Village Of Aurham [1]

As the first rays of sunrise gently broke through the sky, their warm light touched the earth below. Alan had set off with the carriage two hours earlier, steadily making their way towards the village of Aurham. Neither he nor Marek had taken any breaks, pressing onward without pause.

Alan couldn't help but be impressed by Marek's endurance. Despite being just a kid, Marek remained wide awake, his eyes sharp and attentive to everything around them. It almost seemed like Marek was more aware of their surroundings than Alan was...

Anastasia slowly opened her eyes to see Marek's familiar face, his expression serious as he gazed ahead. 

'I must have fallen asleep again…' she thought, feeling a bit disheartened. She had wanted to stay awake with Marek, but each time she tried, sleep overcame her within moments.

However, she felt a wave of relief knowing that Marek was keeping watch over her. There was something about his presence that made her feel safe and secure.

When Marek noticed Anastasia was awake, a smile lit up his face. "Good morning, Anastasia. Perfect timing. We've arrived," he said, gesturing ahead.

Anastasia lifted her head from Marek's lap and followed his gaze. "Oh..." she murmured, a hint of awe in her voice as a town came into view.

It wasn't a sprawling city, but it was a significant improvement from the slums they had left behind. 

Aurham wasn't quite big enough to be called a town, yet it wasn't so small that it could be labeled a village. A quaint little town would have been the perfect description for Aurham.

Surrounded by a two-meter wooden wall that encircled the entire settlement, Aurham's main entrance boasted a sturdy wooden gate, guarded by two men.

"Halt!" they called out, bringing the carriage to a stop with their wooden lances.

Marek glanced at them and couldn't help but think they were quite pathetic for guards. They appeared to be the village's protectors, judging by their stout figures and the makeshift armor they wore.

However, Marek noticed a tension in their stance, a seriousness in their gazes as they eyed the newcomers.

Alan stepped down from the carriage, a smile on his face. "Come on, Denis, Giles. You haven't forgotten me already, have you?" he teased, waving his hand with a grin.

Denis, the burly man, squinted in disbelief. "N-No way!"

"I can't believe it..." murmured Giles, the lanky one.

In an instant, both guards rushed toward Alan. "Alan!!"

"Hey, guys, it's been a while," Alan greeted warmly.

"You've changed, Alan! Look at that beard! Are you trying to impress someone with it?" Denis chuckled heartily.

"Alan, you've really changed in ten years, man," Giles said, a hint of emotion in his voice as he playfully bumped his fist against Alan's chest.

"I know, right," Alan replied, scratching his head before turning his attention back to us. "Let's catch up once we're inside."

"Who are they?" Denis asked, his curiosity piqued before his eyes widened in shock. "D-Don't tell me you've already got two kids?!"

"Don't be ridiculous!" Alan retorted, playfully punching Denis's arm before urging the horses forward.

As the gate swung open, Marek got his first glimpse of the village of Aurham. The streets were bustling with activity, but not so crowded that it felt suffocating. Families strolled by, couples perused the small market stalls, and the air was filled with the sound of laughter.

The villagers didn't appear wealthy by any means; they looked like ordinary folks, yet there was a genuine happiness about them.

It seemed that visitors were a rare sight, as all eyes turned towards the open gate, widening in surprise at the sight of the man leading the way.

"Hey! It's Alan!"

"No way!"

"Alan!!" came the excited exclamations from those who recognized him.

The crowd of villagers rushed happily towards Alan, bombarding him with questions one after another.

"Brother." Suddenly, the crowd split in two, revealing a beautiful woman in her late twenties.

"Colette..." Alan's expression turned awkward as he looked at his younger sister whom he hadn't seen in ten years.

Beside Colette stood a young girl with honey-blond hair, about ten years old, peering at Alan with curiosity.

"Come, Agnes. It's your uncle," Colette said, beckoning the girl forward.

Agnes stepped forward and greeted, "Welcome back, Uncle."

"Agnes!!" Alan exclaimed happily, lifting her up. "The last time I saw you, you were so small! You've grown up so fast!"

Agnes was surprised at first but then giggled. "It's been ten years, Uncle!"

"R-Right!" Alan laughed awkwardly.

"And this is... Rufus," Colette added, pulling along a boy of about eight with brown hair.

"You have another one?" Alan was dumbfounded, but Colette shot him a glare, and he quickly closed his mouth.

Rufus looked at Alan curiously, but when Alan reached out towards him, the boy hid behind Colette.

"Ah, right..." Alan put down Agnes, scratching his head and laughing again.

Marek observed the scene, surprised by the warm reception Alan received from the villagers. He hadn't known that Alan was from this village, let alone that he was so well-loved by them. It seemed Alan had been away for ten years, but Marek didn't dwell on the reason.

Leaping down from the carriage, he took Anastasia's hand and helped her down.

"Who are they, Uncle?" Agnes asked, her curious gaze fixed on Marek and Anastasia.

Everyone's attention shifted to the duo of boy and girl, waiting for Alan's response.

"Don't tell me they're your children..." Colette was on the verge of erupting again.

"No, no! Not my children!" Alan quickly intervened, trying to prevent his sister from jumping to conclusions. "I found them on the way, they asked for help!"

"Really?" Colette asked, still a bit suspicious.

"Yes, they're guests. I'm not married," Alan stated, a bit embarrassed by the topic.

"But they're so young?" Denis chimed in.

"And they don't have any parents?" Giles added, his brow furrowed in concern.

"No, they're orphans," Alan explained.

"At such a young age..." Colette murmured, feeling a pang of sadness for Marek and Anastasia. She leaned in closer and asked gently, "Is there something specific you need?"

Marek nodded. "Is there an inn here? We're looking for a place to rest."

"An inn... I'm sorry, there isn't one in our village," Colette replied apologetically.

"I see..." Marek nodded, though he had a sinking feeling. He hadn't expected there to be an inn in such a small village, but after seeing a tavern in the slums, he had hoped. Now, thinking back, it did seem odd that there was a tavern in the slums.

"If you'd like, you can stay in our house. We have some room, or there's the hut next to our house," Colette offered kindly.

"In the hut? Won't Mark be upset about kids sleeping in his workshop?" Alan joked, trying to lighten the mood.

"Mark is gone, Alan. He passed away two years ago," Colette replied solemnly.

"Huh?" Alan's smile faded as he looked around, noticing the saddened gazes of those around him.

Mark was Colette's husband and Alan's brother-in-law. They had been close friends. Alan remembered entrusting Colette and Agnes to Mark's care when he had to leave, and Mark had accepted with a grin.

"I'm sorry, Colette..." Alan said guiltily.

Colette sighed before turning her attention back to Marek and Anastasia. "So, what do you think?"

"The hut, thank you," Marek said, already reaching for his coin pouch.

"It's fine, don't worry about it," Colette insisted kindly. "You can stay here as long as you need."

Marek found this kindness a bit strange, but it seemed being orphans played a significant role.

"Then follow me, and... brother? Father wants to see you," Colette said coolly to Alan, before leading her children away, followed by Marek and Anastasia.

"Father..." Alan grimaced a little, his gaze shifting to the building at the village's center. There stood the council house of the village chief, who was also Alan's and Colette's father.

"Good luck, my friend," Denis laughed, giving Alan a friendly pat on the back.

"Ugh..." Alan reluctantly made his way towards his father's place.

…

…

"I'm not sure about your situation, but here in Aurham, you should feel safe. If you're after more comfort, there are bigger towns or even the capital, but I assure you, the villagers here won't look down on you. We're a small community of about two hundred, but we all know each other well. Feel free to ask anyone for help, or come to us since we're neighbors," Colette explained warmly.

Marek, with a neutral expression, asked, "Why are you doing this? Are you offering to rent to us for free?"

Colette, puzzled by Marek's question, replied, "Why wouldn't I help children in need?"

Marek paused, his trust in humans nearly nonexistent due to his experiences in Ajekreia. Yet, he found it surprising, even strange, to encounter someone like Colette.

"Thank you, but we don't plan to stay long," Marek said, still guarded.

"That's alright. What are your names?" Colette asked.

"I'm Arthur."

"And…I'm Anastasia."

Colette's eyes widened in admiration. "Anastasia, you're truly beautiful," she said, peering at Anastasia's features under her hood.

Anastasia, feeling shy, stepped slightly behind Marek.

Colette smiled, patting her children's heads affectionately. "These are my adorable children, Agnes and Rufus. Go on, say hello. You're close in age, so you'll get along."

"Hello," Agnes said, extending her hand.

Marek hesitated for a moment before shaking it. Anastasia followed suit when Agnes offered her hand. Rufus, a bit scared of Marek, simply nodded his head, hiding behind his mother.

After a while of walking, they arrived at a small house constructed from wood and rocks, with a nearby hut just as Colette had described.

Colette stepped forward and opened the door to the hut.

"Are you sure you don't want to sleep inside our house? We have enough space for both of you," Colette offered once more.

Marek gazed at the place before him.

Inside, various tools and items were scattered about, indicating that Colette's husband might have been a carpenter or similar. The ground was entirely covered in dust, resembling spiderwebs clinging to the ceiling and lamps. It was evident that the place hadn't been opened for more than a year.

"It's fine. I'll clean it up," Marek replied, grabbing the dusty broom from the side.

"Wait, shouldn't you at least take a nice hot bath first, both of you? You can come into our house for that much," Colette suggested.

"Anastasia, you should go ahead. Can you help her?" Marek asked Colette.

Colette replied with a warm smile. "Of course."

Anastasia glanced at Marek, a bit apprehensive, but Marek comforted her with a gentle pat on the head. "I'll be right here to clean up this mess. You go ahead and freshen up."

"Um." Anastasia nodded and left with them.

"... do you need any help?" Agnes asked, appearing beside Marek. She seemed quite comfortable with strangers.

Marek smiled at her and shook his head. "No, it's okay. Thank you," he said before entering the hut and closing the door behind him.

"Raizel."