"So, Aryn has stolen your little heart then, Asteria?" Titania asks with a smile.
Asteria slams her hand on the table. "No it's not like that. I just wanted to give him something of equal worth!" she refutes.
Utrix laughs while The Princess consults Asteria not to further involve herself with Aryn.
Utrix sets his mug down. "You all are in some serious shit. The academy aside, Regin is a man who has been climbing his way up to power for years. He will retaliate with force to get what he wants. The most likely being, you two brothers punished and the girls for his use," he states.
That could be a problem, but Aryn and I can just leave the city; not like there's anything to keep us here.
"Regin is indeed a devious one." Titania sighs. "Well… for the time being, you may stay here. I'm not able to protect you if Regin goes to his aristocrat friends, though."
The following minutes are mostly silent as we contemplate possible courses of action. Well, all of us except Aryn; he continues to have his fill of food and ale.
"Can you take this matter seriously!?" Isla snaps.
Aryn continues to eat and drink, not seeming concerned about the situation. I figured he agreed with me. It doesn't matter to us what happens in the city.
Aryn stops eating. "If the academy does retaliate, then we just destroy them," he proclaims.
The rest of them looked bewildered that he would even say a statement like that. I sigh. I guess this means Aryn wants to stay involved with these people.
Utrix stands. "Are you seriously saying that you can destroy Avalon Academy, one of the most important factions in Avalon?" he asks.
Aryn finishes his chicken, then chugs his cup of ale. "If need be," he responds.
Utrix and Titania no longer looked shocked; instead, they seem concerned for Aryn.
"Well, it's already night.," Aryn says as he stands. "Let's head to bed and discuss more in the morning."
He heads upstairs. Titania offers to show the girls to their room. I nod at Utrix as I stand to head upstairs; I just hope I don't have to deal with this shit for much longer.
8
ISLA
I awaken at the same time as Asteria; she greets me with a tiresome smile as she sits up and stretches. I do not know if it was due to the current circumstances… or this unbearable bed, but I was unable to have a peaceful night's slumber.
I get out of bed and proceed to do my morning stretches.
"Do you always stretch in the morning?" Asteria asks.
I smile. "My wet nurse constantly told me, if you do not have a limber body, you may strain your body in a life or death situation," I explain. “But then again…my wet nurse did partake in adventures when she was in her younger years.”
Asteria joins me in my routine; she gets the forms right with little instruction. For the daughter of a prosperous merchant, Asteria has a well-conditioned body.
After we conclude the routine, we proceed to get dressed.
"You have such a pretty complexion," Asteria remarks.
I look at Asteria, who is gazing at me like a kid would at a porcelain doll.
"I am told that I bear a striking resemblance to my mother. You see, she was a high elf, which is an elf that is born with the blood of the Celestials in them," I begin to explain.
Asteria sits on top of the bed; she has an earnest look on her face as she listens.
"Since high elves are born with the blessings of the Celestials, they have unparalleled beauty and unfathomable mana," I continue. "However, my mother was just one of my father's countless wives… I cannot say if there was love involved between them. My mother died after birthing me. The only other information I have been told is that I inherited her magic," I conclude.
I look up to see Asteria's eyes fill with tears. Did I say something to upset her? I was under the suspicion that births such as mine were normal in all countries.
Asteria walks over and embraces me. I do not understand why, but… I feel a slight warmness.
We chat as we finish dressing, then proceed downstairs.
"Hello, lovelies," Ms. Titania greets us. "The boys are eating breakfast; sit down and I'll bring some servings."
Asteria and I make our way to the table where Mr. Utrix and Barin are seated. Mister Utrix smiles at us; he gets up and proceeds to seat us.
It would seem that Mister Utrix is well educated on how to conduct yourself in the presence of esteemed ladies. Barin just gives us a glance and nod before putting more food in his mouth.
"Is Aryn still sleeping?" Asteria asks as we pull up to the table.
Mister Utrix gets an annoyed look on his face as he sets his cup down. I look towards Barin for insight on the situation; I can see he has a little smirk.
Mister Utrix coughs." Well, as it were to happen, Aryn decided to go for a walkabout the town," he informs us.
That imbecile, to ramble about in a place lurking with enemies. Barin chuckles a bit while he eats. "Why didn't you try to stop him?" Asteria asks.
That is an excellent question; I recall Mister Utrix being able to stop Aryn at the arena. Indeed, Aryn is not stronger than someone that even the Avalon Academy reveres.
"Why not use your magic on the fool? Have you not shown yourself to be capable of detaining the fool?” I question.
"Well, you see, Titania doesn't allow magic in the inn," Mister Utrix says while averting his eyes.
So out of the graces of the owner, Mister Utrix let that fool leave. As expected, he is a man of virtue and upstanding behavior like I thought.
"Then why not wrestle him to the ground or something…surely the three of you could have detained him?" Asteria questions.
Well certainly, it is because Mister Utrix did not wish to damage this place.
"He tried to stop Aryn from leaving, even punched him a few times," Barin says.
Mister Utrix seems to cover his face from embarrassment.
Is what Barin said accurate? If so, I would assume he probably does not want us to know he lost his composure dealing with the fool.
Titania brings Asteria and me our food and beverages; she sits beside me and engages us with light conversation. We spend some time with idle talk about each other and aspirations. Even Barin tells a few stories and talks about fascinating knowledge.
After we eat, Titania informs us that it would be wise for us to stay inside for the day and not draw the eyes of the Academy.
"I wouldn't mind having a couple of girls around that I can talk with for the day," Ms. Titania says with glee.
As per Titania's judgement, we stay in the inn to pass the day. With all that has transpired these past two days, I seem to find myself enjoying the time with these people. The day is tranquil and rather pleasant, not having to worry about anything other than our conversations.
Before too long, the fool makes his way through the doors. "Where have you been?" Mister Utrix asks, meeting the fool at the door.
The fool looks at Mister Utrix and smiles. The fool then makes his way over to the table. He smiles and nods at us, proceeding to make his way to Barin.
The fool reaches for the food on Barin's plate. Barin slaps his hand away. The fool goes for a cup of ale, and yet again, Barin slaps his hand. The fool pouts, then proceeds to turn around.
"Any food left in the back?" the fool asks.
He then makes his way to the door leading to the kitchen.
"What are you planning on doing back there, doll?" Ms. Titania inquires.
The fool does not respond to Ms. Titania as he closes the door behind him.
After a brief time of silence, we hear the ruckus of metal clanging and the smell of wood-burning. Not long after that, a delightful fragrance begins to permeate into the room. Everyone at the table is intrigued about what could be giving off such an aroma.
"I don't recall any spices that smell like that back there," Ms. Titania remarks.
The fool comes out with a platter of food. The aroma intensifies the closer the fool gets to
the table. Ms. Titania and Mister Utrix follow the plate as the fool passes by.
The fool makes his way to the end of the table and takes a seat, precariously placing the dish down. I must admit… the food the fool has cooked looks marvelous; the aroma is tantalizing my tongue.
I compose myself. It is unbecoming of one as myself to act as if I have never seen food. I do my utmost to retain my etiquette, but I feel my mouth begins to salivate.
"His wits and actions aside, Aryn is an outstanding cook," Barin remarks as he takes some food from the fool's plate.
Barin and the fool start eating. As the two of them eat, I notice the others are peering at the platter. The three of them make no effort to conceal their gazes. The fool seems to detect my gaze.
"Would you all like a taste?" he asks.
Mister Utrix and Ms. Titania make their way over to the fool; they are the first to take some food from the serving dish. Ms. Titania brings the fork to her nose and inhales the aroma the food is exuding. She takes a moment to inspect the food first before eating. Mister Utrix, on the other hand, fearlessly consumes the portion he took.
Their faces are overtaken with a look of surprise. Ms. Titania and Mister Utrix are both taken aback by the fool's cooking. It would seem the food is repulsive, despite its glamourous appearance.
"This is divine!" Ms. Titania exclaims.
Mister Utrix seems to agree with Ms. Titania's assessment as he eats another forkful from the fool's plate.
The fool laughs, then cuts a piece of meat and puts it on the end of his fork. The fool then proceeds to lean forward to Asteria, reaching the fork toward Asteria's mouth, trying to feed her.
"What are you doing?" Asteria asks.
That is an excellent question; who would want that fool to do something like that?
Asteria appears flustered by the fool's actions. The fool looks at Asteria and smiles. I have only known the fool for a short time, yet I already find myself despising that little grin of his.
"Well, if you're insisting, then I will try it," Asteria remarks.
Asteria is much too kind to the fool; she is either coddling him as if he were a little kid, or she is aloof to the fool's parasitic ways and needs my guidance.
Asteria reaches for the fork, but the fool pulls away for some reason.
She looks at the fool with a confused look…was the fool trying to make a joke of her? The fool points at Asteria's mouth; she appears to understand what he meant as she opens her mouth. The fool, once again, leans towards Asteria… to feed her the food himself.
Asteria eats the food from the fork, her cheeks turning red as she covers her mouth.
I would be embarrassed as well if I were to do something like that.
It must take a toll on Asteria to be so sweet, even towards the fool. While she chews, her eyes slowly fill with delight. Seeing Asteria's reaction, the fool tries to feed her another piece. Unwilling to be embarrassed again, Asteria takes the fork from the fool.
"This is very tasty. What dish is this?" Asteria questions.
The fool begins to eat as the other three continue to help themselves. "Some old lady taught me this recipe some time ago. Supposedly, she was an artisan," the fool remarks.
As they continue to eat, they converse about different dishes they enjoy. I inform them about the delicacies of elven cuisine. Barin and the fool have traversed a surprising amount of the land, considering their age.
In the midst of the conversation, the fool glances at me. "You want a bite too, don't you, Isla?" he asks.
I sneer at the fool, then turn my head to show my disgust. For him to assume that someone of my standards would eat his food is outrageous.
"You know, I think you'd be much prettier if you'd smile more," the fool remarks.
The nerve of this imbecile! I turn to let the fool know of the acrimony that I have harbored since he appeared in front of me; and what his place in the world is in relation to mine.
Just as I open my mouth, the fool puts a forkful of food on my tongue. Before I realize it, I instinctively start to chew. I want to spit it out, yet the flavor overtakes me, and I continue to eat it.
It is rather peculiar. While eating the food, I am overcome with a familiar feeling… have I have this dish before?
The four of them look at me, waiting for my judgement on the fool's dish.
"I suppose it is palatable enough dish for a fool to have cooked it," I respond.
My response makes Ms. Titania and Mister Utrix chuckle, as if they know something that I am unaware of. Asteria and the fool smile while Barin continues to eat the food.
I find these people to be rather unusual; they are happy and lively, despite the vengeful eyes of the Academy focused upon them. Looking at them enjoying themselves despite the situation, one might say it is a blissful scene.
Suddenly, there is a loud banging on the inn's door that disrupts the mood. Ms. Titania goes to answer; as she opens the door, someone puts a bouquet in her face and steps inside.
"Sorry to disturb you, Titania," the man says.
Ms. Titania welcomes him inside. He is an aged man with a rather sophisticated look on his face. From the way the man carries himself, one can tell he is from a reputable background.
The man makes his way to our table, accompanied by Ms. Titania. He must have completed Ms. Titania's trial to enter the inn.
He stops once he reaches the table. "These are the people I am here for, Titania," he states.
He scans over us as if he is gauging our strength and capabilities. His eyes stop once he reaches the fool. "Have a feeling that you are the biggest troublemaker," he remarks.
The fool looks up from his plate and waves, his mouth full of food. If I were to assume, this man is here due to yesterday's event.
Ms. Titania puts her hand on the table. "Would you mind telling me what exactly is going on, Kal?" she asks the man.
The man takes a chair and proceeds to sit at the table with us. Ms. Titania brings him a mug of alcohol. The man sighs, then downs the cup of ale.
"First of all, my name is Kaliester. I am the General of The Royal Knights," he informs us.
I look at the others for an explanation about who this Mr. Kaliester is, but the only one who appears not to be confused is Asteria. She seems to be in a state of dismay, in fact. So, I look towards Ms. Titania for an explanation.
Seeing this, Ms. Titania crosses her arms. "The Royal Knights are the most elite of the army. Not only do they oversee all warfare, but they directly guard The King himself," she explains.
It would appear that a rather important figure has come to greet us this day. I wonder why someone of Mr. Kalister's caliber would be here in person. Why not send a squadron of knights to apprehend us?
"The important matter," Mr. Kaliester continues, "is that I am here on behalf of His Majesty to arrest your four and bring you to a royal hearing."
As I thought, this is about the commotion Barin and the fool caused at the Academy. Headmaster Regin, more than likely, told of the matter to the King of Avalon. I can comprehend why Headmaster Regin would hold a grudge against the brothers for their actions, but if that is the case, I do not see why Asteria and I should have to be reprimanded too.
"I do not want you bringing trouble into my establishment, Kal," Ms. Titania scolds.
She glares at Mr. Kaliester after making the statement.
Mr. Kaliester leans back in the chair and rubs his eyes. "You need to understand my position. I am the General of The Royal Knights. I will not disobey any command given to me by my King," Mr. Kaliester replies.
Mr. Kaliester stands and makes his way over to the fool, who is still eating. The fool stops eating and looks up at Mr. Kaliester. Smiling, the fool offers some food.
Reaching to his belt, Mr. Kaliester grabs a pair of shackles. He proceeds to take the fool by the wrist and clamp the shackles upon him.
"By orders of His Majesty, I Kaliester, place you under arrest," Mr. Kaliester informs the fool.
Mr. Kaliester goes to move the fool, but the fool remains in his seat. This causes Mr. Kaliester to become irritated and use more force to remove the fool.
He lifts the fool out of the chair. "If you persist in this act of defiance, you will not be able to lessen the severity of your sentencing!" Mr. Kaliester barks.
The door flies open as a group of knights hastily enter.
"Is everything all right, sir?" one of the knights asks.
Mr. Kaliester releases the fool. "I believe everything is under control now," he remarks.
The fool sits back down as the knights make their way to the three of us at the table. They clasp shackles to our wrists; the three of us cause no resistance. The three of us do not act as the fool did; we understand that this event will be favorable if we do not cause ill intent.
Once the shackles are locked, the inscription for mana negation appears upon them.
The knights affix particular shackles onto the fool that wrap around his arms with chains. The knights then put a collar around the fool's neck… with an inscription I fail to recognize.
"I do hope you realize why I must take these certain measurements.," Mr. Kaliester says to us. "The four of you were able to fight off the best of Avalon Academy; you brothers fought and even killed one of the country's heroes." He points at the fool. "And if accounts from the teachers are true, this one is unafflicted by physical attacks," Mr. Kaliester finishes.
Mr. Kaliester then proceeds to the door, with the knights marching us along behind. As soon as we exit through the door, we are greeted by a crowd. We begin to make our way down the main road towards Avalon castle. For the entirety of the walk, the people stop to gawk and murmur.
After some time of walking, we reach the castle's outer walls. The walls are just like the cold stone walls that encircle the city. These walls give off a more foreboding feeling than the city walls.
Avarice Twilight Page 7
