Waking Up in 18th Century [BXB]

CHAPTER 103: Escondido

"Escondido?" Syl asked again to make sure that he heard the King right. And at the same time trying to remember if he has been in the place before in his life. But unfortunately, there is no such place in his time.

"What is this place?" Syl, ask while looking around his surroundings, feeling nervous when he remembers the ambush that happened to them the last time they traveled.

"You don't have to worry. This place is safe, and no one will just come out of nowhere and hurt us," Archid said when he felt the uneasiness that coming from Syl.

Although Archid said that, he still felt uneasy. He tried to calm his heart, but the memory of what happened still lingers on his mind.

"Escondido is a place that only those loyal to the monarch can stay and live a peaceful life," Archid begun to divert Syl's attention and to help him forget what happened to them in the forest.

"This place was built by our ancestors. So when the time comes, and their service is not needed by the country. And a new King is proclaimed. This will be the place that they will stay until their last breath. According to them, this place was bestowed by the heaven to the most loyal monarch who followed the heavens will.  It was a reward to them by obeying all the heavens order, so the heavens decided to give them this place. Where they can rest and have a peaceful life while waiting for the end of their life and pass on. But now, not only the royal family who lives here but also those people who were trusted and loyal to the monarch also lives here, even soldiers and servants are here, as long as the monarch allows them to enter the door, then they can live their life here with peace."

"This is also the place where my father hid Nicholas and Me during the rebellion of the West" Archid said, and a thought suddenly come to his mind. Why Sir Noah didn't go here when they left the palace at the time. This is the safest place for his family, especially for Syl. If they stayed here, he probably was married to Syl by now, and the West and East are already joined by marriage, and Syl will be by his side." Archid can help himself to think about this possibility. Thinking about this now. Doubt is starting to grow inside his heart and mind. Is there something that my father hid from me? What really happened to the house of West?

Syl's attention is already with Archid. He waited for the person to continue his story, but the person remains silent and had a contemplated look on his face, so when he saw this, he decided to ask the King to get his attention. "You said that this place is where the monarch stayed when their services are not needed by the Kingdom, so why does the Queen Dowager still lives the palace, in her age, he should already resting and leave without worries in her life,"

Archid looks down at Syl when he heard his question. He saw that the consort is also looking up at him. His lips slightly arc up, and he said,  "Don't tilt your head like that. It may hurt your neck," and gently patted Syl's forehead.

Syl immediately returns to t normal posture and felt his face turning hot again when he felt the warm palm of the King, and his heart skips a bit a little, just a little. "What the hell! What is happening to my temperature and my heart, am I having heart disease? This never happened before, Ahh this is not good, not good." Syl didn't say anything after that and just kept quiet and scolding himself.

Archid watches the top of Syl's head and rubs it slightly, He felt the person stiffen, and he took his hand off so the person will not be uncomfortable and decided to answer his question earlier.

"The Kingdom still needs my mother. As all you have known, I still need a Queen by my side or Prince Consort who will share the responsibility with me, and there are things that my Queen mother needs to do. But if you ask me, I want her to live a peaceful and safe life. But that decision is not mine anymore. But I wish to give her that as soon as possible." he said thinking about his mother's sacrifices for the Kingdom and for her sons.

They traveled like this, Syl asking questions about the place and its people while Archid will answer. There are times that Prince Nick will chime in to join the conversion, and they will laugh from time to time. People around them watch their monarch relax like this and see their King smiles genuinely at people just like this.

"It has been a long time since I saw him laugh like this. His aura right now is to relax and free," Nathan told Gerard, who is riding beside him. 

"Yeah... You're right! We are all young at that time. And he was still with him at that time, It is nice to see him smile like this, and I hope that the day will come that he will be just like this and be happy because he deserves that," Gerard said while looking at the back of his friend and King.

"Brother, look!" Ren exclaimed while pointing in front of them.

Syl look at the place that Ren pointed to just now, and he saw houses far away, and smoke is coming out of their chimney. Syl looks at the place with amazement in his eyes. He automatically turns his head to the person at his back to ask.

Archid looks at the sparkling eyes of the person in front of him, full of inquiring and excitement. He felt his heart soften in his appearance, and he smiled warmly and nodded at Syl. "We are almost there," he said.

Syl turns his head again and looks excitedly at the village in front of him. "He will see a place that was not discovered at his time. A secret place only the monarch of their county knows. This is a treasure for someone like Syl who like history. He can stop himself to be giddy and bit his lips to stop smiling like a lunatic.

He didn't know that all his movements were all seen by the King behind him. Archid looks at him, full of doting. He can't help himself. He pats his head, puts his arms around his waist and looks ahead, and urges his horse to run a bit faster.

Syl felt the arms around his waist and notice that they are moving faster than usual. He can help but raise his lips into a smile. He doesn't know that his own hand started holding the arms around him.

People notice that Archid started moving faster, and they look at each other and started doing the same thing, and Gerard releases a red smoke to notify the guard in the tower.
The guards who are station at the tower saw the red smoke. They immediately look at his telescope to see the group approaching their village. One of the guards blows the trumpet and signals that the King is here. People who live in the village heard it and immediately started preparing to receive them.

An old man who was sitting in a chair and teaching four little boys heard it too, "You smelly boy. Finally, you are here."