11 Brandenburg

The sun is about to descend below its horizon, and yet, my mother still haven't summoned for me. How could she forget her only daughter, when at the moment she's all I want to see? No matter how the sky emanate such a dazzling beauty, and how the flowers perfectly bloom, everything suddenly looked dull and gloomy. This place is something I will never call home.

Life here is truly a beaut, but to live in a place where there's so much to hate is not something I would willingly do. And so I realized, there is nothing compared to our life in Aelmere. Even there is drought and famine, my family and I were so happy. No one else to let us grovel dirt from the ground, or lay a hand on our faces in astound.

I just can't believe that a cruel world like this exist.

And that even in every perfected chore, violence is something they can't resist. From the heavy whips on the back and slap on the face to the unkind choice of words and the unending exhausting commands, the people here will suck out the life in you until you are wrinkly, old and dry.

And what if, something have happened in Aelmere? That gives more reason why I should return from here. If the crest won't do, how would my desires to go home will come true? I guess I need to find another way, before one night turns to several days.

I watched the Black Knight as he leave the premise. He's fortunate I was here or else he would meet his demise. I suppose he has his own fair share of a cruel fate, as he face a wrath even if he lose his healthy state.

"THERE YOU ARE!!", a girl who just made out from the woods appeared. "Where were you? Why do you always wander around. Come on!", she called out. She ran towards me, dropped down to her knees, catching her breath.

I looked at the girl, who's dressed differently from the servants. Her skin is fair, her dress is silk. Even her long auburn hair smells nice and neat. Why would she look for a servant like me?

"What? Did you forget me again?", she said as she brush the grass stuck on my shoulders. "It's me Freya..", she said with a sweet smile. "Look at you, all dirty. Let's go home, Agalea", she said as she held my hand and lead the way.

Agalea. So, that's the name of this girl. Maybe, I'll own that name a little longer until I have my crest working.

"Wait.", she stopped and turned to face me. She held my cheeks and stared directly to the windows of my soul. "Your eyes? Aren't they supposed to be brown?", she asked with knitted thick brows.

I blinked so many times and covered my eye. It never come to my mind that Agalea and I have different color shades of the eye.

"Nevermind. Let's go! Uncle Tobias is looking for you", she said. One thing I noticed are the multiple scars on her wrist. Though, Freya has a good energy that made me feel happy. I'm glad that Agalea found a friend in this girl who's effervescent. Behind her smile, I can tell, there's heartache and torment.

She held my hand, not minding the dirt. Squeezing it tight even if I smell like dead. Walking back to Agora through the outskirts of the town, I noticed Freya with a frown.

"The shortcut alley to the Inn is around here somewhere", she said with a finger on her chin, thinking so hard which way to be in.

In a little while, I sensed some glorious energies. They are pretty strong and powerful, with outpouring vivacity.

"Incoming!", someone shouted when the horses arrived. 1.. 2.. 3… about six Friesian horses came in. With heavily armored horsemen, where some are cloaked and some covered with long capes.

"Oh Look Agalea! Those are the Paladin Warriors. Actually, the two of the three Paladin Warriors.", Freya said with an awe. "That blonde woman is the Lioness of Aria, Vesta. And the cloaked one.. he's uhh..", her eyes looked mesmerized with her mouth open wide. "Cloaked… one, the supreme Archer from Beorg Mountains. Alesso, the silver haired archer", she finally said as she stuttered.

"They are the protectors of the Kingdom of Nether.", one lad nearby said. "There was an attack in the palace yesterday.. that's why the warriors are restless and all around the kingdom", he said.

As they ride along the steep alley, Freya stood frozen like a statue in a daze specifically at the cloaked archer. The horsemen doesn't appear to slow down, and Freya seemed like she doesn't have plans to get out of the line as she drool over the Paladin archer.

I pushed Freya to the side before she get hit by one of the horses. We got tripped down, bruised and slightly scratched. This girl is like hit with some love spell for a guy who's not even a good catch! When the horses passed a few blocks from us, she finally woke up to her senses with big smiles and glow in her eyes, clasping my hands then embracing me tightly. "My Alesso!!", she giggled and squirmed unbelievably.

I helped her up and dusted her gown. "Calm down, lady. Are you hurt?", I asked even if it didn't seemed like she's hurt at all. Nonetheless, there's one horseman who returned to our presence. The silver haired archer, Freya has been daydreaming about, riding the white horse swiftly came back looking so stern. "Are you alright?", he asked as he pull down his cloak..

I could feel Freya's breath, fast then slow as she purse a little. "Please do not be bothered. We are fine", Freya gushed an awkward smile. I thought she's going to faint when the archer smiled.

Alesso glanced at each of us, while I just stared. He gave us a nod before he ride out ahead.

Freya embraced me tightly, as she giggle. "Oh Lord! Alesso! Isn't he dreamy??", I rolled up my eyes at what she just said. "He might be", I answered awkwardly. 

I walked side by side with the girl on cloud nine. How contradicting with how I feel, because in every step fear and sadness grows and lingers as the tavern appear. With a heart so heavy, I clutched on my tunic feeling so weary. Today, I have done routines that I am not familiar with, and did chores that I have not done before. I wondered how many times will I have to do it, surely with punishments and more. As soon as we set foot in, I remembered a neglected chore. The buckets of water from the river, Lady Emilia ordered earlier. "I'm damned", I whispered as I anticipate another beating. Freya pulled me in as I drag my feet. Ready to face the terrorizing overseer.

When we open the doors, we were immediately greeted. "Sir Tobias has been waiting", Clemen admitted. I nervously smiled and nodded at the servant. Freya's eyes turned dreary. She explained what took place, full of worry. It was then I found out that Sir Tobias was mercilessly beaten by the shylocks of Agora where he owes so much money. Lady Emilia gawked at me like an eagle, while I walk upstairs to see Freya's uncle.

"Uncle!!!", Freya knelt before the injured tubby old man, who's life energy is flickering from the beating.

"Agalea, Heal him. We know you could.", Freya plead with her eyes about to weep.

Even if I want to, I have no enough strength to heal him yet. I need to recover completely, to save this old man's health. If only my crest is working well, Sir Tobias wouldn't have to be in so much trouble. Freya's tears began to fall as I held her hand, I would help right away only if I can.

Before I leave the room, I looked back to Sir Tobias and Freya. And then, I wondered, what part do they know of me and Agalea?

In one of the slaves quarters, where six servants sleep, I can feel and hear my stomach grumble making it hard to sleep. Then, I felt someone sat on my bed, tapped my shoulder and whispered, "hey..". It's Clemen handing me over some bread. "Here, take this", she said.

I almost cried of extreme happiness. Ever since I arrived, I only received this one act of kindness. I took it from her hand and split it in half. I gave Clemen a piece to eat, before we hit the sack.

At the time when the night is deep, and where the owls hoot, some servants couldn't get some sleep, as they started to talk. At that point in time, I overheard one of the servants talking, about the palace being attacked so severely, though nothing is stolen. The prince got hurt and is in terrible condition, while another knight is extremely wounded and was cursed to turn into an obelisk.

"The prince is going to die", one servant said. "And so is that other Paladin Warrior", she added.

"If only the healers are here. Our warriors wouldn't be worried of getting hurt or simply going to war", another one said.

"Healers are long gone, Mia. Deal with it", she replied.

"Yes but I heard there's a stone, Sara ", Mia sat up and said.

"What stone?", Sara asked.

"The magical stone! Haven't you heard of it? It heals, makes the soul travel.. makes you all powerful. They say the stone went missing ever since it was last used. The scholars in Brandenburg have been reading all the books to track it", Mia explained.

"Can you all shut your mouths and go to sleep!", another slave angrily said as the two were forced to end their conversation.

I laid down with my eyes so wide, with an idea that suddenly came up to my mind. And in the middle of the night, I got up from bed. Quietly sneaking out, while everyone's asleep.

I secretly went in Sir Tobias' room, and saw Freya sleeping on a chair bed of the same bedroom. The floorboards creaked as I enter, waking Freya after a couple of steps as I was discovered. Freya looked at me with a smile, looking so happy with a relieved sigh. "I knew you will come", she hoarsely vocalized.

Sir Tobias opened his eyes as he reached for my hand. "Help.. me.. Aga..Agalea", he struggled to plead. His white moustache over his mouth was not a hindrance for the words to come out. He seems like he believes in my skills, without a doubt.

I held his hand with a smile. "Help me get into Brandenburg. I'll heal you this time", I directly uttered.