The sun was almost set when a giant windmill entered William's vision. His eyes widened. "Lucie. Hold on."
"Yes," she replied, gripping William's hip harder. As if understanding the situation, the horse ran faster than before.
Before long, a closed town gate stood tall between them and Bruhl. A gatekeeper, stationed within a wooden watchtower behind the gate, noticed the newcomers before raising his rifle.
"Hold it! State your name, profession, origin, and reason to enter Bruhl! We're on a lockdown due to Empire's movement!"
"My name is William Astergon. This girl on my horseback is my sister, Lucie Astergon. We're a travelling mechanics hailing from Palazet! Please lower your weapon, sir, for we have an important news to deliver to the mayor!"
"...I'm a what, now?" Lucie whispered to William, earning her a little smack in her thigh.
"Keep it down for now," William replied in hushed tone.
"Palazet? I never heard of such place. Where is that?" The gatekeeper started to sound more annoyed. His grip on the rifle becoming harder.
"Seriously? Is our village truly unknown or what..." Lucie murmured once again to herself within William's earshot.
"Anyway, you two looked suspicious! What news are you bringing?"
Gritting his teeth, William inhaled a deep breath. "Would you believe if Bruhl will be invaded any time soon?"
The instant he said that, the gatekeeper's face went pale, although his rifle was still raised. "Wait, what!?"
"Just open the gate already! I can't tell you the details, but I'm know what I'm saying!" Becoming more impatient as time went by, William shot a glare at the gatekeeper. "Look. Open the gate and we're done here. Agree?"
"N-No can do, sir! You're under suspicion as a spy from the E-Empire to spread misinformation! I have to deny access!" Even though starting to falter, he didn't budge.
William clenched his fist, trying to maintain his already losing composure. "If you wish to witness Bruhl turn into ashes tomorrow and be held accountable for all the upcoming deaths, fine! Let's leave, Lucie."
Hearing more of William's threat, the gatekeeper lowered his weapon while frantically leaning at them from the tower. "W-Wait! Wait a second! What do you mean tomorrow!?"
"I'm under no obligation to tell any more information because I'm a spy! You said it yourself, right!?"
The gatekeeper winced. "W-Well, come in! I'll relay your arrival to the mayor. He should be working at his office around now, so I will call someone to lead the way. Don't do anything stupid, okay!?"
The gate finally opened for them, revealing the inner side of Bruhl. The sight of a town more developed than his village threw William's off guard, as it left his mouth hanging for a bit while they were being led by someone to the mayor's office. Even the sight of a two-story building caused him to hold his breath as there were none of such on their old village. Here, it seems like those buildings are pretty common as they passed a lot of it.
Seeing them off from the gate, the gatekeeper murmured to himself. "What the hell was all that about..."
"Madness! The Empire!?" the mayor shouted as he listened to William and Lucie, almost falling from his chair.
"Yes. They raided Palazet this morning. Assuming from the distance, this town would be an ideal next target," Lucie said. Back on the horse, she looked quite lifeless, pretty understandable from the fact that she lost her mother, but now she looked composed and calm when stating the information. Even William was shook by her sudden improvement after their recent incident.
Wiping the sweat falling from his forehead, the mayor stood up from his chair and walked around the room with hands on his back. The floor creaked louder each time he stepped, as if his movement was weighed with the burden of keeping his residents alive. After a couple of minutes passed, he looked at the duo again.
"Let me be clear once again. What proof do you have to state such thing?" He asked.
William rolled his eye, returning the mayor's look with doubt on his face. "After all the thing we said and you asked that just now? No, we were not lying in case you doubted us. This rifle on my back is your proof." He pulled over the rifle hung on his back, giving it to the mayor.
"I am not truly knowledgeable on weaponry, but... there's no mistaking it. That is ZM Kar, definitely their weapon..." A glance of the weapon was enough to strike fear through the mayor.
The mayor ran to his radio telephone, dialing a number. Not for long, the other end received his call.
"D-Don't ask for details right now! Issue an evacuation immediately from the incoming Empire attack! I'll explain later, just do as I say!" he shouted. The mayor hung up the phone and looked at them once again with a serious face.
"Thank you for the information. If you two weren't here, things would've gone rough tomorrow. As the representative of Bruhl, we offer our thanks." He bowed deeply.
"We... Um...W-Will, say something!" Somehow flustered by this, Lucie smacked William on his shoulder.
"Ow! What was that for!?" William rubbed his shoulder before facing the mayor once again. "Anyway, can we stay here for the night, maybe get some provisions or whatnot? We barely escaped with nothing at all. No food, no money, just this rifle I looted."
"Well... I can provide provisions, but I'm afraid this office isn't fitted for accommodation. I will give you two some money so you can find somewhere to stay. Sorry, but that's the best thing I could offer." The mayor shook his head slowly.
"Eh, not too shabby, although I preferred something better. You know, like-"
"Brother." A pinch latched into William's right ear.
"Awww! I mean, t-thank you! That's very kind of you, sir!" He bowed, followed by his sister.
When they left the room after getting the promised provisions, William glared at Lucie who tried to look like an innocent maiden.
"The hell was that for, Lu!? I was going to get us a better treatment!"
"While they were preparing for the last minute, Will? Really?"
"Yeah, well... Fine. You feeling better already?" asked William, trying to change the topic.
"We should. She won't like it if we... If I stay sad. We have to be strong, just like what you said, right?" She tried to muster a smile.
William only sighed. They went out from the building and back on their horse, Lucie's leading the horse this time. On the road, they noticed some civilians already riding their vehicles to the town gate. 'Please don't suffer like Palazet's people did,' William thought to himself. He should evacuate soon with his sister as well, but before he could say anything, his sleepy yawn disagreed with him.
Steering the horse slowly, Lucie turned her head toward William. "So... Where will we stay tonight?
"The alleyway."
"Be serious, please." Her voice sounds colder.
William closed his eyelids. "Wherever's fine! I'll leave that to you, okay? I'm so tired to think much for now..." he said, leaving Lucie alone in their search for a resting place.
She sighed a little, followed with a little smile. 'That's classic of you, brother.'
"I thought... we were going to stop somewhere better?"
"No complaint. It's the best that I can get for now."
"But why must... here, out of all options?"
"Look, no one wanted to help us thanks to the evacuation stuff. Just make do with what I was able to negotiate with."
In front of them stood a small stable, enough for three to four horses, in the middle of a grassy field. Lucie managed to struck a deal with the owner, a farmer living not so far from the stable. William peeked inside to find the stable looked actually quite decent, sadly without a bed. Lucie ushered the horse to come in and rest on the corner. William stood still at the entrance, still admiring the stable while Lucie was busy stacking some hay bales from a side of the stable for them to sleep on.
"Inventing a new way of sleep by standing, Will?" Lucie said, looking at him with a smug. She already dropped herself on the makeshift bed.
"A nice joke, madam. I'm coming."
He scooted closer to Lucie who was holding a small basket full of food from their meeting. Bread, boiled egg, some smoked meat, all decent stuff. He sat beside her and started eating. They ate the food pretty fast, considering they have yet to eat anything from the afternoon.
After eating, William dropped himself beside her on the bed. Lucie curled her body facing William. Hands under his head, he looked at the ceiling. "What a day, huh."
"I know."
Empire's massacre, their mother's death, then here. It all felt too surreal for William and Lucie, but it really happened. They couldn't alter their fate, and they have to bear with it.
"What will happen from now on, brother?" Lucie said, her raspy voice cut through the dark.
"There's no telling. Let's just sleep for now and hope for the best tomorrow. G'night." He patted Lucie's head before closing his eyes. William eventually dozed off, followed by Lucie soon after.
Little did they know, another trial of fate will happen tomorrow.