It took a long hike down the mountain before I could get into the main road, and there, tourist or should I say travelers evoke their journey towards the city. Some carries goods while others carries only themselves.
Blending in wasn't of a problem with my weak presence and numerous number of people walking, and just like they've said, I passed the gates without even having interrupted by the guards on the entrance.
Their eyes were more focus on caravan of goods and gold plated chests entering the city, I doubt they could see even a group of thief passing by.
"I guess this is the place…" I muttered under my breath as the air I let out condenses.
Behind the large city gate, the flourished city greeted with its beauty. The roads and pathways were paved with stones, and medieval houses were astoundingly arranged as well as ornamented beautifully. Large numbers of people wanders the streets, including the soldiers patrolling their premises but all of them cleared path as soon as a caravan came from behind.
A carriage decorated with gold ornaments and guarded by cavalrymen was heading towards the direction of the castle, and gossips circulated amongst other the crowd.
"Isn't that the noble Ravine Household?" a man gossiped from the side.
"Yeah. I heard they're planning on marrying off their youngest daughter to the crowned prince" another replied.
"By the gods, the lady sure is lucky if she gets picked as the prince's betrothed. She'd be the next new queen!" someone hailed.
The people continued mouthing about the passing noble as I took my leave out of the crowd. Some were excited for a new queen but most of them were just envious. They think such an opportunity is blissful but in truth, not all turned out like fairy tale.
History proved it so.
"I better start finding what I came here for…"
"Oh, no! Stop that kid!" a man shouted among the gasping crowd.
The horses neighs as it gallops high, the carriage shook as its sudden stop and a little girl was lying on the cold ground with its forehead bleeding. Her mother soon chased after the unconscious lass, and her tears flowing like a river as she howls.
"Insolent peasant! How dare you block the future queen of Coldhart!?" the soldier driving the carriage took his whip and started lashing the crying woman. She held the little girl tight, catching all the lashes in her child's sake.
And the others, were just watching as the scene unfolds. They had faces of empathy and sorrow for the two, yet none could stand up for them.
Inside, I was boiling in rage. Yet I too couldn't do a thing. I'm too weak to face a fully armoured man, having three times my size, and even risking trying to help them would cause me to fail the only favor I was asked.
I simply am too weak… and it only angers me further.
"Hurry up and get those filthy rats from our path" a voice of a man spoke from inside the carriage, then the soldier saluted before unsheathing his sword.
"That's enough!" a shout, then something hit the pavements below and smoke burst from it, covering the entire scene with fog. The soldier suddenly grunts in pain and as the screen lifted, he was lying on the ground, shot in the chest.
And the lady and her child, was gone.
"Haven't I told you already to clear up the path?" a boy descended from the vehicle with his eyes narrowed. He was only a couple of years younger than I was yet he had the audacity to kick his wounded men in the gut. "Someone, get this thing out of sight and find me a new coachman."
With the order of the brat, the soldier was dragged and replaced by the city guards. None dared questioned his demands and the carriage continued its path towards the castle.
"Was that the brother of the future queen?" mouthed by someone.
"Y-yeah… We better not piss them off. The Ravine's army is just second to the king's army. They're just too powerful." a stranger replied.
Again, the crowd dispersed, leaving me standing in the middle of the scene as I watch them disregard the body of the wounded soldier on an alley. Yet even if one were to try to treat him, it was already too late for him.
The hole was in his heart, and there was no saving him.
Before I could attract unwanted attention, I continued my search for this princess' friend yet the more I venture this city, the more I learn how filthy it was from the inside. Clean streets yet alleys were filled with starving children begging for crumbs, and town guards threatens random civilians for gold.
My weak presence somehow saved me from being one of the victims yet the poor souls who couldn't pay had to pay with other things.
"I better get this task done and get out of this place, as soon as possible." I pondered as I walked. "Winterspring… Winterspring…"
I keep searching as I mutter the words for such inn yet only one building had its name. And what bothers me most is the place wasn't the thing I expected it to be.
The place was a brothel.
"Good morning, young man. Care to join us?" a lady asked, wearing thinner clothing in such a cold day. "Don't be shy now, young man."
"You gotta be kidding me." I groaned, pressing my forehead and trying to avoid a direct gaze of her revealing skin. "Is… Is this really Winterspring?"
"Well, of course young man. Welcome to Winterspring Tavern" the lady winked.
Oh, it was tavern. But what's the difference?
"I'm looking for someone who goes by the name Lilia." I responded then the lady's face turned awry.
Before I could even act, someone from behind grabbed me and put a sack on my head and tied me with a rope, blocking my vision as they took me somewhere. I tried breaking free however, the people grabbing were too strong, I couldn't break free.
As they drag me, I heard a door creaking and inside, a group of people were murmuring.
"Who is he?" a girl asked.
"From the looks of it, he's not much of a threat." A man with a deep voice laughed.
"He said he is looking for you." it was the lady earlier spoke, however with much serious tone.
"Should we kill him?" another voice of girl spoke in suggestion.
"Come on, no killing. Please!" the girl butted, then removed the sack wrapping my head. "I'm sorry for this, but we need to do this for our own safety. Why are you looking for me?"
She was like the princess had describe, long curly haired with round glasses. "The princess asked me. Can you untie me as well?"
"What!? She's alive!?" the buffed man exclaimed.
"Yeah, alive and kicking along with her parade." I replied as they unfasten the ropes. "She said to take her, Lilia into safety outside the city walls."
"... and how do we know you're not lying?" the voice who suggested my execution, the girl with a long straight hair glared. "As far as I know, many people are looking for her and all of them are the prince's lackeys and bounty hunters"
"And how do I prove it to you?" I asked, then carefully explained them all that had happened and what the others looked like.
They seemed to be pretty convinced however their eyes still had doubts.
"Let's say what you're saying is true, how are you gonna escape this place without letting Lilia get caught? She can't just waltz as it may rise suspensions, especially that she doesn't have her emblem yet" the prostitute lady claimed. "How do you plan on helping her get out of here?"
"I-I don't know…" I replied, not knowing what to say. I never actually thought about it.
I thought it was just a simple retrieval but seeing learning what the situation, it will be a bit harder than I thought it would be.
"Come on, don't be too hard on him." Lilia claimed. "Let's think of the plan later. I'm sure you're exhausted from the travel. Have you eaten yet?"
"I-I haven't…"
"Good, Sarah here is good at cooking. She'll fetch you something to eat." Lilia claimed.
"Hold on, why do I-Fine. I'll procure something" The almost shirtless lady replied before leaving the chamber.
"So, you're from earth as well, right?" Lilia asked.
"H-How did you know? I told you that part."
"Your hair, only people from earth has black hair." she claimed. "Well, except if you're not Asian."
"Yes, I came earth but it's gone now…"
"Gone? What do you mean, gone?" she asked then I started explaining everything to her. The eclipse, the undead and the apocalypse. It was far beyond repair.
As she hears the news, her tears fell as she cries out for her parents. She couldn't stop sobbing and I couldn't do a thing to help her ease the heartache as even I was in despair inside, thinking what horrors my family had gone through that day.