They rode till the sun broke down onto the margin of the land, with only the highest part of the circumference in view from a clear path. The sky was loaded now, with the scent of night and soft chirping of the birds, who retreat back into their safety, their home; for—perhaps,— to find the comfort that was missing in a great magnitude from the recent few days of the two companions who travelled wearily.
Shari felt a tight clench in his stomach, and leaned his head closer to his chest, but that did not help the growing pain. His companion was quick to take notice of his grim countenance and, while he rode behind him; tugged back his cloak to reveal the several wounds that braced his body.
"This is terrible, Shari!" Luth said, not calmed the least after the brief witnessing of his body, "Are you mad? To ride with these wounds unhealed?"
"Unhealed or not, I have to ride." replied Shari, pulling the hem of his cloak back onto his body, covering his body back again. He attempted to not appear bothered by his own bleedings, but his expressions showed the truth of his extent.
"Your pain is like a lotus mid' a lake." said back his companion, not prepared to have him travel like this. Shari observed his face for a moment and then sighed, "And where are we both supposed to stay for the approaching night?"
"Lonia is close by, we would surely find some place of rest in the city there." replied Luth, quite satisfied with the agreement.
They soon reached near the skirts of Lonia, a city like any other in Notis. the flames grew brighter as they approached, and the lone road by which they travelled seemed to bustle now as several men and woman came into view. There was the same bunch of noise that he had recognized in crowds, the same busyness voices of occupations striking against their ears.
They were halfway closer to Tardia, and there stay was some time to rest before they continued travelling for hours more till they reached back to the Province Head.
"I doubt we would find any inn that would take us inside while we look like this." said Shari, and Luth had to agree; for no inn would want to have any patrons who appear in such manner. Ragged and bloody was the definition of a trouble—even if it was a knight who bore them. Generally, they would not accept anyone inside, especially when Lonia was such a packed city, and several part of the aristocracy stayed there. They would not rather sit in the middle of an inn, causing a scene for all the patrons to watch.
On the outskirts of the city, there was where they saw a building. It was built imposing in its height, and had much of the features that made it appear so, except the symbol that it had onto the top of the roof.
It was a tall building, built out of stone and marble. There were magnificent carvings on its body, a large multitude of them, depicting several stories of the gone past.
"A temple?" Luth muttered.
"Indeed," his companion replied, "that may be a place of rest. They say the Temple of Illiyana never refuses visitors."
"Perhaps, that would be grateful if they do."
They ambulated towards the buildings, hopeful to get their rest after such a tiresome journey. The expanse of its its road, and the steps that were silent among the soft soil sent a feeling of relief through them, and after such a long time, it was well deserved.
They both walked closer to the door and Shari stepped forward and rapped his fingers to knock on the door. Then there was no voice for a moment, then the sound of steps came by. They were steady and stagnant, and silent as they could be—perhaps suppressed by the soft floor of the inside.
A certain heat travelled through the air; not extreme in intensity, nor louder than it should be. Some comfort was certain at the place.
The door opened with an old man appearing in view. and then it stopped ajar while he peeked on the strangers in front of his eyes. He did not speak for a moment, then relaxed when he saw the knight-cloaks over their shoulder.
"And perhaps may I help you, knights?" he asked, with a hoarse, yet light voice. It suited his features accurately, for his beard was properly cut, and there were only a handful of wrinkles on his face; considering the age that they approximate him to be.
"We are injured—" Luth said, stepping forward, "and we seek refuge for the night."
The old man studied them again, and then nodded with a kind smile.
"Please," he opened the door fully, and the interior of the Temple now came into view, "let your feet find rest for the night inside, and solace if that is a thing you need."
"Solace would be the only thing we need." Shari said, stepping inside and looking around the temple. Luth followed suit, and came inside—though behind the old man.
"Who have we the company of?" a voice came from another door, at the end of the left wall.
Luth saw a woman, walking out the door with a small basket resting behind on her forearm, filled with some berries. She took a couple more steps fully inside the praying room before she took notice of them both. She looked about the age of Luth from her looks, and was a fraction little in stature as to Luth.
The girl tilted her head little, and then looked at the old man again.
"Will you answer now, Sint Blovet?"
The old man, Blovet by name shook his hand in the air. "Knights" he said "in search of a night's rest. Or would be 'gainst that as well, Cossie?"
The girl only looked away, displeased from the look of it. "It does not bother me, but it is late for knights to be near the edge of Lonia at this time." she then turned back to address the two knights, "Would you mind, telling incident has you bloodied up so much?"
Shari only let out a sigh, reluctant to go on an ordeal to explain the entirety of it, that is when the old man Blovet interjected.
" Your horses should not stay in the cold, we have a barn near where they could rest—" he said, motioning outside the door, "If one of you good knights will?"
"Of course. Let Luth stay here." said Shari and left, leaving him along with the girl as he exited.
"Answer in his stead, will you?" she spoke, and began walking off to the same door she came from. Luth followed her quietly, thinking of an explanation to properly give.
The girl stopped at another room and opened the door. She took a step inside, in what seemed like a quaint room, with not much furniture to decorate it, only a bed and a small table at another corner.
Cossie opened the closet, filled with layers of mattress. She slowly took one of them and layered it over the bed without bothering to look back at Luth.
"We were here from Tardia," he told her, but did not intend to provide the entirety of the truth.
"Tardia, so that means from the Province Head? For what cause?" she asked.
Luth let out a breath. "The Commander just wanted us to look over something. That is done now."
"What had you been looking over that got you so bloodied up?"
Another question. Luth was overwhelmed, for he knew not much to lie.
"Unpleasant company." Luth muttered.
Cossie looked finished preparing the seat and walked past him and questioned no more. Maybe she did understand the implications around it, after all, the knights do deal with several matters that random people prefer to stay out of. She was one of then, he assumed.
By the time she had escorted him out of the room, both the Sint and Shari had made their return back to the Temple, inside the other part.
"I will go and take care of Shari's wounds. Meanwhile you can go and make he rooms ready for them."
"They are prepared already."
Blovet laughed softly, "You really work quickly, dear Cossie! Then why do you not rest?"
"I would." she answered, rather plainly, and walked away. Blovet turned to Luth.
"Come now, you shall join your friend for dinner."
Luth gratefully followed him, as the old man led him to a dining room, which was not far away from the kitchen. The table was small, only built to be used by 2 people. This was where the Sint ate his food, and here Luth and Shari completed their dinner.
The food was not left—and the time to be cooking had far long ago gone—yet the pieces of bread, butter and a plate of Kazir—a dish of several mixed spices and vegetables, with a thick broth—filled all the hunger they had.
Shari swiftly stood up and went to sleep, naturally, not wanting anymore thing to do in his wounded state. Luth, on the other hand, felt quite restless. All the events that happened had made it certain that he had took part in something that he was never meant to deal with. But he could not give up, not now; not till the day of real rest came.
Sint Blovet then appeared back into view, he had a small lantern in his hand. There was no light behind him, all vanquished into the tranquility of he night.
"Do you not want to go to sleep?"
"Not yet," he replied stacked the small bowl of remaining Kazir on the emptied plate, "you can get to rest, please."
Blovet agreed and walked away, without questioning anything. The steps faded in the distance and Luth got consumed back in his thoughts. The candle burning on the dining table dimmed as time passed. Then the flame flicked off when the rope reached its end. Darkness consumed the dining hall as well, then only did he get off his thoughts. He slowly stood up and walked outside of the house and saw a small fire lit in the distance near the river's edge, which was right beside the temple.
He saw a figure, Cossie, sitting near the burning longs, her back turned to Luth.
He did not say a thing for a while, then waked in her direction.