The sun was out today, the early morning setting into a gentle spring afternoon, a gentle breeze blowing the drapes of Xylia's bedroom, it's bed a simple grey comforter and white pillows, two simple light colored wooden nightstands on either side. A matching dresser sat against the wall and next to the other window that also was open.
Sitting atop the dresser was a small dark blue stained glass sculpture, it's base flat and formed into another larger circle that had a tidal wave etched into the glass. A simple piece of her parent's she kept as a memento.She still couldnt remember where it was from or who had originally gotten it, just something that was always there from the time she could recall anything, just the dark stained glass and the shape of the wave. For the first time in a long time, she'd slept in, these were her thoughts as she laid there slowly waking up now, her eye on the sculpture.
But as her senses came into focus, she could hear some kind of shuffling of something outside her window. Xylia now moved from her bed still her nightgown. Sticking her head out of the window, she couldn't believe her eyes, Rin was digging up and tending to her garden beds. From the angle she could see, he'd already tended to the front half.
"Oh. Morning." Rin said kindly as he looked her way "I asked George if he had any tools. He insisted bringing them, something about not wanting me to overexert myself." He joked some
She exhaled through her nose unable to help a smile forming across her lips. She truly thought Rin was downright annoying sometimes with how he went about doing things, but she admired his effort and appreciated the care he took. She now shook her head. She now pulled her head back in as the sound of the window closing told him enough, she would change and be out soon.
Xylia was now in a simple tank top, jeans and simple shoes, her hair tied back by a bandanna. She now joined him in tending to the garden beds as they worked together to dig up the old dirt and plant new flowers. She mostly just watched him work. Truly amazed by how well he could work with just one arm, everything he did amazed even her. But now her lessons were starting to make sense. To suffer so greatly, and not find some beauty in something, going too fast and running along the edge of what it was one was trying to find, chasing only a dream, one could lose a little of themselves along the way if one does not take care of themselves.
Xylia pondered this all as they worked their way around to the next section. By late afternoon the both of them had finished. Rin now stood and stretched as she watched him, a thought turning over her mind that she had been putting off for the last few hours. Rin could tell, but he wasn't going to push the matter, it wasn't his place to intrude.
"I should get going. I can't be around here too often. People might get the wrong idea about me that I'm nice or something." He joked as he started to turn to leave
But Xylia now instantly grabbed his wrist, her reflexes even momentarily surprising Rin himself. Her gaze now turned to his face. She clearly wanted to say so much, but still could not find the words.
"...Stay... tonight..." she finally managed to get herself to say, her voice shaky and nervous, like she was learning to walk again
Rin continued to study her. She showed she didn't fear him, but accepted him, she was often just as stubborn as he was, but it was much harder to argue with her. The look in his expression changing to one of a defeated smile.
"Very well. I would not dishonor myself further by saying no to your hospitality." He said formally as he bowed some
She chuckled a little at this but didn't mind it. He always seemed to amaze her a little more with each passing day. As they started to head inside, they both could hear it, anyone in Serene could. Anyone in the whole village could hear a pin drop, but this time it was the sound of a carriage off in the distance, they'd be arriving shortly, whoever they were.
As the carriage came closer, Rin could start to tell who it was, already predicting the route they'd take and where they were headed, most of all why. The look in his eye turned more stern as his posture became more serious as well. Xylia could feel the shift in him as she now felt a little worry start to drift into her mind.
The carriage finally came to a halt at the gate to her cottage. Its large wheels gleaming, the large stretched carriage, decorated with fancy and ornate gold inlays and patterns. The kind of carriage that truly showed off the wealth of the Capital. Pulled by two warhorses as they exhaled deeply settling down after such a long journey. Holding the reins were two royal guards as they dismounted and opened the carriage door before kneeling.
Xylia could feel both of these guards aura, it was intense, like an immense pressure bearing down on her, making it difficult to breathe or even look their way from how bright they were. They had to be Light Mage's of some sort. That's when a young girl stepped out at last. She wore a long flowing pale green dress with long white elbow length silk gloves, her eyes and hair a matching color as she wore a headdress made of gold and fine emerald gemstones. Standing by her was a completely different and decorated royal guard, his pristine armor and lion like face only radiated even stronger aura.
Rin took a step forward first making Xylia even more nervous as to the nature of this meeting. He now bowed some to the young girl as she inturn smiled happily, like she was seeing an old friend. Xylia unable to wrap her head around this interaction.
You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.
"Princess Midori. It is an honor." Rin said softly
Xylia's eyes immediately going wide as she immediately dropped to a knee. Her cheeks turning red, never in her life would she have thought she would meet the Princess, now here she was dirtied and unaware of who had arrived to begin with.
The young girl chuckled some as she waved a hand at the two of them. But her personal guard was anything but amused
"That won't be necessary. It's good to see you doing so well." Midori smiled gently but he could see she wasn't here for a friendly visit
"Malady. We should not be out here too long. I do not trust this rabble." Her guard said, his voice deep and booming, even if he kept it lowered, Xylia most of all able to feel the authority his words carried, Rin less than impressed by his presence
Midori sighed a little as she looked back at Rin before offering him a large sealed scroll of some kind, Xylia most confused by this exchange as Rin accepted it with a kindness even she had not seen before. She felt a tinge of something tug at her heart. She immediately shook her head of these thoughts.
"This has all we have gathered. I would not burden you with such a task. But I'm afraid the capital's hand is being forced." she said a pain of guilt in her voice
"I've caused harm and destruction to your lands. In exchange for a clear conscience and my freedom, this is a price I can live with. But I would ask a favor when the time comes." He said knowingly to her
Rin understood well enough the politics that were involved and at play. If anymore settlements disappeared or the kingdom started sending out large parties, word would get around. Stirring the tension of those few remaining factions of dark mages. Add to the general distrust between the people, the mages and the kingdom it would boil over sooner rather than later. Unless he handled this quickly and quietly enough.
The Lion like guard's expression only grew more irritated as Rin spoke, much less have the audacity to speak to her highness in such a manner.
"Malady. I insist, we must return. You cannot be out in the open like this." He insisted, trying to keep some level of a cool head when speaking to her
"I understand Commander Lodell. But I believe I was still speaking to a friend." The princess said as she looked to her guard
Lodell bowed his head at her words.
"Forgive me malady." He said formally
Midori now looked to Rin again and then at Xylia, smiling gently and giving a faint chuckle.
"I'd be happy to answer upon your favor when you have deemed the time is appropriate. Take care of her, and yourself, my friend." She said looking at Xylia a little longer but bowed as she and her guards returned to their carriage
Rin held the scroll still as the carriage turned and pulled away heading back towards the direction of the capital. Xylia finally able to stand again she approached Rin slowly looking up at with worry. Rin now studying the request written upon the parchment. Xylia wanting to see what was such an important request but dared not look over his shoulder.
"It was thanks to her highness I am able to walk as a free man. A friend, when I had no one else in these lands." He said answering her thoughts as she felt a hint of guilt for thinking such things "But I can't just let whatever it is she has asked of me, go." He added now being more serious
She grabbed his arm now looking at him with defiance. Her expression demanding he not go at this alone.
"I can't ignore this problem, what if whatever it is that is troubling the countryside comes around here? I know how to track this thing." Rin said as she was taken aback "You still don't grasp it yet. But magic users who lose themselves cease to be human, they drown in the depths of their own mind. This one will not rest, he knows no such love or compassion, he only seeks to destroy. His mind is too far gone. I've seen what happens to mages who don't learn balance." He explained to her furthering his stance on taking this request
She looked at him more sternly. She refused to back down now. She had spent enough time training and honing her skills for this reason. She could feel it, something was pulling her towards Rin, and she wanted to follow him, chase after him, be at his side and protect him.
Rin stayed planted where he was looking back at her with the same conviction on the matter.
"Xylia, you must understand this is not a game. It's not like the stories of old where the hero triumphs in the end. A rogue mage who can longer differentiate reality from what's in their head is dangerous enough. One who has committed to a path of destruction and death only for the pursuit of some grand ideal are even more dangerous. A man can have dreams, but if he does not temper them, then he'll only end up with faulty ideals and false promises. Just as impurities in a metal that aren't tended to the slightest stress applied will chip and shatter the weapon. The same can happen to the mind." He said giving her yet another lesson in the importance of balancing herself
Xylia facepalming herself now, once again annoyed by his words and comparisons to smithing or other ways of talking that confused her, frustrated her most of all. But she still refused to step away, but took a step closer to him and moved her face closer to him, craning her neck up some as he was only just slightly taller than her. He could see the determination in her eyes.
"I'm going..." she whispered, but the sheer weight she had, almost like the ice in her throat was starting to melt away
"Very well. We make for the mountain passes at dawn. It's getting dark and we'll be more likely to pick up his trail in the daytime, mountains I don't know by heartbeat I don't traverse at night, never know where a loose rock could be and cause you to fall to your death." Rin said finally conceding and allowing her to come with, but making it clear how they would approach this situation
Xylia calming down now at this decision and understanding his reasoning, even agreeing with it. She wasn't as skilled as Rin was. She wasn't a hunter like him, but she would protect him with all her strength.
Meanwhile...
Elsewhere hidden away in the base of the Snowtop mountains, Krayt sat by the fire, groaning and straining. The pain inside of his head was becoming more intense, his mind slowly eroding away. For no matter how he tried to keep himself in control, his powers only fought against this control.
The small child's bare feet against the stone ground broke the silence. She had awoken. Her long jet black hair that looked like fine silk was down, as her eyes a bright green were now trianed on him, hazy from sleep and still opening. The kind of green he knew all too well.
"Big brother..." the young girl said groggily as she still held the stuffed animal close rubbing her eyes some, she needed glasses and lot more care than he could provide
"Juni..." he said turning to face her, feeling his mind simmer down at the sight of her, she always seemed to put him at ease "I have awoken you again. You should be asleep little one. You're still too weak to be up." He added sounding like a genuinely concerned sibling
He sat her down by the fire and got her some water and food now. Wrapping her in a large blanket as she shivered and coughed again. She needed proper mages, but if any found what she truly was, they'd never let her live... once again, Krayt had found himself entrapped by own ignorance.
"Don't worry Juni... we'll get you help soon. That's a promise." He assured her as she ate slowly, she looked up at him and gave a gentle smile as she leaned into his side
"Thank you... for taking care of me, big brother." She said softly as she stayed there
Krayt knew not where she originally came from. Only that she was like him, no doubt still too young to understand what had happened to her. With time she would forget about it all, the labs, the experiments, those green eyes...
Juni had fallen back asleep. Krayt knew his time was running out, fast. He had to get her somewhere, anywhere, just far away from the old man as possible...
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