CH 21 : Meeting Reza

Ethan was running with his all might to the person priest mentioned. There were many royale place guard who were searching for him. He had to look out for them too. Ethan was nearly a 5 year old kid experiencing all the hardships in his life which a normal adult even thought of. He ran through the dense forest all the way to nearby village. 

Even this village had the guards surrounded, but not in that much of amount. There were less guards in the village. 

"I just have to go right through them without being noticeable at all. But how?" Ethan was thinking of some kind of plan to make his way right through the guards searching the village.

He could not make it any sort of plan to overcome this adverse situation. It was nearly impossible for his to enter the village without being seen by anyone. If any of the villager call him out he will be good as dead. 

"Umm... First Let's ask someone that this Reza where is his house is located exactly. But who should I ask. Who will be good enough person to give me information without calling me out to the guards." He was standing behind a rock at top of a hill from where he can see more than half of the village, as it was pretty big. 

He began searching for potential targets to ask for but no one seemed 100 percent secured. Then after travelling nearly opposite side of the village he saw a child of his age sitting near a pond trying to catch fish from that pond but failing to do so in his every attempt. Ethan knew the moment he saw him that he is the person Ethan was searching whole time. 

Ethan approached him slowly in friendly way trying every psychological thing he could to make Ethan seem line a normal resident of the village not like a stranger approaching. 

The kid did not even noticed Ethan slowly approach until he was standing right in front of him.

"Who are you? I don't think I have ever seen you in this village ." The kid immediately was on his senses 

"Shit!! Did I left out any part to make him wary of me. What to do now? How can I gain his trust? Thing something Ethan think fast." Ethan started panicking and suddenly the kid spoke again to increase his panic more 

"Are you the kid that the royal guards are searching for?"

"I am done now! After so much work and analyzing I picked the worst candidate. I could have picked more better even if I picked someone randomly. What a bad life I am having."

Ethan was midst of his regrets when the kid interrupted his thoughts and spoke again

You don't have to worry I will out tell anyone about you. I know the priest of nearby temple. He is a good man. He healed my father without taking anything in return as we are poor and can not pay up the amount required for that service. I also have seen you living with him so I know you are a good person."

"Sighhh...." Ethan was finally relieved. 

"Thank you for not telling them about me. I am in a very difficult situation, can you please tell me about where in this village a person named Reza lives."

"Reza!! He is my father. But why are you looking for him. He just got totally fine after such death like situation. If you are here to cause a problem for my father I will tell the guards.. I don't want my father to face any sort of problems."

"No it's not like that I am not here to cause any problems to him. The priest has asked me to meet him."

"I don't believe you where is the priest if he tells me then only I can trust you"

"He can not come here you have to believe me. I don't have enough time I have to everything as fast as I could ."

"Why He can not come here? Have you done something to him? Did you kill him and that's why the guards are searching for you"

"No why would I kill him he was the most close to me after my father. It's true that he is dead but I didn't kill him, these guards did and now they are searching for me to kill me."

"You are lying. You killed him and now you are trying to escape from here."

After listening to that statement Ethan was deeply broke him chain and fallen on his knees crying. He knew because of him the priest was killed a man with so much purity who only helped others was not anymore because of him. He fell silent, but he knew what the priest wi9shed for him in his last moments. After some moment he regained his concentration back.

"Yes It is true that it was because of me that the priest was killed but he wished for me live and for that reason I have to meet you father"

After that statement Ethan shared bits and pieces of his past with that kid for him to make believe in him.

The kids face looked sad after all that story and more than anything the death of priest was more saddening for him. Then he said " Alright I will take you to my home but You have to promise me that there will be nor harm caused to my father because of you"

"I promise"