Previously: Rose landed gracefully in front of the Navy Blue Wolf and held out her hand for him to take. "Good thing we had a guide or we would have gotten lost getting here. I hope you aren't hurt. If you are, I can heal your wounds with my water magic." He reached out with shock written all over his face. "Just who are you?" Was all that came out of his mouth as he took her hand.
She smiled kindly as he pulled him up to his feet. "I'm Rose, what's your name?" Natuso, Viviana, and Sevas approached the stranger. "My name is Kurtz Razko." "Razko, eh? How unfortunate." His hair was grabbed violently and he was forced to his knees by a kick to the spine. Vlad charged up an attack as he prepared to slice off his head from his shoulders. His bloodlust was getting to his head. Rose noticed this in his eyes at the last second before he did the deed. She created a barrier of wind over the kid's skin and then kicked Vladimir in the gut. "Give us a second, Kurtz. I'll be right back. Guys, set up camp and cook us some food!" She grew her wings and flew into the distance where she kicked Vlad.
Kurtz looked back to see her flying after the creature of the night. He looked back at the group to see them setting up camp as if this was normal. He couldn't fathom what just happened, was his uncle just about to kill him? And just who on earth is this Rose girl that saved him. Nothing was making much sense, he had to implore some information from the party members of his uncle Valentine.
Vladimir's body went flying through several marsh trees. He landed in the ankle high mud and growled deeply as he sat up. He opened his eyes only to see Rose flying towards him. His eyes widened at her wrapping her arms around his neck. She sat there on his chest and grabbed his handsome bearded face. "I'm sorry for not noticing, please forgive me." She pressed her forehead against his gently. "Rose?" She grabbed the back of his head. She pushed it near the in-between place of her shoulder and neck. He was drooling at the smell of her delicious red. His saliva dripped out of his mouth as he contemplated on taking her offer. "Rose, I don't want to hurt you. Not anymore. The sight of me…" She relaxed her body and her arms fell to her side. "Take what you need, Vlad. I need you to come back to your senses. I can't have you turn against us. Fighting against you was hell. I don't want anyone else I consider a friend to experience that pain. We want to make this world free of such things in our new world. So whenever you need it, then ask me. We are soulmates, remember? If I can lean on you when I need help then you can do the same." He wrapped his arms around her small body and pulled her in close. "Thanks for the meal, Rose." His fangs grew in length as he opened his mouth fully. She closed her eyes and clenched her teeth at the feeling of his fangs piercing through her flesh. Her body shook in pain as his saliva dripped and poured out of his mouth. His fingers grew small claws as he continued to gulp down her addictive crimson. She was losing feeling of her body, his saliva was effecting her nervous system. His nails dug into her back as he started to lose control over himself. She was getting closer to deaths door. She didn't know he was this hungry and that his appetite was this large. Her body was starting to go limp. She reached out for her sword Azure and pulled it out just enough to use its electricity rune. They both were shocked violently. He pulled away instinctively and instantly saw what he did to Rose. His fear came true. His hunger for her blood took over. "Rose!?" She stopped herself from passing out and muttered softly,"I'm sorry for not noticing." She fell forward and passed out on his chest. "I still can't control myself around her." He touched her neck and healed it so no one could see he drank her blood. He held her close to his chest as he stood up. He covered her up with a blanket he retrieved from his void storage.
Vladimir returned with a fast asleep Rose In his arms. Everyone was sitting around a campfire eating grilled Crockadons. It seems like introductions already happened and the only ones out of the loop was Vladimir and Rose.
Rose woke up on the ground with her head properly raised by Vladimir's coat. He was nowhere to be found. She sat up and heard the chatter abruptly stop. Viviana and Natsuo were smiling happily at her waking up. Sevas was neutral in expressions and their new companion was shaking uncomfortably with nerves. "What's his deal? Are you cold or something?" "The Princess is talking to me!? Me of all people!?" "Who told him?" They all looked over at Kurtz as he started bowing his head excessively. "Please forgive me for being so rude! I'm from your kingdom searching for outside help to save our land from tyranny!" She leaned up against the tree log and started to eat some of the cooked Crockadon meat. "Tyranny, huh? You mean from the Emerald Tyrant?" "Yes!" "Will you please calm down, there's no need to shout." He bowed his head again. "Please forgive me." He whimpered like a wounded puppy. "Your a Cursed One, just like me?" He nodded his head and his fluffy tail behind his back started to wag. She drank some water and then said in a very serious tone of voice. Her calm and warm presence changed to come cold and calculating. "If you know about the situation of this and the next two kingdoms. Then tell us what you know. If it's so dire that you had to run all the way here to get help. Then this Emerald Tyrant must be pretty troublesome." The four of them looked at her in silence. Her way of speaking wasn't of a child but a natural born leader. They all looked Kurtz way. "Oh wow, you aren't what I expected at all." He said out loud by accident. He straightened out, still sitting on the ground. His ears perked up at the sound of her fierce voice saying,"Give me the report soldier!" "Yes, ma'am! Azalea & Rosiland kingdoms have mind controlled beasts and citizens roaming the streets of the main city searching for foes to fight. That includes Gareth your right hand and advisor." She looked at him sideways,"I have a retainer?" "Princess?" "Well you see I almost died and lost the ability to remember who I was and where I came from. I gradually remembered who I was but things about my past self are no longer available. I don't know anything about this world or my own kingdom. I have amnesia." They all looked at her surprised. "Oh that's right, I didn't tell you guys that either. Sorry about that, I guess I didn't get a chance to explain my situation. Well now I have." She looked down at the camp fire with sorrow. "I really do feel bad. The memories with all those people of my past. I don't have any recollection of who they are or what they mean to me. I feel like I'm missing something deep down. I hope you can be patient with me." She glanced up only to see them giving her a supportive and hopeful look. "Rose, you are our friend." (Viviana) "We have your back!" (Natuso) "I've only known you for a small amount of time but you have my full support. I'll do my best to help you gain knowledge about this kingdom the best I can." (Sevas) "Princess, I'll teach you everything I know about the Rosiland Kingdom! You have my sword as well! As one of your royal guards!" (Kurtz) She closed her right eye and smiled widely. Her warmth radiated off her body and soothed their souls.
Rose opened her right eye and the cold aura returned swiftly. "What else do you know, we have to have all the facts in order to create a viable plan." "Markus Razko the champion of the God of Knowledge aka Anubis was captured by the Emerald Tyrant. And Adam Vann Avalon the champion of the God of Hunt aka Artemis was captured by the villain of this kingdom. He calls himself Blitzkrieg Zefar, he's a Condemned and Kajin Ogre. Please help them, princess!" She went to say something but a dark hand grabbed her shoulder. A disembodied voice echoed throughout their heads. "What a shame they got caught. That's what they get for abandoned me when I needed their help." A creature of void baring his fangs near her neck came into view. "I hope they die." "How dare you, they are good…" "Good? Good what? Why did you stop? Is it because they aren't humans? People doesn't count for monsters and Cursed Ones, right?" Kurtz looked saddened. "If it wasn't up to Rose, I would kill you too. The Razko family means nothing to me." "Princess why are you hanging around such… trash?" Her magic went haywire and made the camp fire extinguish. He felt something creeping up his spine, it was pure fear. "He's my future husband you're talking so terribly about. Watch your tongue soldier. If you don't apologise to him right now then you may just lose your tongue. I can just easily steal all of your information by looking through your mind. And then easily kill you afterwards." They all bowed their heads by instinct. "Please forgive us all of our transgressions towards him!" She used her lightning sword Azure to rekindle the fire once more. "Vlad you are in the wrong about one thing." He set her down in the middle of his long legs and wrapped his arms around her small body. "Is that so? Mind explain why I'm wrong?" "They may have abandoned you in the past but they wouldn't dare to abandon their kingdoms and us all this time. I know you have a goal of revenge. But just think about it. Will killing them really make you feel better? The top three kingdoms are the most powerful of the rest of the 7 kingdoms. Which means you killing them now would be a strain on the power levels. And I want to learn more about these two Champions, Lilith must have sent this Adam guy to save Kurtz. But he got caught on purpose to let Kurtz escape. Markus Razko is from my kingdom. I want to learn more about everyone who is in power. I know you want to rip them to shreds. But I need them to live. Unless they warrant their own death with threats upon us. They must not parish." They all saw how he was looking down at her, it wasn't something kind. More like a grim reaper getting ready to steal her soul. He dragged his hand down his face and then scratched his beard as he grumbled deeply. "You drive a hard bargain, Rose. Can I at least get something good out of this request for my good behavior?" She leaned back and looked up. "Is marrying me and being able to live by my side, not enough?" He shook his head and bared his fangs. "No, I'm greedy." She made a thinking expression. "How about this, you get to kill the Emerald Tyrant. Oh and you get to have some more of your favourite blood." He started drooling at the request she offered. He shook his head. "I want one more condition." "You are such a pain." She couldn't think about anything and then she said via the mind. "I'll give you a kiss or maybe two kisses. If you behave yourself." He blushed bright red as an apple. "You wouldn't." "I would. By the time we are done with this damn war. I should be old enough to show you how much I love you. And not with just my words." He couldn't face her anymore and disappeared from sight. "Fine." She laughed out loud at his embarrassed reaction. "I knew that would get you to react." They all looked at her sideways in confusion as to why she was laughing.
Rose gained her composure and asked about Vladimir's kingdom. Kurtz responded with "Camelia kingdom was being plagued by a deadly sleeping spell. A legendary arachnid spider queen has made her nest in the castle." Rose got chills and looked disgusted. Natuso asked what was wrong. "I just really hate spiders. They are going to be giant? I don't think I'll be able to help you with that, Vlad. I will probably be sick the entire time." He was still too embarrassed to show his face so he spoke through a void Raven. It was resting on her shoulder. "Spiders are easy to kill, don't you worry about me. You will be too busy with your kingdom affairs." She rubbed the Raven's feathers. Causing Vlad's void Raven to blush. "You like that do you?" He made grumbling sounds via the mind. She giggled softly at his response. "We should get some sleep, we have a busy schedule ahead of us." She laid back down and closed her right eye.
The next morning came around and Vlad was still in her shadow working on something for her upcoming birthday. Another one is coming up, time has gone by way too fast. What seemed like a few months turned into several. But the one downside of not being in her old life is that there's no coffee. "Damn, I wish I could drink a nice cup of joe."
To be continued…