Running through the stables that were full of animals of different kinds Elizabeth heard the voices of two beings that she had never seen before in her short life.
“Believe me, I feel how my fur bristle when I think about this mission” said a black quinoid with feline features.
“What, an island full of little flowers scares you?” Asked his partner mockingly. This was a quinoid with rodent characteristics.
The two of them were sitting on wooden boxes, waiting for the meeting of Madame Dembe to finish. The group of these quinoids was larger than the others, so the two weakest members stayed behind in the stables waiting for the meeting in the castle to end.
“It’s not that. I feel that Madame Dembe has not told us the whole truth of what we have to do here.
“Shhh! Do not say those things. You must thank her for choosing us to accompany her on this mission. We are not in a position to inquire into the affairs of our superiors. Stop thinking so much and be happy that they are going to pay us double the normal amount. Baron Beura has never been so generous.
“But that is what worries me the most” the quinoid with feline features said with a sigh.
"I feel it here, " he said, pointing to his chest.
“We are getting into something very dangerous.
“Hahaha and since when does the baron order us to do safe things?” Laughed the quinoid with rodent features. So much so that his face turned red.
“Do you need help?” Asked a soft and delicate voice.
Both quinoids were surprised, the one with feline features was even frightened to think that his concerns had been heard by one of their superiors, but soon with his partner he was reassured to see that it was a small human. She had slightly longer ears than normal and eyes as golden as gold coins.
“Hahaha Little miss, my friend here, Kot” said the quinoid with rodent features pointing to the one with feline features.
“He’s scared of the mission we were given.
“Why are you afraid?” asked Elizabeth with her cute voice.
At that moment the other little ones arrived and began to surround the two quinoids. Kot blushed when he saw his teammate making fun of him.
“No, I am not afraid, I just have a bad feeling” Kot answered without knowing why he was giving excuses to a little girl.
“We can help; I am very strong” Shimu said flexing the muscles of his arms.
“Lutza stronger” imitated the pikmi.
Both quinoids were surprised to see Lutza, but quickly understood that she was also a little girl.
“Hahaha! Sure you should help us, so kot can be calmer” the quinoid with rodent features was choking from laughing so much.
“Shut up Radan!” Kot shouted, not being able to bear the teasing of his partner.
“oh! Now you have the balls?” Radan scoffed again, laughing and looking Kot directly in the eyes.
The atmosphere between the two quinoids began to turn hostile until Theodor's immature voice interrupted them.
“What balls?”
The eyes of the two men opened and then they burst into laughter, such was the grace of tod’s comment that Radan fell on his back and could hardly catch his breath from laughing so much.
“Cof, cof…!” Mister Crispa cleared his throat to get noticed.
The two quinoids turned to see him.
“That is not vocabulary for when you are in front of children” Crispa admonished them.
“How dare you say vulgarities in front of the little masters? I'm going to tell Mr. Helvella to rip your tongues out” the little ubax began to scold them. She would have filled them with insults and even told them of what they would die if it were not for the presence of the children.
The two quinoids were alarmed when they realized what they had done, they were so distracted that they did not think clearly. What kind of children would be allowed to play in the castle? Both reached the same conclusion, they had just spoken without courtesy and even uttered vulgarities in front of nobles. As soon as their minds cleared, both men lost all color on their faces.
The two immediately fell to the ground and bowed until their foreheads touched the ground.
“Forgive the lives of these servants who did not know what they were doing.
“Okay, I forgive you” Mushi replied without understanding why they were apologizing.
“I forgive you, if you give me one candy, not two candies” Shimu replied.
" I want cadies too, " said Lutza.
Theodor and Elizabeth looked at each other and understanding without saying anything both of them stretched their arms and opened their small hands.
The two quinoids looked up, then looked at each other. The eyes of each reflected the horror of his partner. Kot began to sweat, the atrocities that Baron Beura's sons committed came to his mind, these little nobles could do the same with him. On the other hand, Radan's mind moved much faster, he stretched out one of his arms and grabbing his backpack he began to search desperately.
“Where are they?” Began to murmur the quinoid, moving his hands desperately searching his backpack.
When he finally found what he was looking for, his color returned to his face. 5 bars of cheese that he had brought with him to eat during the mission. His favorite snacks filled with dried fruits.
“My lords” Radan said busily presenting the five bars on his knees.
“what is that?” Theodor asked noticing that he did not know what the rat man was offering them.
Crispa analyzed the bars with a strand of energy and seeing that there was nothing out of place he let the quinoid offer them to the children.
Shimu was the first to take one and before Radan could reply he opened it and put it in his mouth.
" It is fruit cheese, " replied the quinoid, frightened.
He had no sweets and these bars were the best among his possessions, he was afraid that maybe it was not to the liking of these nobles?
“Mmm! It's delicious” Shimu said starting to devour the rest of the cheese bar.
Immediately the other bars disappeared from Radan's hands and each of the children began to eat.
“Are there more?” asked Lutza as she ate hers in one bite.
The quinoid lost color on its face again.
“Sorry, this humble servant did not bring more.
“Is it called cheese?” Mushi asked.
“Yes, yes, young master.
“We have to tell dad to buy us more” Shimu said looking at his brother.
“Yes” Mushi answered stuffing what he still had in his mouth when he saw that his brother was starting to look at his cheese bar.
“Eli we should also ask mom and dad to give us cheese” Theodor said savoring one of the pieces of fruit that the cheese had.
While saying that, Theodor's eyes widened, at the end of one of the corridors of the stable he saw a Lepiot guard passing by with his mount. The animal, unlike the typical Deerxylon that the lepiots used, had the appearance of a wooden tiger.
“Wow! Look at that” Theodor said excitedly pointing towards the animal and starting to run.
The other children followed when they saw the wooden tiger.
“Hmm! You were saved because the little masters have more important things to do” said the little ubax looking at the two quinoids with indifference and fury.
" I hope you are more careful from now on, " said Mr. Crispa, trying to be more condescending towards the poor men.
After a few seconds when they confirmed that they were alone, they both breathed a sigh of relief.
“I think that was your bad feeling” Radan commented trying to calm down.
“Yes, maybe” answered Kot starting to breathe calmly.
" You owe me six frushis, " said Radan, sitting down again on one of the boxes.
“what?
“I just saved your life by giving my precious frushis. Or are you going to tell me that you had something to give to those little nobles?
“It’s okay but because six? You only gave them five.
“The extra frushi is the cost of your life, if you think you are worth more, I will receive more frushis with pleasure” Radan answered fixing his shirt.
“Thanks for the cheese!” The voice of a girl froze them where they were.
Elizabeth had appeared from who knows where and was again facing them. It almost caused them a heart attack from the scare she gave them.
“I wanted to tell you that we will help you” said Elizabeth blushing and running to where her friends were.
The two quinoids were flabbergasted by what they had just heard.
