Memories: My Kingdom

Chapter 17: The Rainbow Swamp

Suddenly, an image flashed in his mind and he saw Leui kissing him. Leui’s eyes were very gentle as he gazed at him.

Tinum felt his heart beat faster and he held his chest. When was this? He thought as he tried to remember when had Leui kissed him. But, humans are also vile creatures. One second they’ll promise you of forever then, the next second and you’ll see them they promise another person a lifetime. Is Leui like that? Tinum doesn’t know yet. After all, they only known each other for more than a week. It’s not like because Leui wanted to kiss him means that Leui is serious of him?

The thought made Tinum’s heartache. He doesn’t know why, but he felt pain in his heart. He felt his body suddenly weakened. He closed his eyes and went back to the bed. Then, he curled in the bed, tightly clutching the bed sheets, feeling uncomfortable.

He felt his closed eyes moistened and he opened them. He touched his eye, only to feel his finger become wet. He saw a drop of water on the tip of his finger, so clear like a mirror and his face was reflected on the water. Then, he stuck out his tongue to lick the water, only to frown when he tasted it salty. “What is this?” he muttered. He doesn’t know that it was a tear. He only thought that, when he felt pain and discomfort in his heart, some liquid that tasted salty would come out of his eyes.

After some time when he felt not comfortable anymore and the pain in his heart disappeared, the salty liquid coming out of his eyes stopped. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes and fell asleep.

The last tear from his eye slid down his fair cheeks, commencing the first episode of him crying.

…

Even though the night before was awkward between them three, the next morning they felt invigorated. The fishes and crabs grew up in rivers rich in pure minerals, thus, they are nutritious and also delicious. In order not to starve during the latter half of their travel, Leui caught some fishes and crabs as food reserves. He also found some clams and kept them. Mhir was in charge of their water and she rifled their containers. Then, the three of them were ready to continue their journey.

…

“Be careful.” Leui told Mhir when Mhir almost tripped after her feet sank deeper in the mud. He caught her arm before she could fall.

“Thanks.” Mhir said and regained her balance. Because dwarves have a sturdy body only second to monsters, their weight also would be heavier than normal. Thus, when they passed by another swamp – the first swamp is a corroding swamp, Mhir had to redouble her efforts in walking since her steps sank deeper than Leui and Tinum’s steps. Tinum, as the lightest among the three, walked on the water as if he was walking in the grass. If not for the stains on the soles of his shoes, they would think Tinum was floating over the water to keep himself from being dirtied.

Leui looked at Tinum, then the stain on Tinum’s shoes. “Do you want me to carry you?” he asked he male elf. Even if he wants to, he can’t carry Mhir. Mhir, after all, is still a girl despite her tomboyish attitude. She wants to be clean. However, she’s even heavier than Leui thi Leui can’t possibly carry her. The next person Leui can carry is Tinum.

“No.” Tinum said as he took another step. The water rippled, but there was no depression on the water’s surface despite Tinum walking over it. Leui carrying him is really unnecessary.

Leui suspected Tinum was using a levitation skill. However, since this is a magical world, he had to believe that Tinum was just normally walking. Elves really are as light as paper. He turned to Mhir. “Are you still okay?” he asked her.

Mhir nodded. “Yes.” She said and lifted her foot to take a step forward.

Leui felt distress for her. He can only pull her along with him to help her walk through the mud under the water. “We’re still close to halfway of this swamp.” He said and scanned the area.

Currently, they are in the Rainbow Swamp. The trees’ trunks are thick and its leaves are wide, making the light from the sun unable to pass through and making the entire swamp dark. However, when the sunlight manages to pass through, its light would hit the water in the swamp, creating the colors of the rainbow appear on the swamp. They could also see that despite the darkness in the swamp, its water is as clear as a crystal, just like the water in the river of the elf community they passed by. The swamp’s water showing rainbow colors was where it took its name now.

“Ow!” Leui cried when he felt something stung the sole of his foot. His sole is thick but that thing still bore a hole on the sole of his shoe and stung his foot.

“Leui!” Mhir called as she walked towards Leui. Tinum stopped walking and turned to Leui. “Leui. What happened?” she asked, her voice filled with worry.

“Something stung my foot.” Leui answered as he leaned his hand on the trunk near him and raised his foot. He took off his shoe and saw that there really is a hole in it. Then, he looked at his foot that’s hurting and saw his fair foot bleeding. The blood dropped to the water of the swamp.

“I can’t see it.” Mhir said. Dwarves have poor vision, especially if the surroundings are dark. Thus, aside from her heavy weight, she’s also having trouble walking because of her poor vision. Leui had to guide her.

“I’ll be fine.” Leui said as he took out a handkerchief from his pocket and wrapped his foot. Then, he took out a piece of leather and an adhesive to stick it on the tear on the sole of his shoe.

Tinum’s brows raise in surprise. “You remembered to bring an adhesive.” He said as he watched Leui smeared the adhesive paste on the leather skin and stuck it on his shoe.

“I have to.” Leui answered. “I thought I can use it in cases like this. Sewing is hard to do, and time-consuming.” He explained.

Tinum nodded, thinking what Leui said made sense. “Great.” He said when the leather skin immediately stuck on the shoe.

Leui grinned as he wore his shoe again. “A customer on the Stinky Flower Shop gifted this to me.” He said and showed the bottle containing the adhesive paste. “It’s made from his skin that he shed. He made business with this.” He explained.

“Why would he give you that?” Tinum asked as Leui tied his shoe.

“He said he liked me.” Leui answered. He waited for Tinum’s reaction and he really saw him froze. He laughed. “He said he liked me, on his plate and I’m in pieces.” He said.

Tinum’s eyes widened in shock while Mhir snorted. “I was there when it happened.” She said, ``I punched that guy!” she bumped her fist on her palm.