She ran towards Erin and squeezed her hard as she hugged her. Erin giggled but coughed as she was already suffocating from Zoe"s python-like embrace. She laughed and loosened her hug. "I almost got upset. I thought you didn"t miss me!" Erin commented.
"I didn"t." Zoe nonchalantly responded with a shrug as she released Erin and helped her carry her baggage.
"What?!" Erin froze with wide eyes. "How could you say that?!"
"I didn"t because I missed you so much!" Zoe surprised her as she turned back with her most thoughtful smile.
She was not afraid to show her amiable side to Erin. She has followed her journey from an insecure geek to a daredevil queen. In fact, she was one of the major catalysts of her drastic change. And she loves every bit of who she is now.
"I"m sure you"re starving. Let"s go grab something to eat." She continued as she invited Erin and encircled her arms around her.
"If I know, it is you who are famished. You and your colossal guts. I just don"t really have a clue until this day and age where you are hiding them," Erin enviously replied while poking Zoe"s abdomen.
She knew how enormous Zoe"s appet.i.te is. And how she is blessed to have a body frame that doesn"t store fats at her midline. No matter how frequent she eats, her physique still stayed like an hourgla.s.s.
"Not really. I told you, you should try Pilates," Zoe defended herself and encouraged Erin. Since she didn"t have the luxury of time to do outdoor activities because of her aim to receive the highest honor, she worked out her exercises at home with online videos and a mat
"I have attempted the gym, Zumba, mountain biking, and believe it or not, even trampoline! These wors.h.i.+p me too much, they don"t want to leave me!" Erin heaved out a deep sigh as she pinched her love handles.
Zoe grinned from ear to ear. She is used to Erin"s being body-conscious even though she"s not as heavy as she thinks she is. She always compares her body shape to hers. Erin was more on the curvy side while she was on the slim"s.
"Anyway, have you tried out the Sweet Escape restaurant? It"s my go-to whenever I visit this luxurious land," Erin inquired as they continue to chitchat while grabbing a taxi outside the airport.
"I don"t think so," Zoe answered with a cute pout.
Erin picked up her ma.s.sive luggage and thrust it inside the taxicab as it parked in front of them. "You"ll definitely love it!"
**************
Meanwhile, in the City of Terra, Raigon was contemplating about the odd events that he has encountered in the market place.
"Why did the man who accidentally showered me with hays become practically blind? He said he didn"t experience any traumatic injury before. It just occurred naturally. Nevertheless, he was in his early years for his eyes to degenerate. It is a very rare occurrence in Terra. How come?"
"And how does the lady in Lord Howe Island wear a uniquely woven bracelet that could only be seen in Terra? Is it just a coincidence? Are these two linked together?"
As Raigon thought about these, Azra approached him with a report. "The owner of the accessory store that you instructed me to monitor went to a certain house near the market as soon as he closed up his store. He brought with him a small bag of stones. One of it fell as he was rus.h.i.+ng inside."
He showed him a pale brownish-orange stone. Raigon picked it up from his hand and placed it on his palm, which he put under a candlelight near him.
"It"s a Painite." He concluded.
Raigon was not really surprised. Though Painite is considered as one of the rarest minerals on earth, it is an ordinary stone in the land of Terra.
Azra continued to report. "After he left, four men went out of that place and rode a boat to the next island."
"Where are the Ng guardsmen?" Raigon prodded on.
"They were nowhere in sight, your Highness," Azra answered politely.
Raigon kept the stone in his pocket and ordered to Azra. "Get me my horse. And the clothes that I am asking you about."
Azra bowed and exited the hall.
"Painites were not needed in the City. The commoners don"t know its precious value outside of Terra." Raigon contemplated as he rode on his horse to the eastern outskirt of the Ball"s Pyramid.
"Still, they don"t have to because the royal family is making sure that everyone has their own fair share of food and possessions. It is one of the keys why the City has survived without rebellion for a thousand years independent of outside sources."
Raigon dropped off and with the help of Azra, rode a boat to the next island, Lord Howe Island. "Continue to monitor the owner of the accessory store. He might be in contact with the higher-ups. Report to me immediately as soon as you see him having an odd encounter with a n.o.bleman."
"Yes, your Highness," Azra nodded as he rowed the boat to the next island. He tightened his grip on the oars as he feels the tide changing, not in the ocean, but the life of his Crown Prince. He had been serving Raigon since he was a teenager. His master has been through many storms in life.
"Where is this? It"s a different route from last time." Raigon figured as he sees the direction where Azra is going.
"Yes, Your Highness. The men went to the same route that we had before. You might see each other along the way. I apologize for not informing you sooner." Azra said. His master is indeed very observant and keen on details.
"No apologies needed. Thank you, Azra." Raigon smiled as he gazed at him. Azra looked at his eyes which he doesn"t do often and quickly averted it when he saw him staring at him.
"Why, your Highness?" He nervously asked. The Prince doesn"t always look that way to him before.
"I heard somewhere that even royals show grat.i.tude from time to time," he chuckled and beamed as he remembered that quote from her queen whom he is exuberant to see in a short while.
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"A good friend knows your best stories, but a best friend has lived them with you."
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