Once they reached Saih harbor, the city of life where the harbor is.
Hero: "Here, wear this." It was a cape with hood.
There was a crowd near the bulletin board. The princess with a cape and hood in her head hiding her identity went to check what happened. There is a new announcement.
Sierra walked toward there with curious look. Although Hero seemed not interested.
Sierra: "Hmmm, it says something about a golden apple with a reward. Too bad, I guess we don't have the luxury of time to compete."
Hero: "I suppose so; let's go find us a ship. There are so many ships here. I will try to ask that one, come with me." He ran "I think we will reach our destination very quickly."
When they went toward the owner of the ship. He was a huge man.
Hero: "Excuse me, we want to reach Emeraldene port. Can you give us a ride?"
Ship owner: "Ehh! I'm not giving you so get outta here" then he pushed them both to the ground.
Hero: on the ground. "sheesh. Easy man. You ok?" he asked Sierra.
Sierra: She stood up and went to the man. "But please, we are in a hurry. Someone's life is in the stake."
Ship owner: "Shut up!!" And he was about to slap her but she stepped back covering her face with both her arms and when she was about to fall, Hero grabbed her. "When men are talking, women should stay silent."
Sierra and Hero both fell on their back and the hood fell from her head. Everyone was staring at them. Sierra got up and walked to the ship owner grabbed his collar and neck and held him from the ground to the air. "I'm not joking around!!" with tears "My sister might be killed!!!" then she threw him in the sea. She put her hood on her head and walked quietly toward the golden wood. The people opened the way for her when she was walking because people came and it became a crowd.
Hero: "Wait, where are you going?" "All the ships will depart tomorrow because of the contest of the golden apple."
Sierra: "I KNOW!" "I know…" She sobbed… "I should have helped her. I should have at least told them that I'm the one they wanted." She kept moving toward the woods until she reached a circle place of soil on the ground. It is suitable for a new tree. "I will try…I will try to find the Apple so we can get out of here." "Don't forget the knights are after me too. We can't waste any moment here. Instead of giving their full time to search for Jewel…. They are wasting their valuable time searching for me to force me to go back…." Sobbing and wiping her tears.
She went near that area with a soil and she fell on her knees and she was distressed. While everyone is running to search for the golden apple. The wood was very lively with people more than before. She started to cry and when the tears reached the soil. "Jewel was always there for me… Aniston… Richard…" With crying voice. The ground around her began to glow. A sapling grew from the ground in front of her. Sierra and Hero were amazed. Sierra was moving backward slowly while sitting and surprised watching the tree growing so quickly in front of her. It became a huge apple tree. Then one glowing golden apple grew and fell in her hand.
Sierra: "Huh!" Amazed then she smiled and laughed "I FOUND IT!" she shouted so hardly and she was really happy filled with Joy.
Everyone: "Yaay!" whistling cheering and clapping. "Have you seen that?"
"It is amazing!" "It is a real gold!" "look at that!" "How did she do it?" "Wow!"
Someone was watching her from between the crowd.
Sierra: "How did that happen?" Hero helped her to stand by pulling her with one arm.
Young man: "She's the princess!"
Everyone stopped talking and looked toward her.
Sierra was like, yikes "Hehehe everyone says that, I think I really look like her."
She began to lose balance and conscious. "(… I can't breathe.)" Then she blacked out (passed out) and Hero held her before she falls into the ground.
Hero: "Always at the worst times." Then he looked at the people "Hehe I have to take my sister now." He was holding her and walked away "Phew, I hope they believed us."
.......
When she woke up later at night
Sierra saw two golden apples. They were pure gold.
Sierra: "Uhhhuh…What happened?" They were in an inn.
Hero: Took his jacket from above her. It was too cold so he put his jacket on her. "It was so hard searching for an inn while carrying you, So please stop passing out so suddenly." He was actually worried with a serious look…
Sierra: "I-I'm sorry… Hmm why do we have two apples now?"
Hero: "Well the sleeping beauty missed this one when she fell asleep in the middle of the crowd. By the way, the knights are in the town."
Sierra: "Aniston?!"
Hero: "Who knows? Everyone was talking about the golden apple incident and I think he will be here at any moment. You really miss your fiancé huh?"
Sierra looked the other way.
The voice inside her head spoken again: "(There is no one in the palace. Never return back until then!)"
Sierra: "There…is … no one there."
'Knock' 'knock'
Hero: "Here they are."
Sierra: "What should we do?"
Hero: "…"
They have pushed the door…
Hero: "Heh… So this is your way for greeting us… Commander."
Sierra pretended to be asleep.
Hero: "And… Here is the fiancé of the princess. Keep it down. Your girl is still passed out".
Aniston: "I have no time dealing with kidnappers." He went directly to Sierra and held her.
Hero kept his calm and waited patiently.
When Aniston was holding her, she waved with her hand and made a signal for Hero without anyone notice.
Hero watched the door closing while the knights take the princess away.
.............
Aniston walking while holding the princess.
Sierra opened her eyes like a real sleeping person.
Aniston: "You're awake..."
Sierra looked at him "A…niston."
He hugged her tightly gently within his arms then he left her in the ground to walk by her own. "I'm happy you're safe."
Sierra placed her head on him.
Aniston: "I'm taking you back to the palace." His hands on her shoulder
Sierra: "But…"
A sound again from her head "(Do not go back to the palace. Flee from Aniston! Do not leave with Aniston at all cost.)"
Sierra: "(…That voice.)"
Aniston sensed that she was distracted. He was holding her shoulders.
Aniston: "After that we will think of a way to save Jewel."
Sierra: "It is not safe there in the palace. And we have to save my sister."
Aniston: "Please return with me to the palace Princess!!"
Sierra: "I can't. I have to find my sister. I have a clue of where she is."
Aniston: He looked down "Leave this problem to us the knights!"
Sierra: "She is not in this continent. Lord maximal is mostly behind this. The time is passing. And I can't stand still waiting for the problem to be solved."
Aniston: "Please don't give us another problem to worry about!!"
Sierra: Looked at him "Wait… Did something else happened in the palace?" But he ignored her and looked the other side. He was eager to take her back.
Sierra: "Where are my mother and father?"
Aniston: "Come with me now Sierra…"
Someone is calling Aniston "Commander!"
Sierra: "You don't understand!" She pushed him and ran away and he ran after her trying to catch her.
Aniston: "Wait!"
It was dark outside and they were running. While she was running, she was casting a spell that will cover the place with fog. In a foggy city, it will be hard for Aniston to find her. Sierra waved to Hero earlier, not for nothing. She expected him to leave the city and stay near her golden tree where she will catch up with him later.
Hero: "Pretty good spell you've got. Came in handy." When he sensed her footsteps coming from behind while he is looking at the golden apple tree.
Sierra: She caught him from his jacket "They might stop all the ships from departing just to prevent me from leaving!!" Worried look in her face.
Hero: "Don't you think it is the best time to trust me with this?" He winked to her
Sierra: "??"
There are boxes popular in Saih harbor that separates the upper part from the lower part with a strong wooden platform. To make sure things does not get mixed while being shipped.
Sierra: "So they will check the upper one only right?"
Hero: "Calm down." He was smiling.
The box now has crossed the ship.
Aniston: "Halt!"
Both Sierra and hero: "Yikes…" Whispering to each other.
Sierra: Whispering "Hero??!"
Hero: "Shhh…" He was still smiling
Karmen: "It's only apple. See."
Aniston: "What about the lower box? It is a double box as I see."
Karmen: "We have to take out everything in the upper box to reveal what's in the lower box. It's headache really. Trust me, it's only fruit."
Aniston: "Next box."
Sierra: "Phew!" with sweat in her face from the nervousness and the hot weather inside of the box.
Both Sierra and hero got out from the box once the shipped have departed.
Aniston: saw her from far away from the harbor "Wait!! Sierra!!"
Sierra: Looked toward him. "Aniston…"
Sierra picked the golden apple and formed a wind spell to deliver the apple for Aniston "Until we meet again, Aniston." she was planning to give him the apple from the beginning. She carved "You are dear to me Aniston. Take care of yourself. I promise I will be back." with a wind spell.
Aniston: When he received the apple and read her message, he raised his hand and waved good-bye.
Sierra: She raised her hand as well "Until we meet again!!"
Aniston: "At least… take your medicine…"
Karmen came to them
Karmen: "I heard that the palace has fallen."
Hero: Serious "Who said that?" He knew but he was trying to avoid the princess from hearing it.
Karmen: "Some were talking about it back then."
Hero: "I see." Few minutes have passed
Aniston: "all the double boxes shall be searched NOW! And forbid merchants from using it!!"
Kent: "Yes sir."
The merchant heard that.
Aniston was breathing like an ox.
Sierra and Hero were sparring for a morning practice. Both of them were good with swords. Then they stopped.
Sierra: "Ahh! That was fun!"
Hero: "Good to keep your muscles from rusting. Also to keep you in a good shape." He giggled.
It appeared that Sierra did not hear him or he will be doomed.
A huge monster appeared. People started to shout. In less than a minute, Sierra sliced it.
All the people in the boat: "Bravo!! Bravo!!"
She acted so almighty and smiled confidently.
Hero: "Nice!" and clapped her hand with high five.
Sierra: "Do you think the knights will follow us now?"
Hero: "No way. All the ships have departed since dawn because their jobs were stopped since yesterday. And I made sure to let Karmen stay until all the ships depart from the harbor. It will take them hours to come back to the harbor again. We are saved for one day."
They were about to find a place to rest in.
Sierra: "Where is the room?"
Hero: "What room? Aaah… the pampered princess is not actually used for—"
Sierra threw a bucket on his face…
Hero: When he took it off "Hey, what's wrong—" she closed his mouth with her hands. Then he looked seriously behind him.
Sierra: "I don't know why I feel those men look suspicious."
They were people selling something to a man. He knew them since he was in his town. They have a leaf symbol in their clothes.
Hero: whispered "Enter the room. Quickly!" and he pushed her to enter the room.
Sierra: "You seemed Angry. Do you know them?" they entered the room.
Hero: "….."
Hero: "You should avoid these people."
Sierra: "Hmm?" she nodded with agreeing. She noticed from the beginning that they look suspicious.
When the noon approached, both of them were planning to sleep. They shared a room.
Hero: "Are you intending to sleep with your long jacket? Take it off you will feel light." His mood returned to normal. Of course with his sarcastic face, serious face and a smile.
Sierra: "Sleep or I will make you sleep by force." Actually the bruises made by the guards when they escorted her back home when she fled from the palace are still there, she was embarrassed to show him that. She is now remembering that she have to do everything according to the schedule they made for her. Eating at a certain time. Forcing her to train. Attending parties.
Sierra: "Say Hero, how does it feel to be free? He already slept, 'sigh'… I think I should sleep as well. I wish to have a splendid day tomorrow." and she smiled and inhaled. And directly put her head on the pillow.
There is only one bed and a couch. Sierra on the bed and he is on the couch.
Hero did not respond but he is actually awake. Avoiding a question that no ordinary person can answer.
Sierra: "(I didn't like the idea of fleeing from Aniston…. What's actually going on?!)" ♥