Fake Princess
Ccxciv Chapter
"Nii-chan, the sun is coming up soon... Shouldn't we immediately build a tent around here," I told Haruki, repeatedly my palms moved to cover my mouth which was unceasingly evaporating.
"It's still too early to rest" Haruki said as he moved his horse forward.
"But nii-chan, don't equate this place with other areas. If we're too late to build a tent, the hot air around will get stuck into the tent" I said, stopping the footsteps of the horse I was riding.
"I didn't expect that those who lived outside of this place would find out" said one of the villagers turned to look at me.
Haruki stopped the footsteps of the horse he was riding, his horse had turned around to step closer. I stared at him with my right palm occasionally moving rubbing both eyelids.
"I see, we're going to stay here" Haruki said, turning his gaze around.
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Both of my eyes opened as I felt something kick in my back. My body turned around, I saw Cia who was still sound asleep with her feet pointing at me. I sat still looking at Cia and Yoona who were still asleep while my hand moved to comb my brown hair.
I crawled up to the curtain of the tent while standing up and walked outside to approach Haruki and Izumi who were sitting in front of the fire with Eneas in the middle of them.
"What are you cooking?" As I walked closer and closer to them, the smell of the meat they burned beside the embers pierced my nose.
"You've woken up" Izumi said as I sat beside her.
"I'm hungry nii-chan," I said leaning on her shoulder, Izumi aimed the piece of grilled meat she had in her hand at me.
"Thank you" I said again as my hand moved to grab the meat from him and ate it.
"What are they doing?" I said to several villagers who were walking with a log in each of their hands.
"Finding water, that's what they say," said Eneas.
My eyes were increasingly on the citizens, the wood in their hands moving piercing sand around their feet. The meat in my hand I put back near my lips, I bit the meat earlier while my eyes were still fixed on the villagers.
"Has our water supply been exhausted, nii-chan?"
"It's just enough until tomorrow, or maybe just until tonight. Because, we have to share it with them," said Izumi glanced at the residents who sat around the food pile with a wooden barrel filled with water in front of them.
"We have to go to the lowlands of nii-chan," I turned around trying to stare at Haruki who was covered in Izumi's body.
"What do you think Jabari?"
"Actually, we're on our way there. Damn that..." Jabari turned to look at Akintunde who was busy stabbing the wooden stick in his hand into the ground.
"Alright, it's decided. We will lead to a slightly low plateau later," I said back to stand with one hand still holding the grilled meat earlier.
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"Are you okay?" Izumi's voice surprised me, I turned to look at her who looked worriedly at me.
"I'm fine nii-chan," I said bowing my head to Cia's cloak-covered head, many times my esophagus trying to swallow the remains of saliva that had accumulated in my mouth.
I'm so thirsty, I can't count it... How many days have we walked in this desert. I want water, I...
The sound of falling objects sounded strong from behind, I turned to look at the crowd of people who were standing at a fallen man lying on the sand.
"Continue the journey" said Akintunde who managed to make us all turn towards him.
"Continue the journey, have you not listened to my orders!" Reveal Akintunde in a high tone, he turned his feet towards us.
"Chairman, are we just going to leave him alone?!" Other male voices were also heard rising to break the silence of the night.
"Sooner or later, he's dead. So, let it go. This much sand, will immediately bury his body later," said Akintunde while still stepping without a single look.
"He really..." My words came to a halt as I stared at Izumi who had pulled my arm.
"What she said was true, Sa-chan. Our journey is still long, if we always help those who are dying. We ourselves will be dying in this place" Haruki said riding his horse walking behind Akintunde.
My eyes glanced at those who had walked past, Yoona turned to look at me from the horse she was riding on. I lowered my head again as my hands moved to rub my lips.
"Sachi," said Izumi who was still sitting on her horse looking at me.
"I see, nii-chan," I said moving the horse harness as Izumi let go of her grip on my arm.
My head was getting bowed as a stifled voice came out many times from the back. Could it be the voice of the man?
My head was raised again, some of the men from our entourage seemed to be walking downstairs beside their horse. The old men who were sitting on their horses were also bowed silently in silence...
I turned to look at a woman sitting on our cart, a baby crying loudly in her cradle was silent as she gave her index finger bending over the baby's lips...
I want to get out of here as soon as possible.