21

"I thought you knew where the princess was," Allesio uttered. I also thought the same, because of the confidence he had in bringing the princess back safely. 

"If they wouldn't disclose the Princess's location, then we will find her ourselves, it is not a big deal," Adriel scoffed.

"Just follow me," he instructed us.

We walked out of the palace and headed for the village. Houses were empty "but everyone could not be dead, could they?" I asked myself.

"Check the houses!" Adriel commanded and Allesio left my hand instantly. I watched them walk into the buildings courageously while I stood at a spot and turned to my from left to right.

They went in and out of people's houses there but was no trace of the princess until,

"Sir!" Allesio's voice called from inside and

Adriel dashed towards the building and I went with him.

Inside the house was a mess, broken chairs, and tables, clothes scattered all over the floor, the room looked just like a garbage disposal, and even the door barely stood.

"In here," Allesio's voice called from another room that was by our left.

Adriel opened the door and we saw Allesio holding an old man up, he was severely injured on his left arm and leg, and the poor man looked like he was going to drop dead any minute.

"Why did you call us to see this?" Adriel thundered.

"He has information about the princess," Allesio responded. I could tell he felt pity for the old but hid it since Adriel was present.

"Well then speak up man!" Adriel yelled at him. I felt hurt that I couldn't take it anymore so I spoke up.

"Can't you see he is in pain?" I asked in a fit of rage, how could they have seen him that way and ignored it? I ran towards him and tears gathered up in the corner of my eyes.

"Stop it, Sage, we don't have time for this," Allesio tried to push me away but I was reluctant. I picked up a piece of clothing from the ones scattered all over the place, soaked it in a bucket of water that stood nearby, and wiped his wound.

I thought Adriel or Allesio would try to stop me but none of them did, they just stared at me while I cleaned up his wound. Once I was done, I tore the clothing in two pieces, and wrapped them around his leg and arm.

"Are you done now?" Adriel asked me but I didn't reply, I only looked at him and nodded my head.

" So mister, tell me, what do you know about the princess?" Adriel asked him. His voice was soft and soothing, and I thought maybe he had realized that he ought to have been compassionate.

The man stared away from Adriel and looked at me, a broad smile crept up on his face and he whispered,

"Thank you, daughter."

I smiled back at him and bowed my head without saying a word.

"So? What do you know about the princess, we don't have all day old man! " Adriel raised his voice again.

" When my house was attacked," He began,

" I overheard one of the enemies say to another, ' we have Intel on the Princess's location '

The one who was told asked him to go alongside three other men, with a potion which he called " The Elixir of slumber" I don't know what it does but he sent them along with it to find the princess," the old man narrated.

" So, what else happened, did they mention where they'll take her after that?" Allesio asked him.

" Yes, he said they should take her to the path along the green stream," He replied.

The green stream was one of the most popular bodies of water in Aeradon. It was known as the green stream because the stones that were visible under the water were green. I had picked up the stone once and it was very slippery. The stones made the water appear green whereas it was clean.

"The path along the green stream?" Allesio asked.

Even I was confused, the path along the green stream wasn't a location in particular, "she was probably taken along that path but to where?" I asked myself when Adriel suddenly exclaimed.

"Of course!" 

"What do we do about him?" I asked, referring to the old man.

" I don't know Sage, what do you think?" Adriel stared at me disdainfully and I felt like I constantly delayed him.

"Don't worry about me daughter, I'll be fine. Just go find the princess," the old man said to me and smiled, while Allesio helped him to sit on the ground.

"Don't you have any family?" He asked him.

"She was taken away from me, an old man like me does not have the physical strength to defend my wife," He replied and I felt sorry for him. I wished I could have stayed and taken care of him. 

We left him alone in the house and I turned around to look at him several times before I left.

"So are we going to the green stream?" Allesio asked.

"Just follow me," Adriel instructed us and we obeyed like we always did.

The sky was brighter already so I wasn't afraid that we were going back into the forest. The path along the green stream had fewer tall kinds of grass, just little plants about the height of a finger, and so many evergreen trees.

I was only afraid because I didn't know what we were headed for. If the enemies were there then no one could tell where they would have been lurking.

I walked in between both men, and Adriel took the lead while Allesio was behind me. I didn't know if I was secure enough to be comfortable, I just hoped that it was going to end soon.

"Where now sir?" Allesio asked from behind me.

We were stood next to the green stream and Adriel was doing something with his hands, he bent over and placed his palm on the bare floor, he took them off and touched somewhere else then he whispered, "No," 

"What was he doing?" I wondered.

"He turned in the opposite direction and did the same thing, and then he nodded.

"This way," he said.