The Bond || ONC2022

Chapter 2

The young physician rubbed sleep from his bloodshot eyes and looked out the window of his first-floor accommodation at The Bumpy Axe. It was close to the royal physician's residence and Bhallar's workplace. 

When Bhallar had first arrived at the capital to start his training, Sharre, wanting to keep the boy close, had made arrangements for him to stay at this very inn. Thus, when the young man had returned to resume his duties, he had decided to rent the same room he had occupied during his training period. 

It was practical and economical, especially since the royal physician needed him at his disposal at odd hours of day and night.

Having spent most of his adolescent years in the capital, Bhallar knew central Qulsairis like the back of his hand. While still a student, he had shared his now single-occupancy room with another young boy who was training to become an architect. The boy, who went by the name of Almat, now lived on the western border of Qulsairis. He had made a name for himself as one of the best architects of the new kingdom. 

Almat was Bhallar's only friend. Having lost their fathers at a young age, the two had hit it off instantly and formed a bond that neither took for granted. 

Bhallar massaged his throbbing temples and thanked almighty Ra, the Sun God, that it was the seventh day of the week. It was a day dedicated to rest and rejuvenation as per the law. 

As he had been doing lately, today too, Bhallar was planning to pay Almat a visit on their day off. He recalled how his friend had mentioned missing his favorite dessert, Quokka, a central Qulsairis specialty, the last time he had met the latter. 

Bhallar, deciding to surprise Almat, made his way downstairs after a quick bath. Intending to request the kitchen staff to prepare the dessert if he couldn't find it on the 'today's special' board that hung at the inn's entrance in an attempt to attract hungry patrons, the young man approached it. 

However, before he could catch a glimpse of the board, a broad-chested man bumped into him, making him lose his footing.

Thank almighty Ra for the strong arms that broke his fall and steadied him. "Watch where you are going, or you might get hurt!" the strong-armed-man warned. And without accepting Bhallar's gratitude, left. 

The first-hand blinked at the crowd accumulated just outside the inn; he stopped a server and asked, "Why are there so many people at the announcement board?"

The said notice board usually displayed advertisements for everything on sale: from camels to grains. In the ten years that Bhallar had spent there, first as a student and then as Sharre's first-hand, he had never come across the kind of commotion he was witnessing now. 

The server sighed. "An hour or so ago, the pharaoh's guards stuck a 'wanted' poster there. Since then, these ruffians-" he pointed at a large group of fierce-looking men occupying his usual spot, who, oblivious to their surroundings, were immersed in some kind of serious discussion. "-have been sitting here and disrupting our peace!" the man finished, and whiping his brow, he left to tend to his choice customers.

The way they were dressed told Bhallar that they were bounty hunters. It made sense that they were interested. After all, a 'wanted' poster by the royal guards must have come from the royal household. That would mean that the prize on the poor fugitive's head would be considerable. 

Bhallar prayed for the fugitive's soul to find peace and proceeded to the 'specials' board.

"My, my, my! What a beauty!" A young bounty hunter no older than him observed. 

"Though it doesn't say anything here, she must have been a concubine. I mean, look at those eyes. I wonder what she did to get herself on this poster." Another added.