บท 35: Banished Village (2)
It was sweet. It was calming. The melodious tones faintly reached Yrah's ears. Prince Devon who was watching her twitched when he saw Yrah's face shift. His 'Mhmps' and grunts amused Shiiba. As she was still in the form of a gigantic white wolf, she could only snicker and howl at the squirming little prince.
When the four people guarding them heard the enchanting sound, they looked at each other with hesitation.
Alek was the first one to break the silence. "Inform Garron that the leader is here. You, keep the spell on the mages whatever happens." With that, he glanced at Yllana then faced the guest who was walking to the door.
Creak...
More than five pairs of eyes waited in anticipation. The door opened slowly. There was a flickering light behind the silhouette of a man. There was a fire burning outside the cabin raining a few golden rays against Yllana's red eyes.
The man was holding a long wooden instrument against his lips. He was blowing onto it and the melodious series of notes flowed louder on their ears. Slowly, the man entered the cabin.
The music stopped. "Is the one who owns the blood rabbit here?" A silky smooth voice followed. Yllana doesn't know how but when she heard the voice, she replied in her mind with a soft 'yes'. The man quickly looked at her as if he heard her.
"Oh, it's this young lady here? Why are they tied Alek?" The man was wearing light blue robes with a golden ribbon on his waist. His eyes were as clear as the moon up above. He looks like a fairy, especially with his flowy silver hair. An 'ethereal being' were the words that came to Yllana's mind when she saw his face.
"Don't...look...at...him!" Lucien's eyes were glaring at Yllana as he tried to battle the spell that was cast on him. When Yllana looked at Lucien, she saw a trace of blood freshly dripping on the side of his forehead. His eyes were turning fuzzy and she could sense that he was having an internal struggle.
'Lucien!' She couldn't break the spell, unlike Lucien. So her words were left stuck in her throat.
"L-Leader Biel..." Alek said softly. His lips were trembling. But it is not fear that he is fighting inside him, it was the allure that Biel was displaying. Alek couldn't hold on and he dropped to his knees.
'What is happening?' Yllana observed the other people around her. Flushed cheeks, starry eyes, and unwavering attention...they seem to be lovestruck? That's when it hit her. Yllana peered at her companions. Even the boys seemed affected, except for Lucien whose head was bleeding from trying to fight a strong magical spell.
She could feel it. That intense desire to look at that man. His voice, his face, his demeanor all these seem to be otherworldly to her. Never in her existence did she encounter a very dangerous man.
"Untie them," Biel's words were commanding. His eyes looked down on Alek who was kneeling on the ground. "Alek, you know how I hate when people disobey my command." He smiled. But this one did not carry any gentleness like his voice. It was a cold sinister smile.
~~~~~~~~
"I couldn't be any more sorry because of Garron's treatment to all of you but I assure you that we will do all means necessary for you to forgive us." Biel beamed. Alek swallowed and so did the other people in front of the table.
Cold was the morning and the fire from the furnace burned higher. The crackling of the coals gave an eerie chill as the leader of the Banished Village gathered Garron and his men to face Yllana and her group.
"We w-were sorry B-biel. I-it was my idea because t-they were all too...b-beautiful." Garron stammered numerous times while trying to avoid the intense smile of Biel. Yes, it was his smile that seems dangerous and Garron was more aware than that.
"So ...I guess this is the reason why the South Kingdom locked up their own people from the inside?" Midel smiled back at Biel. Their eyes locked, one ethereal looking being to another. Two beautiful creatures in a battle of beautiful smiles.
"Biel,"
"Midel,"
"Yes, they banish other people who were not blessed by the heavens. And we gathered here on the mountainous forests to survive. We hunt most of the time. We also have fields but they die out when the snowstorms hit so Garron and his men started robbing passersby, unfortunately." Two white eyes surveyed the sorry-looking figures on a corner. He flicked his heavenly smile to them and the men went limp.
"Your contracted bloody rabbit...I see that it was only recently when you made a blood contract with this beast." Biel took out a big wicker basket covered with a white cloth. He pointed at Yllana's bandaged hand where the rabbit bit her. She smiled. She doesn't need to explain this to him.
"Laia! She's ok." She felt the bite on her palm sting a little when she went closer to Biel to look inside the basket. She saw two long white ears peeking out. When it heard her voice, a small head full of white fur and two teardrop-shaped red eyes snuck out of the white cloth.
"That rabbit is a beast?" Shiiba, now in her human form, also chimed in with her eyes glowing in excitement. She was so worried about the little white rabbit when they put a sleeping spell on her.
Except for Lucien, all the other people with Yllana looked quizzically at the white furball in her hands. That cute little creature is a beast? This is what was painted on their faces.
The blood rabbit hopped off the basket and landed on Yllana's arms. Its ears dropped and eyes bulged like asking for forgiveness. "Don't feel sorry Laia, they were powerful. Tsk, I wasn't even abe to protect you." Yllana thought of herself. Now that they were out of the North Kingdom's borders again, she felt her life force level was not enough to protect the people she cares about. There are even more dangerous people outside the kingdom.
"The South Kingdom has a high standard of 'ugly'," Prince Devon who was rubbing his sore wrists smirked as he peeks a glance at the peerlessly beautiful Biel.
Thud!
"Careful, you are in our territory." Alek and the rest of the gang readied let their weapons hit the floor as a warning.
"You, men, are being rude tot his handsome prince, If I were you-" Muffled sounds followed after Prince Devon's words. Lucien stuffed a whole lump of bread in the prince's mouth to stop him from blabbering.
"Noisy stupid," he muttered.
"Hehe, I was banished too but not because of my looks. They also don't want people who are way too beautiful," Biel just stated as a matter of factly. He placed a hand on his chin emphasizing his flawlessly white skin. There was a natural pinkish blush on his cheeks that added to his allure.
Yllana felt a hand covered her eyes. "E? L-Lucien?" Lucien's eyes twitched.
Theoden noticed Lucien's reaction towards Biel and he chuckled. "Forgive my daughter, she is a little innocent when it comes to men. You see, she had only feelings for swords and spears even when she was little." Then he turned to Biel, "We see that these people you are with are strong.
"I almost charmed her too, tsk. But you... I can take someone like you too, you know?" Biel raised his flute and directed it at Lucien.
"Blood Staff," Lucien's words shocked Yllana and she grabbed his other hand to stop him.
"Don't worry. I don't plan to raise a hand against you. You may now continue your journey. Your carriages and other belongings have been placed back." Biel waved his hand to Alek. Alek then walked beside Theoden and told them o follow him back to their carriages.
~~~~~~~~~~
"What was he, that Biel guy, master?" Shiiba was peeking at the carriage window while they continued on the road.
Midel patted Shiiba's head and answered with a soft smile, "He is an enchanter, his life force is similar to that of a nymph. I sensed a bit of it when he was playing his flute." A dangerous glint flashed across Midel's eyes that no one saw.
"He is just another trash from the South Kingdom. He is not that really beautiful. It was his flute and charm that captures people's attention." Prince Devon's face turned from pink to red as he remembered Biel's face. No one could argue about that white-haired guy's peerless face. Even Prince Deon's face was not cooperating with him as it betrayed what he was really thinking.
"If he's ugly, then what are you? A butt-face? A wart that has grown a face? or just heaven's greatest mistake?" Shiiba pouted. The prince's face turned beet red from embarrassment.
"How dare you! This handsome man is still a prince even if we are not in the North Kingdom! Respect! I demand respect! Midel, tell your disciple to say sorry!" Prince Devon glared angrily at Midel.
"Ahh...this is going to be a long ride." Midel threw his head back and silently. He knew that their journey out of the Banished Village was still far from over from the look on Biel's face. His gaze concentrated on the roof of the carriage. Something in his guts made him feel uncomfortable. Something big is still about to happen. He smiled. He has not felt alive like this before.
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