Like Waiting To Die
"This village..look deserted and poor," Zane said. He also feels a bit sad when he looks at this village condition. Even from afar.
"Let's go there. See what we can help them with" Yuina said with firmly. She wants to see the village up close. True, from afar the village look likes its been abandoned and the area around them is deserted with no water source and no green plant all over the village.
"We can go there, but we need to be careful. Their soldier who guards on the border always likes to have a 'little war' with our soldier who guards the border. They use this village as their cover as we...I mean, our soldier can't attack the villagers and step on their land without permission." Hayden glance at Yuina while explaining to her and others too.
"What do you mean by 'little war?' Kyra looks at the man who already diverts his eyes from Yuina.
"They like to provoke our soldiers. And they sometimes spark a war where they fight each other and after that, our main castle will have to replace them again. Change their place of duty. Our late King never sends troopers to stop them or attack them as what they do to us."
Hearing those, Yuina heart feels a bit uneasy. "Why my father never sent troopers?"
"To avoid war to happen again, my princess. The last war between Onyx and Zirconia give a big impact on both kingdoms. So many bloodsheds during those dark days. So many kids turn orphan that times too. In that time, we don't have a great soldier as we are now. Our people are too relying on kingdom tales. Too bad, their hope shattered when there is no help at all at that time."
Yuina turns silent. She knew Hayden's parent is also engaged with the war at that time. He becomes orphan and rumors said that he saw it himself how they kill their parent. That's what makes him as today. Cold and distant and he really can fight brutally if he wants too.
"It happens in the wrong frame time. But, that's passed. We should offer them what we can help. Doing something good can seed a good vibe too." Zane smiled and the three nodded in agreement.
…
"Ah! Are you the merchant?" A dozen of the woman from the village come to them. No, specifically, to Hayden and Zane.
"Uhm..No, ladies. We're just.."
"Performers," Kyra said and smile to the bunch of the ladies. Making them start to aware that there are two other girls beside two handsome man there.
"Oh? What is that?" asked one of the ladies.
"Performers is..we come to each province, areas or any town to do a show," Kyra said again. This time, Yuina scrunches her eyebrow a bit.
Since when they turn into 'performers?' She then diverts her eyes to the tall man beside her.
'Ah~ there he goes again.' Yuina rolled her eyes and her face turn a bit sour to see the unpleasant scene there.
A bunch of women start to touching Hayden's chest, arms, and even try to touch his hair! It's like they never saw an adult, handsome, tall and very attractive man in their lives.
"Ahem.." Kyra cough a bit trying to make sure those two men know our reason to come here.
"Erm, can we stay here for tonight? Since our next town is a bit far.." Kyra tries to fish their invitation.
"Uhm, it's not that we don't want to.. but, our village right now..is short of food supplies, we only live on what we have and had to wait for the merchant from Zirconia to come or pass by." Another girl said with a bit awry tone. Her face show sincerity.
"It's okay..we won't take your food." Yuina ensures her.
"Erm…" She turns to look at other girls.
"Well..if you don't have any shelter for tonight, I guess it won't hurt us to provide one."
"Thanks," Yuina said while smiling a bit.
"Come on. We show you the way." The girls ready to lead the way.
Once they walk, Yuina turns her head to look at around the village.
"I don't see any young man here. Where are they?" Yuina started.
"They joined the military. Every one of them goes there and only send us a few silver coins to us here." One girl with a long black hair said.
"Ohh..so this village is left with the elders and woman only?"
"Not only this village. A few poor villages like us also receive the same fate. To add, our village is the poorest among others. We have to buy water from another village if we want to use it."
"Yeah, long ago, our village is not this poor. But after King Edward sell us to this Onyx kingdom, we're just like..waiting to be rot here. Onyx King never saw us as their people. They treat us bad and leave us here, deserted." another girl joins the conversation.
"There is no water source around here?" Kyra ask.
"It has. But we can't go there. It's in Zirconia kingdom. If we go there, either we got caught, or we being kill."
"Huh? Being kill by Zirconia soldier?" Yuina a bit shocked to hear that.
"No..being kill by Onyx soldier."
That makes Yuina and Kyra more confuse. While the other two men still listening silently from behind these two girls.
"They kill their own people?"
"Hm..yeah. That's why. We just like waiting to die here. We can't migrate to another location too. We're not being accepted by Onyx people too."
With that being said, make the four of them turn silent. They had to go through such a hardship just to stay alive. Living in between the border and being a victim to both of kingdom.
This is something that she never knows. The war impact that she never known before this. They're not a puppet, nor toys. They're human. They live and breathe the same air as them. But they are treated less than a bug.
"For tonight, you can use my house to stay. I just live with my grandpa. He is this village head." Black long hair girl with a smile on her face shows them her house.
"Grandpa…" She calls her grandpa.
"At the back here." A man voice sounded from the back of the house. It's not a big house nor too small. Just enough for them to spend their night here.
"Wait here, I bring him out," she said and turn to strode to the back.
A few seconds after, a small figure of a man with a stick come out from the back with the girl before.
"Lala, is this your friend?" The old man asks while looking at the four guests.
"Erm..they are our guest for tonight. They say they are the performers who went to one city to another." She explains.
"Oh..but we.."
"Don't worry grandpa..we still have enough until the merchant come."
"Okay, if you said so." The old man who is known as Kota nodded his head.
"Welcome to our village." He tries to smile to the guest.
"It's our pleasure, sir," Yuina said on behalf of them.
"Since you are performers, can we at least see your performance tonight? Its been so long since this village held a festival. My people must be happy to see it."
"Uh.." Kyra feels something is stuck on her throat.
"Sure. But it'd be me alone doing the performance tonight. My friends need to prepare for the next trip." Yuina smile to the old man.
Her answer makes all of them a bit shocked.
The old man shocked because she willing to do it, while the other three people behind Yuina is shocked because of Yuina...A princess, agree to do a performance. Does she really know how to perform?
"Uhm.." Hayden wants to stop her, but Zane taps his shoulder and shakes his head.
He then let out a sigh and just let Yuina do what she wants.