Temporary Safety

After about two nights and three days paddling and floating, with their mouths patched and the skin sunburned, they had land in sight and were so ecstatic about getting out of the boat.

Ruby was especially happy about getting a bath. Her hair itched and she could hardly talk because of how parched her throat was. Their lips were so dry they could hardly talk.

"We are reaching land my people!", Anthony said to Greta and Ruby. He was thankful for little wins.

"How can you still be talking and smiling most of all? You amaze me this man", Greta said, her voice lower than usual and her speech slower than she usually spoke.

"With all that smiling, I'm stunned you aren't bleeding from your dry lips yet", she continued.

Anthony was about to respond to her but he found that he didn't have a comeback for this mischievous person that has given him troubles since they met working in the palace.

Ruby was listening to their conversation but she couldn't say anything. Her mind focused on getting to a shelter. She played over in her mind the moment she'd take a luxury bath and scrub off all the salts and dirt that had settled on her skin from the blasts to staying out in the open on the water. Her hair was terrible too and they had to eat good food. Her stomach had been growling for the past two days but Anthony appeared to be full of strength and she wondered if he was human at all. He had a huge reserve in that slender body of his.

"Do you have an idea whose land that is on the horizon?" Ruby threw the question to any of them. She hadn't left her kingdom before in her life. She only knew about the surrounding kingdoms in theory.

Greta replied to the princess; "Yes princess...oh yes, Ruby. That's the Red Kingdom. I heard they are receptive, even to strangers. It would be a good place to lay low for a while. We could move to another location when we are well-rested".

Turning to Anthony, Greta said; "Hey Mister, do you think what I just said is a good idea?. Have you any knowledge of The Red Kingdom?".

"The King told me how upright and good their king is with a fair queen by his side. They have a son that everyone says to be kind, they also say he'd make a good king someday. But I do not think we'd be meeting them. I suggest we stay on the outskirts of the land and recuperate till we know what to do about our situation and our lost kingdom".

"Lost Kingdom?", questioned Ruby looking wide-eyed at both Anthony and Greta. What she just heard come out of Anthony's mouth did not match what Greta had told her before she left the palace. She had been hoping to hear about the whereabouts of her parents, not some 'lost kingdom'. How can the kingdom be lost if the king and queen were still alive?. Something negative was pricking the back of her mind telling her that maybe, just maybe her parents had not survived the invasion but she refused to give it a thought. She blocked her mind to that ugly voice in her head telling her that she just might be alone in the world now.

* * *

Anthony had lots of gold coins on his person which the king prepared for him when they realized there was no hope except for his butler to escape, hopefully, with his daughter Ruby.

The three of them reached the bank of the river and dragged the boat unto the sand then tied it to a large tree nearby. They were strangers on this land but full of hope because at least, they hadn't been attacked or driven back yet.

Something immediately occurred to Anthony. He walked back into the river and fetched lots of mud, came back to where Ruby and Greta were offloading their belongings from the boat, and said to the princess; "Your highness....", he began but was immediately interrupted by Ruby.

"I told you to call me Ruby. We are in another land and I'm sure as hell not the princess of this land. So, please, call me by my name. Okay, Anthony?"

"Yes, Ruby. I was thinking, as this is our first night here, we should expect some visitors to check on the people that just swam to their land. Your hair stands out Ruby, it is known throughout that the princess carries shiny red hair, so I think we should make a dye to dim its color a bit", Anthony suggested.

This dialogue was between the princess and him alone as Greta was somewhere around trying to boil out the salt from the water she'd collected. She made the fire quickly and had already constructed something that can be used to roast whatever game they'd catch for food.

Anthony noticed all she had done and was deeply impressed. He hadn't known Greta to be such an effective, handywoman. He realized he was smiling and staring at her and immediately, he collected himself, cleared his throat, and continued to mix what Ruby would use to color her hair.

He handed her the mixture, set up a temporary tent for them tying ends to the trees around.

"I'm going into the town to see if I can find food, and hopefully, a carpenter to build something we could stay in. I have a good feeling about this place and I think we could settle down here at least, for a while", Anthony said to both the ladies. Then, he set off with a spring in his step as if he knew this land or where he was going.

* * *

The soldiers of the Red Kingdom were fully aware of what had happened to the kingdom closest to their lands and they sympathized with them. Most of the foot soldiers that were still alive took refuge in the Red Kingdom. They were subjected to screening, not in a harsh way but just to make sure they weren't any spies or people that could not be identified as citizens of their neighbour.

No one knew who invaded that kingdom yet but word went round that Prince Sek had sent out Special troops to find out that information just for the sake of his own kingdom.

"Lieutenant, we have word that three civilians are in the woods just near the shore", one soldier said after he saluted his superior inside in tent.

Soldiers remained at their posts surrounding the kingdom but still had eyes on the outskirts, so that they wouln't be taken by surprise just in case of an attack.

"How many of them?", the lieutenant asked back.

"Just 3. One, the only man amongst them, has gone to town. I'm sure to look for supplies to purchase. They appeared harmless to our spy".

"It isn't for the spy to judge. His job is to report what his eyes has seen. Take some men and question them. If they seem like a threat to you, bring them to me. If not, allow them rest where they are but still under watch, and I mean close watch. Do you understand me, soldier?".

"Yes sir", he gave an upright salute and matched out of the lieutenant's tent.

* * *

Anthony had found a carpenter in the market that promised to have a shack built with two rooms under five days for an extra pay. He brought with him cutlass, some food stuff, few clothes, and some other little things he knew they needed.

"You really went shopping", Greta said to him as he approached them, taking some of the things out of his hands and taking them into the temporary tent.

Meanwhile, the carpenter got to work, measuring, scouting and planning how he was going to begin construction. He thought to himself; "These people must be rich somehow, for the amount this man agreed to pay me, I'd be their carpenter for life".

As everyone was busy doing one thing or the other, they all heard the sound of hooves. They gathered around and saw soldiers coming their way.

Greta seemed nervous but Anthony assured her that they hadn't done anything wrong. So, there was no reason to be scared, not like they were guilty of something.

"Who are you and where are you from?", the soldier in front asked.

Anthony figured that must be the superior in the group so he looked at him and addressed him directly; "We are from the kingdom that was just destroyed. We used to work in the palace"- he pointed to Greta ad to Ruby- "this is Greta and this is Ruby. We just floated on a boat for two nights and three days. Your land was the first we saw, all we want is shelter, food and a bath. I just got back from the market close by, you can see what was purchased on he floor behind me. We mean no harm sir. We are mere civilians happy to have found safety".

The leading officer nodded his head and called to one of his subordinates; "Check their belongings, respectfully", he ordered.

It barely took eight minutes to go through all what they had with them. They ran for their lives, not like they could have carried luxurious clothes or whatever they were searching for with them. Just necessities.

"Clear".

"How long would you be here for?", the soldier asked Anthony.

"Um...", he turned around to look at Greta as if asking to be rescued.

"A short while sir. To get our bearings and heal from the tragedy we just experienced".

"Okay. Good luck then. But just so you know, we have our eyes on you three. Don't do anything suspicious otherwise, we'd have to bring you in and we wouldn't be so nice by that time".

Then he turned and left with his squad.

* * *

On the evening of the fifth day, their shack was ready. They couldn't be happier because they had suffered mosquito bites and such being in the temporary tent. Anthony folded up the tent and kept it in a corner in his room, that thing helped them, he couldn't bring himself to throw it away.

Greta arranged the other room for herself and Ruby. She still did almost everything for the princess. No matter what Ruby said, they both still treated her like the princess that she was. As long as they called her by her name, she was okay. She had tried but wasn't successful when she told them she could learn to cook, gather firewood or sweep. Anthony and Greta just wouldn't let her.

A statement Anthony said when the soldiers had come to question them stuck to Ruby's mind. When they had settled down, during midnight, she looked over at Greta and noticed she was fast asleep. Standing up from the animal skin that served as her bed, she walked to Anthony's room.

"Now, tell me about this tragedy you witnessed in my palace".