They climbed the stairs all the way up, it seems the guards and knights were told to let them roam free, for none stood in their path, just watching with their eyes, legs staying still, although they were forbidding from the king's chambers
Isabel tried to go in that direction but the knights moved their Halberds cutting her way
Shocked she gave them a disgusted look, as if whispering '''Boring'''! before following the rest
Climbing up they looked down on the commoners, their eyes fascinated
"How can it be, merely torches of fire, they are so, Beautiful," said Sara
"I think it would be much better if everything was on fire," said Isabel
As they continued the climb Sara replied "Your so weird" to Isabel
"Weird? honey I'm just a natural, I don't pretend like you do" replied Isabel
"Me? I pretend? You better remove that toughness act of yours before I—" said Sara before Henry cut them saying
"That is enough, we reached the top already"
They looked upon the capital, this time in the fullest of its glory, it was still as lively and it can possibly be
Isabel seemed to be deep in thoughts, staring at the lights
"Did you finally manage to understand this art," said Sara
"I bet she thinks of how much bread she can cook with all these flames" said Thomas smirking
Isabel wide eyed glared at him with her sharp looks, while Sara was just confused
"So, what do you guys think?" said John
They stared at him not understanding the purpose of the question
"Was it worth it, all these years living in isolation from the world, only rumours about the capital to give us hope," said John
"If you ask me, we are still living the Isolation," said Thomas
"Yes, but it is not the same, here we can have some good night sleep," said John
"Even though I wasn't always with you, let me tell you this," said Henry "All that changed, is that now we have temporarily comfort"
"Temporarily?" asked Isabel
"We don't really know what the masked man plans next, he always comes up with unexpected variables out of nowhere," said William
"Just relax, thinking about it isn't going to change the outcome, if he despised our rest so much, he would've done something about it" said Thomas standing on Henry's left, stretching his right hand over both shoulders and pulling him closer
They stood there, joking around, playing with each other, the moon rose higher and so it was time to sleep, walking down the stairs they missed the Ill shaped crow who flew far enough behind them not to be heard
Although the Butler did not, he stared at it from the Brocken window until it flew far enough not to be seen by the human eye
Carving the crown of gold to his liking he walked up to the king sitting in the dark
"I don't know what that thing is, but it needs to stay away, for next time I will carve out its insides and see for myself" said the butler putting the last touches on the crown
He slowly knelt down on one knee putting the crown above the head of the king, this time it fit perfectly, the huge disabled ruler just sat their taking it
"Although I sent the guards and knights towards the place he asked for" said the butler standing up, "I don't really know if he is here or there"
He took out a glass syringe staring at the liquid inside, making sure no one is near him, the eyes of the king full of exhaustion looked up at it
He looked down on him and said "Not now little one" he brought his eyes up to the kings staring right into them
"We are going to see this through, you are not resting anytime soon,"
Before hiding it back and going outside the room
Down in the capital the night passed and with the rising sun Stood Richard, that young boy who is inspired by books, that boy who wishes to spread knowledge rather than to read it
Walking down stairs this time much earlier then he used to he met the baker, Brian
"Such an early bird you have become boy," said Brina
"Never hurts" said Richard sitting down "So? Where is the bread"
"You will need to wait until she finishes it" said Brina before he shouted "Marya!"
"Close!!" she replied
Richard open one of his books, the paper was eaten inside of it, getting his eyes closer he is to be small bookworms eating on it, each of them facing the other
"What is that?" asked the baker, Brian
"These are, Beetle larvae, two of them actually, they live feed on books" Richard replied
"Reminds me of someone," said Brian as Richard was getting his hand ready to push them away
"So, mean, to interrupt their date like that," said Brian
Richard without hesitation pushed them off while staring at Brian
"And who told you they were dating" said Richard as Marya broth the cooked bread to her father "They were probably fighting; I just stopped it"
Richard started taking some bread into his bag
"I see you are taking much more then you are used to, trying to put on some weights?" said Brian
"I guess I have a guest or two today" replied Richard handing over the payment
"Ohhhh a guest" said Brian with a smile as he looked back "Marya, our bookworm started dating someone, you might have competition"
"I don't really care—" she said before smoke went out at once from the furnace making her start to cough
"Did you burn it? Sigh…" said Brian going inside to help
"I wouldn't have done so if someone helped instead of wasting time" replied Marya
"Anyway, I will be leaving" said Richard as he went through the door
"Good luck!" shouted Brian as he looked at his daughter and said "Do you think he does have a guest or is he using bread to bribe people"
"Who bribes people with bread, you think he is that stupid?" replied Marya
"You think he is that smart?" said Brian as she continued working without any answer
"Thought so," said Brian
Walkin down the street of the market when he reached where he places his books, Richard noticed a crowd on the side, he squeezed through trying to get a glimpse out of curiosity
When he reached a high enough point, he saw a woman in old torn clothes, not as old as the skinny child from the other day, but dirty enough to show her as a homeless crazy person
Her hair was dull white, her face full of wrinkles unlike her young looks, she seemed to be in her mid-30s to early 40s
She was looking around her as if searching desperately for someone, or something
She yelled "Where is my child" her eyes filled with madness, her fingernails dirty and tall, she seemed to forget anything about self-care
"I know he is here! the voices told me, Where Is He!!!"
Some guards went to take here away, for she stopped many kids and adults from the male side not letting them pass through, she checked each of their faces
While the guards took her away, she yelled
"My boy!! Give me back my boy!!"
"How sad" said a voice of a man behind Richard, he looked back to find the merchant from the other day has already placed his tent down
"Black magic hurt many families already, and it just continues to hurt more," said the merchant
"And what gives you that idea? It might just be a normal kidnapping, or she just might be" as he looked at her down the streets being dragged away "Crazy…"
"I heard of many cases from the Kazar kingdom, specifically the Waster family part, some rumours say a cult lives in the forest nearby, and many children were already kidnapped from there," said the merchant
"Even If that is true, the sea splits us from them, and I don't think she is from the Kazar kingdom," said Richard
"Why," asked the merchant
"With her condition, I don't think she can go travel all of that by herself" replied Richard
"Makes sense" replied the Merchant "Anyway, place down your books, they won't go into people's pockets unless you do," said the merchant
As Ruchard spread the carpet across the floor he said
"I don't care about people's pockets" putting the books down in order
The merchant looked at him full of questions, "And why are you coming here everyday if not for the payment you would get from selling them"
"Well, I care about the skulls," said Richard. The merchant stared at him as if looking at a cannibal
"No, not like that, I care about giving out information" he said picking the bag of bread "Well, for today, I care about filling stomachs instead of brains"
As he took the bread from it with a big smile