Chapter 101: New Cave

Wrik moved, carrying the unconscious Byul, while Tanya was beside him. She said nothing after the account went through and Wrik found nothing to converse as well, but he wanted to say something.

He sighed inwardly, as his gaze was at the snowy path at the foot of the mountain. They were not moving upwards at the mountain, but moving back around the mountain. Lily—the wild woman they were following, told them, she had a better and safer place. 

''Are you alright?" Wrik finally asked the emerald-eyed girl. 

"Yes," Tanya did not look at him while answering. "I am just a little tired."

Wrik did not know what to follow up with the conversation. His good brother, Anton claimed to be a real smooth talker with the opposite gender, but Wrik knew better to believe him. He refrained himself trying from anything—Anton would say, even though it helped to deal with Lily.

After moving for over an hour, Lily finally told them to relax as they had reached a safer zone. The place she was taking them in was another cave, but it was much larger than the one Wrik had stayed before, and warmer too. 

It was totally on the other side of the mountain. While it was not the direction, the blizzard blew yesterday, made Wrik sighed in relief. 

His fever was almost gone, but he did not know if it would strike back if he spent in cold again. While Tanya looked quite tired after all the walking. 

"Let's go in," Lily said as they went inside the cave.

A girl of sixteen years or less ran at them the moment she saw them. Similarly to Lily, she was brown-skinned though not as tall, but she had a spear behind her as well.

The girl's appearance was sweet and immature. She had black hair that was long enough for her age, while her eyes glitter with an enthusiastic light the moment she laid eyes on the group.

"Sister lily brought new slaves," the girl yelled, trying her best to tell the others.

"Slow down, Lora. They are not slaves," Lily said, shaking her head at the girl. 

"Not a slave?" the girl, Lora asked again. She seemed to have no problem at Tanya being a slave, but her gaze hovered on Wrik for a while before she continued pointing at him. "All of them, even this skinny big brother?"

"Yes," Lily nodded. "Take them inside and tell Dairyl to give them a room to rest."

Lora did not question anymore. She looked peculiarly at the three newcomers. Her gaze was only at Wrik for a while, then on Byul on his shoulder, and she looked moved straight towards Tanya.

"Sister, you are so pretty," Lora said to Tanya with glittering eyes.

"You are pretty as well," Tanya said to the girl. She was about to cradle her cheek but chose not to as she did not know her well.

"Call me Lora," Lora did not have the restraint like Tanya took Tanys's hand into hers as she moved. "What is your name, Sister?"

Tanya did not reject either. The girl was immature enough to let down her guards. "Tanya, you can call me Tanya."

"Woh, Sister Tanya, your name is as pretty as you."

"Yours two."

"Alright, let's go. I'll bring you guys inside." Lora did not leave Tanya's arm and brought them even deeper into the cave. 

Wrik moved behind Lora and Tanya as well, carrying Byul, but the slaves that were following them did not go in their direction. In the path, the little girl did not stop talking. Wrik tried to listen as all he could make out was that this girl Lora has a limitless admiration towards her sister Lily. She told a tale about how great her sister Lily is, in almost all sentences.

"By the way, Sister Tanya," Lora said, pointing at Byul on Wrik's shoulder. "What happened to that big sister?"

Tanya became awkward for a second. She did not know what to say. "Some bullies injured her."

"Bullies? I hate bullies," Lora said with evident hatred on her exterior. Then she asked with the same admiration. "Did sister Lily save you people from the bullies?"

"Something like that." Tanya only gave a small nod, and that was enough for the little girl to shower praise for her sister Lily all over again.

"I knew it. Sister Lily hates bullies the most." 

They entered inside through the narrower path in the cave. Wrik could guess this cave was man made, though he could not tell how long ago it was, The cave was shielded from three ways, with a gap to enter, and even have facility to close the entrance. It was warmer than the usual other portion of the cave, even the air was much fresher. 

"Let's go inside. Sister Daryl is inside."

As the girl, Lora said there really was a girl inside, but the girl was not like Lily or Lora. With just a single glimpse Wrik could guess that, even though this girl had similar brown skin like the other two, she was more ladylike. Her dark hair had a chestnut flour glow, where her eyes were brown too.  The girl was not old, maybe the same age as Lily or younger, probably in her early twenties. 

Dairyl was not wearing any armour or weapon, but a thick robe of white and blue. Her expression was peaceful as she was reading something in a humongous sized book. 

She put down the book, and looked up at the newcomers. "We have guests today."

Her tone was soothing, too. She was not hasty like Lora, nor demanding like Lily.

Lora invited them in as she introduced them as well. "Sister Dairyl, this is Sister Tanya," Lora said, gesturing at Tanya. Then she looked at Wrik, "And I don't know the name of this skinny man, and that sister is unconscious so I can't ask her for her name."

Wrik tried his best to not laugh. This little girl had extreme prejudice towards him or all the skinny man in the world. He gave a small bow to Dairyl, who followed, just the same standing up.

"Don't mind her, she's still young," Dairyl said. She gestured at the stone where she was sitting. "Please."

Lora brought Tanya as they sat next to Dairy. Wrik did not waste a moment either. Put down Byul gently next to them before taking a seat.

"You three seemed to have quite bad luck in the test," Dairyl said.

Wrik and Tanya did not deny it as Dairy nodded. 

"Let me look at this girl,'' she asked for permission from the two before moving towards Byul. She inspected for a while, closing her eyes before opening her lips. "Nothing serious. I reckon you already gave her medicine." Daryl's eyes moved towards Tanya next, but she did not ask for any check-up, then to Wrik. 

"So far Lily had taken no outsider without making them slaves. Do you people know why she made an exception for you three?" 

Wrik shrugged while Tanya did not open her mouth either, and Dairyl did not push further for an answer.

"Lora, bring them to a room," Dairyl paused for a moment, before looking at Wrik and Tanya. "Will you guys stay together?" 

Wrik said nothing. It was not his place to make a decision for Tanya, but staying together in a foreign place was the only appropriate choice for him. He sighed in relief, seeing Tanya thought the same way as she nodded.

"As you wish," Dairy replied. "Lora, bring them over, and don't wander off like always after that it's time for your lesson."

"Why do I even have to study here?" Lora complained in a low mutter as she brought them even deeper.

Wrik carried the unconscious Byul again as they moved, following the immature little girl. Lora brought them to an identical chamber to the ones Dairyl was staying in. There was no furniture or anything in the room, just caved stones into bed, table and seatings. 

Wrik put down Byul as Tanya took her in her lap, sitting on the stone bed. Lora was in no mood to leave them alone, sat next to Tanya. The little girl glared at Wrik for no reason, before saying to Taya. "This sister is beautiful as well, but not like you sister Tanya. What is her name?"

The two girls started to converse as Wrik moved to the stone seatings, putting off all their baggage.

After a few minutes, Dairyl came to their room again, holding a tray that seemed to contain cups of herbal tea. She served the tea to Wrik and Tanya silently before saying to Lora. "Little lass, didn't I say to give them time for rest?" 

"I was just talking a little," Lora muttered, pouting.

Dairyl caught Lora by the ear. "Are you trying to avoid the lesson today?" saying that, she started to drag Lora away from the chamber. Lora protested and cried, even asked Tanya for help.

"Don't mind asking if you need anything. Rest for now." Dairyl left with Lora, leaving those words.

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End of Chapter: New Cave.

Next Chapter: Scythe. 

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The next two chapters will be fun.

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