Three Days Ago, the Valley
"Do you know where the captain is? I haven't seen him all day. He wasn't even at the training ground, where he usually is."
"You don't know? Apparently, the captain went to the mountains with Prince Chandra, Ipsha, and Aniket. I heard the Lord wants to invite his brother, Lord Hi'um, to the harvest festival."
"Really?! But will he come? He never did in past years. And what about our fallen comrades?"
"I don't know what the Lord is thinking. All we can do is follow orders..."(sigh)
Whoosh~
A sudden gust of wind swept past the two guards stationed at the entrance. Their eyes followed a figure moving swiftly past them.
"Just now...wasn't that the captain?"
"Yeah! But...shouldn't he be with the prince?"
The two guards resumed their duty, still pondering the reason for their captain's sudden return.
Meanwhile, Inside the Castle
The figure gradually slowed as he approached the castle, a sword hanging at his waist. Walking inside, he turned to a nearby guard.
"Inform the Lord that I have returned and wish to speak with him," he said.
The guard gave a slight bow before hurrying off. The figure continued forward as well, but he had only gone a short distance when a familiar voice called out to him.
"Aabir? Shouldn't you be with Chandra? Ipsha is there too, isn't she?"
Aabir turned toward the voice and saw an old man with a strong build approaching him.
"Master!" Aabir greeted, offering a slight bow.
The old man gave a brief nod before speaking again. "Didn't you go to the mountains? Why have you returned so suddenly?"
Aabir let out a sigh, taking a deep breath before answering. "I did go with them, but that Dhritiman wouldn't let me enter—rambling about the 'two kingdoms.'"
The old man scoffed. "That cunning bastard." His eyes narrowed. "Did you meet Hi'um? What did he say?"
"No. That bastard didn't even let me take a step inside," Aabir replied with frustration, sighing.
Just then, the guard returned from the Lord's chambers.
"Greetings, Commander," the guard said, bowing to Tenzing before turning to Aabir. "The Lord is in his study and has asked for you, Captain."
"Alright, you may return to your post," Aabir replied with a nod.
Tenzing's gaze sharpened. "Is something wrong? What do you want to talk to Desma about?"
Aabir hesitated for a moment before answering. "I… I just want him to call the kids back tomorrow. The way Dhritiman was talking gave me a strange feeling... I'm worried about Ipsha."
Tenzing's brows furrowed slightly before he sighed. "Honestly, I, too, am suspicious of that man. I can never quite figure out what goes on inside his head."
Taking a deep breath, he continued, "But now isn't the right time to bring this up to Desma. You've just returned, and the first thing you ask is to bring the kids back? You know how much Desma wants to meet with Hi'um. It wouldn't be wise to say anything right now."
Aabir clenched his fists slightly before nodding. "I know, Master… But with Dhritiman around, I can't help but feel uneasy about Ipsha and the children being alone."
Seeing Aabir's troubled expression, Tenzing placed a firm hand on his shoulder.
"I understand your worries, child. But trust me on this. And remember—Hi'um is there, too. No matter how much he might have changed, he won't let anything happen to the children."
"But—" Aabir began, but Tenzing cut him off.
"Just wait till tomorrow, alright? I'll talk to Desma myself and ask him to call the children back. He has to, anyway—after all, the festival is less than a week away, and Chandra must prepare for the blessing ritual."
Tenzing's expression softened slightly. "For now, ease your mind... And shouldn't you be heading to Desma? It's been some time since that guard came."
Aabir sighed before bowing slightly. "Yes, Master. I will take my leave then."
As he walked away, his thoughts remained clouded with unease. His master's words made sense, yet his heart stayed restless.
His eyes darkened.
Soon, Aabir arrived at the place where Chogyal Desma was. Seeing him approach, one of the guards stepped inside and bowed.
"My Lord, Captain Aabir has arrived."
The man sitting at the table closed the diary in front of him.
"Let him in," he said calmly.
The guard bowed again before stepping out. Aabir now stood before a large wooden gate adorned with gold carvings. The guard gestured for him to enter.
"Greetings, Captain," the guard said respectfully. "The Lord is waiting for you inside."
Aabir gave a slight nod as he stepped into the room. Though it wasn't as vast as the library, two bookshelves filled with old manuscripts and records stood against the wall. Aabir turned to his right, where Chogyal Desma sat at a desk.
"I, Aabir, greet the Lord," Aabir said, bowing.
Desma's lips curled into a faint smile. "Sir Aabir, please speak freely."
"As you wish, my lord," Aabir straightened and replied. His gaze flickered to the desk. "I didn't expect you to be here at this hour."
Desma glanced up and let out a small chuckle. Resting his hand on the diary in front of him, he murmured, "I was just going through some old memories."
His gaze lingered on the diary, lost in thought for a moment.
When he finally looked back at Aabir, he saw a puzzled expression on his face. Taking a deep breath, Desma continued, "Father used to bring Hi'um and me here whenever he wanted some time alone—or when he needed to write something."
Aabir stood silently, listening as Desma spoke. His eyes shifted to the old diary on the desk.
A bittersweet smile formed on Desma's lips. "Whenever Hi'um got bored, Father would tell us stories about the Four Heroes. He used to recite old poems for us."
A hint of sorrow flashed in Desma's eyes. Taking a deep breath to steady himself, he suddenly asked, "Didn't Sir Aabir go along with the children to the mountain castle? Did something happen for you to return so suddenly?" His brows furrowed in concern.
Aabir hesitated before answering, his thoughts conflicted—unsure whether to tell Desma what had happened and ask him to call the children back.
Staying silent for a moment, he finally replied," Nothing happened. I escorted Prince Chandra, Ipsha, and Aniket safely."
Desma, who had been holding his breath, exhaled in relief. "Is that so?" He paused before continuing, "Did you meet Hi'um?"
"No, I couldn't," Aabir answered. Seeing Desma's disappointment, he added, "Steward Dhritiman said that Sir Hi'um was busy with official work." He paused before adding, "I returned early since the harvest festival is approaching, and I assumed there might be tasks for me here."
[I probably shouldn't say anything right now. (sigh) All I can do is trust Master… and pray they're safe.]
Aabir lied out of consideration for Chogyal Desma, for he understood Desma's emotions better than anyone—after all, he too was an elder brother.
But he was unaware that not listening to his heart could become his greatest regret.
Aabir left a short while later, while Desma remained, flipping through his father's old diary.
Outside, the crescent moon shone brightly through the eerie silence of the night—before slowly vanishing behind the clouds.