HARANYA part 2: Firran (eng) [COMPLETED]

Chapter 5: Villanelle

Night was already beginning to fall when Fenglong crossed the border between Mahadevi and Villanelle, out of breath. Windblow had slowed the pace noticeably, exhausted as well. As they came out of the jungle, the trees parted to make way for a mountainous region dotted with pink cherry blossoms. To the west, the calm sea was close by, below a high cliff. But the Firran did not take the time to admire the beauty of this exotic region. She had to find a safe place to spend the night, because it was no longer possible for her or her mount to take another step.

After a bend in the road, and as the path descended rather steeply down the mountain, Fenglong saw a small house alone on the side of the road. As she approached, she guessed that it was probably a farmhouse, since it was surrounded by fences and a few buffaloes were grazing peacefully in the green grass. The Firran decided to try her luck and knocked on the wooden door. An elderly Harani opened it, brandishing a pitchfork in her direction.

"What do you want with me, thief?!" he shouted.

- "I'm not here to threaten you or steal from you" Fenglong said, waving her hands in front of her to show that she posed no threat. "I'm a traveler, I've just been crossing Mahadevi for two days without even taking a break, and my lion and I are exhausted. We would like you to accommodate us during the night, even if it is in the stable, please."

The farmer seemed to hesitate for a moment, scratching his chin. He finally sighed and looked Fenglong in the eyes.

"All right, but first I'd like you to do me a little favour."

- "Anything."

- "For the past few weeks I've had a few buffaloes stolen from me every night. I suppose they are thieves. I work for the king, and my buffalo meat is very much appreciated. I probably make a lot of people envious. I would like you to dissuade the thieves from stealing another one tonight, and even forever. I don't care about your methods. Just try to do it quietly..."

Fenglong nodded her head and went out into the meadow. Many buffaloes were lying down as it was already dark, but some were still grazing quietly. Fenglong watched the surroundings with her ear to the ground. A shudder made her head turn. Someone was standing nearby, sheltered by a bush. The person came out, crawling, masked. Equipped with a lasso, the stranger grabbed one of the buffaloes, closing its mouth to prevent it from mooing. Fenglong intervened immediately. She cut the rope and approached the stranger, threatening him. The thief ran away. However, the Firran thought it was a bit too easy. He hadn't tried to stop her, nor to push her away. Still less to take revenge for this affront. As she suspected, other thieves sprang from the bushes. They threw themselves at her, armed to the teeth. However, as it was already dark, they could not see very well, so they took poor aim and missed her. But she didn't miss them. With great vision in the dark, like all of her kind, she could see their movements perfectly. With her legendary speed, she shot her arrows and never missed. As the little thieves ran away, she shouted to them never to return, that she was now the guardian of the place. Of course, this was not true, but she hoped that this would give the farmer peace of mind... At least for a while. When she was sure that the thugs had gone far away, Fenglong returned to the farm to warn the farmer that tonight none of his buffaloes would disappear. Delighted, he offered her a bowl of soup and let her sleep with Windblow in the stable. The Firran offered her lion a large piece of dried meat which she had kept in her satchel for him, before lying on the straw. She soon fell asleep, exhausted.

The cool wind blew in the night, whistling between the branches of the trees in the forest and lifting her coat. The full moon was weakly able to light the place through the leaves. Quietly, with her eyes closed, Fenglong listened to the soft music played by the wind. The head of her snowlion came to rest gently on her thigh, pulling her from her meditation. Slowly opening her eyes, she looked at the animal and tenderly caressed his black fur.