Prejudiced Duo  Part 3

Reaching an understanding, they both acknowledged their shared interest in the welfare of the people of Valherya.

BOKUN: "So, it's settled. Tomorrow morning, you and I embarked on a witch hunt. I appreciated your cooperation."

GUHIN: "Let's be clear, I was doing this for the people of Valherya, not for you."

BOKUN: "Yeah, yeah, whatever tough guy. By the way, you haven't explained why those freaks were after you. You weren't a wanted man, were you?"

Guhin felt the urge to speak but chose to remain silent. Revealing to that grinning fool that he had lost his memory and didn't even know his own name would only lead to more questions.

Guhin's silence spoke volumes. Bokun could tell he was hiding something, but he also knew that Guhin was fundamentally good. He wouldn't have spared him or saved his life if he wasn't. Bokun decided to shift the conversation to Fukujin. That sinister-looking bird was the reason Guhin had regained his senses. It had to be.

BOKUN: "What's 'his' name?"

GUHIN: "Fukujin."

BOKUN: "Fugud Fiji, That's a fancy name. Did you give it to him?"

GUHIN: "Yeah, It sounded familiar."

BOKUN: "He looks rather evil, don't you think?"

GUHIN: "I know someone who looks a lot more 'evil' than he does."

It took Bokun a few seconds, but when his nod of interest turned into a frown and a squinted gaze, he understood.

"What were you doing here with that witch anyway? You mentioned something about taking her to Erduwyn."

Guhin changed the subject. He wanted to know more about the witch since he had no experience dealing with them. Plus, he didn't want to waste too much time on small talk about Fukujin. He was tired, and his headache was getting worse.

BOKUN: "That's correct. Six weeks ago, I received orders to escort her to the depths of Erduwyn. She's facing banishment."

GUHIN: "Banishment? What did she do?"

BOKUN: "I don't know, they wouldn't tell me. I had to ask around myself to find out who I was escorting. Apparently, she is known as 'The Witch of the East'. To be honest, this whole mission seemed suspicious from the start."

A frown appeared on Guhin's face. He had been wondering why Bokun had to take her all the way to Erduwyn. Located in the northeast of the world, Erduwyn, an empire of druids, bordered the southern region of Valherya. Although Erduwyn was known for its underground prison, surely there must be a closer continent where one could banish a witch...

GUHIN: "What do you mean?"

BOKUN: "Well, to start with, this was a personal request from our Royal Court, made without consulting our elders. Secondly, Erduwyn is a three-month journey from Furiël, and the men assigned under my command were all recruits to the Royal Guard. They had no experience, let alone the ability to travel for three months. Third, when rumors spread that her verdict was banishment, she supposedly turned herself in. Banishment... That's akin to hell. Who willingly goes to hell?"

Guhin remembered the woman's reaction upon seeing his amulet. She had acted strangely, but he would never have suspected such a beautiful woman to be a witch. She didn't even have a hint of magical aura.

GUHIN: "She can't be that dangerous. I could've sworn she was devoid of magic."

BOKUN: "The ropes you untied were the ropes of Karō... A tool our ancestors used to sever one's connection to the magical plane. It must've masked her magical scent as well... As for her power, I'm not sure... In general, a witch can already be a handful, but if what I found about her is true, she is quite adept in every element and has been a nuisance to Furiël for the last ten years."

GUHIN: "You seem to know very little about her. I thought she was from your homeland.

BOKUN: "She is, but I've been overseas for most of my life. My father has a habit of sending me to every corner of the world. I hardly keep track of anything that happens around that desolate desert. But I'd say, we have about three days before she regains her full power..."

GUHIN: "Three days? What happens if we find her? Do you have more of that rope to restrain her?"

BOKUN: "I may have cut it to pieces trying to hit you."

GUHIN: "So what's the plan after we find her?"

BOKUN: "If we find her, I'll ask her to come with me. She was actually great company until we reached Valherya. From the moment we set foot on these lands, she would only kick and scream for help... Worked out just fine if you ask me."

Bokun gave Guhin a stern look, making it clear that he thought Guhin was a fool for "saving" her.

GUHIN: "Bakayaro. So what if she says no."

BOKUN: "She can't say no. If I can't bring her to Erduwyn, my father will gladly put my head on a stake. Royal Guards don't have the luxury of failing a mission. No matter the circumstances. So it's either her or me."

GUHIN: "I doubt a father would kill his own son."

BOKUN: "Yeah, perhaps a father wouldn't, but a king is a different story. He would rather see me fail than watch me bask in glory. He can have his rotten Furiël, but he won't live to see the day I fail."

Bokun's candidness and honesty took Guhin by surprise. His mind went blank as he tried to comprehend what Bokun had just revealed. He was a prince. Now that Bokun was clothed and his wild hair tamed, he did look more "royal," if one could call it that. Still, he reminded Guhin more of a brute than anything else.

"I can't believe you're a prince."

Seeing Guhin staring at him with his mouth slightly open in pure disbelief only annoyed Bokun. As if him being a prince was more shocking than Guhin's display of strength earlier.

"You can't believe that I'm a prince? Do you know what you did back there?! Everything literally went boom! I couldn't hear a thing after that, and then everything was gone. Everything, just like that.."

Bokun snapped his fingers and eagerly awaited Guhin to provide an explanation. But other than a sad look of disappointment, that's all he received in return. Bokun already had what he wanted, a partnership in finding his witch with someone strong and local. He didn't want to jeopardize their agreement, so he decided to let it rest. Every other attempt to learn more about Guhin had been brushed off so far. He wouldn't push him into saying things he didn't want to. Finding the witch was the priority.

Assuming that Guhin wouldn't provide an answer, Bokun tried to engage in some small talk. To his surprise, Guhin opened up a bit. First, Guhin gave Bokun a pondering look, probably deciding how much of the truth he was willing to share... But he opened up nonetheless. 

"Every time I see them, I feel something... Calling me... It just... I didn't see any other way of saving you."

Struggling to form a coherent sentence, Bokun could see the frustration in Guhin's eyes. As if he was disgusted with himself and ashamed.

BOKUN: "Well, look at it this way, if it wasn't for you, both Etro and I would be toasting our drinks in the afterlife."

A smile formed on Guhin's face as he averted his eyes to Etro. The mighty steed had finally succumbed to the infamous death stare of Fukujin. Falling to his side with a hefty thud, Etro went into a deep slumber as Fukujin spread his wings and took off into the darkness of the night.

When Guhin returned his attention to Bokun, he felt somewhat relieved that he had a moment to talk to someone. Even if it gave him a headache... Nonetheless, he was still tired and annoyed about tomorrow's witch hunt, and decided to call it a night.

GUHIN: "What's her name anyway?"

BOKUN: "Merin."

Guhin turned his back and pressed his body against the warm hide of fur beneath him. But before he laid his head down, he turned his head over his shoulder.

GUHIN: "Remember, when they show up and you think about 'saving' me again, don't."

A series of images flashed through Bokun's mind as he recalled how Guhin had looked at him. Baring his teeth, distorting the very atmosphere. Ready to take away his life, without any hint of mercy.

BOKUN: "Deal."

As Guhin tucked himself between two hides of fur, Bokun was left all alone, well, except for the owls and crickets that accompanied him with their night song.

BOKUN: "Are you really going to sleep here, Etro? Dammit."

Bokun decided to collect more wood in the area to keep the fire going. The trolls may have retreated, but there was no way he was going to sleep here. During his stroll, he pondered over what he knew about Guhin and the people who were after him. "That little shit is as mysterious as they come. He would have killed me if it wasn't for that strange bird of his, I'm sure of it. Something inside him was calling him, whatever that is. Or maybe those freaks do it to him. What can conjurers create besides weapons and food? Nothing, but they did bestow something on that female hunter, maybe they have other abilities. His armor's what troubles me the most. It's made of the same dark material as those freaks. Maybe he was one of them. Damn. Now I want to get to the bottom of this."

Lost in a conversation with himself, Bokun reached for a large branch lying on the ground. His bent posture prevented him from seeing the bolt of lightning that silently crackled from the sky.

As for Guhin, he fell asleep with the fading image of the blue-eyed woman he had saved, before he entered the realm of dreams.

GUHIN: "Merin."