That night, the villagers from Shalom stayed till after nightfall, cleaning and clearing the market grounds as the three-day market in Elioth had finally come to an end. The fish in their crates were all empty. The tent was being cleared and cleaned. While Kev and Stu counted the coins for the final time, everyone else was reloading the empty bins and equipment back into their carts to head out to the Mountain Home Inn for the last night before they took off back to Shalom the next morning.

Vanya with her calves sore from standing all day met Roza who was awkwardly standing around waiting for someone to begin heading back to the inn.

“Everything alright?” Roza asked, seeing Vanya look lethargic.

She nodded in response letting her hand automatically dig into her pocket finding the little orange seashell she had been carrying all this time. She held it in the safety of her pocket, with no one seeing her sudden attachment to the little thing.

Vanya together with Roza soon left with a few other folks back to the inn. They found themselves back in their room, taking a break while enjoying the vibrant sunset amongst the crooked buildings.

“Are you excited to go back to Joan?” Roza asked, hopping onto her bed and letting her feet sway.

Vanya replied, “More than anything.”

They had not really spoken much about what happened last night. It had been mostly Roza confirming the amulet was safe in her hands and Vanya reiterating that she knew Roza would keep it safe. But it wasn’t that hard to recognize that Roza felt the guilt creep in. She felt partly responsible for pushing Vanya into something she could have accomplished on her own and plunging Vanya into a precarious situation.

“That man, Anton…” Roza started, making Vanya surprised. Roza was bringing it up finally, “...He mentioned about you being Roza…Yelhi, am I correct?”

Vanya straightened her back to simply nod in reply.

“Why did he think you were me?” Roza asked and paused watching Vanya closely.

“He overheard me speaking with the man at the stairs. I told your name in the hopes I would be allowed to pass through.”

Roza only paused longer before asking, “But how did he know my full name?”

Vanya held her breath. No one had ever mentioned that any of the folk from Shalom ever went by that last name, Yelhi. Roza had never mentioned her full name nor had anyone ever said anything remotely related. Vanya felt her heart race for a moment before she let her tongue run with it.

“Umm, I think it was Taru who mentioned that you all are from the Yelhi tribe. I just assumed your last name was Yelhi. And I am guessing that Anton overheard me say it.”

“Taru, that idiot,” Roza whispered harshly to herself before turning to Vanya and saying, “We don’t go by that name anymore. Just be sure not to say it out loud, especially in front of the council or Rhohaz. You will be in a lot of trouble.”

If Vanya had not known of the unfortunate fate of the Yelhi tribe from her insightful conversations with Taru she would have naively pressed on asking Roza for explanations. But seeing that her eagerness would have looked odd and her exposure to such information would perhaps stop her from being free from her current state, she remained silent with no further conversation. She only wanted to focus on her and Joan’s safety and seeing that Aren might be her way out of all of this, she had already made up her mind to forget about everything else and only focus on what was at hand.

***

The final dinner at the dining hall was not as packed and bellowingly loud as it was the first night. All of the villagers from Shalom were preset. To their surprise, Roza was also present sitting beside Stu as they conversed so livelily while Timmie sulked sitting opposite to them as if they had forgotten he was even there in the first place.

Vanya found herself sitting beside Greta and some of the other ladies, eating her meal silently while listening to their conversations about the trip and what they had waiting for them at home.

She glanced over and around to see if the person she had not seen all day was around somewhere. The last she saw him was over a day ago, sleepless and tired of everything.

Greta passed over an extra piece of bread to Vanya.

“Eat, dear,” she said with a smile crossing her face.

Vanya smiled and accepted while chowing down on it immediately after. Suddenly some of the ladies opposite her stood and cleared some way. Vanya was only barely able to lift her head to inspect when Rhohaz plopped down opposite her with a plate full of food.

“There you are, Rhohaz. We were wondering where you were,” Greta handed another piece of bread to Rhohaz.

“Had a few things to take care of while we were here,” he said with a smile and tore into the bread.

His eyes passed by Vanya for only a moment before he stared back at his plate and started eating his food.

“I hope the trouble in the South of Elioth is all taken care of then,” Greta whispered disturbing Rhohaz.

He nodded, “Chief Han is taking care of it all.” He looked again at Vanya, who kept her head low and remained silent.

His eyes grazed by her neck. The faint sign of the cut was visible as she gulped noticing his eyes on her.

“You are awfully quiet today,” he said.

Vanya lifted her head to look around and point to herself in question.

“Yes, you. I’m talking to you,” Rhohaz partly laughed before he felt his food almost travel down the wrong pipe and stopped hoping not to choke in front of everyone.

“I’m only trying to finish my food.”

“You’ve eaten all of it already. Are you planning on eating the plate too?”

Greta burst out laughing seeing Vanya baffled at Rhohaz’s comment. Her plate was wiped clean and she was picking at something invisible with her fork.

“Let me help you with that,” Greta took Vanya’s plate off despite Vanya’s persistent efforts to stop Greta from cleaning up after her. Greta only winked at Rhohaz before leaving with some more empty plates in her arms.

Vanya turned to Rhohaz mad at him for exposing her but he only smirked before focusing back on his food. She watched him with her arms crossed and her eyes narrowed.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

“What?” he retorted with food in his mouth sensing her.

“Nothing,” she made a face and looked away.

His eyes went to her palms, balled up and behind her back. “How are your hands?” he asked.

Vanya raised her brows bringing her palms in front. The rough fall to the ground had scratched her palms last night exposing flesh and blood making them sting. Today however they remained dark brown with no remnants of pain felt.

“They look good,” Rhohaz answered for himself and went back to focusing on his food.

She thought for a moment looking at her wounded palms remembering his warm hands holding them close last night. She had never seen a wound heal so fast ready for it the scabs to fall off so quickly. Her eyes automatically shifted to Rhohaz wondering if he had something to do with it.

Just then, a man in a navy uniform approached the two of them. Rhohaz looked at him expecting the guard to address him yet the guard only looked at Vanya and tapped her shoulder to get her attention. She almost jumped seeing him staring at her before he slipped a note to her hand.

She looked to Rhohaz in the hopes he knew what it was. He looked equally shocked and confused.

She quickly opened it to read it and immediately turned around to spot the person who had sent the note. Taru, for the first time dressed in a decorated navy uniform, similar to the guard standing next to her, but with a small medal of shiny gold pinned to his chest, stood peeking into the dining hall with his hands to his back, smiling at her.

“I will be taking my leave,” Vanya briefly looked at Rhohaz and immediately started standing up from her seat only to stop as Rhohaz threw his arm on the table with a thud.

She looked up to see him worried, “What does he want? Why isn’t he coming in here instead?--”

She quickly interjected, “Just a chat. Nothing more,” and ended with the brightest smile possible. She hoped that would calm Rhohaz but it only made his expression change from worry to envy in a flash. He sulked back into his seat with his eyes narrowing at Taru. Vanya wanted to explain yet she held back simply because she was running out of time but mostly because she wanted to savor his amusing expression.

Before Rhohaz could stop her again she quickly followed the guard and met Taru at the front of the inn.

“I’m assuming Rhohaz knows nothing about this,” Taru asked taking a glance at Rhohaz who had his eyes locked in on the two of them from a distance.

Vanya only looked to Taru to smile brightly and speak through her teeth, “Not one clue.”

“Good,” Taru looked back at her and reciprocated with the most handsome smile possible.

“You wanted to speak? I’m guessing this is about the man I mentioned earlier today,” Vanya spoke.

Taru gave a quick nod, “I’m sorry to say this but I sent some of my men undercover to look for him. They confirmed that he did stay at the Temptest Inn last night but he checked out of the inn early this morning and no one really knows where he is now.”

Vanya’s heart dropped. Her only chance to have herself safely back in Esmeth and in the castle grounds had disappeared from her very grasp. She looked away feeling her eyes water and calmed herself before she looked back at him to ask further.

“Does anyone know where he went? Perhaps where he lives or something?”

Taru only shook his head, “We did a thorough search and inquired from people who may have known any further information on him. He went by a name called Belin but many have confirmed he changes his name every time he visits Elioth.”

Vanya felt her hand clasp her forehead in worry. She brushed off the cold sweat forming at her palms debating if to mention it or not. She looked around unable to decide and finally came to a resolution saying, “Promise me you will not let your father know of what I am about to tell you.”

Taru leaned closer and spoke, “I promise. Whatever you say will not hurt you or anyone of whom you mention.”

“Okay, good. There’s a man named Tallon. He…he is a reseller. Tallon knows the old man. He should have more information about him,” Vanya spoke peering into Taru’s eyes.

He listened and then said, “I’m assuming he’s at the Temptest Inn as well?”

“Yes, he should be if he had not left already. I would have left to look for the old man and Tallon myself if it was not for you kindly offering your help. If you could do this for me I will be owing my life to you,” Vany let her emotions slip through leaving Taru to look at her in morbid curiosity.

He did not inquire about it, however. He remained silent while calculating it all in his head. He took a moment before giving a confident nod to Vanya and said, “I will find out what I can tonight. I hope I have some good news for you tomorrow morning before you leave.”

Vanya sighed in relief taking his hands to thank him in return for his favor. Taru bid farewell and left through the inn’s main door leaving Vanya to glance over at the dining hall, rambunctious and distracted. With everything going on, she needed some time alone to run through them one by one. This was her chance to escape for a moment of peace.

She quickly made her way to the stairs when she saw Rhohaz standing there crossing his arms and pacing looking to his toes.

Unknowingly, she felt relief flood her mind. Something about him made her calm and not worry about her future.

Her footsteps made him immediately alert and look towards her as if he knew what they sounded like as if he had heard them for years.

He glanced at the main door to check for Taru but seeing him already gone he gazed back into Vanya’s eyes to get a read on if whatever she spoke with Taru was something to be worried about.

“Interesting. This is the second time I've found you at the bottom of the stairs ready to accompany me,” Vanya said stopping right next to him.

He blinked twice before straightening his back to answer, “I must confess, both times were very much intentional.”

Vanya stepped back surprised at his candor. He seemed feisty today. It was perhaps the appearance of Taru alone with Vanya that had pushed him to this new edge he was finding himself.

“Tell me,” Vanya asked taking the first steps to climb the stairs, “Is Taru’s sister as attractive as Taru is?”

Rhohaz let out a disappointed sigh before following her, “If you must ask, she is much more beautiful than Taru. Taru is nothing compared to her.”

Vanya felt her mouth gape open in shock at Rhohaz’s cockiness.

“Then why are you not with her? If you were so easily able to woo her and win at courting her, why are still alone?” Vanya asked letting her jealousy take over.

Rhohaz only laughed, “Because it was over five years ago. She is now married to her first love, and has two boys while living happily in her new home up North.”

Vanya paused pursing her lips. She could not believe Rhohaz and Taru were dragging her on with something so trivial and clearly outdated. She felt cheated.

Rhohaz laughed seeing her expression and patted her head, “I am sorry for tricking you.”

Vanya pushed his hand away to trot up the rest of the stairs while he trailed her.

“Do not pat me on the head,” she warned.

“Why not?” Rhohaz asked keeping up with her.

She only made a face at him.

Suddenly he held her wrist stopping her halfway partly in shock from the touch of his skin and another part in shock at his guts to stop the future queen so easily without a care in the world.

She watched him lean closer to her while he observed her neck. His fingers were ready to reach her cut that had healed well when he quickly drew his hands back to himself and said, “Sorry, I didn’t get a chance to ask you about that cut.”

Vanya rolled her eyes, “I’m fine, clearly.”

She watched as he paused for a moment as if to take her being all at once, etching the memory so clearly in his mind.

“I must ask you,” Vanya proceeded breaking the spell she had cast on Rhohaz, “How did you know where we were? And don’t lie to me saying it was Timmie. He knows nothing.”

He stayed silent before his eyes softened while looking at her.

“Maybe one day I’ll be able to tell you, explain it to you,” he said gently as if he believed they would remain acquaintances for a long time and that eventually he would tell it all. But deep down he knew that would never be the case.

“Why not today?” she asked seeing pain take over Rhohaz’s face as if he had something more to say to her.

He waited for a moment before replying, “You might not look at me the same way when I do tell you. So, not today.”