Friends Stick Together
The group in the Swan Castle gathered around a big table with a map on the top of it. There were also several magical books placed aside. Cyclops was the one who was using the books telling others more about the history and ancient stories. They needed to know who were they fighting against.
"Lancelot was mentioning Argus..." Odette said looking at others. She was waiting to hear their oppinions but they didn't answer so she continued: "I mean, he has reason why he'd need the book and a very obvious goal."
"I guess so... But are you sure you can trust what Lancelot said after all of this? He could have been lying about that just as he probably lied about his real intentions about the book!" Rafaela said crossing arms.
Cyclops and Tigereal were just looking through the big old books. They seemed to make a pretty good team together, both crazy for books and big hearted, always ready to help. The biggest difference was the size. Three Cyclops could stand one on the top of other to reach Tigereal's height.
Hylos listened carefully to all they were saying and after some thinking said his final oppinion on this little argument. "Rafaela, I can see you hightly dislike him but I have to slide with Odette on this one. That is the only clue that we have for now."
Rafaela just frowned slightly before Odette said: "You know what... Maybe we all need a break... Why don't we get ourselves something warm to drink? This is requering a lot of energy."
Hylos immediately agreed. "That would be very nice." He said with a smile. Rafaela also nodded, getting up from the chair she was sitting on. She was ready to go do it herself but Hylos stopped her. "I'll do it. Don't worry Rafaela."
With that, he left the room. The angel was touched by this sudden act of kindness. She appreciated it. Just as Hylos closed the door, Tigereal and Cyclops found out something interesting in one of the books. It was hard to tell which of them was more hyped about it.
Cyclops quickly jumped towards the two ladies. "Hey! you've got to see this! Or hear!" He said a bit too loudly. He placed the book in front of Odette and Rafaela. "Listen up here! The big guy and I have successufly read what is this ancient prophecy saying."
Tigereal joined the conversation there. "And it is talking about something rather interesting and possibly usefull and important for us right now!" He said with a wide smile.
Odette just hurried them up. "So?! What are you waiting for? Talk!" She said curiously before the room went quiet. The silence seemed to last for an eternity since the situation was this thrilling.
Cyclops then cleared his thoat and started: "According to this text, the fallen angel will rise against forces of both light and dark. It is said that a book would give him enormous power and that not a single man or woman could beat him. Years and wisdom aren't enough."
Odette and Rafaela watched in shock. "That is not really positive!" The Swan Princess said. "I mean, didn't it say something like 'oh, yeah, and he'll be so powerful that nobody in this world will be able to beat him! Yay!' That didn't sound good." She said crossing arms.
Cyclops rolled the one eye he had but Tigereal was faster in giving the reply: "Hey. This is just saying what will happen if everything continues as it does but maybe we can change it... Or maybe..." He thought out loud before the door opened once again as Hylos walked in with a tray filled with five smoking cups filled with green tea.
"So, what did I miss?" He asked as he gave one cup to each person in the room. "One for you, for you..." He then walked up to Odette. "And one with milk and extra sugar for you." He said with a smile.
Odette's eyes widdened and she asked: "Ow... How did you know exactly how I like tea??" She was surprised and amazed but instead of an answer, he just mysteriously smiled.
Rafaela then said: "Okay, enough about the tea! Let's focus on the plan." She quickly informed the centaur about their discovery and they spent the rest of the afternoon discussing about it. The sun was already way past the top of the sky, the middle of its path. It was already dancing towards the final stage where it would light up the stage in thousands of colours when the four made the final decision.
"So... Is this final? Are we really going to ride right into the capital of kingdom of light and ask to talk to Freya, the most powerful and famous valkyrie of the world?" Rafaela asked, still not believing this was happening.
Hylos said: "Yes... Except one little detail. I'll do it by myself." That sentence shocked everybody who was in the room. They all gave looks of disapproval. He just sighed deeply and tried explaining himself. "Look. I don't want to endanger all of you and besides, I think that if they're going to listen to anybody, it'll be me."
Odette nodded. "I understand but I just feel like it wouldn't be okay to leave you travel alone." She said. "I'm going with you. And there is nothing you can say against that, that was an order and as long as you're in my castle, you'll listen to my orders." She said.
Rafaela gazed at Cyclops and Tigereal before saying: "Then I'm going to stay here. Somebody need to take care of the castle while you're gone, my princess, and I could even use some help." She said that reffering to the other two men that were standing next to her.
The one-eyed astronomer smiled a little. "I have to stay and take care of library. I'm gonna stay with her, and Tigereal could help me with some things about it. I just wonder why did he never come to the library before..." He mumbled.
Tigereal scrathed the back of his neck. "Probably because the entrance was blocked by a spell, locked by a lock and I was put on guard on the completely opposite side of the castle." He said.
Cyclops and he laughed while Odette looked over at Rafaela. She pulled her into a tight embrace. They were very close friends so the princess just used this chance to say: "I'll be back... soon, I hope and until them... Look after my lake for me..."
***
Finally, the three, who really had the book everybody was making such a fuss about, have been travelling almost whole night and just few hours before the dawn they reached a small hut in the woods. It was near the elf territory, just about an hour of walk away from it. The hut was covered in green moss and looked like it was one with nature. Its chimney was hidden inbetween the branches and leaves of nearby trees yet the gray ashy smoke could be easily seen above it.
Alucard said: "Here we are." He then knocked on the door. "Ruby! I'm here!" He called. After few moments, a small window on second floor opened and a bloody red eye stared through it. After it blinked several times, a growl could be heard along with sound of something falling on the ground before somebody started running downstairs.
A girl quickly opened door and jumped to Alucard giving him a big and warm hug. "Alu!!" She yelled happily. He felt like a squeezed toothpaste tube. After a moment or two, her grip lessened and the man hugged her back. "Yes, it's nice to see you again too..."
Hayabusa and Kagura gazed at each other chuckling slightly before they focused the two again. Ruby then returned their gaze. "What are you staring at?" She asked, pulling Alucard closer again and stepping inbetween him and the other two. She acted like a overprotective girlfriend.
Kagura chucked before Hayabusa made things clear. "Don't worry, we are not here to steal him from you."
Alucard added: "They've actually saved me last night while I was going through the western woods."
Ruby gazed at him, then at Kagura, then at Hayabusa and once again at Alucard. "Ok!" She said before pulling away and offering them all a warm sweet smile. They could see her red hood and dress underneath with some white lace, her hair was somewhat light brown and one of the first things that they could notice was a heart-shaped eyepatch, also red of course.
"Come in, what are you waiting for?" She asked grinning. "I've just been making a nice little wolf soup, would you like to try it?" She asked with a big smile.
"Actually... We're in a hurry and we just needed some clothes so they don't attract unwanted attention..." Her friend said, leaning against the wooden wall of the hut.
"Oh! Sure! And do you need something to wear. I have made a new coat out of wolf skin... if you want it." She asked, her lips forming a small arch pointing upwards. She grabbed his arm and pulled him in the house. He almost fell but somehow managed to follow her inside.
After few moments, she returned to the doorstep and gazed at the Kagura and Hayabusa. "Are you two coming?" She asked.
The two then quickly got in the house and were stunned by the looks of it from the inside. Carpet made out of wolf skin, several wolf heads hanging on the wall. "This place is giving me creeps..." Kagura whispered.
Alucard was sitting on a sofa, also covered in wolf fur, drinking tea she had prepared for him. As a pleasant surprise, the tea wasn't made out of wolf skin too.
Ruby then walked to a wooden chest and opened it. There was some clothes she never wore mostly because she hated colour green and most of it was green. She took a dress from it that had beautiful green gemstones all around and some golden laces. There was also one tablecloth in the same style. Under it, there were few more dresses and then, something different. It was a suit made for males, it was orange and seemed pretty fluffy. She took it out along with the green dress and offered to Kagura and Hayabusa. "How about these. I think these are the best ones I have if you want to fit in." She said.
Kagura walked to her and took the green dress. "Looks fine I guess..." She said. "Um... Where can I change?" She asked.
Ruby showed them one empty room each. Hayabusa quickly got to changing but Kagura had a little idea. "Hey! Do you need the tablecloth? I'd like to cover my umbrella with it." She said.
Ruby nodded. "Oh, sure. Just take it, I'll give you a knife and enjoy! Do whatever you want with it." She said with a smile before litteraly pushing her in the room. She looked like she was in a hurry.
Once they were gone and changing, she quickly slid on the sofa next to Alucard. "So... How is life going? You haven't visited me for quite a while." She said. "I've missed you." She said, cuddling against him like a little kitty.
"Ruby... I appriciate your care and everything but you need to calm down a little... I've already told you I have a lot of work to do and I can't spend as much time with you as I used to when we were kids..." He showed no reaction to her cuddling against him. There was obviously a big difference between their ways of looking at each other.
"I know, I know... But is it that hard to come here when you're passing by and at least say a little 'hello' to me...?" She asked.
"It isn't ... I guess... But I'm not passing by often." He said scratching the back of his neck. "Besides, I did come today..." He said trying to seem a little better.
"Really? You looked like you came here because you needed my help. Tell me, for how long will it go on? I miss you..." She said. "No wolves I slay now can compare to the one we killed together when we were kids. I still have its tooth as a decoration on my scythe..." She said.
Luckily for Alucard, at that point, Hayabusa exited the room where he was changing in a new suit. He looked different, his hair wasn't covered by the cap any more and he looked like an ordinary man, maybe just a bit more fit than a normal man.
"This feels weird..." He said as he stretched his arms. "I can't move that well in this..." He said. "How can anybody run in something like this??"
Both Ruby and Alucard laughed. "It's easy - you don't. Elves are not really often in fights..." Alucard said. "Besides, if you'll have to run, you probably won't care for your appearance so you can rip it. I have gifted these to you and your little girl anyways.
He just rolled eyes crossing his arms as he put his normal clothes in a bag. While he was doing that, Kagura also finished. In the dress, she just looked different but no less beautiful. Also, her umbrella was now covered with the same green design and it looked like a nice set.
She also got a pair of red shoes with high heels. The problem was that she wasn't really stabile in them so as soon as she stumbled into the room, she lost her balance and almost fell but Hayabusa managed to take a hold of her before she did.
"You look beautiful." He told her while he was rising her back up. He set her up on her feet agains before asking: "So... Are we going to go or...?" He started looking at Alucard.
Judging by Ruby's expression, she didn't really like the idea but she couldn't do anything to change it. The two took their stuff and left. Outside of the house, they were waiting for the demon hunter to join them.
Before he could leave, Ruby hugged him and gave him a peck on his cheek. "Take care. And come to visit me again soon." She said before letting him go. She stood on the doorstep for few more minutes watching the party slowly disappear in the woods.