“Although I have conquered you—, the land under my feet is where I truly reign supreme. But till I will set foot on you again, I will undoubtedly become a whole new man entirely. So good-by---, monster of the sky, and water. ”
“Yes, yes—, grand Emperor Levis, the man of the land, and of the sky. Let us move the equipment and our bags now, the captain and Adrian are waiting for us, and I can see that idiot glaring at us—, take this, and let us move---, move--, move-!”
While reminiscing as though from a great parting, Levis looked at the larger forty or so meters long ship, that was currently docking and floating near the bank of a very wide river, which from Hubert’s mouth, was called Muddy Green river, a large river that was formed a result of two rivers which were combining with one another, to form an even bigger river, on the north part of Green City, to where the extended outer city was located, outside the walls of the main internal city. As to its name, it was rather obvious, as it had a brown-green color which almost never cleared away, a rather puzzling mystery for anyone who had never seen it, but in truth, it was quite an easy solve, as from its long course, the water was always picking up and breaking down billions of green leaves from the Endless forest of the south-west part of the kingdom, as well as many sediments, and when combined with the many currents under the large river, it was as though the river was making a curtain to obscure itself, as though it did not want to be seen.
“Yes, now, now! I am coming.”
As for Levis right now, even as he had conquered his fear of heights and of motion, in truth he was actually far more calm, knowing that his feet were planted on the ground and on the earth. At the moment though, he was helping Hubert carry some of the luggage, which were holding the equipment and provisions, that he had to have while going on the long expedition towards the low-energy region, to support and aid the villages in said region. Though they were not the only ones as the other surviving guards were following too.
“Come on, load the luggage onto the carriages, and get on as well. Keep Levis with you, as I have to attend to some other matters, after which I will return with captain Rowen.”
“Alright—! I guess, there is still some time for me to get some sleep then—!? Levis, hop on. We will see them at the base.”
“Mhm.”
“Adrian.”
“Go.”
However, as the man and young child approached Adrian, they were immediately pushed onto the carriage that was waiting for them, and for the surviving guards who arrived as well.
Though as Levis, turned his head to see Rowen, he could see that in the distance, illuminated by the glowing stones, Rowen, with old Wan at his back, were currently facing a man who seemed to be in his late twenties and early thirties, in tow with a young woman at his side, the two of whom were cloth in blue apparels, of a noticeable higher quality made, unlike that rough and sturdy armor that the guards and Rowen were usually wearing.
Yet, at the same time, some distance away from Rowen, and the other three present, young miss Adel was grasping Luise’s arm, locking her on the spot, and impeding her from interfering with Rowen, which was occupied at the moment.
“Hop on---, what are you doing spacing out!”
At Hubert's call, Levis made his way inside the covered carriage, which could easily accommodate six people, but from the small window, of the carriage, he could see some guards that he had never seen before, currently transporting the coffins out of the ship, under the supervision of the green cloth armored men, which he had almost never met while inside the ship, as though they were always hiding from him. Actually, he had not seen them even as he had once run away from Adrian to explore the inside of the ship, an adventure that had turned into a failure, as Adrian had caught him almost immediately, and dragged him back inside the small six-bedroom.
“Hya!”
“Hooo—, boar is coming out!”
“Trot!” — “Trot!!” — “Trot!!!”
However, just as Levis could make the big round boar make his way out of the ship, the driver of the carriage, whipped his horse, making the animal take a trot-like pace through the road of the outer city.
“Ah—, there he is. That must be amazing, to own a talking beast. The one called sir Baron, I think I have heard of him, but I do not remember all that well---, old details from ten or so years—, I guess I should have listened to the lessons of the old man back then---. Anyway, let us reach the base of our quarters first.”
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“Head Captain!”
“Captain Rowen—,”
In the meantime, while Hubert, Levis, and the other guards were taking the carriages towards the base quarters of the guard branch in Green, Rowen had to immediately face the Head Captain of Green City, Edgar Hugh, a man who appeared to be in his early thirties, however, his overall age could not be ascertained for sure, as his face was giving a rather aged and overworked countenance. And to accompany him, was the vice-head Captain Risa Lui Philidor, a woman in her prime of beauty, even as she seemed to have a rather hidden, but practical austere air about herself. Such were the two individuals in charge of all captains, the divisions in control by them, and the many guards, who had the responsibility to patrol, guarantee and secure, that the law of the Kingdom was respected.
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Though right now, Rowen was quite nervous, for he had not expected to meet the head captain, the very moment he stepped off the ship, as such, he had been caught off guard, and he was trying his best, to mentally prepare himself for a severe barrage of berates, rebukes and admonishes.
“---good to see you, sound and well!” — [Good thing you did not die, you little bastard! After all, what the hell was I supposed to do if you were to die—, present my innocent head to your father?!]
“You—, you as well—, Sir—, sir head captain. Though, I am regrettable to say that—.”
“Sigh—, no need, no need. I have read the report, and communicated with Rud’s personnel in charge of the investigation. As such, I have already grasped and understood the situation you have found yourself in. As for any other preparations, I have already taken steps ahead of time. This is but a formal greeting to the fallen brothers, as this is the only thing that I am capable of doing for them. Hmmm---, we will discuss this in-depth, tomorrow morning. For now, you can return to your quarters and take a good rest, out of the night that we still have.” — [I will most likely not sleep at all, I think—, I can feel Risa’s gaze on me already.]
“Thank you, sir. In that case, I will take my leave, and report tomorrow morning.”
“Alright.” — [You can do it in the noon too, you know. Let me sleep, please—!]
“Please excuse me.”
“Mhm—, mhm—.”
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With a nod from the man, Rowen took his leave and moved to where Luise and miss Adel were currently waiting, as one was stopping the other from rushing towards him.
“Rowen!”
“Sigh—!”
“So how was it? Have you been scolded?”
While he was approaching them, Luise finely escaped miss Adel’s grasp, as she went directly for his right arm, hugging his arm as though she would not part, until he was to have his arm cut off from his body.
“Sigh—! No---, not right now, at least. I am expecting something to happen tomorrow when I am going to meet the Head Captain again.”
“No need to worry, if he tries to do anything, we will have the old coo—, sir Baron take the blame—.”
“Sigh—, Luise, stop plotting against old co—, sir Baron, otherwise he might spank you, in a far worst manner than your grandfather does.”
When the sudden mention of spanking came out of Rowen's mouth if she were to continue, the lively Luise seemed to back down a little, as she appeared to remember an old bad memory of sorts from her childhood.
“Well, I do not know, how the internal procedures of the Guards really work, but I do not believe they can blame you completely. As this might be reasonable to call it a problem revolving around the enemies outside of the Kingdom’s border.”
“It is not so simple---, but I thank miss Adel’s sensible opinion.”
“Huu—, sister?!”
Though, as Rowens' words came out, Luise came out of her reminisces and gazed at the woman whom she called sister, with a look that one would glance at a mortal enemy, in a battle far more gruesome and terrifying than any war.
“What are you looking at me like that—? Sigh—, you asked for it. July, Mirian, take that moron--, it is time we return home. Our carriages have arrived-, so young master Rowen, we will most likely see each other, in the following days.”
“Hmm—, Luise.”
"No!"
With a nod towards miss Adel, Rowen then turned his head to look at Luise, who was clinging to his arm, as though she was afraid he was about to escape. Although he had no change in his conduct, if someone that was acquainted with him for a long time, were to look at his eyes right now, one could easily observe that a certain softness, affection, and feelings were existing within him, even if he always trying to block them, as he had an ambition that he himself was determined to achieve, even if he were to deny himself the time for any kind of feeling of romantic interests. Even so, while he did not show much towards her, Luise was far more hard-headed than he himself was, as her pursuit of him was equal to that of him and of his dreams.
“Young miss---, I am sorry.”
“You traitors, this---, I will not forget this—. You can not—, my attachment and conviction, can not divide us. You will not, nobody can—, ahhh—, Rowen! No---, stop pulling me away!”
“Sigh—, Luise!”
But as the protector July, and the handmaid Mirian were pulling at their your miss, Rowen was being pulled as well. Yet in the end, he had no choice but to grasp old Wan’s shoulder, while the two women were trying to pull her away for him. But as the force increased, Rowen truly had the impression that his arm might be torn out of his body, while he was constantly grasping at old Wan who was akin to a pillar firmly planted into the ground.
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[Haaa—, youth, and love. I can almost remember if I can go past the twenty years of nightmarish monsters made out of paper---. Though, why are you looking at me like that—, stop sending this cold wind at my back, I feel like I am about to die from it, it is already cold as it is, so please stop it.]
“Head Captain.”
“What is it, Vice-captain Risa?”
“We have—, unfortunately?”
“Hmmm—, what is it?”
“Well, we have to go over the papers, from the military, as the use of the ship needed to transport them is an extraordinary conduct that needs clear reasoning and explanation, and we need to oversee the procedure of the dead, the repatriation of the fallen, so there is a quite number of documents that you need to sign before dawn.”
“Well, then let us go and do it.” — [Ahhhhhhhhhhhh—, no I am sorry, can we not go back, did we not do everything already, have we missed something, where have these come from? Did they multiply, Did these damn papers have learned how to reproduce or something? Help—, help–, someone please help me!!!]
“Then, let us proceed then.”
“Yes, let us proceed.” --- [Noooo---, somebody please help me!]
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“Home sweet, twin shared bedroom---, how have I missed you! It sure has been a while, since the last time I have seen you.”
“Is this where you live?”
It was after quite some time, that after taking the carriage, Levis, and Hubert, who had been transported from the port of the river, through the exterior town, and then into the inner town, behind the massive wall which was nearly fifty or so meters high, that was giving a tremendous sense of intimidation, especially to those that were seeing it for the first time, as even Levis who was inside the carriage and could not see it completely, while partially shrouded by the night, as the illuminating lights did not display the entirety of it, had nonetheless been more than impressed.
But, not long after they had passed the tunnel made by the wall, the carriage that he and Hubert were in, reached the headquarters of Green’s guard branch in a very short while. A massive complex, of numerous lofty buildings, which took quite the space of the inner city, even so, the inner city did not miss it, as the massive ground surface that the city itself was covering, was anything but small.
“Yes—. I lived alone, for a long period of time, as I have lost my last roommate, but now, you can take the other bed---. First, let us take a fast shower, and then go to sleep. As I do not want to think about it, but we will—, well I most likely, will be busy answering about the happening inside the forest, tomorrow morning. So, better get the most sleep that we can. Come on, follow me---. To the communal bathroom!”
“Ohh—, alright, I will follow you!”