Elemental | KTH | ✔️

| FORTY - ONE |

I remember hearing that three out of the King's five
children were Elemental's, and I wondered which ones they were. The Commander introduced Lily, and Hazel and her both nodded and smiled at one another. A short while later, the King left us all to it, as the Commander instructed us to show Hazel around while he was with the King. We were all in the common room, after showing her the dorms. She sat down next to Lily, and I could tell she was taking all of this in her stride, which was hopeful.

"Are you ok?" I asked as she glanced over at me.

She nodded, "yeah. I'll be used to it all in no time. It's not much different than being back home"

"How so?" Lily asked.

"I'm not an Elemental like my older brothers, so my younger sister and I were pushed into studies, and learning about our elements. They were going to send my second eldest brother here, but my brothers all have their own duties to Lumen" she breathed out, looking between all of us as we listened to her.

"Your barrier is really strong though, I can feel that" I offered.

She nodded, "we were taught from a young age about our barriers. My Father just doesn't hide his that often, that's why you can feel it"

I rose my eyebrows, understanding onto why I could literally taste his power on my tongue. I wondered idly if that's how others felt with me if I didn't use my barrier. Meeting another Elemental had made think about so many things.

"I was told there was another Multi Fairy here?" Hazel asked.

"Oh, that's me" Jimin said from behind Tae and myself on the sofa.

She smiled gently at him, "two or three?"

"Just the two. Fire and Water" he replied, with a quiet voice, but smiled.

She rose her eyebrows, "fire fascinates me. Probably because it's the one I don't have"

"Did you do much training with your elements?" I asked, mainly wondering.

Hazel nodded slowly, "yeah, we have to be able to defend ourselves. My trainer recommended me to come here, he knew I needed some more mental stimulation"

I smiled, "honestly the majority of it, is the bonding process"

"It can get boring after a while" JK breathed out behind us.

"Are you saying that you want to split up?" Jimin teased, and we could hear the smile in his voice.

All of us laughed, and Hazel smiled along with us.

"It'll be intense, for a week or two" Jin stated, who was stood in the doorway with Joonie.

She nodded with a slight smile, seeming like she was looking forward to it. After we had lunch, the King and the Commander turned up. He gave his daughter a smile, and they talked quietly for a few minutes. The Commander called on us to come and do a bonding session, so Hazel could learn.

As we all sat on the grass, Lily was quietly talking to Hazel, guiding her on what to do. I noticed how Tae sat back further away from me than usual, which hurt my heart. I felt him ache, reacting to my feeling.

"Hold my hand" Lily breathed out.

"Does that help?" Hazel asked, and I glanced over to see her looking around at all of us, seeing that we weren't touching.

"It does, it helps your magic to realise I'm not a threat, and to trust me. The others don't need to do it anymore, their barriers are secure" Lily said quickly.

"Verity" I heard the Commanders voice, and I looked over to him. He gestured for me to come with him.

Tae took a deep breath and relaxed slightly, watching me get up, I felt his eyes on me as I walked away. The King smiled at me as we all stood a short distance away from my group, far enough away so our conversation wouldn't be heard.

"My daughter is still young. While she might be ready for something like this, could you please watch over her? I wouldn't ask you, if I didn't trust you. You saved everyone here, and that gains my respect. When this is all over, if you ever wanted a career, please come to me. You would thrive in my surroundings, with being an Elemental" he said slowly.

I rose my eyebrows, "thank you for your offer, Your Highness. For now I'm just taking each day at a time... Haunters are still out there"

He nodded, "spoken like a true Keeper"

"Could I ask something, Your Highness?" I wondered.

"Of course" he breathed out.

"Did you know the Mind Fairy? I'm just curious" I said quickly, while I had the nerve.

I watched as his expression remained very monotone, almost like it was a forced, which I'm sure a King would need. He cleared his throat, "I do know who she is, Verity. But I'm afraid it really is classified information. I would tell you, if you really needed to know. It's more of a personal matter, than a public one. I hope you understand that"

I nodded slowly, "would I know her in any way?"

Now he pursed his lips, looking curious. I wondered if I should have said that... but it was too late now.

The King shook his head, "I know being brought up in your situation, can leave you with a lot of unanswered questions. But you would not know her, please believe me when I say that"

I nodded once more. He smiled and patted my shoulder, "you are already so accomplished at a young age, trust in yourself and you'll go far. My daughter has to come back home in two weeks time, for her sisters seventeenth birthday, it was her only request when coming here. You are welcome, to accompany her"

I smiled, "thank you. Would my partner be able to come with me? I'm not comfortable leaving the barrier without him"

"I can tell he has brilliant willpower, and along with being an ancient blood line, I will grant him access as long as you are with him. It's comforting to see how protective he is over you, since you are very valuable" the King said, smiling gently.

There was something about being called valuable from the King, that made me realise on how truly powerful being an Elemental was, and my self doubt seeped away from me. This man, was nothing like what I was expecting, and I had no idea why. In my mind, the King would be a hard man, showing no emotion with a face as straight as rock. He was making me proud, to have him as a King. He clearly had high family values, as well as his duty to Lumen.

"You remind me a lot, of my niece" the King said after a few quiet moments.

I smiled, "I hope that's a good thing, Your Highness"

The King breathed out a smile, "it is. She passed away twenty years ago... she was around your age"

My heart plummeted, and the King watched my expression fall.

"She got caught in the first wave of the Haunters... along with her Father. My brother" he muttered, glancing down at the floor before taking a deep breath and looking away from me.

"I'm sorry" I said quietly.

"It's ok, Verity. It seems you have found the source of the Haunters problem, any how. My reporters have told me that there hasn't been any spikes of Haunters now, since the event happened... it's promising" he said, looking back at me, with a warm smile.

I couldn't help but smile back. He sent me back to the group, and I smiled at Tae before sitting down, letting him know everything was ok. Lily was still guiding Hazel, who had her eyes closed, her magic flowing through her veins. We all stopped, once Lily called it for Hazel, she was starting to get mentally exhausted. I could see that she was frustrated with herself, as she glared at the floor.

-♕-