Chapter 5 - Young Lords and Horses

Chapter 5
Young Lords and Horses

The SMR left Ostia and headed for Pharae, which according to Roy was only an hour’s walk away. “What about the countess?” Marth asked. “Don’t worry about her,” Sierra assured, “she’ll be back, but we’ll be ready.” The three of them crossed at least ten bridges, until they got to one bridge that was rickety and worn out. “Sierra, Marth,” said Roy, “I’ve crossed this bridge one too many times, and I actually lived. Be careful, or else a plank will fall along with you.”

Roy entered first, then Sierra, then Marth. Right before Roy stepped onto fresh grass, he heard a scream. He turned around and saw Marth standing in panic and two hands over a plank. Sierra had fallen. Roy hurried cautiously across to Sierra, knelt down, and held out his fingerless-gloved hand. “Sierra!” he cried, “Take my hand!” Tears were streaming down her face. “I can’t,” she said, choked in sobs, “this plank will f—fall.” “Sierra,” said Roy, calmly, “I saved you once, I’ll save you again. You can do this.” Sierra paused, then thrust her hand to hold his. Roy and Marth helped her back on the bridge and onto the green grass.

Sierra and Roy sat on the ground, and Roy checked Sierra to see if she was injured. “You’re okay, but I bet that scared you, didn’t it?” Sierra nodded. Roy pointed to a beautiful red and white caste in the distance. “See? We made it. There’s Pharae. My home.” Sierra instantly thrust her arms around Roy’s armor-plated shoulders. “Thank you!” she whispered. “Okay, guys,” said Marth, “we’re close to Roy’s place. Let’s go.” Sierra and Roy got up from the grass and walked towards Pharae.

Once they got there, the SMR headed straight for a countryside manor. “Guys,” Roy said, “this is my place. C’mon in!” On the outside, the house looked like a regular cottage about the size of the Jarusian throne room, which was pretty big. Inside, however, was a marvelous, antique-looking mini-mansion with a large fireplace in the living room. Upstairs lay 2 rooms: one for shiny weapons, and one for sleep. Sierra had the single look of complete amazement as she walked around the room. “Okay, S and M. R’s going to his promotion. It starts in thirty minutes at that big mansion over on the coast. See you later!” Roy left the manor with a clang of the metal doors behind him.

Sierra and Marth walked into the living room and sat on two huge couches across from each other. “Okay,” Sierra said, “Roy thinks that we’re not going to his promo to his father’s position. To be honest, I think he would wish later that we were there to watch.” “I see,” said Marth, leaning back on a leather pillow, “but Roy may want to spend the few moments of promotion alone. Then again, you may be right. Besides, we can REALLY surprise him by putting you in a Pharaean dress!” Sierra stared blankly at him. “Me? In a foreign dress? Okay….I guess it’ll be worth the ‘fun.’”

So the SM went into Pharae’s town square. The hustle and bustle led to a lot of confusion. But, thanks to Sierra’s magic, she could locate Marth easily. They eventually found the dress shop and Sierra found a black with a silver chain belt, and a simple tiara with matching earrings to boot.

They managed to get to the mansion, and Sierra changed into her dazzling outfit, keeping her green Jarusian cape on. They went through the receiving line slowly, and they showed their Royalty IDs faster than lightning when the doorman asked for them. Sierra and Marth sat near the back row, waiting for the promotion to begin. About a minute later, Roy walked out of the oak doors in a gold version of what he always wore, but he didn’t have his usual headband grazing his forehead. Sierra thought he had the same look of sensitivity and courage that he had on his face when he saved her off the bridge. Then this guy came out with a slick and thin gold headband with a red jewel in the center held in his tightly clenched hands. Roy turned to the side, and the guy held the headband as if he was about to coronate him. “Here is Roy, Lord of Pharae,” the guy said. The band was secured around his forehead. He was officially restored to his position.

At that moment, everybody started clapping. Marth and Sierra were even whistling for him. Roy then took a bouquet from a vase and tossed it into the audience. All the girls Sierra’s age were going crazy. Sierra unexpectedly caught it, feeling slightly awkward at what it meant.

When Marth and Sierra walked out, they found Roy in the courtyard, staring at the pond beneath his feet. “If only Sierra and Marth were here…” “Uh, Roy?” Sierra said. Roy instantly turned around. There was Marth and Sierra, standing right behind him. Roy got up, and hugged them both. “Oh, I didn’t think the two of you even WANTED to come!” Sierra then pulled the bouquet out behind her back. “I caught this at the end, whatever it means.” Roy blushed a little. “Well, that’s supposed to be the symbol of…erm…friendship between us.” Sierra couldn’t believe it. What really was supposed to be a simple object was really a token of friendship. “Well, if anything, we should spend some time here,” Marth chimed, “I mean, really. If we’re supposed to be in Jarus within five more months, we should hang around some.” Roy and Sierra agreed to Marth’s random suggestion, as usual.

Ten minutes later, after the SMR got out of all things formal and into their usual clothes, Sierra and Roy went out to the stables, while Marth decided to make clothes with the fabric he bought earlier. “Sierra, why don’t you ride Opal?” Roy suggested. “I mean, she’s a great horse. One of my favorites.” Sierra nodded, and got up with Roy’s servant’s help onto Opal, who was a tan horse with caramel-brown hair. Roy’s horse, whose name was Jadius, was solid black all over. Sierra and Roy walked their horses, riding them, of course, to Pharae’s beautiful beaches.

“Okay,” Roy said, “we’ll race across the beach. The first one to get all the way to that metal post, touch it, and ride back here wins!” Sierra laughed. “Roy! You know I’m the best at horse-racing!” “Well, we’ll just have to see!” Roy said, and he yelled for his horse to go. Sierra did the same thing, and the race begun.

Faster and faster they went, their horses galloped across the beach. Sierra and Roy were neck-and-neck, looking at each other square in the eye. “You can’t catch me!” Sierra yelled. She instantly sped faster than him. Roy caught up. “Well, as a matter of fact…” Roy touched the iron pole. “…I can.” Slightly annoyed, Sierra touched the pole and raced Opal faster than lightning back over the beach. She finally decided that she was letting Roy slip by, and used magic to make her horse go faster. Of course, Roy was slightly ticked, but hey, he thought, this was a fun race, not the Continental Derby. Sierra won their race.

About two weeks later, Sierra and Roy found Marth in the cottage’s study, reading the books he found in Ostia. “It’s about time you two came back!” Marth said, “we should get going. The Jarusian ball is in 4½ months!” Sierra gasped. “You’re right! I guess it is time to go. Roy?” She looked at him, expecting a slight opposition, but Roy’s expression was adventurous. “Hey! There’s kingdoms to explore! Can’t stay at good ol’ Pharae forever, right?” Sierra and Martha agreed, and they packed their bags and left the great city of Pharae.

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