"So, you're telling me that you went to the town's guards in the past few hours. Begged them to hire you not for money but for food. Then, once you were hired, you fought against some muscle head with a curly mustache because the guard who was supposed to be showing you around ran away?" Raphael reiterated what happened to Arthur as calmly as possible before grabbing onto his shirt. "And now you want us to follow you because they said we can live in their barracks?! I refuse to believe this!"
"Sounds about right." Arthur's body shook back and forth as Raphael began yelling at him.
"How does that make any sense!? You were only gone for three hours at most!" Raphael shouted at the top of his lungs.
"It just happened." The nonchalant reply from Arthur immediately made Raphael's frown deepen.
"I refuse to believe this! It's not that easy. I've been trying for a week straight!" Raphael furiously protested while lifting Arthur into the air and frantically shaking him.
Claire's fingers lightly pulled on Raphael's sleeves, causing him to turn towards her. "Why can't we ask the guards to see if it's true?"
"It's only the guards at the west gate," Arthur added as Raphael released him from his clutches.
"They told me to come get you guys so we can head over. In exchange, I have to clean the top of the walls and the interior."
"Okie dokie, I'll see you guys there!" Claire's carefree smile and proud strides left Raphael speechless.
"Claire, wait, I haven't finished-" Helplessly, Raphael watched as Claire skipped down the alleyway but soon ruffled through his strands of hair and then trailed after her. "Dammit Arthur!"
"What did I do…" Arthur sighed in defeat as he watched the siblings move down the cobblestone alley, but he soon shrugged it off and quickly chased after them.
.
.
.
Raphael sat on the hard mattress in a daze as his eyes wandered around the room. Numerous beds were lined up within the room, and it seemed like nearly all of them were empty. The bed sheets and pillows were all clean, with not a speck of dust on the surface. Claire and Raphael normally would have found discomfort sleeping on such clean beds, but after they had all taken showers in the facilities, that discomfort was no longer there.
"According to Tucker, most of the guards were sent north towards the borders of the monster stampede. There's also a damaged sign at the crossroads, and he needs someone to help him, so either you or Claire should go." Arthur fluffed the pillow on his bed without looking at Raphael, whose mind was elsewhere. Over to the side past Raphael was Claire, who was already asleep on her bed.
"Ha…whatever, I don't care anymore. I'll go with Tucker." Raphael threw himself back onto the clean bedsheets and stared at the ceiling. "I was wondering what kind of idiots would hire three children and provide them with a place to stay, and it turns out one's an alcoholic, two are gambling addicts, the other two are muscle heads, and the last one's practically a ghost."
"Don't be rude, Raphael. You should be grateful that they even agreed to hire us." Arthur's hands moved and skimmed across the bedsheets, removing each unfortunate crease that came his way. Also, the one you're referring to as a ghost is the one who helped me convince the Captain."
"From how you described it, it didn't sound like it took much effort." Raphael wearily commented, rolling from one side of the bed to the other.
"Well, that's probably because I'm bad at describing things, but regardless, he's our benefactor, so treat him with respect." Arthur quietly said, placing a finger before his lips and then pointing to Claire. "Keep it down, too."
"Yeah, yeah, I get it," Raphael spoke in a hushed voice as he watched Arthur sit on the ground cross-legged with his back toward them. "Aren't you going to sleep in your bed?"
Arthur stared at the entrance of the room and shook his head. "I'm not used to sleeping on a bed. It's been a while since I've had one, so I don't feel comfortable yet."
"Gotcha, well try to get some rest. I'm gonna sleep now." Raphael laid down on the bed and covered himself with the blanket. He glanced over at Arthur's back before quietly mumbling. "I won't forget what you've done for us. I'll make sure to pay you back."
"Don't sweat it and sleep." Arthur closed his eyes and leaned back against the bed frame while smiling. "Goodnight."
"Night." Raphael's voice slowly trailed off, succumbing to the drowsiness that finally pulled him into a slumber.
The moonlight pierced through the window and hit the surface of his skin. Arthur felt a soothing sensation that provided comfort and warmth. The pace of his breathing gradually decreased as the weight of exhaustion crawled into his limbs. Slowly, his mind began to wander and, in a matter of seconds, drift away.
----------------------------------------
The old man gradually raised a small cup filled with a light orange liquid towards his lips before taking a small sip. Countless dazzling stars illuminated the night alongside a radiant moon that shined brightly in the sky, and it was at times like these that he felt at peace. At least, that was how it was supposed to be, but soon, the boy's actions across from him brought him tragically back to reality.
“Hot, hot, hot,” Arthur blew small bursts of air towards the surface of the cup while alternating which hand was holding it. “It's too hot.”
“For the last time, Arthur just put the cup down and let it cool before trying to drink it,” The old man bitterly said as he witnessed his failed attempt to teach the child elegance.
“No, I want to drink it when you drink it.” Arthur protested as the tea spilled onto his pants. “Ahhhh, it's hot!”
“I swear to god, Arthur, you're making me lose my mind. This is the fifth time you've done this! Just be patient and let it cool!” The old man desperately shouted.
The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.
“That's what I've been doing; now stop nagging at me. You're ruining the moment.” Arthur took another sip of the tea as it burnt his tongue in defiance of the old man's advice.
The old man's face turned red as blood rushed to his cheeks. “I'm not ruining the moment you are! This was supposed to be a tranquil, peaceful, relaxing night, and here you are, constantly juggling a cup and complaining about how hot the tea is. Tea is supposed to be served hot. It's how it was made!”
“Yeah, but you're yelling so aren't you disturbing the tranquility more than me?” Arthur refuted, patting his pants dry with a napkin.
“This piece of shit…ah, never mind, I'm not going to play your game.” The old man placed the small cup onto the snowy marble table and took several deep breaths while muttering to himself in a low voice. “He's just a child. He doesn't know better. I'm an adult. I have to be the reasonable and responsible one.”
“Anyways, what did you want to tell me? You didn't invite me over to just drink water-soaked leaves, right?” Arthur finally took another sip of the orange liquid and narrowed his eyes as he repeatedly opened and closed his mouth, sampling the flavor. “Bitter…tastes like dirt.”
“I'm actually going to hit you. I swear to god, Arthur, even my grandchildren weren't this uncultured.” The old man slammed his fist into the table, causing an audible thud to echo in the open space, and spoke with the utmost reassurance.
“I mean, with how much you're teaching me, I might as well be one of your grandchildren, right?” Arthur's face slowly revealed a smug smirk that grew with the old man's death stare.
“Hell no, stay the fuck away from my family. Once we're done, I hope I never see you again.” The old man scoffed at Arthur's words before turning away.
“Tsk, you cold-hearted bald old man. If you cared that much about your family from the start, you should have been more honest with them.” Arthur's snarky comment made the old man tightly clench onto the pendant that hung around his neck. It had a gold chain attached with three small sapphire swords that intertwined against each other, forming a circle.
“Ha…” The old man let out a bitter sigh while staring off into the distance. What Arthur said was true, and it caused his heart to ache, knowing that there was a chance he would never be able to fix his mistake.
Upon noticing the sorrowful expression on the old man's face, Arthur took a small sip of his tea, realizing he had gone too far. “I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say that.”
“It's fine, you aren't wrong.” The old man casually flicked his wrist back and forth and dismissed the apology while staring at the moon floating in the sky. “Do you think that…that it's too late?”
“Unlike me, it's not too late,” Arthur pointed at the sapphire pendant hung around the old man's neck. “As long as we know she is alive, it's never too late. Besides, we're close. We'll find your granddaughter, and once we do, you guys can fix your relationship and start again.”
“I see…thanks.” The old man picked up the teacup once more and took another sip. “What do you plan to do afterward?”
'Hmm, I haven't decided yet, maybe I'll travel and go on another adventure.' Arthur held out his hand with the tip of his thumb and index finger touching each other to form a circle. 'After all, you are funding my journeys once we finish this task, and you pay me.'
'Well, if you still haven't decided anything once we save my granddaughter, then you're free to come back with me to my manor.' The old man ignored the gesture and quietly mumbled another option for him.
“Oh? I thought you didn't want me anywhere near your family.” Arthur smirked once he heard this.
“I was just kidding when I said that, I owe you a fair bit anyway, so this is the least I can do.” The old man shrugged before tapping a metal helmet on the table. “This thing isn't enough to repay you for all you've done.”
“Hey! To you, this metal helmet isn't much, but to me, it's a precious piece of equipment.” Arthur picked up the steel helmet and lifted its visor while playing with it. “It's also a memento of our adventure together since it has a memory spellbound to it.”
“Yeah, a memory spell on a protective piece of equipment instead of a protection spell.” The old man grumbled to himself. “I still think that was a stupid idea and a waste of money.”
“I keep telling you it's fine. If we run into anyone using aura, you'll be there to deal with them. I'm just scouting and tracking anyway.” Arthur placed the helmet on the table and then leaned over it. “It's okay to be honest, you know. Just say you're going to miss me.”
“Miss you? Are you delusional?” The old man scoffed once more and restrained himself from hitting Arthur.
“Could it be you want me to marry your granddaughter then?” Arthur jokingly asked.
“Marry my granddaughter? Are you asking for a beating? Should I have you place that helmet on your head so I can hit it with a stick?” Raising the cane in his hand for Arthur to see, the old man waved it several times at him as a warning before putting it back down beneath the table.
Arthur playfully pretended to be scared before lying on the ground and staring at the moon. “We'll see each other again. So everything will be fine no matter how far we are from each other.”
The old man let out a subtle laugh. “True, as long as we're both here in this world, we'll see each other again, so if you choose to go on your adventure, visit me sometime. I might miss your annoying behavior.”
"Don't worry. I'm sure you'll have your hands full with your grandchildren anyway, but sure, I'll visit. Just try not to turn me away if I look like I was dragged through the mud." Arthur happily chuckled, lifting the heavy atmosphere that filled the garden.
"I won't." The old man let out a tired sigh at his guide's carefree attitude but then smiled as well since it wasn't a bad experience.
----------------------------------------
A small yawn escaped Arthur as he raised his arms above his head and leaned towards the side. He slowly rose from where he was sleeping and glanced over to see Raphael and Claire still asleep in their beds. Very carefully, he tiptoed towards the room entrance and quietly pulled on the door handle, letting in a cold draft that entered the room. With the small opening created, Arthur slid through and silently shut the door behind him.
The hallway was lit by small magical orbs that rested on wooden pedestals. Each one was evenly aligned against the walls, creating a trail to the exit. As Arthur passed by the magic orbs, they emitted a bright iridescent glow that grew stronger temporarily and then slowly faded after a certain distance.
Arthur stood outside and stared at the moon. The light shined brightly against Arthur's skin, providing a gentle sensation that smoothed his worries. The headache throbbed with each beat of his heart, but underneath the moonlight, the pain subsided. Each dream with the old man gave him reassurance and proof that he had lived a good life. That he had accomplished their goal.
Arthur's footsteps echoed throughout the courtyard as he made his way to the stone fountain in the center. The smooth stone edge formed the perimeter of the water fountain, holding in the water that spewed from the center. Within the top of the fountain was a small orb that seemingly gushed out water endlessly. It was amazing how many magic artifacts were being used throughout the town.
Arthur rolled up his sleeves on each arm, revealing numerous faded lines that were testaments to the battles fought and the resilience that he had earned. Slowly, Arthur lifted the front of his shirt, demonstrating a canvas of wounds from countless weapons that etched themselves into his flesh. One wound stood out amongst every other one and had marked itself along the left side of his ribcage. It had healed over and fully recovered, reminding Arthur of his pain and suffering. Even though many people would find it unpleasant to look at his scarred body, Arthur didn't mind as it was proof of his triumph and finally proof that he was living.
So many questions filled Arthur's mind as he gazed at the night sky longingly.
Did they save his granddaughter?
Why doesn't he remember anything?
Is he currently on an adventure, and that's why they parted ways?
How come he lost his helmet?
"That helmet looked cool too…" Arthur muttered to himself while swinging his legs back and forth. As the lush grass swayed in the wind, tranquility filled his body. The moon's radiance was like the one in his dream, and even though he was alone, it felt like an unbelievable accomplishment had been made.