The Portal Soldiers

Chapter XIX

XIX

The Sad Story

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It is a little girl, horrified and weeping. Peter and the Juniors walked towards the girl.

"What happened, lass?" William asked and looked around the place.

"T-There's a tiger!" the girl screamed as she pointed the tiger walking towards them, behind the trees. Amy walked to it but before she can ever go, someone obviated her.

"Amy, no," Lance whispered while pulling Amy's left hand. "I know you want to save us but I'm afraid you might not be able to do it."

Amy still looked into the tiger's eyes while she is held by Lance. The midsized tiger walked away. The girl's jaw hung.

"How . . . how'd you . . . do that?" the girl stuttered.

Amy smiled at her. Somehow, the girl felt calmed by Amy's smile and ability.

"I'm Thaliana. How'd you do that?" Thaliana asked again.

"I'm the princess of the Portland Goldens and I'm in a prophecy," Amy started explaining. "Our wizard said that every person in the prophecies of the Portland Goldens has a special ability. That is my special ability, calming animals by a look in the eye."

"That's great, your Majesty!" Thaliana said, "What are your names? And what are you called?"

"We're the Juniors!" they imperfectly said in unison and told their names individually.

"And Peter is my name," Peter shyly said.

"So, what are you all doing here?" Thaliana asked and crossed her arms like a grown-up.

"We're having a practice for our skills," Elise answered. "The best training is camping."

"Oh, that's true!" Thaliana nodded and bent down to reach a short spear from the ground.

"And what brought you here?" Sally asked. Thaliana looked at Sally and blinked two times.

"I'm looking for food. A tiger followed me and the brave Juniors saved me," Thaliana narrated.

All of them laughed except for William who was understanding every word deeply.

"Wait, wait . . . wait!" William howled and everyone became temporarily mute. "Did you just say, my lunch? And why are you the one to hunt for your family's food? Do they even care for you?"

"That's sad. I lived with my stepmother before but now, my stepmother repulsed me from the house that my father provided us," Thaliana frowned and looked down.

"Where's your father?" Elise asked and stood still.

"He's in charged of something in our clan. They're fighting against the Kininvas that attempt to go near our grandfather," Thaliana explained.

"Your mother?" Tom asked.

"She's killed by the Kininvas in a battle. She's also a soldier before she was gone," Thaliana answered with a mixture of lividity and despair.

"That means, you're alone?" Tom asked again. They waited for an answer but Thaliana only nodded.

"Do you have any siblings?" Amy interrogated in a low voice.

"My father used to say, I have a twin brother," Thaliana said as she sluggishly raised her eyebrows up.

"His name?" Peter asked.

"I don't know," Thaliana shook her head and looked down.

"We've got the same nose, the same eyes," Peter said. "We look like each other." Thaliana looked at Peter's nose and eyes. She exhaled vastly.

"I'm just kidding," Peter stepped back literally.

Silence butted in.

"You know, we should eat now. We're already making Thaliana sad," Lance spoke all on a sudden.

They all stood up and did their contributions for lunch. Amy and Thaliana started to catch fishes for lunch. The boys came with a big piece of wood after a short while.

"That wood is too big!" Sally exclaimed.

Elise chopped the trunk into smaller pieces using her laser axe. Sally sets fire on the woods that serves as stove. Amy and Thaliana got enough number of fishes for everyone. They brought it to the rest to cook it.

"I really missed my father," Thaliana's tears fell down on her rosy cheeks. The fire from the woods reflected on her iris.

"We have several maps. Maybe we can go to the clan of your father later," Amy said.

"Really?" Thaliana said then looked at Amy. She hugged Amy and that action caught everyone's attention.

"I'm serious," Amy smiled amd hugged Thaliana back.

"Let's be fast in eating!" Thaliana said in excitement and pulled away.

After they have eaten their lunch, they rested under the enormous shade of a tree.

"Airie!" Amy called. "Come on, I'll arrange your stirrup."

Airie walked to Amy. Amy pulled the right loop of the stirrup and made a good balance.

"Do you know how to braid horses' mane, your Majesty?" Thaliana asked.

"No." Amy said then asked back, "you do?" Thaliana showed a usual nod and beam. "Can you teach me?" Amy asked. Thaliana nodded again.

Thaliana climbed Airie's back and gently pulled the first strands of the Airie's mane. She braided it, just like a woman's hair.

"It's just the same, right?" Amy asked.

"I know how to braid my hair. I also tried to my father's horse," Thaliana said. "But it looks better if you try four contours."

"Now, I know, thanks," Amy said.

"You're welcome," Thaliana said and jump down Airie's back. She picked up her spear from the ground and exhaled.

"Do you know how to fight?" Amy queried.

Thaliana nodded and said, "this is my mighty spear, your Majesty." She emphasized the grip of his hand on the spear.

"It's so easy for me to learn. I've been standing on my own feet so I know how to fight," Thaliana added.

They smiled at each other and stood up.

"Let's gather, Juniors!" Amy announced.

They all went under a tree then Amy asked for the maps.

"These are the maps, where's the clan of your father?" Amy, who shows different maps, asked Thaliana.

"Never been there," Thaliana mumbled and exhaled.

"Clan name?" Lance asked.

Thaliana shook her head.

"Your father's name?" Tom asked.

"Ben," Thaliana answered.

"Hey! Why are you asking Thaliana? We only have one clan near us and the others were far away," William said all on a sudden which made everyone stop and stare back at the map.

"You're right! Come on! We should go down to that clan," Amy said. "Here we come, Barbarus Clan."

They walked down the mountain with the horses. When they reached the foot of the mountain, Thaliana rode with Amy and Peter rode with Lance. Peter, Thaliana, and the Juniors headed to the path to the Barbarus Clan as the sound of men's yell becomes clearer.

"Long live our clan! Long live the Barbarus Clan!"

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