Chapter 21: Steaks.

"Miss Neya, we are entering the border of Sezzopon," Nesto calling out to Neya in the back.

Neya places down her book and walks to the front of the wagon. She peeks her head out between the green curtain hanging in the archway. Her eyes went wide when she saw the vast farm field around the path.

"Wow, there are so many foods growing here," Neya mutter to herself.

"Sezzopon actually has the largest farm field in the continent. The townsfolk grow many types of crops here, such as corn, rice, wheat, and many more. It's also where Targia main city gets its main source of food from, well that's just obvious really," Nesto explain.

"I have never seen this massive amount of farm field before, How they even maintain this large farm field?" Neya ask.

"From what I know, the main workforce here is the slave, but now since slaves are illegal. I don't know who maintains it, maybe we can find out when we enter the town," Nesto answers.

Neya steps out from the archway and sat right next to Nesto. She smiles as she gazes into the distance, taking in the beautiful view.

"Miss Neya, do you know that the queen actually personally oversee this town," Nesto said.

"Oversee?" Neya said aloud.

"The Queen of Targia actually make this town even more prosperous by introducing many new farming practices. For example, four field crop rotation," Nesto said.

"Oh, I just read about it in the books I buy. The rotation helps to keep the soil healthy and have more option on what to grow," Neya said.

"That's right. Hm, that's what you been reading in the back," Nesto said.

Neya turned to look at Nesto face with a pouted mouth, "I know, I shouldn't be reading too much. Instead, I should focus on perfecting my etiquette. That's what the head maid used to say to me when I was still living in the castle, so you don't have to remind me" Neya said.

"No, what I was about to say is. Miss Neya, I don't mind if you want to spend time reading any kind of book, just make sure you don't forget to eat or sleep," Nesto said.

"Are you sure?" Neya asks excitedly.

"Yes," Nesto replied.

Neya lifts her hands up in the air with joyful intent.

"You remind of Zelstine. A little girl that I once served, she is just like you. She loves reading books, one day I'm going to introduce you to her. Maybe you both would become friends," Nesto said.

"Friend... I don't know if I can make any," Neya murmur.

"Be confidence, Miss Neya. Even you can find good friends in this world," Nesto reassure her.

A smile crept on Neya faces when she heard Nesto words.

"The Queen huh? Prince Ariamnes said you were adopted by the Queen when you were a child, do you know who your parents are?" Neya ask.

"I don't know who my parents are, I wasn't raised by them," Nesto answers.

"Who raised you?" Neya ask.

"I was raised in a gladiator house by a woman name, Adosinda," Nesto answers.

"Is Adosinda your master?" Neya ask.

"No, she was a human gladiator," Nesto answers.

"Where is she now?" Neya ask.

"I have no idea, probably somewhere in a pub," Nesto said as a smile from with his lips while he reminisces about the rough woman.

After Nesto answers Neya question, the atmosphere turns to silence again, well not completely silent. It's a good silent with sounds of nature surrounding them both. Neya rock back and forth before stopping when she remembers something.

"I have only heard stories about the late Queen Madeleine," Neya said.

"Interesting, please continue," Nesto ask.

"I heard that Queen Madeleine is one of the greatest magic users in Arorona, and she quite the powerful and smart elven woman," Neya said.

"All that is true, but what you didn't know was, she is a kind woman, a little eccentric and a bit goofy," Nesto said.

"She is also one of most ambitious woman I know, always strive to make the world a better place," Nesto continues.

"It sounds like, you really look up to her," Neya said.

"I do, Miss Neya. She was more than a foster mother, she was my teacher and mentor," Nesto said.

All that talk between Nesto and Neya help to past the time before they realized that they are entering the town. Nesto looks around the town and was surprised by the harmony between elves and humans living here. They look as if they have been living with each other for a long time, there are many happy faces here.

Nesto waves as at one of the townsfolk after themselves greet both of them with waving their hand at him. Then another one wave at us, it not just human, elves too.

Nesto leads the horse to somewhere he can stop. He then gets off the seats after the horse has fully stopped and tied it reins to a pole. Neya jumps off the wagon with a smile on her face.

"Miss Neya, do you want to stay in the Inn tonight?" Nesto ask.

"Hmm... Do we have another option?" Neya ask.

"We do, we can sleep in the wagon tonight and I can cook us a dinner," Nesto answers.

"I want to sleep in the wagon tonight," Neya said.

"As you wish, Miss Neya. Then we should head to a general store, so I can buy ingredients for tonight's dinner," Nesto said.

"Let's go!" Neya said excitedly.

Nesto and Neya walk to the nearest store after they saw the general store sign hanging outside of the doorway. Many citizens, elves and human greet them both when they walk pass by them. Nesto waves at the passerby, but Neya was wary of them, she keeps her distance close to Nesto while they walk to the store.

They both enter the store and immediately greet by the store clerk.

"Welcome to my store, how can I help you?" The clerk said.

"I'm looking for these ingredients," Nesto said then he places the list of ingredients on the counter.

"We have all the ingredients you want, let me fetch it," The clerk said then turning his back on Nesto.

The clerk begins to search the cabinet for the ingredients Nesto requested. Neya steps closer to Nesto side then she bumps her elbow to Nesto arms. Nesto looks down at his side and sees Neya gestures her head toward the clerk.

Nesto turns his head to the clerk. "May I ask since the new law has been established, why is this town seem unaffected by it," Nesto asks the clerk.

"Oh, we do go get a lot of that kind of question from the folk who pass by here," The clerk said.

"I'm sorry for asking," Nesto apologizes.

"Don't worry about it. I'm glad to answer that kind of question. It mainly thanks to the late queen Madeleine, she has been a great inspiration to us. When she brought the human here, the first advice she gave us is to treat them equally," The clerk explains while still searching for the ingredients.

"Of course. At first, we had a few problems adjusting to it, but as the time went by. We manage to make it work and because of that nothing really changes after the new law was announced. The human and the elves still live here. In fact, we received a new huge amount of people who want to live here and help out the community," The clerk continues.

"And you welcome them?" Nesto ask.

"Everyone is welcome here, it would a disrespect to the late queen vision if we don't," The clerk replied.

"I can't believe such a harmony is possible," Neya let out.

"In the end, people just want to live their life peacefully. Ok, I have packed all the ingredients you need in this paper wrap," The clerk said as he places the items on the counter.

Nesto pays the clerk then he takes the items.

"Thank you for coming by my store and feel free to come by anytime you want," The clerk said.

Nesto and Neya wave their hand at the clerk as they both walk to the door with the items. When they reach the street, Neya stops walking and looks around her. Nesto also stops walking and turns to looks at Neya. She saw the smiling face of people around her. She knows that if one them touch her, her body would react violently, but there is a feeling of wanting to be a part of them inside her heart.

Wanting to be happy, and live without fear. Maybe one day she could be normal, but for now, she needs to overcome her fears first.

"Miss Neya?" Nesto called to her.

Neya smile when she looks at Nesto because she knows that she wouldn't be alone when she confronts those fears.

"I'm coming!" Neya skips to Nesto side and both of them continue walking to the wagon.

*

Nesto stops the wagon just outside of the town, nears the woods. Nesto begins to light the makeshift fireplace he made from earlier. The fire roar and Nesto begin cooking some water first. While he prepares the ingredients, Neya jumps down from the wagon and walk to the woods.

"Where are you going, Miss Neya?" Nesto ask.

"I'm going to, Mhm. Number one," Neya replied as she walks to the woods.

"Please be careful, just shout when you need anything," Nesto said.

Passing through the thick bushes in front of her, Neya finds a spot where she can relieve herself in peace. After relieving herself, she cleans herself up and pulls up her undergarments. In the dark woods in front of her, a glimmer of blue light catches Neya attention.

Neya stands up and walks toward the blue light when she finally gets close to it. She was amazed to see a real-life fairy hovering in the air and circling around her. Its just likes what the fairy tale book describes it, a tiny elf with a pair of see-through butterflies wings while emitting a blue light around its body.

She hovers her open hand in the air, letting the fairy to land on it. Neya smile when the fairy happily rolls on her hands. The fairy flew away when a loud rustle can be heard from one of the bushes near Neya. She turns her head toward the direction of the noise.

A snout pop out from the bushes and on the snouts, two pointed tusks. Neya slowly backs away from the animal. When the animal finally revealed itself, a black boar with a high Mohawk running down from its head to it tail. It's lower it snout and growl toward Neya.

Neya quickly took off toward the direction of the wagon, while the boar charge after her.

"Nesto helps!!" Neya screams with her heart out.

Seemingly out of nowhere, Nesto appears with an ax on his hand, his swing the ax downward. The blade touches the boar neck, wedging the skin apart and cutting the head off from the body.

The boar crashed its body on the ground, stopping its charge. The boar heads roll forward until it stops when the momentum is gone. Neya stop her run and try to catch her breath.

"Guess we having steak tonight," Nesto said.

It took Nesto time to prepare the dead boar back at the wagon, but after cutting the meat apart and removing the fat. He got a nice chunk of meat that he can use. He grills the meat, putting a few grains of salt and black pepper on the meat.

The smell of the grilled meat begins to hover in the air and linger under Neya nose. Neya almost drools when the smell hit her nose, her stomach growl loudly. Nesto let out a short laugh when he heard the stomach growl coming from Neya.

"Dinner is served, are you ready to eat?" Nesto ask.

"Yes!!" Neya cheers.

Nesto served the grilled meat with a fresh cabbage leaf on the side on a plate and a cup of tea. Neya sniffs the delicious smell before eating it.

"It's hot, you should blow on it before eating," Nesto advice.

She stuck her tongue out when the hot meat burns the tip of her tongue.

"I told you," Nesto said.

Neya fans her burn tongue with her free hand, Nesto stands up and grab a sprinkle of sugar from one of the ingredients bags.

"Stuck your tongue out even more," Nesto order, Neya stuck her tongue.

Nesto sprinkles the grain of sugar on the burnt tongue. Neya felt the pain slowly dissipate as the sugar melt on her tongue. They both enjoy the dinner together and slept in the wagon for the night.