Tales Of Darkness And Light
Chapter 17's

The morning sun had risen, a horse carriage was speeding out of Bold Mountain. Beside the horse carriage, several men and women sitting on the horse drove at the same speed.

Inside the horse carriage, Mire laughed out loud looking at their loot. From money, gold, gems, antiques and also food, they do not always get satisfactory results like this every day. "Our loot this time is very quality." Pleased speech.

"Yes, and we also get unexpected results." Vin's smile that was beside Mire, his eyes were then directed at Rue and Lara who were also in the horse carriage.

Rue who was still frightened by what she was going through tightly gripped the small blanket that covered her body, while Lara, the girl was silently silent with a calm face expressionlessly staring back at Vin.

"With their faces like that, their selling price would definitely be very high." Van is also next to Mire.

Mire raised her face and looked at Rue and Lara. He knew, what Van said was right, these two girls who were in front of him were very beautiful and their prices would definitely be very high. A grinning smile was painted on her pretty face "You're right, Van. I can't wait to see how much money we get when we sell them both—it'll definitely be over a million pennas."

"If I were you, I wouldn't sell both of us." Sela Lara suddenly expressionlessly relaxed.

Mire, Vin and Van who heard Lara's words were stunned. They never expected the girl to interrupt their conversation so casually. Usually people who are caught by robbers will be afraid and do not dare to say anything.

"What do you mean?" mire asked, her green eyes staring at Lara.

"If I were you, I wouldn't sell both of us, because I could earn over a million rabbits." Lara answered with a smile.

Mire, Vin and Van were all confused by Lara's reply. They did not understand the meaning of the girl's words.

"What's the reason you can say that?" ask Van.

"My name is Lara Arc Catax. I am the second son of the King and Queen of Catax." Lara answered loudly.

Mire, Vin and Van were very surprised to hear Lara's reply. Carefully, they observed Lara and Rue. They both do not look like ordinary people, but—a princess?

"What's the evidence that you're the princess of the Catax kingdom?" ask Mire again. He was not at all sure of what Lara said. How could the Princess of the kingdom of Catax be here?—more they found her in the robber's lair.

"I don't have anything that can prove my identity" Lara replied. He was grateful that the robber in front of him was now the one who could be invited to negotiate. "But if you can take us to the city of Cirrion. "I can prove it to you there."

Hearing Lara's words, Mire laughed. "You think we're stupid? You just want to find an excuse to escape. There's no way you're the Princess of Catax. On what basis do you claim to be a princess?"

"And on what basis do you say I'm not a princess?" reply Lara asked back Mire with her calm black eyes.

Mire's speechless. Staring at Lara who was calmly daring against him, he began to hesitate. The girl's attitude and manner of speaking doesn't look like nonsense—is she really the Princess of Catax?

"I don't think he's lying, Mire." Said Vin suddenly. He who had been silently observing Lara called out his opinion.

"You sure?" asked Van doubtfully. He did not imagine that the girl in front of him was the princess of the Catax kingdom.

Vin nodded his head. In their group, he is the smartest person to read someone's mind and predict whether the person is lying or not. All the members of the group trusted him very much because he proved to be never wrong all this time.

"Alright," standing up, Mire looked at Lara with a smile. "However, we will not take you to the city of Cirrion."

Rue and Lara raised their heads to look at Mire as soon as they heard her words.

"The city of Cirrion is a big city with super tight guard. I don't trust you, how about you set us up in that town." Continue Mire while folding both hands on the chest.

"Where are you going to take us then?" ask Lara.

"All right." Reply Lara. Indeed, his sum was not as he expected, but at least, he and Rue avoided the danger of being sold as slaves.

"No!" Rue who from earlier was silent in fear suddenly blurted loudly. Staring at Mire, his two eyes were full of pleading. "Can you take us to Cirrion?"

Mire, Vin and Van looked at Rue confusedly. The girl was obviously very scared since then, but now she dared to shout and beg—where did the courage come from that she dared to say that?

"Can't," Mire refused. He did not like the person shouting in front of him. "You are our prisoners. We decide where we're going."

Not despairing, Rue immediately stood up and walked in front of Mire. Her green, teary eyes full of pleading stared at the female robber holding back tears. "Please.."

"Hey!! Realize position!" mire shouted annoyed. He did not like Rue's eyes.

Hearing Mire's words, Rue's tears flowed down her cheeks. He didn't know what to say to get Mire to take them to Cirrion. An overwhelming fear filled his heart. He did not want to leave the kingdom of Arthron, he wanted to go to the city of Cirrions, because it was the place of his agreement with Apple. What if Apple doesn't find him in the city of Cirrion when it gets there?—what if he won't meet again with Apple if he comes out of the kingdom of Arthorn?

"Stop the carriage, I want to get out!" mire's orders while hitting hard on the wall of the speeding horse carriage.

The moving horse-drawn carriage immediately slowed down its speed and stopped not long after. Not caring for Rue's sobbing cries, Mire walked out followed by Vin and Van.

"Wait a minute," Lara immediately stopped the three of them as they were about to close the door of the horse carriage. "Can you give me one dress for this fool?"

Mire, Vin and Van, looked at Lara.

"Cih," clucking in dislike, Mire looked at Van who was beside her. "Give him a shirt, Van."

Van returns to the horse-drawn carriage and ruffles their loot in search of clothes for Rue, while Mire and Vin who have no more business walk away from the horse-drawn carriage.

A few minutes later, Van managed to find clothes that were the size of Rue's body. Throwing the clothes at Lara, without saying a word, she walked out and closed the carriage door.

Rue did not move, he tightly grumbled the small blanket that covered his body and lowered his head down. Tears kept falling down both of his cheeks.

Sighing, Lara walked up to Rue and held both of her small shoulders. He's not good at entertaining people, but he should now try his best to do it, "Rue." he called slowly.

Rue raised his head and looked at Lara's face. Her green eyes that were tearful were full of fear and despair. "Lara, Apple.. Apples.."

Lara did not like Rue's crying face, she always felt that the beautiful girl was more suitable to laugh or smile happily. Raising his hand wiped away the tears, he tried to calm him down. "It's okay, you'll definitely meet again."

"But, Lara, I-I..." Reply Rue stammered. Not knowing why, even though Lara said she and Apple would definitely meet again, she still could not calm down.

"Change that shirt first." Lara orders while handing the clothes in her hands to Rue.

Holding back her dagger, Rue took the clothes Lara had given her. Turning her back to Lara, she removed the small blanket that covered her body as well as her torn tunic.

Lara who was standing behind Rue saw clearly the girl's back. A small frown appeared on his forehead, a large tattoo filling the white back. However, after taking a good look, he realized, it was not a tattoo but rather a—birthmark.

The birthmark is reddish in color and shaped like a pair of wings surrounding a magic circle. In the center of the magic circle was a strange symbol. Lara had never seen a magic circle or such a symbol all this time, and most importantly—how could there be a birthmark like this?

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