They galloped for several hours before arriving at the village that Niella was interested in. On the way they only stopped by water to encourage the horses, which Shane was quite grateful for as he hadn't eaten in a while and water was better than an empty stomach. Nielle, as if forgetting this fact and thinking about other things, didn't even realize that he could offer some of the packed food to his Lacrisan.
Shane was starting to have stomach cramps. Not that he wasn't used to them, it wasn't the first time he'd been hungry, but he still hated that feeling. Anyway, he kept up with Nielle and since he assumed that the prince was keeping him hungry on purpose, he didn't even comment.
In the past, when he was in a similar state, he got at least some option to get food. He'd either earned it through work or some sort of entertainment program that had rewards in the form of food...but Nielle didn't seem to have anything like that planned, and in Shane's eyes, he was just having a good time.
However, Nielle wasn't really thinking about Lacrisan's stomach. He didn't care if he ate or not, since he didn't deny him food at all, and basically it was Shane's fault that he never caught the meal time in the palace. Nielle was unaware that Shane didn't know he could get something in the dining room at any time.
They gradually reached the village, where the guards were already waiting for them with their heads down.
"Good job, everyone." Nielle said ironically, got off his horse and left it to one of the guys.
"I apologize, sir...we weren't informed that they had left the teahouse at all. When we went to check on them, the tea shop was closed." he said.
"Closed?" Nielle sighed and walked to the village.
Since it was a place where everyone was on his side, he didn't have to hide. His white hair caught the attention of several people who bowed to him gently and after reaching the end of the village by the wine bar, he turned towards the tea house. The coachman who was driving Ylre and Rue was waiting for him in front of the entrance.
"Your Highness," he greeted.
"What happened?" Nielle asked.
"I contacted our people in a nearby group of bandits, but the ambush didn't work out, so I sent them to the teahouse...however," he looked at the building and declared, "I found the owner underground...with signs of torture." He said.
Nielle sighed deeply. He ordered Shane to wait outside and went underground himself, where he indeed found the body of the guy who ran the business. It didn't look like the killer had gone easy on him.
His bloody, nailless hands were unnaturally twisted, his bleeding knees and elbows showed that he had used the methods that Nielle had pulled out when he was in a hurry. Whether the black haired or the red haired did it, he was clearly no novice and Nielle just made sure he had to be careful if he wanted to catch them and not get half of his alleys slaughtered.
But he didn't have to worry about his people revealing anything, so even though the man looked ugly, Nielle knew that no one had gotten anything from him.
He went back outside and said, "Where are they headed?"
"I got a report that they crossed the road, they said they were planning to go to Dycae, but the owner of the local pub had misdirected them, so they are going straight to Alycante," he clarified.
,,Misdirected, why?" Niella was surprised.
"I don't know, sir... maybe a coincidence, maybe not," he pointed out.
"Maybe Luck, are you following them?" Nielle asked.
"We're," he nodded.
"Ok...bring in a report when one comes," Nielle instructed, looking at Shane.
"What?" Shane didn't understand.
"Nothing," Nielle laughed and walked back to the horses, "we're moving on." he said.
Shane sighed in displeasure and walked back to the horses with him. He hoped that they would reach their destination and he could lie down for a while, but he had obviously miscalculated, so they dismounted again and rode away. Fortunately, they just ran through the village, went through the forest about a kilometer beyond it and stopped at an inconspicuous camp. It wasn't strange that there was one, since he saw a lot of soldiers in the village, but he wasn't expecting him here.
"Your Highness, we received a report of your arrival, what happened?" the commander of the local soldiers asked, waiting in front of the camp.
Nielle stopped, left the horse again to one of the guys and went inside. Shane followed them and listened to what Nielle was up to.
"Originally I just wanted to write a message, but since I'm nearby and have nothing to do for the next few days, I came to explain the details in person, prepare the room."
"Ready, sir," the soldier said.
"Bring me some food and call a meeting for the evening, I need to declare a search in Alycante," he clarified.
"Public?" the soldier asked.
Nielle glared at him: "Is it your first day here?"
"I'm sorry...not public, of course," he said.
"Don't let the public guard know about it," Nielle nodded.
"Of course," he said and led them into the room.
Shane was fascinated by how similar the soldier camps looked to those in Lacris. However, although they were similar, he knew that the system was different as Rinsel's army was invincible even if the remaining two countries joined forces against them together. Shane had no idea what exactly made the Rinselans so strong, if luck wasn't on their side, but watching the local princes, he had the impression that it would be in leadership.
Not that the princes in Lacris were stupid, but they cared more about gaining the throne than their own duties. Whereas in Rinsel, even though Niella was a jerk, he at least knew how to carry out his responsibly...and Shane assumed that the Crown Prince and Prince Brelle were the same.
In any case, it was a plot of land, square in shape with a high fence that couldn't be climbed over. One gate in front, one in back, guarded by a few guys. In one part were training areas and in one part stood tents for the accommodation of soldiers. In the back was a dining room and in the middle was a smaller but grand building for the commander, who at this particular camp was Nielle.
The room was really nice, spacious with everything in one place. Opposite the door was a large table behind which important instructions were probably explained, and to the right they walked through the door into the private part itself. A large bed, a table, wardrobes and luxurious seating, forced Shane to want to lie down and not get up again. However, he didn't have a chance, and it was Nielle who sat down.
When a load of food was brought to them, Shane just looked at him and looked away as his stomach ached again. However, he clearly didn't intend to say anything to him.
"Let's have a fight," Nielle said out of the blue as he bit into a chicken leg on the table.
Shane looked at him confused, "What?"
"I found some interesting information about you," he threw the papers on the table, "I didn't know you had the work of executioners in your blood." he laughed.
Shane looked at him confused and then shifted his gaze to the papers, "What information?" He didn't understand.
"I checked you out, of course," Nielle said.
Shane was silent for a moment before adding, "And what did you find out?"
"That you're stupid," Nielle laughed out of taste and continued eating.
Shane looked at him irritated: "Why do you even care about someone else's past?"
"Lacris suspiciously sent you at a time when he shouldn't have, why wouldn't I you check you?" Nielle laughed and after Shane subconsciously looked at the piece of meat the prince placed on the table, he smiled contentedly, "Are you hungry?" he waved the meat in front of his face, "Would you like something to eat?"
Shane wanted to say that he didn't want anything from him, but the memories of how he had once done that and brought upon himself that he didn't get anything for a long time forced him to remain silent.
"You're really adorable," Nielle laughed, patting the sofa next to him
Shane stared at him blankly.
"If you want to eat, sit down," he said.
Shane hesitated for a moment before walking over to Nielle and sitting down. Not the closest.
"I'll give you an option, either entertain me with a show and show me your skills in a duel with soldiers or don't fight back and let me enjoy your luck at lunch," he suggested.
Shane looked at him confused, "Duel with soldiers? Why?" he didn't understand.
"Don't ignore the second option, if you obey, I'll be good to you in the evening," he laughed and waved the food in front of Shane's eyes again, pissing Shane off again, "anyway, you're going to fight the soldiers one way or another. Anyway, I have a special punishment planned for you, if I were you I would eat." he pointed out.
Shane stared at him for a moment, wondering what he meant. However, since it was true that fighting wasn't the best idea in his current state, he finally sighed, "Okay, I won't fight back," he promised, extending his hand to him, letting him know what kind of luck source he was willing to giving him without resisting.
Nielle laughed contentedly and pulled his hand to him. He picked up a knife from the table and placed the blade against Shane's forearm. He cut slowly through the skin into the muscle and as Shane's arm tensed painfully, he made a short but nicely bleeding cut towards himself.
He placed the knife on the table and slowly brought Shane's skin to his lips. He lightly licked the dripping blood with his tongue and smiled satisfied as Lacrisan shivered slightly. He gradually got to his injury and praised him contentedly, "Good boy."
***
Ylre was mildly displeased with how the kids had robbed Rue of quite a bit of money with their schemes. He would have preferred to get them out of the way before they even got near him, but every time he reached for them, Rue scolded him, so he let them go.
He walked slowly by Rue, wondering if he really liked all the things they gave him or if he bought them out of obligation. Ylre himself ate the raspberries that he had carried for him, as he didn't want to drag them all the way and couldn't throw them away.
"Don't throw them away," Rue said when he happened to catch him, if he did so, "eat them." he gestured.
And so Ylre ate them. He chewed maybe a hundred raspberries already, wondering if they were really going the right way as he had the impression that he was starting to lose himself despite his knowledge of world's geography.
"Do you like them? Do you want to try this?" Rue offered Ylre a basket of strawberries.
"Take the ones you want, I don't care which one I eat," Ylre said, and they exchanged baskets.
Ylre ate strawberries, Rue raspberries, after a while they took one of the apples and wondered if they would even have time to eat them before they reached Dycae. Since neither of them knew that their path didn't lead there.
Ylre tried to eat the basket as soon as possible and Rue seemed to eat quite a bit of them as well. They walked for about an hour or two, it was late in the afternoon and their conversation turned to roads adventure again. Ylre talked very calmly with Rue, telling him what he wanted to hear, explaining what he didn't understand, and when Rue seemed to be interested in something more deeply, Ylre was very happy to elaborate on the topic.
When they heard a stream of water beside them, Rue looked at it, "I'm a little dizzy," he remarked, "let's drink some." he said.
Ylre, who to his own surprise also felt slightly tired, nodded and followed him to the water. It was beautifully clean and suited both of them really well. After they drank some water, although they could last a long time without water, they sat down by the river for a while.
"Look, a frog," Rue smiled and gently extended his palm to it, "I haven't seen frogs in a long time."
"Shall I catch it for you?" Ylre asked.
"No need," he laughed and collapsed into the grass by the water, "every creature is free, let them continue to be." he said, closing his eyelids gently.
Ylre looked at him and wondered if it was even possible for someone to look so noble in every situation. Ylre had seen many supreme Infey in his life, everyone in fact, but he had never met one more noble than Rue...not even the king could fit to hold a candle to Rue.
Ylre just sat by, staring at his fair face, which looked even paler than usual under the sun. His jet-black hair contrasted beautifully with the orange strands that matched his own, and if it wasn't for the fact that they couldn't stay here much longer, Ylre would have suggested they sit here together forever.
"Is something wrong?" Rue slowly opened his eyes and fixed his golden eyes on him, staring almost into his soul.
Ylre blinked softly and lowered his eyes: "Nothing...do you want strawberries?" He pushed the basket towards him.
He hesitated for a moment before actually taking one and closing his eyes again, "I'm going to take a nap here for a while," Rue said.
After a moment's hesitation, Ylre nodded and lay down next to him. He didn't want to fall asleep, he wanted to be awake and watch over Rue, as was his duty, so he just lay there, watching the clouds, glancing at Rue's sleeping face here and there and eating some raspberries here and there.
His eyelids slowly closed and even though he kept telling himself that he was staying up, that he couldn't sleep, he fell asleep before he even knew it. Inconspicuously, slowly and naturally, as if it was his will. Much like Rue, who had been sleeping next to him for quite some time.
The two Infey were lying in silence in the grass next to the water, as if they were taking a short break from their journey through the forest.
Only a small group of people behind the trees knew that this wasn't the case, and after waiting for a while, when nothing happened and none of them moved, they gradually stepped out of the forest. A few children, a few adults who had only recently served two people they believed to be Lacrisans in a nearby village, slowly approached their victims with weapons in hand...slowly surrounding them, as if unsure if they were really asleep.
However, they slept...though it took longer than the villagers were used to. Although it took a whole basket instead of two raspberries, they finally did it and provided the entire village with the luck they all needed.
However, it was a shame they didn't know that the pair they caught today weren't from Lacris, a shame their luck wasn't something they could take...and a shame one of them wasn't someone a normal person had any right to even touch. But they were to find out soon enough.