Kaylee sat on her father’s lap, as he drove the coach out of the city gates. Kyle has been busy during the last week. He had to inform the butcher shop that he would need to take some time off.
He also ran around everywhere in the city, purchasing all the necessary supplies for the long trip. There would be many nights that they would need to camp out in the open. Little Kaylee looked around at every item of interest in the surroundings with great fervour.
The coach was on the road leading out of the city. A great many number of people travelled on the road, mixed in with soldiers patrolling and merchants entering with their goods-filled wagons.
Kyle had to answer every question that Kaylee asked as they passed by various things that intrigued the three-year-old.
“Kaylee, sweetie, let me know if you are tired. Don’t bother your daddy too much, ok?” Vanessa opened the sliding door of the coach and said to the duo sitting in the coachman’s seat.
“I’m not tired mommy! But, can I have a piece of cake?” Kaylee, climbed onto Kyle’s shoulder and peered into the cabin. Liz was making tea and there was a tray of pastries on the table.
“Wait until we get out of the gate dear. You can have it when we stop and wait for your uncle.”
The coach exited the sole large gates out of the capital. Kyle guided the horses to the side of the road and stopped to wait for their companions and helped Kaylee inside the cabin to stay with Vanessa and Liz.
While, Kyle checked the horses and made sure all their luggage was tied tightly on the back of the coach, a retinue of soldiers followed by a covered wagon showed up from the gates.
Amelia and Alex were on horses, leading the small convoy. Alex waved towards Kyle as he rode towards the coach at the roadside.
There was a total of twenty light armoured soldiers riding their own valiant mounts, closely following Amelia.
The large covered wagon seems to hold all the supplies for the Duke’s daughter as well as all the guards.
Kyle noticed that the person riding ahead of the retinue was a red-haired woman in her mid-twenties. She seemed to be the leader of the small unit as her armour was made of lightweight metal unlike the rest of the guards.
“Hello, Master Kyle! Sorry for the wait! Hehe!”
“Please don’t call me with that name Miss Amelia. I can’t take the glares from your guards.” Kyle smiled wryly as he welcomed the group.
“Sister Ruby! Meet Master Kyle, Alex’s brother in law. Oh, and this is Sister Vanessa, his wife and, Kaylee, their daughter.”
Amelia heartily introduced Kyle, Vanessa and Kaylee who had just come out of the coach, to the guard leader named Ruby. Kyle still received a glare from the red-haired woman as Amelia failed to heed Kyle’s words.
“Amelia! Hug!”
Kaylee went up to Amelia, who had just dismounted from her horse and stretched her hands in the air.
Amelia responded by carrying Kaylee and rubbing their cheeks together. Liz who followed down last from the coach was ignored by everyone altogether.
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After checking the coach as well as the supplies wagon one more time, everyone assumed their stations to embark on the journey.
The guard leader along with four other mounted soldiers assumed the front of the coach while the rest spaced themselves around the coach and the wagon.
Alex and Amelia had their horses handed to a soldier, who then tied them on the back of the wagon. The horses were trained enough to docilely follow along.
There was a pleasant wind running across the farmlands as the group took the road heading north for a kilometre or so.
It was then that Kyle noticed a group of fast riders, kicking up a cloud of dust in their wake, heading out from the city gates.
Kyle wrinkled his brows when he saw the crest of the armour wore by the thirteen riders. He signalled the soldiers around them and guided the coach to the roadside, slowing down to almost a complete stop.
The guard leader also noticed the riders and frowned when she saw the armour of the armed riders.
The riders slowed down as they approached Kyle’s convoy. Their goal clearly targeted at the group by the roadside.
At the head of the riders was a young boy, seemingly the same age as Alex and Amelia. He wore magnificent looking hard leather armour without a scratch on it. As he came near the two carriages, he yelled out.
“Amelia!!”
The yell startled the occupants of the coach. Amelia having heard a familiar sound, peeked her head out of the coach and curiously looked at the newly arrived.
“Crown prince? What are you doing here?” Amelia exited the coach as she questioned his presence.
Alex was also very much surprised. He also hurriedly exited the carriage while telling Vanessa and Kaylee not to worry.
Amelia’s curious gaze soon turned into scowl. She had very much guessed why the crown prince was here. The boy had probably learned of her exit from the city and had hurriedly chased after her. As to the exact nature of his purpose, she didn’t really know.
“What can I do for you crown prince? You seem to be rather in a hurry.” Amelia’s mocking tone didn’t seem to faze Quin Strand.
“Amelia, where are you going? It doesn’t seem to be a short trip.” Quin eyed the supplies wagon as well as the Duke’s guards that accompanied Amelia.
“Where I’m going in my private time seems to be my own business, crown prince.”
“Amelia! I don’t have a problem with where you go! But, why does it have to be with that wretched boy?!”
Vanessa heard this and her face crumpled in displeasure. No one would be happy when their family was being insulted right in front of them.
Alex remained silent as this was not the first confrontation they’ve had.
“Where I go with whom doesn’t concern you crown prince. Please turn back.”
Amelia tried to sound as cold as she can before getting back on the carriage, pulling Alex along.
Quin was clearly fuming but he didn’t dare to do anything. There were people travelling around them and it would not do for the crown prince of the sole human kingdom to abuse his power here.
‘Fine! Then, I’ll just have to follow you until you grow tired!’ Quin howled in his mind and proceeded to follow behind Kyle’s group. The royal guards accompanying him looked at each other with troubled expressions. They carried no supplies and they didn’t think the Duke’s daughter would share any.
Kyle just shook his head and resumed driving the coach. He didn’t want to get in between children’s games.
Kyle, took the road snaking off to the west at the crossroads. Soon, the road bent back to the south, approaching the mountain range behind the city.
A small encampment of soldiers could be seen a clearing, at the foot of the mountain. Just ahead was a large entrance to what seems to be a tunnel, boring through the mountain side.
A squad of soldiers monitored the traffic through the tunnel as there were already a few wagons lined up to enter. Kyle’s convoy joined the slow-moving line.
Vanessa, together with Kaylee looked out from the windows. They had never been through this way as they came all the way from the northern part of the kingdom. Now they were heading south, where the weather was warmer with different sceneries.
The guard leader gave a document to the inspector when it was their turn. The procedure was very fast as the soldiers didn’t even look through the luggage and allowed them entry to the tunnel.
“Uncle Alex. How long is the tunnel? Are there monsters inside?”
Alex smiled and replied to his cute little niece.
“It takes about two hours to walk across it. And no, there aren’t any monsters inside, haha.”
Amelia also smiled and rubbed Kaylee’s head. Kyle listened to the talk in the coach as he slowly followed the guard leader into the tunnel.