Hunter Sky

Chapter 22 - Registration Menace I

Two more days went by, and on a cloudy day, large numbers of contestants gathered outside of a great fort nearby the arena.

Zack was walking on his way from the academy with Nia and they arrived into the town, where he just happened to see Lea walking ahead with her father Sir Jeffrey.

He sighed with an almost regretful stare seeing her. He felt sad that their friendship had not been in the best of health since their disagreement over Nia's allegiance, and felt he was too rough with her and childish for purposefully ignoring her during the past few weeks.

She was the first friend he had made since he came to Northwell and they did everything together since then. No one had ever been so kind to him as Lea was, nor did they support his dreams and aspirations as she did. No matter what, she always cheered him on, and gave him the confidence to push on even when others and even he doubted himself.

When she was kidnapped he risked his life to save her, and when he was stricken in fear of Kenshin, it was protecting her wellbeing that gave him the strength to fight his fears. After Nia told him how she made amends with her and started to treat her fairly, he was proud of Lea that she finally understood what he was trying to tell them, and yearned inside to enter into her life again. But was afraid to approach her unless the moment was right, waiting for the right opportunity to apologize.

Nia turned her head to her side and saw him staring at Lea as if he was under some form of hypnosis. She held her head down with her eyebrows raised with the inner corners angled up and her lips curved into a saddened gaze at the paved ground.

While Zack was captivated by her walk, and Nia consumed by her insecurities, Lea walked ahead with her father by her side in awkward silence which they both had been walking in for quite some time.

She looked out the sides of her eyes with a burning desire to hear him speak to her, as he never once acknowledged anything she ever did on her path to becoming a knight. She looked to her left at the various shops they passed and folded her arms, procrastinating to open up a conversation.

His face was always so stern and uninviting, and she could never know when he was in the mood or not, but she finally mustered the courage with a deep breath, and spat out the words.

"Pa? So um, are you going to watch me in the Tournament next week?" she asked with a hopeful smile and a spark in her eyes.

He held his gaze ahead without looking at her, but responded. "I'm afraid I will not be able to make it. With all these foreigners here I have more guard duties to fulfill."

Lea sulked with her arms folded and displeased. "As I thought, you are never there when I need you, not when I joined the academy, not when I became the star student, and I can bet you will have the same excuse when I am to graduate," she declared in slight vexation.

He walked with his usual sternness, unmoved by her words. "Lea, you must understand that not everything has to be about you. I have you and your mother to take care of, that is why I do this job."

"What! Pa! First of all, I can take care of myself from now on, and how come you aren't as excited as the other academy parents that I was chosen to represent the nation? I worked so hard for this," she protested.

"I don't want my little girl to get hurt out there. These students you will be up against are just as ruthless as their countrymen, they will not show you any mercy. This whole tournament is just another mini-war for the little ones to partake of, and I would rather you stay out of it," he scolded sternly.

Lea shook her head at him with a scowl and walk ahead faster, leaving him behind. They then took different streets to get to their destinations.

Soon enough, Lea arrived at the fort and stood behind the large crowd of people packing the entrance of the great grilled gate to the fort like a congress of loud baboons.