Everyone's Roles

Her father gently put her down with her feet first. Then pat her head once before walking.

"Let's go"

Aleyn run for a little to catch up her father's walk.

She silently just following to where her father walk.

At that time, she find that they are still in the jungle. But not far away more, they came out and met the road to the city.

The left side of the road is the forest, and the right side of the plantations belongs to the residents.

They are walking on the right side. Headed to the city that still far away from them. However, the city is circled by a big wall and Aleyn can see clearly the scene from her position.

The wall reminds her of Francia, but she knows that is not. Besides, the wall is more shorter than the one in the kingdom.

Time sure had passed. They already passed the forest without Aleyn realizing, and now the scenery in their right side is filled with green grass land.

From there Aleyn found out a few group of livestock. They peacefully eat the grass, fill their stomach with grass. Not far away from their position, she can find a shpeherd that guarding his livestock.

He sat in the rock. It seemed he had just been drinking and was immedetiately aware of their existence.

The shepherd waved a hand at them. Aleyn quite surprised and doesn't know what to do. But beside her, her father already waving back at the shepherd. Those two even gave a smiled at each other.

Aleyn curiost at their friendliness and start asking.

"Do you know him, daddy?"

"Hm? Aah, no, I'm not"

"But, why are you friendly to him?"

"Well, that's because we can't just ignore other's friendliness"

Aleyn tilted her head, trying to understand her father's explanation. But, no matter how hard she tries, she can't get the reason of their behavior.

Her father seemed to know the difficulties she experienced. So he stopped his feet, kneel down so their position is the same, and start explaining again, but in the more easier way.

"You see, in this world, we aren't living alone, right"

Aleyn nodded at her father last words. So her father continues.

"So with that we can't just ignored what other people give to us"

"What other people give to us?" Aleyn muttered curiously.

"Yes. Even if it's just a little like waving hands to you or smiled at you"

"Even only just that little?"

"Yes"

Aleyn quite surprised at that fact. This is her first time hearing such complicated things. Even though she doesn't know can do the same like her father does.

Her father saw the expression of difficulty on her face. So he began comfort her and gave further explanation.

"You know, in this world, we cannot live without others. Why you ask? Because in this life we fill each other's roles"

"Roles?"

"Yes. Like a tailor who sews your clothes. Chef who cooks your food. Or the one who gives you meat to cook like that shepherd over there"

Aleyn reflectly look at the shepherd behind. The shepherd realize he being wathced and nodding at them. Aleyn only look at him silently while her fahter do the same as the shepherd.

"You understand?"

Aleyn turn back at her father and shook her head.

"But they haven't given me anything yet"

"Soon, girl" said her father while standing up.

At her odd question, her father smiled and give her a pat in the head.

"Soon you will need their service. Maybe it's soon later, maybe tomorrow, or maybe next week. Everyone needs them"

At her father's last words, she was surprised. Then while her father start walking again, she asked a thing happily.

"Does everyone needs you too?"

"Why do you think so?"

"Because you are strong!"

Aleyn was carried away while talking about her great father. But soon as she think her father will answer gently like before, her father was muse instead. That's made her think that she had asked a bad thing.

She quickly lowered her head and grabbed her dress. Growled to herself. She start thinking that she shouldn't asked such things, but something pat her head and calmed her down.

"I don't know, girl"

That is her father. Talked more gently than before. Aleyn take a peek in her father's big hand to see her father expression. In there she sees her father expression somehow feels nostalgic.

"There are already lots of strong people in this world. You saw one of them when I saved you, right"

With her father mentioned, Aleyn remember there is a knight person who have strong power to match her father's power. With only that person who had mentioned already made Aleyn understand her father's intentions.

"But"

That one words made Aleyn atracted at her father again.

"If there is a scenario that there are people who need my help, of course I will save them"

Her father's words made her grow a beautiful smile directed at her father.

Her father momentarily returned her smile, but shortly afterwards he hugged Aleyn tightly in his right hand while still walking. Shortly when they walked, a horse carriage passed, but it's rapidly stopped the horse feet then.

"Hey!"

A man voice comes from the horse carriage. Aleyn got attracted and want to look back. But her father's right hand didn't allow that.

The man behind lost his attention and began to force them to stop walking.

"Hey, mister, could you – "

"Nghiyaahh!"

While the man chased them, his carriage horses on rebel. The man confusedly look backwards and forwards. When they finally began to move away, the man decided to return to his horse carriage.

Aleyn quite curious of what just had happen and why her father won't look back at the man who called him. She take a peek at her father's face and find that her father looking at something.

She looked in the same direction as her father to find that her father look at a women and a boy not far away from them. The mother look a bit older than her father, and the boy look younger than Aleyn.

Her father led them to the mother and child. Her father release his hand at Aleyn and start walking faster. After they get closer to them, her father called the mother.

"Hey, madam!"

The women look so tired and stretching her back while the kid take care of their wheelbarrows filled with watermelon. The women got attracted and answered her father's call.

"Yes"

"Is there anything I can do for you?"

The women didn't answer immediately, she first saw the two of them for a moment to find they aren't bad person.

"Well, you can carry these basket to the market. But, are you sure? I just need a short break before going back to walking"

The women tried hard when her contition already sounded quite tired. Roland genuinely answered to help her.

"Of course that is not a problem. But of course, I did like to ask something in exchange"

"I see"

The woman sighed as she look at Aleyn. Aleyn got nervous when other people look at her and she start to get close to her father's side.

"Say, mister, are you a wanderer?"

"Hm, aahh..."

Roland get confused to answer that one question. He seemed puzzled to find the right words to explain their current situation.

Right when he still confused, the woman talked and give him a chance.

"I need to deliver these watermelon to the market as quick as possible. But my back pain recurred after working too hard"

"That's because mom doesn't hear my words to drink a lot of water!"

The boy behind seemed mad at her mother because of the cause of his mother's pain.

Aleyn got shocked because this is her first time seeing a child get mad at his life giver. Then actually, his mother looked sorry and admitted her mistake.

"I know, I know. But we still have to deliver this fruits or the people won't have a chance to eat it"

The mother try to calm her kid. But instead he get calm, the boy get closer to his mother and screaming while talk.

"I don't care about the people! What happens if your condition gets worse just because this stupid fruits have to delivered to the market!"

The boy get angry to his mother. That made Aleyn shocked and stunned at the same time. For his mother, she doesn't have a word to calm his kid down and only looked down tiredly instead.

At that time, a gentle man come in the middle of bad condition and calm the kid.

"Hey-hey-hey, what if I carry these fruits for you to the market. And for exchange, I did like to ask a meal and bed for just one night?"

"Why do we have to give you food and beds if you just deliver these fruits to the market, mister"

Unexpectedly, the boy is smarted than he seems. But of course, he can't stand a chance to an adult like Roland.

"Well, as you can see, you are in an emergency situation right now. Your mother's back is in pain, and at the same time you have to deliver these fruits to the market. Even if you scream or get angry at your mother, your mother won't hear you, you know"

The boy was actually shocked at Roland's words. He confusedly think to avenge Roland, but he think to slow and Roland continue his offering.

"What if in the middle of the way your mother condition get worse, and even worse if there are no help. So, it's not a big deal, right? Even if you aren't satisfied with my offer, I can work to you tomorrow to fulfill a reply from your kindness"

The boy was tempted by Roland's offer. He actually think that is not a bad deal at this time. Moreover, Roland will work for them tomorrow to fulfill a reply at their kindness.

"Weell, if you say so"

"So we at the deal?"

Roland give the boy a hand while he kneel down. The hand is a sign that they are already in agreement.

The boy was initially hesitant to agree to the agreement. But when he look at his mother in pain, he didn't hesitate to take a shake hand with Roland.

Those to boys was smiled in friendliness while a mother smiled too. But there is a girl who confused in what actually the sitoation now.