Chapter 4: The Land of Poor
"Why..."
Indulf's screams might have startled the princess awake. She scrambled up and looked around frantically. It made Rianon's head spin a little. Her sudden upright position made her nauseous.
"Rigor. Ugh. My head hurts. Grab me my mead."
The world seemed to stop for the three people looking directly at the princess who just addressed the huge man casually. Indulf or the person who should be Indulf muttered to herself, "No no no no. This isn't happening. This is just a dream". She kept on whispering to herself, and slapped her face to wake herself from this nasty dream.
"Rigor! I said my... What the..!" It seemed that the princess did see her reflection as well. Or should be her reflection but instead, the body that should be hers is on the other side staring at her like a lunatic. "Why... Why am I... What?" Both women were staring dumbfoundedly to each other. Reality not hitting them yet.
Andro caught on what happened, as he had history of magic in him. Not much of a practitioner, but he knew a little bit to be concious of what is magic. That white light is a clear evidence of it. The situation at the moment could be bigger than his knowledge to be able to reverse the aftermath himself. Andro sighed to himself, this is just a mess.
Indulf in the body of the princess stood up with fierceness in her eyes. "Andro! What is happening right now?! Why is... Why am I over there?!" The bounty huntress looked at her new body. Slapped herself as well to see if it was real. And it was. Everything is very real.
Both Rianon and Indulf's heart were beating loudly. The circumstances of this mishap are greatly inconveniencing both ladies. Just thinking of what would happen after made them recoil from imagining their life after.
Andro tried to placate the huntress. Slowly reaching up to her in an effort to calm her down. "Mishtra, I do not know what happened as well. My best bet would be asking Tonio about this. He is a sorcerer afterall." Indulf groaned in frustration.
"We must go to Goasa." Rigor added.
"Goasa? Why? Why should we? I need to find my brother! What...what is happening..."
Hounds are known to trade with black markets. They rob their victims and get paid by the people in the dark. The biggest black market known is the small town of Goasa. It is where most criminals and illegal settlers go and make a living. By deceiving, robbing and doing unlawful things to people of that place and other towns. That is why the Hounds love Goasa.
"Tonio lives there, and he knows more magic than I do. If yoy want your body back, then we must go to Goasa."
--
The journey to Goasa is quite long coming from the forests of Perni. They must travel through two towns and three lakes that may take them three days to arrive. It was a painful trek.
One and a half days later, as the sun is setting, the three Hounds and the princess found themselves in a town of beige.
Everything appears to be bleak and dull. The houses are all run down, the roads aren't paved. Even the people looked lifeless and starving. Children that should be playing were all fighting for a piece of bread that already rolled around the dirt. The women who should be in their best dresses and jewels are all hunched down, working themselves to the bone. Most men are drunk in their sorrows to even work. Every turn of the head, the scenes are pitiful.
Rianon's heart ached for them. She remembered the rare ocassions where she strolls around the their kingdom's land. Being greeted ny lively people; colors all around her from their clothes to the the market's goods. Even the houses looks vibrant. Their people smiling all the time, laughing with each other, children playing together. Would this be Hallor's fate as well? When she finds her brother, would he be able to save them? Or would she be too late? It hurts to think of it, but her mind betrays her all the time.
They settled into a small inn where the old lady who accomodated them berated Indulf for wearing fancy clothes and not going somewhere else where it would fit her more. The cloak she used did not conceal the jewels adorning her body. When the old lady saw the crests on the necks of Indulf's companions, she appeared to come back to her senses. She lead them to their room where there are only two beds. That much is all they can afford, and all the inn can offer.
"This is such a sad town." Rianon commented while staring out of the window. A man and woman fighting so harshly, arguing about something the princess can't hear. "I wish I am not too late to comeback and see my people become like this."
"You keep on saying when you come back. Why did you leave them in the first place?" Indulf scoffed at Rianon, tired of her gloomy musings about the place she left.
"I need to bring back my brother. He will save us from King Jean."
"Where is he?" Andro asked.
"I... I do not know. He was last seen in Condor. That's where I'll start."
Indulf dissolved into laughter hearing how ridiculous the royal highness' answer was. It was foolish. Even a lowly hunter like her knows it was stupid. Besides, Condor is from the other side of the world. The princess might have to travel through the seas just to enter the boundaries of Condor.
"Why should you have to find your brother? Why don't you just save your beloved palace instead?"
The redhead princess never entertained that idea. From the start where the King's advisers asked her to do so, she wildly refused. Her brother is the only way.
"Well, I am in your body. I would love to go back but that would be inconvenient for you isn't it? Or you could help me. Let's go back and you teach them a lesson."
Or is it the only way? Should she really have to find Ernest?
"Yah! I'm not exactly a charitable person."
"I beg to differ. You saved me."
Indulf scoffed at the Princess' guillible faith in her now because of an inpulse she did at the cliff. "The only reason for that because we need to pay Tonio for bounties and my necklace."
"And your pretty face." Rigor added as Andro tried to snort secretly in the hopes of not receiving the horrendous glare sent their way. Rianon didn't know her face could be as menancing as Indulf makes it look like.
The elfish man coughed slightly to break the awkward tension rising. "I'm starving. Let's go eat so we could rest early. We must leave before the sun rises."
"We're going to the market first. I cannot breathe in this stupid dress!"
--
"I don't think this would be a good idea." Rianon countered for the tenth time as she convinced her companions to rethink what they'll be doing. "Shut up."
Inside a small store of clothes, Indulf and her lackeys stole a few garments to change into. Unfortunately, the owner caught them redhanded ans wasn't even fazed to see the wrathful face of the huntress and her skull choker.
"Pay for that."
"You potsha. I will end you right now." Swords were drawn to threaten the poor man but he was standing perfectly still. His face is hardened and will not back down no matter what. Rianon admired his courage and his desire to be righteous. So she plucked a few gems in the pocket of her clothes where Indulf left them on their first encounter.
"We will pay for it. How much?"
"Thousand fyros." He stated with no hindrance.
"A thousand?! These are sack bags and you dare say thousand?!" Indulf had to be held back by Rigor as to not actually hurt the man. She was very close to losing it especially when Rianon handed three emerald gems to the man with a smile. "Would these be enough?"
The store owner smiled slyly and said, "No, two more gems would do."
A fight started and it ended up with the man's luck only having broken bones instead of death.
The four of them went straight to a small tavern to eat. They ordered some soups and a pitcher of mead. "You shouldn't have beaten him to pulp. He was only trying to make profit."
Andro stopped his Mishtra before she could speak and be angered once more. "Do you not know anything about money Princess? One gem could cost five thousand fyros."
Rianon frowned at the small man in confusion. Why was she being asked how much the gem was? Of course she knows. She was only helping the man since his store was really in a bad condition. He could start something better with fifteen thousand fyros.
"People of Enre are greedy. They are so poor they would kill for money. The will try to hoot out as much as they can from you. That's how they are here. If you give them more than what they should, they'll ask for more. Enre is so starved like that."
Rianon's frown deepened. "Enre? This is Enre? You must be mistaken."
She was only met with raised brows.
"Enre is under our wing. It is prospering. That's... That's what Duke Preire has told us..."
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