"There is never a time or place for true love, it happens accidentally, in a heartbeat, in a flashing, throbbing moment."
||Thana||
The sword swiftly glided across the stack of hay, creating a crunching noise. I repeated the action over and over again. While everyone else had been at work with their elemental abilities, Andreas and I have been focused on our swordsmanship.
"Start slowly at first." Andreas demonstrated to me, his hand at the hilt of his sword and swaying it back and forth across the haystack. I wiped sweat off my forehead and repeated the action. He smiled. "Good enough, you're getting the hang of it. Now start moving a little faster."
I picked up the pace and slashed at the haystack. "You're a natural." Andreas clapped.
"I had a bit of training before this." I said, blushing at the compliment. "But thank you."
We continued training once more as I picked up the pace and slashed my sword across the poor haystack. Behind us had been our comrades, creating a bustle of noise as they practiced. It was pretty incredible how people if various elements came together; Ace as a Soren, Ruby as a Blayze, Nico as a Dyzek, Xavier as an Asra, and Luke and Joel as Aeronwys, with one common goal. We were a group of misfits, really.
Before we knew it, a week had passed. And then another one. By now we had more materials than we needed in the hut. We had a crops and a few cattle outside the hut, cooking pot and various cooking materials, simple mattresses and quilts, and an actual table that stood up. If it hadn't been for our runs into the village square, we wouldn't have had any of this.
It didn't take me to long to face the fact that I was a criminal. The idea didn't ease my mind, but it kept food on the table and everyone warm.
I ran my fingers through my black hair in an attempt to keep it neat. I yawned and turned away from my reflection, where Ruby sat on her mattress playing hand games with Noah. She roared a laugh.
Noah has been with us since Ruby found him in the woods that one night, despite his uncertainty at first. Ruby absolutely adored him, and her attention slowly drifted away from bothering Nico, though that was never intentional.
Nico's attitude hadn't improved by much, though. He practically ignored the girls and only spoke to the boys when he deemed it necessary. Ruby had yet to confront him about this, I'm sure. She always confronted him.
"I won again!!" Noah cheered. Ruby smiled and challenged him again.
She lost the past 30 times, when will she learn?
"Ruby, when are you going to go train with the guys?" I asked, smoothing out the black skirt of my nightgown as I laid it out on the bed.
"In a bit." Ruby said while her eyes concentrated on the hand game being played. "I might not go, actually. I'm still a little mad at him."
Oh. Nico. I expected that.
"He's an interesting one." I giggled, slipping on a white tunic. I lifted my black hair from the back of the tunic, lightly touching my back. "He didn't apologies?"
"Nope." Ruby said, moving her hands rapidly as they met with Noah's. He giggled as the game continued. "And its pi---"
Noah gave her the look.
"Making me really angry." She continued. "The boy never learns."
"And considering he has you for an influence, it's surprising."
She then shifted her attention towards me, her hands still moving rapidly with Noah's. My god. "What do you mean by that?" She asked, her eyes narrowed.
"Nothing bad! Just that you're pretty special to him, I think, so I would assume he would---"
"Pfft." Ruby rolled her eyes. "Since when?"
"Well, for as long as I've known you guys, and I'm sure much longer than that."
Her lips thinned and her red eyes met mine once more. "No, I highly doubt that. He probably just owes it to my brother or something to protect me. Nico's never actually cared." I didn't think it was true, but I guess Ruby was to blind to see the obvious. "Speaking of which." Ruby continued, the game with Noah ending. She stood up from the mattress and reached for her pink shirt and father's jacket. "What do you think about my brother?"
Oh no. I knew she would ask this again. "Uh, what do you mean?"
"Do you likeeeeeeeeeee him?"
I mean, Ace was a great person. He was kind and actually cared about me. He was determined and courageous. And those eyes. No one could deny that he was attractive. Over the past few weeks he's been becoming stronger physically--- and I'm sure mentally as well. Sometimes my heart beat a little faster when I was around him. I don't think that meant anything though.
"No. I don't know." I shrugged and slipped on footwear. "I've never liked anyone."
Ruby gasped. "You've never had a single fancy for someone in your life?!?!"
"Can't say that I have. I've been in the castle my whole life, and though I've met many princes and nobles in my life I've never actually found someone I was fond of."
Ruby's mouth was agape. "My god you sinnnnneeerrrrr"
"I'm sorry, ok." I said, turning back into the mirror once more and staring at my reflection. My long black hair certainly didn't look the best, and the tunic hung to lose on my body. I looked worse than when I was being poked and prodded at as a kid...and I was always sick then.
"We'll find you a man then, don't worry." Ruby rubbed her hand on Noah's hair, straightening up a bit. "Maybe at the festival, before we, ya know, kill your mother." She paused. "I'm sure there's some attractive men there."
I sighed. But I knew them all already!
"Ok..." I gave up.
"Unless my brother is still on the table......?"
"You never know when to quit, do you?"
"Nope."
||Leona||
Tristan propped his elbow up on the table while a debonair smile was placed on his face. The blonde haired girl cringed behind the table."Hi, how you doing?"
Her button nose scrunched upwards in disgust. "You look filthy. What do you want from me?"
He looked downwards, then dramatically looking up, his green eyes appearing like a poor puppy dog. This, of course, wasn't the first time this has happened. I've seen plenty since I first became friends with Tristan.
"Why would I want anything?" Tristan paused. "Well, besides to take you out sometime."
"Get away from me you oaf." The blonde girl said through her heavy Teran accent. She nearly smacked Tristan in the face if Elliot hadn't pulled him back.
"Oaf?" Tristan rubbed the back of his neck as we walked away. "Well, that's certainly different then everyone else's responses..."
"Maybe its the Erwyn accent." Rilynn faced palmed.
Since arriving here two weeks ago, we've been struggling with communication since our accents made it all to clear where we were from. We mainly stayed in the forest and only came out for supplies every once in a while. Today was one of those days.
Honestly, I was surprised we weren't discovered yet.
"But the noble girls from the other day didn't seem to mind.''
"That's because you kept flexing your muscles every five seconds. And they had a thing for desperate guys."
Tristan pouted his lips. He looked like he was about to oblige---when he ran into a cart.
"Watch it!!!!!" A large man threw his fist up in the air and struggled to grab the melons that landed on the ground in front of him.
He cringed. "Sorry sir, you need help with that?"
The man's penetrating black eyes practically spoke for him. Tristan threw his hands up in defense and stepped backwards towards us.
"Idiot..." Elliot mumbled underneath his breath. I laughed.
"I hate you guys..." Tristan sighed as we kept walking.
||Lotus||
"Fucking hell." I through back my head in anger as the fish swam away. If there was one thing I couldn't do, it was fishing. The past seven fish escaped my grasp. Yet somehow I can defeat ten soldiers in less than fifteen seconds.
I sighed and laid on the dirt ground. My hunt for Noah has been going on for weeks now. I'm sure he's somewhere safe. At least, I hope he's somewhere safe.
He's the only human being I actually cared about. If something happened to him, I wouldn't forgive myself.
Walking through town has been difficult ever since the authorities have been keeping an eye out for me. I had nothing to do with the damn princess or her damn captors, why was I the one being punished?
Next time I run into those knights, I'll be sure to stab the living hell out of him.
Suddenly, the ground started rumbling at a quickening speed. I attempted to stand up, my brown boots barely holding grip on the ground. What in gods name could that have been?
I rolled my eyes, air whipping around my body and carrying me an inch or two off of the ground. I swiftly flew forward into the trees, swaying back and forth.
"Watch it, you blundering idiot!" A male voice hollered.
Water splashed.
"Calm down, he's just practicing! Unlike someone I know."
"What are you trying to say, huh?"
"That you're a lazy good for nothi---"
More water splashed.
When I made a temporary camp, I was so sure that no one was near the perimeter. Who could possibly be in the forest, anyway?
I peeked from behind a tree when three male figures came into view. Three familiar figures. One stood short for a man...probably around 5'5 or 5'6. His hair was in a brown mess. Olive skin and green eyes completed his appearance and stood out--- it's likely he is a dyzekian, which explained the ground rumbling like it was. The other two seemed to be in fist fight, the blonde one laying on the ground swinging a fist at his opponent on top of him. The one with ginger hair seemed to have the advantage as he swung his fist into the blonde one's face.
"Idiots." The short one rolled his eyes.
More people stood off close by, but barely paid mind to the brawl that had been occurring. I already knew who it had been--- the knights, and the people they had with him. And if they were here, so was Andreas.
I backed up an inch. I had to get out of here before any of them spotted me. I back away a step further, swiftly turning my feet around until I was facing the other direction.
"This was my favorite one!" A young male voice spoke. "Briar Rose!"
Briar Rose
A young male voice.
I shifted back again and peeked through the bush. I eyed the left sighed, where a hoard of people stood. A girl with brown hair and bright red eyes sat down, a person in her lap. He was short with sandy blonde hair, a book in his chubby little hands.
I dashed foreword, nearly tripping on the rock in front of me.
"NOAH!!!!!!!!"
||Myra||
I huffed as the next suitor walked in the throne room doors. The man was tall and so frightfully pale it looked sickly. His name had been announced, but I paid no mind to it as I looked at my nails. At least they looked marvelous.
"Good day, Princess Myra." He bowed and looked up at me with emerald eyes. "How do you do?"
Refraining from rolling my eyes, I faked a smile and replied. "I'm doing wonderful, and how about yourself?" Though I didn't care in the slightest.
He smiled. "Excellent now that I see you."
Yawn.
"Myra, darling." Mother looked at me with her wicked dark eyes. "What do you say to Harold?"
"I'm pleased to make your acquaintance, and flattered I have made your visit excellent." I repeated the lines I have said over and over again for the past two days.
Mother nodded in approval.
A week ago, mother decided it would finally be best to find me a suitor. When we found Thana---if we found Thana, that is, though mother does believe she's out there alive somewhere--- she wants me out of the castle married to a noble as soon as possible so Thana and Owen can rule side by side.
A snort of laughter came out of Owen. "No you're not, he's frightful"
"I beg your pardon?"
"You look like a toad. Do you have the plague or something?"
Harold's adams apple bobbed. "I am a very healthy man, I'm glad to inform you that I am not diseased with the plague."
"She doesn't look interested, now does she?"
I did have a repulsive look on my face, I just knew it. Harold glanced at me, a slight sadness in his eyes. The impulse to laugh slowly bubbled up, but I held my tongue. "I suppose not. It would be out of my place to ask for your hand in matrimony. My dearest apologies." With that, Harold shuffled out of the throne room.
Mother instantly turned her head towards Owen and I. "What is wrong with the two of you!"
Owen chuckled. "I couldn't help it, the guy looked like a complete wreck! I swear--- I think he has the plague or something--- I'm ashamed to even think that he is a noble!"
Mother grunted. "He also happens to be the son of the richest noble family in all of Aldema! You should be aware of this out of the three of us, Owen!"
"If I was" Owen propped his feet up on the back of a maid, whose hands and knees violently shook on the ground. "I'd be a loser."
"Well, the next one who comes in, I expect you to be on your very best behavior. He is a prince from the small kingdom of Aquris."
Last I heard, mother hated Aqurians. Long ago, Empress Adair of Erwyn's second child, Princess Orla, fled the kingdom with her king in search of a peaceful realm. From the ashes of an old kingdom, Aquris was born, the home of a very small population with no army of any sort. They were doomed from the start, I assume.
Owen rolled his eyes. We were in for a real treat.
"Please welcome Prince Loucan of Aquris." In stormed a tall man, red eyes with flickering gold and yellow and blonde hair that curled. He wore a dark blue, the color of Aquris. He was absolutely stunning, though I was supposed to hate Aquris people with a burning passion. At least- I thought I was, until mother found him a compatible suitor for me.
"Good day, Princess Myra." He bowed. My heart felt like it was about to explode, turn inside out, and go upside down.
"Greetings, Prince Loucan." I straightened my posture. "How do you do?"
"Wonderful, the ride here was pleasant." The corners of his mouth turned upwards. Great, his response didn't want to make me regurgitate. "And how are you this fine afternoon?"
"Alright." I said, smiling for the first time in a week.
Not my longest chapter, but enough to get the ball rolling I guess. I appreciate feedback!