59 Run Away (2/2)
”Let's not pry into their private lives” It was Samuel who saved them from being discovered. But Timothy noticed that the old man was already drunk.
After hearing what Samuel said, the villagers stopped their questions and looked for other means to entertain themselves.
Samuel went beside Timothy. He was holding a bottle of wine. The old man then put his hand on Timothy's shoulder.
”Don't mind them Your Highness. It's so boring here that they will search for any rumors.”
”It's alright Samuel. I'm just afraid they will find out about our identities. I wonder what Abraham's reaction will be if that happened”
Samuel laughed. ”I think he will piss himself”
Timothy laughed with the old man. But then he noticed a brand on Samuel's hand.
”Is that…” he stared closely at the brand ”You were a royal guard?”
Samuel retracted his hand and looked at the brand. ”Oh this? Yes, I was a royal guard. But I quit many years ago.”
Timothy doesn't understand. Why would he quit? Royal Guards were the best paid soldiers in Castonia.
”Why would you quit? Many people dream of being a royal guard” It was Lucia who asked.
Samuel stared at them for a long time. Timothy started to think that the old man had already fallen asleep. ”It was a long story” he finally said.
”Alright then.” Timothy didn't want to pry into Samuel's life. But he was still curious so he asked, ”You know my father then? What was he like in the past?”
Samuel's eyes lit up. He nodded ”Yes, I know your father very well. He and I were close friends”
Timothy doubted him. Even though King Leopold was fond of the royal guards, he wasn't friendly towards them.
”Close friends?” Timothy asked ”So what was he like when you were still in the palace?”
Samuel put down the bottle and looked at the distance. ”Your father and I had a love-hate relationship. He was my friend, Your Highness. But honestly, he was an asshole”
Timothy was surprised. Even if what Samuel said was his own opinion, he was still talking about the King. Samuel was the first person Timothy met who described the King as an ass.
”Really? He was like that?” Timothy asked
Samuel laughed. ”He was. He's not a good person Your Highness. He's also kind of a jerk. He even took my lover once. Also he seduced the Queen. Nevertheless, he's my friend. He likes to eat wild mushrooms and that's why we called him 'Mushrooms'. He loves it so much that he would eat it every day.”
Timothy frowned. Why does it feel like they are not talking about the same person? Seduced the Queen? Likes eating mushrooms? That doesn't sound like King Leopold.
”You look like him, Your Highness.” Samuel continued ”Exactly like him. When I first saw you this morning, I thought I've seen a ghost. Your face, your voice, it's like a copy of him. I think you also got your eloquence from him. But at the same time, you are opposites. Your attitudes are very different.” He patted Timothy on the shoulder ”I'm glad you didn't grow up like him”
Samuel then grabbed the bottle of wine and left. Timothy looked at Lucia.
”What was that all about?”
Lucia shrugged. ”Maybe he was talking about someone else. He's drunk so his memories could be mixed.”
”Maybe” Timothy said as he looked at Samuel ”But I really think he's talking about my father.”
The gathering lasted until midnight. Most of the villagers were drunk. Timothy himself was a little drunk. He and Lucia went back to their hut. It had been a long and wonderful day.
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Amir stopped his horse as they reached the end of the forest.
”They're not here” he said.
”But where could they go?” a soldier asked him ”We lost their tracks already”
Amir grabbed a map from his pocket. Even if it was dark, he could see clearly because of the full moon. He examined the map.
”We should go back here” he pointed to the other end of the forest.
”But that part is uninhabited. Why would they go that way?”
Amir closed the map and put it in his pocket. ”I don't know, but my instincts tell me that we will find them there”
His men turned their horses around.