Tepas was not a large village, but lively enough for its size.
Its main road was roughly paved, flanked by small shops whose shutters had already been half lowered as the afternoon wore on. Several children ran around in front of a food stall. An old man sat in a rattan chair in front of his house, smoking while watching the road with no particular expression. No one paid too much attention to four strangers who arrived.
Perhaps because this was a village close to the border, new faces didn't draw much attention.
Dex walked at the front with his hands in his pockets. Behind him, Van walked leisurely observing the surroundings. Anna walked at Liana's side, both had already replaced their hoods with ordinary cloth bought from a traveling merchant they encountered on the way to this village.
"Finally, I really need proper food other than dried meat" Van looked around searching for a place to eat in the village.
"Be quiet Van, we have to find lodging first before that, besides lodging will certainly provide food as well isn't that so" What Dex said was not wrong, after all the first thing needed by someone in an unfamiliar place is a place to stay.
"You're right that's important too, I don't want to sleep on that hard ground again" Perhaps this was the first time Van agreed with Dex.
"Haha I do miss a soft bed a little" Anna said it without awkwardness, perhaps because of their conversation the previous night, which had made the atmosphere between them better, and Liana who heard it only nodded softly without commenting.
***
The only lodging in Tepas was called Red Stone Inn, taken from the reddish color of the building's foundation stones which were indeed reddish. Its owner was a middle-aged man named Barro, his body broad, his hair already half white, and his way of speaking casual.
"Four people?" Barro looked at them one by one from behind a wooden desk whose surface was already pitted and full of scratches. "Two rooms or four?"
"Two," Dex answered. "The ones with windows"
"All rooms have windows"
"I mean the ones that can see the road out front"
"For how many nights?"
"3 nights only"
Barro nodded, took two keys from the hook board behind him, and placed them on the desk. "Three nights 60 copper coins. Breakfast is included, dinner is not"
Dex placed his money on the desk before Barro finished speaking.
The rooms they got were side by side on the second floor. Simple but clean. A bed with a soft mattress covered in cream-colored sheets, a small table, and one chair per room. The window faced the village's main road.
Anna stood in front of her room's window, looking down. A young boy was running after a striped cat that had stolen his fish. A merchant pushed a cart filled with watermelons. Two women stood in front of a well, talking while drawing water in turns.
"Liana," she said without turning around.
Liana who was tidying up her belongings turned toward Anna. "Yes?"
"What will we do after this?" Anna placed her palm against the window glass.
"What do you mean Your Highness?"
"I mean we have reached our destination, but after all of that then what?" Anna clasped her hands. "I have been thinking about it quite a long time, but living in hiding feels painful, after being with the two of them I also feel like wanting to explore this world, But that's not possible, is it? for someone like me who is on the run following them. that might only cause problems for the two of them"
Liana approached the window and stood at Anna's side. Down below, the boy from before had finally managed to reclaim his fish from the cat, then held it high with a face full of triumph.
Liana lowered her head after seeing Anna's eyes. "Forgive me, I am not strong enough to fulfill your wishes"
Anna shook her head slowly. "It's not your fault. It never was"
Anna knew there was nothing they could do other than wait for a miracle, or remain like this forever.
Liana looked at her for a long time. "You will have days like that too" said Liana. "I am certain of it"
"Perhaps I will try to make it happen"
"That's right" Liana affirmed. "And until that moment comes I will always be by your side"
While they were talking a knock was heard from the door.
"Hey you two come on let's find food" It was Dex's voice, from behind the door
***
They had dinner at the food stall that Van had spotted earlier from the village entrance road. Its name was not written anywhere, there was only a hanging oil lamp in front of the door and the strong smell of broth from outside. The tables were long and shared with other customers, but it was late and there were only two elderly people sitting in the corner drinking tea.
Because it was already late some menu items had run out, Which led them to order rice with whatever side dishes were available. What arrived was a bowl of rice with braised meat, boiled vegetables, and salted egg. Simple but hot.
Van ordered three bowls, and he had already eaten one bowl before anyone else had a chance to pick up a spoon.
"You eat like someone who hasn't eaten for three days" said Dex.
"I indeed haven't eaten properly for three days" Van answered while chewing.
"Hey dried meat isn't so bad you know, you're just ungrateful"
"Your taste is broken Dex"
Anna laughed softly. Not a polite laugh or a guarded laugh. A laugh that came out just like that. "Don't argue while eating" Her voice was gentle.
Liana glanced at Anna from the corner of her eye, then returned to her food without saying anything, but the side of her lip moved faintly.
"Anna" Dex said while taking another bowl. "What will you do after this, haven't we already arrived in Shine"
When Dex asked about that the spoon in Anna's bowl paused for a moment, before she acted normal again.
"Actually I haven't thought about it too much, but perhaps I should look for work"
"Seriously? You working?" Dex appeared about to laugh.
"Why not? I can do many things, also what's wrong with that"
"Hahaha it's just funny a princess raised in a palace going to work"
Van chewed calmly while watching the two of them in turns like someone watching a chess match.
"I can cook" Anna continued in a tone more serious than she had planned. "I can also read and write in four languages. I can calculate. I once helped manage the palace schedule for a year before everything became complicated"
"Managing the palace schedule" Dex repeated.
"Yes"
"In a border village?"
Anna realized the contradiction before she finished speaking. She opened her mouth, closed it again, then looked away with the expression of someone who refused to admit they had just made a weak point.
Most jobs in rural areas naturally require more physical ability, compared to mental, but that didn't mean such jobs didn't exist at all, only that their number could be counted on one's fingers.
"Even so, I can practice" she said finally, softer, her lips jutting slightly forward as she said it.
Dex who didn't want to tease her any further, said nothing. He picked up a piece of salted egg and ate it.
The table was quiet for a moment. The flame of the oil lamp in the corner of the stall moved slowly blown by wind that came in through the gap of the door.
"You have a choice" said Dex suddenly, without any joking tone at all. "That's already enough to start"
Anna looked at him. But Dex had already returned to eating with his usual expression, as though he hadn't just said something rather significant.
***
The next day Dex woke before dawn.
He sat at the edge of the bed for several minutes, looking at the sky outside the window whose color was still somewhere between dark blue and black. Then he stood up, took his bag which he had already packed the night before without a sound, and woke Van who was beside him.
Van woke with eyes still drowsy, but without saying anything he quickly took his bag as well.
Van was already standing there with his bag on his back, naturally with eyes still slightly drowsy and hair still disheveled. "I thought you would change your mind"
"No"
"Alright" Van looked toward the door of the room next door that was still closed. There was no sound from behind that door. "We're not saying anything?"
"No"
Van didn't answer immediately. He stared at that door for a few more seconds, as though considering something, then nodded slowly. "Very well"
They went down via the back staircase. Barro was not at the front desk at an hour like this, there was only a young person sweeping the floor with eyes still half closed. Dex placed several coins on the table without speaking. The young person glanced at them and picked them up, then returned to sweeping with more enthusiasm.
The air outside was still cold, damp with the remnants of night dew. Tepas's main road was quiet except for a merchant who was unloading cargo from his cart at the end of the road, his breath releasing thin white wisps in the cold morning air.
They walked toward the village gate.
A few minutes later, Van spoke without looking back, "Why don't we just bring them along, their expressions. you must have noticed it too right? besides there's nothing wrong with getting into a little trouble, it would actually be more interesting wouldn't it"
Dex walked with his hands in his pockets, his eyes ahead. He didn't answer right away. The morning wind blew from the east carrying the smell of earth and wet leaves.
"They have an interesting story, and how much I look forward to what comes next" said Dex finally. "And I'm certain that story will end well" He paused for a moment. Looking toward the stars that were still faintly visible. "But by the time I turn the next page, our names will no longer be there"
Van walked a few steps ahead of Dex and turned around. "What about me how long will your name be in my story?" Van pointed to himself.
"Your story? Perhaps my name will be there until the end" Dex showed no smile when he answered it, and instead showed a slightly strange expression.
"Are you sure?" he asked.
"No" Dex answered. "But who knows, besides I'm not a fortune teller"
The village gate was already visible ahead of them. Beyond it, a straight dirt road stretched out toward the west, toward a larger city, toward things they had yet to know.
Van pulled out his worn map from his pocket, opened it briefly, then folded it again. "Alright" He lifted his bag higher on his back. "The next story?"