The journey to Lestria felt uncomfortably long as the guide hardly said anything aside from the few times when they informed the duo that they were going to let the horses take a break.
"That guide... something about them feels off." Susie said as she cracked her neck, stiff from staying in an uncomfortable position from watching the shifty guide who had been eyeing Mikhail the whole trip.
"I think so too..." Mikhail said softly as he glanced at the guide who was covered from head to toe in a thin dark garment.
For the first time, Mikhail found himself doubting someone else. Such a feeling was unfamiliar with him as a small country bumpkin from a cozy village where everyone was like family with one another. It was impractical to doubt one another as they all depended on each other.
Susie did a double take, blinking her eyes rapidly in disbelief as she had not expected Mikhail to agree w
"What do you mean he was poisoned?! What were the knights doing?! Why aren't you doing anything?!" Lilith yelled as she threw her wine goblet at Louis, the blood red liquid splashing over him. "My humble apologies, Your Highness... I have already dispatched the knights in search of the culprit and sent someone to aid me in search of the ingredients for the cure." Louis said as he kept his head lowered, calmly reciting the answer he had thought off overnight. "... If that's so, it's fine. You may leave." Lilith said as she glanced at Louis whose upper garment was soaked with the red liquid. "As you wish. May the Light of the Divine One guide your path." Louis said as he headed for the door. "... He can't die yet... I still need him for my plans..." "Your Highness... I forgot to mention but... 'He' has called for you." Louis said as he stopped in his tracks.  
William entered the room with a heavy heart. He hoped that what Louis had said was anything but the truth. However, he was struck by a painful sight as he saw his father writhing in pain as soft groans escaped his lips. "So you're here." a woman's voice permeated the silence, catching his attention immediately. "Mother..." William replied with an uncertainty to his voice. The sight of her surprised him. It's been so long since I last saw her face to face. Let alone hear her voice. However... that expression she wears... it's still the same as ever. Lilith wore a cold and distant expression on her face. She tilted her sharp gaze towards William, meeting his eyes as she unfolded her arms. It would seem as if she could not stand the sight of her own son. "It's a good thing you're back. The commotion that was stirred has caused quite a problem. I have to depart to one of ou
Gentle streaks of light beamed onto Mikhail's face as he groaned and turned away from it. The tempting allure of sleep called out to him, lulling him back to his slumber. However, even the blissful paradise of bleariness came to a sudden halt when he felt the cool morning air surrounding his body and heard frantic knockings on the door. "AH?!" Mikhail gasped as he grasped around the bed for the blanket. "Mikhail! Mikhail are you up?! I couldn't sleep a wink waiting for dawn because I was so worried about you! Please open the door!!! If you don't, I would think that something were to have happened to you!" Susie's voice rang loudly in Mikhail's ears as he immediately sat up to open the door. "Good. You're awake. Please silence the person out there. It's still early but we need to be considerate of the other people." the guide said making Mikhail jump as he had forgotten about sharing a room with them.
True to the thought, Susie and Mikhail were escorted through the palace walls. The man was far ahead of them, blocked from view. The guards were separated into two linear lines where a few stayed by his side and the others trailed behind him.The sight would have been comical as it mimicked the image of ducklings following their mother had Mikhail's mind not be preoccupied with the thought of how said man had numerous guards around him. The complete opposite of Xander who would usually have one or two of his men beside him.Almost as if on cue, the man stopped walking which could only mean that his men too, would halt in their steps. In due course, Mikhail had walked straight into the armour of the man before him.The cool exterior of the armour feeling even more chilly due to the weather sent shivers down Mikhail's spine as he rubbed at his forehead from the pain as well as the cold singe. He apologised to the man and t
Mikhail wanders the street of the capital glancing at the hustle and bustle. It seems everyone, mostly young people, were hurrying about. He wondered what all the fuss was about but decided not to dwell on the matter as he continued on his stroll. The visual enhancement stone he had been given had been put to great use as of late. Sneaking out had never been easier. Almost as if it were served to him on a silver platter. Regardless, Susie remained clung to his side. Shaking her off was almost as easy as escaping the grip of an alligator's jaw as it was spinning about dragging you under. "What is going on today? Is there an event?" Mikhail asked Susie. "Beats me. However, take a look at this!" Susie said as she grabbed a fake moustache that had been put on display at a nearby stall, placing it before her face. Mikhail stared at her and laughed whic
"You were so brave back there, Mikhail!" Susie said in a cheerful tone."I... was just angry. He was right though. I could easily have lost my head there. From what I've read of the books in my mother's collections... Rulers easily discard people they find have lost or does not hold any more value to them." Mikhail said with a sigh as he ruffled his hair in exasperation."I wouldn't let anything happen to you.You can count on me!" Susie said with a confident grin on her face, slapping her puffed out chest reassuringly.Mikhail glanced at Susie's brightly lit eyes and his lips tugged into a small smile. It felt nice knowing someone was looking out for him in a land so foreign. At least in Archon Menoch he knew Xander.Knows. Present tense... Nothing will happen to Xander..."Well, would you like to look around first as this is the first time we're here in Lestria?" Mikhail a
Mikhail awoke to incessant shaking making him groan in protest. He then pulled his head groggily off the pillow in an attempt to trick the person shaking him that he was up before his head fell back onto the pillow."Get ready. We're heading out." the guide said as Mikhail wiped off the sleep crust on his tightly shut eyes."Nnngh... Mmkay." Mikhail groaned as he sat up in bed nearly falling over back to the comfort of the blankets."... Refresh yourself. I'll meet you in 10 at the stables." the guide said as they left the room leaving Mikhail on his own.Mikhail knew he shouldn't remain in bed as he would most likely go back to sleep. Hence, he forced himself to get up only for his hand to slip which in return made him fall out of bed."OW! Ughh... Uhh... At least... now I'm not that sleepy anymore..." Mikhail groaned as he stroked his forehead that met head first with the cold
The cascading rainfall drowned out the sound of heavy hooves crashing against the muddy ground. A horse can be seen galloping towards a secluded cave with a figure of a man clinging desperately to the reins.Upon closer look, the drenched dark green cloak which bore the emblem of Enoch, hugged the frame of the man which turned out to be Mikhail. He had a desperate look in his squinted eyes as he tried to make out his surroundings.Mikhail's vision had begun to grow hazy due to the heavy downpour. The shelter that the guide pointed towards before their group got split up was his last hope in making it out of the thunderstorm unscathed.Please let me make it... I can barely make heads or tail with this weather... The guide is nowhere in sight as well...Mikhail stirred his horse, nudging it north as he hoped it was the right direction. All of a sudden, the thunderstorm grew in intensity. The clap
"Are you up?" Mikhail pries his eyes open groggily before he groans and rubs at them before turning towards the source of the voice."Whu--?" Mikhail blurts out a confused reply as he blinks his bleary eyes at William, waiting for them to focus but grew drowsy in the meantime."It's high time you get up. It's the second time in my life where I had to personally wake you up." William sighs as Mikhail's eyes slowly shut."Don't you dare fall asleep! We need to move out while it's still lights out. The terrain is more dangerous at night and we need to be able to pinpoint where to go from here." William frowns as he shakes Mikhail awake."F-five minutes more..." Mikhail tried to keep his eyes open but couldn't help it as the grogginess overwhelmed him.William released Mikhail's shoulders as he frowns, knitting his eyebrows in annoyance. Without thinking twice, he grabs the hides out of Mikhail's reach and tossed them to the other end of the tent, fold
"Hup! Easy!" William steadies his horse as he approached the deserted camp. The men behind him murmur in silence as he spares a glance at the messenger. He purses his lips and led them towards the stable before hopping off his horse. It's unlikely that the messenger is lying to me. But even if he is, I'd better keep a safe distance for myself from the group. "I'll look around. Remain vigilant!" William instructed as I kept a calm expression to ensure they don't think something was amiss. The messenger stated that there would be someone to greet me once I arrive. Yet, there is nary a soul nearby. Did something occur? William keeps a wary hand on the hilt of his blade as he surveyed the empty tents that were billowing with the frosty wind. Whatever footsteps that could have been used to track down where they could possibly have gone were covered in the cloak of white.
Venturing further up to the north was where the enemy camp was located. Arthur holds onto the contract, glancing at its content as he purses his lips and knits his brows.He looked over his shoulder, thinking about his sister and everyone back at the camp before frowning. However, as he turned to look forward, he shakes his head and sighs.Men clad in jet black armor with red lining greeted him with a few warning arrows before he climbed off his horse. Arthur slips a note he had written prior to leaving the camp between the stallion's caparison before sending it off by startling it into running away.He watched the men try to shoot it down or run after it but failed as the horse ran past them. A sigh of relief escapes his lips that he had brought along his beloved horse before a burly man approached him and covered his head with a bag."You do know who I am, right?" Arthur frowns as the man shoved hi
"I can't." Arthur pushes Soleil off his arm as he grabs the contract and leaves the tent.Soleil glances at the flap swaying back and forth from where Arthur had left as she flicks her tongue in silence. She then slithers over to Mikhail, her faintly golden scales reflecting the light of the oil lamp on the desk.Mikhail holds his head and grimaces before blinking his eyes, slowly making out Soleil's presence as he sits up straight. He stares at her for a moment before glancing at his hands that were tightly restrained by some thick ropes."Shall I get you out?" Soleil slithers up his arm as Mikhail shakes his head, unlike what she expected him to do."No. I need to show my sincerity and that I truly wish to help him.""Is that so? But would that require you to be restrained like so?" Soleil wraps herself around his neck, dangling loosely like a jewellery as Mikhail sighed to himself."Tigris showed me a memory of young Arthur. He woul
Back at Trevault or somewhere fairly close to Trevault, Mikhail kneels stiffly as Arthur paces around him. Even if he wanted to make an excuse, the way he was caught clearly puts him at a disadvantageous spot regardless.Mikhail shifts uncomfortably before straightening his back upon noticing Arthur's narrowed gaze. His legs had been growing number by the second and he could only feel pins and needles in his lower half."How did you escape?""I escaped? No... I..." Mikhail peeked at Arthur's face before the flap of the tent was raised and Juniper walked in eyeing Mikhail as she gave him a belittling gaze."Brother... so this is where he was..." Juniper sighed as she walked over towards Mikhail and kicks him onto his side.Mikhail gave her an astonished gasp before knitting his brows. It was totally uncalled for, for her to act in such a manner when she was the one who requested such an act to be carried out. He was simply carrying out her ord
After their discussion, Xander walks down the corridor with Lilith by his side. Not too far down from the room they just exited, he halts in his steps.Lilith paused as she turned to face him, curious eyes met muddled ones as she opens her mouth to say something but decides against it. She purses her lips, deducing the words she knew he was going to say before swallowing the lump in her throat."The nobles must be feeling rather impatient after this long. They must not be used to waiting, being the top of the social hierarchy... we should head over." Lilith eloquently puts her words into a chain to shackle Xander down, hoping that his Kingly duties would keep him from going back to Diane."... .... You're right. We should make haste..." Xander meets Lilith's gaze as he takes a step forward.Lilith releases the breath she had been holding as she heads over to his side. It wasn't like her to act in such a behaviour. However, upon seeing Diane up close, it w
The hands of the clock on the wall seemed to tick all too loudly as the only sound that accompanied it was the clinking of the teacup as it rested back onto its saucer. The uncomfortable silence and tension in the room made the air overly sufferable for the knights stationed to guard Xander.Lilith takes a sip from her teacup, her expression calm. It made it seem like she was unfazed by such a situation and had been in one countless times before. She glances over at the two people across from her before peeking at Xander from the corner of her eyes.If she had known better, it was obvious he was irritated and his bad mood was much worse than when he had to deal with the pesky nobles. Lilith shut her eyes and takes a deep breath before placing her teacup back onto its saucer as she decided to break the silence."To what do we owe this unfounded invasion?" Lilith directed her question at Diane but before Diane could say anything, the man beside her cut her off.
"Your Highness! I have an urgent report that beseeches your attention!" a messenger rushes before Lilith, lowering his head as he holds forward a scroll to prove of his task."Let me hear it." Lilith swivels around to face the man, turning away from the window as she sits herself down by her desk."There is a foreign enemy consisting of a large troop by our Eastern borders. Reports have claimed that their attire are not known to resemble any of the Agrestians, Trevaulties or Lestrian garments."Lilith straightens herself as she taps her fingers impatiently. She opens the lone jewellery box that rests atop her desk, the only object that didn't match her otherwise packed desk of paperwork.She stares at the innocent stone sitting in the box, void of any colour before shutting the box almost as quickly as she had opened it. She ponders something before shifting her gaze to the messenger who had been furtively glancing at her."I've received the
"... The... Gods?" Arthur glanced at Mikhail with a look of disbelief as Mikhail felt the hesitant smile on his face start to falter.Arthur then burst into laughter as he holds onto his stomach for dear life. Mikhail frowns in response, lowering his disappointed expression to his hands which he suddenly realised were cuffed."What?! You... you chained me up? Why?" Mikhail gasped and shifted his anxious eyes at Arthur who was busy wiping the tears from the corner of his eyes that were a by-product of Mikhail's words."Because of what you said. It could be anyone's guess that you were grasping at straws, begging us to save William. But for you to make a wild guess that we had hidden messengers... it would be implying we don't trust our own men." Arthur tugs on the chain, jerking Mikhail's attention towards him before donning a serious expression."I wasn't grasping at straws. I saw it myself.""That's impossible. We didn't find any communicati