
At the border of the Fog valley in southeastern Kotaraja, several people were running in a hurry.
Although the day had not really gone into the night, but the region was already quite dark. Until those people had to use torches for lighting their way.
The noisy sounds of several protective iron plates rubbing against it, were heard echoing through the silence of the valley. Clashing with the breath sounds of the people earlier.
It seemed that most of them were knights complete with weapons and body armor.
The rest were four women. When viewed from their clothes, three of them looked like a servant, while the other one looked like a noble.
There were also two children with them. The one in the sling of one of the maids, was too young to be able to run up against the adults. But the other one seemed to be old enough to run alone with the other.
Their bodies, which were visibly wet with the sweat and dew, showed that they had been running long enough in the fog valley.
But even so, their speed was no better than when they were walking. Due to the shrubbery, the protruding roots of the trees, as well as the slippery and uneven surface of the soil, they had to stop many times because of one or two people who fell. Especially the noble women and the little ones.
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"Are you all right, queen" asked a Narva knight with disheveled hair and a sweat-soaked forehead.
"Yes, I'm fine, Nash" a middle-aged Narva woman dressed in the plush attire of the nobles spoke while adjusting her breath. His face was also wet with sweat.
"It seems we are quite far away from them" Another Narva knight said.
"Maybe they've lost track of us" this time Narva's knight with a chanting headdress.
"I doubt that. They're Voryn's knights. They were reputed to be good at searching for trails and hunting" the muscular knight replied.
There was an uncomfortable attitude shown by the women while listening to the knight's speech.
"Come here" the head-shielded knight took the muscular knight away, after realizing the attitude.
Then the two knights seemed to continue their conversation away from the others. To avoid the woman called the queen earlier feeling even more worried about hearing their conversation.
"Are you okay, Mr Alexander?" The knight called Nash asked a 14-year-old boy, who was sitting next to the noble-aged woman earlier. To distract the others from the quite unsettling theme of the two knights talk earlier.
"I'm fine" replied the boy named Alexander, who was still breathing. "I am still strong to continue the journey" he continued. His face looks pe uh with sweat and a little pale.
"You are indeed a formidable man, Mr. Alexander" Nash replied with praise.
"Mother is proud of you too, Al. You're a tough guy" the middle-aged woman referred to as the queen added, rubbing the boy's head gently.
"Then what about the situation, Mr Eden?" Nash asked again. This time it was about a little boy who was in the arms of one of the servants.
"Is the fever down, Rachel?" The queen asked to be sure.
"Lord Eden is sleeping, queen. But the fever had not come down to this day" a girl with shoulder-length hair in the back pigtail replied. Seemed to be holding a 10-year-old boy tightly. It was as if trying to keep the cold around the place away from the boy.
"Don't worry, queen. We will definitely arrive on time" Nash was heard trying to cheer up and give hope to the queen.
"What about Grevier? Did you guys know how it was?" The queen looks agitated.
"I'm sorry, queen. To date we have not heard anything about Mr. Grevier" Nash replied in a lethargic manner.
"May she be okay. May the gods protect her" the queen prayed.
"We were all hoping for that, queen" Nash added as a sudden yellow glow of light flashed between the mist from behind them. That was then followed by the noisy voices of people shouting.
"Oh, fuck. They still haven't given up either" said one of the knights not far behind Nash.
"Did they bring in a tracking animal? They might find our trail in this valley of mist" the head-shielded knight said.
"Come away, but now inevitably, we have to start moving again" Nash said after he approached another group of knights.
"really. But let's take a home if we keep running this way. Sooner or later they will surely catch up to us" this time another knight with a small iron shield attached to his left arm, who spoke. "Just wait until the other stamina runs out, and they will definitely catch us" he added later.
"Do you have a plan, captain?" Nash asked the knight.
"I have. The only way to escape Voryn's pursuit, we have to divide into two groups" replied the knight, who was called captain by Nash. "You, along with Rob, take the queen's majesty south. While me and the others will outwit them in the opposite direction" he explained later.
"But, captain.." looks a little worried Nash with the plan. Because according to him, it would be better if they stayed together in order to face Voryn's soldiers, if they were overtaken.
"There's no time, Nash" the captain said. He then walked closer to the queen.
"Her Majesty, this time you and the others will only be accompanied by Nash and Rob, to continue the journey south" the captain looked down respectfully before the queen. "While me and others will be looking at them in the other direction" he said later.
"But they're many, and you're only five, captain?" The queen asked worried.
"You don't have to worry, queen. We will not fight them. We'll just lure them. We will also continue to flee" the captain explained to appease the queen. "So after this, you and the group will be accompanied by Nash to go south" he added.
"alright, captain. Take good care of yourself. God be with you" the queen said in prayer.
"Thank you, queen. And Nash, protect his noble queen, lord Alexander, and lord Eden. Make sure they arrive at princess Lucia's place safely" said the captain, who appeared to be preparing.
"Ready. I understand, captain" Nash replied quickly and decisively.
"All right then. Let's get moving!" the captain's orders were immediately responded by the others by starting to move apart.
Five knights seemed to be running towards the east deliberately making a row and attracting attention.
While the other two knights were with the women and children, continuing their journey towards the forest in the south.
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