Three Days After

((Sure))

Aurelia nodded as Kestreel said that they could find the farm, hoping that there wouldn't be any problems. When he asked the girl's name, she replied with a shy, "Lia. My name is Lia." Aurelia smiled, it was a cute name. "We should go," Aurelia said next, her stomach protesting as well. She hadn't eaten much yesterday, and even though she was used to being hungry, it was still uncomfortable.
 
Lia was a name that really suited her perfectly. He nodded and started to lead the way. And it didn't took long to find the farm, a wood house, behind the small woods next to the barn. They got close to the house when an old farmer appeared. He probably saw them approaching. "Travelers? What are you doing on my lands?" Asked the old man. Kestreel looked at Aurelia and winked, asking her to follow his story.


"Sir? Please, my family and I, we are starving. We are running away from the village." Said him, faking a light fear, doing it really well. "I saw it yesterday. What happened? Are you coming from there?" Kept asking the old man. "We... we don't know, we were returning to our home and... The city is gone." Replied Kestreel. "Gone? What do you mean gone?" Said the old man, puzzled. "Gone, sir. There is no town, it just disappeared." And as Kestreel was speaking an old woman appeared. "What is happening, my dear?" Asked her. "This... Fool, says there is no town. The thing we saw yesterday made it disappear." Said the old man. Then the woman chuckled. "And what are they doing here?" Said the woman, looking at Lia. "They ask for food, they say they are running away from the town." Muttered the old man. "We can't let this poor creature starve..." Said her as she get into the house. The old man, tho, stood watching at them with a pissed off face.


After a couple of minutes the old woman appeared with some food in a broken wood, big bowl. "Here, take it." Said the woman smiling at Aurelia. There were some cooked meat and fish and a couple of pieces of vegetables. She also handed to Kestreel a medium clay jug with water, it looked pretty used. "Don't mind him..." Said her looking at the old man. "He may look grumpy, but he also loves to help nice strangers like you." Said her smiling at them. "Thank you. Thank you very much." And they left, Lia even waved at the old woman as they walked away.
 
Aurelia watched, a worried look on her face, as Kestreel tried to persuade the farmer and his wife to give them food. It wasn't hard to pull it off: she already was worried that they would be turned away, that trying to help her father would be for nothing, and that she wouldn't be able to help him. However, she was able to smile appreciatively at the woman when she went to bring them food. Taking the offered bowl, she bowed her head in thanks, saying, "Thank you," she told them as she and Kestreel left.
 
They walked for a while, then Kestreel stopped in a nice clearing on the woods, not far from the road. A huge tree rose in the middle of the clearing, offering a nice and comfortable shadow, inviting them to sat on the soft grass that grow under it. "That seems like a nice place for a breakfast." Said Kestreel smiling.


Eating in a place like that, with such a nice company like the girls, sitting under that tree... It felt like a little piece of heaven had fallen to the Earth, and now they where sitting under it. "Eat the fish first. Saving the fruit or the meat is easier." Said Kestreel. If they didn't ate too much, there was enough food for the three of them for about two, or maybe three days.


Then he looked at Aurelia. He remembered when she kissed him yesterday. But now she looked a little bit worried. They still had time. Enough time? He sighed, but smiled. "Don't worry, we will get the cure for your father." Said him.
 
Aurelia's face brightened a little as they came upon the clearing, the scenery enough to make anyone's problems fall away slightly. Resting against the tree, she ate some of the fish, more hungry than she had thought. Catching his look, he had just enough time for questioning to cross her face before he spoke, to which she nodded, albeit slightly somberly. "I hope so..." was all she replied, looking into the distance.
 
Kestreel didn't wanted to spent any more time than the necessary in that beautiful place. They already had spent too much getting here, and if they wanted to go anywhere fast, they should get moving. What Kestreel didn't knew is that he would end carrying almost all the weight and eventually, Lia. If this is like having a family, I think I will thing about it twice, thought him, smiling, as they walked next to the road, Kestreel with the tired little girl on his back.


It took several hours, but finally, a merchant caravan passed trough the road and slow down at Kestreel demand. "Please, humble merchant, we are trying to reach the next town. I was wondering if you could let us go with you." Said Kestreel. The merchant looked at them. They looked really tired after being almost the whole day walking. "Come on, let them come with us." Said a female voice. "Okay, sister." Replied the merchant. "Come on, get up." And the merchant pointed to the caravan.


It wasn't really full, there where sacks of rice, potatoes, there were also a couple of carpets and some other unknown items. "And where are you heading, family?" Asked the merchant's sister. Kestrel thought about it, but didn't came up with any good, then he looked at Aurelia.
 
Aurelia was too busy looking at the caravan in wonder to notice that the merchant's sister had spoken, and Kestreel was waiting for her to answer. Snapping back to attention, she assured, "Family. My youngest sister is...getting married," she added after coming up with something that was rather acceptable. I'd said it was too far to walk, but she'd be heartbroken if I didn't go..." She smiled at the woman, hoping the story was believable enough.
 
The traveler sister smiled. "That's nice of your part." Said her. And the travel continued. It took much less than expected to get to the next town, that merchant war really skillful driving that caravan. Was late night when they arrived, and once stopped, Kestreel got down, helped Aurelia and picked up the sleeping little girl Lia. "I wish you the best luck in your travels, merchant." Said Kestreel, thanking them for the ride.


The town was a nice coast village, the sea could be heard really near, the sound of the ships touching each other, and the bells of the boats jingling. "Come on, let's find the inn." Said Kestreel. They walked trough the dark stone streets of the town, and eventually they found the building. Inside, the place was filled with sailors, some of them dunk, but overall, all peacefully drinking, minding their own business. Which was kind of weird.


"May I help you?" Asked a young woman behind a the counter. "Yes, we are looking for a room to stay the night." Replied Kestreel. Then, after paying a couple of coins for the room, the woman lead them to the room. "Good night, travelers." Said the woman with a sad smile. Kestreel let Aurelia enter first, and then he went into the room too and left the Lia on the bed and closed the door of the room. "Mmmm... It looks like there is only one bed..." The bed was pretty big, and Kestreel blushed a little bit at the idea of sleeping with Aurelia. "I... I can sleep on a chair, I don't mind it at all..."
 
After thanking the merchant, Aurelia followed Kestreel until they reached the inn. Once inside, though, she kept her distance from some of the more intoxicated sailors. In the room, her eyebrows rose a couple inches, taking in the solitary bed. As he told her that he could sleep on the chair, she instantly remembered how she had made him sleep on the chair the first night she met him. Feeling bad, she said, "No...it--it's fine." The heat on her cheeks telling her that she was blushing, she stepped further into the room, hoping he wouldn't notice.
 
He noticed her fleeing away from him, she was obviously blushed or was blushing. "Okay." Said him quietly and moved to the bedroom, sitting on the feet of the bed. "I'm... Very quiet sleeping, you wouldn't even notice me." Said Kestreel looking at Aurelia. "Besides..." He looked at the bed, and there, just in the middle lay Lia, making little snores. Kestreel smiled warmly looking at the little girl. She was so cute sleeping.
 
She nodded, glancing at the bed. Shaking her head at her embarrassment, she went to one side of it, sitting down. Looking to him, she said, "I guess we should go to sleep, then." Taking off her shoes one at a time, she then got onto the bed, watching Kestreel curiously.
 
"Yeah..." Kestreel lay in one side of the bed, relaxing and thinking about all the things they have been living. And only have passed two days! Thought him. In no time he fell asleep, quiet like a rock. Sadly, he had the same dream he used to have; the circle of mages, performing a ritual with a young woman on the middle of the circle. And again, he woke up suddenly, worried. There was still really soon, and the sun was still a couple of hours away from the sunrise. Kestreel sat on his side of the bed and sighed, unable to find the meaning of such dream.
 
It took longer for Aurelia to fall asleep, but once she did, it was a deep, restful sleep, the first in what must have been at least a month. When she did wake up, due to the sun's rising showing through the window, she saw that Kestreel was already awake. "Good morning," she said softly, not wanting to wake Lia. "Sleep okay?" she asked, attempting to be polite.
 
"Yes, yes. It was nice." Said Kestreel and smiled. His dreams were his issue, no use bothering other people with them. "I'm going downstairs, to see if I can get some information about the ships. I thought in making part of the travel to the guild on ship. It will be faster and safer." Then Kestreel got up and walked out of the room.


The place was almost empty, there were still some sailors sleeping over the tables, and the young girl from the last night was trying to clean the best she could. Behind the counter was now a man, probably the father of the family who ran the inn. "Traveler. Something wrong with the room?" Asked the man. "No, none at all. But I have a question." Said Kestreel. "My family and I, we are traveling north and I was wondering if you knew of any ship who may be willing to take us with their crew?" Asked him. But the man shook his head, showing a little bit of sadness. "I'm afraid not, sir. Any ship can set sail off the docks." Said the man. "And why is that?" Replied Kestreel. "The bandits. And a powerful magician. They sabotage the ships as soon as they try to set sail, sinking the ship and leaving the people to their luck." Explained the man.


Kestreel sighed. Is for those kind of things that people hated magicians. "Thank you for the information." Said Kestreel and returned to the room. There he sat on a chair and explained the situation to Aurelia. "We can keep going on foot. Of course, we could also take a look and see I we can figure out why is this magician attacking their ships, and that way, also help the village."
 
"Walking might take too long," Aurelia said after listening to Kestreel explain why they couldn't take a boat, "but what if something happened to her?" she gestured towards Lia. "I don't want you to have to go off alone either, in case something happens. The man said they had a powerful magician, right? If you got hurt because you were trying to to find the guild quicker, I would hate myself."
 
Kestreel looked at her and smiled. "Yeah, you are right..." Said him. Lia seemed to have been waked up, and went next to Aurelia, gently scrubbing her little eyes. "Good morning Aurelia. Good Morning Kestreel." Sid her as she sat on Aurelia Lap and rested her head on Aurelia chest. "I'm still sleepy.... Do we have to go now?" Asked her. Kestreel got up and nodded. "Well, If we are going on foot, yes, we better get moving. Is a long path, the one that lays ahead of us." Said him.
 
Aurelia nodded, setting Lia down on the bed and standing up. "We'd better get going, then," she said, smoothing out the wrinkles in her clothes. While she, like Lia, could sleep more, she wanted her father to be well more than anything, and this was the closest and fastest way to finding out if he could get better.
 
Kesteel nodded and helped Aurelia with Lia. He grabbed her, and carried her for a couple of hours more, letting her sleep a little bit more as they walked their way north. It was a long path walking, but for that day, they seemed not to have any luck with any merchant caravans. Or they refused to take them or didn't traveled in the same direction. Was almost afternoon when they arrived to a small fort next to the road. It was well surrounded by defenses, built on a small mound. Outside, closer to the road were some guards, pushing a man and yelling at him, defenseless, wearing only ragged clothes.


"You are a bandit spy!" Said one of the guards. "You can't cheat us!" Yelled another one. "I'm not! I'm just a poor traveler." Replied the man. "We are going to turn you to the Royal guard. I'm sure they will pay us quite an amount of coins for a bandit spy." Said one guard. Kestreel had seen few spies. But for what he recalled, that man was one. But a bandit? He definitely didn't looked like one.
 
Seeing the commotion farther ahead, Aurelia instinctively stepped closer to Kestreel, though she didn't notice it at first. "Kestreel," she said lowly, "h-he can't be a bandit, right? It just...it doesn't make sense..." Her eyebrows pressing together in confusion, she kept her eyes on the guards and the man, trying to figure out the situation.
 
"No, not a bandit." Said Kestreel. "But look at his feet, how he moves and the hard leather fabric of his shoes?" Pointed out him. "A spy, or maybe a rogue." Then he got in front of Aurelia. "Stay here, girls." Said him as he approached. "Hey! What is happening here? What is this man charged of?" Asked firmly, Kestreel. "He is a bandit spy!" Said one of the men. "But is none of your business, traveler." Said another one.


"None of my business, guard? You are accusing a man of such serious charges with any visible proof on your behalf. And you expect that I just walk away? Guard, must I remind you that my generous taxes are paying your salary?" Bluffed Kestreel. The guards looked at each other confused. "Truth is that we hold no evidence against this man. But then, what else can explain the surprise attacks to our patrols? Spies! That's how!" Said the guard. "I'm no spy, neither bandit!" Replied the man. "Guards! Rethink what are you doing. You are supposed to bring peace to this land and put the malefactors in cells. Not the opposite!" Stated Kestreel.


The guards let loose the man and mumble curses under their breath. "Alright, citizen. But... I better don't see you again." Poorly threatened the guard to the man. The guards finally walked away, and the man got near Kestreel. "Thank you, stranger. But... May I ask you why?" Asked the man. "I hate to see injustice in the land I walk." Said Kestreel, and the man smiled grateful. "You have a kind heart, traveler." Then he looked around. "May I ask you for one more small favor?" Asked the man. "You managed to convince those guards to let me go, but I'm afraid my luck won't be so next time I find more guards. Could I come with you... Just until we have left this lands. I promise that then I will walk out of your path." Said the man. "I'm afraid that decision is not only mine. As you may see, I'm traveling with my family." Said Kestreel showing Aurelia and the little Lia hiding behind her. The man then looked at Aurelia with puppy eyes, begging for her favor. "Please, my lady, I bring my own gear and supplies. I won't be a burden, and I promise I will help in anything you may need."
 
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