An Unexpected Event

Mikhail skipped joyfully as he hummed to himself. I'm finally heading to the city! This will be so much fun! Mikhail thought to himself before noticing the two familiar faces on both of his sides.

"Agh! Lucas! Cathy! Wha- why?!" Mikhail exclaimed, surprised as he jumped back. 

"What do you mean why? We're just heading out to the city today. Isn't that such a lucky coincidence?" Lucas said as his eyes gleamed mischievously.

"Yes. It's a lucky coincidence. I'm heading there to purchase some bread and Lucas is going to buy some axes." Cathy said smoothly. 

"Wha? Don't we have those in our villa-" Mikhail said staring at them suspiciously before Lucas pushed him from behind towards the village's exit.

***

The road to the capital city was full of greenery. It was a pretty far distance to walk so Lucas had stopped by his house to grab his family's cart, pulled by his beloved horse Becky.

Becky whinnied as Lucas stroked her forehead. Becky was a beautiful white mare that his whole family adored. She was the foal of their previous horse that died a few years back.

Mikhail stared at Lucas feeding Becky some sliced apples before turning his gaze towards the sky. He shielded his eyes from the blinding light with his hand as he stared at the cloudless sky.

Soft snoozes can be heard from Cathy as she was curled comfortably on the cart. Her eyes shielded from the sun with a wide brimmed sun hat.

"... Lucas... that was just an excuse wasn't it." Mikhail said as he leaned on the cart, staring at his friend. 

"... What was?" Lucas asked after a long pause, not bothering to look at Mikhail.

"The errand. Duh. You guys seriously love me way too much." Mikhail said in a light tone as he rolled his eyes.

"Hah. What a joke. We seriously had errands to run today." Lucas laughed as he beckoned Becky to speed up, making Mikhail stumble from his spot.

... I don't see why he's lying, but I guess I'd be embarrassed to admit that... Mikhail thought as he stared at Lucas' red ears from the corner of the cart which he stumbled to.

***

After about two hours of the trio's long journey, paved roads and bricked walls came into view. "Woah! Lucas! Is that..." Mikhail exclaimed as he jumped back onto the cart, shaking Lucas awake.

"Ugh... wha.... Oh! Yes. It is. That's the entrance to the capital city, Mikhail." Lucas replied as he rubbed his eyes and shook his head to freshen up.

"Oh, keep it down will you!" Cathy yelled as she got up, grabbing her sun hat about to throw it at her childhood friends before noticing the location they were at.

Lucas jumped off the cart, stretching as he told the two to get off as well. Upon reaching the arched entryway of the city, men clad in armour holding spears stood vigilantly.

"Relax, Mikhail. It's just formalities. They aren't going to kill us villagers." Lucas said lightly as he grinned at Mikhail. Mikhail then let out a breath he didn't know he was holding and relaxed.

"Good day to you sir, and you too sir!" Lucas greeted the knights casually as they nodded and straightened their spears from the X-shape it was in to allow their passage.

As soon as they entered the city, banners of the Kingdom of Enoch adorned the walls and poles of the city. Flowers rained down and the sound of festive music played.

"Lucas... is there a parade or something?" Cathy asked as she unknowingly held onto the hem of Lucas' shirt. Lucas' face flushed red but he managed to keep his voice as calm as he could.

"F-from what I remember, today is the 16th anniversary of the King's wedding with Lilith from Lestria. It really is a joyous moment as the peace between the two countries have prevailed this long." Lucas said as he stared straight ahead at the palace in the distance.

Mikhail followed Lucas' line of sight and stared at the palace before clearing his head by shaking it. "Well, we should enjoy it then." Mikhail said while pointing to some vendors at the side of the street.

***

"Well, Mikhail, I guess this is where we part. Hope to see you again. Do... come back from time to time..." Lucas said as he stared at Mikhail with a look that was incomprehensible. 

"Don't be a stranger. I'll find you myself if you take too long." Cathy said as she frowned, tears slowly welled up in her eyes.

Mikhail smiled as he nodded, hugging both of his childhood friends as they then waved goodbye before leaving through the same archway they entered.

***

As Mikhail was walking to the room of an inn he rented, he heard yelling from an alley. Feeling a little worried, he peeked from the corner of a wall to see what the commotion was about.

A young boy was pinned against a wall as two big men stood in front of him. "Little boy! We won't ask twice! Where is it?!" the bigger sized man of the two yelled, slamming his fist against the wall.

The boy flinched before denying meekly, obviously terrified. "I... I don't have it! I'm telling you the truth!" the boy cried as he shivered under the cold gaze of the men.

Seeing that the men were growing more hostile by the minute, Mikhail jumped from his corner behind the wall, attracting their attention as he yelled "WAIT!"

"Whatever he's done... I'm sure it's not that bad... I'm certain... it can be solved amicably..." Mikhail said, shaking in his boots as he tried smiling nicely at the men.

"... Well, well... what do we have here. A comrade of this... THIEF?" the big sized man asked as he glanced at the boy before glaring at Mikhail, clearly emphasising on the word THIEF.

"I'm... just a passerby... but I think... you could settle things nicely..." Mikhail said sheepishly as the man walked closer to him.

"Hmm~ And how would I be able to settle it nicely when I don't have anything to sell? It's a loss for me." the man said as he cornered Mikhail.

"... ... T-then... w-would this be... enough?" Mikhail asked as he shakily handed a bag to the man. 

"Hm? What's this... Oho... Why didn't you say that you'd pay up son? Hoho. This is plenty. Then. Come on." the man exclaimed before nodding his head at his partner to follow him.

After the two men left, Mikhail sighed and felt the strength from his legs leave him. "... Th-thank you... I'm sorry you had to pay that much for the trouble I caused..." the boy said as he bowed his head, thankful and yet at the same time, regretful.

"Oh... it's okay... Just... don't get into trouble again next time..." Mikhail said as the boy thanked him again and again before finally leaving.

Shoot... that was all the coins mother gave me... I must be an idiot for not saving some... Mikhail mentally groaned as he stood up after a long while, patting his pants clean of the dust.

***

"Ohhhhhh!!!! A coin! A silver coin! Ah~ Lucas.... Thank you so much!!!" Mikhail cried out in joy as he stared at the single silver coin he found in his coat's pocket left by his friend.

"I was getting so hungry! It'd be embarrassing to go straight home right after arriving in town after all..." Mikhail said to himself softly as he sunk into the mattress of his rented room. Without thinking too much, Mikhail rushed to a nearby tavern, hoping for some food.

The street at night was different from the day, yet still as busy. Lanterns and oil lamps were lighted as the hustle and bustle about the city went on. Mikhail smiled at the sight as he would not be able to compare it with his old village where everyone stays home and sleeps once it got dark.

***

"Welcome~ Oh! Dear guest, please take off your hood. It's our current protocol as it has been a pretty worrying time recently. There have been robberies going on lately." a man which seemed to be in his late 50s said, urging Mikhail to take off his hood.

"Oh... But... I can't..." Mikhail said, thinking back to his mother's endless nagging, telling him to keep his hood on whenever he is outside. 

"... If you keep it on... I would have to ask you to leave." the man said once more as his friendly expression changed to one of skepticism.

"Huh? But... this is the cheapest tavern and place to eat in the whole city..." Mikhail exclaimed in shock. 

"Yeah, well. Rules are rules, boy. I need to do this so my store stays running and so that there'd be no disturbances ruining my business." the man said, emphasising on the word disturbances.

Mikhail frowned as he stared at his palm holding the one silver coin. It's okay... I can last till tomorrow... Then I'd be saving up for two days worth of food... Mikhail thought, only for his stomach to growl soon after.

Mikhail's face burned from embarrassment as he succumbed to his instincts. Ahhh... There's no way I can hold it in now... I guess there's no other choice... Mikhail thought as he stared back at the man.

"Okay, okay. I'll take off my hood. Just prepare me enough food for one silver coin!" Mikhail said as he slammed the silver coin in front of the man.

"Heh, sure. Come on then." the man grinned as he took the coin and bit it, checking its genuineness. Mikhail furrowed his brows before finally taking his hood off, silently apologising to his mother.

***

WHYYY?!?!?! WHY ARE THEY CHASING ME?! WHAT DID I DO??? I JUST FOLLOWED THE MAN'S ADVISE AND SHOWED HIM MY FACE BENEATH MY HOOD... SO WHY ARE THE ROYAL GUARDS CHASING ME?! Mikhail thought in a panic as he ran from the royal guards chasing after him in their armor.

"Halt. I'll follow him. You lots watch the perimeter." a low but clear voice said as the guards yelled a "Yes Sir!" before disbanding. Mikhail trembled, hiding behind a bush as he stared at the figure of the man who just got the guards to leave.

The man had a stoic back and a frightening aura but the one thing that really caught Mikhail's eyes were the distinct silver hair that reflected the moonlight. It's like mine... Mikhail thought as he found himself entranced by the man.

"You... Show yourself." the man said as he turned in the direction Mikhail was hiding. Mikhail flinched and looked at his surroundings, confirming that he was indeed found out.

Upon coming out from his hiding spot, Mikhail's eyes grew transfixed on the man before him. The man stood at least a head taller than him and had eyes the colour of sapphires.

In the moonlight, there was no other way to describe the man other than otherworldly.