Élan: A Youngblood World

10 | The Crown Jewel |

       "Birthmark?"

       Stella nodded.

       "It's a Royal Mark," Ryeld specified. "She is the real deal. Not even a cloaking spell can imitate one."

       "Oh, gosh..." The ghost on Hiro's expression was still intact. Blood rushed up to his face, coating his long head in whole red. "I called the Princess a fine sweetpea," he murmured hastily. He exaggerated a bow, reclining too low his hips must have cracked. "I am so so sorry, Your Majesty-"

       "Royal Highness." Ryeld coughed.

       "Royal Highness! I-I did not know! I apologize for my inappropriate manner! Please, I'm too claustrophobic to be in a-"

       The Princess smiled, signaling for Hiro to spring up from an awkward position. "It is alright. You pulled a good laugh out of me. The first that I had for a long while." Her eyes became forlorn, smile turned bittersweet. "It has been a non-stop dreary several weeks. I may not even remember the last time I smiled without being aware of it. So please, do not trouble yourself."

       Hiro nodded. When she drew her gaze from him, he grinned at the grimacing blue-headed lad, tempting Ryeld to knock a couple of his front teeth out.

       With the barrier of unfamiliarity dissipating, Cazzie performed a small curtsy with what little length of her knee-long skirt. Then one by one, the boys did away with their greetings: a composed bow with the right arm crossed to reach the opposite shoulder, hands balled--Zakuro swatted Hiro's arm to change sides, who immediately did with his less preferred limb.

       "Please, arise," Princess Stella ordered, hands clasped at her front. Her chin elevated, leaving her eyes to address them under her scrutiny. "You have saved my life at a time I thought I would never be able to open my eyes again. To express my utmost gratitude in more than mere words, I am obliged to owe you any great services the palace will provide," she beckoned with a brief curtsy. "Titles? Resources? Or perhaps a cart of gold? Whatever it is you ask."

       The students exchanged expectant glances at each other, inquiring with their eyes to encourage who should take charge of the exchange. Zakuro, Hiro, and Ryeld betrayed a hint of smirk plastered across their lips, the offer licking to catch their greedy impulsiveness.

       "You may take your time to think about it. Seeing that I do not think I can return home any soon."

       "Actually, we may take you up on that-"

       "Maybe now's not the time to discuss that," said Kayne, sending a scolding tone along. "Sooner or later, they'll send another batch of those bastards onto us. We can't stay here any longer and we're catching up on time."

       "Right," Hiro seconded. They traversed their eyes for any subtle movement behind every corner. With one last glance at the bridge, they affirmed their safety. "We should leave before any more of those things will come. Until then, Your Highness, you'd be safer with us.

       Without a ghost of reluctance, the Princess obliged. "I would not have it any other way."

       *

       The sky was still cloudy. The warm sun would probably not come to greet them for the whole day at all. The narrow, brisky street of this area unbothered to be plastered was thankfully, yet at the same time, eerily, barren. Not even skinny, stray dogs or cats doing about their businesses crossed their paths. The ground was a rough, uneven, and unequal distribution of rocks deposited to be the foundation for the road. One segment contained a thicker, darker flooring that looked like a flow of magma that long cooled. Then the next, a cluttered sea of pebbles engraved in a dirty grey stone route that warned to inflict bloody abrasion wounds should a child trip and fall upon it.