CHAPTER 39
TO SEE A QUEEN, his lady, do a curtsy for him, Hakken knew he was in an unfavorable situation. This was a trap laid bare. His response to his lady's introduction would decide whether he could accompany her or not.
Though what his lady didn't know was that he was more than ready to be entrapped if that meant being with her.
"Hakken Arages," he bowed his head and answered her curtsy. "A descendant of Sappher. It is my pleasure to meet you, my lady."
Sollel took a calm, deep breath when she heard how Hakken's introduced himself. "You're a descendant of Sappher?"
Hakken raised his head and looked into Sollel's eyes. "Yes, my lady."
Any kindness and humor in Sollel's face disappeared as she stared back at Hakken. And Hakken felt the coldness in his lady's gaze. He knew it was coming when he decided to introduce himself, but it was still unnerving seeing his lady's expression changed.
"I wonder why a Sappher's descendant wants to protect me. As far as I can remember, we are enemies. Your race abhors mine."
Hakken answered without a second thought or hesitation, "My lineage is not that important to me, my lady. As I told you before, I'm ready to fight the whole world for you, and if it meant betraying my whole race and making the world my enemy, then so be it."
Hakken was ready to defend himself against his lady's wrong assumption of him and prove to her that he would rather betray the whole Azitera than betray her when his lady chuckled at his serious face.
"Relax, Hakken. I was just teasing you."
Hakken looked at his queen blankly.
Sollel chuckled again before she explained herself, "I don't really care if you're a descendant of Sappher or not. It doesn't matter to me. I value honesty more than anything."
Hakken just blinked at his lady. He didn't know if he was speechless because of relief or if it was because he'd been duped.
"And you said you like me. I'll take it as an insurance." Sollel smiled before her hand reached out to fix Hakken's slightly messy hair. "But if you betray me..." Sollel lost her smile in an instant. "I will kill you myself. I will burn you to ashes until there's nothing left of you."
Hakken was not threatened because in the first place, he had no plan to betray his lady. "Yes, my lady."
Sollel smiled again like she didn't just threaten Hakken. "It's settled then. Please protect me well, Hakken."
Hakken didn't know how to respond to that other than to nod absentmindedly at his lady who seemed cheerful after threatening him. He really couldn't decipher her. She was smiling and being kind, but why did it feel like it was all pretend?
Was it his instinct kicking in, or was he just overthinking? Hakken didn't know anymore. Let's focus on what's important at the moment.
"If we want to cross the Valley of Bones safely and not get lost, let's wait till it's dark," Hakken suggested as he faced the valley. "The valley of bones is vast, and one could easily get lost if not careful."
"Why do we have to wait 'till dark?" Zassia was against the idea. "Isn't the Valley of Bones a burial ground? It'll be very scary once night fell."
Grath glanced at the quiet valley. "Is there a specific reason why we need to wait, Lord Hakken?"
Hakken answered the two, "To cross the Valley of Bones safely, one needs to follow the aster path."
While Hakken was explaining, Sollel found herself an old log and sat there while watching Hakken.
Meanwhile, Zassia tried her best to peek inside the valley from the entrance. "I don't see any path."
"That's because the path will only show itself at night."
"Oh."
"Let's do what Hakken said," Sollel interrupted, sitting like how a queen would sit on a throne that one wouldn't even notice that she was sitting on an old log. "He knew the valley more than any of us. Let's wait for the night and rest for the time being."
Grath and Zassia nodded, but instead of resting, the two started training their flames. Grath was mastering his control over his claw flame, while Zassia was trying to master her crawling flame, seeing how useful it was in battle.
Meanwhile, Hakken went to Sollel, but he didn't sit on the log beside her and just stood there.
It was Sollel who tapped the space beside her and offered it to Hakken, which Hakken gladly accepted.
Then silence fell on them.
"Are you...mad at me?"
Sollel didn't even look at Hakken. "Why would I be?"
"I don't know. I just feel like something's off." Hakken was bothered by that feeling. "Did I do something wrong?"
Sollel smiled, the kind of smile that didn't reach her eyes. "I'm just tired, I guess. Don't mind me."
"My lady—"
"Sollel. Call me Sollel."
"Sollel." Hakken looked away, hoping that by looking away, he could hide the fact that it was a big deal for him to call his lady by her name.
But Sollel still managed to see it. "Why are you looking away?"
"N-nothing."
Sollel couldn't help chuckling, her exhaustion slowly fading away because of Hakken. "Was calling me by my name too much for you?"
"N-no. Not at all, my lady—I mean, S-Sollel." Damn! I'm not used to it! Hakken cursed himself.
When Hakken stuttered, Sollel chuckled and continued teasing Hakken, "You look flustered. For a guy who declared that he would betray the whole world for me, you're very soft."
"Only to you," Hakken muttered under his breath before pulling himself together to face Sollel. "I'm just not used to calling you by your name, and I think it's inappropriate since you're a queen and all that."
Sollel was amused. "That's true. Even back then, I never allowed just anyone to call me by my name. But...you're not just anyone, are you, Hakken?"
Hakken took a lot of subtle, deep breaths to calm himself. "My lady, please have mercy on me. I may be a strong warrior in the battlefield, but in front of you, I'm just a weak, frail man."
Sollel laughed a little before she sobered up and became serious. "Hakken?"
"Yes, my lady?"
"I, um, I experienced betrayal at its finest." Sollel remembered Hakken's words earlier, and it bothered her so she wanted to set him right. "So I know what it feels like to be betrayed. It felt horrible. And I don't want your people to feel that way. I don't have anything against the Sappher—I actually admire your race for being ardent warriors." Sollel paused. "I know you heard me express my hatred toward humans countless times, and that's because I have a score to settle with them. But the Sapphers didn't do anything to harm me."
"They're planning to anyway, so it's okay," Hakken said without consideration nor compassion. "I already did what they asked me to before." Hakken glanced at Sollel. "I have no plans to repeat history and make the same mistake."
Hakken's last words caught Sollel's interest, and then she understood when she remembered something about the Sapphers. They were not a long-lived race, but they could still live longer if they wanted to.
The arcane ritual of rebirth.
But I heard it was an arduous and dangerous process. No one actually knew how the Sappher does it—even the queens of Yther didn't know. Many races tried to imitate them, but no race succeeded. Only a descendant of Sappher could do it.
"Say, Hakken..." Sollel leaned down a little, her long bloodred hair falling from her shoulders as she turned her head to look at Hakken. "Have we met before?"
Hakken didn't say anything and just smiled mysteriously.
"We did, huh?" Sollel didn't need to hear Hakken's answer. His smile was enough. "What a coincidence for us to meet again..."
"It's not...a coincidence." Hakken absentmindedly looked at Grath and Zassia training their flame to escape Sollel's inquisitive eyes. "I heard of your escape."
Sollel's eyes widened. "You did?"
Hakken nodded. "I thought it was just a bad joke. After I looked for—" Hakken paused and sighed heavily. "Anyway, I searched for you after what happened in Beastrela. I know you're traveling with an elf, so when I saw you in Ashmire with Cira, I had my suspicion."
"Was that why you wanted to see my face?"
Hakken chuckled, and his face softened. "Yes." He rubbed his palm against his face, feeling embarrassed. "I actually arrived in Ashmire before you and Cira. Based on the routes, if you wanted to escape the empire and travel to a different kingdom, the best town to stock up for your travel was Ashmire, so I went there. It was also the nearest town to Beastrela. I didn't realize you took the ash terrain rather than the bridge."
Sollel chuckled when she remembered what happened. "That was Cira."
"I figured." Hakken chuckled as well. "I was more than ready to sell myself to you in the guild of hunters, but you approached me instead."
Sollel lost her smile when she remembered something and flicked Hakken's ear. "You know it was me, yet you demanded a high price for your service!"
Hakken winced and cupped his pitiful ear that was flicked a couple of times by Sollel, which turned red. "My lady, would you choose me if I said it was free? And—and I did offer a discount!"
Sollel clicked her tongue when she remembered the discount Hakken wanted at the time.
"You know, Hakken, I won't even be ashamed to be conceited right now and say that you don't just like me," Sollel declared and narrowed her eyes on Hakken. "Am I right?"
"I don't want to burden you with my affection." Hakken didn't deny anything. "You're on a mission to save your friends. I, um, I waited three lifetimes for you. It's no big deal for me to wait for few more years."
"Aw. My hunter is so sweet."
Hakken was looking away, but Sollel still saw his neck and nape reddening. She wanted to tease Hakken more, but he was being honest for a change, so she stopped herself.
Unlike earlier...
Hakken rubbed his red nape. "I, um, I have no idea if you would like me too when the time comes, but nothing beats hard work."
Sollel couldn't help finding Hakken adorable. This warrior who could take out dozens of enemies and beasts without so much of an effort was acting shy in front of her. Who wouldn't find that endearing?
"Hakken?"
"Hmm?"
"Come closer."
Hakken distractedly scooted closer to Sollel.
"Closer."
Hakken blinked before he scooted closer. He became even more distracted than before.
"Closer, Hakken."
Ah, dammit! Hakken scooted closer until his arm rubbed against Sollel's.
Hakken didn't know what Sollel was planning for asking him to sit closer. He only found out when he felt her head on his shoulder, resting.
Hakken softly cleared his throat. "This is inappropriate for you, my lady." She's a queen, for deities' sake! A queen of Yther!
"Who cares?" Sollel yawned. "I'm tired. Don't move. Let me rest for a little while. I haven't had a good sleep since we left Sarnau."
Hakken agreed to be Sollel's pillow for a little while, but he was like a statue—motionless. But unlike statues, Hakken's heart was uneasy. It was close to hyperventilating, but he managed to stay immobile to not disturb his lady.
After minutes had passed, Hakken was finally able to move his head to look at his lady.
She was sleeping peacefully.
I was right...no one could surpass her beauty. It was not just her face; she was also regal, graceful, and terrifying in battle. And she still hasn't recovered her full strength at that. He couldn't wait to see his lady razing hell with her full strength. She'll be magnificent for sure.
"Hakken, if you kept staring at me, I don't think I'll be able to rest."
Hakken froze before immediately looking away. "Sorry."
Hakken didn't see how Sollel smiled before she went back to her rest; if he did, his heart would've surely been jittery.
As time passed, Hakken did his best not to look at his lady while she was resting.
Hakken didn't even know how he managed to stay put until his lady stirred from her rest. He didn't even realize that night already fell. That's how much on edge he was.
Sollel softly groaned before adorably stretching her arms, entrapping Hakken's gaze and full attention, until Sollel looked at Hakken. Their eyes met.
"What?"
"N-nothing." Hakken stood and offered his hand at Sollel. "My lady..."
Sollel accepted Hakken's hand without hesitation and stood. Hakken then squeezed Sollel's hand softly before he let go of it.
Seeing Sollel and Hakken walking toward them, Grath and Zassia immediately readied themselves. They knew it was time to enter the valley.
While Hakken was giving instructions, Sollel watched him with fascination until she felt a presence from behind her.
It was a familiar presence.
Subtly, Sollel turned her body to the side and looked at the direction where the presence was coming from. There was nothing there, but Sollel knew better.
She grabbed the hand of Hakken, who was startled and pulled him towards the valley. "Let's go."
Grath and Zassia immediately followed Sollel and Hakken, and in no time, they were surrounded by the valley's trees and darkness.
Zassia, who was nervous, was about to ask Hakken which direction to take when slowly, before she could even ask, they saw a path in the darkness.
The aster path.
♕♕♕
"DID YOU SEE THEM?" General Kar asked Hakkeran when the warlord came back from scouting. He was the one who entered the town just outside the Valley of Bones, the town of Osta.
The warlord sighed and shook his head. "No. Looks like they already entered the valley of bones."
General Kar sighed and looked up at the sky. "The sun is already setting. Let's set-up camp here and hunt the Mistress of Flame in the morning."
The soldiers nodded and immediately listened to the general's instructions, while Hakkeran also mobilized the empire's army and his own to make camp.
Gabin, the warlord's right-hand man, stood beside the warlord and spoke in a low voice. "Your Excellency, may I ask why you lied to the general?"
"The Mistress of Flame is mine to hunt." Hakkeran smiled and glanced at the town of Osta. "And she's still resting. I don't want to disturb her."
Gabin was lost for words, but it was to be expected from the warlord he served. "You think the queen will be able to escape us and the kingdom's army?"
"Who knows?" Hakkeran sighed. "But make sure that our sorcerers are ready—especially the flame sorcerer. He's needed on the front line, after all."
Gabin wanted to shake his head at the warlord's orders. "Your Excellency, I know you're crazy, but tone it down a bit. We're working with the kingdom and the empire's armies, may I remind you. You don't want to antagonize them."
Hakkeran sighed heavily. "This is why I hate working with others."
"Why did you then?"
"They have a strong flame sorcerer, and my queen has to eat."
Gabin sighed. "Just don't make it look so obvious that they're food, Your Excellency."
Hakkeran clicked his tongue and looked at the town of Osta again.
So near, yet so far.
Hakkeran was pulled out from his reverie when one of his own warriors under Gabin stopped in front of him to hand him a letter.
"From the elf, Your Excellency."
Hakkeran immediately read the content and sighed. "Wounded, huh?" He crumbled the paper and turn to Gabin. "Send an envoy to the Elven Kingdom. Tell them their princess will be needing their help soon. If they didn't help, tell them I will repudiate our treaty and I will help the empire raze hell in their sacred forest."
Gabin's eyes widened before bowing his head and heading the warlord's order.
Alone, Hakkeran sighed and looked longingly at the town of Osta again. Ah, dammit! What the hell am I doing?
CECELIB | C.C.