บท 48: Village

"Behold! Yonder lies the front guard tower of Keen Village, the solitary gateway to the canyon. Proceed a little further, and the village itself will come into view."

Laladoya, her eyes alight with anticipation, drew back the curtain and peered out with eager interest. Her delicate features were suffused with excitement as she drank in the approaching vista. Without taking her eyes from the scene ahead, she continued to regale Limon with her knowledge.

Aware that Limon was new to the Taklama Kingdom and had yet to set foot in Keen Village, Laladoya took it upon herself to play the role of guide and informant.

Limon, too, followed suit and opened the curtain on his side. The landscape that greeted him was a study in contrasts. The once all-pervasive yellow sand had given way to sporadic patches of verdant vegetation, yet the terrain was still dominated by barren rocks and the warm, golden hues of the sun-baked earth.