The day smelled of smoke and fear.
People ran for safety the moment they heard Sango's orders.
"Move to the western exit quickly!" a royal guard shouted, his voice sharp over the noise.
"Move as fast as possible! Leave all valuables behind. Anything that is not a person should be left. Nothing is worth risking your life!" another guard called.
Screams echoed through the village square like banshees. Within seconds the square fell as calm as a clear sky. Nothing dared make a sound. Even the animals had vanished, fleeing for refuge. Only dust and silence remained.
Near an oak tree at the edge of the square, the lieutenant whispered, "Captain, do you think we should leave as well? I fear this may be more than we bargained for. This is Sango. We can't tell what he is going to do."
Captain Rosewalt watched Sango closely.
"To sum it up, you want us to run, right? That wouldn't be a bad idea if Sango were about to engage in battle. Then we might have the slightest chance of surviving. But from what I'm seeing, Sango doesn't have an eye for blood right now."
"An eye for blood?"
"Yes. Trust me, I've seen his eyes when he is out for blood before. This is not it."
"Then what kind of eyes are those, Captain?"
"Those," Rosewalt said quietly, "are the eyes of a father looking at his son."
The lieutenant's face flushed red.
"What?! Don't tell me that… that irrelevant thing is Sango's son! How did that happen? Did he marry the devil? I refuse to believe it, Captain!"
"You're still as naïve as ever, Lieutenant," Rosewalt replied. "Let me ask you something. Does a man need a reason to feel compassion? He doesn't need the boy to be his son for his fatherly instinct to awaken."
"Fatherly instinct… for a thing like that?" the lieutenant muttered. His face had turned the colour of burning ore. Emotions flooded him so strongly that words failed him completely.
Sango stood before the kneeling boy.
"Been a while, Rosewalt," he said.
"I could say the same to you, Sango," Captain Rosewalt answered.
Sango's laugh was calm and gentle, carrying easily through the quiet square.
"So what brings you here, Sango? You haven't bothered to visit once in three years."
"Apologies, Rosewalt. I've been busy. Work hasn't given me the chance. You understand, right?"
"Save me the story. What brings you here today? Is it him?"
"No. I actually came for a different reason, but I've been sidetracked by him."
Rosewalt glanced at the boy.
"So who is he? How did he get here?"
"Even I wish I knew," Rosewalt admitted. "All I know is that orders were given to bring the boy to the palace — dead or alive."
"Hmm. I see. Who gave the order?"
"Sir Leopold."
Sango sighed deeply.
"Oh… that runt."
He looked down at the boy again.
"Well, leave this kid to me. I'll be taking care of him."
The lieutenant could no longer hold back.
"But Sango! That's uncalled for! Why would you want to take care of a thing like that?! That thing isn't meant to be alive, or even talking to people — talk less of people of your calibre, Sango!"
Captain Rosewalt stood frozen, completely dumbfounded by his subordinate's words. He could not form a single reply.
Sango's voice dropped, harsh as magma pouring from a volcano.
"Were you permitted to speak, you cretin? How dare you open your mouth while I am talking? It seems you don't know how things work here. Perhaps I should make an example of you, so you'll have enough time to remember what you just said… in hell."
Rosewalt stepped forward quickly.
"Apologies, Sango. My deepest apologies for what my subordinate said. He is foolish, and today he has not been mentally stable. If he were in his right mind, he would never have spoken to you that way."
Sango regarded him for a moment, then nodded.
"Alright. No problem. You may head back to your quarters. I'll be paying you a visit before I leave here."
"Understood, Sango. I'll await your visit. Lieutenant — let's go."
The lieutenant's gaze remained fixed on the boy, sharp as a tiger stalking its prey.
"I said let's go, Lieutenant," Rosewalt repeated, voice low and dangerous. "I won't say it again unless you want to be killed."
"Yes, sir."
The two men turned and left.
The market square was now in total silence. Not a single noise remained. The tension hung heavy in the air.
Then a quiet question broke the stillness — a question that carried a great deal of mystery.
"Why is your skin black?" Sango asked the boy.