Ava looks at the soldier abusing the man, and he realizes that she's looking at him. He focuses his attention towards her and slowly walks closer to herand points to her face.
''What are you looking at?'' He narrows his eyes. ''Can I help you with something?''
Ava shakes her head.
''Than go on, move this is none of your business.''
Ava slowly walks away as the soldier goes back to assaulting the man. She doesn't want to get herself involved with anything that's involved with the kingdom and keeps walking. The man being assaulted screams behind her but she refuses to let herself look behind her.
''Hey!'' A young girl calls Ava; she hops towards Ava and holds her hand. ''I heard my mom telling my dad that you bought something at our store.''
''Yeah, she already told me that, I don't see the big deal with buying a normal scarf.'' Ava looks at her and feels uncomfortable with the girl holding her hand. She softy rips it away and starts walking again.
''Yes, but it was a really big deal for us.'' She looks down. ''You see, my father is really sick. And since we've been paying the soldiers to protect us from bandits, so my mother has been unable to pay for medical herbs that can help him.''
Tears start running down her face. ''Thank you lady, you've helped my family. A lot.''
''My gosh, are you crying?'' Ava kneels and looks at her. ''No don't cry, come on don't cry.''
''It's just I'm so happy, I get to see my father healthy again.'' She smiles while the tears are still covering her face.
Ava looks at her and sympathizes for her, the girl wipes her tears off quickly and starts chuckling. ''I'm so sorry, I just wanted to thank you for helping us. I really didn't want to cry.''
''It's okay, I'm glad that I get to help your family okay?'' Ava smiles and she smiles back.
''By the way my name Abigail, and what's yours?''
''I'm Ava.''
''Why did you come her Ava? Not many people come around here from other places anymore.'' She strolls in front of Ava looking around from building to building. ''My mother tells me this kingdom used to have so many people coming around here when I was younger even the night used to shine bright with light. 'You wouldn't know the difference between day and night.' my mother would say. I don't remember much but her and father used to take me everywhere in the city. Just to walk.''
''Than what happened? What changed this nice place into a ghost town basically.'' Ava asks.
''My mother told me that there use to be a beautiful castle where the base is, and a gang of bandits attacked and destroyed it. The Mason soldiers came to rescue us and built the base where the castle used to be. That's why we stay indoors, to protect ourselves if an attack would happen again.''
Ava starts thinking about the assault between the soldier and that man, how the soldier spoke about protecting them against another bandit attack.
''My mother says it's good for us, that the soldiers are protecting us and that we should close ourselves inside the house.''
''What about you? Do you think it's good for you?''
''I don't know, I'm just 13 silly.'' Abigail chuckles. ''Unlike you, I'm still young and I have to listen to my parents... But to be honest I've always dreamt to just catch a glimpse of how it used to be before all of this. My mother tells me stories about it every night and I dream about it sometimes. But I always wonder if it's just a dream or is it just what I've wanted it to be because of what my mother tells me every night.''
She looks towards the sky and smiles. Ava walking next to her and hugs her with her hand over her shoulder. She smiles, ''Abigail... If you ever wish to change something, take a step into changing it.''
''What?''
''My best advice to you is that there's so many other kingdoms out there, you can go see them if you want. Not now obviously but when you're older, even if you can't change the scenery around here you can still go to other continents and other cities.''
''You think I can do that?''
''Yeah, I did and I've seen a lot of beautiful place all over the world. I'll be going to see more after this one.''
Both them smile at each other and chuckle while walking down the street.
Kami and Lushen are still at the valley sitting on top of a laid out cut board box, still singing and drinking themselves away.
''Hey old man Lushen!'' Kami pokes his face.
''Firstly, stop calling me old man. Lushen is fine, I know I'm old but I don't want you to spill it out for me. Haha!'' He laughs and gouges himself with more of his drink. ''Ahh!! What did you want to say?''
''I... I wanted to say I like you a lot.''
''Woah kid, let's not turn my amity into a romantic gesture.''
''What? no! You're such a silly old man you. I meant to say I want you to join my crew.'' Kami drags the words out of his drunk and heavy mouth.
''Your crew? What crew? Your crew of what?" Lushen looks around.
''Oh! I forgot to tell you, you old dirty bastard. I'm a bandit and I want to become the King of the World. You, me and Ava, we'll conquer the world living freely and crossing the line that the legendary Gio Van Nics couldn't cross. Our names will be known across, we'll have it all the money, the power and the freedom!''
''Salute to that!'' Lushen lifts his bottle. ''To freedom.''
''Salute to freedom.''
They both laugh. ''So does that mean you'll join my crew?''
''No way ya idiot! I have to take care of this kingdom?''
''You?! Take care of this kingdom? Don't lie to me, you're just an old drunk. Come on!! Someone like you has nothing to gain or lose, the two of us can go die on a high hill. Trust me!'' Kami drunkenly laughs.
''You're mistaken kid, someone like me has everything to lose around here.'' He removes his arm from Kami's shoulder, and depressingly looks down at his bottle of rum.
''What can I do? Huh!''
''You can leave me alone and leave this kingdom. And by the way, the people around here are scared of bandits, so don't tell that to anyone else.''
''Oh no! I wasn't supposed to tell anyone I'm a bandit.'' He covers his mouth. ''Ava will kill me!''
''Don't worry I won't tell anyone.''
''No can do, you have to join my crew now!'' He smiles and shakes Lushen. ''Come on! I'll do anything for you to join my crew.''
''Oh yeah? Are you willing to rob a military base for it?'' Lushen says in sarcasm. ''I'll only join your crew if you give the money you rob from that base!''
He laughs, and Kami looks at the big Mason base in the middle of the kingdom. He joins Lushen in his laughter.
''I'll do it.'' Kami laughs.
''Wait what?! Kid, I was being sarcastic.''
''Too late, the deal has already been made.'' Kami gets up and starts running while barely able to maintain balance.
''Hey Kami-- Oh what the heck, he won't do it anyways.'' Lushen waves it off and carries on with his drinking and starts softly singing again.