61 On The Move

Time and travel never stop. Lanceworth was decorated in lights and colorful paper craft, like a banquet hall. Send yourself off in a carriage to the South on sunrise and you will end up in a small village called Lulldrum as the day settles in. Finally, rest the night after choosing one of the lodgings lined up by the main road.

A carriage stopped in front of a bottom of the barrel like lodging. The diver jumped off his seat and went around the back. It was an ordinary passenger compartment, eight seats and sealed. He inserted a metal inside the keyhole and the door clicked open.

Theon got out of the carriage. He was wearing a simple white shirt and blue village pants. A matching blue pouch was attached to his belt. If it were the clothes alone, then people could call him a villager, but his neatly trimmed hair and muscular build gave everything away.

"Sir this way." The carriage driver said, but didn't move. He was the embodiment of how common villagers looked. His deep blue shirt had even darker spots. It was a little baggy for his built. His face had an uneven beard and his head was full of uncombed hair.

The lodging was shabby and unattractive. Theon sized up the exterior and concluded that this was just the place to stay low. He walked inside, followed by the carriage driver.

The noise of the door creaking opened up the eyes of the old man beside the counter table. Apparently, he was sleeping with his feet crossed up on another chair. He put his feet down from the chair and pretended to stand up as if he was sitting for a long time.

"Welcome, welcome." Old man Jack said while secretly dusting his almost-brown shirt. He looked at the two fellows and concluded that the well-built man was on the run. But the person beside him seemed familiar. "The best rooms are free tonight."

"I am looking for this person." Theon stepped forward while unzipping his pouch and taking out a scrolled piece of paper. He showed a sketch of a girl with orange and brownish bangs.

"Forgive me sir, I don't see clearly." Jack said and put his face closer to the paper on the table.

"Don't try to count your stars, old man. It was only two days ago when I brought her here with a greenhead." The carriage driver said.

"Oh right-right, those girls. They were asking about Sumtown. I don't know anything else. Please believe me."

Theon extended his hand and grabbed old man Jack by the collar. His hands could snap a bunch of such old men. He tightened his grip when the old man silently struggled.

"Please, I am old." Jack barely made recognizable sounds.

"Don't listen to him!" The carriage driver said. "That girl was here. We can easily confirm it in the carryard tomorrow."

"No, we will interrogate them right now." Theon eased his grip and pushed away the old man who fell back on the chair he stood up from.

"Sir, please rest today and leave it to me. I will show you the best lodging and go to the carryard right after that. I know all the drivers." The carriage driver tried to sound responsible and a man worthy of the job.

"Take me to the carryard." Theon picked away the sketch, carefully rolled it, and put it away in his pouch.

***

Back in Arnacia's house. Archie was lying on the bed. His father Slade was by his side and his mother, Leah, was standing near the window. He had told them about Raffaella, the doctor's daughter, and his own grave injuries.

"I should have guided you before. A hothead always brings touble." Slade said while rubbing his eyebrows. "And now our condition is worse than before. It seems like all the problems come to haunt us in a group."

"Don't worry dear, everything will be fine. Our daughter will return to us." Leah gripped the rolled curtain and looked at it.

"Even if she is not sister, she is trying to help us." Archie said. "I told you, she is going to take me to the doctor tomorrow and she will definitely be back tonight."

"What if she won't come back? What if she is pretending to help? You won't go anywhere tomorrow. I will see how she takes you away from us in front of me," Slade said.

"Dad, you are overthinking about it. She wouldn't have returned home if she meant us any harm."

"We can't trust a word she says." Slade insisted. "I couldn't work all day and was thinking about any method to save Arnacia from that witch. Informing the Knights is the only choice, but I am afraid they will execute her without listening to reason. They don't care if our Arnacia is still somewhere inside. It's our daughter's body."

"Mom, can you tell dad that she wouldn't have confessed if she meant us any harm." Archie tried to repay the favors the witch did for him. "Just thinking about it for a second. What will she gain by this? We will notify the Knights and there's only death for her. I believe she doesn't like whatever happened to her or sister. Don't worry, dad, I will find a way to bring sister back."

Archie noticed her mother silently weeping in the corner. He tried to get up to support her mother, but was instantly hit by the pain. Forget about Lylia, he wouldn't even be able to help her own family.

"Then we will need your teacher's help. Not even all the wealth from this lifetime is worth keeping if we lose Arnacia." Slade said.

"Dad, please. Don't rush this. Teacher Gerome might be a scholar, but he is a Knight from Lanceworth. He might be knowledgeable, but have we ever heard stories of Knights helping a witch? It's as difficult for me as it is for you. I want my sister back as soon as possible but we will have to brace the situation and protect sister's body. We should talk to Naomi in secret. She is already keeping an eye on sister."