Reo : the secrets of Strauss

The stranger by the river

The night passed by and it was time to move again. Reo checked out of the inn and rode her horse to the path towards the next town but stopped when he saw imperial guards on the road. The King has sent messages to the nearby kingdoms about the missing princess. Reo turned her horse that they may go through the thick forest and there she can plan further her escape. Reo stopped at a nearby river to refill her container with water and to let the horse rest when they saw a very peculiar man. He was well dressed up and had fine blue hair. He looked as though he was lost since he kept looking around finally catching a glimpse of Reo. He approached her and looked at her from head to toe.

"Hey, um..do you know which way to the main road? I'm kinda lost."

This guy looks like he's so out of the blue. What the hell is he doing here in the middle of the forest?

"Go straight to east. that should head you to the main road. It'll take an hour to get to the main road if you walk so I suggest you get going."

"Oh."

The stranger stood still there and started to look at Reo's horse.

"NO."

"It's just a tiny favor. I'll return to you back ten folds Miss...?"

"Look, I'm in a hurry, too. So if I were you, I'd start walking."

Reo started to ride her horse.

"Hya!"

"Wait please!" The stranger dropped on the ground as he got tackled by the horse accidentally while blocking Reo.

"Are you okay!?"

"I'm f-" the guy's chest ached as Reo saw a bruise formed peaking from his neck.

Crap.

Feeling responsible for what happened, Reo let him ride on her back and headed towards the main road.

"I'll drop you by the town's clinic. You need to get that looked at. It looks really bad." Reo said with a straight face.

"Thanks.. a lot."

"No problem.."

Silence peaked between the two with only the birds singing and the river running could be heard.

"So, are you a local around here? you seem to know a lot about this place." the stranger opened a conversation disrupting the awkward silence.

"Kind of. I used to live a few miles from this town." She said referring to the place she lived in for 6 years.
"How about you? Where'd you come from? You certainly don't belong in this part of the continent." she continued.

"I ran away from home."

His words shocked Reo because she too was running away.

"Really? How come?" she asked to continue the coversation.

"The responsibilities are too heavy to carry. And it just.. crossed the line this time."

"I know what you mean." Reo sorrowfully empatized.

A few minutes later, they arrived on the clinic in town. Reo got down first and assisted the stranger to go down. They walked in the clinic with the stranger's hand around Reo's neck.

"Someone, please help." She asked as an old woman helped them.

Reo was about to go when she was stopped by a nurse.