"Damn that midget!" Seraphina growled as she went to her chamber in a grumpy manner. How dare he treat her like that! She went to see him. Wanting to see his wounds was an excuse. She recalled his cold eyes, hard face, the way he looked at her as if every glint in his deep blue eyes matted down. It felt like he was becoming a complete different person.
Her steps halted and her eyes went wide. The more time went, the more he was becoming indifferent as if Seraphina was slowly losing him. Her hands shook at the thought and the dream she had not long, flashed before her eyes. Was it the curse? Was he becoming a monster? Her heart ached and it was becoming difficult to breath as her worry grew more. Her cheeks tingled as her hand found its way to them. There was moisture. Her tears.
Why was she crying? Was it because of how he was acting strange with her or the curse would devour him whole? She wiped it out with the back of her long sleeves, immediately and took a deep breath.
She couldn't find anything till now and she needed to talk to Master Valentine about it in detail. She whirled around and decided it would be best to have a conversation with the advisor instead of crying helplessly in a corner.
With determined face she went to have a talk with Master Valentine.
As she was nearing, she saw Master Valentine rushing towards her with a grave face.
"Princess Seraphina..." He came and moved around his eyes if anyone was in their hearing range, "we need to discuss about something, immediately."
"Master Valentine, there was something I wanted to discuss with you too..."
Before she could finish, Valentine started, his voice becoming louder, "First of all, I thought you would do wise deduction before doing any movement yet, you've managed to barge into the conference room and without thinking, you've acted on your own!"
Seraphina stood there with a pair of blinking eyes as if she had no knowledge what the old advisor was grumbling about. Now she thought maybe she should have talked some other time when he wasn't angry, that is.
He added as his face bore a deathly expression and Seraphina gulped, "Now even Pince Billard and Princess Zenith are suspicious about you... rumors have started among our guards that you might not be a princess!"
"I—"
"No more words!" He hissed making Seraphina flinch and strangely it reminded her of her father. He would go on and on until he was finished.
Seraphina's head hung low as he began again, "I had to come with some nonsense theories and some tales so that your disguise doesn't get disclosed before His Highness!" The advisor took sharp breaths as his chest heaved with it.
Seraphina tilted her head and noticed, Master Valentine had shrunk greatly and in just a few days, he looked more older not to mention, his wrinkles were now more evident on his forehead. Seraphina almost felt bad.
It must have been very hard on him...
He took some breaths and stood up straight however, the scowl on his face was vivid. "I don't like the fact that you have neglected my orders and even the orders of the young Prince!" His voice had a warning as he glared at her and Seraphina felt if she got anymore of that terrifying glares, she might as well end up buried in the ground by the pressure. "You do have a death wish, do you?" His aura intensified as Seraphina started to sweat.
"Well, I—"
"However," Master Valentine's glare was replaced with a small smile, "It was praiseworthy how you had managed to look from the commoners' sides as well and stated your views before everyone." He released a breath and said, "Prince Billard was very impressed as well as the young Prince."
Seraphina looked at him questioningly. Demian was impressed? But the encounter with him a while ago said different story. It could never be possible that he was impressed...
Seraphina's cheeks flashed red as her stomach flipped and Valentine could smell nervousness surrounded her.
"But, Seraphina, you have to be careful next time." He said with a serious tone as Seraphina nodded.
"I'm afraid regarding Prince Demian's next journey as he will going with Lord Casian." The advisor placed his hands on his chin while Seraphina asked, "What journey?"
"Well, Prince Demian and Lord Casian will be going off to Lord Heartstone's territory tomorrow," Valentine said as Seraphina's head snapped at him. Demian hadn't said anything about it.
"What? Casian would accompany us?" Seraphina could feel a chill on her spine.
"I'm afraid, you are not going this time."
"Why not?" Seraphina's brows knitted together, "I thought I was supposed to guard Demian in secret."
"Well, I would very much likely that you went along however, it was Prince Demian's decision."
A gap formed on her lips.
"But why?"
The old advisor said, "He said something like, you always call out trouble and end up getting injured. And in the end, My Prince has to look after you." Master Valentine huffed a sigh, "My poor Prince."
Seraphina's shook in her place. That little Devil! Now everything connected. He was doing that on purpose! So she would not go with him. Her palms fisted at her sides and she growled, "Then I shall just go with him for making these ridiculous comments."
"Oh no, Seraphina," the advisor shook his head, "I can't allow that when His Highness has already ordered me to make sure, you don't go to the royal ship whose name is The Royal Maiden that will leave tomorrow morning at 6:00."
Seraphina gritted her teeth, "Tell him to shove his orders where sun doesn't shine!" Her nose flared and she spun on her heels.
Master Valentine saw the young lady going to her room as a dark aura coated her, screaming how angry she was.
The corners of his lips twitched as a voice said from his behind, "Sometimes I don't get it, if you're a good man or a terrifying man."
Master Valentine tilted his head toward the said man who had his moustache blossoming above his lips covering the smile he casted and said, "I am a terrifying man who does good deeds."
He started to walk toward his study room as he called out, "Let's go Alonzo, we have got a lot of work to do."
*****
Casian entered Zenith's chamber as she had been waiting for him but could not contact him due to the conference. Because nobles would come, the guards had been placed everywhere for better protection. Her eyes glinted as Casian had a knowing smile on his face which said he had got something up his sleeves.
"Casian!" Zenith smiled and pointed him to take a seat.
As soon as her brother sat Zenith exclaimed, "Oh, Casian. You don't know what I've got in my hands."
Casian shrugged as he said, "Well, not the thing that I've got, I suppose."
Zenith looked at him with a questioning gaze, "Did you find out about her as well?" As a smile grew on her face.
Casian asked, "What do you think, dear sister? That your brother isn't capable of extracting information?" And he brought out a scroll from his back pocket and swung it in the air.
Zenith's smile grew tenfold seeing her brother had also deciphered the secrets of the Princess of human—or better, wizard nation. She was proud at her brother and knew he got these traits from their father.
"What's that?" She asked, her curiosity was hard to maintain.
"Portrait of the human nation..."
He gave it to Zenith and as soon as she got it, she opened the paper, her eyes gazing at the woman before her, taking her beauty to carve it in her memories. The portrait of a beautiful maiden whose hair glinted gold and whose doe like blue eyes could melt anyone's heart. The fragile looking girl in the portrait was nowhere near the red haired boorish woman who could wield a sword and act upon her own without any grace or beauty.
She laughed as her brother smirked. Zenith had been waiting for this and now finally a chance had arrived. She would be sure to use it wisely.
"Now, we need to plan it accordingly." Zenith paced around the room, her mind forming strategies to corner Demian but she knew she got a thread already.
"Well, don't rush it, Zenith." Casian said as mischief played on his lips.
"And why not? After all this time, we finally got something which we could use as a weapon."
"Well, I'll be going tomorrow with your young Prince to Northwest and Seraphina won't be coming with us."
"Then that is quite a good news!" Zenith flopped on her chair and added, "You can kill him there."
"Yes, of course! And then let the crown prince have my head." Casian clapped, "Perfect planning!"
Zenith blinked as Casian said, "Your husband isn't a stupid person. Also, there will be his personal guards along with him. If I kill him there either they will kill me not to remind you how it will affect our entire family and all the years of our great hard work."
Zenith nodded as even after she got a cue, she could not use it now. She said weakly, "Okay."
Casian stood up to go, "Don't worry, dear, sister. I'll think of some other plan while you try to influence this imposter."
*****
The dark cloaked figure was walking on his path with the tall trees looming all around him. The daylight filtered through the green leaves and he came to a stop, his tilted his head slightly and a small smile formed on his dried lips. His face wasn't visible because of the hood but a few strands of his long brown hair flowed out.
"I know you are here." He spoke in a hoarse voice and after a few seconds a figure dropped down from the tree before him.
He stood tall with a sharp gaze, half of his face was covered with a black cloth and his aura spoke of him being a Fireborn.
"Why are you following me?" The cloaked man asked.
"Who are you to walk across the Fireland nation's forest? You are not a wizard." His black hair ruffled slightly as he frowned deeply. His eyes seemed to be burning as if he was trying to know what was going through inside the cloaked man's head.
"I am just a traveller who walks across the lands of all nations. I don't have any intention of posing any kind of harm to any of your fellow citizens, I am just passing by."
"What kind are you?" The black haired individual asked.
The person slowly lifted his head slightly giving the other a look amof his face and the black haired man gasoed slightly as he saw the green markings on his face.
"Yo-You..."
"I will be happy to know your name now that you've known who I am, Mr. Fireborn." The man said and the ravenette slightly intimidated spoke up.
"I'm River West, a member of Arctic Flames."
"Of Jord Flameheart's guild I see." The unknown man laughed, making River wary.
"You know our master."
"Of course, I even knew you were following me since the moment I entered your town yesterday. I was just waiting for you to acquaint yourself to me but it seems like you are quite a shy person, River." The man said.
"I-I didn't know you were–"
"It's alright. I was just passing by," The man said, "Besides, Seraphina, your Master's daughter has been married off, hasn't she?"
River stiffened up at his question, this man even knew about Seraphina and her marriage but coming across the power this individual held Riven knew he had no match against him. He had to give answers or else he knew what awaited.
"Yes, she was married around a month ago to the Guild master of Oracle Hearts."
"Ryujin Narumi, huh." The man mused, River felt the strong aura which he emanated and wondered just why was this creature in his homeland. This creature was a holder of a great and pure power which could bring everyone down to his feet.
"Have you met Seraphina after she got married to Ryujin?" He asked and River frowned slighly feeling the pain of missing his dear friend. He or anyone hadn't gotten a chance to see Seraphina or Merlene after they had departed for the Waterland.
"No."
"If I'm not wrong they travelled through this forest." He said as he eyed the large trees around them.
"Yes."
"I see. That's what the whole story is then." The man said and River gulped.
The man slowly looked down at River and he smiled softly, "I have to go now, I'll see you around some day if fate allows."
River watched as the creature slowly walked past him and he turned around, "Wait!" He shouted but the creature had disappeared leaving behind the small green twinkling lights which went off too leaving only him standing in the middle of the forest.