Hiding within the crowd was Billy, staring intently at the two who were enjoying the fruits given by the shopkeeper after having a change of heart, although he doubts anyone has one when it is just business; after all, money or a coin is what's most important in the world to make a profit.
Despite his initial distrust towards them, he finds it interesting how quickly the merchant gained profits from advertising by using those two dumb and stupid idiots. That itself is hilarious, but the real kicker is seeing Seth struggle to bite the peel due to its thickness of covering.
"Morons," whispering under his breath while observing them, "why did I even follow them in the first place?" Maybe he was curious to know what they were planning; maybe it was simply pure boredom from being inside a castle surrounded by snobby rich folk or something along those lines.
Even still, he wanted to explore what is outside, suffice to say; Billy found it rather intriguing and awe stricken to see the city in its glory; "at least they showed me where to leave," watching the both of them eating the fruits with happy faces like two ignorant children that they are.
He was about to approach them before the two decidedly walked away with each other after finishing up the fruits they ate, prompting the cowboy to follow them instead of speaking with others in case he might embarrass himself or make a fool of himself, which wouldn't be good for either side if that happened.
"Let's see where this goes," he muttered as he pursued his targets with stealth, staying within the crowd of citizens while keeping his eyes on them.
Why is he following them in the first place? Isn't he done? He is already out, so why this? Maybe because he is curious about them, that must be the reason. It would be stupid to say that he is concerned for their safety, but honestly speaking, his not certain about that notion.
Its simply his own curiosity in overtaking him, and besides, he doesn't want to lose Seth because it is their mission to slay the dark lord and whatnot, so losing a party member would be detrimental to the quest overall. Billy has to make sure Seth lives if they are going to succeed in this crazy task for him to have the glory and fame he desires so much.
Just imagine how many would flaunt him for being the hero of the kingdom and everything in it. Although this all depends on whether all three of them even lived for that matter, "Seth, what do you think?" Her loud voice rang out of nowhere, jolting him out of his thoughts.
Seth nervously looked down for them as the two walked, contemplating for a moment before answering with his own question, "um, the people here seem okay," he said while noticing the crowds around them. "The place here looks a lot better than where I am from," the boy commented absentmindedly while fiddling fingers together. "It looks to be safer too."
Billy almost snorted at the boy's words. What kind of hellhole is he from if this place is consider safe? Honestly, he doesn't understand this nerd at all, nor does he care whether he dies or not, but even still, he can't let this person perished for the sake of himself.
But why is he wasting his time caring for this weirdo when he can be doing other things instead, like drinking or shooting up someone? It is probably best to keep following them while trying to ignore this sense of responsibility towards this annoying geek and selfish princess.
She frowned at his words, feeling that he was neglecting important details of the matter. "What do you mean? Aren't there any differences between the two?" Cinder demanded of her friend, being annoyed by his lackluster response, "Please elaborate on your reasoning!" The young princess insisted on knowing his opinion.
"There's a big difference between the two." He shyly muttered in response while glancing at his right hand, where the holy crucifix is firmly clutched. "My home is rather unpleasant and harsh, while yours is seemingly bright, clean, and beautiful." Seth elaborated as he frowned at comparing the two: "Everything in general is just..." The boy paused, pondering the best term to describe his world.
Everything in his world is filled with the brim of never-ending blizzards that eternally cover the entire earth, an arctic tundra wasteland with constant heavy snow and a cold winter that never stops. So in conclusion, his home is basically one big frozen hell.
He is lucky that Seth has had his beloved cross with him nearly throughout his entire life, as mentioned many times. It is not only a source of comfort but also a motivator that keeps his spirits up, allowing him to resist and keep going in order to survive despite all the odds being stacked against him.
Without it, the fourteen-year-old boy wouldn't even be alive today and would have simply given up if it weren't for the knowledge of God himself. The heavenly father is his salvation; he places all faith and devotion in him, willing to offer himself to this almighty force in order to receive his blessing.
While it might be strange, and some will criticize him for his beliefs, there is nothing wrong with having hope in a greater entity. Hope is what keeps humanity sane during these hard times; hope is what drives him to keep fighting through all the adversity he faces every single day; hope is what the priest instilled in him during his early childhood; hope is his guardian and light during times of darkness, despair, sorrow, and so on.
So he gripped the cross tighter than before, breathing deep breaths before turning to meet the princess' gaze: "Well, my home is frozen, desolate, and dying, while yours is green, lush, and lively." Those are his honest opinions of the two.
She felt his pain and, moreover, the shock of hearing that. Even Billy, who was sneakily following them from behind, was surprised to hear Seth describe his world. "How?" The princess found it difficult to even ask questions like, "How did it end up like that?" Cinder inquired in a concerned manner about his well-being, "Please, explain to me..." The girl begged.
Stopping in his tracks, he looked left and right before turning in her direction. "Is there a place we can talk about this in private?" Feeling uncomfortable talking about the place he was born in,I don't feel comfortable discussing my own home in public," the boy said with a hint of sadness in his tone of voice.
Nodding with a look of sympathy, she took a look around before noticing an alleyway that was seemingly abandoned. "Over there," she said, pointing towards the narrow passage between two large buildings. "How about there?" She suggested, in her best attempt to comfort her friend, "At least we can talk there without people interrupting us."
That's all he needed to hear as he smiled at this quick solution: "Thank you, Cinder." Seth's gratitude was sincere as they made their way towards their destination, with Billy following after them from the distance. He was also intrigued by this prospect.
Entering the narrow passageway, which was barely wide enough for two people to walk side by side, The ground is made of stone, cracked and worn down, covered in moss and mildew from years of rain and wear. Between them were walls made of brick, decorated with vines growing onto them.
The secluded area is the perfect place for them to speak alone with nobody interrupting their conversation. "Okay..." Catching his breath after having walked through the tight space, "This will have to do," the boy muttered before leaning against the wall to regain composure. "Phew..." I was sighing in relief at having personal space.
Turning around to him with a demanding expression, "Tell me about your world, please..." She said while clasping her hands together in prayer, "I want to learn more about it." Cinder requested sincerely, wanting to know more about her best friend.
"Are you sure?" He asked in a polite tone, feeling unsure if she wanted to learn about his terrible, horrible, and dangerous world, "That world I lived in is a bad and scary place, Cinder." Seth warned her about it: "My home is horrible, where anything can kill or harm me in a single moment if I'm not careful." Pausing as he took a deep breath, he said, "I don't think it's wise to disclose information that may frighten you."
"I don't care..." Cinder wasn't scared of his world; she is ready for whatever horrors await, and nothing he says will make her afraid. "Your my friend, Seth," her lips curled into a smile of reassurance while pulling out a pinky finger with her left hand, "we promised each other to be best friends forever and ever," her voice firm as she announced towards him, "and as friends, we should help each other through tough times no matter what!" waiting for him to signify the promise they are going to make.
"Friends..." A sad smile graced his lips as he brought his own pinky finger, linking with hers and sealing the deal with "promise." Looking into her eyes with resolve, "forever and ever..." At that very moment, their pinky fingers connected and held each other's grasp.
"You can count on me, buddy," she exclaimed in joy while the two shared their mutual understanding of their friendship: "Whether it be night or day, whenever you're down and upset, don't hesitate to come to me, and I'll give you all the hugs in the world!" Stating with determination while flashing a confident grin
Nodding back, they unlinked their fingers before Seth sighed heavily as he lean back against the brick wall, closing his eyes in the process. "Okay," he said, nodding softly, "I'm going to tell you everything, starting from my birth to how I landed myself in this land," explaining with hesitation.
The words hit Cinder's heart as she prepared herself mentally for the upcoming tale: "Alright..." She gulped in anticipation of his story: "I won't tell anyone about this, I swear," resulting in her friend's responding in kind. "I trust you," he replied with the utmost respect, knowing that she is a trustworthy person from their interaction.
Then, without holding back, he told her that he was born into experiencing the burning inferno in the pits of hell ever since he was only an infant; he spent eight years there to be later rescued by a mysterious light that pulled him out to the surface and gave him life from the fires that had eternally consumed him.
Six more years in a living post-apocalyptic world that treated him equally worse than spending his time in hell, leaving him with the only thing holding him is his faith in God and the survival of it all, bringing the boy to the land of the living, where grim reality hits him harder than ever.
Wandering alone in the frosted wasteland with nothing but the clothes on his back and the enigmatic cross that found him ever since he returned to the living, the boy never knew how bad it truly was until he transitioned himself into another world that wasn't his through unfortunate circumstances.
She listened to every word of it while Billy silently leaning his back on the wall near the narrow alleyway, quietly eavesdropping on their discussion, getting a grasp of understanding more about the nerd himself than speaking with him face-to face.
Her eyes slowly teared up from his tragic experience, trembling slightly from what she heard of his harsh journey that has endured since a young age: "You really had to go through that kind of torture." Hearing him finally finish explaining his background, the princess tried to keep herself in order as her body shook in mixed emotions. "All this time, you were suffering...alone." Sorrow filled her voice, and she felt empathy for her friend.
Rubbing his right upper arm, he awkwardly nodded while feeling ashamed of telling about the horrible treatment that he had faced since birth."Yes, I did." Seth confirmed while staring down at the dirt beneath his feet, "And it still hurts to this day." His inner turmoil still remains as he revealed, "because I—"
A sudden embrace cut him off when she hugged tightly to stop him from continuing further. "I'm sorry for your loss and sorrows, Seth." Cinder apologized with closed eyes while he just stood there frozen from this action. "You shouldn't have to suffer like that alone."
She sympathized with his situation, feeling sorry for what had happened in his life. "And I promise that I will never abandon you, ever!" She retreated her head from his chest so he could see her watery eyes staring straight back at him.
Although it was overwhelming to have someone consoling him from all the bad that has happened in his life, he feels incredibly relieved that now he isn't alone anymore.Yeah, "best friends, right?" He tried to lighten up the mood but failed miserably when his own set of tears came from his eyes as well.
"It's hard. Growing up with nobody around to guide or care for you, especially when losing that one person..." Sadness crept into his voice when he thought of the person who raised him, the person who taught him the value of kindness, compassion, forgiveness, and how to love through the devotion of God.
He misses that old pastor deeply.
Meanwhile, Billy, with his arms folded at his chest, sighed while letting them finish their conversation. While he still finds the nerd annoying, he isn't a heartless bastard who enjoys seeing others suffer; he can sympathize with how much this fellow is enduring from his past experiences.
