A Symphony Of Frost And Flame

11 • LARICE

Larice took nothing much for her journey. She only needed her rapier and an extra garment. She had no money to buy food—but Shajara Forest was filled with fruits, so it would only take one climb to the trees by the time she starved.

Until now, Larice could still not believe she actually escaped from Shavath. Archon Quarth Ortel would be furious, but that didn't matter to her anymore. She would never spend the rest of her life weaving fabrics in the locked chambers of the Monases.

The only problem that bothered her now was what in the world she would do when she finds the dragon. Ask the beast? How stupid. Of course, dragons don't talk! They only screech and burn and eat anything they would see moving. She probably wouldn't last more than five seconds. Well, maybe she could—as long as she had this Hunter's Cape that she stole from Shavath. It would protect her from the fire at the very least. But her fear would definitely eat her, causing her instant death. Plus ... the dragon hunters from Shavath might already be tracking her. She had been gone for hours and they might have noticed her disappearance by now. She needed to hurry.

Despite her ongoing thoughts, Larice found herself close to Yoren Village. She could almost smell the salty breeze from the shores up ahead. Did all dragon hunters out in the field know about her? Probably not at this moment, she thought. The hunters staying in Yoren might not even notice who she was.

As Larice made her way out of the forest, she finally caught a glimpse of the village ahead. Strong wind carrying the ocean scent brushed at her face and sent her hair into a flail. Coconut trees were everywhere. Hot grains of sand crunched under her boots as she headed to the wooden houses beside the shorelines.

It was a normal working day for the villagers of Yoren. Some men carried logs of woods from their harvest in the forest while some were chopping them. Fishing boats could be spotted where villagers lifted buckets of fishes they had caught from the sea. Stalls of fruits, flowers, flatbread, seafood, textiles, and more varieties of products stood and gathered on the village market—along with the people, some hunters, buying and selling around. Larice didn't like the noise and air amidst the crowds, so she decided to head on towards the village tavern. Her throat had been going dry. She needed a drink before she could head on her way.

The tavern in Yoren was located at the center of the village. Its air smelled of alcohol and roasted meat. Larice could hear the loud chats and laughter of men inside. This was where the dragon hunters stayed when off-duty out of the field. Larice bit her lower lip as she watched them at fun. She suddenly felt lonely once again, wishing she could be normal just like them. But there was no time for any sad thoughts. She only had to get a drink or two so she could continue heading north, while the dragon hunters from Shavath had yet to arrive.

Larice was about to walk to the door when she spotted a middle-aged woman who seemed to be the owner, serving food and drinks at the hunters inside.

Larice stopped—realizing the place looked just like the inn back then... and the woman serving made her recall one of her darkest memories ... where she accidentally killed those people.

After Larice had been kicked out from entering the Dravalon Army in Sunvar City, a woman took her in. Faran, as what they called her, was an owner of an inn, and a single mother of three children. Larice worked as her helper in return for the stay and the food. They treated her like family. They worked together, prayed together, and played together with the kids ... Faran became the mother Larice had been longing for her entire life after her parents' death.

At that time, Larice felt like she finally had a place where she belonged. So she kept the truth about her—that she's not from Drava and she came from another country. This was enough for her. She wanted all things to stay the same.