't give her a chance to speak with him again for the rest of the journey.
After two nights of traveling in the desert, they arrived in the town of Forger. The Lord of the town welcomed them warmly to his mansion. Grey and the knights also stayed in this mansion before they went to Murdoklan. Grey introduced her to the Lord and asked for maidservants to assist her. The Lord complied immediately and send two maids that help her take a bath. They introduced themselves as Mina and Mira.
"Is this shampoo?" She asked when she saw a fragrant bottle beside the bathtub.
"Yes, my lady. The other bottles are soap." The maid Mira answered.
Luna smiled widely. Finally, a shampoo and soap!
Mira washed her hair and Mina scrubbed her skin. The water turned black due to the amount of dirt on her.
"My lady! Your hair is fading!" Mira exclaimed in fear.
"It's fine. The hair dye is just wearing off due to the shampoo." She answered while laughing at the maid's face.
"Hair dye?" Mira asked curiously after calming down.
"Hair dye, hair color you put on your hair to change the color."
Both of the maids look amazed and interested.
"Where did you buy something like that my lady?" Mira asked.
"I made it myself."
It seems that hair dye is not invented in this world yet.
After bathing, the maids helped her change clothes.
"I'd like to rest now. Thank you for your help." She said as she dismiss the maids.
The two maids left the room and walked back to their quarters. They talked about the new lady they serve.
"She's very kind to us and she also thanked us," Mira said happily.
"Yes, but did you see the dirt all over her body and hair? The water turns black." Mina laughed.
"Yes, I can't believe a girl could also join the knights. She looks young. How did she survive a journey in the forest?"
The two maids did not notice Sebastian walking behind them. He's heading to his room. He already knows the two maids are talking about Luna since they went out of the room assigned to Luna.
"And she's very pretty. I wonder why she colored her hair, ginger hair suits her better. But I want to know how she colored her hair. It would be fun to change hair color." Mina said.
Sebastian halted as soon as he heard the maid.
Luna's hair is ginger...