“How do I look?” I asked Ace as I placed a helmet over my head. It was the kind of helmet where only the front and neck are exposed. Amongst all the others helmets, it was the only one that I like because it doesn’t hinder my vision.
Ace stood in front of me as he rubbed his chin in concentration. He was helping me pick my gears for the incoming raid in Tereau. “Try to circle around.” He told me.
“Brother? You do know that it’s just a helmet, right?” Darem asked him. Today, the elven brothers are here as they came to deliver some gears for me that were requested by Ace.
Since it was a secret, his brothers personally came here.
Ace turned to his brother. “Shut up!” He snapped at him before looking back at me with a softer expression. “Turn around.”
I did as he told me and when my back was facing him, I felt a rock being thrown at my head. “Ow! Hey!” I turned to glare at Ace, who was now playing with a pebble in his hands. His brow drew closer together.
He turned to his brothers again. “You hear that? She said ‘Ow!’. That helmet is not safe. Get me another one. With a thicker metal this time. Do we have something made of silver? I heard that silver keeps werewolves away as well. Get me one with spikes! Wait no, she could injure herself with that one.”
Eltur and Darem were leaning against the stable wall as they exchanged awkward glances at each other. They clearly don’t know how to respond to such requests. Beside Eltur, was a large crate full of helmets and chainmail.
I let out a huff of breath as I placed the helmet on Ace’s head. “It’s like the 17th helmet that we tried!”
Ace raised a brow at me. “17th? Are you sure?”
“Yeah.”
“Wrong. It’s the 18th!” he corrected me. He removed the helmet from his head and threw them at his brothers. “The rock must have hit her head to the point that she miscounted. This helmet is too thin I tell you.”
I threw my head back and groaned in frustration. “That’s it! I’M OUT OF HERE!” I screamed and started to run for the door.
“Oh no, you don’t!” Ace grabbed my hand just before I could reach it. “You cannot leave until you try another one!”
“FINE!” I yelled and marched up towards the crate beside Eltur and Darem. I grabbed a random helmet that covered your whole face and only has a few bars of space open for your vision. “Here! How do I look now!? I am 90% blind but it’s safe, right?”
Ace pursed his lips as he examined the helmet. “It looks like…-”
“Oh, please don’t say that it is horrible and a terrible fit!” I pleaded. I’m tired of trying on helmets!
“-it looks to me like you should stay.” He finally answered.
So that truth was finally said. He was still against the idea of me joining the raid. I looked at his brothers with an apologetic look. “Eltur, Darem? Can you guys give us a moment, please? I need to speak with your stubborn brother.”
“Good luck, Rose. We’ll be keeping a lookout outside.” Eltur gave me a salute before he and Darem exited the stables. As soon as the door closes, Ace lets out a sigh.
“The raid is in three days. It’s too dangerous. You have not seen or faced Ferius. Plus, there the matter of the traitor!” He was pacing back and forth as he ran a hand over his hair.
I exchanged glances with Viex and Custard. It was the first time that he ever saw the elf prince so frustrated and stressed.
‘Don’t look at us, princess. We don’t want to deal with this situation.’
‘THIS IS TOO WEIRD. I CANNOT LOOK!’ Custard yelped and turned his back to us.
What useful and supportive familiars they are. Honestly.
“Ace.” I started to say. “You know that I won’t change my mind. I can help. Remember that I have the power to take away their essence. It is a big help to everyone. Besides, Nate already made sure that Terrence and the two beastmen would be ahead of us in the raid. So what we would be able to keep an eye out for them. Besides, what are you so afraid of when you will be there? This is not like you. Usually, you are so confident of the fact that you can do anything.”
Ace didn’t answer, instead, he just stared at an empty space for a long time.
“Ace, you’re not scared are you?”
There a brief moment of silence before he answered. “I am.” He admitted. “There are too many factors that could go wrong with this plan. I lost a loved one once and I don’t think I am willing to lose another. My brothers, our comrades, you…” He let out an exasperated sigh and his shoulders began to slump. “Shit, this is why I never like to care about people. It makes me unfocused.” He started rubbing the back of his neck in frustration.
I placed a hand on his back and leaned on his shoulder. “You don’t have to constantly worry about us. Just do as you always do and everything will be fine. And don’t worry about me. If sir Terrence says I am ready then I am. I mean, you know that I have a fight or flight reaction, right? If I sense that I can’t do something I always run away and scream my bloody head off.”
That earned a laugh out of him. “If you keep saying idiotic things like that it makes it hard for anyone not to worry.”
“Woah. Did you just laugh?” I moved in front of him so I could see his face fully. “Show me your smile. If you smile then you should show your teeth and gums. Like this.” I pulled my lips as an example.
“Stop that. You look like a monkey.” Ace shook his head and tried to hid his smile with his hand.
“Don’t be shy. If you think you are ugly when you laugh then just laugh. You look good at everything. It would be refreshing to see you ugly laughing.”
Ace seemed baffled at what I just said as he stood up and straight and regarded me with his eyes. “You think I look good with...everything?” He was staring at me intently. “You think I am good-looking?”
I let out a slow and nervous laugh as I mentally kicked myself for saying those words. Now, this guy will seriously not let me live. “Ace, we all know that you are good-looking. It’s only your attitude that keeps the girls away.”
“And yet, you’re here.” He stated a matter-of-factly.
“I’m the only one stupid enough to stand up to you. You, who always threatens people.”
“Touche.” He smirked and tucked in a stray strand of hair behind my ear. “But I’m glad that you did.” He started to lean down closer and closer to my face.
Custard let out a strangled whimper and I could only imagine that Viex strangled him to shut him up.
Is this happening? I mean, a kiss on the cheek is not new to us, but on the lips? God, how do I even begin to say this? Both of us suck at it because we have never kissed even once on the lips. We were just too awkward about it that our noses would bump. If not the noses then our foreheads!
When I looked up to see Ace’s face, his face was very red in embarrassment as he asked me with his eyes. I nodded. Now, Ace tilted his head to the side and started to lean in closer that I could eventually feel his breath on my lips.
A sudden burst of the door broke us from our trance as we immediately jumped apart. “Oh, baby brother! Look at this chain mail that just arrived! It is perfect for Rosie!.” Darem says cheerfully. When he looked at us, I was fidgeting and avoided eye contact. Ace was glaring at his brother while cracking his knuckles.
The only thing that we have in common right now is our red faces.
“What’s going on here? Why are you all quiet?” Now the eldest, Eltur, decides to join in. When he saw the three of us, he gave Darem a sympathetic look. “Well, goodbye and good luck.”
I started letting out a strangled laugh. “I-I-I think I should go and s-see my sister! Custard, Viex, let’s go.” I looked up at Ace. “See you at dinner?”
He smiled and nodded. “Yeah. Right now, I need to BOND with my brothers.” When he says the word ‘bond’ there was a sort of sinister smile on his face.
I returned his smile before Custard, Viex and I ran out of the stables and headed for the greenhouse. The place was currently in renovation. Since all the plants died during the accident, they were still working on replacing them with new ones. Luke, Stella, and some other wizards are gathered there right now. They were very busy these days as they wanted to complete a medicine just before the raid starts.
‘Master, I want to stay outside.’ Custard says and started shuffling on his feet. ‘I have to go and guard King Nathaniel now in case the fairy princess tries to approach him.’
‘Lies. You just come to his side because he always feeds you.’
‘No, I don’t!’
“Go on, Custard. I know how much you hate the air in here.” I told him. I don’t know what exactly Custard was smelling, but Viex and I don’t even smell anything. I guess his nose is more sensitive than ours if he can smell something that we can’t.
‘Bye, Master. See you later!’
I watched as one of my little furballs ran to into the castle before Viex and I headed inside the greenhouse.
“Good morning, Princess.” I almost jumped in surprise when I was greeted by both Kellar and Chace. They were carrying a crate with vials in her hands.
“What are you guys going doing in here?” I asked.
“Stella says that they needed for people to help since most of the servants are busy preparing everything for tomorrow’s raid. We’re here to deliver these to them.” Kellar answered me and gestured for the vials in the crate.
“Wait, if you guys are delivering those then that means…” A small smile played on my lips.
Chace nodded with a grin. “That’s right. They were able to make antivenoms and other potions to recover your depleted magic and stamina.” Chace and Kellar now exchanged a look.
“Princess, if you don’t mind, we’ll be going now.” Kellar says. I stepped to the side to allow them to walk past me before I kept my eyes on Stella and my uncle.
The both of them were seated on a bench and laughing in delight. When they saw me approaching them, Stella ran up and hugged me. “Amy, we did it!”
“Yes, squirt. I heard.” I hugged her back before looking at both of them. “Congratulations, you two. Hard work finally pays off.”
King Luke smiled and pointed at the table where three small waist leather bags sat. “I made sure to pack you some extra vials for your journey tomorrow. One for you, one for Ace, and one for Fred. Since the three of you use magic, I think it would be best if you can recover them instantly to aid you in your battles.”
“Really? Now I feel like I am being unfair for carrying extras.”
“I am the late King.” He chuckled. “I can do anything that I want. And you are my niece. Ace and Fred were also like my children when they stayed here. I can be biased!” He grinned proudly.
“Amy? Are you really going to join the raid tomorrow? Can’t you just….stay here? Where it is safe?” Like Ace, Stella was also against me joining the raid. She and Ace kept trying to convince me to change my mind in these last few days.
I fixed my gaze at her. “Stella, like it or not, we are from this world. And we have the blood of King Varon. It is only natural that as royals of this realm, we have to help. Besides, I have Viex and Custard. You of all people should know that they will protect me.”
Viex jumped into her arms and nuzzled her neck to comfort her. Stella laughs at the gesture. “Then I should help as well.” She says.
“Stella, you’re too young. And I won’t allow you to dirty your hands.”
“And what? You’re going to dirty yours!?” She frowns at me.
“What? NO! Stella, I can take away their essence. That would greatly help the others. That’s what I’m going to do. And that will be my only job.” I told her. I kind of felt bad that I was lying to my sister’s face.
“Are you sure about that?” Stella looked at me with doubting eyes. Viex looked at me. It was only he and Custard who knew of my purpose for joining the raid.
I know that everything is back to normal now. Stella was safe and in front of me once again. Ace got his memories back. But that still doesn’t change the fact that Ferius has been harassing our family for a while now. And I don’t think that it will be the last of it.
If we don’t do something now, this cycle will go on forever.
“Yes.” I told her. But it was a bit true. I don’t plan on killing just anyone on the battlefield.
I saw Viex giving me a look. Even though he didn’t like my idea, he and Custard still expressed their full support for my decision.
“Alright, Amy.” Stella muttered and buried her face to my neck when I kneeled down to be on the same level with her. “I trust you. Just promise me that you’ll be safe.”
Once the battle begins, we are going to take down as many rogue essences as we can. Then we will go straight into the heart of the battlefield.
And I am going straight for Ferius’s neck.
“Yes, Stella.” I told her. “I promise.”