Tessia Pov:
After the little incident with Arthur when I couldn't sleep alone his room was always locked. It doesn't matter if he was in his room or not it was locked. Grandfather and his mother had each one key to wake him up. Therefore I couldn't do that anymore but it seems that grandfather teased him every morning by remembering him what happened that day. But why isn't it okay for us to talk until we fall asleep many kids do that right. Or at least I have heard stories about that from others. I never had friends until Arthur and Nico arrived, but they are talented in everything. I have to grow more to stand beside Arthur and of course Nico as well.
I don't know why but it seems like Arthur knows a lot about me. Can he read my mind? Did he ask the others? It doesn't matter as long as it isn't the first possibility. And Nico is kind but distant why tough when I asked him he didn't give me an answer.
Today is the day when I invite the two to go to the city with me. I know that Alea and Aya were inviting them quite often but I was never allowed to go with them. But today is different. Grandfather is out and so are mom and dad. I can go and ask them if they want to come with me and if they ask if I am allowed to I can say anything since nobody can say anything against it. Let's do it.
"Hi Art and Nico do you want to come with me?"
"With you where to the garden, library or somewhere else?"
"Somewhere else of course I am allowed to go outside with you." They looked at each other it seems like they are communicating but are not saying anything.
"Are you really Tess?"
"Y-yes of course. 'Why do you have to ask I don't want to lie to you.'
"You know it is not nice to lie and people don't like people who lie."
My heart broke. 'Why do I feel like that when he tells me that some behaviour of mine makes me less likable or attractive or less approachable.'
"I-I... I sniff just wanted to go outside with sniff you two just once."
I turned back and decided to go back to my room. I couldn't stay there longer and look at them. I felt warm do I have a fever no I am being embraced.
"See much better. Of course we will go outside with you."
"Sorry but I have to pass." Came the response from Nico
"But why?" I kind of felt happy and sad at the same time.
"First of I have something to do. Second someone has to have your back. If someone asks I can tell them that you went to the library and lastly how could I intrude on a date?" When he said that I could feel Art stiffen up and I couldn't hide my embracement.
"Nico not you too can't you guys just give us a pause please."
"No not a chance. Now go and have some fun before they are back."
We nodded and headed outside into the town. It is so lively and I have no idea from where but Art seems to have quit a lot of money.
"Where do you have that from?"
"What do you mean?"
"The money"
"Ah that is stolen."
I stopped and looked at him. It didn't seem to be a joke how could he. My food was paid by stolen money. No that couldn't be he isn't such a person. I don't believe it. "You are joking right. TELL ME THAT YOU ARE JOKING."
"Sigh" He just sighed and explained. "This money is stolen yes but it was stolen from Agrona my biological father. He wont mis it and doesn't deserve it either. So where is the problem. Mother took it when she fled here. I have it since I have an ability similar to a dimensional ring. Just bigger. I have about as much gold in here as the three royal families posses combined. Or at least I think so."
When he said that I needed some time to digest the information. But then it clicked he had more money then even my parents. He could be called the richest person on the continent. I need to hurry up to make him mine. What am I thinking again Tessia you are a princess show more dignity.
"Hey you human what are you doing next to the princess of Elenoir?"
"If you are talking to me then I am accompanying her on a walk through the city why do you ask?"
It seems I am unneeded to handle this noble child.
"What do you mean why would she ever associate with someone like you. Is he threatening you lady Tessia? Don't worry I Feyrith Ivsaar III will save you from this lowborn filth."
I could hear the other laughing and feel myself getting aggravated by this idiot who knows nothing about Arthur and just expects him to be some evil persona. But then something that frightened me happened.
"So what you are saying is that you want to beat me up? If I am correct in elven culture it is common to ask for a duel in such situations. So I challenge you to a duel. And because I am a gentleman I will let you go first."
"You seem to know your place at least so get beaten up and endure it."
He chanted quite some time. I seem to forget how out of the world the two are since Nico doesn't chant and Arthur uses wide range attack while being an augmenter. Then a stream of water shot towards Arthur which evaporated when it came close to him. What happened? But Arthur didn't let Feyrith understand what happened. Instead he raised his hand and black tendrils started to form on his fingertips. I wanted to stop him since I have seen what this spell can do. It shoot through walls and mana strengthen objects without problems. But he gave me a wink to which I could feel my cheeks heat up. Feyrith on the other hand felt an other thing dread. Arthur shot his lightning toward him and to my surprise didn't pierce him. It latched onto him and dragged him to the ground. This is the same technique that made Aya unable to move.
"Is it my win?" he asked.
"Yes it is" I answered.
"Princess Tessia please wait I can still fight. This damn human must have cheated. I would never loose to a scumbag like him."
My blood boiled in anger. I shot him a glare to shut him up and said "he is my friend, a strong mage, my grandfather's disciple you can't even move your arm upwards. You should be happy that he used this spell to capture you or it would have gone right through you. So shut up and behave yourself or are you not a proud son of a noble. If you are start acting like one. Give the people respect, don't just interpretate everything so that it suits you. Observe the situation and act accordingly. Look at it objective with the facts. And most important grow up. Where is the difference between humans, elves and dwarves. There is no important difference. Think about that. Let's go Art. Art"
"Ah yes, I am coming."
"What is wrong you look happy."
"It is just that you acted so mature. Not like a scared little child anymore that is wonderful."
"I am no scared child and I am rather big for my age you know. Plus I had to grow up if I want to stay beside you when we are older."
He stopped and looked at me. Just then I realised what I have said. "I didn't mean it like that. I-it is just that Nico and you are so mature and talented, while I am nothing in comparison."
"I would rather like it if you meant it the other way. But yes you are right we are special and you don't have to force yourself to grow up faster. It might be more helpful but for yourself but most people our age might think that you are strange."
"What do you mean with you would rather like it the other way?" When I said that he became as red as a tomato. It seems he said that without realising it. He couldn't mean but what if he did. I have to gamble now or never. "And I don't care what others think about me as long as you don't hate me." My ears got all red and my face heated up. He looked away and seemed torn between two sided.
Arthur Pov:
'See easy as I said. Now take her and run away together two princesses on the run.'
'Shut up Regis it is serious we are not even five years old. If she would have started such things later it would be of no concern since I will tell or show her everything anyway. But I can't do that now.'
'You are right about that but when you show her everything then she will understand. Hopefully.'
'Hopefully?'
'Look I have a plan. You will show her the affection that she craves for and when the time comes you will tell her about your second life. I would tell her just before going to Ephiatos and afterwards show her everything. Since the Asuras will be out of Dycathen at that point in time you can show it to her without endangering her.'
'You are actually not as bad as I thought Regis'
'What do you mean bad. I am perfect the most powerful weapon ever created to serve the god killer personally.'
'Thanks for looking after me.'
I hugged Tess and told her that we will go to a quitter place. We decided to go in a restaurant, reserve a booth for us alone that was imbued with sound magic, sat down and ordered food.
"So Tess. I-i-I am not good with such things. Between Nico and I, he is the more expressive one and mor emotional one. What I want to say is that I might not show it but I like you. But I also know that it is not elven tradition to date but to become engaged and I am not ready for that. And I don't expect you to reciprocate those feelings since we know each other since a year and a half." As I said that I could swear Tess's mood first got higher and higher but then dropped extremely fast.
"Idiot. You are an idiot do you think I am ready to be engaged. Do you think because I am royalty this is easy for me. Don't you know me at all. And I like you too dummy if it weren't for you I wouldn't be here and I wouldn't have friends. Thanks to you I have confidence. And I don't care how long you need I will wate for you. We don't have to get engaged. We don't have to tell it anyone anyway. They would just torture us."
"You are right let start slowly and most importantly keep it secret."
As I said that she rushed towards me and gave me a long and warm hug. "Let's do that."
I hope the chapter is readable. I am even worse in writing such chapters since I enjoy the story of a book more and don't pay to much attention to love or similar feelings or how they were expressed to other characters. So if you want a love story then you are not right here but if you want to read it because you like tbate like me then it might be the right story. I will try to wrote better chapters than this one but don't get your hopes up just yet.