"I always keep my promise", Dhamsel said.
She was clothed in an ancient Chinese looking gown, spotted with decorations of flowers and some rare plants. It was long and flowing and looked like one of these martial arts combat gowns for females.
As before when Rhett and Ash first saw her, she carried a glamorous stare, her eyes almond shaped and her face fair with beauty.
Rhett smiled and turned back to look at her beauty, making him temporarily pause."Well, it took you quite long I must say".
She smiled, and coming closer to him, extended her hands for a handshake. Rhett took it, his smile widening and hers just coming out.
The rays of sunlight brushed past the tree branches, meeting their skin and becoming dotted on it.
Ash came closer and Haicor followed, although with a slight hesitation.
"You look bad", Dhamsel said to Rhett jeeringly. She pointed to his hair and touched the edges of his cloth.
"You look dishevelled", she added.
"Duty", Ash quickly put in. He didn't know what was wrong with him or if it was alright but he loved to defend his king.
"If you rule a mighty kingdom as ours, of course you'll be dishevelled", Ash added.
"So why are you not in your kingdom", she asked.
"The ghost slayers came and ripped it apart", Rhett quickly said, stopping Ash who had wanted to put in a lie.
Dhamsel face twisted into a thinking expression. "So why call me?", she asked.
"We've suffered", Rhett began. "I and Ash, meeting many people, going to many places, it was in fact very bad. We have no help, no home again, we just need somewhere to stay and rest our heads for some times".
Dhamsel hesitated and did as if she was thinking, eyeing Rhett suspiciously. Of course she wouldn't ask for the details of their tumultuous times. But could she trust them?. Perhaps not, or perhaps yes?.
"What about the kid?", Dhamsel said, nodding her head in the direction of Haicor.
Rhett smiled. "Oh, it's a long story, she's a bird slayer, but now she's among the dragon slayers now, she's very useful".
Haicor waved in a childish manner at Dhamsel who smiled, touching her hair in a ponytail, she waved back.
"You look cute", she said.
Haicor radiated an uncertain smile.
"Thank you".
Now facing Rhett, Dhamsel said: "So you want me to take you to my kingdom?", she asked.
"Yes", Rhett said. "We are similar, we possess similar traits, you're a dragon hunter while I'm a dragon slayer. What do we do?, we both kill dragons so I guess our kingdom wouldn't be different either".
Dhamsel smiled, one that came out as mischievous, which she didn't intend it to come out as.
"What, how can I-", she paused and speaking again, she said: "Why should I trust you?".
"You have to", Rhett said. "It's only three of us, I, Ash and the bird slayer kid, pshh, her name is Haicor by the way".
Dhamsel hesitated for about three seconds and then, with a wide smile, one that turned out to be a grin, she said:
"Alright, alright, you can come with me to my kingdom, the dragon hunters kingdom, but note, I'll always keep a close watch on you".
Ash cracked into laughter with that. "We are not bad, we are really good guys".
"I doubt that", Dhamsel said and the tone in which she used to say it scared Ash and Haicor for a second, but it did nothing to Rhett who was very happy. Turning to Ash he said with ecstasy:
"Told ya' she would help us".
Ash shrugged. "But she doesn't trust us".
"Don't worry about that, with time, she will, she must trust us!", Rhett said, his voice playful.
"And I won't!", Dhamsel said fiercely but in a playful manner.
That sent them all, including Haicor who had been quiet, into a long round of laughter.
Dhamsel led the way and they journeyed through the forest, the ground sun dappled and the scent of the wind incredible. The plain but unique scenery of the place made him occasionally look around. Haicor, her childish nature evident, touching the body of the trees, a smile on her face.
Rhett walked behind Dhamsel and they chatted together, Ash wanted to join them but he considered Rhett's act as flirting, leaving them, he went over to Haicor, fascinated with her sudden excitement which somehow startled him.
"You look too happy", he said.
She laughed softly. "Is that a crime?".
Ash shrugged. "Not at all, it's just that since we met some hours ago, you weren't like this. You know, when we first met you, you were behaving like a cry baby and throwing tantrums around, you know, I've never really seen you this happy".
Haicor smiled. "Yeah I know, back at bizarre earth, I never knew the wonders of nature, I was always hiding, you know, hiding from the vile beasts back at home, I never thought, never in my life, I'll see how the real world is. I'm glad you guys came and I followed you out of that world, it was a nightmare".
Ash laughed a bit and said: "I wouldn't call this the real world, this isn't close to it, or at least, how it used to be. The real world now is in shambles and it's really bad I guess. This place is even better, and this even isn't the real world".
"Jeeze, scary".
Ash smiled. "Yeah, yes, in-, in a way".
The sun was beginning to hide in the clouds and as they walked deeper into the forest, Dhamsel leading the way, it seemed to hide more. Everywhere now became quiet, Ash and Haicor had stopped talking and so did Rhett and Dhamsel.
"Are we there yet!", Haicor finally broke the silence.
"I guess", Dhamsel said, turning left, where the trees were more dense.
Passing through about six trees, they saw a wall made of long strong looking trees, a big and mighty medieval times gate in the middle of the wall.
"We are there now", Dhamsel said.