Drakis City – Taris's House
After they arrived in front of the house, it looked like an old home.
Torance: It brings back memories.
Lem looks at Torance.
Lem: Memories? Didn't you say you left the city two days ago?
Torance: Shut up. It felt like twenty years.
Lem: That's because you're a chicken—you can't tell time.
Torance: Shut up, horse face. You want me to kick your butt?
Lemity: (places her hand on Lem's shoulder with a terrifying glare) Why don't you both shut up?
Lem: Why am I always the one getting scolded?
Lemity approaches Kalira.
Lemity: Go on, knock on the door.
Kalira: Something's strange.
Lemity: What is it?
Kalira: The flowers in front of the house look wilted. Grandpa never neglected these flowers.
Lemity: Maybe he just forgot to water them. Let me knock for you.
Lemity steps forward and knocks on the door: knock knock knock.
No response. She knocks again: knock knock knock.
Woman's voice: Coming, coming.
Lemity: (looks at Kalira) Is someone living with your grandpa?
Kalira: No, he lives alone.
Lem: Looks like he got himself a lady.
Kalira: My grandpa isn't like that.
Lemity: Shut up, Lem.
Soft footsteps approach the door. It slowly opens, and a middle-aged woman steps out.
Woman: How can I help you, sirs?
Kalira: What are you doing in my grandpa's house? Where is he?!
Woman: (murmurs softly) White hair and blue eyes… Could it be you're Kalira?
Kalira: (cautiously) Yes, but who are you, ma'am?
Woman: Please, come in. Let's talk inside.
She opens the door for them, and they all enter. The house looks slightly changed inside—some shelves were replaced and it's cleaner.
Kalira: What happened to Grandpa's things?
Woman: Well, sit down first. I'll bring you some tea.
They all sit on the large sofa in the middle of the room.
Lem: (quietly) Looks like your grandpa has good taste in women.
Lemity: (pinches his thigh) I told you to shut up.
Kalira: (nervous) Where is Grandpa? Why can't I see him?
Lemity: Don't worry. Maybe he just stepped out and will be back soon.
The woman comes with three cups of tea and sets them down.
Kalira: You still haven't told me—where's Grandpa?
Woman: Wait a moment.
She heads toward a cupboard in one corner of the house, opens the bottom drawer, and pulls out a small pouch and two letters. She returns and sits on the chair across from them.
Woman: Your grandfather left you this letter. He left yesterday and told me I could keep the house if I gave you this letter.
Kalira: Where did he go?
Woman: I don't know. He didn't tell me anything. All he asked was that I give you this letter and said he was going on a long journey.
Kalira: But Grandpa loved this house so much. Why would he just leave like that?
Woman: I don't know. I only arrived in this city two days ago.
Lem: Looks like you picked the wrong city.
Lemity: Can you just shut up? (looks at the woman) Sorry, ma'am.
Woman: (gives one of the letters to Kalira, then looks at Lem and asks) Are you Okays?
Lem: What? Okays? I'm Lem. Just Lem.
Woman: Then where is he? He told me to give this other letter and this pouch to Okays.
Kalira: He's not with us, but he'll be back.
Woman: May I give these to you instead?
Kalira: Alright, I'll give them to him.
Kalira takes the other letter and the cloth pouch, which seems to contain something metallic.
She sets Okays's letter and the pouch on the table and opens her own letter.
Letter contents:
> Hello, this is your grandpa, you lazy girl. Looks like you finally came back. I don't know when you'll read this, but I hope this kind lady gives you the letter.
Don't worry too much, my little granddaughter. I just got bored and wanted to go on a journey and maybe find a wife.
Lem interrupts Kalira as she reads:
Lem: See? Told you he was looking for a wife.
Lemity: Say one more thing and I'll rip your tongue out.
Kalira continues reading:
> I wanted to find a wife who resembled your grandma a little. So I'll be gone for a long time. But I hope you'll be happy and not worry about me.
When you were little, I kept you in this house away from everything happening in the world because I was worried about you. But it seems I was wrong.
You deserve to know what's happening out there and decide for yourself what's best, and live the life you want.
> Come on, girl. I know you're crying now. Wipe those tears. I'm not dead—I just left for a while.
And maybe, just maybe, we'll cross paths again someday.
> Also, I'll say it again: live your life however you want, whether in this continent or beyond. You're free now. But try not to die.
> And take care of Okays too. He's a nice boy. You might even like him and marry him. Just kidding.
> Anyway, take care of yourselves.
> And tell that bird—Bogans or Tetanus, I don't remember—tell him I'm thankful he's with you.
> —Taris
Kalira places the letter on the table, visibly saddened.
Lemity: Come on, smile, girl. He told you not to cry.
Kalira: (teary-eyed) I'm not crying.
Torance: Did that old fool forget my name?
Woman: (surprised and stunned) The bird… talks?!
Lem: Welcome to the wonders of the world.
The woman laughs.
Torance: (proudly) That's because I'm the king of birds.
Lem: You mean the king of chickens.
Torance: Shut up, horse dung.
Lem: Take that back or I'll roast you.
Torance: Try me.
Lemity: (gets up angrily) Looks like I'll have to tie you to the back of the carriage, Lem, and drag you.
Kalira: (her sadness fades and she laughs) Looks like we have extra rope.
Lem: When did you take her side, you little traitor?
Kalira: I've always been on her side, driver.
Lem: Look at this girl calling me the driver. Did you forget how you wet your pants when we were attacked in the forest?
Kalira: I did not.
They all begin to bicker and laugh.
Woman: (smiling) You all seem very close.
All of them at once: That's not true.
Woman: (laughs) Alright then. I'll leave you be. Stay as long as you like.
Kalira: Thank you for giving me the letter.
Woman: I only did it because he gave me the house in exchange for handing over a letter he wasn't even sure you'd come to collect. I'm thankful you returned early—you saved me the burden of that letter. Also, please give the other letter to Okays.
Kalira: I will. Thank you.
Lemity: Alright, we don't have time. We need to go. (looks at Torance) Where's your nest?
Torance: Not far from here.
They all get up and exit the house:
Lemity: Thank you, miss.
Woman: I didn't do anything. And no need to speak so formally.
Kalira: Thank you, ma'am.
The woman closes the door.
Lamity speaks to Torance: Where do we go now?
Torance: Do you see that hill? It's up there.
Kalira: I don't like that hill much. It's full of Saraqeel beasts.
Torance: Looks like you don't know who you're with.
Leem: You mean cockroaches, not Saraqeel. I used to kill them for fun.
Kalira: (looks at Leem from the corner of her eye) Were you a serial killer too?
Leem: Shut up, little girl. Let's go before your friend dies in the capital.
They all head toward the hill. After about 15 minutes of walking, they reach the base of the hill.
Kalira: Are you sure they won't attack us?
Torance: I told you they won't.
Torance flies up and returns to his massive size, then lets out a loud cry.
He then returns to them and sits on Kalira's shoulder:
Torance: Don't worry, they won't come back.
Leem: You chicken, what's the deal with your cry? Last time you screamed in the forest, the monsters also retreated!
Torance: Why should I tell you?
They argue the whole way up. After half an hour of walking, they reach the top of the hill.
Lamity: Is this the cave?
Torance: Yes, this is my humble home.
Leem: Your taste in homes is as bad as you.
They all enter the cave. It's the same as before—unchanged. Crystals light up the cave, and a large nest sits in the middle.
Lamity: So where do you hide your gold, Torance?
Torance heads to his nest, grows large, and lifts the nest a little.
A bright shine emerges from underneath.
Kalira, Lamity, Leem: (shocked) Is that all gold?!
Torance: (returns to his small size) What do you think of my treasure, you poor folks?
Leem: Where did you steal all this from?
Torance: Excuse me, young man, are you accusing me, the great bird, of theft?
Leem: Then how did you get all this? It looks like gold accessories and ingots. Where did it come from?
Torance: I've been collecting them from abandoned cities for thousands of years.
Leem: So you did steal it.
Lamity: Enough arguing. Let's take what we need and go. This cave gives me the chills.
Torance: How much do you need?
Lamity: Well, 100 gold coins. But you only have raw gold. The price of a quarter kilo of gold is 25 gold coins, so we'll need one kilo.
Torance: Where will you sell it?
Lamity: Who said I'll sell it? That merchant takes anything as long as it's worth 100 gold coins. He's cunning.
Leem: That's good. We can give him this chicken if the gold's not enough.
Torance: I'm worth more than that, horse boy! Why don't we offer you as a slave?
Leem: Who are you calling a slave, you chicken?
Lamity: Enough, both of you. Let's just take the gold and leave.
Torance brings out a gold ingot weighing a kilo and a half—more than they need.
Lamity: This looks like more than a kilo.
Torance: (with pride) I'm very generous, you poor folks.
Lamity: Alright, alright, rich bird. Let's head back now.
Kalira: Who's going to carry this?
Lamity looks at Leem: Come on, muscle man, carrying a kilo and a half won't kill you, right?
Leem: Are you underestimating my muscles?
Leem takes the gold and puts it in his bag.
Torance: Is this fool really that easy to exploit?
Lamity: (laughs) Let's go.
They leave the cave, return to the city, head to the cart, and leave the city.
Leem: I feel like I'm breathing fresh air at last.
Kalira: Are we going back to that forest again?
Leem: What, are you scared?
Lamity: Don't listen to his nonsense. This time, we'll take the main road since we're heading straight to the capital.
Kalira: How long will it take to reach the capital?
Lamity: Well, if we drive without stopping, it'll take one day. But the horses need rest, so we'll get there in two days. Don't worry, we'll still have three days left to save him.
Kalira: (with a gloomy face) I hope so.
Lamity: Come on, smile, girl. Why are you always frowning with that pretty face?
Leem: I'll throw you off the cart if you say one more of your cheesy lines, girl.
Kalira: I have a name, and it's Kalira.
Leem: I can't hear you.
Torance: This idiot… I'll make sure he gets sold in the capital...
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To be continued...