"Slavers. Not an army or a group of bandits, just slavers," Barth muttered to himself while looking at Alexander, his hands on his hips as he whined his waist in a circle, occasional pops sounding out.
"And you say this information was written on that invisible scroll you mentioned to me last time?"
"Yes."
Not hiding anything, Alexander had explained the approaching situation to Barth and then silently watched as the old man fell into deep thought.
"Has the scroll appeared since then?"
"No."
"Back on the hill when the scroll appeared, did you feel pain in any part of your body? Did your head ache?"
Alexander sighed inwardly as Barth's words made his thoughts on the matter clear, but he remained calm and shook his head.
"No."
Barth's face tightened at this, and he gave Alexander a scrutinizing look from head to toe, his eyes studying the lean, still malnourished-looking body of the boy before him.
Alexander's bright blue eyes contained nothing but sincerity, but Barth also had to consider the situation from all angles.
"Let's go meet Ma," he finally said.
"Is that wise?" Alexander couldn't help but ask. There was a reason he had sought to talk to Barth somewhere they could be alone.
"Hahaha," Barth laughed, then offered a hand and pulled Alexander to his feet. "I understand you, but have faith in Ma. She's one of the exceptions."
Keeping no expectations, Alexander nodded and picked up his stool, following Barth.
Alexander thought they would return to his room, but instead, the old man took him to the relatively large building where Ma attended to her patients.
The morning was still early, so there were not yet any unfortunates inside. Entering the thatched building, Alexander found Ma quietly arranging items and bowls, though slow in her movements.
"Oh, Honey," Ma called without looking back, and Alexander couldn't help but be surprised as this was the first time he had heard her refer to Barth affectionately.
"I'm here with Alexander," Barth announced, and Alexander felt for the man as even when his wife was sweet to him, at the mention of his name, her brain seemed to erase his existence.
"Alexander," Ma called with bright eyes, turning to the only naturally white-haired individual in the room, smiling and approaching him.
"What are you doing here? Pa didn't force you out of bed, did he?"
The old lady threw the old man a glare, but he waved it off and taking the stool in my hand placed it on the ground.
"Sit, we have something important to talk about."
Sensing there was a serious situation at hand, after looking at the two of them, Ma took a seat and sparing Alexander the hassle of having to repeat himself, Barth explained everything he had told him to his wife.
"I did notice you've been tense the past few days," the old lady frowned at Alexander.
"I was hoping you could check on him and make sure he's alright."
"Check on him? What do you think I've been doing the past few days?" Ma burst out, swinging her stick.
Already used to his wife's antics, Barth dodged her swing and moved to Alexander's side, frowning.
"You can escape to the mountains if you want, Alex, but I wouldn't advise you to do that and you should know why," Barth's eyes moved meaningfully to Alexander's body.
"I'm grateful that you told us this rather than just running away on your own, but we can't leave this village, Alex. It's our home. Look at us, we are old sacks of bones. Where would we run to? How far would we go? I'd rather die here than somewhere in a forest or mountain I know nothing about."
Looking from Barth to Ma, Alexander saw she had the same look as her husband.
"So what will you do then? What about the children and women in the village?" Alexander asked.
"Women and children? I thought you didn't care about this village."
"Unlike you two, I feel no bond with the village or its people, but for your sake, I'm willing to shoulder the burden."
There was silence in the room as the two elders focused on Alexander, then looked at each other solemnly.
"Oh my," Ma croaked, "he's taking this seriously."
"Is there a reason I shouldn't? Or do you not believe?"
"We do believe you have nightmares, Alex, but we find it hard to believe that these nightmares could become reality."
"Why?"
"Because we are under the protection of the Iron King."