I woke up early the next day as we all started to prepare ourselves. But I, on the other hand, woke up especially early because I wanted to make sure that everything was settled.
Plus, I was getting nervous about all of this as well that I just can’t get a few more minutes of a shut-eye.
I already have my shirt, chainmail, vest, trousers, and boots on. Now, I was contemplating wearing the gloves that Eltur and Darem gave me, but I decided against it as it would only hinder my grip on my whip.
As I got out, I noticed that Nate was outside of his tent as well and just doing a few stretches. He must have heard me stepping out because he looked back with a tired and nervous smile on his face. “Hey. Good morning, Rose.” He greeted me.
“Morning, Nate.” I greeted his back as I held the tent open for Custard and Viex to run out. “Sleep well?” I asked him.
Nate nodded. “Yeah, even though I am nervous as hell.” He admitted. “What about you?”
“Hmm...I feel like you’re pretty much doing better than I am considering that this is my first time joining a war.” I admitted. “I’m afraid that if I screw up my part, people will get hurt in the process.”
“Don’t worry,” Nate assured me. “You’re not going to fight alone. Look, you have those two adorable guys who are....looking up at a tree…? What are they doing anyway?” Nate had his eyes fixed on my familiars, who were somewhere behind me.
I looked back to see that Custard and Viex were staring at something in the forest just behind our tents. Custard started to sniff the air and his tail began to wag excitedly.
‘Master, it’s master Ace!’ He yelled and ran for the forest. Viex ran and followed after him.
Hearing his name, I smiled and gestured for Nate to follow. “Come on.” I whispered. “It’s him!” I told him.
“How can you be sure that it is him? For all, we know it could be some monster. Let me try something first.” He says and started raising his hands in the air. “Oh, great PRINCE! If you are there, let your presence be known!”
As soon as he said it, a black crow came and started pecking his nose. “Hey! Ow!” He reached up and grabbed the crow.
“Pretty sure that it’s him.” I told him while looking at the crow in his hands.
Nate shrugged. “Nah! Still not convinced.” A second crow appeared and started pecking him again. “Ow! What the hell!? There’s two of them?!” He was busy swatting away the second crow that the first crow got free and started pecking him as well.
Now, Nate was getting harassed by two crows.
I rolled my eyes as I was starting to get impatient. “Stop fooling around!” I grunted and started pulling the sleeve of his shirt as we headed into the forest and followed Custard and Viex. It took quite a while but we finally saw him by the river where Midnight was taking his drink.
When Ace turned around, he didn’t look surprised to see us there. Instead, he looked annoyed. “Took you guys long enough.” He says.
I ran up to him and tackled him in an embrace. “Good morning to you too.” He greeted me with a bear hug. When I moved back, he was looking at Nate. “You’re here as well, third-wheel?”
“Seriously!? We are going to war and you still have time to diss me?” Nate frowned and wrinkled his nose at him disapprovingly. “That’s rude.” He says and then turned back to look into the forest. “But not as rude as the two of you eavesdropping.”
At first, I thought that Nate was addressing Ren and Dan, but when I heard the malice in his voice, I knew that it couldn’t be them.
Then I heard footsteps in the forest and Ace pulled me to his back to hide as we all waited in anticipation to see who would emerge. It was just Brandon and Liam. The both of them froze the moment that they saw Ace because as far as they know, he wasn’t supposed to be here.
Custard started to morph on his own and into a black wolf as he stood behind the two knights. When they saw him, they started backing away until they were just within our reach. Nate and Ace immediately apprehended the two and the bag that Liam was holding fell to the ground. Custard demorphed and started sniffing the bag to inspect it.
“What are you two doing here?” Nate demanded. “You’re not trying to kill us one by one, right?”
“What!? My King, NO!” Liam denied. “We didn’t come here to hurt anyone. We just came to return something to the princess.”
“Return what exactly?” It was my turn to speak this time as they were now looking right at me.
“In the bag, princess. We kept it safe for you the moment that Prince Renevier got a slip of the tongue and told us where IT was hidden.” It was Brandon who answered this time as he was looking at the bag that Custard and Viex were now pocking with their paws.
I grabbed the bag from the ground and began to open it. Inside was the box of the fake chalice from the trap that Nate, Ren, and I set up to catch the traitor.
“We’re sorry for taking it. We were only keeping it safe and we’re looking for the right opportunity to return it to you. But then one thing led to another and things just got worse.” Liam says. “We couldn’t find the right timing.”
There was a long pause before I decided to open the secret compartment to check if the string that we attached to the lock was broken. If it was, then it is an indication that it had been opened.
But it wasn’t.
“Nate,” I looked at him. “It’s unopened,” I informed him.
“Shit.” Nate cursed and let go of Liam before looking at Ace. “They’re clear. It’s not them.”
Ace moved back and freed Brandon from his hold as well. Now, the two knights have confused looks all over their faces. “Your majesties, we apologize if we somehow offended you.” Brandon says as he and Liam exchanged guilty looks. “We didn’t mean to keep the artifact hidden for so long.”
“It’s fine.” Nate told them. “Just go back and don’t speak a word about this to anyone. Not even a word about seeing the elf prince.”
Liam bowed respectfully, but Brandon seemed like he wanted to say something more. “But, your highness. It’s almost dawn. Shouldn’t we all go?” He suggested.
“I said go!” Now, Nate was starting to raise his voice. “I do not have time to deal with this or explain myself to anyone!” It was clear that Nate was already under a lot of stress that Liam and Brandon no longer said a word to us before they left.
“Well,” He started as he turned to turn to Ace and I with a fake smile on his face. “I guess that clears it, then. My father is the traitor.” He concluded. “And just when we started talking again.”
“If he was then what he’s been doing up until now just wouldn’t make any sense.” Ace says. “Why don’t you go and focus on the war. I will keep a close eye on your father along the way.” He told him.
Nate aggressively ruffled his hair in frustration as he lets out a low grunt. But it did not last long as he was taking a few heavy breaths to calm himself. “Fine. I’ll leave it up to you then.” He says. “I’ll give you two some privacy. Say your sweet words or whatever. Just make sure that you follow in a few minutes.” He gave us a smirk before he left.
Just then, Ace tapped the middle of my forehead as I continued to look worriedly at Nate. “Stop making that face. He’ll be fine. You chose him as a king, which means you believe in his capabilities.” He assured me as he turned me to face him. “Besides, I doubt that he would want to disappoint you for putting your trust in him.”
“You’re right. I should. Besides, whatever it is, we’ll always be there for him, right?”
Ace’s face scrunched up. “Do we have to?”
“Ace.” I said it in a warning tone.
“Fine.” He said through gritted teeth. “You can say the comforting words. I’ll just be there as moral support. To you, that is.” He smirked cockily.
I laughed. “You’re still not being honest with your feelings.”
Ace raised a brow at me. “Oh, so you want me to be honest with my feelings?” His eyes were portraying a challenge in them.
“Of course I do.”
“Fine then.”
“Ace, I know that you care about everyon-” Just then, Ace’s lips came crashing into mine that I didn’t get to finish what I was about to say.
I heard a sound coming from my familiars and it seemed like Custard was choking. ‘Be quiet, mutt! It’s just a kiss. Quit being dramatic!’
‘But my eyes!’ He whimpered.
I was so shocked that I simply froze in place as Ace moved back with a very red face and a flustered expression. “I-It’s f-for g-goodluck! And knowing that you’re a klutz I just that I...that I should give you one!”
I was still staring blankly at him as my brain tried to process and register what was happening. “Uh-hu.” I nodded. “C-cool. I understand.” My heart pounded louder by the minute as I was starting to gain consciousness of what was happening.
“I-if that is all then you can-” He started to say, but this time it was my turn to give him a peck on the lips.
And it was my turn to get flustered when I pulled back. And it was Ace’s turn to freeze in place. “I-I WAS RETURNING THE FAVOR!” I unconsciously screamed. “You...also need luck as well.”
“Uh-huh.” Ace mumbled and blinked a few times before addressing me. “I gave you a longer kiss and you give me a peck?” He gave me questioning look.
I smiled sheepishly at him. “Because you need lesser luck than me?” I suggested.
“Charming.” He deadpanned. “Come here. I’ll just settle for a hug.” I went into his arms and we shared a few seconds of enjoying each other’s presence before pulling apart. “Stay safe out there.”
“You too.”
As soon as he lets go of my hand, I started heading back to the others at camp.
***
Dawn was coming and we were ready. Everyone is already at their respective places. When I saw Fred, I made my way towards him and tapped his shoulder. “Fred.” I greeted him when he turned to face me.
He smiled. “Hey, Rose. What’s up?”
I handed him the pouch of vials that I forgot to give him yesterday. “King Luke wanted you to have these. It can recover your magic in case you...you know. Need more?”
Fred looked surprised but accepted the pouch anyway. “Wow. Tell late king Luke that I give him my thanks.” He says before I moved away and focused on the tasked at hand.
At the peak of dawn, King Meruem started flooding the area of Tereau enough to flood the few rogues doing their training at the back of the castle with the water from a nearby lake.
I wasn’t the one wearing the binoculars but I heard the command as soon as the alarm came from the castle. Suddenly, rouges suddenly flooded out.
“Trolls, Go! Beast men, Rose, get ready!” Nate yelled.
I began to morph both of my familiars and rode on Viex. ‘Just take as many essences as you can guys. Protect the others and don’t kill anyone.’ I instructed them.
‘My main goal will be to protect you, princess. Mutt face can do the rest.’
‘Hey! Master, he is being mean.’
‘Guys, focus! And, Custard? It’s actually a compliment. I think.’ I told him.
As soon as the orders for us came, my familiars and I immediately charged in along with the beast-men. I unclasped my whip as I readied it in one hand while the other one was gripping Viex’s fur to keep me steady. At the corner of my eyes, I vaguely saw Ren and Dan at either of my sides in their wolf form.
‘Just make sure that Custard won’t take away our essences, alright?’ Ren joked beside me.
I let out a laugh. “I think Custard knows you, Ren.” I told him as I watched Custard plowing through the rogues along with the others.
Ren gave me a wolfish wink as he and Dan moved forward to lead his people. Meanwhile, I could feel Custard’s excitement as he tackled and took essence after essence of every rogue that he encountered.
Viex and I focused on the ones on the ground and took their essences. Some of them tried to escape but I tripped them with my whip.
As Viex and I moved to another area, I saw an undead vampire charging at me, but not fully making contact when a random arrow pierced its head.
I know that someone just died in front of me but I could not help but smile since I know who shot that arrow.
“Come on, Viex. Let’s go.”
The third part of the plan was just about to commence when Viex and I heard Custard calling for us in an urgent manner.
‘Master, Master, MASTER!’ He screamed to a point that Viex and I flinched. He was running at us at full speed while carrying something in his mouth. A black something.
Custard sent a rogue flying in the air, which I caught with my whip and pulled him back down on the ground just in front of Viex as he took away the guy’s essence. Then, when he started screaming, Viex knocked him out with his paw.
‘Will you stop screaming, you mutt!?’ Viex yelled at Custard as soon as stopped right in front of us and placed whatever it was in his mouth on my lap.
‘P-princess…’ Javi lets out a pained and tired mew.
“Javi!?” I gasped, both horrified and confused about what he’s doing here. “Why are you here?! And what happened to you?” I grabbed a potion from my bag and made Javi drink it as he was losing magic very quickly. I can only imagine that he used his own magic to morph and get here until Custard found him.
Once he was stable, Javi looked at me. ‘Princess, please, you have to help us. Ferius….he’s not here!’
“What? What do you mean he’s not here?” I looked at Custard to see if he knew anything about this since he was the one who found Javi first. In my dismay, he shook his head.
‘Princess, Ferius is not here because he’s in Thalia.’