Chapter 57. Say that again

“Say that again, where are you going?” Boulder asked.

“Na-tur-elle” Arthur repeated, enunciating every syllable to make sure Boulder understood.

“How? My teacher said all of Zel will be going to Lumiere.”

Arthur shrugged his shoulder. How was he supposed to know? He just wanted to go to Naturelle to learn more about his eye powers and asked his parents. His mom and dad would know why they were able to go to Naturelle. But how was he supposed to know?

Seeing that Arthur had no proper response besides a shrug of the shoulder Boulder sighed and made his own assumptions. “Maybe my teacher meant all the normal people of Zel would be going there…” Maybe I should ask him later.

“Mm… Boulder, I don’t think you should tell other people about Arthur and Shelly.” Orchid furrowed her brows and contemplated. “Most likely their parents probably know some intel we don’t know yet and made this decision.”

Boulder didn’t expect Orchid to read his mind about what he planned on asking later. He gave Shelly and Arthur a curious look. Arthur doesn’t seem to know anything based on the way he was surprised by Orchid’s comments too. Whereas Shelly only maintained her composure the entire time, does she know?

He wanted to ask but Shelly intervened and spoke up first.

“I agree with auntie Orchid, I don’t know what is going on, but getting involved in the decisions of political parties and asking questions we shouldn’t have will bring more trouble.” She turned to Arthur. “Young master, if people ask, we should tell them we’re going to Lumiere.”

Arthur nodded his head seriously to Shelly’s comment. For the past 2 years that they’ve been together Arthur realized that Shelly knew more about the world than he ever did. Her decisions were usually correct as if she knew more about the adult world than being a kid.

“That should be the correct choice. No one here will tell anyone about where they’re going, if someone ask say Lumiere” Orchid commented. She then scanned Seth, Julie and Michael. “Do you agree?”

Her piercing gaze caused the three to gulp in fright, they felt as if they were to reject her question, they wouldn’t be able to speak for the rest of their life. Nodding their head vigorously as if they understood the three young adults sighed when Orchid turned her gazes away.

“Anyways, are you kids prepared for the festival?” Orchid smiled and changed the subject.

“Oh yeah! The festival is the day after tomorrow!” Arthur exclaimed in excitement; he didn’t even notice the piercing gaze Orchid had given the three young adults a short second ago. He continued to ask. “Does that mean the students from Naturelle has arrived?”

Orchid nodded her head and agreed. “Yep, the other Inn Keepers in Asmar just sent a word to me earlier today that there will be a massive influx in children and parents coming later today.”

“They’re already coming?” Boulder asked.

“Yep, well mainly those from our village will be arriving first. I’m supposed to go with Harmick, Elroy and Karns to meet them halfway just incase something happens. Do you kids want to go along?”

Arthur wanted to go, however he couldn’t “We’re supposed to meditate with Chief Gran later today…” Arthur said dejectedly.

“That’s alright, it’s just a short distance from here to Asmar, if we leave now, we’ll have enough time to make it back for your meditation tonight.” Orchid replied. She quickly directed her gaze over to Seth and Michael. “Also, I can train you in place of Gran if we’re late, it’s just beating you with a stick, right?”

“No, no, not quite!” Arthur replied and began to explain. “You’re suppose to only hit us if you can’t sense the meditative energy around us.”

“Alright, easy enough…” I’ll just not try to sense it at all. Orchid released a devilishly scary smile that made Seth and Michael a cold a chill crawl up their spine. They instinctively wanted to run away but couldn’t as Orchid maintained her gaze upon them.

“Shall we head out?”

“Should we go?” Arthur turned to ask his fellow companions. Shelly had no problems with it. Julie turned her gaze over to Michael indicating she’ll go if he goes. Seeing her gaze and turning his eyes to peek at Orchid’s smiling face Michael gulped and agreed to go.

Everyone’s eyes landed on the frightened Seth who couldn’t help but shiver looking at Orchid’s smiling face. He quickly nodded his head indicating that he’ll go causing Arthur to smile in delight. “Okay! Let’s go!”

Orchid led the group out of her room and towards the entrance of the Inn. A gentleman sitting within the dining hall sipping on a drink sensed a faint Resonance from Boulder leaving the Inn and turned his attention towards the tanned skinned red-haired boy’s direction. Hm?

He noticed the five people walking alongside Boulder with Orchid in the lead. His attention remained focus on the two little kids beside Boulder. “Exotics? Where did they come from?” The gentleman continued to sip his drink as his eyes continued to follow the kids out of the Inn.

“Shelly?” Arthur asked the girl beside him a question. However, she didn’t seem to reply causing Arthur to repeat her name.

“Oh.” Shelly returned to herself and looked at Artur. “Could you repeat that, young master?”

“Do you know how far away Asmar is from here?”

“Oh. What auntie Orchid said was right, it’s not too far from here, we just have to walk down a straight pathway from here. We’ll know we’re close to Asmar when the mountains around us recedes and grasses starts to show. Once we see a river with a bridge built upon it, we’re halfway there.” Shelly replied.

“That’s right, we’ll be meeting those within our village at that spot.” Orchid overheard Shelly’s answer and commented. “The reason I’m going to meet them is to both make sure that the villagers are safe and unharmed along with bringing others to my Inn to get checked in.”

“Did something happen before?” Julie asked.

“Not when I was alive, but the first time there was a war between Zeldova and the Tillowisk Empire bandits and mercenaries from both sides of the border would be kidnap talented children and Exotics on their way home and sell them to the aristocracy and military on the opposite side.”

“This became a huge problem almost over night when powerful figures on both side of the country had obtained and lost their relatives to the other because of what the bandits had done.”

“What happened to the kids?”

“Well if they were lucky and had great parents, they would be returned or traded without harm. However, for those whose value was worth less than what their relatives or parents obtained… then only Gods know what happened to them. I believe they’re doing alright since they’re talented but…”

“Those families should be ashamed! Why would they not want their kids back!” Arthur fumed; he couldn’t believe what Orchid had said. He knows that his mom and dad would want him back no matter what happened.

“Sometimes it’s not their parents who have the say, but those of the main family who do. If you were from a side branch and wanted your kids back, if your family didn’t have enough sway between the main and side branch of families then… it’s tough luck.”

Orchid responded. She continued to say. “For the most part, kids were returned unharmed, the main branches of families who didn’t trade and thought they had a better bargain collapsed by a coup from the joint effort from all the side families. Ahaha.”

“While I don’t know what happened to the side families and whether they managed to get their kids back, but this coup from them lead to every main family to respect the wishes of those of the side branch.”

“Arthur, your father or mother is most likely from a side branch, are they not?” Orchid asked.

“How’d you know?”

“Main families live in the Capital. You’re from Rouge.”

“That is right!”

“See, and if you’re able to go to Naturelle even though Boulder said his teacher said that shouldn’t be the case, it means that your side branch of the family holds a lot of power that’ll make even the main family side with them. Don’t you know who your grandparents are?” Orchid asked with a raised eyebrow.

“I don’t…” Arthur sighed dejectedly. “I’ve never met them…I asked my dad a few times why I have never met my grandparents he just runs away…I also asked my mom why I’ve never met hers; she just changes the subject…”

“Even though you’ve never met them, it seems like they care about you guys enough to deal with whatever issue that may come about. I’m serious when I said earlier to let everyone know you guys are going to Lumiere, it’ll put less of a burden on the ones that are protecting you.”

Orchid’s response caused everyone who was walking from behind to think hard about the situation that they’re in. Seth didn’t know anything about the little Exotics going to Naturelle, nor did he want to know, he was just going with his friends to the Tillowisk Empire for meat. As dropouts he believes there should be no problem for them going across the ocean.

Michael and Julie were heading towards the Tillowisk Empire itself the capital of the foreign country and the spot where the dispersal occurred by the orders of the Pope himself. They believe they should have no worries either considering it’s the freaking Pope.

Julie thought back to when Angel used expletives around them about the Pope when Arthur and Shelly suffered within his place. She thought about other families who would be capable to use those kinds of words against him. Even in the heat of rage Julie couldn’t think of any other family or person who would be as audacious as Angel to say it.

Even though normal people didn’t know how one Pope would take over for the next, Julie knew when she asked him one day.

“Oh? Why do you want to know about how I became the Pope, child?” Julie recalled the day she asked the Pope her question. The Pope continued in a soothing voice “Well, it matters not, I was nominated, picked, and chosen by my peers and predecessors as the one best suited for the role. That is all.”

The Pope’s words back then went over her head, she was thinking that he was just the one who most capable in a political and religious sense. However, when she thought about it more and the interactions between the Pope and Boss along with what he was able to do; she realized he wasn’t just suitable politically and religiously, but he was powerful. Strong enough to be equal to that of Headmasters of the two Institutes and Kings of countries.

“Anyways, Harmick, Elroy and Karns are up ahead, have you met the three of them yet?” Orchid asked.

Seth nodded his head. “I met Harmick and Karns when I was helping them with preparing the stage for the festival.”

“Oh? You helped them lug around those heavy slabs? I guess you aren’t that much of a wimp after all.” Orchid replied. Her words instantly froze Seth momentarily he hadn’t expected her to remember him. Orchid paid no mind to his reaction and turned her head to the kids. “What about you guys?”

They shook their head.

“I only saw them at the feast, but I didn’t talk to them.” Arthur replied. It was the same with the rest, of the people here only Seth talked to Harmick, Karns and Elroy that evening of the feast.

“Well they’re great people, let me introduce them to ya.” Orchid’s reply caused Seth to subconsciously agree, they were wonderful fathers who wanted to head to Asmar straight away and meet their children. The teachers from Lumiere and Naturelle would not chaperone kids from foreign countries back home because of the dangers of being on foreign waters.

Instead most parents will go to Asmar and wait at the Inn until their children arrive until they head back home. That doesn’t mean there aren’t any teachers onboard the boats between countries, they’ll dock with the kids and wait at the town there to ensure their parents safely picks them up.

“I wasn’t expecting youngsters to join us Miss Orchid, but it’s good to see ya again Seth!” Harmick was the first to speak up when the group arrived. Karns walked up and smacked Seth in the back, “How’ve you been? Some feast that was, huh?”

“I’ve been good, I’m surprised you remembered the feast.” Seth reply caused Karns to laugh loudly. “Wahaha, well I’ve heard about it.” He and Harmick was drunk off their ass before the feast even officially began.

“What about me!” Boulder hopped out of the group and stood before the grown men. He continued, “Is it not good to see me too uncle Harmick and Karns?” The two grown men squinted their eyes and looked at the red-haired kid before them. “Oh!”

“Boulder, boulder, BOULDER!!” The two uncles exclaimed in unison.

“Wahaha, your hair is red? My goodness! Just like your father, you’re definitely going to be a Prodigy.” Karns praised the youngster who closely resembled his father.

“I know right? I plan to!” Boulder replied.

“Enough chit chat, we can talk on the road, this is Arthur and Shelly. Michael and Julie, and you guys know Seth already apparently.” Orchid intervened and introduced the kids to them.

“Hello, kids I’m Harmick, this here is Karns and that is Elroy.” Elroy nodded his head and looked off to the horizon ahead.

“Hello!” the kids greeted the three men.

“Hey kids, do you know what they call me?” Karns walked up and asked.

“Shall we go?” Elroy paid no attention to Karns playing with the kids and asked Orchid and Harmick. “Yeah, let’s make it quick to bring them back home.” Orchid replied.

“What do they call you uncle Karns?” Boulder asked.

Karns flexed his biceps and said. “MK! Muahaha”

“What’s MK?” Arthur asked.

“Mus-cu-lar KARNS!”

Sigh

“Karns, kids, let’s go.”