Chapter 2- Lantern

Six months have passed since the slave rescue operation and Phoenix still can't forget the amazing woman he saw.

'Is she doing well?' He mumbled as he was shocked why did he even think of her, she is just a slave. Meanwhile, Apollo knocked on his office door and enter.

"Greetings Sir Adelard, I want to request a leave for today since we don't have something to do."

"Sure, Go ahead and rest." Phoenix replied as he flipped the documents page.

"Uhm... well, I may not get a rest today because me and the other knights are going town."

"Why? What's up."

"Uhh... you know, today is Lantern festival so we thought we can go there and have some fun with women and drink various kind of wine."

'Please don't give me a task and let us have some fun' Apollo prayed in his mind while waiting to his commanders respond.

Phoenix chuckled when Apollo said that they are going to have some fun with women.

"I'm going with you all" he closed the document and stood up from his seat. Apollo looked at his commander with shock in his eyes. He did not expect him to join though, he knew that his commander liked women a lot and likes to have a one night stand to them.

'Seems like commander wants to have some fun too' he said in his mind then simply smile.

From Citadel City they rode by their horses and reached the town before sun set. The town was occupied by so many people. Men and women are wearing hanbok and make up, Phoenix and other knights wore a coat and their long sword hiding from it. Women are dancing in the street, stalls are displayed in the sidewalk.

"Let's part our ways here. Meet me at the towns famous bar at midnight and have some fun."

"Yes commander" they replied and ride their horses in their different way. Phoenix wandering around then saw a group of people cheering about something. He rode Blade in that direction and notice a target achery competition. Phoenix was about to leave when he noticed a woman was about to release the bow string.

'It's her' he mumbled as he remembered her face. It is the woman who has a bright purple eyes and brown hair. She is a different one, she's not wearing a hanbok but a black coat with hood and an arrow quiver on her right shoulder. As she release the arrow from her bowstring, people cheered for her when she hit the gold or the center of the target.

'Whoa...I didn't think that such a slave can handle a bow' Phoenix widened his eyes from shock. That woman is not ordinary, she's incredible.

***

People keep cheering from what happened. Amethyst let out a smile, she knew and she's confident that she can hit the golden target. She won the competition and recieve a couple of gold as a reward. From there, she began to wander around with her bow hanging to her shoulder. While walking passing the stalls she bought different kind of cloths and food from the gold she won.

The sky had darkened, in an hour the flying of the lantern will begin. She tought to have something to drink while killing time and waiting to the main event of the night.

She went to the famous bar in the town and saw a tall man covered in coat drinking, with different types of women clinging to him.

'What's with this women? Clinging into one man.' She rolled her eyes with irritation and ordered a drink.

'After the main event I can finally rest too.'

After some drinks, some drunk men entered the bar and sat beside her.

"Hey Lady, what's with these outfit?" The man reeking of alcohol touch her hood while laughing together with the other men. Her eyes widened from shock as she don't know what to do.

"D-don't touch me!" Her voice trembled a she felt awkward at the current situation but, the men continued to touch her dress as if they heard nothing. Someone removed the hand of the man holding her dress.

"What the..." he said with his voice full of irritation.

"The Lady said don't touch her." Amethyst looked at the man and it is the man who was covered in a coat.

"And who the hell are you?" Drunk man said, The man in a coat drew his sword and people in the bar began to scream. Amethyst stood from her seat as her heart pound fast.

"If I tell you my name, It'll cost you your life." The drunk man trembled in fear as if a child saw a ghost.

"Hahaha...a-ah we were j-just joking here Sir, n-no need to get serious." He said with a laugh as if his intoxication had dissapeared. They stood up from their seat and run for their lives. The man in a coat returned his sword to his scabbard.

"T-thankyou Sir! For helping me." Amethyst bowed her head to him with uncomfortable posture.

'So... she don't remember me' he said in his mind.

"I'm not helping you, I just don't like that kind of people" he turn around and leave the bar. Amethyst followed him outside.

"E-even though, that was still a big help to me. I want to repay your kindness."

"Repay?" She nodded as her response

"Then... go with me at the main event."

"P-pardon?... do you want me to come with you at the main event?"

"Yes. Why, is there any problem?"

"No...I mean. The main events purpose is to be with someone important to you."

"Then you don't have anyone important to you? Since you're alone at night." He said in a cold tone while his right eyebrow raised. She kept silent to his response.

"If you don't want to, I'm not going to ask you to come with me."

"No! I-I'm coming...with you." She respond out of guilt.

***