KHEROS
ZARYA'S POV
While walking on the bumpy road of the Water Pack, I sensed that someone was looking at me. When I gazed the right way, I saw a kid peeking behind the tree. Her hands were dirty and her face was dusty. I slowly stepped forward, went to him, and smiled at him.
"Hey."
He gradually showed me his features. He was just wearing shorts, with no clothes on his upper body. "Where's your mother?"
"House. She's washing clothes."
"She washes your clothes?"
"Yes." Her little voice was so cute.
"How many clothes do you have?"
"One."
"Only one?" I was surprised, but I did not let him notice it.
"Yes."
"How old are you?" I held his hair. Even his hair was sticky. Did her mother unable to bathe him?
"Four."
I nodded my head. He was just four years old. He needed care from his parents. Guidance. Someone who would teach him good moral lessons and habits.
"Come. Guide me to your home."
He cutely smiled when he held my hand. "What's your name?"
"Kheros."
"I'm Zarya."
I felt pity for the little boy. I knew how it felt when you were abandoned by your parents, even though I did not experience it. My mother and father were the most responsible parents ever.
When we arrived at the edge of the Water Pack, there was chaos. Someone was punching each other. On the other side, people were laughing. Some were washing clothes. Some were gambling and other illegal doings. I would never expect that there were parts of the Water that had this kind of area.
"Where's your mother?" I managed to be calm even though I liked to ruin the tables where gamblers were sitting and chuckling.
"At the laundry area." He pointed at the place near the pit with water. "Her." I saw a woman who had difficulties lifting the container just to get water.
"And your father?"
The kid pointed at the man who was laughing out loud. He was in the gambling area. "I won! I won!"
What irresponsible parenting. The child did not take a bath for I think days. He had no clothes to wear and yet his father was enjoying his freaking life.
"Kheros! Come here, you didn't take your bath." A woman with messy hair and ripped clothes came near us. She grasped Kheros hand and was about to drag him away from me when she saw the symbol on my right upper chest. I was wearing a warrior suit with a knife in my waists.
"Beta…" Her eyes widened. She bowed her head. "Apology, I didn't recognize you."
"No harm caused. Just bring Kheros to your house, bath him, and put on clothes." I grabbed coins from my sack pocket. "Buy him clothes."
"Dios mabalos! Dios mabalos!" She was repeating it over and over again while nodding her head at me. My forehead formed a wrinkle. "What does it mean?"
"It means thank you, Beta."
"It's nothing."
I observed them going to their wooden house. When they entered, my eyes went to his father. I stomped my right foot on the table. "According to the Elemental Kingdom, gambling is prohibited, especially when the wife is suffering from poverty and the son is abandoning."
The sound of their laughter filled my ears. In an instant, I flipped the table, and the coins, and cars scattered around.
"Bitch!"
The five men were giggling at me. Fortunately, Hali was not here, if he did, probably these men would be drowned in water at any moment.
"I'm asking you to stop gambling, focus on your family and be a nice father." I turned my back on them.
Obviously, they would not let me go, so I dodged to the side and kicked the man who was attacking me. I hurried towards Kheros' father. He tried to punch me, I punched him first on the nose. The blood dripped from the hole of his nose due to the intensity of my closed fist. The other one approached me again. I kicked him in the face, his teeth detached from his gum. I did not show them my knives, I was afraid I could kill one of them, beating them was enough since their mistakes were not severe. I was just teaching them a lesson.
"I plead to you… you chose brutality." I held the square wooden table and hit it to them. They were landing on the soil, twisting in pain. I was in shock when my eyes met Kheros. I thought he would be mad at me for hurting his father. He smiled at me as if he was amazed at my moves. Her mother was standing at his back, hugging his small body.
"Zarya, watch out!" Kheros pointed at my side using his forefinger. When I gazed at it, a punch hit my lips, the reason why it left a bruise. I moved as quickly as I could and gave him a strong uppercut. He flew away from me.
"Woah!" Kheros clapped as a wide grin ear by ear was visible in him.
I rolled my eyes when the five women prepared to attack me simultaneously. I created a deadly smirk on my lips when I pulled out my two knives. "I forgot to spell out my name. I'm Zarya Wixx… the Great Beta, Poisonous Strawberry." I showed them the pink powder. "Lady Of Overkill and…" I raised my right hand, the symbol of water glowed, tracing to my wrist and showing green light. "A wife to be of Alpha King Of Water."
When they heard that, they hesitated to come closer. Gradually they were steeping backward as the fear was visible in their eyes. "Should I please to you again to take care of your wives and children? Should I ask again for you to stop gambling?"
They just stared at me. They could absorb the information, but they were not speaking.
"Kneel." The authority could be heard in my voice. I tightened the hold on my knives. They did not move. I traced the sharpness of my right knife using the other knife.
"You heard her… weren't you?"
Everyone gasped for air when suddenly Hali's voice appeared on my back.
"King Water!"
"He's King Water! I know his face!"
They all bowed their heads to him excluding the five men. I gradually stepped forward to the men and repeated, "Kneel."
They slowly moved down when I spoke up again. "To your wives and children."
Kheros' father gazed at his family. They went to them and did not hesitate to bring their knee down. "I'm sorry."
"Good." I threw the remaining coins in my pocket to them. "Buy clothes and food. Don't re[et gambling again."
I turned my back and started to walk. I grabbed Hali's hand and placed it on my shoulder. We were about to leave when suddenly I heard Kheros' small voice. "Zarya!" He ran towards me and hugged my knee. "Dios Mabalos. When I grew up, can I be like you?"
"Yes, you are." I grinned at him as I messed up his wet hair. He became cuter because he took his bath.
"Can you bring me with you?"
I gazed at her mother. Bent down, and supported my hand with my knee. "I promise I'll be back when you're fifteen years old. For now, practice on your own." I messed up his hair again.
"I'll be here when you arrive, Zarya." He talked as if he was an old man. He was mature at the age of four.
Hali stared at his face directly. "Do you wanna be a beta?"
"I want to be your children's protector, Your Majesty… for giving back the goodness of Zarya." The determination was in his voice.
"Guards!" Hali looked back at his people. "Bring this boy with us."