During the trip to Soria City didn´t happen much and they were only about a month on the way.
Dan Tian had acquired himself as a mercenary in the trade caravans to protect them and his family for the time being till to their destination. He also would earn 360 Kub each day for his work.
The currency in every Kingdom is the same. You can think "Kub" as copper, "Sel" as silver and "Col" as gold. 100 Kub is in value of 1 Sel, 100 Sel is 1 Col. A normal family in the Cities would earn 300 – 500 Sel per month. One daily meal for a three-person family would cost them about 5 Sel.
They had no problems on their journey for two weeks, but for some reasons they encountered some small groups of bandits, and that only after they took a side road to evade some wild beasts. The bandits probably waited for a chance to ambush the travelers, which took the "safe" road.
In this journey, there were 20 Soldiers and 15 mercenaries, his father included.
At the fights, the mercenaries and soldiers didn´t had big trouble defending themselves. They either chased them off or killed all of them.
The caravan also had losses, 5 Soldiers and 3 Mercenaries.
His father was on defense most of the time. Because of his injury on his back, he couldn´t fight properly, but luckily only weak opponents competed against him.
On this trip, Dan Tian rescued the trade leader from an ambush of one of the robbers once as well, and they then got a good relationship.
Xia would often worry about him and maintain his new injuries after the battles. Lian didn´t do anything, only sleeping and eating. Once in a while, he would warn his father from ambushes with his Mental Force, imitating a deep voice from some of the mercenaries, but not more.
He was relieved, that not a large group of robbers attacked them and that till to their destination nothing bad happened.
At the boarders of Soria City.
"Well, Mr. Cheng. Thank you, for your hard work and for rescuing me. I would still like to work with you, and I would increase your wages too, if you travel along with us!"
"Thank you very much for your insistence on me, but as I said before; I´m here to start anew with my family. But I´d be happy, if you can visit me in my humble home the next time in the future."
After getting his salary and bidding farewell with the trade leader, soldiers and mercenaries; they went to the main entrance of the city with their belongings. They hadn´t much to carry, only three bags with cloths and special belongings in it.
On their journey with the trade caravans, Lian heard his parents talking about someone named "Clerk Taylor". He was like his father, a mercenary and they had a past history together. Thenceforth they had a really good relationship and would often write letters to each other. Clerk Taylor lives in Soria City for years and his parents wanted help from him, in order to find a nice house and work.
….
"Stop! Can you tell me why you are here?", asked a city guard at the entrance with a grim look.
"Hello Mr Soldier. My family and I would like to meet a friend and hoped to start living in Soria City.", answered Dan Tian with a smile.
"Who is your "friend", you want to meet?", asked the guard again with an insulting gesture.
Dan Tians face twitched. He didn´t thought at all, that the guard would cause trouble for them, for only getting in the city.
"My friend is Clerk Taylor in the second district." He didn´t wanted more problems with him and answered again with a smile.
"HA? You want to meet Clerk Taylor? You mean Lord Knight Clerk Taylor??! Are you kidding me?!…HAHAHHAA!" The guard started to lough loudly suddenly and they got all the attention from the people around them.
"Hey Sesc, look! They say, they know Lord Clerk Tayler. Hahaha…The best joke I ever heard today!"
Sesc, the other guard to his left, looked at the family and asked curiously, "Can you please tell us your name?"
With a puzzled expression, he answered, "Ah…yeah. My name is Cheng Dan Tian. We lived in the Kulab Village for two years." He didn´t understand, what was happening. He never heard from his friend to be crowned as "Knight". The only info Clerk wrote in his letters were, that he had a special mission last time and that he would like to see him again in the future. One month ago Dan Tian also sent him a letter, about him and his family coming to Soria.
"Hmm…Mr. Cheng….hmmm", muttered he for a while in thought, before suddenly remembering something and with a surprised expression he asked, "Are you maybe Mr. Cheng from the "Fire-Leaves"-Mercenary?!"
"Do we know each other?", asked Dan Tian nervous. Lian, on his mother's arms in a blue cloth with pattern wrapped, suddenly had a confused expression for a second. He knew about his father being a mercenary in the past, but didn´t knew much either. His parents would rarely talk about his father´s past.
"No, no Sir. I am Sescet Wayne, and I´m a subordinate of Lord Clerk Tayler, like my associate next to me.", answered he respectfully with a smile.
"Our Lord had mentioned about the Fire-Leaves, and that you Mr. Cheng were one of the five Leaders. He told us, how you rescued him in the past from a pack of wild Red-Wulfsnatch´s. The Lord would often talk about it. Haha"
Dan Tian was stunned for a while. He didn´t understand what was going on here. After few seconds he smiled and asked to the guard in front him, "Oh, ok. Ahm…Is it "OK", if we go through the Gate, now that you know which relationship we have with Lord Clerk?"
The guard, who was arrogant before, had a red face out of sheer shame and said in a hoarse voice, "Yes Mr. Cheng. I´m sorry for the trouble I caused." Then he looked to Sescet Wayne and asked, "Would you like to accompany Mr. Cheng and his family to Lord Clerk?"
"No problem. It would be an Honor to me.", answering with a happy smile, he went in front of Dan Tian and guided them to Clerk´s Villa.
….
The Soria City was second to the Sereth-Capital City from the Sereth Kingdom. Soria City had a population of one million. The city main roads were up to 10 meters wide and on every side, were markets with different merchandises, like fashion stores, grocery stores, various restaurants with many delicacies.
There were also armorers with each having their special weapon-type in trade. The atmosphere here was nice to observe and it was very lively.
After two hours strolling around in the city, they arrived at the mansion of Lord Knight Clerk Taylor.
Mansion of Clerk Taylor, inside an office room.
"Lord!"
"Ah Cyle, what is it?", asked Taylor with a smile.
The Guard outside his room bowed slightly and answered, "Lord, we have Guests. He says, his name is Cheng Dan Tian and his family. Sescet Wayne lead him from the Main boarders of the city here."
"OH! HAHAHA! How long was it, since I saw him the last time?! Cyle, please lead the way!"
With a quick reaction, he stood up and followed his guard to the guestroom.
"DAN TIAN MY FRIEND! HOW I MISSED YOU! HAHAH"
Seeing his old friend, he laughed loudly and welcomed Dan Tian with a friendly hug.
""Lord Knight", nice to meet you….Pff ~ HAHAHAHAA….why didn´t you wrote anything about your crowning of the Knighthood? I would have loved to see it!", said Dan Tian happily.
"Come, sit down first. Mrs. Cheng, nice to meet you again. You look more beautiful than the last time we saw us!… HAHAHA…And that must be your son Lian, right? Hi there, little friend.", welcoming the family of his old friend, they chatted for a while.
After some time, "Taylor, like I said we want to live in Soria and I give priority to your opinion. Do you know a place, where we can live in peace and where I can work as a guard?", asked Dan Tian to his friend while looking at his family and then back to Clerk with a smile again.
"HAHAHA, that's no problem at all! What about this? I have a friend, which rents a two-store house near to my mansion. It´s not expensive either, 70 Kub daily. It is perfect for you and your family…. And I hope that you would also accept my next offer…. How about working under me? But don´t misunderstand me, not as my subordinate, but as my aide and as my personal guard? As old friends, and as my savor, this is the least I can do for you. What do you say?", asked he hopefully with a wide grin. He really would be happy, having a strong guard around him and someone, whom he knew and respected.
Dan Tian was stunned about the proposal from his friend. It was really tempting. A house next to his friend, and that is also cheap. A workplace, where he would not be in danger always and where he could work with his friend. Thinking for a while, he asked with a smirk, "How much is the salary? If the reward is also as tempting as like the rest, I would love to work with you, old friend. HAHAHA"
"750 Sel per month! Deal?", asked Clerk prompt with a happy smile.
"HAHAHA DEAL OLD FRIEND, DEAL!"
….
After two years living in Soria City, Lian and his parents settled properly. Lian was now tree years old and was a very sweet little child with dark brown long hair down to his shoulders. His skin was pale and he looked lively.
He and his parents were living a peaceful life. His father worked by his good friend Clerk Taylor and his mother would often go shopping with him and sometimes she would also help out by some stores to get extra earn.
Holding hands with his mother, they were strolling through the shopping district near their home.
"Hi Mrs. Cheng and little Lian. How can I help you today?", asked the shop-owner of the meat trade smiling.
"Hi Mr. Laas. Two kilogram meat from a wildcow minced, please.", ordered Xia Juan with a smile, while looking to Lian. Her smile was heartwarming.
Feeling something, he looked up to his mother and smiled at her.
"That would be 280 Kub, please. Here is also a little extra, for always buying here.", said the owner.
"Thank you very much, Mr. Laas. Here are 2 Sel and 80 Kub. Have a nice day."
Paying the price and bidding farewell, they walked back home with two bags.
At the way home, Lian was in thought for a while.
"The last time I talked, was as I was born and I think that was not something that they wanted to hear then! …Hhaah… I know, mom and dad have their questions, but when I start talking, I fear they would start asking. I don´t even know the answers to my own questions!…. I can read in their eyes; they are waiting for me to take the first step. Hmmm…"
Arriving at home, he helped his mother to take the purchases to the kitchen. Later he went to the living room and sat on the window frame and started to think again, while staring outside to the beautiful and lively city.
Xia watched him with a loving smile.
"It has been three years now. Normal children would already start to try speaking, but not our Lian. Haahh", sighing, she went back to the kitchen and started cooking for the dinner.
Xia and Dan Tian never tried to force him to speak. They hoped Lian would start talking when he was two years old, but up to day, he never spoke. He only pointed at things and made only "Yes" or "No" signs to them. Xia was very worried about her son, that he would never talk. "Is he mute?" That was one of the things they were worried the most.
At evening in Lian´s Home.
After dinner, Dan Tian and Xia went to their bedroom. Lian was still in the living room on the window frame and watching the people outside in thought.
…..
"Honey, should we ask him directly? I know, we wanted to wait, but I can´t hold it anymore. I just want to hear his voice!", with a worried look, Xia sat next to his husband, leaned to him and laid her head on his shoulder.
"I know what you mean. He doesn´t do anything much either. He only stairs outside the window, and only when you want something, is he reacting. We know he is very smart, and maybe he understands us if we try to ask him, whether he can speak or not?… hahhh… I don´t know what to do either.", sighing, Dan Tian held his hand out to fondle her beautiful hair.
**KNOCK*KNOCK**
Suddenly the door to their bedroom was knocking. Startled, Xia got up and opened the door, only to see little Lian with a nervous look.
"Lian? Son is something?", asked Lian´s father curios.
"Are you alright darling? Do you want something to drink?", asked Xia worried. She knelt down and hold Lian´s shoulder softly and looked at his beautiful brown eyes.
Lian was really nervous right now. He was never nervous, when he was facing 50 thousand enemies or when he had to take hard decisions in his life, but this situation was completely different from his past.
He looked at his mother deep in the eyes. Then, "Mo…Mom! ….Dad!", tried Lian to say normally, but his voice sounded very soft, childish and nervous.
Xia Juan and Dan Tian were both shocked! Dan Tian promptly stood up and looked at his son deep in the eyes and stuttered, "S…Say it…Say it again Son!"
Xia looked in his son´s eyes surprised and delight at the same time. She then smiled brightly and hugged him tightly.
"Mom, Dad, I…I´m sorry.", looking how they reacted, he had pain in his heart. He was afraid, his parents would ask questions he couldn´t answer or it might happen something else. But he saw again the yearning to hear his voice in his mother´s eyes and Lian couldn´t endure it anymore.
He loved his parents very much now and they love him too, and he could feel it. They never tried something what he would hate or not liked and they were trying to protect him with all they had.
He never felt something like this in his past life. What he got there was only despair, agony, sadness and pain.
If he had never met Juana, he would probably continue to live in his past. He will never regret to have met her, and died for her! And he was very happy now, having these two as his parents!
"Why…Why are you sorry, honey? You don´t have to!…*SOB*…You don´t!" Hugging him tightly, his mother gently patting his head and looked at him again, while her tears started to stream down.
She was very happy hearing his voice finally.
"Your mother is right son! You don´t have to be sorry. You should only know that whatever you do or decide…we will always by your side! We will always love you!" Happily smiling, his father went to his side and also knelt down and stroked his hair lovingly.
"Thank you! Really…thank you for waiting! I know, you have many questions! Questions, on which I don´t have all the answers. But….But if you want to ask, I´m ready.", said he softly.
"Son, stop thinking too much! We… We know, that you are special, but even if you would be a little demon, we wouldn´t love you lesser. So! Let´s get downstairs and talk! We always wanted hear your thoughts. HAHAHAA…Darling, could you bring us something to snack? I think it will be a long night. Hehe.", laughing, he looked at his son, then to his wife before going downstairs to the Livingroom.
…..
Sitting opposite of his parents with the snacks in the middle of them, Lian had a light smile on his face. He was happy. He was very happy!
He looked at his mother, then to his father.
"Soo…what do you want to know?", asked he tensly.
"Honey. How are you?", smiling, Xia began the conversation.
"Ah…yeah. I feel fine, I think. I..I mean, I´m somehow nervous. It´s the first time for me…I mean this situation here."
"Good. Don´t think you are the only one nervous here… Hehe… You should have seen your father, as he asked me to marry him.", said his mother laughing, while his father was getting slightly red on his face.
"Hahaha… I can imagine it.", said Lian laughing and he felt, that he was relaxed. He then stretched his hand and took one of the snacks on the table and ate it.
"Hehe, OK. Let me ask you something. Since when can you speak? I mean, normal children would start trying to talk at the age of one or two. But…. If you don´t want to answer, you don´t have to, alright?!", asked his father relaxed, in a very kind way.
"Since the beginning.", answered Lain.
He looked at his parents faces to see, if they were shocked, but they only nodded smiling. He was startled for a second.
"Honey. I don´t know if I should ask you this, but … have you, nightmares when sleeping? I´m asking, because you always wake up with tears and when I see you like this, my hearts aches!", looking very worried at him, his mother stood up, knelt next to Lian and embraced him.
"Sorry mom for worrying you so much! It´s nothing. I also don´t know why I´m crying when I sleep, but I don´t have nightmares or something." Reassuring his mother while holding her hands, he looked at her smiling. He couldn´t tell this to his mother. Yes, he had nightmares, but he already was used to it.
"Good. Good to hear it. I was always worried about it, but if you say it´s nothing, then it´s fine sweetheart." She kissed him on his forehead and hugged him again. She knew, there was something else, but if his son was alright, then it´s ok for her too.
"Son, I have one more question that´s plague me. On the day, when these bastards attacked at our village. Where you the one, who helped us? If yes, do you feel like having a strong soul? Because if you have, that would be really great!", trying to stay calm, his father asked the most imported question he had.
"I will say it so. Yes, I have a strong soul and I know that I can use it to communicate with the Elements. I also know, that these people, who uses the Elements, called as "Spirit User". But what I did to help you back then, was my "Mental Force"." Giving simple answers, he tried not to go deep to this theme.
But the next question stunned him!