Chapter 8.2

The big guy didn't dare to attack Ero again. Even now, as he locked him up in the cells, a fine trickle still ran along his mouth corner. And Ero swore to himself that if this guy dared to open his mouth again to insult him or Alina, he would lock both men in a cell.

This big, silent one was eager to get his hands on the man he had almost allied with. The one who wanted to betray him and was responsible for the death of his comrades.

So he unlocked their bonds behind the locked cell door. Each in a separate area, separated by an empty cell.

After closing the door, he heard the storm of voices. Insults of the vilest kind. Everyone against everyone.

Ero paid no attention; he didn't want to hear it. Instead, he withdrew. After all, another task lay ahead of him, one where he would feel as lonely as his girlfriend on her mission.

He had to unload the burden from the horses and then bring them into the camp. Later, old Marno himself would sort out what he wanted to keep for teaching.

Ero had just arrived at the paddocks when his name was called from the well. It was Delio, rushing to him.

If you could call it rushing.

Delio carried a piece of wood over his shoulders, with two notches at the ends. Perfectly fitting for the handles of two buckets, one on each side.

The slender boy struggled under his overwhelming burden. With each step, a small sip of water sloshed over the edges of the buckets, soaking the dry ground, leaving a trail back to the well.

Three ladles hung from the edge of the buckets, swinging back and forth with his movements. A too vigorous movement would be enough to make them fall.

Only after Delio had come to him did he let his burden drop unceremoniously to the ground. Under his haste, a large gulp of water splashed over the edge to his feet.

"Marno says 'Fetch the swords!' and I have to fetch the swords; Marno says 'Fetch water!' and I have to fetch water," the boy complained, panting from exertion.

"I used to have that honor." It couldn't even be called an attempt at encouragement. Ero's lips twisted into a smile. He enjoyed passing this task on to others now.

"I know!" Delio nodded, while Ero's smile shattered into confusion.

"From where?"

"Alina!" came the brief reply. "She often mentioned how Marno kept you as a runner boy because you were such a spoiled, rich, and pampered brat." He paused briefly before bursting into laughter. "Well, I better not tell you what else she called you."

"I can imagine," Ero snorted.

Alina was a sweet girl, but she could turn into a real beast sometimes, including with Ero's name. Sometimes he wondered why he defended her everywhere someone spoke ill of his comrade, even in front of the two robbers.

But Ero had to admit that he hated it while also loving it. Without all these arguments, their friendship wouldn't be what it was.

Ero reached for one of the ladles. He filled it with the cool well water and brought it to his mouth. It was just a beautiful feeling, how the cool water rushed into his mouth on this hot day, creating a soothing film over the burning thirst in his throat.

He didn't take another ladle of well water to his lips this time; he poured it over his head instead. The cool water soaked his tousled hair and ran from there onto his shoulders, down his bare chest, until it was absorbed by his dirty pants.

"Wonderful!" he exclaimed, enjoying it. "You've come just in time."

"And you know, we have another bucket at the well. If you feel like taking a shower, you can use that," Delio admonished his friend sternly.

Again, Ero wanted to take a ladle full of water. But this time, Delio stood in his way.

With a mischievous grin, he stood before him.

"Or ask Alina. Maybe you can join her in the bathtub." The guy seemed lustful at the thought of the pretty blonde sitting alone in her little hut, clearly illustrating how vividly he imagined it.

"That's right!" Ero snorted. "Be as charming as possible near the lady of your heart and speak such words behind her back."

"Come on, Ero!" Delio urged him. "Let's be honest now, even you would like to sneak up on her in such a situation."

"No," he said, admitting to himself that his true answer would be different.

His decency forbade him to think of such a possibility. Besides, he saw Alina not only as a physically attractive girl, but her character also fascinated him. Even if she loved to tease him.

"Oh, come on! Name me the boy here who wouldn't want her full attention!"

"Marno!" Ero interjected seriously. After all, he knew about the boys vying for the beautiful daughter of their teacher. Some tried to woo her with small gifts. Fortunately, she didn't take that too seriously so far.

"He's her father, too," Delio pouted.

Unfortunately not, Ero added silently.

As one of the few, he knew the truth. None of the other students knew that Marno wasn't her real father. Not even both kings knew. It would raise too many questions. A child appearing on the border of Miro at the same time as the war with the Amazons lasted.

Ero was also entrusted with the knowledge that both her parents had long been dead.

The Amazon War - that's what the people called the time when Nette ruled until her honorable death. Many rumors surrounded it, maybe spread by the Amazons.

About both siblings Nette and Nerre, as well as the child of the Amazon queen.

A blonde girl who appeared lonely and abandoned in Miro at that time. That could cost his pretty companion her slender neck.

Alina is Nala, Ero thought. That's what his father was convinced of. He saw in her this little Amazon princess who, even if only briefly, was once in their company. And it was this conviction that made the judge gladly see them at the altar.

Ero noticed a smile creeping onto his lips.

That's nonsense!, he told himself. Alina was Alina and certainly not this Nala. Who knew if the Amazon princess was even still alive.

He himself remembered the days from all those years ago. With the tall Amazon Marli. She treated him well, and then there was this sweet little child with honey-colored curls, who could have been a spitting image of her proud mother. The great Amazon queen Nette.

To save this child, Marli took him as her hostage. So she fled with both children. At first accompanied by some Amazons who stayed behind to divert the pursuers from their comrade's trail.

It was only near a forest that she stopped.

Ero wanted to be strong, just like the great warrior he had wished to be back then. So he couldn't show any fear. Not even in front of the big warhorse that stared at him with its fiery eyes.

So he nodded when Marli asked if he would manage. After all, he could ride; his father had taught him. On their obedient and noble animals.

This beast managed to throw him off its back shortly after he mounted. Then the horse trotted off happily without him. So Ero was left alone.

He wandered aimlessly near the border for three days and three nights. Only then did he encounter another person. A farmer who immediately recognized him as the son of a nobleman.

Instead of immediately taking the boy to Telja Castle, where his mother prayed for his safe return, only one of the sons was sent out. For this, Ero had to perform his accommodation there with ungrateful fieldwork.

When his father finally picked him up five days later, he had only a grin for the adventurous story of his young son. To make matters worse, he left a handsome sum of money for the farmer.

Today he knew how dangerous it could be for one of the sons of the chief judge of Ylora. Not only since Jos showed them so terribly.

He was grateful to have been taken in by this farmer, who surely ensured his return home.

At that time, he only had the immature words of a spoiled brat for the good man, who treated him so badly in his eyes.

"Is something funny?" Delio explored his friend's grin.

"Well, you've seen Alina," he diverted from his thoughts. "I didn't give her my shirt for fun."

Delio perked up, perhaps suspecting that what was coming next would shatter all hope. The girl was lost for courting. They had found each other and more.

But Ero could reassure him.

"Our pretty bounty hunter returned from a job like this. If I had helped her in distress, maybe I would have been there at the right time too. Being the honorable boy that I am, I gave her my shirt."

"Ero, you're an idiot!" Delio patted him firmly on the back. "Such an opportunity doesn't come twice."

"If it were up to my father, we would have been married long ago." His mouth twitched.

For so long he wished to wrap his arms around her, just to be close to her. Not as a friend, but as a lover.

A wish he wouldn't confess to his family, the guys, and certainly not to Alina. Especially she must not know about his feelings.

Perhaps this truth could even destroy everything between them. This wonderful friendship they had preserved over the years.

"So Alina is in her quarters."

Delio nodded.

"Door locked, curtains drawn." Ero couldn't help but hear the regret in his voice.

"You go to your work, I'll see if she's forgiven me yet."

Delio took up his burden again, shortly after disappearing towards the training grounds.

Ero stroked his mare's forehead for a while. Then he took care of the robbers' horses' burden. Only then did he walk to Alina's quarters.

The girl was well advised to always lock her room. Some of the students approached her timidly, or only hinted at a fascination for the daughter of their teacher behind her back. But a few were not satisfied with that. Some of them posed a real danger.

There was a rule at the school that stood above many other maxims of old Marno. Everyone had to keep their hands off his daughter. Anyone who became too intrusive with Alina had to leave the school.

Ero reached her door. A hesitant knock, to which there was no response.

Internally, everything in him was already preparing for another outburst of anger from her, even more vehement than the one on the last day. Still, nothing could prevent him from moistening his lips.

A grin adorned his handsome face, then he called for his femal friend.