24 |Out With Kamyla III

Minutes later...

Kamyla and Rhou finally reached the compound fence of the village chief's hut, halting at the bamboo gates that were still shut.

Kamyla then stepped closer to knock, gaining a response from the other side.

"Yes!?" A young girl responded, corresponding with the rushed footsteps that paced to the gate before pulling them open.

Kamyla bowed subtly to the young maiden who served the chief before striding in with her pet beast.

The two then sighted the group of maidens at a corner of the compound, surrounded by various heaps of farm harvest which they were packing into smaller sacks.

Without needing to ask, she understood that they were simply packaging the harvest into smaller sacks so they could share it to the guest villagers they were catering for.

Dropping down the corn sack from her head, Kamyla then asked one of the girls, "Is the chief around?"

She shook her head, "He stepped out moments before you arrived. But he did inform us you'd be bringing more foodstuffs".

"Hm", Kamyla turned to Rhou and stepped up to the carriage of harvest it dragged behind. Her eyes immediately widened at the missing sight of the hellish prince that had tagged along with them.

Her brows knitted. Where could he have gone to? Did he jump down while they were working?

"Anxious without me, already?" His obnoxious voice screeched her eardrum from behind, clearing her disappointed doubt that they might have forgotten him along the road.

Kamyla cringed, refusing to look over her shoulder as she stepped closer to detach the carriage wood from Rhou's bridle.

She then turned to the chief's maid who remained standing in front of Rhou; whose eyes were fixed on the strange-looking devil standing behind Kamyla with an astonished grimace.

The girl forgot to blink.

Again, Kamyla held herself from looking at the horned parasite towering behind her as she could feel his invading gaze on her back.

She then cleared her throat softly, gaining the maid's attention, "I will leave the carriage here to retrieve it later in the day when you all have emptied it".

The maid simply nodded, unable to speak with the close-up presence of the new devil in town.

Kamyla smiled, turning to mount Rhou as it lowered her head for her before standing tall on its feet. She completely ignored Leviathan's presence, although feeling him now appear on Rhou's back behind her.

"Let's go, Rhou", she patted its head and directed it towards the gate.

As they proceeded out of the compound, Kamyla maintained the air of toxic silence around them the longer they strode away from the chief hut.

"What happened here that caused you all to have that many guests?"

Kamyla's brows knitted to Leviathan's question, sensing the change in his tone.

She took a few moments to contemplate whether to answer him or continue to pretend his non-existence.

"Do not make me repeat myself, Nitwit", his tone darkened.

"The audacity to threaten me after asking a question", she just couldn't stop herself from saying.

He tutted, "Keeping up with your bad character is threatening enough... Now answer me".

Kamyla let out an exhausted sigh. "Pot calling kettle black".

Leviathan didn't respond.

What did she have to lose? Kamyla asked herself, swallowing her pride for peace as she finally answered, "The neighboring village was destroyed—"

"By?" He interrupted.

A vein popped on her forehead. Let her finish, you arrogant bastard! She clenched.

She inhaled deeply, "By werehyenas".

He stayed silent.

"Was that enough reason to summon a devil?"

"Not intentionally ", Kamyla shook her head, "But the danger wasn't just these weres. It was where they came from. The Evil Forest".

His eyes narrowed.

"The escape of what we call, Tawongi, creatures or spirits of the Evil Forest, into our realm, means the Bounds of the forest have been breached".

"And what exactly can cause these Bounds to be breached?"

"Mass violation of our Ancestral commandments and spiritual norms, which means betraying the delicate balance that binds the Forest from us. As well the forces of Tawongi can also act against it, but that is only after decades of trials can they cause just a crack on the Bounds".

"Can it be breached physically?"

Kamyla snapped her gaze over her shoulder, sighting the devil prince now seated with his legs crossed and his elbow pressed on his knee to support the side of his jaw.

"What did you say?" She asked.

"I asked, can it be breached physically? Meaning, can a person actually break the Bounds?"

Kamyla took a moment before saying, "I... I don't think that is possible".

"Think?" He crooked a brow.

She slowly returned her gaze to the route in front, "It has never been heard of. Nor has it been said. A mere human can not just step into the Forest and break one of the Bounds..." Her tone came out unsure.

"The Bounds are suited altars that have been an ancestral heirloom that cages the forces of the Evil Forest for centuries. It was bounded by the heavens and earth, to the souls of every single descendant of our ancestors... A person can not just... Break one".

"It has never been said to be impossible, though. Has it?"

Kamyla didn't know what exactly to respond.

"Hm", Leviathan slowly rose to his feet on Rhou's back. "I guess you really aren't all that smart".

"Wait, wha—" Her words paused the moment she looked over her shoulder to sight the empty spot he was previously on.

Her eyes widened. "Are you kidding me!?"

• • •

Hours later...

Danji and a group of men walked out of one of the village warehouses, carrying sacks of grains and baskets of dried fruit to drop in the wooden cargo carriage dragged by the pair of horses.

Danji huffed in relief as he plummeted the last bag unto the rest, stretching his arms above his head as he groaned.

"That should be enough for the guests", said the village chief, who stood next to the group of young men that had just loaded the goods; with most of them being bared chest in shorts.

The village chief then stepped closer to the horses, "You boys can rest now. I am sure my maids should be done packaging. My children and I will share it amongst the guests".

"No problem, Chief", Danji and the rest bowed in respect, having the chief finally turn to leave with the cargo.

"FINALLY!" Ajefe exclaimed the loudest, pacing forth to halt next to Danji as the group dispersed. "I thought it was until we die before they'll let us rest".

Danji chuckled, "Lazybones".

"Please! I have tried as an unmarried man. I need to rest now. Can we go and eat now?" Ajefe yawned.

"Ilo said they'd call us when food is ready".

"Thank the Ancestors! Ilo's food is always sweet. I can't wait—"

"DANJI! AJEFE!"

The two turned in the direction of the urgent voice that called from afar, locking their gaze on the tiger beast racing in their direction.

Kamyla forced Rhou to a halt before leaping off his back, panting.

"Kamy?" Danji stepped forward, "What happened?..."

"He's missing!" She blurted out without thought.

"He?" Ajefe crooked his head, "Who?"

"Prince Leviathan!"

"What?!?" They exclaimed.

"I- I don't know how or where!... But he was on Rhou's back with me, next thing I turned, he was nowhere to be found!"

"I searched everywhere for him! All the corners of the village and even the sea banks, but I couldn't find him anyway!" She clutched her fists in her hair, filling her lungs with a greater volume of air as she began to panic subtly.

"Hey. Hey. Hey..." Danji held her by the shoulders, "Kamy, calm down". His eyes softened, "You don't have to panic. Especially not because of him".

"But... But... B- Baba said I was responsible for him! Now I don't even know..."

"Kamy, relax", Ajefe coaxed as he waved his hands to motion her ease.

"But, Baba—"

"Forget about what Baba, said. This is not your fault. He is a grown adult... Whatever he is. It is not in your control to keep tabs on his every action. Especially since he isn't human, even".

Kamyla's breaths slowly lessened.

"You always do this to yourself. You always overthink and blame yourself even when it is not in your control", Ajefe offered her a smile. "Relax... He is not a child or baby gone missing".

Her chest started to calm down.

Danji then added, "Besides, if for anything, it's a good thing he is gone for now".

"What?!" Her eyes widened.

His expression softened. "You need the break, Kamy. These past few days have been difficult for you and you haven't had even enough time to rest or any moment to yourself".

Her lips fell.

"Maybe him disappearing is a good thing. To be honest, I'd prefer if he'd just go away forever but even at that... You need to rest".

"And by rest, he means sleep!" Ajefe interrupted. "You haven't had up to five hours of sleep in days now".

Kamyla took a moment to flicker her gaze between both men, taking note of their concern with her heart still thudding in anxiety and fear of disappointment in herself.

Danji's large palms then cupped both sides of her face, pulling her from her troubled thoughts as he leaned closer.

"Listen to me, Kamy". His husky voice yet gentle tone had a milding effect on her mind as his fingers gently caressed her cheek.

"Don't try to blame yourself again. Just calm down. I'm here".

Her face felt heated.

"And there's no way I will let Baba punish you for something you had no hand in. Okay?"

Kamyla's lips remained gapped and still, unable to fumble a response.

"So just go have a bath in the meantime". He then wiped off a smudge on her cheek with his thumb, offering her a soothing smile, "You shouldn't be letting irrelevant things like him affect you..."

Kamyla gulped, staring deeply into his black irises with the surrounding silence only deafening; his fingers slowly trailed to hold her chin up.

Ajefe suddenly cleared his throat loudly, forcing their focus to break. Kamyla instinctively stepped back in the realization of how close Danji loomed over her, letting his fingers slip off her face.

Ajefe smiled, "You should probably go have your bath now before the women on the farm return and populate the river".

Kamyla nodded meekly and scratched the side of her arm as she forced out a weak smile. "Hm... I probably should..."

She looked back at him. "Thanks, Dan..." Was all she said before turning away.

Danji's eyes remained fixed on her as she strode to her beast pet and mounted, having it race in the opposite direction.

His gaze remained unmoved till he lost sight of her figure in the distance.

"That's a little greedy of you, don't you think?" Ajefe's abrupt words seized his attention.

"What?" Danji's brows knitted.

"You know what I mean, Dan", Ajefe grinned.

Danji remained silent.

"Dan! Ajefe!"

The two turned in the direction of Ilo's voice.

Standing a few huts away, she waved at them with a wide smile. "Food is ready! Come and eat!"

Ajefe's lips stretched wider. "Coming!!!" He raced forth like a fly to dung.

Danji simply sighed, trailing after the hunger-driven moron that jogged up Ilo.

He then looked up to sight the glowing expression on her face as she watched him.

His expression fell slightly to a certain thought.