Chapter 4: A Old Friend in the Castle

At the castle, Urizen was working with several officials for the upcoming meeting with the leaders of the kingdoms. He said:

"The meeting will begin in three days. We need to find Eva quickly."

Outside the room, a mysterious girl was eavesdropping, she whispers:

"Three more days? I have to find Eva and tell her about this."

After a while she put on her cloak and sneaked out of the castle into the residential area. Another day at the Dream workshop, Zed and Eva waited for customers at the cashier counter. They were very depressed, Eva said:

"There aren't any customers. Why don't you advertise the goods?"

"I don't know anything about trading."

"Then why are you still opening this shop?"

"To earn money."

"All the money you have has already bought wine."

"It's all I need."

"You drink wine all day, don't you worry about your health."

"That's my business, I'll take care of it."

And Zed and Eva continued to argue. Elastor after passing through the guards at the gate was heading to the Dream workshop. He also brought a new wine keg with him, and as he walked he thought to himself:

"Damn it, I'm out of flour again. I'll have to buy more."

A girl wearing a cloak passed Elastor, she raised her hand to try to steal his money. Suddenly she was caught by Elastor and he said:

"Sorry, but I don't have any money."

She tried to pull her hand back, but Elastor wouldn't let go. She said:

"Let me out."

"Have you seen my face yet?"

"Why should I care about seeing your face?"

"Well then, go away and stop trying to steal anyone else."

Elastor let go of her hand and continued toward the shop. The mysterious girl looked at Elastor and said:

"He's so weird, I have to sneak up on him."

She secretly followed Elastor and also went to the Dream workshop. Elastor arrived, he entered the shop and talked to Zed and Eva. The other girl stood outside and eavesdropped on the inside. In the shop, Elastor said:

"Did you two just quarrel?"

Eva replied:

"It's this idiot's fault, spending all his money on wine and beer."

"This is normal. Wine is here."

Zed replied:

"Thank you, Elastor."

Eva shouted:

"Why do you keep giving him wine?"

The girl outside heard everything inside, she said:

"This voice belongs to Eva, she's hiding here."

Suddenly the door opened causing her to fall to the floor and reveal her face. Elastor says:

"I doubt you'll follow me."

He closed the door and said:

"What to do with her, Zed?"

Zed replied:

"Probably a bounty hunter, have to deal with her now."

Eva said:

"Wait you two, I know her. Is that you? Julia."

That girl stood up, she had long blue hair and a pretty face that surprised Zed and Elastor. She said:

"Is it really you, Princess Eva?"

Eva replied:

"It's me, Julia."

Eva and Julia were moved to tears and hugged each other tightly. Zed and Elastor together said:

"What the hell?"

After a while, Julia sat down and told everyone the story. Zed poured everyone a mug of wine and listened to Julia's story. Julia said:

"I'm Julia Manester, Princess Eva's maid in the castle."

Zed and Elastor both replied:

"I'm Zed/Elastor."

Then they looked at the other as if they wanted to fight. Eva said:

"Sorry Julia, you tried so hard to find me despite the danger of escaping the castle."

"It's okay princess, for your sake I'll help with my own strength."

"Don't say I'm a princess, say I'm Eva like we were when we were kids. Why do you want to find me? You should stay and take care of your mother."

"I know but I need to give you some news. In three days Urizen will hold an important meeting with all the leaders of the kingdoms."

Everyone was very surprised. Eva said:

"What is he up to?"

"I don't know but the upcoming meeting will decide part of the future of the continent."

Eva whispered:

"I will assassinate Urizen."

Zed replied:

"What did you say?"

Eva said:

"I will assassinate Urizen to avenge my father."

"Hey lady, if you want to assassinate that king, you'll need an army."

"I can sneak inside like a servant. Then I'll kill him."

"And what are you going to do next, which will only make it worse. You can't kill him because you have no skills and you're not ready."

"I know when I'm ready and it's now. You can't understand my pain."

"What if you fail?"

"I won't fail."

"So do you have a plan?"

"That is..."

"You still don't have a plan. You're only hurting yourself."

"What do you care? This is not your battle."

"I'd like to help you, but not like this."

Eva angrily slapped Zed hard. Zed was angry but he didn't care. Zed said coldly:

"Then do as you please."

Zed finished his mug of wine and left the house. Elastor took his bag and said:

"I'll try to talk to him. You two stay here."

Elastor finished his mug of wine and left the shop. Julia said:

"Eva, we have to do something."

"I know, we don't need Zed's help."

That day Julia also stayed at the Dream Workshop to help Eva with her plan to assassinate Urizen. That night Zed was in a tavern for a drink. He got drunk and smashed a mug of beer on the table. Zed sighed and said:

"One more mug."

The owner came and said:

"Do you have any money, Zed?"

Drunk Zed laughed and replied:

"Do I have any money?"

Moments later the tavern guard threw Zed outside the bar into the mud, he said:

"Don't come back here without paying."

Zed stood up, covered in mud and smelly. Elastor approached and said:

"Zed, let's go home."

Zed smiled and said:

"Yes, I'm too drunk. Come over to my house for a night's sleep, Elastor, now you'll be found out."

Zed and Elastor went back to the Dream workshop. Around many people looked at Zed and said:

"The best drunkard in Gloria kingdom."

"Going out of debt again, Zed."

"No one likes to be near him."

Zed didn't care, he was used to hearing those ugly words. Elastor said:

"Why are you trying to stop Eva?"

"I don't know, maybe it's because I don't want to see someone lose their true self because of revenge."

"What do you think she'll do next?"

"I don't know, but she will continue to do as she pleases."

Zed and Elastor finally went back to the shop. And waiting for them was Julia, she said:

"You two come home late."

Zed replied:

"You know, it's a bit busy. Eva is already asleep."

"Yes, she's asleep. And I have something to tell you two."

Elastor replied:

"What?"

Julia said dangerously:

"Even though I've only just met you two, I don't trust you two so don't bother Eva and be respectful to her."

Zed smiled and replied:

"Listen lady, I don't care about Eva either. All I need is wine and beer to drink. I let her stay because she will do the housework for me. And I don't care either. What will she do next?"

"Okay then, I'll personally protect Eva without you two and don't try to thwart her plan."

Julia went up to the bedroom to sleep. Zed showered to wash the mud off his shirt. He looked in the mirror and said:

"What the hell is going on with me?"

Then Zed and Elastor slept side by side under the cashier counter. Zed said:

"You can sleep somewhere else."

"I won't be interrupted by you when I wake up."

"Damn, it's too cramped."

Zed and Elastor slept. The next morning, Eva went downstairs to see Zed packing the goods, he coldly said nothing. So did Eva. Elastor went home very early. Zed and Eva sat across from each other and didn't look or speak to each other for a long time. Julia came down with the supplies they needed and said:

"Eva. Let's go."

Eva replied:

"Yeah, let's go."

Julia put on her cloak and went to the front door. Eva stood up and put on her cloak, she went to the door and turned to look at Zed. Zed didn't look at her face. Eva said:

"Goodbye, Zed."

Zed did not answer. Eva and Julia then left the Dream workshop and headed towards Urizen's castle. At this point Eva was filled with the fire of hatred, she said:

"I will kill you Urizen."

Zed opened the locked room opposite the bedroom, he looked inside and said:

"Time to fight, The Knight."

The red eyes of a wolf appeared inside that room.