Reuben. [I]

When we finally arrived here, the gloomy state of Calavaria greeted us masked in its glum.

We reached the port province of Calavaria in less than three weeks after we had embarked on the journey to here. Normally it takes an utmost of two weeks to reach this little bustling province but travelling shrouded in an unassailable disguise across the country had slowed down our pace quite a lot; as such, we arrived later than our assessed date of arrival.

I dismounted from my horse and my sight fell upon the run-down city gates of Calavaria.

The people of Calavaria did not seem like the ones I saw three years back. The cobblestones of the streets were cracked and dilapidated. A gust of dry wind winded through the maze of ancient houses where windows have long shattered in the weakness of their structures and rotting boards, some broken, others hanging, as they tried to cover the empty eyes of every miserably poor home. Doors hung on the few threads of their hinges and groaned with pain at every sway. Weeds socialized across the cracking asphalt of the road, gathering and laughing at the dismal pedestrians as they tried to weave around the catching fingers with every step.

The shops were small and derelict, hardly holding any wares to be sold. The residents looked malnourished, their skin bronzed, tortured by the sun due to monotonous exposure as their skins clung tightly to their bones. The stench of sweat and gloom was evident in the air as rows of little children sat by the streets in tattered dirty clothing, some with a vessel in front of them in a begging fashion while some with their tiny hands extending out to the passers-by asking for alms.

The once prosperous port city of Calavaria looked so downtrodden and poverty-stricken now that it was hard to even believe it was the same bustling city of opulence three years ago.

My only welcome to this miserable port state was the howls of the wind. This place looked no different from a ghost city at the moment.

I frowned in alarm when I witnessed this sight of such a catastrophe laying bare in front of me. Our abrupt arrival on horseback had attracted the attention of some poor children loitering around, but the adults seemed to fear the children would anger us with their inquisitive gazes. Hence they quickly bowed once towards us and swiftly carried the children away. In the blink of an eye, the way in front of us was cleared of any commoners as all cowered away like we were rancorous monsters who came after them to claim their miserable lives.

My frown grew deeper at the terrified reactions of the timid populace.

"The common people here... seems to fear our arrival?" Gilbert beside me came closer and spoke in a soft almost inaudible tone, and I lightly nodded in silence as I realized that something was very wrong here.

"Wait here My Liege, I will send someone to enquire what is going on here." Gilbert said and quickly instructed one of the royal guards to go and enquire.

We quietly waited at one side of the dusty road as one of the guards went ahead to probe the present situation from the gate sentinels that stood waiting guard by the Calavaria city gate.

But soon something unexpected happened. The young guard in civil clothing that we sent for enquiring was suddenly thrashed to the ground by the pair of city sentinels and they made their way towards us in a haughty demeanour. I raised a brow in alarmed attention while Gilbert had his hands on the hilt of his sword, ready to unsheathe and brandish his sword-skills at any given moment.

These lads seemed pretty spirited compared to the rest of the despondent townsfolk. I also noticed that these men did not wear any armours but were dressed in lavish red garments which seemed expensive enough to cost a pretty penny. The attires definitely did not look like the kind of clothing that the likes of them could afford.

Interesting.

"Hooo! They've got ladies with them brother Rick, Nice!" One of the sentinels sneered as his lascivious eyes ogled at the handful of women royal guards I had brought along with me on this expedition.

We had specifically brought along these female guards with us as I knew I would soon encounter the Princess of Zeldereth and I didn't want to make the already aggrieved princess even more upset with only men from my royal garrison surrounding her day and night.

"It's rare to see such pretty ladies around here. I'd say how about a drink with us beloved beauties. We've got some real great imported cuisines around for the tasting. I promise we can show you what real extravagance is if you follow us." The other sentinel who looked to be older than the former by a few years spoke in a languid manner laced with a covetous tone as he eyed the women in my group shamelessly from head to toe, licking his lower lips in a vulgar deportment.

I drew up my other brow as I heard the overbearing words of these mere gate sentinels. I wondered what gave these laughable sentinels such great galls to try and proposition women in broad daylight. The women of my troupe were already fuming to the verge of drawing out their razor-sharp swords and slashing off their gaunt throats, the only signal they needed was my cue and they were more than ready to bathe themselves with the blood of these idiots.

But I did not want to stir the grass and startle the snake before the esteemed time.

I gestured Gilbert to make a conversation with the conceited pair and he went forward to say tactfully, "How preposterous! Is that how the renowned port city of Calavaria conducts their day to day business? By beating up common passers-by and propositioning women in the middle of the road for accompaniment?"

The two sentinels jeered at Gilbert's words and said, "You ignorant lots! Have you been hibernating under rocks all this while? The city of Calavaria that you speak of no longer exists now. It is no longer the revered port city of the south. Now all those who wants to set their foot on the soil of Calavaria will have to pay the adequate amount of entry fee for access. Your companion here questioned us why he needed to pay an entry fee and due to his unwitting questioning of the authorities we had to teach him a lesson. Now pay up! Or leave your women behind if you want to enter Calavaria without any payment." The arrogant sentinel groused out.

"Since when did people have to pay to enter Calavaria? We have been here before, but we didn't need to pay any entry fee then?" Gilbert asked in a poised tone, not really intimidated by the towering attitudes of the measly duo.

"Since a year ago when the corrodes disease struck this province hard, now pay up or be on your merry way out of here." The younger of the two men barked irately.

'Corrodes disease?' I scowled in turn. This was the first time I was hearing of this eccentric disease.

My mind churned in a rapid crusade, recalling all the instances I had read reports pertaining to disasters in the country. But my mind could recall no memory of ever being informed of a plague called Corrodes disease hitting Calavaria or any of the adjacent suburb regions of Calavaria. Even if Calavaria was a small inconspicuous city in the vast nation of Reveldron, it was still a port city that conducted overseas trade. If any disasters were to ever befall such an important city, it was paramount that the sovereign should have been informed immediately. But strangely so, I was completely oblivious to the fact that Calavaria was suffering under a plague called Corrodes disease!? A plague was no joke to put it in simple words. If it spread to other regions of the country, the pandemonium it would bring upon would be no small dilemma to scoff at.

My frown got deeper and deeper as the apprehension dawned on me.

I walked forth towards the two gate sentinels and shoved them a cloth pouch and said, "Grant us entry right this instant." I didn't have time to squabble with these fools. I was certain some sinister plans were really brewing up well here and I feared the scale of the disaster it might bring upon the entire kingdom of Reveldron. Then that would be no more a laughing matter.

The two men opened the cloth pouch and their eyes bulged out when they saw the amount that was inside the cloth pouch. But I didn't think to pay them any more heed and I made my way towards the entrance of the now crumbled city of Calavaria while they stood rooted to their spot, stunned.

"Find out every single details pertaining to this supposed plague called 'Corrodes disease'. I do not want any imprecision on this matter. None at all!" I commanded Gilbert in an irrevocable tone.

"You needn't fret at all my Liege. You shall have every trifling aspect of this matter prepared in detail by nightfall. There shall be no follies." Gilbert replied in a definite tone as though vowing to carry out his duties to his utmost aptitude.

I hummed in a content response and we made our way into the city of ports bearing faces of grave disposition.

TO BE CONTINUED..........