Ersia: Raven Dawn

Viena's hold is getting a little tighter, like a kitten who is astonished and intimidated at the same time by the extreme change of scenery. Randia feels quite sorry for her, given that this is the first time for her in the capital city, even though she has spent all her life as a Rosmesian.

However, even when she is excited beyond all means, Viena tries to hold herself and looks down before turning to Randia. Her eyes look guilty, and Randia knows what is on her mind.

"But I thought you didn't want to come here? You always hated crowded places."

"I read the stars, and there might be a chance of heavy rains for the next few days. It would be a foolish call to carry on our travel when you are like this."

"Really? Then I'm glad I was sick!" said Viena cheerily.

Of course, what he had said was only an excuse. Randia knows that Viena has a rather tough body immune. However, somehow, that same endurance is always compromised the second she is feeling sad and down. The fact that she even got a fever this time means that she was still haunted by the afterthoughts of the traumatizing event she had.

Thus, Randia has nothing but one objective in mind; which is to make Viena smile as much as possible.

"Don't be a dullard. You must not get sick again. Ever."

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say. Now can you put me down? It can also be tiring having to be carried around all day you know?"

As soon as Randia put Viena down and gave her her walking stick, she ran around like a puppy with no leash.

"No running, Viena. You'll waste my effort down the drain if you catch your fever back."

As they walked down the hill, Viena asked a lot of questions. About the windmills, the majestic blue castle in the distance, the curious flower-shaped place, and many more. She had never imagined such spectacular views existed. Fleurein is an entirely new world for her.

"I'm telling you, Papa! We're not there yet, but I'm super-duper sure that I will love this big city!"

When Viena turns to Randia, she can see behind him that something is approaching from above.

". . . I thought you ought to call me that only when there are people around."

"Hmm, is that so? Well, then they count as one, right?" Viena pointed behind Randia.

When Randia turned his head, he saw a knight coming in his direction from the wide blue sky. The knight is riding a four-legged giant bird bearing a long lustrous feather on the top of its head as a crown.

"This is Hirma of the 2nd Airborne Patrol Regiment speaking! I demand you to stay where you are, strangers!"

After swirling several times above Randia and Viena, she landed right before them. Only after seeing them up close, did Viena realize that it was not only the ride that was extraordinary, but the knight on its back also looks rather quirky.

An ash-skinned and towering woman, even taller than Randia, dismounted from the winged beast and stood before them. She has three eyes, with the third one sitting on her forehead vertically. Donned in bright blue and silver armor, she is shinier than anything around. On her waist is a wand and a short blade, and on her back is an archer's instrument.

"You have entered the hallowed ground of the blessed city, Fleurein. By the order of Her Majesty the Queen, an inspection is a must. Now, state your intention, and I shall be your judge!"

"Greetings, honorable knightess. My name is Ran, and this is my daughter, Viena."

Viena bowed her best to show respect as Randia gently stroked her hair.

"What business do you have? And why are you wandering away from the main road?"

"I am a medevist, and we were looking for some wild herbs to take. As you can see, my daughter was injured during our travel. There are certain ingredients that I have to seek in the forest since the local herbalist is out of stock."

"The little one is your daughter?"

"Yes, my lady. I'm taking my daughter with me and traveled the land ever since her mother passed away. I pray that our journey could give her important lessons if she wished to take up the Qamarin in the future," Randia showed his badge.

Viena smiles awkwardly and takes another bow. She is intimidated by the knightess's glare and her body is tensed up.

Hirma narrowed her eyes sharply as she pulled the rein of her mount. The bird starts to sniff around both Randia and Viena, inspecting them by their smell. Viena hugs Randia's foot tightly, hiding behind his cloak. With the myriads of sharp teeth and glistening claws of the beast, hers is certainly an understandable response.

"Fear not, kid. Unless there is something suspicious on that big bag of yours, he won't do anything. However . . . ."

Right after those words, the beast suddenly took a step back and shrieked loudly, even Viena had to close her ears. The spikes on its tails come out, signifying the eagerness to prowl and pounce as it turns alerted. The knight becomes vigilant in an instant. She quickly pulls her sword naked and takes a stance. She pointed her steel at Randia's neck. The man had no choice but to kneel and put his hands up.

"That's definitely a red, and normally I would have cut your limbs and thrown you to the prison for further questioning. Now speak truthfully before that happens!"

Hirma gave Viena a quick glance before pressing her blade against Randia's neck. She pressed the glistening steel in a menacing gentleness that made Randia's blood flow softly from the edge down to the hilt.

"There will be no second chance, Medevist. Tell the kid to clear the bag. I highly advise you not to try anything funny."

". . . Can you do as she says, Viena?"

Viena nodded repeatedly and proceeded to unpack all the things inside the bag. Cold sweat runs down her face as she slowly takes out everything. Various containers, herbs, and food are lined on the ground. When she finally took out a jar full of white powder, the beast shrieked again.

"What else do you have to say before I cut your head, you wretched 'soulgar' smuggler?" Hirma pressed her blade, and blood flowed a little more from Randia's neck.

"Papa!"

"Stay where you are, kid!"

Viena was about to run to Randia's side, but Hirma threatened them by pressing her blade even further.

"Please . . . knightess . . . It's nothing but an ingredient to make painkillers. Bring me something alive, and I will prove it to you. You can kill me afterward if you still think of me as a liar."

The knight is unhappy, but seeing Viena's sorry leg, her temper softens a little. Thus, she called her feathered partner when she saw a flock gathering nearby on the vast flower field. 

"Nethel."

The beast approached her and sat on its back legs.

Hirma pointed at the gathering birds and let out a series of unique whistles. The beast looked down for a moment before pulling its head back. Then, it spits a viscous and sticky oral goo in the form of a net, pinning down some of the birds whom not fast enough to dodge.

"Keep an eye on them, girl," Hirma clanks her sword and her armor twice.

While the beast is watching over the two, Hirma takes her time to retrieve the helpless birds. Once she was done, she gave them to Randia. She gives him her permission to prove his words.

Randia took a grain of the white powder and mixed it with water. He gives the mixture for one of the birds to drink. After ten seconds, the bird looks like it is sleeping with its eyes open as it breathes faintly. Randia then stabs its wing and blood is spilled everywhere.

"Knightess. The powder is an analgesic made from certain ingredients that serve as potent hallucinogens and sedatives. I understand if bans were put on most of them. After all, the misuse of those substances can prove to be maiming, or even causing fatal consequences."

Viena covered her eyes but still managed to peek through her fingers. The bird looks like it still breathes, but it didn't react to its wing being hurt. After he felt like he had shown Hirma enough, he healed the bird as carefully as possible with his magic.

Soon, the bird regains its awareness and gets over the numbness before fleeing the place.

"I see. You have proven your words, Medevist. At least for now."

Hirma dressed her sword back to its gown. Her face looks rather filled with a little disappointment. Though she cannot completely erase her bloodlust, she at least still retains her reasoning.

"Despite that, I will have a sample of this powder and take it to our corresponding department since it's out of my field of expertise. Until we're certain of this matter, you'll be under my surveillance."

"There will be a lot of similar cases so it may take a lot of time, perhaps months even. I will accompany you to the gate and vouch for your pass. If this turns out to be a murky deal, know that there shall be no one but myself who will personally lop off your head. Had that happened, the kid's fate wouldn't be any better."

Randia nodded and pulled Viena closer to him. He agreed to everything the knightess said without a single rebuttal. He knew that they were lucky enough not to be killed on the spot during this nerve-wracking first encounter, and they really shouldn't push their luck any further.

"We thank you for your gesture of virtue," Randia bows.

"W-We thank you," Viena follows.