"Really!? When will I go? What do I need to take with me?"
My fists clench with impatience, my gloomy face smiles for the first time in a week, and I walk to my dad to hug him.
He gets down on his knees and hugs me too.
"Yes. I've prepared everything, you can go in 10 minutes.
Ha, ha, I guess you have to take the sword and the rest of the gifts for better luck.
The two soldiers will be waiting you in the castle courtyard with a wagon."
"Fine."
"I have a problem to solve, so I'm going to leave.
And son, tonight I'm counting on you to bring the food."
"I will not disappoint you ."
Dad goes to the door, waves at me and leaves the room.
I go to the table to get the armour and the talisman, place the armour on the bed, put the talisman around my neck and head for the wardrobe.
Leather armor goes on top of clothes, but what should I wear if I go hunting?
It's too hot outside to take a blouse with long pants and armor over that, I'd rather take a t-shirt with shorts.
All right, I'm got dressed, now to check if I forgot something.
I have the sword in the sheath attached to the armor, the ring, talisman and that's it.
Oh, I still have 6 candies, I wrap them in a silk strip, put in my pocket and go out.
Come on Teo, I'm going hunting now, I don't have time to freak out when I open a door.
Door after door, I open them without any problems and reach the door leading to the courtyard in the blink of an eye.
I open the last door and the sun's rays blind me for a few seconds.
That's what I get for going out without thinking.
"Ahh." Damn, my eyes sting so badly. I start to rub my eyes with my index fingers until the pain goes away.
"Ahh, where's the wagon?" I glance around the yard but can't find it.
I probably came too fast, I go down the stair and sit on the last step.
A little while later 2 people sitting in a wagon enter the castle courtyard.
They probably are, so I'm heading to the wagon to check it out.
"Hello, are you the soldiers I'm going hunting with?"
The 2 get off the wagon, come in front of me and make the salute of our kingdom.
"Hello King! I'm Andersen, it's a pleasure to meet you."
"And I'm Hendi, it's an honor to meet you King."
"So you're the ones who will go with me?"
"Yes king!"
"What are we waiting? Let's go."
I get into the wagon and sit on the bench that is in the middle of it, attached to the wagon's right wall.
"Hendi, did you take everything we need?"
"Yeah."
"I'll drive the horse to the woods. You'll sit back with the king."
And we set off, I don't even remember the last time I left the capital.
Ahhh, I didn't get to see the city when it was the festival, now there's no sign of the stalls, decorations or the fire in the middle of the city.
We got out of the capital, I didn't think it would take so little .
"Hey Hendi, how long will it take to get to the forest?"
"My king, around 35-40 minutes."
"Can you stop calling me king? We're going to work together, that's why I prefer to call me Teo."
"But King..."
"Not a but. It's an order!"
"I understand ki... Teo."
"Good!" Ah, the candy. I take two candies out of my pocket and hand one to Hendi, and one to Andersen.
"Teo, don't you think it's better to keep them?"
"No, we're friends now and I want to give you a candy. I hope you don't make me order you to take it Andersen."
Andersen and Hendi take the candy without comment, and Hendi begins to cry after ate the candy.
"What's wrong Hendi?"
"I remembered a memory from the past."
"Is it a happy one?"
"Yeah. It's the best thing that ever happened to me."
"Can you tell me about it?" Hendi wipes the tears from her eyes and blows her nose into a handkerchief.