For Junoesque.

it's 2.50 am. believe it or not - i was studying. or at least trying to. i am so screwed - you have no idea. in fact, i was on the verge of 'breaking down' a mere few moments ago. so i decided to pen something down to 'relieve' myself. and i did! i was just about to transfer it from my journal to here - when i realised - 'f**k, this is way too depressing and intimate to put in here!" i'm going through some dark times right now - and it's not just 'cause i'm not ready for my exams.

so i decided, i'll just post a continuation of BEDTIME STORY for Junoesque.

anyway, here you are Junoesque. BEDTIME STORY was after all - instigated by you.
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The young guard of Honor, Sren Rohno was devastated. This was his first mission and everything that could possibly go wrong, did. Sren had lost his compatriots, sustained some grave injuries and almost lost the Princess all in one night. And to think, his job was the simplest…he was instructed to stand by the Princess regardless. Thankfully, with the help of a stranger, the Princess was still alive and well. In fact, it is amazing how the stranger managed to keep them alive.
Not many people have enough skill to fend off the Beasts of the Wood without sustaining some injuries. And this stranger managed to keep himself injury free as well as save the lives of another two people. Regardless, a stranger is a stranger and around these parts, a good man is scarce. So, Sren had no rest either during the night. He pretended to sleep and kept an eye on the stranger at all times.
As he was keeping watch, he seemed to notice something vaguely familiar about this stranger but for the life of him, he could not seem to place it. The memory was in his head, fluttering around like a moth teasing a flame, just as he was about to get it, it seemed to flutter away again. While the stranger just looked up to the sky seemingly oblivious to the fact that he was being watched.

X

As soon as there was a hint of light peeking through the dense forest foliage of the Dark Wood he stood up and woke the Princess and the guard up. “Your Highness, we have to go. Make haste lest we lose the light of day.” Then he looked to the guard, “And as for you young one, I hope staying up all night watching me did not drain you of what strength you have left for you will need it before we get to the next town.”
Sren was speechless.
Once they got down, he grabbed Sren’s arm and took something he had been chewing on his mouth for a while and squeezed some liquid from it onto a deep gash Sren sustained while fending off the Beasts the night before. Sren felt a pain that made him want to cry out for his mother but he held it in and just winced.
“Sorry I took so long, I only just noticed that wound of yours. A little while longer and you would be lying on the ground gasping for air. Some of the Beasts wield poisonous weapons. You know when you get cut deep but you feel as though it’s just a flesh wound. The poison has that effect on one. You can give me you thanks later.”
Sren and Princess Sue were speechless throughout the journey. In fact, they didn’t even bother to ask for the identity of this mysterious stranger. Not after a long while when the stranger broke the silence.
“Once we walk around that bend up ahead, we would have arrived at our destination. Be quick about it, the sky is getting cloudy and soon rain will pour.”
The Princess and Sren looked up at the sky and saw no cloud. It was a clear blue sky and the sun was shining brightly. There was a slight hint of self satisfaction for Sren as ever since they first met this stranger, he seemed to know everything and it was starting to get on his nerves. Then it occurred to Sren and the Princess that they had no idea where they were heading to. Destination? What destination?
Just as Sren was about to question the stranger, the stranger stopped abruptly, turned around and said, “Now, from this moment on, Princess…you shall only be known and referred to as Sarine – no more Princess. We cannot refer to you as the ‘Your Highness’ anymore lest we risk being discovered.” He looked at Sren, “Please, just use your brains and blend in. Try not to talk too much. In fact, say nothing at all.”
Sren was infuriated but the Princess said, “Let us follow his lead for now, you are injured and are in need of attention. We are in no position to defy this stranger.” Then she returned her attention to the stranger. She grabbed his arm, pulling him back a bit as he was about to walk away. “How about you then my dear sir? What shall we call you?”
He just looked at her and said, “Sarine, you may call me Rage.” With that, he turned away and led the way into what looked like a little village.

X

They arrived at what looked like a barkeep. It didn’t look very appealing to the eye and the people that were seen hanging about didn’t look like hard working village folk. As they walked through the door, Sren noticed a broken sign board on the floor and scribbled on it with red paint, that oddly enough looked like blood, was The Lair. Sren did not like the sound of that at all.
They walked down a staircase that was winding and it was really dark. Sarine almost tripped and fell over Rage a few times. At the bottom of the stairs, they arrived at another door that burst open and a huge beast of a man stood there with a long scar across his face immediately opened the door and stood aside. He seemed to know Rage.
The little hut outside mislead people, the place was huge and seemed to be underground because the walls were earth and torches placed on the walls were not very brightly lit making the place look very undesirable. It gave the immediate impression that this was the place people who did not want to be found hang about. Rage approached a noisy table…well one of the noisy tables and it was surrounded by women, mostly drunk. And standing on the table singing was this man who also looked drunk.
“WOMEN! Marvellous women! What would life be if it weren’t for women!…” And he stopped abruptly when he saw Rage. As a matter of fact, the whole place went silent as Rage walked past their tables.
Sren overheard one drunkard whispering to another drunkard, “Why is everyone so silent?”
And the second drunkard replied, “You know how Scar got his scar?” The first drunkard shook his head, “Meet the man who made Scar’s name really mean something…”
The singing man climbed down from the table and pushed the women surrounding him aside saying, “Don’t y’all be worryin’ none. It’s just Rage, not d’bloody fairy-God Mummy…” He picked up his sword lying on the floor with one hand and holding a mug of Groob in the other. He looked Rage solemnly straight at the face, “’ello there Rage. Been a while since you came up to see me little ‘ole Gasion eh? Come to collect what I owe ya?”
Rage reached for his sword and the people around him all pushed their chairs aside and took a few steps back. Then his other hand reached out towards Gasion and he said, “Yes you little mud bugger. Gimme that mug!” and they exchanged handshakes as Rage drank up the Groob. Everyone else went back to their own business.
“To what do I owe d’normous pleasure of lookin’ at yer ugly mug of a face in ere?” Gasion was eyeing Sarine as he said this.
“Don’t even think about it Gasion. This ere is my distant cousin and her mute friend.” Gasion barely noticed Sren and paid more attention to Sarine.
“Truly…me finds it bloody hard to swallow that any person related to ya could be that fine a thing to look at…I’m impressed.” As he continued to examine her body from top to bottom. Sarine felt uneasy and it showed.
“I shall let that one pass my friend. I have more pressing matters to discuss and as you said before about collecting what you owe me – I am here to ask of that favour that you still owe me. Should you choose to join me, I shall consider your debt fully repaid. But first of all, I have not heard much of you in the past two years…how is your hand with the sword? Still on the edge or have you lost it?”
“Aye, ‘tis true despite livin out ere in the badlands, this village’s been spared from very much of the calamities that now rage – pun of course intended ! - even more now than before. But Rage, you should know me well enough to know that ole Gasion’s never really without trouble…in fact, I shall hafta giv yer a demonstration right now, me fears.”
At that, five big able looking men burst into the bar. These men were even bigger than that Scarface that stood by the door. And even he was overwhelmed. Then, from the shadows, behind these big burly warrior looking men, a puny man appeared and his voice was like that of a loud squeak. The squeak said, “Gasion! Step out here and face me like a man! You shall pay for what you did to my wife to be!”

He grabbed his sword and looked to Rage, Sarine and Sren , “Me won’t be long, have a drink. I shall be back rather shortly…” Then he jumped on the table adjacent to him and shouted, “Oye! Little squeak! A thoroughly unpleasant surprise to to see yer little bum in ere. D activities in which yer wife to be and me were engaged in were indeed such an activity that very much required both parties consent.”
Little squeak looked furious and ordered his men to, “KILL HIM!” And the five men drew their weapons and advanced towards Ronnie. Sren saw this and wanted to help but Rage held him back and just shook his head. So Sren kept his sword in it’s sheathe.
Gasion’s face immediately turned from that of a drunken man to one that was keenly aware and it showed in his strokes. He first went for their weapons and knocked one by one out of each warrior’s hand. They attacked him all at once and he then somersaulted over them and upon landing behind them he grabbed a mug of groob, chugged it down and then humiliated the five warriors by relieving them of their pants. The whole bar was laughing and guffawing at these five men. They rushed out.
Gasion then moved right up to the little squeak and looked down upon him. The little squeak looked around and didn’t like how things had turned out, he ran out of the bar.
Sren was impressed. Sarine looked at Rage. His face was dead serious, it looked as if he had come to a decision and it didn’t look like one he particularly liked.
Rage then got up and looked at both Sarine and Sren and said, “Come.” They left the bar together with Gasion. And Sren was a bit disappointed because once again, Rage was right, it was raining cats and dogs.

X

They ran across the street to another small hut. Once again the small hut was deceiving for inside there was yet another staircase spiraling downwards into the ground. However, this set of stairs was different from that of The Lair’s, this one was wider and more brightly lit. At the bottom of the stairs they walked past an archway that lead into a huge circular hall.
As they walked into the hall, Sren noticed a sign that said, “WELCOME TO MIA’s INN in the GROUND”. There was a counter in the center of the hall. All around them were doors that presumably lead into rooms. There were hundreds of them. From the way it looked they were thousands of feet underground! This place was colossal, and Sren could not believe it, for it only took them a matter of minutes to walk down the stairs. He closed his eyes and pinched himself and opened them again to be greeted with the sight of the same doors, levels upon levels of doors.
Gasion saw the bewilderment on Sren’s face. “Shockin innit? One’d be amazed to find the number of peoples who are inclined towards not being found. And this ere’s a wonderful place to get lost in.” Sren was still trying to swallow the sight. The Princess was equally astounded but her face did not show it.
As they approached the counter, a woman with long black hair and a shapely figure had her back facing them as they approached. “Ey there Mia! Ole Gasion’s ere to brighten up yer day!”
Without turning to face them, “Go away Gasion. If you don’t have the money you owe me from the last time you brought those lady-like friends of yours, then you will find no friendliness or anything of the like from me.”
“Hello Mia.” There were many people walking around in the shadows of the inn and no one seemed to take notice of anyone else, such is the way in a place like this, but when Rage spoke, time seemed to stop and people paused to look. Suffice to say, Mia’s attention was certainly gained. Sarine and Sren were feeling slightly confused about the whole thing and were starting to wonder about their new found protector.
“Rage? Last I heard, you were dead or at least beaten up to a point beyond recognition.” All this said with her back facing them, but she stood upright now.
“And you believed all that? I’m disappointed.” Rage seemed to be smiling.
At that, Mia turned around and jumped over the counter into Rage’s arms and kissed him. This seemed to take even Rage by surprise for he almost fell backwards but good ole Gasion was there behind him to give him a little hand. “Ah…lovers…it be mighty annoyin to find a pair so luving innit?”
Sarine and Sren were definitely taken aback, this they certainly did not expect. Especially Sren, Mia was beautiful, her long black hair did nothing to hide the beauty portrayed on her face. She had deep blue eyes that could just hold one spell bound. Except for the scar that she had across her left cheek, one would say she looked flawless.
Once they were done, er…reacquainting. “Mia, we need to be hidden away tonight. May we have a few rooms? I will tell you more in our own little room.”
Mia nodded and led everyone to their rooms. The last thing Rage told Sarine, Sren and Gasion was, “Rest well. Tonight would most likely be the last time you have to have a proper rest for a while yet.” No one questioned him. They knew he was right, even Sren agreed.