[MUSIC RECOMMENDATION: MISSING YOU ~ SOYOU FT MAD CLOWN]
After leaving Odel village, Axilla served directly under Chief Cortez. She was in charge of his food, arranging his clothes, and still shared the same tent or room with him, as the case may be. She didn’t have to hide her face from people anymore and refrained herself from speaking to anyone prior to Cortez’s order.
Traveling from different kingdoms to another was fun when they didn’t meet bandits, but on rare occasions when bandits ambushed them, it was really scary for Axilla. She swore never to live on the road after she goes back to the palace.
The merchants had stopped to rest after traveling for three days in a row. They had settled in a very big town where they’d buy goods and move back to sell to rich kingdoms at a higher rate. Axilla saw buildings she had never imagined; they looked better than the houses in Morado and much better than the palace. She forgot she was walking behind Cortez when she saw a shiny pearl necklace raised to be sold. Axilla had never ogled jewelries; in fact, it wasn’t her business, but what she saw right now was beyond beauty. Very simple, but had stones adorning it. She reached out to touch it when the seller pushed her hands off roughly as she wasn’t dressed like a noble or wealthy merchant. The seller assumed she was a beggar.
"Axilla, leave that store," Cortez spoke from behind. The seller noticed Cortez, and his eyes quickly lighted up in excitement.
"Chief Cortez, come to my store; I will only give you the best of everything." Axilla noticed the man’s teeth were looking brownish when he grinned. She moved back to stand close to a familiar person.
"Will you now? But I sent my private buyer, and you pushed her harshly. I cannot trust a man like you," Cortez harrumphed. The seller realized immediately that the confused-looking young girl was with him. He bit his inner cheeks in regret. "I didn’t know, pardon my ignorance. You always send Chief Panha when you’re not available. She’s new here; come over miss. You liked this one, didn’t you?" The man suddenly became very nice, beckoning Axilla to come.
Axilla didn’t move from her position; the sudden niceness was creeping her out. The seller’s smile made her remember the innkeeper back at Odel.
"You scared her," Cortez said casually, dipping his hand inside his pocket like he was about to pay for the pearled ornament. This made the seller grin from ear to ear, expecting to sell huge because Cortez was a well-known merchant. He was nicknamed the magic touch. If he stepped into your store to buy just one product, rest assured he was going to buy more than one and pay handsomely just like his face.
Cortez leaned forward, after looking at the product; he tched and glanced at the man. "Don’t expect money for fake products!" At his words, the smile on the seller’s face fell so quickly.
Cortez turned to look at Axilla, and he said, "You have a lot to learn; you were almost tricked into buying fake. Let’s go; let me show you what an original looks like. That one has been polished with granite and soaked inside ivory dust, making it look shiny. Don’t be deceived by that." Dragging Axilla by the wrist, he walked out of the stall.
The seller cursed his luck; if only he had been nice enough to the girl. Maybe Chief Cortez would have ignored him selling fake. The vendor thought.
Axilla followed Cortez; she looked at her wrist where he was now holding tightly like any loose she will get missing in the crowd. They got to another stall; it was a woman who was selling, this time.
"Lady Hash! You seem to be enjoying the sun today." Cortez greeted with a smile. Axilla noticed it was a genuine smile, unlike his usual taunting grin.
The elderly woman removed her hat and reached out to touch Cortez; that was when Axilla realized that the woman was blind.
"Cortez, boy! How are you doing? You didn’t come alone today... A young girl? And not Panha..." The woman’s voice trailed.
Axilla widened her eyes in surprise; how did the woman know this if she couldn’t see. Cortez grinned, "Often times lady Hash, I feel you’re just tricking us here. Are you really blind?" He smiled, picking a hairpin from the store and looking at it.
"Somethings don’t need to be seen. This one’s soul is pure and yet to be touched by the world’s cruelty. It’s easy to detect that, unlike the other one who tags along with you." Lady Hash said with a smile.
"Tell me Cortez, is she the one you wish to have your children with?" The woman asked without mincing words.
Axilla felt blood rush up to her neck; she tried to keep her blush at bay, but the sun was not helping her.
"No My lady, I’m just a servant." She corrected.
Cortez noticed the young girl try to defend herself shyly. He didn’t say anything but continued to check out the goods in the stall.
"Come here young one." Lady Hash beckoned on the girl. Axilla climbed the small blocks that were used to elevate the stall. She went to stand in front of the woman.
Axilla watched as the woman touched her hands, and then her face. She smiled and nodded, but she didn’t say anything.
"The last time you said your sister was married to the young king of Morado." Lady Hash directed her words to Cortez this time.
Cortez nodded, and the elderly woman continued, "Some little birds of mine are beginning to whisper, the throne is at stake, they say. Seems the king’s birth story had few spaces in it. Make sure your sister is safe now; I also heard the throne would be given to the young princess but there’s another rumour going that she is losing her mind." The woman spoke the words like it was nothing.
Axilla hearing the name of the princess, turned to look at Cortez. But Cortez pushed his fingers to his lips indicating that she shouldn’t speak.
"Thank you for the information, as expected of you. Here to feed your little birds, and for this hairpin." Cortez untied a small bag from his waist and handed it over to the older woman.
The woman nodded and waved at the departing two. Cortez knew very well that the girl beside him was very worried especially after what she heard about her beloved princess.
Panha who was standing with other crew members stepped forward when she saw Chief Cortez and the young girl.
"Chief Cortez" she bowed in respect. "We didn’t see you during today’s shopping." Panha stated her worries, and it was because he was with this little clumsy annoying girl. She cursed in her mind.
Cortez gave out a sweet smile, "I trust you can handle everything in my absence Panha. Get the crew together; next stop is Morado. I heard something interesting is about to happen there." He ordered.
One of the merchants raised his hand, and Cortez nodded obliging him to speak. "I heard the kingdom is unstable as of now. It will be bad for our market." The man said.
"Hm" Cortez acted like he was giving it a thought, then he grinned. "We won’t know if we don’t go there. Next stop Morado" he turned and left the place with Axilla hot on his tails.
Panha gritted her teeth as she watched the girl follow him so closely almost touching his back. She looked away in anger; going to Morado was not such a bad idea since it was the last place her sister was seen. She needed more information about her sister who was paid by another kingdom to kill the heir of Morado.
Panha thought of it, if the crown prince was now king, does it mean Calissa failed? If they tried as much as to hurt a hair on her sister’s hair, she will reign hell on them. Panha thought to herself, going back to get the crew ready for their long journey.