Arcadia's Ignoble Knight: Dark Elf Arc

Chapter 89

Caspian and Elincia did what they could to help out, or at least they tried.

"Don't worry about this, Lady Elincia!"

"We can take care of the cooking, Princess Elincia."

"You don't have to put up with this kind of work!"

"Just relax!"

It was like this every time they tried to help out. Caspian and Elincia would go up to a group, ask if there was anything they could do to help, and be kindly told to just leave everything to them. None of these people seemed to understand that they wanted to help. It wasn't like they were doing this because they thought they needed to. With 15,000 people, it was obvious their help was not required.

Elincia sighed as she sat on Caspian's lap, underneath a thick quilted blanket, in front of a blazing fire. She had a cup of hot cocoa in her hands, which she periodically sipped on. Caspian had a mug of steaming cocoa in one of his hands as well. The two of them were sitting around a fire with Valen and Maddison.

"You look disappointed," Maddison said with a grin. "Upset that no one would let you help out?"

"I just don't understand why they keep telling me not to worry," Elincia mumbled.

"That is because you are their princess," Valen stated. "How can the princess of the elven nation, Fas Sheras, do something as demeaning as cooking or setting up a tent?"

"But it's not just the elves who are treating me this way," Elincia complained. "Even the humans are doing this."

"The benefits of being popular?" Maddison shrugged.

"Being popular is awful," Elincia whined with slumped shoulders and ears.

"So long as they don't profess their love for you, I don't care how popular you are," Caspian declared.

"Caspian!"

The four of them continued bickering as they ate, but when the sun had finally set, they traveled into their tent and climbed into their sleeping bags. As the leaders of the joint human/elf forces, they were not required to take watch during the night. While Maddison and Valen slept alone, Elincia and Caspian shared a sleeping bag. This had earned them a lot of teasing from Maddison. However, no matter how much she poked fun of them for being lovebirds, neither was willing to give up the comfort they found in each other's arms.

It didn't feel like he had gone to sleep for long before Caspian was woken up by a scream. He jerked up in bed, startling Elincia into waking as well. As she sat up and rubbed her eyes, Caspian cocked his head and listened.

The sound of explosions were echoing from right outside their tent.

"Get up!" Caspian shouted as he scrambled to his feet, put on his boots, and grabbed his sheathed sword. He didn't bother putting on his armor. However, he was at least dressed in the rest of his clothes since it was too tired to sleep without them on.

Elincia followed suit, leaping out of the sleeping bag and getting dressed. Fortunately, she only had to put her boots on, grab her bow and quiver of arrows.

Maddison and Valen were also awakened by the noise and already prepared for combat. In fact, they were so ready that if Caspian didn't know any better, he would have said they'd never gone to sleep in the first place.

"Sounds like a battle is happening," Maddison remarked.

"Don't make obvious statements!" Caspian spat. "Let's get outside and see what's happening!"

No one disagreed with him and the group quickly traveled outside. What they found was the human/elf forces under their command engaged in combat with a group of Knights. Most of them appeared to be flying units. They buzzed around in the sky and fired bullets at the humans and elves, many of whom received wounds from grazes and a few hits. Caspian watched as one of the elves to his left was shot in the shoulder and went down.