There are few clouds exists in the clear skies even if the sun was at zenith an hour ago. Without any shade, the heat of this day pierces on whoever walks beneath its presence. But no matter how hot the weather is, life goes on as all creatures of the world of Theia wakes them up, and forcefully crawls them towards their survival and their own goals for the day. And under this hot weather of the beastkin's territory, there was a man who was literally crawling on the ground with his hands and knees. However, he is not doing this by choice. He was forced to do so under this evil spell made by this female mage called Pinta by the order of Vandaldor of the House Erons, the son of Lord Eustadd Erons. These two monsters for this crawling man were chilling by their horseback at his front – a dark brown mare for Pinta and a white stallion for Vandaldor. Whereas for the crawling man, he follows them behind slowly, his body moving at its own.
"We're here!" Vandaldor bellowed behind him, "Crawl faster little Bogazi! Pinta! Can you make him faster?"
"I'm sorry sir, but without him having any rest, I doubt he can be."
"Ah well," he swayed his hair away from his face by a jolt of a head, "whatever, that's fine then."
The crawling man, Hardy Leandre Bogazi, or called 'Little Bogazi' by Vandaldor, doesn't know for how long he was walking like a four-legged creature. All he knew was that his pants ripped off at his knee joints by the sharp rocks they had traversed, and his knees ache like no tomorrow, leaving stains of blood here and there every now and then as the scorching heat pierces his sweaty body when they're finally out of the Deepwoods. He endured the torture still after they had finally entered the town governed by House Erons, the home of the beastkins in this southern region of Estrid. The Town of Durakhal.
"Hey! check this out!" Vandaldor approach a Hume guard with its common greyish armor and helm of the gate, "He thinks he's a critter!"
Here in Durakhal, one might think that something will be different about this beastkin-dominated town, something primitive about their livelihood, but in fact, there was little to no difference than those usual bricked architecture town of the humes. It can be argued even that this town is better than other hume-dominated villages, for this town was modernized by the kingdom of Gesneria. There exist pavements for wheeled carriages, post lamps that lit up when the sun comes down through magic, vendors sell honorably within the right price and value for each item, and people stroll outside without any regard to danger. It was peaceful up front, and by meaning, only by façade.
Like any political intrigued places, there's a dark secret hidden behind the shadows, only slipping away by rumors that can be ignored completely as a myth and untruth. Moreso, with the House Erons is at the seat of power this town, who are known for their ways to be… wicked.
At Hardy's eyes, as he traverses through the streets of this town by crawling out beneath this sunny weather, beastkin and hume people alike just took a glance at him, boredly even as they walk with their own lives. Uncaring about the brutality that is currently served unto him. He assumes that they might be punished if they just stop even for a moment, or they might had seen same scenes that turn this repelling sight as just as any ordinary matter in their everyday life.
But Hardy never cared about that, nor want to think further about it. He only wanted something to take his mind away from this pain he is currently experiencing.
Tired and dehydrated, he never noticed that their destination is already visible to his naked eye – A building that looks like a fortified Keep or a mini castle. The building is known as the Durakhal Utama Balai, or simply Balai. This place serves as a Town Hall, and is currently the main home and the stronghold of the House Erons.
Its construction was different than those other common primary and secondary colored-roofed buildings, or by matter, home of the townsfolk. It can be accurately described as a five-storey mini-castle with crenelations layered at roofed corners with a pointed roof at its single circular tower off-centered laying at the topmost floor.
Inside one of the rooms at the topmost floor is where the Head of the House Erons resides – Eustadd Erons. He is a wrinkled man with a reclining hair and a white goatee and of a slim build. One can clearly see him as an aged old man who had seen many years. However, contrary to his looks, he is not too old as he looks and is physically and mentally fit to do tasks that requires exertion. In fact, at this moment, he was at his own chambers, writing letters and signing documents by his desk beside a window without any glass and with an arch-shaped top. Eustadd Erons was at the moment busy with his paperworks, even if his son, Vandaldor Erons, came knocking at his room,
"Father! It's me!"
With nonchalant tone, Eustadd answered, "Enter."
At that confirmation, Vandaldor enters then with his companion aide, Pinta. As they entered silently and stood near the doorway, a guard follows behind them, who closes the door and stood upright by it. Eustadd then speaks, still his eyes glued on the paperworks, and without batting any eye to his son,
"What do you want?"
"Father! Earlier I-"
Eustadd sighs, "If this is all about your silly adventures or your fashion sense again, can it wait later? It's early afternoon and people with jobs to do are still busy, as am I too as we speak here at this moment."
"No, this is different father! Something worthwhile for you!"
"So?" he glanced at Vandaldor, "Make it quick."
Vandaldor glanced at Pinta and gave her a nod as their eyes met. Pinta then glances at the guard by the doorway and speaks,
"Send him in!"
The guard bowed silently as he went out, which made Eustadd curious and stopped his paperworks for this moment to see what this is all about. Then, two more of the guards entered the room and dragged a person behind them and threw this person down at his presence, and left at once.
"Ggh!"
The said person was Hardy, beaten up and stripped naked, leaving only his undergarments and a rope binding his arms on his back.
Eustadd furrowed his eyes and glared at Hardy, who was presented to him like a pet dog. And then he glares at Vandaldor,
"What's this?"
In proud tone, Vandaldor speaks, "Father, I present you Little Bogazi! Pinta and I found him sniffing around our territory and helping criminals escape at the Deepwoods."
"…" Hardy silently glared at Eustadd.
Vandaldor continued, "Moreover, there's also a juicy report I received a while ago from the raven that he and the prince are in cahoots in helping a beastkin fugitive to kill its own kin! He-"
"Little Bogazi…" Eustadd suddenly muttered, "Hardy Leandre Bogazi."
"So that's his name!" Vandaldor exclaimed.
"Damn right that his name. I ask again, what is this?"
"F-father, he's out there, sni-"
"I'm guessing you don't understand the meaning of my question, so let me express it more clearly," then Eustadd started gravely emphasizing all words in his next sentence, "What! Do! You! Wanted! Me! To! Do!?"
Vandaldor was taken aback by his father's violent reception towards him, and it took a moment before he could answer, albeit stuttering, "I-I t-thought t-this is a…c-chance…yes…a chance!"
"A chance for what!?"
"A chance towards a step for revolution! He's a Bogazi! We…we could make them t-to…"
Eustadd frustratedly put his palm on his face, "…You really don't use your brain, do you?"
"F-father?"
He stood up with a slam of his two hands at the table and paces around the area, "What? you want me to use the Little Bogazi as hostage or by ransom? Do you think the Kingdom will bat its eyes away from that? The House Bogazi will have their reason to rally its forces against us! You think they'll hesitate attacking us, flapping around Little Bogazi high above them? No! Not just the House Bogazi! You'll make the whole kingdom against us! You got that Van?"
Vandaldor nods and held his head down in silence.
"And of course, having a peace to the Kingdom as if nothing had happened here is out of the option. Do you ever thought that we can get away with this scot-free? Vandaldor, look what you did to him!" he pointed at Hardy, "You had to act your sick taste on him don't you!?" He glanced at Pinta, "Poor girl, being forced by this idiot son of mine to do his repulsive biddings. Returning this poor Bogazi over the capital is impossible! He'll flap his mouth like a chimp to his treatment! Anything we do to him, killing him, having him captive, cutting his tongue, The Kingdom will be dubious and will investigate further here at the whole southern region of Estrid! Their little birds will fly over us and you know what will happen? it will be the end of us, of what I've prepared over these years! Are you still with me!?"
Vandaldor meekly answered, "…yes."
Then a raven flew from the window and landed on Eustadd's shoulder. He went silent as Hardy sees it. After a short while, when the raven flew off and left, Eustadd breaks the silence with his irately reprimanding tone,
"One more thing, you know what the raven just told me now?" he pointed at Vandaldor, "You orchestrated burning the Beastkin Tavern at the outskirts with what, thirty or more Beastkins? You also gave the go signal to attack the prince and his companions! You could have stayed your hand and ordered the raven to report back to me but no, oh no! You had to act on your own! And using violence at that! how foolish can you more be! The more I think more of this, the more I wonder why your mother gave me a son that doesn't even use his brains! Why can't you be just more like Somiya!"
"That's!" Vandaldor raised his eyes up to Eustadd in a shock of protest.
"Don't speak until I told you so!" Eustadd angrily roared, making Vandaldor held his head low and go silent again.
Eustadd then paused for a while as he walks back at his seat and sat at it, then he held his head with his two arms and speaks in frustration, looking downwards, "Lock that Bogazi down the prison chambers. Dress him, feed him. Ahhh… I don't know how I will handle this."
Vandaldor stood in place in defeat, while Pinta also stood silently still beside him in all span of Eustadd's monologue. Hardy could only watch everything unfold. After a moments silence, Eustadd raised his eyes up at them and said,
"…What? You're still here? Leave!"
That's the moment when Vandaldor and Pinta finally left Eustadd's room. Afterwards, Pinta ordered the two guards earlier, who was standing still outside to get Hardy and lead him down to the prison. Outside, Vandaldor and Pinta walks away silently as Pinta broke off the silence,
"Sir, no matter what happens, I'm always with you."
Vandaldor glances at Pinta and gave her a poignant smile. Then he took her lips with his while he embrace her gently with one arm at her waist and the other at the back of her head. Pinta heartedly accepts his lips on her own as she closes her eyes and embraces him back with her passionate fingers. With both of their eyes close, they felt each other passionately with their own tongues. A moment then while their lips still in contact with each other, he opened his eyes up and furrowed his eyebrows, glaring at the door to Eustadd's room as he thought in spite.