Kitanna
Chapter 82: THE SWORDSMITH AT ODEL

Chapter 82: THE SWORDSMITH AT ODEL

[MUSIC RECOMMENDATION: DEAR NAME ~ IU]

Kitanna, now sitting alone on the table, held her chest, the soft touch of Nix’s fingers still lingering on her skin. Her face warmer than the candlelight, she took a little time to catch her breath before changing her dress to the ones Nix gave her.

The upper clothing had a belt, which she strapped tightly around her waist, pulling her pants up a little, but she let the shirt cover it. Kitanna tied her hair in a small bun, then she fixed her sword, which she carried along with her on her waist side. Her dressing was more like a personal guard to a noble person.

After Kitanna was sure her dressing was okay, she stepped out of the room and noticed that Nix was not standing at the door as he had promised. She was about to walk back inside the room to wait for him when she saw him walking towards her. There was something different about the way Nix looked at the moment. His usual composure and elegance were not there; his hair was disheveled like he had been touching it roughly, and his eyes still had the wild gaze. Kitanna looked away from him as he got closer.

"Follow me," his voice sounded even huskier than normal.

Kitanna decided to keep silent; she didn’t want to annoy him more with her silly words. As they stepped inside the room where food was being served, Kitanna took notice of how some men had ladies sitting on their laps as they downed alcohol, which was put in a very large cup. Her eyes noticed some other men who were getting intimate with some women right in front of everyone; it was as if everyone was just high on something. As her gaze lingered on them, she felt Nix’s large hands cover her eyes and lead her outside of the room.

"I thought we were eating there?" Kitanna asked when they got outside of the inn.

"Do you think you can swallow a spoonful with the activities going on there? I know a better place; let’s go." Nix said, walking in front as Kitanna followed behind.

She couldn’t help but look around the village; it was a small village, and the people inside looked very poor and unfed. She didn’t know that such a place existed, and to think that Almaria wanted her to be married off to a place like this, Kitanna felt very bad.

"What is it?" Nix turned to ask the girl when he noticed that her footsteps were not following him again.

"This place... what happened?" Kitanna said with great concern.

Nix stopped to allow her to catch up to him, and when she did, he raised his hands to button properly the mismatched buttons on her shirt, which he failed to notice because of how dark the inn was.

"Odel village used to be rich in alcohol, and they made it big distributing to other kingdoms. Then suddenly, they started importing an intoxicating herb to mix with their drinks. It started from their elderly, then youths, both men and women. It reduced the village to nothing because people sold their children just to get a taste of the herb. That’s why you see them acting out of the ordinary. Things that should be hidden, they show it out in public like animals. Odel became a castaway among all the villages under Morado. People who came here were either to hide or just for the fun." Kitanna listened attentively; she remembered the way the people at the inn were behaving, and she nodded.

"What about you? What do you come here for? The innkeeper knows you," Kitanna’s eyes lit up curiously. She had never been exposed to this kind of life. Even as an assassin, it was only to destroy bigger kingdoms, so she didn’t have time to stop at smaller villages as she has work maidens who transported her back to Morado after her killings.

"I’m guessing it’s not for the fun because the man said you never touch their women." Kitanna pressed on.

"Hm," Nix hummed. He had cut through the road, and when he got there, he knocked in what sounded like a pattern. Two knocks first, then a tap. "I come to hide." That was Nix’s short reply before Kitanna could land him with another question; the door opened, an elderly man led them inside the room.

Nix placed an order at the counter, and their food arrived. It was soup made with chicken wings and lap with rice and rolled egg. The food was served hot, so the aroma was mouth-watering.

Kitanna picked up her spoon immediately, and when her lips tasted the soup, she closed her eyes savoring the sweetness.

"This is good, dig in," she advised Nix, who nodded and picked up his own spoon to eat.

When they were done eating, Nix said to her, "Don’t leave this place or talk to anyone. The owner is a good friend of mine. I’ll be back; let me ask around for the man."

Kitanna nodded her head; she watched as Nix left the place; she reclined on her chair looking around for what to pass her time with.

Nix walked deeper into the village, taking Kitanna with him to this part of the village was risky, so he made the walk alone. As he got to the house which belonged to the old swordsmith, he didn’t need to knock as the door was open; he pushed it and walked inside.

Nix searched inside the room for the man, but it seemed like the place was empty. He was about to leave when he saw a knife being thrown at him; he swiftly moved to the side, but the knife grazed part of his hair before landing on the wooden pillar.

Nix took out his sword; his eyes darted for where the assailant was hiding.

"You are not from here," a low voice spoke from the darker part of the room. It was an elderly man’s voice.

"I came looking for Swordsmith Wenceslaus," Nix replied, trying to catch a glimpse of the man.

The elderly man stepped out into the light, his back slightly crouched due to old age. "Who is asking?" He asked.

Nix looked at the man’s hand; it was indeed the swordsmith, but he couldn’t have been the one to throw the knife because his hands were already weak. "Nix Zeno," he bowed in respect to the man’s age.

"Zeno..." The older man thought for a moment, "Ah! The white Lords of Wahels, How is Lord Hieron?" The older man laughed a little.

"He is doing great." Nix replied, but his guard was still up; there was someone else in the room.

The old man noticed that Nix still had his sword out; he raised his hand trying to tell him to calm down, "Is ok, it was my grandson. Come out now Chantal; he’s not an enemy." The elderly man beckoned to his grandson to come out from his hiding.

"We are often sought by people who want to use our skills by force, but I can’t provide them with any help. Our family skills will die with me as my Chantal has decided to learn swordsmanship instead of swordsmith," the man laughed.

Nix checked out the grandson; he was a young boy but responsibility made him look a little mature. His dark hair was banded round with a red piece, and his dressing depicted his rough upbringing. He walked past Nix and pulled out his knife which was stuck there before going back to help his grandfather sit down.

Now sitting down, Nix noticed the constant frown that was on the face of the man’s grandson. He chose to ignore it.

"Why have you come, is Lord Hieron asking for a sword? It’ll be a pity because of my age; I can’t lift a hammer anymore." The man’s voice sounded frail.

"It is not about that, King Dunstan Morgair sent me." Nix replied.

The look on the old man’s face turned to one which was calm to an alert one. "He did? I’m not sure I know what you’re talking about." The swordsmith named Wenceslaus said, looking away.

Nix noticed the look, and he knew the man was trying to be cautious, " I serve his only child, Princess Kitanna. She’s here with me, but I told her to stay back because of the dangers that lurk around here. And I’m glad I did." Nix turned to give the grandson a knowing look, and the boy narrowed his eyes at Nix.

"Your name was on the parchment King Dunstan left for the princess. That is what led us here."

Wenceslaus nodded his head, "I guess she is ready; the king told me that his daughter will come, and I’ve been waiting for this day. I prayed I won’t pass on before she arrived, and the heavenly king heard my prayers." The old man smiled, revealing his missing upper teeth.

"Chantal get the small box I told you about," he ordered his grandson. And the boy took his time to look at Nix before leaving them alone.

"Don’t worry about my grandson; he likes to act tough because of the wildness of the place we live in, but I assure you, he means no harm." Wenceslaus informed Nix, who couldn’t even care much, but still nodded.

"That box contains the original seal of Morado; the king was having trust issues while on his sick bed so he asked me to create something similar to the royal seal and then he handed me the original. He said when the time was right his child will come for it." The old man revealed to Nix.

Nix felt relieved that the king even on his sick bed was filled with wisdom and he gave it to someone who had no greed. Because Wenceslaus could have returned to Morado claiming to be king as he was with the actual seal, but he still waited till the day the owners came for it.

"Thank you Sir Wenceslaus, you have done noble." Nix stood up and bowed to the man.

Wenceslaus waved for him to stop, "I am being loyal to the crown which is my duty." He turned to look at the room his son entered, then he said in hushed tone, "Can I ask you for a favour Son of Zeno?"

Nix was ready to help the man anyway he could because he has proven to be loyal without stain of greed unlike what is seen in the world these days.

"Can you take Chantal with you? I don’t want him rotting away here for the rest of his life. He is still at his prime. Put him under your care." Wenceslaus pleaded. He knew his time was near now that the only thing which kept him alive was no more, but he wanted a better life for his grandson who lived all his years taking care of him.

"That one looks like a handful, but I will. What about you? You can come with us." Nix informed the man.

"What other life is an old man looking for; I’m fine where I am. I will die knowing I have fulfilled my life purpose." Wenceslaus replied; his voice sounded weaker.

His grandson entered the room with a box wrapped with the same cloth as the one Nix and Kitanna found under the former king’s tomb. On his father’s instructions, Chantal gave Nix the box, before moving to sit beside his grandfather.

"Chantal, this is your new master; you will follow him and serve him." The words did not sit well with the young man because he protested.

"I won’t leave your side papa" he objected.

"Chantal! I told you this day will come; if you want me to die peacefully do what I have instructed."

After much deliberations and arguments, Nix promised that people from his tribe will come and take care of Wenceslaus. Chantal finally packed his clothes in a small horse skin bag, and waved to his grandfather.

"Greet the young princess for me; it’s sad I couldn’t see her face." Wenceslaus waved at the duo as they left.

Nix, who was now walking faster because he had a feeling something was just not right with Kitanna, heard a question from Chantal.

"What is the princess like?" He heard rumors about the royal family and how overbearing they could be.

As Nix got close to the inn he had left Kitanna, he saw people crowded in an area; he prayed to the deities that Kitanna won’t be found there, but his prayers were far from being answered.

Standing in the middle of the crowd was Kitanna holding a man’s neck, trying to squeeze it.

Nix muttered but was for Chantal to hear and he said, "Trouble."

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