FLORIOGRAPHS
Chapters 4. The Kingdom of Cait

Elea and Lucas continue half their journey towards a town deep beneath a steep cliff bordering the sea, the kingdom of Credia.

A densely populated city partly inhabited by some nobility. Lucas took a shortcut route through the narrow alleys that circle the city to avoid the crowds.

When they arrived at the neighborhood of the girl's shop, they heard the unrest of the surrounding population when they saw some Cait royal soldiers standing guard at the entrance of her flower shop.

Lucas stopped his steps abruptly. He pointed towards the empty house right in front of them,

"You gotta hang in there, I'll be right back"

Lucas settles down to take a closer look, luck siding with him when there are only a few of them still on guard. When he decided to walk closer, his attention was distracted and his movements came to a halt as one of the soldiers approached the herd that was still on guard.

"No sign of them coming! That scoundrel! If it wasn't for curing the king's curse, you know I would have finished him off!"

"Stop babbling! Go back to work! If you don't stop with that shit of yours, you'll be beheaded!"

Both were involved in physical altercations. One of the leaders of the group of soldiers strangled them with both hands and then banged one of them against the wall.

"You want to die, Huh!?" He scrunched his forehead and clutched his neck so firmly that the man had trouble breathing.

Having no right to resist, they shook their heads.

"You see who's in charge!"

The Kingdom of Cait had a reputation as a ruthless and imperialist kingdom.

Their soldiers marched under the control of an unnamed king. Since the curse a few years ago, bad things have continued to happen, Almost the entire population of the Cait kingdom suffered from starvation to disease.

The warrior leader let go of his grip. They hunted their breath greedily when they were detached from it.

"Time's over!"

Lucas gasped and immediately looked for a place far enough away so that they would not find him immediately.

They took the horse and rode it back to their stronghold. Lucas, who had known from the beginning of the talk of the residents of Credia that this herd was just on guard before sunset.

This awkwardness led Lucas to assume that one of their weaknesses was because the castle lacked personnel for defense.

A chance to enter that place.

"It looks like they'll be back after dawn"

"I'll get some of my things there, wait for me at home"

"All right"

Elea went back to her flower shop. His face was gloomy when he saw the flower he was caring for well withering and falling apart. Given how difficult it was to build it, he had to let it go. Without wasting any more time, he immediately finished some of the things he had planned.turned to the display rack.

***

"We can't stay here much longer, just for tonight" Lucas said

"I know that"

The silent atmosphere engulfed both of them.

For a moment the young girl's face looked agitated as if trying to say something.

"Tell me"

Elea looked at Lucas and nodded her head.

"I was just wondering if your parents were gone?"

Lucas shook his head.

"I don't really know who they are, and whether they're alive or not. My teacher and foster father said they gave me up or sold me, not to remember - when I was very small" Lucas added with a grim look. To him his biological parents are just a pair of irresponsible humans channeling their passions to each other.

Feeling guilty for having asked her deeply hurtful questions without thinking, Elea repeatedly cursed herself inwardly.

He looked down as he looked at Lucas who had turned so quiet.

Lucas stared pushyly at the fireplace. He is in his own mind. Lucas had harbored hatred for his biological parents when he was a child already knew the truth. He tried to live independently since being abandoned.he was adopted by a retired alchemist who lived alone, Magister Howard.

Slowly Lucas' life changes and he tries to repay his teacher's kindness by training himself to become an ambitious man, like his teacher. Howard already considered her his own son.

Sometimes Lucas and Howard often travel to provide treatment voluntarily to the very poor people of the Cait kingdom who cannot afford to pay for treatment. Even thanks to Magister Howard, some rare diseases could be treated with the potions he created. This triggers the Cait government's ill-intention to use Howard and force him to carry out the order with the threat of being killed.

.***

Sunlight shone on the dusty windows of his cabin. Elea woke up in the morning. Her pale skin became slightly warmer due to the surrounding air.

Elea has yet to fully gather consciousness, her arm is immediately pulled by Lucas who is ready to leave the house.

"They'll be here any minute" he murmured

"Please let me pick up for a while the stuff I'm gonna bring"

"Relax.they're on me"

Lucas and Elea exit the back door, toward a small road leading to the ship's port. Suddenly a spear floated in front of them.

"Hey! Just stop!! You guys are so suspicious!!

The soldiers they had avoided had already appeared within a few meters. They don't shout at their screams. The sound of the pounding of their boots had already reached the hearing. They ran as hard as they could towards the crowd.

Lucas and Elea tricked them by covering their heads with the hoods of their respective robes until they were confused by their previous appearance. Some of the visitors in the crowd were wearing the same robes. The soldiers almost lost track of them. However, it is soon discovered when they find Elea bumping into an old woman and dropping her things.

"The woman's there! Catch her!"

The soldier exclaimed

"Oh, no"

At the very last moment, Elea accelerated her movements as fast as she could. Fortunately, Lucas was able to help her and desperately took Elea away and into the transport ship that would sail without their knowledge.

For the first time in her life, the girl entered a transport ship. He could not stop paying attention to the sturdy and tough frame structure of the ship, which was equipped with three masts and three large sails. The shape of the ship has sharp edges and a curved hull that makes it easy for the ship to speed and adjust direction when crossing a fierce ocean. In addition, the ships had spacious decks as cargo space to accommodate merchandise, spices, wine, and luxury goods. It is not surprising that almost every passenger has their own sailing destination.

Chapter IV

End