Chapter 4 - The Forest Fairy

One look at her face and Clyde already knew what this woman was gonna do. He shook his head and grabbed her arm before she could even take a step towards the ramp. 

"Don't." She struggled escaping from his grip and he's not gonna lie, his arm muscles flexed hard because this woman is strong. But he appeared to not budge, because she appeared determined to interfere with the auction and catch unwanted attention. She's reckless, alright. 

"Clyde," his name rolled over her tongue so smooth it resonated so well in his ears. Her voice sounds so sultry and seductive, like an enticing mermaid lulling him to go near her—or are those the ghastly sirens? 

"My mind is made up. Release me." Her dark expression met his and he almost backed away because of the intensity of her eyes. No woman's eyes have ever intimidated him like this. Not even Sevilla—a female friend of his that was recently put to death by the exact woman glaring at him right now. 

He sighed away the intimidation that infiltrated his veins. "No. It is unnecessary—" 

"Unnecessary?" She frowned. "A forest fairy is being sold right before my eyes. I can't just hide here and watch!" 

"Oh, so you're a conservationist now?" He raised a brow. "You're an assassin, and I thought assassins weren't supposed to perform any voluntary action towards anyone but their target? You're supposed to not care about any other lives but your target, are you not?"

Her stare on him sharpened but her lips remained shut. When he thought he'd finally convince her, a heavy jab escaped his defenses and collided with his jaw. He staggered back a few steps, caught off-guard by her sudden attack. 

"W-What—?" He held his jaw and forcefully snapped it back, biting back a grunt, while roaming his eyes around to catch the back of a limping woman on a run. How did that girl manage to throw a punch that heavy while enduring a deep wound?

Quickly pulling himself together, he ran towards the small wooden ramp with his cart where she was already pointing a dagger to the auctioneer. Clyde merely sighed. 

 What an untamed beast she is, he thought. She was uncontrollable. Everyone on the market was already panicking and running around, aware of the threat that is that girl. He remained standing with his hands crossed over his chest, leaning back on his cart, watching her slowly slice the neck of the auctioneer. 

"Give me the keys," she whispered to his ear multiple times. When the dagger was almost at his esophagus, he fished out the keys. But at the same time, the auctioneer's men pulled out their own weapons. Both Clyde and Alessia were alarmed and were completely aware of the unbalanced match that's about to go down. There were approximately a couple dozen goons and only two of them. 

"Fuck," Clyde whispered under his breath before recklessly throwing the fairy on his cart and immediately grabbing a metal rod. If his comrades weren't massacred just yesterday, he would've still be as relaxed as ever right now. But of course, he had to be fighting alongside the very murderer of his comrades. "Stay there," he growled at the shivering fairy and got in combat position. 

Alessia grasped her wound and looked down only to see her palm covered with blood. Her wound is reopened. She mentally cursed. She'll pray to not faint again this time, then, she'll really be indebted to this man. 

The goons let out their war cries before lunging straight to her. All she could do in her state was threaten with her words but not defend herself against a dozen heavily armed men. But of course, what will she become when she concedes like this? Grabbing a metal spear from the cart, she rampaged with a wounded abdomen and one weapon. 

She plunged the spear at one, pushing him to another that'd pierce him as well, then pulling it out only to push the two of them to another group. On the other hand, Clyde was finishing man after man in mere seconds. His buff frame helped him in throwing bodies around and staining the metal rod with blood of the bodies it had been thrusted into. But even though he's doing a good job taking down a gang of men, he still doesn't have the upper hand. Men would jump him simultaneously and crowd him, keeping him very preoccupied. 

Alessia wasn't having it easy also, the goons were also flocking to her and targeting her wounded abdomen. Seeing as they were deceived of her petite figure and wounded state, she would take advantage of this and greet them with heavy blows. However, her wound isn't cooperating very well. The fairy's cries on the cart behind her aren't helping too. 

"Argh!" She grunted as one snuck through her defenses and managed to throw a kick straight to her stab wound. She staggered a few steps back as her right leg wobbled, ending up with her butt on the ground. She coughed up the dust she inhaled and was surprised by the sudden dagger making its way to her at an incredible speed. She couldn't avoid it because of the large rocks on either side of her head. Closing her eyes, she hoped for the universe to do its thing. 

She waited for the pain to come. She waited and waited until a large impact awoke her from her daydream. 

As soon as she opened her eyes, the dagger was gone. What replaced the dagger in her sight was the fairy's back. Her wings were on its full width span, as if protecting her. Her hands were clenched into fists on her sides as green mist started to envelope them. 

When she released her fists, the ground rumbled and a strong gust of wind surprised her. Vines crawled from the land to the legs of the goons, and with a high-pitched scream of the fairy, birds flocked to the plaza and attacked them. All that filled Alessia's ears were the pained screams of the goons. 

The fairy slowly turned around and smiled down at her. She wiped the blood from her nose and offered a hand. Alessia hesitatingly accepted her hand as she helped her stand up. Unfortunately for her, her legs were still wobbly and her wound stung like a bitch. 

The fairy helped her lean on the cart while still gripping her wound. 

"I am sorry for only helping so late," she said, her gaze downcast. "I had a hard time pulling myself together in such a short given time. I-I've never been this mad, I promise I'm not this aggressive—" 

"I understand," Alessia cut her off. "I won't judge you for killing them. They abducted you and attempted to sell you off. The least they get is death." 

The fairy looked back at them and heaved a deep sigh, before her wings softly flapped towards their direction and released what Alessia assumed was poison. Even her wings are deadly, she thought. Angering a forest fairy obviously isn't the best choice these guys did. 

Turning back to her, Alessia took a linen cloth in the cart and handed it to her. "Your nose is bleeding. Wipe it."

"O-Oh!" The fairy gladly accepted the cloth and wiped her nose again, chuckling awkwardly. "I'm not used to releasing this much power in a day. And I just realized I am yet to introduce myself, I am Marika. You are?"

"Alessia." She nodded. 

"Hmm, Alessia." She turned around to see a bloody Clyde with uneven deep breaths and a torn top. Noticing how Marika shyly avoided his body with burning cheeks, she grabbed another cloth from the cart and threw it to his face. So he just finished those that attacked him. "I thought you'd have a lot more. . .manlier name," he snickered. 

"Do I look like someone who would be named Estefan to you?" She scowled. 

"If I'm being honest, yes." 

Alessia merely rolled her eyes. "He's Clyde. He's a doofus so I advise you avoid being around him too much. He's a bad influence." 

"You don't say." He scoffed, starting to push the cart to the forest. The sun was setting and they'll barely reach his house before dusk if they continued at this speed. Marika quietly followed Clyde as they made their way home. He was quieter at the ride back home, mostly throwing questions to Marika. Meanwhile, Alessia remained listening. 

"How did they take you? I'm quite confident forest fairies guard their forests well."

Marika released a sigh. "It happened when my brother and I were separated from the group. We were collecting herbs and I didn't realize we'd gone too far out. They ambushed the two of us, and because my brother could merely hold a sword, I was the one forced to defend us both. And I. . .I failed."

"Oh," Clyde quietly remarked. "Did he live?"

"N-No..." Her voice broke. "They took me and left him there for the land to eat him. It was devastating."

"Why didn't—" Alessia cut him off by acting to accidentally slam the cart. Somehow she knew he was about to shoot another insensitive question. She may be dubbed as the cold-blooded and heartless assassin of Caelum, but she's still human. She still knows not to cross the limit, especially with a grieving powerful creature. Clyde really just doesn't. 

As they quietly reached his cabin, Marika held her hand and pulled her away from him. Alessia frowned, her eyes falling to her palm caged in Marika's hands. 

"Thank you," Marika held her eyes and sincerely mumbled, forming a small smile. "You don't know how thankful I am. Tell me, is there anything I can do to return the favor?"

Her frown loosened and she had to hold back the smile that threatened to peek. She knew she'd get more than another pushover in her stupid stunt earlier.  

"Marika," she called. 

"Yes?"

"The power you exhibited earlier was magical. . .Do you think you can do something similar to that for me?"

Hesitation crossed Marika's eyes. She parted her lips but clamped them close again and released a shaky breath. "I. . .I can't control my power very well just yet, Alessia." 

Alessia's hands left hers and rose to rub her shoulders. Then, she looked at Marika with a determined gaze. "I'm here, I can help you. Don't worry. You can do it. You should." 

Marika's eyes lowered and nodded, convincing herself. Alessia's right, she should do it. A favor is a favor, especially when the favor that asked it is the person that saved her life. 

"I-I will." 

From that day onwards, Alessia had hope in her mission once again. And the key to her success is Marika, the only creature that can get her close enough to that damned Prince. Fairies are next to Dragons in being the strongest magical creatures of the world. And to further push her luck, maybe she'll get to kill him, too. She's not taking chances in bringing the Prince of Dragons to Caelum. He might destroy the Kingdom and she's not about to risk that.