"Oi, it's your turn to steer. My shoulders are getting numb!" Weiss yawned, relaxing his stiff shoulders.
"…Ergh, just…don't yawn directly at my face. Your breath stinks!" Flare complained.
Weiss hands over the bridle to Flare, climbs to the back seat, and rests his head on the carriage. For some reason, the carriage has two front seats instead of one. The front seats alone could hold 4 people. Although Flare was adamant about it at first, Boyd thought her how to steer the horses before they left Talbot's house. Her hands are still a bit stiff when holding the piece of rope, but she is doing quite well. While the two of them are sitting in the front seat, Boyd and Talbot are in the carriage at the back. Boyd had stripped all the clothes and insignias that were wrapping the entire carriage, making it look like a normal carriage. However, its design is quite different from a normal one, so Boyd suggested that they go straight toward the port with no detours. Flare wanted to object, but she knew that the whole thing previously was entirely her fault, so she stayed quiet and obeyed. In the back seat, Boyd is sitting in his seat while Talbot is sitting opposite him. Boyd already stitched and bandaged his wounds, but he also tied him up so that he wouldn't make a ruckus. However, Boyd had already released him when they were about to reach the port, and Talbot isn't moving. Instead, he just sits there with his hands covering his face, with tears coming out of his eyes.
…..
A few hours earlier…
"In their eyes, and probably even King Ragnar's as well, you are no longer of worth," Boyd drops down a boulder on Talbot.
Talbot just looked at the floor. Weiss and Flare are in the front seat, leaving only the two of them inside. Although he'd already been bandaged, fresh blood is still pouring out, soaking the bandages.
"…At this rate, it's clear to me that they'll get rid of you along with us 'criminals'. We are now on the same boat, standing on the edge of some precipitous cliff in some country."
"However, I am sure you also see this as an opportunity. Don't you, Judicator Talbot?" Boyd looked at him.
"…I…I don't understand…" Talbot uttered.
Weiss and Flare remained silent, listening to their conversation from the front.
"House burned to the ground. A body burned to a crisp was found inside. Your slavers will catch wind of it. So, now, you are a free man," Boyd replied with a joyful tone.
This caught everyone's attention.
"How'd, how'd you…"
"Let's say that I have my methods. Any peewee that will try to diagnose your body will believe it is you," Boyd replied before Talbot could finish his question.
Talbot couldn't even say anything. His mouth just opened wide, shocked at what he is hearing. Flare grew mad because Boyd is doing good to the man that betrayed her, but Weiss immediately stopped her from saying anything. He signaled her to believe in Boyd. Despite being hard, Flare tried to remain calm as she steers the horse around the corner.
"These walls are not sealed, but the information about you being alive wouldn't leak out," Boyd exclaimed.
"Why? Just…why?" Talbot asked.
"Why, you say?" Boyd murmured.
He crossed his arms together and returned to his usual, mumbling self.
"Hmm…Mmm…"
"Mmm…Mmm…"
"Ah, aha! Now, I remember!" Boyd announced.
"…The letter that I gave to you, it's from your daughter, isn't it?" Boyd asked.
Talbot remained silent. Flare was a bit puzzled about heating it.
"Daughter it is, then. I did my read on you, I tend to do that a lot before I do my work," Boyd praised himself for some reason.
"Judicator Talbot, your initial intention…"
"…Was for Flare to kill you, wasn't it?" Boyd asked.
"Your goal was not to sell Flare off to anyone, nor to kill her because of her circuits…but give her a reason to kill you, and end yourself," Boyd summarized.
Hearing this, Flare gasped with both her eyes opened wide. Her emotions are in a jumble. There's anger, confusion, sorrow, and curiosity in her. She wanted to ask Talbot her questions, but Weiss signaled her to leave it to Boyd. Once again, she has to follow and remained silent. Inside the carriage, Talbot's eyes are wide open too, as he looks at Boyd's face, or rather, his helmet.
"W-Who are you? Are you here for revenge?" Talbot mumbled, his hands weak.
"…I lost sight of this revenge a long time ago. I have no interest in crushing someone who has fallen to earth, Talbot," Boyd replied with an apathetic tone.
"Judicator Talbot. Born in the depths of Crayton Settlement itself. Orphaned at a young age and migrated to Whitefall along with some others. You met your wife there at Whitefall, a daughter of a noble. Her parents opposed the marriage to their class differences. You agreed to take your wife's last name since you probably do not even remember your last name."
Talbot remained silent, looking at Boyd.
"You were married, but since you were wed to a high-ranking family. They gave you a good job, but you didn't like it. Seeing you, I deduce that you probably thought that you should choose your path, instead of being told what to do. Then, came King Edwen along with his army. You saw him as a light that had to be shined, but you knew very well that your wife would lose her status. However, your wife supported you all the way. With her support, you toppled the monarchy, and King Edwen gave you a spot as one of his advisors."
"However, before Tarron came, the financial crisis after the war is crippling the country since the previous king burned most resources. Several options were taken, such as Crayton Settlement, your former home, and…your slavers."
"It wouldn't count as an economically beneficial solution, but it brought money to both you and the country. There, you stooped low to save the country. Then, came Tarron with his solutions. You wanted to stop doing the business after a few years, but then…your wife left you, along with your daughter," Boyd explained.
He stopped a while to look at Talbot, who is looking down, shaking.
"The loss of someone close can break someone, and it broke you. Years you tried to search for her, and before you could come in front of King Edwen or Tarron about the slavery, the Demon Invasion began. Everything was put to a halt, but your business is booming. You wanted to leave, but by this time, you've already realized that you are already too deep into it, and you cannot get out. I don't know that particulars, but at least that is how I think it is."
"During his deathbed, you consoled King Edwen about everything, even about the loss of your dear friends. Princess Flare was brought in, and there, you began to grow close to her, and even closer after he died."
"Never once you questioned King Edwen, even when that 'maggot' came in. You never questioned slavery or didn't have time to. Perhaps it is because of loyalty, or perhaps after the loss of your wife, the only way for you to escape from all that hate, sorrow and regret is to focus on your business. You used that intoxication to escape from the pain."
"Like I said, you wanted to stop, but you couldn't, because you're in the middle of it. Why'd you want to stop? That's where the other letter came in," Boyd pulled out a letter from his satchel and puts it next to Talbot's seat.
"A letter of reconciliation from your wife," Boyd exclaimed.
Boyd noticed drops of tears on the floor. He looked at Talbot, and he continued.
"…Then, you had to work for King Ragnar."
Boyd pulled out another letter.
"King Ragnar said that he knew the whereabouts of your wife, and your daughter, and used them hostage. You were forced to swear fealty to the ones you hate, especially that 'maggot'."
"Then, Princess Flare escaped, with us. There, you are faced with two choices. Retrieve back Princess Flare, or death to your family."
Boyd pulled out another letter.
"How'd…How'd you…" Talbot mumbled.
"I asked Weiss to grab whatever important-looking papers were in your quarters back at the palace. The ones on a table are not. So, while rescuing m'lady, Weiss tasked a flock of crows and an eagle to search your room. Didn't take long to find three letters underneath some books inside your desk," Boyd explained.
"Driven to a corner, you're forced to choose either one. The girl who looked up to you as a father figure and gave you light, or the beloved family that left you."
Flare listened carefully from the front. Her anger vanished from her face as she listens to them, while Weiss is already fast asleep.
"…And so, you attempted to kill yourself in the worse way possible. You would become the enemy of your beloved 'daughter' that you had raised, and be killed by her," Boyd hypothesized.
"That is your self-afflicted punishment for failing to hold on to your wife."
Boyd finished and looked at Talbot, who was still teary and silent. Flare remained silent at the front, but her body is shaking and her eyes are starting to get watery.
"No…" Talbot muttered.
"Hmm?"
"…I was just scared, just like the boy up front said," he added.
This time, Boyd remained silent.
"I was scared of losing anything else…"
"…A coward who was too scared to bear someone's burden…"
"That is why I was drawn to her…'
Talbot smiled a bit.
"…A girl, a child, who was trying to shoulder everything on her small back and strived to become stronger, unlike me. That is why I thought her everything I knew…"
"...I didn't want her to get hurt, so King Edwen and I, took action to seal some of her memories about her past. If we are doomed to experience suffering from a loss, then why should we shoulder a burden, to begin with?" Talbot chuckled.
"…But…she defied my expectations. She managed to find friends…a home…a family…"
"She possesses a strength that I never did…"
"She was going far away from where I was at…and I was too scared to lose someone else again…"
"…I…I was too scared that I was…I was holding her back…"
"In the end, I was not protecting anyone…"
"I was just protecting myself, and became…tired…" he uttered.
"…I planned on never shouldering another burden again, yet I did it again…"
"…I didn't want anyone to shoulder my burden, but…I did it again…"
"Flare…I forced you to shoulder a useless burden…"
"I..."
"I-I'm…sorry…" Talbot apologized, probably not even realizing that Flare is listening to his every word from the front.
…..
Located at the northeast of Cantor, lies the second biggest harbor of all, Echo Bay Harbor. Run by an independent neutral family that has no ties whatsoever to royalty. It is filled with ships from all over, be it from nobles, or slavers. Since the family kept neutral, those who usually come here are slavers, thieves, and nobles who want their leave kept secret. The biggest harbor lies in Whitefall, and it is under Whitefall jurisdiction. Sounds of people yelling and shouting are quite normal here. The security is mostly mercenaries and sell-swords. Here, there are tons of ships and boats docked.
Talbot woke up, still inside the carriage, but nobody is there with him. Instead, what is there with him is just a suitcase and normal clothing with a note on top of it. Talbot took the note, still looking around for signs of anyone he knew inside the carriage, and again, no one is there.
"Wear me?" he mumbled.
Still in the dark, Talbot wore the clothes and stepped outside. He is still holding the note, which turned out to be a ticket. He put two and two together and searched for the ship that he is supposed to get to. There are a lot of people here. He is accustomed to this place, since the usually deals with slaves here, or at least he used to. He is quite puzzled to see that most of his underlings that he usually posted here are not even in their positions. He didn't go to the manager's office because he didn't want to make a huge fuss about it. Flare, Weiss, and Boyd are nowhere to be seen, so he kept looking. After 10 minutes of walking, he finally saw the ship that he is supposed to board. It seems that the passengers will be boarding in about 20 minutes, so most of them are just sitting there at the quay. Talbot thought it is strange, until…he heard something he was quite familiar with.
"Hmmm…." he heard someone humming, along with the beautiful plucking sound of a guitar.
"…The day ends during a beautiful winter morning, while I am searching for him," the sound of a girl singing can be heard.
Talbot's eye turned teary as if he knew the voice. Immediately, he rushed to hear the song. There's a crowd surrounding the bard, but he pushed himself forward. Then, suddenly, he just stops halfway. His hand is on someone's shoulder, but he didn't pull him back. Instead, he pulled his hand back and listened.
"The sky turns grey for the youngest bard around, and he, the most scared judge."
"He was my father, my scared father…my judge…"
"We used to hug so well together back then. We wanted to smile together all around the world, and we wanted it all."
…..
Several years before
"La-la-la-la…" a little girl sang with her heart.
A man laughed from behind, while a woman is just smiling as she is cooking in the kitchen. The smell of her cooking could not stop the man from laughing at the girl's croaked voice.
"Hah hah hah! You must be my kid! It looks like voices tend to be hereditary," the man laughed.
The girl just pouted her cheeks as she looks at the man.
"Just wait. I'll practice and get better then I will be an amazing bard. You'll see!" the girl retorted.
"If you become a bard, then there's hope for the toads too," the man replies.
"Shut up, you, meanie! If I say I'll be an amazing bard, I'll be one! You'll see!"
"How about that! If you ever be a professional, I'll bring the first of your listeners to bring hundreds of lilacs," the man proposed a deal.
"Why lilacs?" the little girl asked.
"…Well, your mother is allergic to roses. So, I think that you might be allergic to it," the man muttered and laughed when the woman in the kitchen reacted.
The little girl also laughed, and all three of them ended up laughing. However, during dinner, the husband didn't get his usual portion as punishment for making fun of her wife.
…..
Talbot is gripping his hands tighter and tried to walk away. However, since he is in the middle of a crowd, it was hard for him to leave. So, he turned himself to face the young singer and listened along with the others. He wanted to leave, but for some reason, his heart compelled him not to. His heart told him that if he leaves, he will lose something dear to him. His instincts told him to leave, but then, he planted his feet firmly on the ground and listened.
"…For you, who have stumbled. I give you this song, the courage to fight once more."
"You are not alone, the tears you shed say…"
"Thank you for letting us meet, in this sullied, ugly world…"
"It is a miracle…"
The song ends there, and everyone immediately clapped their hands. The crowd cheered for the young girl as she smiles and bows to everyone. Despite almost everyone, there being a wanted criminal, all of them cheered and whistled with joy. There was no booze, no drugs, just simple, plain joy. All the young males tried to flirt with the young girl, and even though she was rejected, there was no bad feeling. Her kind smile just melted everyone there. The old fellows there just smiled, some of them even cried. The young girl just smiled when she saw her song get into everyone. It was an honor that every bard wanted. She even gave her autographs to some girls who also listened to her performance. It was no surprise to Talbot that there are children here in this port since he is operated here for quite some time. He is sure that to those kids, it was a miracle and blessing for them to hear from her. He saw those girls dash away, giggling and laughing together in this sullied place. He noticed the strong-looking men also smiling with them, so assumed that they are their bodyguards.
"Echo Port to Almbelle! Echo Port to Almbelle! The ship is now boarding!" a man yelled at the quay.
Then, some of the people in the crowd took their bags and boarded the ship after congratulating the young girl. However, although everyone is beginning to leave, Talbot's feet are still planted firmly. For some reason, he couldn't lift his legs to turn back and board the ship. He tried again and again, but he couldn't move his feet. After most of the crowd left and when the young girl already packed her belongings, she noticed Talbot and smiled.
"Mister, the ship is boarding," she giggled.
"Ah…yeah, sorry about that," Talbot uttered and turned around.
Talbot turned around and walked away.
"No, no, no, that cannot be right."
"I-I cannot face her like this."
"…Yes, it would be for the best. She's gone through enough…" Talbot said to himself.
Suddenly, the young girl called to him.
"Old man! Old man!" she called.
"Who are you calling old man, huh?" Talbot suddenly reacted.
"You left your case," she said, pointing at his case.
Talbot couldn't say anything, perhaps he was a bit embarrassed.
"…A…Ahaha…Thank you…" Talbot thanked the young girl as he approached her.
Suddenly, without warning, the briefcase just flung open by itself. The girl squeaked a bit, surprised, but then…she gazed at the suitcase. Talbot, who was also approaching her, stopped and looked at the suitcase. He was surprised, and…his body was shaking all of a sudden. The contents of the briefcase…turned out to be 7 bouquets. Seven bouquets of lilacs…
"…"
Talbot couldn't say anything, but he knew at that time, there is a pair of eyes looking at him. He could hear her trying to figure out something to say, just the same as he is now. Talbot couldn't even look at her and cursed whoever put those lilacs in that briefcase.
"Run…run…" his instincts tell him.
"Run, you've done enough," his mind tells him.
"…"
However, he couldn't move. The strength to move his legs is gone after briefly getting them back. Slowly, with all his strength, he turned around and faced the young girl. She is looking at her, with bewilderment on her face.
"Ugh…" Talbot mumbled.
"D…Dad…?" the young girl uttered.
* * * * *
"You know, you should at least take your words a bit seriously, Missus June," Boyd uttered, scratching the back of his neck.
The woman sitting in front of him drank nearly a quarter of rum from the bottle, and it is currently evening. Boyd has this language that his body is making, which looked like 'This woman is drinking, right now? Of all times?'.
"…," The woman remained silent, unable to say anything.
"I…I'm sorry, for putting you in…" she mumbled.
"No, no, no. Instead of saying sorry, it would be more positive to say 'thank you', Missus June," Boyd interrupted.
"…" June turned silent once again.
"I have time…," Boyd clasps his hands together.
"…."
"I'm…"
"I…"
"Thank you…" June announced, at the same time bowing her head.
"Woah, woah, woah, calm down, Missus June," Boyd flabbergasted.
"Raise your head, there's nothing wrong with asking for help sometimes," Boyd chuckled.
Boyd took the rum from her hand and poured it into his glass, but he didn't give it back to June.
"…Hmm…Mmm…"
"In all honesty, it would be easier for me to just hand it over to you and leave, but, turns out I met you here before getting my cup of coffee."
"You still remember?" Boyd asked June.
She just nodded.
"I remember sitting in a bar far west, and heard this woman kept complaining to me all about her life while drunk drinking bourbon," Boyd reminded me.
"…I remember suddenly having a man at home, cooking breakfast for three. His audacious figure lived with us for weeks, and he just left," June mumbled.
Boyd just chuckled.
"So, how's Jane?" Boyd asked.
"…Well, she'd already healed from her cold, but the shaman and priest told us that the Blight might come back. In any case, she is healed," June shared the good news.
"The Blight, huh?"
"Hmm…Mmm…"
"Mmm…Mmm…" Boyd mumbled to himself.
June just giggled in front of him.
"I see you are still mumbling after all these weeks," she stated.
"…Mmmhmm…" Boyd nodded.
"Both you, and him…aren't you just making your kid suffer?" Boyd inquired.
That question was hard in June. She didn't say anything.
"…"
Boyd didn't say anything either. It is as if he is waiting for June to reply.
"…I…I might be feeling remorseful…"
"I-If…If only I had provided support for him when he hits rock bottom…then, Jane might not fell to sickness," she sniffed, her hands on both her knees, trying to support herself from tumbling down.
She couldn't say anymore after that. Her eyes are teary, and her hands are shaking. Boyd didn't say anything and left that space to herself. He didn't offer a hand or anything, not even the rum that she held in her hand, which was not in his.
"…It has always been like this. Every day, he came back with this look in his eyes. It's the look of a man that was losing his humanity. I was…I was afraid that he might not be the man I once loved, so we…I left him," she whimpered.
"…I-I always thought that he might break one day, but…it turns out that…he is a lot stronger than me, and our daughter is a lot stronger than the both of us."
"Every day, even after I left him, she never let go of those bonds…" June added, wiping off her face.
"She's a lot stronger than me…but I-I'm a total failure as her mother, and as a wife…"
"I was made to realize that by my daughter who never let go of those ties…" she sniffed.
"Maybe I am the only one that thinks that I am a good mother…maybe Talbot had cut ties with me. I…I don't know what to…" June whimpered, but then, she saw a stack of wrapped letters in front of her on the table.
"Some letters for you," Boyd stated, sliding the stack towards her.
"…Found it inside a drawer when I was inside his house. It looks like he always wrote them, judging by the color of the paper. Since he never knew your permanent address, they were always there on his desk. He kept it all in that drawer, hoping that one day he would get the chance to give it to you," he added.
"Oh, don't worry, I'd never do anything too crass as to read them. I figured that you're not the type to be nuts about it after reading this."
Boyd stood up, dismissing himself from their meeting, along with the rum that June ordered.
"See you later, Missus June," Boyd waved.
"Hey!" she called.
Boyd stopped next to her.
"I don't know all the details but…"
"If you have a family that cares about you, what more do you need?" Boyd exclaimed.
"You know, I wish I had one…a family like yours," Boyd uttered.
This shocked June.
"Boyd…"
"Ironic, isn't it?" Boyd cuts her halfway.
"How the people who don't have those things…usually understand them better than those who do."
He turns his head to face June and smiled.
"So…cherish your family…okay?"
"…And stop the drinking," he added with a sarcastic tone before making a mad dash to the front door.
Boyd dashed outside and sprinted into an inn not far from the bar. He took the stairs and opened a room, where Flare and Weiss are. Both of them are looking out the window, with a smile on their faces.
"Hmm…Mmm…"
"Mmm…Mmm…"
"Did something happen between you two while I was gone?" Boyd asked for an explanation for their smile.
"Not even close," Weiss responds quickly.
"You've got to be joking, like I would ever even," Flare also responds at nearly the same time.
"Ahahahaha…Ahahahaha…." Boyd just laughed.
Boyd rested himself on one of the beds without even peeping like them. He just drops his body flat on it.
"…They've been talking for quite some time now," Flare smiled.
Outside, a man and a young girl are talking to each other.
"Yeah, I mean…look at how long they hugged each other when that briefcase popped open," Weiss added.
"It's natural…" Flare responds.
Weiss didn't say anything, but he is observing.
"So, you haven't told me how you met Talbot?" Flare turned her head to face Weiss.
"We didn't meet Talbot directly. As far as I know, the bounty on his head is mine now that he is declared 'dead'," Weiss laughed with his eyes already gazing at his future reward.
Flare just sighs hopelessly.
"Do you usually do it like this?"
"No, most of them I would just kill. This is one of the few special cases. Not all the ones who have a bounty are like him. Most are just downright insane killers," Weiss answered.
"You still haven't answered my question," Flare pushed.
"Oh right."
"I didn't meet them, Uncle Boyd was the one who did, so you have to ask him."
"…But…he's already fast asleep…" Flare muttered, followed by Boyd's snoring.
"So ask him when he is awake."
"…But, what I know is that he met that girl in an inn doing her performance far east. That's all I know," Weiss informed Flare.
Flare just looked at Boyd who is fast asleep, and smiled a bit.
"He still hasn't removed that armor or helmet, doesn't he? Even when sleeping on a bed," she giggled.
Weiss just smiled.
Back at the bar, June paid for the rum that Boyd took from her. The bartender noticed that her shot of rum isn't touched yet, but the woman just left after paying along with her bag. There are traces of torn paper on her table and droplets of water. When she went outside, she felt a sense of relief, as if a burden has been removed from her back. She saw Jane running towards her with a smile on her face, along with Talbot, who is hesitating to be close. Without even saying much, she just embraced both Jane and Talbot with her teary eyes. The husband was stunned, couldn't even say anything, but he just puts his face on her shoulders, covering his face so that no one would see him shed a tear. The young girl is crying with joy, embraced by her mother…and father.
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--Image--
https://ibb.co/5jjHMwG - Talbot Reunites With His Family
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