"See, I told you I am here." She turned to Alaric, who looked at her wide-eyed, his eyes sparkling in astonishment, though inwardly he wasn't that surprised.
He remembered the spectacle his parents had put on during his birth celebration, a power display far greater than what his mother had just displayed.
He knew they were strong but wasn't sure how strong compared to others.
His six years in the elven kingdom had been peaceful, moving from place to place, never once witnessing a battle by the elves.
They truly embodied peace, at least that is what he believed.
"Mom, you are impressive." He gave his mother a thumbs up, Raika blushing at her son's acknowledgment.
"Of course I am..." She stepped into the carriage, playfully ruffling Alaric's blue hair.
"Did that kid just smile..." The coachman couldn't help but shudder as he side-glanced at the two behind him.
They were the only three who had embarked on the journey: their trusted coachman and the mother-son duo.
He was always a background character, as a coachman should be.
But even he knew a child who had never seen violence before should have shown signs of fear or disgust, yet Alaric didn't show anything of such, a smile on his face as his mother entered the carriage, the smell of burnt flesh still fresh from her.
"The Vulcans are scary..." he thought, taking a mental note never to betray them.
...
The journey went on as it should, resting at night in a simple camp tent to keep out the flies, and as for the beasts, well, Raika's magical pressure taught them to think twice.
She deliberately let out a fifth-resonance magical pressure to ward off the creatures, a straining process as that was manually expelling mana from the mana heart yet not using it, a waste she wouldn't want to do, but for the sake of Alaric's sound sleep she did.
.
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"I can see a town up ahead." Alaric peered his head through the carriage, a town reflecting in his red eyes.
"Philip, let's rest there..." he said to the coachman.
"Gotcha, young master," the latter responded with a nod, already on route to the place.
He had began to like Alaric, his earlier apprehensions slightly elevated.
Over the course of a week of their travel, the two had become close, Alaric talking to the middle-aged man as if he were an age mate.
At first it felt awkward, the son of a duke talking to a servant like him, but after a while, he felt a connection with the six-year-old, as if he were talking to his age mate.
Raika, who never cared for class, didn't mind. Her son had someone else to talk to, and it wasn't a woman; she didn't have a problem.
...
"Identification please," a guard adorned in crimson armor requested.
Alaric scrutinized everything: the town surrounded by palisade walls, the wooden spikes thicker than any he had seen, a guard tower a couple of meters from them.
Inside were guards seemingly casually talking to each other, but Alaric didn't miss the glances they threw.
They seemed unguarded, yet their subtle movements showed they were ever ready for an attack.
"Jake would have sniped them before they knew what hit them," he muttered under his breath, remembering his old comrade, the silent reaper.
A look of reminiscence and melancholy replaced his curious expression as he thought of how they could be doing after all these years.
Whether they were still alive, serving under those vermin without knowing the real truth.
" Those scum "
"You may pass."
The carriage began to move, bringing him out of his stupor.
They passed through the gates, several eyes on them, Alaric noticing the depleted state of the town.
Sunken cheeks, rows of people lined up for food, women, children, and old people. The only youthful men available were the soldiers clad in crimson, some sharing the food, a few patrolling to keep order.
"..." Alaric kept mute, his expression calm and blank.
He had seen this so many times; his instinctive reaction was to block it out, something they had been taught as navy seals.
Never let your emotions get the better of you.
The carriage arrived in front of an inn.
The coachman took the lead as he always had, preparing a room for them and other necessities.
As this was going on, Alaric noticed the stares people were giving his mother and himself.
The only well-dressed people in the whole room.
He knew what was coming from miles away.
"It might be too late, but at least we can blend in," Alaric thought as he turned to Philip, the coachman.
His mother gave the stink eye to anyone who looked at her for too long.
He knew she wasn't one to talk reason to.
Six years had taught him that.
"Philip, can we trade our clothes for some local clothes, and let's hire some of the people here for security, or they would get themselves killed when they try to steal from us," he explained.
Philip nodded, a bit confused. How could these old and sickly people protect them?
"Get themselves killed," he echoed, his eyes unconsciously turning to Raika, the latter glaring at the people who seemed to be staring for too long.
His eyes widened in realization.
"Yes, right away..."
Several minutes later, the three looked like common folk, their noble robes traded for simple-looking ones.
Though they still stood out due to their mannerisms, it was better.
Raika had protested, but after a few puppy eyes from Alaric she gave in, Alaric internally embarrassed for putting on such a show.
A group of children and a few elderly were given a small amount to serve as security, Alaric even paying more to learn about the place they were about to spend the night.
Humans are far more dangerous than beasts.
Human communities are much more cruel than jungles.
A philosophy that had been drilled into him.
And thus, he had to know beforehand a little about the place he slept in.
As Philip prepared their lodging, Alaric sat with a young boy about his age, Raika seated two seats from them.
Alaric didn't want her scaring the child.
"Hey, little man," Alaric began.
"Don't call me little, you are also little," the boy pouted, Alaric taken aback.
He had momentarily forgotten he was a child as well; he couldn't speak as he did during his navy days.
"Hahaha, but I am an inch taller than you..." He quickly changed tactics, trying to ease the boy in.
"Let's measure." The boy rose to his feet, the two checking their height, the boy a few centimeters taller than Alaric.
"I guess you are taller."
"Hmm, of course I am."
"Then I will call you boss."
"You sure must."
"So, boss, can you tell me about this place..."
___________
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A/N
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