THERYL SON OF BOMBIL

Yugo saw Theryl's shadow from a distance. The dwarf was almost out of the forest, but Yugo immediately reached for his shoulder. Despite trying to rebel, the grip of Erganor's son was very strong for Theryl.

"Can't you just leave me alone for a day?" cursed Theryl.

"I leave a lot of people alone, but not with my friends. Because I care about you."

"If you cared, you'd stay in the cabin with the others," Theryl said. "Clovy must need you right now."

"Clovy, huh?" Yugo then turned to face him, looking at his friend with raised eyebrows. "What's the matter with you and Clovy? You guys usually get along. Today was very different."

"None of your business!" Theryl pushed Yugo aside, then continued walking.

It seems very difficult to negotiate with this dwarf. He locked the matter tightly in a secret chest, not a glance allowing Yugo to see. However, it's not Yugo if he just gives in. Previously, they had been involved in more serious problems.

Theryl is annoyed that Yugo stole his bacon, then pushes the dwarf into the river until he is carried away by the current. Dwarves may be tough fighters, but their little feet are terrible at swinging in water. Moreover, they always wore thick clothes and carried heavy weapons.

Theryl was taller, so he could hold on to the riverbank better, while Yugo nearly drowned. In the end, Theryl was the one who helped Yugo. He was very regretful. They end the day with tears of friendship, as well as warm hugs.

Yugo thought this time's matter would also end like that. He touched Theryl's body once more, but what happened next was far beyond what he expected. Theryl turned and pounced on Yugo until they both fell to the ground.

The dwarf smacked his friend in the face. Yugo just hid behind his hands, not hitting back at all. Until Theryl was tired, Yugo pushed him away so he could stand. A drop of blood fell from Yugo's nostril, matching his torn left lip and bruised right eye.

"Are you satisfied, Theryl son of Bombil?" he said.

"I hit you so hard! Why don't hit back?!" shouted Theryl emotionally. His eyes were irritated.

"No need. Wouldn't I be your king? A king doesn't hurt his people, Theryl." Yugo gave a striking reply.

Theryl suddenly growled. "Never! I don't want to be your people, Yugo!" He ran away.

Yugo shouted as loudly as he could, trying to stop him. Theryl was too reluctant, even to turn his head, let alone apologize. He just ran out of the forest, then disappeared into the crowd of people enjoying the late afternoon.

The dwarf sat up, occasionally wiping the blood from his face. A crack more painful than a tear in the lip or swelling in the eye, he thought. The relationship they were desperately trying to maintain at Mavrick finally cracked.

His breath became tight at this. It was so tight that it brought tears to his eyes. The blood on his nose melted away as the water swept down his mouth, which was shaking sadly. Yugo buried his face in his hands, gasping for breath.

Meanwhile, Theryl crosses paths with pony riders in front of his house. He knew it wasn't a pony that walked around town. This assumption was supported by the appearance of Mrs. Savina—his mother—who looked at him coldly at the door. The venerable female dwarf was known to be less friendly to other dwarves, or to her own children.

Theryl thought he would be scolded for coming home with a wrinkled face. However, a male dwarf with a ribbon tie also appeared beside his mother. Mr. Bombil the rich, of course. His face was friendly, smiling often, so that his cheeks were a pure red.

"Theryl, My son," he said, glancing here and there. "Come in. We need to talk. Something important."

"Okay, Dad." Theryl replied half confused, but he went inside his big house anyway.

They gathered in the living room, sitting on the sofa. Before speaking, Mr. Bombil checked all the windows, then locked them tightly and closed the curtains.

He then lit wood in the fireplace for additional lighting. The dwarf's round eyes with a sharp mustache gleamed at the fire, until he finally sat down on the sofa with his wife and Theryl who was across from them.

Theryl himself did not know anything about this behavior. Their house is indeed bigger than the usual dwarf house, so sometimes there are many dark corners in the house. However, Theryl had never seen his father so friendly with the dark. It was so dark, only the three of them's faces were clearly visible in the light of the fire.

"Look, Theryl." Mr. Bombil tried to find the right position to continue his sentence. Mrs. Savina just glanced up to waste time. After repeatedly patting the sofa, he saw Theryl again. "You're still friends with King Arganor's nephew, right?"

"Yugo?" asked Theryl, his father nodding. "Yes, I guess."

"Good!" Mr. Bombil was overjoyed. "Ow! I-I mean, great. How's your relationship with him? Are you friends? Or close friends? Or, just acquaintances?"

"Why are you so curious?" Theryl frowned in surprise.

"You're long-winded, Bombil son of Reilg!" Mrs. Savina's criticism. "Listen to me, Theryl! The royal envoy just came and conferred with us about an offer."

"They will gift me a plot of land in the palace, Bombil the great realtor!" Theryl's father slipped again. But his wife immediately glared sharply.

"We will be given vacant land in the palace. Very spacious. Enough to build two luxury villas," said his mother.

"Or we sell it and become an impromptu billionaire!" said Mr Bombil. "Ah, sorry, my love! My mouth is hard to compromise."

"The land is ours if you can bring your friend to the valley of the two rivers. Tonight!" Mrs. Savina finished her sentence.

The most normal reaction of a child whose relationships are never interfered with by their parents is confusion, plus suspicion. Even so, his parents never mentioned Yugo's name. In fact, even asking about his friends was reluctant. Mr. Bombil and Mrs Savina are only interested in business. So, if they suddenly got to know Yugo and asked Theryl to do something, it means it's all business-related.

"I think so," said Theryl. "But, what will you do?"

"He's going to be kidna—"

"Just pinch your slick mouth, Bombil, gosh!" His mother jumped right in. "We don't know. The soldiers just want you to take him there. You better put up with this, Theryl, because I really want the land. We'll be known all over town."

"How is it, Theryl, My son?" Mr Bombil's eyes widen with hope. "Or I'd say you're the most disappointing, lousy, most annoying, dumbest, most useless only child I've ever raised in this house!"

"Oh Bombil, you're so rude! Your father means, Theryl, we're going to kick you out of the house and adopt another dwarf to be our new child. I hope my language sounds more polite." Mrs Savina straightened her body proudly. "The choice is yours, Theryl."

After being threatened so hard, Theryl could only scratch his head in resignation. "Yeah, I'll try," he said glumly.

"Bless for my gold and silver!" Mr. Bombil exclaimed, then hugged his wife with joy. "Theryl, good boy, really good boy, best boy I had!" He rubbed his own son's hair proudly.

Theryl didn't have much of a choice. From the start, everything was arranged for him to agree, it's always been that way. Mr. Bombil and Mrs. Savina will do anything to achieve their ambitions, including forcing their own child. Apart from not wanting to be replaced by an adoption dwarf, there are also specific reasons that made him nod in agreement (though quite lazy, actually).

The word "kidna—" that his father hadn't finished uttering created wild speculation in Theryl's mind. Might be kidnapped, he thought, then exiled from the kingdom. Because King Gavius ​​didn't want any more Garranor lineages in Ouros. Theryl used to read such stories in the library—as a child when his father wanted to buy the library land which was now a carpet factory.

If so, it means that Theryl's competitor to win Clovy's heart will be eliminated. He was so attracted to the dwarf girl that Yugo had no meaning in his eyes anymore. And, maybe it would be better if Yugo wasn't there at all, because he could replace Yugo as the leader of Mavrick army, becoming king for his friends.

"Thank you, Dad," he said with a big smile.

~~o0o~~

The night sky covered the kingdom of Ouros, with a sprinkling of sparkling stars, mountain breezes, and a light mist. The dwarves began to reorganize their house, after being left behind almost all day to party and smoke tobacco. The town hall wasn't completely deserted, there were still a number of citizens gathered there. One of them was Theryl who was rushing towards somewhere.

The dwarf did not go to the town park, or the town forest where he usually visited. His feet stopped outside Ouros, right on the rocky mountain southwest of the kingdom. He saw someone there leaning against a large rock, looking up at the sky.

Even though they often argue, Theryl always knows where Yugo's favorite place to be alone is. They would usually be quietly watching him from afar, waiting for Yugo to get back up after being in trouble. However, this time, Theryl had no intention of solving his friend's problem. He wanted to add to it.

"I hope you will forgive me," he said after arriving near Yugo.

Erganor's son gasped in surprise. He turned his head, then smiled to find Theryl there. "I thought you'd come. Good friends can't be enemies for long."

Theryl laughed lightly. The two of them sat side by side on a rock. "This afternoon my mind was messed up. My mom and dad have been nagging all morning because I forgot to tidy up my room. Really annoying!" he lied.

"But they were right, Theryl." Yugo laughed. "Our room is our responsibility. Even if my parents were still alive, I might as well be annoyed with being scolded."

"You even got annoyed when your chocolate milk spilled because of you," joked Theryl, making Yugo laugh even louder. "Hey, Yugo. I'm sorry for hitting you."

Yugo shook his head lightly. "It wasn't you who hit me, but another dwarf. Theryl is the dwarf I'm staring at now, not the one this afternoon."

"You make me feel even more guilty, Yugo." Theryl concluded. "As an apology, how about we race to the valley of the two rivers? Whoever loses, tomorrow must treat the winner."

Yugo suddenly stood up. His chest swelled forward. "Theryl son of Bombil, you chose the wrong opponent. I know very well the way to the valley of the two rivers. I know which rocks to step on, which rocks too doty, which slopes are gentle, which slopes are too steep. Even in the dark of night. I always knew."

Theryl got up too. His long orange hair fluttered in the wind. "Yugo son of Erganor, descendant of the kings of Ouros, I know the way there as well as you do. I can run down mountains like a rock that rolls fast. Faster than a crane that catches fish in the river."

"I go first!" Yugo quickly ran downstairs. The steep slope of the mountain did not frighten the dwarf at all.

"Hey, You cheater!" cried Theryl as he took off his boots and ran after Yugo.

(To be continued)