Princess of Victory - Guardians of Forewood [1]

Chapter 9: Duskbury's Monster

Day 13of the Fourth Month, Year 1016, morning

Duskbury Town, Goldburg Province

SHE was woken up by a knock to her door.

Groaning, Victoria slowly moved her body and felt that everything ached. "Wait," she said towards the door. Her head felt slightly aching. She tried to shook it off, but doing so made things worse, instead.

Truly, being knocked out twice on the head, within a day nonetheless, was never a good thing.

After a few moments to get her bearing, she walked to the door and opened it. The innkeeper was standing there, smiling politely at her. "Would you like to have breakfast here, or downstairs, Your Ladyship?"

"Ah, downstairs, please," she replied cautiously.

"Then you can come down when you're ready," the innkeeper said again before leaving.

Victoria rubbed the back of her head, confused, but then went back inside and closed the door. It really hurt. She hadn't been sitting for long before the door was again knocked.

She squinted, then got up and opened the door again. This time Dev was there. "You ready?"

Victoria frowned. "Yeah, I suppose." Her head felt somewhat worse, but nothing she couldn't handle. She noticed Dev had already taken off his bandages, though. "Are your wounds healed?"

Dev shrugged. "The bandages felt too restrictive. Should we change yours?"

Victoria considered that for a second, then nodded. The bandage had been there the whole night. And who knew what Zindo actually put on it? It could be a slow-acting poison. It was better to change it into a cleaner one.

Dev went to his bag and pulled out some medicine and bandages. Victoria raised her eyebrow. "You are very prepared," she said.

Dev shrugged. "Habit. Thank Goddess those people didn't take this bag."

Victoria sat on the bed, and Dev approached her and stood behind her. He slowly opened the bandage on her head. "Oh, that is swelling," he murmured.

Victoria frowned. She only winced a little when Dev applied medicine carefully, then he wrapped her head in new bandage. "As good as new. Let's go down now."

She nodded and they both walked out of the room, Dev with the bag on his back. The corridor was still lit with lanterns even with the sun coming in from the windows. "They are very paranoid," she commented. Dev didn't reply.

They both arrived downstairs and sat on one of the tables. The innkeeper approached them and put some baked bread on the table. "This is what we have today," she said. "I'm sorry, it's not much."

"That's fine," Victoria replied, and then she stiffened. Right. She was supposed to be an arrogant lady.

When she looked up at the innkeeper again, though, the old woman was already looking at her curiously. "Where do you come from?"

"From Blue, ma'am," Dev answered while breaking his bread.

"Oh? Why did you leave Blue?" The innkeeper asked again.

"Well, my lady was thrown out of the house when her brother succeeded the house."

"And you're following Her Ladyship, young man?"

"Yes, I've been in her debt," Dev nodded with a smile.

"Well, that is... But to travel with just the two of you... Where are you going?" Somehow, the innkeeper already forwent her formal speech.