The horses were shoed with thick iron horse shoes when I peered up. It rolled up in a panic that accompanied with a terrified neigh as the fully armoured knight pulled the reigns. Mud, sprayed across my face that slapped my sights shut. It didn't matter in the end though, she was safe now, since I was the one under the flailing hooves and she was now somewhere running away from the guards. I didn't even know why I did this again... Maybe I'll reunite with my mother after this.

“Haa!”

Just as I thought the hooves would shatter my face and ribs, I was scooped out from death's grasp. The crowd murmured and cried names at me when I was scrapped across the dirt road by a guard in a muddy armour. For sure, I was caught by one of May's men that I froze my breathing.

“You alright, son?”

Relief fills inside my heart when I saw my savior when I wipe the mud off my eyes. My heart that jumped and down like a jackhammer slowed down when Edmund picked up.

“Damn street rat! Deal with him!”

Bellowed the strapping knight as he calmed his stead that nearly had it's hooves squash my cranium.

“Yes Sir!”

After his salute the march continued on, more guards soon came and made a man made barrier in front of the increasing crowd.

Grabbing me by to my neck. He spoke to the other guards that came after and said he'll deal with me and instead ordered them to control the crowd.

“Now,”

He breathed out when he lifted his visor.

“Did you found something on the mud that compelled you to jump in front of a horse, eh? The captain reported that you were kidnapped, and here I find you seconds from being the first soul to get a funeral twice!”

“Uhm...”

I rubbed the back of my head and avoid his sharp eyes at all cost.

“Explain it to me later.”

He said. Lowering his visor, and bowing his head a little he then pushed me to his side.

As the line of armoured horses, identical to the one that almost killed me, trotted proud with their heavy metal knights on top holding and showing off their deadly arsenal of blue and white stripe lances and golden embroidered flint lock pistols were holstered on their hips.

It heard many people commenting about it's deadly grape shot. Yet, the pistols were forgotten within a second as the cherry on top of this chivalrous parade came with an unearthly hiss. It made the people around to back off. People inside their houses open wide their windows to see, and anyone behind me, old or young, fought and jumped for a glimpse at this fantastical creature.

The guards were failing to still the mob since I could see them focus on the creature as well. I was just as awestruck like everyone here and too see it so up close and know it was real and could kill.

On top, a blonde handsome man with a beard that hints he's either 50's or late 40's. He wore a shining plated armor laden with golden bolts and a violet strapped around his chest. His weapon a great sword strapped besides him, around his waist a pistol like the men we saw, but it was laden with golden ornamental embroidery design. He waved his left and smiled with enthusiasm as the crowd called Sir Magnus or Lord Magnus, as his right gripped a reign that held the beast that I have seen, rode, tamed, and killed only in video games: A head of an eagle and a body of a lion. Those two words alone would be a B tier or A tier ride for games but here, in front of my eyes drummed my very heart. A steel helmet that covered until the front of it's sharp beak, eyes predatory and sharp that felt like it could spot a mice miles away. It's blue and white feathers that reached until the nape of its neck, it's body strong as an oxen seeing how the armour that span from neck to its hind didn't hinder its majestic beat. It's saddle laden with steel and gold bolts that if pilfered it could buy us 15 barrels of ale from the Manor's winery and 10 barrels of the high quality monastery brew beer. But to do that I have get trough its lion like limbs that, looking at it right now as it stopped, was the thrice the size of my thighs.

“You there!”

I shot up to that commanding voice. I looked behind me to see Edmund looking down at me, and then looking back to the noble, Lord Magnus.

To make sure wasn't dreaming I pointed myself and asked.

Lord Magnus's smile was beginning to fade.

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“You better attend the banquet later. And don't be cheeky with coming with that garrison armor and hide among the guards again! You're mother brought you something good, so for goodness sake man! Just for the occasions! I beg of you!”

“Yes, Sir!”

I could hear him deepen his voice to an almost cartoon like way.

“Bah!”

With a small tug of the reigns the gryphon cried and moved on. It's tiger like, or lion like, tail stretched out and continued on.

“Ugh... I hope that banquet burns.”

His voice returned to his normal.

“What was that all about?”

I asked as the crowds eyes began to follow the lord and the beast that headed to the church.

“Agh. Politics, in other words the worst way to fall asleep. Story fair is about getting knocked out by drinks not talks.”

He grumbled.

“But right now,”

Grabbing my shoulder he lead me back home once the last line of knights was out of my sights.

“You have a lot of explaining to someone, son.”

Indeed I have. When we arrived, just outside the inn, I saw O'Brian, Kenneth, and Grant talking to May. Face red, hair ruffled and hands moving in frantic as she was explaining how I went missing.

I told him if I could get a few seconds before confronting her. My legs were jelly, lips cold as ice, and my heart pulsating and ready to explode by this pressure. I mean, comparing from this from when I got nearly killed, I would rather choose to redo my stunt than talk to her in all honesty. It feels like the time I lost the money that was meant for our electric bill.

“What really happened, son? You look fine. You be muddy, some scrapes here and there but not that ruffled, well almost.”

“What do you mean?”

“She told us you were kidnapped by the some younglings called Neil and said you were going get beaten up, as the captain put it.”

He lifted his visor up and raise an eyebrow.

I kept my lips locked and tight as a safe. Not only did I fail reaching the church, for the third or fourth time now, and seeing her expression; mouth down and anguished as they can be filled with desperation her eyes watering like broken sink and face filled with confusion.

My chest tighten, legs I try hard to stop shaking, and if I could, run away.

“Let's go.”

Pulling me forward I thought Edmund would plunge me straight to May, instead we made a u-turn walking behind her.

I saw O'Brian's mustache shiver, Kenneth loosen up, and Grant smiling with his mustache as we approach. I appreciate this move Edmund made but as each step feels like push forward, and forward to be sent to the principal's office with my mom weeping inside.

Through the crowd that went home after the spectacle of a gryphon I kept a small smile and looked down. Any punishment she will give I will take, thus I tried to steel myself yet my legs disagrees with me by shaking like house of cards.

“I found him!”

Cried Edmund and May immediately looked behind her and I found her weeping eyes on mine. My chest cracked and spine shivering when I see her weep again.

“M-may... Mom. I'm sorry.”

She dropped her sword and leapt towards me. Emotions ran down towards my shoulder and her hug was tight like vice grip. I have seen it countless of times now and I know she's not my mother, but to see an almost exact identical -- both how she acts and look -- of my real mother... I couldn't keep my smile for long, my hands moved on their own to return what she was doing to me and it pained me greatly when I held my tears back because it was my original mother's teaching to me: Never cry in front of a girl.

We closed the Inn that night. It was just me, May, and the fabric she bought now being sewed in to clothes. I held the lamp high above while she graced the needle and thread.

“Closer dear, the light of the hearth is not enough.”

I too agreed with that notion. I already knew from the start and would have taken the initiative to get closer. But the way she didn't condemn me of my behavior earlier, nor she didn't asked why I did what I did earlier. Deep in my heart I know she will be mad and forked tongue with punishment on me. But to feed me, deliver me water to wash and changed my mud ridden clothes all the while staying silent only taking when necessary.

What little conversation that she uttered as her hands held that needle is that if I disliked her; her ways of discipline, everyday training, and the her horrible cooking. All of it I denied wholeheartedly even to the point of saying that I don't deserve her kindness. To me, as I have always contemplated every night, I lost my mother due to my stupidity and to be cared for by May, a person -- a mother -- with just different dye of hair yet overall the same exact way of giving me care, disciplined, and how we lived together. It was like I was given a second chance to be with my mother again.

I never felt this heavy inside my mind and chest in this fantastical world. I feel like I was pinned down by ten tonnes of guilt when I hit the bed and for the first time, I found in weeks drowsiness was pulling down my eyelids. Tickling, and warm, so seductive is its hands that my will to use this night to scheme a plan for forgiveness had faded a second when I hug that pillow dearly....

“Death is the answer.”

Its that girl from earlier... Lilly?

“Huh? Why is it death? Death is not a friend since I never met him.”

Is that me? And why are we in a forest?

“Just remember it. Death is the answer to the riddle. Do that and you will win the flower, and then...”

“And then I get to eat a loaf Manchet, right? One that's sprinkled with sugar and slabbed with creamy butter!”

I see her slap her face but why does it fell like I didn't understand her and felt hungry for some reason.

“Elfien! Wake up!”

Jesus Christ!

Three godforsaken knock come afterward that shout that rocked my dream and shattered me awake in my bed of reality.