Cayden Barbaten POV:
"What do you mean I'm not allowed to leave?"
I was currently facing off against several knights and the elven queen who were obstructing the portal out, on the morning before Alma's party.
My arms were crossed and i had no real reason to be here anymore since my presence is unwanted by everyone. Excluding Damien though. He's been practically begging me to come save him from his meals with Alma.
I was watching them from the roof every night but the atmosphere from their meals was so tense that i couldn't even have a snack as i watched.
"Its as i said. The portal is under repair and cant be used currently."
"Then ill fix it myself free of charge, right now."
The queen kept trying to drag on this facade for an hour now and I was losing my final thread of patience.
"Even if you are highly skilled in ancient rune theory, practical application is very different little boy." The queens voice was also angry about this.
I would of left last night but the amount of guards made it impossible so i just reconnected with Incursik when he returned from eating the venerable protector and taking his divinity.
"I know its bad for face considering I'm leaving on your daughters birthday but could you cut me some slack?"
"You will address her highness with courtesy!" The knight that spoke out was immediately stuck in place as my corruption covered him.
"I'm not in the mood for games."
The queen and the four other knights were unshaken despite how easy it was for me to immobilize one of them. Though it was obvious they were slightly surprised from their eyes.
"Neither am i. Its too dangerous to use the portal. Turn around and wait till the party is over then return." The queens voice was still calm and not an ounce of disrespect could be heard "please just have patience and i wont share your little secret."
Things would be so easy if they couldn't blackmail me by revealing i was a demon. Ive taken measures to make it seem i was adopted in case the secret had ever gotten out so i wasn't that worried for my family but the audacity of this bitch was making it difficult to restrain myself.
"Things would be a lot easier if i didn't have a family Queen Inayarus."
Hiding my emotions i faced away from them walking away. With a snap of my fingers the knight was released and i went back to the castle. On the other side of the door back in was Chris and Isaac waiting for me
"I'm not in the mood." Not bothering to enter i turned right and walked into the forest of bushes surrounding the castle.
Chris immediately ran after me pulling back at the end of my coat "whats wrong with you! Grandpa said you would read with me again!" Pulling on the back of my coat the young prince fell forward face first onto the floor.
Spitting out dirt he exclaimed angrily "whats wrong with you!? Two days ago you were indifferent and welcoming yet now your just indifferent!"
"Haven't you read the stories?" Turning around i looked threateningly down at the prince as he stood up "demons don't talk well when they're pissed off."
Chris shivered at my cold expression and hid behind his grandpa who held a strong look of disapproval.
Realizing i went too far i turned around without a word just wanting some peace and quiet.
"Your a petty stupid face!" Chris's brave voice rang out but i kept walking.
Reaching an untouched area with uncut bushes and long grass i slapped my hand in my face "damnit. Why am i so on edge about everything." My mind has been slowly getting murky with rage ever since i took back Incursik. Normally I'd at least try sweet talking before threatening.
[might be my fault. The emotional separation might not be perfect after i returned] incursik stated almost amused [ill see if anything's gone wrong. Give me a few hours]
I thought he was lying to comfort me but it did help to calm me a little bit. Pulling my hand from my face i looked up at the windows of the castle walls seeing all the servants hurriedly moving foods and cakes to one area of the castle.
Already needing something to distract my thoughts i shot a rope of corruption to the top of the castles wall and climbed back up to the roof. It was slippy but it was easy to walk on if i balanced myself well as it also served as good training for my footwork.
"Things always end up messy somehow huh."
Daringly i walked across the spine of the roof. It was foolish that there weren't at least some sentry towers on look out atop the castle. The elves placed too much faith on the heavily discriminatory society to root out any hidden invaders.
Reaching my desired location i slid down the roof until i reached the edge, wrapping corruption around my waist like a rope and walked down vertically on the castles walls.
None of the beasts had spoken a word yet today. It was still far too early for them to be woken up naturally so it was unsurprising but still daunting i had no one to at least keep me preoccupied.
Grasping the edge of a window i swung inside the castle into a desolate corridor where i walked to a pair of double doors. Opening them i came to a viewing gallery looking down the large ballroom the party was going to take place.
I could see musicians rehearsing, tables being set, the floor being repeatedly cleaned and food being repeatedly replaced.
At a glance you would think they were all tired of the cumbersome preparations but if you looked closer you could see they all genuinely wanted it to be perfect. They held a lot of love for the princess which was unsurprising considering her comfortable atmosphere and how she treated everyone with respect despite her constant curiosity.
My ears pricked up hearing footsteps and i turned around to see Isaac with the queen looking at me not angrily but there was definitely some hidden scorn.
Wanting to avoid the lecture that was likely coming i leaned back against the railing preparing to fall.
"Stop." The queens voice held me in place stopping me from falling over "thats very dangerous."
The gravity around me was crushing my body as white veins covered me trying to give myself the final push over the edge.
"Walk to me." My body shakily moved away from the edge and took two steps forward but corrupting my body even further i made it so she had to walk to me.
Thats a re~ally annoying aspect.
The queen grabbed my chin "just because your upset it doesn't give you the right to hurt others. My son especially." Chris was hiding behind Isaac as he looked from behind him with a slight fear.
It was tempting to just corrupt her body but if i did i might as well forget ever seeing my family again.
A slap then came right to my cheek. It wasn't the pain that surprised me but the empathetic look on the queens face that was "kids really do need a lesson on how to communicate properly. Just because your friend wants some space temporarily you've gotten grumpy and don't know how to react.
I wish it was just her needing space. Though thats not the case. Lumine was being cold to me ever since the journey started not once talking to me or even responding to me.
"Why are you silent?"
"..."
"Answer me! Why are you so angry!" At the beckon of her voice my vocal chord and mouth muscles began to move but retaining my silence i bit down on my teeth. "Stubborn little. Answer me!" My muscles resistance was futile as broken words slowly left my mouth
"I m no t!"
"I'm ju st tir ed! I f she wa nts space! She ca n h ave it!"
Angry sweat trailed down my skull as the words left me by force. The queen seemed almost unsurprised by my words "at first glance i thought you were an adult. I guess you are a child after all." The queen had a smile across her face as she turned around.
I was still trapped by her aspect though and Isaac walked up to me placing a hand on my shoulder "i thought you were a spitting image of Dendra. I guess i was wrong. Unlike her you can express yourself when forced."
Isaac then left after thinking he stole my void ring not knowing my real one was on my necklace.
The restrictions then lifted and i could now move freely "dammit." Cursing under my breath i looked at their backs walking down the corridor. "They found me too quickly." Wiping the sweat off my head i sat down on the floor.
My hands tightened into fists but i felt something crumple in my right hand. Opening it i saw a piece of paper with writing (Lumine still cares for you. She spent the past two days trying to find you to no avail.)
After reading it i burnt it to ash.
I really don't focus on my emotions enough. Getting up i decided to head for the courtyard. Its doubtful anyone will be there after my fight with Isaac.
how wrong i was. When i arrived Isaac and Chris were stood waiting for me on the broken arena wearing suits ready for Alma's party with Chris looking like the epitome of being a mothers doll with his slick hair and brown suit with shorts to try and emphasize his cuteness.
I realize now how lucky i was to miss that stage of childhood not only once but twice.
Purposefully i had taken a long route around the castle to get here but how did they have the time to do their hair and look so regal? At best i only walked for an hour and a half?
"So your willing to explain yourself to Chris now?" The old elf had a cheeky grin on his face accompanying his amused tone.
Still feeling slightly guilty to what i did to Chris i pulled out a green crystal from my necklace and chucked it across "I'm sorry for what i did earlier. I was grumpy after talking to your mother this morning so blame her."
the crystal floated just above his little hands as he attempted to catch it. He didn't say anything but smiled thunderstruck into the stone.
Isaac had trouble pulling his eyes away from the stone "where did you get a druids spirit heart?"
I shrugged at his question walking closer. I found it in an old treasure trove but it serves no purpose to me. "What are you two doing here anyway? Isn't the princesses party about to begin?"
Right as i spoke celebrations from visitors arriving could be heard echoing in the sky.
Surprisingly Chris answered "grandpa wanted to convince you to come to the party. He said you might enjoy the events."
I snorted at the answer while Isaac acted as if that wasn't the case pulling down in his long sleek-lined gown. "Don't believe this young-un! He's too devious for his age after reading that book about your journeys. What was it called again?"
"The legendary demon that killed the white dragon!" Chris had an ecstatic voice to match his happy face
I cringed at the loud answer. I knew full well that was its name already but no matter how much i hear it i will never not have a bitter taste in my mouth.
Damn you Nallos for making that book.
"On a separate note however." Isaac grabbed my shoulder "you should go to the party." As my hand went to brush off his hand he grabbed it "why are you only wearing one glove?"
My hand immediately froze over as he tried to rip off my glove "don't." My eyes were frenzied as we stared into each other. But inexplicably i calmed down feeling the constant anger i had since this morning vanish.
[So it was the brainwave severance! Alright, you should be back to normal.]
My mind was no longer full of violent emotions and brash thoughts as my normal calmness returned.
Isaac noticed this and stared oddly as i pulled my hand thawing the ice away.
My head spun for a moment, massaging my head i grabbed my bearings realizing just how angry I've been for the past few hours.
"Boy. You alright?"
"Yes. Something was bothering me and I've dealt with it now. Sorry for being so quick to violence." Isaac was still staring at my left hand but i hid it in my trouser pocket. "What was it we were talking about?"
"My granddaughters party. Are you following us? If you are your going to need a proper suit."
To answer him i smacked my shirts chest and using alchemy the ordinary clothes i was wearing turned into a black, silver lined suit with a puffy white shirt and loose collar. On my front pocket a sigil of a silver hawk with a purple snake chasing each other was in full display.
"This acceptable?"
"Dashing. Come along." Despite his lack luster answer i did follow after him leaving the courtyard.
Walking down the corridors the servants glared at me for walking beside Chris. It makes sense as I'm basically making a statement that I'm on equal standing with him to them all.
"Psst!" Looking down Chris was tugging my glove "can you show me?"
Without a word i pushed up my glove to my fingers showing him the [first horseman sigil.] i was never certain of what it was before Arthur told me the horseman of the apocalypse exist here but now i do I'm left wondering if its some sort of curse or a blessing.
Still though. To think those figures mentioned in an ancient book from earth would be relevant here. Maybe they were involved in Earths great collapse as well. But then why would i have one of their marks?
Once Chris finished looking at the tattoo i put the fingerless glove back on "your parents let you get a tattoo?" Chris was green with envy.
"Not really. Its more like a curse-mark than a tattoo." Isaac was trying to twist his head to view my hand but was forced to stay looking forward when several guests came into eye view.
"Then how'd you get it? Its not like it just appeared one day, right?" I stayed silent "right?" I winked at Chris and his jaw fell to the floor "awesome! I want one too!"
Laughing at his child-ness i placed my hand atop his hair "we will just see how lucky you can get then."
"Don't touch my hair! My mother trapped me for 10 minutes trying to do this!" Not listening I continued to mess up his refined hair "hey!"
"There, much better." Pulling out a mirror i showed him his new hairdo. "You look more like a man now." It looked much better than his previous rigorously brushed hair and looked more natural as if some hair gel had been placed in it to lift up his hair.
"...its not terrible." Chris grumbled as i put away the mirror. His eyes then looked up at me in silence before speaking "your acting a lot different than earlier."
"How so?"
"You were angry before. Now its as if that anger never existed. What did you do?"
scratching the back of my neck i questioned how to respond. Saying i had an otherworldly being in my head controlling my emotions wouldn't be very believable regardless of the fact I'm also a reincarnated royal knight who turned into a wandering story teller before dying.
"I'm not too sure myself. My mana suddenly spiked and i was back to normal."
Chris had an an unsatisfactory expression but seeing the fake confusion on my own face he didn't push further.
Isaac finally stopped walking and i noticed we were outside ballroom i was in earlier.
"We are going to wait for my granddaughter now, Cayde. You can go on inside."
"Grandpa~ i want to go with him! Why do i have to wait for Alma?"
"Because its needed as a show of status Chris."
The two continued arguing as i was already halfway through the doorway. Some of the elven nobles were surprised to see me. Some avoided me while most didn't seem to care for my presence which made things simpler.
Walking through the crowds of adults i tried to find a group to be sociable with but from what i could see there were no boys my age here. Most were 17 or older talking about betrothal gifts like flowers and rare jewels as they flaunted what they had brought along.
'I think things are going to turn into a civil war soon.' Thorn finally spoke showing he had woken up though i wondered how long.
Seems like it. Spinning myself around i saw just how many boys were holding rare items from other nations making sure their suits and hairstyles were impeccable. Alma is going to have a lot of fun today.
'Ah~ marriage. The human version of getting consent before selling yourself as a slave.'