Chapter 85: The Lost Child, Odd Flowers

Arden’s shoulders were stiff as hell. The road was tiring and he felt like he would sleep on the spot. He resisted the idea, at least until he finds a good Inn to sleep. He has spent days riding his horse, the saddle of his felt like it was part of him now. He didn’t want to sleep on the road even though he wasn’t in the hurry. He could see the gates of Dunwich by now. He thanked God for finally arriving in the town. His horse was slowly tapping its feet towards the guards. He could see on the gates, two guards holding spears and well-equipped with plate and chainmail.

The guards were checking the travelers going in. There has been a lot of criminal migrating in the territory. Not to mention that a witch was a going about, rampaging within the area. Arden heard about the witch, how that Witch is making trouble for the town and the surrounding area.

He kicks his horse forward. The horse neighed and made breathing sounds. The man in front of Arden looked icily at him. Arden nodded his in apologies while keeping his horse moving. His horse has been the one carrying him for roads. He could not blame his horse for that and even he wanted to rest himself.

His eyelids were heavy. He felt like it would close any moment. Traveling for hours whether day or night has caused him to be rather fatigued, his butt was sore and he could only endure while making sure he doesn’t fall over. He was waiting for the line to move. His head was in the clouds. He thought maybe he should have rested on that village filled with orchards. But the villagers were wary of him so he didn’t do so.

His hands were hard. He moved it for a bit, and then he swayed his neck, made it crack and then continued moving. He sees the guards checking on the man with a horse. They looked at his saddle bag and then gestured with their thumbs and allowed the man inside the gate. Arden thought that they will be checking his stuff. So he rummaged through his saddle and put the bank of Brewrael on his chest.

The line moved. He made his horse step. The guards looked at him. He nodded and let them check him out. The guards did their thing. The first guard asked where he came from. While the other guard checked on him. They noticed the badge on his chest. Seeing the badge, the guards nod at each other and let Arden enter the town. Arden thanked the guards. He kicks his horse forward and moved past the gates.

He saw the wide roads filled with people, carts, and wagons. There are buildings on the side, and they looked uninformed as they lined up together neatly. Arden moved while observing the town, his face was stolid. His eyes were the only thing that could be seen. His face was covered in a hood and cloth mask. He was tired, so he immediately went to the nearest Inn to rest.

...

Arden found a two-floored Inn. He rented a room, crashed into bed and sleep until it was afternoon. When he woke up he went to the bar of the Inn. He ordered two sausages and a pint of wine. The wine was great, while the sausages were well enough to satisfy his stomach. He spent time moving the mug to his mouth for a while. After that, he idly sat, listening to the hubbub around the Inn. When he was done, he went out of the Inn, strolled to the streets where he noticed a number of patrols roaming around the city.

He could also see the banners of different houses flying overheard among the homes. All he knows about Dunwich was that it is controlled by many noble houses. The Lord of Dunwich was nothing more than the supervisor who manages the town. The area around the city belongs to noble houses that were given fiefs by the lord of Altria. Dunwich is divided into different areas but mostly they are farmlands. Dunwich is a rather fertile land, the area around the town is nicknamed as the breadbasket of the northern roads of the southern continent.

Most of the food comes from this place. The food they sent to the front-lines and the ones they export to the southern road is from this place. So it was nothing unusual if there are heavily armed guards or noble war bands patrolling the area. The Capital of the Kingdom has lands to support the kingdom. The areas around Dunwich are second only to the capital. The Empire of Light, which is far larger than the Kingdom of Altria, mostly sits on fertile land. Hence, they can fight and trained their soldiers while not starving.

Arden moved on and strolled to a different district. The district was rather empty and there was a bridge and a river that seemed to extend to the town. He could see women washing clothes in the river. There are also farmers pulling carts and commoners walking around with baskets on their hands.

Arden stared at the scene for a while. After a few moments, he noticed the church and orphanage in the distance. The church was tall; it was the tallest building in the district. He tapped his legs on the flagstones beneath him. He strides idly while looking around. As he was walking around he saw a child looking around near the banks of the river with an anxious expression. The child looked like she was lost. Her small head was pasted with fear.

He thought that might as well help the little kid. But he noticed that he still had his hood and face mask on. He lowered them and ambled towards the child who’s still walking around everywhere. The kid noticed Arden approaching and there was a hint of fear that appeared on her small face.

“Are you lost, little girl”

Arden said, kneeling near in front of the little girl. The little girl nodded her head. She touched her hands and wiggled her fingers, oddly looking at Arden.

“I see...where do you live?”

“Church...I was with Sister and when I was looking at this animal she was already gone.” she rubs her sole on the ground, “I don’t know where she is.”

“I see. Want me to take you there?

“You can?”

She still looked afraid so Arden said gently.

“I can. Don’t worry I won’t hurt you and the church’s near here.”

“Is that true, mister?”

The little girl said, squirming.

“Yes, really, you are just too small to see that building over there,” Arden said. “Let’s go, you better not wander without a hand to hold you.”

He extended his hand.

“Okay...”

The little girl took Arden’s hand. Following that, Arden smiled and led the little girl to the church in the distance. The little girl looked she was still three or four years old, and she possibly could not see the church and think clearly with her age. So Arden had to help the little girl back to safety.

...

It didn’t take long for Arden to make the little girl unwary of him. If he couldn’t get a little girl to trust him then he’s rather bad. Luckily, the little girl, as he expected was innocent enough to trust him. This made him worry, what if someone with bad intentions met up with this little girl? It’s good that he somehow saw the little girl, and rightly he led the little girl back to the church.

He stood in front of the iron gates of the church. He could see a tall girl and a nun wearing robes looking worriedly at the tall girl. The tall girl seemed like she would cry at the moment. While the nun looked like she was agonizing about something. He could guess what they were agonizing about.

“Sister!” the little girl shouted, she opened the gates and went to the two. “I am home!”

“Child!” shouted the Nun, she kneeled on both of her knees and held her shoulder. “Are you alright? How were you able to come back?”

“That big brother helped me.”

She pointed her tiny finger at Arden. He saw their eyes glance at him so he waves his hands, entered the iron gates and said.

“I found the little girl walking near the banks so I thought I might as well take her back here.”

The nun stood upright.

“I see. Thank you for your assistance stranger. It is good that you have seen her. Oh my, I should really not let them go without me.”

“You should.” He said bluntly, “there are many bad people out there Sister and these kids should be watched over.”

She was rather shocked at the bluntness of the stranger in front of her. But a smile crept up on the sister’s face.

“Indeed, lawless elements have been going around lately.” she looks down, then at him. “I thank you for reminding me, would you like something?”

Arden waved his hands.

“No need sister, I was just wandering around and saw someone that needed help.”

“How about a water or bread then?” she insisted. “We must return the kindness at least!”

Arden feels like the Sister would persist so he said.

“Okay, I shall accept that.”

“Thank you, please wait for a moment.”

The nun said, leaving back to the building. Arden then looked at the little girl, patted her soft head and said.

“Be careful next time okay?”

“Okay!”

The little girl nodded sweetly. The tall girl who was standing with the nun approached Arden with clasps hands and said.

“Thank you for helping my sister.”

“No need, just look after your sister okay?”

“I will.”

She said, leaving with her little sister, walking to the courtyard of the church. Arden stared at the courtyard of the church, in there was a garden and there he saw a batch of yellow flowers that oddly looked like the sun. He neared the flower, inspected it, and observed it. What an odd flower, Arden thought.

The nun who went to get some bread and water came back. She saw Arden looking at the flower, interested. She approached him with light steps and said.

“Beautiful aren’t they?”

Arden looked at the nun, turned his eyes back at the flower and said.

“They are. What kind of flowers are these?”

“They are sunflowers. They grow in the sun and there should be a field filled with them in the eastern tall lands.”

“Is that true?”

“Yes, I heard it from someone that there is. Are you interested in them?”

“I am, they are odd, peculiar and they have the likeness of the sun.”

“I see. Would you like one then?”

“Is that okay?”

“It is, we still have a few seeds. Or would you like a necklace instead?”

“No, that’s okay.”

Arden refused. He then took a flower, formed energy on his hands and converted the sunflower into a small miniature version of it. The sister who saw what he did widen her eyes in surprise, saying.

“Oh my, are you are a Magus Sir?”

“I am...” he replied dully. “Does it still have the same appearance?”

“It does.” the sister looked at the flower. “You turned it into stone or metal?”

“A mix of both,”

“I see.”

The nun nodded her head. She then remembered the bread and the flask of water on her hands.

“Ah, would you like to consume these?”

“If it’s alright, I will.”

“Go on.”

The sister handed the bread and water. Arden thanked the sister and then she excused herself. Arden wasn’t really hungry. But he could not refuse someone’s hospitality so he walked to the bench in the garden. Took a bite of the bread, and thought it was good. While eating, he looked at the odd yellow flowers. Watching the sunflowers put a soothing feeling. A field of sunflowers huh, maybe I should visit that place someday. Arden thought.