Closing his apprentice's eyes gently, Roland turned his head towards the little girl, whose eyes were misted with tears, and gave her a gentle smile. He kindly asked her to give him the blanket.
Melina shook her head, and as her father was about to scold her, she began to speak softly, almost whispering: "Let's cover him together..."
Surprise crossed the faces of both men before they smiled at the little girl's request.
Roland nodded, accepting her request. With infinite delicacy and respect, they spread the blanket over the knight's body. Roland took one corner of the blanket, and Melina took the other side. Together, they unfolded it with care, ensuring the body was fully and neatly covered. The movements were slow and reverent, each gesture marked by deep sadness and a silent tribute to the bravery of the deceased. The robust man, watching them, suppressed his sorrow and stepped forward to smooth the blanket once it was laid out, making sure everything was perfectly in place.
"Would you mind placing him on your cart and reporting it to the city guards ? Take this insignia and tell them that the sacred knight Roland gave you permission to transport him, as he had urgent matters to attend to." Roland asked with a sigh.
The robust man nodded in agreement: "We will do as you said, sacred knight."
Seeing this, Roland sighed in relief and then asked him to explain what had happened in as much detail as possible.
The robust man, sitting on his cart, began to explain: "About an hour ago, we were further along the main road towards the capital. I am a merchant, and this is my daughter. We left our hometown full of memories after losing my wife, and we decided to change scenery by going to the capital."
Taking a deep breath, he continued: "We had chosen to take a break in a beautiful spot to admire the landscape when two bandits came out of the forest. They threatened to kill me and kidnap my daughter if I didn't give them my belongings."
"But once they had put all our riches in their sack, one of the bandits set his eyes on my daughter's necklace and wanted to take it. I pleaded with him, explaining that it was the only link between my daughter and her mother, but he wouldn't listen."
"As I was despairing, a knight came and quickly killed the two bandits. He asked if we were alright and returned all our belongings to us."
The robust man sighed again: "Without him, God knows what our lives would have become. He was our savior. So, I asked him if I could reward him in any way. After much hesitation, he finally said he would like some wine. Unfortunately, being someone who doesn't drink, I didn't have any on me."
Hearing this, Roland's hands began to tremble. As far back as he could remember, this apprentice knight had always had an unquenchable thirst for wine.
"After helping us reorganize our things, he left, and we were just a little behind him. Then, when we got here, we saw from a distance other soldiers wearing the same outfit as him. They were stripping his body of his uniform before leaving without noticing us. That's why I reacted the way I did earlier." the robust man explained, his eyes shining with anger and sadness.
Roland digested this news, trying to understand why this had happened. Was it another faction of the kingdom opposing the royal academy ? Were they aware of the ruins ? No, otherwise why bother to kill him and remove his clothes instead of capturing him for information ?
A thick fog surrounded this matter, and Roland couldn't penetrate the motives or identity of these mysterious assailants.
Roland suddenly thought of something, but before he could ask the question, a modest cart arrived, pulled by two horses. A few citizens looked at the body in fear while the coachman skirted the scene, not forgetting to salute the knight before him.
Roland responded to the salute, watching them depart, then asked, "What color were their epaulets ?"
The robust man, hesitant, said in a weak voice, "I really couldn't focus on them, so I don't know, I'm sorry."
As Roland sighed in disappointment and was about to reassure him, he heard Melina's voice say, "Blue, like our friend's !"
Hearing this, Roland, happy, praised her while thinking. So they were apprentice knights.
In the kingdom of Lionnes, each knight's epaulets differed. Apprentice knights had blue epaulets, while sacred knights wore golden epaulets, with each small star on these golden colors representing a rank.
Roland, having gathered his thoughts, nodded to the girl and her father. In a strong voice, he declared, "I will do everything in my power to avenge him, even at the cost of my life. Thank you for your testimony ; it will help me immensely. I wish you safe travels, and may the sun guide your steps."
At the end of his sentence, Roland traced a circle on his chest, a symbol of his devotion to the Church of the Sun.
Melina and her father did the same. In the kingdom of Lionnes, the Church of the Sun was the only religion, unlike other kingdoms.
Roland stopped the two people once more as they were preparing to leave and asked, "Were there other knights with him when he saved you ?"
The robust man shook his head. "He was alone, but he seemed particularly preoccupied with a strange sphere."
A sphere ? Roland raised his eyebrows ; the mystery surrounding his apprentice knight's presence here was starting to clear up bit by bit. Had he discovered something important that made him flee to show them ?
"Oh no ! The four other knights..." thought Roland urgently. "Could you take my horse and give me yours ? I must hurry for an urgent matter, and my horse is already exhausted ! Once in town, hand it over to the guard, and in the coming days, stop by the Royal Academy. If I return, I will leave your horse there !"
The man nodded, understanding the urgency of the situation. After a few minutes of exchange, they said their goodbyes and each continued on their way.
As the horse galloped with impressive ease and speed, Roland prayed fervently for their safety. Each hoofbeat on the rocky ground seemed to carry his prayers to the sky, while the wind whipped his face and his thoughts whirled with the recent events.
***
Far away, on a path winding through a sublime forest, a young man with a noble air walked steadily, his bare feet treading the stones and roots of the path. His hair danced in the wind, accentuating his determined demeanor. Despite the rough terrain he had been traversing for hours, he maintained a serene expression. Each step resonated with confidence in the peaceful silence of the surrounding nature, creating harmony between his elegant stride and the wild beauty that enveloped him.
Xiao Yao had encountered a multitude of exotic animals along the way, all seemingly oblivious to his presence. They went about their natural activities, depicting the beautiful creation of nature. Even dangerous beasts crossed his path without disturbing him, as if they did not perceive him.
Deep down, Xiao Yao appreciated this post-immortal-calamity landscape, where mortals dared not venture far from their shelters. It was a wild territory, imbued with an eerie tranquility and raw beauty.
Suddenly, smoke rose on the horizon, a sign of human activity. Intrigued, Xiao Yao made his way towards its source. After a few minutes, he arrived in front of a solitary cabin. Its thatched roof was slightly curved under the weight of the years, its wooden walls had taken on a grayish hue from time and weather. A thin column of smoke escaped from a rudimentary chimney, floating in the calm air like a signal of life in the heart of the wild nature.
Smiling at the scene that seemed curiously familiar, like a distant echo of past memories, Xiao Yao shook his head slightly before advancing to the door. He knocked three times, the sound resonating softly without brusqueness or excessive timidity.
After a notable lapse of time where Xiao Yao did not need to knock a second time, he waited patiently, a serene smile on his lips. Finally, the door opened, revealing an old man with a lost look and slow movements, as if each motion was a colossal effort.
Xiao Yao entered without waiting for a formal invitation, briefly observing the modest living room and adjoining kitchen before choosing a chair at the table and settling comfortably.
The old man slowly turned his head towards him, his empty eyes meeting Xiao Yao's. The latter, unfazed, gently raised his hands and made a familiar gesture, the universally understood sign asking for food.
A silence settled, but Xiao Yao was not unsettled by the old man's lost gaze. He held his gaze with a serene smile, then turned his eyes to a few landscape paintings hanging near the balcony. The subtle scent of ink floated in the air, and Xiao Yao immediately understood why the old man was so slow to open the door.
After all, for a painter, the completion of his work took precedence over everything else.
The old man closed the door behind him carefully, then slowly moved towards the kitchen to retrieve two modest loaves of bread. He then returned to sit opposite Xiao Yao.
They ate in silence, like a family reunited after a long time, without exchanging a word. Xiao Yao ate without worrying about the hardness of the bread, while the old man fixed his gaze on the wooden planks of the table, where traces of blood testified to the hours Xiao Yao had spent walking barefoot.
The old man raised his eyes to Xiao Yao, who returned his smile before continuing to nibble on his bread. This silent scene lasted a few minutes. When Xiao Yao finished his bread, he burped slightly, causing the old man to frown, still busy eating his half of the bread.
Xiao Yao turned his eyes to a bucket of water placed near the fireplace, where a small cup floated on the surface. He stood up, approached the bucket, and slowly crouched to draw water with the cup.
After quenching his thirst, he took the bucket of water and returned to the table. Sitting down again, he placed the bucket on the floor and immersed his feet in it. The clear water quickly turned red, revealing the wounds caused by his long walk barefoot.
Making a noise of relaxation, Xiao Yao turned his head to the left and saw the old man wearing a comical expression. The bread half-raised in front of his open mouth, his eyes wide open, he stared at Xiao Yao as if he couldn't believe his eyes.
Amused by the scene, Xiao Yao smiled at him before closing his eyes, seeking to relax without worrying further about his host. Silence settled once more in the house, accentuating the strangeness of this shared moment.
Thirty minutes later, Xiao Yao opened his eyes to the sound of the wind hitting the door and windows of the cabin. He turned his head and saw the old man, this time wearing glasses, focused on reading a book.
Xiao Yao lightly tapped the table with his fingers to get his attention. When the old man looked up at him, Xiao Yao innocently made a universally recognized gesture meaning "sleep." The old man's pupils trembled at the scene, but he returned to his reading.
Seeing this, Xiao Yao smiled, then took care to dry his feet before going outside to throw the water tinged with red.
After completing his tasks, Xiao Yao picked up some herbs and began walking barefoot in the mud. Meanwhile, the old man set aside his book and glasses, then picked up his oil lamp from beside him. He decided to head upstairs without bothering to accompany his guest. As he prepared to take the first step on the staircase, he heard the door open behind him. Before he could react, he saw Xiao Yao's back in front of him, turning slightly with an apologetic look as if he didn't want to wait an eternity for the old man to ascend.
Watching this scene, the old man turned his gaze to the door, then to the floor. He noticed a trace of mud at the doorstep. The old man turned his head slowly once more towards the staircase steps, where the mud tracks were visible after Xiao Yao had climbed up.
There was no other trace of mud between them.
Night had fallen, the moon shining brightly in the sky, providing the cicadas with an opportunity to sing their hearts out.