Could've just sent a messenger for this!
"Damn father!" He mutters to himself as a bitter taste clings to the back of his throat.
The jostling stride of the animal beneath him sent a hiccup rattling through his chest. Each upward lurch a fresh wave of discomfort.
The rhythmic plop-plop-plop of its hooves against the mud, a monotonous counterpoint to the simmering feeling in my gut.
Muscles ripple beneath its hide.
The reins remained slack, offering no more guidance than tangled weeds.
Each tug that he uses on the foul animal, was just met with a defiant toss of its dense head.
It gallops relentlessly along the path where slick mud sprays like dark tears from its churning hooves.
The world around him shrouded in a blurry canvas of white—a thick, clinging mist that swallowed the edges of the path.
The already muted gray sky, fading into nothingness as the breeze blowing his golden-brown hair ruffles it.
The air hangs heavy and damp in his nose, each breath tasting of moisture and the earthy scent of the mud below me.
When am I getting closer to this damn town?
"Hyahh!"
Flicking the reins even harder.
The beast muscles bulging the more.
It's veins so thick that blood can be felt rushing through them feeling like an entire river is in there.
The wind hitting against his face becoming more harder.
I never knew that it could go this faster than before.
The sword in its sheath clanking in rhythm to the gallops, the bags on its saddle waving around seeming like they could fall off at any moment.
….
Slightly farther in the mist, a sign appears off to the side, the words unreadable.
Finally! A sign!
It reads uhhh…
Let me get closer to it first.
*Plop-plop* *Plop-plop* *Plop-plop*
As the boy draws closer to the sign, he begins to be able to make out the words bit by bit. The sign reads "Slov" with a drawing of a horse with a pickaxe and shovel forming a cross.
Yes I'm at Slov!
Now no more wasting time…
…Zara's waiting for me.
The animal strides against the mud, tearing it viciously.
*Plop-plop….*
It gallops along the path and past a wooden gate on the verge of collapse just being held by nails and ropes.
*Brrrrfff*
It flicks its tail in the air as he pulls on the reins.
This stubborn piece of shit!
Stop goddamnit!
*Nyeeeigh!*
*Brfff*
The air hung thick with the cloying stench of stagnant water also with a hint of something rather vaguely…fecal…
The murky puddles reflecting the boy's long light brown coat with the inner dark purple shirt made with the finest fabric—The shirt dotting his clan's crest design—The twin snakes with their backs facing each other, the gap between forming a circle.
As the boy on his horse walk by, he sees a shallow puddle below him as his reflection casts there.
Hehe
The sight makes the water much more better.
The buildings sagged under the weight of dampness, their lower levels stained a uniform brown up to even the edges of the roofs.
The brickwork in some parts show a clear sign of poor craftsmanship—and the boy looking at the buildings, noticing all this.
Damn…
Well…though I shouldn't be surprised.
Truly a testament to the filth these commoners live in.
But they couldn't try their best?
Even if worthless?
A woman with a child clinging to her sodden skirt trudge past the boy as the horse was finally moving more slowly.
All the commoners' eyes on him,
As if he's one of the gods—his whole dressing and carriage contradicting their own.
Heh!
Their faces etched with a weariness that seemed beyond their years, mud splattered against their bare feet.
Utterly disgusting…
Don't these people have the smallest amount of pride whatsoever?
And uhhhgn… that smell…
Reaching his hand into the satchel on his waist as he rides along, coins cling, paper rustles till he feels the cloth.
Ah, there it is.
Removing a piece of clean cloth from it and putting it directly on his nose, his horse passing by a group of people.
WHIP!
"Hey! Hey!"
"Get back to work!" Someone barks.
A man wearing a dark blue bottled shirt with a buff build with a design that doesn't seem native to this nation. His dark brown trousers wth his thighs outlining also seem to not be from here with his pinkish hair.
"Those mines aren't going to work themselves now, aren't they?"
He cracks his whip in the air.
SNAP–SMACK!
"Ahh!"
The whip seared at the boy falling face down to the mud, his face mumpy and covered in black char now mixed with mud.
The boy on the horse looking at all this with a judgemental expression.
Serves him right actually…
Probably didn't obey orders given by his superior…
Especially in his condition…
The horse dredges by, it's tail, flickering in the air as the man's gaze leaves the people turning towards the boy.
His eyes, slightly squinted, his mustache, hairy but skim. The edges around his mouth wrinkle as the tip of his brows face downwards.
He then spits in the mud on the path that the horse rode on.
What the?
…
As if I'm irritating!
That damn bastard!
The veins on his hand becoming more visible as his mouth twitches. But the boy on the horse looks away for that isn't his reason for being here.
I even can't demote myself to his level.
I just want to do what father sent me to do and go back to the estate…
*Sniff* *Sniff*
His horse trudges along the mud as his ears pick up on tears—and the sniveling of a nose.
Could it be that boy?
Even if it is…
What concerns me?
He grip the reins more tightly…
"Now… where's the Kumigara?" As the boy's eyes scan across the town looking for at least just an indication of him.
But its greeted by the shit covered mud roads, the almost run down buildings, and a group of people all wearing white clothes packed together like the symbol of those three dots.
Those three dots though…
They look familiar
Oh wait…
Followers of charitas?
The boy, having passed some on his way to Slov.
Hmm…
…
Ughn…
Where could he possibly be?!
The boy breathes out loudly as his left eyebrow twitched.
I don't have time for this!
Being on the road for a while now, glaring his teeth , and a lone vein exposing itself on his temple.
And he expects me to just find him?
…Next time I'm telling father to just send a messenger…
"Now back to the mines! All of you!" The man with a whip shouts as loud its crack in the air.
SHAWCK!
The man whips his whip again in the air with so much energy the air itself seems to somehow pop at its tip.
The people the whip is targeted at—They're crying.
The boy that he whipped, the back of his dirt covered black cloth torn, revealing a red mark with his dirt covered skin underneath.
Sobbing as he is being supported under the arms by the people there.
Well such happens when the order is broken—The rules.
Could've been prevented if they just didn't defy him
…
"Now quickly, get along now." He chuckles as his throat hics.
The way he has order over those people…
Could he be a retainer of someone?
Probably the Kumigara?
Tch!
Removing the cloth over his nose and putting it back into his satchel, he holds the reins in the opposite direction trying to get back to the man.
*Nnyeeihhh!*
This damn disobedient horse!
It nods it's head brashly as it's mane reacts violently in the air.
—The end of chapter 4—