Don't Be Curious- A criminal who did the impossible

Chapter Sixteen

"We didn't come all the way to be ignored." Kass grumbled. There was a rumble, and feminine voice called from the other side.

"What is your business here? the gates are closed for the next century, leave!" it called. It took all Jaksas strength to not cover his ears with how loud it was.

"We were sent here by the king, im Prince Zander of-"

"Zander? why didn't you say so!" she cut him off, and the gates began to rumble. Thomas yelped, catching everyone's attention. There, at the top of a wall, appeared a dragon's head. "Dragon!" Everyone shouted in unison. She laughed, which made the floor shake.

"Oh you kids have a lot to learn" she chipped when the gates finally opened. It was a very disappointing site. It was a large field that looked dry with a few patches of snow here and there.

"Oh" Was all the Prince said as they rode in.

"My name is Endire, and we've been hoping you'd visit for a while no-" She cut herself off as she looked at Thomas. "Oh, you must be Prince Thomas, my stars you have grown so much!" Everyone was very confused. She seemed to see the confusion and something in her expression softened "poor, poor kids. You must be so lost. Don't worry, all will be revealed." she smiled and started to waddle off. She was a large dragon with purple spikes going down her back. Her scales were black and glimmered in the sunlight. Zander couldn't fathom how she was able to speak to them.

"Wait, what-"

"you can leave your horses, here it might spook them with all the hustle and bustle going on in town right now." As they cautiously got off the horses, the gates behind them closed and Jaksa couldn't stop the rapid pace heart was running at.

"This way!" she sang, and it looked like she had just walked through air then vanished. They stood dumbfounded. Endire poked her head back through, appearing as just a floating head. "Are you coming? " she asked, obviously amused. No one really knew what to think. Zander glanced at Jaksa, who just shrugged in response. He was surprised when the knight walked after the black and purple dragon, the others hesitantly waddled after him. Jaksa Stopped where the dragon had vanished, and stuck his hand out. It had turned invisible. A faint blue gloss surrounded his elbow. with a final glance behind him, He steps through, and he is at first overwhelmed with new sounds and smells.

It took a few blinks from the compose himself and looked around. It was amazing. It wasn't just humans. They were mythical creatures of all sorts. Birds, hybrid people with horse bodies, small mushroompeople, dragons, large colourful animals. It was straight out of a fairytale. When the others came through they seemed to have the same reaction, and Jaksa thought he saw a hint of fear on Zander's face. A few humans wandered around, they were rich looking, with large diamonds hanging from their necks around their wrists.

It was the floating market that caught his attention. There were several planks hovering just off the ground, covered with small jars and brightly coloured liquid. "Well sire, allow me to give you the tour!" Endure called. She was huge compared to the other creatures, who started casting suspicious glances at them. "Uh, Endure?" the prince called, unsure of himself. "We were sent here to help with a thief problem?" Endire gave him a confused look, her scaly brow lifting in question. Her eyes were surprisingly full of emotion, for an animal.

"Is that what he told you? Well, we don't get much crime here, our highly-trained guards make sure of that." In that moment Jaksa became acutely aware of the half horse-half person things holding spears.

Endire seemed to have been down this path many times. As she walked, the "people" duct under her with ease. Thomas had stopped by a small group of mushroom people who waved at him Happily. Zander was examining a jewellery stand, which was being run by a lady with piercing yellow eyes and long white hair. Her clothing was decorated with various flowers and leaves. Kass was still walking with Endire, grinning up at her as she showed him the spikes on her back. Jaksa took his time looking at all the decorations, the place loved flowers and colours. Everyone here looked so busy, but incredibly happy. It was almost unreal. Almost. a shout made his body freeze.

"It's him! It's that wanted man!" Someone shrieked, pointing directly at Jaksa. At first, he didn't believe it was him, that it was someone behind him, but one glance at the wanted poster in the person's hand confirmed his fear. It was the same poster that had been on the castle walls all those years ago. Surely these people knew he was no longer wanted? but no, the horse people had begun wielding their spears at him. some of the others around him looked confused, others scared.

"no no wait, I'm not-"

"quiet, thief." a feminine horse person snapped, exposing sharp teeth. The knight put his arms up in surrender as the spears came closer.

"Stop!" a familiar voice called. Jaksa turned to see a girl. Her hair was an individual braid with a few beads threaded in between them. She wore heavy looking armour and chainmail, a sword in her hilt. "Don't you boneheads know he's no longer wanted?" She snapped, standing in front of him. Zander came up running behind her

"What's going on?" He demanded.

"These fools are trying to arrest your knight." She responded harshly, not looking back. Zander raised a brown question, but Jaksa just frowned. Thomas and Kass now joined them, Endire towering behind them menacingly. The horse people looked lost, not putting their weapons down, and glancing around nervously at each other.

"What, you lot deaf? get lost!" she snapped. Once they finally lowered their spears, they grumbled and stumbled away. Jaksa felt red with embarrassment. as the silence stretched, the girl huffed

"y'all got a staring problem? Scram!" she commanded the townsfolk who had stood to watch. With that everyone continued with their day, rushing around with the supplies that they had gathered. The girl spun around on her heels to face them with a toothy grin. "Hello Jaksa." she purred.

"Sasha?" he grinned back.