A TALE OF CAGES AND VINES (COMPLETE)

PART 9 - THE ROYAL GUARD

The Royal Guard

When they were done resting at Ferdinand, Hunter announced that they were going into the Wharf Town to check for the last bounty which made her smile. The morning went off without a hitch as she exited the Shady Rest with her hair tied back and her face with the newly applied powder.

Hunter had to do a double take when he saw her face.

Humming a happy tune, she went over to saddle her horse and then climb on all the while humming a song from her childhood. Finally, as they eased their horses out, Hunter reached out to poke her cheeks," What happened to your face?"

Dev jerked her head away from him and grinned," A gift from Alana."

Hunter pursed his lips and grumbled," How come they always have gifts for you and not me?"

"Because I am me," Dev replied with a cheeky grin. Hunter shook his head in amusement before they urged their horses to go faster.

When they arrived at the town, she kept her hood up, head down and stayed behind Hunter. They were headed straight for the Trading Post where everything happened. New soldiers, shipments and news came in or out there. There were several bars and hostels around the place for the soldiers and travelers.

It was also a territory for the soldiers. Dev was relieved to see that they didn't have any prisoners to sell. 'No Zelos', they would say.

And if they tried to take her, Hunter would simply say that he owned her.

She was not a thing to buy and sell but she understood that in this time, it was better to hold your tongue than to face problems or fights.

They both got off their horse at the entrance of the Trading Post before tying up the horses' reins. Dev kept a little distance from Hunter until he went inside. That was as far as she was supposed to go. The last few times, she had entered, men asked for her so many times that Hunter had to resort to hitting them.

It made Dev nearly made her faint. And so, they came to an agreement that she would stay out of sight. Outside.

Hunter patted her hooded head before going inside with a loud shout to the Post Master who returned it heartily. Beside the door, there were scrolls stuck on a wooden board. She didn't bother reading them, just search for drawing of faces and places.

Hunter had offered to teach her to 'read' but she stayed firm that she'd rather stick to her culture than to learn the culture of a race of people that was trying to erase hers. She only learned the words 'buy', 'steal', take', 'owner', slave and 'hello.'

When she was in prison, she had learned other words but it was only for survival.

She then turned when she heard the sound of men shouting and horses galloping into the town. Each of them dressed in new uniforms and they carried a banner that had strange creatures on them. There were seven of them and they reminded her of the soldiers who had captured her and brother.

Moving slowly, she hid herself behind a wooden board and waited for them to stop in front of the place.

If Hunter wanted to find her, he would have to search for her. She wasn't far. They didn't bother going into Trading Post when they stopped. Instead, they all got off their horses, exchanged a few words before five of them entered a hostel while the other two tended to the horses.

The sound of footsteps made her turn her focus back to the Trading Post entrance where Hunter was coming out of. In his hand was a scroll and a small pouch. She watched him come out and frown at sight of the horses, "Where did- "