Liam and the guard reached the lobby and walked their separate ways. Liam sat on the floor near the trap door while the guard went to the counter to return their room keys. Liam leaned his head on the wall as he stared, blankly at the close trapdoor. His mind wandered off.
Will I really be able to find that dragon? I don't even know what it looks like...My mother told me, its scales were like the moon, pale and beautiful...
He was lost in thoughts, his mind drifting off to the memories of his childhood when his mother was still alive, telling him about this tale again and again.
He sat there for quite some time until some footsteps snapped him out of his thoughts. It was coming from above him and he knew those people were going to climb down from the trapdoor. He stared at the now-open trapdoor, the ladder slowly slided down and hit the wooden floor with a bang.
He was guessing it was Leo since they waited for him for quite some time now or only him waiting since he was the only one sitting there. (He doesn't even know where the guard at now.)
The shadow of the unknown person could be seen on the ladder and wooden planks. He then saw someone climb down and he was correct, it was Leo.
Leo was standing at the bottom of the ladder now, he didn't seem to notice Liam. He kept looking up into the trapdoor.
Must be waiting for the princess. Liam thought as he saw Leo stretch his hand out as if to hold something. Liam was confused by his actions. Maybe the princess wants him to carry something.
But suddenly, there really was something falling down the stairs. It wasn't an object but a human! The Princess! She landed on Leo's arms, swiftly, her red dress flowing. She was so dazzling that Liam couldn't recognize who it was until he saw her face.
Why are they like a couple?! That thought suddenly struck him when he realized what romance he just witnessed. Did they date or something after we left them alone?
His mindless beliefs were thrown away when he saw Leo hastily place her back on her feet. He was blushing while looking away from her, his blushing wasn't normal instead bright like a tomato. He was looking in Liam's direction and soon they met eyes.
"Liam!"He called out as he walked in a fast momentum toward Liam.
"Finally willing to go?"He asked Leo and Leo let out a soft chuckle.
"Yeah, you can say that."
"Anyway, what took you so long?"
"I..."Leo's face was blushing again but slightly, not as bad as when he was with the princess."I don't want to talk about it...Or maybe when we're out of ear reach then I tell you..."
Leo actually didn't want to share it with him but when he saw Liam's rejected expression, sad and disappointed. He couldn't help but change his thoughts, he didn't want to keep secrets from Liam, especially since Liam trusted him the most.
"Okay..."Even with his different reply, Liam still seems dejected.
Leo couldn't do anything about it, he thought he might as well keep his promise(even though it was not entirely a promise) and tell him when they really went out the town.
"Where is my assistant?"The princess asked Liam in a sassy tone, she was now standing with them.
"I don't know, you should know where he is, right? You're his boss after all."Liam answered as he shrugged, rudely.
The princess clicked her tongue as she walked away, outside of the inn. Both of them stared at the princess who disappeared from behind the wooden door. Then, turned to look at each other. It was then when Liam noticed Leo was holding another enormous and expensive bag. (though it was smaller than Leo's own bag)He bet it was the princess but he still asked anyway.
"Why are you holding another bag? Is it the princess's?"He questioned and Leo nodded.
"Yeah, I'm just helping her to take it to the carriage. She said the guard was too fragile and weak to carry it to the carriage. So she wants me to help her..."
"Oh, all right! So, can we leave now?"Liam asked, excitedly, he was so ready to continue their trip without these two troublesome royalties and exploring new places and finding special items.
"Wait a sec, I still need to return the princess's room key first. And don't forget, we need to meet up with everyone first before we go. Remember Pete?"
"Yup!"He was upset about their trip getting postponed a little later but didn't mind it that much. He was happy as long as they were able to travel.
Leo went to the counter and there wasn't anyone there. He ended up putting it on the counter and left a little note, writing their gratitude and farewell. They then left the inn when Leo pushed open the door. The whole street was entirely crowded with town folks. They were surrounding someone that special someone, which was most definitely the princess.
The men were drooling from the beauty while the girls were praising her. They noticed the guard was there too, stuck in the middle by the crowds, he was trying to fend them away from the princess but there were too many. (even the soldiers of the town were too attracted by the stunning beauty of the princess)
Leo and Liam looked at the crowds. Then, turned to look at each other and unknowingly laughed.
"Guess we can't join them for now," Leo said and Liam nodded."Then, should we go find Pete first? Or maybe he's here too?"
"Sure whatever you like, "Liam replied, casually and both of them began to observe the groups.
After looking almost all the town folks, they noticed a familiar blonde-haired man, standing in the middle of the tightly squeezed crowds. They dashed into the crowds while holding each other's hands, making sure they wouldn't split.
After a long while of squeezing through the stick-together crowds, they were finally closing in on him. Leo was the one taking the lead like always since he was able to see through the people, he was tall enough too. While Liam like last time, felt like he was surrounded by giants being overlooked by the people or pushed by them. Leo always had to look behind as well, making sure that Liam was still behind and following him.
Leo clasped onto the blonde-haired's shoulder, expecting that person was Pete but turned out it wasn't.
"Sorry! I thought you were someone else..."He apologized immediately and hastily looked around for any sign of Pete.
"Is he not Pete?"He heard a voice coming from behind him, it was very soft due to the noises around them but luckily it was still clear and noticeable.
Leo turned around to see Liam still behind him and still holding his hand, good thing he wasn't lost like last time.
"Yeah...Don't know where he went...Maybe he isn't here..." Leo replied as he continued to look around them but found no other person with blonde hair instead of the one they just found."We might have seen wrongly."
"Oh..."Liam said, looking straight into Leo's eyes and Leo noticed there was sadness in his eyes."So...are we going to leave without saying goodbye to him?"
"No!Definitely not!"Leo encouraged, which made Liam smile, it wasn't obvious but his eyes revealed it all. A spark of happiness."If it weren't for him, I bet we would have to walk here."
"Yeah, I think so too. And maybe today we might still not reach here yet."
Both of them chuckled and suddenly a person clapped on Leo's shoulder. Both of them stopped and followed the hand. It landed on a person with blonde hair man and blue eyes, it was Pete.
"Yo, "He greeted them."What are you doing here so early?"
"Pete!"Both of them yelled, gleefully and made the people surrounding them glare at them as if they were acting strangely.
Pete laughed and then said, suggesting a place for them to talk in peace.
"Calm down, you two. Should we go to a corner, then we chat? It's really crowded here."
Both of them nodded and the three of them squeezed out of the groups and in a deserted corner.
"What are you two excited about?"Pete continued what he wanted to ask."Do you need me for anything?"
"Well..."Both of them said, sadly as they stared at each other, deciding who to speak of this.
"Why do you two look sad? Is there something wrong?"
After a few seconds of silence, Leo decided he was the one going to spill it.
"We're going to leave here soon...So, that's why we're here to find you..."
"You're not kidding...right?"
"Yes...We're leaving soon..."
"Well, it is only normal for you adventures to leave from one place to another..."Pete said, forcing his smile, he didn't want them to know he was upset."So... you're here to say your goodbye?"
Leo and Liam nodded at the same time, Liam was staring at the ground like a sad child while Leo looked Pete in the eyes, his face showed a bit of sadness.
"I really appreciate your help when I first met you, Leo..."Pete brought up their past event since it was their final moment together."If it weren't for you, desperately trying to save me and even to the extent of ignoring the guard, I bet I would still be down there. And that day, I didn't really get the chance to thank you properly. So...Thank you for deciding to save me on that day, you have a kind heart."
"You don't have to say that!"Leo nervously said."I bet even without my help, there would be other kind-hearted souls out there who are willing to help. I'm only doing what others would do in that situation. I bet you would help him too, right Liam?"
He turned to Liam which caught Liam off guard, he never thought Leo would think of him as this kind of person.
"Huh?!"He shouted, shocked, taken aback. Then, repiled nervously and uncertainly."I...Well...I guess I will..."
Leo chuckled and Pete did the same, they were both giggling while Liam stood there confused but soon joined them. (It was their last time together after all why go all gloomy when you can go joyfully?)
After they chatted about their past meeting and events, it was time for them to leave.
"Goodbye then, Pete..."Leo looked at him and gave him a last look before turning around to leave while Liam did the same but with a wave.
"Yeah...bye..."Pete said as he watched them go and soon submerged into the busy crowd.
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Leo and Liam were back in the tight gathering again, they were walking to the main entrance until they saw a carriage. Someone was sitting in the driver's seat waiting for a person, he was in shiny silver armor and both of them knew it must be the guard. They were about to continue going their way when someone shouted in front of the town folks.
"Where is Leo?!"He heard a lady shout and immediately recognized the sharp and sassy tone, it was the princess.
The princess walked into the carriage but didn't shut the door and leave. They instead sat still in one place, Liam knew the princess must be the one, who kept not wanting to leave until Leo arrived.
Leo planned to go over there and talk to the princess, about their agreement but Liam refused, he didn't believe that the princess would let them go easily. (Let Leo go, to be precise)
In the end, they planned to just blend in the crowds and slip past her but fail. And as for the bag, they planned to just leave it somewhere.
"Hey! Stop right there! The one with red hair!"The princess suddenly shouted, which made both of them freeze in place.
Liam was hoping, the one she called wasn't them but the more the princess called, they knew they were discovered.
"The one amongst the group near a shop, the spell book shop."
Liam turned to his left to see if they were near any shops, especially the spell book shop or whatever that was but was blocked by people all around them.
Why am I so short?... He thought as he tried to see through the group of people.
Luckily, he managed to see through them from the gaps but unfortunately, the shop he saw was really the spell book shop. Even though he didn't know anything about magic and all but he could tell that was the shop.
The shop hung a large sign, there was a huge book in the middle and in the book there were dots of purple, yellow and green lights(like they saw the kid named Felix use a magic staff, which had the same bright glittering lights) coming out of the book. In the center of the book and among the dots of colors, there was a thick and deep ink written there.'All The Spells You Can Learn!'
Shit! Liam thought as he turned back to look at Leo with annoyance. Why do you grow so tall?!
Soon the crowds around them unexpectedly spread away from their spot and there was a clear line, where they could see the carriage clearly. The princess was sitting in the carriage waiting for them or only Leo to step forward.
"Wait here," He said before he walked to the carriage.
He climbed into the carriage and shut the door. After some time, he came out without the luxurious bag. (He must have returned it to her)
"Come one, let's go."He said to Liam.
Then, both of them walked out of the town with all the people's eyes watching them.