《Regarding The Life of A Certain Fallen Noble》


 Chapter one

    ---------------------------------------------------------------

    "Ha. . .Ha . . . Ha. . ."

    In a large open field was a boy, flat on his back, laying in an exhausted heap upon the ground.

    "Heh, well done, young master Lyle! Ahahaha, very well done!" A muscular man, tall and mountain-like, laughed heartily with praise in his eyes.

    He stared down at the boy, grinning wildly. He held a wooden sword in his hand.

    So did the boy. Though his was smaller and slightly light, the workmanship of both of the wooded weapons were excellent.

    Ther largest difference between the two right now was that while the man remained nearly spotless, the boy was covered with various wounds. Cuts, scrapes, bruises. Some not even acquired that day.

    Lyle looked at him with annoyance, too tired to even try to smack the man on his bald head. Not that he could even if he wasnt. Lyle hated losing to him.

    "Brother~!" A young girl''s lovely voice rang out.

    To his right an adorable young girl of around 10 or 11 wearing a light red gown raced across the open area rapidly with immense concern on her delicate, doll-like little face.

    Her light blonde curls swayed in the wind.

    Lyle suddenly found himself stared down at by a pair of eyes once again, this one a beautiful emerald color that was made all the more soul-catching as they began to mist at seeing him in such a state.

    "Brother, are you okay? Please dont die!" She cried, cradling his head.

    Ah, my dear sister, please don''t worry, this brother of yours isn''t so weak.

    Lyle consoled her in his mind. Though his body didn''t agree with his thoughts, currently.

    The man laughed. " Heh, It''ll take much more than this to kill the Young Master, Little Miss!"

    Lyle felt a cheek twitch. This bastard, he really wanted to hit him.

    The girl glared at the man hatefully, fearless.

    "Shut up! This is your fault! Everyday you take my brother and reduce him to such a sorry state, how mean, how cruel! Go die!"

    The man smile sheepishly, scratching his cheek in a show of embarrassment. " Ah, it seems i''m quite hated by Little Miss."

    He knew very well the Little Miss'' temper by now. He could only wait it out at this point. Though she can hold quite the grudge, he understood.

    "Of course, just look at him, look at what you did! My dear brother, ah, why do you insist on such useless--?"

    Hm, yup, it was time to step in. Lyle knew where this would lead if she continued.

    "Iris. " He called out.

    "Yes?" She answered dutifully.

    " You do this everytime. Don''t be so unreasonable towards Instructor A''daire, I''m the one who wanted this. Or do you think that I''m doing this because I like getting beat down? You think what I''m doing is useless?"

    He himself hated being reduced to this, but it was necessary. He couldn''t become some weak brat who let his family''s influence be all that defined him. Well, that was partly why he endured this... The other reason was more for Iris'' protection than anything else. Protection from himself.

    Did he not tell her that at the beginning of all this?

    Iris looked trouble, biting her bottom lip. " B-but brother, he-- To you, he. . ." She looked at him. Seeing his expression, she sighed. " Alright, I understand. Sorry." Iris sulked.

    Lyle smiled, satisfied, "Good. "

    He then painfully reached out a hand to pat her on the head. She grinned, pleased.

    A''daire looked at the two, dumbfounded. "Subdued so quickly?" He blurted.

    Iris glared at him once more at the interuption, making him go silent immediately.

    Just now, Lyle definitely felt a chill? How odd.

    "Brother, do you need help standing up?" Iris asked in worry.

    Lyle shook his head and slowly stood up. "That''s okay, I''m fine." He dusted off his clothes, a casual shirt and loose pants for ease of movement.

    "See? Never better!" Lyle grinned at her confidently.

    Of course, his mucles felt torn, and he thought he might fall over, but he gradually got used to the feeling and knew that given a bit of rest he would feel rather refreshed. The pain was the only indication he was getting stronger too. Not that he needed to get stronger, physically. Had he a normal physique this wouldn''t even be needed. Lyle went through all this specifically to control his strength, not increase it.

    But if this exercise didn''t make him feel pain then he supposed he wouldn''t be getting much benefit from it, he once read. You shouldn''t let your body get too used to any set workout, though. Hence the reason A''daire made him do various tiresome things each day, ranging from running laps, lifting weights, to a strange set of movements he said would increase flexibility.

    These were only some of the things he had Lyle do.

    Then it was time for sword training, which Lyle took quite seriously. Though the big man gave Lyle instruction on various types of weaponry. Still, swords were the main thing he was taught due to their versatility. Spears and knives also got more attention.

    He showed his sister his good health by moving naturally, forcing himself to not show any sign of unease.

    "As expected of my brother, even something like this doesn''t faze you!" Iris said, letting out a prideful laugh.

    Lyle soon motioned for her to follow. "Come, training time''s over. Instructor A''daire, thanks for the lesson today. " He bowed to the man respectfully.

    A''daire guffawed as if he said something funny. " Kid, you don''t fool anyone. I can smell the blood-lust oozin'' from your every pore!"

    Lyle waved a hand. " Preposterous. I have nothing but respect and admiration for Instructor. "

    "Yeah yeah~ Your words and actions speak differently!" The man expertly dodged the sudden sword strike initiated by the young boy.

    Lyle tsked in irritation. "Hmph, I''ll get you one of these days, old man!" He promised with a light, carefree smile that carried a faint hint of mischief.

    A''daire taunted back, " HA! Little boy who knows nothing but the taste of his mother''s milk, i''m only 35 this year! Who''re you callin'' an old man?!"

    "Is there any old, stinky men around here other than you?" Lyle laughed, throwing him the wooden sword.

    A''daire sniffed in mock disdain. "Ah, whatever. Damn kid. What Young Master, I only see an unruly little brat who-- AHH!"

    "Don''t say bad things about my brother!" Iris kicked his shins and reprimanded him sternly.

    Her blonde curls, sharp green eyes and cold demeanor made one inherently cautious. She looked approachable and sweet, but that only really showed at certain times.

    Specifically, when she was around her brother.

    Though deep down she was a cute and lovable girl, she just had trouble interacting with others. Only Lyle seemed to believed this, though.

    Lyle patted her head once more. "Alright, that''s enough. Let''s let him off here and go see mother.

    " ''Kay~"

    "See you whenever, Little Miss, Young Master." The man waved as the walked away.

    Lyle raised a hand, not even looking back

    "Hmph, cheeky little brat!"

    And with that, they were gone.

    ----------------------------

    They entered their large, multi-storied home through the back and made their way to the main entrance where one of the servants picked up several notes that had been thrown on the floor.

    "Ah, Young Master, welcome. "

    "Hello," He greeted politely.

    "Good morning. " Iris followed suit, after a moment of hesitation.

    "Do you know where we can find Mother?" Lyle asked.

    "Lady Greyborne is in your father''s study, Young Master. She had something to discuss with him regarding--" She stopped.

    "Regarding what?" Lyle asked, curious. What could Mother have to discuss?

    "Well--That--I mean. . ." She glanced at the papers on the floor nervously. "Perhaps you had best speak to her yourself, Young Master."

    "I see. Thank you." Lyle nodded easily and left her to her tasks.

    The servant smiled at his retreating back. Ah, Young Master, and indeed all the Greyborne family, were truly kind and caring people to talk so casually to a mere servant like her and the others here. The servent nodded to herself while thinking as such and continued her chores.

    As they neared their father''s study, they heard a high, melodic voice.

    " This isn''t a laughing matter, Dear! Look at all these! For Lyle and Iris both! Ah, these mean people are trying to take my children away. " The voice lamented sadly.

    Lyle opened the door. Inside were a young couple. One was a blonde-haired beauty who wore a light blue day dress, sporting a soft face which carried rounded cheekbones, a proportionally slim nose and high trimmed brows.

    Her voluptuous pouty lips were a petal pink, that complimented her delicate chin and usually charming smile.

    The woman''s eyes were the exact emerald color of Iris'' and they resembled each other greatly. Obviously the young girl would turn out just as beautiful as her mother, Lyle and many others knew.

    As for the man, he too had high, elegant cheekbones. He possessed long, think eyelashes that put most woman to shame, full lips his blue-black hair went well with his startling violet-blue eyes which were deep and full of good mirth.

    He currently wore a rich gray suit cut from tweed that was tailored for comfort and style, with three silver buttons.

    Lyle had once overheard some Noble Lady describe father as a "devastatingly handsome man", a compliment to his mother''s own extraordinary beauty.

    The two were people with both influence and good looks, praised by many of the Nobles in Drann kingdom as a couple made in heaven.

    The two seemed dressed to leave for some occasion, but currently they talked with a heavy air created by the woman.

    "Come, now, my sweet. These letters are expected. For our son, of course he would get so many." The man tried to calm her down with a smile.

    "These are only half, I throw the others on the floor in a fit of rage. And what about Iris? She hasnt made her debut yet! Why are so many letters coming for her too?! I wont let anyone take my children away!" She wailed.

    "Well, as for her, she was Lyle''s main dance partner for his party. Those two, how could they avoid this?" He indicated the letters on his desk.

    The woman looked distraught.

    "Mother, father, what are you two talking about?" Lyle broke in and asked, Iris in tow.

    "Lyle! So, you''re here. Have you gotten through with your early morning studies with Miss Belle and your training session with Instructor A''daire?" He inquired

    Lyle nodded. "Yes, father. Miss Belle said I am doing fine in all subjects, better than most. Though Iris is said to be nearly as good. I think she will surpass me soon though." He placed a fond hand on his sister''s shoulder as she smiled widely.

    "As for the old m- I mean, Instructor A''daire, I just left him. As you can see. " He smiled bitterly, indicating his appearance with a sweep of his hand.

    "Very good! At least you aren''t slacking. Miss Belle is a great teacher to have, its good we found her for you two. And that A''daire, he himself is a retired adventurer, rank S, no less. Other than those monsters at SS and above, he''s one of the strongest in the entire continent. Having him as a Instructor will make you formidable as long as you don''t grow too lax. Not that''d likely let you. " He chuckled.

    "Father, about my earlier question. . ." Lyle reminded.

    " Oh, right See for yourself." The father handed his son one of the letter while his mother looked at the man balefully.

    He scanned the contents casually. " This is. . . A marriage request? Hm... Wait, for me?!" He let out a stunned gaze, blinking.

    " Heh, yeah, you''ve been getting alot these days. Ever since your 13th birthday party, these things have came in nonstop. And some for Iris too, i might add. You apparently made quite an impression." The father grinned. " These dont only come from the families, but a good few of the young girls who attended sent some more personal letter addressed to you. Your''re popular, son."

    Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

    Lyle shook his head, amazed and a fair bit confused. "I haven''t done anything all that great though? Why so many?"

    "Well, the families themselves were fairly pleased with how well you carried yourself during the party, and that combined with your background made for quite a temptation. Iris too, she will obviously grow up to be like her mother. Although she has not had her debut yet officially, her dance with you that one day has earned her the attention of quite a few."

    The father explained. " As for the girls, well. . . " He smirked but didn''t continue.

    Lyle didnt quite understand. " But, I didn''t even talk to many of them? I mean, i had to dance with quite a few, as per proper decorum, but I should not have left any lasting impression on them for that alone." He said doubtfully.

    He had one dance with each of them, made light conversationfor a few minutes and then that was about it.

    Lyle shook his head in wonder, not knowing what actions of his could have caused something like this.

    "Oh, my poor boy. . ." His mother sighed sadly at him.

    How could her young son understand?

    Young girls at that age were so very easy to impress. With his natural looks, talent and refined air, how could they not be even a bit smitten with him?

    Even the slightly older among them expressed signs of favoring him.

    Ai, he was his father''s son through and through.

    She sighed once more at the thought.

    Iris exploded, her blonde curls shaking with anger. "But why! Those shallow girls, I made sure not to let them near big brother after their first dance with him! How can they be fixated on him to the degree of sending personal letters?! Mother, those pink, flower thing, how could you let them through? Ah, just burn them already! Big brother, although it''s expected that he would be so popular, shouldn''t have to be bothered to interact with such vile women!"

    The young girl asserted firmly, clutching her brother''s sleeve almost possessively.

    Her mother nodded. "Indeed, Iris. How can we let him be taken away at such a young age by some faceless bitch we never met before?" She caught herself. " Ah...no, that was a bit too much. I shouldn''t be calling young girls that." She felt guilty over the slip.

    "Iris, don''t be like that. Though I understand your attachment to your brother, this is all getting blown out of proportion. Did you really do such a thing? You shouldnt meddle in his personal life over much. One of those young girls could be your sister-in-law someday. " The father admonished her.

    " Dear, she is only doing that in her brother''s best interest. She was right to keep them away! Hmph, trying to take my son away from me, they deserve it. But she was sloppy, she should have held back that day. I could have done that myself. But now that everyone saw her, she''s been getting these annoying pieces of trash too."

    " Don''t call them that. We should at least consider a few. Look, the Alderton family sent oneasking for Lyle to be engaged to their daughter Sophia. They have quite a bit of influence, we shouldn''t so casually dismiss such an opportunity. And look here, the Williams family want to have their grandson meet with Iris and see how they do. They''re wealthy merchants who can''t be overlooked." The father reminded his wife.

    Iris cut in. "Overruled. For mine, throw them in the garbage. I have no need of inferior beings like that. Only someone who can show 1/1000th of big brother''s coolness , kindness, ability, grace and style can have the qualifications to even have me simply look at them with a second glance. Though such a thing is probably impossible for these monkeys. Even if they did, I would still not be interested at all."

    Her voice dripped with obvious disdain and coldness.

    The parents showed uneasy expression at this statement.

    Though the mother felt hatred at having her children engaged so young, as was the norm, she still wanted them to find someone suitable for them. A person who can bring them joy.

    But that was not for years to come, she wouldn''t give them up anytime soon!...Well, maybe for her son, if there was some girl she truly thought was a alright match for him... Some able to support him when need be...

    That aside for now, she still wanted her daughter to find happiness too someday.

    And though she liked how close she was to her brother, it brought many headaches as it seemed she was unwilling to interact with others, choosing instead to chase after his shadow day in and day out.

    She only really showed her cute side to him.

    Though the parents sometimes thought even that was a calculated move on her part. Lyle, her dear son, didn''t really believe his sister was a bad person. Neither did they. Yet Iris was certainly a troublesome daughter and sister...

    Simply put, they were both slightly concerned in regards to their adorable young daughter.

    Ignoring them, Lyle looked at the letters with a peculiar frown.

    As the Heir-apparent to a Noble House he had to consider making the right connections. He was nearly a man now, only two more years to go. He couldn''t afford to simply thrown these away, could he? His family was powerful, not needing others, but having friends with a little pull could never be a bad thing.

    Plus, marrying one of these young Ladies, he''d not exactly be averse to it, provided they got along well and had time to develope feelings for one another.

    That said, he looked at one with a serious expression.

    Iris snatched it from him, tearing it up. "Hey!" He yelled.

    She was unrepentant. "No! Brother, don''t take any of these things into consideration! Dont worry, I will someday find you the perfect bride who has beauty, brains, and a good, weak temperament who wouldnt dare interfere with us! Though big brother would still be too good for the sow, rest assured that her body would at least be to your liking!"

    The little girl promised with stars in her eyes shining brightly. She didn''t entirely understand what a man and woman did together, exactly, but she had a rough idea.

    The three looked at her oddly.

    Was this the speaking level of a girl at only 11 years old? She was a little genius, but wasn''t this too exaggerated?

    These words, did she really say them?

    They could hardly believe a young girl was saying such adult things.

    "Iris, I think that''s a bit. . ." Lyle began with an awkward smile.

    "And if I can''t find one that is acceptable, then I suppose I myself would simply marry big brother. " She shrugged.

    Silence.

    The room was filled with a taut atmosphere, quiet enough to hear a pin drop.

    Lyle felt a cold sweat built at his back in response to her words.

    ",,,,No, no, dearest sister....that would be a bad idea. For various reasons." He told her.

    "Y-yeah. My sweet daughter, you shouldn''t joke so excessively. " His mother laughed.

    " Though that is one option, it would only be the very last resort. " The father said off handedly.

    Lyle looked at him, shocked. "Father!" He hissed.

    "What? The family line needs to continue. Though such relations between two siblings are rare, instances of doing something similar between cousins are practiced in various places to keep the bloodline pure. This would be a more difficult path due to childbirth mishaps, but that can be fixed using some higher leveled magic. As I said, it''s only the very last option. You know, if every other female in the world went barren or died." He laughed nonchalantly.

    "I understand you''re just joking, father, but please don''t. " He pleaded.

    Lyle loved his sister dearly, but at the very least at this time he could never view her as such. No, rather, it would be disturbing if he ever did.

    "Why?" Iris said, seeming to read his mind. " First off, I don''t think many would even mind? We don''t look much alike, big brother. Even father and mother don''t resemble you all that much. If you were said to be the secret adoptive son, and once again announced as the official heir to the family name and title, then not many would question us."

    Unknowingly, her words struck a bitter chord in her brother.

    It was true. He didn''t look like either of his parents in any significant way, and neither did he share much resemblance to his sister.

    Bother mother and daughter were blonde, green-eyed beauties while the father was a dashing man with blue-black hair and violet-blue eyes.

    But Lyle?

    While his own looks didn''t lose at all to any of them, his coloring was different.

    His hair was soft, silken and straight, a lustrous maroon color that curled a bit at the nape of his neck and lightly brushed just past his ears. His eyes were a mysterious dark golden color that his mother had said made one feel unable to look away.

    But his facial features, while not below his parent''s in terms of beauty and attractiveness, differed from their own.

    Neither of them could deny he was their child, but he didnt look like them. He did share some similarities but that was all.

    His father said his maroon hair came from one of his ancestors, and that it proved the blood of the Grayborne family ran strong in his veins. Natural born warrior, he called him with pride.

    As for the eyes, his mother insisted that her own family were powerful mages back during the time when mage-kings were rulers of the world, and that it signified her own family bloodline was especially concentrated in him.

    If fact, she said that it was not something common in other families, now or in the past, and that only the most talented members of her family held the same golden eyes in those days. Though it dwindled over the years as they mixed with other families'' bloodlines.

    She held that he would likely have great accomplishments as a mage, while his father insisted he become a Knight.

    However, he wasnt happy at all to have these traits and talents, as looking so different from the other three made him feel a bit resentful.

    Even the family portrait that they had made some time ago served only to increase this resentment.

    He looked at it at times and found that he was the only one who seemed as if he didn''t belong

    The father, sensing his son''s sudden change in mood, quickly interrupted the flow of the conversation and change topics. " Anyway, get ready you two."

    Mother asked, " Why?"

    He looked sheepishly at her. "Well. . .I kind of already arranged for Lyle to meet that Alderton girl. He''s supposed to meet her at her family estate for tea and whatnot in an hour. Did I not mention that?"

    She went pale. " You what!"

    "Father, no!" Iris blurted out, horrified. " I remember that one, we can''t let them meet, we cant!"

    "Well, let''s ask Lyle. What do you say, my boy? Will you go?" He looked at his son, begging for cooperation.

    Lyle had some memories of the girl in question. She seemed to have a good head on her shoulders, from what he remembered of her.

    Naturally, since he was a member of the Grayborne family, he had a duty to memorize the names of those he met at the party.

    Such a simple thing, remembering a person''s name in the face of all the other people at such events, went a long way in making one have good thoughts about you.

    His father explained this to him many times, and he knew it to be true.

    "Sure, why not? I''m free anyway." He shrugged.

    "Alright! Well then, let''s get you properly bathed, clothed and then head out. " He said, relieved.

    "Big brother, you can''t!" Iris looked at him with anger and betrayal.

    "Calm down, Iris. Though i don''t know if I will want to have her as my wife someday, establishing a friendship with someone of her status is a wise idea, is it not?" He calmed her down, smiling placatingly.

    "Hmph, if big brother thinks it''s for the best, then fine. I suppose I''ll be there to watch her anyway. . ." She relented.

    I really hope she wont do anything excessive while we''re there, though, Lyle thought.

    This little sister of his, it looks like he would have to keep a close eye on her.

    He sighed inwardly.

 Chapter Two

    As they were currently in the outskirts of Drann kingdom''s Capitol city, Varric, Lyle had plenty of time to relax with a hot bath before getting ready for the little play date his father set up.

    The Aldertons were fairly close by, and even if his father said the meeting was in an hour they would likely expect him a bit later than that. Nobles usually came late. Fahionably late, as many of them would say with a smile.

    Naturally, his family owned many lands and had several homes. They only stayed here for a while due to father having duties to perform that required his presence for several weeks. That came a a good time as they were already going to be here for what was left of summer. They enjoyed the cool weather of fall and watching the transition to winter.

    So they usually came here around this time anyway. Soon though they would return to their own lands as they couldnt leave the place for too long. Many nobles like to crowd around Varric, the veritable seat of power where the Royal family made their home.

    But those nobles hoped to gain their favor and were not all that high in the social ladder. Of course, there were exceptions. Some nobles had official positions that required they live in Varric.  Others simply liked the entertainment the city provided.

    The Aldertons, for one, made Varric their home for a variety of reasons. They both enjoyed the city for its sights and sounds. Not only for that, they also chose to live here because they were people who were closly tied with the Royal family, the Lautremonts, for quite some time now.

    Many Royal Guard Captains of the past had been of the Alderton family line.

    Needless to say they were militaristic in nature and  were considered the sword of the Royal family. They controlled a fair portion of the kingdom''s forces as well, reinforcing this idea. They had both honor and a strong sense of duty that Lyle had always admired.

    Obviously they had a substantial amount of influence.

    If Lyle were to marry that Sophia girl someday then that would be a good thing, he supposed.

    The Alderton family, huh.

    Lyle thought idly about how terrifying it would be for the Graybornes and the Aldertons to unite through a marriage. Although the true power of the Greybornes was superior, it would still be quite something.

    Something like that, why was it never done? Perhaps the Royal Family discouraged it. Having two families like theirs being united like that would pose a great threat to them, as would be expected. The Royal Family of Drann kingdom wasn''t weak by any means and they kept their power all throughout the years by being both cunning and ruthless.

    Although Lyle doubted that they would openly oppose a union like theirs. If played right, it could even be a good thing for them. But his father never mentioned that he recieved any marriage proposal from them when he was young.

    So why did they reach out to Lyle?

    He shook his head. It was strange, he had to admit.

    Whatever the reason, establishing a friendship with them through Sofia would be a good move. Of course, he wouldn''t befriend someone only for something like that. As a Grayborne, he curled his lip at making friends only for the benefits they provided.

    He needed to like her as a person before he would want to establish a good friendship. He thought that her family background was simply a bonus.  As for marriage, well,  he would not decide his wife on only one meeting.  For now starting as friends was best.

    Lyle slid down further into the bath with such thoughts weighing on his mind.

    It was a large bath, big enough for a dozen people and more.

    He had been soaking for several long minutes, lost in thought.

    Lyle''s body ached with the intense exercise that damn old man A''daire put him through previously. He had studies with Miss Belle from 5:00 to 6:00, an ungoldy time to wake up. But she was an early riser, that one. As she was a home tutor, she lived with his family wherever they went.

    She was in her middle-aged years, a time that should be hard on the woman but to the contrary she held up remarkably well. Lyle liked her. She was kind, patient. But she was a sharp one, not a person to be taken lightly. Both hard and soft, she could be either. An interesting person to have a conversation with, unlike the older noblemen he met on his birthday some time ago.

    As for that damn A''daire, he kept him from 6:30 to 8:30 and gave Lyle no rest at all.

    At first his body didn''t last an hour. But that was only because of the hell-like regimen A''daire assaulted him with. Running, weightlifting, squats, push-ups, sword control training... The last was simply lifting a heavy sword and swinging it down until a certain point and then stopping there.

    Up, down, up, down, never allowed to be even a fraction of an inch off the designated angle. The angle he changed every so often, and Lyle suspected the sword got heavier every day as well. Lyle had enhanced strength due to his bloodline as a Greyborne but what he lacked at the moment was stamina and the ability to properly exert his power.

    Then he was made to do a series of movements designed to increase flexibility, a must need for any swordsman, he said.

    There were other exercises too, but they all ended with the basics of swordmanship being taught. The hard way.

    Lyle even learned how to read a person''s body. If someone attacked, he would know an instant before it was executed by simply looking at the opponent''s slight muscle movements. Of course if he didnt see the opponent then that would be useless. Still a good skill to have though.

    A''daire was trying to increase his senses to help with being able to avoid attacks. He once blindfolded Lyle so he would have to rely on his other senses to dodge attacks.

    He fainly understood a person''s body language now too, he found.

    In any case, the result was always the same: Lyle laying in an exhausted heap on the ground with his mucles feeling torn and his bones feeling fractured.

    Of course, as he was a male Grayborne, he had naturally high recovery abilities. One of the reasons his father insisted he become a knight someday.

    So he bounced back quick.

    The part that he was partially grateful for was that the intense training along with his natual abilities had given Lyle a slightly more toned body that most his age. He developed a fair few amount of muscles now. Or course, he was still young so they were not truly pronounced but they were still noticable.

    A''daire said that he  believed Lyle would be the tall and lean type. The type made for speed and explosive strengh. This suited Lyle just fine.

    Lyle, at this point, didn''t truly mind all the harsh training. No, his pride and stubborness dictated that he get stronger so that one day he could wipe that arrogant smirk off A''daire''s face and step on him.

    Only that would appease the righteous anger in his heart!

    ...Of course, he was still a long way from accomplishing that...

    Lyle sighed, tired.

    "Young master, do you need some assistance perhaps? Do you want me to come in?" A youthful voice called out from behind the large double doors that led to the bathing room.

    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    "No need,  Melanie, Im fine. " He replied airily, only paying half-attention in his current state.

    "But you should get out soon, young master. Your father is eager to leave. Plus, what if you pass out due to the heat and such?" The voice called out in concern.

    He smiled a bit. This servant, Melanie, was relatively new.

    Lyle had been walking about Varric when he had seen her and her mother in a bit of trouble with some debt collectors some time ago.

    Obviously as a Grayborne Lyle couldnt let such a thing pass, as the man had been growing angrier by the second and likely to turn violent.

    So he settled the considerable debt and offered them jobs so they could pay it back at some point. He felt responsible for them by that time. He could have ended things with simply helping them out that one time but then what would they do after?

    To have gotten in such trouble in the first place, their situation must have been fairly serious.

    A single mother and a child, they must have went through a lot.

    Lyle couldn''t in good conscience leave them be when he took it upon himself to come to their aid.

    He couldn''t save everyone, but his father always told him that if he helped someone out he must do it in full measure. Truth be told, he felt fond of the daughter. She was sweet and caring, a pure girl that was very endearing to him.

    She reminded him of his sister, in a way. If  his sister was a bit less rough around the edges. Melanie didnt even look like his sister though. She had deep brown hair that went down to her shoulders in lush waves and soft blue eyes.

    Her features were not as delicate or refined as his sister''s. Rather, she was almost animal like, cute rather than beautiful. Her lightly tanned skin twhich gave a healthy glow were a contrast to Iris''s own jade-like flesh that shined like a milky pearl.

    Furthermore, Melanie was older. Currently she was around the age of 14 or 15--He wasn''t sure of her exact age, and it seemed neither was she for some reaosn. Only her mother would, then--even older than the 13 year old him.  Her body was more matured than Iris'' as well.

    One looked like an adorable pet while the other looked a perfect example of a  high-born young miss.

    They shouldnt be anything alike.

    But perhaps the girl reminded him of Iris because the two simply seemed like the younger sister type. And the type that needed to be taken care of. For Iris, she was often alone if she wasn''t with him. He felt she had trouble opening up to others.

    And this girl gave him the same feelings. She appeared more open about it though. She displayed it unconsciously. Shyness, maybe even a slight lack of confidence.

    Indeed, though of a different nature, the two made him believe that they were people that needed to be looked after.

    Perhaps that is why he felt the two similar.

    After several minutes:

    "Young master. . ." Melanie called.

    "Hmm?"

    "Young master, are you okay? You have been in there for quite some time now. " She cautioned.

    Lyle laughed a bit. " As I said earlier, I''m quite alright. I just seem to lose track of both time and my thoughts these days. But your concern is appreciated. Thanks."

    "N-no, I just..." She stammered, feeling unsure of how to respond to such words coming from the mouth of someone like him.

    " But I suppose you''re  right. It''s time I get out. I''m beginning to prune anyway." He started to rise. "Ah, wait, where''s my towel?" He muttered.

    Could he have forgotten it in the tired state he was in? But, that didnt happen too often.

    Melanie somehow heard the quiet question. "Young master, I have it here. I was watching your training with mister A''daire and for some reason I thought that you would be more tired than usual. So, I f-folowed you..." She seemed a bit embarrassed over the fact. "And then I noticed you left your towel. I''ll bring it to you."

    Lyle felt alarm bells in his head. "No, just leave it in the bin by the--!" He rose involuntarily.

    it was too late, she had already walked in.

    A  strange atmoshpere filled the room.

    The two looked at each other, frozen

    Melanie couldnt help but stare. She had to admit, though she was older than him by a few years she still wasnt able to deny that the young master was a very  attractive boy. No doubt he would be even more dazzling in the future.

    Not only that, but his daily exercises made him quite fit and he was also taller than most 13 year olds.

    His maroon hair, damp with water, stuck out slightly and even if he went out like that it would be only  considered stylishly messy. His golden eyes seemed to hold her still with their buring depths.

    He looked unusually calm, she thought in some little corner of her mind. Perhaps he was used to women, she thought. Certainly someone with his status, even if he was so young, would easily find a woman to be with them.

    She knew some boys his age would  have begun to already experience the thing known as puberty and start to become more sexually mature. Naturally, sexual desire would begin to rise as well.

    With his looks and background there were probably females wouldn''t refuse his advances. So perhaps he had already experienced something even she, who was older than him, had not.  Maybe that was why his expression didnt seem all that ruffled at the moment, because he was used to even more intimate things than this.

    The thought made her blush.

    Lyle, though, was not at all like she imagined. This misconception of her''s was spawned only by the fact she didn''t yet know him all that well. Some noble children his age would have been like that, but not he.

    Though true he was more mentally mature than some his age, he still had no experience with  such things. Going about and brcoming the type of hedonistic young master that he despised was, plainly speaking, beneath him.

    The only reason he was able to seem so calm was because as a noble he trained in being able to keep his thoughts hidden when need be.

    However, inwardly, in these few short seconds, he was in a slight panic.

    Her eyes unconsciously moved downward, and her face, along with Lyle''s, grew hot.

    He summoned all of his will power and put on a carefree air. " Melanie, my towel?" He prompted, seeming not at all flustered.

    "H-here you go. " She responded numbly. The girl averted her gaze and suddenly found that she couldn''t look him in the eye.

    Lyle reached out for the towel slowly, calmly, completely appearing not bothered at all  over the situation of being seen naked by a woman in this type of situation.

    "Melanie. " He grabbed the towel, turning away from her and walking toward the door leisurely.

    "...Yes, young master?" She responded after a moment of hesitation.

    "Next time, let me finish talking before you come barging in, okay? To avoid any embarrassing situations like these in the future. " He said coolly.

    " ...Understood, young master. I apologise."

    "No need, i''m not angry. Well then, I''ll go get dressed properly. Tell my father I shall be with him shortly. "

    "Yes, young master."

    And with that, he left.

 Chapter Three

    As he grabbed his robe and walked the short distance towards his room his heart was still in as state of disarray. That sort of situation, he had no experience in dealing with it.

    Being seen naked like that, as expected it isn''t a matter that could be easily forgotten.

    He sighed and tried shaking the feeling out of his head.

    Once in his room he looked through his clothes and tried to decide what was appropriate.

    He never had a servant help him put on clothes like other Nobles would have. His mother felt that something so simple he should be able to do it himself.

    And he agreed. As someone from the Grayborne family, how could he stand not being able to even put on his own clothes by himself? He hated the thought of needing another person''s help for something like that. Like some child.

    He skimmed the closet and chose a royal blue tailcoat, a matching vest and black pants.

    The rich color made his maroon hair stand out more and complimented his golden eyes. Though, this wasn''t intended by him, he merely liked the color and style.

    The formal attire was finely tailored to his measurements and felt like a second skin. Comfortable.

    After it dried he ran a hand through his hair. He rarely had to use a comb since it was naturally smooth. And most of the time if it wasnt it would still look perfectly acceptable for public appearances. His father was the same.

    Once he laced his shoes Lyle casually walked toward the main entrance, where a carriage currently lied in wait.

    His mother and Iris stood in front of it.

    Iris looked at her brother in a scrutinizing manner.

    She didn''t like his current appearance. "Big brother, why couldnt you have worn something more off-putting? Like rags or something similar? This current appearance is a good look for you. As expect of my big brother. But that simply wont do. It cant be that you want to marry this little Sofia brat?"

    She looked wounded, her voice miserable. She shook her head.

    His mother cut in. " Don''t mind her. But she''s right, you do look quite handsome in that outfit. Go change. " She smiled serenely

    Lyle looked at them incredulously.

    "Now, now, don''t you listen to them my boy. You look great, well done. Now, lets go." His father waved a hand to the driver and off they went.

    -----------------------------------------------

    Iris found that her mood soured every second as they got closer to the Alderton estate. Iris  looked at her brother. Nn, indeed, he cut a fine figure in his current attire. Though, no matter what brother wore he would always be the object of everyone''s attention. Brother was that sort of person.

    This was why Iris had to protect him from those vile swarms of women at his birthday all those months ago. Those damn harlots, they took advantage of brother. Brother, as per decorum, had to accept any offer to dance he recieved that night.

    Those girls, they knew that. If Iris didnt step in then who knows how many times they would have asked him to dance?

    Brother was an exceptional, no, superior male and though he didnt know it himself he attracted many gazes that day. Iris remembered it well, those girls who snuck small glances at him and whispering to each other as they did.

    This Sofia person was the worst, though. Brother actually seemed to have some good impressions of her, but Iris knew she was simply no good.

    Whatever happens, she had to protects brother from her evil, conniving hands.

    Some time later they met at a large estate.

    They were greeted at the door by an elderly butler.

    " Ah, Your Grace, we have been expecting you." the butler welcomed father.

    "Is the Marquis still here?" Asked father.

    "Sadly he had to return to his lands to the south."

    "I see. A pity. Well, is Lady Diane available to talk while the young ones have their time together?"

    The bulter replied, "Of course, Your Grace. She is in the Drawing room. I trust you can find your way there?"

    Father laughed. " I believe so. Come, my love. Lets go."

    Mother looked distressed, "But--The kids--"

    " Don''t need you to surpervise us, " Lyle said drily.

    Iris cut in. "Go on, mother. I will of course keep watch over them. " She snorted coldly. Brother frowned at her.  Ah, just now she may have been a bit too cold. She had to watch that, or else brother''s opinion of her could drop.

    "Very well then. I''ll leave it to you then, Iris my dear." With that, the two parents left.

    "Young Lord Lyle. " The only man turned to brother and bowed respectfully, as anyone should upon meeting brother.

    "Please, young Lord, follow me. Lady Sophia is waiting in her private living quarters. "

    Brother frowned at the use of the word, "Lord". Though that was the correct usage of address given he was the only son and heir of his father''s  title, Iris knew he preffered "young master" as being called a Lord was a bit too formal for his tastes.

    " Inviting big brother to her room, what is she planning." Iris muttered as they began to follow the elderly butler.

    "Don''t be like that, Iris." Brother told her.

    Iris clenched her fist. "Big brother, you dont understand. This is her own room we''re talking about. Not some simple Solar or Drawing room where one would normally entertain guests. This is different. " Iris narrowed her eyes suspiciously. This girl, how bold.

    " Iris. " Brother called suddenly.

    "Yes, big brother?" Her reply was immediate

    "Behave, or when we leave you won''t be allowed to follow me for at least a week."

    She stopped dead in her track, her mouth probably hanging open. "What?! Why? Big brother, such a thing, just why?"

    Ah, big brother, why would you even say such a thing?!

    Iris despaired.

    But, if he told her to stay away, she would. If her brother wanted that, she would have to comply. Though it would hurt to do so, she would of course listen to her one and only brother.

    She thought of resisting somehow but she knew that look in his eye too well." Ah, big brother, fine. I''ll try to hold myself back but if she oversteps herself then I wont let her get away with it." She relented, running after him as he had continued walking without her.

    "Good. " He patted her on the head.

    Iris smiled. Heh, big brother  should do that more often. Maybe at least one hundred times a day. She should work on ways to have him increase the frequency.

    After a minute or two of walking, they were left at a large wooden door. "Well, my young Lord, here you are. Lady Sophia is inside with some refreshments. Please, go in. If you''ll excuse me, I have some duties that need attending to. "He bowed and left.

    Brother opened the door.

    Beyond, a large room with many windows showed itself. The room came in two divided space. One was the bedroom the she slept in, the other was a room that hosted a ebony table and ornate silvery chairs that were padded for comfort.

    In one sat a young girl, slightly younger than brother, with long dark hair and light gray eyes that shined with an inner light.

    She smiled at brother upon seeing him enter, "Ah, Lord Lyle! How nice to see you again! Please, come sit."

    She motioned for him to take a seat. She completely didnt seem to notice Iris'' presence. She instantly flared up with rage, but held back as per her brother''s orders.

    " Our previous conversation was cut short. I apologise for that." Brother told her.  Hmph, brother, why are you looking at me as you say that?

    "No worries."

    Brother noticed something. He pointed toward the flowers on the table. " Those are orchids, yes?"

    She nodded. "Yes, they''re my favorite flower."

    Brother''s eyes flashed and he made a vague smile. "Is it? Interesting."  He turned his golden eyes on the girl. " You have good taste in flowers. " Brother complimented.

    "Ah, thank you. Here, try some of these cookies. I made them myself." She said casually.

    Iris stopped her brother. "Big brother, don''t. They could be poisoned."

    Iris saw that Sophia finally seemed to notice her. She didnt look happy.

    Brother laughed. " Iris, I really don''t think thats the case." He took one and bit into it. "Hmm, delicious. See, Iris? I''m not dead, am I?"

    Iris shook her head. "No, i''m not worried you would die. I''m worried she slipped something even more terrifying inside." She glared at the other girl, who was smiling in amusement.

    " Ah, I see. And what, pray tell, do you think I would have slipped inside?"

    "Aphrodisiac" Iris shivered at the mere word. Her brother stared at her in shock.

    Though Iris was young, her mind had surpassed most her age, as had her brother''s. So she knew of many things, including that.

    " And why would I do so?" Sophia''s smile widened.

    " Of course, so that brother would commit an act that would force him into a marriage with you." Iris replied.

    "Iris, what did I say about behaving?" Her brother sent her a warning.

    She paused. "But, big brother, this is a perfectly valid concern!"

    "Iris..."

    She tsked. "...Fine."

    Brother turned toward the Sophia-bitch." I''m sorry for my sister''s rudeness."

    Iris grit her teeth.

    Brother, to lower yourself and apologise to such swine, I''m not sure whether to be impressed at your boundless humility or angry at myself forcing you to do so in the first place, she thought.

    "That''s fine. Why take a child''s words to heart?" She oh-so-slightly emphathized the word "child".

    "Thank you for your understanding."

    "Of course. Well, I can tell that you have some questions. Go ahead, ask."

    "Now that you mention it...I do recall wondering at why Marquis Alderton would extend the proposal. "

    "Oh, such a thing? Easily answered. It''s because I asked him to." She shrugged.

    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Brother smiled, but it was strained. "And the reason would be. . .?"

    " I want you. Need I any other reason?"

    Iris couldn''t stop herself. " You know nothing about big brother, so simply casually saying you like him,  I won''t let you get away with it!"  She snarled.

    Iris moved, but her arm was grabbed by her brother.

    "Lady Sophia, as we only had a short, very brief time together I simply do not believe you could like me to the extent of asking your father to send a engagement request. Therefore I can only assume you want to marry me for my family background and influence. Such a thing, I can''t accept that. If it were me your own background would indeed be a nice bonus. But nothing more. Were you the real Sofia, I would say that if this was truly your goal then I am sorely disapointed in you. "

    Iris tilted her head. Her brother, he said something pretty important at the end there? Real Sofia?

    She didn''t quite understand.

    Apparently neither did Sophia herself.

    " Oh? And what do you mean by ''were you the real Sophia''?"

    Brother smiled. " Exactly that. You, my dear girl, are not Sophia."

    "And why do you say that? ...No, what I should be asking is: When did you notice?" Her eyes narrowed dangerously.

    Brother laughed lightly. " I had a hunch when I saw your eyes. They were a much darker shade the last time we met, an almost steel gray. Yours are lighter, like moonlight reflecting off a fine blade and just as sharp. But I wasn''t sure until you said your favorite flowers were orchids. At my prompting Sophia told me many things about herself during our short dance the night of my birthday, among which was that her favorite flowers were Irises. Something we shared."

    Hearing, Iris smiled happily. Her entire face lit up.

    The fake Sophia-bitch looked at brother in disbelief. " That party was months ago! How could you remember something so trivial? The number of people you had to talk to must have been in the dozens even if you excluded the girls you had to dance with. Among the swarm of faces, greetings and other small talk, how can you remember the exact shade of a person''s eyes and their favorite flower?"

    Iris looked at her disdainfully. Brother is an amazing person, of course he would be able to do so. This girl, she underestimates brother too much.

    Although normally people would find it hard to recall something like that, this was big brother they were talking about.

    But Iris was a bit miffed that her brother did indeed remember such things about a girl. Big brother, he shouldn''t have to give any thought to some girl other than her.

    Brother shrugged, " It was a long time ago, but she was interesting. And as a noble in general, it helps to remember such things. Establishing good connections is a wise idea, and remembering details like that can leave good impressions of yourself on others.

    I also remember the names and topic of conversation that i had with the other children that day. The adults didnt talk to me much but father taught me the names, interests and other details of the adult nobles some time ago. My information on the adult nobles is always up to date."

    Iris frowned. So, her brother remembered the other girls'' names too? And the conversation he had with them?

    How irritating.

    The fake Sofia-bitch, as Iris had now firmly thought of her in her mind,  let out a small noise of wonderment. "Amazing. You know, the other noble kids our age wouldnt take such things seriously and merely do what they pleased with their  parents'' authority, becoming spoiled brats."

    Brother refuted. " No, such things are only for children of lesser nobles. True noble like you and I, whose bloodlines can be traced back for countless generations, are obligated to hold ourselves to a higher standard than those nobles who would abuse their power. Ah, actually, we have a duty to punish them as well should. "

    He said this with absolute conviction,

    Iris nodded. She herself didnt care much for such things, but if her brother believed in them then it is something that she should believe in as well.

    "So, I ask, for what reason did the Alderton family send the engagement request, who are you you really, and why is the real Sophia not here?" Brothers eyes turned sharp.

    Hehe, brother looks especially cool right now with such an expression. Hmm, with his royal blue tailcoat that contrasted well with his maroon hair and those golden eyes of his, he indeed cut a very dashing figure.

    Iris wanted to be patted again, ah.

    Fake Sofia-bitch''s eyes sparkled as she looked at brother. Iris wanted to hit the look off her face. " As for who I am, I''m Sofia''s twin sister, Cecelia Alderton. You wouldn''t know me, few outside the family do. For now. When we turn 13 both of us will make our debut together. But for the time being not many know that Sophia has a twin. I don''t like attention, so I never made an appearance in high society."

    Brother nodded. " I see. Nobles dont take much interest in the children of other nobles until they make their debut anyway so it is believable that not many would know of you. I wonder, did my father?"

    "Of course. His intelligence network is superb, he wouldnt not know about something like this."

    " And the engagement request?" Brother prompted.

    "That. . . " Her face looked troubled.

    Iris snapped. " Brother asked you a question. Hmph, just answer it, damn sow."

    "Iris!"

    "Yes, yes. I apologise, big brother. I will remain quiet." Iris assured him.

    ". . ."

    "Anyway, although it isn''t really my place to tell you." Fake Sofia-bitch went on. "the reason for it is because Sofia has some "feelings" for you,"

    Brother''s face went blank. "What?"

    "When my father discovered this, he seemed overjoyed for some reason and sent the letter. He dotes on her, gives her everything she wants. Which, right now, is you. So he sent that thing."

    Brother seemed still in shock. Yet he recovered and asked, tentatively. "But, if thats true then. . .Why isn''t she here?"

    " She''s shy I guess?  When she discovered what father had done, she begged me to help her out. I agreed. I wanted to know what my potential future brother-in-law would be like. I''m impressed. I can understand my sister now. You have looks, smarts, talent and a powerful background. Hm, pretty much perfect." She nodded.

    Iris glared at her when she said that. Did she now covet brother too? How arrogant! No, stay focused. Right now the real enemy is that Sofia-bitch. That girl, knowing nothing of big brother yet pretending to like him after merely one meeting, simply unforgivable!

    " Glad to know I have your approval." Brother said drily. " But as fun as this was, if you are not the real Sophia, I don''t see any reason to remain here. I don''t know about her supposedly liking me, but if she won''t meet me herself,  then I shall take my leave. You can contact me again when she does want to meet me. Goodbye. " He stood up.

    Suddenly. "P-please wait!"

    Iris froze.  Both her and brother looked at the closet across the room, and as we looked out popped a dark haired, gray-eyed girl who looked identical to Cecelia.

    Moreover, as she stopped us, her arm raised in halting gesture. She, too, froze.

    Her face went red.

    Iris couldnt help blurting. "You were spying on us through the closet?!"

    The girl''s face went even redder and she stammered repeatedly, unable to form a simple sentence.

    Brother frowned and drove in the final nail. "That''s a bit . . .Weird. "

    The girl made a small, muted cry. "...Ah..."

    "Great, sis. You ruined that good first impression you had. If only you had stayed put. Good luck." Cecelia sighed and  waved a hand, trying to leave her sister to face the situation herself.

    How cruel. Iris even felt bad for the girl

    "Y-you cant go!" She blocked the door.

    "Hey, this guy is your potential fiance. You can deal with him. And didnt you guys have a good talk once before? Why so flustered now?"

    "B-but that was. . .Cece, please." The girl whispered.

    Brother looked at the entire thing with a strange face.

    A sigh. "...Yes, fine." She turned to brother. "Lord Lyle, you remember Sophia, right?"

    Brother blinked once, then smiled as if the girl hadn''t just come out of the closet she used to peep on them.

    "But of course. Lady Sofia, how nice to see you again. I was just talking to your sister, waiting for you. Now that you''re here, we can begin to catch up from our previous conversation. If I recall, you were telling me about . . ." He began making small talk.

    Iris couldnt help letting her mouth fall open. Did brother really intend to pretend that nothing was wrong here to save that girl from a bit of embarrassment? Wasnt he being a bit too generous?

    Sofia-bitch smiled gratefully and soon the two were conversing smoothly. She laughed sparkled, making Iris annoyed. This girl, why was she looking so cheerful?

    Cecelia sighed and muttered. "Damn girl, why didnt she do this in the first place?  She wanted me to stay but now she doesnt even know im here. She was so nervous about meeting him again but they already seem lost in their own world. Honestly. "

    Irid was in a daze. Ah, brother, are you really talking to a girl so easily right in front of your dear sister?

    "Brother," She called out.

    Brother didnt seem to  hear.

    "B--!" She was grabbed from behind.

    "Come here, my dear potential sister in law. Lets let them talk privately for a bit while we go have a bit of fun~"

    Cecelia, smiling a touch darkly, dragged Iris. She resisted but it was no use against this brute''s vise-like grip.

    "Ah, let me go! Brother, brother~!"

    But the door had already closed.

 Chapter Four

    .

    --

    "Hah!"

    A faint glow emanated off a sharp blade deep inside a dark forest.

    The strike was fast and swift, instantly cutting down the demon beast''s head.

    The beast was a wolf creature with fur like steel, eyes red and muscles bulging. A menacing sight. It was large, three times larger than any normal wolf.

    "Good work, Cecelia. But damn, you took down the alpha while I got stuck cleaning up the small fry. Where''s the fairness in that?" Joked a handsome youth, golden eyes glowing enchantingly in the darkness of the night.

    The young lady with long dark hair and deep gray eyes sheathed her sword. She smiled wryly at the youth.

    " Surely you dont mean that? Those dozens of corpses there, if those are small fry then you truly have a unique definition of the words. Honestly, compared to one slightly bigger beast, taking out those legions of beasts would be much more difficult, right? And look! Not a scratch on you!"

    She pointed to him almost in accusation. " A person has the right to be injured when facing something like that. "She told him.

    The youth looked indignant. " You want to compare me to a normal person, it seems. Do you forget the hellish training that bastard A''daire put me through?!" He shook his head.

    " He simply wants to bring out your potential, stop being a baby." She walked toward him. " Anyway, thanks for the save earlier. The Alpha came out of nowhere." She referred to earlier when the battle first began

    "No problem. What would Sophia say if I let you die?" the youth, Lyle,  laughed.

    Cecelia frowned slightly at the name.

    Recently all this boy has on his mind is her sister.

    ...Even when he was here with her, his thoughts were of  Sophia...

    "But that A''daire, making us do this every night,  this is just cruelty right?"

    "...I come from a military family and even they don''t make us do this. The forest beside Varric is dangerous at night. It can''t be said this isn''t a effective training method, but. . . " Cecelia expressed concerns.

    "Well, at least we have each other to protect our backs, right? If you weren''t here, I would have been dead countless times!" Lyle shivered at the thought. " I''m truly grateful you''re here. I know you don''t have to be. "

    " Think nothing of it. " She smiled at him.

    It''s been nearly two entire years since they first met that day and Lyle''s mentor, A''daire, had sent him on dangerous missions inside the forest. Extermination missions, to be precise. Usually it takes several adventurers to complete a quest like that but the two did it by themselves, and much quicker than a group.

    But not only mission like this, he had also sent Lyle to far-off places. So he traveled fairly often. It could take weeks or even months. Cecelia also chose to go with him. She told him it was to gain experience from the travels.

    Thanks to all the traveling they had made many acquaintances.  They got to know a lot of people and groups that would be useful connections for them both.

    Cecelia didnt have to go but she couldnt let him go out alone and risk him being hurt or worse. Her parents were not opposed to her running off since in her family travelling was to be expected. Being the type of family the Aldertons were they knew that fine steel was only able to be forged in hot flames.

    And that was not all. They, Cecelia and Lyle, had grown much closer to each other. The time they first met seemed an eternity ago, at least to her.  Now they were often laughing or smiling together. They truly build up a very harmonious relationship, one Cecelia was very happy to have.

    Going back to the more recent Extermination mission...They would be here for days at a time in some cases, hunting for food, withstanding demon beast attacks and surviving by a hairsbreadth. They had to find shelter, too, where they could sleep.

    As not many would ever even want to come close to the forest at night the two of them were undisturbed.

    Alone. Only having one another for company.

    Naturally such experiences brought the two closer together.

    The times they spent taking care of one another, saving each other and surviving together were...well, innumerable.

    The bond they shared due to all these life and death situations made them closer than most families.

    " Anyway, lets take the big guy''s head and get out of here. Sofia and Iris will be worried sick for us."

    Lyle swung his sword down and the beast''s head was completely severed. He took out a box and spoke a quick command word. Instantly the large head was sucked inside the box like it was swallowed by a black hole.

    "By the way, Lyle. . ." Cecelia hesitated. "Your 15th birthday is coming up. Do you plan on proposing to her soon?"  Her voice shook slightly, but Lyle didnt seem to notice.

    He replid with a smile. " Soon, yes. I think its about time. My father had me meet many women these past two years, but none caught my eye like Sophia has. Iris may still be against you two, or any woman in general, but I know what I want. And I wont hesitate. I love her, Cecelia. Maybe using that word is a bit too soon, but even if we don''t love one another in the way the word is usually meant we can still grow to love each other in truth as time passes. We at the very least know we like each other a lot, which is more than most young Nobles can say for their partners. You can rest assured that I will protect and cherish her." He promised.

    She knew what he meant. Yes, perhaps it was a bit strong to say that he loved Sofia. But he still believed he loved her. To some degree. It might not be the sort of strong, tried and true love that Lyle''s parents had. It was probably, in reality, still at the level of "liking". A very strong liking.

    And that was enough for him. Lyle loved Cecelia''s sister, Sophia. Probably. He thought it was so, at least. But even if not he was deteremined to make their feelings for each other grow to the point where he could say with one hundred percent surity that he, they, loved one another.

    Many Noble children couldn''t say that they even liked their significant other. Arranged marriages were a common thing so you had to start with nothing and work you way up. And even then it was no sure thing that the two would really grow to love each other.

    Lyle and Sofia, however, had a solid foundation already.

    Cecelia found that Lyle''s words brought her no joy, though. She knew that she was supposed to rejoice at the news, but she''s couldn''t. Cecelia could not feel happy with his announcement.

    She was supposed to be excited for him, and especially for her sister. But where such feelings were supposed to be located, there was simply...a hollowness? Maybe something along those lines, anyway. She simply could not summon up any sort of good feelings toward his words. His assurances that he would make her sister a happy woman, who would be protected and held precious. were all lost on her.

    To be honest...for some time now she felt that those two, Lyle and her sister, were not a right fit for each other. Maybe...maybe that was why she could not feel anything in regards to all this.

    ...The sounds of the forest resumed now that the battle was over. The glow of the moon was in full blast and enshrined them in its pale radiance.

    His golden eye locked onto her with intensity that made her heart skip a beat.

    ...Damn.

    Cecelia struggled to control herself. But this reaction was not her fault. It was his.

    Lyle''s eyes had that effect on women, she had long since noticed. His gaze was not something that any heterosexual woman could remain unmoved by.

    Maybe he was unaware of it, but others viewed him differently from normal people. Even if he did nothing they would still be a bit in awe, almost immediately having a good impression of him.

    It was something that came deep down from within him.

    His very bearing...the confidence in his step, the light in his eyes, the way he looked at you...everything combined, whether he knew it or not, to give life to a very magnetic young man who caught people''s attention easily.

    She listened quietly as  he continued." So, before then, I would like to have your blessing. I already have your mother and father''s, but yours is more important to me. You''re not some stranger, you''re not just her sister. You''re my friend. There will never be another person I would trust to watch my back or be by my side more than you. So it would mean everything to me if you would--"

    "I can''t." A blunt refusal.

    Her cold reply made him nearly choke.

    "What? What do you mean,  you can''t?" He looked at her, his eyes showing signs of misunderstanding and hurt.

    As close as they became the past year, he never would have expeced such a firm denial from her.

    She didn''t answer him for a long time. Then, "...Im sorry, but I won''t be able to give you my blessing." She turned away from him, unable to meet his eyes.

    "No, it''s...Okay. Really." He  said weakly. "Cecelia, is-" He hesitated. "Is something. . .wrong?"

    "No, of course not." She shook her head. The lie came easily to her lips. It was probably the first she told him in a long time.

    "But--"

    "I said i''m fine." She snapped at him.  Seeing his reaction, a slight widening of the eyes, she regretted the action. She was being childish. He didnpt deserve such treatment. What''s more, she had rarely ever spoken to him like that. That made it even worse. But she didn''t apologize. Couldn''t.  "Come on, lets go."

    On Lyle''s side of things, as he looked at her, he couldnt help feel profoundly confused and worried.

    All the time they spent together made him think that there was nothing they didnt know about each other. Now it seems that he couldnt be more mistaken.

    He suddenly got a flash of an idea as to why she was angry, but the very idea was so ridiculous that he threw it away instantly.

    Usually he wouldn''t let it die like that, but he knew she wouldn''t say anything even if he asked. This was simply how she was when she got like this. And so he could only follow after her.

    The silence between them lasted the entire walk back.

    ----------------------------------------

    1 month later.

    Varric city was large, with many people going through the streets at any given hour.

    Currently two beauties were walking down one of the streets. One wore a blue floral dress and a ankle length skirt that hugged her slim legs and pert buttocks. She had a charming smile on her face. her eye brows thin and slender. Her face was delicate, full of youthful beauty and the vigor of life.

    The girl''s lovely appearance, her soft eyes and even softer-looking curves captured the attention of many.

    Her deep gray eyes were clear and shined with an inner light.

    The other was identical in appearance to the other girl, her lips full and petal pink. Her hair was tied into a pontyail that rested on her left shoulder, sleek and fine as silken threads. Completely unlike the other girl whose own hair flowed down towards her back in cascades.

    She, the poney-tailed beauty, had a slightly cold, bloodthirsty aura and refinement to her that contrasted heavilywith the other girl''s naturalness.

    This girl also wore a sword on her side, her eyes sharp. Cutting.

    They scanned the crowd.

    "Cece, are you sure he''s here? I don''t think Lyle would be in this part of the city."

    Ever since they met, Lyle had come to Varric city much more often. His family moved back and forth between the Grayborne''s own lands and here at a nornal interval. But recently he had moved here entirely, with his sister in tow.

    His lessons with A''daire required his full attention and ever since a year ago her left his family home and lived at the estate near the outskirts of Varric.

    He came to the city often but this part, the place where one would go shopping for gifts and such for their lovers or similar people, was somewhere he would most likely never come to.

    Sophia couldnt figure out why Cecelia thought he would be here.

    "No, look." Cecelia pointed to a small shop ahead. "There he is."

    Sofia looked curiously. That place? But, a place like that, why. . .?

    It was a jewelery shop.

    Surely Lyle wouldn''t be in a place like that. . .

    She stopped.

    There, inside the shop, visible past the glass windows, was the the figures of two people looking at pieces of fine jewelery together.

    One was a tall, handsome youth with maroon hair. His body looked lean, fit, corded with compact muscles that were achieved and maintained, Sofia knew, through intense training.  He carried a fierce aura, like a sheathed blade that could be drawn at a moments notice. He stood straight, with impeccable posture that bespoke a good upbringing.

    He walked idly around with a pretty woman beside him, looking at the various pieces displayed in the shop. He had a certain fluidness in his movements that was oozing with confidance and a sort of primal grace like that of a predator.

    She couldn''t see his eyes but knew they would be a mesmerizing gold that could look both furiously warm or chillingly cold.

    His long, strong fingers pointed at something in the shop. He turned a bit and she saw a small, inquiring smile on his face that he sent to the girl at his side.

    She had lightly tanned skin, lush chestnut brown hair and a curvaceous figure that leaned in beside him to get a closer look. She was not a great beauty but she had a certain charm that Sofia knew would make her the object of desire for any male.

    She had a body like that of a mature woman but her aura was that of innocence and purity. A contrast she knew was a devastating combination.

    The mysterious girl seemed to nod vigorously at him in approval, giving him an affectionate hug for a second before letting go of him in embarrassment.

    "Lyle..." Sophia murmured. "That woman, i''ve never seen her before. Who is she?" ...Or, no. Sophia thought that she had, in fact, seen the woman once or twice. Maybe.

    "Ah, that must be Melanie, a girl he picked up quite a while ago, before you two met." Cecelia observed.  "Apparently he saved her and her mother from debt collectors and took pity on them. He hired them as maids.  However, her mother stays with his father and mother while this girl followed him when he moved to the nearby estate. You don''t go to Lyle''s house too often so i''m not surprised you don''t know of her. You probably saw her a time or two, but you really aren''t great at remembering people. They seem close, don''t they? "

    She commented casually, ending with a pointed question aimed towards Sofia.

    Sophia felt an ache in her heart at her sister''s words. " But, why would they be here? Why would he and this girl be looking at something like that togeth--?"

    " Why do you think?" Her sister asked back with a raised brow.

    Sophia had a lost, desolate look as understanding slowly dawned on her. "But he and I--We--Lyle would never--" Her lips went pale and she shook her head in denial.

    ...She had long since known her feelings toward Lyle, and had spent many days blissfully talking to him, enjoying their time together and hating it when they parted.

    She had thought that she was special to him.

    But looking at him now, in a place such as this, buying jewelery for another girl. . .Her heart didn''t want to believe what her mind was telling her. But her sister''s eyes held a sympathy in them, a sort of pitying look that made Sofia feel something within her beginning to break into tiny pieces before they fell slowly towards the pit of her stomach.

    Cecelia said nothing for several moments. She watched her sister''s changing expressions impassively.

    Then,

    " Would you like to go and talk to him? This could all be a simple misunderstanding." She looked at her sister closely.

    Sofia shook her head numbly. "Why bother? It''s obvious what''s going on." Her tone was bitter. She knew what her sister was thinking. That look in her eye said it all.

    Sophia trusted Cecelia''s judgement. She knew that Lyle and Cecelia had gotten fairly close recently, which made Sophia happy. And so knowing that they were such good friends...Knowing that right now even Cecelia doubted him...How could Sofia let herself refuse to see what was right in fron of her? She could lie to herself, but wouldn''t .

    Although she truly wanted to...

    " All this time, I thought that he...That he..." She couldn''t finish the words. Her throat felt raw.

    Sofia''s felt pinpricks of heat building by her eyes. Her vision brew blurry.

    Cecelia smiled sadly. Dear sister, it looks like your trust in him is much too shallow. To not even ask the situation and merely come to your own conclusions without knowing everything.

    It seems that I was right. You dont suite each other at all. What would you do if you knew the real reason he was here? But, its too bad, you have already proven you are not a good match for one another. If only you go talk to him...but no. You won''t. Because you already believe so much more in your own assumptions. Truly not a good match at all...

    She remained quiet for some time, thinking about the reprecussions this could have. However, she didnt even consider backing down now.

    "Come on, lets go. "

    And just like that, she gently took her tearful sister and went back to their home.

    ----------------------------

    1 week later.

    It was his 15th birthday. The estate was brightly-lit and various treats and foods were scattered throughtout the place. Numerous nobles came from every corner of Drann kingdom, all shaking his hand and giving him flattering comments with false smiles that Lyle knew hid sly intentions.

    The ballroom was filled with guests, many pretty young ladies looking at him with heated gazes that he tried to avoid.

    As he was now considered an adult, his status increased dramatically. What young woman would not want to wed the currently unmarried and unengaged son of the powerful Duke Adarian Grayborne?

    The Grayborne family''s power reched far beyond Drann kingdom, how could they pass up such an opportunity?

    And so Lyle was surrounded by numerous girl until A''daire showed up and scared them away with him mountain-like figure, shiny bald head and hard look.

    "Heh, thanks for the aid, old man." Lyle spoke provokingly at the man.

    A''daire let out a snort. " Old man? Where? Im merely a 37 year old youngster with dashing good looks and a charming smile. "

    "What charming smile? What dashing looks? Please don''t confuse reality with delusions of grandeur."

    "Young master is especially annoying today. Well, don''t worry, this daddy will cut you down later. For now, congratulations. I can''t call you brat anymore, at least not in Drann kingdom. But where I come from one is not an adult until they get piss drunk, shave off a dwarf''s beard and spoon a pretty barmaid after a night of friviolity and merriment. You, boy, are not yet even close to being able to even flirt with a pretty barmaid." He sniffed in mock disdain.

    Lyle raised a brow. " I have Sofia, what use have I for a pretty barmaid anyway? Could the two be compared? Hmph, and I wont be shaving off any dwarf''s beard. They''re too hard to find anyway. "

    " Heh, so lazy. By your age, I was already an honorary dwarf and was even was shortly engaged to the daughter of one of their master blacksmiths. Ah, Regina. She knew how to throw drink with the best of ''em. " He reminisced.

    Lyle grew interested. "Meet any Elves?"

    "Oh, of course. Damn beautiful buggers. Can only tell the males from females one way."

    Lyle waited for him to elaborate. When he didn''t, he asked, " How can you tell them apart exactly?"

    The man laughed lecherously. "Hehehe, the females are pretty well-endowed, if you know what I mean. Must be what they eat."

    "What do they eat?"

    "Nothing but this fruit. Large, like a pear but at least the size of a watermelon. Pinkish, soft like a woman''s breast. Hm, tastes like heaven and sex. Hard to describe if you haven''t had it yourself." He shrugged. " Met my wife in the Elvhenan Imperial city. Which is a pretty amazing place. Grown from the ground up. Hm, my daughter is a half-elf."

    Lyle''s mouth dropped.  "You have a daughter?" He was shocked. He never heard about that!

    This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.A''daire and Lyle walked over to the long table stacked with foods. After grabbing a piece of meat and stuffing his face, he replied. " Oh, yeah. I didnt tell you? 22 this year. I had her when I was 15 during a fling I had with her mother. Didn''t know my wifey was an Elvhenan, did you? Well you never met her so I suppose that''s to be expected...Didn''t even know I had a daughter till I was already 20 either.

    She teaches combat at a certain school now. A really prestigious one, though I can''t remember the name. You should go find her one day, you two might hit it off. Though you would be talking with your swords most of the time. Heh, you''re the most talented student I have had, but she''s my daughter so how can she not be amazing? I want to see how you two would get along. "

    "Interesting. I might do that someday. Seek her out, that is."

    " Yup, go right ahead. And you know, if the thing with Sofia doesnt work out you can always try your luck with that daughter of mine. Honestly, unmarried at her age. I fear for her future. " A''daire sighed.

    Lyle was very interested in seeking the woman out. He itched for a good fight.

    " Well, thanks but I dont think me and Sofia will be having any problems for awhile. " He refused.

    A''daire shrugged. "You only say that cause you''ve not seen her. Ai, that daughter of mine is a real beauty, just like her mother. She simply has a bit of slightly sadistic tendencies, that all. Offer still stands though. Despite being a brat, you''re a pretty decent brat." He seemed reluctant to say it.

    ...And he just said he wouldn''t call him brat anymore...

    " So, how do you like the party?" Lyle spread his arm out to indicate the people around them.

    From the start every eye was on them, but they had little choice but to give them room to talk.

    One was an incredible S-rank retired adventurer while the other was heir to the illustrious Grayborne family who was rumoured to be an amazing talent in swordsmanship.

    Both exuded a cold, sharp aura like blades. Who but the ignorant young ladies dared approach them? They had no wish to bother them while they were conversing so friendily

    " A bore. Nobles offering you fake smiles to get in your good graces, young ladies hoping to get in your pants and become the next Lady of the Grayborne family. Jealous young men, sending you glares for your apparent popularity. A few sending you heated gazes of another form. All of them are damn annoying. Too much pomp and overinflated egos for this daddy''s liking. "

    The man took a bite of the meat.

    "Glad to know you''re having fun. " Lyle said drily.

    "Where are your parents? I thought I saw them. . ."

    "They''re with Marquis Alderton, talking in father''s study. " He was a bit anxious, thinking about Sofia and the small black box in his pocket.

    "Brother~!" A lovely voice called out. A blonde-haired green-eyed Iris came running at him in her violet dress.

    "Iris, what--"

    However, she didnt stop  and  jumped into his arms.

    "Brother!~ Help!"

    "Miss Grayborne, wait!" A young dark haired boy came out from among the throngs of people.

    " David, you pest, go away! Can you not see i''m talking with big brother and cannot entertain you? " She glared at him.

    "But--"

    " Go!"

    The boy looked unsure, hesitating a bit before he sharp tone made hum run away hurridly.

    Lyle looked at her, letting her down gently. "Care to explain?"

    "Oh, nothing important, just an annoying monkey. Anyway, brother, how do I look?" She asked, doing a little twirl

    He smiled at her indulgently. "Stunning. " He patted her head, something he found himself doing much more often lately.

    She leaned into the pat, laughing quietly.

    A''daire clapped his hands softly. "Oh, indeed quite lovely, young Miss. " He praised. She felt her mood sour.

    "Shut up, damn old man. " Her cold reply floored him.

    "...Why am I always so hated?" He shook his head in wonder.

    "Hmph, your fault for always doing mean things to big brother." She glared hatefully at him.

    "Young master!" Suddenly Melanie appeared as well. She wore a typical maid outfit that couldnt hide her curves at all. Her brown hair was glowing freely down her back and she looked at him with a smile.

    "Ah, Melanie. Thanks for helping me with that matter a week ago. " He whispered in her ear.

    She shivered. "N-no problem, young master. Happy to help. " She stuttered slightly, a bit uncomfortable with the sudden proximity.

    "No, I really appreciate it. "  He said seriously. They were talking quietly so Iris and A''daire didnt hear them. Thoug Iris was too busy verbally tearing the skin from A''daire''s body to take notice.

    "Young master. . ." Melanie looked at him with a strange expression, almost sad, that he didnt quite understand.

    "Melanie, you have been a good servant--no, friend. And I want to thank you properly for everything you have done for me thus far. You and your mother are almost like family. If you ever need anything, tell me. " He spoke sincerely.

    She shook her head. "Young master, you saved me and mother from a terrible life. Those debt collectors would have taken everything we owned and more. If you didn''t show up, then...I don''t know where I would be. I''m glad simply to have been of help to you. I only want to repay you, to serve you and be by your side. "

    To serve the young master of the Grayborne family, to serve him, who always treated her as an equal, she felt that she could spend the rest of her days like this.

    Her life was good. Her mother''s life was good. They were happy. The Graybornes were a kind family, a good one. And to serve them was a great honor.

    Young master Lyle, someday, would become a great man...and she wanted to be by his side when he did. To repay him for what he had done in some meager way...

    The large open doors showed two figure wearing matching dark blue dresses.

    One was pretty as a blooming rose while the other was cool and aloof.

    Their faces were identical, and few could tell them apart.

    Lyle''s eyes flashed as he looked at them.

    Of course he could tell them apart easily. To him, they were different as night and day and he could always tell which was which.

    "Hmph, arrogant girls. Big brother, when are you going to dump that Sophia-bitch? " Iris asked with a tilted head. Although she was so adorable when she didn''t talk...

    "I don''t plan to. " He said simply.

    "So beautiful. . ." Melanie muttered.

    The two flowers put her to shame, no comparison.

    She looked at young master Lyle and sighed.

    Indeed, only someone like them could be his match. They all belong to a different world from her''s.

    "So late, I thought you two wouldnt come." Lyle walked over to them, the gazes of everyone upon his back.

    Who wouldn''t recognize the daughters of the Alderton family?

    Both stunning, breathtaking beauties and from a good family to boot. They were the object of desire for all the young men and the envy of the young ladies present.

    " We came, did we not?" Sophia''s cold, indifferent voice shocked him.

    "Sophia, are you okay?" He asked in concern, reaching out to feel her head.

    She smacked his arm away. "Don''t touch me. " She said, looking disgusted.

    Lyle paused. What was wrong with her?  Was she mad at him for some reason?

    A girl came over to them, and as soon as she saw the girl walking to their location Cecelia wandered off. "Lady Alderton, welcome." It was Melanie, who  came and bowed to her respectfully. " This is the first time we have officially met like this, I believe, but young master Lyle had told me many things about you. This humble servant is at your service at any time." She bowed again.

    Sophia looked at her oddly. " Any time?" She asked.

    "Yes, my lady."

    Sophia smiled. "Good to know. For now how about you get your filthy self away from me so that we can all enjoy the party without having to smell the dirt and grime wafting off of you?"  The words came out smooth and without malice, yet each word was like a poisoned dagger covered in silk. Extremely vicious.

    Melanie froze.

    After several second she bowed deeply for a long moment. "I will do as you say, my lady."

    Lyle watched her leave, not believing what just happened.

    "Sophia, that..." He clenched his fists. Something like that, such harsh words.... why?

    "What?"

    " . . . " He looked at her angriy but suppresssed it. Surely there must be some reason she was being so prickly today. She was usually so kind and soft-spoken, there was obviously something wrong...

    Cecelia seemed impassive and ignored his questioning glances.

    He would deal Melanie later. Lyle felt terrible about this decision yet he had to bear with it for now. He was angry at Sophia''s cruel words,  but...

    " Come on, let''s talk somewhere quiet. " He motioned for her to follow.

    Iris frowned at them from afar. She moved to go after them but A''daire stopped her.

    Lyle brought Sophia to the roof of the building, far away from any listeners. The moon''s rays  shined down on her, bringing out an almost ethereal beauty in the young woman.

    He didn''t even notice that Cecelia had followed openly behind them.

    He looked at her, and right before he opened his mouth,

    "So, you wanted something?" These flat words made Lyle swallow what he had been about to say. It was these words, more than anything, that made him truly understand something was off with Sophia today.

    Lyle had already pulled out the small black box. But he just held it behind his back, unsure of what to do with the current her. Taking a deep breath mentally, he decided to continue.

    "Sophia, listen, I asked you here because--"

    She interupted him. "I know about your relationship with that woman." She said abruptly, nearly spitting the words out.

    Her words stopped him in his tracks. He looked curiously at her." Woman? " He frowned. " What are you--?"

    "Don''t act as if you dont know!" A sudden snarl, full of hate and hurt and sadness. Tears seemed to form at the corner of her eyes but they refused to fall.  "Do you think I''m stupid? Do you think I wouldn''t know? That servant, I saw you buying her jewelery. That place, with a pretty young girl, what else would you be doing? So, how long have you had her warming your bed?" She looked him with a disgusted curl to her lips, glaring at him, her voice breaking near the end.

    Lyle''s brain went momentarily blank. He caught himself quickly. Did she see him and Melanie that day? Did she misunderstand something?

    "You have to mean Melanie, right? No, you  have it all wrong, I was only--"

    "Melanie? You really call a servant''s name with such a familiar and affectionate tone? And you want me to think this is all some sort of misunderstanding? Please. Don''t treat me like an idiot. I know. I saw you two, I saw her hugging you, pressing against you. You can''t tell me you two aren''t...aren''t  lovers." She choked out the last words with a pained expression, staring hateful daggers at him. "I thought that you were a good person. I thought you liked me. But all this time, you''ve probably been seeing her behind my back. You two must have had a good laugh, right?" She sneered. " I feared this would happen someday, but I...I had hoped..." She shook her head, trailing of in a hoarse voice.

    Lyle couldnt help feeling dazed. The ground seemed to shake beneath his feet. She couldn''t really think...

    "Sophia, no, the situation isn''t what you--!" He tried to tell her the truth.

    "Don''t spout nonsense!" She cut him off. "You may have fooled me once but I won''t be reduced to a position that''s lower than that of even a maid! I dont want to see you ever again! You and that whore, I don''t want to see either of you!" She cried, turning to leave.

    "Sophia, I-- Wait, this is all just a mis--!"  He called out desperately.

    However, she was already gone..

    Lyle stood there, not quite believing what just happened.

    She didnt even give me any chance to explain...

    He thought, numbly.

    She didn''t even care what he had to say.

    She simply assumed things on her own.

    ...She didn''t trust him at all...

    After all this time, after the countless meetings and dinners and dates they had, the private moments that belonged to only them, the laughs and smiles they shared...In the end she didn''t think of him highly enough to listen to his side of the story.

    ...He couldn''t help but sigh. While stood there alone for several long minutes, his thoughts a mess, he suddenly heard someone calling out to him..

    "Lyle, what''re you still doing up here by yourself?" A crisp, clear voice spoke his name from the roof''s entrance.

    He looked  a bit pale, a small half-smile on his face as if ridiculing himself. He seemed to look past her, but he still murmured the name unconsciously. "Cecelia. . ."

    She looked at him in apology." I overheard what you were talking about just now. I thought you would run after her, but..." She shook her head. "Well, sometimes things should simply run their course. Maybe once she calms down--"

    He shook his head sadly, not able to meet her eyes. " She thinks I cheated on her with Melanie. Didn''t even give me any ground to tell my side of things. She doesn''t even want to hear what I had to say and jumped to her own conclusions. I think we can fix the misunderstanding, but now that I know how little she trusts me how can I continue to have a relationship with her?"

    There was no excuse for it. She had been to Lyle''s home before, she should have seen Melanie often, right? At least once or twice...So why would she simply think that the two of them were doing something behind her back?

    He sighed again, wearily, tired.

    Indeed, the misunderstanding could be easily fixed but he couldnt be with someone who didn''t  trust him. After all the time they spent together, if she wouldnt even let him explain himself before judging him then how can he want her by his side?

    He felt torn inside. He wanted to run after her, like Cecelia said. Maybe that would be the adult thing to do, the mature thing.

    But he couldnt bring himself to. A relationship was built on mutual trust. And it was obvious she didnt trust him to any substantial degree. He loved her, but without that trust he felt that his feelings were simply too one sided.

    He trusted her more than anyone. Or at least, enough that he wanted to have her by his side. To share his life with her.

    Though he was very young, he was a Grayborne. He had to have a wife and child as soon as possible to ensure the bloodline would continue. But he would choose someone he decided upon. And until now, he had decided upon Sofia. She was smart, funny. kind. The two of them spent many hours together, had grown closer to one another.

    ...He thought that after all their time together that she understood him.

    His trust...was obviously misplaced.

    Cecelia patted him on the back comfortingly. " Too bad. But who knows, some doors close while others open. I''m sure that you''ll find someone that is perfect for you eventually" She shrugged, clapping him on the shoulder encouragingly.

    But he didnt even seem to hear her. " I just dont know how she saw us together. The place we were at, was somewhere she never goes to herself. And only a few people knew about my being there." He frowned in thought.

    Cecelia shrugged. " Does it really matter? What happens, happens. "

    "I guess you''re right." He calmed down, " But shouldnt you be with her?"

    "My sister is the type to be alone when in times like this. She needs time to be by herself and calm down. But I cant leave you right now. Afterall, you were going to..." She stopped.

    He laughed bitterly. "Propose? Well, I won''t be doing that. Even if we got past this, I don''t to marry a person who can so easily come to the conclusion that i''m unfaithful for no other reason than something she saw from a distance." He took out the black box. Opening it, he found a ring, delicate and bearing a large stone.

    "This thing, it would be able to buy a large city. It will never lose its shine, never bear a scratch and will never get dirty. The ring itself gives one increased stamina and endurance. The stone is made from a special, enchanted  diamond that absorbs life energy and keeps one healthy, it even slows the aging process. Not only that, but with it I would always know how far away I am from the wearer. 500,000 platinum coins...Probably the most expensive ring in the kingdom... What a waste.  " He laughed, though it wasn''t funny.

    Cecelia''s eye widened in shock at the price.

    "Lyle, you..."

    " I won''t have any use for this now. I could return it, maybe sell it, but...It should have some use, right?" He looked at her. "Here, take it. It should have a bit of use to you. The stamina and health increase should serve you well."

    He threw it at her casually.

    "I couldn''t. I-I cant." She tried giving it back. This was something meant for her. How could she take it?

    "Go ahead. I understand perfectly that this isn''t appropriate but I dont want it to serve no purpose after all I spent to have it made. Oh, and here." He took out another box, longer than the last. "This is something that I wanted to give you for your birthday in a few months, but I dont think I''m going to make it. For various reasons I think I won''t be welcome. But just so you know. . .I wont let this thing between me and Sophia ruin our friendship."

    He turned to leave, but paused. "Cecelia, that night. . .You never gave me your blessing. Why was that."

    She shrugged. " I didn''t think you two were right for each other. That''s all."

    He peered at her, and to Cecelia his golden eyes looked so trusting and familiar that it was unbearable.

    As for him. as he looked at her lovely figure, dark thought flashed in his mind. But he rejected it with every fiber of his being.

    " I see. I suppose you were right, then." He said.

    Without another word, he left.

    Cecelia felt awful. What she had done, what she allowed to happen, had torn apart the two people she loved most. Lyle was the type of person that believe once something was broken, that it could never return to how it was. Faced with Sophia''s shallowness, with her accusations and lack of trust, he would never feel at ease around her again.

    He would never be able to like her in the same way again. Cecelia knew that he thought their bonds--his and Sophia''s--were flimsy, but he wanted to make them stronger as time went on. Now he wouldn''t get the chance, and whatever they had was forever gone.

    While he loved her, or thought he did, he would simply not be able to get past Sophia having such little faith in him staying true to her.

    And Sophia herself was always worried that someone would snatch him away. She didn''t see Lyle as an equal, but as someone superior to her that she was lucky to have. Never had she been comfortable around him, because she always thought herself unable to measure up to him, to be with him.

    She had an inferiority complex from the moment she met him.

    From the very first day, she was smitten. But also very self-conscious, and that had never went away.

    Now that she saw him together with another girl, a servant, what little pride she had was diminished. Sophia would never get back with him because she would live in fear of him leaving her for another.

    Cecelia knew all this. She knew what sort of person Lyle was, knew he couldn''t get past knowing his time with Sophia wasn''t able to make her more trusting of him.

    And she also knew that her sister would always be fearful of being not good enough, living in a constant state of suspicion that someday she would be cast aside. Which meant that while she truly cared for him, she couldn''t be with him.

    Using this knowledge, she drove a wedge between them easily. It wasn''t hard at all. If you just knew what buttons of theirs to push, it was a simple thing.

    A thing only she, who understood them both so well, could do.

    In essense she took the two people she would give her life for, people that had been happy with each other up to that point, and broke them apart.

    Yet she didnt feel any regret.

    Because those two...truly weren''t suitable for each other...

 Chapter Five

    It was 3 weeks  past his birthday and his parents had left long since. The Nobles that had come to meet him gradually dwindled, but those who still came to see him brought along a few pretty girls whom he assumed they hoped would catch his eye.

    But it was odd. He didnt recognize any of them. And the girls, too, didn''t seems familiar to him. They didn''t even act like high-born Noble ladies.

    Their dresses were cut either too low or too high, sometimes both, and they moved with a wicked saunter that made their hips sway enticingly.

    Their perfume was rich and intoxicating to the senses.

    Their eyes peered at him with heated gazes which made him feel distinctly uncomfortable, though he made certain to not let it show on his face.

    He knew exactly what they intended and what the Nobles'' intentions were in bringing them.

    The visits were a welcome distraction though, Lyle not wanting to think about his little misunderstanding with Sophia longer than he had to. She didnt want to see him anymore, and he respected that wish as because Lyle thought the days of their companionship was now at an end.

    Though perhaps they would remain friends once things truly calmed down he knew that it was unlikely that they would ever become what they used to be. He didnt like that she simply assumed the worst of him, and if she would not come to try and get a real explanation from him then he felt he should not have to be the one to seek her out.

    After all, he had done no wrong.

    Cecelia still came over, nearly everyday now. They talked more than they used to instead of simply training. Though Iris still grew grumpy everytime she came over, she relented after some pampering from Lyle. That girl could be troublesome but to Lyle she had no real resistance.

    Cecelia had once mentioned what her favorite flower was during the talks that they held and she seemed surprised that he knew what it was already. To which he reminded her of their first meeting, how she pretended to be Sofia and said casully how her favorite flower was orchids.

    Lyle laughed as she expressed shock that he would remember something like that after so long.

    He enjoyed having her over more often but her presence was, in a way, hard to bear. Though he could never mistake her for her sister, he could not deny that those two were nearly identical in terms of looks.

    He often wondered why she would be here with him instead of showing solidarity with her sister, but she replied once that Sophia being her sister had nothing to do with them. He agreed. Cecelia was a good friend to him for a long time now and he didnt want to give that up.

    He still found it odd, but she said that everything was fine and so he didnt question her further.

    He noticed that she smiled more now, brighter too. He had asked if something good happened, but stopped as he discovered that she showed a complex expression.

    In any case Cecelia was important to him even now, an irreplacable friend that he trusted with his life. She had never done him wrong before and he valued her too much to let the situation between him and Sophia come between them.

    ----------------------------

    One day, when he was walking idly with Cecelia after another training session,  he recieved a call from father via the long range magic device used for communication. It was a mirror-like object that was enchanted so that two people could talk face to face.

    After bidding farewell to Cecelia he talked with his father whose face was showing signs of unrest and tiredness.

    The call was concerning.

    "Son, there''s trouble brewing in the demon continent and I have to take care of some things.  I''ll have to be away for a while. I dont want to leave your mother alone so she''ll be on her way to your place shortly." He rubbed the bridge of his nose, a sign of him being both exhausted and a fair bit stressed out.

    " What sort of trouble?" He asked.

    His father sighed. " There''s a group of extremists causing trouble between the demon and human continents. At least that is what is believed. The powers that be want to confirm their existence and crush it before things get too out of hand. And so as you can figure out, I''m the one who was called in to help with the matter personally. Not much discovered yet but, worryingly enough, there''s even been signs that there may be Devils involved." He said grimly, his blue eyes darkening.

    Lyle grew serious.

    Demons were mainly humanoid beings with horns, skilled in magic arts. Though they used to fight with the human race, things were peaceful for a long time now between the two.

    Only the Church of the Five Saints still held hostility with demons in general. Well, that wasn''t entirely true. Many humans still hated and feared demons but they were a bunch who disliked them only because of misconceptions.

    But it was the Devils who were the true problem. There were two types: The first group were mages that lost control of their magic power, growing both insane and more powerful.

    Then there was the second group: Those even more mysterious creatures that spawned from a mysterious realm assigned the codename Hell.

    Hell was thought, once upon a time, to be a purely fictional place. But due to advances in science and magic causing the veil between Here and There to become much thinner, it allowed us to peek into that strange, archaic realm. It was now known to be a very real place, with very real dangers.

    What''s more it''s denizens love to feed off of life energies....among others, though this was their favorite. They carried numerous tools of frightening destruction. All of which made them natural enemies of basically all creatures alive.

    Lyle read that Devils from Hell are also masters of Sin, curse magic capable of giving incredible might at great price. It was a special sort of magic once the subject of much research. However they were now considered taboo amongst most mages.

    Not all curse magic was exactly so frowned upon, but the Sin Series was a case where the dangers they presented were too extreme for them to not be so thoroughly shunned by society. The problem was that some few people still practiced it.

    The reason for the Sin Series being judged so harshly was something that was common knowledge.

    Anyway the reason why demons were hated by other humans was because the general populace thought demons were Devils. Wrong, but that was how things were.

    On the subject of demons, though demons were not as strong as Devils, they were still a force to be reckoned with.

    If a war broke out between the two continents the number of human deaths would probably be much higher than demon deaths. And if a Devil was involved then no matter which of the branch it fell under it would be a damn pain to deal with.

    His father continued. "Apparently there was an assassination attempt on Imperial Princess Su''Mei''rou. An attack said to have been orchestrated by human hands. Which has caused discontent between us and the demon race. My sources tell me that this group likely has human allies. Ironic, considering what we believe their goal to be."

    Lyle recognized  the name instantly.

    Su''Mei'' rou, a young lady of 16 who has always been known to openly support healthy relations between the demon race and the other races of the world. A person very likely to be beloved by anyone she meets despite her penchant for being quite the handful. She''s even said to be a gifted mage, and that''s by demon standards. Something Lyle knew to be true.  The girl certainly was exceptional.

    As for the way he knew this, it was because she had once visited the human continent in order to attend a festival held by the four major races of the human continent. It was something that the girl "Absolutely had to see!"

    And as luck would have it his father was the one tasked with escorting her through the continent for the duration of her stay.

    He had been 11 at the time, his father taking him, his mother and the 9 year old Iris along with him to see the grand festival which only happened once a year. He met the princess during that time, on numerous occasions. She was 12-- one year his senior--and the two got along fine, laughing and playing together often.

    She''d displayed her talents many times back then, always astounding Lyle.

    Lyle smiled in reminiscence as he thought back to those days.

    Though they had not talked much for a few years now he was still concerned for the kind and cool girl he had once known.

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    He looked at his father. "Is Mei alright?"

    "Yes, she''s fine. She was able to protect herself through some cleverly designed magic. That girl hasn''t changed." Father faintly smiled.

    "And how long will you be away?"

    "I don''t know. " He pause. "Lyle, listen. There''s something I have to show you and Iris. Something concerning the Grayborne family. I have some time before I have to meet with the Council concerning these extremists. Expect me there in a few days. Also, stay away from the Alderton estate for a while. I can''t tell you why, but just do it. "

    Lyle smiled bitterly. " Father, I neglected to tell you this but Sophia and I are no longer together. I have not been to her place in a while. "

    "You. . .You already broke up?" Father looked at him oddly. " I don''t know whether that''s a good thing or bad. The Marquis, I wonder what he''ll do. What he wanted. . .probably won''t happen now. This. . .He wouldn''t do something drastic right. . .?" He muttered softly. It was so quiet that Lyle didnt pick up the words.

    "Father?"

    His father suddenly came back to his senses. " No, don''t worry. Just. . .If you see the Marquis, be cautious. He had a lot riding on you and Sofia marrying. And it wasn''t a matter of money or connections. . ." His father gave a vague warning.

    With that, the connection broke and he was left feeling a disturbing chill under the bright rays of the sun.

    ---------------------------------------

    3 hours later.

    "Hehe, big brother~!" Iris pestered him.

    He ignored her.

    "Big brother, don''t do that. Why are you so cold to me recently? Is it that Cecelia-bitc--Ah, I mean, is this to do with that Cecelia? That isn''t fair, why don''t you spend time with me anymore?" Iris looked up at him with tears in her eyes.

    Lyle smiled down at her ". . .Iris, my dear sister, how can you say that when you haven''t let go of my arm for the past three hours? Its probably lost blood circulation, you know."

    It was true. As soon as she saw that Cecelia had left she instantly ran down and threw herself at him.

    Previously to that Lyle had been walking up the stairs of the foyer after his talk with father, heading up to the second level of the house towards his room in order to rest.

    This was the moment when Iris appeared, jubilantly shouting, "Big brother~!"

    She then proceded to throw herself  down the stairs so that he would catch her. Which he did, his arms hurrying to reach out so that she wouldn''t get injured.

    It was both annoyingly adorable and concerning at the same time. Iris was 13 now, after all. She shouldn''t be doing such things.

    Iris looked at him as if he had just said something ridiculous. "Big brother, if I dont do this then you wont hold me at all! This is unfair!" She cried. "You used to always hold me, but now you barely seem to do so at all! Now instead of having some quality family time with your lonely sister, you''re always either training with that brute or talking with that girl!

    "Or if it isnt that then you''re out teasing Melanie!  And if you are not doing any of those things then you''re entertaining those pesky guest of yours... all of whom are always bringing even more girls for you to talk with! Do you notice a pattern here? When do you make time for me anymore? I need my vitamin B!"

    Lyle looked at her curiously with an arched brow. "Vitamin B?"

    She nodded seriously. " B for Brother. You." She then giggled, smiling daintily.

    Since when did I become a vitamin, Lyle thought, shaking his head in wonder.

    She continued. " Why do you seem to now suddenly have an aversion to be spending time with your cute, adorable, and oh-so-loving sister who has always done her best to support you with all her little heart?" She asked, emphasizing her good points shamelessly.

    He tried to stand up off the sofa that she had brought them to, but she restrained him. Seriously, how strong was she?

    He sighed "Look, Iris, don''t you think all this is a bit weird now?"

    She tilted her blonde head cutely, bewilderment clouding her lovely emerald eyes. "What''s weird?" she asked.

    He used his other arm to make a vague gesture encompassing them. " This. Us. Normal siblings don''t hold onto each other for hours, you know." He tried making her understand.

    She clicked her tongue in disappointment. " I wish. If only big brother did hold onto me for hours on end.  If that was so then everything would be fine. But even now it''s me doing the holding. See?" She squeezed her little arms, rubbing her face on his shoulder as she did. All while sighing contentedly.

    "Yeah, that is what I''m talking about. Iris, it was cute before, but if anyone sees this then there will be a lot of misunderstandings. Troublesome ones. Get it?"

    There already were, actually. Many rumours floated about between them. Which made Lyle want to lsh out angrily at those who spread them, not wanting his family and Iris to be the subject of such talk. No, especially Iris...

    He didn''t want her to included in such vulgar conversations.

    Iris, however, seemed not to care.

    "Yes. But so what?" She narrowed her eyes. "Let people talk, I won''t be shy regarding my feelings for you, big brother.  And see, I couldn''t do this before because mother and father would definitely have said something. But since we moved here together it''s much easier to do this out in the open without having to worry about mother and father speaking against it. In fact I thought that was the reason you came here, so that we could truly bond as brother and sister!

    "But alas, you only had training and that Sophia woman on your mind. And then that Cecelia came. And then you two went on missions together, sometimes staying out for days! Days! Even weeks or longer! Both of you, together! The injustice! " She said as if she had been greatly wronged. "Even I, your sister, have not spent as much time with you as she has since we got here."

    She seemed to wilt. becoming extremely depressed.

    To explain, it was mainly him and Iris living on the estate now. The reason for him living here being because A''daire made his home inside Varric with his wife.

    So to continue with training he had to stay here. As Lyle had dozens of sevants, Miss Belle and A''daire to keep watch, he was allowed to stay here full-time by the time he was 14. Though Iris followed him.

    Still, his parents often visited. His mother especially.

    "Forget all that. Point is, we can''t do this anymore. it will be seen as unhealthy. I myself don''t have many problems with it but I do know that this isn''t proper. I feel like if this continues we may someday enter a dangerous road the likes of which we will be unable to come back from. And pardon me, but I''ve no intention of doing so. "

    "So you dont really have a problem with it? Then why say anything?  Dont care what others think, big brother. The boundless love we have for each other as siblings cannot be comprehended by mere monkeys." Iris smiled serenely.

    She leaned her head against his arm and closed her eyes.  " As long as big brother is here then I don''t really care about other people. Mother and father the only exceptions, of course. What''s wrong with this? How can any of this ever lead to a so-called dangerous road? Even if it did, how can it be considered a bad thing... "

    Her voice went softer with each word, her consciousness slowly drifting away.

    Lyle looked at her helplessly. This girl, she probably didn''t even know what that meant. So, it was fine. Nn, everything was fine. Because the serious implications of those words were lost on her.

    This is what he firmly told himself in his mind, refusing to believe otherwise.

    ....After some time his thoughts began to wander and he started thinking of Cecelia.

    Sometimes he caught her looking at him with a difficult to describe expression, as if she had something to say that was on the tip of her tongue.

    Other times she would casually touch him, her hand lingering for just a hair too long.

    He thought that perhaps the relationship, or lack thereof, between him and Sophia had made her a bit unhappy.

    Perhaps those lingering touched were a sort of reassurance. For a long time she thought that they would become in-laws someday and now that they had become this close the past year or so she...well, she likely felt cheated.

    So maybe the touches were because she was seeking some way to be certain that he was still there. He could also take it to mean she held some sort of special feeling for him, but their relationship had never been like that at all.

    And if it was true that she worried about such a thing then she needn''t worry.

    She was one of the people he trusted most in the world, one who always had his back.

    Whatever happens between him and her sister, at the very least she would remain a constant in his life.

    That was what he decided.

 Interlude 1

    Iris was dreaming.

    She didnt know exactly what happened before she slept, she only remembered that she, her brother and her father were inside a large white room.

    After that she remembered being held and feeling warm, safe.

    Then she dreamt. A dream that won''t remain in her memory when she wakes. A dream that was best left forgotten.

    In this dream, there was a woman. A woman with bright yellow hair much like her own. Even her eyes held a green color, like Iris''.

    But in her eyes there were flecks of orange.

    And she didn''t look like Iris. No, she may have had similar coloring but her face was even more well-formed, flawless. Delicate, even refined.

    She hovered in front of Iris wearing a pure white dress that could not hide her mature figure, a mysterious smile on her face.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    " Girl, what do you desire the most in this world?" But then, without even giving the girl time to respond, she spoke once more. "Ah, I see. But eventually he will move on. You know that, don''t you? He will leave you for another, someday. And your time together will end. You know this, don''t you? And you hate it, because he''s yours. No one else can have him, isn''t that so? But girl, your love is not ready."

    Iris didn''t speak, couldn''t speak. She was a mere passenger here, unable to do anything except see and hear.

    She went on. " And by the time it is he will have already started a new family, one that doesn''t include you. Perhaps with that Alderton girl, perhaps with that pretty maid who faithfully serves him. Or maybe some other person he has yet to meet. Is this not something that has always weighed on your heart? That he will leave you, abandone you, while some other woman gets to keep him all to herself?"

    "But worry not, my dear, because I can make him ours." She looked at Iris, a light coming into her eyes. It was filled with a certain knowledge of things to come. She leaned down, gently touching the little girl''s face. "Let me make things easy for you, my sweet girl. Give me your body and mind. Let me have it all. And then I promise you..."

    "...I''ll make him stay by our side....forever.... "

 Chapter Six

    AN: Ah, if there are any new readers then pls, if not a review (because i know the story is a bit wearly for that) then please at least comment on your thoughts on the story so far. especially if you make it to the latest chapter.

    --------------------

    It was now an entire day since his talk with father. For some time now the days were becoming colder, winter just around the corner.

    Lyle, lounging on the sofa in the mansion''s living room, watched as Melanie dusted off some curtains.

    He thought back to his birthday.

    Melanie had cried that day at Sophia''s vicious words.

    He knew because Iris had caught her in a hall with tears in her eyes. Apparently the words struck something within her and he didnt know what.

    Whatever the reason she gradually grew more withdrawn.

    Lyle, that day when he decided to help her and her mother, had felt himself responsible for the girl. She was older than him by at least two years and yet you would think that Lyle was the older of the two if you judged based purely on their bearing.

    She was kind and caring, sweet and warm. She held a youthful energy to her you couldn''t help but smile at. This was all in contract to Lyle was a bit more controlled and calm due to his upbringing, not to mention the experiences he gained during his training with A''daire as a teacher.

    The numerous life and death fights that he had endured from A''daire''s insane methods gave a slight feeling of oppressiveness to him, if what Cecelia sometimes said was true. He couldn''t exactly be considered a normal 15 year old by any means, it had to be said. As such there were few people his own age that would be able to measure up to him in terms of maturedness.

    He didn''t feel very mature most days, but if what others spoke of were true then he could only believe it was really so.

    Hence the reason why, despite their age, you could not think of Melanie as being the older.

    Lyle may not say it outright, but he worried about Melanie. She had a rather frail view of herself, which he disliked. But this frailness and apparent lack of much self-confidence is what made him first start to become more concerned about her than he would be for normal people.

    He had, at first, thought of himself as merely her benefactor. But he quickly grew to appreciate how she was always by his side, ready to help with whatever he needed. Never showing any sign of complaint, just quietly showing her support in whatever fashion he needed at the time.

    Her concern stretched beyond that of a mere servant and she began to anticipate his needs or wants with such ease that is was as if she had been with him for many years already.

    Thus he grew to reciprocate the concern. How could he not?

    She had then, slowly but surely, become an important person to him. He couldn''t deny it, wouldn''t.

    And this is why he had stayed with her at that time to console her. Only after did he go back and entertain the guests once more, enduring the many dances the young Ladies had made him go through.

    Melanie had seemed to blame herself for the entire thing once she learned of it. She had apologised many times, saying that if she had acted more professional then perhaps the misunderstanding would not have occured at all.

    After he heard these words from her his heart become incomparably heavy. She hadn''t done anything wrong either, yet she still believed herself to be the cause of all of it.

    Lyle couldn''t let that thinking continue and told her that it was fine, that she had done nothing wrong at all. That no matter what, he couldn''t blame her. And she shouldn''t blame herself either.

    After all, it was not entirely any one person''s fault when you thought about it. Sophia was too shallow, too angered, too heartbroken, to listen to anything he might have said. And Lyle could have done more to try telling her the truth of what had happened, but instead the thought of her having such little faith in him had rooted him to the spot. When you got down to it, perhaps the relationship between them was simply too fragile to begin with.

    He absolutely hated thinking that might have been so, but in all honesty, between the two sisters... even Lyle himself knew that he got along with Cecelia more than he did ever Sophia. No, maybe it''s better to say that she just understood him more than her sister had. He, too, probably knew more about her, had more trust in her, than he even had for Sophia.

    That wasn''t right. For it was not Cecelia he was seeing, but Sophia. As time passed he grew aware that the bonds that tied him and Sophia was mere infatuation rather than real love. At their age, perhaps that was to be expected.

    It did, however, sadden him.

    What they lacked, they could have acquired later down the line...if only they had been given the chance...

    He no longer blamed Sophia for being shallow though. In the same situation he believed that most would jump to conclusions. It was understandable. What irked him was that she still had not bothered to ask for an explanation. Would that not be something that anyone would demand after calming down?

    No, he blamed their inexperience in matters of love and relationships. If they took the time to truly get to know one another than maybe this whole situation would not have escalated so quickly.

    He told Melanie all this, voicing his thoughts to her in an attempt to get her to understand. To stop her from thniking she was the problem when the truth was something entirely different.

    Even after hearing all that, however, Melanie still probably felt a twinge of guilt. Still, she had calmed down considerably.

    He found it ironic at the time. There he was, comforting the woman that Sophia accused him of seeing behind her back...and yet he had left her alone to think things through herself. If that wasn''t a sign that something was deeply wrong about their relationship then he didn''t know what was.

    ...He felt horrible at even having the thought.

    Some day soon he would have to man up and visit her. He di''dnt want them to be enemies or have any bad feelings between them. He thought that they both should simply have a clean break, find others that suited them more.

    "Young master?"

    Since long ago Melanie noticed his intense stare and a blush of embarrassment began to slowly creep it''s way up to her cheeks in response. Finally she couldn''t handle it and dropped the brush, hurrying to apologise for her clumsiness.

    But she looked at him and discovered that he didn''t even react to the noise, simply staring at her in deep thought.

    She then called out to him, worried.

    ...His lustrous golden eyes came back to their senses at her calling. "Yes?" He asked suddenly.

    She stammered. "Ah, n-nothing. I was just noticing that you seemed a bit... distracted?"

    "....Oh. Yes. I am indeed quite distracted at the moment. " He nodded easily.

    "About what, if I may ask?"

    He gave her a vague, almost mysterious smile. Having gotten pulled from his thoughts Lyle suddenly got in the mood to tease her.

    " Well if you must know, I was thinking that the uniforms of maids were awfully outdated and inefficient."

    One could practically see the question mark abover her head. She looked at herself.

    Inefficient?

    "What do you mean, young master?"

    " Think about it. All that clothing, stretching down to your feet and covering you up. Isnt it a bit tight? Inconvenient? I mean if you are to perform cleaning duties then is it not better to wear something more light and airy so that you can move around easier?"

    Ah, thats true, she thought.

    Her clothing was indeed a bit restrictive and got in the way of her chores. Her long skirt went down to her legs and it didn''t offer much room. Her top had sleeves that were alao very long and stopped only at her wrist. It made her not able to move her arms as freely as she would like.

    "But young master, if that''s all then why were you wearing such a thoughtful look just now?"

    " Because I was thinking of changing and modernizing the uniform we issue. So I was going over various designs in my head and used you as a model. However, as I was putting on various differnt outfits onto you in my mind I began thinking how pretty you looked in all of them--"

    "P-pretty..."

    "--And then, of course, I began to think how you would look out of them."

    "W-Why?!" She felt her ears redden.

    Lyle''s eyes seemed to brighten naughtily"...And by that point the image in my mind was so enticing that I quickly became lost in my own fantasies."

    "Enticing...you say..."

    Melanie blushed even harder as she realized what his last words were, making her have very strange pictures pop into her head that refused to go away.

    Lyle nodded lightly. "Indeed. Quite enticing...very much so..."

    His eyes roamed up and down her body in appreciation, as if drinking her in, before coming to a stop at her face.

    Melanie could clearly see the fire that was burning within their golden depths, making her feel like she was trapped in the gaze of a hungry wolf.

    The heat contained inside those eyes of his was scorching, making her unable to think at all.

    Melanie was frozen in place, unsure of how sudden this change in him was. Her body began feeling a bit hot and she had no idea what was going to happen next...or if she was mentally prepared for it...

    "W-What sort fantasies were they, exactly?" Melanie asked in a small voice, having gathered her courage.

    ...Seeing how great her reaction was Lyle very nearly couldn''t hold in his laughter any longer.

    " Oh? Do you truly wish to know? Because my thoughts just then...they definitely aren''t safe for work, if you catch my meaning. But if you really want, I suppose I could explain in more det--"

    "No, p-please dont!" She cut him off hurriedly, changing her mind fast. What had she been thinking, asking him him about it at all!

    Lyle couldn''t take it.

    Seeing her distraught face, flushed adorably in a bright crimson color, he wasn''t able to stop himself from chuckling.

    When she began to scrunch up her face in mild anger Lyle finally decided to calm himself and apologize. "Sorry, sorry. I''m only playing, you know that, right?... Well, mostly. After all, you are pretty, it can''t be denied." He grinned.

    "Young Master. . . Do you really enjoy teasing me that much?" Melanie asked him with a look of helplessness.

    She should be used to it by now, but she was weak. She knew he didn''t have any mean intentions so she couldn''t stay angry at him. But...! But even so...! Melanie really felt that his ability get a reaction out of her was much too high! She really thought that...that...that he''d actually begin to do this and that  to her!

    His acting skills, they were already too good weren''t they!

    "Rather than that It''s more of a reflex if anything. Plus you make such cute expressions that I really can''t help it." He shrugged.

    Another voice called out. " You know, Young Master Lyle, although you don''t know it that teasing part of your personality is actually not anything new. Though you are a bit inexperienced, you seem like just the type of person who will be truly troublesome to deal with once you mature."

    A small sigh. "I can already imagine the number of women who will be put into a considerable amount of distress due to that side of you. Your powers of destruction are already so strong, I shudder to think what you''ll be capable of in the future. I hear your father was much the same in his day, though I think perhaps you''ll be even more mischievous than he was. Like father like son, I suppose."

    From upstairs came a youthful-looking middle aged woman. Her hair was in a stylish bun and her clothing was a dress that reached down to her ankles.

    The years had been kind to her, her face still carrying her past beauty and showing little signs of wrinkles. It was all well-sculpted angles, her lips and eyes seeming to look contemptuously at everything with a sort of arrogance. And yet somehow not appearing unkind.

    There was a fluidness to her steps, a certain authoritative bearing that gave her an almost severe aura.

    She looked like a strict taskmaster, eyeing the two younger people in the room with an amused expression.

    Upon seeing her Lyle nodded his head in respect. "Miss Belle, whatever could you mean by that? I do admit liking to tease from time to time but I hardly believe that warrants such words. "

    She snorted coldly and gestured to the still-embarrassed Melanie whose eyes were strangely averted for some reason. " The fact you can so easily bring down a girl who is even older than yourself, and so naturally, is what I mean. Look at the poor thing. I think perhaps she was truly expecting something to happen? And I''m not quite certain she''d dislike it. By all rights she should be much angrier at you. And yet that isn''t that case. Is this not enough evidence? Your skill really is something to behold, being able to make her forgive and forget so easily. "

    "...I wasn''t expecting anything..." Melanie broke in timidly.

    It was just that the Young Master was a little convincing, that was all....

    Who could blame her if she thought she may actually be eaten up by him?The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    Ah...even thinking of that was embarrassing....she wanted to run away and bury her head under her pillow in shame....

    Lyle contemplated Miss Belle''s words."I feel that I vaguely understand what you''re warning me about... But I don''t believe something of only this level can cause anything of the like, right?"

    "Of this level, you say? So you can raise it up a notch? I underestimated you, Young Master." The woman shook her head, amazed. "As for your question, perhaps you''re right. Although words have a powerful effect it may indeed not bring too many problems towards you for that alone. But you seem a natural at sending others signals you don''t mean to send. You don''t make your teasing obvious enough and this is why many women may misunderstand your intentions, or rather lack thereof. That Cecelia girl is a good example of this. " Her eyes seemed to drill into him, " Be more cautious of your words and actions, dear boy. If you don''t, then trust me. Someday they eill bring you a world of trouble."

    "Signals? Cecelia....?" He stopped himself. Though he had suspicions, he wouldn''t voice them.

    As for that warning. . .he didn''t quite understand yet but somehow her words caused a feeling of foreboding to trickle itself down his back.

    ...Lyle supposed that maybe he did take teasing a little far sometimes. It had almost always been a part of his personality, for whatever reason that may be. Genetics or whatever, he didn''t know. He didn''t consider himself a person who would play around with the hearts of others, especially women.

    He assumed anyone would be able to tell that he was only joking. But if he really was playing with people like that, even though he would only be doing it unintentionally, then he should be more careful in the future.

    Misunderstandings, he was coming to hate them.

    " Miss Belle...so was there something you needed of young master?" Melanie asked after taking a deep, calming breath. Honestly, sometimes young master Lyle said things that really brought her difficult feelings to deal with.

    "Ah, yes. Thank you for reminding me, Melanie. Young master Lyle, you need to have a serious talk with that sister of y-"

    "Miss Belle, dont tell big brother! If you dare do so I wont forgive you!" Iris, her blonde hair running free down her back, strided down the stairs and glared at Miss Belle. Her breating was quickened and sparks seemed to fly between the two.

    Miss Belle ignored her then, turning to Lyle. " Young master, take a look at these. She''s been sketching them during lessons lately and I cant keep this a secret anymore or else I fear she''ll not learn a thing, No, I fear she will even become a type of person that cant be brought out in public."

    She handed him a thick sketchbook that she had held to her chest.

    "Brother, no!" Iris cried out and reached a hand to stop him.

    But it was too late.

    He skimmed through it curiously. The drawings were quite good, very detailed and done with care. . .

    He didnt see why this. . .

    . . .However as he went on he gradually grew more and more serious until finally he closed the book with a snap, unable to continue.

    "Young Master?" Melanie glanced at him, wondering about the book''s contents. What was able to give eevn him such a troubled look?

    "Iris, this. . .This must be destroyed. You know that, don''t you?" He said, looking reproachfully at his sister as if in disappointment.

    She smiled awkwardly."B-big brother, that. . .that isnt. . . what it looks like. C-can you hand it back? Please?

    Melanie, seeing the young Iris in such plight, wasn''t able to just keep quiet. "Young master, I dont know what that sketchbook has inside of it...but it seems quite important to her, so..." She started hesitatingly.

    He said nothing, simply handing the sketchbook to her.

    She opened it slowly and took a peek. She displayed a bewildered look. "Young master, what wrong? Aren''t these just drawings of y--...Wait....Hold on..." She looked closer.

    ...Eh?

    These...these are....oh gods...

    She closed the book quickly, her face even redder than before, unable to look Lyle in the eyes. "This . . .should probably be destroyed, right?

    Iris looked at the three older people in horror. " Big brother, don''t let them! My precious treasure, please dont!" She looked at her brother with whisps of moisture in her eyes, the emerald green making them look like precious jewels as they did so.

    Her golden hair, flowing in waves down to her back, her hopeful expression, the way she held her hands almost in prayer, all these things gave the little girl a saintly feel to her.

    But he didnt waver. He looked at her mercilessly and showed her the book, opening it to a random page to put up to her little face.

    The two women averted their gaze. " Iris, I don''t have to explain to you how this cant continue to exist, do I? "

    " Big brother. . .I was simply trying to capture your form. Your essence."

    "This trash is my essence?" He looked at her, disturbed.

    "T-trash?! Big brother, you have always praised my great drawing skills! The skills that you made me so proud of, how can you say they produced anything even resembling trash?! This, this is art!" Her eyes ignited with fervent passion and locked onto him fiercely, defending her work with all her little heart.

    ". . .Back then I didn''t know that your talents could be used for such purposes. I''m sorry, but it''s either the drawings or me. Because as long as one exists the other cannot. Choose. Which one do you want?"

    "Big brother. . ." She looked up at him, begging.

    When he said nothing, unmoved, she heaved a great sigh. " I understand. . ." She pouted, repressing tears of blood.

    He smiled. " Good. "

    --------------------------------------------------------

    After the trash had been disposed of the four went their seperate ways. Iris took the book''s ashes with her, looking pale and heartbroken, despairingly demanding four hours of being allowed to hold his arm and having her head patted before she finally left with a near drunken sway.

    Miss belle excused herself and went to Varric, something about a few errands she had to run. Melanie did the same, wanting to buy ingredients for dinner.

    As for Lyle, he went to the back of the house and trained for a bit. A''daire wasnt there today and was with his wife, thankfully. However he knew Lyle would still follow the regular training pattern he set up.

    The end of which involved him trying, usuccessfully, to split a boulder in half.

    "Hah, what was that! By the time I was your age I was able to do such a thing easily!" The man would have gloated.

    Which was unfair since, unknown to Lyle, A''daire had asked an old friend of his to enchant the boulder with a minor spell to make it increase in hardness for each blow that failed to split it.

    Of course since mages were very rare in Drann Kingdom this would have costed quite a sum if not for the long friendship and favor the man owed A''daire.

    The scarcity of mages was partly why it had cost Lyle so much for the ring. It was made from precious metal and stones, along with some fairly high grade spells that altogether was a great amount of money.

    But disregarding this tidbit of information, Lyle had no knowledge of the trick A''daire had played and was staring quite angrily at the boulder as if it had done him some personal wrong.

    Finally he had enough and struck out with all his might, his sword a mere flash of light as it descended upon the arrogant oversized pebble.

    A loud clang! was heard, reverberating for some time before quieting down

    Lyle glanced at his sword and spoke with disdain. "tch! Broken. "

    He was about to give up when, out of the corner of his eye, he saw something that brought him endless joy.

    There, in the center of the boulder, was a large fracture that began to spread down the middle.

    "Come on, come on. . ." He whipered intently, willing it to happen.

    At last there was a sharp, exciting crack!. . .

    . . . and the boulder oh-so-slowly split apart.

    "Ha!" He shouted out jubilantly. " Damn pebble, acting so high and mighty. Just look at how this young master broke you!" He spoke arrogantly with a look of extreme self-satisfaction.

    "Lyle?" A lovely, almost musical voice called to him.

    He turned his back and spotted a familiar girl looking at him.

    She had a hourglass figure, slim yet already showing her womanly charms. "Heh, Cecelia, come and look at this. The pebble thought it could dare laugh at me and now it lays in ruins, a shadow of its former self. I almost pity it, he was a worthy opponent."

    " Oh? Ah, indeed, quite an accomplishment. " She let out an amused, beguiling half-smile that lit up her face and sent electric currents through even Lyle. Her pencil thin eyebrows eased down gently towards her thick onyx-black lashes. Her gray eyes, usually cold like the edge of a blade, were filled with warmth as they landed upon his figure.

    Her shirt was a deep violet that drew out her eyes and gave them a magnetic quality which made him want to stare at them, to become lost in their depths.

    She also wore black leather pants that hugged her shapely legs and pert bottom, leaving nothing to the imagination. She wore a sweet perfume, teasing his nose and enticing him to take a whiff. A few weeks ago this would have surprised him but for some reason she seemed even more charming than usual recently.

    At her wrist her saw a charm bracelet made of gold-like material, but far more valuable. On it was a number of ornaments that held significance only to the two of them.

    He nodded. "Thank you. So, what brings my second favorite person here today? A spar? Im up for it if so."

    "Second favorite?" She asked, wrinkling her nose. The motion somehow made him notice the bit of silver string around her neck, upon which hung a delicately crafted ring.

    As she saw him staring at it Cecelia brought a hand to the ring and gently stroked it as if it were an irreplaceable object to her. She smiled faintly at him, her eyes holding some sort of softeness that he wasnt used to seeing on her,

    A small voice broke the silence. "Hmph, well of course. This adorable little girl here is big brother''s favorite, you know?" Iris appeared like a wraith behind Cecelia''s person before she moved to stand by her brother''s side. " Damn vile woman, I sensed you coming from a mile away. Go away. Shoo. Big brother has no use for--"

    Lyle stopped her with a pointed look. She paused. Then, ". . .Don''t think i''m scared of you. If big brother weren''t here. . ." Iris began laughing eerily.

    " . . ." Cecelia felt a chill. How did this little girl always know she was here? How did she get here so fast?

    " So, Cecelia, you were saying?"

    "Right. I dont really have a special reason for being here. . .Is it wrong for me to simply want to see you? " She asked.

    "Ha, keep saying that and sooner or later people will misunderstand, you know. " He gave a small grin.

    " Although I wouldn''t mind if they misunderstood, really. Whatever others may think or say has nothing to do with us. And it''s not like I would exactly be opposed to... "

    "What was that?"

    "Nothing." Came the casual reply, then a small shake of the head. " Doesn''t matter. Anyway. . .While im here, I should tell you that father has been quite distressed since he found out about you and Sofia. "

    Iris felt alarm bells in her mind. She, with her acute hearing, had easily heard the woman''s utterance. This girl . . .So, she wanted to take him away? The audacity!

    My big brother, the only woman that is allowed to covet him other than myself is that Melanie person, and only because her weak personality is perfect for being bossed around and kept in line by me! She thought.

    She was about to say something but her brother spoke first

    Lyle frowned, remembering his father''s vague warning about the Marquis. "Let him be. I know he doesnt need the business with us anyway. From the start he shouldnt have a reason to dislike the current situation. It isnt like we''ve become enemies or anything."

    Iris nodded. "Big brother shouldnt have to be restrained by such a shallow woman. Hmph, can''t recognize big brother''s majesty, she didnt deserve him. Ai, he wasted so much time on that harlot that he could have spent with me. I thought that now he could spoil me more, but unfortunately there is another certain bug flying sround these days"

    She looked accusingly at Cecelia.

    The girl ignored her. " The situation is a bit more complicated than that. . ." She began.

    "Oh?" He grew curious.

    Her face was solemn. " Indeed. You see, the Alderton bloodline has gotten much weaker in recent years. We Aldertons have naturally superior strength and combat instincts in comparison to normal folk. That is why we defend the weak points of the kingdom.

    Since we get weaker in every generation now, father had been trying to find suitable partners to restore our strength. If we weaken past a certain point, we will no longer be able to keep our status. So that is why im guessing he''s so stressed out by your crumbling relationship with my sister."

    Lyle didnt quite understand. Neither did Iris. "Why would big brother be involved in that? How does this have to do with big brother?" She demanded suspiciously.

    Cecelia looked at Lyle apologetically. "Lyle. . .Your maroon hair comes from your father''s side of the family and hasnt been seen since the great grandson of your families first ancestor, the original Grayborne.

    Even your mother''s family, the mages of the Bathory clan, have only seen those golden eyes of yours in the most talented of their members. . .And that only when their clan was at the height of their power. Although this meansdon''t much like your ither fsmily members, it also means your bloodline is extremely pure. It could help booster other bloodlines, he believes."

    The words, though true, still stung. Lyle, even now, was still bitter about that point. He wasnt sure why he didnt look like them. He was his son, he was sure. Why was he different?

    He had no answer.

    "So," He began calmly, a twinge of contempt in his voice. " What you''re trying to say is that the Marquis wanted to solve the problem of your bloodline using me. Nice. " He shook his head, disgusted.

    Iris flared up in rage. "What! That man wanted to use big brother like a breeding horse?! Unforgivable!"

    " Well, its true that he was hoping for a union, but. . ."

    "But? Sophia and I probably wont get back together. She hasnt even sought me out for a real explanation yet."

    Cecelia looked at him guiltily. " Actually. . .She wanted to demand an explanation days ago, but father stopped her and confined her to the house. Odd, since he wanted the two of your to be together. Then he up and left."

    Lyle looked at her. " Strange, yes. I wonder why he would. . ." He thought back to his father''s warning once again.

    It seemed the Marquis did indeed have a lot riding on things going well between Sophia and he. So, why confine her?

    Lyle concentrated on another fact for a moment.

    So, she did want an explanation. A least that meant she calmed down. Maybe, if she apologised. . .

    He shook his head.

    No, he didnt want to be hated for whatever misunderstandings she would have in the future.

    Cecelia looked at him, struggling internally. " Lyle. . . Please be careful. Father, I think he may be involved in something-"

    "Young Master, your parents are here~!" Melanie, from across the yard, yelled at him.

    "Okay, tell them I''ll be there in a bit!" He called back. " So, you were saying?" He turned to Cecelia.

    ". . .No, its probably nothing. . ." She said.

    "Hmm." He looked at her. After a while he shrugged. " Alright then. Iris, come on. Lets go talk to mother and father. Cecelia, you coming? Im sure they would be happy to see you."

    "Yeah, sure. " She smiled.

    However, as she followed his back she couldnt get rid of this strange dark feeling of dread in her heart.

 Chapter Seven

    Lyle went to greet his parents as they got out of the carriage. Father wore a rich  gray suit that was stylishly done, his top hat perched lightly on his head. Mother, on the other hand, was radiant in a red and white sun dress, her golden locks framing her face in expertly crafted curls.

    Three girls followed him, Melanie and Cecelia close at his sides while Iris was forced to walk a bit behind. The entire thing unnerved her to no end.

    "Mother, father, I didnt expect you so soon." Lyle said, not at all troubled by it.

    "Good morning  Lady Grayborne, Your Grace." Cecelia offered a smart bow, smiling charmingly at the two.

    "Yes, good morning, dear.  Ah, Cecelia, you look more lovely by the day! Come here, give me a hug!" Mother gushed and pulled the girl into a warm embrace.

    "Lady Grayborne,  always good to see you. " Cecelia said a bit awkwardly.

    "Dear, stop that. Have I not told you to call me Alyssa? Being so formal with each other at this point is simply tiring." Mother sighed.

    Cecelia smiled happily, " Alyssa, then. "

    "Though, I wouldnt be opposed to you calling me mother. Well, not anymore at least. "

    Mother had not liked either Cecelia or Sofia at first. Rather, she hated them. Still, she came around after a few months. Although Cecelia was always her favorite of the two for some reason.

    " Your Grace, I remember how you talked with father some time ago. Is there a problem?"

    Cecelia looked worried.

    Lyle glanced at father who shook his head in denial. " No, my dear, nothing of the sort. He and I simply have a disagreement. "

    " I see. . ." Cecelia didnt seem convinced.

    "Girl, you act so familiarily with other people''s family. I wonder if your sister knows how often you have been coming to big brother''s place since he and she broke up?" Iris asked innocently.

    But Cecelia knew how sharp those words were, and how each one was pointing themselves at her with a deadly gleam.

    She suppressed a wave of guilt and ignored the girl.

    Of course the girl meant no harm, she simply acted this way to any woman who she felt too close to her beloved brother. Rather, the only time she showed her cute side was when she was alone with her brother.

    She remembered how Sofia told her parents how she didnt intend on seeing Lyle again and that her sister shared the sentiment.

    . . .Of course she had no idea how wrong she was, or that Cecelia went to see him regularily.

    Lyle knocked his sister on the head lightly. "Iris, Cecelia is a good friend. I would appreciate it if you started to get along with her more from now on."

    Iris looked at him incredulously before sighing in defeat. " I''ll try. . ." She said vaguely. If big brother says so then she could never outright refuse.

    Lyle honestly should have said that ages ago but he thought Iris would grow to like the girl on her own at some point.

    Ceceilia smiled gratefully at Lyle. Perhaps now those chilling glares would stop, she thought.

    " Master, my lady, have you anything that need taken care of you can come to me at anytime." Melanie spoke up  sincerely.

    "Ah, no need for that. Please, raise your head already." Their father said. He knew the relaionship between his son and this maid was a bit special and so he treated her with more respect than he would most others.

    " Lyle, let your mother entertain Cecelia for a bit while you, Iris and I talk. I trust you remember our conversation earlier? Its time to let you understand the reason we Graybornes exist."

    After saying so he disappeared into the mansion.

    Cecelia nad Melanie looked as Iris followed her father and brother inside. They couldnt help but feel an uncomfortable coldness seep into their bones unbidden.

    ----------------------------

    Several minutes later he and Iris met father in the study.

    "Big brother, father seems a bit odd today? Is he okay?" The girl whispered to him.

    " Im sure everything''s fine. Dont worry about it," He assured her.

    Father looked at them. His eyes seemed unsure and he seemed suddenly older. Finally, " Iris, Lyle. . .Do you know the role we Graybornes played in the subjugation of the crazed Mage-kings during the time of the Five Saints several eras prior to the formation of the World Council which governs the planet today?"

    The question threw them off.

    Iris had only ever heard stories of the Five Saints and she knew little about the era of the Mage-kings who lost control of their immense powers and become devils.

    She only knew that it was her family, the Graybornes who originated in the ancient Drann Kingdom, had helped with stopping them.

    As for the World Council, only Lyle had any real knowledge of them since he would one day hold a seat on the Council as all the Grayborne family heads did before him.

    Plainly speaking, Drann Kingdom had no sway over the Grayborne family in the truest sense. Their influence spread much further, it was simply that the Graybornes long ago chose to not openly reveal their true strength.

    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

    For whatever reason only they chose to hide in secret, away from the gazes of the world. Still, some like the Imperial family of the demon continent were aware of their true identities.

    After recovering, Lyle spoke. " The Greybornes were responsible with aiding the Five Saints in killing the rogue mage-kings and many years later we were part of the founding members that created the World Council which ensured global threats were taken care of swiftly. But what our exact role in handling the mage-kings were, I dont know. "

    His father nodded. He looked at them in turn, his eyes holding some feeling that couldnt be expressed in words. " If I told you that the mage kings were alive and well, what would say?"

    A stunned silence filled the room.

    Lyle nearly choked and Iris'' mouth fell open, her face a mask of disbelief mixed with fear.

    After several minuted Lyle forced himself to speak. "Father, such a thing. . .That isnt something to joke about. Everyone knows that the Five saints-"

    "Died. " He cut in. "They died, nearly all of them. Only two of them survived and they were a young girl of 9 and her brother who was 18. The rest perished, all slain during the first subjugation of the weakest mage-king, Immundus." Father''s words, so matter of fact and cold, caused Lyle''s heart to skip a beat.

    " Big brother, father''s words, they cant be true. . .Right?" Iris whimpered.

    Lyle couldnt even comfort her. He could only shake his head and pat her on the head, his thoughts in a state of disarray.

    This. . .This went against every story of the Saints they ever heard. Everyone from the time they could walk would hear of the mighty Saints and their exploits.

    All the children would read stories of the Saints as they imagined themselves becoming them.

    They were so widely known that there were holidays honoring them, even some people who worshiped them like gods.

    To say that most of them died fighting the weakest of the mage-kings, and that the two surviving members were but a child and a young man. . .

    Father sighed wearily. " I know this is a shock, but this is something few even in the Council know of. The true history of the fight between the mage-kings and the rest of the world is a lot darker. . .And the Graybornes are at the center of that history."

    " I didnt want to tell you all this yet. But recent event have caused me enough concerns that I feel forced to do this. Lyle, I fear that there are people in the World Council itself who wishes our family harm. Who want to go back to the time of chaos and rule like gods. And for that our family stands in the way."

    "Big brother. . ." Iris looked at him.

    Of course she understood the severity of the situation.

    Lyle found himself angry, itching for a sword.  He took his sister''s hand, saying, " Anyone who wants to harm our family will die. . ." His voice was low, quiet, and it surprised even himself how cold it was.

    He took a deep, calming breath. " Father, please continue. "

    Father nodded, continuing the story." Very well.  As I was saying, the remaining Saints were believed unable to be of help by themselves. Why the people back then pinned their hopes on such things is beyond me. Perhaps the desperation made them try anything so long as it held even the faintest of hope. However, contrary to expectations the young man was strong. Not simply blessed with some power like stories would have you believe, but acutally trained in both magic and a variety of weaponry.

    And no one knows how he had the knowledge he did, but it was as if he knew exactly the type of situation he was in without it having to be explained. He knew our language, our history, our culture. He knew the mage-kings as if he had learned of them in school.

    He knew things that shouldnt have been known to anyone. And he used that knowledge. In fact, he is the one that sought out the four original Graybornes. Our ancestors.

    The boy, setting up our four ancestors as the Saints we know today, went with them to destroy the mage-kings. Well, that was what is believed, anyway. In truth the mage-kings kept reviving. They didnt die, they simply found new hosts.

    But the young man seemed prepared, and three years after his summoning he sealed four of the mage kings into the bodies of our ancestors while leaving the strongest into our care before returning with his sister to their own world. Being able to hold the souls of others was only one of the numerous abilities that lay dormant in our ancestors'' bodies. How he knew of any of them, no one can guess.

    But to this day, our family has secretly kept all the souls of the mage-kings sealed behind a space cut off from the rest of the world."

    Father''s words echoed throughtout the room.

    "Lyle, Iris . . . The Grayborne family are the keepers of the Mage Kings, those devils. And I believe that there are some who want to release them.

 Chapter Eight

    Edit as of Aug 7 2019

    Just a heads up, a lot of this has shit grammar

    Like ''isnt'' or ''hasnt'' instead or isn''t and hasn''t. But in new chapters, latest chapters, expect that to greatly improve.

    Sorry for if that''s jarring to you guys for now. Also. Remember to rate and review.

    -------------------------------------------------

    Father''s words made Lyle feel a certain sense of apprehension and fear but he schooled his heart to remain calm.

    It wasnt easy.

    "Father. . .What you said. Is it true? Those monsters from the tales, can someone really want to free them?" Lyle''s voice was full of disbelief.

    "The mage-kings. . ." Iris whispered fearfully, her eyes wide.

    Of course she would be. Even Lyle himself, who prided himself on his strong heart,  was scared.

    The stories of the mage-kings, those devils, were too numerous. Their crimes unspeakable.

    They killed and enslaved everything in their wake, not even the earth itself was safe.

    The Elvhenan Queen, butchered in her own castle as her family watched, the Dwarven King''s head paraded around his city''s streets. The vile monstrosities they created that knew only how to kill, to torture, and nothing more.

    Stories of how children were forced to eat the flesh of their families. . .

    And many more, less cheerful endings resulting in broken spirits and unanswered cries. . .

    They had liked to play with them, give them hope before smashing it to the floor, laughing all the while.

    No wonder people would try summoning heroes from another planet. Anything to stop the mad reign of crazed those depraved kings.

    If they were to be unleashed upon the world once more. . .

    "Big brother. . . " Iris looked at him, twining her hand around his for comfort.

    Her heart instantly calmed.

    Lyle''s, however, struggled to keep him in check. " Father, why would anyone want to unleash those things upon the planet? No, where are they even kept? Why didnt the previous generations of our family try to--"

    "Destroy them? Not possible. At least not that I know of. As for why. . .I think that they believe the mage-kings can be controlled. Harnessed. Lyle, things have escalated quickly, too quickly. I held a lot of information from you during our last talk, as I thought there may be some listening in somehow. I couldnt be sure." He shook his head wearily.  " If it werent for my injuries, if I had my old power, then I would feel able to protect our family from anything. But I cant.

    Lyle, Iris, we cant let the mage-kings be found. Right now they are locked in a space existing untethered to this world but the location and entrance to access it may already have been found. We have long prepared for this and so we can move them to a new location quickly, but. . ." He paused.

    And Lyle felt it, an unpleasantness in the air, a tension the until now had not been quite so noticeable.

    "But. . .?" Lyle asked

    ". . .No, nothing. " Father finished.

    And yet Lyle knew otherwise. He felt it in his bones, knew without doubt that father hid something from them. Some important detail that he feared would startle us.

    " We all have to be there. A''daire should already be waiting, we should go too. Here, hold this, the both of you." Father presented a large, silver colored book.

    "A''daire?" Lyle exclaimed, surprised at the mention of his name." But he--"

    " Should be taking the day off and spending time with his wife? No, not today." Father told him.

    "He''s a. . .confidant of sorts. A trustworthy person that I was hesitant to involve in this."

    Iris and Lyle were concerned, " Father, why do the two of us have to go with you as well?" Iris asked in trepidation.

    "Im sorry, I cant answer that. Just. . .trust me. I wont let anything hurt you two, understand?

    But we have to go. Here, hold onto the book firmly."

    Lyle sent him a look, trying to determine what his father was thinking. But in the end he merely took his sister''s hand and squeezed in reassurance.

    Then the both of them looked at the book, hesitating. Finally, after a long moment, they took the book into their hands, a bit unsure.

    They didnt know what to expect, really.

    However they trusted their father. They believed he wouldnt do anything to hurt them.

    Perhaps it was a bit foolish, but they did as requested. Lyle felt confident in his ability to at least protect Iris from any danger. And the mage-kings had to be moved before they were found.

    They didnt know why they had to personally be there but in the end their sense of duty and trust in both their father and A''daire won.

    As soon as their hands touched the silvery texture of the cover their vision went white.

    The the three figures disappeared, as if they were never there at all..

    =============

    " Melanie, be a dear and get us something to drink, will you?" Lady Grayborne--no, Alyssa, as she wanted to be called-- asked.

    The girl smile and bowed elegantly. "Of course, my lady.  I brewed some tea not long ago, still hot. Let me get you and Lady Cecelia a cup. "

    Cecelia shook her head and smiled. The formality from her was unneeded. Her status as Lyle''s personal maid, even friend, made her fairly unique. She was not treated as a mere servant.

    Of course the Graybornes, from what Cecelia could tell,  had always treated the servants a bit more like equals, unlike others of their standing.

    Still, the girl insisted on addressing the parents with respect. Lyle, though she called him "young master", was treated with more affection. Cecelia supposed that was normal, given how she heard he helped her and her mother some years ago.

    Cecelia had never met the mother but it was said she had already been given authority of the Grayborne family home''s well-being when they were away.

    Alyssa turned to her. " So, Cecelia, how have things been going between you and that son of mine?" She asked with a delicately raised brow.

    If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    Cecelia mind went blank for a split second. " Well. Very...well?"

    The woman laughed, a charming one that made one feel at easy in its warmth. "Is that a question, dear? You dont have to hold back, I''ve long known about your intentions towards him. Of course, I never encouraged it due to him being with your sister but now I dont have any reservations. I always liked you more anyway."

    Cecelia''s mouth made a small O of surprise. "You.._You knew?" Her voice was almost forced out.

    "Dear, it isnt that hard to miss. Well, maybe for Lyle himself,  but that''s only beause he has only ever thought of you as a potential sister-in-law. And he isn''t the type to have such thoughts to the sister of a girl he is seeing. But for me its plain as day." She gave a small smirk. " So, I take it you haven''t said anything to him? Because unless you do he will never see you as a woman, more of a close friend or some such thing. My boy isn''t all that dense but he would never think of you as a love interest on his own. And he, right now, wouldn''t suspect you even think of him in that way either."

    Melanie came in, holding a silver tray upon which sat two porcelain cups.

    " Here you are. Enjoy."

    "Thank you my dear." Alyssa took a cup and brought it up to her lips.

    Cecelia followed suit, blowing lightly on the still hot liquid before taking a small sip here and there.

    The drink was not one she had known the like of. It was a peculiar sweetness mixed with an almost fruity aftertaste which made her feel warm and unusually comfortable. There was a delightful, heady fragrance that caused her head spin oh-so-subtly.

    For a second she felt as if she was floating, her mind slightly fuzzing.

    Melanie stayed by her side, smiling a bit rigidly... for some reason Cecelia found the entire thing very odd.

    "You know, Cecelia, " The older woman began suddenly. " I wouldn''t mind helping you get together with my son. Afterall, I do like you and he needs a good woman by his side in the days to come. But first we have to discuss something."

    She rose, smiling kindly at her. " I know that your father wants to use my son to strengthen the future generations of his family. I know the abilities of the Alderton line have been weakening, and my son, given his bloodline along with his own natural abilities which still lie in slumber, is perfect to solve that problem." She laughed.

    "But people like your father who would use him in that way to make stronger, more capable warriors, have been popping up more lately. They want him for his body, to have him pass down his abilities to his children. Did you know that several  rather suspicious "nobles" have come to see him recently? They even brought some pretty young ladies for him to see, hoping they would catch his eye.

    All dressed up, wearing perfume that dulls the mind. I had one captured, you know." Her smile grew.

    Cecelia''s mind only vaguely registered the words, but her growing sense of wrongness spread.

    What was wrong with her. . .?

    She shook her head but it didnt help, the movement only seeming to tire her instead.

    " You may not believe this, but before I married my husband, the Bathory clan--my own family--used me to collect information from their enemies. I don''t have magic talent, it skipped my generation. But I did inherit a rather valuable power passed down from one of my ancestors; I can forcefully extract information from a person''s mind. A handy little ability. As you can guess, such a thing was highly prized. The number of people I left with broken minds. . . Well, it numbered in the hundreds at the very least."

    The woman''s voice was light, casual,  as if such a thing were of entirely no consequence.

    " So, after I interrogated the girl I learned that your father and a few others covet Lyle for his bloodline. They think that the Graybornes are a mere noble family with a bit more influence than others, they have no idea of our real strength. They think that if they work together they can use that son of mine to breed an entire generation of superior mages and Knights."

    Melanie broke in, looking at Cecelia doubtfully. "My lady, are you sure this is necess--?"

    " Of course i''m sure, dear girl. You of all people know that we can''t allow Lyle to mix with people like that. We can''t take the chance that this girl may be leading his astray. She does have feelings for him, i''m fairly certain, but she could still pose a threat to him. I have to be sure."

    They began talking about her as if she wasnt there, igniting her anger.

    But in her current state the feeling was muted, unable to take complete shape.

    The maid wrung her hands at that, looking resigned. " Yes, my lady. I understand."

    She looked at Cecelia apologetically, averting her eyes

    "Of course you do, dear. You would never risk letting harm come to him, would you? That''s why I like you so much, always so caring of that son of mine. It''s sweet. "  The woman said, looking at the girl with a small, vague smile.

    Meanwhile Cecelia found that her body felt incredibly weak and her thoughts were slow.

    Her breathing turned rougher and the world spun out of control.

    She felt her consciousness fading, everything going dark. She had to fight in order to keep awake.

    It was only now that she reacted, her mind ringing with far-off alarm bells. Cecelia stood bolt upright, her  legs hitting the table and knocking over the rest of her poisoned drink, the reddish liquid making a mess everywhere.

    She nearly fell over but a warm embrace stopped her just in time.

    Alyssa was looking at her with a soft, motherly  gaze and cooed " Almost gone, I see. Ah, before you go to sleep, let me assure you that I will be very careful to not allow your mind to become broken. Your are, after all, a person important to him. I and my husband will deal with those arrogant fools later, but for now I have to make sure you are not involved with them. You understand, right?"

    She raised her hand as she was speaking, a hand in that was aglow, surrounded by an emerald green light that was almost flame-like.

    A hand that, as she spoke, she slowly pushed into the girl''s chest, the palm sliding seamlessly into the girl''s body.

    Before the last word was uttered Cecelia''s mind had already slipped into darkness.

 Chapter Nine

    AN: For any wondering, the mother isnt a bad person, she simply has a bit of history. And she has to think of her family, you know? EDIT: Oh, and i tend to not use apostrophes much in words like "don''t". You may have noticed. As I write this, chapter twenty two is already out. I promise that in later chapters is start putting more apostrophes where they should be. Or i try to, at least. My work here is a bit lazy since I wasn''t too serious in writing the story in the earlier chapters.

    -------------------------------------------

    Several minutes had passed before Alyssa''s glowing hand slowly pulled out from the girl''s chest, looking at her with a faint smile.

    "Oh? Interesting. I didnt think that you would do something like that, my dear Cecelia. Although if it were the me of before I may have done something even more conniving. "

    Melanie, hearing this, asked, " My lady, did you find something wrong?" Her voice dripped with worry.

    The woman laughed and waved off the girl''s concern. " No, at least nothing sinister. But there was something else that caught my attention. A surprising tidbit that made me see this girl in a new light. Well, not that her actions were done with any real malice." She spoke the words almost to herself. "But nevermind that. Melanie, dear, this girl. . .She, like you, simply isn''t capable of doing my son any harm."

    Melanie looked immensly relieved. " That''s great! Young master is a good judge of character after all, as I thought. There''s no way he would befriend someone bad!" She smiled warmly.

    " Perhaps. But bad is relative. Anyway, I needed to be certain. Its good that the girl isnt a person with ill intent. My boy does cherish this one, it would be a shame if I had to break them apart. Though I dont consider myself that kind of person anymore, one must place family above all." She nodded to herself.

    Melanie tilted her head, confused by her words.

    " I''m just rambling, dear girl. Pay me no mind." The woman said. " By now that husband of mine should have left already. Melanie, watch her and make sure she''s comfortable when she wakes. She won''t remember anything about what we just did, so be at ease."

    She stood up.

    "My lady, are you going out?"

    " Yes. I have to go and see if that Sophia girl or her mother knows of what the Marquis has been up to these days. I fear he has gotten involved in something dark. Something that  husband of mine has been charged with investigating recently. If I can, I would like to save him some trouble. When you see them again tell the other three that I will return shortly."

    Melanie, not understanding everything, simply smiled and nodded her head.

    As the woman walked out, she had a certain thought.

    " Lucius been in a bit of a fuss for a while. I wonder if things are worse than I know. That man, he needs to learn how to trust his own wife a bit more. " The words were soft and came out in a small whisper of slight dissatisfaction.

    She shook her head, sighing a bit.

    -----------------------------------------------

    Three figures were inside a certain dark hall.

    Lyle slowly stood up, having lost his footing during the transfer, and pulled his sister off the ground with a gentle tug.

    The two looked around.

    They were in some sort of . . .Palace.

    Specifically what appeared to be a Throne Room.

    There was a raised dais with a vacant spot to their front, with steps leading up to it.

    The walls were marred with black scorch marks, the stones showing signs of breaking. The paintings were faded and torn, every corner of the large room carrying dirt and other filth.

    There was a foul smell in the air, a lingering smell of damp mold, of death. Yet there were no rotting corpses, no. But there were bodies, laying scattered everywhere, their bones the only thing remaining of them and staring up at the high ceiling with hollow eye sockets.

    But strangely their armor and weapons looked like new, sparkling in the light that was seeping in from the stained glass window, a window taking up nearly the entire wall in front of them.

    Iris cautiously approached the weapons, wanting to see if they were real. To have such spotless things laying about with everything else was a mess, were they really there or simply some illusion?

    She reached out a hand to touch a silvery sword, thinking in the back of her mind that her brother would like the thing given how she saw the one he normally used had somehow gotten a bit destroyed earlier.

    Just as she was a bout to place her fingers on it, Lyle stopped her.

    "Best not." He warned. He didnt know how but he felt that touching them was dangerous.

    His father watched them, motionless, his face bathed in darkness because of the light from the window behind him.

    Lyle looked past his father and saw something on the outside of the window.

    He let go of his sister and walked over with a strange look, both marveling at the sight and pitying it at the same time.

    There, outside the window, was a city.

    It looked dead, not so much as a pigeon moving.

    The buildings were large and elaborate but more had roofs that were fallen in than were whole. Tumbled walls spilled brick and stone along the streets. High towers, jutting proudly into the sky like broken daggers.

    There were uneven hills upon which thrust out stunted trees along its slope that could have once been entire streets, now lost to the ravages of time.

    But what was left of the city stole Lyle''s breath away,

    Varric, the capital city of Drann Kingdom, was considered a large city. But even its tallest or widest building would look small to any of the ones here. Large, black marble palaces seemed to greet him everywhere he turned his gaze. Past them were other, smaller building but they were no less beautiful.

    Each intersection he saw held some sort of statue, either bronze, silver or what appeared to be gold.

    Sometimes he saw a fountain, no longer pumping out water but inside he saw it held some type of reddish liquid.

    Te wind picked up, and alongside it came a faint metallic scent.

    He widened his eyes, or he was familiar with this particular smell.

    But, it couldnt be.. . .

    Blood?

    He wasnt quite sure.

    For if so, how did it appear so fresh?

    He felt like it was some mystery that he would never solve. But apart from that everything else he marveled at.

    And yet even so, he was saddened to see it in its current state.

    It was like the corpse of a once great and majestic beast. Somehow he felt odd, as if every corner was watching him. It was. . . disturbing. And not only that, the shadows twisted unnaturally, flickering and writhing even though there was little light from the sky. Even the lamps the traced the streets were dark.

    Lyle, walking up and seeing this all this couldnt help but ask, " Father. . what is this place?" He felt a chill simply looking at the city. For all it caused wonderment in him, he also didnt feel like he wanted to spend all that much time here.

    Iris, who had looked at it with him, was shivering. "This place feels wrong. . ." She muttered, reaching out to grab her brother''s sleeve.

    Father soon joined them. It was a few moments before he spoke, and even them it sounded hard for him to talk about.

    " This is a city called Nos''Thragnea, the City of Broken Shadows. Adventurers used to come here in spades. But this place has been dead and forgotten for thousands of years. Once, a few hundred years ago, many teams of adventurers and a legion of Spirit Knights explored this place. Strange things happened."

    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    "Like what?" Iris wondered aloud.

    Father answered with a grim tone. " Like shadow creeping up on you, like finding yourself alone suddenly, a grey mist rising from the ground. This city plays tricks on you, on your senses. You can hear children laughing, you can see shapes in the dark, shadows that shouldnt be where they are supposed to. This city drove them insane. It twisted them, molded them into one of its denizens.

    This city is alive, and it hunted them like prey. Of the several hundred who entered trying to discover its secret only a few dozen made it out. They spoke of how they suddenly got cut off from the others, of how the shadows followed them, of how they heard the screams of their loved ones at night. They said that the others didn''t die. . .they simply became part of the city, or disappeared and never to be heard from again. From then on this city was left alone to rot and fade from memory. Though occasionally some still come here to seek riches. The fools.

    This place, from the few records that the survivors found, used to be overflowing with light. This castle we are in was designed so that not a single place was dark, the city itself made so that light reached every corner. It was ruled by Immundus before he went insane. This is his birthplace. His legacy.

    This is also the place that the Saints were summoned to. Where the mage-king Immundus killed three of them. His power was the weakest of the five, but the most mysterious too. His curse magic left this place twisted. He left it when he became a devil but returned once the Saints were called forth.

    And now the very ground is polluted. Look, do you see those glittering lights in the houses? Those are jewels, among other things. Take a single one and you will be trapped here forever. Wandering for who knows how long."

    Lyle and Iris'' hearts beat faster with each word. They could feel it, the impurity of the entire area, the tainted aura.

    "Father, such a place, why are we. . ?"

    " This is the "edge" of this world. This is where the Saints were summoned, because the veil between worlds is especially weak here. After the last battle the Grayborne ancestors came here and  used a mysterious power to create a space cut off from this or any world. How they did so, and how they entered this place unharmed, I dont know. "

    Lyle looked around at the place.

    He saw everything with a new light.  This place was . . .Historic.  A place where apparently the first battle between the Saints and the mage king Immundus happened. A place where three of the Saints fell.

    Immundus must have left just before he lost his sanity.

    Could he have known what was happening to him? Tried to stop it?

    Most mages didnt know the signs back then, Lyle knew.

    The mage-kings where the strongest of their time, most regular mage simply couldnt become so powerful. The heights they reached before their fall was a place where probably none in this age could even aspire to. The knowledge they had regarding magic. . .It was deep and unfathomable.

    Even an average mage could become especially powerful after they turned into devils, the power the mage-kings who were the cream of the crop in a time where knowledge if magic was at it''s peak...well, they must have wielded was unimaginable to Lyle.

    Combine that with the "Sins", the curse magic series that devils commanded instinctively, and they became the greatest threat to the world than any army.

    They created legions of twisted, unholy creatures using that very curse magic. Dread Knights, Lamia, Blood Golems, the spear-wielding Death Lords formed from the resentment of hundreds. . . and many, many more things that even now threaten the world.

    "Come, Lyle, Iris. What we seek is under the palace. This place is the only building that lay untouched by the city''s taint. A''daire, I gave him a way to enter this place. He must already be down below. We should go."

    Father turned.

    He entered a dark doorway to the side of the room that had stairs going downward,

    Lyle and Iris followed.

    " Father." Iris spoke suddenly "This place seems like the perfect place to keep the mage-kings. How can any enemies access this place?"

    "There are. . .Other ways. Darker ways. This place has been forgotten by time, for the most part. Simply because no one could enter all those years ago, that doesnt necessarily hold true now. If one was willing to pay the price, then the city would welcome them. But the Grayborne family has another place just as secure to put the mage kings. We simply didnt want to use it if we didnt have to."

    So he meant that it was entirely possible for anyone to enter as long as they paid said price

    What that price was, Lyle didnt know.

    But if their enemies wanted to unleash the mage kings onto the world again, if they thought they could bend them to their will, then Lyle didnt think there was any price they would be unwilling to pay.

    They descended the stair in silence for several moment.

    Iris looked at her brother.

    Although she was scared, she knew from the way he walked with a hand on her shoulder that he was looking out for her.

    The way he seemed so alert, with tensed muscles and a clear gaze, she understood that he was constantly scanning for any signs of danger.

    He held no weapon, but his training with that old man, A''daire, made him no less dangerous for it.

    Iris smiled to herself.

    Big brother always looked so cool and heroic when he was worried about her.

    Although this place made her want to curl up into a ball, if big brother was here she could endure this much!

    Lyle looked at his sister and saw fire within her emerald eyes.

    He smiled.

    This sister of his was indeed made of stronger stuff than most children.

    Even a place like this didnt make her cower in fear.

    Though even he was a bit frightened by the unnaturally dark shadows and faint noises, she didnt seem all too affected.

    She still shivered a bit, but for the most part she held up well.

    He praised her in his mind.

    Soon Lyle, Iris and father came upon a bright light  and the stairs ended.

    Lyle felt his heart beat faster, in fear, in anticipation, he couldnt be sure.

    As they entered the light, a strange place was seen.

    It was an enormous white room, large enough that their steps made echoes.

    There were no sources of light, but it was brightly lit, almost too bright.

    But it was not simply white.

    It looked. . . drained of color, with no real way to tell up or down.

    It was a bit disorienting.

    There was nothing in the room except two things.

    One were gigantic silvery bars that separated the room, on the other side of which were shadows so deep and dark that it seemed to suck in the light.

    He saw tendrils of darkness reach out from its depths, like hands.

    Other than that there was a person, a large, bald-headed person that was mountain-like in stature.

    He casually leaned against one of the silver bars, the tendrils of dark not quite long enough to reach him.

    To his feet was a  five foot wide circle, blood red, with a multitude of archaic runes too intricate for him to make out.

    "Ah, Your Grace. About damn time." He greeted father with a casual air.

    He looked at the other two along with him, nodding to each in turn as he spoke to them..

    "Brat, Little Miss. Pretty cool place, eh?"

 Chapter Ten

    AN: So, I tried getting this right but. . .Does it seem too. . .I dont know. . .Forced?

    Tell me what you guys think of this one.

    I feel i need a second opinion.

    Oh, yeah, remember to rate, review and comment on whatever you like.

    ----------------------------------------------

    Lyle ignored him.

    " So. . .Im guessing that those things. are  . ."

    A''daire looked behind him.

    " The Mage Kings? Yup. Damn things creep me out."

    Lyle felt it too.

    The shadows seemed to stare at him, and the way they moved was chilling.

    "Actually those are the taint of the Mage Kings. Not the people themselves. Not exactly. I can''t explain it but they are similar to spirits. The tendrils, at least a few of them, are...Sins. Corruption and insanity given form. The epitome of Curse magic. Perhaps they''re even stronger than the Mage Kings.  You can''t truly tell them apart from the Mage Kings until  you see them up close. " Father spoke with a peculiar light in his deep blue eyes, a light that made him weary.

    " So, how are we going to move them?" Lyle asked cautiously.

    Father and A''daire looked at each other, a silent message passing between them.

    Father turned to his children, while A''daire moved behind them.

    Lyle''s muscles tensed, feeling something was wrong.

    "Father?" Iris called out.

    The man didnt speak until A''daire was by his side.

    Father spoke then, cold, unfamiliar.

    "Do it."

    A''daire scratched his head. " Ai, those two are gonna hate me for this. Well, better to ask forgiveness . . ." He sighed, a bit distraught.

    But he complied.

    He pulled out a knife he had strapped to his side and slashed it across father''s outstretched hand.

    Then father, under the confused gaze of his children, touched the circle with his wounded hand.

    Instantly the thing lit up with a fierce red glow.

    A rumbling was heard, making Lyle and Iris feel their bodies shake.

    The silvery bars slowly opened and once it raised more that ten feet the dark tendrils began to slowly seep out, feeling.

    "What are you doing?!" Lyle shouted.

    "Sorry ''bout this, kid." A"daire sent out a sincere apology. "We dont see any other way."

    Then he moved, using his superior strength and speed that was far above normal, and appeared by their side.

    . . .And grasped Iris, flinging her small body towards the tendrils of shadows.

    The man''s speed was much, much faster than normal, and Lyle had no time to react.

    As the girl entered the other side father lifted up his hand and the glow of the circle retreated instantly, the silver bars dropping again with tremendous force.

    "Im sorry, but this is the only reliable way to move the mage kings. Dont worry, you wont feel a thing."

    -------------------------------------------------

    Two sets of  dark tendrils wound their way around a certain body, their cool touch licking at the figure''s face and slowly entering inside of her mouth, nose, ears, eyes, aiming directly for the girl''s mind.

    It was cold, and dark, and there were things that surriounded her body.

    She was only half conscious of what was being done to her but there was a feeling of an unnatural invasion and fear that spread througput her body and mind.

    She only saw two things before she entered this dark, cold place.

    Her father''s calm, composed face as he watch her being thrown inside and the disbelieving eyes of her only sibling.

    She didnt know how long she had been there, it could have been seconds or hours or days and she wouldnt have known.

    Soon a hot, boiling pain spread throughout her body. It felt like her veins were being slowly ripped out.

    The girl screamed..

    In such a state the girl was constantly calling out in her mind,

    Big brother. . .Help. . .

    ------------------------------

    "LET ME GO!"

    "Dammit boy she''ll be fine! Trust us, she wont have a hair on her head out of place. " As he saw that his efforts to talk sense in the boy were futile he looked at the father of the two. "Oi, you tell him. He wont listen to me!"

    "Son, it''s true, simply calm d--"

    The struggling stopped, only to start up again with a fury. " SHUT UP!" the boy shouted. " She''s your daughter, how can you simply let her inside with those devils! Dammit, let me go already! Iris! "

    The father shook his head tiredly.

    Lyle was frantic, stuggling to get out of A''daire''s bear-like grip.

    The man was well able to keep the boy suppressed, but even still one could tell that it made even him strain a bit. This boy, he was stronger than A''daire imagined.  A''daire  felt a bit put-out. He didnt want to do that, but he truly didnt believe the girl would be hurt. Otherwise how could he do it? He himself has a sister, and a daughter.

    Lyle was half-crazed, his golden eyes somehow seeming slightly tinged with red. His normally  attractive face was twisted in anger and his body itself seemed to exude a strong malicious aura that made the two other men slightly wary.

    --Boy, that girl''s body is weak, her bloodline too diluted. . .She''s going to die. Such a shame, to see such a pretty flower wilt before she has time to blossom. Truly lamentable. Do you want to save her? Are you willing? If so, you need only ask . . .

    A voice, soft,  soothing, almost seductive but definitely feminine, slipping into his mind like a snake,  just now entering his awareness. This voice, who. . .?

    Look, her body is already beginning to crack.

    Suddenly his vision was enhanced--an amazing thing that he gave no attention to when he was able to see what was going on. What he saw was a small, familiar figure through the dark shadows.

    He was able to make out vague lines of blueish light along the girl''s entire body, even through her red gown.

    They were vein-like things that were almost like cracks, There were even some that sparked here and there, others that let out a slightly more  reddish glow that seemed to show signs of tiny fractures.

    Those things, what--?

    --Those are magic circuits, the things that allow a person''s mana to flow inside their bodies and learn to mold their knowledge of magic into spells. Here, they are too strained, breaking. Leaking out life energy. If they break completely, her mind will shatter to pieces while her body will know nothing but pain before a slow, eventual end.

    Her body does not appear to have the Grayborne ability to seal those things inside her. Even if she did, she could only hold two at a time. That was probably his plan, to have you take two each then save the last for himself. But they dont have to fear being sealed inside her, so they fight for who gets control. That battle is tearing the girl apart from inside out.

    A different voice now, rougher, harsher  and commanding like an old general.

    Lyle shook his head.

    Lies!

    Father wouldn''t.. . He wouldnt  let something like that. . .

    --Your father gave the command to throw that girl in with the most powerful, evil beings in history. . .Does he deserve such faith? You, yourself, know this. Even if that girl was safe and sound could you condone the simple fact that she is being invaded by the spirits of such beings? Your father is a fool. He shouldnt have thrown in someone whose blood is diluted by those of inferior quality. This girl, her time is coming to an end.

    This third voice was smooth, silky, spunding inherently arrogant.

    What were thesee things. . .?

    And diluted? He didn''t understand. Lyle''s head hurt, not quite believing in the words, not wanting to. . .

    His grit his teeth and tried to appeal to his father. " Father, dont do this, please! Let her out, now!"

    "Dont fret, she''s fine." He seemed unsure.

    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings."How do you know? She could be dying!"

    He shook his head. " She''s a Grayborne, her body wont give out. . ."

    A''daire spoke, a thought occuring to him.. " She isnt a normal Grayborne. The abilities of your family, she hasnt shown any signs of them. She has no superior combat instincts nor any strengthened physical traits. . .Rather, she would likely take after her mother''s family. " He frowned. If they were wrong, if she couldnt handle it, then. . .

    "That . . ." Father couldnt deny it.

    Lyle sucked in a cold breath.

    So, was it true?

    Though he said it himself, he wanted father to deny the possibility, to offer reassurance.

    --Even he isnt sure that she will survive. Ah, it seems that she wont last much longer. Our question still stands: Do you wish to save her? We can do that. If you invite Us inside, then We can give you the power to save the girl.

    Lyle looked back, unsure.

    Even now, this thing, how did he know it was telling the truth? It could easily be playing on his fears.

    Iris, father wouldnt do this unless he was fairly sure that--

    A loud, piercing scream made the hair on the three men stand on end.

    "Iris!"

    Lyle redoubled his efforts, fighting out of the older man''s grip.

    "Iris!"

    His breathing went rough, straining his muscles.

    But A''daire, who was he?

    One of the strongest in the continent, a retired adventurer that had fought things few people have the chance to see even from a distance.

    Although the boy was far stronger than many given his natural abilities, it was still able to be contained by him.

    "A''daire, damn you, you heard her! Let go, help me! My sister, she''s. . .!" He raged.

    "Boy, dammit, even if you go what could you do? Even if your father opened the seal again, how can you get her back without being devoured yourself? " He knew that even if it were himself, getting her back would be but a pipe dream.

    Lyle snapped. "Bastard! I dont care . . . She''s my sister! How can I do nothing?!"

    His sister who always followed him around, who smiled everytime he patted or praised her, that sweet and adorable little demoness who pouted if things didnt go her way, how can he stay calm? How can he stand aside and let whatever was causing such screams to continue?!

    "Both of you, are simply cowards! Dammit I said . . .LET. . .ME. . .GO!"

    Lyle felt a sudden burst of strength and broke free of A''daire''s grasp.

    The two mens'' faces were a mask of disbelief and surprise.

    A''daire was very intimate with the boy''s strength. Though it was very abnormal, though his combat skills were rather extraordinary, in no way should he have the ability to throw him, a man who had formal training as an Elemental knight, off.

    Elemental Knights, those who had contracted with spirits that align with one of the elements of nature, they are considered among the powerhouses of all the varrying type of Knights in the world.

    Though he was not currently drawing power from his own earth attribute Elemental, how can a mere 15 year old break his hold? Even a man with three, maybe five times their normal strength couldnt hope to break free.

    Lyle made no wasted time, merely darting off at a nearly inhuman speed toward the silver bars.

    There was a large gap between the bars, big enough for two men to fit through,.

    Although the two men were still in a state of shock, only a few seconds had passed and Lyle was already at the bars and his figure was trying to pass through the gap.

    Boom!

    But an invisible force drove him back, shocking him in a most literal sense.

    His muscles spasmed.

    "Boy, this is why I held you back. You cant enter that place without your father undoing the seal. He is the only one authorized, as the current head of the Grayborne family. Try again and the pain will probably double."

    "Then open it! Now. Cant you hear her?!"

    Even now, there were screams that echoed throughtout the room.

    One could only imagine what was happening.

    Father clenched his fists. "It wont change anything If I do. But we dont know anything for sure. We can only wait and see what happens."

    Lyle looked at him, mouth agape.  "See what happens?! Do you even hear yourself? That''s your daughter screaming in there! You cant--!"

    "It  doesnt matter because  if there is even a slight chance that this place will be found, that those things might be unleashed, then her dying in there is much better than what could come! If she cant handle it then the two of us will have to pick up the slack and do it ourselves! " His  breathing was rough, his deep blue eyes holding both unwavering conviction and heart-wrenching anguish.

    The two opposite emotions made him look half mad.

    -- See? He is unraveling himself. He is torn between keeping those things locked away and saving his own flesh and blood. Well, his fears are not unwarrented. Even now We sense an approaching danger. Yet after hearing her cries he still wont even try to help his own daugher. But you. . . you need only invite Us inside and We can unleash your full potential momentarily. The seal will reform completely after a few seconds but that will be more than enough time to save that girl.

    Then once you leave this place. . .Of course. . . We will come with you. A good deal, no?

    The first voice offered a laugh that was neither pleasant nor un-pleasant  but merely resounded in his ears.

    Why couldnt anyone else hear it?

    Who. . . What. . . Was this?

    Can it really help? Whatever it wants, it cant be good. I cant--

    " Big brother . . .Help. . ."

    That sweet, lovable voice that rarely left his side, called out to him.

    And that did it.

    --your time is running out, boy. She wont last another minute. Your answer?

    The voices asked in unison.

    Whatever came after could be dealt with later, but if he paused to think now she would die!

    His sister who propably cared for him more than anyone he knew, whose constant desire for his attention was both irritating and endearing, he couldnt simply leave her like that.

    Didnt he say he would protect her here? Didnt he decide that he wouldnt let anything happen to her?

    He failed miserably at both,  but he couldnt let her suffer while he wrung his hands in hesitation!

    "Fine, whatever you want, just... help her!"

    The sudden, unexpected words caused the two other men to look at him oddly.

    At once the three different voices answered him.

    "Good, boy. Remember our names! Etain, Nakir, Azamat!"

    The voices  didnt come from his head anymore, but from the depths of the darkness.

    They caused the two men to stiffen, alert for any danger.

    As soon as the last wordd fade there were three tendrils of shadow that shot out from behind the silver bars, the invisible force somehow not even trying to impede them.

    The three pitch-black tendrils were outlined with a different color each.

    The first was traced in a deep, startling green whose glow was akin to resentment.

    The second was a bright, almost wrathful shade of red which ignited the desire for violence.

    The last was a dark violet that tried to outshine the others, the color nearly appearing disdainful.

    As they flew out like lightning the tendrils had apparently set their sights on Lyle.

    A''daire reacted fast and placed himself in front of him, a pale yellow aura amanating from his entire body as he sent an open palmed attack that seemed overbearing and unstopable.

    But as the palm struck the first tendril his entire body was sent flying away like a rag doll.

    With a sound like thunder, under the horrified gaze of his father, they struck Lyle''s chest and caused his skin to emit a gray light for several seconds before he dropped, appearing lifeless.

    Then, with a glorious burst of golden light, his body disappeared.

    The next instant a sound of something shattering was heard and the mysterious force that blocked the way before had become visible, like broken glass, slowly regenerating itself.

 Glossary

    AN: i will add things to this some other time, but for now im too lazy. I made this to help me remember stuff, like my characters and plot-related stuff. for now this is empty so just ignore it.

    EDIT: Only getting to this today on june 16th...

    ----------------------------

    Characters introduced thus far---

    Adarian Lucius Greyborne: Current head of the Greyborn family, he wields much power and has a wide range of influence. He has several trusted allies that manage the "darker" side of the Greyborne family dealings which handles threats to the family. He used to have quite a bit of physical prowess, being an Elemental Knight of as of yet unknown ranking. Due to an injury, he is severely weakened. Although, it is not noticeable unless he enters combat. A man who loves his family, he understands the hardship of having responsibilty to the Greyborne family name, a burden that nearly cost the life of his only daughter, Iris. Adarian is guilt ridden because of it and understands that such a blunder may have also cost him the respect and love of his son, Lyle.

    Alyssa Greyborne: Formerly Alyssa Bathory of the Bathory Clan. She holds a certain power that had made her important to the Clan in her younger days. Her time from before her marriage into the Greyborn family is still shrouded in mystery. Believing in the the phrase "Family above all", she will go to any lengths to ensure the safety of those she loves. With her time spent in the Bathory clan making the lines of right and wrong a tad obscure in her eyes, she is easily capable of doing things which would normally be looked upon with reproach.

    Lyle Greyborne: Excelling in swordsmanship and various other forms of combat, he can wield nearly any weapon decently or at least to some degree. He prefers the sword, but is proficient in the spear as well.  He has heightened strength that has been a cause for concern during his childhood and is one of the reasons he chose to partake in A''daire''s training. He feared harming his sister Iris with his great strength. With the traits of his ancestors being passed down to him, he somehow only very vaguely resembles his parents and sister. This,  although not a large part of his life, has taken root deep at the back of his mind and ocassionally makes him feel an outsider in his own family. Having a great sense of duty and awareness of his future responsibilities, he takes pride in his Noble status and disdains any Nobles who use their influence to commit wrongdoings. Not an overly righteous person, he will do what he can to save those he is able to. Even if it means endangering himself, as long as it is within his ability, he will act.

    Iris Greyborne: Talented in several subjects, she is considered a young genius. For her age, she is more intelligent and self-aware than other children. She loves her bother dearly, almost to the point of abnormality, which has led to certain rumours among the nobility. She is resentful of any women approaching her brother, often ridiculing them in her mind as being "lower beings" not fit for his attention. She is not as strong or talented in combat as her brother, the traits of the Greyborn family not showing within her as of yet. She can even be considered below average in terms of physical fitness. Her main interest is drawing. She is a very strong-willed girls normally but becomes more shy around strangers and doesn''t readily open herself to others.

    Melanie: Having grown up a commoner, she and her mother have lived a hard life. With her d late father having left them with a large debt, her mother often worked many jobs in order to make ends meet. Melanie herself is experienced in many jobs, though to a lesser extent. She is also slightly clumsy at times. After a passing Lyle had witnessed her and her mother being harrassed by loan sharks, he paid their debts in their place and took them both in to work for his family. Melanie works directly under him, while her mother is stationed with Lyle''s parents in the Greyborn ancestral home.  Being only two or three years older than Lyle, she has watched him mature into a young man over the course of her time by his side and feels deep respect and admiration for him. She loves sweet things and is rather adept at sewing.

    Cecelia Alderton: The daughter of Marquis Alderton, she is a warrior through and through. Proficient in swordplay, she is somewhat lacking in terms of hand-to-hand combat. Her family is militaristic in nature and charged with overseeing the weak points of Drann kingdom due to their enhanced combat abilities, which are a direct result of their bloodline. Unlike her more delicate sister, Sophia, Cecelia is more confident and capable of handling herself. She is, however, more stiff and cold towards those she doesn''t know too well. Not many are able to stand up to her sharp gaze once she gets riled up.  Because of the time spent traveling together, Cecelia and Lyle are rather close. Her favorite flowers are orchids.

    Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.

    Sophia Alderton: Sophia has always been favored by her father, given most anything she wanted. She is no fighter, a stark contrast to her more battle-ready sister. Sophia has a very weak mentality and is prone to jumping to conclusions when faced with situations she doesn''t understand. After discovering that she held a liking to Lyle while attending his 13th birthday part, her father eagerly sent a marriage request to have the two engaged. Having later started a tentative relationship with the young master of the powerful Greyborne family, she soon grew a small inferiority complex that made her insecure during their time together as she feared herself unsuitable to a person of his position. Due to this, in her heart, she was always  Her talents are said to lie in the more arcane arts, like her mother who hails from a family similar to the Bathory clan, but she has had no formal training in magic. However, said talent in worrying to her family. In recent years, the abilities granted by the Alderton bloodline has fallen. Her apparent penchant for magic are signs that the usually dominant Alderton blood is weakening.

    Etaine:

    Nakir:

    Azamat:

    --------------------------

    Terms--

    Elemental Knights: There are several different types of Knights, Elemental Knights being ones specializing in calling upon a spirit of nature that can aid them in battle. The type of spirit which can be used range from many different categories. The most popular type of spirits being those that encompass the four main elements found in nature. Namely the spirits of fire, water, earth and air. But spirits, also known as Elementals, of a more rare variety can be used as well, such as lightning spirits. Within Elemental Knights, there is a group that are treated as a seperate a seperate entity called Spirit Knights. These Spirit Knights are similar to an evolved form of Elemental Knights and can use multiple Elementals, or spirits, whereas Elemental Knights can only use one spirit. Note that Spirit Knights also have a limit on how long they can use those spirits. However, they are capable of using spirits of varying types. Let it also be known that Spirit Knights, in general, cannot simultaneously use more than one spirit at any given time. Yet they can, if they trained enough and were talented enough, make the time it takes to switch out one spirit for another so short that it appears as if they''re using several spirits at once.

    Mage Kings: In the distant past, Mage kings ruled the world. However, these days the term Mage King refers to the five strongest Mage kings of old that went mad and turned into devils. The five Mage Kings recorded in history books were the strongest mages of their time and controlled numerous territories before their fall from grace. As their powers were unmatched even before they became devils, after they went mad their abilities increased to truly frightening levels. They wrought havoc to the extent that they nearly conquered all the known lands in the world. Creating unknown amounts of twisted creatures, they assembled armies that swept through all obstacles. In a desperate attempt at survival, the various races resorted to summoning beings of another world to aid them.

    Devils: There are two types of devils. The first, most common, are those mages who lose control of their abilities and go mad with power. These devils have all of their powers magnified by several times. The second type of devil are the residents of hell who

 Chapter Eleven pt 1

    AN: EDIT(Sep 27): There is a description of three characters in this one. Each description is insanely long. Please bear with it, i want you to have a clear picture of what they look like since i might not mention it too often later. Also, Lyle assumed that the Mage-Kings were attacking Iris. But they weren''t. Needless to say, those voices lied about stuff. Or rather, they caused Iris'' current state. You might have figured it out, though. But i just wanted to make it known in case it wasn''t. I will reveal this in the story itself at some point too.

    Im making a Glossary to help me remember stuff about the story. I have not done anything with it yet, but i will post it anyway and work on it throughout the next few day, most likely

    Anway, enough of all that.

    remember to rate, review and comment on whatever you like.

    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    As the seal was destroyed a large explosion resounded throughout the entire space. The resulting energy threw the two men back against the wall and knocked them out. Though the larger man was a strong person, never before had his body been invaded by suh a monsterous power before. Right before he blanked out, he could only wonder what the boy whom he had spent so much time with had gotten himself into.

    Those unbelievably powerful tendrils of darkness went right for him, was that not proof of him getting into some sort of troublesome situation?

    --------------------------------------

    It was a dark chamber. a vast space.

    Inside the room was a boy of 15 or 16 years, though he could have passed for a bit older with his height.

    He was surrounded by a golden aura, attacking several dark figures and tendrils that appeared out of the void-like space in great number.

    They had nightmarish appearances, deformed and looking like they were created to instill both fear and torment at a single glance. Theses things were not what the boy expected, not at all. In the back of his mind he wondered  why these things were here, questioned where the so-called Mage-Kings were.

    But as he saw his sister, unconscious on the floor, surrounded by countless monsters. . .He lost all reason and succumbed to a deep rage the like of which he had never before experienced.

    He had no weapon. But he didnt need one.

    Holding out a hand his figure disappeared and the next instant he slammed a fist through the chest of a large, ghost-like thing that stood above his sister''s body like death.

    The next instant he sent a vicious kick to an armored half-man half-bat creature, its skin an obsidian black and harder than steel, that made it shatter to pieces.

    There was a tall figure away from the rest, a figure that held a long spear covered in mysterious runes. It was nearly seven feet tall, lean and grey-skined with blood-red armor. Its arms were bandaged, a black piece of tattered cloth around its waist. In its chest was a large hole that let one see through it.

    It had a pure white mask with black and red markings. . .Or, no, perhaps that mask was its face itself.

    Regardless, it watched with hollow eyes-sockets as its "comrades" were slaughtered.

    Lyle fought with a animalistic grace and savagery, tearing apart everything in his path as black ichor flowed from his opponents'' wounds.

    The oppressive auras radiating from them all was enough to nearly make the ground crack.

    Behind the boy, in a still-unconscious state, was a young golden-haired girl who was resting peacefully.

    She had glowing vein-like lines along her body but all considered she was fine.

    Lyle''s body which was bathed in a golden light had sufered numerous wounds due to his reckless attacks. But the wounds soon healed, emitting steam as they closed.

    Finally, when most of the other things had been killed, the almost skeletal figure that held the mysterious spear moved its massive body.

    Lyle, who had just taken off the serpentine  head of what appeared to be a mish-mash of different magcal beasts, sensed for the first time a danger from his side.

    He wanted to move out of the way, but behind him was his sister''s sleeping form. . .He could dodge to save his own skin, or take the attack head-on to protect her.

    He didnt even hesitate. The correct choice was obvious.

    Turning around, he extended an arm to block the unknown attack.

    There was a spray of blood and a sharp, piercing pain.

    There, embedded in his palm, was the slender head of a spear. It glowed faintly with a reddish light, seeming to suck the life from his flesh. Behind it were several more such weapons wielded by several tall figures, maybe over a dozen, their masks chilling to the eyes.

    At any other time, Lyle may have despaired. Seeing these things, he would lose all hope of survival.

    But now?

    The current him didn''t know fear. Didn''t know how to stop his burning rage other than to vent his anger upon all things in his wake. Right now, he only thought of protecting the girl behind him and killing anything he came across.

    With a loud roar of pain, he pulled the spear out of his hand, tore it forcefully from the skeletal monster''s grip, and charged into the group of spear-wielding attackers.

    The ensuing battle, with each blow, caused a loud echo and rumble throughout the entire space.

    Even still, the girl slept.

    ----------------------------------------------------

    Looking down upon the bloody sight were three strange figures.

    They didnt look right, looked almost. . .Ethereal.

    There were two men and one woman.

    The tallest man was fit and muscular with wild, fiery hair that ran just past his shoulders. This was not a simple red color, no, this was as if every strand of his hair contained fire withing that flickered every so often. It was a dark red flame, the color of fury, of hate. His eyes were the same, like rubies.

    His face was oldish, with numerous small scars here and there.  A great general past his prime but still as dangerous as ever. He gave off a heavy, oppressive feeling, everything about him seeming to give off a violent aura.

    His clothing were a type of armour formed by small metal rings linked together in a pattern to form a mesh.  On top of  that mesh was also pieces of steel-like plates that bore strange symbols on them. . .seemingly made from blood.

    The second man was a bit shorter, but he was long and lean in nature. His face held a certain beauty to it, like a statue crafted by a fine hand and rare  skills. There was  a cold pride about him that looked down upon all that he saw with disdain.

    His fingers were long and slender, his demeanor regal in nature.  He looked down, no one able to truly tell if he was pleased by what he saw or contemptuous of it.

    His clothing were befitting of a noble. It was made up of a high-collared, deep golden trench coat that had silvery trimming. It was  left unbuttoned from the waist down, a belt with a red buckle the only thing keeping the two pieces of clothing together. Underneath that was a shirt of pure white with an upturned collar while his pants looked made of fine leather. On his feet were black boots with red metal frames.

    Then there were two swords strapped to his waist, one a dark purple-black  and the other a blue-black. The entire set was seemingly chosen with care, selecting colors that complimented his unusual hair and eyes. And it was indeed his hair and eyes which struck out the most.

    They were a deep violet, a color that somehow seemed to suit the man very well. His eyes were the same, but of a darker, more enchanting shade that made one stop and stare. In all he was considerably more handsome than the other man and seemed to take pride in his appearance.

    But it was the woman that was the most eye-catching.

    To begin, she wore vivid green clothing made of silk, a variation of the cheongsam* dresses that were popular in her homeland.

    It was tight-fitting clothing, hugging the dangerous swell of her bountiful twin peaks and ample, heart-shaped bottom. There was a long slit that revealed her  long, slender legs. The jade-colored clothing bore an image of a serpent made up of golden thread.

    Its tail began by her legs and continued, coiling around her body upward until it showed the head of the serpent with it''s open mouth by her left breast, near her heart, ready to take a bite. The entire thing was emitting a soft glow, like the clothing of the other two. Which was not surprising, given how these were merely spiritual bodies.

    Other than that, her body itself was . . .destructive.

    Her face could only be described as exquisite. Her arched eyebrows and sharp eyes revealed an endless charm to the extent that they would sway a person''s heart with a mere glance. Her waist was slim, delicate, enticing you to put your arms around it. As her dress accentuated her beautiful form perfectly there would be none able to bear looking away from her.

    Her lips a natural red like strawberries, looking incomparably soft and tender to the extent that they made one want to lean in and have a taste.

    She had a magnetic presence, one that was hypnotic. Seductive. A temptress that ignited fires in men simply by being there.

    Hers were the type of beauty that lingered in one''s mind, making the rest of the world seem drab in comparison. This was an alluring woman who, without any action at all, held a dream-like grace and charming enchantment that would make all the men in the world go insane for.  It wasnt an eaggereation to say she was a disaster-class beauty who was capable of bringing down nations.

    And yet for all that her body appeared made for sin she had a certain purity  that only added to her charms.  A fairy descended from the heavens, untouchable and forever out of reach. Was there a hot-blooded male who would not wish to corrupt one such as her, to let her know the carnal pleasures between man and woman?

    But the trait that caught the most attention was similar to the two men: Her hair and eyes.

    They were a deep, dazzling shade of green like a sweet poison. It was an unusual color for people of their race, or at least the race they appeared to be, but it seemed suited perfectly to them. The tallest man''s fiery color, the other man''s violet and the woman''s emerald. None of them were a mismatch.

    At the current time the three hovered, looking down at the scene below. Their eyes cut through the lack of light and saw the fast exchange of blows with excruciating detail.

    The biggest man was roaring with laughter.

    "HAHAHA! Look at the boy, look how he rages! His attacks, so wild and free! His heart bathed in an all-consuming fire as he fights like a beast! Good, good, he and I are truly compatible! Go, boy, fight to your heart''s content, kill all in your path!"

    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    This was a rough, commanding voice at the back of the boy''s mind.

    The youth in question had a head full of brilliant maroon hair that was swept to the side and a pair of luminous golden eyes. He had a delicate, slightly angular face. It was an attractive face with his sharp eyebrows, high cheekbones and proud nose. The type of face that grew more pleasant to look at the more you watched.

    He had a certain bearing about him, a confidence and strength that made his observers'' eyes glitter. The woman of the small group of watchers studied him extra carefully.

    He had a nice body, she surmised. A strong body.

    His frame was tall, his muscles compact and deeply defined. He looked very fit, probably from a fair amount of training. He was, the woman thought, like a naked blade.

    Sharp, honed, deadly.

    And so he was. He had a look in his eyes, a certain readiness to do what was necessary. A perfect example of a superior male, the woman thought.

    "Dont be so sure that he is completely under your influence, Nakir. See how he has placed himself between the girl and those things all throughout the battle? He instinctively protects her. Even now, under the threat of so many Death Lords, he still has not backed away an inch. Is this boy truly human? "

    A soft, melodic voice spoke out.

    It was obviously the woman.

    She looked at the young man with burning eyes, a hint of some dark emotion welling inside.

    They seemed almost. . .possessive.

    " Being able to fight those things, I would believe it if you said he wasnt. His body, it holds many secrets. Even the three of Us could only bring out around sixty percent of his maximum potential. Even then, it was mainly his body''s physical strength that was drawn out."

    " Ha, a good specimen indeed! This one, could the heavens themselves thought to deliver him to Our doorstep? Bah, who cares! This boy, I want him!" Nakir proclaimed, his wild smile growing wider. Normally calm, when in a battlefield his more reckless side pops out.

    " So strong, and yet still not everything he had. If the boy matures more, what would he become? Would he follow in Our footsteps? I sense strong mana leaking out of him, untapped. If he chooses to be a mage, could he not reach "their" heights?" Etain murmured.

    " Nonsense. This boy, his potential is great but unfortunately for him it is a bit too high. He wouldnt reach this level of power again in his lifetime, perhaps. Even if he does, he wouldnt advance further. Those monsters that once stood at the peak of power, they didnt reach that level without offering something  in return. This boy, in this current age, wouldnt have that opportunity. He should simply become part of Us." Azamat asserted.

    Etain said nothing, but silently agreed.

    This level of power, he wouldnt reach it without going through cruel and unnusual training.

    The max potential that she felt inside him was great but his body was too high-spec.

    Because of this, the requirements to achieve this kind of power were too demanding and if he tries to go through with the kind of training that his body needs . . .Well, he could break.

    Such a waste of a fine body, was it not? If he cant unlock its full power, why should they not choose to do so themselves?

    But. . .Which one of them would he succumb to in the end? Who would win the right to have him for themselves?

    Azamat noticed her expression. "Etain. Dont be getting any ideas. This boy belongs to all of Us now."

    His voice, coldly arrogant, warned.

    Etain tore her gaze from the boy''s body.

    ". . .For now. . ." She smiled sharply.

    -------------------------------------

    They watched the boy for who knew how long.

    He was . . .Magnificent.

    There were things in the dark room that were monsterous and powerful, the masterpieces of the mage kings.

    And now they all lay in a bloody heap, their bodies not even recognizable. The once great spears, forged from the blood and bone of the most evil and cruel of creatures, each one bearing a might that was comparable to an entire legion, now all rest in pieces along the floor.

    The tall figures, created from the dark emotions of the dead and forged into a being that knew only pain and suffering, whose strength was vast and unfathomable to lesser creatures, were little but blood and bone.

    The cause of all this, his body steaming as the countless wounds of his body slowly healed,  kneeled on one leg with only a single spear to support him.

    His hair glowed faintly in the dark, his eyes loosing the red glint as that golden aura of his began to slowly die out. His eyes were rapidly becoming more lucid, more aware.

    All three pairs of eyes flashed.

    This boy. . .was indeed a rare find.

    Now the only thing left to do was wait for him to bring them out of this dreadful place.

    -----------------------------------

    As Lyle slowly looked around he discovered the bodies of numerous creatures that were torn apart in a bloody mess.

    There were several tall figures around him, shards of some sort of metal too. He got chills from looking at the whole scene, averting his gaze.The scent of blood and death assaulted his senses. He felt like gagging. He nearly retched but held it in.

    Suppressing his disgust, he wondered what had happened. He vaguely recalled the events, but it they were like distant, half-forgotten memories that became increasingly hard to focus on. It felt like he was dreaming. And yet, that rage, that hate, he remembered that in great detail.  Why had he lost his control?

    Those voices in his mind, urging him on, compelling him to kill. . .What were they?

    But he didnt dwell on this. He had made his choice. Whatever consequences that entailed could be dealt with later.

    No, he was more concerned over exactly what these creatures were. Obviously they couldnt be the well-known "mage kings". These things were too numerous, and the Mage-Kings numbered only five. Those three tendrils that entered his body. . .were they a few of the Mage-Kings? That would be the logical conclusion, he supposed.

    And yet, he didnt feel that was right. The Mage-Kings were supposedly sealed here. Those things, for an instant, left the seal. Now, that may be because Lyle invited them into his body willingly , but still . . .

    He didnt feel that they were what they appeared.

    And these creatures, why were they here? Even if those three things now resting inside him were Mage-kings, there would still be two more.

    Where were those other two?

    They couldnt have escaped. The seal was fast enough at regenerating that they shouldnt be able to get out. Even if they did, most seals like this would forcefully pull them back unless it was properly let down.

    Something felt. . .wrong.

    Did his father know of this? No, he couldnt, right? He seemed to truly believe that the Mage-Kings were here. So, where were they then?

    Or maybe. . .they were somewhere else? Could that be it? Could they be hidden even from the head of the Greyborne family? If so, why? For what reason?

    If those things inside of him were not three of the five Mage-Kings, what were they? Father said something about. . .sin personified.

    "Sin" was a type of curse magic used by devils. The Sin Series, the curse magic that was taboo in the mage world. Things like Lust, Greed, Gluttony, Envy, Jealousy, Wrath, Pride, perhaps a few other Lesser Sins. . .These were what made up the Sin Series. Or so he had read. With little formal training in magic he hadnt much to go on in this regard.

    But sin itself. . .could they truly become physical or semi-physical beings and objects? Could concepts become more. . .alive?

    Spirits, those things that Elemental Knights make contracts with, were probably similar.

    So were those things actually Sin given form? If so, what sins were they? What had he agreed to?

    He shook his head.

    Whatever. No use thinking about it now.

    His thoughts turned to his sister. He lifted his head and peered at her from across the room. Somehow, even through the dark, his eyes could clearly see her figure.

    How strange.

    But as he saw her current state, his heart grew cold with rage once more.

    That father of theirs. . .Even though Lyle understood he meant no harm, even though he knew that his father truly believed she would have been fine. . .He still threw her in a dangerous place where losing her life was a possibility.

    Could Lyle forgive that?

    Maybe.

    Would he?

    Never.

    Iris was his sister, the one closest to him. Even his own mother wasnt as close to him as Iris was. Sure, she was a bit over-zealous sometimes but she was still the person who he cared for most in this world.

    Lyle had always spoiled her, had always indulged her. Though he had started to cut back on that recently, the two of them were still very close and to think their own father endangered her like that. . .

    He clenched his teeth in anger.

    In a rather dark mood now, he slowly stood up. His muscles protested, but he pushed on. Pulling his sore, beaten body across the floor he made his way to Iris'' side.

    His left hand held a long gash, he didnt know from what or when it happened. It was fairly deep, but he could still use it.

    He slid his arms under the girl''s lithe frame and held her. After giving her a glance to see if she bore any injuries he lifted her body and walked to the exit.

    He maneuvered through the corpses, not bothering to glance at them. But what he saw in his periphery already made him shiver slightly. Had he faced such strong looking things in this amount of numbers under his normal state, well, he wouldnt have held much hope of coming out alive. As for those tall, masked things behind him. . .He didnt even want to think about what those were.

    As he carried his sister out, he thought of one thing: The power he received was nearly gone now, he reckoned that it would disappear completely in another ten or so minutes.

    That was more than enough time for what he wanted to do. . .

    ------------------------------------

    AN: yeah, i wasnt sure i should use this word. The word is chinese or something, and i was hesitant to use it since it is a type of dress mainly worn in that specific region. Seems kinda out of place.[/i]

 Chapter Eleven pt 2

    AN: Not truly satisfied with this chapter. But i like it well enough. It opens up some options for me at least, and that idea i wanted to do may be doable after all, down the line a bit. I feel like rushing things but i dont feel it would be a good idea.

    The summary of the story will probably change. It is a bit misleading, since not much has actually happened that goes in line with the assumed plotline. So maybe I will make it more neutral or something. Maybe more vague?

    I dont know.

    Anyway, here is the chapter. I want to get a chapter out in my other story today or tommorow.

    So, here. Remember to rate, review and comment.

    P.S: Dont worry about any spelling or grammar mistakes you see, I will edit this later. So bear with it please.

    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Lyle laid his sister''s small body gently on the floor.

    He smiled wryly at her.

    This girl, so strong-willed yet delicate at the same time.

    He remembered that in their younger days Lyle had to take great pains to not hurt her. Every day he had to restrain himself, to ensure she wouldnt get injured as they played together. That was because he, due to his innate abilities, was always much stronger and faster than any normal boy. By the time he was ten, he could crush large, hard rocks if he set his mind to it. And recently it seemed his body was once again getting stronger with each passing day.

    But Iris?

    She didnt have those abilities. For all her intelligence, it could even be said she was a bit below average physically speaking.

    So he would always have to watch himself, to control his actions around her. He never hit her, even almost afraid to touch her at times. As young as they were, Lyle was always aware that he was dangerous to her and was very careful as a result of that.

    This was a big part of why he was so devoted to training his body until he had full control of his strength, because if he accidentally harmed her... he wouldn''t ever be able to forgive himself.

    This sister of his, though, had never been afraid of such things to begin with. She never had any guard against him because of what he might do if he got angry and lost his cool, she merely had a complete, whole-hearted faith in him.  He wanted to never betray that trust. It was the only real thing that was truly sacred to him.

    She was, to him, an irreplaceable existence. He couldn''t imagine a world without her in it. No, rather, he could. But it wouldn''t be a world he wanted to live in...

    It  was a fact that she could be a truly bothersome person at times. She constantly followed him, interfered with his personal life and would hover by his side at all times of the day had she been allowed. But for all that he never spoke out against such things, not really. He couldn''t honestly say her presence was unwelcome.

    Indeed, she was a pain to deal with.  An undeniably  troublesome girl.

    He loved her even still. More than words can say, maybe even more than he should.

    But despite the suffering she brought him on a daily basis, she was the only one he could never really get mad at.

    This cute, adorable, loving sister of his was a person that had an immovable place in his heart. No one else could compare to her in that regard.

    This girl was, indeed, more precious to him than anyone. Her warm smile, her brightly-lit eyes, her soft golden hair, everything about her was as familiar to him as his own face, an intergral part of himself.

    The way she demanded his attention, that overbearing affection of hers...

    This young girl was his most important person. Lyle didn''t care what strange rumours circulated here and there, he wasn''t ashamed of loving his sister. He didn''t say it often, but these feelings, he wouldn''t be afraid to speak them allowed no matter what others might say about it.

    Ando think that she almost died... to think that it was their own father who nearly caused it...

    It made his heart turn cold in rage.

    This was not the boiling, red-hot anger from moments ago. That time it had felt almost...foreign.

    No, this was something dark and heavy in his heart. A chilling emotion that made him blind with its intensity yet at the same time cleared his mind as if to help him in whatever course of action he chose in order to vent this darkness within him.

    And it was this emotion that brought him to his current postion.

    It was this that made him break the seal once more, walk back into the carnage behind it, grab the last, undestroyed spear he had earlier used for support...and place it''s blade near his unconscious father''s neck...

    ------------------------------------------

    The three watched the boy hold a weapon to his father''s throat with amused expressions.

    "Is he under your influence, Nakir?" Etain asked.

    The older man laughed. " Heh, no. This is mostly him. He has vestiges of my influence in him but that merely weakens his inhibition. No, he wants to do this."

    "Interesting. He seems angry. Different from before. There is something dark in him, and not because of us. He has a taint all his own, this one. A kind that makes him dangerous." Azamat commented.

    Etain nodded. " A bit, yes. He would kill his father for putting his sister in danger. He knows his priorities well, of nothing else. He''s entered a state of mind that few achieve. To act with such merciless towards one''s own father speaks of a harsh and decisive nature. Unforgiving and cold. I like it."

    They watched as the boy came to a decision and raised his weapon to finish the man''s life--

    But just as the blade was about to pierce the man, a large hand stopped his arm.

    "You don''t want to do this, kid." The man spoke low, looking into the boy''s eyes.

    "Don''t tell me what I want to do." The youth replied evenly." She nearly died. It''s his duty as a father to protect her, to keep her safe. She''s his daughter, his little girl." His law clenched. And finally he hissed, " My sister!"

    The spark of anger deindled, replaced by an eerie calm. "He had one job, and he failed miserably" Every word, every syllable, was full of chilling contempt.

    The three watched on, speaking casually amongst themselves. "That large man, he is already up? We attacked him, and he even passed out due to the explosion of the seal breaking. The boy broke the seal no less than three times. Going in, coming out, then lastly once again to grab the spear and come out before it regenerated. Those explosions, should that man not be unconscious for at least another hour or so?" Etain raised a brow.

    "Usually it would be much longer, yes. But I sense this one is strong. Well, decent at least. The other man should wake up soon too. I can tell he has old injuries, but his body is still durable. Ah, look, they''re fighting." Azamat''s disinterested voice observed.

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    Indeed, the two had already begun a fight. It was a fight using pure martial skill.

    And It was quite even.

    The boy was tired and his power was leaving him. He had a few minutes at most before he collapsed.

    He was not as overbearingly strong as he was earlier.

    " Haha, a good show! That man is a warrior through and through! Those two, from their movements they should be master and student. How fun." Nakir grinned as soon as the fight began, watching with approval. The two did have quite some skill.

    " What an truly odd child. He doesn''t regret his choice but he also seems relieved at being stopped.  " Etain calmy analyzed the youth and found him interesting.

    He knew that he would have done it if he wasn''t stopped. The girl was nearly killed, afterr all. Yet fhe intent to kill your own father would change anyone.

    The boy was stopped, but the fact that he meant to do it will linger in his heart.

    Now no matter what happens from now on he can never truly consider himself the same son, the same person, he was before he let the attack fall.

    For all that, he does not regret his choice but rather that he made it in the first place. It was a disappointment in one''s self.

    Even the fight he is having with that man now is little more than a venting of anger, of the darkness that lies in his heart.

    The man and the father, from now on the relationship the boy has with them will be much more complicated and tense.

    "It seems that they''re here at last." Azamat broke her thoughts.

    Etain and Nakir spread out their senses. Nakir cursed. " Bah, useless bastards. It took them this long to make it here?Too slow. Hmph, under my command such a thing wouldnt happen. " He grumbled.

    " I sense Immundus'' energy signature within their ranks. But how? He and the Mage Kings should be sealed at that place." Etain had a ponderous look, considering.

    Azamat waved her off. " Immundus was always the most mysterious of the five. He was probably never sealed to begin with, perhaps merely hiding until he found the other Kings. The wily bastard, if any were capable of escaping that event, it would be him. Also, this boy, in his memory I see that this world has been reported to become increasingly chaotic. Relations between this continent and another is being threatened.  Immundus'' work, most likely. I bet he laid low, wormed his way into a position of power and went looking for his comrades. He must have been exceedingly patient to not simply rage across the world. Though he probably knew better than to charge out recklessly."

    " That would appear to be the case. He was always such a person. Those other Kings, though. . .It would be troublesome if they were truly released. But I dont think they have been found.  He must believe this is their resting place, not ours. " She paused. " Wait, now that I concentrate, does his energy pattern not seem a bit different? Almost...youthful."  She frowned.

    Nakir grunted. " Who knows, maybe he had a kid again. Offspring usually carry similar energy readings as their parents. It''d be just like him to send another in his place.  Does it matter? They are not here for us."

    "I wouldnt be too sure of that. The Kings have always coveted our power. They probably wish to use us when we are divided. Our other halves are lost to us, meaning even Immundus could capture us in our weakened state. Other than us three there is only Livia here.  The others, who knows where they are or what they''re doing? "

    Azamat shrugged. " So perhaps they have come for us. No matter. It''s too late. The four of us have all found a host. Us three, Livia as well."

    " True, but if they die then we may really end up caught. He must have prepared something to deal with us. We are yet too weak to take on an army right now.  Should we stop the two?"

    " No need, they have already stopped themselves. Look." Nakir, sounding disappointed, stretched out a hand.

    There was some strained talking from the boy and the man. Finally, a silence. After some few minutes the boy took hold of his sibling and once again stood in front of the man.  Carrying the father, he searched for a certain object.

    "Heh, they''re leaving." Nakir said.

    "Which means when the people outside search here, it will be empty. Amusing. All the work to get inside this trapped city will be for naught. I would love to see Immundus''  face when he learns of it." Etain''s lips curved into a small smile, as if ridiculing those outside.

    "Before we are taken away from here at last, I trust you all understand the unspoken arrangement in full." Azamat looked at the other two sharply.

    " Fear not, we know."  Etain assured.

    Trouble will follow this boy wherever he goes Goddess. We needn''t worry. Our "curse" will ensure his cooperation whether he wants it or not.  Even the Goddess Aine won''t be able to help him."

    Etain glanced up unconsciously. "Funny you shouldention her. This boy, given his talents, obviously has her favor."

    "Yes. And I wonder how she''d look upon realizing he''s fallen into our hands." He seemed to take joy in the thought, his eyes bearing a malevolent light.

    Nakir snorted. " Well, that bitch''s blessings always came with a price in the first place. Perhaps we do the boy a good service. For a short time he will be free of her so-called favor before he falls to one of us."

    "You two will behave then?" Azamat''s words were distinctly pointed.

    "Indeed."

    "Yes, yes, fine."

    They spoke in unison.

    " Good. It looks like they found what they''re looking for. I suspect things from here on will become quite. . . entertaining."

    As they all came to an agreement, the man found what he was looking for. With a tense silence between them, the man and boy carried the father-daughter pair.

    Then, with a bright flash of light, they disappeared.

    And with them, some of the most powerful, destructive beings in creation.

 Chapter Twelve

    AN: A short chapter. I  want to know, how is the pacing of the story in your guys'' opinion? Even if its slow, is it at least interesting so far?

    I think things are starting to move along now, right?  Also, the current synopsis. . .I do think it needs changing since people may be expecting to dive right into a story about a fallen Noble instead of building to it slowly. And that could frustrate them. So, I will get to changing it sometime, and adding things to the Glossary.

    Oh, and I wanted to mention this earlier but be mindful of the time slips. Because of them I have room to suddenly bring in characters or create events that previously had not been mentioned. So, don''t be surprised if I one day introduce people who may know the MC or if I make a reference to some past events involving the MC and/or other characters.

    Remember to rate, review and comment :)

    Editing will be done later

    -----------------------------------

    " Are you alright, my lady?"

    A black-clothed man questioned to the blond-haired beauty.

    He had a compact frame, his light brown hair flowing long past his shoulders and tied into a neat ponytail by a long golden ribbon. His left eye bore a cloth-like eyepatch that covered nearly half of his attractive face. On it was a certain design reminiscent of a bow.

    If one had to say, his features were almost feminine, possessing a noticible refinement and elegance much like her son''s. With his straight posture, gentlemanly manners, black suit and tie that was of a more modern cut, one had to admit that he did indeed cast quite a dashing figure.

    It wouldn''t be surprising if he caught the fancy of quite a number of women.

    Strapped to his side was a sword in a silvery sheath, radiating an aura of bloodlust.

    This young man was a more serious sort than Lyle and his ice blue eye held a calm confidence filled with power.

    He was currently looking at the woman with slight worry

    She had a sickened expression as she got stood up.

    She had come to the Alderton estate not long ago and had asked for a meeting with the lady of the house. Having used her power to search through the woman''s memory she found nothing.

    She had went to do the same with the daughter, Sofia, but found little except her guilt over her rash handling of the situation between herself and the woman''s son Lyle.

    Then she moved onto the butler, one who had worked under the Aldertons for some years now.

    Despite his rank somehow he was an oddly trusted man and the information she was looking for was nearly all there.

    She stood above his crumpled body, feeling disgusted.

    "How sickening." She muttered.

    "My lady?" The black clothed man asked again.

    "I''m fine, Gideon." She turned away from the unconscious bodies.

    They would wake soon, no harm done to them. Though they wouldn''t remember the last few minutes.

    Her body shuddered slightly in revulsion."They wanted to breed him like some prize dog. They wanted to lock him in chains and force him to..." She couldn''t finish.

    Gideon prodded. "Who, my lady?"

    Though he had an inkling, he wasn''t sure.

    "My son" She ground out. "Lyle." It was then that the man''s eyes went flat, signaling danger. There was a distinct tensing of his muscles as he heard.

    " These beasts. They wanted to use him to create an entire generation of young prodigies. With my son''s exceptional bloodline and his talents, there were some declining families that thought to..." The mere thought infuriated here.

    She didn''t know exactly what they had in mind to capture him, the butler didn''t have that information. But it was clear that there were desperate Noble families that wanted her son. Banning together in an attempt to save themselves.

    They all were families with special bloodlines that held powers unique to them. They had gained power and prestige because of that.

    The importance of the bloodline was something normal people couldn''t understand. To lose the abilities granted by their bloodline due to it being diluted was something that most couldn''t bear to let happen. They would do most anything to prevent it, for if it did happen one could expect a quick fall from grace. This was why many such families married their young to cousins or similar relatives, to keep the line as pure as possible for as long as possible.

    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

    The Greyborne family had never had that problem, and her own Bathory clan had a bloodline that integrated well with that of others without loosing the abilities unique to their lineage. It was why Lyle had so much potential sleeping within him. The Greyborne''s blood was especially powerful, more than most, and was exceptionally pure. While the Bathory clan blended seamlessly with other bloodlines, not losing an ounce of their purity while adding to the power of other bloodlines. Making something new, unique.

    Although, that said, within the Bathory clan there were still some abilities--traits--that rarely appeared.  Such as her son''s golden eyes, for example.  But other than that there were no innate powers specific to her clan that were lost. Merely those that remained dormant until unlocked through training.

    And those...those vile people, their declining bloodline made them think to kidnap her son and...

    Thinking about what those people intended to do made Alyssa want to lash out and hit something.

    Of course, it would work. With her son as a catalyst, the previously thin purity of a bloodline could be reignited. Not just that, but made better.

    (Author note: You may be questioning, "but if his bloodline is used to reignite another bloodline that is currently diluted, wouldnt people know something''s up when the next generations show different abilities from what their original bloodline say they should actually have?" Meaning that the next gen would not have the same abilities that their bloodline dictates, but instead have abilities that are different. Well i will explain this later in the story.)

    She forcibly reigned in her emotions, letting out a deep, slow breath.

    Then she found a pen and paper, quickly writing down several names. She snapped at the man. " Send some people after these degenerates. These are the main offenders, and I want them to rot in a place that''ll make them beg for death." Her voice was flat, colder than ice and infinitely harder.

    Those people vastly underestimated the Greyborne family'' influence and power. Understandable, since they were a secretive lot, the Greybornes. So they, those dogs, thought that they could band together and catch them unawares? How foolish.

    Indeed. Foolish and arrogant to the extreme.

    She wanted them to understand just how small and insignificant they were.

    The young man, Gideon, made a small bow. "Yes, my lady."

    She smiled fondly, a very slight curling of her lips that was almost not even there.

    This young man was little over eighteen yet he carried out his duties to perfection.

    Alec had chosen his successor well.

    "My lady..." Gideon hesitated. "About Lyle, is he...?"

    Alyssa looked at him strangely.

    Seeing this, he broke off, not continuing.

    However his hand unconsciously went to his beloved sword.

    This person, he was hard to read. She didn''t know his thoughts but understood from the dark mood he seemed to suddenly wear that he had some inner turmoil.

    In the end he said nothing more, merely shaking his head as a certain conviction came into his uncovered eye.

    " I will oversee this matter personally. If any others are involved I will be sure to extract the needed information. Rest assured, my lady, that everything will be done with the utmost care and secrecy." His voice held an almost dark undertone.

    She was satisfied. Naturally it would cause unnecessary attention if not done with a delicate touch.

    She once again praised Alec, that old spider, for his excellent judgement.

    Having no more to add he then vanished in the blink of an eye, gone to carry out her orders.

    Alyssa looked at the bodies once more.

    A coldness ran through her, unbidden. She hated it, this feeling. When was the last time it came to her? She couldn''t remember. But this foreboding, this dark, cold nausea at the pit of her stomach, it never brought anything good.

    She once again calmed herself before quietly walking out of the room, stepping past the various dazed figures whose widened, dilated eyes seemed to not notice her passing.

 Chapter Thirteen

    AN: This one has a pretty dark undertone, , , but fear not. That''s all imma say on that front.

    Remember to rate, review and comment.

    Oh, and Desafinado, I saw your comments a few minutes ago. Glad you like it so far.

    Will edit this later.

    ---------------------------------------

    When she returned home she went straight to the study, awaiting their return.

    After only a few minutes a gust of wind gently hit her face along with a flash of light.

    She couldnt help staring at them.

    Lyle was covered in wounds that were quickly closing up at an absurd rate even for him, holding his sister''s unconscious body tightly in his arms.

    A''daire was the same, but he was simply lifting her husband like a sack of potatoes.

    The first thing she noticed was the agitation of her son, the brooding aura he exuded. He looked cut off from the other two, not sparing them a glance and merely holding onto his sister as if he couldn''t bear letting her go.

    He didn''t even greet her as he walked past in an abrupt manner.

    She caught his shoulder just as he went by

    "Son, what happened? Iris, why is she--?!"

    But her hand was shrugged off.

    "Ask your husband." He snapped angrily.

    As he left she felt a weight in her heart. His voice sounded so cold, so unfamiliar, that she couldn''t stop feeling walled off from him. Never had he spoken so rudely towards her. Never did he pull himself away as if he couldn''t even stand the sight of her.

    As he walked out, she could only look at A''daire with a worried, questioning glance.

    He smilled bitterly, not quite meeting her eyes.

    -------------------

    He carried Iris to her bed quickly, feeling exhausted.

    Ever muscle felt like they were tearing each other apart and there were vague, indistinct voices at the back of his mind that made his head pound as if someone took a hammer to his skull.

    His body was ready to give out but through sheer force of will he held on until she was safely in her bed.

    He didn''t know what happened next, but very soon his eyes closed and he went into a deep slumber.

    He looked dead.

    -----------------

    He had a nightmare.

    First it was of Iris, her small body falling into a deep void in the ground that seemed to appear out of nowhere.

    He called to her in desperation.

    She looked at him in disbelief and reached for his outstretched arm...but it was useless.

    Again and again the scene repeated itself.

    A cry, a tearful gaze, the loss of her weight as she slipped from his hand.

    Falling, reaching her small arms out for him in vain.

    An infinite loop where he failed to hold onto her, allowing her to drop into a dark abyss.

    Then once every detail was seared into his memory, once the feeling of self-loathing and helplessness set in, the scene changed dramatically.

    The landscape was desolate, the floor littered with all kinds of dead bodies. It seemed every race, human or otherwise, was thrown on the ground in a bloody mess.

    The whole ground was soaked red.

    A sharp, metallic scent forced its way down his throat, chocking him.

    The sky was dark, the sun was red and the moon was up as well,looking fractured while glowing a pale white.

    A man was staring at him.

    It we his own face, looking maybe just five or ten years older than the current him and much more weary.

    There was a deep sadness in his gaze that made Lyle''s heart feel as if it were held in a tight grip.

    But he looked off.

    Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

    His maroon hair was much longer, reaching his lower back. His left eye was a demonic red with a slit pupil while his right was shining with a malevolent golden light. The gold eye changed every so often. From its usual color to a vivid green, then a deep blue, a startling violet color, and then becoming the exact same as the left with its draconic look.

    The left side of his head bore a long horn, broken, and his right hand had a green serpentine design on it that he couldn''t see the exact shape of. It coiled up and around with its head by his wrist.

    His clothes were a mere tattered piece of cloth that gave him a wild look.

    There was a desolate, isolated feeling coming from him.

    This face was his own, but everything else was so different that it felt alien.

    The man stared at him and spoke, almost tiredly.

    "Do you see?" he asked.

    Lyle felt his heart pounding, unable to speak.

    The man asked once again, more insistent.

    "Do you see?"

    Now he pointed behind him.

    Lyle couldn''t help following the direction.

    What he saw sent a sort of dread into him.

    The man disappeared, and a third Lyle came into existence with chains that stuck deep into the ground.

    In front of this other him was a giant cross. No. Several.

    And pinned upon those crosses were unknown figures.

    Lyle couldn''t see their faces, knew he had never met some of them before, but he felt a deep familiarity with them all.

    Blood ran down the metal crosses, staining it a reddish hue.

    The other Lyle in chains was unlike the first. This one was exactly like him, just a bit older.

    He was naked, bearing scars by his wrists and ankles where the manacles rested.

    He didn''t look up. He didn''t respond to the scene around him.

    But his golden eyes were dull, resigned. Hazy, as if unable to make heads or tails of his own suroundings.

    Then he, too, disappeared.

    "Do you see them? Do you see what you''ve done? This is your world. You did this. Every choice you made was a wrong one... even when it wasn''t."

    The other, unfamiliar version of himself was back. He stared at Lyle with hatred. " Why couldn''t you just die? Why did you have to bring them down with you? They loved us, followed us, supported us. Not just them. The others too. Our brothers and sisters. Our comrades. They all looked to us to save them. Yet you--we--failed. And killed them. Our own hands, stained with their blood. Before that, even she was lost to us for a time. We failed them all. " A mournful sigh escaped his lips.

    He wound a hand around Lyle''s throat, squeezing.

    " You only know how to destroy. Every time I try to stop this, we falter. Maybe I can''t stop us. Stop you. I''ve tried. The heavens know I tried. But I''m tired. So tired. We escape her control only to sow discord and strife with our very existence. Then, in the end, merely wind up her slave once more. If this is what awaits us, if I can''t stop you from harming those precious to us, then I should just..."

    His grip tightened and Lyle couldn''t break free.

    He was confused. His mind was a mess and he couldn''t make sense of what was said. He wasnt able to do anything, say anything. He was a mere passenger, forced to go through the motions.

    As the hands around his throat continued to exert more and more pressure, his vision slowly went dark.

 Chapter Fourteen

    AN: Short chapter. Remember to rate, review and comment. . .I have to admit, this day was a bit stressful for me. In some dark corner of my mind I wanted to just make a joke chapter. Like this one, just with a bunch of wincest ero in it. then hours later release the real chapter. But then I was like, "nah, too much trouble."

    And so I didnt. It was only a passing idea, spawning from a long day :P. Things would be so much easier if it were just ero scenes. I feel like im a bit good at them. Sometimes i play with the idea of starting a new work filled with nothing but short stories of ero stuff. Not having to worry about the story, just making ero scenes. . .it would be so. . .simple. Hell, people would probably read that a lot more than my other works!

    hehe. perverts~

    Meh, but i wont do either one of those. My ranting, a result of my sleep-deprived state combined with several sodas and one coffee, aside, I do hope you enjoy the chapter.

    Editing will be done later.

    ----------------------------------------------------------------------

    When Lyle awoke he found himself laying by Iris'' side.

    She slept in the crook of his arm, her left hand resting gently in his chest while her small golden head nestled on his shoulder, snuggling just a tiny bit into his neck.

    Her breathing was deep and even, sleeping soundly.

    Her small and soft frame was a stark contrast to his own hard and larger one. This type of thing, had she not been his sister and instead a pretty young woman, would have made for a pleasing experience.

    He shifted slowly, trying not to wake her.

    "Mmm~"

    But as soon as he moved she let out a quiet moan and began to open her eyes.

    She peered up at him, her large emerald eyes slowly taking in the current situation.

    The two of them didn''t move, merely staring at one another.

    Then she let out a smile.

    "Waking up to big brother holding me in his arms, this is how every day should be started~" She sighed in contentment.

    He gave a faint smile and lightly knocked her on the head.

    "Dont expect this to happen again any time soon. Consider it a special service."

    His words were playful, but he couldn''t help giving her a small squeeze.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    Although the majority was a vague blur he distinctly remembered the dream about her falling, of him failing to hold on to her.

    Just now, for a fraction of a second, he wanted to never let her go.

    In that moment, the mere thought of it was almost too much to bear.

    There was this sudden fierce desire that began to sprout to life inside him, but he didn''t know what it was that he wanted or how he would satisfy this desire even if he did know.

    She felt the tightening of his arms, saw how her brother''s luminous eyes sparked like golden flames.

    Nn, this was how it should always be, the girl thought to herself.

    With sudden courage she snuggled up closer to him, grinning happily.

    Lyle sighed.

    This girl...she never missed an opportunity, did she?

    Idly patting her on the head,he asked, "Iris...what''s the last thing you remember?"

    She looked up at his face, concentrating.

    " I remember...You, me and father somewhere both black and white. A vast room. Then A''daire, that annoying guy, and then..." She paused, frowning.

    "And then...?" Lyle prodded gently.

    "I can''t seem to recall, actually. All I remember is calling for you, and then there was a bright golden light...after that..." She pouted, not able to remember.

    Lyle stopped her. "Well, don''t worry about it. Nothing important happened." He assured.

    She nodded obediently. She wouldn''t doubt her brother''s words.

    *So she really doesn''t remember anything...that''s for the best,* he thought to himself.

    She didn''t need to remember such things.

    It was best if it just lay forgotten in the back of her mind.

    But thinking about it again made his teeth clench.

    That man, their father...Lyle knew why he did that.

    But Iris need not have been involved. If he had known...he wouldn''t let her anywhere near that vile place.

    He thought backcto his previous actions.

    He had resolved to kill his own father at that time. He would have succeeded if A''daire wasn''t there.

    Lyle understood that he lost something then.

    The very fact that he intended to kill his own flesh and blood...it changed him. Though the moment passed, though Lyle no longer wished to kill him, he still felt a small kernal of hate in his heart for the man. His actions harmed Iris. Lyle couldnt forgive that.

    He knew that one moment probably was an important juncture in his life. The second he decided to bring the spear down was the second that the course of his life took a different direction from the one he had been leading. But he fel no regret for attacking. No, Lyle only felt saddened that he chose to attack at all.

    It meant that no matter what he did from now on, he couldnt truly go back to his old life, couldnt be as comfortable around his father as he had before.

    When he was a bit younger than he was now, he had always felt slightly left out due to his own appearance. It wasnt at a deep level, he didnt hate himself. He didnt lack confidence. But he didnt look like his father, mother or even resemble his own sister that much. He didnt look like he belonged in their family.

    And he felt a bit bitter about that. Only a bit. But still, he didnt like the fact. Not being able to have something so basic in common with your own family, how could someone not worry about something about that, especially when you are still young?

    Though he had since grown to not worry about such things so much, he still sometimes thought of it.

    It may not be a suitable comparison, but the feeling he had of being the odd one out applied to this situation. He made his choice, and now he feared there would always be a thin wall between him and the rest of his family that was much worse that what he had felt when he was younger.

    As Lyle lay there in a increasingly sour mood, Iris was the exact opposite.

    Rather, it could even be said that she had rarely been so pleased and content as she was right now.

    Being held so strongly by her big brother, hehe, such a thing was a rare treat these days~!

    She could feel his heart beat, feel his warmth. . .Ah, how long had it been since she felt so relaxed?

    For some time those pesky nobles had sent many young ladies to big brother in hopes one caught his eye. It died down by now, but then there was that damn, infernal Cecelia woman who came by nearly everyday! And not only that , even Melanie now seemed to spend more time with big brother than Iris did. Iris didnt entirely mind that Melanie, given her weak personality, but she still didnt like it!

    She was beginning to feel a deep sense of injustice at it all.

    But of course se knew the place she held in her brother''s heart. Hmph, those upstarts, trying to take her place. Arrogant, much too arrogant!

    This big brother of hers belonged to no one but herself.

    Heh, see how tightly he holds this adorable sister of his, this is a luxury no one but she can enjoy!

    Such were her thoughts.

    Lyle, deciding something, suddenly let go of her before rising off the bed. "Iris, stay here. " He commanded. Then he went towards the door.

    Iris was left alone on the large, soft bed, seeming like an abandoned puppy as she saw her brother leaving. As he walked, she called to him. "Eh? Ah, big brother, come back! I require at least several more hours of gentle love and affection, or else--!"

    But he was already gone.

    "Ah. . ." She sighed mournfully.

    -------------------------------

    Some time earlier, the study.

    Three people stood inside.

    After a long explanation of current events there was a long silence. Then,

    "YOU WHAT!"

    A loud shout like the mad roaring of a great dragoness echoed throughout the large mansion.

 Chapter Fifteen

    ---------------------------------------------------

    She forced herself to calm down. Then she took hold of her husband''s face with her hands and looked at him with a gentle, loving smile.

    "Honey, you know I love you. So what I''m about to do is for your own good, okay?"

    With vicious force, she mercilessly slapped him across the face.

    Even A''daire kneeling beside the guy felt the force behind the attack deep into his bones.

    She glared at her husband. "This has to be the single most idiotic thing you have ever done!" She screamed. " I can''t believe how--how stupid you were today! What were you thinking?" Alyssa demanded suddenly.

    The man  got up, rubbing his face.

    " I know. What I did was wrong. But you don''t understand. If our enemies found that place and unleashed what was within, who knows what could have happened?"

    The wife snapped. " Oh? And speaking of, do you even know what happened? Go ahead, A''daire, fill him in on what you saw." She prompted the large, bald man with a look of angry contempt in her lovely green eyes.

    He coughed and squirmed uneasily.

    Faced with being in the middle of an arguement that shouls clearly remain between the two husband and wife, he felt increasingly uncomfortablee and awkward. Although he was a bit strong, he had no defense against a woman''s anger. Especially when their children were involved. He''s rather face a Hydra with his arms tied behind his back than standing here, being hacked to pieces by a dagger-like glare.

    Ai, why did he only ever encounter women who were either dragons and tigresses?

    That brat never had this problem. That Alderton girl, the pretty young maid, his own sister...why was it that he never got chewed out like this? Were the gods not being too unfair?

    Such were his inner thoughts as he recounted to the two what he had witnessed...he left out the part of him and the brat duking it out.

    The woman was already pissed off enough as it was, he didn''t feel like making his own wife a widow by digging his grave like that.

    Truth be told, it was a bit embarrassing. Him having a bit of trouble handling a mere 15 year old. Shameful.

    Ai, he could only blame his godly teaching skills for the boy being such a powerful brat at that young an age. Honestly, anyone else would call the boy a monster. Fuck, even his own daughter wasn''t as strong as that at the kid''s current age! If the two of them ever really met, knowing his battle-maniac of a daughter, wouldn''t it be a disasterous thing for the world?

    He couldn''t help but sigh and curse. The boy had talent and was even blessed with flowers on each arm, never having to deal with an enraged mother like he was now. No, even most mothers would probably like him. Too unfair!

    His thoughts grew increasingly sour and hateful as he continued his explanation without missing a beat.

    However, what he didn''t know was that he had left out several important details of the story.

    "...And after a quick glance I saw  some Death Lords, along with other creatures I wouldn''t want to meet in some alley unprepared. But nothing else. Luckily the seal regenerated before any could escape."

    Lord Greyborne frowned.

    "Death Lords? That can''t be. My family has watched over those things for generations." He muttered.

    Those seals were of the highest tier. They wouldn''t be created unless they were used against a seriously powerful force.

    He didn''t know exactly what the Mage Kings looked like. No one did. But the power he had always felt behind the seal was frightening. Although Death Lords were among the most powerful of creatures,would they warrent such a powerful seal?

    ...Maybe if there were numerous in number and fully mature...

    But his ancestors wouldn''t lie.

    If A''daire saw nothing but Death Lords as the most powerful of the bunch, then...what happened to the Mage Kings?

    "Well, they weren''t there. But in any case it''s a damn good thing they didn''t get out. What was in there could have wrought havoc among the entire continent."

    She paused.

    "But that aside...again, what the hell did you think you were doing?" She spoke quietly. " Didn''t you hear him? Lucius, your own son wanted to killed you. And honestly, I don''t really blame him. You endangered his only sister. Those two are everything to each other, of course he''d wanna kill you after what you did." A snort. "Hell, even I want to just smack that pretty face of yours until it''s black and blue. What you did won''t come without consequences. We nearly lost our daughter because of all this, but you undoubtedly lost a son." She felt tired all of a sudden. The father and son were not especially close, but they had a better relationship than most Noble families had with their children.

    Because of his father''s upbringing, Lyle was never the type of Noble who would abuse his status. Unlike other Noble-born children. He took no interest in getting drunk, he didn''t visit any of the gambling dens, and he never had one night stands with any woman who may have caught his eye. He was not righteous either, but he did help those he could. It wasn''t in his nature to be overly kind and "heroic." Had he been the son of one of those other high and mighty Nobles, he may have become a much different person.

    But no. He was better than that, a direct result of the man before her. The impact his father had on his life was significant.  Even if the two were not overly close, they were not distant either. Because of this she felt saddened that such distance would be the result of her husband''s actions.  To so endanger Lyle''s little sister, whom he doted on even if he himself denied it, would obviously earn his hatred no matter what the other party''s intentions were.

    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    For his part, his wife''s words cut into Adarians''s heart.

    She only used his name for when she was truly disappointed in him, or angry, or both.

    But he couldn''t refute any of her words.

    He knew he had done wrong. But he had a duty to safeguard the seal. If it''s location was known to these mysterious enemies,if those things were unleashed...

    He had to move them. And the quickest-- and safest-- way to do that was keeping them inside their bodies, making them unable to do anything to get free.

    But...they apparently weren''t even there.

    Was it possible his ancestors were mistaken?

    Was it that the past Greybornes were keeping guard to make sure those Death Lords were locked away only because at the time they couldn''t kill them?

    What a joke.

    Perhaps back then so many Death Lords were too strong for his ancestors to defeat, but now? Although difficult, if he hired a massive subjugation force they could definitely destroy them. This...all this felt wrong. He simply didnt know what exactly.

    What''s more, he wasn''t sure why he even brought Iris along...

    Why did he decide to do so?

    Although it would be faster if she participated, this was not exactly needed.

    "Lucius dear, as the common folk love to say, you''re fucked. You can''t expect this mess to be easy to fix. I''m so angry right now that I can barely even stand to look at you. As for Lyle...he probably won''t get past this in your lifetime."

    His wife shook her head sadly.

    Then she left him there, leaving him alone with his thoughts.

    As for A''daire, he had long since stealthily slipped out.

    --------------------------

    Floating above the scene just seconds before the woman''s departure were three orbs.

    A red orb, a green one and a duel-colored blue-violet orb.

    "Well, those three are taken care of. The two men won''t remember us entering the boy, and they won''t ask too many questions either. Neither the part of the boy''s ability to break the seal, or about him being able to rescue the girl on top of that. Am I not a genius? You guys are much too slow." Nakir''s self-praise turned into a light mocking of the other two.

    With his quick thinking he had told the others to help him manipulate the minds of the three so that they could be sure to not have their existence leaked. Despite his attitude and barbaric manner, Nakir was generally a clever individual.

    In their weakened state it was a bit difficult, but worth it.

    "Good. But we''ll need some rest to recover. That boy...unlocking even that much of his potential drained us severely. And it was only able to unlock the boy''s physical aspect of his power."

    There were few who understood what they actually meant by "potential" in this case. How could you tap into something as illusiory as potential? How could you grasp what isn''t there? No, what they meant was the "accumulation" of power he''d had building within him. Much of his body have was comprised of magical circuits. This meant he rate at which he created energy was vastly superior to an ordinary mage. And Bathory Clan mages were special. Their Awakenings were an explosion of power. This is one of the reasons their''s were so dangerous to the person experiencing it.

    The circuits allowed ALL kinds of energy to flow and produce quickly. Some would escape out of his body and return to the world safely. But trace amounts would remain and slowly gather inside his body. This is what they unleashed from him. This "chunk" of energy.

    None of them expected, however, that he had so much of it built up. This meant that when he truly Awakened he would, if not properly handled, explode in a wild mass release of power. And if his body and mind were not capable of withstanding that release, he would undoubtedly die. The physical aspect they just talked about meant his Inner Strength. It was bodily energy. Vitality itself. Different from mana. It was the accumulation of that one form of energy alone that allowed him to soar to such levels of strength, and he was merely waving it about with no control at all.

    One can see, then, why they coveted him so. He was a treasure trove.

    "That golden aura he had was very mysterious as well. Even with us three forcing out his hidden abilities, he still wasn''t at his most powerful. Frightening."

    Etain mused.

    Strictly speaking, that kind of aura shouldn''t have appeared. They had no idea what it was from, but it was scary. Once activated they couldn''t get  anywhere near him. They had to wait until it was gone before they could truly enter his body.

    Azamat cut in. "Enough fooling around here.  Let''s go back to the boy and rest. With our "curse" on him he''ll have to call for our aid eventually. It''s best we can offer that aid when the time comes, or we risk losing a fine host."

    Before they left, Etain''s disembodied voice muttered softly to itself. " I wonder if Livia is liking the girl''s body. She''s different from us. I wonder what she''ll do. That person, she never does what we expect. It''ill be fun watching what she chooses as her course of action..."

 Chapter Sixteen

    AN: Once you are done with the chapter please read the note i left at the bottom.

    And and there is a bit of ero in this one...its one that i feel i didnt do very well. I know i did some better ones before. i blame my tiredness.

    remember to rate,  review and comment. Editing will be done later, as always.

    -------------------------------------------------------------------

    Lyle walked to his room in a hurry.

    He opened the large wooden doors, revealing the opulence within.

    His bed, a large thing with silken sheets. His tall windows allowing the dying light of the sun. His bookshelf filled with numerous texts worn from use but even still kept in good condition by care. His assortment of swords, knives and other such things kept well-oiled and stacked neatly on racks near the corner of the room.

    Everything was as it should be.

    He walked by the large mirror near the window and began to undressed, reaching toward the stand for his robe so that he may take a refreshing shower and calm himself from the day''s events.

    He glanced at the mirror by chance and stopped, staring.

    What he saw shocked him.

    There, winding around his left arm, was a serpentine figure. A snake.

    It was a brilliant green, intricately made up of many sharp curves and shapes.  The tail ended with it coiled near his shoulder while it''s head lay by his wrist. He touched the tattoo-like figure tentatively.

    It felt like real skin, simply cooler to the touch. He scratched it with a finger, but as expected it seemed like an actual part of him. The head had one opened eye, golden, staring at him mysteriously. Suddenly it blinked, causing him to nearly jump back in startlement. Lyle felt his heartbeat quicken instantly as he held his arm away from himself.

    He shivered, hoping his mind had played tricks on him...but he didn''t quite believe that. What in the name of all that was holy... This thing, how did it...?

    He shook his head, confused.

    But that wasn''t all.

    Now that he had torn his eyes away from his arm he spotted another design which lay on his torso.

    Calmer now, he examined the thing with an analytical eye.

    It was obviously a rose. Unlike the other it looked like a real, albeit a bit stylized, flower. The thing''s stem was a deep, dark purple. But the stem''s end morphed and grew into many long, soft lines that stretched from one side of his collarbone to the other, perfectly symmetrical.

    The petals were a startlingly blue and violet color that rested just below the hollow of his throat.

    Again he felt the strange new markings. What was surprising is that when his hands roamed the flower itself it felt like real petals this time. Soft, velvety, a bit warm and almost pulsating with a strainge rhythm.

    It looked oddy...hypnotic. Mesmerising. Like you could stare at the petals for eternity, lost in its beauty. As he continued looking, he smelt a peculiar scent. Something that was sweet one moment and spicy the next, a rich and heady fragrance that was, if truth be told, quite intoxicating.

    It unnerved him. He quickly wrenched his eyes off the strange flower and the mysterious scent faded away,

    He thought back to the three tendrils that had entered him, the voices.

    This could only be their influence.

    Ths tendrils were outlined with different colors. One a jade green, one a mix of blue and violet, the last one a deep red.

    But there were only two designs here.

    There were three tendrils, so shouldn''t there be there designs too?

    He searched his body carefully.

    He didn''t find anything new on his arms or legs. Then what about...?

    Going along with his hunch, Lyle turned his back towards the mirror and craned his neck to see if there was anything there. His eyes slightly widened in response to what he saw.

    There was indeed another design there. It was bigger than the others, taking up a great part of his back. It was comprised of numerous shapes, lines, patterns and other things that when combined together gave the impression of a large dragon head.

    It was an angry red, like blood, looking extremely firece and domineering. It''s long horns seemed greatly familiar. He was sure he saw those horns before...when? It felt like he saw it pretty recently, but...

    He sighed, not able to recall anything.

    Lyle once again peered at the dragon head.

    ...it looked almost...alive. It eyes were the most disturbing of all. They were not colored in red, and they did not show his skin either. No, they were a void-black. Like black holes.  They stared back at him as if it knew everything about him, as if it hated him with a passion that was unequal and without end. They were the gaze of something containing limitless wrath.

    But what was more terrifying than even that was what lay in the depths of that vast void.

    In its eyes were flames, orange-red. Flickering malevolently, candles in a large empty room of darkness. But for all that, it seemed almost beautiful in its ferocity. Free, unrestrained.

    Lyle was deep in thought, his entire attention focused on the tattoos, when uddenly he heard  his door opening. He turned, stiffening, his body going taut and ready to fight at a moment''s notice.

    But he calmed instantly.

    The doors opened to reveal a pretty brown-haired girl with soft blue eyes.

    Seeing her, he no longer tensed and instead let out a small smile. She was carrying some clothes with her, looking with surprise as she saw Lyle''s half-naked appearance.

    "Ah!" She cried out, her cheeks reddening . " Y-young master, I-I''m sorry, I didn''t know you were getting undress--"

    " This one will do well in restoring some of my energy. Go ahead, boy, take her.

    And then, before he had even registered his own movement, he was already upon her.

    -----------------------------

    Melanie had earlier caught sight of Lyle as he carried his sister to her room. She was very worried as it looked like he had been in a fight, looking tired and in the need of care.

    She hesitantly knocked on the girl''s door, wanting to help him by offering a massage as she usually did when A''daire''s training regimen was done. Though she only ever did his shoulders he said that it helped a lot and so she had dilligently performed the task whenver she felt he was truly worn out.

    Still, she often marveled at how much he had grown since she first came to this place. He had become much taller than her, even though she was older by at least a year or two, maybe more. Not just that, but compared to before his muscles were even more defined than before and were pretty solid.  She could only imagine the power that lay in them.

    However because of his unbelievable growth she did feel a bit embarrassed when perfoming the action. Young master Lyle was a very attractive youth, it had to be said. She wasnt able to deny the effect he sometimes had when he chose to tease her a bit.

    It brought her endless troubles...

    But that was a minor problem, one she didnt even care too much about. To her, young master Lyle was someone that she owed everything to. She and her mother would have been in a never ending cycle of misery if young master Lyle had not come into their lives. Her mother now had a good position and a decent paying job thanks to him, no longer having to take on the several laborous jobs she had to in the past to help repay the debts that her late husband had left them with.

    A bit of harmless teasing was nothing.

    She thought that she was lucky to serve him. He was strong, smart, reliable, and noble in a different sense from those who merely held the title. Although he wasnt the heroic type, he had a goodness, in him that attracted others. Or rather, it was a certain charisma he had, a certain magnetic pull....

    Knowing all that he had done in the past few years she was proud to serve a person like him. Heck, he was even fairly popular with the bratty noble children of his own generation. He was an admirable person, to be sure.

    Bringing her mind back to the present , when no one answered she peeked inside the unlocked door and stared at the sight of him and Iris nearly cuddling as they slept on the large, soft bed.

    Even if she logically knew that they were siblings, the two didnt look alike at all. And so, to her, their sleeping figures made her blush fiercely and think that she had seen something she shouldn''t have.

    Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    She closed the door quietly as she left, very embarrassed.

    Some time later, as the sun was beginning to die down, Melanie had finished taking care of her chores. Then she realized she had forgotten to bring in young master Lyle''s clothing this morning. But before she did that, she decided to go towards the kitchen area. It had been a while now and she expected young master Lyle to wake soon.

    Recently it was like she had a sixth sense for these types of things in regards to the young master.

    He would probably be hungry so she had first made some snacks, then thought that he would enjoy some relaxing tea. Judging from his appearance from before, she firmly believed that to be the case.

    She then ran outside, saying hello to the gardeners that kept the various plantlife intact as she went to unpin the fine pieces of clothing.

    Politely refusing the aid of the other servents, she hurried to his room.

    She pushed the door open and went inside unceremoniously.

    Then she noticed the tall figure inside, standing by the mirror. She stopped and stared at the person, noticing the deep maroon hair and enchanting golden eyes. Her gaze slowly went from his face to a bit downward, realizing that the person wore nothing above the waist. Which in turn displayed his finely toned physique for all to enjoy.

    She froze, knowing she must look like a scared animal. Then, even worse, she cried out "Ah!" in surprise, feeling her cheeks heating up.

    No, even much worse than that, she began to stutter incessantly like an idiot. " Y-young master, I-I''m sorry, I didnt know you were getting undress--"

    But then she saw for a split second a certain design on his torso, a design of a lovely blue and purple rose that seemed to pulsate wildly. In the instant another thing happened that caught her off-guard, completely blowing away any thoughts that she currently had.

    With inhuman speed he appeared before her,  using his left hand to raise her face up to his. He placed his lips on hers while his other hand went to her back, expertly undoing the strings and causing her dress to become loose. Needless to say the heap of clothes had long since fallen on the ground.

    A spicy scent assaulted her senses as she tasted his tongue on her''s.

    Surprised, she made an involuntary action and tried to push him away. But the move was utterly useless as he didn''t budge even an inch.

    Having been subjected to the sudden invasion of her mouth, Melanie''s brain seemed to suddely become oxygen deficient...Unfortunately this made her unable to have any clear thoughts.

    The kiss was fierce, and her mouth was completely his to do with as he pleased. It was like he was pouring fire into her, making her entire body feel boiling hot, even tingly.

    Faced with such a new and strange feeling, all her bones seemed to turn into jelly. It made her shudder and go limp, her body supported only by young master Lyle''s strong arms.

    Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he deigned to release the tongue that he had until then held prisoner.

    "...Young master, please wait... I ...I''m not ready. S-something like this is..." Her voice was a breathless whisper as she spoke with shyness, at a loss as to how she should handle this situation.

    But he didn''t answer her or the time to come up with one of her own, merely using his mouth to create a trail of heat along her neck while slowly moving down.

    She found that she couldn''t think properly at all. Right now he was like a sweet poison, making her utterly incapable of thought, not giving her any time to collect herself at all.

    With a hand, he took her now loose dress and made it fall off her in one smooth motion. As before, he kissed her neck and caused her body to once again experience that boiling feeling. And once again she went all but brain dead.

    He kicked the door closed and picked her up, bringing her to the large bed, almost throwing her on it. His golden eyes stared at her with fire in their depths, eating her up with their piercing gaze. She blushed even harder, not used to such a lustful look. They pinned her there, immobilized her, made her heartbeat quicken to staggering degrees with their intensity.

    Then he once again planted his lips on hers. But he didn''t force his way in as he did before. No, almost against her will she found herself opening up for him as if in invitation.

    She felt dirty as she did it.

    In her whole life she had not even one person with whom she had been intimate with, not even having held the hand of a man before now.  Yet now...

    He didn''t need any further encouragement.

    With his right hand grabbed at her breast and pinched her now-erect nipple, sending a wave of electricity through her. She let out a small moan, helpless against such a powerful feeling.

    She scrambled to piece together some sort of defense, tried again to stop his unexpected advances. But everything, from the time she walked in up to now, had happened so fast that she didn''t even fully understand how things progressed so far. It was hazy, unclear. He made it so. The more he took control the less resistance she put forth.

    Her breathing was already rough and she felt sweat rise up. Melanie became lost in the plethora of sensations he was causing her. But in the back of her mind, she wondered. Wondered why he suddenly became so bold, wondering also if this was alright. But these were distant thoughts.

    Melanie''s head swam, her body completely at his mercy. She couldn''t tell whether she really hated that or not...

    Every moment of experiencing this new, mysterious sense of pleasure that he brought her made Melanie fall deeper and deeper. This was okay, right? To just lose herself completely in this sensation...

    But it wasn''t to be. After several seconds of servicing her, he abruptly parted their lips and looked down at Melanie''s currently lewd, unkempt visage almost in confusion. Then his entire body stiffened and he stared at her in both shock and horror.

    Looking sickened and angry, he quickly pulled his body off hers, grabbing a shirt of his from the clothes on the floor.

    Before she knew what was going on, Melanie realized she could no longer feel his body heat enveloping her. Couldn''t feel his weight or his wicked tongue that had, until that moment, been doing all kinds of shameless, sinful things to her.

    When her mind regained it''s wits, she found herself alone.

    ----------------------------------------------------

    AN: Okay so i found some images of what I pictured the tattoos on Lyle to be like. I took the time to do this because i wanted to give you guys a better idea of what i imagined them to look like.

    This first one is of the one located on Lyle''s back. Imagine this, but red.

    https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Fs3.amazonaws.com%2Fink_prod%2Fphotos%2F0120%2F6243%2FDSC00002_large.JPG&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.checkoutmyink.com%2Ftattoos%2Ffatal%2Ftribal-dragon-back-1&docid=yJWuNBxoLOJXKM&tbnid=DLrvbDkGpep-OM%3A&w=500&h=375&bih=567&biw=360&ved=0ahUKEwjGh5-ftMLMAhULxmMKHTfMAAAQMwgiKAcwBw&iact=mrc&uact=8</a>

    Okay, this one is for a woman but its fine.

    http://www.tattooscreens.com/rose-tattoo-designs-chest-for-women/</a>

    This link will bring you to a website with these different serpent tattoes. Scroll down to the 5th image. It should say "tribal tattoo for the forearm" somewhere by it. But remember that the one in my story is of a jade green color, coiling down along Lyle''s arm with its head resting by his wrist.

    http://jagoantattoos.blogspot.com/2010/06/tattoo-pictures-by-esther-christensen.html</a>

    So, what do you guys think of them? I think they look pretty cool. I spent like two hours looking for ones that i thought matched the images in my head.

    PS: would you care for more visuals on things like these? I probably wont do it too often, but I could take some time to do it occassionally.  Im not sure if i should do this though, especially if i choose to give you guys an image of how i picture the characters. Mainly because i know some people prefer to leave it up to their imagination as they know they may end up disappointed otherwise.

 Chapter Seventeen

    Lyle ran as far as he could, escaping to the nearby forest to prevent himself from doing any harm to the others while he thought things through.

    He felt disgusted. By himself. By that thing inside him.

    What he had done to Melanie...

    Even if she forgave him, he couldn''t forgive himself.

    He had nearly raped her!

    Even now he could feel her silken brown curls upon his hands, smell her sweet fragrance, taste her tongue on his...

    He remembered the way she shivered and melted against him, forcing him to support her body and be pressed by her soft peaks, remembered her small, erotic  moan as he pinched her tender nipple...

    And he felt sickened

    But not by her.

    No, he felt this way because he had forced himself on her, had almost violated her in the worst way possible.

    He knew it wasn''t entirely his fault. He knew that at the time, his body had been influenced by some strange, overpowering force.

    But he should have had more self-control, dammit!

    He was weak, if not in body then in mind.

    And that weakness was something that Melanie almost had to pay dearly for.

    He had to be stronger, more firm.

    "Against us, you think such things matter? There is a fine line between mere arrogance and foolishness.  But boy, were you not prepared for this when you begged us to help you save that precious sister of yours?"

    Then, in a flash, a person appeared in from of him. He looked like a classic example of a noble with his golden coat, upturned collars and pair of twin swords by his waist.

    He emitted a cold indifference, an arrogance that Lyle was very familiar with.

    "You...!" Lyle gnashed his teeth in resentment.

    Of course, this was the voice he had heard just before he attacked Melanie.

    After a sudden burst of anger, he pounced on the man.

    With a closed fist he fired a fast strike at the newcomer.

    The attack split the air, aiming accurately with deadly force at the man''s head--

    But he passed right through, as if the man were merely a mirage.

    There was a loud crack as the tree behind the man was crushed, spraying tiny bits of wood to the sides and burying his hand into its truck.

    The man laughed, the sound cruel and mocking.

    "I''m not even truly here, how can your attacks harm me?"

    Lyle pulled his hand out and snarled at him. " Bastard. You... because of you, to Melanie, I almost...!"

    Lyle was usually calm, but what this man had caused made him unable to hold back his anger

    The man shrugged, unrepentant. " Your actions were your own. I merely...weakened your inhibitions a tad bit"

    Lyle couldn''t help but shake his head. " Even if that were true, I would never touch her like that, so abruptly, so forcefully."

    Lyle couldn''t deny that he found her attractive. Any straight man would. But to do something like that...

    Thinking of how he had merely taken her lips by force sent a wave of self-loathing into him.

    And increase his hatred towards the man before him.

    The man looked at him with an upturned nose. "She didn''t resist near the end. No, she even opened herself up, inviting. Forcefully? Please, that woman was merely surprised, shy. Go back and continue. I''m sure she won''t be getting off that bed anytime soon."

    "You''re sick." Came Lyle''s reply, nearly spitting out the words.

    "And you are a brat. It''s merely sex. It means nothing."

    He walked behind Lyle, hands behind his back. "Besides, that woman wants you. You can smell it. Well, I can at least. She has likely already developed some feelings for you since some time ago. So you need not worry."

    The words were spoken carelessly, as if to him such a thing was not worth thinking much about.

    Lyle said nothing.

    He of course didn''t put any stock in those statements.

    Melanie, how could she have such feelings? Ridiculous.

    Yes, perhaps she may be a bit attracted to him. He knew women found him desirable. This was something he had learned from his various interactions with females during the travels that he had sometimes needed to take when completing A''daire''s assigned missions.

    There was quite a few times when he saw a girl show interest in him.

    But anything more than that from Melanie was hard to believe.

    He was not especially dense in such matters, he merely didn''t think it was a reasonable assumption to make.

    Yes, he and Melanie had spent some time together. Lyle did, admittedly, sometimes tease the girl a bit. Sometimes when he was in a good mood he would even treat her like Iris and pat the older girl on the head.

    He couldnt deny he was fond of her. She was like a small animal.

    She had faithfully served him for a long time now, and their relationship was good...but their small interactions, they couldn''t allow such feelings like those.

    Romance was never something that had ever been an aspect in their lives together.

    So those words, why would he believe them?

    As if reading his mind, the man laughed shortly. "Ha, boy, you don''t know, do you? Those interactions, for a woman, are often times much more effective than actively pursuing them. Your daily lives are closely intertwined with each other''s and that closeness is not to be underestimated. Simply making those small interactions has gradually imprinted you onto her heart. By now she probably knows you more than she knows even herself. So these concerns of your are unfounded. Now, go back and finish what you began. The small energy you two created is vastly insufficient for my needs."

    To that, disregarding the last bit, Lyle didn''t know what to say.

    The words had merit, but he still didn''t find them persuasive.

    Even if it were true, his actions just now, though not entirely in his control, remained completely unjustified.

    " I won''t let myself be used by something like you. No, I think that you are fine the way you are"  He refused

    He understood that this thing likely needed to feed off sexual energy, like a succubus would. Or, in this case, incubus. He wasnt going to allow this creature any more power with which to use against him.

    To Lyle''s statement the man responded with a narrowed gaze of contempt. "When you speak to me, boy, you shall do so with respect. My name is Azamat. When talking to me, you will address me as such." The voice spoke with disdain. " And when you find yourself in the need of my power, you will regret not doing as I say. If you persist in your stubbornness you will see how cruel life can truly be."

    If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    " Your posturing has no effect on me, monster. And do not forget whose body you inhabit. You and the other two had best understand how dangerous it can be to bite the hand that feeds you." His voice was caustic, provoking the man.

    Just as Azamat was about to open his voice the two heard a pleasant, refreshing laugh.

    "What sharp words! I think this one is a bit angered at you, Azamat my dear. How cute." A second voice intoned.

    "Etain." Azamat spoke with evident displeasure. "I had thought you would be resting."

    "And I had thought you wouldn''t be going behind our backs and try to assert a foothold on his body before we are all on even ground." Came a rough, sneering voice.

    In an instant two others showed up before him. One was a sinfully beautiful woman, hair a shocking green, matching her dress which hugged her lush curves and bore a familiar serpent made of golden thread.

    It''s mouth was open, over her heart and posing to take a bite with its sharp fangs.

    He had never met a woman so sensual, so heart-stopping. Yet there was an untouchable purity to her, as if she was not part of the mortal realm.

    The other was older than the other two, wearing a metal mesh and other pieces of armor that only protected his vitals. His hair was a deep red and he had an imposing aura.

    "Nakir, Etain, don''t tell me you mean to say you wouldn''t do the same? Why, how noble...is what I would say if it were true. Sadly, for you, I know otherwise. Do you think a person such as myself would allow you both to get ahead of me?" Azamat smiled sharply.

    " Your words seem a bit off." The woman then held a hand to her face in a show of surprise. " My, don''t tell me you are not confident at beating us fairly and so must resort to things like this?"

    Lyle could tell they were not all too friendly to each other.

    Though he was initially confused, he knew the voices. Of course, these people could only be....

    He laughed. "So, you three are the things that helped me back then..how disappointing. I was expecting beings of pure evil, not three overgrown children fighting over the shiny new toy."

    These things wanted to control him?

    As if he would allow that!

    That thing, Azamat, he especially made Lyle feel enraged.

    He was the one who urged Lyle''s body to act that way.

    Lyle could only blame his own shortcomings for allowing that, but that man or whatever he was, had went too far.

    It seemed that Lyle''s words made the three angry, for all six eyes darkened and they began to stare at him with undisguised  enmity.

    " You would do well to watch that tongue, boy. It can get you into more trouble than you care to deal with." Azamat warned.

    " Empty threats." He sneered. "You cant do anything to me. If you could then why havent you already done so?"

    They said nothing, confirming his suspicions.

    "What are these things?" Lyle held up his arm, showing the snake design.

    Etain ran a hand along his arm that bore the image, making Lyle frown.

    How could she...?

    "This one is my mark, a sign that part of your body belongs to me. Lovely, isn''t it?" She smiled at him oddly.

    Nakir patted him on the back roughly. "Heh, and this one here is mine."

    Azamat pointed. "Which means the last can only belong to me. These are our marks, boy, signifying our Union with your body."

    "You see, my dear, each time you use us these marks will glow and become more lifelike. Burrowing deeper into you until they reach your very soul. But only one of us can posses your body. So whoever you use most will win, well, you" The woman explained

    So, that was it.

    He had thought it would be something like that.

    But...

    "Why bother?" He asked, frowning. "You have had many opportunities to possess another."

    For what reason did they choose to go through the trouble of competing against one another?

    Nakir answered. "Boy, your body is extraordinary. The stronger the host, the more power we can exhibit within this plane. This is why we want you. You are a cut above the rest. Not one of us is willing to give you up. So, speak, what is it that will get you to offer yourself up willingly? For a few decades, we can give you things you can only dream of."

    Then they all spoke to him, enticing him with sweet promised.

    "I can make you an unsurpassable king. With my power you will make all the forces of this plane bow to you. The minds and bodies of all the women in this world will also follow suit, yours to play with as you wish."

    "I can make you an unprecedented conqueror, an emperor! Using me, you will have the strength to create or destroy all in your path."

    These were all subtely different, depending almost entirely on how he wanted to live. King or Conqueror, alike but never the same.

    "My power has little to do with either domination or destruction but it will allow your glory to spread even to other worlds, making all beings in awe of you as if you were their god. Take me, accept me, and nothing will be beyond your reach. You could even steal from the gods themselves."

    Surpassing all barriers, able to hold anyone and everyone in thrall. Whether it be this world or any other, everyone will know his name and revere him. Not dominating minds, but swaying hearts. Devouring everything that peaks his interest...

    These three deals sounded very similar, but in truth were vastly different in various ways. And these were only materialistic things. If the boy desired something more abstract...Well they could do that, too...

    Azamat, Nakir and Etain all looked at him expectantly.

    Next, their voices overlapped and became one.

    "Choose one of us now and for a time we will give you this world do do with what you see fit. No. Even the more advance, newer worlds would be yours to hold. Money, women, personal power, everything and anything can be yours with but a word..."

    As their words were spoken the wind, trees, and very ground seemed to tremble, the once loud sounds of the forest going silent.

    This entire world seemed to await his decision.

 Chapter Eighteen

    AN: editing will be done later to correct spelling and such.

    Remember to rate, review and comment.

    P.S: don''t be fooled by the ending. Just don''t worry about it. Kay? All I''m gonna say. Dont freak out , Iris is still going to remain herself. Just a bit ....influenced now.

    -----------------------------

    The three held back secret smiles, confident the boy would choose to forsake the trouble of going against them and instead take the few years of bliss.

    All mortals were greedy at heart, they all had this desire for a life of ease and comfort.

    They were materialistic, excelled at being decadent and debaucherous.

    Reveling in physical pleasures, how could it be this one was any different.

    Indeed, they, as the manifestation of sin itself, knew all too well the temptation such seductive words would have on this weak and na?ve youth.

    Was there anyone his age able to have second thoughts about something like this?

    Tey were fully prepared to wear him down. But perhaps this could be resolved here and now, or at least that''s what they belived could happen. How can he not be moved? They offered things that were only a fraction of what they could in truth. Deals like this, with things like wealth and power, were the most common and easiest way to entice others into doing what you wanted. Perhaps the boy didn''t even know that difference between the three, but that didn''t matter.

    But contrary to what they thought, his next actions were rather unexpected.

    He laughed, disdainfully, full of arrogance and contempt, seeming to mock them.

    "Money? My family has so much I couldn''t spend it all given ten lifetimes. Women? I could have my pick of any in this world if I wanted. Power? With my talents, if remain determined enough, I will someday reach heights that others could only look up to."

    He looked at them coldly, as if they were small and insignificant.

    " Is this...all that you have to offer? Do you think such things could sway me? I only wish to live peacefully and happily with those I care about. There is nothing...that can get me to give up my freedom! Especially not for a mere few years of things that I can already get given time! You think I''m a fool? That I would be tempted to give up my body and soul for one of you to use as you please? And for what, some boring, unappealing deals such as those? Do you even know what it is my heart truly desires? Even I don''t, how could you? Yet you speak as if I would just go along with your wishes. How laughable. You''re all...too na?ve!" He snapped at them, contemptous, his tone dripping with a venom.

    The words reverberated throughout the forest.

    And in an instant everything went back to normal.

    The birds, the winds, the slight vibration of the ground, all that was earlier seeming to wait in anticipation, holding its breath, was now once again full of life.

    The three couldn''t help but furrow their brows.

    Was this person..really human? He refused? No, how could that be?

    He dared call them the na?ve ones?

    Even if he were a saint-like person who had forsaken worldly pleasures he would still be tempted by what they had to offer.

    To have the world in your hands to do with as you pleased, what sort of person wouldn''t even consider agreeing?

    Everyone had some kind of desire, something that they would kill for. Yes, it might not be something like what they offered. It could be to feel the love of a person they had long admired, it could be to bring back someone they had lost, or it could be to bring downfall upon one''s enemies. Those sort of things. But either way, everyone had something they wanted more than any other. Even if they didn''t know what it was, even if they thought they were without desire of any sort.

    Could it be that this boy simply wanted something that they couldn''t offer at the drop of a hat, something more intangible?

    Such obvious disinterest, this boy, what is it that he truly wants in this life?

    They knew he was no saint, so what exactly did he want?

    If his words were true...then perhaps they would have to consider some other approach.

    But for now, in the meantime...

    They looked coldly at the boy.

    "We offer you every type of pleasure, carnal, material or otherwise, that this world can give. And yet you refuse..." Nakir spoke as if he found it all amusing. And certainly it was. He knew this boy would likely not be so easily won over, and merely went along with this to satisfy the two next to him.

    "..It seems that we will have to simply wear you down, both body and mind, until you agree."

    This was Azamat speaking, smiling with a sharp smirk which hinted at some unknowable horror to come. He was well aware of what was coming. A person like him attracted trouble of a certain variety which can leave a scar that was soul-deep to those like this boy, whose pride and sense of honor would be more likely to break before it bent. How would a person such as he feel, knowing that they could help themselves if they were given a chance but remaining powerless, chained, and at another''s mercy? To be capable, yet not having the opportunity to do anything to save yourself...

    He has no idea what was in store...

    The woman was next.

    "My dear, sweet boy...you have no idea what awaits you. Our troubles are now yours. Now every force in this world will be out to get you. Every choice you make, even if they are the right ones, will eventually lead all those you love to ruin by your own hands.

    In this life you will suffer, your body defiled and your mind at the edge of insanity... We would have given you the means to avoid this. But no longer. If breaking your spirit is what is required, then so be it. You still have a chance to use us, to help yourself. But whether you can resist us or be a willing participant...that''s up to you. Heaven or hell, which will you choose, I wonder?" She smiled at him, her bewitching face like that of a monsterous nightmare in his mind, Beautiful, but deadly. A rose with cold thorns ready to cut into him.

    "You may have refused our offers but that hardly matters. Did you not know, boy? Every mortal sins. Why do you think that is? It''s because they feel. Emotion is, in itself, sin. It''s what drives you. Makes you commit the most heinous of sins. Even something as "pure" as love can be a most disasterous of poisons, something you will come to know soon enough." She said mysteriously. "And that isn''t counting all the other emotions that mortals exhibit. The point is, boy, that you are mortal. You feel and you sin, even when you think you don''t.

    Because you feel, every choice you make will be dictated by some selfish emotion that you cannot even begin to understand. And since you have us inside you the heavens themselves will judge you harsher than anyone else. Every time you give into lust, wrath or envy, three emotions that are of the most primal, the most basic that are within all mortals like youself, you will become one step closer to becoming ours. As you face the things that are to come you will beg for our help and therefore give yourself up even faster. Personally, I have little doubt you will ask for our aid in due time."

    The look in her eye was clear, without a single doubt. "One of us will take this body of yours, it''s only a matter of when..." Maybe he will even be aware of what''s happening to him as his body is controlled.

    Etain gave a pleasant, melodic laugh that could make one feel warm and content...but there was a sinister undertone, a hidden note within that laugh which made the heart beat in fear and dread.

    The words didn''t make him troubled. He was not one to cower for what might be.

    But this was the first time in his life that Lyle truly felt the signs of the changes to come. He dared not contemplate what those changes might be..

    ------------------

    "Melanie, is something wrong?" An elderly servant asked in concern as the young girl walked past her.

    The girl came to an abrupt stop, frozen.

    She didn''t turn, for fear the older lady would see the fierce blush and hazy, heated expression on her face.

    "No, nothing''s wrong. I''m fine." Did her voice seem too high, did it come out too breathless, or too fast?

    The elderly servant was eyeing her back curiously, she could feel it.

    "Well, alright. Ah, but you might want to fix your strings. Your uniform could fall off if it''s so loose. Honestly, young people these days are in such a hurry. You don''t even wait to put on your clothes properly." A sigh was heard.

    Melanie bowed her head. " Yes, I''ll fix them, thank you." Then she walked hurriedly away.

    She went to her bedroom to the other side of the large mansion, one that young master Lyle had put her in to give her a bit more privacy than the other servants.

    She locked the door behind her.

    Then her knees gave out and she slide down to the floor, her breathing a bit rough and her skin still sensitive.

    Thinking of what just happened left her speechless and brought waves of heat to her cheeks once more, painting her face a lovely red.

    She still smelled him on her, a deep earthly musk that smelt of spice and sandalwood. A very masculine aroma that was made more pungent by the slight sweat he had somehow built up.

    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    It lingered at the back of her nostrils, a pleasant scent that gave the feeling of safety and well-being. A scent she had come to know well in her time here.

    Thinking of the way he kissed her, so dominatingly and without shame, made her feel dizzy. His tongue on hers, teasing...

    His touch, hot and electrifying, as he glided his hands over her naked body...

    The other, more sinful things he had done that she dared not think about...

    For a second she considered the possibility that maybe all this time, he...Maybe not love, but...At least, the way he touched her...

    However, as her mind cleared she knew that was impossible. Love was out of the question. Lust, though...Was that it? But she was in no way comparable to the others who threw themselves at him in the past weeks...

    She remembered how horrified he looked at the end, the confusion he showed as he looked down at her.

    He must have regretted it. He probably didn''t even know it was her. Maybe he thought it was someone else, maybe Cecelia.

    Most likely he hadn''t even noticed her at all and merely did those things by impulse...

    Of course, after all this time, why would he do those things?

    He could have his pick of any beautiful woman...

    There was even one so close to him, Lady Cecelia. A person who was so beautiful, so bright. A person with background. Why wouldn''t he try with her instead...?

    Melanie knew she was a bit pretty, but he wouldn''t look at her in that way with only that amount of appeal.

    What''s more,  her hands were not as soft and smooth as other girls because of the chores she had to do. Her arms and legs were long, but had a bit more muscle due the laborous she had done in the past, and sometimes even now. She wasn''t bulky, but she could never be mistaken to be as delicate and refined as those of good upbringing...She was mediocre in comparison....

    Sometimes she even smelled of dust and cleaning product. Completely unappealing. Who would find such a thing desirable?

    He could never find her attractive...

    Such intense passion couldn''t be for her.

    Yes, he was probably just...

    But even if he wasn''t, she would only ever be some peasant he picked up off the street...

    He wouldn''t be like another person, he wouldn''t save her to simply take her whenever he wished. He wasn''t like that...

    She felt both confused and faintly hurt. She didn''t know why, either.

    What was this pain, this hollow sadness and frustration at the pit of her stomach?

    She didn''t understand why she felt this way. She wasn''t sure what she felt, exactly. Played with, maybe. But he wouldn''t do that to her, she knew. He wasn''t that sort of man. So why did he...?

    Would this change things between them? No, of course it would. What did this mean for her, for them? She always felt her position was so clear and defined but now she began questioning if that was the case.

    She didn''t want things to change. She was fine with how things were right now. This peacefulness, this idleness. She didn''t want those things to end. But now...after what they had done together...could it truly remain the same? Maybe it''s simply best if she pretended nothing happened...

    -------------------

    Two figures lay in the room. One was a blond-haired woman in white, her full, mature, curves put almost on display for all to see. Her eyes were mesmerising to look at, a mix of green and red.

    The other was a small girl, as golden-haired as the woman, her eyes also a lovely emerald green minus the flecks of red.

    She was adorable, her delicate face like a doll''s, looking pure and angelic to the extent it would make even criminals feel the need to protect her.

    Although their coloring was the same, the two people didn''t share much similarities in terms of face structure.

    But the two beauties could even still pass as family.

    Right now, the woman who looked almost lovingly at the girl could absolutely be confused as her mother.

    The woman currently had an outstretched hand.

    In her palm was a large, clear orb showing the bodies of two figures as they tangled themselves in a passionate embrace, committing acts that seemed absolutely scandalous in nature.

    "So, girl, it seems that he is already pulling away from you. It won''t be long until he leaves. Until he finds some girl and starts a family, without you, leaving you here all alone."

    Just seconds after the two hit the bed, the image was cut off and the woman''s song-like voice filled the young girl''s head.

    Iris looked at the woman weirdly.

    "My brother wouldn''t ever leave me. My brother loves me more than anyone. This is fake. You...you''re not real either."

    Her voice was small, the last words spoken doubtfully. But the first words, they were full of conviction, not at all lacking confidence.

    The woman smiled down at her.

    "Are you certain of that? Your brother is a healthy man, afterall. Who knows how long this has gone on for? And he never told you, the sister that he *loves more than anyone*. The two of them, they seemed pretty experienced at that. The girl didn''t fight much at all.  Even now, they''re probably doing something that would make even myself blush in embarrassment!"

    She laughed beautifully.

    Iris snarled. "Lies! My brother wouldn''t ever have such relations with a woman without even telling me! He wouldn''t...he isn''t ...." She struggled for the words.

    "The trust you place in him is commendable. But a young, handsome man like him probably has a string of pretty girls whom he likes to play with.  Why would he tell you anything? You''re just the sister. What he does isn''t any of your business. He probably thinks your constant need for his attention is so childish and tiring that he doesn''t even want to be around you anymore...and is that not already the case, huh? My dear girl."

    Each words, each syllable, was pointed and aimed directly at the young girl''s own insecurities that lay hidden in her heart.

    The girl stiffened. " My big brother loves me. I won''t listen to anything you say. If he doesn''t want me around, he wouldn''t be with me. But he''s always by my side, so what you say is groundless."

    "Is it really? How many of the times he was by your side happened because he sought you out? Was it not always you who clung to him? No point in blaming him, anyone would get sick of their sibling sticking to them day and night without letting them breathe. To him you may be little more than a nuisance at this point."

    Iris almost flinched but instead ignored the woman''s cruel words before getting off her bed, fixing up her hair and clothes by the mirror. Yet she coudn''t deny the effect they had on her. It was one of her biggest fears...Something she was terrified of...

    The woman followed, looking at the girl''s reflection and running a hand along her cheek intimately as if they were long time friends or close family.

    "Think, dear Iris. Is he here?" She whispered in the young girl''s small ears. "Is he by your side right now? No? That''s been happening more and more lately, hasn''t it? You try to deny it but he''s already distancing himself. That Cecelia girl comes to him every other day, eager for him to notice her. And the cute maid Melanie is always right by his side even when you are not, ready to serve him. Like a good little wife. The bitch. Both of them. They haven''t made any move on him yet, though. When they do, then wouldn''t that mean all his love and affection will be taken away from you and focused on them instead? Pretty soon he''ll not have time for his sweet, dear sister..."

    The girl frowned. "Melanie, she''s fine. I told brother I would find him a good wife myself. One that won''t bother us, who won''t try to say our closeness is odd. A person that will obediently stand aside. She, though a servant, has a nice enough body. And her temperament is okay. If he has to have someone to take on his "evil fire", then she is acceptable. Cecelia too, is the same. I hate that conniving woman, though, and she''s not suited for him. But that''s besides the point: Brother won''t give me up for either of them, or even both."

    She said, a monotone. Yes, this was true, right? Of course it was. Her brother cared for her more than any other. He might not say it often, but....

    " It won''t play out like that, you know. Does he not already dote on them a bit? He teases one while spending more and more time with the other. Were one of them and he were to tie the knot he would naturally pay more attention to her and forget you. Even if not, I''m sure he has others more than willing to dominate his time. Ah, poor girl, this oh-so-precious relationship you have with that loving brother of yours, why can''t you see it''s already falling apart?"

    The woman''s look of pity, her sympathetic gaze, hurt more than anything else she could have said.

    "But worry not...this sister here will take care of everything, dearest one. That boy, doesn''t he already belong to us? So we simply have to make him understand that. Let''s carve our names onto him, body and soul. Let''s make him unable to ever leave us. Let me uphold my promise."

    Her green eyes held flakes of faint orange, shining with endless greed and possessiveness.

    Soon, her figure disappeared.

    But those eyes, they remained...

    ...Because they became the girl''s own.

 Chapter Nineteen

    AN: ignore the show button, dunno how to delete it

    --------------------------

    It was later that day.

    Lyle had reached an impasse with the three beings inside him and they refused further communication. Melanie had been nowhere to be found when he returned, and he didn''t blame her.

    He didn''t know what happened to Cecelia, she must have returned home at some point while they were gone. Same with A''daire, he was gone as well.

    As for his father ...he didn''t care where he was at the moment. Though he was likely sleeping alone in one of the various empty rooms right now.

    He, having been slightly shaken by their words, threw himself into training for several hours. In the forest there were now many trees bearing the marks of that.

    He returned to his room, exhausted, bandaging his arm. He wouldn''t have his shirt off in front of others too often, but he didn''t want his family to ask about the sudden design.

    Or the "mark" as they called it.

    The day''s events weighed on him. This mysterious group father spoke of...perhaps he would have to go and see what he could find. In the past he had sometimes traveled far for A''daire''s missions, built up some contacts.

    One of them should know something  about them, something father didn''t say. Even if not them, then surely the Greyborne information network would.

    Gideon, in that case, likely knew something about them. Lyle would have to track him down and find out. Who knew what that guy was doing right now. He was always away on business ever since he and old man Alec became subordinates. But for now, he was tired. Matters like that could wait one more day.

    When he returned he had noticed that Melanie made some snacks earlier. And tea. Jasmine, to be exact, to relax the body. He was touched by how thoughtful she always was, and saddened by what he had done.

    He needed to make it up to her, explain somehow. He wasn''t sure how to handle it either. He had a headache simply attempting to think of what to do about it. In his mind, though, there were a few options...Ignore it, or...No, but that option seemed a bit...

    He sighed to himself, feeling horrible. In any case, that would have to be held off until tomorrow. Everything that happened made him feel about ten years older. And that dream...he still couldn''t get it out of his mind. Everytime he thought of Iris'' face as she fell into that void he wanted to run to the girl and hold her close, keeping her safe and sound by his side.

    It was ironic, since he had tried to push he a bit away recently. Now he did a complete turnaround, wanting to keep her with him more than anything at the moment. His sister was the only one he couldn''t lose. Mother, father, Cecelia, Melanie...he cared for them all dearly...But they couldn''t compare to Iris in his heart.

    If anything ever happened to Iris, Lyle didn''t know what he would do. They, brother and sister, alway did have a much closer relationship than most siblings. She was a large part of his life. He had to protect her. From anything and everything. Of course, he still wanted her to enjoy the ups and downs of life. But other than that...

    He shook his head. He was getting too lost in his thoughts in regard to that topic. Which is an indicator of how deeply that dream affected him. Much more than anything else that happened, save the incident with Melanie. Lyle chose to push these matters out of mind for now.

    He quickly ate the food and re-heated tea before heading to bed.

    ---------------

    During the night, when all was quite, a lone figure wandered the halls wielding a small, sharp knife.

    It walked until it found a large wooden door, instantly familiar.

    The door was locked but the figure was never troubled getting last this particular door. A male figure slept, at ease and completely off-guard.

    This person would have woken if he was not so used to the figure that was currently breaking and entering.

    Of course, this figure was Iris.

    She moved slowly, her eyes a peculiar green that almost glowed in the darkness of the vast, opulent room. Making her way to the bed, she uncovered the other person.

    Needless to say, it was her brother, Lyle.

    She kissed his cheek once, lifting his shirt. Then, using her left hand, she started to write a certain character over his heart. It was an old language, one rarely seen in that era

    But as learned as they were the two knew it intimately and it became a language they modified and used to communicate with each other when they were kids.

    Only one other person knew this modified version of the language, one who learned it in a day, much to the chagrin of Iris. But she was no longer with them.

    Iris then slid the blade over his chest lightly, gentle as a lover''s kiss. So sharp was the blade that there was little pain on Lyle''s part, not even causing him to frown.

    But even so, he soon woke.

    -----------------

    "Iris, wake up." He called out softly.

    As if heeding his command, her eyes opened slowly, dazed and confused.

    She looked up at him, her eyes as pure an emerald green as they had always been.

    Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more."Big brother...where...why am I...?" She muttered.

    He placed a finger to her lips to quiet her. "Everything is fine. You were just sleepwalking, as usual." The lie came easily to him.

    It was believable. She had the habit ever since she was much younger than now. Coming to his room was something she did often, which is why he kept It locked.

    Still, sometimes she got past that somehow...

    "Here, let me take you back to--"

    "No!" Came an instant reply. She was hyperventilating a bit, clutching his hands in a death grip. "Don''t leave me, please..." She begged. A wild, panicked look came into her eyes.

    She seemed...terrified. How could he refuse?

    He paused. " Alright. You can sleep with me tonight then. Go lay down, I''ll be there in a minute."

    Only after he assured her he wouldn''t leave her there, that he would be back, did she calm down enough to listen and walk to the bed.

    Lyle when made his way to the small bathroom down the hall a bit.

    He touched a large crystal to his right as he entered and instantly it caused another sequence of crystals along to ceiling to light up the space in a warm, yellow glow. He approached the mirror, lifting up his wet shirt.

    On his chest, right above his heart, were two small and carefully carved characters. Almost tattoo-like. Then he cleaned the blood and saw the characters more clearly.

    Two names, written in a modified language only he, Iris and one other person knew the meaning to. Others might be able to understand, given the right knowledge and time to decipher it, but few knew the origin language in the first place.

    One of the names were Iris''.

    The other was different,  one he had never heard before.

    "Livia..." The name rolled off the tongue pleasantly.

    He touched the names with his hand. The move caused a sharp pain, making him grimace. This...didn''t feel like a normal wound. It stung deep, his body feeling a chill that had nothing to do with the temperature. How odd. When he cleaned it just now it hadn''t hurt like this...

    Then in the next moment the serpent design around his arm lit up briefly, glowing an iridescent green. A warmth spread through him, like water. A nourishing energy that was almost intoxicating invaded his body and seemed to concentrate more near the injury. But it wasn''t just there, no, ir wrapped around him everywhere in a gentle embrace.

    The wounds healed almost instantly.

    Lyle''s eyes went wide in surprise. He ran a hand around the once-maimed flesh and was struck dumb. It was really healed. The skin felt smooth to the touch.

    "Well, at least the thing is good for something." He said to himself, a bit in awe. It appeared those three wanted him whole. He wondered to what extent they could heal him. What if his arm was cut off?

    Though he dared not put that to the test...Even high leveled regeneration spells, from his knowledge, were fairly difficult and not something easily done. He didn''t know much, but it shouldn''t be easy to simply grow back a limb. So suffice it to say he was not in a hurry to find out whether he could be healed from that.

    He looked closer.

    Hm. It seemed the names had now become pale white scars. Noticeable. A permanent brand on his flesh.

    Sighing, he took back his words. This...was troublesome. He had other scars, but they served as a reminder of his past mistakes and inexperience. He learned from them. These? These were rather unsightly. No, well, they were cut rather cleanly and every line was crisp. But he didn''t want them. Having the names of the two cut onto him made him feel...Owned. Not a good thing at all.

    He took the bloodied shirt and threw it in the trash. He had of course long since disposed of the knife. Then once this was all done he returned to the room, took out another shirt, and laid down by Iris.

    "Big brother, are you okay?" A quiet voice in the darkness.

    Her tiny body was next to his own, emitting warmth.

    He lightly patted her head, chuckling softly. "I''m fine, nothing''s wrong at all. Go to sleep."

    With her blond curls laying by his shoulder, she nodded and groped for his hand.

    Then, using the other, she rested it by his heart, making tiny circles with her index finger. He stiffened instantly, batting her hand away. She didn''t notice, did she? No, probably not. If she did, she would mention it. She didn''t seem to remember her actions at all, and he wanted it to stay that way.

    Iris, having her hand cast aside, felt something unpleasant well up in her.

    "Brother...you won''t leave me, right? You won''t abandon me, will you?" She asked suddenly.

    He gazed at her darkened figure curiously. "Of course not. The two of us will always be together." He placated. What an odd question. She knew the answer, so why ask?

    "Promise?"

    Lyle hesitated, not knowing where this was all coming from. "I promise. I''ll never abandon you. How could I think of leaving this annoyingly adorable sister of mine?"

    She made a noise, as if this was as expected. "That''s what I told her. But she kept telling me that you would leave someday. She keeps saying such mean things about you, but don''t worry, I stopped listening to that pesky woman. I just wanted to hear it from you, because you never lie to me. That woman, who is she to say such things? I told her...I told her you wouldn''t ever do that to me." She giggled, happy. Her smile was almost blinding. Then she nodded her head, wiggling to get more comfortable before closing her eyes.

    It took several moment for Lyle to process all the strange things she said. "...She? She who? Iris, who''ve you been talking to? Iris?"

    But she was already fast asleep, leaving him to his thoughts.

 Chapter Twenty

    AN: remember to rate, review and comment on anything. I will see to any editing later. And dammit I need to start working on that Glossary ....

    --------------------

    When Lyle awoke, Iris was laying half on top of him, her right leg over his own and her arm resting above his heart.

    Her small face was pressed against his own, her breath warm against his cheek.

    He slowly extracted himself from her embrace... Or at least he tried to. He found that she clutched him, tight, not letting him go. As if scared he would leave. He looked closer and, to his surprise,  found small tears by her eyes.

    She looked so sad and desolate that his heart felt like it were breaking into tiny pieces. However her expression, as she astonishingly held onto him even tighter, grew increasingly calmer and peaceful. She buried her face in his chest and he froze.

    Lyle sighed but couldn''t bring himself to try getting up again. He could only endure as his muscles started to cramp a bit.

    It was still early in the morning when she roused herself from her sleep, the sun''s bright rays shining beautifully onto her golden curls and giving her a angelic appearance, as usual.

    " Brother..." She murmured softly, not quite fully awake yet. " I had this strange dream...Like I was carving something...I remember blood, and then..." She trailed off.

    He was surprised. From her reaction last night he assumed she didn��t recall her actions at all.

    Of course, Lyle was no fool. He knew there could be only one reason for her sudden behavior. After what happened to her, to them, the timing couldn''t be a coincidence.

    It looks like she, too, has one of those things inside her.

    He felt a wave of fury and helplessness.

    It was fine if these things were inside him. He had made the choice himself, and so he would bear the burden willingly.

    But Iris shouldn''t have to deal with that. He allowed those things to help him save her despite not knowing what would happen. But if he could rescue her, then it would be worth it. However, knowing ths forced to endure this same situation made his sacrifice seem meaningless. He could have died, or worse, yes even still she was not safe.

    He couldn''t help but feel cheated.

    "Iris...I''m probably going to go away for awhile." He began suddenly.

    "What? Brother, you can''t!" She cried, alarmed.

    "Don��t worry, there''s just a few things I have to look into. A few weeks, maybe, no longer."

    "Then take me with you!" She panicked.

    "Of course. I never said you weren''t coming, did I?" He smiled. "I won''t leave you. I promised, right?"

    Truth be told, he didn''t want to take her. But what he wanted to do required her presence. Well, more like, it was dangerous leaving her here by herself where she might hurt others. What if that thing took over again? What''s more, he could only feel alright if he was personally by her so that he could make sure she herself didn''t get injured. This was the most important thing to him.

    And what he wanted to do was best done if she went with him. To save some time, if nothing else.

    She sighed, relieved. Then,

    "Heh, finally me and brother are going somewhere together instead of you and that Cecelia. I get to have you all to myself!" She smiled happily.

    Lyle said nothing.

    -----------------------------

    Melanie was quiet.

    When Lyle came down for breakfast he found that she didn''t meet his eyes and merely served him and Iris their plates before moving to the side, awaiting further instruction.

    Miss Belle looked at the girl. " You seem different today, dear. Are you alright?" A raised brow.

    Melanie smiled. "I''m fine. Thank you for your consideration."

    Iris had a strange expression as she stared at the older girl.

    "I see. I was a bit concerned. I noticed you walking by me the other day without even a word of hello and thought something was amiss. Your face was so red at that time I feared you came down with something." A small laugh. She turned to Lyle. "And you seem quiet as well. I notice you two haven''t looked at each other directly all this time. I wonder why?"

    Lyle smiled. ��Who knows? Maybe it''s just you? I feel fine, after all. I''m sure Melanie is alright too, yes?" He glanced at her.

    "...Right..." She said after moment, seeming lost in thought.

    " Hmmm...." Miss Belle looked at the two. Lyle had given nothing away, but Melanie... She was easy to read.

    After a short silence she brought her gaze to Iris for a moment before continuing on with her meal.

    After some time had passed she stood up suddenly. "Come, Iris, let''s go. You have some brushing up to do on your equation solving."

    Iris looked between Lyle and Melanie with evident worry. "I want to stay with brother." She asserted.

    Miss Belle sighed. "This girl..." She shook her head. ��You know, child, if you keep clinging to him someday he may grow to resent you. "

    Unknown to the others, these casually said words made the girl flinch as if struck, driving the air from her lungs.

    She felt an increasing panic as she looked at her brother and Melanie, witnessing the strange behavior Miss Belle had mentioned. She remembered that scene that evil woman showed her. Could that have been...real? Iris felt her heart clench at the thought.

    It was fine if it happened, but if her brother was keeping things like that from her, then...Wasn''t he already distancing himself from her? Iris hated thinking of this possibility. Yet, no. She would trust her brother. Becasue her brother never lied to her. Because even if he did, he would always be with her. He said he would.

    He promised.

    "Go on, Iris, I��ll be here for a bit longer." Lyle didn''t seem to notice his sister''s inner turmoil. Or at the very least if he did, then he didn''t show it.

    "Brother..." Was he trying to get rid of her? To talk to that...that little minx? Ah, no, that girl wasn''t that bad. Minx is going a bit far...

    Her mood soured by the second.

    "Iris, go." Lyle commanded gently.

    "Alright..." Iris all but whimpered.

    Reluctantly, she followed Miss Belle. But not before sending a sudden unprovoked glare to Melanie.

    The other girl felt a chill, but didn''t know why. Like a cold blade running along her spine...Melanie shivered slightly.

    Soon there was only the two of them in the dining room, her and Lyle.

    A small silence began to take root.

    Melanie''s heart beat loudly in her chest. She wanted to be anywhere but here.

    She knew he was going to say something about the other day: But she didn''t want to hear it.

    She held this irrational fear towards whatever he might say. For a long time now the two of them had been...she didn''t know what, exactly.

    In the wake of what he had done, she didn''t know what to think.

    Exactly what had there relationship been up to now? Merely master and servant? Or was there another reason that he was so good to her through the time they spent together?

    " I don''t know what you want me to do, you know. Or what I should do." Lyle spoke up.

    Melanie started. "What?" She asked, unsure.

    "About you." He clarified." What I did to you. I''m not sure how to make up for it. I nearly..." He trailed off, frowning.

    "That''s..." Melanie hesitated.

    "Melanie, because of various reasons, I can''t properly take responsibility at this time. I need you to know that I was not entirely in my right mind at that time, I acted impulsively. That''s no excuse, however. So I intend to handle this matter in a straightforward manner. If that''s what you want." He paused, looking at her closely.

    "Young master, you don��t have to-"

    "I know perfectly well I don��t have to." He cut her off gently. " But I don''t feel like being the type of person who can simply do such things and move on as if nothing happened. Of course, I will respect your wishes on the matter. But in my mind, we both have two main choices. The first is to ignore it and go about as we have been. The second...Well, we could see where a relationship between us goes. Since you''re the victim here, I will let you decide what to do, what you want. It may seem a half-assed way of doing things, leaving it to you, but I feel that you are the only one who really has a say in how we proceed. So anything you decide...I will abide by." He spoke with a rather heavy heart.

    It was a complicated matter. Melanie was, after all, a maiden. Older and more traditional customs would mean she would have to marry him since she would have been "tainted" and therefore unfit to be with another man. A very outdated ideology, and a senseless one. But how could Lyle feel at ease, knowing what he had almost done to her? He had to do something. Maybe starting a relationship with her would make the guilt of his actions lessen...

    He understood well how this thought process seemed. But his feeling of guilt and sense of honor made him feel he couldn''t merely giver her money and then act as if everything was fine. It wouldn''t be. He believed that was also a much too casual way of handling the situation given the severity of the crime he had nearly committed.

    He only stated the latter option because he didn''t want her to feel as if he was simply using her for her body or some such thing. Given her position she must think that she will be reduced to a mistress. He wouldn''t blame her even if she thought that this was the reason he first decided to bring her into his life, decided to help her. To stop such thoughts from happening, simple reassurances were unfit for the job.

    As for Melanie...She didn''t know what to say to that, really. He was leaving the choice up to her, and would accept whatever she wanted to do. It''s true that they had spent enough time together, that they knew each other well. And he didn''t treat her or any other differently due to barriers such as social status. But when she first arrived she was very clear on her role: To serve as his maid until she either repaid her debt to him or he no  longer wanted her around.

    She was a servant, nothing more. She had heard of the circumstances that some other servants had when they worked for other Nobles. They were barely treated as human, mainly ignored and thought of as air. Invisible, almost. Here it was much different but the fact that he was her employer had always been something she was keenly aware of. Especially now, given what happened.

    He didn''t even have to take responsibility for anything. Even if he wanted to take her right now there wouldn''t really be anyone who would say anything about it. Why would they? Perhaps something would be done if it were Nobles with lesser power and influence. After all, such things were still considered serious crimes.

    But him? She didn''t know the full extent of his family''s power, but after working here for so long she knew it was vastly incomparable to  what was normally possessed by those of Noble blood.  It likely even stretched far beyond the kingdom they currently lived in. Maybe...it was even greater than she imagined. To think he would be restrained by any laws of this kingdom was ridiculous. He could do what he wanted and there wasn��t many would speak out against him.

    So if he had a thought to push her down right now and make her his, probably nothing would be done about it. Of course there were many women who wouldn��t entirely find something like that a misfortune. There were benefits to having such a relationship with a person like him, after all. In the past weeks since his birthday party many had come for just that reason.

    So he really had no reason to hold himself back, or take responsibility for any of his actions towards her. Yet he did. He put himself in a position in which he gave her the power to decide what would happen from now on regarding the matter at hand.

    But she had no idea, exactly, what she wanted to do.

    Moreover, she knew that Lady Greyborne favored Lady Cecelia. And that the two had a deal of sorts worked out...

    With Lady Greyborne''s aid, and with the close relationship they already had, it wouldn''t br long until young master Lyle and Cecelia...

    Even if Melanie wanted to, there was no way Lady Greyborne would approve of her, a servant, holding such a relationship with Lyle who would someday wield the entirety of the Greyborne family''s power and fate in his hands. Melanie had nothing to offer him...

    She understood well that Cecelia liked young master Lyle, too. Melanie...she was just in their way...

    Melanie truly was at a loss as to how she would handle this...Did she even want to start a relationship with the young master?

    ...It would be an honor, and yet... She didn''t have the qualifications to stand at his side in a way like that... But, if he was okay with it, if he could see her in that way...Then maybe...

    "Well," He stood up. " I won''t rush you for an answer. I''m planning a trip somewhere and Iris, along with a few others I have in mind, will be coming with me. You can too, if you wish.  Remember, I will follow whatever it is you decide to do. To forget, or to see where it could lead. Once you decide what you want, simply let me know."

    Regarding his own thoughts on the matter, Lyle had no problems with staying true to his words. He was no longer in any relationship at the moment so his heart was clear and untroubled.

    Although, he didn''t entirely like the idea of getting into another one so soon. He did, if he was honest, have lingering feelings for Sophia. But that was a given seeing as how much time the spent together. Apparently it wasn''t enough to cultivate a truly strong bond between them, as evidence by Sophia''s lack of trust towards him and instant misunderstanding of the situation without choosing to confirm whether her suspicions were true or not, but nevertheless it still meant something to him.

    With Melanie...he felt she was a good woman. He wouldn''t truly mind getting to know her on a deeper level. Although he had originally wanted to have a connection with Sophia''s family due to their influence, such a thing was never needed. It would have been a nice perk, but nothing more. His family didn''t need the connection anyway, which is why for the most part they had no problems with he and Iris choosing their partners themselves.

    Besides, he was still good friends with Cecelia. And that was more than enough. In the time he was sent out on missions by A''daire Lyle had also made connections with a wide variety of people. Some even wielded considerable influence and a wide network of information.

    So it was no problem if he started something with Melanie. He wasn''t opposed to the idea and had no reason to dislike it. Despite the fact that his actions the other day were a result of that Azamat character influencing his actions a bit, Lyle was told that his actions were his own. If taken at face value, then all Azamat did was truly just weaken Lyle''s inhibitions.

    Perhaps heightening his lust at the same time. So, if true, then Lyle himself was to blame for losing himself like that. Even if not, Lyle would still believe he should have more willpower and not be so easily swayed by a thing like that. No matter how powerful it used to be.

    So he felt he had to take responsibility for his actions towards Melanie. The only problem was that it wasn''t only him involved. Melanie was also caught up in it. Lyle thought it right that Melanie, as the victim, be the one to decide how things would progress between them, not he.

    If she chose to ignore it happened, he would as well.

    Is she wanted to explore where it could lead them...he wouldn''t simply sit back passively. At such a time, a man had to take action, no?

    So if she wanted to start something with him then  Lyle was prepared to take things from there. Either way, he would respect her wishes on the matter. Even if she thought of some other option apart from the two, such as a punishment.

    He would accept that, too.

    -------------------

    Iris felt more sour with each passing moment. She couldn''t concentrate at all on the mathematical problems currently lying in front of her.

    She never had any problems with leaving those two alone before. Yet now she hated the thought of them spending even a second together without her present. She kept up a relatively good relationship with Melanie in the past, but now she felt an increasing dislike for the girl. Just thinking of her made Iris'' blood pump harder, a oily black feeling spreading throughout her chest as she thought of what the two might be talking of, or doing, while they were alone.

    Her brother shouldn''t have to be alone with any girl but her. He shouldn''t want to pay attention to any girl other than her, his adorable sister.

    Other girls were only a nuisance. Like that Sophia. Iris had not quite understood exactly what happened between them at his birthday party some time ago, but knew that they were no longer an item. From what she knew, it was a result of a misunderstanding involving Melanie. Probably the girl thought that brother was cheating on her. He didn''t tell her this, but she was smart enough to notice the clues.

    She knew that would happen from the start. That strumpet played with her brother''s heart. She, like the others Iris had seen, was only interested in brother for his looks and social status. What''s worse, she was the jealous and possessive type. She didn''t trust brother and thought he was the type to play around with other women while being in a relationship.

    Hmph. That little girl doesn''t know anything. Iris didn��t think it would be a big deal even if her brother did cheat on the little harlot. Her brother was cool, kind, strong and came from a powerful family. In other words, he was perfect. Why should he mind about having two or three women?

    That Sophia-bitch, she should be grateful he ever looked her way. However, her brother was not such a person to have mistresses. Unlike what others would do in his position, he didn''t fool around with the hearts of women. No, he was better than that. Though Iris thought that it would be alright if he did, she respected and was happy with the fact that he didn''t.

    Of course, she didn''t care if he hurt the hearts of a girl or two: Why would she? They were nothing to her. No, she was merely happy that he didn''t because that would severely shorten the time that Iris herself would have with him had he chosen to play around in such a way.

    Also, she would probably hate it if he did that since she firmly felt he shouldn''t pay attention to girls who weren''t her. Which is why she felt it was horrible that he chose to have a relationship with that Sophia-bitch.

    Nn, indeed, she predicted they would break up eventually. That despicable woman couldn''t appreciate big brother, couldn''t understand his worth. Even though she, that whore, was like the tiniest of insects in comparison.  As she thought, lower lifeforms like that slut were incapable of recognizing brother''s true value .

    So, again, other girls were merely a pain for brother to deal with. He should concentrate his attention on his cute sister instead and spoil her more.

    All this said, why were the two acting so strangely towards one another? That Melanie, her face was just a bit too red at that time, wasn''t it?

    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

    She thought back. Although she considered it a mere dream...That image of her brother and Melanie....Could it truly be--?

    " I wonder what those two are talking about. Aren''t you curious as well, dear? Why don''t we have a peek?"

    A voice suddenly resounded through Iris'' mind, one not her own.

    Iris''s cheek twitched. " Shut up. You never have anything good to say. I won''t listen to you." Iris responded venomously.

    This arrogant, annoying voice had come into her mind at times. She had thought that she was going insane at first but soon come to accept the voice. She thought that perhaps this voice was a mere figment of her imagination. Or maybe a subconscious part of herself speaking up. She didn''t know.

    Maybe it was real. Maybe this voice come from something that wasn''t part of her. But it didn''t matter. Whatever this voice was, Iris no longer rejected it. It was simply that it annoyed her. It never had anything positive to say about anything.

    Always saying mean things about how her brother would leave her behind for someone else. He promised he wouldn''t ever do that to her. Why would she trust some voice in her mind more than her brother? Why would she doubt him when he gave his promise to her?

    His words had infinitely more value to her than some annoying voice in her head.

    "How rude. Well, I suppose it''s to be expected. I truly find you an amusing one. Who would think such a little girl would still have some resistance to my influence? I had to force it last night. Drained me quite a bit too. Interesting. But, disregarding that, I think you really should care a bit more about what they are discussing. I just sent a bit of my consciousness to see what they were talking about. I think you''ll find it pretty important."

    The voice laughed lightly, as if it knew some great secret and was trying to entice Iris to ask what it was.

    As for her other words, Iris thought it was talking non-sense. What about last night?

    Other than that weird dream, nothing odd happened. Well, whatever. She got to sleep with brother, so she didn''t think much about anything else last night. Brother said it was nothing, so of course she would believe him

    The only thing the woman''s words--for indeed it was a feminine voice--accomplished was to remind Iris of the bliss at being able to sleep by brother''s side. He rarely let that happen these days, which she found completely unfair. He had told her it was something about her being too old to be sleeping with him. She didn��t understand that reasoning.

    Something like age, why would it matter?

    She fully had intentions to still be sleeping with her brother even when she was an adult. Why would that be considered wrong? It was a sign of a strong and healthy sibling bond. To know he was trying to stop such a wonderful thing...

    Ah, he felt so warm and comfortable....

    His muscles were fairly hard due to the constant training he put himself through but even that wasn''t unpleasant. Hm, and his scent was fine too. A bit spicy, a bit minty, mixed with slight sweat. He may not have remembered to take a bath that night. Which was unusual for him.  But it made his smell more pungent, which Iris found she didn''t dislike...

    "...Hey, girl, are you listening? Hello? Damn brat. What, finally done fantasizing about that boy? Good. I know  we have a good compatibility, girl. Your one-track mind proves that. So, I ask again, interested? Come now, take a look." She cooed.

    Iris ignored her and refocused on the equations on the paper before her.

    Miss Belle was starting to get suspicious, looking at her from the other side of the room. The warm light from the parlor''s window were starting to disappear due to the oncoming clouds.

    Iris, having been pulled from her memories of her night with her brother, found that the room, to her, was distinctly cold.

    "Such a feeling, it seems as if something pretty entertaining will happen. You probably won''t be affected much, but that brother of yours...I''m interested to see how long he will last.  A shame he has Azamat inside him. That person''s power, the aspect of lust he possesses, wasn''t originally his. Since this is the case, that brother of yours will likely face something fairly degrading soon. I wonder, at that time, will he ask them for help and risk the consequences? Or will he endure? I''m eager to see what he decides" She laughed.

    Iris couldn''t help frowning.

    She wanted to see her brother again soon.

    -----------------------------------------------

    Mother and father had rarely spoken since the four of them returned. Lyle didn''t care, though. After what his father did, though he understood it, he couldn''t see past his actions.

    After he conversed with Melanie, he found and talked a bit with his mother. " I''m going on a trip soon. Iris and a few others will be coming with me." He spoke abruptly, with little explanation.

    She blinked. " Lyle, honey, what are you talking about, going where?"

    "Zeshar." He replied.

    She looked at him oddly. Zeshar was a sprawling, prosperous city located far to the north of here, centered within a large kingdom known for it''s technological advancements. It was a hub of knowledge and innovation. Zeshar was also the city where the kingdom''s most expansive library was held, the Udril Whren. It wasn''t known exactly what the name translated to, but many had taken to calling it the Workshop.

    It was called such because it was the place where many experiments and scientific breakthroughs were common. It was where all young elites who pursued knowledge hoped to someday enter.

    Well, not like they couldn''t enter, exactly. It was a public library after all, with a wide assortments of books, scrolls and hologems that covered....Pretty much everything. Some knowledge was restricted, but for the most part you could find the answer to nearly any question you had if you looked hard enough. The restrictions being only knowledge deemed dangerous and not fit for public display, such as the art of necromancy, cursed texts, hidden histories and other things.

    The reason they wanted to go was in the hope of joining the Research and Development program, something which came with much prestige and other benefits.

    It had various levels to it and mainly the common folk had access to the first and second levels, whereas those with a fair amount of influence could go on to the third level.

    Anything past that was usually restricted and heavily guarded.

    With the Greyborne family influence entering the higher levels was a simple thing. They were the family that helped found the World Council many years ago, and despite their low-profile tendencies they still had special privileges. Lyle, as the next head of the family, could of course enter any level he wished.

    But a place like that, why would her son...?

    She  thought back to the plans that dastardly group had in store for her son. They were being taken care of now by Gideon, but she didn''t like the thought of Lyle going even still. Especially since things were not entirely resolved.

    " Hold up. Do you have to go now? Wait a few week, then you can leave, but until then I think you should stay-"

    "I cant." He spoke over her, voice firm. "It''s important. If it''s our safety you worry about...well, we both know I��m not weak. And I ''m intending to take some hired help. Some trustworthy mercs I made friends with a while back. Not to mention a few reliable fellows I know quite well. Nothing will happen, I assure you. But I have to go. I can''t explain why, but it has to be done. I''ll only be gone a few weeks anyway." He said smoothly, confidently, as if he had everything under complete control.

    She hesitated. " Alright... But be careful. Look, I didn''t want to worry you since it was already in the middle of being dealt with, but not long ago I discovered that-" She never got to finish.

    A knocking sound made her stop.

    Lyle walked to the front door as he wasn''t far from it.

    It was Cecelia

    ---------------------------------------------------------

    Some time earlier.

    Within a certain location there currrently existed a large stretch of land. It wasn''t ordinary land, though. No, it was much more. It was a beautiful sight, almost paradise-like. Tall mountains capped with ice, flowing rivers, numerous vividly colored flowers. The figures of small fairies flying about, their wings like gossamer and glittering with an inner glow as their owners took care of the plant life.  A large city, designed with gorgeous curves and bright stones that seemed to radiate with light.

    Towering walls upon which were carved uncountable numbers of intricate runes. Town folk, of every race and color, going about their business.  There were quite a few smaller cities nearing the edges of the land. They housed harbors, and gathered by those harbors were giant, monolithic ships that were also covered in glowing runes from top to bottom. They had many sails, and the most eye-catching of it''s features were long, balloon-like structures that wouldn''t be found on ordinary ships.

    But for all this, the stretch of land had one characteristic that trumped all others: It flew.

    Very few understood how it accomplished this feat. But fly it did. All over the world, to every continents, every nation. Why? Because that''s what it was created for. To gaze upon those below from high up into the sky, monitoring, observing every detail like the eye of an all-seeing god.

    Within the largest city built at the very center of the island, was a structure reminiscent of a castle. Or a cathedral. Outside of this building were five tall statues, each one looking heroic and imposing with beautifully crafted armor made of some kind of silvery material that had not shown one sign of rust or decay even throughout the ages it had endured.

    In a room within this building an old man with a long white beard and kindly expression sat wearily upon a comfortable-looking chair as he gazed with slight consternation at the paper in his hands. His fingers bore stains of ink, and felt sore.

    A knock came. " Come in. " He called out irritably.

    In came a man, lean and fit with salt-and-pepper hair which reached just over his ears. He had a sharp look in his eye, one that would make even hardened warriors wet themselves.

    His body emitted a faint aura of red. It wasn''t visible to the eye, that was merely the impression he gave. As if he was wrapped in a haze of blood-mist and looked down upon you like death.

    But to the old man, this newcomer was a harmless as a newborn kitten. Of course he would be: After all, this younger man was his son.

    "Ah, Corvus, how nice to see you. To meet with this old bag of bones, I assume you have bad news?" The old man smiled, glad that he would have a short reprieve from the paperwork. These days with that troublesome group stirring things up he rarely had a moment to relax. Such a thing was hard on old folk like himself. Honestly, he had to retire soon. It was only fair. He deserved a break.

    " Lord First," The man greeted, using the old man''s title. He paused from a silent look the man sent his way. "...Father. " He corrected. "I have come to report a massive influx of magical energy which was caught by our Oracles not long ago. The energy seems to align with that of Curse magic. More specifically...we believe it to be of the Sin Series." He finished grimly.

    The old man pause, considering. Then, " Which of the Seven was sensed?" He asked with a frown.

    "Multiple. Not all, but definitely more than two or three. What''s more, we are not sure if this is the work of a powerful mage or not. Perhaps a Death Lord variant, or an Undead Hydra that has achieved Ascension. It could be any number of possibilities. The energy that was sensed was truly monstrous. We can''t be sure who or what has been cultivating their powers in the Sin Series to such an extent, but we know it if left unchecked it could evolve into a serious threat."

    The man, Corvus, reported.

    A tired sigh. The old man''s frown deepened. There were several powerful beings that could practice the Sin Series and any one of them were dangers that couldn''t be ignored.

    If it was a Death Lord variant, then it''s destructive capabilities would be catastrophic. Who knew how many would die before it was struck down. If it were an Undead Hydra who had reach it''s Ascension after surviving numerous life and death battles, then it would require a fair amount of resources to hunt down and seal. Killing it? That would have to wait until they were able to dismantle it down to its Core.

    With it''s regenerative powers, that would be a nightmare to deal with.

    A powerful mage would be simpler. From the looks of it, he or she would have become a jack of all trades and master of none. Wasting time on multiple Sins instead of delving deep into one.

    Of course, it was possible there was more than one powerful mage.

    " Are you sure that it''s a threat?" The old man asked. Sometimes the Oracles got things wrong. Interference. static, whatever the reason some threats were blow out of proportion.

    " Almost positive. However, these are all mere theories. We don��t know what is happening. We assume the worst. Your orders?"

    The old man went into thought.

    What his son meant was that they had no idea exactly what was going on, they simply felt a large energy reading that was of the darker attribute and thought, as he said, the worst of possibilities.

    However, this wasn''t something that could be ignored.

    "Send a team to investigate. Have them take a Spatial Lock specialist. If there is a real threat then that would buy us time to prepare for handling it without too many casualties. Do it quietly. We need information, not a panic."

    To be honest, the problems they feared were not ones that were capable of being called a global threat. Death Lords, Hydras, those were powerful beings but they were able to put them down without too much difficulty. They would cause the old man another headache, but little more.

    Still, they were not sure of what they''re dealing with so it was best to send a team that was able to investigate and contain the situation. A Spatial Lock would seal it in an unbreakable barrier where the space within was cut off from the rest of the world, but something of that magnitude wouldn''t last for more than a few days.

    Obviously it wasn''t something that was used too often but it was better to be safe than sorry.

    " Yes, father." Corvus put a hand over his heart and made a small bow, extremely formal.

    The old man smiled. This son of his was always like this. So strict and unbending. Well, when he was on duty anyway. The younger man tuned to leave.

    The older man called out to him just as he had a hand to door knob. " Where was this energy felt from?"

    "At first it seemed to come from Nos''Thragnea, that dreadful place. But later, it moved."

    This worried the father. " Moved where?"

    "Drann Kingdom. But it was much weaker then. Still, it was noticeable."

    Drann....The named seemed familiar....

    "That place..." The old man struggled to remember. " If i''m not wrong, the young master and Heir of the Greyborne family has made his home there some time ago, along with his sister Iris. Let''s see...He just had his fifteenth birthday some few weeks ago, yes?"

    His son nodded. " I assumed a fake identity and went to see what the boy was like. Though, A''daire may have recognized me."

    "Your impressions of the young man?"

    Corvus looked at him. He replied instantly. " A prodigy. The way he moved, the way he carried himself...like a king. Prideful, regal, full of confidence. Yet different, too. Sharper. Deadlier. He will someday become truly formidable."

    "Someday?" The old man asked with a raised brow.

    " Yes. The boy isn''t weak, from what I was able to discern. He could still improve skill-wise, but that will only be a matter of time and experience. However, he obviously isn''t without weakness. For example, his sister. Those two, they are rather...close. From the rumours, abnormally so." He dismissed the notion with a wave of his hand. " Those rumours are likely baseless, but I see where they are coming from. That young man, the way he looks at the girl, you can tell instantly how much he cares for her. And I think that, above all, will be what will hold him back in the future. He appears like the type that is ruled by his emotions. At least to some extent. A dangerous habit, that."

    "Yes, as if often the case. But he is human, after all. Such weaknesses are as to be expected. And it isn''t as if he is some common foot soldier." The other man said. " He will rarely, if ever, be on the frontlines." He would have to worry about the cut-throat game of politics, but that was all. "There is no reason that these weaknesses should matter." Not entirely true. Having such a weakness meant you were vulnerable. And there are many who would use that against you. The old man himself knew this from experience.

    "I don''t believe that." His son stopped him. " I sense troubling times ahead. I smell death around that boy. Not just him, however, but all around us. Much death. Too much. And I don''t dislike him, but I find that he will likely cause rather large waves in the days to come. This feeling..." He struggled for the words. "...It''s almost instinctual. Also he may be on the frontlines soon enough. In a manner of speaking. Everything points towards a war on the horizon. You and the others may not want to see it, but I am more cynical on the matter. This mysterious group...I think they may be only the beginning."

    The old man stayed quiet for some time.

    " I can''t tell if you liked the boy or not. Also, this seems like more than what you would get from a one-time meeting." He said finally, ignoring his son''s other words.

    "Who said I haven''t been keeping tabs on the boy? Someone of his lineage, obviously I would keep track of him. Oh,  and I do like him. I simply pity him. I know all too well what sort of burden family and duty place on one''s shoulders. This boy, because of who he is, can never have a normal life. People will judge him over every little word or action. And there are too many things that are expected of him. Maybe that''s why he likes to pretend to be someone he isn''t." Corvus spoke the last words almost to himself, a slip of the tongue, a betrayal of his inner thoughts. What these words meant, the old man didn''t know.

    "...All that aside, yes. As I said, I like him. Well enough, anyway. But I don''t think the Gods favor him. Or maybe, more accurately, they favor him too much."

    How rare to see his son talk so much. " Why do you think that?"

    "I''m not sure. It''s merely a feeling I have. I don''t think i''m wrong, though. And nothing good has ever came from having too much of the Gods'' favor." They had both seen firsthand what such a thing could do to a person."With the current situation of the world I have little doubt we will be seeing some major changes soon enough."

    For a long time after Corvus left, the words still echoed in the old man''s mind.

    He merely asked his thoughts on the boy, yet it escalated to so much more without warning. His son, he was always a perceptive one. Unnaturally so. To the point where it was terrifying.

    He was rarely wrong when he had these "feelings" of his.

    The old man was afraid that what his son predicted would come to pass this time as well.

 Chapter Twenty-One

    AN: I know this is going to take a lot of editing but bear with it for now please. I need to get some sleep and then finish the chapter for my other story. Its been a good few days since i last updated it and i feel like i will take another day to make two or three chapter to make up for it.

    also, remember to rate, review, or comment on whatever you wish.

    ------------------------------------------------------------

    "I''m going with you." Cecelia asserted.

    Once Lyle entered the door and invited her to take a seat on the plush couch in the living room he had explained to her what he planned to do. Well, in part.

    "I was hoping you would say that." Lyle smiled, " But honestly...now that I think about it, you probably shouldn''t. " He would feel more at ease with Cecelia, who was about as close to him as anyone except Iris and a hundred times more reliable in a fight, by his side through all this but he felt that it might get dangerous with her around him and Iris due to their condition.

    He couldn''t tell mother or father or even A''daire about what was happening to them: That would be too foolish.

    It could be argued that doing so was the more logical and wiser decision but these things inside them were, well, they were the manifestation of sin. Even worse than devils. Much worse. If he told someone carelessly about what was happening to them the World Council wouldn''t let them walk free. Especially given Lyle''s status as a future seat-holder on the Council. If knowledge of this spread, there would be chaos. Lyle was known by many and his name spread far and wide. Even though most thought him simply the son of a powerful noble house, that still carried much weight because of just how powerful  that noble house, the Greybornes, were.

    Few knew the full extent of their influence but what they allowed to be displayed to the public was enough for people in many nations to know of and respect his family.  Even himself personally, who was known as the "combat genius young master of the Greyborne family". Or so he was called after that event he took part in some time ago.

    No, keeping this to himself was simply safer. He would keep keep this secret from his own family, at least until he knew more. After he had gathered information on what these things exactly were and if it was possible to remove them, only then would he let his family know. He had to be truly cautious here. And until he knew more, he wouldn''t let anyone know what was happening with him. Although A''daire might know, a bit, about what happened. He witnessed what Lyle did, after all, had fought Lyle in his empowered state. He must have suspicions. Though the man knew better than to tell his parents without confirming it himself.

    " I don''t care if it''s dangerous, I''m not letting you go alone. It isn''t a problem, my father encourages me to go out and gain experience. You know what."

    That''s true. Cecelia was the one who was being groomed to take on the position as the family head. As a militaristic family, Sophia who''d been pampered with a gentle lifestyle was out of the question. There were other candidates to inherit, though, should Cecelia die. Lyle had heard a bit about a branch family who had a few talents. Cecelia''s cousins.

    So her going wouldn''t be frowned upon...but still he didn''t like it. On the other hand there were a couple merits he could think of if she followed along.

    "Why not let her go, dear? I''ll feel better if she''s by your side. And you would be too, right?" His mother interjected, prompting a grateful look from Cecelia.

    There was something a bit more in Cecelia''s gaze as she watched his mother. Like having her help was something she didn''t expect yet was not entirely surprised by. It was an odd move, one he found himself questioning.

    How could he know of the little deal the two had going on?

    "Exactly. Besides, I can help watch and take care of Iris...." She prodded, looking at him carefully. She had brought out her trump card. Lyle most likely wouldn''t refuse after she brought Iris'' safety into this.

    Iris never exactly liked Cecelia but as for herself she always made it a point to try getting along with the girl. The reason for this, she would not say. But Cecelia knew she was using a double-edged sword. Lyle was protective of his beloved sister but firmly believed he had the responsibility to manage her well-being himself. He was coldy and merciless while doing it too.

    CecCecelia recalled the last time some ruffian rudflet''s tried harming the listle girl in Lyle''s presence. Let''s just say Cecelia could still hear the screams caused by what Lyle had done to the man.

    Only Iris, Cecelia thought, could make him react like that. What''s more, the girl in question believed that any action of her brother was right, just and without error. Those pair of sibling were truly...unique. In varous ways.

    Lyle was someone who could be warm and appear charismatic to all who saw him, but chillingly ruthless to those who crossed him or commited some act he couldn''t forgive. This was simply the type of person he was. You could even say they felt like tep entirely different people.

    Same with Iris. Iris was a lovable girl by her appearance alone, yet her sharp tongue and fairly calculating nature her brother was equally dichotomous. Always playing the good, obedient sister to rack up brownie points. Then becoming spiteful and mean to everyone else at s moment''s notice. Lyle was the only one she really listened to.

    On one hand you had the over protective, trigger-happy older brother, and on the other  you had the "cute little sister" who thought the brother could do no wrong. Such a pair was rather difficult to deal with.

    In short, he might reject the idea of anyone helping him keep an eye on his sister. While Iris herself would make Cecelia''s job of helping with her protection a nightmare.

    And true to her predictions he stiffened ever-so-slightly.

    Even so after a moment he just shook his head, relaxed his body, and smiled. "Well, since it''s you....I think I can use the extra hand. She might not like this though..." He looked at Cecelia with a bit of worry. He knew well his sister''s temper.

    "That girl will be fine. Who knows, this could be a bonding experience between those two. I know you always hoped they would get along better. Whatever it is you are looking for at that place, having such a capable person like Cecelia tag along can only be beneficial."

    Lyle considered. Maybe, but he doubted it.

    But he did say that Melanie was free to come if she wanted, so why should he deny Cecelia?

    The only thing he was truly worried about was the strange markings on his body. Especially that flower one...Melanie seemed entranced the second she saw it. Almost dazed. Would that happen to anyone else who saw it? Possibly. Or maybe not.  That Azamat seems to rely on sexual energy to help fuel his power. So it likely only affected women.

    The "positive" energy in males and "negative" energies that exists in women likely have something to do with it. Maybe how these energies interact during sex or sexual acts. Lyle could only theorize at this point, but it seemed similar to how Incubi needed sexual energy to live and grow stronger.

    Lyle therefore may not have to worry if a male saw it, but Melanie, Cecelia and any other woman would probably be affected....Would Iris be affected as well, even though she''s his blood-related sister?

    The thought worried him and he didn''t exactly want to find out. He wore long-sleeved clothing and had wrapped his body in bandages bandages up to his neck so the serpent, dragon and flower tattoos were covered. Which is why no one commented on them. He would have to take care when washing too. Some towns were far away and so at times travelers would have to sleep out in the open, make a camp site. Though that needn''t happen now, since all the towns and such were within a half day''s ride of each other at most. Later, though, he would have to be on guard.

    Well, that aside, in regards to the flower design... As long as Lyle kept himself in control of his own body it shouldn''t be too much of a problem.

    "...Alright. Cecelia, do you need anything before we leave? If so, go and get it taken care of before meeting me and Iris at our usual place. After that, we''ll be going to the Merc hall."

    This was, as the name suggested, a place where various mercenary group representatives could go and get hired for a job. Similar to  the Guild, the name of any building acting as headquarters for adventurers to come and go to receive missions.

    She nodded. " Okay. I''ll see you in around  half an hour then." She knew that he would want to enlist the help of the merc group he was friends with. The one he, and to a lesser extent Cecelia, were honorary members of.

    " Alright."

    After another brief exchange Cecelia ran outside and got into the carriage which brought her here.

    "That girl has always been a good one, hasn''t she? " His mother suddenly said, smiling.

    "Cecelia? Indeed. She''s a reliable friend.  There isn''t anyone I would rather have by my side in a fight." Lyle agreed.

    " Yes, I quite like that one. I hated them both at the start, but she reminds me faintly of myself at that age." She smiled lightly. "Although, I was a bit surprised by how close you two had gotten. You and Sophia, leaving things like you did between each other, and yet she still seems to not mind it at all."

    He shifted uncomfortably, sighing. He did feel bad at not handling that situation better. And he did intent to fix it at some point. Even though Lyle felt rather betrayed at the girl''s lack of trust towards him, he still didn''t want to leave things how that were.

    "I''m grateful for that, yes. And I won''t allow our friendship to become ruined so easily. " Lyle smiled, laughing a bit. He was confident that their bonds, at least, were not so weak. She had never done wrong by him. And so he wouldn''t do wrong by her either.

    " After all we have done for each other in the past few years of knowing one another, I simply won''t give up what we have because I and her sister left each other on a sour note. Which I still plan to remedy, by the way. Eventually."

    " You seem to share quite a strong bond with the girl." His mother observed.

    "Well of course. You don''t  know what we''ve been through together. What she''s done for me, and I her. We''ve saved one another numerous times, have risked our lives for each other, even. Cecelia is almost like a sister to me by now." Almost.

    "You value her, don''t you?"

    He looked at his mother for sometime before he replied, his gaze seeming to consider something. " Yeah, I do. Other than Iris, Cecelia is probably the person who knows me best."

    Melanie seemed a bit in admiration of him for various reasons, but that was something different.

    " I see." She smiled. She chose not to say anything more.

    Lyle, hesitated. " About father..."

    "Hmph, don''t worry about him. " His mother''s eyes narrowed in anger. " He understands his wrong, rest assured. That foolish man, I swear..." She sighed. "Anyway, he isn''t here. He got a call just before sunrise and he had to leave. It appears that the mysterious group he''s hunting has made some unusual movements the past few days. Princess Su''Mei, that girl you used to be acquainted with, was attacked again."

    Lyle was a bit shocked, full of concern. " Is she okay?"

    "She''s fine, thank the gods.  That girl is truly resourceful. After the last attempt she took certain measures and captured the assailant."

    Lyle''s eyes brightened, knowing what that meant. " So they have more information now?"

    His mother was quiet for a moment before going on, as if forcing herself. " No. It''s worse now, really. The man who attacked was human known to be affiliated with several nations. A former officer in some army, a person of some repute before he retired. He gave away nothing. What''s more, he apparently had poison hidden on his body and used it to kill himself."

    Lyle''s brows furrowed. This meant that the only thing that was accomplished in capturing the man was discovering he was a human with known relations between himself and numerous human nations.

    That''s bad enough but the man was also an officer in an army before retirement. With little else known this would only increase hostilities between the Demon continent and the Human continent. The majority of the demon race would be out for blood now.

    Mei was always an advocate for peace between races but she may have some trouble handling this by herself. Lyle didn''t talk to her often but they still had a decent relationship with one another. If he could help, he would. Well...not to say he couldn''t help. At least, not directly. He had a few ideas on how he could give her some aid, but that would have to wait.

    But disregarding that for the moment there was something that Lyle thought of instantly. "Wait, mother, do you think...?" Lyle began. From what he knew, this situation seemed almost as if....

    Mother nodded. "Yes, I know what you''re thinking. It was indeed too easy to catch him. I hear he didn''t put up much of a fight, either. This entire thing reeks of something pretty fishy. But sadly as soon as the attack is made public, which it will eventually through some information leak or another, this will further cause enmity and the amount of hate the demons have towards our human race will soar to new heights. This is how popular Su''Mei. that girl, is among the general populace. Going after her is the best way to sow discord. This group your father is investigating...they truly aren''t simple."

    His mother''s tone was without inflection, both calm and unflustered.

    "So things are getting pretty bad then."

    "Quite so. Your father will have his hands full soon enough."

    "....."

    Switching topics, she said,"You shouldn''t try to hate him too much, dear boy. After all, he is your father."

    "Yeah, I know. But Iris is my sister." He asserted, as if that said everything.

    And it did. She knew what he meant. To him, there was probably no one as important as Iris. Those two were practically inseparable. Iris with her abnormal love and affection for her brother and Lyle with his fierce protectiveness of her that eclipsed all else.

    Hell, sometimes one thought they were lovers instead of family. In fact, some of the more hushed rumours among the nobility hinted at that. Ridiculous, of course--especially given how young Iris was-- but the way the two siblings cared so deeply for each other made it seem plausible to outsiders.

    And that husband of her''s had put Iris in danger.

    She couldn''t blame her son for having some serious issues with him, knowing how much love he had for the young girl. Had it been anyone else who put his Iris  in a position like that, Alyssa doubted Lyle would let them live. Or maybe he would, if only to prolong their suffering.

    "Well, I won''t try to convince you one way of the other. Still, it would be great if someday you can let it go." She knew it would be pointless to say anything more on the matter today.

    Having said all that there was to say, Lyle went into his room to prepare.

    But it was strange...For some reason, Alyssa felt she had something important to tell her son. How odd...She was never the forgetful type, so why...?

    But an instant later, the thought vanished.

    -----------------------------------------

    Around twenty minutes later.

    "Well, don''t you seem quiet today." Alyssa commented.

    "Ah, no, i''m fine. Please don''t worry." Melanie, waiting by Alyssa''s side as she served her tea, spoke in denial.

    Alyssa sipped from her cup calmly, glancing sideways at the girl as she did.

    " No, something is definitely wrong. Please, my dear, speak." She prompted.

    "As I say, my lady, i''m perfectly alright." Melanie smiled.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    "You and your mother, such terrible liars." Alyssa laughed, shaking her head. The woman in question also had the same smiling expression when things were weighing on her mind. "Do you miss her? I can arrange for her to come here for a visit, it wouldn''t be any trouble."

    " No, no, that''s not it."

    "Ah but there is an "it", am I right? " Alyssa caught the wording of the girl and knew that there must be.

    Melanie opened her mouth, but before she could speak Lyle suddenly came downstairs. His hair was different, a light, golden blonde similar to Alyssa and Iris''. And his eyes were changed too, turning into a brilliant blue like his father''s. With a dark grey overcoat, deep red shirt underneath and black trousers along with an unadorned sword by his side he cut quite a fine figure.

    Alyssa caught sight of several blades strapped to one of his legs, secure but easy to be drawn out. She wasn''t surprised by his appearance.

    Because he was fairly easily recognizable with his maroon hair and golden eyes he took great pains to disguise himself, even changing his mannerisms and overall aura to do so. Usually this wasn''t needed but he had built up another identity for when he entered the city.  A''daire''s missions sometimes had to be carrried out with others and it was best to not expose himself as the heir to the Greyborne family.

    But this may be the first time she saw what he chose as his disguise. It saddened her. The reason why he chose such colorings were obvious.

    " Alright, I''m heading to Varric to meet up with Cecelia and then we''ll be off to Ustrax. Iris will be down in a moment." He informed.

    Ustrax was a smaller city located about an hour and a half away, the place where the Merc Hall was located. Lyle was going to take a carriage to Varric and from there he will buy another, more suitable to long journeys, carriage and take that to Ustrax with Iris and Cecelia in tow. She should have already done the same as Lyle by putting on her disguise and going to their usual meeting place in Varric.

    Alyssa noticed Melanie suddenly stiffening ever so slightly at her son''s appearance. Not because of his current look, but merely because he was there.

    Lyle sent a questioning glance at Melanie but said nothing.

    "Tell her I''ll be waiting outside." He requested before leaving.

    Alyssa watched her son for a moment as he exited the room. She turned to Melanie.

    " Well, I think I can guess what is troubling you. Tell me, did that mischievous son of mine tease you again? I know he sometimes likes to play around a bit too much." She smiled wryly.

    "N-no, my lady, Young master Lyle hasn''t..." She faltered under her lady''s stare.

    "You know, I truly dislike when people lie to me. I can tolerate it up to a point, but when it reaches a certain point I find myself quite annoyed. I really would dislike to--" She began, but broke off. She continued, admitting, "Well, actually, I wouldn''t mind at all. If telling me is too hard...You do know I can make it a bit easier on you."

    Melanie was like a trapped bird in a cage as she looked into the woman''s eyes.

    "I..." Melanie hesitated. How could she just so easily speak about it? "Young master Lyle, the other day, he..."

    "Yes? Come now, speak up."

    "He, um...." She couldn''t help the warmth that spread across her face as she attempted to talk.

    Alyssa, seeing her blushing face and difficultty in speaking, had some idea of what happened. Very seriously, she asked, " Melanie, did Lyle..." She frowned. "Did he kiss you? Or maybe something more?"

    "T-that''s..."

    The fierce blush that came to the girl''s cheeks was all the proof she needed.

    Alyssa was shocked. " He did!" She all but shouted, not quite believing. She paused. " Melanie, dear, come here for a minute would you?" A small smile was issued.

    Seconds later, her hand glowed a deep green.

    ---------------------------------------

    Iris was nearly trembling with joy.

    Finally, finally a trip with just her and big brother!

    No pesky distractions!

    Although she wasn''t exactly told where they would be going she didn''t care so long as big brother was with her. Such a great opportunity for some brother-sister bonding cannot be missed.

    She fully intended to take advantage of this and have her brother spoil her constantly during the journey.  She had not been able to travel with her brother often in recent years. His missions from that annoying old man A''daire had sent him not just around Varric, but many other places as well. And most times that Cecelia woman went with him.

    Brother said that mainly it was extermination missions within the surrounding forrest but Iris knew there were other types of missions he was sent to during that long period. A year was a lot of time and though he was gone for weeks in some cases to exterminate a few monsters was something which would not usually take him so long.

    She knew that there were many more things that he and that Cecelia had done together, knew there were many people and places they met or went to.

    This annoyed Iris endlessly. The nerve of that woman, daring to go with Iris'' brother to some far away place that she couldn''t keep an eye on them.

    Iris spent a long time in her closet trying to choose suitable clothes to wear. She was unsure what to do, really. She wanted to be wearing something cute at all times so that her brother would be overcome by his brotherly instincts and rain affection upon her.  The thought made her giddy in anticipation.

    But then again she also wanted something a bit more mature with a refined air so that her brother would see how much she had grown when he wasn''t looking. Because sadly that was the case, him not paying much attention to her recently. So she wanted to surprise him.  Perhaps, she hoped, he would even feel a bit guilty and spend more time with her.

    This was truly a dilemma.

    In the end she decided to go with the former category. Truthfully she didn''t want to be seen as a grown-up by her brother. He already thought she was too old to be doing some of the things she used to do with him. She had no desire to reinforce the thought.  No, being the adorable little sister that he adore and dotes on is much more appealing to her.

    She was going for "innocent". The power of such a thing is not to be underestimated.

    She didn''t bother packing much other things since she knew her brother would buy her whatever she needed or wanted along the way.

    So, dressed in a light pink sun dress and matching hat, Iris walked down the stairs to say good-bye to her mother before departing. She didn''t know where her father was, which was a bit of a let down but one easily pushed aside as she knew he usually had to come and go when the need arised.

    As she was walking down the stairs she heard two voices.

    "...that mischievous son of mine tease you again?"

    It was her mother''s voice, Iris knew.

    She hesitated on the next step down, her heart skipping a beat.

    Mother was obviously talking about big brother, obviously.....but why? And with who? Was father still here?

    "N-no..." It was Melanie who spoke.

    Iris should have known. Her mother seemed to place a fair bit of trust in the girl. Probably because she favored the girl''s mother so much. In any case, Iris felt her mood drop.  Why would mother speak about big brother with Melanie, that girl? Wait, what was that about teasing? Could something have happened between brother and Melanie?

    Iris hated that. Big brother sometimes did minor things like teasing and women would mistake that as interest on his part, getting all kinds of annoying misunderstandings. Iris found that unbearable. Making those kinds of assumptions in regards to her brother, the nerve....

    Melanie continued speaking.

    "... master Lyle hasn''t..." She sounded as if she were trying to deny something. Her voice seemed just a bit too hasty.

    But the words were a bit low, slightly hard for her to hear. With a sudden growing curiosity Iris chose to stand there quietly and listen.

    Straining her ear, she stood there silently.

    "...dislike when people lie to me..." mother said. She spoke more, but Iris only caught a bit or it." ...actually, I wouldn''t mind at all. If telling me is too hard...You do know.... bit easier on you."

    Iris was getting a bit miffed. Such garbled sentences filled with empty spaces, it was truly hard to understand exactly what they were talking about. It was annoying!

    Moving a bit closer, just out of sight, she leaned.

    "...Lyle, the other day, he..."

    " Yes? Come now, speak up."

    " He, um..." The girl trailed off.

    Iris felt her face twist.

    Damn girl, spit it out!

    The words were on the tip of her tongue but were firmly held inside. Talking about Iris'' big brother while using such a small, shy voice...

    Iris could tell, with every fiber of her being, that this was some important conversation.  She could simply feel the tension in the air as the servant girl whom Iris had come to know hesitated in telling her story.

    Mother''s voice turned serious. " Melanie, did Lyle...Did he kiss you? Or maybe something more?"

    "T-that''s..."

    " He did!"

    Iris felt as if she were struck with lightning.

    --------------------------------------------

    Around ten minutes later Lyle saw Iris walking out of the house wearing a light pink dress that matched her well. Her clear green eyes, her golden locks, her small frame, all of it felt unbearably familiar....yet what was this strange feeling he got from her now?

    Something about her was....off.

    Lyle was immediately on guard. Which pretty much never happened with his sister.

    She walked towards him with a blooming smile, full of love and affection. She held a large bag in her hand.

    "Ready?" He asked.

    "Yup. Come on, let''s go!" She pulled on his sleeve.

    ------------------------------------------------------

    They had gotten off the carriage after they entered the city walls.

    There was always many people running about, enjoying their daily lives. Holding onto Iris''s shoulder, the two of them entered unnoticed among the masses.

    Thankfully Iris rarely showed her face in this place or else they would be recognized instantly. The same could be said for Lyle, but a certain event from some time ago made his face more well-known than most.

    " I really don''t like this place, big brother. It always smells a bit dirty." Iris wrinkled her nose while.

    Strangely enough she still held onto his sleeve. He didn''t think she let go all throughout their ride here....

    "It''s not that bad, really" Lyle smiled. " I''ve been to places much worse, you know. This city is among the cleaner i''ve seen. Just bear with it for now"

    "If big brother say so, then I''ll try to withstand it..."

    Lyle shook his head. Iris trule was quite a sheltered one, wasN''t she? Well, perhaps she''ll get a bit more worldly during this trip. It would serve well to have her not be cooped up in the mansion all day and night.

    He looked at her out of the corner of his eye. She hadn''t ever had much use for schooling,  but maybe once all this trouble was over and done with he would try convincing her to go to one. allow her to open up a bit more, gain some friends.

    After some time walking along the cobbled streets it was obvious they were getting some attention.

    "Eh, it seems you''re popular even at such a young age, Iris." Lyle grinned at the young girl to his side.

    Iris looked around curiously, not having noticed anything until then. It was true. As they walked past there would be a good few people who took a second glance at them. Mostly it was young boys but there were adults of both genders smiling and admiring them.

    Lyle knew that they couldn''t look away from the adorable golden-haired Iris. Though a bit pale from not getting too much sun she was still very striking and lovely to look at. A bit frail, a tiny little thing you wanted to hug. There were some few gazes that had a few ill intentions....which Lyle handled easily with but a look of warning and dark promise.

    Mother was a devastatingly beautiful woman, even Lyle, her son, knew that. Iris would be the same. The girl had turned thirteen not long ago and already her destructive power was something to fear. How much would it increase when her body matured more?

    He would have to beat back the legions of suitors who would come running. Something he would probably enjoy. He smiled wryly at the girl and patted her head.

    But Iris noticed something that her big brother either hadn''t noticed or chose to ignore. " It seems that you are equally popular. Which is expect of my big brother." This was spoken with pride and utter confidence. Then her voice went flat. " But all those lustful gazes towards you is a bit too annoying. Truly, such base women are hopeless. They should keep their tongues in their mouths. They look like bitches in heat."

    This was spoken with a fierce glare, her words venomous, sharp and cold. The volume was raised just enough to allow the women surrounding them to hear.

    Their faces looked surprised, then angered. They couldn''t believe such thorn-like words could come out of the mouth of such a cute, innocent-looking girl!

    "Iris." Lyle sent her a admonishing look.

    "It isn''t I who had done wrong! These harlots who dare look at my brother like that need to know their place!" She said seriously. " Hmph, this is ruining my mood. Brother, why are we coming here? Ah, for that matter, where are we going exactly?" She tilted her head in curiosity.

    Lyle suddenly remembered. "That''s right, I never told you, did I? We''re heading to Zeshar."

    Iris widened her eyes " So far? Why--?"

    She stopped herself. No, asking questions was useless. Whatever the reason, it allowed her and brother to have some quality sibling bonding time.

    But Lyle heard her question. "I just wanted to research something that recently piqued my interest. Don''t worry and just have fun on the journey, alright?

    "''Kay~" Iris readily agreed. Indeed, she should simply focus on having fun. Since she has big brother all to herself for now it was time to enjoy it.

    For the longest time that Sophia and Cecelia had dominated his attention, lessening the time he and Iris spent together. She even thought it was those two that made brother start this nonsense about Iris getting too old to do certain things like sleeping or bathing with him.

    Truly, those vile sisters angered her to no end. Butting in on her and her brother''s lives, the nerve, the sheer audacity of them....!

    Ah, that''s no good, she thought. Calm down, me. I can''t let those two get to me. This trip is something that proves the gods favor me. Indeed, this wonderous opportunity to play and spend more time with big brother is due to my good behaviour, something which the gods have decided to reward me for.

    "The gods'' favor always comes with a price, my dear girl. Though I doubt they would concern themselves with something like this. Be glad for that, girl. As for this brother of yours....well, he already belongs to the two of us but there will be some troubling times ahead for him. The three don''t seem eager to help him through it, either. Luckily you have me in you, else you would have all sorts of misfortune." Livia laughed.

    Iris frowned. Old hag, shut up.

    "Iris, are you alright?" Lyle suddenly asked.

    "Ah, I''m fine." Iris smiled.

    She listened for a few seconds. Nothing.

    That woman. she talked whenever she chose. How irksome. It would be best if she stayed quiet.

    Whatever this voice in her mind was, Iris hoped it would stay away for good. And what did it mean, "the two of us"? Brother didn''t belong to anyone. Even if he did, it could only be herself and no other. As siblings, if anything, they could only belong to each other. This was obvious.

    That voice was growing too presumptuous.

    -------------------------------------------------

    Lyle loved rain: He simply hated the mud that comes with it.

    To explain, it was currently raining. It happened just a few minutes ago as they were walking, without warning or any time to prepare.

    The clouds today had looked a little grey, though....

    In any case, as it was still in it''s early phase, it wasn''t too bad. But he knew it would get worse soon.

    Lyle was nearly to his meeting place with Cecelia when Iris tripped. She still held onto his sleeve so he was able to catch her but...

    "Brother...I think I twisted my ankle...." It was hard to tell in the rain but there were probably small tears forming in her eyes due to the pain.

    "We''re not far from the place I need to go. Let me carry you. Then once we meet up with Cecelia I''ll go and buy you some medicine for pain relief before we go get a carriage for the journey. Come on."

    He didn''t want her getting too wet so he took off his long coat and had wrapped her in it before quickly lifting her body up and holding her with both arms in a princess-carry.

    Before he spoke the words Iris was enjoying her brother''s scent from the coat....but then she realized what he said and she instantly stiffened.

    "What do you mean, Cecelia?" Her voice was cold.

    Lyle explained as he picked up the pace. " Oh, she''s coming with us. It''s a bit dangerous this time of year. There could be bandits, monsters, all kinds of things. Of course, I''m more than enough to handle things like that but she felt like coming with us. Though she needn''t have, really." He mused. Then, " I''m going to get the aid of some mercenary friends since I didn''t want to take any chances. Still, I fell better that she''s coming. Ah, also, she''s going to be in charge of keeping an eye on you. I will too, but she''ll help. So listen to her and behave, alri--?"

    "No!" Iris shouted, causing a few to look in their direction. " Brother, I can accept a few mercenaries, but why her? I thought it was going to be just the two of us this time! Y-you can''t do this! The two of you had always gone to many places together, right? Yet you always left me behind! That''s unacceptable! Do you not want to spend time with me anymore? Why do you have to bring that Cecelia into this?"

    She was breathing roughly in his arms, narrowing her eyes at him.

    "Iris, don''t be like that. " Lyle frowned down at her. "Cecelia likes you, you know? She wants to be your friend. Let her. I''m sure if you allow it, she and you will become the best of--"

    " That woman only wants to befriend be so she can get to you!" Iris all but snapped at him. " As they say, the fastest way to a man''s heart is through his beloved sister!"  This caused Lyle to look at her oddly, his face showing doubt at such words. He was fairly sure no one said such things. "She only ever has bad intentions!" Iris finished.

    He didn''t like the tone of her voice there. Wasn''t she being too harsh? "Iris, I know you don''t like her but that is no excuse to accuse her of being that type of woman." He told her. " Besides, what you say makes no sense. I, too, once briefly entertained the idea but in the end I realized that it''s utterly preposterous. Cecelia, despite what you might believe, has no such feelings for me. You act like every woman is an enemy. I get that you''re...." He searched for the words, "....protective of me, but isn''t it going a bit too far?"

    Iris sulked. " That''s not true. I don''t treat all women like that. Mother isn''t an enemy." A pause. She considered. Finally, " No, definitely not. But everyone else is! Well, every other woman, that is. Maybe even some men. But still! Cecelia, at the very least, is an enemy!" She stated firmly. Melanie, too, was an enemy. But one that was tolerable. Iris did sort of like the older girl, and knew her well. So she couldn''t say she hated her.

    "How do you figure? She''s never been anything other than nice to you. Or tried to be at least."

    "As I said, she''s only nice to me because of you. Hmph, that woman, why else would she be nice to me? Big brother, I know that the idea of her liking you seems ridiculous to you, but to me it''s perfectly understandable. Think, you spent so much time with her. Even more than Sophia. Also, I know that you must have went through many tribulations with each other, unfortunately increasing the bond you guys share. You two have had experiences I cannot even guess at."

    She looked up at him as if she blamed him for this. " You''re as close as two people who are not related to each other can get. You trust her more than most anyone. What you two have is, sadly, not something even I currently have the ability to tear down and smash into tiny insignificant pieces." Iris looked truly regretful that this was the case. " Given that, how can she not have developed feelings for you? The only thing stopping her was your relationship with her sister, but now that obstacle is gone! Do you not understand? Why else would she come over so often these days? Her true intentions, I see right through them!"

    Her anger at whatever she was thinking of at the moment made her eyes burn with sudden determination.

    Lyle merely shook his head and said nothing more. It was true he once, very briefly, thought the same. That time he asked for her blessing he felt her reaction strange, almost....angry, perhaps jealous?

    No, it was something a bit more complicated. Whatever it was, it made Lyle also think that maybe she had felt something for him that wasn''t mere affection between two good friends. But he immediately discarded the notion before it took root.

    Why wouldn''t he? The two of them never had that sort of feelings for one another: They were the best of friends, comrades in arms, but neither of them ever showed any sign of feeling that way towards the other.

    During all this time Cecelia had thought that Lyle would eventually become her brother-in-law.  To have those sort of feelings for someone who may one day be family is foolish. Of course, the reason she would think that is because it would have been a natural progression.

    The first time they met was, literally, for a marriage interview. It was meant for her sister Sophia, not her, but still. And everything after that was similar. Basically it was already a foregone conclusion that he would marry Sophia. Not entirely, but close enough. Unless there was another woman that captured his heart at some point there really was nothing that was in their way.

    Sophia had the proper temperament and background to become part of the Greyborne family. So barring any complications Lyle would have chosen her as a wife eventually. He merely had to get to know her better before he made the final decision.

    Cecelia knew this and so always treated him like family.

    And that''s all there was to it. Iris was misreading things. She did that often, he knew. So he kept his silence as it was pointless talking to her when she felt that she was right to such an extent.

    Besides, his situation with Melanie was still unresolved. She had known she was welcome to come along as well but didn''t prepare anything. Lyle could have even bought her clothes along the way if she asked. But she didn''t do anything, didn''t respond to his questioning look a while ago.

    Obviously she still had no idea how she wanted to handle the situation and wanted time to think a bit more in solitude without him as a distraction. He was in no rush anyway so it mattered little to him if she took a bit of time with making her choice. maybe that was for the best as well. With his current state...Well, he would rather she get back to him after this matter is resolved.

    Even if Cecelia truly did have feeling for him, which he currently doubted, as long as the case with Melanie was left unfinished he didn''t even want to think of such delicate matters. And if Cecelia had feelings for him, that would definitely qualify as one extreme extreme matter indeed.

    While sighing once again to himself, with Iris in his arms, he finally arrived at his destination.

    <hr>

 Chapter Twenty-Two

    The Whispering Eye.

    A rather high-end 3-story Inn/bar that was a hidden gem within Varric. Not quite so well known, but like a second home to those who did. The rooms were lit by special crystals that were imbued with a minor spell meant to absorb, and then emit, light via runes which were carved on its surface.

    It seemed to be of the enchanting branch of magic from what little Lyle knew regarding such things.

    Lyle was absolutely drenched by the time he got here. Luckily the dye he used for his hair wouldn''t wash off unless he used a specific mixture of ingredients.

    Iris, on the other hand, was almost completely dry. Lyle''s coat had done its job well. She was very comfortable at the moment. When was the last time her brother carried her like this? She couldn''t seem to remember.

    Lyle, having previously held Iris in his arm in a veritable princess-carry, sat her down under the awning near the entrance of the Eye. He did his best to make sure he wouldn''t make a mess when he went in by wringing out his clothes a bit. Iris, feeling guilty at seeing the state he was in, gave him back his overcoat.

    After a few minutes, putting the coat back on, Lyle decided it was time to go in. With Iris hanging onto his sleeve, he entered. The two were instantly enveloped in a wave of warmth.

    The inside held few people and was illuminated via a large crystal chandelier hanging on the ceiling. It offered light to nearly every corner of the room and, combined with the musicians playing on stage, created a soft and homely ambiance that made one feel welcome. Even the smells coming from the kitchen made you feel at always, as if you were resting at home.

    As they walked in Iris noticed a woman in her early twenties whose gaze locked-onto her brother. With a mane of lusterous caramel brown hair, light blue eyes and an impressevely mature figure, Iris knew, objectively speaking, that she must be fairly popular among males. The woman who tended the bar wore a deep black tunic, she could see, which fitted her loosely and exposed her arms.

    She was complete with a face like a heart, the chin tapering gracefully towards a slightly pointed chin, brows that make an attractive arch and almond-shaped eyes. Anyone, man or woman--even a grudging Iris--must admit that this woman has an appeal which would seem to fit into anyone''s tastes as a feminine beauty.

    And indeed, the few males scattered about the room seemed to steal glances at her every now and then unconsciously.

    But this girl''s beauty and popularity didn''t matter to Iris, who was also a girl and a young one at that. She was also a bit prideful, thinking arrogantly that she herself would be much prettier when she was older and more mature.

    It was just...

    ...It was just that this woman, as soon as she saw her brother, offered a thousand-watt smile along with beaming eyes full of familiarity. All of which immediately put Iris on guard. Who was she to appear so friendly towards her brother?

    "Bell!" She all but gushed, seemingly esctatic.

    The woman radiant expression, her happy grin, the way she was waving enthusiatically towards her brother, caused Iris to frown.

    Hm? Bell? What''s this woman thinking, calling out to brother with such a face and sense of closeness?

    Her brother had, on the way to Varric, told her a lot about his fake identity. He told her almost everything she needed to know about that person who he was known as when under disguise, the person holding the name of "Bellamy Greyson".

    Bellamy like their great grandfather, Greyson after a group which used to be affiliated with the Greybornes ages ago.

    So she knew "Bell" was a shortened version of her brother''s fake name, "Bellamy". However, why was this woman speaking to him in such a way? So...so affectionately? Obviously this was not born out of laziness, of a way to save precious seconds by shortening the name. This woman, who exactly was she to her brother?

    But Lyle couldn''t know the woman''s single word caused his sister to be momentarily taken aback and then instantly suspicious seconds later. He paid no mind to such things, long since used to being called by that name. He grabbed Iris'' hand and brought her along towards the woman as he raised a voice in return

    "Solace, a sight for sore eyes." Lyle smiled. "Lovely as ever, I see. Tell me, how many suitors have you had to beat back today?" He teased. Saying so, he continued forward until he had to stop at the counter. Just an arm''s reach away from the woman.

    Iris stared at them, blinking a bit. Such a tone...Her brother and this woman, as she suspected, seemed quite...close?

    "Only ten. Of course, I''m still waiting for a certain someone to come and sweep me off my feet." She bit her lip, raking her brother with a fiery look, her eyes sparkling brightly.

    Iris was speechless. This woman...her intentions were too obvious! Such shamelessness...how long has this gone on? Brother couldn''t even be considered an adult until recently!

    "Is that so? Well I hope that works out for you then." Lyle''s tone was mild and a touch distant.

    Solace sighed. "Hmph. Whatever. Act oblivious. Hateful guy." She muttered.

    "I heard that, you know?" He said

    "I meant for you to hear, you know?" She shot back, cocking a brow.

    Lyle shook his head, enjoying himself. He missed Sol and this teasing banter of theirs.

    "Damn, look at you...you''re soaked." She commented after seeing his clothes. "You could catch a cold." She said. " Hm. Although, the wet look is good on you. And I didn''t think you were quite this muscular. You''ve been holding out on me." Solace poked him in the stomach, giggling. The dampness of his clothes made them stick to his skin a bit and exposed his lean frame, which is why she said that.

    "So, who''s the girl?" She asked suddenly, sobering. "Wait..." She peered at Lyle with suspicion. "It can''t be that your tastes run in THAT way, right? Honestly, it would explain so much..."

    Lyle scoffed. "Lewd woman, what nonsense are you accusing people of? She''s my sister."

    "Sister? Wait, she''s the sister you''re always talking about? " Solace exclaimed, eyes wide, staring at Iris and looking at her hard. " ...Bullshit!" Came the assertion. "You two don''t look alike at all..." She examined Iris closely and said so. "Only the hair, I suppose. But the face..." She cast the two a doubtful glance.

    Seeing the look they, especially Lyle, made, she stopped. "No, nevermind..." She frowned. Then, bouncing back, she gave Iris a smile of such brightness and good-will that even she couldn''t hate it. "Sister, eh? I see, I see~. Well any sister of Bell''s is a sister of mine. I''ve heard so many things about you, little one. Good things, mainly. You have a loving brother, I tell you, bragging about how precious and talented you are~"

    Iris blinked, looking at her brother with amazment, her heart swelling. "Brother...!" She raised her voice and called out to him, hugging his arm tighter as she did, clearly happy beyond compare at this revelation.

    Lyle nearly choked as he heard this. " Sol, don''t!" He hissed low, signaling her to stop. He knew that Iris, armed with this knowledge, definitely wasn''t a good thing!

    The words were lost on the woman. Solace went on unabashedly, exposing more of Lyle''s secrets. "Yup, he''s always going on about how smart his genius little sister is, how sweet and adorable you are when pestering him. How great you are at drawing, how obedient you can be, how lucky he is to have such a darling little girl like you as his sister. I once asked him how he would describe you and he replied, " Annoyingly cute". His exact words. I mean I can''t even tell you how jealous I am!"

    Every words was like an arrow stabbing into him. He nearly groaned in pain, suppressing it with great difficulty.

    Iris was so elated she felt she would rise up off the ground, drowsily looking up at her brother with hazy eyes. Every word sent her into new heights of joy. Iris thought she might even be dreaming.

    "Big brother, you...!" She choked back tears, in a state of euphoria at the moment.

    Lyle wanted to dig himself a hole. That woman, what was she thinking, saying these things?!

    Letting Iris hear this was a danger on the same level as a natural disaster! Her head will swell to the size of a damn watermelon at this rate! She''ll doubtlessly become incomparable arrogant from now on, not giving him any peace at all!

    He felt betrayed.

    Sol, you...! You vile, traitorous...! Do you even know what you''ve unleashed?!

    ...He couldn''t even think of words to acccurately decribe what he was feeling right now...

    What''s worse, he knew Solace honestly didn''t know what effect her words would have, nor meant any harm. She spoke sweetly all throughtout, like a close friend, not harbouring any ill-intent at all.

    " ...But that aside...So, sister-in-law, you must be hungry right? Want something to snack on? Candy? Ice cream? Maybe some of my famous chocolate cake which is ingeniously topped with even more chocolatey goodness of the syrup variety, caramel and peanuts? No, hold up, not with this weather...maybe a soup? Meat? I make a mean steak."

    Solace seemed to be in good cheer, reaching over the counter to pinch Iris'' cheeks as she said all this. Lyle chose to ignore everything said before...

    ...Iris, however, caught something funny in her words.

    Sister-in-law? Who was she talking about? This sly woman, she seemed very formidable, sliding that in there so naturally. What tactic is this? Some indirect way of establishing a closer connection with her brother by getting in the good graces of his beloved sister? This...how terrifying. This woman was indeed a cunning one, being able to pull this off so effortlessly. Thinking of it on the fly like this...

    "Who''s your sister-in-law? Hmph." Iris pouted, glaring at the woman from behind her brother''s back. "Don''t speak so familiarily to me, please. However, a friend of big brother''s is a friend of mine. I guess..." Iris added the last part almost as an after thought, trailing off.

    She didn''t like this woman too much due to the apparent closeness and interest she had with her brother--Which still baffled her. Honestly, this woman was at least five years older than her brother. And her interest must have began before he came of age. Was she a cougar wanting to eat a young pup or did she simply notice the indescribable charm of her brother and want to set a reservation on him so that she may someday enjoy a more mature version of him? Either way, she was still much older, what did this woman think she was doing...

    But, that aside, she seemed a decent sort? All bright and energetic...

    Therefore Iris was unsure of how to handle her. She was unused to new people. She did admit that she was awkward around new people. At least, people who were much older than herself. Those closer to her age, Like Cecelia, were different.

    Iris didn''t want to hate the woman too much, though her inner thoughts were constantly flinging curses at her. And she was indeed a friend of her brother. One that Iris thought was more acccptable than that Cecelia due to the fact that her brother seemed not to visit the woman too often, unlike the situation with that pesky Cecelia.

    She was also in a exceedingly good mood right now because of the things she was told her brother said about her. So taking all of that into consideration, she did make an effort to lessen the sting of her words and such.

    And Lyle, for his part, knew his sister disliked most women and that she was pretty unused to dealing with new people. And it was for those two reasons that she was talking like this. It wasn''t that she hated Solace. Just that she wasn''t sure how to treat her. Lyle knew Iris was good at heart, even if her mouth was sharp. So seeing that Iris was being like this, Lyle looked apologetically at Solace.

    "She''s rather shy around strangers, sorry." He said with a small sigh. "Don''t blame her too much. I''m the cause of it, really. I didn''t let her grow like she was supposed to. Unfortunately, as you well know, " He narrowed his eyes at her slightly, still miffed about her revealing his words to his Iris, " I doted on her too much as a child and it made her a bit dependant on me, making her a bit...introverted." He smiled, albeit a tad awkwardly. He understood well his own part in her ending up like this.

    Solace showed no sign of negativity in response to Iris'' words or attitude. "Who can blame you for being a doting brother, especially with such a cut kid like this little girl here? Hehe, I kinda wish I was in her position, honestly. To have such a cool and caring brother..." She then waved off his concerns. " And don''t worry, i''m great with kids. I''ve always been told I would make a very loving mother, in fact."

    Lyle nodded. "And I believe you would. I''ve little doubt that you''ll make someone a great wife someday, Sol." He spoke honestly, letting go of the slip she made moments ago.

    Sol was quite a motherly individual, it had to be said. Always taking care of others while exuding a mature aura. And as beautiful--not to mention kind and thoughtful--as the woman was, he knew that she would make any man a happy husband.

    It''s a shame though, that none have yet been able to capture ther heart. Of course, the little teasing they often did towards each other was, to him, merely that.

    "Ah, Bell, such a sweet talker." Her eyes flashed brightly with a certain odd light. "You, too, would make an excellent husband. I''m surprised you haven''t been caught yet."

    "I wouldn''t say that, really. I do have a girlfriend, after all." He replied automatically. Then paused. No, that wasn''t right. Not anymore.

    Solace raised a brow, and Iris caught her smile falter. But the momentary weakness was gone so fast she half-thought it was never there at all...

    This woman gave Iris a bad feeling just then, however, it was only for an instant. How odd...

    "Indeed? Since when?" The woman asked.

    "Ah...No, don''t mind it. We''ve broken up some time ago." Her brother said shortly.

    "Do I know her?" She asked suddenly. "Wait, it can''t be Cece, right? I did always feel that you two were pretty close."

    He shook his head. "No, she isn''t. Wasn''t. But speaking of, Cecelia hasn''t shown up yet I take it?" The name Cecelia wasn''t exactly uncommon, so the woman in question didn''t think it had to be changed. Lyle''s name was more rare, however. Hm, although, no one would exactly think high-profile characters like them would be under disguise in the first place. Maybe all the carefulness wasn''t even needed, then.

    "Can''t we just leave without her?" Iris asked, sullen. She was so hyped at the thought of going on a journey with her brother, but that girl ruined it with her pestering. Iris was sure that she bugged her brother until he gave in. Iris didn''t exactly hate the girl on a personal level, but she had no good impressions for her.

    Especially since that first encounter had the vile woman drag Iris away while that insufferable sister of her''s flirted with her brother. Hmph. Cecelia. Claiming to be such a good friend of her brother and yet allowing that trainwreck of a relationship to go on for so long. Did she not realize how unsuitable that Sophia-bitch was for her brother?

    Lyle, hearing her, frowned a bit.

    Solace gestured vaguely, encompassing the room. " As you can see, she isn''t here. If she stopped by I can only guess that it was to meet up with you, as per usual? Which reminds me, you really have to tell me where you live one of these days. I hate all these sporadic visits of yours. You can''t be from anywhere around Varric, I''m sure. I''m a good friend of yours, am I not? I can go visit you some times, can''t I? I truly feel as if you''re keeping me at a distance on purpose. It wounds me, Bell, that I don''t even know where to send you a card for holidays."

    He smiled vaguely. " Well, you know me and Cece, we''re people who like to travel. I doubt any holiday cards would be read by me in time, just piling up by my door. But fear not. Maybe I''ll invite you and Nyk over someday and we can have a party of three."

    "Bah, that cousin of mine, why bring him along? He''s a joykill. But If you think you and your youthful hormones can''t control yourselves around the mature and feminine charms of a woman like myself, I suppose bringing him is acceptable." She laughed lightly, the sound soft and pleasing to the ears. " But, well, if that''s what it takes then It''s fine by me. Just so you know... Those words, I''ll hold you to them, my dear." A light danced in her eyes, showing excitement and expectation.

    Iris had the sudden urge to gag in that moment, but it was forced down.

    Lyle got back to the topic at hand."That aside, I wanted to have Cecelia come with me and Iris as we travel to Zeshar, so I sent her a message some few days ago and planned to meet her here. I thought she would be here by now, but apparently not. " He said drily.

    "Zeshar?" Solace raised her voice. "That''s a pretty abnormal place. And pretty far too. I won''t ask what you want to do there, but be careful." She leaned over the counter, putting a hand on his arm, showing concern. " I know how capable you are...however, there''re a lot of monsters and bandits on the roads this time of year. "

    Lyle patted her hand. " Oh come now. Don''t fret, love, something like that wouldn''t deter me." He said in a smooth, confident voice. "I''m not quite that weak. But I know what you mean. I''m not a complete idiot, I will be bringing some backup. Since I''m taking Iris, I of course won''t leave things to chance. After Cecelia get''s here we''ll be heading to the Merc Hall in Ustrax, get some extra protection."

    " Well at least you won''t recklessly charging in like you usually do. You and Cece can take care of yourselves well but you know how I hate hearing of all these wild situations you get yourself in. Takes ten years off my life every time." She sighed. " Alright, I won''t bother you about it. I hope Cece won''t get here too fast, so we can catch up. Oh, but let me go get this little cutie here something to snack on~!"

    Exuding a vibrant, youthful energy, she turned and went to the kitchen by way of a dark brown door to her left.

    Iris watched her leave with a complicated expression on her face. "...I don''t know what to make of that one. Brother, exactly what relationship do you have with her?"

    "We''re friends. Her cousin, Nykyrian, is a member of the Haddock mercenaries whom i''m an honorary member of. He''s a good friend, saved my life once. I met Sol not long after. So yes, friends sums it up nicely."

    "...Brother, she looks at you the same way a person looks at a warm sticky bun...." Iris said, surly.

    He couldn''t help letting out a laugh. " Oh did she now?" He smiled wryly, looking amused. " Well I don''t know about that, but don''t take her too seriously. And be nice, Iris, she''s a good person. I''m sure you''ll love her eventually, she has a way of worming her way into people''s hearts."

    And she did at that. Solace Serenity D''Alerion was a person you could never hate for long even if you wanted to. A truly kind-hearted and good-willled woman that was able to light up a bad day just by being there.

    " If you say so. "Iris replied neutrally. "But that sister-in-law thing she said gave me a sour taste in my mouth. Who''s her sister-in-law? Hmph."

    Lyle affectionately rubbed her head and directed her to a booth near the corner, his usual spot.

    Then he waited.

    **********

    Some time past and Solace had long since come back with two trays full of food. Bread, soup, some tender ham, mashed potatoes and warm milk. For Iris, that is. As for Lyle, he got some wine.

    Iris saw this and looked reproachfully at the woman.

    "What, are you trying to get my brother drunk or something?" She asked.

    Solace didn''t mind her tone at all. However, she blushed slighty in response. Her reply was smooth, though, and full of good cheer. "Haha, I couldn''t even if I wanted. Your brother can handle a drink like nobody''s business. I rarely ever see him even tipsy. This guy can drink alcohol like it''s water!" She smiled, laughing softly.

    Iris was confused. Did her brother drink? She looked towards him funnily.

    But it was true. Lyle had a hard time getting drunk. The first time he drank was when Nyk and some others dragged him to a bar after a battle he helped out with. They found his unusual tolerance for drinks at that time. He could get drunk, but due to his constitution he would have to drink much more than the average person.

    Poisons and such, too, were weakened when they entered him. They would still affect him, but it would take longer and the effects were pretty much halved. Well, he still had to drain the poison out though. Resistance was an entirely different concept from immunity.

    It''s just that the weaker poisons that didn''t directly harm him and simply cause him a little sickness were often overlooked by this resistance of his.

    "Don''t worry, Iris." He told her. "My body''s a bit special, remember? I don''t get drunk easily. This won''t affect me in the slightest. " Saying so, he took a sip.

    Iris nodded her head obediently, not questioning further since her brother was so sure. And she did know that her brother, with the Greyborne family blood running strong in his veins, was different from others. She wondered if she might have some of those some characteristics.

    She knew that she wasn''t like him, that while they should both be similar since they were siblings, she simply wasn''t. Iris for some reason or another hadn''t awakened any real trait that the Greyborne family usualy passed onto it''s members. Her mother''s side, maybe, she didn''t know. Her mother didn''t talk about her own family much, so Iris couldn''t confirm if she had any of the Bathory clan''s attributes.

    She didn''t worry too much about this though. She might awaken some similar traits at some point, she knew. Her brother was merely exceptional, always having been blessed with strength and speed surpassing his peers. Even if she was more normal than him in regards to that, even if she never awakened any traits from her own heritage, she was fine. Iris was proud of having such an amazing brother and wasn''t jealous at all.

    She didn''t get superior physcal abilities but that was alright. In exchange she got a cool, kind and capable brother who would always protect her. Besides, in the future when her brother accomplished great things--as he of course will--she would be able to gloat and brag that he''s her brother. Yes, no one else''s but her''s.

    Getting back to the present, Solace, that woman, called out to a large man to tend the bar in her stead before she took a seat next to her brother. The two of them then began talking to one another, speaking of this event or that, the woman spilling some gossip that had to do with people Iris didn''t know.

    She sat herself close to him, an arm on the table and using it to prop up her head as the two talked. Sometimes they laughed or smiled and the woman would occassionally touch her brother''s arm as they caught up. Solace, despite seeming an energetic sort, was actually pretty mellow when she was just talking. She had a lot to say, but mainly stayed silent and listen with rapt attention while her brother was speaking.

    Iris didn''t cut in at all, but each minute that passed made her more annoyed. This Solace person was obviously a good friend of her brother, and she indeed seemed like a good person...But wasn''t she being a bit too close to him? Although it could be her imagination. Her brother always said that she had a habit of looking at things through a colored lens.

    Which probably meant that Iris read too much into things, seeing something that wasn''t there. At least she did this when girls or women were near her brother. She instantly thought they were interested in him or trying to take him away from her. Simply put, to her, most women were enemies.

    Iris was away that what her brother said might be true. But she didn''t care. When she thought about it, she felt that she was very normal in thinking that way. What woman wouldn''t find her brother desireable? Even if you discarded his status and talents, he was still very handsome and cool-looking.

    Even with his current blonde hair and blue eyes. She preferred his usual colorings because that was his natural state. But right now with his current disguise, sword at his waist, Iris knew that he did seem to bear the look of the quintessential gold-haired, blue-eyed hero that you would often see described in fantasy stories.

    So it couldn''t be helped if he attracted gazes. And because of this Iris was thinking that she was right in assuming women and young maidens might be infatuated with him at first glance. Like how when he made his debut. At that time he was surrounded by young girls, and even some of the older ones commented that he would surely grow to be a rather charming young man in the future.

    Iris mentally sighed, looking at them with a weary light in her eyes.

    Just as she was about to take a sullen bite out of a piece of bread, the door to the established was opened.

    In the doorway was a girl, tall, with long hair of a dark auburn color--different from her brother''s hair that was a deep maroon, a lustrous, more crimson hue. Not like the brownish-red color this girl had--which was tied in an intricate ponytail and handing over her should.

    She wore light leather armor which was black with gold designs along it''s torso and shoulder guards. Around her was a green cloak with the hood down, the thick cloth keeping her well protected from the rain outside. Iris noticed that the girl had matching black pants which at first glance seemed restrictive, but upon further inspection was revealed to be made of a material that looked easy to move in.

    The newcomer was also sporting a pair of sharp grey eyes that could be seen behind thick black-rimmed glasses.

    She felt immensely familiar and Iris disliked her on sight.

    Lyle and Solace noticed her instantly. " Cece! So, you''re finally here! Come and gimme a hug~!" The woman rose and rushed to the girl, embracing her warmly.

    ....Iris blanked out for a moment. This girl...she was that person, wasn''t she?

    *********

    The four of them sat down at the booth, Iris by her brother''s left, sitting towards the window, while Solace took Lyle''s right and Cecelia sitting across from them.

    Ten minutes passed.

    " Well I think the rain has passed, or at least gotten much lighter. We still have to buy some supplies so we should get going." Lyle stood up.

    "What?" Solace blinked. "Already? But you just got here! Cecelia too!"

    "No, he''s right." Cecelia cut in. "We should have left already, but I ended up being late."

    "Alright, fine." Solace looked a bit downcast. Then she bouced back, suddenly seeming to remember something. "That''s right!" She exclaimed. She turned to Lyle. "Bell, wait here real quick!"

    She ran upstairs, taking the door to the far right side of the room, leaving them behind.

    Cecelia looked at Lyle with a questioning gaze.

    A few minutes later Solace came back with a long object covered in a light blue cloth.

    "I almost forgot about this! Here. " She presented the object to Lyle. "This is something that Nyk brought over once. He didn''t know how to find you so left it in my care for the next time you stopped by. He said he got it from old man Davron. "

    "What is it?" Cecelia wondered.

    "...A sword, it looks like" Lyle frowned, unwrapping it. The sheath was black, a pattern of blue lines along it that was reminiscent of the so-called magic circuits he had seen on Iris'' body that time. He pulled on the handle, taking the blade out entirely.

    It was indeed a sword. A long single-edged sword with a blade only perhaps two or three fingers wide and whose color was a light red. It exuded an almost...evil.... intent. Like a caged beast. How strange...

    He didn''t think too deeply about that part, simply looking over he weapon with a keen eye.

    The pommel was wrapped with soft, fine black leather and seemed very comfortable to grip. The weight was light, balanced perfectly but heavy enough so that you could swing it with full strength. The best swords, Lyle knew, were not light as feathers but had a weight that was just right so that one could exert all the force they can if need be.

    "It''s a good sword, but the design is meant for slashing. A slightly curved, long and thin blade. Long handle, too. The hand guard is strange, however. Small, disk-like. I''ve never seen something like it before. Not at all like the cross guard you would normally see on swords...That''s bad, right? No...wait, although this may seem a bad choice, it''s still a good form of defense. Most swords would slide down along the blade and hit the guard anyway . This one''s more than wide enough to protect the fingers...What is this, some kind of hybrid sword? No, it doesn''t seem like it..." Lyle was murmuring aloud, speaking his inner thoughts as he examined the sword.

    A hybrid weapon would take some aspects of different weapons and put them together in a sort of mish-mash. Not bad, but generally worse than the original weapons the traits of the new hybrid was taken from. Some turned out better, however.

    Hm. Although, he started to have doubts. At first glance, seeing the thin blade, he almost thought it was something similar to a rapier. But now that he looked at it closer, it wasn''t actually similar to rapiers much at all. The overall design, he now saw, is definitely not of a rapier whose blade is straight and meant primarily for piercing, for thrusts. The tip here is sharp, but wouldn''t go through as well as a rapier that has a more narrow and double-edged tip...

    With such a thin blade, wouldn''t it break? He tapped on it, hard.

    A small, beautifull ringing sound was issued from the blade. Lyle was surprised, his eyes widening slightly. It was harder than expected, but not so much so that it was too brittle. It did have a bit of flexability to it, which was good. If it was too hard then it could break if met with sufficient force. But if it was too soft, then it could bend.

    Both were horrid things to deal with. This blade was hard and wouldn''t bend too much, but it was still able to. Which meant it was pretty durable. Probably one of the most he had ever come across.

    But the material it was made of...he wasn''t sure. This lusterous red hue, just what was it?

    "Ah, there''s a letter." Iris, Cecelia and Solace spoke in unison, interrupting his thoughts.

    "Hm? What?" Lyle looked up.

    "A letter. There." Cecelia pointed to the ground. Apparently the thing had slipped out of the cloth earlier, unnoticed until then.

    Iris picked it up and gave it to him.

    Dear brat.

    Lyle read the line and his cheek twitched irritably.

    He continued.

    You damn cheeky little devil-spawn, you thought I couldn''t do it, didn''t you? Little bastard, you broke ten blades of mine! TEN!! Do you even know how much money I could have sold those for? Hateful boy, each one costs more than your life! Hmph. Any one else would give their right arm, their daughters or sisters or both, in order to have a sigle one of my creations! I speak true, I tell you! Dammit, and you just come into my life and BREAK TEN OF MY PRECIOUS CHILDREN!

    Even daring to say they were too weak...Would you even recognize a good blade? Little boy still suckling milk from your mother''s tits, that''s what you are! ...Go get bent over a fence by your grandpa, damn hateful brat. Your parents obviously should have beat you more as a kid.

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    ...Ah, whatever.

    Anyway, I finally forged something that can withstand that abnormal strength of yours. I know you said that most weapons don''t last you long, and that''s why. Boy, you''re too strong. You put too much strain on the weapon and that wears them down much faster than normal. But this one here is pretty durable. I made it using a design from a very old civilization and they mainly used thinner blades. But don''t be fooled. This thing, if done with a person of my supreme skill, can be many times stronger than average swords!

    Okay, it helped that I used great stuff to make it. But still, it''s good design. Nice and swift, gives some clean cuts too. And you should probably know that I cooled it in Devil''s blood, hence the reason it emits a nasty aura. Nothing I can help. And don''t ask where I got the blood from either. I''ll have to kill you if you do. No, seriously. You would have to die.

    The blade itself is forged from a Hydra''s bone. You didn''t know this, most likely, but them bastards'' bones are good material for weapons.

    In any case, try this out. I''m sure it can handle anything you throw at it!

    Probably.

    Look, this ain''t some overpowered or godly weapon. It''s just damn hard to break. Not even you can do it, I''m certain. Remember to thank those two idiots, Nyk and Murphy. Those bastards begged me to help you out. Annoying flies. Oh, and be careful when handling the thing. It can get pretty bloodthirsty, you know? I suggest feeding it every other day or so. Keep the thing satisfied.

    Oh, and I''ve taken to calling it the Red Thorn. Why? Cause that''s what it felt like, a damn thorn in my side. Never doing what it was told, always fighting me at every turn, like an unruly kid...And I actually wasted so many expensive materials to make it...Even the sheath was pricey. I asked an old mage friend of mine to enchant the sheath''s surface so that it could contain the blade''s bloodlust. Otherwise people will see you coming a mile away. I can''t have you dying on me just yet, you see.

    Anyway, this bugger was a bitch to forge. I can''t even stand to look at it anymore, the cursed thing.

    Sincerely, Davron

    P.S: I''m not doing this for free. I''ll ask you for a favor someday, brat. Don''t get yourself killed before then. Be ready!

    P.P.S: Next time you see him, tell that brat Murphy to give back that dagger he stole. I know it was him.

    Lyle was thoroughly annoyed by the time he finished.

    Seeing his face, Solace asked. "What did it say?"

    "...Nothing important. Just the ramblings of an old man." He tore the paper up. He looked at Solace. "Thanks for taking care of it for me."

    "No problem. I can tell you like it."

    "Ah...yeah." That old man was a pain, but his craftsmanship was top-notch. Lyle wondered how a person with his skills ended up in the positition he currently held. His creations were certainly of high-quality. He might not be the best at what he does, but he certainly doesn''t lose to anyone in terms of ability.

    "If that''s everything we should go. "Lyle said.

    "Bye, Solace." Cecelia nodded her head to the girl.

    "Nn, take care you three."

    Then, before Cecelia could react, she came forward and hugged her.

    Cecelia froze up.

    A moment later Solace did the same for Lyle, and he returned it calmly but with a frown. He wasn''t used to hugs...At least not with people who weren''t family.

    Finally, Solace turned to Iris. Grinning.

    "...Don''t." Iris said flatly.

    Her grin widened.

    Solace reached over and picked the girl up, bringing her close and hugging her tightly.

    "Put me down!" Iris hissed, struggling.

    Only her brother had the right to act so forward with her, dammit! This woman, ah, she was hugging too strongly...! Iris felt her breath coming out of her mouth like a balloon...

    "Ah, such a cute little girl~ I thought this at the start, but you''re adorable~" She set her down and pinched Iris''s cheeks, seemingly enamored with Iris''s reaction. She laughed, patting her on the head.

    "...How uncouth..." Iris glared at her.

    With little more to say, the three soon departed.

    *********

    "That''ll be ten silver, sir."

    "Thanks, " Lyle handed over the appropriate amount.

    He and the other two visited a store to buy some rations. Jerky, rice, beans, meat, eggs, bread, cheese....

    There was a lot that had to be bought. Especially water. They bought gallons of the stuff.

    He also got some luxery items like ice cream, cake and other treats. And soap. Couldn''t forget that. All these would be kept cool in a large icebox.

    Similar to the blackbox Lyle used to store items, an icebox was something that was crafted with runes inscribed upon the inside along with ice crystals. Basically it kept things cold, frozen. Or, not exactly. More like, the things that entered would be kept in stasis almost...

    It was similar to the blackbox in that it was "bigger" on the inside. This sort of thing was fairly common these days.a hundred or so years ago it was a foreign concept, but advances in science, magical equipment and enchanting made many things possible. Which in turn was making life much more convenient.

    His blackbox was like a much more advanced version of the icebox which he just now purchased. But he didn''t used his blackbox. It was mainly for his personal items, things he might need. He did keep a lot of emergency rations inside, but otherwise left it to be used for storing weapons, monster parts, rope, clothes and other such things. Groccery items were not really ever placed inside.

    Iris'' luggage was, of course, kept safe in the blackbox.

    Inside the low-grade icebox was 4 or 5 cubic meters of space in which he placed all their bought items. It would have been a real pain to carry all that. No, actually, it would probably have been impossible to carry so many things.

    Lyle, Iris and Cecelia left the store. They then made their way to the local merchant guild, one of many scattered thoughout the continent which can be found in nearly every city or town(save the really small ones)to some degree or another.

    It was a large building, several stories high, with a almost equally large warehouse by its side where the larger items were kept. For example, carriages.

    " We don''t usually sell such things to those not part of the guild. Do you have proof of membership, then?"

    Lyle didn''t recognize the young man who he met inside. Neither did Cecelia. It seemed like he was new, then. He had come here every now and then under this disguise so he was fairly familiar with those who worked here.

    " Of course, here."

    Lyle presented a silver card to the man.

    "Thank you. Sorry for the inconvenience, sir. Come, let''s go see what we can find you."

    Truth be told, the merchants guild could also take care of a carriage if one was a member and they requested they look after it. They would wait some months and if it wasn''t retrieved, then the carriage would either be sold or used by the guild. Lyle had previously bought one here, but it got destroyed some time ago.

    He rammed it into the wooden wall of a small fortress some time back. He lit it on fire, and placed barrels of gunpowder inside. It offered a magnificent explosion...

    "No problem, lead on."

    They followed the young man to the large door to the side of the building. Lyle noticed that as they walked beside him the young man kept sneaking a few glances at Cecelia every now and then. It made Lyle smile wryly. Cecelia, even with her cold demeanour, change in haircolor and large glasses, would still attract gazes.

    The young man showed them two types of carriages. One was a large covered wagon with a space about equal to a sizeable bedroom? Or something like that. More than enough for a few people.

    The other was a box-shaped carriage made of a water-resistant wood, around two meters or more high. The inside was about the same size as the other one, maybe a bit bigger. There was a space in the back to store things. But this one, unlike the first, had a luggage space near the ceiling.

    In comparison, the box-shaped on was more robust and offered much better protection from the weather or even projectile weapons.

    At least one person would have to sit out in the front to drive it, though that was a given. There was a door by the head of the carriage so that one could come and go, it even had a window that could be opened. The driver''s seat was large too, and comfortably padded. Lyle, Iris and Cecelia together might not be able to completely fill it up.

    " The first one is 10 gold, sir. The second 40."

    " So much?" Cecelia frowned.

    " Is that a lot?" Iris also frowned. She, being the young daughter of a powerful family like the Greybornes, never had to really think of money. To her, the concept of money was vague. Or more accurately, she did know about it but her she didn''t know if something like 40 gold was all that much. Even if it was 1000 gold she would ask the same.

    She simply didn''t ever have to worry about money, everything she wanted was easily acquired. So suffice it to say, if she was alone, she would be swindled within seconds had someone tried.

    Lyle also blamed himself for that, though it wasn''t true. As her brother, it was his responsibility to teach her many things and make sure she was able to become a functioning member of society.

    Feeling ashamed at himself for never thinking of teaching her about money before, he promised himself that he would be sure to educate her in the comming days.

    Lyle nodded at her, saying. "40 gold is way too much. For something like this, 20 gold or 30 would be the max. Well, usually."

    " I see." She narrowed her eyes at the young man. "You there, are you trying to trick my brother? Trying to rob him? Such audacity..." Iris gave him a look that suggested he was lower than a stain on a wall.

    It has to be know, before this, she was very obedient and looked for all intents and purposes to be a very well-behaved young girl as she clung to her brother''s sleeves a tad shyly.

    She was wary of other people, and only got mad or made mean comments when she saw people staing too much at her or her brother.

    But now...Now she was showing such a forceful and dark aura that the man, who was much older than her, retreated back a step and suddenly seemed to feel a coldness along his back. He smiled awkwardly as he tried to explain.

    "Ah, no, please don''t misunderstand me young miss! It''s just that, uh, you see, this carriage is rather special..." He quickly said, stammering and trailing off in the end.

    "Oh? Special how, exactly?" Cecelia asked, raising a delicate brow at the man with a cold expression. She, too, felt that this man might be trying to trick them. She made it clear how she felt about that, causing the older man to become pinned with another stare.

    Facing the two in front of him, he really felt as if he was lower than dog shit at the moment.

    The man glanced at Lyle, wondering how he was able to remain so calm and unaffected by these two young beauties. The younger one was lovely as a doll but with a forceful inner core and the older one was captivating warrior maiden but unfortunately appeared to be an ice princess, or so it seemed at this time. He couldn''t tell if he envied the younger lad in front of him or pitied him...

    "The thing is, young misses, that this carriage was remodeled by the previous owner. He installed many hidden compartments to store things and keep them safe. He also made it able to endure much harsher weather. Heck, even the wood isn''t normal wood, but painted Ironbark!"

    Lyle suddenly had a new respect for the carriage. He questioned. " Then why hasn''t it been sold yet?" Something like this should sell easily.

    "...Ah, well, you see..." The man smiled uncomfortably. " The previous owner did so much remodeling and improvements to the carriage as a whole that it''s value is pretty high. We originally wanted to sell it for no less than 80 gold at the least...but those here in Varric are mainly either common folk or mercenaries. Neither would really care to spend so much money on something like this despite it''s enhancements. The improvements are, to them, nice but ultmately unneeded. As for the Nobles who can afford it..." He trailed off once more.

    But Lyle understood. Nobles wouldn''t have much use for this thing. The Nobles in Varric all lived within it''s walls and would rarely travel outside the city limits. They would take no interest in it anyway since they generaly prefer things that are more elegant and refined.

    This bulky thing, though much more stylish than many, was still too unsightly for the Nobles who were used to more gaudy and impressive things.

    " So that''s how it is, huh. Okay. We''ll take it. But I''ll give you the original price of 80 gold." The young man''s eyes turned sharp at Lyle''s words, he saw. Obviously he sensed a deal of some sort coming on. And he was right, Lyle went on. "In exchange, I want the price of the horses to be included. I assume you have some we can buy?"

    "Yessir." The man smiled.

    "Good. Moving on, I also want some medicine. And i''ll make a list of herbs, among other things, that I can use which I want you to acquire for me. The remaining amount that isn''t used...Hm. Make me an account with the guild under the name Bellamy Greyson."

    All Lyle had was the membership card that allowed him access to things that most non-members were not allowed to purchase. It also proved he was currently in good standing with the guild, noticable by the silver color of the card as apposed a normal brown one.

    It was a different thing from actually having an account with the guild. It was fast and easy to get a membership card, only had to pay a some silver coins. But actually having an account would take a bit more time to get done and required at least 3 gold coins to open.

    Once you had an account you could put money into it and use that money at any other Merchant guild-owned building. It was also like a bank, it''s always be saved by the guild until you needed it. Even if you became a bankrupt beggar, as long as you had money in the account you could buy something with it and there wasn''t a way for anyone other than you to access it.

    However it was due to this that you had a limit to how much money you could actually put inside the account.

    Because the only ones really able to afford opening one were people from merchant families or Noble families, the limit should be considerable.

    Lyle wasn''t sure but the limit was probably not above 500 gold, give or take. Not a small sum. You could buy a sizeable mansion for that much money.

    "Understood. Oh...And those who open an account with the guild can be asked if they would like a VIP card to replace the membership card they currently have. A VIP card will let you see the more rare items we may have to offer, and a 5% dicount on goods are ranked uncommon and below. Also, if you show it to an auction house affiliated with the guild, you will be given the same benefits. More so if you are the one selling items. But it would cost an additional 10 gold to get a VIP card. Would you like to have one, sir?" The man inquired politely.

    "Sure, why not." Lyle replied shortly.

    They spent about ten more minutes there before leaving.

    The large open gate of the warehouse opened for them. With Iris sitting by his side on the driver''sseat, and Cecelia on the other, Lyle tok hold of the horses'' reigns and commanded them to start walking forward.

    And off they went.

    *********

    Lyle didn;t immediately head to the city gates. He told Cecelia to wait for him near the gates after about five minutes of driving. He handed her the reigns, then ran off into the streets. Iris wanted to follow, but was held back by Cecelia.

    It took him a short time to find his destination: A two storey home near a more secluded part of the city.

    He hadn''t exactly ever been here before. But he knew this was the place. Lyle knocked on the thick wooden door.

    After some time, it opened and revealed a woman who looked to be in her mid twenties if that. Seeing her, Lyle''s mind went momentarily blank.

    His eyes were also drawn to the soft-looking, bountiful mounds that jutted proudly from the woman''s chest.

    Make no mistake

    Lyle was by no means an overly perverse male, usually. He was a healthy male, one who was full of vigor. He could appreciate a woman''s beauty and charms but he wouldn''t midlessly ogle them with the sort of licentious gaze which would be classified as creepy or uncomfortable.

    But this woman...her assets were simply too awe-inspiring. They were not cantalopes, these were watermelons, dammit! But that was only one thing that made him like this. The other?

    It was the woman''s ethereal beauty. Long, flowing hair which was the color of the blue seas and a pair of eyes which were a deep and enchanting shade of violet. Her face was, like Solace, a heart shape. But with softer tones, more rounded, almost fey-like in nature.

    Her waist was slim, contrasting heavily with her upper half but not in a bad way. In fact, the opposite. The woman was tall, her skin very fair, pale, but her cheeks filled with a healthy dose of red. Her eyebrows were lovely arches, her smile warm and inviting as Solace''s own if not even more so. Hell, just the woman''s long and think finger''s, like that of an artist, were oddly provocative. Her long legs, they too had a decidedly destructive aspect to them.

    This was a beauty that nations would fight over. It was the only way to describe her. She easily ranked among the most attractive women he had ever seen in his life. His own mother, who''s beauty was like that of a golden moon seen during a starry night, was the only person who could compare to the woman in front of him.

    He could count on one hand the number of young maidens who might be able to also be compared to this blue-haired seductress in front of him, and that wasn''t even until they matured more.

    Lyle was almost always composed, but in the presence of this woman even his normally calm heart couldn''t help but skip a beat. And yet he recovered quickly, forcing himself to not be distracted.

    Lyle then noticed the slightly pointed, elongated ears on the woman.

    "This smell...My husband sometimes has this scent around him. You...must be young master Lyle, correct?" A soft voice was issued from the woman''s full, pink lips, lyrical and serene.

    Lyle nodded, smiling. "Yes, I am. And you must be that old bast--ah, I mean, instructor A''daire''s, wife... Right?"

    He had serious doubts about that now. Surely that man couldn''t capture the heart of a woman of this caliber...

    But he was almost certain that this woman was indeed his wife. He just couldn''t believe how it happened.

    " I am." The woman nodded coolly. " But how strange." She spoke with curiosity, looking at him inspectingly. "You aren''t affected by my inherent glamour...this is odd, truly. Most of your kind would be more absent-minded. Yet you came back to yourself almost instantly. And you...you eyes...everything...so bright...Yes, blinding. Such a dark presence, however, just below the surface...I don''t know of anything like it..." She murmured. " ...I''m sorry, my dear boy. I think perhaps you have her attention as well. How unlucky..."

    Lyle only caught half of what she said, but he stiffened with just that. "What--"

    She raised a hand to stop him. "No. Don''t ask. I couldn''t tell you. And you wouldn''t want to know. Such things can''t be spoken aloud. Or shouldn''t, ever. No, you''ll understand eventually, I think. But I do believe that it would do well for you to never find out. If ever you have the chance to visit the Aede, maybe it would give you answers. Although that elusive thing has never been something a person who knew about it would ever seek out. I shouldn''t say anything more, however, lest you attract the gaze of something beyond your control. I fear it''s a bit to late for that, but regardless, it never hurts to be safe."

    ....Lyle had no idea what this woman was talking about. He felt like he had a million questions but would get a hundred more even if he got one answered by her. It was like she spoke in riddles? And from her words she seemed privy to knowledge that maybe she shouldn''t be.

    He wasn''t sure how he knew, but he thought he shouldn''t inquire too much about the woman or how she acquired this knowledge she seemed to hold.

    "Ah, I''ve made you wary. My apologies, dear boy, I didn''t mean to. Sometimes I can''t help reverting to my old ways, you see." She bowed her head.

    "Oh, no, it''s fine." Lyle replied, wanting her to raise her head. He felt like he did something wrong, making a woman like this bow her head...

    "No, it''s not. Nothing is fine in these troubling times. But that aside, please, come in. My husband is out on errands right now. Perhaps I can entertain you while you wait. He should be back in about three minutes, give or take."

    "How--"

    "He''s a very predictable man, that husband of mine. But I like that. He''s steadfast, loyal. You never have to guess or worry about machinations from him." She smiled radiantly, seeming to recall something. "Right, come and have a seat."

    Lyle walked in under her her invitation and was led into a large livingroom. From there he was then directed to a sit upon a plush couch.

    "Right, I haven''t given you my name, have I?" The woman askd suddenly, taking a seat on a chair to his front.

    "I don''t believe I''ve had the pleasure." Lyle said in confirmation.

    "The let me give it to you now. As you can tell, i''m not of your race, so my name may sound a bit strange to your ears." Then, saying so, she raised a hand to her chest. "This one is known as Meer Alluvianna D''avaris, wife to A''daire D''avaris. You may call Meer." She told him, making a small smile as she introduced herself.

    "Meer Alluvianna...A beautiful name. If you put them together, it becomes...Blue Moon Over Still Waters, yes?" Lyle asked, trying to recall whether that was the correct translation.

    Meer raised a brow in surprise, appearing pleased. " Yes, you''re right. Impressive. Not many would know of our language."

    Lyle shook his head. "I wouldn''t be so arrogant as to say i know it, exactly. I''m just a bit decent."

    "I know old scholars who might not be able to give such an accurate answer. And not a reply like that. Again, you are correct. It would take much longer than your lifetime to truly "know" our language the way we ourselves do. The old tongue is too complex and historied. In fact, aside from languages, that spans a much large area as well. I don''t think anyone truly knows anything. We know what we know, nothing more, but even then that knowledge is only skin deep. Still, moving on, to be able to translate my own name like you did...do you have an interest in languages, perhaps?"

    "I do." Lyle didn''t hide it. " Always have. But I can''t say that I have mastered any language. " He then chuckled a bit, saying, " Even my own."

    "As to be expected, that. I don''t think anyone can have full mastery over any language. It''s not simply about knowing words, it''s about understanding them, knowing their past, how they evolved and where their roots lie. People underestimate languages, they think it''s simply a form of communication when it can be so much more. Words have power, dear boy. In both the literal sense and figurative."

    Meer peered at him, examining.

    Lyle shook his head. " I''m afraid I only understood about half of that." He said simply, honestly. He had no problems with her talking so much. Her voice was lovely, very soothing to listen to. as well And he also felt he would do well to pay attention.

    " Very good. Most would simply nod their head and pretend. Also, the fact you understood that much is commendable. My daughter was the same, the first time I spoke about this to her. Hm, honest, at least. "

    "Daughter..." Lyle''s gaze unconsciously roved across the room in it''s entirety, but found no photo of any sort along the walls. He had wondered what that man''s daughter might look like, he couldn''t resist. But he noticed that there were no partraits of photos of any kind, at least not of Meer, A''daire or their daughter. This room, this house, was very cosy but felt lacking because it seemed there were no family pictures to be seen.

    "Don''t waste your time. If words have power, then a picture even more so. Few would know about that, but it''s still an old superstition my family has. As such, I don''t put up pictures of us along walls or anything of the like. It''s personal, you see. Our precious moments...they shouldn''t be put on display for the world to see. "

    Meer''s lips pulled upward, her eyes softening and holding a certain mysteriousness to them in that moment. Lyle didn''t pry.

    Like before, Lyle didn''t fully understand that either. But when he thought of it, she might be onto something.

    Moments that you share with your loved ones, even simply a picture of them, should stay in your heart and not--as she said--put on display. Others couldn''t appreciate the sentimental value the images would hold, and could not look at the image with that same gaze a loved one could.

    "But don''t be too disappointed. I feel like you might meet her eventually. She''s not exactly like you, she''s more headstrong and bullish. But you remind me of her in many ways. You''re both creatures of instinct, I can tell. Even for all your knowledge, even if you seem to be a learned gentleman, at your core I feel you would rather trust your gut than some sort of logical reasoning. When it matters, that is. My girl is the same, it''s simply that unlike you it seems she isn''t as well-balanced. She errs on the side of recklessness, I would say."

    She laughed.

    "Instructor A''daire said something similar once. I have to say, I feel that I would indeed like to meet her sometime. But whatever happens, happens. If we ever meet then it would be more of a lucky coincidence than anything else, i''m sure."

    "Is that so?" Meer asked. " Coincidence, hmm...Then do you not believe in fate?"

    " I''m not sure. I believe in possibilties, certainly. At least, I don''t think a person''s end is prematurely decided against their will. Maybe there are people they are meant to meet or events that happen to them which cannot be stopped. Some things that cannot be changed abd will always happen. But aside from that, I can''t say I believe any person is only able to follow along a specific course that the gods or some other higher power make out for them."

    Lyle didn''t like to think of matters like this. It was confusing and something that he didn''t feel was of much importance. Fate or whatever, that seemed like it had nothing to do with him. Maybe it did, but he preferred to simply do as he wished, not letting himself be overly concerned with something like that.

    " Perhaps that sort of thinking is best. Personally, I''m the same. Fate may exist, but only in certain cases. My mentor said something similar to what you just did, and explained it to me like this: If life was like a tree, then each branch would represent a possible path which you may take. You can choose which path you tread but there will always exist other "you''s" which would have taken some other paths that the "primary you" could have taken, yet didn''t. And sometimes fate intervenes, meaning that there are things which will happen in every possible path. Something that will always happen, someone you will always meet, in every reality conceivable. A universal constant. That is what fate truly is. Something that happens regardless of what path you decide."

    Lyle was a bit overwhelmed. In the course of a few minutes they had discussed some fairly thought-provoking things, hadn''t they? Or at least, that''s what it felt life.... He wondered if Meer had some sort of reason for it. Certainly, these topics would not usually pop up in normal light conversation. But then again Meer didn''t seem normal at all. Her words from before, too...Exactly what did she know, and how much? Lyle wasn''t sure he wanted to find out, and was certain she would''t tell him even if he asked.

    "Your teacher sounds like a wise woman, then." Lyle said sincerely, gaining a bit of respect for the unknown individual.

    "Oh? What makes you think she''s a woman?" Meer asked him.

    "I guessed. " He offered a shrug. " I''ve read that the men of your race tend to be more of the physical sort. Becoming guards, warriors, hunters. As for women, they appear to be more scholarly and like to ask questions. If what I read holds any truth, they generally prefer to pursue knowledge and cultivate a sharp mind. So I thought the chances of your mentor being a woman were higher."

    "Well, you aren''t wrong. That is, as i''m sure you understand, a great generality. But I can''t fault you, since your words are correct. Let''s leave all these tiresome topic for now. I bet you''re getting a bit sick of my long-windedness, no? My apologies. It''s simply that my husband isn''t one to talk like this with me. He said his head starts to hurt when I go off on tangents."

    "No, it''s fine. "He waved off her concerns. " I don''t know about long-winded, but even if so, your words do make me think. And that''s not a bad thing. I quite enjoy speaking to you. Besides, " Lyle smiled faintly. " What man wouldn''t like conversing with a disaster-class beauty such as yourself?

    Meer also appeared pleased with his words and looked as if she wanted to smile, the corner of her lips twitching slightly. " I like how you slid that in there so smoothly, dear boy. Haha, disaster-class, was it? I can''t say I''ve ever heard the like before. Well I appreciate the sentiment, even if it isn''t true."

    Lyle folded his legs, peering at her as if she had said something unbelievable. "''Isn''t true''?" He echoed. Lyle couldn''t let that slide.

    "Miss Meer, you seem to underestimate yourself too much. Your beauty is to an extent that if I were a bit older, and you weren''t married, I would have half a mind to take you as a wife right now!" This wasn''t an exaggeration. Of course he was not so simple as to do that, but he would feel the urge to. He couldn''t deny it. From their short conversation, she seemed like a pretty top-notch womaan in all aspects he could think of.

    Meer looked at him oddly for a few seconds, seemingly amazed and caught off-guard at his words. A very faint blush, almost unnoticable, appeared on her cheeks. " Hm. I had thought it mere flattery before...." She admitted. Then went on after a moment''s hesitation. " But boy...you know, I feel like you''ll cause quite a few women some trouble in the future. I truly pity them." She shook her head and sighed, speaking honestly.

    Lyle then frowned to himself. Now that he thought of it, he did over do it a bit...

    He even felt a small urge to apologize to the old man. It was almost like Lyle was making a pass at the man''s wife...

    "...Dammit, boy, look at her. Got the woman all flustered. That''s not easy to do, you know! What are you, a homewrecker? Ah, I come back and find my precious disciple getting all flirty with my wife. I knew it. This brat, even capable of getting such a reaction from that woman, is just too damn luck--Ah, no, I mean, too despicable. I feel the sudden urge to beat him?"

    At that moment, a tall and menacing figure appeared in the room.

    ****************************

    AN: Just for reference,I had always imagined Cecelia''s armor as looking like this:

    http://www.deviantart.com/art/female-leather-armor-273099888</a>

 Chapter Twenty-Three

    A''daire had actually gotten home a short minute ago, but heard his disciple and wife talking. He hovered near the hallway leading to the living room, hiding his presence. Usually his wife knew when he came back, but apparently she was so engrossed in talking to he brat that she had surprisingly not noticed

    When he heard that boy''s comment about his wife, and then moved to see the oh-so-slight blush creep onto her face in response, he couldn''t help feeling a sense of injustice in his heart.

    This brat already had that maid girl, Melanie, along with the calm and cool Cecelia. His own sister, too, adored him with an overbearing affection.

    He didn''t simply have a flower on each arm, but one on the front too! This upstart, did he even try? What, just cause he''s a bit good-looking women automatically like him? No, that wasn''t all.

    He was, in reality, the sort of smooth talker that made one want to hide their sisters and daughters! Whether this was something the boy did deliberately or not, he didn''t know, but the lad too despicable!

    A''daire''s wife was a little bit of a tigress, you know? She was usually so hard to deal with! Why was it that whenever she talked to himself, she was cold and harsh, but when talking to this boy she was as amiable and polite as can be?

    Isn''t this too much? This boy had natural luck with women?! To unfair, simply too unfair! The gods were being too biased, weren''t they? He wanted to throttle the boy. Such were his current desires. But of course, this was understandable. A''daire himself was never so lucky as this annoying upstart. What man wouldn''t envy and hate him?

    But Lyle himself knew none of the older man''s thoughts. He sniffed in disdain.

    "Hey, old man, who''re you calling a homewrecker?"

    "Is there anyone else who can qualify other than you?" The man shot back.

    "Nonsense. I was simply talking to my good friend Meer."

    "Such a intimate way you''re addressing my wife. Since when were you so close?" A''daire glowered at him.

    "She told me to call her that though? But that aside, old man, what trickery did you pull to coerce a top-quality woman like her into having your child and then marrying you?"

    A''daire spluttered, greatly offended. "Trickery!" He exclaimed, appalled, narrowing his eyes. "Bah, this guy, listen to him! Making such wild accusations! Slander, slander I say!"

    "Damn baldy, how can a woman such as her be with someone like you? It''s obvious that something is wrong with this picture! If a woman such as her liked you, a no-good old man, is there any justice in the world?" Lyle said with great emotion, seemingly anguished.

    "Go to hell!" A''daire was throwing daggers at Lyle with his eyes.

    A sudden laugh made the two pause, clear as a bell and full of amusement. They looked at Meer, who said, "You two seem to get along so well..." The corner of her mouth drifted upwards, shaking her head.

    Both of them replied in unison, "What thing could get along with that guy?" As if genuinely curious. Meer arched a brow at that.

    They frowned. Or A''daire did. Lyle simply shrugged and moved on.

    Meer asked, "Well, are you two done? Good. Now, dear husband...As for your words earlier...I resent that. How can I even be blamed? This young man is quite a smooth talker, you understand. Which woman doesn''t like to be complimented? What, do you have such little faith in me? I''m hurt, dearest. But I''ll let it slide, this time. I''ll consider it even."

    "Even? For what?" He asked, confused, having a bad premonition.

    "Oh come now. You can''t really think I don''t know how often you talk to that old blacksmith''s pretty young daughter, right?" She smiled darkly.

    Right now, A''daire inexplicably felt as if he were caught in the eyes of a ferocious dragon...

    " Old man..." Lyle cast a disapproving eye at him, full of reproach. " Doing such things when you have a wife as beautiful as this...Are you stupid? You''re stupid, aren''t you? Of course, you''re stupid. Completely shameless and foolish. She''s wasted on you, ah!" He sighed, shaking his head as if lamenting the woman''s fate.

    "Old man, is it?" Meer saw how fiercely her husband frowned at each use of the words and suddenly let out a terrible smile. "How quaint. Perhaps I should start using them too!"

    A''daire''s cheek twitched, feeling as if his chance had finally come. "Heh, if i''m an old man, then wouldn''t that make you an old woman?\" But as soon as the words left his mouth he instantly regretted them.

    Fuck!

    The boy was right! I am stupid!

    He had these thoughts run across his mind in that moment, wishing desperately he could take his sentence back.

    Meer, Lyle saw, went completely void-eyed.

    "Hou?" She smiled once more, kindly, like the face of death, a gloomy aura suddenly permeating the room. "Old woman, you say...My my, how courageous you''ve become, dearest. Tell me, how would you like to die today? I''m fond of flaying, but I think you should be the one to choose. Ah, Young Master Lyle, it seems I''m about to become a widow!" She sighed mournfully, suddenly red-eyed. "Perhaps you would like to comfort me, this lonely old lady, in her time of misery? As a man, you have to do so..." Meer peeked at him, showing a desolate look like that of a sad puppy.

    (Author note: The words "young master" are supposed to actually be spelled as Young Maaster. You know, with two caps. But im lazy, so you may not see it like this too often....)

    Lyle, catching on quick, showed a gentlemanly air and composure, looking at the woman warmly. "What old woman? If big sister would have me, I will of course do all in my power to ...comfort you." He raked her body with a liscentious look, giving a smile of his own.

    "Oh, what a sweet boy. If only my husband, may the gods bless his soul, was as kind and compassionate as you...." She then hugged him, her tiny shoulders quivering. She looked so pitiful that if Lyle didn''t know any better he would have really thought she was actually crying.

    Lyle was a tad distressed, not thinking she would do something such as this. But he didn''t let any sign of discomfort show. Besides, with a beauty like this deigning to hold him like so, how could he, as a man, dislike it? Thinking as much, he simply allowed it and patted her back gently, softly whispering, "There, there..."

    And all while deliberately letting out a wolf-like smirk he knew would be seen by the third person in the room.

    A''daire was struck dumb, his mind blank, feeling like he truly might drop dead. The woman was already treating him as if he were dead!

    Little wife of mine, you''re too cruel!

    He saw that the two had seemingly entered their own little world and felt as if he was kicked in the stomach, extremely depresssed.

    "E...Enough, I know my sins. I was wrong..."

    Meer and Lyle looked at each other. "Dear boy, did you hear something just now?" The woman asked hesitantly .

    Lyle shook his head. "It''s probably just the wind, pay it no mind. Come now, let''s get you in bed, you''re freezing. Best let me help you warm up..." He had no idea exactly where the bedroom was at, but motioned for her to lead the way while he held onto her in support.

    "So thoughtful....Okay, let''s go. This old lady is so lucky to have a such a kind, strapping young man like you to take care of me at a time like this. However can I repay you?"

    "I''m sure you''ll think of something." He smiled one final time, his eyes gliding with a heated gaze over her graceful figure. After several short moments he finally retracted his look and instead rested his eyes on the woman''s tender-looking lips.

    A''daire couldn''t stand it anymore. "Okay, okay, I get it! Fuck, you two, you''re both heartless!" These two, he knew, were simply puttting on a show. But shit, they did it too well!

    A''daire couldn''t describe how pained he felt seeing scene this unfold, ah! That Shitty Young Master, daring to look at his own wife like that, he should just... just die!

    Meer laughed at him, her eyes seeming to gloat as if in victory, as if she had won some grand prize. Then in the very next instant the two, she and Lyle, broke away.

    Lyle, especially, had an incomparably amused expression when he saw the distress of A''daire, that old man who tormented him those short years ago. He had promised he

    would get him back for all the pain, and he felt that now, today, he had done so several times over! He was very pleased with himself.

    Who knew that a bit of acting could be such fun? Also, behind his entertained face, if one were too look deeper into things...Lyle felt a resentment that he wouldn''t let show, which was a part of why he had went along with this.

    The reason for this resent was simple: Although it was his father who gave the order at that time, this man was still involved. Lyle didn''t dislike A''daire, not really...But if he didn''t own the man so much...if he were anyone else...Lyle would have made them suffer for putting his sister in danger.

    In fact, Lyle wanted to thrash the man right now. But for now he ignored all that and simply took a rather sadistic pleasure in seeing the effect of their little act.

    " Oh come now, don''t look so disheartened." Meer walked to him, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek. " This is simply a  bit of payback. I''m quite a petty woman, you know." She chuckled softly. " Ah, and fear not. Even if I were to give my body to another, my heart would remain yours!"

    "That doesn''t make me feel better at all!" A''daire frowned.

    "Oh, you wanted to feel better, did you? Sorry. That wasn''t my intention." She replied. "Hm, whatever. I will not punish you further since we have a guest over. And a fine one at that." She glanced at Lyle, nodding her head. " Indeed, you''ve done a exceptional job at scultping him, dear. Yes, I did feel the power in his arms as we held each other. It was quite something. You, dear husband, have truly shown your worth!"

    Meer was extremely wicked, not able to help but poke at him one last time, therefore making such comments.

    Hmph. Calling her an old woman. Such insolence. This was simply divine punishment for his transgressions!

    "...."

    A''daire sighed heavily, thinking, it seems I don''t have to worry about this wife of mine if I ever kick the bucket. I practically made a backup husband for her!

    His thoughts were increasingly gloomy, going, If I ever do get offed somehow in the future, looks like that daughter of mine might even get a new daddy who''s her junior! What the hell you you call that? And fuck, these two cold-blooded people, they''re practically two peas in a pod! Truly too evil! Damn, I swear, they''re perfect for each other, both so cruel and heartless and unforgiving! Bah, they deserve each other, hmph! This daddy, the fuck did he do to deserve such treatment?  In my previous life I must have been an unscrupulous bureaucrat who betrayed his country to have such misfortune!

    He got more depressed as he went on, cursing his past selves, his ancestors, his neighors and even the dog who bit him when he was a kid. But of course, he did understand why this young man would conspire with his wife like he did. He was no fool. He could sense the small tension the boy let out and understood well why he was so agitated. He knew that he would earn his hate.

    At that time, though, he rationalized that the girl would be safe and sound...He knew the girl was not like other Greybornes, certainly not like Lyle and his father, but how was he supposed to know she wouldn''t be fine? Her own father thought she would be safe!

    He didn''t understand how she could be so unlike them. Being able to seal Devils and other dark entities inside themselve were something that he was told nearly all Greybornes had the power to do! So he didn''t believe she would be put in so much danger...

    But then he thought of something just then: When faced with such things...how did she escape? Those corpses, how could that boy have survived after going inside? And those tendrils that entered him, just what..

    Yet strangely, these sudden thoughts were gone as soon as they entered his mind...

    "Okay, well, I won''t keep you. I know that Young Master** Lyle must have some things to discuss with you. Yes?" She looked askance at Lyle, who nodded.

    "Eh, fine. I was wondering what you, this annoying and depraved Young Master, would want with me. Even going so far as to come to my home to look for me...You know, before taking advantage of my absence to try and seduce this lovely wife of mine. Let''s walk and talk, then, homewrecking Young Master."

    Lyle snorted softle in indignation, but said nothing at the man''s slanderous words as he moved to follow him outside.

    "Good day to you, Lady Meer, I hope we have an oppotunity to talk again in the future." He bade farewell to the fairy-like beauty.

    "...Yes, good-bye..."

    What he didn''t notice, however, was the worried look the woman sent his way as he turned to leave, her gaze flicking first to his back and then moments later to the space slightly above his shoulders. Her eyes saw nothing unusual, but she couldn''t help but feel uneasy as he watched him go.

    " Stay safe, dear boy. I wish you well, though it might not be of much help...Afterall, I don''t have the right to interfere." The woman muttered.

    She really did hope they would get the chance to speak once more someday...

    *********

    They walked a short distance away, the streets of Varric a bit more sparse since the rain and slowly coming back to life. The clouds dark, the air smelling of ozone, faint flashes of lightning in the distance.

    Lyle both hated and loved the rain. Loved the smells, water and coollness, hated the damn mud and humidity that came with it afterwards.

    "So, what''d you want to talk about?"

    Lyle turned to him, watching his face closely. He said one thing. "Nos''Thragnea." The city''s name. That place.

    Just then, he saw a shift come into the man''s eyes.  A lack of life, his irises becoming dull and hazy for but an instant.

    "So, what''d you want to talk about?" The man repeated suddenly."About the other day. Do you remember what happened?" Again, Lyle watched him, asking the question with deliberate vagueness.

    "Other day? Hm? Oh...Right. We went to that place...I meant to ask about something too. You should be dead, you know? However, no, that doesn''t seem right? You two, at that time, should have... just how are you both still...? Ah...somehow, my head seems a bit fuzzy..." A''daire shook his head, looking distraught, his fingers gently massaging his temples.

    His eyes clouded, seemingly hard at work trying to remember something.

    As if lost, the man''s large body stopped walking, stepping onto a puddle on the ground. He stared at Lyle in confusion, seeming troubled, his mouth opening to speak. But the words didn''t come, bewilderment coloring his expression.Finally, again, his eyes went lifeless. It only lasted a fraction of a second, almost unnoticable.

    "So, what''d you want to talk about?" He suddenly asked, repeating himself yet again.

    "...Nothing important." Lyle smiled lightly, shaking his head. " I simply wanted to tell you to keep an eye on mother for me while i''m gone. Just check up on her every now and then."

    But inwardly his thoughts were on something else entirely

    So it appears that those things did something to him. Merely mentioning that place gave a reaction like that. Although trying to lead him on worked a little better, ultimately, it was useless...I know he didn''t forget about it, but...

    Lyle couldn''t help but sigh. He thought this would happen. Or at least he suspected it.

    A''daire, this guy...He''s been tampered with. But to what extent, and in what way, exactly?

    Lyle knew from the man''s posture that he was a bit on guard. He treated Lyle different, as if expecting something. He had never done so before. It was only now that the man looked at him with regret and apology lurking behind his eyes.

    Lyle could tell he didn''t forget what happened that day from how the man was now treating him. And from his reaction when Lyle asked more vaguely the second time, he of course knew about everything that happened. Or appeared to. Yet his exact memory of everything may be clouded.

    Certain things about that day may have been hidden from his mind. Lyle wanted to see if he was any different today, and so came to see him. A''daire would have told father and mother what happened. Father also saw those tendrils enter Lyle, he knew. But not one of them ever bothered to ask about it. A''daire and father would definetely come to check on him, ask him how he and Iris survived that experience. But nothing. It was as if it slipped their minds.

    Lyle felt it strange, and he was right. He could only conclude that while they might have some memories of what happened, at the very least some of the details were unclear. And it was almost like it didn''t even happen. A''daire might not have much to do with it anymore, but why wouldn''t his father at least come to talk to him regarding that day? He would not simply leave...

    So while they retained some memories, It looked like they treated it as if it didn''t happen? No, well, he couldn''t be sure of that. At least when it came to asking Lyle questions about that time they seemed to avoid the topic and treat everything normally. His father must be anxious knowing the Mage-Kings were not where they were supposed to be.

    Yet other than having that knowledge and planning with it in mind, he seemed uninterested in trying to discuss with Lyle what implications this could have.

    Obviously Lyle would find their behaviour odd and came to confirm his suspicions. He wasn''t sure exactly what had been done to them, but those three were undoubtedly the cause.

    "Oh? Planning a trip somewhere?" A''daire resumed walking, posing a question.

    "Yes, Zeshar. I''m taking Iris and Cecelia with me, but due to the unrest within the continent mother will be staying with us for some time. I assume that father and Alec have already sent forces here to guard mother while she''s staying over, but i''d feel a bit better if you can also be there occasionally."

    "No problem, boy, i''ll keep my eyes open. But it must be pretty bad since he sent your mother here. Wouldn''t the Greyborne Estate be much better protected?"

    "It would, but it''s also very well known. Although that''s not the problem, I can guess. Mother more likely feels a bit lonely in that place all by herself."

    The Greyborne Estate, their ancestral home which have been in the family for generations, was very glorious to behold. But it was also a bit impersonal. Or maybe, imposing? Since father was going to be busy investigating this group, he would of course be moving about. And Lyle and Iris were no longer there with her in recent times.

    He did feel guilty now that he thought of it. Father sent mother here not because it was a lot safer than their own home, but because he didn''t want her to be alone. He wanted her to be with family. But now Lyle and Iris were both going away. His mother may be feeling a bit down with them leaving almost as soon as she arrived.

    " Besides, my place isn''t half bad."

    Yes. While it was not much safer, while it was not more well-guarded than the Greyborne Estate...it also wasn''t much worse.

    Lyle made his home in a building that father had long since secured, having various wards put in place to protect it. As for the forces he spoke of...Well, how could a family like their''s not have a few elites on their payroll?

    Plus, Lyle''s place was near Varric, Drann Kingdom''s heart, where the Royal family was located. No army with ill intent would come close, unlike with how they may treat the Greyborne Estate which was, in comparison, more secluded.

    Smaller groups might attack,  but they would be easily dealt with.

    Of course this was all assuming that someone actually did want to try harming their family directly like that. Unless they were unafraid of provoking the army within Varric city they would keep any movement against them small, maybe sending a few dozen people, if that, to deal with them. And for something of only that level, those forces sent to protect mother while she was here would quickly put a stop to it.

    "I see. Hm. Anyway, I don''t know why you''re going to a place like that. And i''ve a feeling you wouldn''t tell me even if I asked. But...Are you sure you want to take your sister with you?" His face grew serious.

    "I''m sure. Her presence is needed. At least things will go much quicker with her with me. But don''t worry. If we run into any trouble, if any danger attempts to make it''s way towards Iris...I''ll eliminate it."

    At that, even A''daire felt a shiver. Really, this guy, when it comes to that young girl he was more protective and fierce than probably anyone or anything he had met. And he''s seen a mother Wyvern when it''s children were threatened. In comparison, this boy was worse? And maybe by several degrees.

    He felt stupid for asking. If anyone tried harming that girl, this young man here would make them suffer before killing them. A fast, merciful death it would be not.

    He only held back when facing women, being the sort of guy he was, but try hurting his sister and he would do all he could to destroy you no matter who or what you were!

    Even A''daire was nowhere near as protective when it came to his own sister. Though maybe that was because he''s seen his own sister make proud kings and wild beasts into subservient dogs with little more than a look...Now that was a fearsome woman...

    ...Ah, no, don''t think about it. Not gonna open those scars again, heh.

    "I should go. Iris and Cecelia are waiting for me." Lyle announced. "Ah, right. Lovely wife you have there, old man."

    A''daire grinned. "What, jealous, runt?"

    "Very much so." He chuckled. "A beauty like that, who wouldn''t be?" He asked with a small grin. Then, sobering, he mused."She seems...Like quite an interesting woman..." Lyle remembered the woman''s words and couldn''t help but say so.

    The other man nodded, understanding perfectly. "Well, she''s a bit special..." Came the vague reply. He paused. "...Did she say something to you?"

    "Yes." Lyle admitted readily.

    " Hm." A''daire grunted. "I can guess that is wasn''t simply light conversation. I don''t know what she said to you, but you would do well to remember it. No words of her''s are ever meaningless. Boy, listen here: The fact she told you anything at all is, in itself, nothing good."

    Lyle brushed off a few drops of rain from the light drizzle that started up. "Nothing good, huh..." He muttered."Yes, I thought as much. Tell me, what do you know about that Aede?" Lyle asked suddenly, recalling the strange word she used.

    As soon as the name was issued A''daire stopped in his tracks abruptly, glaring meanly at Lyle

    " Fuck, boy, do you want to get us killed?!" He asked, his voice a low hiss. "Don''t ever speak of or go near that thing!" His voice turned sharp, his eyes gaining an almost wild glint them."It''s not something that should belong in this world, this plane. Anyone who has ever had anything to do with it has either been driven insane or worse."

    Lyle was startled, never having heard the man say anything so vehemently, so hatefully. This Aede...exactly what was this thing, to cause such a large reaction from the man?

    "What, is it really so dreadful?" He asked, frowning.

    "It is!" An instant reply, leaving no room for argument. " This thing isn''t something to mess around with! You best not even think about looking for that thing! Fuck, that woman, I can''t believe she would even tell you of it''s name. Exactly what was she thinking...?"

    "To be fair, she did warn me to stay away as well."

    "That''s not the point, kid. Her even mentioning that thing to you is bad. It''s not her fault. Old habits die hard. And she warned you, yeah, but shit, she shouldn''t even have done that! It just draws it''s attention even more! It finds you. It seeks out a time when you''re vulnerable, when you want something, when you''re desperate enough to forsake your life and the lives of the world to get what you desire... and then it strikes. It''ll offer you what you want, but even if it hold up it''s end of the deal your soul itself will bear it''s mark.

    Everything I understand about it isn''t from first-hand experience, thank the gods, but from things i''ve learned from my own family''s history books and people whose job it is to know."

    Great, Lyle thought, Things are sounding worse and worse for me as time goes on. I wonder, does this have something to do with those three as well? It wouldn''t surprise me. Whatever this thing is, it seems to use a person''s desires against them.

    Though the three don''t look as adept at manipulation, they''re likely very weak right now and so not able to display their powers to see through the hearts of others. Even if not, would they even be able to provide what a person wants? Not at the current state they''re in, most likely.

    Maybe.

    And not to mention the fact that i''m in a unique position where I truly want for nothing at the moment, which means i''m the perfect counter to them for now. Now that Iris is safely by my side again, they have nothing that I need them for..

    Indeed. Lyle could already have anything he wants. He has talent so personal power is easy for him to acquire. He never had formal training in magecraft, despite his mother''s urging, but if he ever went to the Bathory clan like she wanted him to he would easily be able to become a fine mage under their tutelage

    And his family is wealthy to absurd degrees. He''s not even a greedy person anyway. To others it can be a matter of life and death, but to him, money means nothing.

    Lastly, even without his looks and simply relying on his status he can still have pretty much any woman he wanted if he truly so desired.

    So the conventional means of coercion that swayed most people--strength, money, carnal pleasure--would not work against him. And neither did this thing they were speaking of.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

    There were, admittedly, more abstract desires that can offer much better motivation to people. Like revenge, or even love. But Lyle truly had nothing like that as he currently was, and they must know that.

    Only Iris being put in a situation where he can''t help her, like that day, is capable of causing him to feel the sort of all-encompassing desire that would make him give up his freedom in exhange.

    Not that any of this really concerned him. He only cared about evicting those leeches from his and Iris'' bodies and then continuing his life in peace. In the next year he planned to attend Wolfsheim Academy and become a true Knight like his father before him.

    To live his life quietly the way it was supposed to be was his greatest desire right now, and one he would use his own power to accomplish. He would likely be wasting his talent by wanting such things, but that didn''t matter to him. He would do as he wished.

    And even if not himself, at least he would make damn sure that Iris was cured.

    Whatever sort of entity was making Iris it''s host was truly arrogant to the extreme. It thought it could mess with his sister and get away with it? Foolish. Much too foolish.

    If he could, he would torture the thing a thousand different ways for daring latch onto his sister.

    " I think you''ve given me sufficient reason to avoid it, then. Fear not, I have no interest in getting myself into any trouble. Alright, I think i''m done here. Remember to keep mother safe. If not, I''ll hang your hide over my fireplace."

    " As if anything could happen to that woman with me keepin'' an eye on her. Just shut and go, damn Shitty Young Master."

    Lyle of course would not lower himself and respond to such vulgarity. He simply ignored the man and went on his merry way.

    ********

    The two men had just left the building when Nakir, Etain and Azamat conversed with each other, hovering as orbs to conserve energy.

    "That woman sensed us." Etaine commented, surprised, her eye flashing dangerously.

    Nakir agreed. "Yes, she did. But that blue hair...that Name, her eyes...Can she be a descendant of Avrora?"

    "Definitely. That bloodline is very powerful, mysterious too. Avrora''s sanity may have become weakened after the Mage-Kings killed her daughter, but she could have mothered other children if she lived through that day. Even if not, I would bet her sister was still alive back then. We never did see her body ourselves, she may have faked her death. Her mate, Emrys, probably still lived too. That man, he was always one of the most troublesome individuals back then..

    "That aside...Yes. Avroroa''s line, hmm? This Meer girl, she truly does have their scent, their look. And likely som of her ancestors'' powers. Too bad, though. She''s a married woman, obviously no virgin. If this boy took her when she was,  he would have goten a lot of benefits. Not to mention that the power I would recover would have been equal to that of twenty virgin females." Azamat''s voice seemed to betray a bit of disappointment.

    "I''m sure that she said she had a daughter, maybe the boy will have luck there. " Etaine said. She knew well that they would all benefit from this, not simply him.

    "Yes, maybe. I won''t hold out much hope, however. From the boy''s memories, the daughter was mentioned previously and is quite a few years older than him. It''s doubtful she is still pure. But i''m more concerned about something else that was said..."

    Azamat''s orb glowed darkly. They all knew what he was talking about.

    As the boy and man began talking, the three of them moved onto another, more important topic. It was Etaine who broke the silence first. "...So the Aede is still alive..."

    "Shit, I thought we got rid of it." Nakir sounded extremely displeased

    "That unsightly thing still being in existence means Aine and her ilk are still free to do as they please. As one of the things that connect this plane to that realm, I did think it too easy to destroy it that time. Apparently, unfortunately, I was right. " Azamat wanted to frown.

    " Wait. If it''s still alive and well, doesn''t that mean the Ansari are as well? I would have thought they would be weakened, at least, but if the Aede is still standing then we must not have done as good a job as we thought."

    "I wouldn''t be too sure of that, Nakir. From the start, we were only responsible for this world. If the Na''moor and the others didn''t hold up their end of things then of course the Ansari would not be too affected. We came into existence to sow chaos, but chaos with a goal. And it isn''t like the pantheons in that realm are ever united in any case. We just have to make it worse... "Etaine''s voice was soft and indifferent, showing disdain.

    (Author Note: Yeah, I''ll explain a bit about who these groups are later on in the story. Maybe not a full explanation, but some hints or the like every now and then. Just keep them at the back of your head for now)

    "I fail to see the point in all this anymore" Nakir grunted. "It''s been countless years already. Why can''t we simply let the Ansari destroy themselves? I tire of it all. It never ends. I love battle, but this war has become boring and pointless. Neither side is good or righteous, and that''s fine, I don''t give two shits about such things. But all this pettiness...that psychotic bitch Aine... Noir, Malak, Havannah... Beirut, Kalen, Vayle...these are the main ones but all the others don''t even know what they fight for anymore. They''re worse than the mortals, each one unwilling to let go of past grievances that they can probably barely remember. Doing whatever they want and therefore tearing up this plane in the process of achieving their revenge.

    Order, Chaos, when did everything become so twisted? Even us, seperated from our other halves, are the same. I wish to merely battle and rage and kill, living the way I please. Not stuck repeating the same pattern over and over until the end of time. It hasn''t been long at all since the current us were formed, since we bore the punishment of forcing our way into this plane. But even so, I remember a time before this cycle began. And I yearn for it once more.

    Had he a body with which to do so, he would have spat in disgust. In his mind, all the things that he experienced was like a fight between children. Those people who call themselves gods, those kings and queens of devils, the pantheons that they ruled...all of them childish, petty, narrow-minded, unforgiving, willful and malicious.

    No better than mortals, no, even worse.

    And as for the mortals themselves...They''re slaves. Not one of them are truly free. It''s just that the gods they believe in don''t care about them most days. When they do, however, they treat them as playthings.

    Everything didn''t used to be like that. But the forces that are supposed to protect this realm are instead slowly destroying it with their carelessness. He didn''t know exactly when it started, but it did. Without them, everything will likely fall apart. With them, it''s happening anway.

    It was all so damn annoying and complicated. Nakir truly hated all of it. Yet he had little choice but to follow along. For now. He had hoped it would end, that there would be a tipping point. He thought they accomplished something in the time they we free. But no.

    Nothing changed, it seemed.

    This world and many others were dyed in red, yet even still nothing happened.

    They should have tried harder. They should have never been so kind and weak and merciful. The Mage-kings were a great help, as insane as they were, even as they thirsted for power and hunted Nakir along with the others.

    This was fine, because they were still doing as they were meant to in order to break this cycle. They didn''t need to do anything but sow more discord and grief. But even they, with all their power, with all the aid Nakir, Livia, Azamat, Etaine and the others gave them...were useless in the end.

    Order was apparently restored, chaos beaten back. This was not what was supposed to happen.

    No, they wanted destruction in it''s purest form. They wanted people to die and scream and suffer and bleed and go mad.

    The delicate balance, they wanted to thoroughly break it. To take it down and build anew. The end of the thoughtless gods and devils and other Powers That Be can only be accomplished when the mortal plane screamed and raged and despaired and was filled with the blood of the innocent....

    What went wrong? They aided the side which they believed would cause the most suffering, but why didn''t it work? Everything...was meaning. In the end...nothing they did mattered...

    "Do you think you''re the only one who tires of it? If you were, then everything up to now wouldn''t have happened. But don''t be disheartened. We''re closer now. And whichever one of us gets the body of this boy...with him as their host...with his latent abilities... He''s perfect. A Greyborne, a true Greyborne that seems to have inherited his ancestors'' strength.

    Whichever one of us gets hold of him, whichever one of us is able to bind ourselves to him...with this new "him" as the head, given what we can all sense lying within him untapped, do you think we can''t accomplish what we set out to do all those years ago?"

    Azamat had a voice full of evil intent, low and sinister to the metaphorical ears of his compatriots.

    And he wasn''t wrong.

    This boy...

    He was exceptional. They had never met with someone like him. He has the blood of two great families running strong in his veins. Yes, he was stubborn for now. But he would reach his limit soon enough.

    Under everything that will come raining down upon him, he will most assuredly become half-mad.

    Just like the Mage-Kings before him. Oh, he would resist. Just like now. He has a strong spirit, they could tell, stronger than most. He was unyielding. He took back his body when Azamat was influencing him.

    How many mortals could do that? Perhaps not even one in a million. And he had no business having such a powerful will. Just what secrets did he hide inside him? The three of them were eager to find out.

    He faced little true harships in his life. At least, nothing that would cultivate the strength to resist any amount of influence by them. It was truly an abnormality, a mysterious phenomena that baffled them. How could he have such a powerful resistance to their influence? Perhaps it was that woman''s doing. They assumed so, at least.

    But... something so hard would break before it would bend. This boy had an unwavering confidence in himself, they knew, a arrogance that made him believe he was above their control.

    The coming trials will take that confidence of his, that pride, his very dignity...and tear it to shreds. It was only a matter of how long he could handle such things before he gave in.

    And when he did...They will be there to "guide" him, to pick up his pieces and reform him into their own image.

    At that time, he will be theirs to do with as they please.

    *********

    Alyssa withdrew her hand from Melanie''s chest a bit shakily.

    The young girl resting on the couch had a heavy blush to her cheeks and a hazy look in her eyes. She was awake during the entire thing, so she lived all of it again...Which led to her current state.

    She was so embarrassed she could die. Melanie wanted to dig herself a hole and bury herself in it.

    As for Alyssa...She, too, had a healthy shade of red to her cheeks.

    She let out a cold breath. " Hmph. That kid, so shameless! Doing such things...How bold!"

    At her muttered words Melanie once more recalled the memory and her blush amazingly deepened.

    Alyssa was feeling quite awkward as well. Whenever she did this, she more often than not experienced the memories in first-person. She didn''t just see everything they saw, she also felt all the emotions and sensations of everything a person had lived through in whatever memory she chose to glimpse with crystal-clear clarity.

    Which meant...Well, it was obvious.

    Ah, that son of her''s was truly...

    ...No, she wouldn''t say. Although the words "a handful" did come to mind, among other things. She wondered idly exactly how far he had gotten with that Sophia girl...

    Alyssa coughed lightly, choosing not to think too deeply about it. "...Melanie..." She called out.

    "Yes, my Lady?" Melanie asked back faintly, still reliving the memory and feeling distinctly...warm and uncomfortable...

    "...I apologize."

    "No, my Lady, it''s...fine. It''s all fine..." Melanie trailed off.

    "No, not for that. I mean, I don''t know why Lyle did that to you in the first place, but I know he wasn''t exactly himself."

    "I know, my Lady. He of course wouldn''t have done such things with me if he were in his right mind..." The girl''s voice was small, sighing, forced to admit the truth.

    Alyssa laughed shortly, coldly saying, "Don''t be a fool. Men would love to have you beneath them, dear girl." Her words were blunt to the extreme!

    "You''re a very attractive woman." She nodded, as if it were a matter of fact. She went on. "Look. My son...he doesn''t have many close female friends aside form you and Cecelia as far as I know. Before, it was just Sophia and Cecelia. Sophia is now out of the picture, so I thought it would be a matter of course that Cecelia would eventually marry him--with a bit of help from me.

    Yet now, with this sudden situation, he has allowed you start a relationship with him if that is what you want to do. He does this because he feels it might mke this mess right. So now it''s you or Cecelia who he is most likely to choose a wife from simply because he as of yet has no other significant women in his life other than family like me and his sister.

    So that means once of you two may become the next Lady Greyborne in te future. Nobles marry early, and probably he will as well."

    Alyssa stared at the girl.

    Melanie paused, unsure of what she was getting at. "My Lady, what do you--?"

    " Melanie, I know that you respect and admire my son. Maybe, deep down, you even harbor something more. Who knows. But you think I won''t support you two starting a relationship because or your common background. Right?"

    The girl wasn''t able to say she was wrong. " Well...That''s of course. Me, a servant, with him...I don''t see how you could ever approve of...especially with Lady Cecelia present in his life...Obviously I can''t compare, so... " She felt her self-esteem drop just thinking of it, but it was the truth. She wasn''t able to measure up to Lady Cecelia, she was not able to be a match for Young Master Lyle, how could Lady Greyborne accept her(Melanie)?

    "Hah. Don''t pull that shit with me." Alyssa''s tone and words were even more blunt than they were previously. "You and Sophia have an inferiority complex when it comes to Lyle, but don''t let that blind you. You should know that I don''t care about your common birth. Girl, the only thing I want to ask in regards to you starting something with my son is this: Do you honestly think you can support him?"

    Her eye bore into the young woman with a fierce intensity, her voice hard.

    Melanie''s heart leapt up into her throat as she was hit by the force behind Lady Greyborne''s eyes She looked down, ashamed, not daring to speak...

    ...Of course she knew what she was implying.

    Lady Greyborne was thinking that the woman most likely to be chosen as her son''s wife were either Melanie or Lady Cecelia. Before it was only Cecelia, but now with the recent incident she thought that Melanie may be chosen instead. That is, if you assume she and the Young Master entered a relationship at all.

    So she wanted to know: Could Melanie stand by her son not merely as a wife, but as the next Lady Greyborne? Could she support him, and not simply recieve his support?

    But Melanie...was not able to say she could. As much as she hated it, she knew that she didn''t have that qualification. She wasn''t good enough. She couldn''t share the Young Master''s future burdens. She could help relieve his stress, but she wasn''t able to get rid of it. Wasn''t able to help him with his problems.

    She could wait at home for him like a good little wife, could even mother his children, but that wasn''t enough. The Lady of the Greyborne family had to be more.

    And Melanie knew...that she wasn''t up to the task. It wasn''t that she would be unwilling. It was that she lacked the ability. This fact, made Melanie feel like she was useless. Even if she and the Young Master were to fall in love...she simply had nothing to offer him. She would end up recieving his good will yet again.

    This wouldn''t be like before. Before, when he helped Melanie and her mother out ofthat situation they faced, she could repay him to some small degree by being his maid, by making his life a bit easier in general. Yet if she was his wife, she would be unable to help him at all with his duties. She wouldn''t be a servant She would be a wife. Yet as servant she would be of some use to him at least.

    Melanie ccould cook and clean and sew and raise his children if it came to it. But as a wife, what could she do for him, other than making him some heirs? How utterly useless would she be then? Like a ornament. Maybe nice to look at, but that was all.

    As his wife, Melanie would only add to his burden...And she understood that.

    Knowing all this...how could she do that to him...?

    Alyssa watched the changes in the girl''s emotions impassively. She already had her answer. She knew it before she even asked the question.

    But...In the end...She didn''t even care much. Her son, Lyle, was the type to handle everything himself anyway. He would run himself ragged, yet he would never bend, and would refuse to break. He knew his duties well and would probably be unwilling to place them on anyone else''s shoulders if he was asked. He was damn stubborn.

    So she wanted a strong woman by his side to aid him. When it came to what he felt was his own personal responsibility, he would not call for help. Which is why he needed someone able to force help on him, do something he couldn''t refuse.

    However...she had to admit. If Melanie brought him comfort then that was fine as well. She might not be a good Lady of the Greyborne family, but strictly as a wife she may have a healing effect on him. Cecelia was a bit stiffer, which was good, but she was probably not the warm and welcoming type. Melanie was.

    This was a damn annoying situation. Alyssa saw the good points of both girls. She liked them both.

    Dammit, if that son of her''s would simply accept both of them then this wouldn''t be such a big problem! Keeping Melanie as a mistress would be ideal, but she knew her son would not do something like that. And he would not accept two wives, either.

    Her son was uptight in this regard. Other Nobles kept mistresses, some from foreign lands even kept multiple wives. Who said her son could not? Given the power of the Greyborne family, he could have a hundred damn wives if he wanted.

    Yet he wouldn''t even think of having more than one, the simple concept was alien to him. Alyssa  wanted to pound her head against a wall, she was so annoyed.

    She already said she would support Cecelia, and did like her more if she was honest, but Melanie was the type of person that had something like a restorative effect on others. She was soft and mellow, albeit a bit shy and lacking confidence, making people feel at ease. Like a small animal.

    Her son, Lyle, would probably be happy with that type of woman and dote on her endlessly. Whereas Cecelia was, conversly, more firm and strong-willed.

    The kind who can keep her son on his toes and help him with things he needed help on. If he agreed to have both then Alyssa would think it would be a good thing for him. Besides, what mother didn''t want her child to be loved? The more people who cared for her son, the better.

    "Ugh, to hell with it all. I''ll just leave it to them." She muttered. Then, louder, "Well, girl, come along then." Alyssa suddenly stood up. "I already gave my piece. Now whatever happens from here on out is entirely up to you. Whether you simply pass up this chance he has allowed you or take it and see where it can lead, that is for you to decide. But you can''t do it here, now can you? And I''m tired of thinking more about this. If he would just accept you both, my brain wouldn''t hurt so much.  Alright. Melanie, go pack some things and put something casual on. I''ll wait ten minutes, so hurry up. Let''s go."

    Melanie stood up hastily. "Go where, my Lady?"

    The woman didn''t even look back as she asked. "Isn''t it obvious?"

    *********

    As they left Varric, one of Lyle''s arms had a small golden-haired girl attatched to it who hummed happily for the past ten minutes straight and showing no signs of stopping anytime soon. It was, of course, Iris.

    "Brother." She called.

    "Yes?" He sighed, knowing what was coming.

    "...I knew you felt the same. Nn. You kept saying weird things, but all this time you...!" She choked back sudden tears, glancing up at him with bright, watery eyes.

    Lyle sighed once more.

    "Brother."

    "...Yes?"

    "When we get home, let''s move in together."

    "...We''re already living together though?" Lyle didn''t understand her word.

    "No, I mean let''s sleep in the same room from now on. Since I now know how much you, big brother, truly care for me, of course I will want to increase our intimacy as siblings. Think of it, from now onwards we can be the first thing we see in the morning! We can play together all the time, you can pat my head whenever you want, I can snuggle with you every night and sleep peacefully...Isn''t the idea amazing?" She got all starry-eyed with anticipation, grinning and laughing with a peculiar tone which made Lyle have to surpress a shiver.

    " Iris, your unhealthy fascination with Lyle really has become quite frightening. Don''t you think you''re taking advantage of your brother''s tolerance and kindness?" Cecelia watched the young girl with a strange gaze, her usually composed face showing faint disdain.

    One of Iris'' eyes twitched in irritation. "Hmph. You''re just jealous. I know you''re simply burning with the emotion right now, but it really is pointless. Big brother is my brother, i''m the closest person to him, only I can enjoy such treatment. You, an outsider, can only watch on enviously. So continue to merely sit back and pout in your seat. Me and my brother are conversing, interupting us would be tantamount to sacrilege. "

    ...Cecelia couldn''t even say anything to that. She was speecheless.

    Really, that girl, was she not being too overbearing? Cecelia felt like she got even more possessive of her brother than usual.

    "Iris..." Lyle gave her a hard stare.

    "But, brother, she--"

    "..."

    "...I''m sorry, it was my wrong. " She bowed her head to the other girl, unwillingness writeen all over her face. She was truly not sorry at all. This was her fault, not Iris''. Who told her to come along and ruin her and her brother''s trip together?

    "Now, going back a bit, the answer is no. Iris, really, Cecelia is right. I''m not going to let you sleep in my room. You have your own, stay there."

    "I like yours better."

    "Do you? Fine. You can have it. I''ll move my things to a different room and sleep there."

    "If you slept in some other room then what would be the point?"

    "So you mean the room itself doesn''t matter to you. I see. But I''m not going to sleep with you. Give up."

    "Brother, recently you have become so mean to me. Do you like to bully me like this? Has your sadistic side made it''s way towards me now? Do you find enjoyment at hurting me like this?" iris  looked very pitiful at that moment, like a wounded kitten.

    "It does bring me a sick sort of pleasure, yes." Lyle nodded easily as he kept hold of the reins.

    "...Hm. If brother likes it, then I would of course be accepting. But isn''t this her doing, brother? This woman, has she been putting weird thoughts in your head? Is that why you no longer want to treat me like how you used to?"

    Cecelia sighed. Everything came back to her, did it? It never occured to the girl that maybe normal siblings were not as obsessive as she was towards this brother of her''s?

    Iris rounded on her. "I don''t care about other siblings. Shut it." She snorted coldly.

    Cecelia blinked.

    This girl, how...?

    "Hah, as if I wouldn''t know what you''re thinking!" Iris cheekily stuck her tongue out at the other girl, showing a bit of anger while she did it.

    " Iris, could you please just be nicer to Cecelia? Otherwise this will be a long trip..." Lyle shook his head and felt a headache coming on.

    "I wouldn''t be opposed to an extended trip with you, big brother, if this woman was not here as well. But I do understand where you are coming from. However, I can''t help it? This girl, she only has evil intentions. Why, if I were not here, she may have already pushed you down and stolen your innocence!" Iris shuddered in revulsion.

    "Doubtful. Also, isn''t that supposed to be the other way around?" Lyle''s lips formed a small smile, laughing softly.

    "Perhaps." Iris was doubtful. She of course knew some of the matters between men and women, but as for the exact details of what they did...she was unsure. "But brother, you wouldn''t do that anyway, right? It''s this wicked woman who has impure thoughts. You, brother, don''t see her in that way. Even if you are attacted to her, you wouldn''t push her down. Of course. But you don''t like her in that way. If you did, wouldn''t you have already pushed her down?"

    "Iris, I really don''t think you know entirely what you''re talking about. And i''m glad for that, but you seem to misunderstand me? And her? I don''t think either one of us would do that in any case."

    Cecelia was a beautiful woman, and Lyle was a healthy young man, he also couldn''t say he didn''t have such desires towards the opposite sex. But he wasn''t that loose as to simply want to get with any pretty woman he sees. That would be a bit much. He didn''t think he was the sort of person to have flings anyway, and as a Noble it would cause problems if he accidentally got a woman pregnant.

    So he wouldn''t want to take the chance. Unless the woman was someone he was in arelationship with, he would not want to have such intimacy with them. Like with Melanie. Had he not stopped himself and actually has sex with her--Something he would never forgive himself for since it would have been forced upon her by himself no matter which way you cut it-- he wouldn''t be able to leave anything uncertain.

    Even if she didn''t get pregnant...he would probably marry her. Keeping her as a mistress was something he didn''t feel like he would ever do. He didn''t like the idea of keeping women on the side like that. Like they were things.

    Getting back to this topic, though, he didn''t feel either of them(He and Cecelia) had any of the "impure thoughts" which Iris seemed to speak of. No, well, at the very least they would never act on them, given that they were merely good friends and nothing more. Honestly, he and Cecelia had something like a familial relatinship?

    Not quite, but still close enough.

    " Quite.  I don''t know about your brother, Iris, but I for one have no such thoughts." Cecelia stated mildly.

    Iris stared at her, slowly saying, "...You and me both know that isn''t true."

    "Is that so?" Cecelia cocked a brow at her, unaffected.

    "It is. You can lie to me, you can even lie to my brother, but deep down, you understand that you can''t lie to yourself. " She paused, marrowing her eyes at Cecelia, leaning forward. "Don''t think I am unaware of your actions. Big brother trusts you, so maybe he won''t question your words even if he may suspect something, but I know just how vile of a person you can be!" She hissed, her voice low enough so that only sha and the other girl can here.

    "An unfilial person like you is unsightly. You coveted that which didn''t belong to you. You wanted to take from your own flesh and blood, but don''t you understand? From the start, what you wanted was neither yours nor her''s, but Ours!"

    Cecelia''s heart felt like it was being constricted, making her unable to breath.  Every word stabbed into her and she had a hard time settling down.

    And maybe it was just a trick of the light, but just now, for a split second, Iris''s eyes seemed to flash.

    A bright green with flecks of red, bearing down on her like a snake eyeing it''s prey.

    But that wasn''t improtant right now. Because this girl''s words, they were...

    "Iris, you..."  Her voice was a mere whisper, her throat seeming to force the words out with difficulty.

    But she was interupted.

    "Hmm? What''s that?" Lyle, having not paid any attention at all to the short, hushed exchange between the two, let out a surprised voice.

    From the distance the three of them spotted an ever-growing black dot coming towards them in the cobbled road.

    Within minutes the thing came within sight andthey were able to discern what it was.

    It was a carriage.

    Not simply that, it was a carriage that looked familiar to them.

    Some time later, as Lyle continued driving their own vehicle, the other carriage stopped not far from them.

    The door to the carriage opened and two figures stepped out, the driver waiting patiently.

    "Mother?" Lyle and Iris couldn''t help but say aloud.

    "Melanie too, it seems. " Cecelia observed. And she was right. By their mother''s side was the brown-haired girl whom they had come to know wearing a sun dress. Which pretty much  completely went against what should be worn in this sort of weather. Looked nice, though, it had to be said.

    "Oh don''t worry, dears, I just came to drop her off." Mother jerked her thumb to the flustered woman to her side. " Lyle, come here for a bit and let''s talk. Melanie, you take your things and get inside, will you?"

    "Y-yes, my Lady." Melanie murmured, not looking at Lyle in the eye. She hurried to follow the instructions.

    When Lyle got off the seat, he followed his mother. When they were a bit away from the rest, he asked, "Mother, why--?"

    "Tell me, how did she taste?"

    "I--What--?" Lyle couldn''t make heads or tales as to what she meant.

    "Come now, don''t be shy. Melanie, that girl, must have been quite delectable, no? I would imagine that you have already burned the smell and feel and taste of her body onto your mind by now, is that not so? Liscentous little son of mine. " Her tone was very mild, her words spoken with a casual air.

    But they completely caught Lyle off-guard.

    "...So. She told you." He stated, sure of it.

    "In a way, yes."

    "I see." He stopped. "You don''t approve, do you?"

    "Of allowing her to possibly choose to start a relationship with you, my son, the only heir of the Greyborne family? No, I can''t say i''m thrilled. She may not start anything with you, but still, this decision isn''t to be made lightly."

    "She will most likely just pick to give me some sort of punishment, nothing to worry about. Or ignore it." Lyle shrugged.

    "Na?ve." Alyssa said. " Any girl would grasp this opportunity with everything she had. Who wouldn''t, given the power you will someday hold?"

    "Melanie isn''t like that, though."

    "No, she isn''t. But even the obvious benefits aside, you and I both know she would never come up with any sort of punishment for you. She can''t, because she can''t imagine punishing you. You are her benefactor, she respects and admires you. Even if she did punish you, it would be something weak and not at all something that would alleviate your guilt."

    "Then she''ll ignore it."

    "Maybe. It''s either that or starting a relationship with you. Those two choices are the only ones she is probably thinking of. "

    "And you''re worried she''ll choose the latter." It was the most obvious of conclusions. " But I don''t see how you would mind me starting something with her. It''s nothing major, really."

    "When it comes to you, it is. You have many options available to you but the only women close to you, as far as i''m aware, are mainly Melanie and Cecelia. They are the two you are closest with. And you are not interested in women who are only after you for your status or talents. Such shallow reasons are things you disdain. So in all liklihood, you''ll marry one of those two."

    Lyle looked at her blankly. " Melanie, maybe, but Cecelia and I are not like that. But you know that, so I''m not sure why you brought her up. Also, I do, as a matter of fact, have other female friends."

    "Cecelia aside, yes, but those women don''t see you as often as these two.  Now, let''s move on. Listen, son, I don''t think Melanie is a good fit for you. But do what you want. She may make a good mother, but remember that she won''t make a good Lady of the Greyborne family due to her personality."

    "Whatever happens between me and her is our business. And nothing may happen at all, so all this talk is pointless for now. But assuming we do marry...in that hypothetical scenario, you know that it wouldn''t matter to me. I can handle things myself, I''m not a child who needs the support of others to stand on my own two feet."

    "Yes, I know." Alyssa sighed sadly. " That''s the problem. You''re so capable, and  you know you can handle anything yourself. But not everything, my dear.  You can''t handle everything life throws at you, not because you are not up to the task, but becasue it will wear you down. You are able to do anything required of you, but how can you be expected to shoulder so many burdens alone? The Greyborne family head is a position with so many responsibilities that it isn''t even funny.  You may be able to do anything yourself, but eventually you''ll work yourself to death simply because of the sheer number of things you will have to deal with.

    It''s the wife''s duty to help shoulder her husband''s burden. And Melanie can''t do that, son. She doesn''t have the ability of skills to help you in any way that matters. As a servent she is useful. As a mistress she is still acceptable, but as a wife...I can''t say she will be a good match for that position at all. I''ve already told all this to Melanie, and now I''m teling you."

    "I''ve said this before, I think, but I won''t be taking any mistresses in the future." Lyle

    " If you would, then I wouldn''t need to come here and talk so damn much, now would I? You are only interested in long relationship, something casual isn''t something that would attract your attention. Some Noble women dream of finding their true love. You are the opposite, in a way. You care not for some meaningless fling, but a person who can be your partner in life.

    You don''t need to find your soul mate. As long as the person is to your liking and you can get along with her well enough, you think you can build something like love as things go on even if perhaps you don''t exactly love her at that point in time. And maybe you could. It can be said, too, that you only really think this way because you feel the need to father an heir as early as possible so that the family line can be assured to continue. Maybe you feel that if you don''t, some accident may happen to you before then."

    Well. Her words were not wrong, Lyle mused.

    He knew that his father and mother were young and still more than able to have another child if they wanted should anything happen to Lyle himself. But he wasn''t dead yet, he was considered and adult in the eyes of some kingdoms including this one. So he did feel it was his responsibility to create an heir for himself even though he was still not yet the family head.

    " And the reason you brought Melanie here was..." He had already guesed, but...

    "Obviously so this mess can be resolved as quickly as it is able. Nothing will be settled if she stayed behind with me, would it? So you have to bring her with you. I won''t get in the way of you two, but I wish to let my thoughts be known that I do not think her able to help you the way I want you to be. You two can go at it like animals in the bedroom all day should you marry one another, but that would really just not solve any of the problems you will have to face.

    Hm, so, have her hurry up and decide what she wants to do. If she will ignore it then fine. I still think you could take her on as a mistress, though I know you won''t, since she is a fine young woman who is devoted to you. If she doesn''t wish to leave things ambiguous like this and choose to have an actual relationship you can agree with, then i''m going to have to try and fix her."

    She had a weary, almost evil glint in her eye at that last part. Lyle wondered exactly how she would "fix" the young woman. It was probably best not to think of it.

    "She doesn''t need fixing, really. She isn''t broken. But I know what you mean. Yet you keep on mentioning that, don''t you? Why do you seem so hung up on me accepting a mistress? Father has none."

    "I want you to be loved, dear, that''s all. And, well, I know that being able to release carnal desires can have a positive effect. As I mentioned before, she can be fine at relieving your built-up stress even if she cannot help you with the things that cause it in the first place. I do like her, you know, so if she were to hold that position I would not say anything about it. It''s her being your wife i''m worried about.

    As for your father...I''m very possessive.  He isn''t stupid enough to take on a mistress. Other''s having one is all well and good, but my own husband? No, never. Not allowed. Ever."

    "I...I see." Lyle hesitated. "So, are we done, then?"

    "Yes. I''ve repeated myself so many times already, it''s tiring. You should get back to them, Iris looks like she is getting impatient."

    "Great. Oh, by the way. Even if you want this problem solved as fast as it can be, you do realize this trip can be dangerous. Why send her here instead of waiting for my return."

    "I do know it''s dangerous, but so are you. I would not even let you go on this journey if I thought you couldn''t protect yourself and Iris. You, too, are confident in protecting her, so why should I worry about it overmuch. Besides, Cecelia is a capable fighter. Even if she wasn''t, you wouldn''t let anything happen to those three. Plus, you said you were going to get some help, right? So everything is fine."

    "Good to know you have such trust in my capabilities. Hey, right, that thing you wanted to tell me earlier...what was it?"

    Lyle remembered she had something to say, but they were interupted by Cecelia''s coming.

    "Huh. Actually, I can''t remember..." Alyssa''s eyes held a odd light just then. But she shrugged right after. "Oh well. Must not have been too important. I think Gideon is on the case, though, so I wouldn''t worry about it?" She did recall sending him off to do something. As for what that something was, she couldn''t remember.

    It was probably a trivial thing, then.

    "Gideon was here?" Lyle raised his voice in surprise. "Damn. I must have missed him. He has to be long gone by now..."

    "Was there something you needed him for?"

    "Yeah. If he''s busy then it doesn''t matter, but I could have used his help on something. Honestly, that guy, he doesn''t even stop to say hello?" He shook his head.

    "Gideon has had his hands full recently, so cut him some slack. Alec has him running all over the place these days. He isn''t free very often."

    "Yes, yes, I understand. Still would have liked to see him before he left, though."

    "You''ll get the chance eventually."

    They made such small talk as they made their way back to the others.

    Iris was sitting on her seat when they got back, but she jumped off and ran up to her mother when she saw them coming. She peered up at the woman with a bit of anger on her little face.

    "Mother, what''s the meaning of this?" She asked shortly, stiffly.

    "What, dear?" Alyssa made another smile as she rubbed her daughter''s head full of golden locks.

    "You know what! First that Cecelia brat, now her? I do like Melanie more than this other girl, but even so, even so...!"

    "Iris, love, calm down. I''m sure that you''ll all have fun together. You four will get along splendidly."

    "...How?" Iris sighed, wilting.

    "You''ll find out eventually."

    "You dodge questions you can''t answer, huh. Fine" She pouted. "...Say, mother, why did you bring her here anyway?" Iris glanced at the older woman suspiciously as she raised the question.

    "Blame your brother, dear. HIs philandering ways have tied my hands here." She replied dryly.

    Lyle snorted, indignant, feeling wronged by that last comment.

    Iris put all her attention to her brother, then looked at Melanie, her eyes darkening.

    "I see." She muttered. "So that''s what''s happening. This..." Iris walked away from them abruptly, whispering to herself. "Maybe she was right..."

    Seeing her small frame ignoring them and heading back to the carriage, the mother and son were left bewildered by her off behabiour. Then, after a moment, they followed her.

    " Well I''ll be going now. Cecelia, Lyle, watch after Melanie. I hope you two do the same for him as well. As for Iris...Best leave her to him..." Alyssa told the four as she got within earshot of them all.

    "...." Cecelia gave the woman a curious look, wondering what her intention was in going ot of her way to be bringing Melanie.

    "Yes, my Lady." Melanie said respectfully. She had already put her few things inside and stood by the vehicle. She had only a few minutes to prepare before the woman got impatient.

    "Take care, mother." Lyle spoke as he got back to his original seat. He motioned for Melanie to get inside, opening the small window for her in case she wanted to talk to them along the way.

    "Bye." Iris escaped from a sudden, fierce hug compliments of her mother before returning to her brother''s side.

    "Lyle, honey, you keep them all well and good too. Although I know you don''t need reminding. Oh, and Cecelia?"

    "Yes?" She asked.

    "Here, take this." Alyssa passed the girl a letter.

    The other''s watched the exchange curiously but asked nothing.

    Cecelia accepted it with a complex look, wondering what it was about. She moved to open it, but was stopped."

    "Not now, you can open it later." Alyssa smiled at her warmly.

    The girl nodded in understanding.

    "Okay, well, off you four go then."

    There was nothing more to do, and so Lyle spurred the horses onwards.

    Alyssa watched them leave, feling a bit saddened. She had only just arrived and her only two children leave for some far-off place for who knew what reason. And her husband, though she felt like stripping the skin from his hide the other day in response to his idiodic blunder, was still missed.

    She had no other family. At least not any that she cared to interact with. So her children and husband were the only ones she was truly close to.

    What''s more, for some reason, as the carriage of their''s grew small and smaller, she could sense a feeling of gloom, uneasy and dread trickle it''s way down to the pit of her stomache.

    She was full of an unexplainable worrry and simply didn''t understand why.

    Alyssa had never felt like this before, at least, not in such a vague and penetrating way. She hated to admit it, but perhaps it was time to send them to that place.

    ********

    The journey was fairly long and quiet. Cecelia had long since lapsed into a deep silence, her face  a mask that couldn''t be seen through. Melanie listened to Lyle as he told her some of the key information she had to know about his assumed identity and it''s history.

    She wasn''t able to be told everything, but and large blunders should probably be avoided now.

    The girl listened intently and didn''t interupt at all.

    As for Iris, she was still a touch cranky. But she made no further trouble. Since her brother wanted her to behave herself, how could she so blatantly refuse? She did''t wsnt to make things too difficult for him, despite being unhappy over the third and fouth wheels that had tagged along.

    In all, everything was rather uneventful. It did get a bit colder, though, and Lyle told Cecelia that she could go inside to warm up with a blanket if she needed to. The girl followed his urging with little resistance, as it was truly getting a bit chilly.

    He told Iris to as well, but she stayed by his side and he was forced to take out a blanket for her. He didn''t mind the cold, he rather found it refreshing. Iris, on the other hand, had her teeth clicking together and snuggled up to him for warmth.

    Lyle really did find thsis odd. The weather seemed strange today. It simply wasn''t...normal. It made him on edge.

    But finally, after some time, they had reached Ustrax.

    ***

    The Merc Hall was a four story building. It had two main constructs. One was a giant bar-like building, the other was a long hall where the larger mercenary companies met with prospective clients.

    If one needed some extra arms immediately then you could post a sign on the large wooden board near the entrance. Sure enough, within an hour, you would have some help.

    But if you needed a larger number of mercenaries, maybe to escort a caravan, then you had to come here and set up a meeting with the representatives of a company. They needed time to prepare, so if you came the same day you had to leave there were few companies who would be willing to take you on as a client.

    Proper preparation was a matter of life or death. Without it, you were just asking to die.

    Lyle had just walked into the Merc Hall when a large man came and walked to the exit in an angry manner.

    When he went past Lyle, his shoulder bumped into Lyle''s own.

    "Move the fuck out of my way." The man growled.

    Iris, hearing him, blew up. Although she wasn''t good around strangers, when someone talk bad towards her brother like this how could she not get angry?!

    "Hey!" She glared at the man. "Don''t talk to my big brother so disrespectfully, damn fatty!"

    She made no move to hide the venom in her words at all.

    The man looked back, as if he couldn''t believe his ears.

    "What the fuck did you call me, bitch?" The big man glowered at her.

    Iris was completely unafraid. She scrunched up he nose, as if she smelled something foul. "Shut up, damn fatty. Being so disrespectful to my brother, then spouting profanities at me. Did your parents teach you no manners at all? Though from the smell of it you were probably raised by pigs, no? In that case, I apologise, I expected too much from an animal such as yourself."

    How was it even possible for words to get so sharp and full of despise?

    "You...!"

    The man narrowed his eyes, suddenly enraged.

    "Fucking brat. Do you think I won''t hurt you just because you''re a child?"

    The man was in no mood for any sass from a pre-pubescent little snot like this. He had a terrible day. Nothing seemed to be going right today and now a little girl was talking down to him?

    His hand raised to give the girl a smack.

    But as the man''s hand fell, it was abruptly stopped.

    "Touch her and you die." Lyle didn''t bother mincing words, simply saying the sentence in a very matter-of-fact way.

    "Boy, let me go, now." The man''s eyes darkened dangerously. "If you don''t, I''ll make sure both you and that little bitch--"

    " I should tear out your tongue, but luckily for you I''m in no mood to play with you today." He couldn''t be bothered to deal with him anymore. After applying a little pressure in his fingers, he easily broke the man''s writst.

    A sharp exhalation of breath was heard, the man letting out a small groan of pain.

    "Cecelia, take Iris and Melanie. I''ll be back in a second or two." The girl nodded. Melanie asked if leaving it like this was fine, but Cecelia shrugged and said nothing. It was clear she was not concerned at all.

    After thinking about it for a bit, Melanie realized she wasn''t either.

    Lyle really did feel that Iris'' attitude needed something to be desired.

    But shit, trying to hit a little girl...

    No matter how bad an attitude one had, wasn''t that a bit much for a situation of only this level? It was a bit of veral abuse, nothing outrageous.

    You can''t just go around hitting a kid just cause they''re being a bit bratty. Or rather, if it''s Iris, then no matter what she said to you, if you try hitting her, you deserve death?

    ...Although even when thinking such things he sstill regretfully decided to hold back.

    Iris and Cecelia may be fine with it, but Melanie...And besides, he didn''t want to show Iris such a sight anyway. Even though she may not think him wrong to do so, something like that wasn''t good to show little kids.

    So instead he merely grabbed the guy by the collar of his shirt, dragged him forcefully to the entrance, and threw him out onto the street as he was being choked by his own clothing. The doors closed as he was shown to be gasping for breath, holding his injured wrist while  clenching his teeth.

    The few people who had noticed the entire thing was going to step in when the young girl was about to be struck, but soon realized it was not needed.

    They then were rather surprised by the young lad''s strength, but what''s more, they were pretty amazed when he chose to throw the man outside. He truly didn''t think anything of it, either, they saw. That was a bit too overbearing, wasn''t it?

    Still, they wouldn''t say anything about it. That guy was a prick anyway, no one liked him very much.

    Apart from these people, there were a few others who recognized the young man and were surprised for a different reason.

    It just seemed that he was being a bit too merciful compared to how he usually would have handled that situation?

    Lyle ignored the looks.

    He had just reached Cecelia, Melanie and Iris again when a voice stopped him.

    "Huh. You know, I was expecting you to kill and/or castrate the guy. I wonder who those two girls are to make you hold back like you did?"

    A tall, black-haired young man appeared in Lyle''s view when he turned his back.  He wore a deep green overcoat, his athletic frame exuding a quiet confidence and friendly air.

    With a handsome face, a sharp smirk and an even sharper pair of short sworts holstered to his sides, Jaime Haddock was not one people often messed with. Good to his friends, terrible to his enemies, this was a man that was not to be underestimated.

    Mainly because those who did all ended up dead.

    To those who didn''t know him, however, the two most distinct features of the young man were his deep red eyes and slightly pointed ears...

    Lyly smiled upon seeing him. "Iris, Melanie, come here." He called them.

    "Meet Jaime. Jaime, my sister, Iris." He introduced them. "And the other girl is Melanie, a friend."

    "Sister?" Jaime cast a very doubtful eye as he looked between them. Bell, with his blonde hair, matched the young girl to his side. But his face...Okay, well, it was a stretch, but you could say they did faintly resemble one another...

    He decided not to comment on it.

    "Nice to meet you, then, Bell''s sister." He offered a friendly smile. Almost against his will, he found himself raising a hand to pat her on the head. He had no idea why he did so either, but the girl was pretty adorable, so maybe that was why.

    Hm, truly, she could only be described as doll-like.

    But all throughout, from the very first time she saw him, a trace of fear could be seen in her eyes. And as he reached  out, she quickly hid behind her brother.

    A soft murmur, almost unnoticeable, escaped her lips.

    "...Blood elf..."

    Jaime froze, his entire body going taut, rigid.

    "Iris!" Lyle hissed low, reprimanding the girl. He turned to Jaime apologetically. "Jaime, I''m sorry, she doesn''t...Iris, she..."

    Jaime stopped him. "It''s fine." He said. "It''s just as to be expected, right?"

    Melanie, having heard the exchange, tilted her head in confusion. She didn''t know what they were talking about.

    She looked to Cecelia.

    "...Blood elves are a rare race that are not often seen in recent years, natives to the darker corners of the Elvhenan Empire. Very powerful, very dangerous. They have a bad reputation."

    She gave a few hushed sentences and said nothing more. Melanie looked at the man and understood.

    It seemed that Lady Iris had a fear of these so-called blood elves...

    "So...Melanie, is it?" Jaime continued on as if nothing happened. " I''m a bit disappointed. Oh, not by you, don''t misunderstand. But it''s just that when I saw you I thought you were Bell''s girlfriend, Sophia. I had always wanted to meet the girl since he talks of her so much. I saw you with him and I kind of thought you two looked good together, you know, close, so I had assumed..." He trailed off, his meaning clear.

    "Ah...No, please, it''s fine. Don''t worry about it. But, um, what do you mean by good to--?"

    "Fuck." Lyle''s eyes widened as he realized something. "Jaime, if you''re here, then doesn''t that mean--?!"

    Lyle then felt a tingling sensation at the back of his neck, causing him to stop.

    He had only a tiny second to get out of the way.

    His moved to the side in a hurry and instantly a dagger came flying past the spot where his head just was.

    It traveled with great speed and force, burying itself into the hat of a man behind Lyle before continuing it''s path. It finally stopped when it hit the reinforced wall, the blade shattering upon impact.

    The man who had his had lifted off stood with his mouth agap, looking very confused and frightened.

    As for Lyle...

    "What a pity..." He heard a feminine voice say. "If only you had stayed put..." A sigh.

    "...Phaedra..."

    The name slid itself out of his mouth like a curse.

 Chapter Twenty-Four

    " Dammit, the hell do you think you''re doing! You could''ve killed me!" Lyle yelled.

    Lyle turned his gaze to somewhere behind Jaime, sneering hatefully at the person who was walking towards them.

    Coming out from the throngs of people was a girl just a bit shorter than Lyle. Her hair was an inky-black much like Jaime''s own, reaching down to her waist with a long lock being tied into a braid. She also happened to share the same slender eyebrows and pale, high-colored skin as he brother.

    The main difference was that her own eyes were a very deep cerulean blue, a nice compliment to her dark-colored hair. If one looked more closely they would see the tiny bits of ruby red in the depths of her eyes, but other than that they were normal.

    The red in them, if you noticed, only made the pair of eyes more unique and interesting to look at.

    Although you couldn''t see them with her hair in the way, Lyle knew her ears would bear the slightly pointed style of Jaime''s, albeit to a somewhat lesser degree.

    With a slim waist and tall frame, she was much appreciated by the people surrounding her. Even the light metal armor and assortment of blades strapped to her legs didn''t deter them.

    Though the sight of those knives and the appearance of the rapier by her side, to those who knew her reputation, did cause some cold sweats among the males.

    But her beauty aside, she let out a very mean and caustic aura. Every part of her being right now, as she stared at Lyle, was completely full of scorn.

    Her pretty face held the same sort of sneer as Lyle''s, obviously letting people know there was no love lost between these two.

    " I don''t see why you''re so angry. If you really had died then you wouldn''t care, now would you? The reason you feel like this is due to your own actions." The young woman shrugged, as if it had little to do with her.

    " But tell me." She went on. " For what reason are you polluting my air with your filthy presence?"

    Her tone was cold, indifferent, without the slightest bit of warmth.

    " And what do you mean by that?" Lyle narrowed his eyes at her.

    "I mean that foul stench that is wafting off you. It truly is unpleasant."

    "Oh, sorry, you must be misunderstanding something. That sickening odor is just your breath blowing back in your face." Came the barbed reply.

    "Worthless bastard."

    "Insane bitch."

    Sparks flew as they eyed each other...and not the good kind.

    "Such vulgar language you''re using there. To talk that way towards a lady such as myself, it looks like you truly are a petty man of no worth or even common decency." Phaedra''s smile was cutting.

    " You''ve long since failed to earn being treated with decency by me. You don''t deserve my decency. And I see no lady here, just a vile woman with a black heart."

    "Your doggy eyes are obvious severely impaired, then. But that''s just as well, I wouldn''t want to be racked with those sickening leers you would be throwing my way."

    "What reason would there be for me to leer? An undesirable, hot-tempered woman like you shouldn''t think so highly of yourself. Do you think any man could want such a vicious and violent woman? Don''t delude yourslf. To say I would leer at you, little girl, is giving yourself too much credit. Unlike your unpleasant self I have standards."

    "You...!" Phaedra snarled at him, an aura of aggression seeping out from every pore, seemingly wanting to rip him apart.

    "What are you holding back for?" Lyle goaded. "Come at me, woman, see if I don''t teach you some discipline today!" Lyle let out a snarl of his own. Both of them were nearly mad with rage, ready to throw down at a moment''s notice .  This may be a bit out of character for Lyle, but dammit that woman nearly carved a hole into his skull!

    Melanie almost thought  she was dreaming. Watching the two of them go back and forth like cats and dogs gave her a very...surreal feeling.

    Never before had she seen Lyle so worked up, so displeased and resentful. Especially towards a woman. Just what was going on?

    Iris, too, was mystified. And fuming.

    This woman talked so badly towards her brother, just what was with her attitude?

    Meanwhile, Lyle and Phaedra were about about to tear each other''s throats off.

    "Now hold up you two, settle down." Jaime''s calm voice, completely unperturbed at their behavious, as if used to it, tried to get the two under control.

    "Another word and you die."

    Jaime arched a brow at her words.

    Sighing, he looked at the others.

    "Hm, let''s go get a room and talk, shall we? I don''t think these two are going to listen to reason."

    Cecelia nodded, knowing what was about to happen as well as Jaime did.

    She dragged an unwilling Iris away, motioning for Melanie to follow them. Which the girl did, after throwing a worried glance at Lyle.

    "Um, s-should we...I don''t know...Stop them?" They looked about ready to kill each other. And a few of the others in the room were hurridly clearing out for some reason.

    "If you go in now, you''ll die." Cecelia told her, not explaining further.

    *********

    "Brother!" Iris cried out as the youth entered the large room.

    Melanie stood up abruptly at the sight of him. "W-what happened to you?" She walked over and fussed over his currently dishelved appearance. She did what she could to help him, but there wasn''t much she could do besides fix his hair a bit...

    A bit behind him entered the girl, Phaedra, looking just as bad. They both sported new cuts and bruises, looking like a complete mess. Even their clothes were all torn here and there. It was like they were both mauled by a pack of very pissed-off wolves.

    They spoke not a single word to each other as they entered, not even looking the other''s way, as if the other person didn''t exist.

    Iris glared hatefully at Phaedra. "You, woman, what did you do to my brother!"

    "Young M--Bell, are you okay?" Melanie asked quietly.

    Lyle gave her a small smile. "I''m fine. Thanks for the concern."

    "No, but, you look..." Melanie wanted to do something for him, but couldn''t figure out what to do, exactly. Hearing him say those words just made her feel even more awkward. It was literally her job to take take care of him, and yet...

    "Don''t worry about it. It''s how they show their affection." Jaime''s tone was bone-dry.

    He and Cecelia let out wry smiles. They both understood that any level of ''affection'' those two shared could only be in the negatives.

    But in Cecelia''s case, she also felt a bit resentful. Phaedra and Lyle never got along. Ever. They had hated each other since nearly the first day they met and she didn''t think either of them even remembered how it started.

    Whatever the case, every time they met, they would always come to blows sooner or later. And she disliked how the young woman treated him. If she simply left him alone then he would do the same.

    As for the two themselves, neither of them acknowledged the little comment Jaime made just now.

    "So, Cecelia informed me about this journey you wanted to make. Zeshar, huh? A trip there will be fairly dangerous this time of year, yeah. I assume you came here to get an extra pair of swords?"

    Jaime asked.

    "That was the plan, yes, but I didn''t expect to see you here."

    Lyle knew that their company  would have some members stationed here, but Jaime and that vile woman being here as well came as quite a surprise.

    "We''re just passing through on some minor business. Any later and you would have missed us.  Actually, that business happens to be in Zeshar. Fate? Perhaps. Anyway, if you would like to tag along it wouldn''t be a problem at all. Boris and some of the others are with us and we have a camp set up near here. Since, you know, there''s quite a few of us and the local Inns are a bit over capacity at the moment."

    Lyle instantly brightened. Since Jaime and Phaedra were not just common members, they would be traveling with some of the best mercs they have.

    The two of them were the son and daughter of the company''s leader, Dyson Haddock.  As for the Haddock Mercenary Company itself, it''s power and influence were pretty widespread. It wasn''t the strongest company around, but it was no pushover at all.

    Jaime and his sister, that woman, were not to be underestimated either...

    Cecelia, however, hesitated.

    ...Lyle and Phaedra...Could they make a journey like this together without killing each other?

    "Sounds fine. But actually..." Lyle began. "I think that may not be a good idea." He shifted his gaze to the sister, not hiding his enmity at all.

    She bared her teeth at him. "Well I think it''s a great one." The girl would oppose him in any way she could, even this.

    Lyle smiled sharply at her."What, could it be that you actually missed me, girl?"

    "Yeah, I missed my punching bag." She sneered in return. It was an expression that she seemed to reserve for him alone.

    Jaime and Cecelia quickly stepped in before they once again came to blows. Cecelia gently clutching onto his forearm, Jaime holding the girl''s shoulder and making her step back.

    That didn''t stop the two from trying to burn a hole in the other with their eyes, but at least the room was temporarily relieved of the choking pressure the two created just now.

    You could always tell when they were about to try ripping the other to shreds because there would be a voice at the back of your mind screaming of danger to come.

    "Are you two done?" Jaime asked them. Then, lower, he whispered into his sister''s ear. "Honestly, what is it between you two?"

    Phaedra coldly answered back. "As long as one lives the other cannot." A quiet hiss.

    Jaime shook his head, suddenly tired. Great.

    The two...they really were like water and vinegar. Or maybe more like fire and gunpowder...

    "Alright, yes, we''re done. I mean it''s not like this crazy dragon-lady tried to put a dagger in my head or anything." The sarcasm in his voice was so think you could cut into it with a knife.

    "Maybe I should have aimed for you other  head instead." She spat out.

    Before Lyle could open his mouth to retort, Cecelia stepped in.

    " I think we should move things along, right?" She looked at Melanie, wanting a vote of approval.

    "Yeah, I like that idea." She smiled in relief and nodded, happy that things would not escalate further. She was very worried that Lyle and this young woman would attack each other again.

    She hadn''t see their fight, but a few of the sounds she heard caused her endless fright. And seeing how he looked currently, with his hair in a disarray and clothes torn here and there....Well, she was very much hoping they would not repeat themselves.

    She didn''t have any good impressions of this Phaedra person, and it seemed neither did Young Master Lyle. Melanie only wished for him to not have to ogo through anymore needless pain.

    So she was glad that Cecelia offered a way out to them.

    But this short bit of happiness was then smashed a moment later.

    "Although you two might not care, can we just take a moment to acknowledge the fact that this woman tried to kill big brother!" Iris had had enough, nealy screaming the words, practically hysterical. She was...furious!

    Those two, couldn''t they see the state her brother was in? How could they simply let that go? Those two traitorous wretches, they don''t give any thought to her brother''s well-being at all!

    Iris expected Melanie, who had recieved big brother''s kindess these few years, to have brought this up herself. How could she know that this girl had not an ounce of gratitude for the help her brother had given her and her mother!

    And this Cecelia, although she claimed to be a close friend of her brother''s, was the same!

    They both pretended to care about him, yet they said nothing about that evil, no-good woman''s attempted murder of her brother!

    She hated them both. Big brother couldn''t see how vile they were, but she, the Iris of right now, could!

    ...That woman is right yet again, it seems no one is able to care about her brother like they do...They were the only ones who were looking out for him...

    "Don''t fret, sister of mine." Lyle held a hand to her shoulder in comfort. "She doesn''t have the ability to kill me. Besides, didn''t I promise to never leave you?"

    He gave a small smile.

    Iris wasn''t swayed. "Brother, that isn''t the point. Of course you wouldn''t be beat by a low-class woman like her, but she hurt you! She tried to kill you! This...Such a thing...How can I be calm when someone threatened your life like that! Every time I remember it, I just want to...to..."

    She couldn''t even think of a punishment horrible enough for her!

    Phaedra actually seemed curious as she asked, "Want to what, shrimp?"

    Iris'' eye locked onto the other person''s figure dangerously.

    ...Jaime watched her and suddenly felt that she was indeed Bell''s sister. These two siblings seemed to place one another on some sort of pedastal or something.

    Jaime loved his own sister dearly, yeah. And they cared for each other deeply, it was true.  But they weren''t like these two. At all.

    Or was this how normal sibling were supposed to be? Jaime didn''t think so, but then again he hadn''t really ever met another pair of siblings before, at least not like this.

    Jaime once more tried to get a handle of the situation. This had gone on long enough, and they were wasting daylight.

    "Alright, so, are you guys coming or what? Because we leave within an hour."

    Lyle looked askance at Melanie and Cecelia.

    Cecelia shrugged while Melanie looked away from him. Which he assumed meant that she was fine with anything he decided.

    Although he really hated to, he knew that right course of action.

    "Okay, yeah, we''ll go..."

    Traveling with them would be a lot more reassuring than traveling with regular mercenaries. Boris, Jaime, Phaedra, the few that they chose to go with them, all of them were pretty capable.

    Had it just been he and Cecelia, however, he may not have ever agreed to go. He liked Jaime, he was a friend, it''s just that Lyle wanted to take the man''s sister and give her a thorough session of discipline.

    Something that her father had obviously never did to her as a child, as evidence by her unruly behaviour.

    "Good to hear. "Jaime walked to the room''s door. " Come along then, we''ll go meet up with the others. I''m sure they''ll be happy to see you two again, not to mention the pair of young beauties you two brought along." He grinned.

    **********

    "Bell, Cece, good to see ya again!" A tall, muscular man approached Lyle.

    They had long since departed the Merc Hall once Lyle met up with Jaime. Lyle had no other reason to be there now. He only wanted to hire some help, and knew the Haddocks would have some of their members stationed there.

    As he was acquainted with their company, Lyle wanted to hire them. He hadn''t expected Jaime to be there, thought since he was higher up on the food chain in terms of the company''s leadership positions. A pleasant surprise. As for Phaedra...He didn''t want to think about her.

    They had now made their way to a small campsite near Ustrax, being met with a dozen or so mercenaries.

    "Likewise." Lyle chuckled as the man got nearer.

    "Fuck, I can swear you got taller! The hell have you been eating, boy? Gonna catch up to me pretty soon!" As he released them from a hug, he turned to Lyle and said such things.

    Boris, a mountain of a man at 6''4, was one of the tallest men Lyle knew.  Two hundred and ten pounds of pure muscle and capable of wielding a greatsword like it were a stick.

    Not a person one wanted to provoke.

    With his long, dark beard and good-natured attitude, Boris was like a bear in human form. He was well respected within the Haddock mercenary company, having been a member for little over twenty years now. Quite a feat in that line of work.

    "And Cecelia, you''ve gotten even more lovely, I see!"

    The big man laughed roarously, patting her on the back with all the force of a bear''s paw.

    His keen eyes picked up on something. He pointed. "Oh? What''s that on your wrist there?"

    Cecelia''s lips curved into a soft, affectionate smile. Her eyes, almost imperceptibly, lit up as she casually raised her hand.

    "An early birthday present courtesy of Bell." She ran a finger around the charm bracelet, enjoying the feel of it''s warm metalic texture and gentle golden glow.

    Boris let out a low, drawn-out whistle. " Nice, very nice. Loving the ornaments. Stylish. Nn. Looks well-made too. Must have been pretty pricey..."

    Boris'' eye flicked towards the boy, not sure if he was touched by the sentiment he showed the girl or not. This thing, it couldn''t have been cheap at all! He had a cousin who, coincidentally enough, worked as a small-time jeweler. So he picked up on some things.

    As such, he could tell that this bracelet was a pretty great item.

    Bell must have saved up quite a bit to be able to buy it. And it was obvious the bracelet was cutsom-made, which would further raise the price. Those charms had to represent something to the two of them as well.

    Mercenaries usually wouldn''t be able to buy something like that. They weren''t poor, but it''s just that he knew this bracelet must have cost at least a small fortune.

    This damn brat...

    How can he afford to purchase such a luxurious thing, and for a woman? Hell, this might even give the poor thing the wrong idea...

    Such a thoughtful gift, how can a woman''s heart not flutter, hm?

    Boris showed a sly expression. "Hehehe. Well now, gettin'' quite serious with each other, aren''tcha? Next you''ll be shopping for a wedding band!" He teased.

    Cecelia instantly froze, suddenly very conscious about the ring hanging  around her neck. She had to force herself not to reach out and touch it. Luckily it was hidden by her clothes.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    Hearing this, how could Lyle resist?

    He nodded. "What a marvelous idea.  I truly think you''re onto something there!" Lyle said empathetically. "Eh, so what do you think, Dearest? Marry me?" He spoke calmly to Cecelia, a hint of mischieviousness in his eyes.

    Cecelia had honestly never thought she would hear those words from him...

    Even though she knew he was joking, it still made her feel...strange. She found that she couldn''t think of a reply at all. She was ridiculing herself mentally. Cursing. It would be weird if she didn''t say anything, but that didn''t seem to matter much all since her traitorous brain drew a blank line just then.

    Really? It picked this moment to die on her? Great. Just what she needed. Lyle was definitely know something was wrong...And he would think she was weird. Probably he''d think she lacked a sense of humor and was some kind of prude.

    But thankfully someone saved her from making a fool of herself.

    Because just then, a masuline voice came out from behind the two young adults.

    However the person''s words, as soon as they were spoken, seemed to condemn her.  "Ahem." It coughed lightly. " So, will I be invited to the wedding?"

    It was Jaime, appearing almost out of thin air to help Cecelia dig an even bigger hole for herself as she would inevitably be unable to muster up any sort of witty retort.

    Again, another voice went up. "Married? What, did you two finally get together? Knew it would just be a matter of time. Heh, Nyk owes me a gold piece now. Doubting the great me, the love guru, he''s a thousand years too early to be so arrogant." A snicker. "But fuck, tying the knot already! I''ve lost my best wingman now. Such a shame...Oh well.  I assume Bell dropped that other girl then?"

    From behind Boris, a youth--that was younger than both Lyle and Cecelia at around fourteen--all but sauntered up to them with a very arrogant and self-important gait, as if he were the cock of the walk.

    "Murphy?" Lyle eyed the youth.

    "The one and only, my dear Bell. Alright, so, bachelor party anyone? We have to celebrate this momentous occasion. Bell, you have no right to refuse, we''re getting you fucked up." The boy, tall and lanky with a head full of curly brown hair, seemed to take great pleasure in the thought.

    "So, did you get my and Nyk''s present?" He asked suddenly. His dark eyes flashed with anticipation, looking very eager to hear the answer.

    "Yeah. Just got it, actually. Solace took good care of it. Seems like good stuff, haven''t had a chance to test it yet though. An odd design, but if it''s able to not break so easily then I think I''m going to love it."

    "Great to hear, old chap. Fucking old man, he was damn stubborn. I thought me and Nyk would freeze our asses off at his doorstep!...I know he''s gotta be asking you for something, but hey, least you got a suitable weapon now." For a moment, Murphy showed a vulnerable expression. Sincere. Betraying a hidden worry.

    Lyle understood perfectly. This wasn''t just some random gift. It was more than that. It meant something, similar to how Lyle giving the bracelet to Cecelia meant something. Even a bit similar to how he gave her that ring instead of just returning it.

    They all thought that Lyle, that "Bell", was a mere sellsword. And to people like them, a good weapon was essential. It was their life.

    And Lyle''s great strength meant that he put too much strain on his weapons, so they broke quickly if he wasn''t careful. In battle, a weakness like that was a matter of life and death.

    He may be stronger than most, and his body may be more durable, but Lyle would get cut as easily as anyone else. He could take more punishment, that was all.

    They knew all this. They knew that if Lyle kept up like this then he would live a short life.

    To Lyle this was all little more than a method to get a better control over himself, to better himself. He wasn''t truly a mercenary at all. But to them, he was. To them, he could very well die if he didn''t have a reliable weapon on hand.

    And they didn''t want that.

    They considered him a friend. Lyle didn''t have all too many of those.

    So in the face of their care and concern, he was touched.

    That sword was sort of like a representation of their good-will towards him. It could very well protect his life someday. It was in this way that the situation wass similar to Lyle giving Cecelia that ring.

    It was not just some casual choice on his part. That ring was intended to protect Sophia should the need arise and it had certain wards in place to do just that.

    Lyle, like them, wanted to protect her life. So although it seemed a on-the-fly idea, he had actually thought of it fairly deeply at the time.

    That sword and that ring...they held a great importance to the people involved.

    "Thank you..."

    What else could he say?

    Murphy coughed, turning awkward. "Yeah, yeah...I hear ya, don''t get all mushy on me now."

    He glanced away for a brief second.

    "So, anyways, back to the party. Don''t worry bro, this wedding of yours and Cecelia''s, just leave it all to this handsome devil." He went back to the original topic.

    Hearing this, Lyle thought that maybe he actually thought that this little bit of fun was true. Unlike Jaime and Boris, who both held a small bit of amusement on their faces at the boy''s misunderstanding, Murphy apparently took it seriously.

    He looked to Cecelia and noticed she was seemingly lost in her own thoughts. Lyle didn''t know that she was just unable to say anything when it came to this specific topic.

    Seeing how she wasn''t correcting any of this, as he thought she might now that it had been taken this far, Lyle was about to fill him in on things when a decidly unpleasant voice made him stop.

    "Wedding?" Phaedra raised a brow. "With him? Disgusting..."

    Yet another person spoke up. "Denied. This has to be a joke, but regardless, brother is too good for a person like her. That backstabber is unfit for him. Also, girl, watch how you speak about my big brother..."

    "...."

    Melanie was the only one who stayed quiet. She didn''t understand what was going on. What was this talk about a wedding? Between them? That...

    Lyle, though he had fun with the ruse, felt it time to stop. Melanie was probably feeling very confused--she was someone who believed in things like this pretty easily. A bit gullible, something that needed working on--and this went on long enough.

    " Yeah, sadly Cecelia and I are not getting married.  It was just a joke of sorts, you''re right. Pay it no mind."

    Murphy cursed. "A joke? Fuckin'' A, man, you got me all hyped for nothing..."

    "S''your fault for being an idiot, boy." Boris commented mildly. He looked at the newcomers. They had come with to the camp with Bell and the others, he now noticed, but they had stayed back for some reason.

    In Phaedra''s case she simply didn''t want to be near that bastard of a man, Bellamy.

    As for Iris and Melanie...Well, they both just thought it would be nice to let Lyle and Cecelia catch up to their old friends. Iris was only thinking of her brother, however, and didn''t bother with Cecelia. She even thought that letting him talk privately with them for a time would make him appreciate her prudence a little.

    Knowing a good time to let her brother appreciate his sister''s thoughtfulness was something that Iris was an expert at, at least when it really mattered.

    Simply put, Iris was looking to earn some brownie points.

    ....Melanie was the only one whose intentions were not that biased and calculating.

    Anyway, as they stayed behind for their own reasons, Iris took the time to question Phaedra. She didn''t believe this woman could actually hate her brother and thought that it was all a ploy to maybe get his interest.

    So she, with Melanie watching on, began a short conversation with the older girl. Only a few sentences were exchanged, but by the end of it Iris and Melanie were both left speechless.

    Iris had muttered, "I have met the enemy of my fate..."

    Fast forwarding, Pheadra got tired of this little girl''s death glares. She also knew that since she and that person would be traveling together, it would be foolish to keep away.

    She refused to let his presence affect her. She would ignore him. Or at least, that''s what she thought. But it was impossible, really. She flared up whenever she came into contact with him.

    Her earlier words were crystal clear inside her mind. As long as one lived, the other cannot. She didn''t hate him, exactly. It''s just that she firmly believed that he, that insufferable man, was the enemy of her fate.

    Her "hating"--which even now she would not admit to feeling because it would imply she cared enough about the man to hate him. Something she would die before admitting--him was just a by-product of that. Among other things.

    It was as she was thinking these words that she overheard the conversation they were having.

    Boris took a gander at Melanie, whom he had taken an interest to since she appeared just now.

    "Hm...So I assume you''re Bell''s lover I had heard about?"

    Not that he knew any real details, since that matter didn''t concern him. Actually, he had only just now remembered it when Murphy made that question a while ago.

    The boy did, he had remembered, talk about her once or twice when Boris was around. Looks like Cecelia, this girl, was out of luck. Even if she did pick up on some mixed signals from the boy, it appeared there was little she could do about it unless she wanted to be a homewrecker.

    But he didn''t think she would do that since it seemed like they knew each other. That may be a matter of course, now that he thought of it, since she and Bell were close. They must be friends at least, yeah?

    And Cecelia wasn''t the type to do that to a friend, Boris believed. Coveting that which wasn''t her''s, in this case, just wasn''t in the girl from what he had seen. Heh, would take a more petty woman than she to try and steal someone else''s man.

    Still, it was a shame. Boris thought the two complimented each other nicely.

    Oh well, it didn''t have anything to do with him.

    That aside, Bell had a few girl friends, Boris knew, but that boy didn''t talk about women much. So it was not surprising Boris came to this conclusion. A girl like this, with such a pretty visage, appearing with Bell, how could it be that he wouldn''t think of this?

    He grew interested  in getting to know this young woman in front of him. To have caught the attention of a person like Bell, she couldn''t be ordinary right?

    Though she looked like a small kitten to his eyes, who knew, she may have some fire in her.

    Yet his expectations were completely off the mark.

    "Hmm? What? Is that true? Bell, this girl, is really..." Murphy felt guilty about that question/comment he made earlier about him dropping her. Shit, what if she overheard?!  It wouldn''t make for a good first impression, that. It''s not like he meant to be mean or anything...

    The girl stammered, surprised. "M-me? No, no, I''m not...Me and him, we''re not like that. Lover, you say..." She blushed. That word, somehow it was really...lewd? "Something like that, we aren''t...Um, that is to say, I''m not... I mean Lady Sophia and me aren''t comparable at all..." This was an irrefutable truth. "I''m just his--"

    "Friend." Lyle had to cut in. It was only then that he noticed something odd in Melanie''s words...

    "Lady Sophia?" Boris asked, blinking. "What the...Bell, that girl of yours, could she be a Noble?"

    ...Well. Fuck.

    Lyle cursed in his heart.

    Usually only Nobles or other higher-class individuals could be called a Lord or Lady.

    Boris narrowed his eyes. He caught nothing off in Bell''s face, that guy was always hard to see through. And Boris didn''t think that there were many Lady Sophias around these parts.

    Boris felt that if true, this brat was pretty capable. Having the ability to catch the eyes of a Noble, even if she was a minor one, was not something to scoff at.

    In other places, the fourth sons and daughters of Nobles had much more freedom to do what they wanted.

    Only the first through third generation of children had any real importance. It would be expected that the kids of the fourth and later generations would become government officials or something, some even became mercenaries or adventurers for a living.

    But that was only in other places.

    Getting more to the point, in Drann kingdom the gap between any Noble and a common citizen was pretty wide. Although there were laws in place against Nobles mistreating commoners, you would likely never find a Noble interacting very friendily with someone of low birth.

    Certainly you wouldn''t often see the daughter of a Noble dating a mere mercenary, even if he were part of a Noble family from some other kingdom.

    So this was fairly strange. Bell had to have quite some ability to be in a relationship with a Noble.

    But Boris'' assumptions were quickly refuted.

    "Sophia''s not a Noble." Lyle laughed. "She''s the daughter of some people that my father is friends with. They''re an upper mid-class merchant family. And Melanie was helped out by them when Sophia stepped in as she and her mother were being accosted by loan sharks. The mother and daughter had some troubles, you see, because of a debt her father accumulated before his passing. Sophia paid the debts off for them since it was a small sum to her anyway.

    When Sophia asked about the situation and learned of their circumstance, she told her family. They were kind enough to take them in and offer them some honest work. Melanie became Sophia''s maid, and so since she is her benefactor, respectfully calls her Lady" He came up with a plausible explanation on the fly, using his own history with Melanie and replacing himself with Sophia.

    He had not been planning to explain all too much about Melanie being here, though he did have one in mind for a while now. But he couldn''t really use that one now that Melanie let something slip. He didn''t blame her for the mistake though, not mad at all.

    Melanie, on the other hand, was. She knew she messed up just now. She even thought that he was inwardly mad at her, and that might scold her later for it.

    Suh a obvious slip, she should have not made it in the first place! She was an idiot. Really, how could she just blurt out something like that...

    And he covered it up so well...He shouldn''t have had to do that, however, and felt guilty about forcing him to.

    The only thing was that she had some minor reservations about his story.

    Because that event was an important turning point in her life, and he was the one to help her that time, not Lady Sophia. He replaced himself with her, which Melanie found she disliked.

    He was her benefactor that time, and now she would have to pretend it was someone else. Somehow, that felt like it was a small betrayal on her part.

    But there was nothing she could do, she caused it herself. Since he yet again helped her out, she could only play along. If she had not made the mistake in the first place, she would not have to do this, and neither would he have to let someone else take credit for his own actions.

    "Is that so?"

    Boris, Murphy, Jaime and even Paedra thought that was kinda touching. Who knew how many people got thrown into hellish lives trying to pay off those damn heartless leeches.

    And not many people would go out of their way to help someone out like that. At most, they would help them out one time and then leave. Maybe they would chase the bastards away, but not pay off the debts for the two.

    Even if they did that, they would not do much else. Plus, though the debts were paid off, it would still be difficult for a small family like that to support themselves.

    The only way to do so before was probably to work their asses off, and any funds used for themselves to live on, instead of sending it to pay off their debts, would just be added to what they already had to pay back. A damn despicable and unfair system to be sure.

    With the debts clear it would be easier, but they would still have to do some back-breaking work. Who knew when they would be able to truly get back on their feet?

    So that family going that far to help out strangers they didn''t know at all...it was commendable. The four praised the young girl, Sophia, especially for making sure her effort in helping the two out was not wasted.

    People should help out in full if they were going to do so at all, something that girl must have understood.

    Phaedra personally thought the girl''s taste in men must be abysmal to settle for a man like that guy, but that what a different matter.

    Melanie nodded and smiled. " Lady Sophia and her family has helped me and my mother out immensly."

    As this was wrapping up, Boris once more shifted his gaze. This time towards the cute young girl by Bell''s side.

    " And this stunning beauty is...?" He prodded.

    Murphy also commented. " Yeah, who is? Such a pretty young thing, I was just wondering what level of heaven a little angel like her could have come from. Come now, Bell, introduce us already. A distant relative, perhaps? Or are you going about collecting lolies* now?"

    (Author note: So had some doubts about using this word, and i may use it again in the future. It just feels right, doesn''t it? It does to me at least.)

    "As if I would partake in such a thing." Lyle snorted. "And she''s my sister, Iris."

    "Bullshit." They both said in unison. They had almost the same reaction Jaime inwardly had when he heard this. He was just tactful enough not to say anything about it.

    He was glad he was not the only one who found it strange that these two were related like that. He, Bell, insisted they were blood siblings, and Jaime wouldn''t doubt that. But he did think that theirs was a pretty unique gene pool to have them both look so different from one another.

    The blonde hair was similar, yeah, but the faces were not much alike at all. As such, anyone would be surprised, right?

    Besides, blonde hair wasn''t uncommon..

    The main reason he didn''t comment on this was that he thought it would be very rude. Also, he knew better than to do so. Because Bell really liked his sister, he understood, and the boy talked about her with not a small amount of pride when he did so.

    He must be the protective sort. Like Jaime kind of was. So saying something about it was unwise.

    " What, have something to say?" Lyle  asked with a smile.

    "Ah, no, it''s nothing..." Boris and Murphy knew the boy''s temperment, and the amount of affection he had for that sister they heard him talking about all those times before.

    They weren''t stupid. Why would they ask for a beating?

    Or, okay, he wouldn''t beat them. But he could if he was set off, and they thought that this may be one of his triggers.

    Because Murphy thought that maybe Bell couldn''t beat Boris, but he could certainly beat him if he wanted to. Murphy was not weak, he had been raised as a merc, and he was skilled with daggers. But that wouldn''t help much against this freak of nature.

    If he was angry over this, Bell would take it out on him if anything. As for Boris, he wasn''t like Murphy. He wasn''t scared of Bell, exactly. But fuck, that boy was a beast. Boris was a big, strong man.  But would that be any help against that monster?

    Even hardened steel broke because of his strength. His physique was really only able to be described as heaven-sent. Probably his physical power was comparable to those Earth Knights.

    Boris was not willing to invite in that sort of headache.

    These were irrational fears since Lyle wouldn''t be beating them without good reason. He would consider it if they got out of hand with their crudeness and made Iris feel bad, but as long as they didn''t do that then they were all good.

    "Ahem, yes, well, I''m glad to finally be meeting you, little girl. Your brother talks so much about you."

    Boris laughed merrily, like a veritable lion''s roar.

    His large frame dwarfed Iris, his shadow looming over her. Iris'' eyes went wide at the sight of him just then, finally noticing how menacing the guy was. The thick hair of his, his beefy arms and fingers, that angry red scar on his near the side of his face, everything made people want to take a step back in fright.

    That wasn''t all. With all eyes on her, Iris seemed to wilt. She was terrible with strangers. Usually would appear to get past that when she was mad, like how when that girl attacked her brother.

    However, in regards to the pressure of so many eyes on her at once, she had no resistance. Especially when that thing (refering to Jaime) which Iris was well and truly terrified of was around.

    "Back off,  big guy, you''re scaring her." Murphy made a pointed glance towards Boris, who felt very put-off due to the fact. He wasn''t that scary...

    Murphy smiled radiantly at the girl as he turned to her. " A pleasure to meet you, my dear, I''m Murphy. Do not be fooled by my compatriot here, he''s really just a giant fluffy teddy bear deep down inside."

    "..."

    Iris didn''t like him. She thought he looked like a very frivolous person. A good-for-nothing.

    Murphy, if he knew her thoughts, could only be able to shrug in response. His biggest aspiration in life was to be a true good-for-nothing.

    Strike it rich by finding some wealthy, pretty thing. Marrying her, having a debaucherous lifestyle where he would laze around all day...

    Not having to get all dirty and shit making a living like this.

    Yup. That sounded good. There was nothing else he hoped for more.

    Iris, seeing his face, was even more sure that she was right.

    "Alright, now that all this is over, let''s go and meet with the others. They''re just up ahead a bit, already waiting by the road. By the way, although it''s a nice surprise, you must have a reason for coming?" Boris asked.

    Lyle nodded. "Yeah, come on, we can talk about it on the way."

    *********

    They had taken Lyle''s carriage, with Boris, Murphy and Lyle in the front seats while the reast stayed in the back.

    Iris pouted when her seat was taken, but amazingly didn''t complain abot it.

    "Zeshar, wow, what a coincidence." Boris and Murphy said as they heard this, since they themselves were about to head to those parts.

    "Yeah, we have some business there." Lyle said simply.

    "Oh? And you''re bringing your sister along for the ride when you know bandit are pretty active around this time?" Murphy asked in concern.

    "That''s what I wanted to come to Ustrax for, to get some extra insurance. Didn''t think I would run into you guys."

    Boris shrugged. " I doubt a few bandits would faze you anyway." He had great confidence in the boy''s fighting ability. Only a really larfe group of bandits would be able to take him down. Or if they were really skilled small group of bandits.

    He remembered how Nyk saved him from the Blood Raven''s Elites a while back. Those people were damn strong and not to be trifled with.

    After Nyk got taken down, wounded, the boy was able to fight them off though.

    Still, Boris knew why Bell would ask for help. In battle, things were very chaotic. He and Cecelia could take care of themselves, but the other two couldn''t

    Yes, Bell must have had confidence that he could protect them, but he wasn''t stupid. He most likely would not take the chance that something would happen to either of the yuong girls, especially that beloved sister of his.

    " Okay, fair enough." Murphy said in response to all this. "But what about that Melanie?" He jerked a thumb behind them to indicate the inside of the vehicle where the girl and everyone else currently resided.

    Murphy went on, " I mean why would she be with you?"

    It was a valid question. She was a maid going on a trip with her mistress'' boyfriend and his young sister. How could Murphy not wonder what was up?

    Lyle  waved him off. "None of your business." Murphy, blinking, let the topic die as he knew that he would get nothing more out of him.

    To be honest, Lyle just didn''t know how to answer on the spot like that. He could tell them how Sophia thought he was seeing Melanie behind her back, and that so now he was taking care of the girl. A edited version of what actually happened, so to speak, like what he did before.  But that would still raise some questions.

    Like how he could afford to just casually take in a fully grown young woman and provide for her, why he would take her along on a trip to a far-off place when it was better for her to stay behind. Things like that. He may be able to explain the first, but the second...that would be harder.

    And any explanation he gave for those doubts would still appear weak.  Since it was like that, he  just opted to not give to much of a reason for her being here. And he knew that they would not ask to many question.

    Mercenaries lived pretty much day to day, they wouldn''t think too much about small matters like this.

    They continued on in silence.

    It wasn''t long until they got to their destination.

    There were small roads everywhere, and the place that they had made camp at was located near on of those roads. As that particular road led into the forest area and in between  some mountains, it was the perfect place for an ambush.

    Still, it was lesser known and rarely traveled. Meaning not many bandit would think to look there. It was not a direct road to Zeshar so they would have to make several changes in directions, but that shouldn''t affect the travel time overmuch.

    When that arrived, there were two large caravans being loaded with various items and at least a dozen or more people starting to climb inside.

    There were some people stationed in the front and back of the caravans as guards, watching for any sign of trouble. If anything went wrong, they would signal the others for a fight.

    As soon as someone saw them coming, everyone went on full alert.

    They were far enough away that the people couldn''t see their faces.

    "Alright, bastards, hold it right there! You have about ten seconds to state who the fuckin'' hell you are or i''m going to have my men here kill and then rape your fuckin'' whore-spawned corpses!"

    A crass, very mean-sounding female voice rose up within the mercenaries'' ranks.

    "Son of a bitch. Val, you damn woman, knock it off with that crap! You''re giving us a bad name!"

    Boris went red with anger, scolding the voice.

    A short, tan-skinned woman in about her mid to late twenties pushed herself towards the front. Val.

    "Eh, sorry boss. It''s all just for the sake of appearing threatening, though. I mean come on. We''re mercs, if we look like easy pickings then who knows what would happen? What if you were, like, bandits in disguise, hmm? Shit, with my luck you know I''d be the first to get offed. I value my life, thank you very much. This level of menace is fine, don''t sweat it."

    Returning the drawn bow to her back, she spoke such words.

    "Woah, woah, woah, is that Bell?! Oi, Nyk, everyone, looks who''s here!" The woman had a very bubbly aura, grinning merrily as she saw who was with them. quinting at him, she said, " Damn, Bell, you look like you''ve been playing with a pack of Scrylings. Wait. I can already tell. You met with Phaedra, didn''t you?"

    Her tone implied that this could be the only explanation.

    Just then another person came over, a muscular square-jawed youth with a head full of dark hair.

    Nyk.

    "Bell?" He asked.

    "Hey." Lyle greeted.

    "Good to see you." He said simply.

    Lyle nodded.

    Nyk was a man of few words but when he said something, he meant it.

    Lyle knocked on the window and it opened immediately for him. "We''re here." He told them.

    Getting down, he went to say hello to everyone else.

    Cecelia, along with Melanie, Iris, Jaime and Phaedra, opened the door to follow him

    Not everyone present had known of Lyle and Cecelia, but thay had heard of them before at least.

    Due to some circumstances, the two ended up helping their company on more than one occasion and there weer some battles where they contributed a lot.

    So everyone, even if they didn''t know the two, they still respected them. For those who did actually know them personally, like Val, Nyk, Murphy, Boris, Jaime and some of the others, they were happy to see they were here.

    Cheerful greetings and a few back-breaking hugs were exchanged. Particularly by Val who''s small stature belied the power in her arms which one her size simply shouldn''t have.

    Her years of working with the long bow at her back did wonders for her physical strength...

    As they took a break in order to say their hellos, Murphy rounded up everyone and poured them a drink to celebrate. Cups were raised and downed in an instant. Then raised again. And again. And again.

    Over the period of half an hour, once Lyle had introduced Iris(Who grew annoyed when they expressed shock or disbelief at learning her identity) and Melanie to everyone, they partook in a short but boisterous party of sorts. Just a little reprieve from the work in order to welcome the two.

    Iris and Melanie felt out of place among all this, however, and were not sure how to deal with it. So many strange, unfamilliar people...

    And they were very crude, cussing with every other word. Not very articulate at all. Iris even doubted some of them could read by the way they talked. It wasn''t something they were used to.

    Even Melanie had never come into this close contact with mercenaries, not to mention the sheltered Iris. The language didn''t bother Melanie too much, but it was sort of strange for her.

    Ever since going into the employ of the Greybornes, she had only ever interacted with people who had a very good education or well-mannered personality.

    Young Master Lyle and the Young Miss, Iris, were both especially like this. They didn''t speak like commoners, but rather spoke with a very...well, a very Noble air.

    So coming back and noticing the difference between those born of a good background and other people who were just normal civilians like her...it was a bit odd.

    Again, it just wasn''t what she was used to. At least not anymore. And these mercenaries were worse than a vast majority of people she had met. They really didn''t see afraid to say their mind at all. Straightforward and blunt to the extreme.

    For Iris, it was a lot worse. When she compared other Noble children to her brother she already thought they were like monkeys. These people, now, seemed lower than monkeys.

    It isn''t like she had bad feelings towards them or anything, it''s simply that she would not ever choose to even speak with people like them if not for the fact they were her brother''s friends or comrades or whatever they were to him.

    As such, they, Melanie and Iris, tried to stay a bit apart from the rest. Lyle noticed this and did his best to make them more at ease, calming everyone down and getting to business.

    He took some time to explain everything again, telling Val and the others that he and his sister--Along with Melanie and Cecelia, of course--were coming along with them to Zeshar for matters of their own.

    Again, excitement. Their friends were eager to catch up and fight with the two again, while the rest of those present wanted to know if the young man and woman were as good as they heard.

    After everything came to a close, they began packing up once again and departed for Zeshar in truth.

    ********

    Five hours later

    "Give us everything you have, leave those four pretty young bitches with us, and get the fuck out of here."

 Chapter Twenty-Five

    It was only after great difficulty that he beat down the murderous intentions in his heart.

    "What''s the matter, have something you want to say?" Phaedra''s sadistic smile, like that of a cheshire cat, widened noticibly as she baited him.

    Lyle grunted, wanting nothing more than to launch himself at her and wipe the expression off her face. Which is what she herself wanted him to do, Lyle knew.

    Had it not been for Jaime''s firm order to not kill each other--what he really said was to not try and beat each other into submission, but for them it probably wouldn''t have ended at that--Lyle and Phaedra would have already had a deathmatch.

    But they listened to him. They weren''t so stupid as to hold up the entire entourage just so they can duke it out.

    It''s just Phaedra knew Lyle couldn''t do anything with Jaime''s command in place so she took the opportunity to piss him off as much as possible. Taunting him, mocking him, generally getting on his nerves.

    She couldn''t do anything to him either, but that didn''t stop her from deriving a sick sort of pleasure in his suffering.

    Lyle ignored her.

    "...Hey, where''s the nearest cliff?" Lyle asked the elderly man riding a horse to his left. He was an expert that Jaime hired to help them on their travels. He knew a lot, like where the best camping spots were, where to go to avoid as much of the hungry predators or monster as possible, which roads to take...those kinds of things.

    It was he who recommended this specific road to them, in fact. And so far, they had smooth sailing, not a bandit or ravenous wolf or bloodthirsty monster in sight. The only thing was that they would have to spend a night or two under the stars since not many towns would be built along not-so-well-known roads like this one.

    The man pointed to the east. "About 40 miles that way."

    Phaedra narrowed her eyes. instantly suspicious. "And what, pray tell, would you like to know that for?"

    Lyle nodded amicably, answering readily. "So I can push you off it, of course."

    Her cheek twitched, and he knew then that he had, with that one little remark, ruffled her feathers even more than she had his own. The woman was too easily angered, truly a hot-headed person deep down despite what her icy mask of a face would have you believe.

    Lyle was satisfied even more when he saw her fingers jerk slightly and reach for the sword at her side. But like him, she could only hold it in.

    Melanie and Cecelia in the carriage, Cecelia sharpening her weapons while Melanie was busy knitting something.

    As for Iris, she had fallen asleep, once again, on Lyle''s arm. This was odd to him, he noticed that she seemed more tired than normal the past few days and he took that as a bad sign.

    He had  a nagging thought that she was actively communicating with that thing inside her. Maybe it was trying to worm it''s way around her, like a snake. He didn''t know, but he had no power to stop it. He wanted to get to Zeshar fast, see if he could dig up any information on exercising evil spirits. Which he assumed these things were similar to.

    More specifically though, he wanted to see if he would be able to find anything on they themselves. Surely a few of the older texts would have some information on them, right?

    Since they have been sealed for so long, he could only check the really old documents if he wished to gleam any clues. He was not sure if he would even be able to find anything out about them at all, but information was something he needed and this was the best way he knew how to get it.

    It was too dangerous and unpredictable to tell anyone about what was happening to them. He didn''t want to implicate his father and mother in this.

    If they knew then they would probably help him. But if the Council found out these things were inside him and Iris, who knew what they would do?

    They had ways of knowing things, and he wouldn''t take the chance they would turn hostile. It may be foolish to keep it quiet, but he would be damned if he would made a hasty decision like that instead of trying to understand what was happening to them himself.

    The three inside his own body had still not talked to him at all, but he thought that they may be watching him even now. Maybe waiting for an opportunity to make him slip.

    Phaedra''s eyes glowed dangerously, a common thing when speaking to him. "Just you wait until we stop to rest for the night. We''ll see who has the upper hand then. Remember, in battle anything goes. Before you go to sleep, I will get you back for this. Mocking me, only you would dare..."

    "Oh?" Lyle cocked a brow at her. " Before I sleep, you say? Battle? Are you implying we''ll have a bedroom brawl, then?"

    Make no mistake. Lyle only made such comments because he understood that they set her off especially well. Whatever actual attraction he might have had for her was vastly overshadowed by an extreme dislike for the young woman.

    So these words were meant solely to piss her off. Though just saying the words made him feel sick to the stomach, it was worth it to see that stiff, hateful expression!

    " Laugh it up, bastard. I don''t believe I can''t make you eat those words before the day is done! Be prepared for a world of pain and suffering, dog. I''ll tie you up and--"

    But he didn''t let her finish. "No thanks, that''s a bit too kinky for me. I think you''re more suited to that role rather than me anyway. Oh, wait. That actually sounds like fun. Should we try it then? Don''t worry, I''ll be gentle. Well, at first."

    "Disgusting pig." With that, she urged her horse forward.

    When she left, that old man spoke. "You two seem to get along so well." He spoke mildly.

    "Yes, indeed. You can see how much affection is just oozing out of our every pore at the sight of each other. As you can tell, sparks fly whenever we meet."

    "Ha. Don''t you know sarcasm is the lowest form of wit, boy?"

    "You''re allowed to use it, but I can''t? That hardly seems fair."

    "Life ain''t fair. And besides, only old folk like me who''s minds are rotting from the inside out should have the right to use it. Young people like you we expect better from."

    "Yeah, I get that a lot. Too much, actually." He muttered that last part under his breath.

    Lyle was a Greyborne, in the future there would be many people within the Council and the other world powers who would be expecting a lot from him. To not bring shame to the Greyborne family, he had been raised and trained with exceptional care.

    He was being prepared to someday go out into the world and become a "great person". With a year or two his father would have even most likely sent him to be trained as a Knight whether he wanted to or not.

    Lyle would have gone himself, and will, eventually, because becoming personally strong was useful in various ways. The biggest reason he wanted to train in the early days was to not hurt his sister by accident, and that was still a large motivator, but he later understood that even if he didn''t do so himself he would have been forced into it one way or another.

    Almost all the Greybornes in the past were strong, he couldn''t be any different. And because his innate talents were so good, something that was tested and confirmed when he was but a child, he could only be better than those before. He had to be.

    Because he had the potential, it couldn''t be wasted. This is what his father and mother nailed into him. Perhaps not as much with words, but from the way they looked at him.

    So although he, as of right now had a fair amount of freedom, it was never actually as much as he wanted to believe. It was an illusion, because at the end of the day he would still have to be the "best" version of himself that those who mattered would expect from him.

    Whether it be in academics or martial combat, Lyle was "expected" to simply be better than others. He had to excel. Which is why his father hired two astoundingly capable teachers like A''daire and Miss Belle for him. And iris, to a lesser extent.

    As such, Lyle really had no intention of meeting the expectations of people who didn''t matter.

    "You, kid, look like you may have a chip on your shoulder. I like that." The old man chuckled. His sharp ears had caught that remark of his.

    "Thanks, I suppose. I''m sorry, I don''t think I caught your name." Jaime had introduced them, but somehow Lyle couldn''t recall the man''s name at all.

    "You can call me Bane."

    I can call you, huh...what a weird way of phrasing it....

    Usually when people said that they were being evasive. They were saying ,''This is what you can call me, but it''s not my name''.

    They were just being subtle about it. That wasn''t true in every case, but in this one, Lyle thought it was. Maybe Bane was a nickname, perhaps? He shouldn''t overthink it.

    "Bane. I see. I''m Bellamy Greyson." He offered a hand, and the man shook it.

    "A Greyson, is it?" There was a twinkle in his eyes, appearing to find something amusing. "Alright, then." He leaned back on his horse, getting more comfortable. "So tell me. What do you two have against each other? At first I thought this was all just sexual tension that you two didn''t wanna admit to for some inane reason, but I really have never seen anyone so incompatible with each other as you guys are. It honestly does make me curious."

    He stroked his long, white beard in thought.

    Lyle was caught off-guard by the question."Huh." He said. "You know, it just occured to me that I don''t even recall why we dislike each other so much. Or when it started, for that matter."

    "Is that so? Does she remember, you think?"

    "Yeah, probably. No one can hold a grudge like a woman can."

    "Ain''t that the truth..." The old man sighed deeply. "But I''m thinking she may not remember it either."

    "Why?"

    "Because you said she might. If you thought she didn''t I would inexplicably think she would know."

    "How does my answer have the power to change you thought on the matter like that?"

    "I don''t know. Kinda feels a bit like foreshadowing to me. As I said, can''t explain it well."

    Lyle felt that was a rather weird logic. Foreshadowing? In stories, maybe.

    "It''s not like voicing my opinion will have any effect on what actually is." He replied.

    "Wouldn''t be too sure about that, lad. It might. Your words or actions can indeed influence the way things are. Or at least, sometimes. It doesn''t do it for everyone. When it does, though, the world will change it''s own history or it''s people, warping causality. It''s all very complicated, you probably wouldn''t understand. Have you ever heard of a universal constant, my boy?"

    ...He had. In fact, it was the second time he heard about it in the past day.

    With a peculair frown, Lyle replied hesitantly. "Yes, but--"

    "Good. Kinda odd that you have, but whatever. You see, my boy, this is similar to that. Or maybe directly related to that? Anyway, something that will happen, will always happen, and in every reality.

    If it doesn''t, then the universe will make it so that it will. This is where the whole rewriting of history comes in. When explained this way, it''s simple, no? Kind of. Bah. Not that it matters. Whether you are one of those who can cause waves such as these to happen, I don''t know, I''m just saying."

    "That''s...interesting." It was, but..."Is there a reason you''re telling me this?"

    "Maybe?" The old man questioned. "Who knows. You said voicing your opinions has no effect on what it, but you''re wrong. It does. Or it can. For you, I think it can?" He asked. "Also, that aside, don''t you think it''s weird that you don''t remember? I would be suspicious. For that matter, can you even remember clearly the first time you met her? I doubt you do. And that''s what you should be questioning.

    Because if you did remember, and everything was fine, then why would your Life''s Essence be so out of sorts? It''s not supposed to look that jumbled up, you know. It''s like everything has been made into an incomprehensible series of knots. Never seen anything like it, really. And those three, obviously not normal spirits. Even I''m a bit scared of them, and they aren''t taking on phyical form at all!" He stopped, tilting his head, as if listening to something. " Oh, wait. Sorry, this''ll have to be cut short. Looks like they''re here already. You should go and take care of them. As for myelf, I have to leave as well. It''s been nice talkin'' to you, boy. Maybe we''ll meet again sometime. "

    Now, Lyle  found this entire thing to be very shady. Who the hell was this crazy, rulingng ld man? Lyle was just about to open his mouth to question the guy when a rough, low-toned voice rose up.

    "Give us everything you have, leave those four pretty young bitches with us, and get the fuck out of here."

    *********

    When the Jagged Edge bandit group leader, Sabine, got the reports from his scouts that a group of mercs were heading this way, he was ecstatic.

    Finally a fucking break from this boredom.

    But what made it even better was that they told of four young, exceptional beauties were moving with them. This made Sabine excited more than if he heard they carried caravans stuffed with gold and rode on horse filled to the brim with precious gems.

    How long had it been since he had a good woman underneath him? Fuck, how long since his men did? They had all become rather addicted to those Red Flower Dream Houses

    Sadly, however, they hadn''t been able to visit one in a while, and even if they did they wouldn''t be able to afford it right now.

    So hearing about four young and pretty girls making their way to his own doorsteps, Sabine was understandably eager.

    He would have to let his men play with them a bit once he was done with ''em himself. They obviously wouldn''t be at the level of the the Dream House beauties they fell in love with, but he always felt that there was a certain pleasure in the act of breaking in something new.

    This would be the same.

    His sent his scouts to keep track of their movements while he had his second in command take two dozen or so men, out of the total five dozen that where part of their little group, prepare to "welcome" their guests.

    Those scouts of his were damn good, probably no one would be able to spot them in their own turf!

    Sabine wasn''t worried they would be found out.

    in the span of an hour the mercs, and with them the new toys, were here.

    **********

    "Oh, look. They finally showed themselves."

    This was the thought running through almost everyone''s mind just then.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    Boris, Val, Jaime, Murphy and the other mercs had noticed the scounts some time back. Jaime and the rest knew that Phaedra and Bell must have caught sight of them too, but were too preoccupied with verbally skinning the other alive to care over much.

    Everyone had readied for a fight ages ago. Those in the caravans busied themselves with sharpening their blades just for this occassion.

    No one was worried.

    Since they had seen them, it meant the bandit group the scouts belonged too must not be so powerful anyway. Most likely not spanning more than forty or fifty.  Maybe a bit more. And that was only in total. These people who blocked their way couldn''t be over thirty men at the most.Obviously this was not even their full force, so they had even less reason to worry.

    They themselves had only two and a half dozen, but they were all skilled fighters. One of them could take on two of the other side, juding from how those bandits carried themselves. Completely open to attack, lacking discipline.

    They had Val and her small team of archers too, who could each probably shoot the wings off a damn fly if they  wanted to.

    Not just that, they had other means of fighting as well. So what reason was there to be scared?

    Seeing how they just stood there, the first man blew up. "Are you deaf? Hurry it up! Drop yer stuff and the women, then leave! And bring that little girl to me so I can have some fun with her. On with it, or I''ll have yer fuckin'' heads on a spike!"

    He was a decidely fat man, wearing leather armor that barly fit him with pieces of metal plated in certain places to protect his vitals. As he talked about the "little girl", a small tent was shown standing proud from within his loose pants.

    Lyle''s expression went flat. "Val. Give me your bow." Lyle, having made his way here to see what the hold up was, suddenly asked the woman. He had Iris go into the spacious carriage to rest. There was more than enough room for her to sleep comfortably inside.

    As soon as he heard what this pudgy man said, Lyle knew that he had to kill him. He wouldn''t be satisfied otherwise. But he wanted him to suffer first.

    "...Don''t break it." She handed it over, cautioning. That cold look in Bell''s eyes made her pause. It was as frightening as always.

    "Thanks."

    The other man narrowed his eyes. Noticing the strange interaction, he was about to give an order to attack.

    But just then--

    --Lyle loosened an arrow from the bow. It flew through the air with an exceedingly fast pace, a total blur, the only thing you could see was the light that was reflected off the cold steel head as the dying rays of the sun hit it just right.

    And mere seconds later, it plunged deeply into the area right between the man''s legs.

    The man stopped just as he opened his mouth, a look of horror upon his face. An instant later, he howled in pain. His breathing quickened to three times that of a normal person and screamed his lungs out, his crotch feeling a sharp, piercing agony that made him want to throw up.

    In a matter of moments, he passed out from the intense pain and landed on his back.

    No one was quite able to believe what they had just witnessed. Neither side moved an inch. The bandits just stared at their leader''s fallen figure with a blankness, not understanding what had happened just yet.

    Luckily someone explained it to them. "Son of bitch, he shot the man''s cock!" Murphy exclaimed, laughing hysterically. As expected, having Bell with them made things much more interesting!

    Every other man, however, shivered.

    "Kill them!"

    "Attack!"

    The bandits launched a sudden assault, breaking from their reverie.

    Lyle and Nyk, having drawn their swords, charged at the oncoming men. Boris, Murphy and about ten other mercenaries did as well while Val took back her weapon and began picking some of the bandits off along with her own bow-wielding women.

    The arrows were deadly fast and accurate, none of them missing it''s target. The eyes, throat, forehead, not one off the mark.

    A rather tall bandit, along with another one armed with a dagger, honed in on Lyle.

    As Lyle was about to clash with them, a hoarse voice whispered at the back of his mind.

    " Massacre every one of these dogs."

    "Kill..."

    "Kill..."

    "KILL...!!!"

    A loud roar, an explosion, erupted inside his mind. Lyle, already enraged by the fat man''s words, was incited to new heights of anger and hate.

    The one holding a sword made a very crude downward slash at him, using his full strength.

    He dodged, stepping to the side and allowing the blade to whiz past his face. Then he brought his own weapon up, cleaving the bandit''s arm. It sprayed a rain of blood, cut entirely in half.

    The other man was behind him, ready to stick Lyle with his dagger.

    But Lyle was already prepared, he hadn''t lost sight of the second man at all.

    He shifted to the right, and the dagger struck the first man in the gut. Lyle then kicked the man away, surely causing broken ribs. Next, he reached behind him and and took the shorter man by the throat. With seeming little effort, he raised he man and threw him on he ground a few feet away. He crashed into another bandit that was currently fighting with Murphy.

    He took deep breaths, his entire body feeling hot. It felt so...good.

    The younger boy looked at Bell. "You really are a crazy strong bastard, aren''t you? How the fuck can you lift a person like that?"

    Murphy really was scared of Bell in that moment. Whenever he saw him fight, it happened.  So coldly, calculating, methodical....yet somehow full of a wild sort of aggression. Like a beast in human form.

    One who traded their claws for a sword.

    The only thing that was different was that he now felt even more savage than before. Raw, somehow.

    Lyle ignored him and left, leaving to take care of more bandits. All of his attacks were fast and made with pinpoint accuracy. He tore through them, his sword cutting into flesh like they were butter and bone like they were sticks. Every motion was executed fluidly, like water, with no pause whatsoever as he made one move and slipped into another.

    His sword was not the one that Murphy and Nyk got for him, because it was still good to use. Even though it was an ordinaly blade, it was still an instrument of death in the hands of someone trained in it''s use. And Bell, that guy, was a reaper. No one escaped his onslaught.

    Murphy watched him a moment longer, thinking that he seemed different just but but couldn''t understand how.

    He then charged into the fray once more. Murphy was a person who specialized in speed and sought for the opponent''s weak spot. He saw an opportunity, he would take it.

    Nyk and Boris fought side by side. Like machines programed for slaughter, they cut into all the bandits unlucky enough to be caught in their crosshairs. Boris, a large battle-axe in hand, lopped the head off an enterprising young bandit. Smilling from ear to ear as if he was having the time of his life.

    Nyk was different, he was more serious. He used his broadsword and struck whenever he saw a lapse in the enemy''s guard, much like Murphy. His attacks were not as fast as Lyle and Murphy''s but he didn''t lack speed and had a calm nature when going for a kill. None of them had any difficulty.

    Loud shouts were issued, and the sound of dying bandits was everywhere.

    Phaedra was  fighting against no less than three, they had her surrounded. But she had no trouble at all.

    She was swift and graceful, cold and ruthless. When a sword came at her, she parried it with her own. When it looked like an attack would hit, she moved to the side and dodged with a razor-thin margin. All while launching her own counter-strike in one seamless motion.

    She had no change of expression at all as she killed. She had long since grown numb to death. It meant nothing to her now.

    In little time, all the attacking bandits had either been killed, crippled or severly injured in some fashion or another.

    Blood had splattered across Lyle''s face, giving him a terrible visage when in combination with the overbearing aura he let out. Of all those here, probably he was the most fearsome.

    Those who knew him were not surprised, but those who hadn''t were a bit weary of this youth. In the short amount of time the battle lasted, they had seen him cut up all his enemies like they were made of cotton.

    Once, they even witnessed him crush a man''s face into the ground. Literally crushed it. Like putting an egg onto the ground and pushing down until it broke.

    Such a powerful bloodlust...

    It seeped out of him, seeming to form a red cloud over his body....Some of those here, halfway through the battle, even thought that his eyes had turned a crimson color....but of course that had to be impossible...

    In fact, probably the most kills went to that young man there. He was akin to a war god, sowing destruction everywhere during the fight. He seemed to lose himself, viciously striking out with all that he had in a wild frenzy and getting more crazed with every passing second.

    A veritable Berserker rage had seemed to come over him. And no one wanted to get in his way. Because they could feel that if they got too close, with that massive bloodlust he had at that time, that hazy look in his eyes....the ones he would come after could be them, whether he did so deliberately or not.

    That aside, none of them were too tired. They were a bit bloodied but almost completely without injury. This was in large part due to the excellent back-up Val and her archers gave.

    A few of the bandits were even killed before they could draw their blades. There were a few archers among the bandits, maybe five, but they were killed at the very start of the battle. Useless.

    As everyone was busy catching their second wind, stretching their muscles casually, Murphy and Nyk saw Bell walk towards the leader.

    He hadn''t moved at all from the spot, but stayed on the ground while everyone else was fighting. He was only now coming to, his pudgy face leaking sweat and jiggling vigorously.

    He didn''t dare move, because every single twitch brought untold amounts of agony. His ruined member was causing blood to pool around his legs and his pants were soaked in reddish brown liquid.

    Lyle walked over to the man with even steps, not in a hury at all.

    "That little girl you talked about was my sister." He said. As he approached closer, he took out a knife that was strapped to his leg.

    " I''m going to hurt you now..."

    He was speaking slowly.

    "Please, don''t...!" The man''s face was a mask of terror. "I-I''ll give you anything you want.  You want money? I can give you ten bags of gold! Just don''t...don''t ..." He blubbered. "No, stay away!"

    The man bawled, shrieking, his pupils becoming tiny little beads. Seeing that his previous words had no effect, he screamed angrily.

    "If you fucking kill me, when my brother learns of this, he''ll find you, your mother and your sister and rape them in front of you! He''ll make them beg for him to fuck them, then kill them, and later feed your cock to a dog! If you don''t want to have that happen--!"

    "Noisy..." Lyle''s hand shot out, and using two fingers, he grabbed the man''s tongue. An instant later, he cut it off.

    A muffled scream.

    "Next is the  eyes, then the nose, then I''ll cut open your skull and see if I can''t do a little experimenting."

    A minute later, he heard something. "Lyle..."

    Cecelia saw what was happening and came over. She was shocked to find out that Lyle was about to torture the man. This...this wasn''t like him.

    Maybe cutting him up, but to look like he actually derived pleasure from it....that was...it really just wasn''t like him at all.

    "What are you doing?" She held onto his shoulder to stop him.

    "I''m..."

    Lyle stopped.

    "No, that...I''m...What was I..."

    He felt like a veil had been lifted just then.

    "Are you alright?" Cecelia asked in concern.

    "...I''m fine. I''m good."

    "...."

    He was lying. He was shaken. She knew he was. Maybe not by what he was about to do. But something else. And she didn''t know what it was or how she could help.

    He was never an easy person to see through, but Cecelia knew him very well. She could see that he was in pain, and that it wasn''t physical.

    But if he didn''t tell her what was wrong, what could she do? Nothing....

    Lyle looked down at his handiwork. The man was missing a tongue and an eyeball. He had once more passed out.

    He didn''t understand why he would do this.  Yes, he would have roughed him up, cut off a few fingers and make him cry, but he wouldn''t try his best to torture him like this. Lyle, when it came to Iris, was capable of being cruel.

    But for those words alone, he wouldn''t have done this.

    If he had touched even a hair on her head, he would have done it. But otherwise, what was the point of going this far?

    And just now...Lyle felt...

    He wasn''t sure.

    Hate?

    Something like that.

    But that hate had nowhere to go.

    Or maybe it went everywhere, touched everything...

    He didn''t know what came over him, but that''s what it felt like. A hate that he couldn''t explain, deep, unfathamable. Molten lava pouring into him and needing to be let out or he would explode.

    "Come on." Cecelia took his arm and urged him to follow her.

    "Wait."

    Lyle couldn''t leave him alive.  For talking about his sister like that, his mother, how could he let him live? If he had even a .1% chance of living with having said those previous words of his, he didn''t after that little threat he had made.

    Brother? Who was his brother, he was nothing. Just a common bandit that could never hope to touch his family. But still.  It was the principle of the thing.

    Lyle took his knife and drew it across the man''s throat, the thick dark blood coming out like syrup.

    "Alright. We can go."

    **********

    "Big brother, what happened?"

    She heard a lot of loud noises that woke her up, but that Melanie woman made her stay inside the carriage. Even covered her ears. So Iris didn''t know exactly what went on.

    An attack?

    She was pretty smart, so obviously knew what the most likely scenario would be.  When her brother came inside the carriage with them, she and Melanie thoroughly checked him for wounds. He had no say in the mattter, Iris forced him to let them do it.

    After that, she asked her previous question.

    "Nothing too eventful." He understood that Iris knew what went on, but didn''t want to give her any details.

    "Oh."  She just nodded. " I''m just happy you''re okay, big brother." She hugged him unexpectedly, her arms winding their way around him.

    "As if it''s possible I wouldn''t be." Lyle laughed. He turned to Melanie. From her haunted look, he knew she must have heard everything and feared the worst.

    "Are you alright, Melanie?" His voice was soft, gentle, not wanting to somehow scare the girl. It was almost like he was speaking to a frightened animal.

    "Oh, yes...I...I''m..."

    She stopped

    An instant later a few tears built in her eyes. " I''m sorry, um, I''m just a bit...worked up..." She averted her gaze and tried to wipe the tears away.

    She heard the fighting, heard everything. And as it dragged on, she grew to fear the Young Master... and Lady Cecelia...might end up...

    It was not something she had experience in, fighting. She listened to the low moans and pained cries with a numbness. It didn''t feel real, but it was, and her heart pounded at the thought. She felt like a mountain was perssing down on her.

    It was at it''s worst when the fighting stopped. That dreadful silence...

    "I''m sorry you had to hear that. It''s over now, don''t worry. I won''t let anything happen to you or Iris. Alright?"

    Lyle hated when women cried. It always made him feel bad. He would probably do anything to make them stop. But he had little experience in comforting women when they teared up.

    So in this moment, he did the only thing he knew what to do in that situation.

    He reached out, and patted the girl on the head. It had always worked with Iris, and he hoped it would work here too. It was a bit awkward for him, but that was all.

    Melanie froze. Suddenly being touched like this, so intimately, made her on guard.  Surprisingly, though, it did help...After a while, she even got used to it. This feeling...it was very strange.

    "Hm. Are we interupting something here, I wonder?" Murphy appeared, having opened the door. Next to him was Nyk.

    "Are you implying there is something to interupt, I wonder?" Lyle shot back.

    " Yes, I can see you''re in the middle of  trying to tame an innocent young maiden. How despicable. You really are a beastly man, my dear Bell. I would expect no less from my best wingman. But doing such things when you already have a girl, you''re too much. How envious...no, I mean despicable."

    Murphy drawled.

    Melanie was both ashamed and angry at that. She was not some pet to be tamed, like the man seemed to imply! Also, the Young Master was not like that. These words, even if you  looked over the fact that they stepped all over her dignity as a woman, weren''t they making light of his good name?

    ...Well, he wasn''t using his actual name, but still! The Young Master definitely wasn''t like that. At all. Sure, maybe he liked teasing her from time to time, but...

    ...And there were those...those things he did to her the other day...but...something like taming, he wouldn''t...Wait. Did the Young Master not say once that she reminded him of a small animal?  And he is pretty much petting her right now...

    This...she didn''t know what to do. Was he really trying to tame her? No. Surely not. Melanie rejected the idea outright. Young Master Lyle would of course never do such a thing! Probably...

    ...Melanie was going to say something to the man, but now found that she was too embarrassed--and confused--to speak.

    Lyle had no idea that his image in Melanie''s mind was undergoing somewhat of a change at that moment. If he knew, then he would have throttled Murphy for those foolish words.

    But of course the main reason for the change would be due to his own actions and words towards the girl, causing the small kernal of doubt to appear in the first place.

    Not knowing any of this, he simply shrugged and stopped his actions.

    "So is there something you wanted?"

    "Yeah, help up throw the bodies out to the side so we can move on. There''ll be all kinds of ravenous animals--Among other things--coming once they smell the blood. Best we be long gone by then." Murphy said.

    "You killed a lot. You have to help." Nyk said. " Come on." They would leave the bodies to be eaten. The rest of the bandits that hadn''t come, unless they attacked, didn''t matter to them. Why would they waste time hunting down a group of outlaws when they had things to do?

    "Right..." Lyle extracted Iris from his body, then stood up. "Sorry, I have to go. Iris, by the way...do you have to go to the bathroom?" He asked, whispering softly inter her ear.

    He was worried about that. There was no toilet around and they were unlikely to find any small towns around. Given how pampered she was he figured going out in the middle of a forest wasn''t a very pleasant thought.

    "No, big brother." She replied, blushing faintly. It wasn''t due to the question. "I went before we left Ustrax and I hadn''t eaten anything. I didn''t drink much water either." She informed.

    "Oh." He frowned. "Don''t do that, though, you''re a growing girl. If you need to go, tell me."

    "Alright. I will."

    "Good. Let''s leave then." He followed Murphy and Nyk, closing the door behind him.

    As they were walking to the front, he looked at Murphy. "Hey, have you seen Bane anywhere?"

    Lyle hadn''t seen him since the start of the battle, It''s like he just vanished out of thin air.

    "Who?" Murphy questioned back, puzzlement drawn on his face.

    "Bane. The guide."

    "Did we have a guide?" Murphy looked at Nyk for help.

    "I don''t think so." He said simply.

    "Huh..."

    Lyle felt this was all very strange.

    Fifteen minutes later he walked up to Jaime, who was talking to his sister. As soon as she saw him, she disappeared. He ignored her, too.

    "Have you seen Bane, the guide, anywhere?"

    Jaime made a face, like he had no idea what he was talking about. "Who''s Bane? I don''t know anyone by that name."

    "The guide. I just said."

    "I heard you." He said.

    "So where is he?" Lyle asked, knowing, fearing, the answer.

    "Bell. There''s never been anyone here with that name."

    "...What''re you saying?"

    "I''m saying I don''t know who that Bane person is. Bell, we don''t even have a guide."

    **********

    Currently, in a dark room overlooking a mountain pass  through it''s windows.

    "Ahh....I finally found it."

    Bane held a glowing, golden ball in his hand. It was an eye, it''s pupil a deep gold and the source of the light.

    "Who knew it would be in a place like this. A treasure, wasted in the hands of these fools. Truly lamentable..."

    Behind him were several figures with lifeless eyes, standing at attention. Their hearts had been ripped out.

    And two of those figures were dead. Well, they were all dead, but those two more so than the others.

    These armored warriors had hollow eyesockets and skeletal frames. As previously said, they were dead.

    More specifically, they were Undead.

    "Now that this thing is in my hands, I can finally achieve true ressurection of life. Or would it''d be closer to reincarnation? I was never clear on that....Either way, I''m glad I found this little bugger."

    Bane was talking to no one but himself, muttering softly. Or maybe not. Maybe he was talking to the Undead beings withi him, He wasn''t sure. He had a habit of doing that, talking aloud. Had ever since he became what he was all those years ago.

    "I wonder if I should have brought that boy along with me. He smelled like a Bathory, that one. It was strong too, like how I imagine a pureblood would smell. Bathory clan, eh. Hm. Frightening. It likely would have not gone well if we were to butt heads had I taken the boy. And Greyson, he said...how nostalgic. Those people, I wonder if they still exist. Those Greyborne slaves. But why would a Bathory clan member bear that surname? His name probably wasn''t his real one, but even so, it''s odd he would choose that. A coincidence? Maybe. Oh well."

    "I think I would have liked to have him here. I''m not young anymore, afterall. A helper would have been nice. The young sister of his, too, would have been good. She might have a talent for it as well. Though she seems to have more affinity for the Lighter aspect of things. Never a good thing. Ah, now that i think or it the boy did too, but it seemed like it was in a slightly different way than she. Can''t put my finger on how, though, It''s unfortunate that they both felt tampered with.

    Those things, were they his guardian spirits? No, a person only has one in their lifetime, not three. There was one on the girl too, like the others inside her brother. I''ve never seen guardian spirits like them, either. So possessive. Especially the girl''s. It''s almost like she had become one with her''s. Yet the boy rejects his. Most curious indeeed.

    Forget it. I probably won''t meet them again."

    The eye disappeared from existence, and Bane smiled faintly. "Come, my pets, let''s be off."

    In a burst of black and steel-grey light, they all vanished.

 Chapter Twenty-Six

    ********************

    It was early the next day, the sun bright and golden and causing the morning dew to glisten beautifully upon emerald green grass and vividly-colored flowers.

    The chilling air, a common occurance at this time of year, caused everyone''s breath to become distinctly visible.

    They had stopped and rested the previous night in a clearing just a mile away from the roadside. The caravans and the rest of the things were left just to the side, the large dirt road off the main road they had come through allowing them to bring the caravans with them.

    There was a small lake of fresh water not far from them, one that none of them bothered with since they had plenty of water on hand. There were a few of them who decided to wash themselves off downstream, but that was it.

    They had dug latrine pits and set up camp easily. Lyle helped Melanie set up a tent, then gave her several thick blankets, a long, padded roll-up mat and a pillow to make her more comfortable. He and Iris, with her insistance, shared a tent of their own.

    He agreed since he didn''t want to leave her by herself. As for Melanie, he obviously couldn''t do the same, he just sat their tent close to her''s. Cecelia took care of herself, there was no need to worry about her.

    Lyle was climbing out of his tent, ready for some "light" training to begin the day--as way his habit--and met Nyk. He was already up and doing his own exercises.

    His shirtless upper body was, despite the coldness of the outside, building up a faint layer of sweat. Like Lyle, he seemed to have began with a series of slow, precise movements that allowed one''s muscles to warm up when combined with sets of controlled breathing techniques.

    As he stood there, Lyle, for the first time, noticed something on his friend''s shoulder blade that surprised him.

    "Nyk, that tattoo...I didn''t know you were a follower of the Church."

    Yes. Right on the back of Nyk''s left shoulder blade was a stylized five-pointed star, colored in black ink. The symbol representing the Church of the Five Saints.

    Nyk stopped his motions, and looked behind him.

    With a casual air, he replied, "My entire family are followers."

    "All of them?" That was strange, the young man never mentioned anything of the like before. Lyle then asked. "Even Solace?"

    "She''s very devout." He confirmed.

    "Weird. I don''t remember ever seeing their mark on her. Or you."

    "Have you ever seen her naked?"

    "No. Of course not." They had a habit of teasing each other, but that was all. Neither of them took the other serious, why would he have?

    "Then there you go."

    Lyle thought for a moment, but didn''t think much of it after that. The Five Saints were pretty popular, a lot of people in Drann and other human settlements were believers. It didn''t rival that of some of the other religions, and some even likened it more to a cult, but it was very widespread.h

    Tink Solace and Nyk are part of them.

    Oh well. To each their own. It didn''t matter much in any case.

    Thinking as such, he began his own training next to Nyk.

    "What''s wrong with your arm?" Nyk inquired suddenly.

    He was referring to Lyle''s bandages. Lyle covered up the Mark--or so it was called by those things--entirely with them. Which meant his whole arm was encased in the wrap.

    "Nothing serious." He said.

    And Nyk wisely didn''t ask.

    **********

    "Hey, Bell, whatcha doin''?" Murphy''s sleepy lean frame came up from behind Lyle as he was battling an imaginary foe.

    "What I always do." He replied simply, his breathing deep and even, perfectly controlled. Despite that, his face and shirt were nearly dripping with sweat. Not to mention that his muscles were pretty much screaming at him by this point.

    "No, like, I mean I always see you doing this, but what''s the point of just swinging a blade around like that? Isn''t it better to just work out and stuff?"

    Murphy understood why he was doing this, but in the end, it wasn''t a real fight against anyone. Going through the motions like this was all well and good, but would it help with anything?

    Lyle shook his head. He wouldn''t bother explaining. "Here." He tossed Murphy the blunted weapon without warning. The younger boy hurridly moved to catch it.

    ...As soon as Murphy got his hands on it, he dropped it on the ground.

    It made a loud noise as it sank it''s point into the dirt.

    Shocked at it''s weight, he moved to pick it up once more.

    --But he couldn''t move it at all!

    He strained his mucles, hard, but he only managed to get it out of the floor. He wasn''t able to move it even five inches above the ground.

    Son of a bitch, what the hell is this bastard made of, so heavy!

    Murphy had such a thought, his arms burning as he struggled to keep the cursed thing from re-entering the earth.

    "What''s the matter, Murph?" Lyle''s wry smile seemed downright sadistic to Murphy''s eyes.

    Murphy couldn''t take it anymore, dropping the thing. He frowned. "Alright. Point taken."

    "Thought so."

    As Lyle again took up the sword before walking a bit away and beginning another imaginary battle. Murphy watched with a slightly awed look

    He had kept looking for several minutes before sensing a large figure coming towards him. "I always thought so, but that Bell is insane..." Murphy, still sleepy, yawned out that statement when the figure got close.

    "Look at him. I can barely see the movements of his blade at all. And that fucker''s heavier than a dead corpse. But strange, that sword, I never see him use it in battle. Even if it''s dull, it could still be used as bludgeon."

    Boris, at his side, snorted coldly. "You ain''t supposed to use that kind of weapon for combat, boy. Those things, they''re used strictly for training and mainly by Knights. That thick, stone-like blade, it''s made of heavy materials. That one? Maybe three hundred. Or actually, possibly four hundred. "

    "Your mother, four hundred pounds!" Murphy felt like he hearing things. Any sword or other weapon would not weigh more than ten or, maybe at the most, twenty pounds!

    In the sword category, only Greatswords would weigh somewhere around ten pounds. Most other weapons? No.

    Spears and warhammers are among the heavier weapons, but even they wouldn''t be more than ten or so pounds. Because if they were too heavy, they would be way too hard to wield well. If one wanted to use a weapon effectively, it had to have good balance and weight. But too much weight, even if balanced perfectly, would be way too difficult to use!

    Boris, Murphy understood, was a strong man and was easily able to use a Greatsword. That was amazing, anyone would agree. But it couldn''t be compared to what Bell was doing.

    Maybe Boris could lift it, but make such complicated movements similar to Bell''s? Fuck, who would believe that?

    No, by all rights, Bell shouldn''t be able to do it either! He was strong as fuck, but this was too much!

    Of course, this was all according to his own common sense and logic.

    As for Boris....

    "Don''t be so surprised. Regular people won''t be able to do what Bell is doing. And they won''t use such heavy weapons. But to Knights, a hundred pounds wouldn''t matter much. Powerful Earth Knights can do five or six hundred. They have to have such strongth. They fight literal monsters. Look at that." He pointed. "His feet are making slight indents on the ground."

    "Bell isn''t a Knight though."

    "Nothing wrong with starting training early."

    "So. How do they stop their feet from sinking into the dirt when using such heavy weapons?" Murphy wondered. Five hundred or six hundred pounds, all that weight, how could a human''s legs not dip into the ground?

    "Magic and shit, what else?" Boris looked at him like he was foolish for asking. "Anyway I would say given his physical power alone he might be comparable to a freshly trained Earth Knight. Not that he would be able to actually fight one."

    Boris told the boy the last part with force, not wanting to imply that Bell is that strong. Because that would be insane. Simply put, purely in terms of strength, Bell is comparable to an average or above average Knight, maybe even an Earth Knight, but he can''t fight either one just yet. They have Elementals to aid them, Bell didn''t. Their powers were too numerous too.

    Jaime could fight them, but he wasn''t a normal human, he was a blood elf, and the training his father sent him to have was suicidal. Jaime was stronger than Bell by a few tiers, though Bell, in Boris'' mind, had more talent.

    He just wasn''t as old as Jaime, or had the training he did. If he had at least one, then he would probably be his equal. If he had both, he would likely surpass him. This was only Boris'' estimation, however.

    " So what you mean is, Bell''s a broken character?"

    "Kind of, yeah. Were he to ever undergo real Knight training, he would make a great one some day. "

    "That bastard. Hmph. Okay, well, let''s not allow him to get too far ahead of us!"

    "Heh, good words. Alright, let me rally the others. Lazy bastards. They''ll be ashamed of themselves, knowing that Nyk and Bell are already hard at work. This''ll get ''em motivated!"

    *********

    Like he predicted, the others felt deep shame. They all worked extra hard that day, not able to stand the thought of losing out to two youngsters. They were all caked with sweat and dirt, exhausted after an hour of hard training.

    Push-ups, sit-ups, squats, mock-battles, they did it all. And it was still early in the morning.

    Iris came out of the tent just then, shivering. Lyle and Nyk were currently both soaked, shirtless and breathing hard. A fierce sparring match involving them both caused some cheers and bets from the other mercenaries. The scarce number of women who were part of the mercenay company, like Val, even whistled.

    Obviously this excluded Phaedra, who was sharpening her weapons. Indifferent.

    Melanie had long since awoken and watched as Lyle and the other worked out. Before long, Cecelia even joined them. As was normal.

    After a few minutes, a person spoke. "Ah, brother is hard at work again today. I wonder how many hours I''ve missed...how shameful. I should have got up earlier."

    Iris normally went to see her brother when he did this. It relaxed her somehow, Iris enjoyed watching him. It was a fun way to pass the time, and she sometimes drew him when he wasn''t looking.

    His form was especially wonderful when he trained like this. He was serious, raw, unlike his usually calm and composed self. It was a different aspect of her brother, and Iris liked to see it.

    Her voice startled Melanie, who nearly jumped. "Lady--Iris. Oh, you''re up? Y-your scared me..."

    "Sorry." Iris apologized. "Were you admiring big brother too just now?"

    "No. I wasn''t. " She denied, quickly.

    "So you were."

    "I said I wasn''t though...."

    "Yes, but I know you do. You used to peek at him through the windows of the mansion, I''ve seen you. And that was before you began to tend to him whenever he finished. So how could you know when he was done unless you watched? You should have just been like me and looked openly, it''s nothing to fret over."

    "That''s...I never...I mean, how could I ever do something so..." Melanie didn''t know what to say. To say she peeked was too much! It sounded bad.

    She was just checking on him to make sure he didn''t ever get injured from such difficult training regimes, that was all! Yet now it seemed...shameful. How can her pure intentions be twisted like that...

    She definitely never "peeked"...

    "Don''t be so worried about this. After all...you and big brother have done things much more shameful together." Iris'' smile was sharp. "So what''s the point of looking so embarassed with only this?"

    With that, she strode towards her brother with a blanket wrapped around her.

    Melanie was left dumbfounded.

    *********

    Phaedra stretched her arms, getting up from the large rock she had placed a pillow on and made her seat.

    "I''ll be back, i''m going to go wash up by the lake. " After a visit to her tent to grab some things, she went and informed her brother of her decision. Who was currently watching the mock-battle between "that bastard" and Nykyrian.

    "Alright." Her brother said. "But are you sure you don''t want to go and train with them a bit?" He asked. "You could have a sparring match with Bell, relieve some stress." That much was fine. They could both use it, he thought. As long as it was just a spar, it was okay.

    "No thanks." Phaedra refused. " I don''t need to. And I don''t want to be near that walking lightbulb so early in the morning. Why would I?."

    "Such harsh words." He paused. "Wait, why lightbulb?"Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

    Phaedra snorted. "Do you really want me to waste my breath explaining it to you?"

    Jaime sighed. " Okay, fair enough. But I just don''t get it, Fey. Why hate him so much? He''s not bad. With your...unique abilities... you of all people should understand that."

    "Well I don''t." Her cold reply made him stop. "And I don''t want to, either. I never asked for any of this. You have no idea how hard it is to deal with. I already get irritable with the hard-heads we keep company with on a daily basis. And now you want me to play nice with the one who causes me the most pain? Forgive me if I don''t want to spend too much time with a person who makes my head ache simply by being here."

    After a moment, he smiled biterly. "...Well you seemed eager enough to be near him yesterday when you were trying to get him worked up."

    She smirked, her canines on full display. " And? So what? Is there a problem?"

    Obviously I have my reasons, but why should I tell you? Is there anything you could do even if you knew?

    She wouldn''t tell him though. Her problems were her own, and he wouldn''t be able to help her either way. No one could.

    "...."

    ...jaime didn''t know if it was possible for a person to be both sadistic and masochistic at the same time, but if it was, then his sister fit the bill. Or maybe she was just so sadistic that she would withstand being near the person she hates just to spout abuse at him.

    Other than attempted murder of the young man, it seems like trying to make him so angry he''ll cough blood is a fun way to pass the time for her. It was self-destructive though. In various ways.

    Seeing him go quiet, Phaedra started to walk off. "I won''t be long." She raised her hand as she her back was towards him, speaking airly.

    Jaime sighed once again.

    **********

    As soon as Lyle saw Iris'' curent atire, he cursed and threw his sword to the side before rushing towards her.

    "Iris, what the hell are you doing! You''ll catch a cold!"

    She only wore the light dress from yesterday with a blanket around her. Yesterday the dress was fine, despite the rain.

    But today it was much colder!

    She could catch something!

    She could start running a fever!

    " Come on, let''s go get something warm on you. Honestly, what''s with you, coming out with such clothes on. You could get sick, you know? Hurry up, come on!"

    He was very angry. It was this cold outside and she was running around like that, it was as if she didn''t care about her body at all.

    A few minutes later the young girl came out wit some pants and a long-sleeved shirt on. With a furry red coat, knit gloves and a cap. It all seemed to be a set.

    Very thick, very warm. She even had a muffler. And boots. All either red or black.

    She looked adorable dressed like that, anyone would agree.

    "Hehe, big brother does indeed worry about my well-being. So caring..."

    "Caring? Ha, I would fail as an older brother if I didn''t do this much. It''s really the bare minimum."

    "Big brother, why can''t you just be honest?"

    Lyle ignored her and looked towards Melanie. "You should cover up too."

    The girl glanced away sheepishly. " That...um, that''ll be a bit difficult right now."

    "Ah, right, sorry." Lyle remembered that she didn''t bring many clothes with her. Even the ones she brought wouldn''t do much for her. "Stay here." Saying so, he ran back to his tent. He came back moments later and tossed something to the girl. " Use this for now until I can get you some clothes at the next town."

    Melanie looked and saw that it was a deep grey and silver-colored overcoat.

    She shook her head. "No, I can''t! This is yours, how can I take it? " She knew that the one he wore previously got ruined, and he probably wouldn''t back more than two.

    "Fear not. I can use the other one. I repaired it a bit last night, and it''ll do. I can''t let you wear nothing, and I can''t let you use one that has tears in it still. So have this one. It''ll keep you nice and toasty."

    "Wait, you repaired it yourself?" She instantly felt bad. " Why? I should have been the one to do it!"

    "Since I can do it myself, why should I trouble you?"

    "It''s my job..."

    "Not right now it isn''t. You don''t have to worry about me so much, you know?"

    "But...it''s my responsibility..."

    "Like I said, right now it''s not."

    "...Alright. Fine. E-even still, I c-can''t take this. You should take it. I''m f-fine, r-really! It''s not that col anyway. Y-you should have it instead. You could come down with something if you don''t! It''s c-c-cold outside, so--"

    Lyle looked at her doubtfully. "First you say that you''re fine because it''s not cold, but then tell me to wear the thing instead since it''s cold outside? Also, do you think I can''t hear your teeth chattering?"

    "That''s...That''s not true!...M-my t-t-teeth aren''t chattering at all!" She denied his words.

    Who are you trying to fool, Both Lyle and Iris thought, not believing her at all.

    "And...oh..." Melanie stopped.

    She only just now realized the mistake he pointed out in her last statements.

    Melanie felt a faint heat spread across her face, not knowing what to say in response.

    "Ah, it''s kinda cute." Lyle mused. "You think I was asking. I wasn''t. Put it on." He commanded firmly.

    "...Y-young Master..." Melanie kept hesitating.

    "Well?"

    "...I understand. E-excuse me then..." Left with little choice, she put her arms through the sleeves of the coat and put it on.

    True to his words, the coat quickly did well in protecting her from the cold. It also had his scent all over it, even though he''d not worn it yet. It felt like he was warmly embracing her.

    Melanie''s heart sped up wildly at the thought, her heatbeat so loud to her own ears that she was afraid even he''d hear.

    Melanie was glad to have it, but she if it was going to be like this every time she wore it... She didn''t know if she could endure.

    Melanie forced these thoughts to the side, but she was unable to look him in the eyes. She could feel her cheet start warming up, all the way to her ears.

    She glanced at him just then, suddenly thinking of something as she did.

    "Young Master, wait..." She told him, disappearing.

    A few minutes passed.

    " Young Master, here you go." Melanie came up and handed him a towel to dry his sweat, offering him a cup of water a moment later.

    "Ah, thanks." He accepted both gratefully.

    She waited for him to finish wiping himself and drink all the water before she took them back. "...Would you like something to eat? I could...I could make something for you. You must be famished. Hold up, I''ll get a fire going and--"

    "No, that''s fine. I''ll just chew some jerky, I''m not really all too hungry anyhow. I can wait till later to eat, and we should reach a town within a few more hours of travel. But you, Cecelia and Iris can go ahead and eat. In fact, should I make you guys something then? You''ve probably never used a campfire to cook, right? So you might not be able to do it. Let me handle it instead. I''ll go call Cecelia, she should be getting hungry right about now."

    Melanie blinked.

    "What? No!" She stopped him. "I can''t do that! Iris and Cecelia aside, how can I just let you do the cooking?" Wasn''t that her job? To eat something made by him... allowing him to make something for her, a servant... that wasn''t acceptable. "Also, you just went through such a intense training session, you should eat!"

    "Like I said, i''m fine. I''m not that hungry." He insisted. He really wasn''t. For some reason, he only felt reinvigorated. Maybe it was just the high from a hard session of exercise, but he hadn''t felt much desire for any food right now. Some jerky was more than enough to last him.

    He lowered his voice. "Besides, again, you''re not a servant right now. Here we''re just friends, right? Don''t worry about it."

    "It''s not right. It shouldn''t be like this. And you''re always hungry when you finish training in the mornings...Ah" She remembered. " You should be feeling sore too. Then before eating, would you like a massa--?"

    "Melanie." He stopped her with a word.

    He was worried that some of the others may hear, and it would be bad if she said what he suspected she was about to say. In various ways. They weren''t talking loudly, but what if someone walked up to them unawares?

    "Sorry..." Melanie knew that, once again, she was about to make a blunder. She had to stop that.

    "But really, don''t be so stubborn." Melanie was saying. " I can take care of this much. At least get something light in your stomach. You can''t eat anything heavy, but if you don''t eat something then isn''t it bad for you?" She unconsciously moved to take his hand. " Come on, let''s--"

    But Lyle roughly broke from her grip, as if her arm was a snake.

    There was a small quietness that took root between the three present which stretched out for several seconds.

    "...I-I''m sorry, I shouldn''t have..." She began.

    "Don''t." Lyle waved off her apology. "It''s not your fault." He stiffened. "Melanie, on second thought, go ahead and make something for Iris, will you? I''ll be back in a bit."

    "Brother?" Iris grew concered, tugging on his arm.

    Let go...

    " I''m alright." He said. "I''ll be back." He repeated.

    Then, without another word, he walked away into the forest under the worried gaze of the two.

    **********

    He raced at a break-neck pace once he was out of eyeshot.

    Something was wrong. He felt like he was on fire. His blood, his bone, every part of him, at that one touch of Melanie''s, was set aflame.

    Ever moment made his heart pound harder in his chest. His skin was ultra-sensitive and, like everything else, hot.

    Abnormally so. So much that it hurt. Like there was a small sun forming inside him that was pressing against his flesh in an attempt to get free.

    But this feeling, it was different from before. It was more intense. Much more.

    And he had to get away. It was as if someone set him aflame. Lyle couldn''t handle it. He felt like he would pass out from the heat. Or scream. Or go wild. Or maybe a weird combination of all three.

    But it just kept on building up...

    He rushed forward, desperate to alleviate this scalding heat that was ignited within him.

    He paid no attention to the things in his way, he just had a single-minded focus on getting to where he wanted to go.

    There was only a single time when he stopped, when the fire threatened to overtake him, when his body spasmed with pain and dropped him. There was no warning. He had taken a sharp rock, making a jagged cut into his leg.

    His blood was like acid in his veins, and that was the only way he knew that might help. By letting it out.

    Then he moved on. Doggedly. The wound helped only slightly.

    And several agonizing minutes later, he arrived.

    With the fire almost ready to explode, Lyle kicked himself off the ground.

    An instant laster, a loud splash! was heard.

    Ice-cold water surrounded him. It was salty, and invaded his nose, mouth, ears, the cut on his leg, everything.

    Freezing. Biting into his skin.

    ...Liberating him from the fire...

    He stayed like that until he couldn''t breathe anymore, until his chest felt like it was being pressed down. Unil he had to come out of he would drown.

    His face broke through the surface of the chilling water, coming out and gasping for air.

    Lyle stayed there, his feet touching the sandy bottom of the shallow lake which only came upto his waist.

    He just stood in that spot, unmoving, his breath ragged. Steam rose off his skin as he made contact with the water. The droplets of liquid on his arms and torso and hair also began evaporating.

    It felt great, the iciness. It dampened the fire that was eating away at him, helped him get more control of himself.

    But it wasn''t easy. His lungs burned, his head was dizzy. He could only stand there and struggle to keep his senses, could only cling onto consciousness with everything he had.

    Because he wasn''t sure what would happen if he let go, if he let it take him, if he was not awake to fight this feeling off.

    "What...The hell...are you doing here?"

    A low, threatening voice--feminine, full of warning--was issued forth from behind him.

    **********

    Phaedra had her head dipped underneath the freezing water when she felt it. The movements of someone or some thing jumping inside the lake.

    Never had she expected that when she readied for a fight she instead would find the rather muscled back of a young man facing her only a few feet away. Surprised, she eyed the newcomer wearily, not sure what was happening but knowing that he hadn''t noticed her.

    It took her only a second to recognize the person those broad shoulders belonged to.

    And it took much longer for her to realize what situation she was in. At first she just stared at him, wondering what he was doing.

    It seemed like he was in pain, and she didn''t think it was due to the wound she saw by his leg. There looked to be steam rising off his body, and Phaedra knew that if she touched him he would probably be scalding hot.

    Seeing this strange thing didn''t cause her much worry, however. She knew more than anyone that his body was strong, very strong. No normal person could have that strength. He probably wasn''t fully human, like her.

    So she thought nothing of this sight, just idly curious as to what was happening to him.

    But then she understood that she, naked, was pretty much being disturbed in the midst of her "bath". Even if he didn''t mean to, or didn''t know, how could she be calm? Especially when it was he who was here, about to see her naked as day?

    With that anger building up inside her, she let out a few words of warning.

    His entire body looked to stiffen up noticably.

    "Phaedra." His made it sound like a curse. His gaze involuntarily moved to the woman''s voice.

    Phaedra, noticing this, instantly dipped her entire body back into the water.

    "Bastard, look away!"

    "...Why?" There was a silence before he said that.

    "Why!" She repeated after him. "Damn beast, only you would have the gall to ask that question in this situation!" She yelled. Then her eyes narrowed. " Did you see?" If you saw, you die.

    Her words implied this.

    "Yeah."

    "How much?"

    "Everything."

    "I see." She calmed herself. Then, "I''m going to kill you later. Failing that, I''ll gouge out your eyeballs. Now look away!" She snapped that last sentence at him, enraged he hadn''t already done so.

    "I don''t see how it would matter if I look away now. The rice is already cooked, so whether I avert my gaze now or not won''t change the fact that I saw. No excuse would be good in a situation like this, you would be mad either way. So why shouldn''t I just look?"

    "Shameless!"

    "Perhaps so." His lips curled upwards. " If I am, me looking is really just as to be expected, right? Well, I won''t disappoint you then. Rest assured that I''ll etch every detail into my retinas. You''re welcome." He spoke like he was doing her a favor.

    Phaedra was speechless. Every word he spoke up to now, it was all ridiculous! Continuing to look because he already saw? What sort of logic was that? What sort of person would come up with that? This bastard...he had reached a level of shamelessness that was many times higher than others his age.

    It was simply inconceivable there was a person who could say all that with such a reasonable tone of voice.

    However, Phaedra did notice one thing that caused her to think: Though he didn''t bother looking away, except for that initial glance, he never broke eye contact with her. From almost his first real awareness of her up to now, he had not glanced even once at her naked form.

    But that, to her, might have been worse. She was naked, and yet he was staring her in the eyes like that. Somehow it made her feel more exposed than if he actually did look at her body.

    Again, that angered her to no end.

    "Fine. Keep looking, I don''t care. Shameless bastard."

    "Do you always have to be so foul-tempered?"

    "Do you always have to be so hateful?"

    "I wouldn''t have to be if you just layed off me once in a while."

    "Well maybe if you just kept your mouth shut once in a blue moon, I would."

    "So, what, you blame me for this..." He gestured to them both. "...Thing between us?"

    "Of course."

    He laughed. "You don''t have the right to say that. I''m not the one who jumps to murder everytime we meet."

    " I don''t ever see you backing down."

    "Because you won''t let me." He narrowed his eyes dangerously.

    She barred her teeth, her face a mask of ferocity. "If you just stop provoking me I would''t have to bother with you!"

    "How do I ever I provoke you?" Lyle asked angrily, voice getting more heated each second they talked.

    "By living!"

    "Fucking hell, woman, that''s not an answer! Exactly what am I doing that''s so damn offensive?!"

    She shouted venomously. "It doesnot matter. What matters is that if only you weren''t here then everything would be fine! If only you weren''t here, I wouldn''t hurt so much!"

    She didn''t continue, just glared at him hatefully. She breathed hard, her eyes flashing with a wild, furious light.

    He realized it then. He never felt this way before, despite everything she had said and done.

    Lyle realized...That right now, in this moment, he hated her. He hated her. This emotion, so sudden and without warning, sat in the pit of his stomach. Making him feel sick. The fire from before rose up, this time changed. It smouldered inside him, slowly building up, like a volcano. It wasn''t a raging inferno like before, but a molten lava that just made him want to scream.

    Never before had anyone seemed to simply reject his entire existence before. This loathing, this disdain, it was like she just wanted him gone.

    It was only now that he had discovered that there was someone who would just be happier if he had never been born.

    But she had no reason to hate him. He had never done anything to her from the start. Not that he knew of. He had never even know of her until more recently in his life.

    What hurt? Nothing but nonesense.

    "Why?" He asked quietly, trying very hard to control the burning feeling in his chest. " Why do you hate me? What possible reason could you even have?"

    Her face went hard.

    " I don''t need a reason. What I hate, is everything about you. Just being near you sets me off. Don''t you get it? But you keep coming back no matter what I do! I wash you''d just fucking leave already!"

    Unnoticably, in the middle of their heated back talk, they had moved closer to each other.

    And because of that, Phaedra was given the perfect opportunity to shove him to enunciate the words. Like she imagined, his body was hot. Strangely, though, it wasn''t hurtful or unpleasant.

    As for Lyle, with him being pushed back, feeling the warmth of her hands upon the brief contact... the aggression behind the shove made him nearly lose it. He wanted to get away from here as fast as he could, but if he made any sudden move he feared that it would just make him run wild.

    The only reason he hadn''t, he believed that the only reason that he was able to hold a seemingly normal conversation up to now was because of cafeful restraint--sheer willpower--and the coldness of the water constantly dousing the ever-rising heat inside him.

    "Don''t. Touch me!" He ground out.

    She smirked, not at all sorry. "Or what?" She challenged. With that said she once more placed a hand on his torse, ready to shove him another time.

    When she did, his pupils contracted and her felt his fists tremble.

    "Oh? Is there something wrong, huh? You seem troubled. Well, what''re you going to do?"

    Lyle, seeing her disdainful face, the way she smirked at him, egging him on, he couldn''t stand it.

    Phaedra had no time to react by the time she felt his hand around her neck, lifting her up. He had the face of a beast, predatory.

    His hand was hot and full of power, like they could break her with but a tiny squeeze. Maybe they could. Maybe she wanted them to.

    "Go ahead..." She forced out. "...Try it."

    She saw several emotions pass through his eyes at her words, knew he was struggling with himself.

    She could feel and see him letting out hard, staggering breaths. Neither of them spoke. They could only here the various sounds of the forest around them, the sound of flowing water and chirping of birds.

    With visible effort, through clenched teeth, he let out a single sentence.

    "You wish I would leave? Well I wish that we had never met."

    And the hate vanished. It left as fast as it vame, birthed and killed in a matter of moment. All that was left was a hollowness.

    He was tired of it. Of her snide comments, of her caustic attitude.

    He had his own problems.

    Hell, he''d had problems since his first day of life, things that he would have to deal with simply because of who he was and what family he was born into.

    In addition, just in the past few days alone the number of problems he had to face went up drastically. Not just him, but even Iris, the sister that he cheished more than probably anything else, was the same as him.

    So he didn''t need this. He didn''t need to be dealing with her, too.

    He had enough of her.

    And as soon as he realized this, that hate, that anger towards her...was gone. It just left him feeling empty.

    With stiff movements, he turned away from her and went towards the edge of the lake, slinking back into the forest.

    Phaedra was still in the lake, having been dropped abruptly.

    ...I wish that too, She thought. Every day. You...you''re nothing but a poison to me...

    Standing up, she eyed the red liquid that was spreading throughout the water

    He was wounded, she remembered. Which meant that this was his blood. And there''s so much of it...

    A strange look came onto her face as she watched it. Almost remorseful.

    Finally, after a moment''s hesitation, she cupped her hands, carefully bringing the blood-water to her lips...

    But one I can''t help wanting more of...

    ...And drank...

 Chapter Twenty-Seven

    <hr>

    *******************

    Dammit...calm down...breathe...

    Lyle stood hunched over by the trunk of a tree, completely dry, saying this over and over in his head. The fire was gone, he didn''t know how or why. But he could still feel the after effects. Everything hurt. His muscles felt torn. Raw. They shivered, making his hands twitchy.

    He had to force himself to take deep, even breaths to stop himself from going back.

    He thought back to when it began. Melanie touched him. That''s when it started. No warning whatsoever. No reason for his body to act up. No voice in his head. It was similar to the time when Azamat influenced him that day.

    As soon as she touched him, he felt hot. Heart pounding, his hands wanting to reach out and bring her closer. It wasn''t the same, though.  Back then his mind was unclear, hazy, he didnt know what he was doing until the last moment.

    This time he had felt more clear-headed. But it was almost like he was drugged with something. His body came alive, and he nearly wanted to take her there and then.

    But that was only the beginning. The more he resisted the feeling, the worse it got. And the worse it got, the more it hurt. It escalated fast, trying to overpower him. Eventually it just started to eat away at him, making him feel like he would literally burst apart.

    It  was as if there was an overwhelming power inside him and his body couldn''t contain it.

    When he jumped into the lake it helped him calm down and fight against it. And after he began talking to Phaedra, the distraction once again lessened his burden.

    Yet as soon as she shoved him, it flared up again. The hate and anger he felt at that time seemed to take precedence, but that was all.

    Lyle, when the contact was made, wasn''t sure if he wanted to slap her or kiss her or both.

    Even though he said he was done with her, that didn''t stop his body from reacting to her touch. Her hand on his chest had done something to him in the same way Melanie''s previous touch did.

    He could only conclude that it was because they touched him that this fire started up at all. This is, of course, an obvious conslusion. Anyone could figure that out.

    But why? Why did their touch do this to him? Each time one of those three things influenced him--like the time with Melanie, and yesterday when he ran wild in rage--they had always spoken to him.

    Maybe it wasn''t required. Yet why would it be different this time? And for what reason?

    This was all...He just couldn''t make heads or tails of it. He could only make guesses.

    "If you want to know then you can just ask. I wouldn''t give two fucks about telling you. It''s not like it''s some secret." A rough voice spoke out.

    Lyle started, his eyes narrowing as a later-aged man appeared in front of him. His tall, muscled frame and unkempt hair were instantly familiar to him.

    "You!" He yelled. "What have you done to me!"

    Nakir snorted. "''You'', who? Not me. I and Etaine didn''t do anything, at least. Blame Azamat. He''s the one that''s causing this." He cut a glance to the boy, saying, " And don''t worry, they''re resting to conserve their strength, i''m even doing my best to block them so they won''t hear this. But yeah, Azamat''s doing this. Your body''s changing, little Greyborne. It''ll probably keep changing too, so that your body can better handle our unique energies.

    Azamat''s currrently a fusion between Lust and Pride, something that had never been done before and shouldn''t be happening. Well, let''s not get into that mess. Anyway, right now, the Lust aspect of his energy is  making your body aroused in response to a woman''s touch. Which it would do normally, but this is much worse. If I had to say, you''re slowly turning into something like an incubus? Ah...I guess my own energies are making everything run even more rampant, though." He admitted, not caring at all. "Actually, i''m also quite interesting in what Etaine''s energy would do to you.

    Lyle could barely understand what the man--thing--was saying. His head continued to feel like somone was bashing it a large club fron, but from the inside out.

    Wait, hold on. Incubus...?

    Lyle knew the creatures he talked of. They, like succubi, absorbed life energy through sexual acts. But they were incredibly rare. And from what Lyle could tell, this Azamat character was similar to them. Or perhaps they were similar to him. Whatever the case may be, Lyle thought that Azamat was like them for some time now given that he seemed to need to drain energy through the act of sex.

    Either way...this explanation wasn''t unbelievable. As he calmed down more and thought about what was spoken, he realized that it was all fairly straightfoward. He had no idea what unique energies he talked of, not really, but it was apparent that they were doing things to his body that was causing all this.

    And the part of a woman''s touch being the trigger for his body acting this way was alligned with his own theory on it. He didn''t understand exactly the why or how of it, but the result was clear.

    Great, he thought, I''m becoming a damn man-whore. Another thing to add to my list of problems. Will the changes--whatever they may be--be permanent, or will they be gone once I get rid of "them"? As a man it''s normal to have desires, but I have no wish to become a sex-crazed maniac who tries to mount any pretty woman he come across. I''d rather die than become that sort of scum.

    Perhaps he would, too.

    That aside, the three within him didn''t look to be in full control of what happened to him. Just being in him caused changes, if what this one said was to be believed. And if this Azamat''s energies was changing his body into someing akin to an incubus, what were the other two doing to him? How would these mysterious energies mutate?

    Nakir, this man, just said that his own energies made Azamat''s run rampant within Lyle''s body, which is likely what led to such a extreme result. If that Etaine''s energy were added into the mix, could his body live?

    No, well, Lyle knew they could heal him. They wouldn''t let him die, they for some reason needed him alive. Needed to bind themselves to his soul.  So maybe he would be fine, but these changes in his body might make his life a living hell in the worst case.

    If these changes were permanent, then...

    Wait, before being concerned about his own self...What about Iris? What changes would be happening to her?

    Lyle felt a sudden burst of anxiety, but forced it down. Freaking out would do no good. They were both needed alive. Right?

    Yet as he thought more, the more he grew worried. The three in his own body coveted him for his innate gifts, but Iris was weak. She was just a frail young girl, what value would she have to one of those creatures?

    There had to be a reason the one inside her kept clinging to her instead of moving to another host. Whether because it took a liking to her, couldnt move to another or found some hidden potential in her, the fact of the matter was that so far she was left alone. At least it wasn''t hurting her.

    He would take that as a good sign, though one that rang a touch bitter.

    "And why have you graced me with your presence? Are you and your little friends done pouting?" Lyle asked.

    Something had to be up. They had not taken the initiative to talk to him, and yet now this one seemed so chatty. Why?

    "That tongue of yours is a sharp one, lad. Not that I really care. But there isn''t any particular reason, I was just curious why I sensed a powerful Lich around here. It''s strange that I''m only now sensing the bastard, and I know he''s long gone by now. Must be  blocking himself from detection somehow, which is amazing since he''s able to distort even my keen senses. Ugh, being this weak is really a damn hassle!" He sighed. " And it doesn''t help that i''m appearing to you with a body like this. Though I can afford to after your little killing spree."

    "Lich?" Lyle''s eyes went wide.

    Son of a bitch,  he cursed, A Lich! Here? How? And one that even this person says is strong? Impossible, the Council should have purged any Necromancer of that level ages ago,  and there''s no way one could have reached the power needed to become a Lich in recent years!

    Not all Necromancers were hunted down, and not all Necromancers were hated, but Lichs definitely would never be allowed to live! Not a single one was good, and the abilities they possessed could threaten the fate of an entire nation if left unchecked!

    This level of power was ridiculous to the extreme. Lichs reigned as kings when it came to death. They turned enemies into allies, ones that couldn''t be put back down by normal means. The only mages that rivaled them, as far as Lyle knew, were ones who reached a certain level of mastery over one of the aspects of the Sin Series in curse magic.

    No other type of mage, from his knowledge, could compete with a Lich in terms of threat level. They may not have the strongest destructive abilities, but curse magic and Necromancy trained to the higher levels could potentially affect thousands, millions, of people. And this made them dangerous.

    Lyle thought back to Bane, that old man. Ridiculous. It couldn''t be him! Although Lyle knew something was strange about the man since no one remembered him, he couldn''t a Lich!

    ...Could he?

    No way, a figure like that shouldn''t be in a place like this at all! However, if Nakir said so, if he wasn''t lying--which he had no reason to do--then Lyle could only wonder why a person like that would be here.

    What should he do? Tell someone? No, no one would believe him anyway. He discarded the idea. Dammit, it was giving him an even worse headache. He learned that a dangerous individual like that was running around, but what was he supposed to do about it?

    He couldn''t really do anything. He had no evidence. Nothing to back up his claim. Maybe...maybe it was fine to just let it go? If the Lich caused trouble then the Council would surely know and act accordingly. Perhaps they were already monitoring him...

    Thinking this, Lyle decided to not be concerned about it for now. He felt more uneasy knowing a person like that was out there, but he alone wouldn''t be able to convinve anyone the threat was real. He could only trust that the Council would take care of it should something happen.

    It was, afterall, their job.

    "Ah, but there are quite a few strange ones around you, aren''t there boy? A person of Avrora''s  bloodline, a powerful Lich, that peculiar-smelling Blood Elf girl.  Not one of them are able to be considered normal. Avora''s kin shouldn''t have survived, though I do know it''s possible. A Lich as old as that also shouldn''t be moving around parts like this which are controlled by that crazed bitch Aine. And a half-Blood Elf with that particular scent should not even have made it passed childhood if my hunch is correct."

    Lyle narrowed his eyes at him. "Who, Phaedra? What do mean, shouldn''t have made it passed childhood?"

    "That''s just if I''m right, but it doesn''t matter."

    "  Hey, old man, I asked you a question." Though maybe he shouldn''t have asked. It wasn''t his business, really. Still, the things that this guy was saying worried him. What did he mean, "peculiar-smelling"? Her being a Blood Elf was known, but was there something else too?

    ...Actually, Lyle didn''t care much about her personally. He was just thinking that maybe it was something he should know since it was mentioned.

    "So? If you want to know, ask her. I''m not even sure about it. Though if i''m right, those arguments of yours are probably her feeding off you."

    That did not sound good to Lyle.

    "Wait, wait, wait, hold up. Feeding?" Again, Lyle did not like the sound of that. At all. "What--"

    " I''m not your personal information center, I have no obligation to tell you." He waved off the question before it began. Moving on, he said, " But boy, all this aside, tell me. Did it feel good? Letting loose like that? You can feel it, can''t you? That anger inside you. You have a lot of it."

    " I don''t know what you''re talking about." He smiled. If that guy was being difficult, so could he. "Anger? Who, me? Please. Perish the thought. It''s a universally known fact that I''m more kind and accepting than a saint. Even the Goddess of Mercy and Forgiveness would pale in comparison to me in terms of magnaminity."

    Nakir was momentarily stunned into silence. "...Your words are perhaps the most arrogant I have ever encountered in any being, boy. Even Azamat could learn a thing or two from you, I believe." Nakir laughed with fervor. When was the last time he felt so amused? He couldnt''t even remember.

    He sobered quickly.

    "But don''t lie to me. I know you. You have a vindictive heart deep down inside. This is why I and Azamat are starting to affect you so soon. You''re truly compatible with us. You have pride deeply rooted into your bone, and if you were pushed hard enough you would burn the entire world to the ground  in order to save the few you care for.

    Why is that, do you think? Because you''re selfish. Hateful. You can save others, and will, because it''s what you think right. But when push comes to shove, you would let countless die to rescue your loved ones. And if one hurt those people you consider so important, you would rage and ravage all in your path in the name of vengeance.

    That is who you are. That Is why we want you more as time goes on. You''re perfect. Everything they were, you can be better. Because you''re "stronger" than them. They lost themselves to madness. They didn''t want to do the things they did. But given proper motivation, you would. And believe yourself right in it.

    I wonder, what will it take for you to snap? I think we''ll find out soon. Unless you ask for our help, you''ll suffer. We told you that, didn''t we? Just us being with you will make everyone turn against you eventually. And then you''ll kill them. Because you''re no hero, or even a truly good person. You can''t save yourself. And you won''t be able to save anyone else in the future.  It''s better for you to just give in now and spare yourself some trouble."

    All throughout the long speech, Lyle was busy dousing the remaining flames inside himself. He took in a deep breath, then let it out.

    "...Damn." He shook his head. "That was probably the most long-winded and annoying rant I''ve ever heard in my life." He marveled for a bit. "...Hm. But I''ve never claimed to be either of those things, you know? And yeah, i''m selfish. I would save those I could, but i''m not going to choose strangers over my own friends or family. Why should I anyway? I''m not heartless, but i''m only human. Go to hell. Bastard. Trying to act as if you know me more than I know myself. You can say anything you want, we both know that all that was just some tactic to make me doubt myself.

    But the thing is, I ain''t buying what you''re selling. You''re seriously pissing me off right now, so shoo. Acting as if you know everything about me, you really have no shame at all. Forget it. I wanted to ask you a few things, but I don''t want to deal with you anymore. You probably wouldn''t answer anyway. Best if you just kindly fuck off."

    Really, what did that thing think he was, judging him like that?

    Nakir didn''t look mad at all.

    "Oh well. Had to try." He gave a careless shrug of his shoulders. " I suppose I have no real reason to stay and chat.  But before I go, boy...Have you started hearing it too?"

    Lyle frowned. "Hear what?"

    Nakir hesitated. "...No. It''s probably nothing."

    But as he fade away, his face looked troubled.

    **********

    When Lyle came back, Cecelia was waiting for him. " Melanie and Iris told me you just ran off. What''s wrong?" Her eyes, sincere and full of worry, stared at him.

    "Nothing, I just suddenly wanted to go for a walk."

    That didn''t satisfy Cecelia at all. "You''re lying. Lyle, come on, talk to me." She insisted. "What''s up with you? You''ve been very strange lately. Not like yourself."

    He smiled, trying to put her at ease. " You, Iris and Melanie worry too much. I''m not a kid that needs looking after."

    "No, you''re not. You''re my--friend." She frowned. Shaking her head, she went on. "So I have every right to worry when you suddenly look troubled."

    " Troubled? Nonsense. I--"

    "Don''t." She said flatly. " Something''s bothering you. I know it. Why can''t you just tell me?"

    He was completely calm and immovable as he replied. "It''s none of your business, that''s why."

    Cecelia felt as if she had been slapped. He had always told her when something was weighing on him before. He never once said those kinds of words to her, or at least for as long as she could remember.

    It was always her who listened to anything he had to say. Who he talked when he was thinking about something.

    No matter what had caused him inner turmoil, he would let her know. Not because he had to, or that he couldn''t solve it himself, but because she knew when something was wrong with him and cared enough to ask.

    She may not be able to help, or offer advice, but she could listen. She knew how much stress he felt from his fom his father and mother to be the best he could be. Knew how much pressure being their son, the heir to an illustrious line like that, had on him.

    These things that he wouldn''t admit to anyone else, he told her.

    That''s the amount of trust she had earned from him. That''s the level of importance he placed on her, to share the things he would refuse to share with others bcause he believed having such thoughts made him weak.

    Yet now, for perhaps the first time in a long time...he was keeping things from her.

    And it was that face he made towards her, that smiling, comforting face, which made it worse. Because it wasn''t his face. It wasn''t the face her used when talking to her. It was one of those he used to hide things.

    That mask all Nobles were taught to hide behind.

    It felt, to her, like he was shutting her out. Like he was closing a door on her.

    Everyone was allowed their secrets. But something was obviously bothering him these days, and he refused to let her in and try to help.

    "What do you mean, none of my business?" She asked quietly. "If you have a problem...if you need me, then--"

    "I don''t need you. And my problems are my own. You would really only be getting in the way."

    "...You don''t mean that."

    What, did he consider her a nuisance now?

    " No, it''s true. Like I said, you worry too much over nothing. I''m alright. I don''t need you to hold my hand every time something inconvenient comes my way. Have a little faith in my ability to do things myself, will you?" He smirked.

    "You''ve always been capable of solving your own problems." She said stiffly. "And I hate that about you, because most times you never let me help you at all. You would tell me when something was on your mind, but now you''re not even doing that much. Is it really so hard for you to accept my help? I thought I was your friend. Or am I wrong? Because if you don''t trust me enough to even tell me when something is bothering you anymore, then what are we?"

    Lyle laughed, waving off her words. "Don''t be so melodramatic, Cece. Of course we''re still friends. Always. But this and that are two different things. I get that you''re concerned about me, and I glad you care so much, but I don''t want you meddling in this. By all rights, you shouldn''t even be coming with us. Even though we''re friends, I realize that it was wrong of me to bring you along. Because it''s...dangerous.

    And you shouldn''t have to be risking youself at all for my sake anymore. We might have been family if things worked out differently, but now, when you get down to it...Other than being a friend, i''m nothing to you."

    Which was true. To Lyle, he would always be her friend. At least for as long as she would have him. But he felt bad. He didn''t know exaclty how dangerous this trip could be. Those things were wildcards. Who knew what might happen? Plus, the changes in his body were setting him on edge. He had really lost control yesterday, and nearly today too in a different way.

    What if he attacked her? What if he did the same thing to her that he did to Melanie? Lyle had no idea what he might do. Although he forced himself to calm down this time, could he do so the next time?

    This was not something that he thought of when he allowed her to come with them. And it should have been. He should have thought about it better. Should have opposed her.

    Lyle was her friend before, but the difference between now and then was that he was no longer in any relationship with her sister. He had a strange position back then. He could have been her brother-in-law, and she treated him as one.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    Her helping him out, saving him all those times, it began with her not wanting him to die and cause her sister to be sad. So she watched over him. She also knew that someday he may become family, which was another reaoson to help him. They only become friends a bit later.

    It was fine to risk yourself for a person who could have almost been considered family...but to do so for a friend who you had not known for even a full three years was a bit much. In fact, considering the sour note he and Sophia ended their relationship on, by all rights Cecelia should have cut all ties with him.

    He was touched she didn''t, but even so. Her coming was, now that he thought of it, something that should not have been allowed to happen.

    "What, because you''re not with my sister anymore you think I should just stop caring? You say that you''re nothing to me? Fine. What about you? Am I nothing to you, then?"

    "...I never said that. You know I didn''t."

    "Yeah, well, right now that''s what it feels like you''re saying. Don''t believe for a second that I don''t know what your thoughts are on this. I understand full well. But don''t think that I would treat my life so carelessly, don''t think that I would come here for just anyone. It''s my life. I''ll do with it what I want, whether you like it or not.

    I''m here because it''s something I decided to do. I don''t know what''s bothering you. I don''t know why you''re acting so strange lately. And I realize that you think I wouldn''t be able to help with it, that i''ll be useless.

    That''s fine, since even so I still won''t leave you to face alone whatever it is that''s troubling you. I just wish you wouldn''t keep things from me. Because you never did before, and I feel like you''re just starting to push me away when you don''t have to." Her voice was riddled with frustration. "But I''m here for you regardless. Always, for anything, until you no longer want me to be." She declared, her tone firm.

    At her words, Lyle couldn''t help being moved.

    He felt that he really was lucky just then. Cecelia truly was, more than Jaime, Murphy, Nyk or Gideon, the closest friend he had. Probably the closest he ever will have. Her being able to say that meant a lot to him. More than she knew.

    Lyle didn''t have many real friends. He had some, like Jaime, Nyk, and Murphy, but not many others. And even they were not "his" friends. They were "Bellamy Greyson''s" friends. They weren''t like Cecelia, they didn''t know the real him. This was an undeniable fact. Even if they were the same person, one was fake.

    Cecelia was different since she knew both versions of him, not just the fake. This was how she was different. She was special in that regard. The others would probably never be friends with Lyle Greyborne. They lived in two different worlds.

    So Cecelia was of course much closer to him than they were. He just hadn''t known how much until now. She pretty much said that she had his back, any time, anywhere, whenever he needed her. She would always be by his side, whether he wanted her to be or not, so long as he would let her. So long as she was able.

    It wasn''t just about when he was in a fight. No, she meant for other things too, he knew. If he needed to talk about something, let something out, she would listen. Like she always had up to now.

    Him ending things with Sophia didn''t matter at all to her. It should have. But it didn''t. She was with him despite that, was here with him even though she had no obligation to anymore.

    Lyle''s heart wasn''t able to entirely accept this, hoever. He didn''t feel he deserved it at all. And he also made a choice just then: No matter what, he wouldn''t tell her anything about his current circumstances. If things went to the worst-case scenario, the Council may hold her responsible as well should they discover she had any knowledge of this.

    He couldn''t do that to her. Wouldn''t. Ever.

    Still, hearing her say these things really did have an affect on him....

    They said nothing more as they walked back, a harmonious silence springing up around them. Neither had any more than needed to be said.

    "Big brother, is it time to go?" Iris walked up to him and asked.

    "Seems about so, yeah."

    "Big brother, when we''re driving, can I sit on your lap?"

    "No."

    "Oh. Alright, that''s fine. Maybe next time then...Big brother, right, where''s my good-morning kiss?"

    "We''ve never done that."

    "Oh. I see. We should start then."

    "If you were about ten years younger, maybe. it''ll be weird at your age, though. No."

    " You don''t love me anymore, big brother."

    "Alright, I guess I don''t then."

    "Big brother, I was just kidding!"

    "I wasn''t."

    "You''re being mean, big brother."

    "Am I?"

    "Yes. And you''re being a liar. Big brother loves me most of all, and you always will."

    "What if I marry and have kids?"

    "So what? Your kids would only have half your blood, and your wife would not be real family like me...."

    "Oh? You seem to be a bit less confident there, dear sister."

    "Are you mocking me, big brother? How hateful. I don''t like you anymore, big brother."

    " I see. That makes me a bit sad, but If that''s how you feel then there''s no helping it. Don''t worry, I won''t bug you too much. I know that you must be repulsed at having an unworthy brother like me..."

    Lyle shook his head, sighing.

    "Big brother, I was joking. Big brother? Big brother?"

    Iris called out to him, but he had already walked away.

    Iris wanted to cry

    *********

    Big brother didn''t let her sit next to him.

    Instead Melanie took her spot.

    Iris hated her for it.

    She felt depressed.

    She messed up, ah. Big brother, it felt like he cut her out. It hurt. Even if he was acting, how could he be so cruel....

    That was her spot. Her''s.

    "You mean ours, dear. Don''t forget, he belongs to both of us. Doesn''t he?"

    "What are you talking about? Big brother doesn''t belong to anyone. And even if he did, it would only be me."

    She didn''t speak the words, but thought them. She was getting better at it.

    "And yet he''s all but ignoring you. We know it''s all an act, but you still hate it, am I right? It feels like he''s starting to shut you out, doesn''t it? He''s never done this before. It''s almost as if, little by little, he''s pulling away from you. And it''s been happening for some time now. You know that. Tell me, how do you like it? Knowing that someone else is taking your place. That young woman, a mere servant, is getting closer to him. And you''re here, sitting with an unfilial girl who you don''t like, both her and the other one aiming for what should be yours.

    He and that dreadful woman have already given each other''s bodies to one another, how long till he really leaves us? This is your fault. You''re driving him away. He doesnn''t love you. Not as much anymore. But if it were us, together, he would...."

    "Shut up!" Iris screamed at her. "You don''t know anything. Why do you only ever say hurtful things?"

    "I''m only speaking the truth. You know it, and I know it. Why bother trying to deny it? Well, no matter. When he is already walking out of the door with one of them by his side, forgetting about you, then you''ll see how kind I''m being. At that time, though, it''ll be too late. Even if I bring him back, he would still have left you. And you''ll know what that feels like. Always. Forever."

    "I hate you! I hate you!"

    Livia laughed, as if she found it all very funny. Her warm, motherly smile hurt more than anything else, made her next words sting all the more.

    "Maybe. But if you keep rejecting this, someday, he''ll do something to you that''s worse than hate. He simply stop caring about you at all..."

    .**********

    An entire three hours passed by since the time they left, and everyone felt something was immensely wrong.

    Bell and Phaedra, two people who usually at each other necks--and not in a good way--had not even spoken a word to each other in some time.

    Something had changed, they knew. But didn''t know what it was.

    It had to be said, for Val, Jaime, Nyk, Muphy and Boris, the two arguing with one another was something that was an indication that all was right with the world.

    Right now that wasn''t the case. The two of them were always the focus of the small group of theirs. Their incessant bickering was just to be expected from them.

    Yet now there was a shift between them. Something that brought everyone''s mood down. It made everything seem more quiet. The silence more palpable. It made them uneasy, because this was not how things were supposed to be.

    And no one was sure what to do about it. Jaime saw that Phaedra had, at the start, tried to get him worked up like always.

    But the young man seemed to just brush her aside, ignoring her. As if he didn''t even want to look at her, much less talk to her.

    She stared at him for a second, then left.

    Jaime felt regretful. It appeared that Bell  had just gotten tired of her. And he didn''t know if that was a good thing or not.

    Because despite the fact that they wanted to kill each other on a daily basis, he felt like deep down--really, really deep down--they had formed a sort of mutual respect for each other. A respect for a worthy enemy if nothing else.

    If one asked him which people Jaime thought would make the best duo, it would probably be those two. Not because they got along well at all, but because they knew each other to a great extent due to all the times they fought one another.

    Even their combat skills complemented each other''s. Bell and Cecelia were good, true comrades in arms. They made excellent partners. But Cecelia wasn''t as strong as Fey, battle-wise.

    Jaime had always hoped they, Bell and Phaedra, would be able to get along better. If they could, if they were able to work together, how amazing could they be?

    But...whatever happened between them, it seemed like it made Bell just reach a point where he didn''t hate Phaedra anymore. And you think that would be a good thing.

    No. It was worse than it sounded. Because now it looked like he didn''t care about her at all.

    What''s the opposite of love? It''s not hate.

    It''s apathy. And considering they already disliked each other it was even more rerrible.

    What was it that could have changed them like this? I don''t think they ever even talked to each other this morning.

    Jaime had no clue as to why Bell''s attitude became so distant and cold towards her. She must have done or said something really bad to make him like this. And he didn''t think it was something that could be easily fixed.

    And so, while the group was dealing with the gloomy silence that had inexplicably taken root among them, they arrived at their first town.

    *********

    "  Young Master, these, why do these have a hole right there...?" Melanie, in wonder, asked him. No one else was around, and she whispered to him softly, showing him a piece of fabric with a curious expression on her face.

    She didn''t even think about what it was she held.

    "Easier access." Lyle said.

    "Huh?" Melanie looked at him in puzzlement.

    But as soon as she saw that amused, wicked--almost evil-- smirk on his face, she blushed. With such a look, how could she not understand?

    "Oh...s-so that''s what it''s for..." Her voice seemed a little squeaky? Ah...so embarrassing...

    "What, do you want a pair?" Again, that smile. He seemed to enjoy it, seeing her squirm.

    "No!" She hurried to say. " Why would I even want one...."

    He cocked a brow at her, laughing.

    "Young Master, thinking about such things..."

    "Oh? Thinking what things? What sort of "things" do you mean?"

    "Things...like that...You know, l-lewd things...."

    He tsked at her. "What a dirty mind you have, Melanie. I wasn''t thinking about such things at all, you know?"

    "T-that...! I''m not...! I wasn''t...!" But she gave up, muttering. " My mind isn''t dirty. At all. It''s not. You just...this is your fault. Making that face, like some rogue..."

    Chuckling, Lyle asked, "So, what, you like them then? If so, I can get them for you. I''m sure they''ll be nice and comfortable. Airy."

    "No, I''m fine!" She replied quickly, putting the piece of clothing back where she found them. Really, who would be so bold as to wear something like them! Melanie nearly died just thinking about it having them on...

    "Well then, see any that you do like?"

    "Not really..."

    They were shopping for her clothes, obviously.

    " I see. Hey, why not these?" He held up a pair of lacy black underwear. "They seem stylish. Nicely made. Soft material. Good?"

    "Ah...they do look pretty okay.... I actually had my eye on them, but the price is a bit...No, it''s fine. Wasting money on something like that, I can''t."

    Lyle made a face. "Melanie, I''m paying for everything. I already told you that. Repeatedly."

    "I know, but having the Young Master do such a thing for me is...."

    "No buts. Alright. So we''re getting a few pairs of these then. Pick out the colors you like and we can leave. This is the last of it, right? We got everything else?"

    "Um...yeah. We got everything I would need...." In fact, they got more than she would need. He practically bought her a whole new wardrobe. All of it cost at least 15 gold. An amazig price for just some clothes.  Most clothes wouldn''t cost more than a few silver.

    They were all very well-made, with quality materials and vivid colors. The dyes used in the clothes being expensive just by themselves....

    Still, they were not too excessive. They were not lavish, just made with some skill. Melanie was not used to wearing something that cost so much. And looked so pretty. She picked her own clothes before, but only ever got more conservative things to wear.

    Affordable things. Or in other, less kind words, cheap things.

    But with the Young Master here, he wouldn''t allow her to get something that was sub-par. And couldn''t understand why she tried to stop him from buying them for her. Wouldn''t women like to wear things like that? He would think

    But he didn''t know that it wasn''t this which made her hesitate. It was a combination of things. The price was only one aspect.

    The other is how it made her look.

    In fact, she had overheard some talk the other day. It was harmless, but it seemed like some of the mercenaries wondered why she was here. With him and his sister. Going on a trip. Together.

    It turns out, a few of them thought that she was a...a mistress. Or something like that. They didn''t know if "Bell" was cheating on his girlfriend, or if she(Sophia) allowed it or what was going on.

    But they all agreed that there was definitely something between she and him.

    Melanie was treated well, that wasn''t a problem, but it just made her look bad...

    If someone were to see them, and only had to work with the same information the mercenaries had, them seeing Lyle buy her such things would obviously make them believe her a mistress. No matter how you cut it, that was what most would think.

    "Don''t worry about it." Lyle felt he knew why she was so down today. And he would be right. "It''s our business, they know that. They won''t mind one way or the other. And if I had to say, at least in some ways, their assumptions aren''t entirely wrong...Kind of."

    Although not a mistress, Melanie and he did indeed have something going on between them. As for what, he wasn''t sure at the moment. Neither was she.

    "Melanie, have you thought about it at all?"

    She knew to what he was referring.

    "I..."

    Melanie stayed quiet for a moment.

    She bagan to geow uneasy. "...Young Master, you know I can''t punish you. I can''t. So I can either ignore it, or choose...choose..." She coughed lightly. "That. You know. But even if I say yes, and even if you agree to it, you would only be doing it out of guilt. And y-your mother made it clear that she while she won''t get in the way, she won''t support us if we ever..." She stopped. "...It''s just, I don''t think I want things to change anyway, and I don''t want you to force yourself... Plus, even if your mother is neutral, your father definitely wouldn''t be..."

    Lyle sighed, growing irritated. "Melanie, don''t worry about those things. Leave it all to me. The only thing you should care about is your own feelings on the matter. I do feel guilty, but I wouldn''t suggest this if I thought I would have had to forced myself to go through with it. That aside, if you want to just ignore it and let things be, then I will as well.

    If not, if you choose the other thing, then you can stop being concerned about all this. And if you want me to properly court you, I can do that too."

    Lyle wanted to make it clear to her that she could follow her own feelings and not be weighed down by anything else.

    It wasn''t that he was pushing for a relationship. No, he even felt awkward at the start of another one so soon after his break-up with Sophia. After all, she was a large part of his life.

    And he still hadn''t completely gotten over her. He was even willing to propose to her, how could he not still care for her? Yes, she had little faith in him. But even so, she was imporant to him.

    Something broken could never return to what it once was. Lyle firmly believed in that.

    So he couldn''t be at ease around her anymore, he probably wouldn''t even be able to look at her the same way. But that didn''t stop him from missing what they had. Perhaps it was his fault, maybe he didn''t do enough to reinforce a sense of trust for him in her.

    He didn''t know.

    But what''s done is done, he couldn''t change that. It would have been nice if he had that power, but he doesn''t, and he never will.

    It was simply that Lyle wanted to assure Melanie. Besides. Maybe his mother was right. Maybe not Cecelia, but someday...perhaps he would have grown to love Melanie all on his own, eventually.

    She truly was one of the few close women to him, it wouldn''t be unthinkable....

    This ambiguous situation they were in, it really was....annoying...

    Melanie still wasn''t convinced. "Even if you say that, how could you not be forcing yourself? You want to make things right. But I''m no Lady. You don''t have to take any resposibility. And even if you did, I...I don''t think I want you to. A relationship started out of guilt and a sense of obligation would be destined for ruin."

    She went on quietly. "Besides...I''m not fit for you anyway. Young Master, you have to know that too, right? Look at me." She gestured towards herself. "What part of me could you ever find desirable?"

    ...Melanie didn''t think she had an especially low self-esteem. But it was just that the other person was someone that was, bluntly speaking, too amazing. He was a Noble. One from a powerful family.

    A person that had talent, looks, enormous social status... everything that could make anyone envious. He was too high for someone like her to ever hope to reach. He was inherently better than her. That was a fact.

    She admired him. Respected him. In fact, ever since he helped her and her mother, it could even be said that her life revolved around his. But wanting to ask more than what she deserves or, is worthy of, was too much.

    Yet even as she said this...he was still the first man to ever do those things to her.

    This point was rather important to her, because Melanie always imagined that the only one who would touch her like that, who would make her feel the way he did, would be her future husband and no one else.

    She believed that she would eventually find a decent man, fall in love, marry him, have children...At least, this is what she always wanted for herself, expected for herself.

    But to the contrary, it wasn''t like that at all. Instead it was him who did those...those kind of things to her. Because of that, she found that the more time she spent around him, the more conscious of him she became.

    Images of what happened that time kept appearing in her head. She couldn''t sleep too easy at nights either, because dreams of them holding onto each other, kissing each other...of him whispering sweet nothings into her ear... always made their way into her mind.

    Having such thoughts and dreams towards him, her employer and benefactor...was that okay?

    She didn''t know what to do about it.

    Melanie wished her mother were here. She would be able to tell her what she should do.

    Lyle, on his side of things, got even more irritated.

    He raised a hand and lightly flicked her on the head, saying, "That really is a bad habit of yours, i''m guessing.  Melanie,  you''re beautiful. Don''t worry about that, because you are. There''s no part of you that''s undesirable. Those things I did were wrong, and I was not exaclty myself...but don''t believe for a second that you''re unattractive. If you were any prettier, I think that I probably would have had a hard time keeping my hands off of you in the future anyhow."

    Lyle really did think this, he wasn''t simply flattering her. Melanie was always pretty, though in recent times she seemed to have...he wasn''t sure if bloomed was the right word or not, but Melanie is definitely getting even lovelier as time went on.

    So he didn''t quite know where this seeming lack of confidence came from. Though he supposed it was cute, in a way. It wasn''t something he thought he should encourage, however. People have to grow up and mature, don''t they?

    Melanie rubbed the spot he flicked her at, feeling as if she was just treated like a child. But his words, her heart couldn''t help beating faster at them. He was really too straightforward, aying those type of things so easily...

    "So" Lyle went on. "Don''t bother thinking about it too much. Good?"

    "Yes...I''ll try..." Melanie sighed. Really, how could she not worry? She hated this. It felt really awkward around him now. At least for her. It never used to be like this...

    But, ''Court you'', he said. Melanie didn''t quite understand what that would entail. If...If it was anything like that, though, then....she really would be in trouble, wouldn''t she?

    No, he couldn''t have meant "that" . Probably...

    She couldn''t help coughing, trying to get those weird thoughts out of her head.

    "Alright, let''s pay for these and meet up with the others."

    **********

    "Big brother, you''re back..."

    Iris, having been left in the care of Cecelia back at the Inn the company was staying at, walked up to him and said such a thing. As if she expected otherwise.

    "Of course I''m back." He looked at her oddly. "Why wouldn''t I be?"

    "No, forget it. Big brother, I love you."

    "...Right." Hearing her say something like that so suddenly made him pause. The past few day she was acting...off. Maybe more like down? Or something. It was just weird, and he was starting to worry.

    It seemed like that wasn''t the reaction she was hoping for, because her face fell. But she didn''t say anything more.

    "Cecelia, is Jaime ready to go?"

    The girl nodded. "Just about. Phaedra''s been itching to leave. You had best be careful too. She''s also been very irritable today. I think she''s coming down with something."

    "When isn''t she irritable?" Lyle looked genuinly curious.

    Could it be that there was a time when that girl was relatively normal?

    Just as the thought entered his head, a sharp point could be felt from the back of his neck.

    "You were saying?" A cold voice intoned.

    "Oh, I was just wondering whether there were ever any days when you didn''t act like a wild animals. Apparently there aren''t any." The words were devoid of any real edge, it was simply an instintive reaction.

    "Today, you die."

    "Feel free to do what you want."

    Melanie and Iris stepped in.

    "M-Miss Phaedra, your weapon, please lower it! T-this is a bit..." The older girl tried to stop her. Pulling a weapon to his neck, not matter what she couldn''t just be calm when seeing something like that!

    "Evil woman, it looks like you''re causing trouble for my brother again, huh!"

    "Phaedra."Jaime walked in, and seeing the scene play out in front of him, he raised his voice in warning.

    "He started it." Phaedra snapped at him.

    Lyle chimed in. "Actually, I was planning to end it. Sadly I don''t think I''ll get the chance now."

    But even as he said the words, he couldn''t feel them. They were empty to his ears, and he thought maybe the other''s noticed it too. He said them, but it was as if he was just putting on a show. Lyle couldn''t form any real emotion with which to say them.

    "Knock it off, both of you. Honestly." Val, Murphy, Nyk and Boris, with several of their comrades, walked down the stairs.

    It was Val whose fed-up voice said the previous words. Though inwardly she was quite pleased. Did this mean that those two were going back to their usual selves? She hoped so.

    "I''m sorry, are you the one with a knife to your throat?" This was Lyle.

    "That''s just how she shows her love."

    "Well if she shows her ''love'' anymore than this, I''ll be dead."

    Phaedra put down her blade. "Whatever. I''m too tired to deal with you anyway."

    Without a word more, she walked away. She turned her head and looked back only once, her eyes flicking towards Lyle''s face for an instant before continuing on her way.

    Val laughed. "See? She adores you, my boy. She would never actually kill you."

    Of course. Who would she argue with if that happened? ...No, forget it. I won''t waste my time on her anymore.

    Pretty much everyone was thinking that. Except Lyle, who felt that the girl would, if she could, happily dance on his grave. She may even keep his head for a trophy.

    Maybe make his skull into a cup and drink from it.

    Probably even put something like, "See this cup? This is the last person who pissed me off." on it.

    Lyle shook his head.

    No, forget it. I shouldn''t even waste my time responding to her like I just did.

    Melanie and Iris were probably the only ones disturbed by what just happened, both visibly shaking. Melanie with relief, Iris with fury.

    Melanie had grown fearful every time the two even made eye contact, because she expected them to have a full-blown deathmatch at any moment. She had no idea why the two were so against each other, but she disliked seeing them fighting.

    She especially disliked how the girl pulled weapons out and threatened him with them.

    Although recently that enmity looked to have died down, at least on his part.

    Iris was the opposite, growing angry each time the girl pulled something like this. Really, mistrating her brother like this, the nerve of that woman....

    Jaime, watching Phaedra leave, looked at Lyle.

    "Hey...is something wrong?" He asked hesitantly. He wasn''t sure he wanted to broach the subject, but he had to know what was up with them. This strangeness between them was worrying. "You two seemed different lately. More specifically, you."

    "What do you mean?"

    "I mean that your words didn''t seem to have the usual bite in them. And Fey let it go pretty easily too. " Jamie stopped, then continued. "No, look. Something is obviously wrong with you two. Everyone can tell. What''s going on? You''ve never acted like this with each other. You two used to blow up every time you met, but now everything just seems so...muted." He frowned.

    Lyle sighed. "I don''t know. I''m just tired of it."

    "Of what?"

    "Her. I''ve had enough of her."

    Lyle didn''t care that she hated him. His mentality wasn''t that weak. She herself said that she simply didn''t like him. She rejected him. To her, he was an eyesore. A nuisance.

    That was fine. He didn''t need or care if she liked him.

    He simply felt like he should not have to put up with her anymore. Like she said, what she hated was "everything about him."

    That was unreasonable, wasn''t it? Why should he want to talk or look at someone who hated him for seemingly no real reason at all?

    Jaime ran a hand through his hair, looking distressed. "Bell, whatever she did or said, don''t take it to heart. Phaedra...she''s got her own circumstances."

    " Yeah, well, so does everyone. But it doesn''t matter. I won''t bother with her anymore, I''ve already decided that. I can''t live with her, and I have no problems living without her. A sentiment that she returns with fervor. So this is for the best.

    I and your sister are just two people that never should have met in the first place."

    "...Okay. Fine. But just o you know, I don''t think she actually hates you, exactly. Keep that in mind."

    Lyle shrugged, saying nothing. After another twenty minutes, the small group of theirs left the town behind.

    **********

    It was two days later, evening.

    There was a large, quiet building. The sounds of fighting had long since died out. Only corpses lay scattered in the dark halls, now.

    Gideon held a sword pointed to a skinny man with thinning hair and a hook-like nose, a man dressed like a Noble.

    " Tell me, were you working alone?" His voice was deceptively calm. He knew, he knew, what these people wanted to do. And it pissed him off. Made him hate them. Made him want to tear off their limbs and beat them with it, just to begin.

    But he held it in. All of it. And simply tried to get as much out of the man as he could before killing him.

    The hook-nosed man spat at him. " No. We weren''t. But what can you do, against them? What they want, they will get, and even if you take it back, it''ll already be a broken piece!"

    They all knew full well what "it" was.

    The man laughed, a dry, sickening laugh that made your hair stand on end. "I won''t tell you anything you can use, just kill me! You don''t know what we gave for our families, we''ve already sold our souls! As long as our lines continue, what do we care if we die! So go ahead, cut me down, in the end it''s you and yours who''ll be shedding tears! Yes. Tears. So much tears....All of you...all of you..all of...you..."

    Gideon couldn''t be bothered to listen anymore, to stop himself anymore. His mind was broken, a last failsafe. Now, he was useless to them. Even Lady Greyborne cannot piece together the fractured mind of a man already lost to insanity. Not when his mind has been Spellplagued....

    He understood that it would be pointless to drag it out. And so, the man''s head rolled.

    His blade was not stained with any blood at all. It had already been eaten.

    "Sir, we''ve already finished sweeping all the rooms. Every document that seems of import is in our hands. What do you want to do now?"

    "You can take any valuables you can find as a bonus, then torch the place. I don''t want any sign we were here, make it look like an acccident. Have Mavis burn the bodies with magic, tell him I don''t want to leave even have a single piece of bone intact. Everything has to be turned to ash, you hear me?"

    "Yessir!"

    Gideon hesitated. He looked at the piece of paper in his hand, his eyes stopping as he saw what was stamped at the top of the page.

    "And send this to Hannah..."

    He gave the man the paper after folding it carefully.

    "But sir, Agent Hannah is no longer..."

    "I know. Don''t worry. Just tell her who it is we''re doing this for. "

    "But, sir, perhaps Gaius or Mavis can..."

    "They''re no Hannah, they can''t. Go. Tell her. She won''t refuse." She can''t refuse anyway. Not when it concerns that person. None of them can.

    But he didn''t say this.

    "I understand, sir. I''ll be off at once."

    With that, one of the shadowy figures of the room vanished, almost like a ghost, off to carry out his orders.

    Gideon couldn''t read the piece of paper. Not one of them would be able to break the spell placed on it.

    Even the Bathory clan, if they were willing to help, would not be able to find someone who could decipher it on such short notice.

    But if it was Hannah, then...

    That person, she could definitely do it.

    Although she no longer did field work, if she knew who it was that needed her, she couldn''t  sit back and do nothing.

    None of their kind would be able to. It was their meaning in life to serve them, after all.

 Chapter twenty-eight

    Author note: ...I have to be honest. When writing the last part of this chapter...I misted up.

    There isn''t much going on in this chapter, but tell me what you thought of it. Ah, and they''ve alreeady been on the road for a while now, won''t take too long to reach Zeshar now.

    I will edit this later, as always. Remember to rate, review and comment on whatever you wish.

    *******************

    Balmont was a smaller city, one overseen by a minor Noble. A baron by the name of Hearn, a soldier who many years back gained enough accomplishments to be given the title. Balmont, to be clear, was not an actual Barony.

    Their ruler, Mayor Hearn, held the title but little more. Being named a "Baron" was, in essence, an honorary title to reward certain outstanding people for their merits. They didn''t have many obligations or duties above taking care of the city, raising soldiers, and answering the call if they were ever needed.

    The baron was born and raised in Balmont, so after the previous Mayor died of old age Queen Evelyn stepped in and gave Hearn auhority over the lands. Needless to say he and his family, having been a lower-middle class family before this, became loyal followers of the Queen due to that.

    To explain a bit about how the Queen held the power to make a decision on her own like that, and why the family became loyal to her and not the King...

    Well, it was because Drann Kingdom was ruled primarily by a line of Queens.

    The word "Kingdom" just meant a land ruled by a monarch, and the word king simply meant--bluntly speaking--the "top dog" of the Kingdom.

    In older times that are long past, monarchies used to only be ruled by a male. Therefore the term "king"--note the lower-case "k"--began to be associated with the ruler himself, and the term queen as merely the wife of a ruler.

    This long trend of male rulers all changed at some point when the first Queendoms--entirely new nations governed at the very beginning by a female--came into existence. But most nations couldn''t make the mental change of associating "queen" with "ruler" rather than the "wife of a ruler".

    So while a line of female rulers eventually sprang up in a few previously male-ruled nations, the nation and it''s people would simply keep calling itself a Kingdom even though it was ruled by a Queen.

    And this is also why any Queen can call herself "a king"--a ruler of a nation--instead of The King. With a capital. Usually they would be addressed as the Queen, Queen whatever-their-names-were, Your Highness, etc...

    Drann Kingdom being ruled by Queens had been something that has already gone on for some years now, and some even wanted to officiallychange the widely known "Drann Kingdom" into "Drann Queendom" or some such thing.

    Wouldn''t change how things are already run, but what it woulddo is make things a lot less confusing.

    ...It was all very complicated, and Lyle''s head hurt whenever he thought too much about it.

    Getting back from that little history lesson, to describe Balmont, It had high wall surrounding it like many cities in Drann kingdom. There were watchtowers along it''s walls too.

    The inside of Balmont had several districts which surrounded the small castle in the center. It was sort of mish-mashed together, and although you got a general feel of the land if you spent time here, you would still have trouble finding exactly what story you want to visit or what district you were in unless you were a local.

    The good thing about it was that the ground around the city was nice and flat, wide too. The gates were very large as well, and the road into the city was made so that numerous amouns of carriages and caravans and other small companies could squeeze onto it easily.

    As such, they had a few travelers riding along with them right now. Some traffic, not much, but still.

    The city had a nice feel to it. Lively. Stall owners lined along the main road, people coming and going through the city.

    Iris crinkled her nose beside him.

    "Brother, the smell is a bit..."

    To her, the city smelt...moldy? No, well, something else too. It was ripe, a mix of many different things. There were spicey, herb-like smells tied together with the scent of cooking meat or baked goods, but underneath that there was a fe other smells which were distinctly unpleasant.

    Like urine. And wet dog. General uncleanliness. It was strange. Like in Ustrax and Varric.

    She tried not to complain about it, though. She didn''t want her brother to find her bothersome, like a spoiled little girl who couldn''t take even a bit of harship or discomfort.

    But it wasn''t something she was used to, this kind of foul air. Or rather than completely foul, it was different. There were good smells too, like she said, but it was sort of a sensory overload...

    Still, Iris didn''t want to trouble her brother overmuch...

    "I know, it takes some getting used to. But you''ll barely notice it once you do."

    "..."

    Iris said nothing. She didn''t want to get used to it, really.

    She hesitated. "Brother, can I hug you?" She scooted closer, asking quietly.

    "What? Why?" Lyle paused as he looked around. "Iris, now is a bit..."

    He was a tad troubled by the sudden and slightly strange request. Although they were sitting next to each other as he drove the carriage behind the caravan in front, they were still surrouned by other travelers who came on horsback.

    Allowing her to do that while out in public like this...

    Lyle then saw her big, hopeful round eyes. They stared up at him silently, bright and clear.

    She clutched at his arm, her small hands grabing hold of him. Her blonde hair was framing her delicate face, making her expression even more destructive.

    He sighed.

    ...Ah, well, what did it really matter?

    "Alright, fine." He replied coolly. "Do what you want."

    Iris smiled, instantly burying her face against his side.

    "...Ah, much better...Now I don''t have to be troubled. Thank you, big brother."

    Because she could now only smell her brother''s scent, which she liked, she no longer had to endure the strange smells from before. She also appreciated his warmth.

    Recently her brother felt hotter. He was always warm-feeling, but these days it was more pronounced. Like a small fireplace. It calmed her. It did at times make her restless, but not very much, and it wasn''t a bad feeling either.

    As for Lyle, he had no trouble letting her do this. It looks like he was worried for nothing. These changes in his body were odd, but not as extreme as he feared--at least he didn''t see any indication as of yet.

    He could touch women, briefly, and it wouldn''t affect him much.The amout of skin-to-skin contact was also a factor, he found.

    How did he know this, some may ask?

    Because he casually made a few experiments with Melanie and Cecelia without their notice.

    He felt bad doing so, but he had to know if a reaction like before would spring up whenever he even momentarily touched a woman, or if the reaction changed. Maybe the first time was the worst, maybe the reaction differed depending on a few variables.

    So he experimented.

    Like clapping Cecelia on the shoulder, or helping Melanie down the carriage by holding her hand.

    Small things that were part of what he usually would do, nothing like just outright grabbing them without explanation.

    This was like playing with fire. What if Lyle lost control during an experiment, what if a reaction like before sprung up and he assaulted them?

    Obviously Lyle would think of this.

    But Lyle knew already that he was able to not immediately lose his self-control. This was a fact.

    He also prepared some things to stop himself. He wouldn''t let himself do this otherwise. He knew that pain made the fire more bearable. So a few days ago he went and foraged for a plant called the Blue-Needle Stinging Bush.

    This plant had needle-like hairs on it that cause geat pain and also has a slight paralyzing effect. Both of which would last for around twenty minutes it you pricked yourself with the hairs--Although this was supposed to actually last twice that, it''s just that Lyle''s body weakened it greatly.

    They were a not-so common type plant in these parts of the world, but they can be found if you knew where to look.

    He took some of the plant and decided to use them against himself if the need called for it.

    But that aside, as for his experiments...he found that it was not as bad as he thought. The amount of skin touched is important, and the lengths of time. If he just poked a woman then no significant reaction would occur.

    If he put a finger to a woman''s skin for a long period, that may change. But he couldn''t test that out without it seeming weird.Moving on, if a woman touched his hand with her own without any clothing between them then he would immediately feel a fire build inside him in response.

    Yet it was not as wild and unbearable as that first time. He pretty much recreated what happened the first time, and confimed that things were different now.

    As for why, he didn''t know. Lyle thought that maybe his body was getting used to the changes or something. Or maybe the larger effects only happened randomly, or during certain times.

    He wasn''t able to tell.

    He just assumed he was getting used to it, but couldn''t be sure.

    Lyle discovered something more, too. And it was that he didn''t have any great reaction when it was with Iris.

    It seemed to not work well when it was with blood relatives? Probably. He believed it was so.

    Although Iris touching him like this did make his body slightly react, it was almost negligible. So much so that he doubted anything would happen even if she were touching him directly like this for hours.

    He was great relievedthat this was the case. So Lyle permitted her hug. If it were not like this, if he responded to her touch like how he did with Melanie and Cecelia, he would never let her hold onto him like this.

    Ever.

    He would rather never touch her again than risk ruining her due to some uncontrollable force making him react towards her.

    He loved Iris, he never wanted to hurt her. Especially not like that...

    If he ever did...

    No, he couldn''t think about it. Wouldn''t.

    "The Young Miss looks to be enjoying herself, I''m almost envious of her." Melanie, by Lyle''s other side, whispered softly with a small laugh.

    Although a bit abnormal, watching the love and affection the two siblings had for each other warmed her heart. It was so adorable...

    You could truly feel how fierce their love was, especially in regards to the Young Miss, Iris. Though perhaps it could also be called overbearing...

    Lyle''s eyes briefly lit up mischieviously in response to her voice.

    "Oh? Well then would you like to join her?" He teased.

    As expected, she did nothing but reveal a faint redness which crept up along her ears.

    Melanie felt her heart skipped a beat at the words, the mere thought of doing so making her face hot.

    She huffed. "Young Master, saying such things...you''re awful..."

    Lyle raised a brow in surprise, pleased with her response. Lately she appeared to be able to talk more casually towards him, and he liked it.

    "It''s not my fault." Lyle began as if wronged. " Your reactions are simply too cute. I can''t help myself."

    "So you really were just teasing me..."

    "Whether or not I''m just teasing you, why don''t you decide?" His smile spoke volumes.

    Though he knew he may be in trouble if she did, he understood that Melanie wouldn''t do such a bold thing. She was a shy person, she would have to work up a lot of courage in order to do so.

    Lyle felt something pinch his side.

    It was Iris, who spoke up in dissatisfaction.

    "Big brother, flirting like this...I dislike it." She pouted.

    Melanie was speechelss.

    F-flirting, she says...Was that what was happening, Melanie wondered. She had never did anything of the like, so...

    "No, no, dear sister. There''s a difference between teasing and flirting."

    "Like what?"

    "I can''t exactly put into words what the difference is right now, but when I can I''ll be sure to tell you."

    Flirting, huh... that may be an accurate choice of words, now that he thought of it. He had secretly decided some time ago that he''d try and court her. The reason for this being him wanting to make things easier for her.

    Melanie currently didn''t know where her feelings on the matter between them laid.

    If courting her showed unfruitful, if she still didn''t show any romantic feelings for him, then he''d stop. At that time it would be obvious that a relationship was out of the question.

    Of course, it''s not like he was just playing around with her. If she did actually start liking him romantically then he''d take it seriously.

    "Trying to avoid this... Hmph. Big brother, if you truly have to tease someone then you should do so towards me instead."

    "No."

    "Why not?"

    "Because rather than teasing, that''d just be spoiling you."

    "I see no problem with that, big brother."

    "Really? Well if you pass a little test of mine then I suppose I could do so for a bit."

    "What test?" She looked suspicious.

    "I''ll give it to you in a bit. But treat this as a real-life situation. This scenario I''m about to give, pretend it''s real, okay? I''m serious here."

    "Real, got it." She nodded.

    " Alright." Lyle said. " So, you''re at an auction house and a full set of armor costs 800 gold. You buy the set along with a good sword which costs 500 gold. You go on to buy some other desired items which altogether costs another 125 gold. Another half hour passes by, and you get more items which in total costs 90 gold.

    How much do you pay when you move to leave?"

    Melanie heard all this and was stunned. She knew Lyle pretty well, and sensed something amiss. This question couldn''t be what it appeared. And she had a hunch she understood what he was trying to do.

    Even so, she felt she had to try and step in. "Young Miss..."

    "Don''t!" Iris stopped her. If she was given the answer by someone else, he brother wouldn''t count it. "I can answer it just fine. It''s easy. Let''s see...1515 gold...?"

    She was confident she was right!

    "Wrong." Lyle cut her down instantly.

    She showed a dumbfounded expression. "...Eh?"

    "Iris, I told you to treat this as if it were a real situation. What sort of armor costs 800 gold? You got swindled. You''re penniless. Bankrupt. Homeless."

    Iris looked about to cry, extremely pitiful.

    "Big brother, that...! That''s not fair! S-swindled? But I answered the question right!"

    " Yes, you showed that you can add numbers. But this was just to test your common sense. I told you, most swords would not cost more than 10 or so silver. More depending on the quality. No normal armor, even a full set, would ever reach above past 30 or 50 silver. That''s all excluding anything made from precious materials or ores, but we''re not talking about that right now.

    Common folk usually deal with copper coins, and silver a bit less commonly while gold coins are rarely used by them. As for platinum coins, never. 100 copper coins equals 1 silver coin. Even supplies of food and water we bought earlier only cost 10 silver altogther.

    A normal person wouldn''t spend more than a a few copper on a small treat bought at a stall or something, and groccery items wouldn''t be more than a few silver.

    How can you expect a sword to be much higher than that? Swords aren''t cheap, not at all, but they can''t be too expensive or else not many would be able to afford them! You fail! Miserably!"

    Iris wasn''t able to take it.

    Her brother did take the time to teach her some things about money and the value of items, but he tricked her!

    "Big brother, you''re too mean..." Her eyes misted up, going puffy.

    Lyle didn''t have the heart to be too harsh on her. He rubbed her back soothingly.

    "Don''t be like that, Iris. It''s alright."

    "...Brother, you tricked me..it''s not fair..."

    " The world isn''t fair. I tricked you, yes. I''m sorry. I know I was wrong to do so. But you should have caught on. I just don''t want you to really get tricked by someone in the future. Knowing the value of things is important, so is spotting when something''s wrong. You knew those numbers were insane, but you said nothing. You can''t just accept things like that, Iris."

    "...I understand..."

    When she thought of it, he did this for her sake, right? And she did know that such numbers were outrageous...

    Yet she didn''t speak out about it...

    She now knew, if she just questioned him then she would have passed.

    "Now, enough of these tears. I won''t do something like this again, promise."

    Iris calmed down after a minute, though she did sniffle a bit. Which made Lyle feel terrible.

    It wasn''t long until things went back to normal, with the three of them--mainly Lyle and Melanie--talking amicably.

    **********

    Meanwhile, through the window, Cecelia watched them with a peculiar look on her face.

    ...They appeared peaceful. Comfortable.

    Iris never liked her. Cecelia understood that very well. Yet it seemed that she could tolerate Melanie. It meant that the atmosphere around them was much better than it would be if it were Cecelia there instead of Melanie.

    Cecelia couldn''t help but once again, for the third time, look at the contents of the letter Lyle''s mother handed her.

    Dear Cecelia,

    I assume that by now it''s been at least a few days since I handed this to you and that you''ve worked up enough courage to open this letter of mine. You must be wondering what I have to say, yes? I won''t waste time on pleasantries.

    If you want to know what this letter is about, I will have to disappoint you. It''s not my position to talk about it. I won''t tell you. Instead, I''ll have you see for yourself.

    So I suggest that you look around and notice a few things. Go ahead. I''ll wait. You done? Good. What did you see? Notice any...strangeness? No, you must have, now that you were told to look for anything amiss. You know. You can tell with a glance, can''t you?

    Those two, they seem different from normal, right? But of course they do. Maybe more..."friendly"? A bit awkward too, perhaps? Like a pair of new young lovers, I wonder? Well, it wouldn''t be a surprise...

    ...After all, they''ve already done "that" with each other. Yes, your read right. Trust me, I was surprised to learn of it too.

    I should think that you feel many things right now. Jealous. Angry. Sad. But worry not. Because it''s not as bad as you think. Make no mistake, they did have quite a passionate few minutes together, but that boy of mine stopped himself before it could escalate further. For whatever reason it may be, I think he was a bit muddle-headed at the time. For him to do such shameless things to a young maiden like her is unlike the usual him.

    I think his libido got a bit out of hand or something, who knows. Oh well, whatever. In any case, you should take care, my dear. Those two may very well get together if you aren''t careful. I favor you, you know that, but it''s his choice. I''ll help you if I can, but you''ll have to do the heavy lifting yourself.

    Ah, but I should get to the real point.

    Cecelia, if you continue as you are, you''ll regret it. He thinks of you as a friend, nothing more. It''s not that he is a fool, but that you were almost like a sister to him before he broke up with Sophia. As such he never considered you a love interest, and he won''t even now if things continue as they have between you two. You''ve been thoroughly friend-zoned, my girl. I pity you.

    If you want to break out of it, then you can''t leave things ambiguous like this. You''re a shy one when it comes to things like this, but you''ll have to grow a pair eventually or else you''ll always only ever remain in that hateful position you currently hold.

    Tell him. Because if those two ever decide to get together, you''ll have lost your chance. And you likely won''t get another. Well, not unless you plan to break up another of his relationship. Not that I would care. All''s fair in love and war. And as long as you don''t resort to killing, it''s fine. I know people who killed less, you know.

    Sincerely, Alyssa.

    P.S. A word of advice. About what you did, never tell him. Not a word. Ever. You understand better than I what would happen if you did. I personally don''t mind, if it were me at your age I most assuredly would have done worse, but if you tell him... Then even if he doesn''t hate you, or be angry at you, he''ll likely never trust you again in this lifetime.

    ...I think he suspects something, honestly. Suspects that you did something that day, that maybe you caused it.I think that perhaps, deep down, he always did. But he''ll deny any doubts, because he trusts you.

    Don''t prove those suspicions right.

    If he ever asks, lie.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

    Lie, and he''ll believe you.

    Because more than anything, he''ll want to.

    ...Cecelia had a lot to ponder after reading all of that. But one thing stuck out at her.

    The way those two interacted with each other...it really was different from normal.

    The way he looked at the older girl, it was different. He never looked at Cecelia like that. Not once. Not that she can remember. Even if he complimented her, found her beautiful...that kind of gaze, he never showed it to her.

    It was different from lust, from desire. A bit. It was more like a certain awareness. At least that''s what she thought of it as. She couldn''t properly explain it. Was it because of the fact that they--He and Melanie--had been intimate?

    Cecelia didn''t know. And wasn''t sure how the knowledge of what they did together made her feel. Not exactly.

    She hated it, not knowing. She felt it childish, being so hung up on it. It was foolish. She thought that all of this was foolish.

    Her, being so confused and trustrated over a matter like this one. As time went on, she worried about it more and more. She began to care more about how he viewed her, and that was ridiculous.

    She didn''t want to become some useless woman who''s thoughts revolved around the person they liked. Cecelia had her own aspirations, things she wanted to do in life.

    She wanted him by her side during it, that was all...

    But if he found someone who suited him, that was also fine. She wanted what was best for him. Obviously.

    It didn''t have to be her.

    ...Right. As long as he was happy, that was enough.

    Because he was her friend.

    And she wanted that for him.

    So why did seeing those three looks so comfortable and content with each other make her so uneasy?

    *********

    "Mini beef cakes, get delicious mini beef cakes here! 10 copper a piece!"

    "Fur coats, fur coats for sale! Only 3 silver!"

    "Miracle pills! Life-extending pills! 20 silver! Cures all illness, the gods are truly kind and benevolent to everyone!"

    "No one listen to that hack! 20 silver, a fucking cheat he is! Cure illnesses, my ass! Fuck you!"

    "The gods hate you, you''re cursed, that''s why they didn''t work! Go, away with you, demon-spawn!"

    " Get high-quality good right here! Interesting artifacts from around the world! Nothing above 10 silver! You won''t find a better deal anywhere else!"

    "I''m selling that same, 5 silver, screw that last guy!"

    "Herman, you bastard, fuck off!"

    "You fuck off, you damn bitch!"

    " You can''t call me a bitch, boy, I ain''t your mother!"

    "I''ll kill you!"

    "That''s fine, just let me fuck your wife one more time before you do, that little vixen''s got a pretty nice technique!"

    "You...!"

    ...Lyle covered Iris'' ears long before that last man made the wife-fucking comment. As he strode by he gave them both a fierce glare, full of dark promise.

    "Another word and you both die."

    After the menacing aura seeping out of the young man reached them, neither man dared utter even a syllable more.

    "...Bell''s become a real stiff lately, hasn''t he, Nyk my good man?" Murphy, a bit ahead of the others and hearing all this, commented to his older friend.

    " He''s a caring brother." Nyk replied simply.

    To explain, for the past few days Bell had gone around and either glared at or smacked anyone who made a cuss word within earshot of his sister. He said that he didn''t want her to pick up their foul language.

    He noticed only recently just how often the rough mercanaries cussed, enough to be mistaken for sailors.

    Bell cussed sometimes too, but not to that great a degree. Murphy understood that all this spawned from the time when his sister uttered a cuss word, mimicking the others.

    As soon as the brother heard her using language like that, he immediately cracked down on everyone. Literally everyone.

    He threatened, stared daggers at, and once or twice even outright beat anyone(mainly Murphy) who cussed. He was serious.

    It wasn''t that he was just being mean on purpose, but that he cared about his sister and didn''t want her picking up bad habits like those. Honestly, he talked about her nonstop before, praising her like she was heaven''s beloved daughter or something--not that it wasn''t understandable now that they saw her. Annoying adorable little bugger, that she was.

    But now he didn''t do that at all. Instead he seemed more irritable. Over-protective. As. Fuck.

    ....It was a real hassle. Always having to watch yourself, how you speak. Well, whatever. Even the mercs thought it would be a shame to taint a young girl''s mind with rough, coarse words like what they used.

    Such a angelic-looking little girl, how could they bear to do so?

    Would be a damn sin, that.

    " Hey, Bell!" Val''s pleasant-sounding voice called, shouting above the loud talking and music from the street performers to reach the other''s ears.

    "Come on, we''re going to the Red Boar Inn! Follow us!"

    By the gates to the city, there was a large section. This section had a metal fence around it, and guards patrolling it. It housed a space where larger vehicles like caravans could be stationed.

    You were assigned a lot and given a wooden disk with a number and seal of authenticity placed on it. They couldn''t be easily replicated, and you had to have the disk if you wished to be able to take your vehicle out.

    This is where they parked the caravans. Carriages weren''t usually accepted, but their''s was large enough to be a bit of a nuisance if used in the city where many people came and went.

    So everyone was pretty much walking on foot, and it was fairly easy to be lost in a city like this if you weren''t careful.

    The Haddock mercenaries didn''t come often, at least this group, so didn''t know much about the lay of the land. But luckily one of the people traveling with them was born here and Jaime had the woman lead them.

    "Melanie, Iris, Cecelia, come on. We shouldn''t stray too far." Lyle took Iris'' hand and turned to see one of them lagging behind.

    Melanie, the oldest of their band of four, had gotten distracted when a stall owner began trying to sell her some shady-looking items.

    "Ah, fair maiden, look here! Take a gander at these! See this? It''s a nifty little ointment that clears up skin and make it look like a baby''s bottom! Though, you don''t need it...Aha, but what about this! A pearl from the Western Plains, a charm that brings good luck to all who wears it! For a beauty like yourself, it''d be happy to be hung around your neck! "

    A fat man proclaimed, eyes flashing with a jovial light as if he truly believed in his words.

    "Melanie, we have to go." Lyle called out to her from a few steps away.

    The man heard too, and made a sly grin towards the young woman.

    "O-ho! Young Miss, your young lover over there is calling you. Quite a good-lookin'' lad, reminds me of myself at his age! Hey, hey, why not take this here potion? A true-blue love potion!"

    The man raised a clear glass vial. It was full of a pinkish powder. It glowed beautifully, like tiny grains of pink diamonds. They invoked a feeling of wonder just by looking at them.

    He paused and got closer, lowering his voice as if letting out some great secret.

    "Eh, actually, it''s not really a love potion, per se. It''s a powerful aphrodisiac, Lover''s Daydream, as people call it. Perhaps you''ve hear it''s other name, Aine''s Kiss? Even if you hadn''t, make no mistake, it''s strong stuff! It''ll spice up any relationship! Your man''ll be all over you, you two''ll be at it all day and night, heh!" He laughed lecherously. "Just a pinch''ll do, just a pinch! Trust me, Young Miss, this is strong like you wouldn''t even believe! It''ll have your man ready to go anytime, anyplace!

    " Unfortunately this kind of aphrodisiac don''t work on women, but I have one that does if you''re interested. As for this one, I''ll give it to you for only five silver!...Careful though, not more than a pinch, it''s a bit addictive you know! Hah, not that I think you''ll mind! Whatdya say, Young Miss?"

    Melanie blushed fiercly at every word, not able to speak for a few second.

    Then she spoke with great haste, forcing herself to say, "He-he''s not my l-l-lover at all! Don''t misunderstand!" It felt like she said the wrong thing though? She should have just said she didn''t want it...

    "Oh, he''s not? Well ya want him to be? Come, come, just a bit of this and he''ll be all yers, Young Miss! A strapping young man like him don''t come around often, if nothing else his looks are definitely worth even Young Miss'' attention right! Also, he seems pretty healthy, eh? Sure to satisfy Young Miss!

    Come on, just five silver and you get a new boy-toy to show off. So? Deal? Yeah?"

    Melanie tried to refuse once more, becoming more out of sorts as this embarrassing conversation went on.

    "No, that''s fine! I don''t want it! I-I have to go!"

    The chubby man axclaimed, "Young Miss, wait, come back! Look, why not just come and see my other--"

    "The lady said she didn''t want anything."

    A cold voice cut him off.

    Lyle saw that Melanie was taking some time, looking a bit distressed. He walked over just in time to see the fat stall owner bugging her.

    "But--" The man began.

    "Shut up." Came the harsh reply.

    Iris spoke up too, saying. " Harrassing people like this, it''s a wonder you''re still in business." She hated people like this, not taking no for an answer. She had no trouble telling them off even if she was a bit bad with strangers.

    "Ah, I''m sorry, truly!" The man apologized, not wanting to argue. He took out another trinket and presented it to them. " Here, you can take this bauble for free and--"

    "Don''t bother talking again, I don''t want to hear it. Melanie, let''s hurry, the others are getting pretty far ahead."

    Lyle took a hand and put it on her back, gently guiding her away.

    When they were a bit further from the man, the young woman let out a sigh.

    "Young Master... Thank you." Melanie was grateful. She was no good with overly pushy people. Ever since those loan sharks from that time she had trouble with talking to those who just wouldn''t back down and let you speak.

    They were very...intimidating.

    "No problem. " Lyle moved his hand away, forcing down that small heat that had built within him. For some reason it seemed to get a bit stronger compared to the other times?

    But he didn''t touch her long, and there was no direct skin contact...weird. Whatever. He shouldn''t think too much about it, this was a tricky and unpredictable problem. At least he didn''t turn into a serial rapist every time he touched a woman.

    A good sign, that. It was something...

    He met up with Cecelia, who waited for them, and they then disappeared into the crowd together.

    **********

    "Fey, you alright?" Jaime, at a table in the Red Boar Inn, looked askance towards his pale-looking sister.

    "Fine." She snapped back.

    "You don''t look it."

    "I''m hungry." The short reply was instantaneous.

    "Liar. You haven''t touched your meal much at all." Jaime observed.

    She looked down at her plate and her eyebrows furrowed ever-so-slightly

    " Not for something like this..."

    "Oh? You''ve never been a picky eater..."

    "I''ve recently became one. Or rather, I''m craving a something a bit different these days."

    "Different? Like what, exactly?" Jaime couldn''t understand. Some people who didn''t know much about Blood Elves would think of them as vampire-like beings.

    If they heard her then they may think she was craving blood. But that was impossible. Or, well, not exactly. Their kind could drink blood to do a variety of things. But they wouldn''t need it to live, and if they drank it then it wouldn''t make them addicted to it.

    They couldn''t "hunger" for it. So this craving, it couldn''t be for blood.

    Intangible, she says. What could she mean?

    "Fey....this couldn''t have anything to do with that, right?"

    Phaedra wasn''t normal, she wasn''t just a half-blood. She was born with another peculiar trait that had little to do with her heritage...

    If it was what he thought, then this craving, it could only be for...

    Just then, the doors to the Inn opened.

    The company of mercs saw Bell and his small entourage walk in. Phaedra glanced at them before turning away. For a fraction of an second Jaime thought he saw her expression waver.

    Was that anger? He wasn''t sure.

    As soon as she looked back, however, Jaime saw another expression. Something like...satisfaction? And her cheek, they seemed a tad more rosy? What the....

    Lyle felt a cetain pair of eyes lock-onto him for an instant. He swept his gaze through the room and stopped at Jaime''s table.

    He focused on Phaedra''s cold, aloof face and an intense annoyance sprang up within him.

    It passed moments later, however.

    He only had this reaction because for the last few days the girl had kept trying to get him worked up, baiting him at every turn. But he never responded. Not once.

    It was simply that now he grew irritated whenever he felt her looking his way. It was different from before, he no longer fought with her. It was just that her constant bugging grew old fast.

    But he was determined to not let her get to him, choosing to not waste time on her pettiness any longer than he had to.

    "Iris, Melanie, Cecelia, you guys go find a seat. I''ll pay for some rooms and a meal."

    "Brother, this place is...Balmont, right? I heard of this place, it''s said that they''ve got the best ice cream sundaes in Drann Kingdom! Hey, brother, brother, when we''re done can we go and try some? Please? Pretty please?"

    Her entire face brightened when she spoke of it, becoming starry-eyed. It seemed like she had been thinking about this for some time now.

    "Ice cream? In this weather?" Lyle thought, It''s a bit cold for ice cream, isn''t it?

    But seeing her all giddy like this, he couldn''t say no. "Sure, why not? Melanie, Cecelia, up for some dessert?"

    "...Ah, if it''s fine with you, then I would like to try some...But, no, I wouldn''t want to impose..."

    "It''s fine, no need to stand on ceremony. Come with us." He added the last part as a command, knowing she might not be honest and stay indecisive.

    "If you''re sure, then...Thank you, I''ll go." Ice cream was good in any kind of weather, she firmly believed this.

    Melanie had a sweet tooth, it''s just that she didn''t like to eat too many sweets since they were a bit expensive..

    But if the Young Master said so, how could she refuse? She just hoped she had enough to pay for her share...

    "Cecelia, you?"

    "Wouldn''t miss it." She replied. She wasn''t crazy about frozen treats, especially with it being so cold. But it''s not as if she disliked them.

    Iris'' excitement instantly died down somewhat. "Big brother, I wanted it to just be you and me..." She whispered to him unhappily.

    They never got much time to themselves...

    "The more the merrier, right? Besides, eating with friends will make it more enjoyable."

    "...Are they even my friends?" She muttered.

    She didn''t know how she felt about Melanie currently, she supposed she was okay with her...

    But that Cecelia-bitch, she was no good.

    Also, when you got down to it, they were both just aiming for her brother. Melanie, that girl, had even...with him, she...

    Iris felt her heart clench at the thought, not wanting to continue it. She didn''t want to believe it. But there was no reason not to, she even overheard her mother. Could she deny it after hearing that?

    Bother of them, they just wanted to take her brother away from her...Now that she thought of it, even Melanie was the same. They wanted to monopolize him...take them for themselves.

    she hated them.

    She hated her....

    ...She hated herself...

    She was weak...

    She--

    A voice broke her train of thought.

    "Iris, I know you''re not satisfied with how it turned out, but bear with it. They''re not bad, you''ve known them for some time now. Let''s have some fun, okay? We can go and explore Balmont a bit later, just you and me. Alright?"

    Lyle knew his siter well. She wanted to spend time with him, just the two of them. Seeing her make a face like right now, he couldn''t deny her that, could he?

    He could be firm with her, but lately he found that he didn''t want to be.

    ...Spoiling her just a bit was fine...right?

    Iris looked as animated as she had been before, a blooming smile upon her face that attracted everyone''s attention.

    "Big brother, you mean it?"

    "Of course. Just be patient, ''kay?"

    "I''ll do it! I''ll be patient! I''ll be good!" Then, in a smaller voice, she said,"...Brother, I love you."

    "...Yeah. I love you too."

    She really was an honest sort, wasn''t she? Saying something like that, in a place like this...

    Eh, oh well, no harm done. She was, after all, his sister.

    Lyle rubbed her head affectionately and moved to the desk at the side of the room.

    "Three rooms, one with two beds. Just for the night."

    "That''ll be 4 and a half silver pieces, meals for the rest of today and next morning included. I''ll have Jim whip up something for you and your lady friends. " The elderly woman behind the desk held out a hand.

    He paid, recieving the keys to the rooms before going back to take a seat with Iris and the other two young women.

    **********

    "Hey, Boris." Jaime went to see the man at his table.

    "What''s up?" He chewed on a chunk of meat.

    " Let everyone know to be careful if they wander by themselves. And hide their Company badges from now on. Balmont''s recently become part of the Crimson Spear''s territory, at least in part. It could get dangerous."

    Boris peered at him. "You really think they''ll cause any trouble with the Haddocks? And our badges are different, they''ll know we''re not regular foot soldiers and shit."

    "Maybe they won''t, but I heard rumour that they swore allegiance to the Tyrant''s Eye mercanaries. If true, our trip to Zeshar will become complicated should the Spear report our being here. We won''t be troubled here, but the towns and cities near Zeshar will have some Tyrant''s Eye members stationed within. They might start something if they know we''re going to be in the area. "

    "Well fu--" Boris nearly cursed, but saw Bell some feet away talkin'' to his harem--the damn lucky bastard--and stopped himself before the boy overheard. "--Darn..." He corrected weakly.

    "Yeah. Darn. " Jaime''s lips tugged upward in amusement. " Anyway, make sure everyone understands."

    "What''re you going to be doing that you can''t tell them yourself?"

    "I''ve got a hot date to get to."

    Jaime''s display of his canines, so much like Phaedra''s own, made Boris shiver.

    He didn''t think the young man was going to just go find, woo and then bed some comely young lass...

    Unfortunately things were never that simple with Jaime Haddock.

    **********

    An hour later, sitting in a booth from within a brightly-lit room. They found this particular shop after questioning the locals for directions.

    " Brother, I want this one!" Iris held up a menu displaying a picture of some frosty treat.

    "...Hm. Black Diamond Sea-Turtle Sundae...Looks good. Alright. I''ll go ahead and order it when the waiter arrives. Melanie, Cecelia, decide what you''re getting yet?

    "I''ll just take a simple Blackberry Sorbet."

    "Alright then. Melanie, you?"

    She didn''t answer. In fact it seemed like she wasn''t even listeneing, spacing out.

    "Um, Melanie?" He tried getting her attention, to no avail.

    ...Melanie was freaking out. She was almost literaly hyperventilating as she saw the menu.

    The cheapest was 5 gold...

    She wanted to scream, Just what''s with these absurd prices!!

    Gold.

    Not silver, gold!

    She felt her heart smash to pieces, knowing she''d never going to be able to afford anything with the meager amount she had with her. Her total wealth, right now, numbered only around 20 silver.

    She wanted to cry.

    But no. She held it in. So what if she couldn''t pay for it? It was just ice cream...

    So with that in mind, she calmly sat her menu down and said, "I''m fine. I don''t want anything."

    Everything was perfect. Her tone was completely even. She hoped.

    Lyle asked, "You sure?"

    "I said I''m fine."

    You didn''t answer the question,Lyle thought. Did you think I wouldn''t notice? Hmph. Believing you can fool me, you''re a thousand years too soon, young''un.

    This thought was incredibly arrogant.

    But he didn''t say any of that.

    " I see. Why don''t you get the same as Iris?"

    "...Young Master, I said--"

    "I''m perfectly clear on what you said. But I know you so well, my dear Melanie. Did you think you could lie to me? Plus you nearly drooled just by looking at the pictures."

    "I did not."

    "Did."

    "Didn''t."

    "Did."

    "Didn''t"

    "Didn''t"

    "Did." An instant later, she exclaimed, "--Hey!" She was tricked!

    Lyle continued on as if nothing happened."So you did. Yeah, I thought so."

    Melanie shook her head, distressed. "Young Master, you...you''re terrible!"

    " Right, right. Would you like the Frozen Trouffle instead?"

    "It looks tasty, I can''t deny...but I...I can''t...afford it." She admitted pathetically, looking defeated.

    "Yes. I knew that from the beginning. Melanie, I don''t see why you even thought you would be paying at all."

    "But if I don''t pay, then how could I get it?" She appeared genuinly perplexed, tilting her head.

    "No, obviously I''ll be the one paying for it." His tone implied, did you really have to ask?

    "What!" She shouted. Seeing the looks she got from the other customers, she quieted down. "You can''t! Young Master, you''ve already spent so much money for my sake that day, and even more recently. I can''t let you do so again! Also, just look at these prices, look at them!" She waved the menu at him. "How can you waste so much money on a person like me! It''s just ice cream, I can go without!"

    One of Lyle''s eyebrows twitched. "Melanie." He started in a heavy voice. " I''ve never wasted money on you. Any money I used for you could never be considered to be a "waste" by any means. And stop with those self-deprecating comments. Really, your inferiority complex should have it''s limits. Hm, also, you''re right. It''s just ice cream. So what''s the problem?"

    Lyle never told the others where they were going, just that they were going to look around the city.

    They might get a bit suspicious if they saw them here, and knew that they were coming to a place like this, but they were neither told where they were going nor would they ever come to themselves.

    Well, Jaime and Phaedra, maybe. But even if it was found out where they were at, they wouldn''t think all too deeply into it. They might think that Lyle and the rest were being a bit extravagent but little more.

    Normal mercenaries wouldn''t ever come to a building like this, they prefered rougher places. Still, it wasn''t like they were so poor they couldn''t afford to if they really saved up a bit. Merc work were among the more well-off professions, after all.

    This was the only problem he could see, being at a expensive place like this one. And he couldn''t think of anything else that would make Melanie so worked up.

    Making a fuss just because of some slightly pricey ice cream...

    Saying things such as, "Waste money on a person like me"...

    He didn''t know whether to flick the girl on her head or give her a comforting pat onthe back.

    Melanie, she should just learn to let him take care of things like money when she was with him. It wasn''t as if he didn''t have enough.

    On the contrary, he currently had enough to buy a sizeable house if he wanted to. And could take out more from his own personal funds at a nearly any decent bank within Drann Kingdom.

    " But..." Melanie trailed off.

    Finally Cecelia couldn''t take it anymore. " Woman, just shut it and let him pay for you. He''ll not rest easy otherwise. And does it even matter? He''s already spent so much for you, why complain about him spending a bit more?"

    "Pay for me, you say....somehow I dislke the way you phrased that."

    "Actually, I kind of do as well." Lyle cut in. Seemed bad when she put it in such a way.

    "Ugh, whatever. Look, just pick something."

    Iris agreed. " Yeah. This truly is dragging on a bit too much now, don''t you think? You should just accept big brother''s kindness already..."

    Being told so by the two girl, and Lyle, Melanie couldn''t resist anymore. When she thought of it...maybe it was a bit silly...But the prices...

    She felt physically pained when looking at them...

    "So what do you want?" Lyle inquired to her.

    "Um...know what, you can decide..."

    For some reason she felt this would put her more at ease rather than asking for something herself.

    She would be wrong.

    Because Lyle felt his eybrow twitch yet again.

    "Fine." He said huffily, thoroughly annoyed.He skimmed through the menu, an evil smile soon coming to his lips." Okay. I''ve decided.You''re getting a Golden Majesty Three-Crown Sundae Supreme! With nuts!" He announced.

    Inwardly Lyle was thinking, ...But seriously, what''s with these names....

    Melanie didn''t know what that particular treat was, so she grabbed the menu once more and looked through it.

    Her face paled.

    Too wasteful! Young master, you''re too wasteful! What''s with this absolutely insane price! For ice cream? Is this really ice cream or a handful of edible diamonds?!

    "...That...that costs more than 80 gold...W-what''s with these the damn prices, it costs more than a carriage encrusted with silver and precious jewels..." She bang her fists lightly on the table, feeling wronged...

    As a person raised by her mother to treat even a copper coin as something to be greateful for, how could she not hurt when seeing the cost of that thing?!

    Young master, even if you buy it for me, how could I dare eat it!

    "Don''t worry. I''m sure you''ll want it once it gets here. You''re nothing if not a lover of sweets. Besides, you wouldn''t want to make my money really got to waste, would you?" Lyle spoke mildly.

    ...Did...did I say that out loud?

    Melanie wasn''t sure.

    D-did he read her mind? No, that can''t be...that would be horrible...

    Her thoughts these days, if he knew of them, she would rather die than live another day!

    It wasn''t long until the waiter--or ratherwaitress--came.

    "How may I help you today?" She smiled as she greeted then, her eyes focusing on the handsome blonde-haired and blue-eyed youth whom she noticed some time back.

    " Yeah, we''ll have a Black Diamond Sea-Turtle Sundae, a Blackberry Sorbet and one Golden Majesty Three-Crown Sundae Supreme." He said confidently.

    The waitress blinked.

    " Sir, uh, that last one...are you sure?"

    "Yes. Why? Something wrong?"

    "No, it''s nothing serious. Just that few people ever get that particular item, it''s our most expensive product."

    "Oh." Lyle shrugged.

    "Is that all, sir?"

    "It is, thank you."

    "Very well. The total will be 135 gold. Will you pay now or wait till you leave?"

    "I''ll do it now."

    "Thank you for your patronage." She accepted the money and left after a small bow.

    Iris tugged on his arm. "Brother, wait, you didn''t give your order!"

    "I know. I''ll just share with Melanie. It''s big enough anyway."

    "Big brother, you should just share with me instead..."

    Cecelia also joined. "If you''d like, I wouldn''t mind sharing mine with you either." She talked with a cavalier air, like she didn''t care one way or the other.

    "No, that''s okay. You two enjoy yourselves."

    "...Brother..."

    "If you say so..."

    The two didn''t say anything more about it.

    Nearly fifteen minutes later, their orders arrived.

    Iris dug in enthusiastically.

    Her order was a two-scoop sundae comprised of chocolate and vanilla ice cream topped with caramel and chocolate syrup with a some sort of golden dust covering some parts of it to give the thing a golden flow.

    All this rested above delectable-looking fudge brownie, hot, gooey and full of nuts.

    After taking a bite, Iris'' mouth was exposed to a plethora of tastes that were very nealry addictive.

    "...S-so...good!" She cried, loving it.

    Cecelia was more reserved, eating her slightly tangy treat with a quiet relish. She had to admit...these people knew what they were doing. How did she not hear of Balmont being so great at making such things?

    Lyle, recieving the monstrously large bowl, was about to request for another spoon before he saw that it already came with one.

    "Sir, the Golden Majesty is pretty much meant to eaten by couples." The waitress explained, anticipating the question beforehand.

    "Ah...makes sense." Such a large bowl, who could eat it by by themselves?

    "Enjoy. If you need anything else, just give me a call." She smiled again and left.

    Lyle looked at the thing before him, marveling a bit at the dark gold-colored ice cream. Not yellow. Gold. It seemed as if it was a treat meant to be eaten by gods, extremely wondrous to behold.

    It had an assortment of toppings. Chocolate syrup, caramel, cherries, wafers on the sides, silver leaves lining the bowl and spoons that had diamonds embedded in the handle...

    It looked great, three small crowns perching on top. Most of the price probably came from the gaudy design of the bowl and utensils though.

    Melanie was petrified as she gazed at it.

    She wasn''t able to even touch the spoon.

    ...Those stones, t...they can''t be real, right...

    To her, the entire thing was just a pile of gold coins. Wasteful to the extreme. So much so that she wanted to screeam. This was just throwing money away....

    "Aren''t you going to eat?" Lyle asked. He had lifted up the spoon closest to him, ready to take a bite, when he saw that Melanie was frozen. Not moving an inch.

    "...How can I eat it?"

    "With your mouth."

    "...."

    "...I already bought it, you know. At least try some.."

    Her face showed unwillingness. "Young Master, I don''t think I should even touch the spoon. What if I drop it?"

    "It''s just a spoon.

    "It''s a golden spoon embedded with diamonds!"

    A sigh. "So just because of that, you''re not going to touch it?"

    "I don''t think that I can bear to..."

    "I see. Melanie."

    "Yes?"

    "Say ''ah~''."

    "Wha--?...!!"

    Without giving her any sort of warning, his hand darted out and he slipped his spoon past her lips.

    A few moments of silence passed as he held the thing in her mouth.

    "LIke it?"

    A pause.

    "...."

    She nodded, her face a bright pink.

    "Good." He took the spoon out, the ice cream gone from it entirely. "Now are you going to eat or am I going to have to feed it to you again?"

    "I-I can do it myself, thank you. And you didn''t have to do that...treating me like a child...how mortifying..."

    "In my defence, you were acting like one."

    "Even still!" She insisted. "I''m not a kid. i''m even older than you..."

    "Are you? Sometimes I forget. Ah, but no need to force yourself. I kind of like you how you are, a bit childish. It''s cute, really."

    "Cute? Whose cute...I''m not ''cute'' at all...dammit, saying such embarrassing things so openly...that''s not fair at all. Really, you''re just..." She sighed.

    Iris and Cecelia looked at them with blank faces.

    "Brother?" The young girl called.

    "Open."

    "Open wh--?"

    "...Is it good?"

    Lyle licked his lips. "Hm. A bit too sweet for my liking, but it''s still pretty great."

    " Good. Now you do me."

    "No." He refused. "You''re not a child."

    "But brother, you did it for her!"

    "She''s a special case. She was too stubborn."

    "I can be stubborn too."

    "Iris, eat."

    "Okay."

    .... She really was very weak, ah....

    "Lyle." Cecelia spoke up. Her spoon was raised.

    " What?"

    She hesitated. "...No, nothing..."

    Lyle looked at her, but didn''t see anything wrong.

    He turned and saw Melanie eating, feeling satisfied. He then moved to take his own spoon once more and have a taste for himself. He had high expectations.

    Melanie stopped his hand before it got to his lips.

    "Young Master, that spoon..."

    "Hm?"

    "..Uh, no, It''s just..." She squirmed for a bit, looking uncomfortable, before letting go. "...Nevermind"

    Lyle felt he knew what was bothering her, but it didn''t matter. Something like this, was there a need to be concerned? Silly girl.

    As these interactions passed, they settled down and ate in a harmonious silence.

    **********

    When they dropped off Melanie and Cecelia back at Inn, it was around midday.

    Now the sky was already dark.

    Iris dragged him all over the place, pulling on his arm as they explored the city.

    They got lost several times, having to ask the locals for directions before one of them gave out a handy map for them to make their way around more easily.

    They may have visited every shop in the city by the time they were done, and Lyle must have lost at least 10 gold buying stuff for Iris.

    She was like a little fairy, jumping to and fro whenever something caught her eye.

    Not once had she let go of his hand.

    The lights of the city''s shops came on long ago, and with the sounds of music from the street performers along with the smells of the food vendors, it gave everything a festive feel to it.

    Iris'' gem-like eyes and golden locks, the sheer happiness she exuded as she walked with him, when combined with the atmosphere of the place, made everything seem to hold a dream-like quality to it.

    The lights seemed brighter, the colors more vivid. Nearly euphoric. Lyle, for just an instant, wanted these moment to never end.

    Although she was a bit bratty at times, and despite her clinginess, he could honestly say that the best parts of his day happened when Iris was by his side. Which was often.

    She made him want to be...better.

    A better person.

    A better brother...

    He thought back to those peaceful times, the times before he had to worry about losing himself to these things that ate away at him.

    ...If he could make those days last forever, he wouldn''t mind spending them all with her.

    As they walked back, he sincerly though this.

    *********

    Everything was dark, quiet, the fluttering of the curtains the only thing making noise.

    A gentle breeze flowed in from the window, streaks of gentle starlight making their way into the room.

    One of the beds within the space showed signs of movement, the metal frame groaning.

    The floorboards began to creak just seconds later, the sound of footsteps.

    Lyle was laying on his side, hearing the rustling of the sheets and blankets as something made it''s way beside him.

    A warm figure, half his size, coiled up next to him. A pair of tiny hands clutched at his shirt, a small head burying itself in his chest.

    "....Brother, are you awake?" A soft, muffled whisper.

    He didn''t move at all, didn''t make any sound at all apart from a few deep, even breeaths.

    It took him several minutes before he felt it. A damp wetness, now soaking into his skin

    She was crying...

    "Iris, what''s the matter?"

    "Big brother, there''s something wrong with me, isn''t there?"

    "...No. There''s nothing wrong with you. You''re fine."

    "You don''t have to lie. I''ve known for a while now, that there''s something...inside of me." Her voice sounded raw, pained. "But big brother, I can''t ... I can''t take it anymore..." A sob escaped her lips, her shoulders trembling. "She keeps saying all these horrible things. She says that you''ll leave me. That you''ll abandon me. She says you''ll stop caring about me. Even today, even now, she..."

    "...Big brother...I just want her to stop...please, make her stop..."

    "Iris, it''s okay. You''re fine. There''s nothing wrong with you. You hear me? Nothing. Don''t listen to it. It''s lying. I''ll always be here with you!"

    "I know that, and I don''t want to doubt you, big brother, but I... Everything she said...I hate them." She couldn''t raise her eyes to meet his. "Big brother, even if you get close to other girls, I''m fine with it...! As long as you''re still with me, I won''t say anything! Please...just please don''t abandon me...!"

    Her tears didn''t stop, every word cutting into him. He thought that she was talking to it, but never realized it was this bad. All this time, she...Iris, she being told such terrible thing...

    ...Lyle''s realize his problems were nothing. Less than nothing. In comparison to this, what did he care about what was happening to his own self?

    Here she was, in such pain, constantly having her worst fears preyed upon and used against her, and yethe couldn''t do a damn thing for her.

    He was useless. A failure.

    "Iris, don''t cry... I ''ll fix this. I''ll fix everything. I''m here. Alright? I''ll always be here for you... Always..."

    He kept saying this like some sort of chant, again and again, holding onto her until she fell back asleep.

 Interlude 2

    Author note: So this was meant to be posted much later in the story, but it fit here too. I suppose. This one gets kinda weird, i think? The events of this chapter are obviously not taking place in the same time as the rest of the story.

    Remember to rate, review and comment on whatever you wish.

    ********************

    The room was dark. A vast chamber full of mysterious objects which had not seen the light of day in many centuries.

    A tall, muscled figure peered at a large glass floor in the center of the room.

    A fierce, silent snarl was upon his lips. His prismatic eyes shifted from one color to the next, his entire body taut, radiating violence the likes of which could tear apart mountains with its mere intensity.

    A few times, it had.

    With a head full of crimson colored hair and a single horn jutting out the side of his head, he cut a monstrous appearance.

    His abnormally handsome face did nothing to alleviate the terror and awe one might feel in the presence of a man like him.

    He roared suddenly, shouting in fury. He turned away in a rush, his hand radiating a harsh golden rays.

    An instant later, that ball of scorching light was thrown out.

    One of the walls, which could withstand a nuclear holocaust with ease, was incinerated.

    A large hole was made, regenerating within seconds.

    The man clenched his teeth, his breathing rough.

    Again, He screamed inside his mind. Another failure! Why, why can''t I change anything? Why can''t he just be better? Countless years of searching, trying to find the things I need, yet I''m after finally acquiring them I''m unable to change a single goddamn thing that matters!

    He felt useless. How many people did he have to kill to acquire the power he''d just performed? How many untold millions were sacrificed to achieve his goal during that time? Even so, he can''t do anything? Can''t stop what he knew would happen?

    It was like some sick joke. And a cruel one.

    Bane, you bastard, you were supposed to take them there and then. You were obviously interested, why didn''t you just do as you were expected? If you just took them, everything would have been put off for at least several more years! Son of a bitch, if you hadn''t died back then I would track you down right now and rip your bastard soul from your body!

    It wouldn''t have been hard. A mere lich was meaningless, weak. He''d done much worse to much more powerful beings than that...

    Nothing could appease his anger. Not right now.

    Apair of delicate hands wound themselves around him from behind, embracing him warmly.

    "That temper of yours is getting worse, I see."

    A faint, feminine laugh.

    "Beloved, I see no point to your efforts." That familiar angelic voice, soft and lilting, was once again whispering into his ear.

    Nations would fall with that voice alone. And many had.

    "No matter what you do, nothing will truly change. Every path you could possibly take will always lead you to me." She sighed, resting her head on his shoulder as if it were a special place just for her. These days it may as well be. "Dearest One, why must you continue this foolishness? Am I truly so undesirable?" An unspeakable sadness could be felt from the woman, heartbreaking.

    The young man, or so his features suggested, simple tightened his fists in reesponse.

    " Undesirable doesn''t begin to explain the levels of revulsion I feel for you!" He spat.

    Another laugh.

    "So you say....but your body speaks a different story..."

    Her hands slid down, unbuckling his pant as her two soft bulges pressed against his back.

    And he couldn''t do anything about it--his body reacted.

    Even though he didn''t want to, even though her touch sickened him, it wasn''t his choice.

    His mind, his heart, was unwilling. But his body didn''t listen, didn''t care.

    It never did.

    "Turn around." She murmured.

    And he complied.

    She was perfect in every way. Porcelain-like skin, tender and without blemish.Hair long and flowing, a light blonde. Cheeks which held a healthy rosiness, lips which were full and petal-pink.

    She was tall, her legs long and slender. She was lithe, a thin waist that begged to be held...

    She was exquisite. In every way, shape and form. Think of the most beautiful woman you''ve ever seen. Even she would not compare to the one before him.

    Because she was not mortal. She was beautiful in a way no other woman could be, every part of her seeming to exude a dream-like glow.

    If you even just gazed at her you would be incapable of finding any other woman attractive for the rest of your life. Your mind would be full of nothing but that one glimpse.

    Your every thought would be of how to please her.

    She was a woman that would make you forget everything else but her. The world would lose color and fade away until only she would remain...

    But he felt nothing for her. Nothing but hatred. Disgust.She knew that and yet still she smiled, lighting up the room with that one small movement alone.

    The woman grabbed hold of his collar, bringing him towards her.

    He could feel the warmth of her lips on his own, could taste her sweet, unique flavorr as she prodded his mouth open and slipped her tongue nside.

    And he hated that, too.

    She led him to a bed not far away and stripped him down.

    Her hands reached out for him, roving along his body sensuously.

    He couldn''t help but let her. Couldn''t stop her stop all.

    She groped and licked and bit every inch of him. Her back arched, her naked form decidedly sinful to behold.

    A series of provacative moans arose, unending.

    She made made him stand. Her legs wrapped around him, her arms pulling his head into her bosom while she called his name...

    A name he wanted to forget.

    He didn''t know how long it stayed like this. It could have been hours. But with her, it was more likely to be days.

    If they tired, however unlikely that situation may be, they''d still only rest for a minute and no more. Then they''''d be entangled with one another yet again.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    She was very nearly insatiable. Nearly.

    He had many, many women in his long life. Too many to count. Sex itself was just another thing he had used to hate.

    Even when he needed it to live, every woman was simply a means to an end. Sex was a tool for survival even though it just made him feel more dead inside afterwards. It forced him to remember things that he he denied even to this day.

    He got over that hatred, with difficulty. He still never enjoyed it as much as his partners did, though. It opened too many wounds.

    The significant women of his life helped him. Made him somewhat whole. Still fractured, yet not as broken as he was. Wounds have turned to scars.

    Those scars were ripped open anew the first time she took him. Like this time. Like all the times before now.

    And he never hated sex with any woman as much as he hated it with her.

    Before it was his choice to have it. He could have chosen not to, could have chosen to simply lay down and die as that evil fire consumed him.

    Instead of that he just got with any woman who would have him. Not that any ever refused.

    But here, with her?

    It wasn''t his decision. His choice. She wanted him, so she would have him. His body would stand at attention even though everything else wanted nothing more than to leave her.

    He turned his thoughts away from that path. It never did any good. He would just become more pissed off than he already was.

    They bed was in a state of disarray, obviously, as was most of the room now. It was thoroughly soaked with the stink of sweat.

    She lay curled up next to him, a hand placed possessively over his chest as she kissed his neck. One of her fingers traced the serpent Mark on his arm. It wasn''t always there, sometimes it moved.

    The Marks were momentos left behind by them.As was his right. They were, after all, his most devout followers. These Marks, once a curse, were now a sign of their "loyalty."

    The woman didn''t rest long. Her movements become more erotic and intimate with every minute. She nibbled at his ear, moving closer to him while she touched herself, wanting more. The warmth of her body mingled with his own, her voluptuous curves in full view.

    He was ashamed. Felt used. He wanted to throw up, to push her aside. Yet right now, he couldn''t.

    She still used her authority over him.

    Whether he liked to admit it or not, he was her slave.

    Her plaything.

    He hadn''t felt like this much of a whore in a long time. There was no one who he disliked more, no one that he disdained more, than her.

    ....Because of her, his life was misery itself. No. This was his fate. Had been from the day of his birth.

    "You thought of those women just a while ago, didn''t you?"

    "No."

    "Liar."

    Her lips once more rose at the corners.

    She didn''t really care. He knew her thoughts.

    She got him in the end. Every other woman was gone and only she remained in his life. She won. Or rather, the game was rigged from the start.

    "I don''t see why you ever cared for them anyway." She said airily. "All of them turned their backs on you, only We stayed by your side."

    Yes. And because of that they were all dead.

    Not a word of reply from him.

    ...He wanted to kill her. His hands itched to end her life right here and now.

    But he wouldn''t even if he had the chance. How many people could understand the feeling of wanting to kill someone so much that you would literally gnaw your hands out of chains to do it, but also know doing so would be something you would regret for an eternity?

    Though don''t miunderstand. If it was only her, he wouldn''t care. However it wasn''t just her. That was the problem.

    That was why no matter how much he reviled the woman, no matter how much he wanted to tear her limb from limb, he didn''t dare to.

    He didn''t talk or even look at her as he sat up. He just rose abruptly, standing at the foot of the bed, wanting to take a shower. Maybe if he scrubbed hard enough he would get the feeling of her hands off of him.

    He knew it wouldn''t. It never did. It hadn''t the last hundreds of thousands of times, at least, and so there was no reason to believe it would now.

    But it helped, he had to admit. The pain of his skin becoming raw and torn until it bled didn''t make him any less resentful of every fucked up thing that happened in his life, but the pain did offer some small measure of reprieve from his mind.

    Apparently she had other ideas.

    " Leaving so soon? Come now, are you not up for another round or twenty?"

    "I''m tired."

    "Again with the lies." She saw through him. "Sex is an art you''ve long since perfected, Dearest One. Don''t tell me you''re tired. You don''t evertire. Do you fear you''ll break me, hm? But I''m not a normal woman, you know, so your concern is baseless. Or well, perhaps that''s untrue now given how strong you''ve become. Although...being broken by you, I''d not mind. Still, I''m touched you care. But why not really let loose for once, My Love?"

    She crawled up behind him, wrapping her arms around his neck. She liked doing that, going behind him like this.

    He felt her lips brush against his shoulder, the action causing a shiver to rise up in him--and not the good kind.

    "I''ve told you, Aine, don''t talk to me so familiarily like that." Irritation dripped from every word. " Me and you will never be that close. In fact, if I had my way, we would never see each other again in our lifetimes. Which for you and me, is very probably all of eternity."

    Her nails dug into his skin. He could tell that she was mad.

    "You still just don''t get ityet, do you? You''re mine. You''ve alwaysbeen mine. I love you so much....So, so much...And you''ll love me too, eventually. Because we belong to each other. This is your fate. Accept it. "

    He broke away from her. "I''d rather suffer in the pits of Hell."

    "You really don''t like me very much, do you?" Her tone implied a unspoken, for now.

    "I can''t stand the sight of you." He readily agreed.

    "Then what about....now?"

    There was no warning as she appeared in front of him.

    Her appearence made his breath stop for a moment. It had nothing to do with her beauty. The reason was something else entirely.

    No longer was there the unspeakably bewitching and mature woman that he had just made love to.

    Her face, normally so perfect that it inspired awe, was replaced by a different sort.

    Her featured were slightly softer, more child-like, even. But still beautiful face, well-formed and pleasing to the eye. Breathtaking, anyone would agree. Doll-like. There was yet a hint of immaturity in this face,Youthfull and vibrant.

    The woman''s hair became a darker shade of gold, her eyes a brilliant green. Even her body bacame slimmer, shorter too. Like that of a 15 or 16 year old girl still in the midst of the growing period of her life.

    ....A face as familiar to him as his own. More so. This body, this face, those eyes, they struck him right to the core of his being. They filled him with a plethora of bittersweet emotions that sent him reeling.

    " Well? Does this form please you?" The voice, so different from the one he knew from memory, broke him out of the spell.

    Instantly a fierce, unstoppable rage spread through him.

    His arm flashed out, fast as lighting, and seconds later he had the "girl" pinned to one of the walls by her throat.

    A gagging sound was issued, the girl holding onto the arm which had her trapped.

    "Didn''t I tell you already, Aine? Huh? Don''t you ever use her face against me!" He snarled. "No more! I won''t stand here and let you-- "

    "Bro...ther..."

    The words were weak, a loving light entering her eyes. And it was then that he sensed something off. That gaze, the way she called out to him...

    Horrified by what he was doing, he released his grip and caught her before she hit the ground.

    He held onto her, kneeling down with her weak body in his arms.

    "Livia?" He hesitated, hoping, dreading that this was some trick. This name, that was the one she used now. She, like him, threw her old one away.

    Had he ever sounded more vulnerable than he did at this moment? No. Only when she was with him did he ever let down his guard.

    "Brother, It''s me...She''s gone." She smiled. It was so bright, blinding. He would never forget it.

    "Livia!" The man exclaimed, voice breaking.

    Her eyes were hazy, disoriented. But it was her. She was here. She was okay. She was safe...

    He had to help her. He had to keep her here, before she returned. Somehow.

    He had to--

    Again, like so many times before now, he felt another pair of lips meeting his own. He stilled, not moving an inch. His mouth tasted like ash.

    "Brother, I missed you so much... "

    Her eyes weren''t the same as they had been just moments ago. They were contaminated with flecks of orange, looking at him with an obsessive light.

    ... She was different, now....

    She lost herself to that thing long ago. They weren''t seperate, they were one and the same. It was one of the reasons she called herself this.

    He should have known that. But it didn''t matter. She was still his sister regardless of how much she changed, that, at least, remained true. At her core she was the same as she''d always been. He didn''t care about anything other than that fact.

    "Ah, brother, I love you so much...."

    That love was twisted. He was unable to bring himself to accept it.

    "You love me too, right?"

    Never in the way she''d wanted him to.

    "...No, of course you do...brother loves me more than anyone."

    More than life. She was always his most precious person.

    " ...Brother, did you miss me too?"

    Every second of every day.

    He wanted to cry, but no tears came.

    "Yes, what a silly question, you obviously did. Hmph, that bitch, she''ll never know you like I d--"

    Pain flickered across her face, twisting it.

    And she was back.

    Aine...

    She found it amusing. She liked making him suffer, so that she could later hold and comfort him after. It only made things more unbearable.

    "....I hate you. I hate you so much that it hurts." He forced out.

    " I know. But I still love you. And someday, you''ll love me back."

    " That''ll never happen."

    "It will." She spoke with confidence. " And I can wait for the day you do."

    "Bring her back...Bring her back to me! Aine!"

    " Do you love me?"

    "...."

    "I see. Then I refuse."

    He knew she would say that. He had this conversation countless times before. It always ended the same.

    "Oh, don''t sulk. Okay. Fine. I''ll leave you two alone for a while. But you owe me, Beloved. I trust that you understand exactly how you can pay me back for this..."

    She licked her lips erotically, then left. But she--the one he wanted--didn''t awake.

    Aine kept her word, but only the bare minimum of it. Her jealously wouldn''t let her do anything more than this.

    ....Lyle ran a hand along her cheek, wondering how everything became so messed up. How it all came crashing down.

    "I''ll fix this." A hushed whisper.

    He was tired of it all. He wanted to just stop and fade away, but he couldn''t. He''d never leave her. He swore this to himself, and to her, long ago.

    " ... I''ll fix everything..."

 Chapter twenty-nine pt. 1

    That night Iris slept curled up next to him while Lyle held her head, gently rubbing it.

    He could feel her weight on his arm, the steady rhythm of her breath. Could almost see the beads of moisture at the corner of her eyes...

    If he had to say, he was angry. It was the sort of slow-burning anger that sat at the pit of your stomache, the kind that you knew wouldn''t go away and just continued to eat at you.

    There was a vile, queasy feeling that made his heart pound. He was angry at many things. His father, for bringing them to that place. Himself, for allowing this to happen. Those three that were doing this to them.

    But he felt sad, too. Not for himself, but for Iris. Sad that all this time she was having these worries, these fears, which were being used against her. That she was in pain, and he was part of the cause. That he hadn''t noticed how bad things were before now.

    If Iris wasn''t so attached to him then she wouldn''t have been so scared that he''d leave her someday. That thing inside her wouldn''t be able to use that fear of abandonment to prey on her.

    But she was, and itdid.

    Love could be a great weakness just as well as it could be a source of great strength. Obviously that being that laid within her small body knew this all too well.

    Lyle wasn''t able to do anything but hold her like this and try to reassure her. To tell her that her worries were baseless.

    Because they were, weren''t they? And even if he ever left her side, as was bound to happen, it wouldn''t be for long. He would come back, always.

    He''d never <u>just</u>abandon her. He''d never just leave and not return. Even if she didn''t want him by her side someday, even if one day she grew to hate him, he''d be here for her whenever she needed him to. That''s what older brothers did.

    He loved her. Iris was his sister, of course he loved her.

    So since he couldn''t yet rid her of that thing inside her, since he couldn''t stop it from whispering hurtful things into her ear...

    ...He''d just have to do his best to comfort her.

    As long as he could stop her from crying like this, as long as he could stop her from becoming sad, that would be enough for now.

    **********

    "Hey...Don''t you think that those two''ve gotten a bit... too close with each other lately?"

    Murphy glanced at Mira, a tall, fair-haired woman who was part of Val''s small squad of archers. At 26 she was much older than Murphy and, if truth be told, acted as a sisterly figure to the boy.

    He took a gander at the direction Mira was looking at.

    "Well it''s just some normal show of sibling love and affection...right?"

    "Is it? I''m not sure if that''s the case..." She displayed some doubts.

    "Bullshit. I''ve got siblings and none of us are as attached to the hip as those two''ve been lately." Cut in a large, broad-shoulder man with a mane of thick, dark hair and bulging muscles.

    Henri Thatch.

    A stout man, he uses a heavy broadsword to fight and has a very nastly-looking long scar across his cheek that was slightly hidden by his stubble. Murphy had many times asked how he got it but the man told several different stories each time.

    One of the more crass members of their little band, he''d been a mercenary for 13 years. Not someone afraid to speak his mind.

    "Okay, fine. What''re you gettin'' at then?"

    "I don''t know." He grunted. "All I''m saying is that for the past few days them two have been a bit too close. Kinda... abnormally so."

    "Agreed. Heh, actually, I wouldn''t be surprised if the two''ve had more than yer average ''sibling love and affection'' for one another!"

    This came from a snickering, thick-faced man whose bulky build made him closer to animal than human. He was a newer member, someone who was stationed at one of the Haddock Mercenaries'' outer territories. A man who was hardened in harsh combat before being bumped up to his current station due to exemplary merits on the battlefield.

    His specialty was pissing people off. Not a very likable sort, but someone who had the skill and balls to say what he wanted and get away with it on most occasions.

    Now wasn''t one of those times.

    "Shut your whore mouth." Murphy hissed, instantly angered.

    "What, we''re all thinkin'' it." The man shrugged. "Maybe the guy gets his kicks from finger-blastin'' his sister at night. I won''t judge. If I had a sis as cute as that, maybe I''d wanna do it too, heh! Hm, though my tastes don''t run that young. Maybe after another ten or so years when she''d be a tad more ripe, but that''s jus'' me. To each their own." He paused, spitting phlegm to the side of the dirt road. "Sister-kisser or not, doesn''t matter much to me. I''ll bet my left nut he is though, and that she likes it. I wonder if they and that Melanie bitch ever got a bit adventurous?"

    As the last sentence fell, everyone in the caravan shifted uncomfortably. They never questioned it directly but that particular subject, the identity and position of the young woman in relation to the boy, was one that they had wondered over too.

    However to have it said like this, in this kind of context, with even that little girl included in such a vulgar way....

    It didn''t sit well with them.

    "You should take more care with your words. If he heard you, do you think he wouldn''t torture you to death?" Nyk, having heard all this, opened his mouth and said so. His eyes darkened in warning.

    Because he never talked much, him doing so now spoke volumes.

    If Bell, that guy, really wanted to then the only one who could stop him even among these tried and true elites would be the enigmatic Captain of this small band, Jaime. And he may not even choose to step in at all.

    Penn, the man who had just spoken, made a cocky laugh. "Please. That boy did well against those bandits, and even I got a bit of a cold sweat watchin'' him tear through them, but I doubt he''d be able to beat me. I ain''t no weak-ass bandit."

    "No, you aren''t, but you''ll be a dead fool soon if you don''t shut the fuck up." Came a caustic reply.

    Val was the one who said this, from the driver''s seat.

    She never liked Penn very much. He was loyal, a good fighter, and would stick up for any of them. He''d be the first to a fight and the last to leave. In all, he wasn''t a "bad" person.

    His mouth just stank to high heaven. Meaning he talked shit to just about anyone. And so depite his better qualities, she could never get over his attitude. He was simply the type to rile people up.

    It was a god-give gift, that shit-talk. And he used it to full effect. It was, Val thought, his single greatest talent.

    "Alright, fine. Maybe they ain''t havin'' a battle between the bedsheets every night, but you gotta admit that it''s weird. I mean I even saw the little girl sniffin'' him on the sly the other day! Fuck me if that shit ain''t creepy!"

    "..."

    Mira and Thatch aside, even Murphy and Val couldn''t entirely deny what the man was saying.

    Like Thatch said, for the past few days Bell and that sister of his--when he wasn''t helping to fight back the bandits who sometimes came-- had been "attached to the hip".

    Something changed.

    Bell seemed to dote on the young girl now, which he hadn''t done before. At least, not like this.

    The look he gave the girl was different, too. They couldn''t tell how, exactly. But it was as if when he looked at her, everyone else ceased to exist.

    And this was bad enough.

    But it got worse, because the girl took full advantage of it. Sometimes she would lay on his lap while the brother drove the carriage on the road, and even more rarely she even sat on his leg and leaned back, falling asleep in his embrace.

    Other times when they reached a town she would be walking and trip on a part of the uneaven ground. Then she would have her brother hold her in a princess-carry for the rest of the day, and none of them were sure if the girl planned it like that or not.

    Either way, the fact he did something like that...that he allowed it...it was strange. The girl was spoiled rotten, it looked like. And if she were young then they would dismiss it, maybe even find it cute.

    But that girl was, what, 13, 14? Certainly no younger than 12. And normal girls just didn''t do those kind of things anymore, not at that age.

    Mira shared to the others that she saw the girl with a sketchbook the other day. Interested, Mira peered over her shoulder and noticed several drawing of the girl''s brother.

    Mira asked her if she could look at it, to which the girl reluctantly agreed.

    A third of the book were comprised of drawings of her brother. Some of the earlier drawing were a tad different, the hair being darker and shaded in. Almost giving a hint of...red?

    Obiviously the skill of the girl was great, to use shades of black and grey to give the illusion of color.

    To side-track for a bit, the earlier drawings gave Mira a vaguely familiar feeling. They reminded her of someone, someone who wasn''t Bell, but she couldn''t recall who it was they reminded her of...

    Getting back, Mira--and the rest of the mercs--was a tad wierded-out at this.

    Bell, that guy, didn''t seem to mind the girl''s clinginess at all though.

    And for all intents and purposes, even with her age making it odd, it really did all looked kinda sweet...

    ...Until you notice that the girl does indeed have a habit of sniffing the young man.

    And that they don''t really look much alike at all.

    Nearly the entire mercenary group talked about them these days. Whispering to themselves, wondering what was going on between the two. This was very hush-hush, obviously, but it was still talked of by quite a few people.

    Now, not all thought the same as Penn. They just didn''t know what to think. This topic was not all, however, some also wondered where that brown-haired girl, Melanie, fit into the picture.

    The mercs, on that front, were fairly sure she wasn''t merely a friend of Bell''s. If they had to say, it was because of the atmosphere that came when the two man and woman conversed.

    The only ones who didn''t talk about either of these two things were the ones who had seen or met the brother personally before.

    These were the ones who had been there during the time the boy had rode a flaming carriage into the wooden gates of an enemy stronghold, blowing it to smithereens before charging inside.

    These were the ones who saw him create a nightmarish scene just moments later, becoming dyed in blood and guts like some sort of monster in human skin, killing 15 men in probably as many seconds before the rest of the mercenaries even made it inside...

    His sword had broken and so they saw him having to tear a man apart with his bear hands....heard terrible screams which made them shudder...there were body parts lying everywhere, but he paid it no mind and just continued killing.

    He was very young back then, yet his mercilessness, his ferocity, was something that they had never seen the like of before. It made them want to piss themselves even now, truly a awful experience.

    Only a few of the mercenaries knew about that time, of which many things happened even after that which they dared not remember, and it was those few who refused to comment overmuch about this strangely intimate relationship the brother and sister seemed to suddenly have.

    Even if they really had that sort of relationship...not one of them would dare speak anything about it.

    They witnessed many horrors, too many, from the boy that day to do something so foolish. They thought the others, those who didn''t know or see him in person, were simply suicidal idiots.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

    ...So what if the two actually did something like "that". If they had, it would be something most Drann Kingdom--probably even their own parents-- would shun them for.

    But who would say anything about it to their faces, or even behind their backs, and risk the young man overhearing them?

    They didn''t have a death wish...

    Only Murphy, Nyk, Val, Boris and Jaime didn''t think much of it. They didn''t believe Bell was that sort of person. Though, honestly, it didn''t seem entirely impossible if you looked at them right now.

    They just got worried. What was it that caused Bell to spoil her so much these days?

    They didn''t know, but whatever it was it seemed like it made Bell extra protective.

    **********

    It was later that day, the sun just about gone, only a thin pink line in the sky being all that was left.

    Penn was tending to the fire, cursing.

    "Fuck, who the hell brought the wood? Bastards are a damn bitch to light."

    "Excuse me."

    Penn turned, and saw a certain gold-haired young man walk up next to him, standing near the large log the Penn had chopped down as a make-shift seat.

    The young man was smiling politely, his refreshing, handsome face extremely likable. The boy''s appearance, the way he carried himself, gave off the impression of a carefree youth.

    Penn narrowed his eyes.

    "Yeah? The fuck you want?" It wasn''t a nice tone.

    "To talk." The young man replied coolly. " Nice to meet you. I don''t believe we''ve officially met, you see. Let''s remedy that.I''m B--" He extended a hand in greeting as he talked, but he was cut off.

    The other person ignored the outstretched hand, raising his voice over the young man''s own almost immediately.

    "Greyson, yeah, I know." He poked the fire with a stick. "Name''s Penn. There. We''ve met. Now fuck off for a bit, I''m too busy to talk to you right now."

    Now the tone was even less nice.

    Bellamy, that guy, was not at all put off by it.

    He replied cheerfully, his next words coming out smooth and clear.

    "But not too busy to talk about me, right?"

    Penn''s eyes went flat.

    "Whaddaya mean by that, kid?" A thinly veiled threat hid between each word.

    " Exactly that." Bell''s smile grew a fraction of an inch. " I heard from a certain friend that you like gossiping about things you know nothing about. Which, he let slip out, today included my and my sister. That true?"

    "What if it is?" Penn asked, sneering.

    Ignoring the question, he gave out one of his own."Hey, aren''t you feeling a bit cold? It''s chilly these days, you know, why don''t you get a bit closer to the fire? Know what, here, let me help!"

    "Wha-?"

    The next thing Penn knew he felt a vice-like grip at the back of his neck, a grip that was currently forcing his head down.

    He felt a small amount of heat by his ear which grew more intense by the second.

    Not long after he could feel a great stinging sensation.

    "What the fuck! Let go!" Penn screamed in panic.

    He struggled, but amazingly found that it was useless, the arm holding him down didn''t budge.

    He could feel the flames lick at his ear ever-so-slightly. The smell of his hair starting to burn clogging up his nostrils.

    "Let go?" Bellamy looked bewildered. "Why? I''m doing this to help!" There was a sadistic light in his eyes just then, a flash of something hard and immovable.

    Penn was able to clearly feel the blood in his face start to boil. Or at least that was what it seemed like.

    "Fucking! Let! Go!" Penn nearly shrieked and was starting to get wild. His hair, it was, was it on fire?

    Hot! It was hot!

    It hurt. Was that his flesh that he was smelling now? Fuck!

    He could fight well, but who the hell could react to something like this? In desperatio, he strained his muscles and sent a fast, powerful elbow strike towards the young man''s side.

    But it was futile.

    Bellamy stopped the movement easily, his hand painfully digging into the offending elbow.

    Even if it didn''t break, it''d either fracture or be bruised badly.

    "Oh, right!" Bellamy said. "You must be getting a bit hot now. I get it. I''ll help with that, too. The ground''s pretty cold, that''d work, right? Or maybe...that rock?"

    After saying so, he stood. Dragging the struggling, curse-flinging man a few feet away, he then took his head and smashed it down onto a large, hard stone!

    Penn only saw a white flash before pain began to blossom across his face. He felt his nose break with the force of the impact, blood spraying out.

    "You...you bitch. I''ll fuckin'' KILL--!!"

    Another wave of whiteness, followed instantly by another burst of pain.

    "Stop!"

    The pain came again.

    "....S-Sto--"

    And again.

    And again. And again. And again.

    Finally, once Penn''s face was thoroughly battered and swollen, Bellamy stopped. His face was twisted in a grimace, as if he was looking at something unsightly.

    And it was understandable. The man truly was a sorry sight. Long cuts along his cheeks, lips and forehead, his skin slightly burnt, parts of his hair now gone, smouldering as his face--begining to swell in truth--was turning a dark shade of purple..

    Bellamy''s previous smile was gone.

    "If I hear you utter another word about me, Melanie or my sister, I won''t be as nice as I am now."

    His words had a sharpnesss to them, a viciousness, that was unmistakable.

    Bellamy could be seen looking around, sudenly noticing the weird gazes of those around him.

    Some turned away. Others looked like they wanted to step in, but didn''t. But there were quite a few, his friends and acquaintances, who just shrugged and were silently relieved it ended with only this.

    Lyle, calming down, stared back.

    A few of the people were those whom he knew fairly well.

    But even so...

    If they talked like that about him and Iris, he absolutely wouldn''t be merciful.

    He had to let it slide when those Nobles did it, he couldn''t openly do anything. But here it wasn''t like that.

    He wouldn''t stand for letting some punk who didn''t know anything talk about them, he and Iris, in that way.

    In fact, he wanted to kill the guy. That was how much he hated it. He could pretend otherwise, he could ignore it if he had to, but right now, he didn''t have to.

    Lyle started walking away.

    "He won''t be getting up anytime soon. Someone throw a blanket over him so he doesn''t freeze to death."

    But it was clear to everyone.

    Whether Penn died or not, he didn''t care.

    **********

    "Quite a show you put on."

    It was sometime later when Cecelia and Melanie walked up as he and Iris sat by a fire he had made. It was stationed a bit away from everyone else, as usual, because Iris would start to stiffen everytime she went too close to the rough mercs--especially Jaime.

    There wasn''t as many trees about now, mainly wide open plains with a lot of grass and bushes. Still quite a few trees around, but a lot less than what they''ve seen in days previous.

    "He live?"

    "Yeah. He took a severe beating, though I''m thinking it''s his pride that hurts more than anything else."

    Lyle listened, but didn''t say much.

    " I see." A short, emotionless reply.

    "Um...Young master...?" Melanie tentatively called out, unsure of whether she should go on or not.

    "Yes, Melanie?" His voice held no inflection whatsoever. Not quiet, but just....unruffled. As if he hadn''t just beaten a man half to death.

    "Don''t you....Don''t you think that you went a bit..." Her throat suddenly tightened and she had to force the words out. "...a bit far?" She asked.

    Melanie had never seen him use such brutality. On anyone. Had never seen him, with her own eyes, just take someone and all but torture them. It....scared her.

    He had always gave off a more restained feeling. She''d look at him and think that he was always so calm, so mature, so in control of himself. It was in the way he moved, the way he spoke, his every action and word.

    But just now? He seemed much more savage. Wild. Just so...so utterly different from the person she knew. And Melanie didn''t understand how she should react to it.

    "No." He smiled. It was a very kind smile. Meant to put her at ease. And it did. It always did, alwayshad, somehow. It was a smile that told you everything would be alright. It was the same smile he''d given her the first time they met.

    But his next words made that smile seem infinitely colder.

    "He deserved it. And much worse. Don''t feel sorry for him." He paused. " I like your niceness, Melanie. I like it a lot. It''s a quality that''s pure and true, one that not many people have. But I think sometimes your kind nature is directed towards those unworthy of it."

    Melanie squirmed uncomfortably. "Actually, it isn''t him I''m worried about..." She said softly.

    For some reason she felt that he was changing. She couldn''t quite put her finger on how, exactly. But still...

    Or maybe it was just that she was getting to know sides of him he hadn''t shown her before. That should make her happy, she supposed, but it didn''t. She felt that maybe she didn''t know him as well as she thought....

    She wasn''t sure which was right. And she didn''t like either of them. One caused her endless worry while the other made her somewhat sad.

    Cecelia, in her case, had different opinions on the matter. She didn''t care if that man lived or not. But, well...

    "I''m actually surprised you let him live." She spoke honestly, standing by his side. "I heard what was said from Murphy just now. He was regretful that he let it slip in the first place, but no use hiding it now. The tihngs that man said were awful, just utterly despicable. So seeing him only beaten up..."

    "He won''t get another chance. I spared him only because he''s one of Jaime''s men. No other reason. I respect Jaime. I''ll let a few ignorant words from one of his own pass by me. Just this once." He emphasized

    Lyle felt he was being very merciful. But his mercy went only so far. He could handle taunts or other bad words thrown his own way. He could react to them or not depending on his mood or the severity of the things they said. But if there was one thing that set him off it was people directing those words at his family.

    Especially where Iris was involved.

    His mother and father rarely came up. But Iris was different. Every time they attended a banquet or a ball--or went to some other public event--the girl was always by his side. As children of the Greyborne family they obviously went to many, many parties during the past years. Even as young children, before their "official" debut, this was true. Just not nearly as often as after the fact.

    And the Nobles soon took notice of Iris'' attachment to him. In recent years they would whisper behind their backs, making rumours fly. The abnormal closeness between the Greyborne siblings was a hot topic among both young and old Nobles alike.

    Those despicable rumours by the ignorant and spiteful masses, coupled with the fact that he and his sister didn''t look much alike at all, created a sore spot in Lyle''s heart.

    It was bad enough that he looked like an outsider in his own damn family. But then it becomes common gossip that he and Iris....that something unnatural was going on between them?

    ...How is he supposed to live with that? How can he not be angered? Even now, here, was he expected to just let some bastard he didn''t even know talk about he and his sister like that?! Especially when the man included Melanie in it?

    Was he expected to not react, to let it go without doing anything when he didn''t even have to?!

    The very thought filled him with rage.

    No. That man got a mere fraction of what he deserved. if it was up to Lyle, then not just that man, but everyone whospoke those kinds of thingswould be--!

    "Brother?"

    Seeming to sense a sudden shift in her brother''s mood, Iris laid a hand on his arm.

    Lyle snapped out of his reverie instantly.

    All this time, without him knowing, his face darkened and grew more frightening. Or, no. Not his face. His face was still as reined in as ever.

    But to Cecelia and Melanie his overall aura became dreadful. They, too, at least to a lesser degree, could feel that something seriously set him off. It wasn''t hard to figure out what. They knew without it being said.

    "Big brother, are you alright?" Iris asked.

    Lyle''s muscles, which had tensed noticeably, relaxed as soon as she touched him. Sometimes she had that affect. He couldn''t stay mad with her around. With just her presence alone he was more controlled than he would be otherwise.

    It couldn''t be helped. He didn''t want to show her his darker sides. His image in her mind was pristine, unblemished.

    He wouldn''t risk ruining that.

    "I''m fine." He lied easily. No, nothing was fine, these days. He decided to change subjects. "Come on, eat."

    He handed her a kebab comprised of sweet potatoes and steak that he had been roasting.

    Her eyes sparkled, eager to try some. It can be said to be the first time she ate a thing such as this.

    She blew on it gently, taking a small, cautious bite...

    Lyle made it clear the previous conversation was at an end. Both of the other girls were kind enough--and wise enough--to let it die.

    **********

    "Lyle...." Cecelia, from the inside of the carriage, spoke through the window. "Have you noticed?"

    Lyle glanced around, nodding.

    "Yeah. It''s been too quiet."

    "We''ve been traveling for a good few days now, and yet we''ve come across nothing but the odd group of bandits, sometimes only a few, if that." A serious tone.

    "Something''s not right." He agreed. "Not a single monster to be found. Usually we''d find at least a pack of Ironbacks. It''s already beginning to snow, the winter''s really starting up now. Normally there''d be all kinds of things searchign for food, but...."

    It was cold to the point where they could see their own breath, where the morning dew became ice-like. Cecelia was forced to change from her armor to something warmer despite claiming she felt naked without the protective steel.

    There''s no reason for them to not have been attacked by some inhuman entity by now.

    Yet there was nothing.

    " Hm?" Melanie stopped, having until then been in the middle of kniting. "Is this really that odd?"

    Actually, she was grateful for it. Hearing those god-awful sounds of fighting terrified her. If they were to run across any mosters, she''d die of fright before anything else.

    "It''s not just odd." Lyle responded. "It''s downright unnatural."

    "Exactly." Cecelia said. "Something''s off about this whole thing."

    "I-Is it something to worry about?" Melanie''s heart went right up towards her throat, instantly on edge. She could handle a lot of things, but she was just a normal girl. A potentially dangerous developement may be occuring, how would she be calm?

    "Not sure. But I don''t like it." Cecelia shifted in her seat, uncomfortable.

    "I wouldn''t worry, though." Lyle knew Melanie would become scared if she saw the two of them look too wary of the situation, so he quickly tried to stop that from happening.

    Melanie nodded, much more at east. She spoke out again, as if to reinforce the idea to herself." Yeah, I guess it''s nothing to fret over. And we''re only two days or so away from Zeshar." She smiled. "We may have taken longer if we were met with any monsters, since most around here travel in groups. So this could even be considered a bless--"

    "Brother, what''re you looking at?" Iris, wrapped in a blanket by Lyle''s side, noticed something amiss with her brother.

    His tone was even as he replied.

    "Smoke." His head was turned towards his left, his eyes locked onto a thick black cloud rising up from some few miles away.

    *********

    Jaime was in the midst of deep thought when he heard Bell''s shout. Normally he''d be in a better mood, but he wasn''t happy to hear from Bell right now, the event with Penn making Jaime extremely irritated by the guy''s actions.

    He really lacked restraint at times.

    Were it just that, however, Jaime wouldn''t mind it. What really made Jaime suffer was the loud demands from Penn to have the boy strung up by his feet and fed to whatever creature passes by. Demands which happened at regular intervals.

    Jaime wouldn''t do any of that. The ,an earned what he got from what Jaime had heard. Making such comments, Jaime couldn''t stop Bell from dishing out some punishment. Not after the contributions he and Cecelia made to their company.

    As a friend and a person who had recieved their help on an occassion or two, he promptly let the matter die... If only Penn did so as well, everything would be great.

    This wasn''t what he was thinking about when he heard the shout, though, hearing Bell''s voice is just what triggered them.

    "Boris, Jaime!"

    Turning his head, Jaime asked, "What is it?"

    Bell pointed towards the sky. "Look there."

    He had everyone''s attention from the start and therefore every person in the group looked up, noticing what was going on.

    Boris, on his end, stared at the rising smoke with a wary eye.

    "A fire? Maybe a mile or two away. There hasn''t been any lightning so I doubt that smoke was caused naturally. Kid, that direction is...?"

    Jaime, riding a horse beside him, instantly knew what the man was thinking.

    "There''s another road not far from here, that smoke should be about where it''s located. You think?"

    "I do." Boris agreed. "Someone''s likely in trouble. No monster has been spotted in the last few days, and even if it wasn''t so there''s still none in the area that are able to cause fires. Not that I know of, at least. So it''s bandits, probably. Should we...?"

    "Hmm...." Jaime''s eyes betrayed nothing. Finally, after several moments, he shook his head. " No, it''s got nothing to do with us."

    Jaime was not uncaring, but this was the truth. They didn''t know anything about how many bandits there were. Not that it mattered to him unless they were in the triple digits, but even so, rushing in to help wasn''t something they had to do.

    They''re mercanaries, nothing more, nothing less.

    "I''m going."

    Phaedra, who had been riding a few steps behind, announced. She didn''t even look at them as she said this.

    He came beside her and held her shoulder, stopping the woman. "Fey, don''t be stupid. You can''t just--"

    "Hurry up." Without another word, she tore her arm away and urged her horse towards the rising smoke.

    Jaime let out a annoyed grunt.

    "Dammit. Nosy woman...Fine. No helping it, then. Can''t just leave her go by herself. Fuck." He clenched his jaw in irritation. Really, that girl, every time it was like this....

    Louder, he called, "Val, take some of your women and let''s go!" He looked at Boris. " I''m going ahead. You pick out some people as well, then you and Val can come after us."

    They couldn''t leave the caravans unguarded, they had to divide themselves. In truth, he wasn''t worried. Every person here was capable enough to handle a few bandits. Still, it was good to be cautious, hence the reason he was having Val bring her girls along too instead of just taking a few men.

    Jaime, after giving out these instructions, turned his horse and followed after his sister''s fleeting back.

 Chapter twenty-nine pt. 2

    Phaedra''s horse sped towards the source of the smoke at a breakneck pace. She ducked her head to an oncoming branch, sliding a blade from out of it''s sheath in preparation for a fight she was sure would come.

    She practically flew, the uneven ground and underbrush no match for her strong Tamerian steed.

    Phaedra could faintly hear her brother behind her, trying to catch up.

    A few minutes passed by and she was soon able to make out the sounds of steel on steel.

    "Stop."

    A voice suddenly came up from her flank, causing her to start. She was ready to attack the voice until she realized a startlingly familiar pair of blue eyes were gazing at her.

    Riding in perfect sync with her own horse, Bellamy Greyson, that man, seemed to have appeared by her side from out of thin air.

    His words were hard and full of authority. Almost against her will, Phaedra heeded them.

    It was galling.

    She stopped, glaring.

    "Someone could be dying!" A hiss. " Why did you even come? What do yo--"

    "Shut up and look."

    He stopped near her, pointing.

    "Those aren''t bandits."

    They had stopped about twenty or thirty feet away, standing atop a small hill and hidden by some trees.

    A fierce battle was raging below. She saw at least three or four dozen men fighting.

    As for who they were fighting....No, rather, it was not who, but what.

    And they were....

    " Manticores...." Phaedra''s voice became a soft whisper.

    "Quite so, yes." Bellamy, to her side, nodded gravely

    "But how?" She wondered. "Manticores aren''t native to these parts, it''s too cold. Just why are they...?" She couldn''t finish, throughly confused.

    " I don''t know. Maybe something drove them here. A lack of food, a stronger beast taking over their territory, could be any number of things."

    Manticores were monsters that came in two types: The first was a large, insect-like monsters with thick shells covering their body in armour and a long tail which ended in a hook. This hook was like a scorpian''s, housing a nasty venom inside that caused unbearable agony for those unlucky enough to get stung. It''s hands were similar to a crab''s, both in the shape of large pincers

    Not only that, they had the same venom residing in the mandibles which were at either sides of their grotesque heads.

    As for the second type, they had a lion''s body and a bat''s wings. They had the same tail, but even deadlier vemon. These ones were the smarter, wiser, of the two. Self-aware and cunning to the extreme. Their fur wasn''t any easier to cut either.

    But these were not the ones the soldiers below were facing off against, thankfully. No, they were fighting the former type. Which wasn''t all that much better when she thought of it.

    These kind of manticores were, arguably, the more dangerous. Not for their wit or venom, but because they were more violent, more agressive. They also very rarely backed down from a battle even if they were on the brink of death.

    Phaedra went cold at the thought of having to face these things. Their bodies were hard to pierce, even for her. And she''d known the sting of their venom before. It was her father who had given her a small taste of it, to let her know it''s dangers.

    He had just dripped a bit of the venom onto a small cut on her arm. The venom was partially diluted, and yet even so the pain it caused her was still one of the most harsh and unforgiving things that she had ever felt.

    " We should wait for my brother, he''ll be bringing backup soon and since he followed me almost immediately he can''t be far behind." She was very much regretting just running off. She thought that there were only a few dozen badits, easy enough to handle, but this...this was much worse. To several degrees.

    Her skin began to moisten with sweat just remembering the vemon from that day. Though she would never show it in front of anyone, especially the person beside her, she was scared.

    What made it a lot worse was that she saw him and noticed that he had not a single hint of fear on his face.

    And she couldn''t feel it from him either. Which was strange. With him she always knew when he was feeling angry or sad, happy or irritated, or anything else for that matter. It couldn''t be helped.

    He understood what these things were, how dangerous they can be.

    How could he not be even a little frightened?

    Phaedra knew he was fairly intelligent, but she supposed that this didn''t mean he wasn''t a bit of an idiot too. Because only an idiot wouldn''t be scared. So, a smart idiot. Yes. That was it. There was no other explanation.

    As she was having these thoughts, he spoke again.

    "We can''t wait that long, by the time they get here several of those men could get kill--"

    Right as he was going to finish his sentence, Phaedra heard a rustling of leaves.

    She jerked, her body taut and ready for action at a moment''s notice.

    But she relaxed as a tall, familiar figure riding atop a strong steed stepped out from the shadow of a tree.

    Followed just seconds later by a dozen or so men and women riding their own horses.

    One of the riders, a shortish woman, climbed down and glared.

    "Someone better be dying, cause otherwise Imma be a very pissed off woman. And you don''t know how bitchy I can be when I''m interrupted from my beauty nap."

    Murphy grinned--never a good sign--as soon as he heard the words. "You must be interrupted quite often, then. Because you''re always bitchy, and well, you ain''t all that pretty either"

    " Go fuck yourself, dickhead." She flipped the boy off without even deigning to look at him.

    "What''s the situation?" Ignoring the two, Boris and her brother inquired about the situation.

    "Manticores." Phaedra informed quickly.

    Boris started. "What? Manticores? Here?... How?"

    "Not important. They''re here, that''s a fact that we have to live with." Bellamy seemed to have no patience. "But we''ve wasted enough time. Val, I''ll thank you later for the cover."

    Val blinked, not quite understanding. "Huh? Hey, wait!" She called out, but by the time she voiced he words he was already sliding down the hill.

    " That bastard''s gonna get himself killed one of these days, so reckless!" Boris shook his head in exasperation.

    "He has the qualifications to be a bit reckless though." Her brother took out the short swords by his side, exceedingly calm as he readied for battle.

    "That doesn''t mean he has to seek death." Phaedra snapped.

    Her brother stared. "Since when do you care so much?"

    "I don''t. But if anyone''s going to kill him, it''ll be me." With that, she, too, disappeared down the hill, leaving her horse behind.

    "...Of course. Right. How foolish of me to assume anything else."

    Jaime muttered, thinking once more that she truly did have a rather unique personality, this sister of his.

    "Come on, let''s go."

    Boris and Murphy, along with the previously and as-of-yet silent Nyk, heeded Jaime''s words. Every man drew their weapons and ran down the hill with a cry.

    "Okay, girls, that''s our cue." Val turned her head to give her comrades a big, toothy smile that showed off her impressive canines. "Remember now, aim for the eyes of the fuckers, and the tail. That really riles them up, you know. Keep those men down there alive long enough to take ''em down."

    As she casually gave the reminder, she was inwardly thinking, Now then, I wonder what I should ask for in return for my help? That Bell, takin'' advantage of little ''ol me like this, just expectin'' me to do stuff with only a few words from him. Hmph. Whatever. That Cecelia, her bracelet must have cost quite a bit, and it''s pretty. I want one too! Hehe, just you wait, pretty boy, see if I don''t make you a poor man after all is said and done! My services don''t come cheap, you know!

    Her eyes were completely full of greed and excitement!

    **********

    It was pandemonium. Utter chaos.

    The clang of swords beating against the hard shells of the manticores rang out everywhere.

    Beads of sweat rained down the faces of the knights, their hair wet as they went red due to exertion.

    Three knights had to work together to stave off the attacks of a single manticore.

    "Mikel!"

    One of them shouted in horror, watching as the manticore they were battling againts swatted them away in order to pierce their friend with it''s hooked tail.

    The tail tore through the armor like it was butter, a long gash being left on Mikel''s chest.

    He could only mutter a single word before his entire body shook with pain, feeling like acid was being poured through his veins, like his blood was turning backwards.

    A guttural screech, one that sounded as if they were the screams of a dying animal, tore it''s way out of his throat. It was harsh and grating to the ears, nearly tearing their eardrums apart.

    He let go of his sword, falling to his knees, lines of green running along his entire body while his eyes rolled back into his head. One of the strange indications of the venom tearing him apart from the inside, causing a pain that would shock his nervous system and set fire to it until his body just gave out.

    The manticore''s four black eyes glowed malevolently. It made use of it''s sharp pincers, severing the man''s head and making blood squirt out vigorously!

    "Fuck!" One of the remaining knights cursed, dodging the oncoming pincers that had now made it''s way towards him.

    But he wasn''t able to react quick enough, his heavy armor hindering his movement.

    He heard his friend calling his name, screaming in horror.

    "Jon!"

    The other man was still on his knees, struggling to climb to his feet, not wanting to watch another of his comrades die. It was useless.

    Jon was sure he was going to die, could clearly see the thing''s tail coming towards him yet unable to stop it or move out of the way in time. It had already killed Mikel, and now it was going to do the same to him...

    Yet just as the deadly pincer struck, a shadow came up from the right.

    A flash of steel, the sound of something cutting through the wind. That was all that registered in his mind before the manticore''s arm was forcibly redirected harmlessly towards the ground.

    " Didn''t cut. Looks like I''ll have to use a stronger swing. Never expected a manticore''s armor to be so tough!"

    Lyle marveled. He''d never faced one of these things before. He''d underestimated it''s defensive capabilities. Although he obviously hadn''t swung with everything he had, his strike still wasn''t light. It appears he''s in for a good fight?

    But he had no time to just stand and admire.

    The manticore stared at him hatefully, making a clicking sound as it did so. It was rather unnerving. Lyle disliked bugs, always had. It wasn''t that he was scared of them exactly, but he had to admit they were pretty unpleasing to look at.

    This aside, Lyle didn''t pay any attention to what happened to the other living knight, just focused on the enemy before him with an intense concentration.

    "Come on, ugly bastard, let''s see if you can entertain me!" Lyle provoked.

    The manticore, it''s entire body radiating aggression, took a few steps back. It''s tail moved with great agility, striking him in a straightforward manner.

    Lyle took his sword and raised it, deflecting the blow. The strength behind the attack was massive, akin to being run over by a carriage rolling uncontrollably down a steep hill.

    He felt it down to his bones, but even still he held his ground.

    The thing was surprised, obviously not expecting it''s blow to be dealt with so easily.

    Lyle moved to the side, and the manticore followed.

    "Well are you two going to help, or are you content with being shielded by a someone half your ages? Personally, I suggest you take up your swords and do something useful!" He shouted to the fallen knights, parrying another blow from the manticore.

    The shout abruptly pulled Jon from out of his stupor. It wasn''t until then that he truly took in his surroundings and realized many unknown men were descending from the small hill to the side, joining the fray.

    Seeing this sight brought him hope, which until now he was in very short supply of. These manticores were strong, too strong for them to handle alone. Caught unawares, they had no time to prepare, a few had died within the first seconds without even being able to draw their swords.

    Faced with these creatures, he''d seen one of his long-time comrade''s horse buckle and throw him off while another crushed his head in it''s attempt to flee.

    Suffice it to say, things quickly went to hell.

    Looking at this youngster charing in to help them, the fire was renewed in Jon''s chest. What was he doing, losing his spirit like this? Now wasn''t the time for hesitation!

    With his sword to aid him, he stood and took off his helmet. A weathered face was revealed, and he breathed in deeply.

    "Tomas, off your ass, let''s go!"

    They''d no idea who this young man was, nor who these other newcomers were, but so long as they were helping they wouldn''t scorn them!

    Lyle took a step back as the manticore, with it''s hateful, beady red eyes, swapped at him.

    "Bell! Hold on, bud, don''t die on us yet!" It was Murphy, with the trusty Nyk in tow.

    It was at this time that Lyle decided to stop playing around. Had it just been himself, he''d have tried to have a bit more fun. But this was a real battle, lives were at stake. Continuing to dawdle would be foolish, and just a all-round bad idea.

    "It''s tail, attack it''s tail!" Lyle shouted back.

    Nyk, upon hearing this, set to work. He knew listening to the young man was always a good idea.

    Without pausing for even an instant he used his fastest speed and came up from behind the manticore, delivering his most powerful blow down upon it''s thick tail.

    But it was too strong, he only was able to cut about two or three inches into it before his sword was stopped.

    Which was a lot more than what the two knights had been able to accomplish. Jon and Tomas, had they the time to pay attention, would have marveled in the same way Lyle had. Albeit for a different reason.

    Nyk got a very bad feeling in the pit of his stomach as the monstrosity jerked, alarmed.

    It''s tail moved as if it were boneless, it''s hook pointing towards him and about to strike. With his sword stuck in it''s hide, Nyk wasn''t able to move out of the way.

    He let go of his sword, yet the thing was too fast--Lucky for Nyk, Murphy was faster.

    The youth had take off his hooded cloak, his best and thickest one, mind you, and jumped towards the manticore''s tail just before it hit his friend!

    With his arms wrapping around the appendage, he used his cloak and covered the hook with it. His muscles strained, focing the thing to stop.

    "You son of an ugly whore, know your fuckin'' place!" Murphy then spoke various colorful obscenities to the creature, mocking it and it''s ancestors several times over.

    "Nyk, hurry the fuck up!" His voice was rougher just then, his entire body straining to hold the tail and prevent it from moving.

    With Lyle and the two knights distracting it in the front, Nyk was free to do as he pleased.

    He grabbed his sword once more, pried it off, and began to hack away.

    With every blow the manticore became increasingly agitated.

    Nyk gave his full attention to the task at hand, and finally, his work paid off.

    The tail was seperated from it''s main body after five great swings of his blade, green ichor gushing from it''s wound.

    Murphy was dropped like a sack of potatoes onto the floor.

    He looked down with dismay at his venom-soaked, torn-up cloak

    " Fucking bastard, I loved this thing...Oh well." He sighed.

    Unfortunately, this wound to the manticore appeared to make things worse. As pain overwhelmed it''s body, the beast became desperate. And even the most weak of creatures found hidden strength when it''s back was against the wall.

    Since that was so, was it any surprise when the manticore did so as well?

    "It''s getting wild, no one do anything reckless, it''ll bleed out soon enough!" Lyle understood this was going to be their most challenging period. How long would it take?

    A''daire, he said around five minutes. The books Lyle had read said about ten. Could they hang on long enough in either case? This beast was dangerous, Lyle knew he wouldn''t want to take this thing on alone at his current level of strength.

    "Since it''s like that, please, go!" Jon, dodging one of the manticore''s enraged arracks, urged the young man to leave.

    "He''s right." The other man said fervently. "The Young Miss and Captain Voorhis, please, you have to go and help them!"

    "They were being chased by an especially large manticore, both of them fleeing into the woods! You must hurry, I beg of you!"

    "Well that''s just fucking great..." Murphy muttered a curse. "Another goddamn damsel in distress... really? How many''ve we run across since those two joined us?"

    Had to be more than dozen by now!

    But he quickly got down to business."Bell, I''ll stay here to help, you take Nyk and go after them."

    Murphy was very clear that of all of them here, Bell was the strongest. Jaime may be more skilled, and Phaedra a bit faster, but Bell''s physical strength was hands down the best of them all.

    The two knights couldn''t be left alone, they were already winded. While Nyk was admitttedly more experience than him, Murphy was no pushover. He was a little young, but fuck him if he''d lose to any other bastard in terms of fighting ability. Not counting freaks like Bell, Fey, Jaime and Cece, he himself was a good as any veteran fighter.

    Why, he''d practical been raised with a blade in his hand! His old man made sure he wasn''t no pansy who couldn''t even protect himself. His father, who''d been part of the Haddock mercenaries for nearly all his life, beat him until he learned how to fight back!

    Damn shitty old bastard...

    ...Getting back to the topic, though, Bell was the best person to send to help those two the men mentioned, and Nyk was the best person out of himself and Murphy to offer Bell support.

    Not only was Nyk a damn reliable guy to have around, he also had a great amount of experience in patching up wounds in addition to his combat abilities. If those two were hurt, he could help.

    Lyle instantly understood his friend''s reasoning. How couldn''t he?

    And it was true that while this manticore was desperate, it was still on it''s last legs. Keeping out of it''s way should prove no problem for Murphy, a person who was harder to kill than a cockroach.

    "Alright. Thanks." He didn''t bother mincing words. "Nyk, let''s go."

    "Right." It was just a single utterance, yet the way he said it imparted confidence in those who heard it.

    No time was wasted, they were given directions from the knights and swiftly followed the tracks the pair of man and woman had left.

    **********

    Val, gazing at the scene below, scowled.

    This bastard, I haven''t had a chance to help and he''s just leaving? Fuck no, he ain''t weasling his way out of this this. This kid, I ain''t gonna give him an excuse to back outta payin'' me.

    Such were her thoughts. Val, as of yet, had not been able to provide aid to the boy. What if he later said, " You ain''t gettin'' shit, girlie, where was that cover I expected? You didn''t do anythin'' for me, why should I pay you! You got a pretty face, but I ain''t fallin'' fer it!"This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

    Somehow Bell''s usually smoooth and articulate voice got a lot cruder when she imagined it in her mind, but that didn''t matter.

    "Hey Cam, keep an eye on Muphy and Nyk."

    She stood up, prompting a light-haired lass to inquire, "You going somewhere?"

    "Right-o, darlin''. Mommy''s gotta go to work, earn herself some new bling."

    The light-haired girl snorted. "I swear you must have been a beggar in your past life. Is there anything you care more about than pretty trinkets and money?"

    "Nope." A fast reply. "But then again, you can''t call yourself a woman if you don''t got a love for sparkly jewels and gold coins"

    "Become a whore, then. I''m sure you''d earn a lot of both."

    "True. But please, no one would be able to afford the great me." Spoken with an arrogance that made one want to smack her. "And even if they could, I''ve still got some pretty strict tastes."

    Cam frowned, as if talking to the woman physically pained her. "Ugh, whatever. I hope you trip and fall on your ass along the way. Oh, and take care not to accidentally walk into any low-hanging branches. Or rather, please do."

    "Your concern for my well-being is touching, love, it really is."

    With that, Val cheekily blew the girl a kiss and disappeared.

    **********

    What''s he up to now?

    Phaedra, spotting the back of Bellamy and Nyk, squinted her eyes at the former suspiciously.

    "Fey, watch out!" Her brother warned.

    Phaedra, of course, dodged out of the way expertly. Her healthy fear of the venom kept her on her toes.

    Boris was at the back with an armored knight, about to try cutting off the beast''s tail like they had seen Bell and his group do moments before.

    "I''ll be back."

    She announced.

    "What?! Now where''re you going?" Jaime''s voiced dripped with irritation as he slashed at the manticore''s thick hide, making a rather deep cut despite it''s toughness.

    ...Something which even he''d never be able to do normally. Unless, that is, he had a little help from the abilities which were rather exclusive to his own race.

    He turned his gaze to his side. But the girl was already gone.

    **********

    "Bell, about the smoke..."

    Nyk broached a topic that had been on his mind since a while ago.

    "I know. Those manticores couldn''t have caused it, and there was no fire back there. We should be approaching the fire, actually."

    "Which means the two we''re chasing started it..."

    "In all likelihood, yes." Lyle agreed readily. How else would it start, then? There could be a variety of reasons as to why they started it, but Lyle could guess which one it was.

    "Nyk, that aside, the knights said that the manticore was especially large. This one should be their leader, which makes it the strongest. So, I''m sorry to have to say this, but..."

    "I''ll be the tank." He volunteered with no complaints at all.

    "Thanks."

    "..."

    There was really no other strategy they could have used. Nyk doubted he could pierce the leader''s hide at all. He''d have trouble with that last one, and he was sure the leader would have even stronger armor protecting it.

    So while he tried to keep its attention on himself, it would let Bell get into a good position and attack with his full strength.

    Hopefully one swing would be enough. Nyk didn''t like thinking about a prolonged battle with something like that...

    *********

    When the fighting started, she didn''t even know what was happening.

    There was no warning. No indication that anything was wrong. And it didn''t happen slow. She''d heard stories from the knights who were her long-time guards. They all said that time seems to halt when things like this happened.

    They were wrong.

    This was fast, and intense. Everything happened so fast, in fact, that one moment she was riding on her beloved horse--Spirit--and the next she was being dragged by Captain Voorhis into the woods.

    She had little recollection of what happened in between. The only thing she really remembered were eerily black eyes set in large creatures that seemed to have appeared out of some nightmare she''d had as a child.

    The dirt was clingy and the undergrowth thick. Her dress was ruined, mud around her feet.

    She''d never ran so much in her life, and each passing second a sort of darkness grabbed hold of her.

    Both of them had known was it was like to be scared before, but no, this was different. It made their hair stand on end, their throats close up. Some instinctive reaction that told them true danger was hot on their heels.

    But just then the girl tripped, tumbling down to the hard ground.

    Captain Voorhis, still holding her arm, was thrown off balance too.

    There was a faint clicking sound from behind them, growing closer. Heavy steps, the sound of branches breaking.

    Panic set in, cold and merciless.

    "Young Miss, quickly, get up!" Voorhis urged. His sword was in his hands before the first word was uttered.

    There was a wooshing sound, the clicking sound had already gotten so loud that it became unbearable.

    "Young Miss, run!"

    Three figures, two monstrous beasts and a single armored man brandishing a glittering steel sword.

    No matter how much more skilled he was, though, it was pointless. He was fighting a losing battle, and knew it.

    Only ten exchanges were made. Ten, and no more. He dodged, parried, did anything he could to give the girl more time to esacpe. But she was just frozen, unable to move, fear holding her tightly in place.

    Afer the tenth exchange, the manticore, a beast that was worth two if not more of a regular manticore, smacked the man with bone-shattering force.

    He went flying, smashing into the trunk of a nearby tree.

    Being done with him, it didn''t seem at all interested in finshing him off. Instead it turned their gaze towards the girl.

    She watched, terror in her eyes, as it approched. Something broke in her mind. Like flipping a switch. It was a familiar feeling, a usually comforting one. But not now, not this time.

    When the burst of energy hit, it was fierce and uncontrollable.

    From every pore a bright flash arose. Hard, fast, like an explosion--because it was one.

    A great heat, a great fire, encircled her entire body. And it went outwards, causing the manticore to be thrown back just as Voorhis had been.

    Wen it was over a calm set in all around them, the ground the girl stood on became scorched and a tree had caught fire. It sent great amounts of smoke into the air.

    "Young Miss....run...hurry..."

    The older man grunted in pain, forcing himself to stand. He was wounded, but not broken, he wouldn''t die so quickly.

    He could still fight.

    She ran.

    **********

    Voorhis watched the Young Miss running away, relieved. That explosion just now was a fluke, nothing more. She didn''t have control of her gifts just yet, at least, not full control.

    If she tried hard and concentrated then she could do some miraclulous things indeed. But not now, not as distraught as she currently was.

    Having served as her guard captain from the time of her birth up to now, she was like a daughter to him. Though he''d never dare speak of it aloud. It wasn''t his place.

    His face grew more grim, however, as he saw the manticores rising once more. It was as expected. He knew that magic explosion wouldn''t stop them. It was flashy, but it lacked substance.

    Not because she was weak in that regard, but because she simply wasn''t suited to that sort of magic. She had a knack for healing, not destruction.

    "I can''t let them harm the Young Miss."

    He''s going to die. He knew that. Manticores, they were strong monsters. Especially this large bastard in front of him.

    There was just no way he''d survive this.

    He, who had once been a student at the illustrious Wolsheim Academy, who despite not being able to last beyond the second year was stillphysically stronger and faster than any normal soldier due to his inherent bloodline and their strict training regime, had no chance at living past this day.

    Maybe not even past this very hour.

    It was a sobering thought. He was barely in his late thirties, still fairly young most would agree. He''d no chilren, no wife, no real family of his own.

    Yet...it was fine. Sacrifices had to be made. It was just the way things were, how they always had been.

    And the girl he served, she was a good person. She deserved to live more than him. So, if dying here could give her a better chance at survival....then he''d have to do all in his power to ensure those chances go up even if only the slightest bit.

    But fuck.

    He''d rather be killed.

    Who in their right mind would?

    He would rather run, honestly. Just run away while he could. A person had to preserve their own life, didn''t they?

    But if he did that then those things would go after the Young Miss. He couldn''t just run. Even if he lived through this, he''d never be able to live withhimself.

    ....Clearing his mind of these pointless thoughts, he concentrated on the task at hand.

    He took the time to take off his armor.

    It would just get in the way. These things would rip through that metal like it was wet paper

    Why would he wear it, then? It was better to take it off, gain some more mobility.

    It take long for the thing to get back up.

    Right.

    Time to die.

    **********

    When they came upon the origin of the fire, they stopped. There, hunched over on his side, was a body. Not that old, but beaten up nicely. He was covered in blood from head toe

    Scorch marks in the middle, but the trees that''re burning are quite a few feet away. The fire started there. An explosion? Had to be.

    Lyle calmly analyzed the scene in front of him.

    Magic was used. I can feel it. A slight vibration in the air. A hum. A mage was here... No, rather, an untrained one. I don''t think it''s the man. The girl? Maybe she has an innate affinity for magic. She got spooked, lost control. Understandable.

    Lyle could sometimes feel magic. Though he didn''t know much about how to use it himself, he could tell, at times, whenit was used. Now was one of those times. Probably because the girl was, as he thought, untrained. It leaked out, wasn''t properly managed, so it couldn''t be helped.

    He took a cursory glance at the man. "He''s still alive." Lyle discovered with surprise.

    "Barely."

    Nyk commented, looking around.

    "The manticore isn''t here. It took care of this one and then went after the girl." Nyk deduced. It wasn''t hard to figure out. The guy must have tried to hold the thing off, give the girl time to escape. A good man, he did all he was able.

    "This man, can you save him?"

    "Hard to say. I always keep a few medicines or herbs on hand, and these wound look like the kind that''re only fatal if left alone..." He began examining the man''s wounds more closely. "...Hm... With what I have with me I''m pretty sure that I can get him stable, but--"

    "Do it. I''m going."

    If they left him alone, he would die. That, Lyle knew. He''d bleed out, slowly, until he couldn''t anymore.

    "Bell--"

    " It''s just one manticore." A very large one, and extremely dangerous, but he didn''t dwell on that particular piece of information. " I can handle it. Just worry about saving him."

    He couldn''t afford to wait anymore.

    He ran, even faster than before, tracking the footsteps of the massive creature.

    ************

    This thing''s fast. And big. Really big. It''s feet are massive, making large indents on the ground. Have to hurry. But, strange...these tracks, there''s so many, almost like...

    "There''s more than one..." He muttered with unease.

    But, no, he''d best not worry about that right now. When it came to saving a life, Lyle couldn''t be careless. However many manticores there were, whether one or one hundred, all he had to do was get the girl away safely

    The wind rushed past his ears and hair as he sped along.

    How many times had a similar situation presented itself, he wondered idly. He and Cecelia, on their travels, had run into quite a few people in need of saving. As such, Lyle could be said to be an expert in rescuing others.

    However it was the first time rescuing someone like this. A person that was obviously of high status, to have so many guards protecting her. A person who had an innate gift for magic, judging from what he felt before.

    And the first time he was going against a monster like a manticore, what''s more, a leader of it''s own group.

    A dangerous creature if ever there was one. In all honesty, Lyle was apprehensive. He''d heard from A''daire just how strong and painful a manticore''s venom was.

    He''d seen firsthand what it could do too. That man, Mikel, was it? He died nearly instantly. Although a reaction like that was rare from what Lyle knew. The poor man must have had a weaker constitution or something, maybe just dying from the sheer pain alone.

    Maybe it was just due to fighting, being exhausted. That was more likely.

    He wasn''t too keen on experiencing that himself. Another reason he told Nyk to cut off that last one''s tail. It was agile, and fast. It was the most dangerous part of a manticore. One of the weakest too, ironically.

    Hm. Rushing to an especially dangerous manticore like this alone seemed pretty fooli, he couldn''t lie. He didn''t want to face the last one alone, and the one he was hunting down would probably be a lot stronger.

    But he couldn''t let that man just die, Nyk would have to stay behind to make sure the guy made it through. He needed treatment, so he knew he made a good call.

    It was just that he wished he didn''t have to. This would be a hard fight. Luckily as long as he took the girl and ran, he''d not have to do much

    He''d followed the tracks a minute or two more before his sharp ears picked up two sounds.

    The first was running water. A small river, maybe.

    The second sound was a lot more hair-rising: It was a scream.

    He picked up the pace.

    He willed himself to go faster and his legs, which had gone through training just as harsh as the rest of his body had, obeyed.

    His steps were sure-footed, nothing able to impede his movements.

    **********

    Lyle soon came to a small clearing in the woods where a few trees had been knocked over by something large.

    That''s what made the next scene all the clearer.

    There, just a few feet in front of him, were three manticores. One nearly three times larger than the one he''d faced earlier, two more that were almost twice the size. All of them slowly making their way forward.

    As for who it was they were walking towards, it wasn''t hard to tell.

    Lyle didn''t even think, hIs body just acted almost of it''s own accord.

    Running straight at the three beasts, he took out his sword and struck down with all his might...but the blade only shook, unable to pierce through.

    He was luck it hadn''t broke.

    But despite being otherwise useless, the blow had worked in gaining their attention.

    A long, drawn-out hiss emanated from all three as they turned around.

    Lyle caught a glimpse of the person behind them.

    Long, golden-brown hair, a pair of hazel eyes set in a youthful face that was practically the picture of innocence--though right now it was dyed in terror.

    She just sat there, waiting to be eaten, staring up at the creatures helpless. Her eyes seemed lifeless. Without hope.

    And that was it.

    They gave him no time for further inspection, for they set upon him like a pack of angry dogs just waiting to take a bite out of his hide.

    They had, amazingly, entirely lost interest in the girl. Eying him as if he was some tasty treat that had fallen into their laps.

    "Run away! Now!"

    Nothing. No response. Lyle urged the girl to leave, but she remained rooted to the spot. Like she''d not even registered he''d said anything at all.

    Great.

    "Girl, can you hear me?" He didn''t know whether she could or not, whether she was even able to understand someone was speaking to her while in her current state of terror. But he kept talking anyway.

    "If you can, leave now. Get out of here, as fast as you can, and don''t bother looking back!" Still nothing. "Well?" He barked. "Go!"

    He couldn''t know if she reacted to his words, because at that moment the beasts struck.

    They swiped at him with their large, deadly pincers.

    Lyle didn''t dare be distracted anymore.

    He expertly dodged the attacks, stepping back at just the right moment. He moved to the left, the sword in his hands flashing as he struck at the legs of the manticore closest to him.

    A satisfying crunch was heard and one of the thing numerous legs was broken, going in a horrid angle. It didn''t cut, however.

    He may as well have beat at it with a club instead. Even so, he''d damaged it.

    This wasn''t like last time. He was testing that one, prodding at it, trying to gauge it''s abilities. He wanted to know exactly how strong it was, how far he himself had come since the day he first picked up a sword.

    But this time he couldn''t do that. This was entirely different from then. One wrong move and he''d likely end up their afternoon snack. So he went all out from the get go, not holding back at all.

    The manticore screeched, going wild.

    It and the other manticore attacked once more, from both sides.

    Lyle stepped in, bypassing them both and heading towards the largest manticore. Their leader.

    The leader struck out with it''s tail, the large appendage as thick as any pillar he''d seen.

    Wrong move.

    Lyle pivoted to his right, moving out of the way.

    As for it''s subordinates, they were the ones to be wounded by the leader''s attack.

    The two had run at him, charging with their pincers outstretched. But their attacks met only air.

    They all but pounced at him at that time, yet he''d moved out of the way before they could even touche him. They couldn''t stop their own momentum and crashed into one another.

    Then, like he''d expected, the leader chose to attack with it''s tail.

    And so when he quickly made his retreat, avoiding it, the tail ended up hitting the other two manticores instead.

    Lyle heard a series of cracks as the thick armor-like shells of the two beasts showed signs of a hundred small fractures right where the tail struck them.

    The tail had in truth merely grazed them, hitting them both only minimally. But even still their armor was in such a sorry state...

    Lyle shuddered to think what would have happened to his own body if the thing had hit him instead.

    The two manticores all but howled in pain, stopping all hostile movement.

    The leader turned towards Lyle''s retreating figure. Like it were contemplating murder. Extremely resentful, hating having been fooled into injuring it''s own men.

    "That''s right...get mad...come on, come get me!"

    Lyle stepped back further into the woods.

    Instantly the leader followed him.

    Lyle ran away for several seconds with the leader catching up fast.

    Good.

    So far everything was going well.

    Let''s hope those two stay down a few seconds more...

    Lyle, seeing the fast-approaching leader, turned around.

    And ran towards it with lightning speed.

    Surprised at the sudden change of heart, the beast stopped in it''s tracks. It sensed something was off, preparing itself.

    But contrary to what it probably expected, Lyle made no effort to attack.

    Instead he ran even faster, then dove underneath the great beast.

    He hit the floor hard, sliding, passing right under it''s belly.

    Not stopping for even a moment, he took off back to the starting point.

    It took him a very short amount of time to reach them, the previous manticores still dazed and hurting from the leader''s blunder.

    Lyle knew it was only a matter of time before they got back up and threatened him.

    He understood very well from the start that his chances of fighting these three and winning in a fair fight was nearly zero. Their armor was very hard, and he would take quite some time to break through.

    His sword would never be able to hold out. As for his body, even if he used his fists, and even if he had the raw strength to peirce through, his bones would break as a result. Not a good thing.

    So when he saw an opportunity, he took it.

    As soon as the beasts came at him from his sides he made a snap decision.

    It was dangerous, and foolish, and could have gotten him killed it he was just a tiny bit slower, but he took the risk.

    He had read a bit about manticores, and knew they favored attacking with their tails. It offed powerful blows and extended reach.

    While hoping it would choose to attack with it''s tail, he purposely stepped towards the leader.

    Why take such a risk?

    Because if everything played out like he wanted it to, at the very least it''d put a dent on the armor of one of the manticores. Two, even.

    He''d not be able to go for the tails in a situation like this, and it''s take too long to cut them off anyway.

    So he had to create another weakness he could exploit. If all went well, he''d have successsfully done that. Is that not one of the first things a person learned? All enemies had a weakness.

    But if you couldn''t find it, or couldn''t take advantage of it, then create one yourself that you can use against them!

    It''s just that he didn''t expect it to work even better than he expected!

    With the cracks in their armor, he could most definitely take down at least one!

    And this is why he ran.

    His sword was by his side when he reached them.

    He took it''s pommel in both hands, going in to take care of the one he''d not broken the leg of.

    If he had to choose, then of course he''d take down the less injured one first.

    He raised his sword, bringing it down with great force. Like he decided earlier, he''d not held back at all.

    There was still a lot of resistance at first, but eventually his was able to push down the blade until it was buried hilt-deep into it''s flesh.

    The manticore screeched one last time, nearly rupturing his eardrums, before it took it''s last breath.

    One down.

    This should have excited him, but he knew not to celebrate prematurely. There was still work to be done.

    Unfortunately...he wasn''t able to get the sword out of it''s corpse.

    Try as he might, it was stuck fast.

    Lyle tried one last time to pry it free, but it wouldn''t budge an inch.

    So focused was he on retrieving the only weapon he currently had out with him that he completely didn''t notice the speed at which the manticore leader approached him.

    One moment it was more than forty feet away, then next it seemed to have reappeared right next to him.

    Greatly enraged at the death of one of it''s own, the creature lashed out madly in a fit of absolute fury.

    Lyle was too slow to react just then, a fatal mistake.

    He felt a giant, hard pressure by his ribs, then he was knocked away.

    Lyle knew he had hit a tree, his head suffering a viciously blow to the back of his skull.

    Pain bloomed everywhere. The force of the previous blow could be felt even in his teeth, seeming to rattle them.

    It sent a shockwave all throughout his entire body.

    His world went dark, his vision blurred.

    Lyle''s breathing became strained, and he felt pain from every small movement. He stared down at his unmoving hands, not quite sure of what just happened.

    He couldn''t form any real coherent thought, the agony blocking out his ability to do even that.

    He could only struggle to stay conscious.

    Do you want our help, boy...?

    A faint, feminine voice called out to him. Soft and pleasant to the ears, dangerously seductive.

    "Shut...up..." Did he say that, or did he think that? He wasn''t sure.

    Don''t be so stubborn, The woman cooed. Do you really wish to die here?

    "I won''t..."

    Ah, I see, Etain apeared in front of him just then, smiling, her beauty marred by how sick and twisted the expression looked.You''re a smart one, aren''t you...You know we won''t let you die...but that doesn''t mean we won''t let you experience something worse than death. Tell me, have you ever wondered what the venom of a manticore can do to a person who isn''t allowed to die? The pain...would be unimaginable...

    "Don''t think....that I''m such a weak person...a bit of pain...is nothing....I''ll not give you people any part of me...ever!" A roar.

    But she continued on as if he''d said nothing.

    From the looks of it, they''ll try to eat you. They know a good meal when they see one, like they did with the girl. We can regrow a few limbs, easily, but you''ll still experience, in vivid detail, the excruciating agony that would come with having you body feasted upon by ravenous beasts...

    Lyle couldn''t deny that his heart sped up a bit at the thought.

    Well, I suppose it wouldn''t be all bad. Though it would be only for a short while, that girl would still be keeping you company. Even if it be as a corpse, She laughed delightfully.

    Lyle realized it then.

    The two manticores, seeming to believe he wouldn''t be able to fight back anymore, returned their gazes to the young girl.

    He could see out of the corner of his eye, the sheer terror that once more reappeared on her face. From start to finish, it looked like she hadn''t had any belief she''d make it out of this alive.

    If he waited any longer, she''d die. The manticores would inject her with their venom so that it could stop her from moving, then they''d take them both away to become their meal.

    That girl wouldn''t last until then. A frail young maiden like she, a person who''d probably never known any harship in her life, would die from shocking pain the venom would inflict upon her.

    And as for Lyle, how could he let that happen?

    He came all this way to help her, hell, he even went through the trouble of facing three manticores--one of them their entire pack''s leader--to try and save her...how could he just let his efforts go to waste!

    Did he come here for nothing? If she died then this wold have been many minutes of his life that he''d never get back!

    And as if he''d let himself be eaten by a lowly manticore....

    He''d not give these three the satisfaction.

    They wanted to scare him, wanted to make him ask for help? And give up a piece of himself in return?

    Bullshit!

    He still had things to do. There''s no way he''d let any of these things come to pass.

    And if he got hurt, Iris would be sad.

    Ah, what kind of brother would he be if he made his sister cry?

    No, no, staying like this wan''t good at all.

    Becoming the meal of a manticore, letting that girl die even after he already decided to save her, allowing Iris to shed tears for him...He didn''t accept any of it.

    " All of you can go to hell...as long as I''m not dead, I can still fight! Just an overgrown bug, I don''t need any of your help to tale care of something of only this level!"

    In spite of his sorry-looking appearane his voice still carried a surprising strength.

    Etain shrugged.

    Do as you will then. That is, if you can...

    And she vanished just like that.

    Lyle paid her no mind, forcing himself to rise. He used the tree behind him as support, moving as fast as he could.

    He clenched his teeth as another bolt of lightning coursed throughout his body and brought him even more discomfort.

    Instead of trying to retrieve his lost sword, he instead sent a mental command to his blackbox in his coat''s pocket.

    A long, blood-red sword appeared in his hands...

    He hadn''t yet truly tested the sword. He didn''t know if it could do any better against the manticores'' especially thick, armor-like shells than the normal sword he had carried.

    The old man probably focused on durability, so the sharpness...that may not be as good as Lyle would usually expect from old man Davron.

    He never used it before now because he hadn''t the need. Now he did.

    And he''d have to hope it didn''t end up as useless the the other had been.

    Steeling himself, Lyle forced the pain into a corner of his mind, as he had been taught, and ran towards the unsuspecting manticores.

    They had no idea he was able to move at all, and so they couldn''t react in time.

    Lyle moved, ignoring the fact that he ribs all felt as if they were poking into lungs, and arrived behind the smaller manticore.

    He dropped down just like he had before with the leader, his sword ready.

    These types of manticores were basically large bugs, right, and most bugs had a pretty weak belly. He wasn''t sure where he''d heard that from, and he''d only remembered it just now, but he really prayed that it was true.

    With that in mind, as he passed underneath the creature, he drove his sword into it''s stomache.

    And it worked! The sword easily went through with seemingly no resistance at all, tearing up it''s insides as Lyle''s momentum carried him--along with the blade--forward! The manticore made an inhuman screech, crying out in obvious pain! The piercing cry told Lyle that it was all but done for!

    Lyle didn''t know whether it was because of the stomache truly being weak or if it was due to the blade itself. If he had to say, he''d put money on the latter. Though both probably played a part in how easily it was to cut through.

    But as he cut into it he was also exposed to a vile, greenish substance. It poured down into him. Although he managed to avoid most of it due to him having been propelled forwards slightly faster than this green ichor fell, a lot of it still found it''s way onto parts of his skin and clothing.

    He didn''t even put any thought into if this green liquid was harmful or not.

    As soon as he came out of from under it, like before, he didn''t stop moving at all.

    His movements were by far less smooth than they were previously, but even still he quickly got up and sprinted towards the girl as best as he was able.

    The leader again became furious at the death of another comrade, a dangerous chattering sound issuing from it''s mouth.

    Lyle didn''t stop to look back.

    He stopped by the girl, roughly pulling her to her feet.

    "Pull yourself together!" Lyle hissed at her. "Do see how messed up I am? Who do you think I risked myself for by coming here? If I wasn''t such a kindheared fool, I''d have left you to become their snack! And I won''t let my efforts be wasted! So you''re not allowed to just sit there and wait for death, you hear me!" He snarled, snapping the girl out of her fear-induced reverie. " I don''t give you the right! Socome...On!"

    He said everything fast, in a single breathe, harshly telling her to do what amount to "grow a pair."

    And light immediately came back to her previously dull eyes. She stared at him, almost in a trance, as he pulled them along.

    Lyle understood that his bedside manner had much to be desired. If it were another time, maybe he''d have tried a softer approach. But right now?...Right now he didn''t have the time to coddle her...

    He ran once more, hastily trying to put some distance between them and it.

    The sound of running water from before hadn''t stopped at all in all this time, he noted faintly at the back of his mind.

    They both ran as hard and fast as their legs would take them.

    Lyle understood that the current him couldn''t take on the remaining manticore.

    The three people currently occupying his body didn''t deign to heal him at all. Unlike the time with Iris--or rather, the thing that had made her sleepwalk back then--his wounds didn''t show any sign of improving.

    There was no spreading of warmth or rush of power.

    Obviously the three would not aid him unless he asked, which he''d never allow himself to do.

    Maybe if he hadn''t gotten careless and been needlessly wounded, if he was at his peak, then perhaps he could do something about the manticore. If the fight was made fair he thought he would have a good chance.

    But no, he wasn''t in top form.

    He was grievously injured, continuing his mad dash only after forcing himself to move forward, every inch feeling like a mile, every step feeling like it would be his last before he keeled over. The only thing that stopped him from completely breaking down being an unsurpassable stubborness that had served him faithfully up until now.

    An outright refusal to give up...

    He knew that even if the sword at his side could cut through the armor of the manticore like butter, even if it was some godly weapon, he wouldn''t be able to take even one more blow.

    So he had to run. Find someplace they could be safe, maybe...

    Fighting that thing was a last resort at this point. With him as he was, could things be any other way?

    He almost wished he''d not told Nyk to stay behind.Yet just allowing that man to die, after he clearly did all he could to keep this girl alive...he couldn''t help it. That man''s actions alligned with Lyle''s own ideals of what a true "Noble" was supposed to be.

    In life and death situations, things like honor and duty could easily crumble. They would abandon the person by their side if it meant their own survival. And that wasn''t wrong. But neither was it right.

    Lyle understood that the man could have escaped by himself. The manticores were most interested in the girl, if he left her to die then he himself would be able to get away.

    But he didn''t. He chose to sacrifice himself. That was an act that resonated deeply with Lyle.

    He''s a good man.

    When faced with death all people revealed their true selves. And that man revealed that he had the right to be respected and acknowledged by Lyle. That couldn''t be denied.

    His desire to save to give the girl a fighting chance at survival, at the cost of his own life, moved Lyle''s heart and instilled in him a faint admiration for the guy.

    Lyle wanted to save the girl because he himself wouldn''t have felt right just leaving her to die. But there was also another, almost equally important reason for why he wanted to save her: To not make that man''s noble deed have ben done in vain.

    Perhaps it was silly. Yet that was how things were.

    And it wasn''t like things were hopeless. As long as one lived, there was hope. They weren''t dead yet. This meant that they still had all the chance in the world to make it out of this. Both he, and the girl.

    Yes....as long as they were able to at least run away, to escape from this thing, then they...

    And right as he was thinking this, the trees ended.

    So did the ground.

 Chapter thirty pt. 1

    "Well that''s just perfect..." Lyle muttered.

    The girl by his side, his hand still firmly locked around her own, all but wilted.

    He heard the menacing clicking sound that signaled the presence of the manticore, and sure enough, it was right behind them just a few feet away

    Lyle stared downwards, unable to help cursing their luck.

    Below them was a great body of water. Most people would probably think they would be saf. It''s just water, right? They would think. But the reality was a lot different.

    For starters, exactly how high was this? A little over a eighty feet probably? Maybe a hundred?

    Lyle did a few quick calculations in his head.

    A fall from that height wouldn''t be fun. Anyone who had ever done a belly-flop would know just how hard the surface of water can get when falling at certain speeds.

    And this here...a fall of more than four seconds amd you would be hitting the water considerably fast. A possibility of dying from the trauma. Certainly, this was high enough to give a person a few broken bones at the least...

    His own body was very durable, he thought that maybe he could make it. The girl? Again, she was too frail.

    But... as long as it was only this much, and if he used his own body to break her fall a little...

    The manticore inched closer, knowing it was on the verge of victory.

    Lyle made a decision.

    He took the girl''s face in his hands, making her look at him. "Hey, what''s your name?"

    The girl trembled as she looked him, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.

    At one point lyle didn''t think she''d answer, then, "S-Seraphina..." She breathed out finally, voice small mouse-like. No surprise, all things considered.

    "I see. Seraphina, is it? A lovely name." He smiled. "Sera, can you do me a favor?"

    The girl nodded, although he thought it was more of an unconscious reaction on her part.

    "Then listen closely...I need you to close your eye for a bit, alright? Can you do that for me?"

    Another nod.

    "Great. Yes, just like that." He praised. "I promise, everything''s going to be fine. Just trust me from now on, alright? At least for a while..."

    The manticore was exceedingly close to now, it''s enormous body looming over them and casting a dark shadow.

    Lyle then took the girl in his arms, hugging her close.

    And jumped over the edge.

    **********

    The sun was high but the coldness didn''t abate at all, gloomy grey clouds seemingly going on endlessly into the skies.

    His entire body felt frozen, stiff and unbearably weak.

    His throat was parched, burning as he breathed in the crisp, cold air. Icy winds beat at him, his clothes plastered against his body and all but turning him into an icicle.

    Lyle''s eyes opened slowly, becoming aware of his surroundings.

    He saw a dark shape, vaguely familiar.

    It was the girl.

    Sera.

    She kneeled in front of him, shivering, just staring at him with an unbliking gaze that he found quite...invasive, somehow. It made him uncomfortable being the subject of such an intense stare.

    When she discovered that he was awake she jumped up in fright, looking away nervously.

    How long had he been out? How long had she been staring at him, too?

    He rolled onto his back, his muscles unwilling.

    From the position of the sun, it couldn''t have been long. Not even an hour. Maybe...ten, twenty minutes since they jumped?

    "Sera...are you okay?" He asked suddenly, glancing at her. She didn''t seem hurt, but he had to be sure.

    The girl opened her mouth, but the words didn''t come.

    Was she really that shy?

    Or was she still wary of him?

    He couldn''t blame her for it if it was the latter. Alone with a person she didn''t know, and a male at that...for a high-born Young Miss, such a thing would indeed be a cause for concern.

    And she was probably still shaken by what she had just experienced.

    Lyle forced a laugh, though the action brought him little but more pain.

    "There''s no need to be scared. I won''t bite." He grinned. His attempt to bring in a bit of levity was apparently lost on her.

    He got up, surpressing a groan.

    His legs shook. No, his entire body shook to some degree or another. But he didn''t let it show. It wouldn''t exactly inspire confidence in the girl if she saw him looking weak.

    "You''re cold." He commented, the epitome of obviousness. "That won''t do. Hold up."

    Lyle looked around his pockets, hoping nothing was amiss. Lucky for him, everything was fine and he soon held his Blackbox in hand. He''d put the sword back in earlier before he jumped.

    He didn''t keep much in his Blackbox but did he have a few useful things inside. Personal items, emergency rations, rope, among other things.

    He sent a command to the Blackbox and took out a thick coat. It was his last. He had a few to start with but one was still pretty torn up--courtesy of a certain black-hearted woman--despite him having already mended it a bit. And as for the other, he currently wore it.

    So this was the one he''d given to Melanie earlier, before he''d gotten her her own clothes.

    "Here, take off yours and put this on. It''ll help."

    Sera looked at the piece of clothing with hesitation, unsure.

    Lyle sighed.

    Did all the women he know have to be so difficult? What''s more, didn''t this one in particular not know how miserable she looked right now?

    Without further words he just walked behind her and covered her shoulders with the coat, not wanting to waste time with something so trivial.

    "There. Warm, right?"

    "..."

    Silence.

    He felt her eyes being glued to his face. It really was a little unnerving...

    Ah, whatever.

    "It''s fine, really. I''ve got a few blankets too, I''ll use one of those."

    It''d be a lot worse at keeping in his body heat and warming him up than that coat would but he didn''t bother telling her that and making her feel guilty.

    "...Not much one for conversation, are you?"

    "..."

    As expected, nothing.

    "By the way, we found your Captain...Voorhis, was it? He was in a bad way, but I had someone stay behind and help so he should be fine. In case you were wondering."

    Her eyes brighened at this piece of good news, yet still little else but silence came from her.

    He could almost feel his face starting to tingle. He had her avid attention. She was like...a puppy? With those large eyes and innocent expression...

    Lyle decided to give up. Maybe she''ll be more open after they settled down.

    "Come on, we should find some shelter. Let''s look around, there may be a cave nearby that we can take refuge in."

    Lyle pulled at her hand, urging her to follow.

    He almost wanted to hug her again.

    Why?

    It wasn''t due to her being cute, though she did have a considerable amount of cuteness even as she currently way.

    No, he wanted the contact for one reason: It sparked a fire in him.

    His body, as before with Melanie, reacted. And sent a burst of heat along his entire body.

    It was infinitely better than this stupid blanket.

    Thankfully he was able to control it, although the cold itself was the one that did a lot of help in that regard. But if he had to say, he''d prefer to be warm.

    Lyle stopped thinking about it. There really was no point in complaining, was there?

    He looked back at the river with a frown.

    ...They must have drifted farther than he thought, he couldn''t see the cliff or waterfall anywhere in sight.

    But not now. That wasn''t what was most important at the moment.

    They had to warm up, rest, and eat.

    Maybe they''d even have to spend a night by themselves.

    How long would they have to stay like this? They were pretty far away from the others. They would be looking for him, he knew. And those knights would be looking for Sera.

    Plus that manticore could be skulking about somewhere...

    This wasn''t good.

    He may pretend otherwise, but he was hurt. Bad.

    He was aching severely, he knew he had to have bruises all over himself. He''d had to break the girl''s fall, so that''s the only thing he could do. Use his own body.

    And the impact was not light. It was like slamming into solid ground, the moment of contact betweeen himself and the water''s surface having driven the breath from his lungs.

    Plus he''d also had to make sure she didn''t drown. And the cold water sapped his strength even more than it would have otherwise.

    Had his body grown even stronger, though? He definitely got away with as minimal injury as was likely possible in that situation, he thought that even his endurance was larger than it had been. He didn''t know, but he was thankful if that was the case.

    Otherwise he may have suffered much more. It could be that he just got lucky, but somehow he doubted it. Was it due to the changes those three brought with them, or was it due to himself only?

    Whatever it was, he was grateful.

    As for his front side...even now every step he took brought him unending agony.

    Yup. He must have broken a rib or three, at least. Okay, well, maybe not broken...but surely fractured, no?

    Bad. This was bad.

    He did his best to move, but it was a struggle. How long could he last like this?

    ...As long as I goddamn have to, he told himself firmly.

    First things first: Take care of the girl. Get her someplace where she can warm up.

    Failing that, just make something up on his own. He had a tent in his blackbox but it would take time to set up and it was very small. They''d have to cram inside for both of them to fit.

    Not something he was willing to make a Lady endure unless he had no alternative. The Lady in question would also [rpbab;y hate it. Something like that was, being in such close proximity to a male not in any sort of relationship with her, would be pretty shameful.

    Even in this situation, such things were important. It sounded petty, and maybe it was, but there was no harm in looking around a bit first was there? So he decided to give it at least a few minutes of searching before he would just set up the tent.

    Shameful or not, if he couldn''t find a better place to rest up then he''d go with the tent even if did have a problem with it.

    Although she seemed pretty obedient, so he doubted she''d speak out against it overmuch.

    ....On second thought, maybe just waiting to be found would be best. Jaime an te others were excellent trackers, and they weren''t stupid. They would probably be able to find them within a few hours.

    But Lyle never relied solely on things like that, so he still wanted to search the area later for a way back. It''s just that it''d be a risk taking the girl along especially if that manticore was actually searching for them.

    He couldn''t leave her alone, after all.

    The rest of the manticores were likely already taken care of, however. Maybe the leader was too? Though he didn''t think so, in all liklihood the leader would abandon them to save itself.

    Lyle decided to stop worrying about it and simply concentrated on the task at hand.

    **********

    When he asked her to close her eyes she did it without any second thoughts.

    When he asked her to trust him, she found that she had no other choice.

    She could feel a pair of strong arms wrapping around her, then her stomach dropped as they wre propelled over the edge.

    Then hit the water hard, but she was fine. He''d taken the brunt of the damage, and she knew he did it for her sake.

    But she couldn''t swim, and even if she could the current was too strong for her anyway.

    When he realized this he''d not shown any hesitation in helping her ashore. He took her in his arms again and dragged her with him.

    Despite his injuries, despite having just taken damage from falling at a great height, despite the cold waters that surely had to be sapping his strength...despite all that, he''d not showed any sign of unwillingness.

    He did his best to always keep her head above the water even as they were swept downstream and away from the waterfall. There was no way of knowing how far they had gone, or how long he''d had to hold onto her like that.

    The memories of that time were blurred, she was dead weight. Barely able to even kick her feet in an attempt to lessen his burden.

    Then, once their feet were actually able to touch the ground under the water, he''d carried her and set her gently onto the grassy riverbank before collapsing in exhaustion.

    He''d not taken his arms off of her until he was sure she was fine. Only then did he allow himself to fall unconscious.

    And now here he was, lying at her feet.

    She felt a multitude of emotions upon seeing him. Gratitude, worry, anxiousness and guilt being some of the most prominent.

    Sera sat down on, brushing the hair out of his face. Then she began hugging herself in and rubbing her arms up and down to try and stave off the cold.

    "This journey really was nothing but a mistake. The words Ellie said that day proved true after all, it seems..." She thought aloud, miserable. "I wonder...if those other things will as well? No, no that I think of it, what were they? I can''t even really remember what she said..." Sera turned her thoughts away from that particular subject, uncomfortable.

    "I shouldn''t have come, I should have listened to her." She lamented. She sighed. "But Father really would have been displeased... Having called for me so suddenly like this, it''s probably important. It only things hadn''t become like this..."

    The girl eyed the young man, her face softening. "Although I guess I have you to thank for saving me, don''t I? What a strange person, risking himself to that extent for someone he''d never seen before..."

    Sera found herself staring at him.

    She didn''t know why.

    The cold ate away at her, but it was a distant thing at that moment. She just continued to look at him, examining every line and curve of the young man''s face.

    She couldn''t call him a boy.

    Most males her age she would be able to call a boy, but not him.

    She''d never seen a "boy" with a body like his. She wasn''t able to see how bad he was injured, but from the way his clothes outlined his frame she couldtell that he anything but a boy. There was great power hidden in every inch of him, it seemed.

    She knew it to be true, based on what she could recall from earlier. The way he faced off against no less than three manticores by himself, mangaging to even kill two of them, was a testament to how capable he was.

    Plus it''s obvious he''s not taken that strength for granted. He must go through quite a bit of training.

    She understood that because she could clearly see how well-defined his muscles were, something not able to be acquired without intense daily exercise. He had not been lax, that was sure.

    He didn''t rely only upon that great strength of his, either. From what Sera remembered about his fight he had quite a bit of cleverness as well, using that one manticore''s attack to weaken the defenses of the other two.

    Although he hadn''t exploited the self-made weakness after he felled the first, he still had been able to cut into the stomache of the first. Did he use a different sword that time? She didn''t know for certain.

    Sera wondered if manticores had a soft belly. And if he had know about it. If so, then he could have used that for the other two as well? But Sera understood how difficult that would be.

    Manticores were a little clever too, they''d not fall for the same trick twice. It''d be exceedingly difficult to perform that move again.

    She had seen a person fight a manticore before, in a colosseum when she was just a little bit younger than she was now. It was during a more recent tournament, one of the events that had been held before the actual competition began.

    That tournament was a special one, the reason being so that the younger generation of the various Noble Houses could display their talents in combat.

    In fact Sera could even still vividly recall the thunderous applause and amazement when the young Heir-Apparent of the Greyborne family took down his opponent, the slightly older Sir Gweyn who hailed from the Herondale family, and claimed the championship after numerous struggles.

    ...But she was getting sidetracked. No, the event she was thinking of happened before all that, as a way of entertaining the audience before the first round of matches began.

    It was something that had came as a surprise. Apparently something like that usually didn''t happen and so no one could know what would be brought out.

    Even so they had all cheered when the manticore made it''s appearance, knowing they were in for a good show. Sera saw ten people go up against it one after the other, each one left with serious injuries afterwards. Whereas the manticore itself did die eventually, it was more from exhaustion rather than due to the small wounds it inevitably suffered.

    Not a single one of those people had dared to move in under a manticore like this person had. They''d not even thought of it. Who would be so suicidal? No one would be able to so easily ignore the fear of making a mistake and being subject to the thing''s cruel venom.

    As such she felt that this young man was definitely not like your average person. He instantly understood that he''d be unable to fight those things normally and so didn''t even try. Instead he saw an opportunity, knowing full well how dangerous it could prove, and took it anyway.

    Against monsters like that this sort of quick-thinking, ingenuity and decisiveness would be very uncommon in a person so young.

    So she found him quite interesting.

    As she sat there Sera grew a little nervous even though he wasn''t even awake. In all honesty, she had never seen a young man who was so near to her in age up close like this.

    She had a sudden urge to poke him.

    She didn''t.

    That''s right, now that she thought of it he really couldn''t be much older than her. She didn''t think so, at least. Maybe a year or two? He looked around seventeen. Maybe even eighteen.

    Sera had continued her staring up until he''d woken up.

    The very first thing that he asked was, "Are you okay?"

    It was a very common string of words, but for that to be the first thing on his mind...

    It caught her by surprise. She was shocked into silence.

    How was he able to think about her when he must be in a much worse state? Was he really alright? Did she overestimate how injured he was?

    He looked fine, but could it be true?

    No, if he was able to move about like this and talk to her then surely he must not be too badly beaten up...?

    He then went on to tease her a bit, saying he won''t bite.

    However she was a little confused. Bite? Bite where? What would he bite?

    She lacked experience in things like that so she didn''t quite get the meaning. But from the mischievous curve of his lips as he said it, Sera knew it had to be something naughty.

    Again she was silent.

    After a bit more talking on his part he noticed her trembling.

    So he took out a coat for her to wear. He must have a spacial storage device on him. An Icebox? But the coat wasn''t cold. Strange.

    Although he offered it himself, ans Sera was freezing, she was still hesitant to take it.

    He saw that and moved in close behind her, draping the coat over her shoulders unceremoniously.

    She was very relieved to know he had blanket to warp himself with.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!

    Then he informed her about Captain Voorhis. She was happy to know he was alive, but the feeling was more muted than it probably should have been. She couldn''t explain why. Maybe it was because she knew he was okay. As long as he wasn''t dead there was little she had to worry about with him.

    He''d even be angry at her if she knew she worried about him. Yet she couldn''t help it, in many ways he was like an uncle to her.

    Her thoughts drifted to the young man by her side.

    He had come to help her, a complete stranger. For what reason? Who was he? How did he even know where to find her? Did someone send him after them? The other guards of her''s perhaps?

    She had many questions, but somehow she was unable to ask him any of them. She found herself very nervous around him. That didn''t happen often, her meeting somone who can make her like that. But here they were, a man and woman, alone in the woods...

    She didn''t think him a bad person at all, in fact she could feel that he was exactly the opposite. But the situation was a little... and after everything she went through...Suffice it to say, she was jittery.

    Still, Sera didn''t find the man to be unpleasant. Unlike the boys her own age, he didn''t look at her with any lustful eyes. His gaze was clear and confident, without any malicious or lewd intent. Very business-like, almost. He didn''t make her on guard at all.

    At his urging, they left that place and walked together for some time.

    As they left Sera realized something.

    ...She felt very safe with him here... Actually, right now, she was even dependant upon him...

    **********

    Lyle squinted his eyes.

    "There...a cave up ahead. That didn''t take long at all, our luck is turning around." He spoke optimistically. "Come on, let''s get out of this wind."

    It was only then, as he looked behind him, that Lyle realized something strange.

    The girl had slowed, falling several feet behind him. And she was wincing.

    She got a pained look on her face with each step she took.

    "What''s wrong?" He asked.

    The girl shook her head, signaling that it was nothing.

    Lyle didn''t believe her.

    He walked towards her, determined to find out what the matter was.

    This caused her to back away, looking afraid. Wgether it was because of he himself or because she didn''t want him to see, he didn''t know.

    The girl, Sera, tripped on a rock as she stepped back and nearly fell. But Lyle had already caught her and eased her onto a stump near them.

    He looked her over, his eyes roaming every inch of her methodically. Naturally his eyes went towards the most likely suspect, her legs.

    The young girl''s entire body stiffened noticibly as Lyle held one of her feet in his hands and carefully took off her shoe.

    Then he cursed.

    "You''ve got blisters and cuts all over." His voice was accusatory. "Dammit, why didn''t you tell me sooner? This isn''t something to keep quiet about!" He snapped.

    He was very displeased with her.

    The blisters weren''t serious, just a few red bumps and cuts along her feet. Caused by running in shoes that clearly weren''t meant for it.

    "You can''t continue to walk like this, you know that, right?"

    "..."

    She looked at him, showing signs of unwillingness.

    Why couldn''t she just talk to him? This was getting a bit tiresome...

    "Forget it." He told her. "You''re not walking. There''s just a bit further to go, I''ll carry you."

    "...!"

    She grew alarmed, shaking her head.

    "I...I...I''m." She struggled to speak.

    Lyle raised a brow. "Ah, so now you''re willing to talk? But it''s too late. No matter what you say I''m not letting you walk like this."

    "I''m f-f-fine..." She finally got out, her teeth chattering.

    "Clearly not." Lyle said drily. And before you try refusing me again," He held up a hand to stop her. "Remember that while that coat of mine helps, with you dripping wet right now the thing won''t do you much good. Not if you continue to stay outside like this.

    "I suggest you stop being stubborn, because it''ll take a good few minutes to get to that cave and I don''t want to have to argue about this all day with you. Unless you want me to have to lop off a few of your fingers and toes due to the eventual frostbite that would most assuredly set in?"

    Her face quickly grew horrified.

    "..."

    "That''s what I thought." He said, satisfied. "I''m going to pick you up now, alright?"

    She couldn''t do anything but nod.

    Lyle mentally prepared himself, then hunched down a bit to pick her up.

    He could feel his muscles quivering, not because he was too weak to lift her, but because of the pain it brought him.

    Letting out a breath, he walked forward.

    Luckily they weren''t touching skin-to-skin, so he didn''t have to deal with the threat of that "evil fire" coming out.

    Lyle slowly made his way up and over the uneven terrain with the girl nestled firmly in his arms.

    **********

    When they reached the mouth of the cave Lyle set Sera down on the ground.

    "Stay here, I''m going to see if there''s anything inside first. Don''t want to suddenly have a bear creeeping up on us, now do we?"

    She grabbed his hand as he turned to go, eyes wide in panic. "Don''t leave!"

    Lyle stopped, peering at her.

    "Didn''t I ask you to trust me a little before? Don''t worry, I''ll be back before you know it."

    He gently extracted his hand from her''s, then went into the cave.

    It wasn''t long till he came back, entirely unharmed--at least, not any more injured than he already was.

    Lyle saw that the girl relaxed, apparently relieved, when he appeared. "It''s safe. Let''s get you inside..."

    He scooped her up once more and they entered together.

    **********

    A half hour later the two of them sat on opposite sides of each other, a fire between them.

    After he used his tinderbox and a few scraps of paper to start a fire he''d told her to strip off her dripping-wet dress and had given her another. It was one of Iris'' so it was sort small on her, but the girl wasn''t that much larger so only the breast area was a little tight.

    At her questioning look he only shrugged and explained, briefly, whose it was.

    The frilly white dress actually looked pretty good on her, the main problem was that the skirt barely covered her knees.

    It was only a shame he didn''t have any warmer clothes for her to wear. With the fire going and the coat he gave her he supposed it wasn''t entirely needed, though.

    He did consider giving her one of his own shirts and pants, but to make a Lady wear men''s clothing was a little much to ask when it wasn''t needed.

    Lyle still hadn''t changed his own clothes yet, there was something he had to do first.

    He''d left her again to quickly gather some firewood--before the flame died out--when she had begun to change, despite her protests that he not leave her. Then hung a blanket over the smallish cave''s mouth to offer more protection from the harsh winds.

    Later, under her watchful gaze--had she done anything but stare at him up to now?--Lyle took out several herbs and berries along with a stone bowl and pestle.

    Lyle threw the berries and herbs into the bowl, then set to work. The mixture became a clumpy mess at first, then slowly formed into a light reddish paste

    "Give me your feet." He commanded, after everything was ready.

    "..." The girl scooted towards him, but glanced down. She couldn''t look him in the eyes.

    Lyle took the initiative, pulling her towards him more and resting one of her feet in his lap. She did her best to cross her legs to not let her panties get exposed, but Lyle wasn''t looking in that direction at all. Didn''t even cross his mind at the moment.

    All his did was take some of the paste and apply a bit of it onto her feet, gently massaging it in. He saw a few cuts along her thighs and so moved his hands upwards to massage the salve onto them, too.

    Lyle couldn''t help noticing how smooth and shapely her legs were. Long, creamy and soft, feeling good in his hands. They were top-quality, no doubt. Neither too fatty nor too skinny, just perfect.

    But he didn''t let that distract him.

    Lyle wasted no time and quickly but carefully worked the medicine all over her legs, from her pinky toes to her calves, before wrapping them with up with long strips of bandages.

    Lyle breathed much easier after he was done.

    Somehow...the more he touched women, the more he experienced that strange fire, the more he started to get used to the feeling and merged with it.

    He came to understand something about the fire: It wanted to be quenched.

    If his body was becoming akin to that of an incubus'' then wouldn''t the "evil fire" be the "Anima" energy that he''d read of? The "positive" energy that existed within men?

    The so-called "yang" energy to a woman''s "yin" energy?

    Incubi had a massive influce of this Anima. This positive, fire-like energy. And incubi sated this fire by taking in the Animus within females. Same with succubi, the life energy they needed was a very specific type of life energy. Meaning, Anima.

    There was a need for balance. Incubi needed Animus, succubi needed Anima.

    Since Lyle was becoming something like an Incubis then he, too, needed this "Animus"!

    As such, he theorized that he needed to absorbe that Animus from women directly. His Anima was reacting to the presence of Animus, or something like that.

    At least this is what he thought it was. In essence, the mixing of the two would result in sexual energy. Lust, desire, whatever you wanted to call it, that''s what that Azamat wanted. What fueled him. Not just that, he probably absorbed Animus itself too.

    This understanding, that''s probably why he seemed to gain a better control over himself. Could he actively use those energies, though? Could he manipulate this "Anima"?

    Since he already knew what Anima felt like, could Lyle find it within himself even without having to touch a woman to make it flare up, and then bring it under his control?

    What could he do with it anyway?

    Lyle felt like he''d be even closer to becoming an incubus at that point. He didn''t want that at all! Such a vulgar thing, why would Lyle want to become like that? But...if he left things go uncontrolled like this, someday he may not be able to stop himself...

    What if Melanie, or Cecelia, or some other woman was around at that time? What ifhe...to them...

    ...Lyle chose to steer his thoughts away from this subject, not liking the direction they were heading. No, now wasn''t the time to ponder over such things.

    Once he finished with her he noticed that the girl''s face was absolutely dyed pink, blushing furiously. Understandable, but it was necessary.

    A few minutes later Lyle finally took out a few foodstuffs from the Blackbox for him to cook. They had to eat. Honestly, he was starving. The girl must be too.

    As he cooked a few skewers of meat and sweet potatoes he even heard her stomache growling.

    "It''ll be done soon, don''t worry." Lyle said, a faint hint of laughter in his voice, amused when she her eyes locked onto the skewers with a ravenous glint before catching herself and looking away in embarrassment.

    As promised, they were done before they knew it. The girl took her''s gratefully, her lips puckering as she blew softly on them. She ate slowly, savoring, apparently not forgetting proper etiquette.

    Every move of her''s was graceful, as if they were all meticulously well-though-out beforehand. It left quite an impression...

    He took a moment to admire, then chose to tear his gaze away and focus on other things.

    So while she did that, Lyle took out several more blankets, equally thick, and folded them a little. Then he set them on the floor, one for her and one for him. Next he took out a few pillows, completing the ensemble.

    This would be their beds, if it was needed.

    Lyle believed Jaime and the others would appear within an hour or so, he doubted that they''d have to use these "beds".

    But he didn''t like the looks of those clouds that he saw outside, they were a dark grey and he could smell a sweet, pungent aroma in his nostrils.

    It was the sharp, fresh scent of ozone. Which didn''t bode well at all, for he feared it''d start raining eventually. How bad he didn''t know but it was always good to be prepared, and the hard rock of the cave''s ground was unpleasant to sit on in any case. So t least like this they got a bit of comfort.

    Once they were finished eating they just sat there, wrapped in blankets by the fire, not talking at all.

    The girl hadn''t made any attempt at conversing with him as of yet. They did have things to discuss, but Lyle held off on them. He could tell that the previous events still weighed heavily on her mind.

    Coming that close to death, knowing the sense of helplessness and fear that came with understanding you were about to die and that there was nothing you could do to stop it...this was something that regular people could never easily come to terms with.

    It must be especially hard for her. Being a "Young Miss"--as the knights had called her--there were likely very few times where she''d experienced danger of any kind.

    How was it possible that she would not be affected by what had happened?

    He felt sorry for the girl. If it were Melanie or Iris then he''d probably have done something more to console them. Hugged them, maybe, told them to not think about it, that they were safe and alive and that the danger had passed.

    As for Cecelia, he''d never have to do that for her. She was tough as nails and many times more deadly. It was very rare that she needed words of comfort from him. In fact, apart from the early days of their travels together, he couldn''t remember any time she did need it.

    But this girl, Sera? She wasn''t like those three.

    They had met only an hour or so ago, if that. There''s no way he''d be able to use that method on her.

    The best thing that he could do was just to give her a little time to process things and show some confidence.

    So he let her be. Allowed her to simply warm up, settle down and realize that she was okay.

    He didn''t try breaking this silence. No matter how tense or awkward it had, to some extent, become.

    But after a while there was something he had to do that couldn''t wait any longer.

    He looked at Sera as he stood up.

    "Would you mind turning around a bit?" He pulled at his wet clothes so that she understood his intentions.

    "Oh...oh, no, of course not..."

    The girl looked away, her voice small.

    It seemed like she didn''t know exactly how to talk to him. Still, it was much better than the previous silence.

    He thought so before, but for a Noble Lady she was a little tooshy wasn''t she? She acted almost like a nun, very.,,demure, maybe? Although Sophia was exactly the same when he first met her. And still was, in many ways.

    He wondered what she was doing right now, that Sophia...

    "Thanks." He expressed a bit of gratitude, coming back to his senses. Then he grinned at her. "And don''t try peeking at me. I''d not be able to marry otherwise."

    The girl took a moment to reegister the meaning of his words, muttering something under her breath which he didn''t catch.

    Had it been Melanie, it would''ve probably had something to do with calling him a rogue.

    Honestly he didn''t really care if she saw him a little naked. He''d grown past being embarrassed by things like that by now, and it wasn''t as if he''d strip down entirely.

    It''s just that he was going to be examining his wounds.

    She shouldn''t have to see something like that. He was sure it wasn''t going to be pretty.

    When her back was fully facing him he slowly, carefully, began to take off his coat and shirt.

    After that he just used a finger to feel around his chest and ribs. He didn''t want to take off the bandages that covered his toso and back, but he didn''t have to since he would be able to tell what sort of damage was done. As for how, all he had to do was to continue prodding with his finger.

    As he expected, he was bruised all over. He was very familiar with the feeling.

    His back, his front, large parts of him were most likely a nasty purpleish color. He didn''t see, but he knew.

    He tentatively moved his fangers to his side, wincing.

    A few bones were definitely fractured. Not broken, exactly. He didn''t think that bones were severed, just cracked.

    Although with injuries like this, it was hard to tell. Still, at least his lungs were still in working order even if he had a little shortness of breath.

    Lyle stiffled a pained grunt.

    As expected, he was in a bad way. Multiple fractures, all on different ribs, a lot of bruising along his front, back and shoulders...some swelling...

    It was a real miracle he''d been able to walk with injuries like this.

    He once more thanked all his past ancestors that they''d given him such a resillient body. Honestly he''d never quite had injuries like this before. Cuts and bruises, yes.

    Broken bones, a few times.

    But so many injuries all spread out like this it was a first.

    He sighed to himself.

    He really was too weak still. Just knowing some swordsmanship wasn''t enough. He could do more, be more. He was said to be very "proficient" in terms of his sword weielding abilities. But he wasn''t satisfied with that.

    He may not lose out to many people his own age, but against monsters like a manticore? He had to fight differently. It wasn''t the same as fighting a human being.

    He was too green.

    Lyle understood that he was already more skilled than most people his age. His talents in combat were not for nothing.

    Even so, he had a long way to go before he could match up to people like A''daire.

    He promised himself that he''d not be lazy. Since he knew he could be better Lyle strove to do better. Always improving, learning from his mistakes, becoming stronger, not allowing himself to waste the talents the gods had given him...attaining greater heights, using his strength to be able to protect those he cared for...these things are what drove him, always.

    Maybe he wouldn''t need these sort of skills. But it was always reassuring to have them.He''d been far too lax.

    He''d taken it easy.

    It was obviousy from the fight with the manticores that he was too lacking.

    It it were A''daire he''d probably be able to cleave those things in two with a swing.

    ...Although now that he had a blade that wouldn''t break on him, maybe he would be capable of that. A suitable weapon can make all the difference. It all came down to skill in the end, but if the blade broke after a single strike then what could you do?

    Lyle turned away from the light of the fire, intending to squeeze out the excess water that had still clunt to his clothes. After that he should have at least a shirt and pair of pants in his blackbox.

    He''d check in a bit, after he got done--

    Lyle felt something soft lightly running along his back.

    He tensed up instantly.

    "Hey now, didn''t I say no peeking? Honestly, some people..." Despite the carefree nature of the words themselves his tone was guarded.

    Sera ignored him, her hand still pressed against his back.

    ...The dragon-like Mark, she couldn''t have seen it with the bandages in the way. So why would she come up and...?

    Unable to figure out her actions with thought alone Lyle instead chose to turn his head towards her and get some answers. But something made hm pause, te words question dying before it could move past his lips.

    As for what it was that stopped him...it was the moisture he could see building up in her eyes. She looked on the verge of crying.

    "You''ve gotten so many injuries...look, almost not a single part of your body remains unharmed. Everything''s all battered and bruised and all but broken..." Her voice was low, ridden with guilt. "Why?" She asked him.

    "Why what?" Lyle frowned at her question.

    He was so distracted by her strange words that he didn''t even bother to think about how it was that she knew he was so badly hurt.

    She couldn''t see his wounds, and likely never had any medical experience either. So exactly how she knew all these things was a completely mystery.

    Unfortunately this didn''t even cross his mind, he could only wonder why the girl looked so distressed.

    "You." She answered slowly. "Helping me like this... I don''t even know you. Or you me. So why go out of your way to save me? By all rights you should have ran away as soon as you saw how many manticores were after me. But you still faced them. I...I don''t understand why you would do this. I was useless back then, I probably even got in your way. This... " She stopped, swallowing hard. "No one would want to fight those things, especially not for a complete sranger. And not only that, but breaking my fall...keeping me from drowning as we were thrown downstream...carrying me here just because my feet were hurting a little... You''re in a state like this and you prioritise me instead? Something like that....again, why?"

    It was the most he''d ever heard her speak up to now. It was a very pleasant voice, he once more confirmed.

    After hearing her speak Lyle didn''t put on airs at all.

    "Oh, is that all?" He chuckled. "Really, you make it sound as if I did something great. But there''s no need to be so surprised. Trust me, I only did what I wanted to. Nothing more. "

    The girl shook her head. "But why? Why would you want to? Going through all that, for some random person like me...I don''t get it! You''re so badly hurt, yet...!"

    Lyle sniffed in disdain. "Please, they''re just flesh wounds." He then smiled, his tone becoming much more carefree. " And if it were for a beauty such as yourself I''m sure there''d be many who''d brave much more dangerous tasks to win your favor. What I did is really is nothing in comparison to what others would be willing to do for you."

    Lyle wasn''t acting humble, he just didn''t think it was a matter that was worth mentioning.

    Maybe to her it was, which would be understandable since it was her life that had been at stake. But to him, he just did what he felt like doing. Leaving her to die wasn''t an option to him.

    So he just tried making light of the situation, thinking that maybe he could even get a interesting rise out of her.

    Unfortunately he was wrong. Sera blushed, but didn''t pay any heed to his teasing.

    A pity, nothing really happened.

    ...Melanie would have given a much cuter reaction,he thought Idly. The young woman would probably have even forgotten what she had asked him in the first place.

    Then, when she realized she was being teased again, she''d likely have pouted--rather adorably--and pretended to be angry at him.

    But this girl was much less entertaining. Her cheeks did redden at the unexpected compliment but she still quickly recovered. She once more shook her head, continuing to question him.

    Other than shy, she also appeared to be the serious type too at times? Interesting.

    "Even so, why? What do you have to gain by putting yourself through this? You should know, right? Even if we wait to be rescued, that manticore from before, it could still be around... hunting me... You have to understand that, dont you? For what reason would you continue to help me? I''ll just slow you down. You could even die because of me! You almost did!"

    Lyle snorted. "I''m not going to die." He said with absolute confidence. "Neither am I anywhere close dying. Mistress Death is a woman I really don''t intend to court anytime soon, no matter how sweet her embrace supposedly is. And the bit about the overgrown cockroach you mentioned? Of course I know that. The manticore probably is looking for you. Doubt it''d give up so easily, especially when such a delicious-looking morsel was the prize."

    The girl was really very cute, but he wasn''t really complimenting her looks just now. He was actually refering to her innate magical capabilities.

    "If you know that, then why stay here with me! You''re only putting yourself in danger!"

    At the girl''s cry Lyle only shrugged. He took a dep breathe, slowly explaining...

    "...Look." He began. "I may have mentioned it before, but I don''t want my efforts to be wasted. I already decided to save you, so that''s why I''m going to do. If that manticore shows up again, I''ll handle it." He told her. "You only have to sit back and let me protect you. Because I promised, did I not? That everything was going to be fine. I don''t know about other people, but I make a habit of keeping my promises. So leave everything to me."

    The girl had a distressed look on her face, her tears coming out in truth now.

    "...But most people wouldn''t...they wouldn''t..." She trailed off, not knowing what to say.

    Lyle stepped back, breaking their contact.

    "Yes, well, I suppose that I''m not most people then. Because you see, I came here only due to that fact that I couldn''t, in good conscience, leave you to die. If I did, depsite knowing I could have done something to stop it, It''d be something I''d always regret. It''d always be eating me up inside, I''d always feel guilty for not even bothering to try. And I simply wouldn''t be able to forget about it, nor forgive myself for it.

    "I''m not a miracle worker, I can''t save every lost soul I come across. But you? You I can help. You I can save. So that''s what I''ll focus on doing. I can only see what''s right in front of my eyes, you know? It just so happens that, at this moment, you''re the one I''m currently seeing."

    He stared at her intently, his gaze steady. "Since I can do so, why wouldn''t I help? That''s all I was thinking about when I first decided to follow after you two. So don''t think too much about it. There''s no special reason for me to be helping you other than my own whims, and there''s nothing I want from you in return either."

    Sera apparently couldn''t stand the intensity of his stare anymore. She looked down at the ground, saying, "...I really don''t understand you."

    "What''s there to understand?" He smiled. "I''m a pretty simple guy. Everyone says so."

    "I don''t think you''re simple at all, though..."

    Lyle let out a laugh, though it pained him. "Wait till you get to know me better. I think you''ll find that I''m exceedingly simple."

    "...Does..does it hurt bad?" She gestured to his wounds.

    "A little." He replied honestly. Or maybe not so honestly since he seriously downplayed the levels of pain every small movement caused him.

    "...You''re lying. It has to hurt a lot, right?"

    "Either way, I''ll be alright."

    "That''s not good. I...I can''t leave you like that." She murmured.

    "Oh? That''s a nice sentiment, but...what could you even do about it?"

    She began to move about restlessly, wringing her hands.

    Sera took his hand in her own, pulling at him. "Please, lay down. I...just don''t move, okay?" She finished lamely.

    Under his curious look he allowed the girl to help him lie atop the makeshift bed of his.

    Once this was done she held a palm over his eyes

    "What are you going to do?''

    "Although this might not work..I have to try. So at least a little bit, let me help you, too. "

    Lyle felt a little unwilling but he knew she didn''t have any ill intent. Since she wanted to help, why not let her try?

    He was unsure of what was about to happen but he decided to trust her anyway.

    "Okay. Do what you will."

    "Thank you."

    And as soon as she said those words, his world went silent.

    **********

    Sera noticed the instant he fell asleep.

    She inwardly jumped with joy.

    This meant that, for once, it worked!

    And on her first try, too!

    Usually she wasn''t able to do this. Her powers were strong, everyone said so. But she just couldn''t control them well.

    Her father always praised her, saying she could all but perform miracles.

    But her powers were unreliable and rarely listened to her.

    However just now they seemed eager to be used. They suddenly became as easy to use as breathing and she barely had to use any effort at all to call upon them.

    So curious...she wondered why that was so.

    She didn''t bother to think too much about it. Her powers were always random like this.

    Sera saw a faint golden light coming out of her hands as she worked.

    She lightly touched him, her hand pressed against his heart, feeding him everything she had.

    When everything was done the light faded and his previous injuries had all disappeared.

    They had all been thoroughly purged, not a single mark left upon him.

    Immensely happy, she smiled to herself.

    She was glad to be able to help him. He''d done so much for her, wasn''''t this much a given? At least now she had been able to repay him a little of what she owed him.

    Despite the work being done, he still slept.

    Her magic always left both she and the reciever tired, and he was already exhausted after all he''d been through. Him sleeping wasn''t strange at all.

    She knew that he would, in fact, be sleeping for quite some time.

    Sera watched him quietly, studied him like she had before.

    He really was pretty attractive, wasn''t he?

    With high, elegant features and long, thick eyelashes that made even her envious. Not to mention those full lips that would just make any girl jealous in general.

    Indeed, his was not the square-jawed, cut-from-granite type of handsomeness that traditionally handsome men would have.

    No, this was more refined than that. Sera found it much more appealing this way. She disliked crude things, but he didn''t look crude by any meaning of the word.

    His face was, on the contrary, quite exquisite. A wonder to look at, with everything perfectly alligned and crafted with exceptional care.

    It seemed that even the gods must truly favor him, because in addition to his attractive looks it also appeared that all the awkwardness which usually came with puberty had inexplicably passed him by.

    Sera peered at him, suddenly remembering the scene from before of him gently tending to her wounds.

    He was very careful not to hurt her, concentrating at the task with everything he had.

    His hands were very warm at that time, making her heart flutter against her will as that entire thing played out. And what was most mortifying was that he''d had a good viewpoint of her panties back then. The dress she wore right now was lovely, but the skirt was a little too small.

    And the way he massaged the medicine onto her in the first place it felt almost...sensual. She couldn''t help but recall the feeling, making her heart once more start beating erratically.

    He probably didn''t mean it, but she had to admit that he was surprisingly skillful with those hands of his. It made her wonder why, how, that came to be.

    So maybe his talent in such a thing shouldn''t have surprised her.

    From start to finish, however, he made no move to peep at her or to touch her longer than he''d had to. Was that him being considerate? Perhaps he didn''t want to make her uncomfortable? Sera thought it must be so.

    She took another look at his face, a sudden impulse coming onto her.

    ....He really was asleep, right?

    Sera glanced around her, but obviously no one was there. Sera laughed at herself, knowing she must have seemed foolish just then.

    Feeling more at ease now she then eyed his bare torso, marveling.

    This...really was not the body of mere boy at all...

    Sera coughed suddenly, cheeks turning pink at the unbidden thought.

    Why was it that she thought she''d been blushing a whole lot more recently? She''d counted at least ten times now...

    Sera took a moment to calm down. She then decided to go back by the fire and leave him be.

    This lasted all of five minutes before she peeked at him again.

    She was torn.

    Should she, or should she not? Although she was very curious, it just wouldn''t be appropriate...right? Especially considering all he''s done for her. How could she take advantage of the situation? Something like that, it was beneath her.

    A person of her standing, wanting to do something like that...it was too shameful. But with the kind of life she lived, what she was, it would likely be impossible for her to get another chance at this...

    After a few more moments of indecisiveness she finally worked up the nerve to go through with it.

    She was very quiet, sneakily crawling on her knees back towards him.

    Sera slowly reached out her hand, a finger outstretched--and poked his side.

    ...As expected, it was hard!

    She poked again, more firmly this time.

    Yes. Very hard indeed.

    Growing more courageous, Sera moved to cup his bicep.

    She gave a little squeeze.

    It didn''t yield at all!

    It was as if there wasn''t an ounce of fat on him, everything replaced by compact, steel-like muscle.

    His clothes had clung to him pretty tightly before and so she knew he was sturdy and a muscular.

    But to think it was to this extent...

    Sera poked and prodded him several more times, somehow enjoying the way the softness of her hand contrasted with the hardness of his body.

    She felt bad. Immoral. Like she was indulging in some sort of sin. Strangely it gave her a feeling of being high.

    She didn''t know what was with her right now, usually she''d never have even thought to do this to an unconscious man before.

    However she''d not been able to suppress the curiosity she had for him at the moment, and it was as if he gave out some incredible force from within him that she just couldn''t resist.

    It was only then that Sera realized she didn''t even know the man''s name. He''d never told her, and she hadn''t asked.

    ....But even so... So this is what a man''s body felt like, huh...

    It was really very different from a woman''s, wasn''t it?

    Sera felt beads of sweat build along her brow.

    Wiping it, Sera''s let out a peculiar expression.

    Had it always been this hot in here? Because it was quite warm in here all of a sudden. Even with the fire, wasn''t this a little too exaggerated?

    Ah, but it was also very comfortable. Was it due to her own tiredness and warmth from the fire?

    Sera thought it might be so. It was a strange feeling, this. Not bad, really... Actually, if she was honest, it was a very good feeling.

    Sera didn''t know why she thought that or where this good feeling suddenly sprung up from, but she was very content right now.

    At least she had been. After some time, however, she began to grow restless.

    Itchy too, but only in certain places. And it didn''t feel like a normal sort of itch. Of course she didn''t know whatthat waseither.

    As she was lost in a near trance-like state while studying this mysterious young man, Sera had only now noticed that there was something strange about him.

    Or rather, not exactly strange, just that something caught her eye.

    It was the bandages he wore. Some on his left arm, covering it up entirely, and some more wrapped around his his torso and shoulders. As if hiding something.

    They were very odd and out of place to her. She wondered why he had them.

    The dandages didn''t have any blood on them, so she doubted they were for injuries.

    Sera, for some reason, couldn''t stop thinking about them.

    She didn''t even stop to consider her actions, her hand just moved on it''s own.

    She let it reach out towards his chest...Then she jumped back, startled, as the bandages started moving!

    They unraveled themselves, opening up more bare skin for her to see.

    A gentle blue-violet light shined forth from a strange-looking flower tattoo that nestled near his collarbone, bathing her in it''s colors.

    There was something that called to her, something that whispered seductively into her ears and urged her to thrown away reason.

    Hhis slumbering face was all that she could see, the only thing that she wanted to hold in her gaze at all.

    ...Sera bent down, her face hoving just inches above his own, their lips just centimeters apart...

    She ran her hand over his chest, every small, loving caress sending fire all throughout her body and reaching her innermost depths. She felt the steady rhythm of his heartbeat, could feel her own quickening in response to both their closeness and the scorching heat that his body seemed to exude...

    The intensity of that heat grew more with each passing second, making her gasp and moan softly, searing his long, lean visage into her mind.

    Sera licked her lips, a sudden need welling up from within her... a ravenous hunger only he could sate, a burning desire that eclipsed all else..

    She slowly lowered her head, craving to know the taste of him, and then...

 Chapter thirty pt. 2

    The first thing he heard was the sound of rain.

    It seems that in addition to te biting cold, there was now rain to deal with. Fantastic. There''d probably be a bit of hail too, what with this weather.

    He immediately thought, Are we going to have to spend an entire night in this place? Really?

    It wouldn''t be wise to venture out when it was raining like this. No, but Jaime and the others would probably find them pretty soon so maybe it was fine.

    Lyle pushed these thoughts aside for the moment.

    He didn''t know how long he''d slept, but when he awoke he felt completely reinvigorated.

    No, even better.

    There was a heartening sense of strength and vitality that had settled deep into his bones and had no intention of leaving anytime soon.

    He sat up and stretched his arms, feeling great.

    Lyle noticed it only then--his previous injuries had, inexplicable, vanished into thin air!

    He also found that his old scars were gone. At least from what he could see, they were missing. He checked his arms, hands, legs....nothing.

    Amazing...

    He was a little disappointed in that, though.. Those scars were reminders of his past mistakes, he almost felt a sense of loss....

    His mind blanked for a moment, trying to figure out what caused this. Then, as if a light had been lit inside his mind, he understood exactly what had happened. This...could only be her doing, right? There was no other explanation.

    Lyle turned his head, finding Sera sitting close to the still-blazing fire. Watching him intently.

    That seemed like a bad habit of her''s, but he chose not to mind it.

    "Thank you..." He said, sincerely.

    The girl smiled at him but a little sad. "It was nothing. I''m just sorry that I couldn''t do more. I could heal your recent injuries and old scars, but that large one on your chest...I couldn''t do anything about it. I only want to help make you whole again, and yet... I couldn''t even do that." She looked pained, almost mourneful.

    Lyle stared at her for a moment, perplexed.

    Lyle could only think of one thing that she could mean: The previous wound that had been inflicted by Iris that night. No, that thing inside her. That was the only scar that she could have meant, right?

    All the others were gone. So that one remained, did it? Didn''t surprise him.

    But...his bandages were still on.

    So just how did she know--?

    "Are you...feeling okay? Do you still hurt anywhere?"

    Lyle was pulled from the thought before it could take root.

    He saw Sera begining to rise to her feet in a hurry, anxious.

    "I''m fine, don''t worry so much." He stopped her with a raised hand. " And I feel great, actually. Whatever you did, it worked wonders. I really owe you a lot."

    She shook her head at him. "Don''t say that, you don''t owe me anything. I''m the one who benefitted from your kidness, I only wish there was something I could do to repay you for all you''ve done for me."

    "I should think this is more than enough, I don''t need anything else."

    "Is that..so." The girl seemed almost disappointed by that.

    She was an odd one, wasn''t she?

    "It is. And really, short of giving me your body, there''s probably nothing you could give me that I wouldn''t be able to get myself anyway. Or would even want."

    Lyle joked.

    Then he frowned to himself.

    Hold on, he felt that he worded that wrongly. If he said it like that, didn''t he seem to imply that he ...?

    "...Is...Is that something that you would want?" Sera coughed, looking away, face red.

    And it really happened. Perfect.

    This was his fault. He couldn''t blame her.

    The way he worded it really was a little misleading...

    But even so, Lyle glanced at her dubiously.

    "No, no, don''t misunderstand. That wasn''t my intent at all. And didn''t I say it before? There''s nothing I want from you. So don''t worry about it. Also.. take more care with what you say. My own blunder aside, just now your words almost sounded like you were actually prepared to give it. Which would be bad, would it not? A person should cherish their own bodies more, especially a woman."

    "Of course I know that. I didn''t...I mean I wouldn''t..." She was at a loss for words.

    "I think I understand."

    "Good. That''s..good." She finished awkwardly.

    Lyle chose to steer the conversation away from such a topic.

    "So you''re a healer."

    She had relaxed much more now, letting him know he made a good call. She nodded. "I''ve always had that inclination, yes."

    " You mean to say that you''re a natural-born Cleric. " He stated, sure of it. "But the problem is that you can''t control your powers very well, can you?"

    Sera nodded once more, asking, "How did you know?"

    " Because if you could then you''d not have been in so much trouble earlier. And I saw signs of an explosion earlier that had traces of magic having been leaking out. You''re obviously either untrained or a person only recently Awakened with an affinity for either water-based healing spells or light-based ones.

    "If you were trained then you could have done a lot more to protect yourself back then, since even if you area healer by nature you''d still have some form of combat capabilities. Maybe even experience. You couldn''t, though, indicating you had no training whatsoever.

    "But you were still able to heal me. So you have no training, but have already had your Awakening. Plus to even heal me at all, despite not having any training and being only a recently Awakened, you must have an an inborn affinity towards the elements of either Light or Water.

    "In addition your nature must be soft and caring. That would be the only way you, with your lack of training, would be able to perform healing spells so easily. Because everything about you would push you towards that direction. All of this meaning that you must also be a natural-born Cleric. This is what you meant earlier, too. You didn''t know if this would work, since you can''t use your powers as freely as you would like due to little to no training in how to impement them properly."

    Even if you hadn''t gone through your Awakening, the naturally occuring process common among the magically inclined which opens up your ability to use magic power consciously, you''d still at least be able to study up on basic Magic Theory and Magic Application.

    Which would make things much easier for when your Awakening happened.

    And one would need a teacher to fully understand those two subjects. Having at least two out of three of these meant you''d be considered "trained".

    The girl must not have that.

    Neither did Lyle, hence one of the various reasons why he hadn''t practiced the more mystical or arcane aspect of his talents.

    He''d not had a person to learn from.

    Well....hedid have a very rudimentary understanding of the first two, Magic Theory and Magic Application, but that knowledge was too incomplete and what he knew was by far too little.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    Only what he''d read of in books, which wasn''t much.

    He knew more than the average person, but that was it. Not any help, really.

    And his body was already too strong, adding magic to him would complicate things a lot and make him a danger to himself and others. His mother even once said that his would be an extremely dangerous Awakening...

    ...And those with the Bathory clan blood running through them were already different from most people. Their Awakening was different in and of itself. Requiring a special form of stimulus to just Awaken themselves and an equally special method to train their powers.

    Some people in the Bathory clan could die during their Awakening, even...

    If Lyle wanted to go through his own, which his mother said would be especially hard for him due to his high magical power, then he''d first have to train his body extensively and master his strength.

    Just to be safe. Again, even if that wasn''t needed, giving the current him magical powers that he couldn''t control would just be unwise. Who knew what could happen?

    It was rare for a person with a power derived from their bloodline to also have such high talent in magic, what''s more that talent coming from another Bloodline Legacy.

    Having two different Legacies in a person, magical and physical, now that was just a disaster waiting to happen. He''s lucky they didn''t clash and reject one another, otherwise his body would be sickly and weak instead of strong and brimming with vitality.

    If his Awakening did go awry, he''d need it.

    This was also why he trained under A''daire, to temper his body to withstand whatever it was that his own Awakening may throw at him. He didn''t need to become a world-renowned swordsman, skill didn''t matter, he just had to be able to never accidentally use more strength than he wanted.

    ...Lyle shook his head, clearing his mind of these unneeded thoughts.

    "Not to mention the fact that I strongly believe you had sensed my injuries back then, since you wouldn''t have ben able to actually see them. Another thing indicating you''re a natural-born Cleric. Am I right so far?" He asked.

    Sera nodded numbly, not knowing what to say. She stared at him, as was her habit now apparently, with shock. Almsot like he was some sort of monster.

    "Everything was exactly on point. Amazing... I thought you were smart, but to figure everything out so quickly...That''s just...I can hardly believe it..."

    Lyle shrugged. "It''s not that hard to figure out, actually. You just have to think a little."

    This was his honest opinion.

    It was a very simple thing. He''d already seen--and even just experienced--that she had the ability to use magic. So he just tool what he knew and pieced together what he could.

    He''d never be able to figure all this out if she''d not revealed her powers. That explosion, and just now by healing him, if those things hadn''t happened then how could he know anything about her being a Cleric?

    It would be insane to expect that of him.

    "By the way, how long have I been asleep?"

    "Um...a few hours, I think."

    "A few hours... you say?" For a moment he thought he''d heard her wrong, but no, that wasn''t the case.

    Several hours passed and even still no one had found them yet? Curious.

    "That''s right." She confirmed.

    "And what had you been doing to keep yourself occupied, I wonder?"

    She gestured around them, smiling helplessly. "What could I do? I''ve been sitting here tending to the fire. Waiting."

    "Waiting for what?"

    "You. To wake up."

    "Did you want to speak to me?"

    "Well...yes. " She finally admitted after a long, drawn-out moment. "I just wanted to thank you again. For everything. And...I would like to know your name. If that''s not too much to ask, that is..." She coughed, embarrassed.

    "Not at all, why would It be?" He smiled, trying to put her at ease. " My name''s Bellamy, Bellamy Greyson. Oh, but you can just call me Bell. Everyone does, really."

    "Greyson, huh...that name, why does it seem a little...familiar?"

    Lyle stiffened ever-so-slightly.

    This was surprising. He''d not expected her to react like this after hearing his name.

    To explain, the name Greyson was originally used by the Branch family of the Greybornes. Indeed, even they had one. Like many Noble families, they, too,had a main family and a branch family at one point in time.

    The branch Family of the Greybornes began when the second son of one of their ancestors broke away from the Greyborne name and eventually built up his own.

    As generations passed this second family, the Greysons, eventually came to serve the main family. Though it had never completely left the main family''s area of influence even before then.

    Nothing else could have been allowed, really.

    The Greyborne family had, at that time, stripped the second son of his innate abilities to some degree or another. Which meant his own bloodline starting after himself would be a diluted, downgraded version of the Greyborne''s own.

    This was needed, because the Greyborne bloodline, like a few others, carried the trait of Dominance.

    To give an go into detail of what this Dominance thing was about, let''s use an example.

    Let''s say Lyle himself had gotten a woman from another Noble family pregnant. A family that didn''t carry the trait of being Dominant. That meant his child would carry his own families abilities with little to no traits from the girl''s own family.

    Naturally there were some exceptions to this, though rare. And things got more complicated when two people with the Dominant trait within them got together and conceirved a child. When it was like that then there were a variety of factors that could affect which Legacy the child would develope later in life.

    Things like, to just name one, if the purity of one parent''s bloodline was more so than the other''s.

    Since even with the Dominant trait, bloodlines could still dwindle. Having that trait just meant that, barring any complicated matters, any child would have the Legacies of that parent''s bloodline.

    Like if a regular, non-Dominant Noble got together with a commoner who had no abilities whatsoever, there would be a fifty-fifty chance of that child having a Legacy.

    Whereas it''d be a certainty that the child would have had a Legacy if the Noble did carry that trait, being at one hundred percent a chance rather than a fifty percent chance.

    So just because you had a Dominant trait, that didn''t mean your bloodline would just never dwindle. It was merely that people with your bloodline would always possees your bloodline''s Legacy, unless another family with a Dominant trait came into the picture.

    Which, as Lyle already mentioned, just made a complicated mess of things...

    Strangely the Greybornes had never really lost much purity of bloodline even through all these years. It obviously happened, since neither Lyle''s father nor his father or his father''s father--and still spanning several more generations back in addition to them--ever had the same natural maroon-colored hair Lyle did.

    Bur it was never too much.

    Coming back to the topic at hand, the important part was this: If the Greybornes from back then didn''t strip some of the inherent Legacies from that person''s bloodline then he''d likely have started a whole other, unafiliated group that had all the abilities of a true Greyborne family member.

    To stop this, he had to have his bloodline crippled--to an extent. The Greysons did still have the very same Legacies of a Greyborne, but not in full measure. And even then there were some traits that would never manifest within them.

    This wasn''t required by other families that didn''t have the trait of being dominant, they could allow a person to break off from their family with a little less worry. Though they''d still monitor that person, and his descendants, if at all possible.

    Another reason for Nobles to care so much being that some families of Nobles had secrets that could be unlocked by nearly anyone who had the same bloodline. Treasure vaults, Estates, magically enchanted items, those kinds of things that were Bonded to their bloodline.

    As one could tell, the Greybornes had quite a few of all those.

    So they never completely let go of the Greyson line, even though they posed no real threat since their bloodline had been limited from the start.

    At one point in time it was widely known that the Greysons were a branch of the Greybornes.

    But that time was passed, and the Greyson line eventually died out.

    And this is why Lyle was surprised just now. That girl obviously had heard of the Greyson bloodline. It couldn''t be anything else, because she''d never have bothered learning of a family that had no significance.

    And the surname "Greyson" was incredibly rare.

    So that further decreased the possibility that she could be thinking of any other Greyson family.

    A person like her, who Lyle could tell at a glance had been raised by privilege, would have of course studied a great number of Noble houses and their history.

    His Greyborne family was a big name in many places so it was obvious she''d have heard about the Greyson family before too.

    It''s simply that because it wsas a name that had long since been lost to the annuls of time, she couldn''t easily recall from where she''d heard of them.

    This was another reason Lyle chose that name for being part of his fake identity: He''d not expect all too many people to have even heard of it before.

    Certainly, no commoner would know about it anymore. At least not unless they were a scholar of some kind. The sort of people Lyle knew he''d likely not meet since he''d mainly be around a...cruder kind of type of folk.

    He mentally apologies to those merc friends of his, but it was true they lacked a bit of grace.

    It was just his bad luck that he''d meet a girl from some Noble family in a place such as this.

    "I wouldn''t be surprised. It''s not a very common name, but it does have a bit of history. Or at least so my grandfather had once told "

    Sera''s face scrunched up, rather cutely, as she thought about that for a moment.

    Finally a flash of inspiration came to her, making her eyes brighten.

    "Wait a minute..." She said slowly, "Don''t tell me you''re part of those Greysons, surely? The ones that come from the Geyborneline? But that can''t be, I thought that they had long since perished from this world?" She inquired.

    Lyle laughed, waving a hand in denial. "So you mean those stories were true? I wasn''t sure, I had only heard of those particular Greysons from my grandfather, and he had only heard about it from his grandfather. But no, my line doesn''t come from them. Trust me, we''ve zero relation with them. It just so happens we share the same surname is all. We''re a merchant family. Though we''re well off, we''re not kin to such amazing people like that.

    " Although Idoadmit that I have a smidgeon of Noble blood in me, that comes only from an affair one of my however-many-greats-grandmothers had with a son from some fallen Noble family. So I never really mention it. "

    Lyle had, obviously, lied through his teeth.

    He''d made no flaws whatsoever. His tone didn''t waver in the slightest, his voice staying perfectly even and friendly all throughout while his eyes remained as steady as calm waves of water on a summer afternoon.

    In short, his skills at deceit were too great for the young girl to see through at all.

    "Ah, so that explains it." Sera nodded easily, not doubting him at all.

    He almost felt bad about it.

    "And you? What you''re name? I don''t think I caught it in it''s entirety."

    Lyle didn''t recognize this girl at all and he really thought he knew all the young Ladies from the Noble Houses within Drann Kingdom. Or just about.

    Maybe his assumption of her being a Noblewoman was wrong, or she''d just never met him in person? Because he was sure he''d remember a girl like her. She didn''t have a face which would be so easy to forget.

    He couldn''t recall anyone with the name Seraphina either, at least not from the Noble Houses.

    It was quite possible that she was either not part of Drann Kingdom or had simply never made her official debut.

    He seriously doubted the latter, while the former would make her appearance here a little odd.

    "My name...huh. I..." She made a troubled face. "I''d rather not say...but you gave yours, so it''s only right that I..."

    "If you don''t want to tell me then it''s perfectly alright."

    " No, I do want to!" She told himemphatically. "It''s...it''s just that some people treat me differently after they know who I am. And if you did too, I''d dislike it. No, I''d hateit." Her voice turned raw.

    "What?" Her words, the way she said then, caught him completely off-guard. "Hold on, why would you--?"

    But his words were cut off in the next moment, before he could ask.

    "Ooooiii~~! Beeeeelllllll~~~!! You here buddy~~~? Helllooooo~~~?"

    "Young Miss? Young Miss, are you here~~~?!

 Chapter thirty-one pt. 1

    "Big brother~!"

    As soon as her brother peeked his head out from behind the blanket covering the cave''s mouth, Iris was already flying forward.

    She had her arms outstretched, crashing into him.

    "Iris?" Her brother, having been dealt a preemptive strike just now, had been knocked down onto the floor with her resting right atop him.

    "Big brother, you were gone for so long! Why did you have to rush off like that? I was starting to get worried, you know! Even though I trust in big brother''s ability, I still couldn''t help but think that something had...had...!"

    Iris choked up, not able to express how afraid she''d been that some how, some way, he had been badly hurt. A while ago she had a terrible feeling, a dark, sinister feeling that something horrible had happened to him.

    "Iris, why are you--?" Her brother began.

    But Iris stiffened abruptly. She sat up, look down at him with an odd expression.

    "Big brother, you..." She shook her head, as is she didn''t want to believe it. "..Why do you smell like another woman?"

    She narrowed her eyes, taking a small whiff to confirm her suspicions.

    She was right!

    Although it was faint, it was there!

    How...Who...?

    And then she saw it.

    Iris swallowed hard, her eyes coming to a stop on something by his shoulder. It was like a thread, but it wasn''t. It was something different. It was a faint brown, a golden brown...

    Iris picked it up with two fingers, as if it were a poisonous snake, showing it to him. "Big brother, this long strand of hair...." Iris couldn''t go on.

    Her brother showed confusion, his gaze zeroing-in on the object in her hands.

    She squashed down the hot, burning anger that currently ran amok within her and addressed her brother once more.

    "Big brother, whose hair is this?" Her voice became weird, quiet.

    But as if by some sixth sense, she noticed her.

    Standing some feet away, by a fire, was a girl. Pretty, really pretty, with thin eyebrows and elegant cheekbones that combined to give the girl a considerably attractive face.

    What made it worse was her large round eyes which were the color of hazel, giving the girl an innocent and naive aura about her.

    She wore a cute, frilly dress--Iris'' dress--that fit her too small, especially around the chest. The skirt did nothing to hide her legs, which could still be seen to be rather shapely even despite the bandages she currently had wrapped around them.

    The girl stared at Iris, as if trying to comprehend who she was and why she had appeared so suddenly.

    This girl ''s hair exactly matched the piece Iris held in her hand.

    Iris slowly stood up from her brother, ignoring his questioning looks.

    Her eyes were only for the girl.

    Iris reached her shortly, coming to a stop by her feet.

    She kneeled down, staring straight at her face, and leaned forward. Iris inhaled deeply, closing her eyes.

    And then she opened them, her face cold.

    "Oi, slut. Why...are you wearing my brother''s scent...."

    Iris was usually never this rude. Not to strangers who''d done nothing to her, and who''d not even talked to her up to now.

    But when it came to women, when they were near her brother...she became much overbearing.

    And this..this slutty bitch...had her''s brother''s scent all over her body!

    Iris very nearly went feral with the levels of anger and hate she felt for the girl at that moment.

    Look at her. Stinking of sweat, shame, guilt and sin. Her hair a mess, the dress she wore looking slightly unkempt...that healthy glow about her cheeks..

    E-even her brother, with his torso laid bare for all to see...

    Iris wanted to scream, to thrash about and rage.

    This woman, she...she must have seduced her brother.A man and woman, out here all alone, what''s more with the man being as high-spec as her brother... and with her brother being the one to take care of her, having saved her from danger...

    And then this woman, seeing how reliable and gallant her brother was, had...had probably wanted to use her body as some sort of "repayment" all while really just planning to make him her''s...

    Her brother, giving in to carnal desire and...and doing who-knew-what with her...Iris felt her heart break just thinking of what might have been done!

    Not just now, Iris had already assumed the worst from the moment she laid eyes on the woman!

    A she-devil! A succubus!

    That''s what she was!

    Brother, oh, I failed you! I let this vixen put her filthy, vulgar hands on you! Brother, why must you always attract these vile, liscentious women?

    Iris lamented.

    When the girl blushed, Iris was full of an unstoppable fury!

    That''s it!

    She had to do away with this evil temptress!

    "Iris, it''s not what you probably thinking about. Don''t jump to conclusions." Her brother sat up, glancing at them.

    But Iris was too busy staring daggers at the sow. "No! Big brother, don''t try to defend her! I can''t accept this! I''ll...I''ll fix this! Big brother, let me kick this no-good woman off a cliff!"

    Nothing could save this girl from Iris'' wrath!

    She was so furious, so full of hate and anger, that there was no force in the world that would be able to stop Iris from taking this girl and--

    "Iris, calm down. Come here." A beckoning finger. "If you behave and listen quietly, I''ll even rub your head."

    "Yes, big brother."

    She was weak, ah!

    **********

    "Young Miss, I''m so glad you''re safe!"

    They were all standing inside the cave, with one of the knights from earlier showing a relieved expression as he knelt in respect towards Sera.

    "I''m sorry, Young Miss, we all failed your!" He bowed his head in shame, unable to meet the girl in the eyes. "In our incompetance we were unable to help either you or Captain Voorhis, having to rely on a stranger we didn''t know to come and find you and in the end you had to suffer so much!...Our actions were too shameful! Please, punish us as you see fit!"

    Jon, was it? It was the knight Lyle had saved before.

    After everything that had happened to them was told, he and the other knight, Tomas, got on their knees and awaited judgement for their errors.

    Sera shook her head, saying, "Please rise, Sir Jon, Sir Tomas. I won''t punish you at all, your previous actions were justified. There''s nothing you or any of the others could have done. Even Captain Voorhis was..."

    She didn''t go on.

    But they knew.

    The knights were useless. They had failed in their duty, and though they were indeed justified, they were unable to save their Young Miss. They had to ask a stranger for help, not knowing whether he was a trustworthy or black-hearted person at all, while they stayed behind.

    If the boy was a bad person, then when he saw the Young Miss, he might have even...

    " The two didn''t continue, because that wasn''t so. But they sent someone else to save the Young Miss, while they did nothing. Forced her to endure even having to spend time in a filthy place like this here cave...

    ...They would never be able to face Captain Voorhis after this...

    Sera continued, looking at Lyle, her face softening. "And if you didn''t this young man for aid I would have surely died. Tell me, can any one of our company face three manticores by himself and live to tell about it? What''s more, you don''t know just how much he did for me.

    "Had he not acted, those manticores would have made me their dinner. Even though he did have us jump down a high waterfall, had he not held me afloat then I would have certainly drowned. Or had he not found us shelter, then if not the manticores or the water, I would still have long since succumbed to the cold. But as you can see.." She gestured to the cave around her, the fire, the blankets and everything else, "I was very well-taken care of by him. He even tended to my wounds, see?"

    The girl pointed downwards, to her bandaged legs.

    "So your choice...it was the right one. What''s more, if you didn''t do what you did, then I''d never have met him. Since It''s so, I would even say that I owe you two my thanks?"

    Of all those present, only Lyle and Iris thought there was something wrong with her words.

    Lyle had felt he was being too suspicious, so simply put it out of his mind.

    But Iris hadn''t. She was thoroughly annoyed.

    Because from the way the girl worded it, didn''t it sound like she was thanking them for allowing her the opportunity to be able to meet her brother in the first place?

    As if her being saved, compared to that, was secondary?

    Iris may have been reading to much into it, but she didn''t like how it sounded in any case!

    "Young Miss...."

    The two knights nearly cried! The Young Miss was too kind, ah!

    Lyle turned away from them, addressing the other four people in the room.

    Murphy, Nyk and Val.

    In addition, there was Cecelia, Jaime, Boris and a few others who had first came with them.

    Plus a few extra knights, who had all stayed silent as they knelt alongside Jon and Tomas.

    Phaedra was also there, but she''d not spoken a word at all and Lyle didn''t bother to even acknowledge her.

    "Bell, you bastard... Taking down two manticores when it''s to save a beauty, yet when it''s just one and your friends are taking a beating, you can barely keep up? I lost my most beloved cloak to that fucker, you know!"

    Murphy sighed.

    Lyle snorted. "This and that are two very different things. I had to rely on a little trick to take down one, and the other I''m lucky actually had the weakness I had hoped it did. Trust me, I think there''d be a very different outcome if I tried that again as I currently am. And as for the cloak...I''ll buy you another, don''t worry." He said drily.

    Lyle should have used that red sword of Davron''s from the get-go.

    The ones he had used before would never have survived the swings he was capable of giving out.

    And he was only able to strike with all the force the blade could withstand, all previous strikes were not ones cataining his entire strength. They contained all the strength in te sense of what the blades could take, but that was it.

    It was like taking a buket of water filling a small glass of water to the brim. You could still pour more water, but it''d leak out and cause a mess everywhere.

    In this case the mess would be a spray of thousands of metal pieces.

    But that red sword...Lyle thought that maybe he would be able to actually use his dull strength in truth while using it.

    And he felt like an idiot for not doing so at the start.

    Honestly, it was made specifically to be durable, wasn''t it?

    Lyle, now that he experienced how great the sword was, would make it his primary weapon from now on.

    "Speaking of buying things...Bell, I hope you''ll not back out of our arrangement." Val cut in, speaking into his ear seriously.

    Lyle smiled at her politely. "Oh? But where was that back up I wanted? Don''t tell me you want me to pay you for time, despite you not doing anything? Come now...that would be like paying for a whore and letting her just sit on her ass doing nothing. Where''s the service I would have paid for? I''m not a man who likes to waste money, you know?"

    Val glared. "Hey now, don''t be pullin'' that shit with me, Bell. Of course you should pay me for my time. Even if I didn''t do anything, I still kept watch. And were it needed, I would done my part. Plus, it was me who led them here!"

    "Hm? Really?" Lyle looked at Jaime and Boris with a questioning glance.

    "Well, she did lead us...but actually she kind of just..."

    Jaime didn''t exactly know how to say it, but what happened was a little...

    His eyes went to Boris to help him explain.

    Boris scratched the back of his head, sneaking a look at the little girl by Bell''s side.

    He was very uncomfortable. "You see, Bell, it''s like this...So, when we all regrouped and formed a search party, your little sister there butted in and demanded she go. She''d not take no for an answer. And Cecelia couldn''t let her go by herself, obviously, so she came to keep watch over her. But the thing it..."

    "Yes?" Lyle asked, not understanding why they were both acting like this.

    "...Uh, how do I say... She''s the one who really led us here. Val, kinda just followed her the closest." He coughed.

    Val glared fiercly at him.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    Lyle''s face blanked.

    "You''re telling me that Iris...was the one who found us? You were led by a little girl?"

    Boris had a sheepish grin. "It sounds bad when you say it like that? It''s just...hm, although we did track you, halfway through it started raining. And we didn''t know how far the stream took you two.

    So once we reached that point, when we walked down the cliff, she kinda just...took over?"

    Even he didn''t want to believe it. He didn''t even want to be the one explaining it.

    Murphy spoke up. "She just started running, so we had no choice but to follow. And she said...she said that she could feel you? Murphy got became very uneasy, his posture a little awkward. "Um, I don''t know, but like... That... is that something siblings can even...do? Bell, this sister of yours, she''s a little..." He was picking his words delicately, which was rare for him, but he couldn''t go on.

    Lyle''s face got darker with each word.

    " You let her run off...by herself? You people let Iris just...''run off''?"

    There was a noticeable edge to his voice that made Murphy stiffen.

    Cecelia was the one who stepped in and saved them.

    "Bell..." Lyle. "I''m sorry. It was my fault, I never should have let her come. I..."

    The words were hard to push out, because she knew she''d failed him. Even though he''d entrusted his sister''s safety to her, she still let Iris come. And in the end the girl had started running off on her own.

    Cecelia, at least, should have been right by her side. But she wasn''t, it was Val who was the fastest and it was she who had followed Iris the closest. Cecelia was close behind but...

    She couldn''t meet his eye.

    Cecelia knew it had taken a lot from him to be able to trust his sister''s safety to anyone but himself. It was only because he had faith in her abilities, because they had fought together so many times and built up an understanding of each other, that he had let her come and allowed Cecelia to be the one to watch her if he himself for some reason couldn''t.

    Before he left, he''d said, "Take care of them."

    He''d meant Iris and Melanie, but Cecelia knew who to prioritize. It was a cruel, hard fact that he cared about Iris much more than anyone else.

    Compared to Iris, she and Melanie were small specks of dust.

    Though he did care about them too, though they were part of his "important people"...Iris was by far his "most important person" and that was something that no one could deny.

    Cecelia knew this well, Melanie did too, but they didn''t mind it all because she was his sister. They knew it wasn''t as if he didn''t care, just that he cared more about her than anyone else.

    So for him to entrust her well-being to Cecelia...it spoke volumes.

    Despite that, Cecelia still failed to live up to expectations...

    Lyle''s face was an emotionless mask, a dark cloud seeming to descend upon the room as he silently watched her.

    When he finally spoke it was not with an angry tone at all, and neither was it loud.

    No, it was with a calm, quiet voice that was infinitely worse.

    "...Next time I ask you to watch her, do it. If she throws a fit, you can even knock her out. But don''t ever let her do something like this again."

    He didn''t yell at her, and he didn''t chastise her.

    But she''d have preferred it if he did.

    " I know. I will." What else could she say to him?

    **********

    "Big brother... was I wrong to come here?"

    As they sat together on one of the extra horses, Iris asked him that.

    Iris lay in front of him, staring ahead.

    "Yes, you were." He didn''t deny it. "Iris, you put Cecelia in an awkward position because you wanted to come. And when I heard you ran ahead, I was angry with her, with all of them. Because of you. I even told her, specifically, to keep watch over you. And you didn''t make it easy for her. Why couldn''t you have stayed behind with her and Melanie, Iris? I told you I''d be back. Does my word mean nothing to you?"

    Iris didn''t say anything for a time. Then, with a small voice, she whispered, "I''m sorry, big brother."

    She felt her throat going raw. She knew he was disappointed in her. She knew he was angry at her.

    She thought that he would ignore her, or hit her, or yell at her. She was prepared for it. But he didn''t do any of that, and what he said next she wasn''t prepared for at all.

    "Iris, I love you." He began slowly. "And it''s because I love you so much that I''m angry with you. Because it take a lot from me to trust someone else with your safety, and if something had happend to you... I''d hate Cecelia for it. Even though I would understand that I shouldn''t. I don''t want that, Iris."

    "But brother, I had to go!" Iris cried softly. "I felt..I felt that something terrible had happened to you...And...and you just left me there, even though you promised me you wouldn''t...I had to go, big brother, I had to know you were safe! I had to!"

    "Iris..." He sighed. "...As a Noble, I can''t just turn my eyes away from situations like these. It''s our duty, as those with power, to give aid to those who need that aid. And yes, I know I promised to never leave you, but you misunderstood me.

    "I meant that I''d never leave and just not come back. That no matter what, I''d always find my way back to your side. Until the day you no longer want me to, until you want to live your own life without me in it looking over your shoulder. Even then I''d still be there, always, if you need me.

    "This is what I meant by that, Iris. It''s not possible for me to be with you every second of every day. I know you wish it was, but it''s not, and I wouldn''t want you to. Not because I dislike you being with me, but because I lead a dangerous life when I travle places. The word itself is dangerous. So there are times when I don''t want to bring you into more of that danger than I have to.

    "There are times when I will want you to stay behind and be safe. Make no mistake, Iris, I can stop all of this. I can ignore everything, my ideals, my morals, my dignity, my guilt,... If I came onto another situation like this, I could just leave people to die...If that''s what you asked, I would do it. But...is that the version of me that you call your brother? Is betraying all that I believe in, for you, something that you would ask of me?"

    Lyle would hate himself. Leaving people to their fates, not trying to help at all, having the guilty of his own inaction haunt him for life...he could live with it.

    If Iris really, truly asked him to do that...he would. Because if it was for her, he''d do anything.

    But would that be him? Would he still be the brother that she had always known and loved? Even he wouldn''t consider himself the same person, because those things were a large part of who he was.

    Iris was his weakness and she always would be. He understood that.

    He couldn''t truly deny her anything. But he''d not blame her if she asked this of him, but rather himself for going through with it.

    Because he would.

    She had that sort of power over him. People may not understand, but they didn''t need to. They can call him a fool for it, they could say any number things, but it wouldn''t matter.

    She was his sister, he was her brother. If she made a request then he couldn''t deny her.

    It was the largest flaw he had. He was well aware. It bordered on insanity, but he didn''t care.

    ...But if Iris really asked of him to do something like that...would she be the Iris that he''d always loved?

    If she really did ask, neither of them would be who they once were.

    There were some things that even siblings should not request of one another.

    That would be one of them.

    To ask the other to betray themselves in such a way...

    ...It wasn''t something that could be taken back, because it wasn''t a matter so light. It was serious, and should betaken seriously.

    Iris trembled, but not due to the cold.

    " I understand, big brother..." She said, her voice decidedly hollow. "I''ll behave. I''ll be a good girl. I won''t..." She swallowed. "...I''ll never ask you to do that. I want big brother to always stay the same...."

    ...Even though she wanted to ask it of him, even though she hated the thought of him getting into dangerous situation, even though it tore her up inside every minute he wasn''t here where she could see him...

    She didn''t want him to ever have to force himself to change, she didn''t want to be the one tomake him change. She''d love her big brother just as he was.

    No, more than that, she''d love him no matter what he became like in the future. But if she asked him to do all that for her...he''d resent himself for it.

    She knew her brother better than anyone, and that''s exactly what would happen. He''d be unhappy. Iris didn''t want to be the one to make him unhappy.

    So despite everything, she forced down the outrageous request before it could leave her lips.

    One of Lyle''s hands let go of the horse''s reins, giving her a one-armed hug.

    "Iris really is a good girl." He smiled down at her. "Since that''s what you want then I can only oblige, no? Alright then, let''s not talk about it anymore..."

    And so they went, lapsing into a comfortable silence, until they were back with the others.

    **********

    When Iris and her brother arrived, she was dropped off back her tent.

    It was one she would share with her brother later, as was usual.

    But her brother left to go check on that Melanie girl, wanting to let her know he was okay.

    Cecelia was inside with her, idly reading a book by the lamp that rested not far from her. She didn''t look at Iris at all.

    "Lady Cecelia...." Iris began formally, not knowing how to proceed. "I...I''m sorry. Because of me, brother got angry with you."

    Cecelia shut her book gently, setting it down on her lap.

    She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath and letting it out in a weary sigh.

    "He wasn''t angry at me." She said after a moment of pensive silence. "Not really. He was disappointed in me. Your brother is a person that it very easy to let down, he sees things in a much different way than most people. Especially when it comes to you.

    "No, he wasn''t angry. He just lost a little faith in me." From the way her hands tightened, Iris thought that the girl believed that to be even worse than if he was angry with her."And that''s my fault. I..." She trailed off, but recovered quickly. "...I just wasn''t able to live up to his expectations. At the first sign of trouble, I failed to keep watch over you. He shouldn''t have had to tell me what to do, I should have known what to do beforehand. He understands that, and so do I.

    "Iris, with your brother''s personality... do you think he''d ever forgive me if something had happened to you?"

    There was a calm look about her, a quiet sadness, that made Iris feel a burst of guilt.

    Iris didn''t respond. They both knew what the answer would be.

    "That''s what I thought, yes." Cecelia smiled at her, but it rang a touch bitter. "Iris, I won''t accept your apology. You didn''t do anything wrong, it was me. I made a mistake. I know that. But I won''t dwell on it. No, instead I''ll have to focus on a way to regain your brother''s complete faith. It won''t be an easy task, but we''ll see what can be done."

    "Ah, that''s right." She said, almost as an afterthought. "I never gave you my thanks, did I? For keeping quiet, I mean."

    "What do you mean?" Iris asked.

    "Please, there''s no need to act dumb. I understand that you''ve long since figured out what I...did that day. You''re a smart girl. And you don''t have the same trust in me your brother does. So you knowing isn''t strange at all."

    Again, silence.

    "Although I, too, know why you stayed quiet about it. You don''t want to run the risk that your brother would patch things up with Sophia, do you? Of course, you don''t like me very much either. But then again you don''t think your brother would take an interest in me at all, so you don''t bother to ruin our friendship by telling him what I did.

    "Regardless, I know I should give you my thanks. So I am."

    Iris shook her head, denying it. "I don''t know what you''re talking about."

    Cecelia shrugged. "You''re a terrible liar. I wonder what you think about Melanie, then? She''s the only other women outside his family whom he''s truly close with. And you never cared for either me or Sophia. So I''m curious, what do you think of her?"

    Iris wasn''t sure what to say.

    What could she say, exactly?

    Even she...didn''t know her own feelings about the matter. Melanie was a good person. Iris would be able to push her around easily. And she got along well with her brother.

    But...

    But the thought of big brother with any woman, these days, made her sick. She rejected the idea outright.

    It didn''t matter if they were good or not, it didn''t matter if their intentions were to be pure.

    Just thinking about her brother someday going to start his own family....

    Iris hated it.

    Why couldn''t they just be by themselves? Why couldn''t they just go some place far away where they didn''t have to worry about complicated things, and just be together?

    Mother and father were still young, they could have another child to succeed the family name...

    ...Iris forced her thoughts away from that direction. There was no way her brother would go along with something like that. He felt a strong sense of duty to the Greyborne name and he would never abandon that duty.

    Someday, he''d really get married to some woman. Maybe one Iris didn''t know. And eventually that woman would slowly start to dominate more and more of his love and attention.

    Even if Iris wasn''t forgotten, her brother would no longer have as much time for her.

    Iris didn''t plan to marry. Ever. So when that happened, even if her brother was still by her side, she''d always feel alone....

    Because his eyes would no longer only hold her within them...

    ...Thankfully that time was still far away...

    Please, Little One, who are you trying to fool? You know that''s not true. Look at yourself. While you''re busy chatting with this bitch, you''re completely unaware that Our Beloved is once again being marked-- sullied!--by another woman...

    The voice, sweet and melodious, spoke words that rang sinisterly within Iris''s mind....

    "I see." Cecelia laughed lightly. "So that''s how it is. Iris...I always thought so, but you''re a very greedy person, aren''t you?"

    Iris didn''t even hear her.

    She just stood and ran out of the tent, a rising fear in her heart.

    *********"

    The sun was already starting to set by the time they got back. Everyone, including the knights from before and, of course, Sera, had traveled back with the mercenaries to the place they had made camp.

    The camp was precisely the place where the caravans and carriage had been left, and this was also the place where the mercenaries had brought the injured knights to get their wounds tended to.

    As for the able knights, they were busy helping out the mercenaries with some minor tasks such as going to forage for some more herbs so that their comrades could be treated. This was mainly led by Nyk, who was among the more accomplished in herb-picking.

    Unfortunately not many mercenaries had medical knowledge. Still, those that did all pitched in. Nyk was apparently helping out with that, too. The guy was no slacker, that was for sure.

    But not everyone had something to do. There were some people who simply sat by fires, taking the time to oil or sharpen their weapons.

    Even aside from that, other things were going on too. From gambling, to drinking to a bit of rough housing, it could be said that the entire camp was abuzz with activity.

    Lyle dropped Iris off by the tent they would be sharing, then asked where Melanie''s had been set up--which was, as expected, not too far from his own.

    He stepped inside, closing the flap behind him, and called out her name.

    "Young Master!" She jumped up, instantly knowing the owner of voice, growing extremely excited. "Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?" She began looking him up and down with deep concern in her eyes.

    Lyle wanted to pinch her cheeks. The way she fussed over him was just too adorable. He refrained from doing so, though it was a great effort on his part.

    "I''m fine, Melanie. As you can see, I''m perfectly alright." Better, actually. He made a mental note to once more thank that Sera girl for her help later.

    Melanie sighed, the small knot that had taken residence in her chest ever since she first learned of his disappearance slowly coming undone.

    "I''m happy to hear it, Young Master. When Lady Cecelia heard what had happened and came to inform us, Iris and I, about your disappearanc...I feared the worst. I was so worried!"

    "Come now, Melanie, there''s no need to force yourself. I mean you couldn''t have been tooworried, eh, since you didn''t even bother to try looking for me." He joked, obviously not meaning it.

    But Melanie wasn''t able to see through him at all, believing his every word, looking like she was going to cry. "Young Master, that''s not true at all! I was really, really worred!" She said passionately. "It''s just..."

    Oh? It looks like she took him pretty seriously. Lyle tried to pacify her." Melanie, no, it''s nothing to fret over. It''s okay, I understand."

    "Young Master, but...! I...I did want to go! I really did! But...but I knew I''d only drag everyone down, and if anything happened to you because I held them up, I...!"

    She was getting pretty worked up, wasn''t she?

    "Melanie, you...were you really worried about me that much?"

    "Of course I was!" She answered without hesitation.

    Lyle couldn''t help feeling a little lost when he heard her words.

    He didn''t really understand them, didn''t understand why she was being like this.

    It had to be said, Lyle wasn''t used to people worrying about him. His parents and Iris aside, he couldn''t really say that many people did. No, even his parents didn''t, not really. They had a lot of trust in his abilities. They couldn''t even imagine harm coming to him. They both believed that any trouble he got into, he could get out of.

    As for Cecelia, she was much the same. She could worry about him, but at the end of the day she would still think him capable of getting himself out of any sort of danger that life threw at him. In fact, she''d even told him that once.

    So towards something like this...he didn''t have much experience in it. No one aside from Iris ever really showed so much concern for him. No one ever thought he''d really need it. It was probably because he''d always put on an almost invulnerable image towards others.

    The chinks in his armor, he couldn''t let people see them. They could see what he wanted them to, but anything more was forbidden.

    He can feel troubled, or scared, or hurt, but to show it to other people was out of the question. He should project an aura of power and confidence, at all times. Even when he was with his parents, he did this. Because that''s how he''d been raised. To control himself. To hide weakness and show strength.

    There are many people who would look at him, but they could only ever be shown the version of him that couldn''t more "perfect". A version of himself that they could respect and admire but never reach.

    He was a Greyborne. Nothing less could be expected of him. If he didn''t stand above others then there was no need for him stand up at all.

    Althought when he took on the identity of Bellamy Greyson, he did admit to easing up a little. But never entirely. It couldn''t be allowed.

    This is why so few people ever worried about him, probably.

    For Melanie to do so, and say it so openly, honestly... He wasn''t sure how to respond to that.

    Lyle wasn''t good at handling situation like these.

    So he avoided it, opting instead to fall back on his usual routine of teasing her.

    "But then...where''s my welcome back hug? Don''t tell me that the knowledge of my safety isn''t worth one?"

    Melanie was stopped right her tracks, her cheeks heating up excessively. "S-something like that..."

    Lyle was just teasing her, and was about to say so, but before he did something happened that caught him completely by surprise.

    It was that Melanie, entirely outside of his expections, actually worked up the courage and hugged him!

    Lyle was assaulted with a sweet, subtle fragrance that was all her own, her two soft peaks pushing against his chest...

    Her hands wound themselves around him, holding him close, a very intimate position that he''d never think Melanie able to initiate herself.

    Her head was nestled right by his shoulder, the difference in their height exceedingly clear.

    "I...I, um, I really did worry a lot, Young Master..." She breathed. "Probably more than I should...or even have the right to. But me worrying about you like this...it''s okay, right?" Her voice was tiny, a mere whisper.

    Lyle was unable to answer her for a few moments, all thoughts of teasing her drifting away.

    He stared down at her with a peculiar face, not sure exactly what he felt in response to her pure, honest feelings.

    Lyle wasn''t nervous at all, he never had an aversion to being in close proximity to women.

    But he was not numb to it. When a women as pretty and warm as Melanie got close to you, how could any man not be moved? Melanie was the type of girl that could only be descibed as being very "lovable".

    A person capable of healing people in a way that a Cleric never could.

    So despite not freaking out or becoming awkward like some his age would, Lyle still felt his blood pump faster than it normal.

    His entire body started to heat up, and that familiar fire began to blaze once more.

    "Melanie..." Lyle started. "You shouldn''t get so close to me like this. Because if you do...."

    "If I do...what?" She asked, head still buried in his chest, her previous courage having already been used up in it''s entirety.

    "...It makes me want to kiss you." He whispered into her ear, turning it a bright red.

    "Oh..." Melanie made no move to break away, too afraid to look at him face to face.

    "Do you want me to?"

    "That...I...I don''t know..."

    "Then If I tried to right now...would you stop me?"

    "This too, I also...don''t know."

    "I see." Lyle pushed her a away, just a little, and used a hand to tilt her chin up so that she was forced to look up at him. Her blushing, embarrassed face looked especially enticing right now, pulling at his hearstrings.

    " Let''s find out, then..."

    Melanie closed her eyes unconsciously, her lips puckering almost against her will as he brought his face closer. She waited, expectantly, not even knowing what she wanted to happen.

    As their lips were mere inches apart and getting closer, Lyle knew this would be an important step, one that would change everything between them.

    He didn''t want to rush it, didn''t want to frighten her, moving slowly.

    When their lips were nearly right atop each other''s, when they could feel the warmth of each other''s breath...just as they completed the kiss, momentarily unaware of anything else apart from the taste of each''s tongues...

    Iris walked right in.

    "...Brother...?"

    **********

 Chapter thirty-one pt. 2

    For a few seconds the two of them were not even aware that anyone had entered.

    Iris could see in vivid detail that way they leaned into each other... the way the girl stood on the tips of her toes to match her brother''s height... the way her brother hugged her waist and supported her while she did.

    It was only until Melanie abruptly stiffened that her brother truly understood that something was amiss.

    So when he broke their contact and turned his head to look behind him, he was surprised to see his sister standing by the entrance in shock.

    "Iris?" Lyle called out, his mind a little slow as a small fire continously burned inside his chest.

    He felt a strange sense of annoyance at the interruption, but forced it down.

    "Brother...I..." She stammered, something very unlike the usual Iris.

    Suddenly another voice jained in, irritation dripping from every word. "Iris, you can''t just run off like...that..." Cecelia walked in, her words pausing as the scene inside opened up to her. "Apologies. Are we interrupting something?" Her tone was carefully neutral, taking in everything that was happening. Noticing every detail.

    Her brother noticed Melanie almost trying to retreat back into herself, wanting to hide. Iris knew the girl was mortified, ashamed. Like she''d done something wrong, like she''d intruded upon something she had no right to.

    But her brother didn''t falter at all, turning to the two newcomers in a casual and unhurried manner. She saw his hand touching the small of Melanie''s back. A clear show of reassurance. A move that said, "Everything will be fine."

    "Not at all." He told them casually.

    But neither did he bother to explain.

    "I see." Cecelia nodded easily, not a hair out of place, her tone lacking any inflection to tell what she thought about the matter one way or the other.

    ...This was all wrong...

    Iris wanted to run. Run far away from here.

    She thought she had more time. It wasn''t supposed to be like this, not again, not so soon.

    She--

    "Cecelia. " Her brother called. "Would you mind giving us a moment of privacy?"

    "Not at all." She repeated his previous words.

    Iris watched her go, but before she left she gave Iris a vague smile. But to Iris, it was full of meaning.

    "So...which do you really prefer?" That smiled seemed to ask. "The maid, or...?"

    Iris hated it. That smugness. That condescension....

    And so the three of them stood, alone, a silence hanging over the entire room.

    "Iris."

    "Yes, brother?"

    " I love you."

    ...Iris knew what was coming. She knew it.

    "But you won''t be the only one I love throughout my life."

    The tears fell.

    "Someday I''ll love someone else, too."

    "Brother...don''t..."

    "I''ll even start a family of my own."

    "Stop... "

    "And I won''t be capable of spending all my time with you anymore."

    "Please..."

    "Iris...you and me, we''ll always be brother and sister, alright? Whatever happens in the future, that''ll never change."

    "I know that. I know that, so...!"

    "When I was with Sophia you refused to see her as anything more than a nuisance. If we held hands, or kissed, or acted intimate in any other way, you''d turn you head and pretend you didn''t see. But you can''t do that anymore."

    "That''s...I..."

    "You never thought anyone was "good enough" for me, did you? You never will, either. But that''s fine, you don''t need to. All I''m asking is that you accept what is, Iris. This is the reality of the situation. Iris...eventually you and me, we won''t...someday, the both of us... we''ll move on."

    Iris didn''t want to hear it. "That''s not true!" She snarled. " You''re wrong!You said...big brother, you said! We''ll always be together, right? Right? You can''t go back on your words!"

    He hugged her. He knelt down and took her in his arms, tightly, as she cried.

    "Iris, I meant it. We''ll always be "together". But I told you, didn''t I? We can''t be by each other''s side every second of every day. You''ll always be my precious sister. We''ll always have that bond between us. And I''ll never push you away.

    But we''re not the same person. We''ll lead different lives. I''ll fall in love with someone eventually, Iris, if not Melanie then someone else later down the line. And so will you. You, too, will find someone to love and cherish. Maybe...maybe even more than you do me. At that time, we''ll naturally drift apart. Not for long, not not forever. But our paths will, for a time, diverge. That''s what siblings do."

    Iris shook her head. Why, why didn''t he stop? Why was he saying all this? He was being too cruel....he....

    "You''re wrong!" Iris shouted at him. "I won''t do that. I won''t love anyone else! Big brother, I love you so much that there''s already no room for other people! There isn''t! I...I don''t want there to be, either. We don''t have to drift apart. Never! Not even for a little while. Brother, it''s okay. I can follow you. I won''t...I won''t get in your way anymore."

    Her vision had long since turned blurry, and her throat was raw. Her words came fast, her voice breaking. "We can live together, always. I won''t trouble you at all! I won''t say anything about any...about any other women in your life. I can do that! So...big brother, even if you marry someone, let me be with you! I can even help you raise your children, okay? So, don''t say that...Let me stay with you, please...

    I can be a good aunty....I...I can be a good girl...."

    **********

    "Young Master...about Lady Iris...."

    Lyle didn''t even look up at the young woman, instead he just continued to rub his sister''s slumbering head.

    She''d cried herself sleep. She just held onto him cried, until the tears no longer came.

    "She''ll be fine, Melanie." He told her softly. " She just just needs time to adjust. This girl...she''s always been so attached to me. But it has to stop eventually, you know? She''s got to grow up more, stop fixating on me. She needs to accept the way things are. Times change, Melanie, they never stay exactly the same. Like me, someday she''ll also find someone to fall in love with. Someone she can cherish and hold dear, maybe even more than me."

    ...Lyle hated saying the words. They tasted like ash in his mouth.

    He''d always wanted Iris to be not so dependant upon him, but it was different now. Now something was using him against her. Preying on her fears. On her affection for him.

    He didn''t have time to ease her out of her comfort zone.

    If her reliance upon him is what''s being used to hurt her, then he needs to make it stop. He has to make her stop obsessing over him. Maybe with this, it''ll be a step towards that...

    ...He didn''t want to be the one being used to make her suffer...

    Melanie looked down at the young girl, wondering if it was really going to turn out like he wanted it to. Lady Iris...was not a stable girl....

    She turned away from those sort of thoughts, sadly saying. "She''ll probably hate me. Her and Lady Cecelia, they both...after this, I think that..."

    "No, they won''t. Cecelia, I don''t see why she would care too much about it. Our relationship had never been like that, and she''s not so petty. As for Iris, if anything she''ll start hating me.But even if they did, I''d support you. You wouldn''t be in it alone. It may take some getting used to, but they''ll come around."

    "Oh.."

    "Speaking of you and me..." He began. "I don''t recall you trying to push me away. Does that mean...?"

    Her cheeks became a rosy, and she nodded her head shyly. "I...I should think that...it speaks for itself, right?"

    "Indeed." He chuckled. "But what made you change your mind? You were so hesitant before. " He glanced at her curiously.

    Melanie didn''t try to hide anything.

    "I changed my mind, because I was scared."

    Lyle paused. "Scared?"

    "Of losing you. Before, I''d always taken your presence for granted. I became so used to having you around that I never considered what it''d be like if you weren''t. And after this...I was forced to."

    "I''ve been facing danger for quite some time already, Melanie. Why only so concerned now?" He asked.

    "Because it''s only now that I''m understanding that...that you''re human. That you can be hurt."

    His lips curved upwards, amused."And what did you think I was before, then?"

    " I don''t know." She admitted. "Something...more? Young Master, that''s what most people think about you. Even among other Nobles, you''ve always...you''ve always just looked more..substantial." She struggled to explain. "Like you could handle anything thrown your way. Like you couldn''t be hurt. "

    She''d been with him long enough to see it. The way people looked at him. The way they seemed to put him on some pedastal. In recent times, that''d grown more prominent. For various reasons.

    The gap between Nobles and common folk was already wide. In fact, to some, they were akin to gods. That''s how wide the gap truly was. Nobles were rulers of the world. They kept the peace, kept them safe, kept them fed and clothed...

    There were exceptions. But as a whole, they were a positive force. Without them, without their power...then where would they be, in a world full of monsters and beasts and other horrors that could never be anything but the stuff of nightmares? They and mages, they were intregal to this world.

    They were the most intelligent, the most influential, perhaps not the strongest but still a force to be reckoned with in their own right. And the Knights? Those monstrously powerful beings? They were even more so.

    Nobles were the elites of the world.

    And even among other Nobles, the Young Master shined. Maybe he wasn''t much now. Maybe he''d not done anything truly great yet. But it was a given that this would change. It was a given that he''d grow into a leader of men. He''d control the fate of hundreds of thousands of people.

    He''d already trained his body. He''d already once shown that he could compete with the best and brightest of his generation, and still hadn''t even gone through real Knight training. Once he did, he''d be a person to be feared and admired in equal measure.

    And once he trained his other talents, exactly how far could he go? A person who could be a Grand Knight, and an Archmage at the same time, if he''d put in enough effort? Or maybe...even stronger?

    What heights could a person like him reach, if her were only given the time to mature and polish himself more? That''s what all people who looked at him thought.

    That among the best the world had to offer, he''d be better still.

    "And I knew why you were doing that, but like everyone else, I started to believe it. That you weren''t like the rest of us, that you, inherently...were just...more perfect than most. But then this happened, and I started remembering how you beat that man from before. I started remembering that, like me, you''re human. That you can really lose youself to emotion, that you can make mistakes.

    "And that scared me, because it also meant you could get hurt. It meant that you were out there, in the cold, in the wild, and that there was a chance you''d not come back.

    "I hated that. The thought made me sick. I understood just how important you''d somehow become to me. I know that I''m...that I''m not a strong woman." The words were hard to say, but she couldn''t deny them. "I''m not like Lady Cecelia. But even I...wanted to go. Wanted to look for you. I don''t know if...if that''s...love. But being with you, it makes me happy. I like being with you. Not being with you, not being able to talk to you, or look at you again...not being subject to your teasing, even... For some reason, I think that would be painful. I can''t imagine where I''d be, if not by your side..."

    Melanie was glad that the tent was a little dark. She didn''t think she would be able to say all this to him if it wasn''t.

    Several long seconds passed by, but he''d said nothing.

    "Melanie. I don''t love you..." He said after a minute.

    Melanie looked away."No, that''s...that''s okay. It''s...I mean I didn''t expect you to--"

    "...yet."

    She froze."...I''m sorry, what?"

    "I don''t love you "yet", I said."

    "And...that means..."

    "It means that I like you. And I would alsolike to see where a relationship between us leads. Wouldn''t you?"

    She looked at him stupidly for a second, then burst into a blooming smiled. "...Yes. Yes, I think I would like that very much."

    ***********

    "Mr.Greyson, the Lady Seraphine wishes to speak to you. Come with me, if you please."

    After some time a tall knight with a small, beady eyes, a pointed beard and a goatee came stopped outside the tent and called for him.

    The words were respectful, yet distant. Despite the nature of the words Lyle knew that this was not a request, but a demand.

    Of course, would he let someone simply command him like this?

    "Wait a moment." He told him." I''ll need some time. I''m sure you can understand why, yes?"

    Lyle couldn''t tell, but he felt that the man probably nodded in approval.

    "Indeed I do. Very good. It wouldn''t be acceptable to make the Young Miss suffer looking upon someone with a dishelved apearance. By all means, make yourself presentable. But be quick about it, keeping the Young Miss waiting is also not a good thing."

    "I shall make haste, rest assured." He then looked at Melanie. " Keep an eye on her, will you?"

    Melanie hesitated, because if Lady Iris woke up she knew the young girl would hate Mellanie being the first thing she saw. And them being alone together, now of all times, it wasn''t...

    But she nodded easily. "Of course, Young Ma--"

    "Don''t." He cut her off gently. "I think we can drop the formalities, right? From now on I''d like you to call me by my name. At least in private, until we aren''t with the Haddocks anymore."

    "But..."

    "But what? Didn''t you agree to be my lover from now onwards? That, to my eyes, makes us equal. Titles shouldn''t be used between us anymore." In fact he disliked formalities like that, so he''d tried getting her to stop using them with him numerous times. To no avail. "Or was I mistaken then?"

    "L-lover..." He''d used such a bold word! "That...that sounds a little..."

    "Would you prefer to be called my girlfriend instead? Although given how this all started, I think that''d be somewhat innacurate."

    "You...!" She blushed fiercely, narrowing her eyes. "How can you bring that up again!"

    ...But she couldn''t say he was wrong...him doing those kinds of things to her, it already went past what a normal boyfriend and girlfriend would do....right?

    Certainly, they wouldn''t have such a...a sexual relationship, at least at the beginning...probably....Not that they had any actual intercourse, but even so...

    Wait. For that matter, she wondered to what extent he and Lady Sophia had went? Although they may not have done that....maybe they did other things?

    "Oh? Did you dislike it that much? I can''t really blame you though, I did get a bit too out of hand back then."

    "I-I didn''t..exactly say that" Her voice turned small. "...I just... it was unexpected...and, um, I-I just hadn''t ever...you know...kissed anyone before then, so...so...I wasn''t really used to it..." She looked down.

    Lyle couldn''t help thinking how cute her reaction was. Really, she was such a shy person. Even just talking about things like that was difficult for her.

    His eyes flashed brightly, she saw, a sure sign of something bad. "Then we should get you used to it, you''re saying? Ah, well, if I must..."

    "I-I didn''t mean it like that! H-hey!"

    **********

    The knight had waited patiently for a few moments, a bit aways. But when he saw that the younth emerged with a slightly flushed face hair, he couldn''t help snorting coldly.

    But of course, Lyle didn''t mind him.

    He didn''t really do much to be embarrassed about either. Despite his current appearance, he only teased Melanie a bit.

    A few kisses here and there, nothing more.

    Lyle couldn''t say that he minded such things. As long as it didn''t progress into more innapporpriate grounds, just kissing wasn''t something to be worried about. They were shows of affection, weren''t they?

    And he felt that Melanie might still have felt like things were too ambiguous, so letting her how things were going to be in as clear a manner as possible was a good thing.

    He did burn with an intense desire to rip off her clothes and ravish her, but he understood those thoughts weren''t entirely his own. And he''d not give into them.

    There was a time and place for such things, after all. He wasn''t so bold as to demand something like that so soon into their new-found relationship either.

    ....Really, if he didn''t have such good self-control, who knows what could have happened? Maybe he''d already have made a move on both Melanie and Cecelia! It was a unpleasant thought.

    "I thought you said you were going to freshen up?" He looked Lyle up and down, not liking what he saw at all.

    "I never said that. Aren''t you assuming too much? Please don''t put words in my mouth, good Sir. it''s unbecoming of someone who serves a Noble Lady to be such an unreasonable person."

    The knight spluttered, his face going red. What an...an arrogant little shit! Someone like him, a no-name sell-sword, dares to speak so callously towards a knight such as himself?

    He held in his anger, however.

    This was the person who saved the Young Miss from certain death. He respected the boy for that, if nothing else.

    And besides...."You''re right. My apologies. I''ll be sure to be more careful in the future, so as to not bring shame to the Young Miss." He couldn''t deny that his words held truth.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    "Lead on then."

    "Or course. Follow me."

    Without another word, the knight turned smartly and strode forward.

    Lyle matched his pace without difficulty.

    A few mercenaries looked over in interest, but quickly went back to what they were doing.

    As they walked, Lyle caught sight of Murphy sitting by a campfire with Mira and Thatch.

    Murphy noticed him, grinned, and then wiggled his brows suggestively. He of course knew where the young man was heading, and his past experience told him that things were going to be getting interesting.

    As for Thatch, the big man only have a nod towards his direction.

    But Mira...she looked at him strangely. Very much so. Almost like...No. Lyle wasn''t quite sure what sort of gaze that was or even why she gave it to him, nor did he really think much of it. It was just something that he had picked up, which was quickly forgotten.

    It didn''t take them long to navigate through the camp, and soon enough they reached their destination.

    They stopped at an enormous tent, brightly-lit, large enough to fit at least ten people inside with ease.

    Another knight stood in front, blocking their way.

    After a few quick words, they were let inside.

    Lyle was assaulted with a subtle yet stirring scent, soft and mellow. It faintly reminded him of cinnamon, but with a less strong flavor to it.

    There was also other smells, food. When he entered, he saw a table off to the side, a long one that could seat quite a number of people.

    Strange, did they assemble it just a while ago, or did they take it out from a Blackbox? Maybe some other similar storage device?

    Inside the tent were several people, which he recognized.

    Jaime, Phaedra, Nyk, and Boris.

    There were also two more people: Sera, and the older man who Lyle knew to be Captain Voorhis. He rested on a seat, wrapped in bandages, but most definitely alive. His wounds were not truly severe, but he would have bled out if they hadn''t been treated. Him being up and about was not exactly toostrange, but neither was it something one would expect.

    Maybe...Sera had healed him? She can''t control her powers much, so perhaps it wasn''t a full healing.

    "You''re looking well, Captain." Lyle made no pleasantries, simply greeting the man as he would any other.

    The knight at his side shot him a glare, but stayed silent.

    Voorhis raised a brow, surprised.

    "Yes, it''s a large step up from death''s door, isn''t it? I hear I have you to thank for that."

    Lyle refuted. "Please, It was all Nyk''s efforts, as I''m sure you know."

    "I do." The Captain nodded towards Nyk gratefully. "But if you hadn''t made the call, if you hadn''t chosen to leave him to care for me and face all the danger on you own, then I know I wouldn''t be here. So I must express my thanks."

    "If that''s how you see it, then I can only accept them. Is that all? I don''t mean to be rude, but I don''t think that you should have any further business with me, yes?"

    "Bell." Jaime spoke up, a hint of warning in his voice. Not angered, but concered for his well-being. These were not people he could act so casually towards.

    Voorhis frowned. "It''s fine, Lord Jaime." The young man was not ordinary, he had a fair bit of background behind him. Calling him Lord was not wrong. "But please, don''t be in such a rush to go."

    "I''m sorry, but if all you called me here for was to express your thanks, then I would like to return. It''s been a long day."

    "Of course, but...The Young Miss, you see..."

    It was only then that Lyle turned to look directly at Sera.

    Sera gazed back at him in dissatisfaction. "What, are you truly so eager to leave me?" She asked without preamble, making everyone feel something was amiss.

    Lyle felt something wrong with her wording, as he did before, but didn''t bother to think much about it right now. "Of course not, Lady Seraphina. I--"

    "Since when do you address me as "Lady"?"

    "Since we''re in the company of people who''d like to gut me with a sword if I didn''t follow proper protocol." Lyle replied evenly.

    "Are you afraid of them doing so? Do they frighten you?" She challenged, narrowing her eyes at him.

    Lyle''s smiled turned sharp. "Not at all."

    "Then why?"

    "I don''t wish to create a bloodbath. It''s a lovely tent, this. It would be a shame if some knight of yours, due to being angered at my lack of respect, were to attack me and force me to raise my hand in self-defense. You must know, I don''t have much experience in holding back. And blood is so hard to get out... "

    Everyone in the tent, aside from them, stirred. Jaime and his group couldn''t say that he didn''t have the ability to back up his words, but everyone still thought his words were walking a dangerous line here.

    Sera laughed, as if she liked the idea. " So fierce! Yes, those kind of words suit you much more, I think. But don''t mind such trivial things. You will address me as Sera."

    "I''ve no problems with doing so." He shrugged.

    He really didn''t. If she said it was fine, who was he to argue? He truly did just want to avoid any violence from happening.

    Voorhis said nothing. From what he''d heard of the young man, from Sera and from Lord Jaime, the boy did have some ability. No, that was obvious in how he dealt with those manticores. So fearlessly, confidently.

    Probably none of the many knights here would be able to match him in a fight.

    Which Voorhis was a bit impressed by. A young man having that level of prowess at that age was indeed worthy of being called talented. Maybe...he had a litte Noble Blood within him? From an ancestor, perhaps?

    He''d heard of the Haddocks, and they appeared to have many young talents in their ranks. But they weren''t at the level of dealing with three manticores alone.

    Luck wouldn''t factor in much, they would die. Regardless of if he holds a bit of Noble Blood or not to explain his outstanding abilities, this young man being before him today was a testament to his skill in Voorhis'' eye. Even if he was healed by the Young Miss after, he still survived a high drop from a waterfall in addition to surviving that confrontation with the three manticores .

    Surviving the latter is amazing enough, but surviving the former too...

    Also, having a mind that can still understand the need to quickly find shelter even when under heavy injuries, and being able to treat the Young Miss'' wounds...

    This Bellamy had a great resiliance to damage, skill in combat, sound judgement and even held a bit of knowledge on how to make concoctions to treat injuries,

    He wasn''t simple at all.

    The Young Miss, she had a good eye...

    "If it''s a young man like this, then what the Young Miss wants to do... I have no qualms with it." He muttered sofly to himself.

    Lyle''s sharp ears caught the words, being extremely attentive from the start of all this. "And what, exactly, is it that she wants to do?"

    Another glare from the knight beside him.

    Sera happily stood up from her seat, walked towards him, and clasped his hands in her''s.

    She looked him straight in the eye, looking excited.

    "I want you to join us!"

    She said enthusiastically.

    Lyle stopped, confused. "Join... what?"

    Sera calmed down, saying, "My knights. I want you to be one of my personal bodyguards."

    And that was the cruz of the matter, the thing they were all called to discuss, in part.

    Voorhis had his eye on the young man called Nyk, impressed by both his medical knowledge and his apparent skill with a sword--something that he''d seen first-hand after the manticre leader had come back and caused some trouble.

    The young man protected a semi-lucid Voorhis for five minutes before Lady Phaedra and Lord Jaime, along with a few others, had arrived to provide backup in order to slay the beast.

    So he wanted to offer the man a place among them. He took a liking to him.

    This is why he called the others here. Lord Jaime was his current employer, and the others were also rather high up in the command chain.

    He wanted to tell them all his intentions, so as to not cause and dispute, and fairly offer the man a postition with them.

    As for this Bellamy person....the Young Miss is the one who wanted him. And Voorhis had no real complaints. He did a fine job of protecting the Young Miss. What they failed to do, he accomplished by himself.

    Sadly the young Nyk already refused just before Bellamy arrived. Voorhis let the matter go.

    But everyone continued to stay, wanting to hear what Bell would say.

    "I''m flattered" Lyle said, suddenly ill at ease with the direction this had went. "But I don''t--"

    "Wait." She stopped him. "You smell a little weird..."

    Her words drew amused looks from nearly all those present.

    "Sorry? I didn''t really have time to bathe, although I don''t think I should smell too badly. That river should have made for a fine, if freezing and unbearable, bath. But I suppose--"

    "No, not that." She cut him off again. "It''s just you smell like another woman. It''s unpleasant." Sera wrinkled her nose, rather cutely.

    Again, that wording bothered him. "I see. But you must be mistaken."

    He said that calmly, but inwardly he was a little amazed.

    Women had a strong sense of smell, it seems? First Iris mentioned it, now Sera, and all in the same day!

    "Maybe." She didn''t sound like she believed it.

    But Voorhis and the rest were frowning to themselves.

    Somehow their interactions seemed to be not as one would expect. Phaedra and her brother knew it, but how could she know it too? It was a very subtle fragrance, so how did a young girl like that catch it?

    Was she actively sniffing him or something?

    Voorhis though this too, but threw the idea out. The Young Miss was sometimes a bit eccentric, as was to be expected from a Noble. So this didn''t mean much.

    "Anyway, aren''t you excited?" She asked, once more going cheerful.

    She still hadn''t let go of his hands.

    Lyle extracted them from her grip, shaking his head, "I''m sorry, but I can''t do that."

    Her face instantly fell.

    "I''m sorry...what?"

    "I can''t accept. I have things to do."

    "I see. I can wait, it''s not problem."

    "No, even after that, I have no intention of joining your knights."

    She acted as if he hadn''t said anything. "Ah, and don''t worry about the formalities. With you skill you can skip the training required. I can have you knighted within a few weeks, easily. All you would have to do is have a few duels with qualified instructors to show your ability in combat. Then we can be done with it. The actual paperwork can be taken care of behind the scenes, my father can make sure that you will be dealt with fairly despite the unusual circumstance."

    Didn''t she hear what she said? Did he stutter?

    "Sera, again, I have no intention of joining. I''m off to Zeshar on importance personal business. I can''t go with you, and even if I could I still don''t wish to j--"

    "Zeshar?" She asked. "Oh!" Her eyes brightened. "This must be fate. We''re heading to Zeshar as well. Actually...why don''t we take you to meet my father? He''s the one we''re going to see. He can have you knighted personally. I should have thought of that before, silly me."

    ...Of course they''re going the same way.

    Lyle kicked himself for not realizing it sooner. There were multiple roads to Zeshar, and the one they were taking was one of them. The general direction they were all heading in only had Zeshar in it.

    And Zeshar was a hub of activity. It wouldn''t be weird for a Noble Lady to visit.

    ...But who was her father, to have that power, bestowing a knightship in such a way?

    He almost asked, but that wasn''t important right now.

    "That''s all well and good." Lyle began. "Maybe we can all even travel together for a time. But Sera, I don''t want to join anything at the moment."

    Voorhis looked at the young man with a hint of disdain. Did he think he really had much of a choice?

    What Young Miss wanted, she would get. She''s a Noble, and her father is a powerful man.

    The Cardinal isn''t a person one wished to offend.

    So se could take anyone she wanted. No one could say anything about it.

    Voorhis didn''t have the authority to say she couldn''t, and neither did he wish to step in and try to stop her.

    This would bring him and his entire family much honor. He didn''t see why he would want to refuse.

    He liked the lad, was thankful towards him, but he couldn''t help him in this.

    Since the Young Miss wants him as part of her knights, she''ll have him. That was just the way it would be.

    Sera looked incredibly shocked at his words, her eyes reddening. "That''s no good. You saved me, didn''t you? A man must take responsibility for his actions."

    Lyle was at a loss for words.

    "I already saved you, and I did take responsiblity. You''re safe and sound, my part is done. Sera, I''m sorry, but our paths will diverge. If not now, then after we reach Zeshar."

    She peered at him, thoughtful.

    "...No matter. You might think this, but you''re wrong. Our paths won''t diverge at all. You''ll change your mind. In the meantime...Lord Jaime, I trust it''s fine that we ride to Zeshar together?"

    The young man spoke very politely, showing respect. "I''ve no problems with that at all, Lady Seraphina. By all means, please do."

    Jaime hadn''t the ability to refuse a Noble. He and his family had pull, but that was nothing in the face of this girl''s background.

    A Noble, a truly troublesome existence....

    Jaime had seen a pattern similar to this before with Bell. None of the other''s were like this girl, though. They weren''t Nobles. That made all the difference.

    Bell...likely wouldn''t get out of this one...

    But it should be fine right? Afterall, the girl''s very pretty. He shouldn''t have many complaints?

    Asfor the person in question, Lyle felt that this was all rather ridiculous. From the look on everyone''s faces, they were all telling him that he should be resigned to his fate.

    Boris, he even sneakily gave him a thumbs up. They really thought this girl would either win him over, or just take him!

    And they probably wouldn''t even help him!

    He felt betrayed. Hmph. Bastards.

    Well...not that they could really do anything. Nobles were such people, they can power their way through things like this.

    And he supposed that the mentality was much different since Sera was a woman. For example, if a Nobleman did this to a woman then it would be looked down upon heavily.

    Noblemen couldn''t just go out and pick up any cute woman who catches their eyes. There were rules against such things.

    But Noblewomen? That was a whole different story. If a Noblewoman went and picked up a man, no one would bat an eye.

    They would probably even envy the man!

    There were very few ugly Noblewomen, most were at least fairly pretty. Same with Noblemen, not many were truly ugly. They weren''t ultra-good-looking as a whole, but not ugly either. Good genes and whatnot.

    So a Noblewoman taking a man was just not really something people usually thought of as bad.

    It wasn''t something that happened often since young and unmarried Noblewomen were expected to be more refined and chaste, more "Lady-like". But when it did happen, most would just think the man very lucky to have earned the attention.

    Lyle didn''t want to be here anymore.

    "Yes, well...if that''s everything, then I''ll take my--"

    Again, he was cut off, much to his annoyance."Oh, no, do stay. I wish to invite you and everyone else here to dine with me tonight."

    "I''m not hungry."

    "Yes, you must be."

    "You forget, but I ate with you already."

    "In a dark cave, hardly a place for a good talk. Besides, you''re a vigorous young man, you must be able to eat quite a lot. Surely the small meal from that time didn''t satisfy you."

    "I have a small appetite, actually."

    "Lies. I''m pretty sure about this, Bell. But regardless, shouldn''t you at least stay so that we can talk more? Do you want truly find my company so unbearable?" She had a hurt look about her that couldn''t be concealed.

    Seeing her like that made the knight by Lyle''s side let out a menacing, "You''d better do what she says" aura. From the looks he got from everyone else, they also thought he should give in to the request.

    Traitors.

    However Lyle wasn''t sure he should trust it, the girl didn''t seem simple.

    "Of course not. I''m just not hungry."

    "Again, just stay for a bit. You don''t have to eat. I just want the opportunity to speak more with you."

    "I''m a very boring man, even if I did stay there wouldn''t be much for you to talk about with me."

    "Even if that is truly the case, which I doubt, I still would appreciate it if my saviour took the time to at least have a real conversation with me. Please?"

    Lyle definitely felt that something was very wrong here. Where was that shy girl from before? Who was this overbearing "Princess" who replaced her? Was this how she normally was when she wasn''t in a life-and-death situation?

    Didn''t she recover much too fast? Most people would be traumatized for life after an experience like that! Especially a sheltered girl like her!

    What he didn''t know what that even Voorhis thought the girl''s behavious was rather unlike the normal her. But he didn''t give it too much thought, currently.

    Lyle was distressed.

    "...Alright. I suppose I have the time to chat."

    There was no justifiable reason to refuse.

    She gave out a dazzlingly bright smile that could melt a thousand layers of ice, saying, "Thank you. Come, that table''s already set. You can sit by me, so we can talk more conveniently." She grabbed his hand, dragging him along.

    **********

    What followed after was a rather strange scene.

    The atmosphere was a little tense to the other participants, but there were two among them that had seemed to have entered their own little rose-colored world.

    Namely, Bell and Sera.

    Jaime could only smile helplessly at Bell when he''d came looking to him for help.

    Everyone had all seen the same exact pattern before.

    Since they befriended the young man, more and more situations like the one they currently faced had presented itself.

    He''d save some pretty girl, she''d become infatuated with him, then she''d start pestering him incessantly...trying to get close to him...some even outright confessed...

    It was really tiresome at this point.

    Not that they didn''t understand the poor girls'' plight. Being saved by some good-looking, reliable, prince-like person...it had an effect. Bell was always very polite, and he was pretty kind to the girls, a few times he''d even tease them. He was that sort of person, Bell.

    But despite his penchant for teasing people, causing a little mischief, he would not show the slightest real interest and it was always clear to everyone that he was doing his best to let them down easy.

    They just never listened. Or cared.

    He was a man who, they all understood, would probably have a lot of trouble with women.

    Bell was just...he felt like the main character in some sort of romance novel sometimes. Or harem novel. Either way. Not that he tried to be, but he was just the type that women liked to flock to.

    It was a strange phenomenon.

    In any case, the two went on talking pleasantly with one another. Or rather, Sera did. Bell mainly responded.

    Voorhis saw this and really couldn''t make heads nor tails of it.

    He suspected that maybe the Young Miss was sick.

    This was all just too strange now, he couldn''t ignore it anymore. Because the usually shy and gentle Young Miss was now bright and outgoing, full of energy. He couldn''t hear what they said, but that was the feel that got just from watching her.

    And the way she kept looking at the young man...the corners of her eyes softening just a bit, looking comfortable in his presence, talking to him as if it was the most natual thing in the world and looking so happy while doing it...

    Was she...did she... No, had she actually fallen for the young man?

    If so, that would explain many things.

    Voorhis was not sure what to do. He didn''t have the authority to tell the Young Miss what to do. And as a person who had watched over her for many years and had grown a fondness for her...he was put in a hard position.

    If she really like him, and he had such a positive influence on her personality, then he didn''t see the harm in letting fate take it''s course.

    But on the other hand, she was a Noble. Falling for a commoner, no matter how talented he was, would be looked down upon. Her father, he didn''t know how he''d react. Or if he''d even care.

    He could report it, and maybe his duty said he should. But he almost didn''t want to. Again, as a person who spent many years caring for her, he thought that perhaps she could grow due to this.

    And he had proven himself reliable, if nothing else. He also seemed polite enough, with a little bit of a wild side if his previous words were any indication. At least he wasn''t some useless, spineless fop.

    He was really distressed...

    Phaedra also watched all this going on impassively, her face cold.

    Finally she couldn''t hold it in anymore and learned over to the annoying bastard.

    "So you went out and found another pretty piece to add to your collection, did you? You must be feeling so ecstatic, to have found such a high-quality item."

    She''d whispered the words into his ear.

    Lyle responded back indifferently, "You sound jealous, Fey. That''s no good, I dislike troublesome women. But I suppose that if you behave I can add you, too, to my "collection". There, satisfied?"

    Phaedra bared her teeth. "Do you always have to be such an unpleasant, perverted beast?"

    "Do you always have to try and get a rise out of me? Don''t bother, Phaedra. I don''t want to fight you anymore. I don''t want to look at you anymore. I don''t want to talk to you anymore."

    "I hate you." A glare.

    "whereas I don''t even care about you."

    "Liar. Come on. Draw your sword and attack me. I know you want to, why stop yourself?"

    "Believe what you want. I''m done with you. Whatever your problem is with me, you can deal with it yourself."

    Phaedra hated him. He should get mad. He should hate her as much as she did him.

    But nothing. She couldn''t feel anything from him, not like usual.

    He hid his emotions so deep that even she couldn''t sense them. He was just blocking her out. Or maybe he really didn''t care anymore...

    She was hungry.

    When was the last time she fed properly?

    But she didn''t touch her food. It wasn''t what she wanted. It was tasteless and dead.

    Her hands trembled, but she gripped tightly and forced them to stop.

    ....So hungry...

    ***

    It wasn''t long after that when Lyle felt he was cleared to leave. He''d spent a fair amount of time here and he wanted to go back to check on Iris.

    "Sera, I think it''s time I left. It''s getting late."

    He announced.

    Sera shook her head."It''s fine. Please, you must stay a little longer."

    "No, I should really go."

    "Why don''t you want to stay with me?"

    "Why do you want me to stay?" He shot back.

    "But...your place is by my side." Her eyebrows furrowed, as if this should be obvious. " Don''t you know that? As my knight, this is as to be expected."

    "I''m not your knight."

    This was getting really out of hand. How many times did he have to say it? Did she not know the meaning of "No"?

    How stubborn can one be?

    ...Why was she so different from before...?

    What changed?

    "But you will be." She said sweetly, her entire posture saying that she held an unshakable belief in the words.

    "I wonder how you can be so sure of that?" He inquired.

    "Ellie told me." She answered simply.

    "And Ellie is...?"

    "A friend. She''s a fortune teller."

    "A...fortune teller...." Lyle couldn''t surpress the disbelief in his voice.

    He obviously didn''t put much stock into such people.

    "Indeed." She nodded, as if she hadn''t noticed his doubt.

    "And what did she say? This...Ellie."

    "She said that this journey would be a terrible ordeal. In fact even she said, "Tu rel dak deim roh ma''n kestel." Which translates to--"

    "A lotta shit''s about to go down." He answered, his cheek twitching.

    This Ellie seems like a colorful person, at least.

    Her eyes flashed with interest, as if she had just caught some piece of valuable knowledge. "You know how to speak Elvhenen?"

    Lyle realized his slip, but didn''t mess up a second time. He shook his head, laughing a bit as if in amusement. "No, but I''ve had...well, friend, shall we say...who was an Elf. He was an odd one, for sure, always cussing. Needless to say, I picked up on a few things."

    Which wasn''t entirely a lie. He did meet an Elf. But he''d not talked him, not much anyway. He was an old friend of Boris'' and had met him in by coincidence when he walked into the right bar and saw the two talking.

    Lyle wasn''t sure what an Elf was doing in those parts of the world. It wasn''t unusual, but not common either. Still, he didn''t ask, it wasn''t his business.

    "Oh." She nodded again.

    "Getting back on topic, it seems that this Ellie person was right, wasn''t she?"

    But he didn''t believe she was a actual seer.

    Anyone can tell you that it''d be dangerous traveling at this time of year. You didn''t need to be a fortune teller to know that.

    Well, encountering a pack of manticores is strange, though... A coincidence?

    She sighed. "Yes. She was." She recovered quickly. "But she was right about the other thing too. The thing that included you."

    "Oh really? And what, pray tell, did she say?"

    She turned smiled again, softer this time, as she looked at him.

    "She said that I''d meet a person who''d change me. A person that I would be forever tied to..,"

    Lyle raised a brow at that, but didn''t comment overmuch about it.

    "Is that so? Well good for you. I''m sure that person will be very happy."

    She blushed, her eyes widening as she stared at him. "Are...are you really? Happy, that is?"

    "Oh? Whatever do you mean?" He feigned ignorance.

    She huffed. "Acting like you don''t know. Obviously the person can only be you, right?"

    Ah, so that''s how this one''s going to play it, eh? At least it''s a little more original than the others, Lyle thought.

    "Preposterous." He denied. "I''m not such a person at all."

    "You''re lying. You know you are~" She sang.

    "No. I''m not." He said flatly. It was time to be blunt. "I know you might believe otherwise, but I assure you that I''m not the person you want me to be."

    "That''s not true at all." She said. Her words were light, but firm. "This was fate. You saved me when none of the others could. You succeeded where they failed. You took so many injuries, all for my sake. From start to finish, you''d taken care of me in a way no one had before. I owe you a debt I can never repay, so my life is yours to do with as you will. But that''s fine, because I know you''re the one who was meant to have it. I know that you''ll take responsibility, I know that you''re my...my Fated Beloved...."

    Stars came to life in her eyes, which unnerved him. Lyle didn''t back down. At all. He responded to this in the most direct way he knew how: "That''s nonsense. Firstly, I treated you the same way I would have any other. Sera, don''t be like this. I currently have a good impression of you, don''t make me have to revise that assessment. Secondly, you owe me nothing. You healed me. Any debt you may have had was settled with that one act.

    "There''s nothing tying us together. Sera, you might long for this "Fated Beloved" character of yours, to have some passionate romance with a handsome "saviour". To find your "soul mate". But that''s like something out of a fairytale, which this is not.

    "Our paths, like I''ve found myself saying alot in the past few hours, will diverge. Eventually we''ll go our seperate ways and it''s unlikely that we''ll ever see each other again. Please accept this."

    Their entire conversation was low, hushed, so that none of the others could hear--that is, except for Jaime and Phaedra whose ears were sharper than your average human''s

    But they didn''t intervene, merely sitting in their respective seats. Growing increasingly shocked with each word that spewed from the girl''s mouth.

    "You''re wrong!" She hissed, becoming immediately angry. "You''re wrong about everything. Why don''t you see that? You''ll change your mind. You''ll be my knight, and you''ll always protect me and keep me safe--

    "Sera, stop."

    But she didn''t.

    "--You''ll always be by my side, never leaving me--"

    "Sera, this has gone on far enough."

    She didn''t think so.

    "--and we''ll marry and have children and--"

    "Sera, I said enough!" Lyle''s voice was low, quiet, but full of warning.

    It was useless.

    "--we''ll be so happy together. That''s why you have to stop being so stubborn. You have to come with me. It''s your f--"

    "It''s nothing." He cut her off coldly. "This isn''t funny, Sera. I''ll give you one chance to take everything back, to say it was a joke, that you were merely kidding. Take it."

    "No." She refused, unwilling to listen. "Even if you don''t want to accept reality, even if you don''t accept responsibility for saving me, you still have to take responsibility for that other thing!"

    He felt like he was going to get a headache.

    "What other thing?!" He ground out through clenched teeth, almost at his last straw.

    He''d not let his face show it, but he was frustrated, nearly losing his cool. Never had he met anyone like this...

    Her eyes misted up, the whites reddening, turning puffy. "You know very well what!" She whisperered to him fiercely, as if she were being wronged. "You can''t pretend that you don''t! Those things we did...both of us, together...in that place...the way you held me, branded me...the way you kissed me, made love to me... you have to take responsibility for all those things, if nothing else. I won''t let you walk way from it! You''re already mine...why don''t you understand that? Webelong to each other!"

    Jaime and Phaedra''s faces changed as their ears caught the words, a flash of something dark passing over them. An understanding. A hint of fear and surprise and disbelief.

    In that instant, for one brief second, Lyle''s mask broke. And the face he showed was one of deep disturbance...

    ...She''s insane, He thought. She''s...she''s well and truly insane...

    He stood up abruptly, startling all those present.

    "I''m leaving."

    Without another word, left his seat and strode towards the exit, disappearing.

    Sera could only watch on helplessly as he walked away...

    She felt empty. Like someone had taken away the sun from her life. Like a piece of her was missing, as if someone gouged out some important part of her being. Leaving a dark void in her heart...

    "Captain, escort our guests out, please. I...I wish to be alone for a while." She said numbly.

    "...Yes, of course, My Lady. I''ll prepare a bed for you. When you want the table taken away so you can rest, simply give a call."

    She didn''t answer.

    Soon everyone had disappeared, slinking away and leaving the table empty.

    Not a single person stayed within the tent. Not even Voorhis.

    The tears didn''t stop until well into the night.

 Chapter thirty-two

    It felt like the world had come crashing down.

    Where once there was a bright light and feeling of contentment, now there was only a sense of sadness and loss.

    And empty void that stretched on endlessly.

    But that was fine.

    Iris liked it.

    The coldness left her numb, making the pain go away. She couldn''t see nor hear, there was only a blessed silence, a comforting darkness that she clung to and didn''t want to let go of.

    Yes...silence...a place where those words couldn''t reach her, couldn''t hurt her...

    ...Iris never wanted to leave...

    It was here that she could dream about days long past. It was here that she could remember the times where things were simpler.

    Times where it was just her, her parents... and her brother.

    The days where he paid attention to only her, the days where there was no one else to take him away. Where he belonged to her and no one else.

    This was a place where she could re-live that time endlessly. Where her happiest memories could be replayed forever...

    Iris could remember the first time she had snuck into his bed, when she was only six or maybe even younger.

    She could recall the way he smiled and let her hold onto his arm. The warmth that she felt at that time still lingered in her mind even now, as did the feeling of rightness that came with just being there by his side.

    He loved her, then. She was the most important person to him, in those days.

    But now...that was changing...

    Iris was losing him...

    She thought she had more time. She knew it was going to happen eventually. She knew that, someday, he''d start his own family. That maybe...he''d love someone more than her...

    But she didn''t care. She only wanted him to remain her''s just a little longer...just for a few more years...just...

    ...Always? I can make that happen, you know.

    "Go away..."Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

    I can keep him with Us.

    "Shut up..."

    Poor girl... So pitiful... Does it hurt, knowing that your time is running out? You were so happy, weren''t you, when that girl broke them apart?

    "Lies! I...I just..."

    Thought you would be able to keep him for a little while longer? Yes. I know. I also know how pleased you were at that time. How happy, how excited, that he was hurt.

    "No...I wasn''t...I''d never be happy about that! I''m...!"

    Greedy. Hateful. Selfish.

    "You''re wrong!" She screamed.

    ....I wonder, did you think you could keep that promise? No...you don''t have it in you. It''d be hell, wouldn''t it, seeing him always dote on another woman, seeing his wife and children receive the love that should be given to you instead. To watch them take for granted what you would prize above all else. I wonder how much it really hurt, hearing him twist your pure feelings into something sick and unhealthy? Hearing him say such cruel things, no wonder you take solace in this place...

    "Shut up!" Iris snarled. " Shut up, shut up, shut up,shut up, shutup! I hate you! This is your fault! You''re the ones who caused all this! If it weren''t for you and those...those things...If only you people didn''t exist, then--!"

    Livia laughed, light and mocking.

    Please. You can blame us all you want, Little One...but it won''t change the fact that it''s your own fault he was sullied by that bitch. That he now reeks of another woman''s touch. Had you been faster, had you looked for him soon, it wouldn''t have occcured. Aren''t you angry, resentful? Knowing that he was soiled, yet not doing a single thing about it? Not being ableto do anything? Letting that slut just...run free after what she did, letting her plan on how to take him away from Us?

    Iris paled.

    "You''re lying. Nothing happened. Nothing. Big brother--"

    Has already been defiled once. By that whore, and soon by that filthy mutt he once took pity on. A bitch who doesn''t know her own place. And maybe that two-faced slut will eventually take a piece of him as well. But do you even care? Do you think you can do anything by yourself? No. The only thing you can do on your own is watch by the sidelines as he gets dirtied more and more by their disgusting hands. Because you know... know that by yourself, you''re nothing...

    "...Nothing...?" Iris repeated numbly. "No, that''s not true. None of it. I don''t want that. Big brother, he''s..."

    Ours... Yes. He belongs to Us. Only Us. Although he''s not Ours entirely yet, with my help I can make it so. I can make those past times come again. I can make him love Us more, I can make him look at Us and no one else. Isn''t that what you desire most?

    "But big brother, he said..."

    What, are you fine with this then? Are you really satisfied with seeing him love others more than you? Only ever being the "Good Auntie", is that something that you can be content with? Don''t you want...more? Don''t you want to continue being spoiled by him, just as you were in the past, without the interference of other people?

    "I do, I do, but...! But I can''t." Iris cried, voice colored with unspeakable pain. "I promised him I''d be a good girl...I promised that I''d--!"

    Livia smiled down at the girl kindly, sympathetically, like a mother would to her child.

    I understand, Little One. You don''t want to break your promises to him, do you? You don''t want him to be disappointed in you, right? But I can promise you something too. I can promise that, so long as you accept me, We''ll never have to worry about him leaving Us ever again. I can make him stay with Us, right by Our side, always.

    Come on now,She cooed.Take my hand... Take it, and let me merge Us together... Take it, and I''ll give you the power to keep him chained to Us...forever...

 Chapter thirty-three pt. 1

    When Lyle returned to Melanie''s tent he was much calmer.

    But Melanie noticed something was wrong, so she asked, "Young Ma--Um, L-Lyle." She corrected herself, "Is something that matter?"

    "Other than me having to listen to the mad ramblings of a deeply disturbed woman, no." His tone was bone-dry, but he couldn''t help it.

    "Woman? Who?"

    He ran a hand through his hair, sighing. "That woman I saved. Lady Seraphina. She said--" He stopped, breaking off.

    "What did she say?"

    "No...It''s nothing. A bunch of nonsense, that''s all."

    Of course it was nonsense. What that woman said, how could it be anything but? All but outright saying that he...that they....

    ...He didn''t even want to think about it.

    He didn''t believe a word of it. The girl had problems, and he wanted no part in her sick delusions.

    "How''s Iris been?" He changed topics, crouching down to rub her golden hair.

    "She was moving around a little, maybe a bad dream, but she''s fine.

    "Hm."

    "Are you worried? That Lady Iris would take it hard?"

    Melanie was very concerned. The poor girl never liked seeing women being close to her brother and being exposed to something like that just a while ago, coupled with the kind of words her brother said to her, may cause her some heartache.

    "Maybe. But I think it''s long past the time where she can continue as she has been."

    In just a few more years Iris will be considered an adult. Children had to grow up fast in a world like this, especially Nobles.

    He hated having to say those kinds of things to her. He wasn''t quite so dense as to not know they''d cause her some pain. But it was needed, right?

    If he didn''t make moves to allow Iris to stop her excessive attachment to him, that thing...Livia, was it...would just use it against her.

    Though even to him that sounded like a weak arguement.

    It was frustrating. If not for these things that they were hosts to he wouldn''t have to try changing things between them at all. Not like this, not so suddenly.

    "Young--Lyle!" Melanie once more had to correct herself, smiling sheepishly. "Don''t you think that you should talk to Lady Cecelia as well? She...will probably worry about this as well."

    He shook his head. "It''s not really anything to do with her." Lyle responded.

    "Oh."

    Melanie squirmed. She didn''t know why, but it seemed like recently he didn''t really like to discuss matters pertaining to Lady Cecelia. Maybe it was just her imagination.

    "Alright, well, I''ll be going then. It''s been a long night." Lyle moved to pick up Iris'' sleeping body.

    "Wait!" Melanie unexpectedly grabbed his arm, causing him to give her a curious glance. "Can''t you just stay a bit longer?"

    "Is there something you wanted?"

    "Oh, no...I mean, can''t we just sit down for a while?"

    "I can, but...why?

    Melanie was at a loss for words, unsure of what to say.

    Lyle noticed her dilemma."I guess it doesn''t really matter. If that''s what you want, then I''ve no problems with it."

    Melanie brightened, relieved, and it wasn''t long before they were sitting on the ground next to Iris.

    Several long minutes passed in silence. They didn''t talk, or even really look at each other. Time flew by without them speaking a word.

    Lyle yawned, making Melanie shift.

    "I''m sorry." She spoke softly. "Wasting your time like this, even though you must be so tired after everything that happened."

    "Don''t worry about it, it''s fine." He waved off her concern.

    "No, it''s not. I don''t even know why I asked you to stay. Only a few hours into our relationship and I''m already being a bother to you."

    Lyle laughed scornfully. "Please, when have you ever been a bother?"

    "Remember the first few weeks I began working for you?"

    Lyle thought back to that time, his lips curving upwards. "You were pretty clumsy back then, weren''t you?"

    "Worse. I was a complete mess..." She sighed. "Mother gave me death-glares every other day. I didn''t know how to do anything properly."

    "No one''s good at something the first time they try it." Lyle told her comfortingly

    "Except you." The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them.

    "No, I''m no exception. I just have a knack for learning quickly. And I wouldn''t be too concerned about your past mistakes. It''s not an easy job, you know? There''s many schools that offer training courses on the subject, even."

    "Training that I obviously lacked." Melanie replied miserably.

    "Maybe, but I didn''t mind it at all. I found your clumsiness pretty cute."

    "I think you''re the only one who''d say that."

    She lapsed into silence once more.

    Then, after a few moments, she spoke again. "Lyle?"

    "Yeah?"

    "You really do like me, right?"

    "Of course I do." He frowned.

    "And you won''t...you won''t regret it later? Us?"

    "No. I wouldn''t. Melanie, what''s with you? Asking questions like that."

    She looked away. "I''m your servant. Entering an equal relationship with someone like me, anyone else in your position would feel--"

    "Incredibly lucky, I know." He cut in. "Unfortunately for them, those other people aren''t in my position. Meaning the honor is all mine."

    "Is there honor in it?" She asked bitterly. "For you, with me?"

    "I, at least, feel there is." Lyle replied evenly.

    "...I''m sorry."

    "Again with the apologies. Alright, what is it for this time?"

    "For saying all these weird things." She muttered. " It''s just that I''ve never had any experience when it came to things like this and I''m scared that I''ll mess up somehow, cause you trouble."

    Lyle folded his arms, stifling another yawn. "I think that''s normal, isn''t it? "

    "I wouldn''t know. But either way, I don''t like it. What if that actually happens?"

    "If that happens, I''ll deal with it. Although I don''t know what sort of trouble you think you''ll bring me."

    " But what if--"

    "Melanie, you like to overthink things. Don''t. I like you, and you like me, what else do we need to be concerned about?"

    Melanie wanted to disagree. There were a lot of things she could think of that they would have to be concerned with.

    But she didn''t say anything.

    "Melanie."

    "Ye--?"

    There was a small pause in her brain just then, a momentary blankness as she felt his lips pressing softly against own.

    It caught her completely by surprise and she didn''t have any time to prepare herself for it. But it wasn''t unpleasant, just the opposite.

    When the kiss was broken she was almost regretful.

    "I''m sure you''ve got a few things you aren''t telling me, but whatever your troubles are you can let me know all about them when you''re ready. If it''s something about us, you won''t ever have to face it alone."

    Melanie couldn''t deny it, she felt her heart warm at the words, making her chest swell with indescribably sweet feelings.

    She nodded, a happy smile lighting up her face, and laid her head on his shoulder.

    She said nothing further, but felt much more at ease. The soothing quietness settling deep into her bones.

    There was a strange heat that came to life in her body, making her extremely relaxed and comfortable.

    In almost no time at all, she''d drifted off into sleep...

    Lyle stared at her sleeping face out of the corner of his eye. She must have been pretty tired, to fall asleep so quickly.

    He didn''t dare move, afraid to wake her.

    He realized that his body reacted strongly towards her closeness, but somehow...it was a little more muted. He noticed it before, but ever since he got back that fire was more calm than it had been. More tame.

    He''d kissed Melanie quite a few times by now. Although he did feel quite a bit of lust, of arousal, it was not as pronounced as it had been before. A small touch used to be enough to test his endurance. That wasn''t so anymore

    Before, just a little contact with the opposite sex set his entire body on fire. Now it gave a warm heat but little more. Slowly rising, yet much easier to control.

    Lyle noticed that he was never under as great a pressure as he had been that first time, that the fire was becoming easier to withstand.

    But this was too exaggerated.

    It was like, somehow, the fire had been doused.

    How? Why? What changed?

    Lyle had no answers, but he didn''t bother with that for now. Instead he closed his eyes and breathed in deeply. Then slowly let it out. Making deep and even breathes in a steady rhythm, he continued like that for several minutes.

    He took note of the rising fires within him.

    His consciousness was entirely focused on that strange, almost alien energy. He could feel it swirling around inside him, becoming hotter and hotter as time went on.

    Lyle could almost see it. blue-violet flames, pulsing in conjunction with his own heart, rising ever higher with each beat.

    He imagined a dark space where nothing but the flames remained.

    He imagined himself, grasping for them. No...was it really just his imaginings?This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

    And as soon as his hands touched the fires, he could feel an intense warmth spread everywhere. A searing heat. It burned. A wave of pain could be felt from his hands, flames licking them everywhere...Consuming him...

    Lyle fought back, wanting to open his eyes, wanting it to stop. But something held him here, to this place, against his will.

    One of his arms tingled, and it was like the fires were being absorbed into that arm. Soon the flames began to die down, being sucked in at a rapid pace. Lyle felt like he wanted to scream, but no sound came.

    His fingers twitched uncontrollably, his entire arm feeling like thousands of needles were stabbing into him.

    Lyle forced his eyes open, his breathing rough.

    There was a few minutes of him simply regaining his bearings, trying to get his heart to stop pounding against his chest.

    Just when he thought everything was fine he heard a small hissing noise by his feet and looked down. He stiffened, eyes wide, not making a move at all.

    There, right by his feet...was a snake...

    What''s more, it was a very strange-looking one. With a golden base but black stripes. Green eyes and a purplish tongue that darted in and out of it''s mouth at times.

    It looked as if the snake Mark on his arm had been given life, it''s stripes being very similar to the pattern he saw on the Mark.

    The snake was very ethereal, too. Beautiful. But the more beautful something was, the more dangerous it could be.

    Where had this thing come from? Lyle thought this, but didn''t have time to ponder on it more. He didn''t hesitate at all, his hand struck forward with lightning speed and tried to catch the snake before it could do anything to them--Yet his hand met only air.

    His hand had moved through the snake''s body!

    Greatly shocked, Lyle looked at the thing dubiously.

    Snake, what snake, this thing obviously wasn''t an ordinary snake!

    "What are you?" Lyle wondered aloud. But of course, it didn''t answer.

    Seeing how it made no hostile movements, Lyle gradually became a little calmer. He stared at it warily, not taking his eyes off of it.

    "I can''t touch you. An illusion? No, wait..."

    Was this because of what happened just now? All of that, could it have actually been real? He was trying to control that strange energy, but he couldn''t tell if what he "saw" was true or not. Although that pain...at least thatwas real enough. He felt it''s lingering touches even now...

    Was this snake the result of that somehow?

    he snake peered up at him, perfectly still.

    What was it waiting for?

    Lyle suddenly had a thought. An idea.

    But, surely not, right?

    ...Without much hope that it would work, he sent a mental command to the snake.

    To his surprise it listened obediently. It stood up and licked Melanie''s face with it''s tongue, then settled back down away from her and awaited further commands.

    ...Lyle could hear Melanie''s breath quicken, then see her little mouth open and her face flush feverishly. She shifted uncomfortably in her sleep but calmed down quickly.

    Seeing this made Lyle knit his brows. What a strange reaction. What was that?

    Lyle wanted to perform a few tests just then. He gazed at the snake intently.

    I wonder...if I can make it go away?

    And as soon as the thought entered his head, the snake slithered towards him. Lyle froze, not sure what it was going to do.

    The snake moved towards his arm. When it made contact, it started to vanish. It''s head, it''s body, the tail, everything faintly glowed with an inner golden light. Then the snake broke into small particles before being absorbed into his arm.

    Amazed, Lyle''s mouth nearly fell open.

    He felt a surge of something flowing from his arm to the rest of his body, a warm power that made him feel at ease. He tried to grasp that power, that energy, and imagined the snake coming back out of him.

    He saw the snake Mark on his arm flash, then the snake mysteriously popped back into existence. He made it re-enter his body.This time it didn''t move towards him at all, just directly breaking down to a golden dust and being absorbed into his arm.

    Then he made it come out again. In, out, in, out, it didn''t show any sign of annoyance.

    It listened every time.

    Then, by chance, he closed his eyes when the snake was out of his body. What happened that time shocked him even more than anything that had happened before then.

    I can see through this thing''s eyes, Lyle shouted inside his own mind, excited.

    At first he thought it was his imagination, but no, that wasn''t the case!

    He moved his hands, eyes still closed, and could see himself making the same exact motion in real time.

    He could see every breath of his and Melanie''s, every rise and fall of their chests.

    This...this was just...amazing!

    He was already picturing all the potential uses for this.

    Lyle wondered about something, however. Could other people see it too? It had, as far as he could tell, no real physical body. Yet he could hear it''s movements on the ground. And it was able to touch Melanie. Strange, very strange.

    To what extent could he control it? This snake...it had to be made up of pure energy, right? So then what, exactly, can he make it do? Could he make it grow? Could he produce more? And what was that reaction it caused in Melanie?

    He had a few questions, but no answers yet. Lyle had another thought: It someone stabbed it, would it get hurt? Die? If it did, would there be any backlash to Lyle?

    Lyle knew he couldn''t touch it, but it could touch others. Maybe it depended on his instructions? If he willed it, could he touch it then?

    Lyle decided to run some other tests. First, touching it.

    Looking at the snake, he slowly reached for it. Willing it to become solid.

    ...Nothing.

    Maybe he just didn''t have the hand of it yet.

    No, well, let''s move on.

    He chose to spend the next several minutes with his eyes closed, sending the snake outside of the tent.

    He could see, with crystal clarity, a few mercenaries around campfires. He saw Murphy lose in a round of cards, and saw Nyk quietly drinking from a mug.

    No one noticed the snake at all. It wasn''t small, it was the size of Lyle''s leg. And with it''s unique colors there was no way it wouldn''t attract attention.

    So, no could see it. Lyle wanted to know if he could make people be able to see it, but decided not to at the moment. Since he didn''t know what would happen if it was attacked.

    Which was another thing. Lyle wondered if it had any attack capabilities, but had no way of confirming this as of yet. What was off, though, was that each time the snake''s tongue came out of it''s mouth Lyle could...smell...a faintly sweet fragrance from all around him.

    Each one was subtly different, almost none entirely the same. He followed one particular trail and it led him to one of Val''s archers. The woman, to the eyes of the snake, had a red flame in her chest as she was talking to one of the knights. It''s core was a deep blue.

    Was that...lust?

    Now that he got a good look, the knight right there was a bit good-looking. Hm...

    Lyle could see the same red-blue flames in his chest too. Could he see such things in this form? Or did it mean something else?

    He told the snake to follow another trail. This time it led him to another woman. But there was no bit of red in her chest, nor was she talking to any man. No, she did smell a bit fragrant but that was all.

    He tried again, and found a woman that did have it. This time it was stronger, pulsating slowly, a living fire in her chest that was twice the size of the last one as she stared at another woman across from where she sat.

    ...Lyle followed several more trails, and each one led him to a different woman.

    A few of the woman, very few, gave off a cleaner smell. Sweeter. He didn''t know why, but a few of them did. Whatever the case with that was, each trail led to a woman.

    No men.

    What''s more, he had a burst of insight into the snake''s mind. Yes, it seemed to have some form of sentience itself. And it appeared to think of the women as...prey. He wasn''t sure how else to put it to words. Was it tied to Azamat in some way? Judging from what he was seeing, it would make a lot of sense. No, actually, it had to be. Lyle was trying to control the "sexual energies", the fire, that was coursing inside him at the time.

    Then, after that mishap, the snake was born. So obviously it was tied to that thing. Yet it was very similar in appearance to the snake Mark on his arm. And it''s eyes were the same shade of green too. Was it a mix? Did the energies from those things reach a boiling point inside him and produce this...creature?

    But why could Lyle control it? Why did it feel like a part of him? This new "ability", just why did it manifest in him now?

    Lyle was frustrated that he didn''t know any of the reason for this. So he chose to not worry about it for now.

    Lyle found that he didn''t detect any scent from the males. At least not at first. But when he tried, when he gave it a few minutes, he detected a peculiar odor wafting off from them.

    It wasn''t bad, exactly, but it wasn''t good either. Like dirt. Earth-y.

    The snake had no interest in them, but it could clearly see a few of the men with small flames of red in their chest that came and went with seemingly no clear pattern.

    Lyle wanted to know a bit more about the snake and it''s abilities. Thinking back to the reaction it''s touch made in Melanie, he wanted to try it again.

    He spotted a small band of women to his left, all sitting around a fire and talking to one another. Val was among them, almost forcing a pint of some sort of alcoholic beverage down another woman''s throat while wearing a large smile.

    Lyle told the snake to get closer to the foot of one of the females in the group who was seated a bit aways from the others. No one noticed a thing. They couldn''t.

    The snake did nothing but touch her a little, laying by her feet. This went on for a long minute. At first there was no change in her face, yet Lyle saw that mysterious flame in her chest rise higher every second. It was like oil had been thrown on it, making it go wild.

    It didn''t take long before the woman''s eyes started to cloud over.

    He could see how she swallowed and shifted uncomfortably in her seat. She folded her hands and leaned forward, her pupils becoming larger as she licked her lips, looking parched. Then she let out a sigh, her breath visible due to the coldness.

    The woman closed her legs, as if she had to pee, and he could see her breath becoming quicker. Rougher. More...erotic?

    The girl rose suddenly, saying she was going to sleep early. A few curious glances were thrown her way, but no one noticed anything off.

    Lyle followed her, but didn''t enter the woman''s tent.

    A few moment later he could "smell" a faint sweet and spicy scent. A moment later he could hear soft, muffled noises. His hearing was in fine working order even in this form... no, it was even better. As such, being so close to the tent let him hear everything perfectly.

    It was obvious what the woman was doing.

    He left her, feeling a little guilty, but ultimately putting it aside.

    Lyle felt a little angry too. He should have know, this snake''s power was as perverted as one could get! It seemed like it was little more than one giant, living aphrodisiac!

    He was thoroughly annoyed. Such a useless, perverse, pathetic excuse for a power....

    Why, of all the possible abilities he could get, did he have to be stuck with being able to conjure some sort of...of ero snake?

    Lyle felt a great sense of injustice. He felt dirty.

    ...But it looked like this snake did indeed have quite an effect on women. Ugh. What a joke.

    He decided never to use it in such a way.

    Regardless, this would prove useful. Probably. No one could see him in this form and that meant he could spy on people if the need arose. That one hateful ability aside, the snake may be able to help him gather information if nothing else. If used properly, that is.

    He didn''t know the range of this thing, however.

    He knew that he could control it when it was at least within a hundred or so feet from him, but that was all.

    Maybe he would experiment more later, but not now.

    He wasn''t sure how he was able to hear things, either. Snakes, could they hear? He didn''t think so, but it didn''t matter. He could hear, which was a good thing. No need to question it. Besides, this snake wasn''t a normal one anyway.

    If it had fangs and could help him in a fight, even better. And...maybe that other power would have some use. If he was fighting a woman, maybe he could distract her using is? Although he was a bit loath to do so...

    He told the snake to come back, then opened his eyes.

    The snake disappeared into his arm and that was the end of it.

    He once more wondered why this ability suddenly manifested. What, exactly, was the reason for it?

    This was beyond just trying to control a form of energy. This was conjuring a sentient or semi-sentient being from seemingly thin air. That snake was like...like a Familiar, almost.

    Lyle understood that something had to have changed for this ability to be triggered, but didn''t know what it could be. He was only trying to gain control of his Anima, of the power--the fire-- that was always raging inside of him when he touched a woman. That was all.

    This was not the result he would have expected. It sparked a nagging suspicion at the back of his mind, because he knew that something wasn''t right but he just couldn''t figure out what it was.

    He hated not knowing things. Not understanding things. It irked him to no end.

    With his mood taking a decidedly downward turn Lyle''s gaze turned to Melanie. Her sleeping face was so peaceful and serene that he couldn''t help feeling a little more at ease. But he also noticed that her cheeks were...oddly red.

    Smiling bitterly, he carefully extracted himself from her arms and stood up. After that the pinkish hue to her cheeks slowly died down, but her brows furrowed as if she were uncomfortable. After a moment her arms groped around in the air, seeking something.

    This didn''t last long, Lyle putting her arms to her side and covering her body with a blanket.

    As he stared down at her there were a few beastly thoughts that entered his mind, unbidden. But he squashed them down, as he always did recently. Knowing that these urges were not to be trusted, and especially not to be given in to.

    He took a deep breath and forced himself to settle down, though it was a struggle.

    Lyle felt a moment of helplessness as he looked at her. Honestly, what was he doing jumping into another relationship so soon?

    He didn''t exactly like it, it was as if he was making a mockery of his past relationship with Sophia. Like she could be replaced so easily.

    Lyle felt he was making a mess of things. He hadn''t even cleared the misunderstanding with Sophia yet...

    Melanie was right about one thing, when looked at from a different perspective it would seem as if he only wanted this relationship to happen due to guilt over what he did, or almost did, to her.

    While not entirely wrong, it wasn''t right either.

    He liked Melanie.

    She was sweet, and simple, and he wanted to see if they could have a future together once all this was over with.

    He did want to take responsibility, but he also wanted to get to know her better. It was obvious that she had feelings for him, and they weren''t simple master-servant or sibling-like feelings either.

    Lyle had feelings for her, too.

    He''d come to appreciate her presence in his life, her quiet care.

    So he didn''t propose this option half-heartedly. It was only after much deliberation, much thought, that he laid it out on the table in the first place.

    There wasn''t anything stopping him.

    He had many opportunities to form relationships with other women in the past, but he never did because he was loyal to Sophia. To the idea of "her and I".

    That...wasn''t part of the equation anymore.

    Meaning there was no reason to not be with Melanie. She already made her own feelings clear, she told him that she wanted this. Maybe not those exact words, but even so.

    Since she chose this, he intended to see it through. To take things seriously.

    Yes, he thought that maybe he was rushing into another relationship pretty fast. But he wouldn''t pay that any mind.

    He wanted to focus on his relationship with Melanie for now. He could clear things up with Sophia later on at some point, but he wouldn''t dwell on things.

    No, he''d move on. With Melanie, he would concentrate on themselves and not worry about whatever misgivings he may have.

    Of course, before he could truly do that he first had to deal with his and Iris'' own problems.

    Thinking this, he picked up Iris and left Melanie''s tent.

    Lyle''s tent wasn''t far, just a short walk. Cecelia was nowhere to be found, at least not that he could see. Maybe she was already sleeping.

    He carefully laid Iris down on the wide bedroll and covered her in a blanket. He''d had two, one for each other, but the girl kept on finding her way to his side so he just got a wide one and tried to keep her on her own side using a pillow or two.

    He took off his boots, pants, shirt and other pieces of clothes, changing into a light shirt and trousers. Lyle never did like sleeping in nothing but underwear.

    He considered stripping Iris of her clothes, but decided against it. She just wore a dress, and although a little frilly it was still nothing that would really get in the way. And he didn''t want to disturb her too much, so he left it alone.

    Lyle let out a soft sigh as he laid down and covered himself. The night was, of course, cold. Took two thick blankets to shield themselves from it.

    He laid there, staring up at the ceiling of the tent, listening to the sounds of nature. He touched the scar on his chest, his thoughts heavy.

    Thinking of all the strange things that took place tonight, Lyle found sleep to be an elusive mistress.

    And it was a long time before he finally succumbed to its sweet embrace.

 Chapter thirty-three pt. 2

    Melanie woke up the next day feeling relaxed and energized. She stretched, letting out a long, drawn-out yawn.

    For some reason she felt so full of vitality. Melanie looked around, but couldn''t find the Young Mas...no, Lyle, anywhere. Lady Iris was gone as well.

    Melanie wondered if the other day was just a dream. But no, that couldn''t be...

    She and Lyle, they were really...that, right? She recalled the events from last night and couldn''t help blushing.

    The last thing she remembered was falling asleep on his shoulder. How embarrassing...

    She noticed the blanket just then, knowing he was the one who must have put it on her. For some reason the thought brought a small smile to her face.

    Melanie stripped down and quickly put on some new clothes.

    After washing her face with some water and drying herself with a towel, she moved outside.

    Melanie saw Lyle and Iris in the distance, Lyle already performing his morning practice session. Iris was watching him closely while that Nykyrian person stood opposite of her brother and readied his sword.

    Melanie found herself staring at Lyle, as she often did. But she hurriedly looked away when she saw one of the female mercenaries grinning at her as she walked by.

    She became extremely awkward just then, smiling sheepishly at the woman.

    Then she frowned suddenly, finally noticing that there were actually quite a few women who were openingly oogling him from afar.

    Melanie was shocked.

    Really, didn''t these women know any restraint? Staring like that, without a care in the world, so shamelessly!

    ...Even Melanie had never done that!

    It sort of made her unhappy.

    She wondered if this was how Lady Sophia felt whenever she went with him to a ball or some other public event. Many young Ladies had to have done the same as these women were doing.

    Melanie again had an unpleasant feeling well up within her at the thought, imagining the subtle looks they''d have shot his way.

    Although he was often busy with training, maybe off on a trip with Lady Cecelia for a few weeks or a month for some mission that he''d been sent on, he still made time to go out with Sophia and have fun together. Especially in the early days of their relationship.

    Melanie felt a little pang of jealousy as she watched the women make eyes at him. But she sighed and just let it go.

    Instead she chose to do something more productive.

    She walked to the carriage in search for a pan and grill, then found the Icebox and took out some ingredients. She wanted to cook something.

    This was the first time she would be cooking something here by herself, she usually had Lyle of Lady Cecelia start the fire for her. Lyle didn''t let her cook for them much either, saying she wasn''t supposed. That it wasn''t her job anymore. Not that it was needed, they found a town or often enough so it was rare that they had to camp outdoors.

    It was only recently that towns became more scarce.

    And Melanie never even had to start a fire from scratch, so the technique was foreign to her.

    In the past century magic made it so that it was far easier for people in towns or cities to be able to cook by using ovens inscribed with magic-infused runes.

    But this was restricted to town and cities. She''d never journeyed outside of Varric so she never had to learn how to start fires.

    Sadly portable magic devices that allowed one to start a fire was very pricey, not something she thought a mercenary would waste money on. Common folk wouldn''t be able to easily afford it anyway either.

    So it wasn''t surprising that Lyle didn''t bring one along. A tinderbox, he had said, would do just fine.

    Melanie had never used a tinderbox, though...

    But how hard could it be really?

    Seeing Lyle hard at work made Melanie intent on cooking him something. He was always ravenous after his exercise ended.

    She wanted to surprise him too, show him that she was perfectly capable of doing things herself even when in places like this.

    A simple fire should prove no problem!

    She was very confident. After all she''d seen Lyle and Cecelia do it enough times, so how could she mess up?

    Thinking this, Melanie therefore took the ingredients, cookware and tinderbox out of the carriage and carried them over to one of the campfires closest to her.

    Cecelia had set this one up earlier, she recalled. A series of thick and flat rocks place in a U-shape.

    Now let''s see...

    First was wood. She had to get wood.

    There wasn''t any on hand so she''d have to find some. Shouldn''t be too hard, there was plenty.

    Melanie spent the next ten minutes looking around the ground near campsite but there wasn''t any that could be seen. Had it all been picked up and used already?

    After searching some more she decided to just take some wood from the low-hanging branches of trees and bushes.

    After she had a few pieces, she took the kindling from the tinderbox and set it down inside the U-shaped formation of rocks.

    She didn''t notice the strange looks the people who passed by gave her when they saw what she was about to use as fuel.

    Paying not attention to them, Melanie got out the flint and steel from the tinderbox.

    ...She just had to repeat the motions that she had seen the Lyle and Lady Cecelia do, right?

    Taking the steel and flint in hand, she hung ot pver the fine kindling and struck them against each other.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    Nothing happened.

    Disappointment was written all over her face, but she let it go.

    So...she had to strike it harder?

    Melanie did so, and to her excitement she instantly produced a few red-orange sparks!

    But there were not too many...and they died before they even hit the kindling...

    Not to be put down, Melanie tried again.

    She brought the flint and steel closer before striking them.

    ...The sparks died again.

    Melanie''s smiling face from a moment ago froze.

    She struck again.

    And again...And again...And again...

    The sparks never lasted long. They fizzled on the kindling for a bit and then winked out of existence.

    Melanie felt a growing sense of incompetence but still continued.

    She didn''t even know how long she stood there, striking the two pieces together and then watching the sparks fade away into nothingness.

    Come on, she begged, urging the sparks to take hold of the kindling, willing them to grow into flames.

    But nothing happened.

    She struck once more, her hands shaking as the cold set into her hands.

    But no matter how many times she tried, the sparks never flourished.

    Melanie, even still, stubbornly struck the flint.

    She just sat there on her knees and continued the monotonous motions until her arms became tired and heavy.

    Melanie felt her eyes grow hot.

    Why? Why wasn''t anything happening?

    She clenched her teeth, feeling her throat begining to close up.

    " So stupid." She muttered angrily. "It''s just a fire. I can do this."

    She''d seen people do it plenty of times.

    "So why?" She asked herself. "Why isn''t it working?"

    Melanie refused to give up.

    After several more minutes of useless attempts...success! The sparks caught onto the kindling and started to grow!

    Melanie quickly took hold of this opportunity and used her hands to carefully stop the wind from putting them out again.

    She swelled with pride, feeling very good about herself at the moment.

    But she kept calm and gently flew on the sparks, breathing more life into them.

    Then, just as they began to spread...A harsh wind blew the sparks began to fade.

    "No... No, no, no, don''t go!" A wave of helplesssnes was slowly taking root in her heart.

    She scooted forward, using her body to block guard against another gust, frantically striking more sparks onto the kindling.

    "No, don''t do this, don''t die, please..." Melanie begged silently.

    Just as she thought everything would be fine another even more unforgiving wind came.

    It blew dust and kindling into her face, making her cry out and swipe at her eyes.When everything had calmed down she looked down, almost unwilling.

    "....Gone..."

    The fire....the kindling....everything was...

    Frustration got the better of her, causing Melanie to angrily throw the flint onto the ground.

    It hit the rocks, hard, sending large sparks everywhere.

    A few stray sparks caught on her clothes, the would-be flames clinging to the the thick cloth.

    She ignored it, thinking they''d die down, but soon caught a whiff of smoke.

    Jumping up with a yelp, Melanie patted her clothes down until the sparks were no more. But there were now several small holes that let the cold air seep inside.

    .Melanie looked down at the holes blankly.

    She ran a hand through her hair, her breathing rough. She couldn''t take it. She could feel the tears building along her eyes, wanting to scream and stomp her feet. Useless. She felt useless. She couldn''t even start a fire...

    There was a moment of self-hate and misery that overwhelmed her. But she held it in, her hands reaching for the flint with tembling hands.

    ...It was broken into five small pieces...

    She looked in the tinderbox, but there were none left.

    Melanie could sense a few pairs of pitying eyes on her. But she didn''t look up. She took hold of the pieces and made them into a tight clump.

    Then she took up the steel took and struck at them. The sharp edges of the rocks bit into her hand painfully.

    This time there weren''t even any sparks.

    She struck again.

    Still nothing.

    "Melanie?" She heard a voice behind her. Feminine, familiar.

    "Lady Cecelia." Melanie greeted the girl numbly, continueing her attempts.

    "What''re you doing?"

    "Fire."

    "Oh."

    Cecelia peered over the girl''s shoulder and knitted her brows in confusion.

    "Melanie, the flint''s broken..."

    "No, it''s fine."

    "Where''s the kindling?"

    "Oh...Most of it blew away. But there''s still some left, see?"

    The girl struck the flint again.

    "Melanie, I think you should st--"

    "No, I can do it."

    "But--"

    "It''s just a fire."

    Cecelia quietly watched the girl make her futile efforts for a few moments more before sighing.

    Looking at the wet and green wood at Melanie''s side, the girl shook her head and left.

    ***

    Cecelia returned a few minutes later with several long pieces of wood. Dry and dead.

    Taking out a small wooden box from her coat pocket, she then crouched next to the girl whose hands seemed unable to stop their relentless attempts at producing a spark.

    Cecelia took out a few tools from the box.

    After gathering the remaining kindling into a small pile Cecelia then made a few swift and precise motions.

    Large sparks came to life and landed on the kindling.

    It took just a few moments of careful prodding from her before she had a good flame going, the bright orange fire hungrily burning through the kindling.

    Cecelia broke off a few pieces from her dry wood and strategically set it near the small fire, allowing it to eat up the fuel and add to it''s size.

    Soon it was large enough so that she didn''t need to protect it from the wind at all and could enjoy the heat it put off.

    She controlled the flames expertly, making them neither too large nor small, then placed the grill on the large, flat rocks so that it rested on them stably.

    Cecelia glanced to her left and saw Melanie staring emptily into the flames, the broken pieces of flint held tightly in her hand even still.

    Cecelia, despite seeing the dangerous death grip she held on the stone, said nothing.

    "...I couldn''t even light a simple fire..." Melanie''s voice was barely audible.

    "I''m sure you would have been able to do it eventually." Cecelia replied smoothly.

    The girl flinched, as if she could sense the lie.

    "Were you hungry?"

    "No, I..." The girl stopped.

    "You what?"

    Melanie looked away.

    Cecelia followed her gaze and immediately understood. A neutral "I see." was all she said. Then, after a moment, "You''d best start then, no?"

    "Yes. Right." Melanie got to work, letting go of the tools in her hands and reaching for the pan. "...Thank you, Lady Cecelia." Her voice once more went small, like she were ashamed.

    "You''re welcome." Cecelia acknowledged her gratitude easily.

    Melanie began cooking shortly, calming down.

    ...She could feel Cecelia looking at her.

    When she turned to sneak a peak at the young woman she saw a peculiar expression on her face.

    It made Melanie very nervous. It felt like she was somehow being judged...or something.

    "You''re a nice woman, Melanie." Cecelia spoke up after a long period of silence.

    Melanie, surprised at the sudden compliment, became awkward. "Oh. Um...T-thank you...?"

    Cecelia nodded. " I thought so before, but you even remind me of my sister. In many ways, actually" She continued.

    Melanie was most certainly not expecting something like that, her hands nearly losing control of the cookware.

    "R-really? I don''t see how--"

    "Yes." Cecelia cut in. "You''re both quite..." She searched for the right words. "...introverted, I''d say. Nice, but shy."

    ...Weak...

    Melanie might have imagined it, but the word definitely seemed like it belonged there.

    "..."

    The girl stood up, apparently readying to leave. " Although I have to admit, you''re quite a bit braver than Sophia."

    Melanie blinked. "Braver?"

    Cecelia gave a short laugh that was full of good cheer. "Of course. I mean I was pretty surprised to see that you and Lyle had such an intimate relationship. Sophia faced quite a few snide remarks from the young Noble Ladies who fancied Lyle, which, now that I think it, is probably why she never felt good enough for him. I doubt they ever let her feel like she was.

    "Ah." Cecelia stopped herself."But I digress. I suppose what I''m trying to say is that since even she was isolated and talked of behind her back, then I can only imagine what they''d say about you. Given your..." She looked Melanie up and down, her face carefully controlled."...position. Or lack thereof, I should say."

    Melanie winced just then, understanding better than anyone what caste of people she belonged to.

    In comparison to people like Lady Cecelia and Lady Sophia, Melanie was really just...too low...

    But Melanie could hear a note of admiration in the girl''s next words, which caught her off-guard.

    "Knowing all this and yet still going through with it, doesn''t that make your pretty brave?" She asked, her tone seeming to betray a hint of approval. "After all Lyle''s not an easy person to fall for, from what I understand. For various reasons. "

    Melanie stayed quiet, feeling the words slowly sink in.

    "Well," She went on after a short pause. " Although Sophia couldn''t handle the pressure of it all, I really do hope things turn out better this time around. "

    The girl smiled faintly before turning to walk away. But she stopped, and Melanie could see out of the corner of her eye the way the girl thoughtfully looked at her.

    "But...I wonder exactly how long you two have felt this way for each other?"

    Leaving behind such a question, she left.

    ...Melanie knew the woman couldn''t have meant it, but the unsaid accusation, the impied meaning, still stung...

 Chapter thirty-four pt. 1

    Lyle had not often encountered a woman he''d been unable to handle.

    Most were easy.

    They really only required a bit of prodding, he barely had to even try. He never had trouble talking to them, and most never had any real resistance against him.

    The Noble Ladies, at least, never gave him any trouble at all.

    Lyle was always the one who controlled the flow of things.

    But never before had he encountered one like Sera. A person who was so obviously unhinged. The words she said, the way she looked at him--almost possessive--set him on edge in the worst way.

    Which is why he wasn''t very enthusiastic when he awoke the next morning and she made her move.

    Accompanied by two knights, Sera strode foward to intercept him as he walked.

    "Oh, good morning Bell." The girl had eyes only for him, seeming to ignore everything else. Very disconcerting.

    "Good morning, Lady Seraphina" A very standard acknowledgement of her presence he was loathe to give.

    She either didn''t notice or didn''t care, appearing oblivious to his curt tone.

    "I thought I saw you coming out, but you certainly are an early riser aren''t you?" She offered a small smile full of friendliness.

    The girl looked at him warmly, as if the words of the previous night were mere figments of his imagination. In fact, he almost believed it.

    Lyle watched her calmly, not showing an ounce of either hostility or warmth.

    "It''s time for practice." He replied shortly. "Do your knights not also train in mornings?"

    She tilted her head curiously. Had he not known the sort or crazy that hid behind that pretty, delicate face of her''s Lyle would think that movement rather cute. As it was, however, he merely wished for this conversation to end.

    It was difficult, being torn between going through the motions of proper etiquette and politeness but wanting little more than to tell the woman to go away.

    He blamed his parents for this.

    When it came to women disrespect must apparently be imparted where and when it''s due. Unfortunately now was not the time nor place, what with her being so civil and all.

    "No, I''ve never seen them do so. I do see them sparring for around an hour in the evenings, however."

    "Only an hour?" Lyle couldn''t help curling his lip in disdain.

    If there wasn''t anything more, then an hour of sparring was far too lax for a group of knights.

    Situps, pushups, jumping jacks, there were numerous things a person could do to train their body even by themselves and with no equipment.

    Things like sword control and breathing exercises, especially, were important to a knight. One allowed you to hit what you wanted and nothing more--an excellent skill to have. The other gave you the ability to last longer in a fight and not drain yourself too quickly.

    There were also other things to practice as well, such as footwork. And even boxing or wrestling techniques. Grapples, counters, things of that nature for when you''re fighting someone up close and personal without a weapon handy.

    A knight needed to train in all those things.

    They needed to become second nature. Instinctive. A real battle can become messy fast. Maybe you wouldn''t even need most of the techniques you learned, maybe you''d never have to use them.

    But if you did, they had to be so deeply ingrained into your body that, if needed, you can execute those moves flawlessly and without hesitation.

    Lyle practiced all those things religiously. As soon as he warmed up he''d work on his muscles, breathing, footwork, combat techniques, counters, sword control....

    It took longer than an hour. That''s why he got up so early.

    To practice everything he needed in order to be as strong and durable as was possible for him.

    These were, of course, the absolute basics. All the nuances can be picked up later, through experience. But these? They had to be practiced everyday. The basics were your core, your foundation.

    And if the foundation was weak, the entire building would collapse.

    But these knights only sparred? For an hour? If that''s really all they did, they deserved to be scorned.

    "That''s exactly right. Is there a problem with that, young sir?" One of the knights spoke with with a touch of warning. Probably dissatisfied at being looked down upon by a man much younger than he, and detecting the note of ridicule Lyle subtly gave out.

    "No, nothing." Lyle shrugged. "It''s just that now I know why you lot couldn''t even protect a single girl despite being so numerous in number."

    A person who had someone to protect needed strength, and Lyle believed it was a sin to not pursue the kind of strength needed to protect that someone. If one couldn''t put in the effort then they should just go and die. Hope someone else takes over.

    He turned back to Sera. "It seems as if someone gave you mere dregs, my Lady. If not that, then obviously the standards where they trained at are much lower than I would expect. Truly lamentable. I wonder if you''re not better off with me teaching you how to defend your own self. Since your knights seem, from what I''m hearing, unable to protect you themselves." He smiled faintly, mockingly. "Or perhaps," He went on, " I should show them exactly what it is they''re doing wrong."

    The nose of one of the knights flared. "And how do you propose to do that?"

    "A match." Lyle didn''t back down at all. "Me, and whoever you choose. You can even come at me with a few of your buddies, if you wish. I wouldn''t mind." His smile turned sharp. "It''s been a while since I last had a truly good workout with so many people. So, what''ll it be?"

    The two knights stared at him like he was insane.

    He may very well be these days.

    "So? What, are you scared? Do you not want to? Can it be that you lack bravery as well as skill?" He goaded.

    "You''re on!" One of the knights said.

    "Bell, wait, I don''t think that''s a good idea." Sera voiced her thoughts.

    Lyle remained as stoic with her as he could. "Your concern for my well-being is appreciated, my Lady, but unneeded."

    "No, it''s not you I''m concerned about..." Sera glanced nervously at the other two, wondering if they''d be alright. She''d seen a bit of what he could do. Strong, fast, smart, as durable as stone....

    But how could the two of them refuse, when so blatantly provoked?

    "Apologies my Lady, but this is something we have to do!" The other nodded.

    Lyle''s hand itched, wanting to draw blood. "Good. Come with me then."

    **********

    They moved a little away from the rest of the camp, towards the road.

    Under the curious looks of the others, they went on. A few knights frowned as they saw what was happening and followed. As did some of the mercenaries.

    Lyle stopped, turning to face the other two. He saw them taking off the armor they wore, probably as a way to keep things "fair". But it was a wasted gesture, it wouldn''t help even if they kept it on.

    "So you want to face me yourselves? As I said, you can pit whoever you want against me. Or try to overwhelm me with numbers. Either way."I don''t believe that will be neccessary." Said the taller of the two, a man about ten or twenty years Lyle''s senior. "I''ll go first." He drew his sword.

    "Have it your way. If you change your mind, let me know."

    The man sneered but didn''t deign to answer.

    Lyle took out the thick black sword he always used, the familiar weight as crushing as ever.

    The older man hesitated. That kind of sword... Where had he seen such a thing before?

    He couldn''t recall, but it almost reminded him of something...

    "Are you ready?" Lyle asked.

    "Quite."

    And then he moved.

    Lyle felt a surge of bloodlust but remained composed.

    He took noticed of every minute detail of the man''s muscle movements, knowing what was to come.

    "You''re far too easy to read."

    Then as soon as the man was within range, Lyle''s arm blurred.

    His blade gently hit the other, seeming to coil around it like a snake. The thrust was moved away from his body, entirely rendered useless, and in the next instant the man''s sword went flying into the air.

    "Pathetic." He sneered. "Again."

    The man did as he was told, going into a defensive stance.

    A calm, hard gaze come to life in his eyes, no longer playing around.

    Lyle gave a brief smile.

    "Much too rigid. So many openings." He shook his head.

    He propelled himself forward, almost too fast to see.

    The man grew alarmed, hurrying to block the oncoming attacks.

    One strike, two, three.

    And that was all it took. The very instant after the third strike, the young man''s sword disarmed him yet again and pointed his blade at his neck.

    The man froze.

    Although it didn''t seem like it, during the last three strikes he was clearly able to feel the sheer force and weight of each.

    It was like a mountain was bearing down on him, giving him a sense of being crushed.

    "A protective stance should be more fluid. How can you defend yourself when you can barely react to anything? Your muscles were strained, unable to be flexible when it was needed, unable to properly dodge or counter. You were too slow to move, a fatal mistake. I have to say, so far your points are in the negatives."

    Lyle took his sword away from the man''s neck. "You." He pointed to the other knight. "Your turn. Entertain me."

    The taller knight felt beads of sweat along his brow.

    Just now the young man gave out an insurmountable feeling, a heavy aura of oppression and strength that he just couldn''t match.

    What''s more, that dreadful bloodlust...

    It made his hair rise. This sort of thing, a bloodlust that was as strong as this, was not something that could be acquired so easily. To pressure another person one needed a strong force of will. But to create this sort of utter dread in someone you had to have felled many a foe alongside that.

    A person as young as this, having that kind of bloodlust, so thick and strong? That wasn''t normal. He turned to his younger compatriot, whispering, "Don''t let your guard down. This boy is strange."

    The man nodded, confident.

    "Let''s play, shall we?"

    Lyle and the younger man stepped towards each other, swords at the ready.

    The man didn''t hesitate, rushing forward and continuing to attack Lyle in a flurry of fast-paced strikes.

    Lyle dodged them easily, escaping with a paper-thin margin. Not a single movement wasted at all.

    Lyle then started his own barrage of attacks when he saw the other starting to tire.

    He quickly and precisely cut into him. Cheeks, arms, legs, every point where the man was weak was taken advantage of.

    His attacks were like raindrops, wearing him down into nothing with sheer number. The strikes increased in speed, faster and faster until the knight was bleeding profusely from shallow, superficial wounds. No matter what the other tried to do, it was useless.

    Against human opponents, very rarely did Lyle lose.

    Lyle dominated the entire fight, controlling every single action. Every attack, every move the other made, was all under his care. The knight stepped where Lyle wanted him to step and attacked where Lyle wanted him to attack.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    The knight understood this, but he couldn''t do anything about it!

    In the chaos of battle, the young man before him was somehow determining each and every aspect.

    This wasn''t even a fight, just a puppeteer in the midst of controlling his puppet.

    Until, finally, Lyle once again held his sword to another throat.

    He didn''t look winded at all.

    "Hm." Lyle contemplated. "I never actually used that style of combat in a battle. Slow, but effective. It seems you were useful to me, good job. You''re a bit better than your friend there, if just barely. Take heed, though, you''re much too honest. Despite your skill and talent appearing a little above average, you''re way too straightfoward. You should work on that."

    Lyle turned to the other knights that had gathered. "Anyone else wish to test their blade against mine? Or are you all content with being weak, worthless dogs?"

    There was something different about him. Something that Cecelia and the others, had they been there, would have noticed. Such a display, such harsh and arrogant words, were unlike the usual him.

    Yet they weren''t present, and he himself didn''t care for self-reflection at the moment.

    Everyone''s eyes brightened when they heard his words, a few knights eagerly stepping foward.

    They had all seen how the young man dealt with the two.

    To be able to land so many strikes on the last man yet not cause any lasting damage or accidentally kill him, one could see just how skillful he was.

    It was hard to plan out every move even in a match like this. In battle, no matter what type, there would be no time to hesitate or give much consideration to your next step.

    Things went downhill fast and you can only rely on your instincts to survive, to dodge the next attack, to strike at just the right moment.

    But the way he just manipulated everything like this wasn''t something normal people can accomplish.

    It was the first time they saw someone so young wielding this kind of ability.That is the type of person you called a genius.

    How can they not want to polish themselves? Although it galled them to admit it, they had grown lax. Sparring against someone like this would definitely benefit them greatly.

    Sera watched this all with a hard to read expression.

    "Young Miss?" She heard someone call to her. Voorhis.

    "Good day, Captain." Sera greeted distractedly

    "What''s going on here?"

    "See for yourself."

    "Oh, a sparring match?" He realized belatedly.

    Wait, a line? Was he going to fight so many? The men seem in high spirits, why....

    "Hmm..." Voorhis watched, in disbelief, as the youth took on three to four of his men at a time. And what''s more amazing than that was....

    "What do you think?"

    He shifted. "A blade like that is something I''ve only seen used by those training to be Elemental Knights. God only knows how he got his hands on one. Unless he''s an initiate and his master sent him out to gain experience. But he wields it so easily, it''s astonishing. I''ve seen some initiates training with them before, none of the younger generation ever had that kind of control. And even his monstrous strength aside, his sword skills are far above the norm. Who spars against so many at one time? That''s asking for a beating, but he does it so naturally. Regular opponents wouldn''t be a match for him without using some sort of trick."

    "I asked about him, not his skills."

    "He strong and he''s got talent. The boy has a bright future, what more can I say?" Voorhis carefully dodged the question.

    Sera silently watched him for a moment more, then bloomed. Her smile was enough to melt the heart of even the most coldblooded of men.

    " He truly is exceptional, isn''t he?" A note of pride was heard beneath her words. "My Bell..."

    Voorhis was strangely quiet.

    **********

    "That was quite a performance." Sera clapped her hands as she walked.

    He saw Nyk off to the side, giving him a Are-We-Going-To-Do-This-Or-Whatkind of look.

    As soon as he saw Sera, however, he just shook his head with an amused smirk on his face and leaned against a tree. Presumably waiting.

    Traitor.

    "Hm." He only gave a non-committal grunt and began to wipe the faint sheen of sweat from his brow.

    Seeing this prompted Sera to take out a pristine white cloth and present it to him.

    After a while it was clear she wouldn''t lower her hand unless he took it, and with the pressuring gazes of all the men around them he had little choice but to accept.

    "Thank you." As curt a reply as ever.

    Another thousand-watt smile. He feared he may go blind if she kept doing that.

    "My pleasure."

    It took only a few moments, then he began folding the thing neatly. "It''s dirty, I''ll wash and return it la--"

    "That won''t be necessary." The girl said quickly, snatching the sweat-stained cloth from him before spiriting it away.

    Lyle narrowed his eyes at that, but what was he supposed to say?

    Her smile grew shamelessly larger, not minding him at all.

    "I''ll go fetch some water, you must be thirsty." And with that, she was gone.

    He mulled over his previous choice. It may be just his imagination, but perhaps he shouldn''t have accepted the thing after all. It felt like it just encouraged the girl and he didn''t want that at all.

    He was in a foul mood. Over something so insignificant. That fact alone irked him even more.

    He felt like hitting something again.

    "Nyk, let''s go." Lyle called out.

    The man nodded and they each took their stances.

    **********

    When Sera reached her tent she immediately dismissed Voorhis, closed the flaps and fell on her bed.

    She idly brought the white cloth in her hands to her nose.

    "As expected, it has his smell. And so strongly too." She murmured. Sera took a moment to just lie there and breath it in.

    "Ah, how sinful....to think I would be doing such a vulgar thing...."

    "No, rather, this is his fault. Who told him to make me into this kind of woman? Oh, but must he be so...so cold?" She sighed to herself. "Why doesn''t he aknowledge me? Does he not understand how special those moments were? Does he think I''m a loose woman who wouldn''t care?"

    Sera was very frustrated over the matter, that he was so adamant in rejecting her. She just wanted things to be as they should, as they were meant to be. Was that so wrong?

    She shook her head clear of these thoughts. Wouldn''t be good to dwell on things, she should just focus on the task at hand.

    And so she stood up, took a pitcher of water, and intended to head back--she folded the piece of cloth and placed it under her pillow for safekeeping before she did, however.

    But just as she turned to leave a voice made her stop right in her tracks.

    "My Lady, there is a little girl here requesting an audience with you. Shall I send her away?"

    Sera blinked. Girl? She searched through her memories, and a small figure appeared in her mind.

    Oh. It must be sister-in-law. What a good opportunity....

    "No, that''s quite alright. Please let her in." She felt her voice shake just a bit in the midst of her excitement.

    "Yes, My Lady."

    It wasn''t long before an exceptionally beautiful woman, with waves of shimmering jet-black hair, walked inside.

    Sera frowned. What little girl? This cool-looking woman can be called a little girl?

    Despite her expectations being betrayed, that didn''t mean she would be unkind.

    But her frown persisted. This woman, who was she? Sera had seen her before, but her memories of her were vague. She was not the same black-haired woman who was amongst her guests last night, was she?

    No, that one had blue eyes, not grey. That girl was Lord Jaime''s sister, if she recalled right. Not like this grey-eyed woman at all.

    "Good morning." Sera greeted politely. "To what do I owe this pleasure, Miss...?"

    "Cecelia." She answered, in a voice which was neither warm nor cold.

    "Cecelia. Right, please come in and have a seat then." This was not going to be a normal conversation, Sera would bet. She wanted to get back to Bellamy, but felt this may be important and so pushed the desire into the back of her mind.

    Plus, something about this girl bothered her.

    "As you wish."

    While Cecelia came inside Sera busied herself with getting some cups and treats ready. It was a short few minutes before they were both seated on a with a small round table between them

    Sera provided some milk and a pastry for each of them. She liked sweet things.

    They didn''t talk, which suited her fine. She just continued to gaze at Cecelia intently. The way she sat, the way she drank. It was all very graceful, even the way she held the cup in her hand.

    "I thought so. I knew there was something off." Sera laughed in realization, causing Cecelia to halt her actions. "You''re a Noble too, aren''t you?"

    The remark made Cecelia''s mouth nearly fall to the floor. Shocked and blindsided she geld firm. "I''ve no idea what you speak of. Such an idea is preposterous." Cecelia denied with not a single bit of indication she was lying.

    "No...I''m right." Sera nodded to herself. "It''s in the way we''re bred, you know. We all have little things we can''t really hide. If only one knew what to look for, it''s easy to spot the inconsistencies. Even the words you say and the face you just made. Most would not be so calm. Your self-control betrayed you."

    Cecelia''s brows knit together. Unexpectedly this girl was rather sharp.

    "One needs not be of Noble blood to have been raised well."

    "Of course. " Sera agreed. "But the clothes you wear aren''t what normal folk can afford."

    "My parents are merchants. We do pretty well."

    "Bellamy also comes from a merchant family, but he doesn''t wear clothes that look to be made from famous tailors. You do."

    As a woman, of course she''d know of such things. It was one of the first points she noticed about this Cecelia woman.

    "I have that exact same coat too." She pointed. It was a deep black coat with silver buttons and a small gold design over the left breast. "Kiergan, no? He makes some fine pieces, expensive pieces. Sadly he doesn''t deal with merchants. He makes clothes exclusively for Nobles. Still want to deny it? Or do you admit to stealing from a person of Noble blood instead?"

    ....Shit....

    Cecelia inwardly cursed. She''d been careless.

    Her time with the mercenaries made her forget how smart Nobles can be. They excelled in discovering secrets, in using words against you. Cecelia hadn''t seen another Noble when in disguise like this, she wasn''t prepared for meeting one.

    Only a few minutes and she already knew what Cecelia was, how did Lyle stay with her for several hours undetected?

    "Don''t make that face. If it weren''t for that I wouldn''t have even thought of the possibility. It''s a bit embarrassing to say, but usually I''m not all that sharp when it comes to things like this." Sera admitted. "Tell me, what House do you hail from?"

    Cecelia had little choice but to accept the reality of the situation.

    "I can''t say."

    "Oh" Sera''s eyes dimmed. "I guess that''s understandable. "And you''re out to gain some experience, I assume?"

    She hesitated."Yes."

    "Ah. So you come from a more militant family than most then." The light returned. "Not many Houses would allow their sons and daughters to venture out with mercenaries just for something like that, unless they thought it could provided valuable lessons...Lessons which regular Noble families wouldn''t need."

    Cecelia again cursed, this time at herself. Despite this girl''s looks, she really was quite quick-witted.

    "..." When facing one like this saying nothing was always best.

    Seeing how she refused to say more on the subject, Sera let it go. "Right, what did you wish to speak to me about again?"

    Cecelia put down her cup.

    "It''s about Bell."

    The light came rushing back. "Bell?"

    Cecelia frowned. "Yes. In short, I''m here to tell you that any advances won''t yield any results." There was no other way to say it, so she said it as bluntly as she could.

    And yet, was her voice also a bit cold just now?

    "What?" Sera''s smile froze. "What do you mean? What is this?" She started to grow suspicious.

    "I mean," Cecelia worked to control her voice, to keep it even. " That he''s already been taken by another woman. I''m sorry. But if you plan on trying to tempt him it won''t do any good. He''s quite loyal." Unfortunately.

    "How..." Sera started, "...No, why do you think I would even..." Her voice faded away

    Cecelia smiled gently, trying to lessen the blow. It was a small mercy she felt the girl deserved. "Look, I''ve seen the pattern before with other girls. It starts when he saves you, protects you, takes care of you....makes you feel really safe and secure. Then you want to repay him, but he refuses. So instead you want to do something nice for him, maybe even just cook him a meal, and he reluctantly agrees. But in the end, when you try for something more, he moves away. And you think to yourself, ''Why? What did I do wrong?''"

    "But there wasn''t anything you could do." Cecelia stared intently into the girl''s eyes. "You might think that you''re special, that he''s special. That you were guided here, to him, due to something like fate. That perhaps he was too, that he was meant to save you." And Cecelia sighed. "But no." She told the girl. "That wasn''t the case. You had the good fortune to be saved in a time when you needed it. That''s all. No more, no less."

    Cecelia really did do her best to try and let her down easy, but she could only notice how Sera''s hand gripped the edge of the table so hard her knuckles turned white.

    How her eyes moistened with unshed tears and anger and disbelief.

    "You''re wrong." She replied. Her voice was distinctly huskier than it had been just moments ago, harder for her to control. "Something like that, you''re all wrong. I''m not like them. I''m not like those other girls. Me and Bell have a connection. I felt it. You can''t tell me otherwise. I felt it."

    Cecelia was already shaking her head. "What you felt was the gratitude and relief at being saved. Like I said, he made you feel safe. You depended on him. But that''s all it was." Her expression was stern, almost harsh. "These feelings you think you have for him are false. An illusion, created because he was the one who rescued you. Fate had nothing to do with it. When all is said and done you''d probably feel this way about anyone who saved you. It didn''t have to be him, they just had to do what he did."

    Cecelia continued to try and convince her, but from the glare she got in return she could tell it wasn''t going well.

    "I said you''re wrong. You''re wrong about all of it. Anyone? No, it wouldn''t be any good unless it was him. I''m telling you, I felt something between us. The things we did, the moments we shared together--"

    "I''m sure they were important to you." Cecelia cut in, silently wondering what she meant by ''things''. "But to him it was just another day, another person he felt obligated to help. He doesn''t care about you in the way you want, and your own feelings for him are also shallow."

    Sera still fought. "We were meant to--"

    "Be together? Yes, a few of the others said that too." Most of them. The ages varied, some even older than Melanie, several already full grown women.

    But all they wanted, to Cecelia''s mind, was that sense of security. Lyle provided that feeling easily, and that''s what they desired. Not him. How could they? They barely knew him.

    And because of that Cecelia told them what she told this girl now. She had to. Cecelia couldn''t stomach seeing how they treated him, not caring about the person but just the things he could do for them. It sickened her, knowing that they only wanted him for his looks and his strengths.

    No, not just them. The Noble Ladies too. She hated how, for all the attention they threw his way, none of them seemed at all interested in actually getting to know him--or rather, they couldn''t. Because he was different from them. He wasn''t spoiled rotten, wasn''t as only knee-deep and naive as they were.

    They merely liked him for his face and status.

    People like that in general were deserving of her disdain.

    "But that doesn''t make it true. In a few weeks what you feel now will have cooled down, trust me. Don''t bother to hope for something that will never be."

    Sera remained unmoved. She just sat there looking dazed.

    Then a sharpness once more came to life within those irises of her.

    "This other woman you mentioned previously...it''s you, right?" Her tone was a touch mocking.

    Cecelia was taken aback. "What? No, we--"

    "Don''t lie to me!" It was a low hiss that shocked even Cecelia into quiet. "I''m not stupid. I hear how you talk about him, it''s not like it''s hard to figure out." She spat the words.

    Cecelia almost laughed right in her face. The two of them, together? Something like that was unlikely, she now understood.

    Whenever he looked at me before I always knew that I was never the sister he thought about.Now I''m just a reminder of the woman who couldn''t even see him with another girl without thinking the very worst.

    And given what Cecelia saw last night, Sophia wasn''t the only one who lost out to a mere maid. No, in truth Sophia didn''t. Only Cecelia.

    Ironic when she thought about it.

    "Our relationship has never been like that."

    "Even if that were true, if you weren''t interested then why even bother to come here and cause trouble?" It was like an interrogation. " And if he has someone who isn''t you, then why do this for them?"

    Cecelia wasn''t ruffled at all. "He''s my friend. At one point he nearly became my brother-in-law. This much care is as expected. It means nothing more."

    "...Brother-in-law...?" Sera frowned, confused.

    Cecelia had warning bells go off in her head. She stood abruptly. "We''re done here. Remember what I said. I really do think that''s what would be best for you. As I said, don''t hope for what will never be."

    **********

    "Do you see how worked up they''re getting?" Livia grinned. "Honestly, some women really are petty to a fault. Such low-quality women, we should just kill them right?"

    Iris opened her eyes, shaking her head. "What? No! Big brother would hate that."

    "Oh? Is that all that''s stopping you? You''ve become quite vicious, haven''t you?" Livia peered at Iris with a smile.

    "..."

    "Hey, isn''t that Cecelia chick a pretty nice person? Coming to talk to the girl like that, out of the kindness of her heart, to keep her from making a fool of herself?"

    She was watching Iris'' expressions closely.

    The little girl had a look of disgust. "Please. She just cares about keeping the herd down to a manageable size. She only had Melanie to compete against before, but then another opponent suddenly pops out from the ether? Hmph. Playing the good friend in front of my brother and Melanie yet carrying a scheming heart, it suits a woman like her who would turn against her own kin without a second thought."

    "Ah, so she''s just a snake then." Livia said.

    "Nothing more." Iris agreed.

    She went on. "So what should we do? Surely having such vile people by our brother''s side is no good. Should we not remove the disease altogether?"

    Iris felt herself getting angry. "My brother, not yours."

    Livia narrowed her eyes, but nodded. "Of course." Came the smooth reply.

    "And like I said, he wouldn''t like that."

    "Would he even know? How would he?"

    "My brother isn''t stupid, he''d find it too suspicious...and I wouldn''t be capable of feigning sadness for their passing..."

    No, rather, wouldn''t she even be happy?

    "But if we were to--"

    "No!" Iris snapped. "We won''t kill. Never. I refuse."

    "Ha." Livia offered a short laugh. "We''ll see about that. In the future you''ll realize you should have listened to me. I think you wouldn''t mind killing then."

    "And what do you mean by that?" The little girl demanded.

    "Don''t you think it''s weird how attached that girl''s become?" Livia questioned back mysteriously.

    "What?"

    "And look at the others too. Already showing signs, aren''t they?"

    Iris looked around her, perplexed. "I don''t..."

    "Lust is a very powerful emotion, you know." Livia''s smile grew. "it can make people do pretty horrid things...Just keep that in mind, Little One"

 Chapter thirty-four pt. 2

    "Iris...Iris..."

    Lyle tapped her shoulder.

    Soon the far-away look in her eyes left and she focused on his face.

    "Brother?"

    "Iris, are you okay?" He asked in concern. " You looked out of it for a moment there."

    She smiled. "Brother, I think the cold is getting to me, I probably shouldn''t be walking. I feel I may collapse otherwise."

    He paused. "Really?" There was doubt in his words

    "Really." She replied seriously.

    "I see. Fine, let me carry you back to the tent. You can get some rest, I''ll make something for you."

    Lyle wasted no time in scooping her into his arms.

    "Planning on taking her back? What, is she sick or something?" Lyle turned, catching Cecelia appear at his side.

    "Yeah, she doesn''t seem to be feeling all that well so I''m just going to have her rest and eat something healthy." He replied.

    "Hm." Cecelia''s eyes sparkled with a certain understanding and was merciless in cutting down the little girl''s plan. "If you want to put some food into her then Melanie''s almost done cooking."

    A very pointed glare came her way from Iris, who then ignored the girl. Denying her existence.

    "Sounds great." Lyle knew how careful and meticulous Melanie was when it came to cooking, everything was taken into consideration and her dishes were always very nutritious. Better than anything he could make for sure.

    The three began the trek to Melanie''s location, and Cecelia spoke up as they walked.

    "So I talked to that Seraphina character." The girl started. "She''s a bit sharper than you would expect."

    Lyle raised a brow. "You talked to her? About what?" As far as he knew there should be no reason for Cecelia to approach her.

    "You." Cecelia mentioned casually, as if it were no big matter. " Seeing how your relationship with Melanie has evolved I thought it best to warn her that any advances would be unwelcome. I know how it is when you save some poor girl, better I do this now before she gets any ideas about you."

    Lyle stopped. "Cecelia." His voice was just a little mean. "I know I never got mad before when you did this--and yes, I always knew about your little antics--but I''m not with Sophia anymore."

    "I know that, but--" Cecelia started, rising to her own defence.

    "If you know, then why''d you interfere? No, forget it." He stopped her before she could answer. "Anyway, what do you mean about Lady Seraphina being sharp? Wait..."Lyle had a bad premonition coming on as he looked Cecelia up and down. The way she walked, talked, the clothes she wore...he took in everything. "Cecelia, don''t tell me..."

    "Yeah." She sighed. "Yeah, it''s that. I''m sorry."

    "Hm? What? Brother, what''s going on?" Iris questioned.

    Lyle ignored her for now. "How long did it take her to find out?"

    Cecelia reluctantly told him. "Probably only a few minutes...she was fast. I was careless, I should have hid myself better. I didn''t think we would meet another Noble, so..."

    "Dammit, Cece." Lyle muttered. "How many times did I tell you not to wear anything out of the ordinary? We practiced. This shouldn''t have happened."

    "I know." She grumbled. "I messed up. I know that."

    Truth be told, in the early daysm she messed up a lot. Made slips. But Lyle was always a better actor, had a better head for these kind of things. So he helped her. If she made a blunder he''d cover it up. If she did the wrong thing, said the wrong thing, even wore the wrong thing...he''d point it out.

    But he''d stopped when she''d gotten the hang of it herself, which didn''t take long. She was a fast learner. It''s just that Cecelia never thought she''d meet another Noble. She didn''t think she''d meet anyone who would notice the finer details.

    "No, it''s not all your fault. I should have warned you to be more on guard." Lyle was quick to assume partial responsibility. " What else does she know?" He didn''t bother being too hung up on it and moved on.

    "She knows I come from a more militarized family than most, but that''s all."

    "Haha...that''s all?" There was a bitterness to him now. "How many Noble Ladies named Cecelia are there who come from a family like that? Even if she thinks you''re using an alias if she just asks around about me and finds out about Sophia then those two names might allow her a flash of insight. She may find out who I am next." He shook his head wearily. "I knew I should have had you use a fake name too, now it''s biting me in the ass. Great."

    Cecelia felt a pang of guilt. She left something out. The last thing she said, about him almost being her brother-in-law, that was a mistake that she was sure would get him worked up even more.

    Should she tell him? But he was already like this, what good would it do?

    Also was there a reason to get herself into even more trouble with him than she already had? First allowing Iris to endanger herself, now this. Cecelia knew these two things weren''t something that a simple sorry could atone for.

    In the end she opted against telling him and instead tried something else. "I don''t know, wouldn''t it be a big leap from just those two names? She didn''t seem to have any doubts about you at all, maybe..."

    Yet they both knew it was unlikely.

    And Lyle was about to break any belief Cecelia had in the idea.

    "She knows who the Greysons are, Cece. I lied to her, and she believed it, but I doubt she''s stupid. Those names, all of them, together? If she can discover what you are from just a few minutes alone with you then she won''t be so thoughtless as to believe it''s merely a coincidence names like that are all seen in the same place."

    It''s no secret Nobles sometimes are sent out to gain experience of the world, even if they aren''t really the kind to travel with mercs. And it''s also no secret that Lyle and Cecelia often disappeared from the spotlight for long periods of time.

    Even though no other Noble would know who they are or what they are doing, exactly, they would be able to guess they were out training themselves.

    In families like their''s it wouldn''t be odd at all.

    Cecelia was quiet a moment. "What do we do?"

    "Wedon''t do anything." He told her. " All that can be done is to have the three of you stay clear of her until we get to Zeshar, then we can part ways with Jaime and the rest and just disappear into the crowd."

    "Lyle, I don''t think she''ll leave you alone. " She voiced a worry of her''s. "You should have heard the way she talked about you. The woman''s--"

    "A bit touched in the head, yeah, I know." He finished dryly. "That''s why I said the three of you."

    "The three of us?" Cecelia repeated in incomprehension. "I don''t understand."

    "It''s simple, I''ll just keep her occupied." He clarified.

    Cecelia still didn''t get it. "But how--"

    "Don''t worry about the how, just watch out for yourself."

    "Okay, fine." She wanted to get more out of him but knew it''d be pointless to try. "Are you sure it''ll all be alright? This one really isn''t like the others, she might have people search for you if you just up and vanish." For a Noblewoman who has her eye on a man something like that wouldn''t be too surprising

    "You really think anyone could find me if I wanted to hide myself" He cocked a brow at her.

    Cecelia considered.

    ...Well, it was true he was hard to track down when he didn''t want to be...

    "Even if others can''t I would always be able to find you, big brother." Iris chipped in happily.

    "Yes, well, not everyone has the nose of a super-powered bloodhound." Lyle smiled down at her.

    "Hmph, the nose has nothing to do with it. I have a sixth sense that tells me where big brother is at all times." She said proudly, supremely arrogant.

    "Is that why I never won a game of hide and seek with you?"

    "It is indeed."

    "It''s a good thing they aren''t you then, eh?"

    "But of course. I''m special. Since I''m your sister only I have such a godly power, big brother, you needn''t worry about others being able to do the same."

    "What a relief."

    "Hm."

    Cecelia couldn''t help but feel frustrated "Are you two done? Lyle, this is serious."

    "I know." He sobered. "But there isn''t any point in getting down about it. Just remember what I said and we should be fine. We''ll tell Melanie too."

    "Tell me what?"

    As the three came within her earshot the girl in question heard some of their talk.

    Lyle briefly explained the situation.

    "Oh...Oh...That''s bad, right? Isn''t that bad? That sounds really bad..." Melanie fussed, then grew pale. "Wait, she...she doesn''t know about me, does she?"

    Her fear rose. The girl liking Lyle wasn''t very odd, and Melanie didn''t care much about it, but what if she found out the person he was with....was her?

    The spite of a Noblewoman was not something she could handle!

    But Lyle eased her worries.

    "No, don''t fret. Cecelia didn''t mess up quite that badly." It was a small yet well deserved barb. "Plus no one except us knows about it so you don''t have anything to fear. "

    Honestly he didn''t know what, if anything, Sera might do if she knew.

    Nobles had a lot of pride and if she discovered the object of her affection was together with a woman like Melanie, who was obviously not of "high birth" at all she might take offense in exactly the same way Sophia had that night.

    "Really?"

    He nodded. "Of course. And if she or any of her lackeys ever did hold malicious intent toward you of any kind I can promise they will live the rest of their lives regretting it."

    Despite the lightness of his tone and brightness of his smile the sky seemed just a touch darker.

    "What if they did something to me, big brother?" Iris batted her eyes and asked prettily.

    "I''ll directly torture them to death." An utterly flat monotone.

    The two older girls felt a chill. They really didn''t doubt him.

    "So it looks like we''re all caught up then? Good. "

    With nothing left to say on that front Lyle sat Iris down gently and looked over what had been prepared.

    "There''s some blueberry oatmeal, cauliflour toast, a few peaches I found in the Icebox, eggs, bacon, hashbrowns..."Melanie began explaining the options to him. " I also noticed we had some leftover chicken from the other day and reheated that....oh, and I prepared some tea. Lemon ginger, all I could do right now. But I can get you milk if you''d rather have that instead." She offered. "I know you like to have that in the morning sometimes."

    The other three looked at her weirdly.

    "Melanie, how did you have time to do all this? Actually, how many people were you planning to feed?" Cecelia wondered aloud.

    The girl despaired. "I-I overdid it, didn''t I?" She scratched her cheek in embarrassment. "I''m sorry. I didn''t know what he would like best so I just started with a few of the breakfast staples like the eggs and bacon, but that didn''t seem good enough so I sorta just...got carried away..." She shrunk, her voice small.

    "He?" Lyle repeated. "What, you made this for me? All of it?" He asked her incredulously

    "Y-Yeah...." Melanie swallowed. She felt regret, great regret! Who was she trying to impress, huh? She should know her limits, now it seemed like she was trying too hard!If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    "I see." Lyle rubbed his chin thoughtfully, thinking that Melanie might be the overly excited type when it came to relationships.

    Not that he blamed her, it was new ground for the girl after all.

    "Well you didn''t do anything wrong, don''t worry about it. And at least there''s enough for everyone, right?"

    Everyone? Melanie felt a little rejection for that idea since she made everything with him in mind.

    But she wasn''t one to dwell on these kind of things for long, and indeed it was always best to have a meal they could all enjoy together.

    "You know, Melanie, your best quality is your ability to cook." Iris suddenly cut in. "Such a thing is the bare minimun a wife should be able to do. I suppose you can at least be of use to big brother in that way, if nothing else." She smiled at the girl. " Good work. Though you lack refinement at the very least you have a bit more feminine charm than a certain other person I could mention." She cut a glance at Cecelia.

    The entire thing, every words, every syllable, sounded full of barely masked thorns.

    Both Melanie and Cecelia felt them poking into their skin painfully.

    Meanwhile Iris started eating a peach, as if nothing had changed at all.

    "Iris." Her brother said.

    " Yes?"

    "Don''t."

    "...I''m sorry, big brother."

    The rest of the time they spent eating in silence, each lost in their own thoughts.

    **********

    It was near the end of their meal, as they were cleaning up and everyone was preparing to leave for the last stretch of their jouney, that she showed up again.

    "Bell." Sera appeared behind him, beaming.

    Melanie abruptly rose from her seat, nearly jumping up from fright. Since she was seated right beside him she wasn''t sure the other woman would notice or not and feared she''d say something.

    Although Lyle assured her she still had reservations. This was a Noble, Melanie was sure that the woman would dislike her just for being close to the person she took a fancy to...

    But contrary to expectation, she was ignored. Not once did Sera even look her way. It was as if Melanie didn''t even exist.

    "I''m sorry I didn''t come back." The girl began. "I... wasn''t feeling too well." She finished lamely. "When I came to look for you I noticed you were already eating. I didn''t want to disturb you, so..." She took note of the lack of response. "Anyway, I was thinking, and, well...would you care to ride with me? I don''t have a carriage or anything of the like, sadly, but we could still ride together!" She finished excitedly.

    But her face slowly fell as she saw that he still just busied himself with cleaning. He didn''t bother to react to her at all. His continued indifference made her feel like she was drowning.

    "Bell?" She reached out her hand, lightly pulling at his arm.

    And finally he couldn''t keep pretending.

    Lyle turned to the girl, giving a small smile.

    "That sounds like a fine idea." He surprised them all with a positive response. "I''d love to join you. That is, if you really don''t think I''d be a bother...?"

    Sera blinked, not expecting him to say yes after how distant he''d been lately.

    But she bounced back quickly, stars litting up her eyes beautifully as she nodded. She radiated barely contained enthusiasm.

    "Of course you wouldn''t be! Since you said it, you can''t go back on your word!" She told him.

    He chuckled lightly. "Don''t worry, I wouldn''t do that. One shouldn''t refuse good fortune when they come upon it, right? Having the luck to be asked by a beauty to accompany her for a ride is something I''d never refuse."

    To all those present that smile seemed to become more dazzling by the second. Especially to Sera, who nearly thought this to just be a nice dream.

    Melanie, on the other hand, wasn''t sure how she felt when looking at the interaction. It was undoubtedly not a good feeling though.

    " Also I have been thinking that my previous words were a bit much and wanted an opportunity to properly apologize. So this gives me a chance to make up for any distress I''ve caused you."

    "No...No, that''s alright. Please don''t mind it." She assured him hurriedly. "I''m just..." She struggled for the words. "Happy that you aren''t mad."

    "I''m not at all. Why would I be?"

    "It''s okay, you don''t have to say that. I know that I seem a little...clingy..." She bowed her head sorrowfully.

    Seeing her do this Lyle unexpectedly took a step closer, coming into her personal space. Without pause he gently took her chin in his hand and lifted her head back up. "Please don''t." He leaned down, whispering softly into her ear. "Your face is too pretty to be hidden away."

    Sera froze, keenly feeling his warm breath brush against her neck. His lips nearly touched her skin, close enough to kiss.

    Her heart thumped loudly in her chest.

    "O-oh..." Sara babbled nonsensically for a while, her face heating up unbearably. "Um, t-thank you....I won''t anymore...hm..." She had an incredibly happy expression just then, apparently oblivious to everything else at that moment.

    "I-I should go." She said, obviously reluctant. "I...uh, no, we...can talk more in a bit." She laughed nervously. Then disappeared, as if scared he''d suddenly change his mind.

    Lyle''s previous charming look disappeared along with the girl''s figure, instantly returning to normal. It was such a fast change that you''d never be able to tell it was ever there at all if you hadn''t seen it yourself.

    "So that''s how you plan to deal with her." Cecelia''s voice was as cool as ever. Even, without a ripple. "Whoring yourself. Again."

    "I don''t know what you can possibly mean by that." He looked at her coolly, then glanced at Iris'' blank face.

    "That...that..." Melanie, just seeing the scene from just now, felt her face heat up. A felt a small twinge in her heart. She was so irrationally confused and hurt and sad that she wasn''t able to speak properly.

    Luckily Iris voiced the question Melanie herself wanted to ask. "What the hell was that?"

    "That," Cecelia said darkly, "Was how your brother usually gets his way."

    Lyle rubbed the bridge of his nose, knowing he''d never be allowed to live this down.

    **********

    Melanie was dying.

    Or at least that''s what it felt like.

    Really though it was just extreme depression mixed with a healthy dose of self-loathing and cynicism.

    For an hour now she''d watched as Lyle and Lady Seraphina rode together on their horses, despairing more and more every second.

    She would sit in the front of the carriage and sneak furtive glances at the two on the far left of her.

    She acted normal, casually appearing to look at the distant mountains, all while covertly checking on the two as they talked.

    Each time she saw how much Lyle smiled and laughed with Lady Seraphina, Melanie couldn''t help wanting to crawl in a hole and hide from all the negative thoughts running through her head.

    Remembering the way he lifted the girl''s head by her chin, such an intimate action, how he whispered something low into the girl''s ears that made her go red and causing the calm composure of her Noble upbringing to come crumbling down, it was safe to say Melanie had a lot of grievances at the moment.

    Because she was unable to stop that scene from replaying itself over and over in her mind, feeling sick whenever she recalled it.

    She snuck another quick peek just then, her face falling after she saw the glitering, pink-colored atmosphere they had built up.

    Melanie sighed heavily

    "Melanie, can you please stop it already? You''re starting to annoy me."

    "Huh?" The woman asked, only half paying attention. "Stop what now?"

    "Looking at them. You thought I couldn''t tell?" The young woman shot the other a look of supreme irritation.

    "Oh! Oh my gosh I''m so sorry Lady Cecelia! I-I''ll quit right away!" Melanie rushed to apologize. She wrung her hands uneasily. "It''s just..." She stopped, not knowing if it was alright to talk to her about this.

    Cecelia was quiet for a moment, then slowly said, "I know the feeling."

    Melanie blinked. "Really?"

    " I''ve seen it before, so yes, I do." She nodded. "Watching it is hard, right? Like some sort of sickening bile you feel wanting to come out but never does. You won''t get used to it either."

    That was exactly it! She really did understand!

    It didn''t help her feel better thought. It just made Melanie get even more negative. " I know I''m being silly, but--"

    "He''s only doing what he has to do." Cecelia comforted. "That''s all he ever does. Nothing more or less." She eyed her intently "You and Sophia really are alike, so full of doubt and not enough self-esteem. It''s like you''re the same person."

    "Lady Sophia?" Melanie asked. "I know you said that before, but how can me and your sister be compared? She''s a N--"

    "Noble? Yeah, in name." Cecelia''s sharp smile was almost belittling. "But don''t be fooled by that alone. She''s weak. A real Noble shouldn''t be like that. Sophia, as much as I love her, never should have been born one. She''s like so many others of our kind. Spoiled, naive, helpless. Carried on by their betters. Satisfied with entrusting everything to them instead of standing on their own. Lazy in every way conceivable. They do the bare minumum of their duties and think that''s all they have to do."

    Cecelia''s voice was full of disgust as she spoke.

    Melanie felt her mouth drop. Then she thought more about it...was she being insulted? ...Not that she could say it wasn''t an accurate assessment...

    "You seem to have some rather...strong views, Lady Cecelia." Melanie replied carefully.

    To her all Nobles seemed like glamorous, powerful beings that stood apart from normal people. Hearing them being called things like ''lazy'' was a very odd experience for her.

    "Sorry." Cecelia cooled down. "I don''t mean to say you''re like that. As far as you''re concerned, you aren''t bad. But it''s not something you would understand, Melanie. You''re a common person, nothing''s really expected out of you. "

    Melanie felt an arrow stab into her but said nothing. She really didn''t know how to react to that.

    "It''s not the same for Nobles. "

    "How do you mean, my Lady?" Melanie asked, not quite getting it.

    "I mean that we''re judged differently." Cecelia explained. "If you make a mistake, it''s fine. If I do it''s always going to be held against me even If I''m forgiven for it. "

    Melanie felt she had something specific in mind. "You mean...that is, like what happened with Lady Iris?"

    She stiffened. "Maybe. Yes. That''s one example, at least. People are harsher on those they expect more out of. Failing to meet those expectations are worse sins than anything else."

    "And how does this relate to the other Nobles?" Melanie couldn''t see the connection.

    "How doesn''t it?" Cecelia shot back. "I hate them. Because I work hard to meet the expectations given to me, and they just...don''t. They have obligations but act like children." She told her bitterly. "Nobles who just play around aren''t true Nobles. They do as they please, they''re selfish. Whereas I can''t be. I have resonsibilities to uphold because I''m the oldest while Sophia can be a child all she wants and everyone thinks it''s fine. I can''t be like that. Ever."

    "Even though she''s a Noble too, even though she has the same expectations from common people I do, our own kind doesn''t mind letting her be the way she is because she won''t be the one running the family in the future. And since Nobles'' heirs rarely die the fear of losing them has diminished compared the past. Because of that they think it''s okay to just be lax about it all."

    "I hate that kind of thinking. Why should I have to be the good one? The responsible one? While others, like Sophia, are spoiled rotten and can do nearly anything they want just because they aren''t the firstborn? Do I have to die to make her grow up? Do all elder siblings of Noble children have to die for their younger brothers and sisters to mature?"

    Melanie felt something click in her mind, feeling enlightened. Honestly she''d never thought about any of that! It sounded so sad.

    Even though not all Nobles went on to be Elemental Knights a vast majority still had other duties that they were required to perform once they were fully grown. Like taking care of the territories under their control, keeping people happy and protected and fed.

    The firstborn would have to take care of things like that more often than not but the other siblings would usually be given tasks or territories to handle too. If not they were sent to other places as officers or soldiers.

    At least that was how it should be. But was this how it really was? She didn''t think Sophia or Iris would ever be doing this though?

    "So, in your mind only people like you and Young--Um, that is, Lyle, are...the true Nobles?" Melanie frowned, trying to work through all that she said.

    "I suppose. Although Lyle''s different."

    Melanie tilted her head. "Oh?" She felt like Lyle would be exactly the kind of "True Noble" Lady Cecelia was talking about.

    "A bit, yes. " Another nod. "Lyle''s different in that while he hates the feeling of expectations being forced upon him like I do, he himself also feels that it''s just how things are. He''s better than me who would complain to you like this, at least. Lyle, amongst his Noble compatriots, has always been charismatic. Attracted attention. And that''s because he doesn''t complain about his lot in life."

    "He sees all this," She waved her hand vaguely, encompassingly. " As just something he has to do. Not a chore but just something that will always be a part of who he is. Rather than other people expecting more out of him than he can give, it''s him who always seems to believe he should be better. He''s never really satisfied with anything about himself even if he won''t say it.

    "That''s the mindset every Noble should have." Cecelia said with conviction, eyes blazing. "I don''t have it, Sophia doesn''t have it, Iris doesn''t have it. In fact not a single Noble of our generation I''ve met except him has it. Either they crumble under the pressure and fail to meet the goals placed in front of them, or they don''t even try. He''s the only one I know who can meet those goals but is never really content even then. Doing something you don''t really want to, not feeling like it shouldn''t have to be you doing it, and being harder on yourself than anyone else...that''s what a Noble should be.

    "He has many faults, but in all, Lyle is my idea of how Nobles should be like. Not just the ones in charge, who need to be competant, but all of them. And I''m just constantly disappointed when I meet one of my kind who isn''t like that. Such as Sera, who looks like she cares only about some fantasy romance than anything else. Even though I understand how ridiculous it is to hold everyone to that standard....or even try to hold myself to it."

    Cecelia, after what felt like a full five minutes, finally finished her speech.

    And Melanie was a bit scared. "Lady Cecelia, do you...have a bit of a complex in regards to Young Master Lyle?"

    Maybe obsession was a better word...

    Melanie could feel that she admired him, but it seemed to go past that. She talked about him like he was...Melanie didn''t know what.

    Maybe that''s how she herself used to be before she came on this trip. In the early days Nobles were like gods to her, not humans.

    Especially Lyle since he came from a more powerful House than most, and was so much stronger and faster and smarter than even the ones Melanie had seen. Though it was rare, she had seen a few other Nobles in the time of her employment as his personal servant.

    And on those fronts she hadn''t seen Nobles who equalled him, least not of his own generation. Melanie herself knew how much responsibility rested on his shoulders.

    It was because one time she saw Lord Greyborne have Lyle handle some sort of paperwork. She didn''t know it then but he''d later admitted to her that it had to do with a new stretch of land that had come under their control.

    Something about how much tax they''d collect the following year from the residents who would be making homes there, how much supplies they''d deliver, the number of soldiers that would be sent to protect them...there was a lot he had to look over and approve. A lot he had to change or deny.

    It was only that one time as far as she''d seen but at that time he really took charge of who knew how many lives. The things he did might have seemed simple but they would have determined the livelihoods of everyone involved.

    Higher taxes might have made a man unable to feed his children. Less supplies might have stopped houses from being built or roads from being made. The number of soldiers sent would influence the safety of everyone living there.

    It was a new land, where a new town would be erected. And he had been in charge of managing it, even if only that once.

    Knowing all this it couldn''t be helped that she was a bit star-eyed when it came to him. Yet here was Cecelia, who shouldn''t be so illusioned, seeming to also have that problem.

    The girl jerked her head up, narrowing her eyes at Melanie. "Of course not." She said sternly. "Just because I respect him as a Noble, doesn''t mean I have anything like a complex towards him. I''m not Iris. Nor am I this Sera woman."

    The harsh way she spoke the words made Melanie regret she said anything.

    "Right. Of course." She mumbled.

    Cecelia settled down, shifting in her seat. "Now, getting back to the first topic...Sophia also feared he''d, go astray. When I think about it, dating a popular guy is worse than dating a popular woman. Men are usually more..." She considered. "...Lustful than women. Sophia knew that, and because she was so insecure it was very easy for her to become ridden with jealousy and depression--much like how you are now--whenever she saw him talking to other women. To believe he''d cheated on her with you that day."

    Cecelia let out a dry laugh. "You should have seen her, she barely doubted it for a second. She didn''t even want to go talk to him about it, let him explain. I told her she should, but she was too busy forming her own conclusions that condemned him as nothing but an traitorous dog and you as some evil seductress."

    "You...were with her that day?" Melanie, shocked, stared at the woman with wide eyes.

    "What? Of course not." Came the smooth denial. "I heard her talk about how she saw you two together, nothing more."

    And yet something didn''t quite sound right. "But you knew why we were there!" She exclaimed vehemently. "If you only--!"

    Melanie stopped her words abruptly.

    Wait... She thought.Now that I think of it, that day, at that time, why would Lady Sophia have even been at that place...? And apart from me and a few others, no one knew we''d be there....no one except...

    "Lady Cecelia, you..." Melanie paled at the thought. "Did you..."

    "What?" Melanie was hit by eyes that were exceptionally clear and bright. Two sharp, glittering blades. "Is there something you want to say?"

    The pressure of that gaze made her voice go small. A spike of fear went down her spine, and instead of saying what she thought, she could only lamely try and finish her last sentence

    "That is, If...if you just told her why we were there, then--" Then they''d probably... still be together... Melanie realized.

    Cecelia folded one leg over ther other and leaned back, casually brushing a lock of hair behind her ear. "Those who benefit off the actions of others shouldn''t be ungrateful." She said airily. " Don''t you think...Melanie?"

    And again, those eyes shone with an inner brilliance that made Melanie distinctly uncomfortable, made her want to run and hide.

    "...Right..." What else could she say?

    "It''s good you understand."

    Neither of them said another word, and Melanie sank into a profound silence.

 Chapter thirty-five pt. 1

    I love him...I love him so much it hurts...

    Sera could feel her chest contract as she forced down the urge to lean down and hug him.

    They''d stopped by a river, their entourage, wanting to feed their horses for the last leg of their journey.

    Bellamy was right in front of her, petting her horse affectionately. He liked horses, he''d told her. Spirit was an exceptional one, he''d informed.

    She stood to his back and just watched him.

    He was so close, so achingly close, and she wanting nothing more than to hold onto him and make sure he didn''t leave her like he did that night.

    To make sure this wasn''t just some pleasant dream and she''d awake to find him holding the same distant, disgusted look he''d had in his eyes just before he''d left her to her tears.

    Her heart was too happy right now, if this turned out to all just be her imagination she knew she''d never recover. She didn''t want to be hated. She had enough of being aliented by people, she wouldn''t be able to stand it if he did the same...

    All this time he''d been so kind to her, so attentive. They''d talked for hours, and she told him all kinds of things about her life.

    Even the embarrassing things she never told anyone.

    Because it didn''t matter what she said to him. He never made fun of her or pitied her, he''d only offer a story of his own and they''d both laugh at their own sillyness.

    Those were the things she loved the most about him. That wonderful laugh, so clear and true and full of good humour, making her at ease telling him anything.

    That and his smile which was so dazzling, so bright. She wanted him to always smile at her that way, to never let it dim at all. It was a smile that made her feel safe and happy just seeing it.

    If he smiled at her every day, and laughed like that with her every day, she''d never complain about anything again.

    If this was a dream she never wanted to wake from it. But if this was reality, then she was sure.

    Sure of her feelings, and sure of his. She knew how he felt about her, she could feel it deep in her bones. She loved him, and he loved her, and nothing else needed to be understood.

    Oh...She wanted to touch him so badly, needed to feel him...but she held back. She forced herself to hold back.

    Now wasn''t the time, not here, not with so many people around. No, they''d have time for that later, when they were by themselves, when they could just be with each other.

    And this time it''ll be different from the first, with a real bed. A soft bed they wouldn''t leave until well into the next morning.

    They''d dine on the finest food, and lick sweet wine off each other''s bodies, and then...

    She was so lost in her own thoughts that she didn''t notice when he''d appeared in front of her.

    "Sera." She loved the way he said her name, how it rolled off his tongue. "Are you alright? Your face is so red!"

    An amused light danced in his eyes and she knew he understood exactly what was going on in her mind at the moment.

    She hid her face, unable to look at him. "Oh, um, no, it''s nothing...I''m just a bit hot, that''s all..."

    Unbearably so. He made her that way, somehow.

    "Really?" The charming smile she cherished became decidedly roguishly.

    "Y-yes...but I''m fine, I''m alright."

    He stepped forward, grinning. "No, that''s no good. You''re clearly not well. If you ride again in that condition you''ll fall right off!"

    "Then...w-what should I do?" Sera asked, going an even deeper red because she knew what he had in mind.

    And she was proven right. Because in the next moment he had Spirit rise from the ground. It was amazing, Spirit never listened to anyone but her, and even then he did so as if it was a polite request rather than a command.

    "Get on and I''ll show you."

    Sera did as she was told and effortlessly climbed up onto the saddle.

    A moment later and he appeared behind her, taking hold of the reins and trapping her between his arms.

    Sera couldn''t help it, she unconsciously leaned back, melting against his hard chest contentedly. She could feel every breath he took, every beat of his heart, and reveled in that spicy, masculine scent of his that she knew so well.

    And she felt even hotter, like every part of her was on fire. It could only ever be because of him. He was like a drug, and Sera found herself an absolute addict.

    Even under the stares of everyone around them she still felt her breathing grow more rapid and shallow in anticipation.

    Despite people shooting them weird, curious glances, she couldn''t stop the rising fire that threatened to overwhelm her sense of reason.

    Happy, too happy, deliriously happy, that''s what she was.

    "Well, is this okay? Or do you want me to get off?" He whispered into her ear, like before, only this time the effect was much more devastating.

    "No!" Sera grabbed hold of his arm. "No, please...don''t leave me." She all but begged.

    A low rumble signalled his laugh before it even went past his lips. "As my Lady commands."

    Only after that did she calm down.

    **********

    "M? Hey, M, you alright?"

    Murphy tapped on the woman''s shoulder.

    "What? Oh...sorry...." She murmured distractedly.

    Murphy looked across the to where she was staring. It wasn''t hard to guess, everyone was looking in that direction.

    "That Bell, I swear he must have been a legendary host in one of his past lives." Murphy shook his head in wonder. "Girl''s putty in his hands" Apparently his charms worked on commoner and Noble alike. " The lucky bastard. Just hope Cece doesn''t get stabby on us, cutting up a Noble isn''t a good idea."

    Murphy had long since believed the girl had a thing for the guy and everyone thought they''d get together eventually, even though he already had a woman at the time. They just fit together so well.

    Although with that other girl popping up, that Melanie chick, things got more complicated. Murphy couldn''t quite figure out exactly what the relationship between the three really was.

    Didn''t help that his sister was such a huge bro-con either.

    Murphy found himself enjoying the past week. Watching them was damn entertaining.

    "Look at the poor thing." Murphy said.. "Being tricked by a guy like Bell." Murphy understood the guy well, no way would he really take an interest in her to this extent after just a day or two of knowing her. He must have some kinda plan in mind.

    Murphy bet he''d run the first chance he got. Nobles, it wasn''t a good thing to be in their line of sight even on the best of days.

    "I feel bad for her," He chuckled. "She''s really quite--"

    "Enviable..." Mira sighed softly.

    Murphy''s brow twitched. Hm?

    "What was that again? M? M, you there?"

    But it was useless. Mira, the mature beauty, was too focused on the two to hear him. Murphy looked at her with worry, taking in all the details.

    The way she looked on with glazed over eyes that held unfathomable depth. Almost miserable, wronged, hinting at something dangerous.

    This...was odd.

    Murphy wasn''t sure he really recognized this expression of her''s. He didn''t think there was ever a time he''d seen it on the woman before.

    She ate up the scene with every ounce of her attention, her lips pulling down into a grimace like it pained her to watch. Her brows scrunched together, angry, when she looked at the young Noble and how she was being treated.

    Something was definitely wrong here. Murphy felt it down to his core. Wrong, something was so very wrong and it made his heart skip a beat.

    His faced went a bit grim, turning to look around.

    All of them. All the women of the group, they all had the same exact face Mira was making.

    While the men looked on in wonder, curiosity and a hint of jealousy, the women just watched with what could only be called irrepressible longing.

    What the fuck was happening?

    What was this? Was he imagining it? No, that couldn''t be.

    Murphy walked up to Nyk and spoke low. "Hey, have you--?"

    "Noticed? Yeah." Nyk stood up after refilling his canteen. He furrowed his brows, clearly at a loss as to what was going on. "Ever since he came back with that girl the other women have been acting up. I saw Val sneaking a glance at him once or twice too."

    "Val?" Murphy asked incredulously. Val, their Val, that coarse woman...sneaking glances? A girlish action like that didn''t suit the woman at all!

    He nodded. "She didn''t seem to know she was doing it either."

    "Let''s go see Jaime." There was something truly weird going on here and whatever it was creeped the shit outta him. Hopefully the boss man knew what drove the women of their little group to eye their little Bell like he were a sticky bun waiting to be nibbled on.

    He nearly gagged, cursing himself. That was one disgusting image he''d just given himself, shit!

    And so they walked to the front, going upstream until they found the tall, huge-as-fuck monstrosity that was Jaime''s proud steed. As horse whose mother came from the Marakam desert and whose father was of the same breed as Fey''s own the thing was as strong as they came. Made most warhorses look like children.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    The man was washing his face with water, glancing at them out of the corner of his eye as he sensed their approach

    "I know." Was all he said. After a moment, he stood and jerked his chin to the big man to the far right, who was busy chewing on some jerky. "Boris noticed it too."

    "The hell you think is going on then?" Murphy couldn''t contain the question. In contrast Nyk just quietly stared in wait for the answer.

    Jaime made a difficult expression. "I don''t know. I''ve only seen something like this once, and that was on a much smaller scale. An entirely different situation too."

    "You''ve seen it? What do you mean? " Murphy asked.

    "Yeah." Jaime had a thoughtful look as he slowly told his story. "A few years back, near the border of Drann kingdom. We''d rested for the night and some wild beasts had snuck up on us, caught us completely off guard. A pack of Ironbacks, at least two or three dozen. Not a problem usually but we were exhausted and had already set camp. We were split up and a few of our group members had reached this small village.

    "Once I found the remaining survivors we tracked them down and found they had been taken care of by the residents of the village.

    "It was only after I coincidentally noticed how dazed Boris looked in presence of the female villagers that the chieftain explained the origins of their village to me, that they weren''t human. That they were actually descendants of a certain clan of succubi and incubi. If I hadn''t felt the power of their bloodline myself I may not have believed it."

    Jaime did not lie. He also felt the effects of just being near them. Like whispers in his ear. Like fire in his veins. Seeing their every movement as sensual and provocative. And until that moment he hadn''t understood why he''d felt that way.

    All he knew was that if he stayed there much longer he might not want to leave.

    "The chieftain said that if their ancestors weren''t originally kicked out of their clan for having defects in their bloodline then my men would have already been sucked of their vitality." A frightening thought."Luckily villagers didn''t need that to survive like their kin did, else I don''t think any of us would have made it out alive."

    The young man continued to look at the scene in front of them. "And I have to say, this situation...looks eerily similar to that time..."

    Murphy listened intently, realizing he''d heard something like this once before. It was from Boris when he''d been drunk off his balls, as wasted as he''d ever seen the man. Only that time and no other had he spoke about the events Jaime was telling them now.

    It was not something he''d taken seriously back then but it was interesting enough for Murphy to try prodding the man to tell the tale to others a few times after that. Not a single once had the big man ever given in or even acknowledged the story was talked about at all.

    Now he knew why. It must have been quite a surreal experience. Losing control of your mind, who would want to admit to something like that?

    As for the race of lust demons themselves, Murphy knew from stories that, like Nobles, they carried a so-called Dominant trait. Although theirs was a tad weaker. There was not all that much of a difference between a half-blood and a pure-blood in terms of power, only after several generations would they show signs of weakening.

    But they were also said to be able to live for up to 200 years so it wasn''t like that was even much of a problem for them. The ones with a purer level of blood could easily make many children over the course of those years. Who knew how many generations a race like that would have to go through before their descendents began to lose some of the power their elders possess?

    For Nobles, though, this might be even less of a problem. Their Dominate trait was even more perfect. The Houses that had long since lost their right to remain a true Noble House would still not be as ordinary as those families who never had it.

    Their bloodlines could survive in many ways, could be revitalized in many ways. That''s why even after dozens of generations Murphy doubted their bloodline would lose it''s strength too much, because Nobles guarded and cared for their bloodlines almost religiously. Became experts in both keeping it pure and getting it back on it''s feet even if it started to weaken.

    In truth not many Noble Houses ever faced the problem of having a weak bloodline, at least not as far as a pleb like him was aware.

    Certainly not the more powerful families like the Aldertons, Williams, Lautremonts or Greybornes, the Big Four of Drann kingdom.

    That aside, it really was strange. Children of that race having defects? He''d never heard anything of the like before now.

    Of course he wasn''t all too in-the-know about them. Just knew the basics from the stories he''d heard or read.

    Murphy roused himself from his thoughts and continued to listen to Jaime talk.

    "Anyway," He went on, " The men at that time had the same faces I''m seeing from the women right now. But it''s," He hesitated. "...Different. My men at that time were able to shake the effects after they were aware of what was happening, even if at times they still stared. And they knew what was happening. The women here don''t. It''s more subtle here. And I''m sure Bell isn''t a descendant of an incubus. "

    Only the male line descended from an incubus would hold the powers of one. Same with succubi and their daughters. Hence iIf a daughter of an incubus gave birth to a son he would have his grandfather''s powers. Again, same deal with succubi and their granddaughters.

    Unless you were a pure-blood, born of an incubus and succubus. Then it wouldn''t matter what gender you were.

    "...Otherwise this effect would have happened long before now. " Jaime finished.

    "So what the fuck is happening then?" Murphy grew impatient. It was an interesting story, but he was right. It had little to do with this situation here.

    "I mean Bell might be able to give any incubus a run for his money in his ability to attract women, but it''s a hard fact that he isn''t one!"

    If he was Phaedra wouldn''t be such a raging bitch to him all the time.

    Or who knew. Maybe that really was just how she showed her love. Murphy inwardly shuddered at the thought. If that were true then maybe no other man but that guy would be able to survive her affection. They''d be dead within a week!

    He paused. No, scratch that. Probably wouldn''t live past the hour, more like.

    "Yeah, I know he isn''t." Jaime''s words dripped with annoyance. "But that''s how it looks."

    "Well what do we do about it? Let them continue to ogle and/or rape him with their eyes?"

    "Do we have to do anything?" Nyk suddenly asked. "It''s disconcerting, but they aren''t causing any trouble and Bell doesn''t seem to notice it himself. Also, there are some who aren''t effected..." His gaze went back to the carriage to the back.

    It was there that Melanie and Cecelia sat. The first one displaying a sorrowful face as she looked at the young man and woman, appearing so achingly pitiful that Murphy wanted to go and pat her on the back and slip her drink to wash away her worries, while the other''s eyes were unreadable but still calm.

    Murphy also saw that Phaedra had a tranquil face--or as much was possible for her otherwise perpetually caustic mood.

    She stared too, but her gaze was more "I will allow you to live another day, for now" than hot and passionate. And that wasn''t because of jealousy or anything, that was just her default expression when it came to Bell.

    If you said they fought like an old married couple, it would only be true if said couple hated each other''s guts and the fight was a deathmatch

    "What does that prove?" Murphy challenged. "Cece and Fey are understandable. The first probably already liked him, and the second wants his head to adorn her fireplace. But I don''t think that Melanie chick has the mental fortitude boss man said it took for his men of that time to become themselves again. If Val can''t, what are her odds?"

    "People can surprise you." Nyk said simply. "And who knows why this is happening? Maybe there''s a reason she isn''t affected. But like I said, this hasn''t been a problem so far. Why make it one?"

    Nyk talked quite a bit today. Showed how serious this was.

    "So you want us to just leave it be?" Jaime considered. "Fine, let''s do that. You''re right in any case. Though strange, nothing bad has come of it. Bell getting a bit more popular with women is all that''s happened, not anything we need to worry about."

    "Oh yeah?" Murphy cocked a brow at his oh-so-glorious leader. "And what if they suddenly wanna be the sheath to his sword and we end up having to guard the guy against a horde of trained killers? Trained, horny killers?"

    Jaime''s mouth curved upwards. "Let them have him in that case. Far be it from us to ruin a man''s opportunity to have the best night of his life."

    Murphy threw him a dirty look. "That''s cold, J, real cold. Abandoning him like that, how inhumane!" He threw up his hands. "...But I don''t have a death wish, so I''m just going to follow your fine example and keep my nose out of it this time. No need to get an arrow in the ass tryna protect a man from ascending to heaven."

    Nyk looked at the other two with a blank face, apparently displeased by their cavalier attitude in regards to a serious topic like that.

    Then after a moment he just shrugged. "I like living," He said, secretly promising to himself to keep an eye on things until they parted ways.

    He was the one to suggest they not do anything anyway.

    "Good man." Murphy clapped his back, walking away. "Let''s go get a drink. All this weird shit has me craving something that''ll slowly kill me."

    Had Lyle known how disloyal these friends of his were being perhaps he''d consider finding new ones.

    **********

    The sun was hidden behind grey clouds even after they left the forest, yet the day was surprisingly nice and so Sera had chosen merely to wear a simple gown.

    Or maybe not quite so simple. The thing had a very close-fitting bodice that pushed up her breasts, and the skirt was long and billowy and thin. It was able to easily allow her to sit astride Spirit, but it also clung to her legs and showed off their shapely slenderness.

    She had changed before they left once she knew it wasn''t that chilly out, and she hoped he''d take notice of how the material outlined her body''s curves.

    They''d long since made their way to the front of the group despite her men''s entreaty that they stay close, to which she merely waved them off knowing she''d be safe with Bell. And now, presently, they were far ahead of the others.

    The closest person was dozens of feet away, giving them a lot of privacy.

    Just then a cold wind blew, hitting them directly. Sera started to shiver, quivering in her seat.

    "Cold?" His warm breath once more tickled her neck.

    "A little." She admitted.

    But then, as she became aware of how close they were, she felt a surge of heat well up inside her.

    It was odd. The fire had died down as they rode together, but now it spiked back up with a vengeance.

    One of her hands moved toward one of his own, tentatively stroking his knuckles. It was the first real skin-on-skin contact they''d had during the ride, and as she touched him she could feel his chest rise and fall heavily.

    Sera smiled and scooted back until there was no distance whatsoever between the two of them.

    After some time she could feel something hard poking her butt, and somehow it felt hot even through the clothing they wore.

    A naughty thought came to mind, an unbearable urge, and she began to move her hips, rubbing against that hard thing in a circular motion. Her heart raced and she felt her nipples start to harden in eager expectation.

    "What do you think you''re doing?" He rasped, stiffening up.

    "You don''t...like it?" Sera''s voice was a breathless whisper, loving how that hot thing felt against her.

    "Sera, stop." Bell''s voice was strangled, like he was desperately trying to hold something back.

    But she didn''t want him to.

    "Or what?"

    Her hips worked achingly slow, moving up and down along his erect member. The silky material of her clothing meant that her butt''s shape would be easily felt.

    Were he to just reach down and touch it the only thing seperating his hand from her rear would be a thin piece of fabic and an equally thin pair of pantyhose that could easily be torn apart.

    The fact that they were doing this out in the open, the awareness that dozens of people were just behind them, only added to her excitement.

    Sera''s words of provacation apparently worked, because in the next instant he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her to him, smashing their bodies together.

    She felt it when his lips blow air into her ear, making her shiver for entirely different reasons this time around, before his teeth lightly bit at her lobe.

    Sera went limp, every action he took making her mind go hazy and unclear.

    Right when she thought he was done, she felt something hot, wet and slippery enter her ear. This foreign invasion, which probably should have disgusted her, just served to send her into a fit of ecstacy.

    While he was busy doing that one of his hands let go on the reins and crept along her stomache then down to her inner thigh, halting just before reaching the valley within.

    He squeezed her fatty thigh, seeming to enjoy the feeling.

    Sera lifted up her head to look at his face, panting. "It''s okay, you can do more...please..."

    And then she stretched up, locking her mouth over his own.

    A flash of blue and purple light shone brightly, then disappeared.

    "Sera, enough...I...Don''t want to do that here." He grated out roughly, removing his hand and breaking the kiss.

    "That''s not what this says." Sera''s lips quirked, her fingers idly stroking that steel sword she knew to be tucked away beneath his clothes.

    He extracted the hand from that particular area in a hurry. "Yes, well, that thing has a mind of it''s own right now."

    "And you should listen to it."

    She saw him make a crooked half-smile. "Just wait till we reach Zeshar. Then we can find a nice room and continue at our leisure."

    "But--" Sera started to whine.

    "No." His eyes bore into her, making her body even more hot somehow. It was like she was being stripped bare by right in front of him and she loved every naughty moment of it. " I want our first time to be more special than this. Don''t you want that?"

    "...First time...?" Doubt and confusion. "But we..."

    She didn''t say it. She didn''t understand. Did he really forget? But then why was he acting this way? Why did he pamper her today, so suddenly? Why--?

    "That doesn''t count." He snorted coldly, breaking her train of thought. "This time we''ll do it right. I want that for us, for you. You deserve it. Sera, I''m sorry how I acted before. I was just scared of my feelings for you, how strong and sudden they were. But I won''t act that way anymore, I swear to you. From now on I''ll treat you right, spoil you right, and care for you right. It might seem silly to you, but it''s important to me that we start over and do it better this time. I want to give you a memory more pleasant than just some sordid affair in a moldy old cave. I need to, I can''t accept anything less."

    There was anger in his voice, a burning conviction, that stopped her dead in her tracks.

    Sera''s body cooled down and she felt hot tears coming to life. She couldn''t express how overjoyed, how special, she felt in that instant.

    "Bell..." She cried." I love you...I love you so much..." The tears fell freely now and she wanted nothing more than to just turn and hold him.

    He gently wiped the moisture from her face, his voice soft. "I know you do. And from now I''ll do everything I can to be worthy of that. " There was deep pain hidden beneath his words, like the thought of doing anything else was unbearable.

    She felt so lucky, so glad, that she''d come here. Sera was sure, more than ever before, that everything in her life led her to this exact moment.

    If she knew back then that this was what awaited her then even if she had to face a hundred more of those manticores she still wouldn''t have hesitated to come.

    Because being with him, even despite the short time they''d known each other, filled her with a sense of satisfaction and happiness she didn''t think was possible for her....or was deserving of.

    As she kissed him once more there was just one small, almost insignificant detail that was left ignored at the back of her mind.

    ...The fact that he didn''t say he loved her back...

 Chapter thirty-five pt. 2

    Lyle was completely disgusted with himself.

    Why? For what reason did he even agree to ride Spirit with her? It wasn''t like him at all to tempt fate like that.

    He''d touched her, and kissed her, and...

    ...And she felt so good...Her soft lips, her slim waist...the way she melted against him, so willing and pliant and ready for--

    Lyle forced the thought down to hell.

    What the flying fuckwas he thinking just then?

    He shook his head, clearing the memories from his mind.

    He wanted to kick himself until he was left bloody and blue, wanted to beat himself within an inch of his life, because what he did was unforgiveable.

    He''d betrayed Melanie''s trust with his recklessness. And he couldn''t understand why he''d even risk that.

    Lyle nearly lost control, nearly took her there and then, and he''d had to bite his cheek till he tasted blood before he was able to stop himself.

    And he lied. Lied through his teeth as easily as drawing breath. He could see just how much the girl apparently cared about him.

    Fooled her, didn''t he? Bastard that he was. No, that wasn''t his fault. She and her crazy talk was what caused it.

    Cave, what cave? What did they do? Nothing. Not a damn thing. And yet she was under the impression they''d had some sort of night of passion or something? As if he''d ever believe that.

    Say what you will about him but Lyle didn''t give a damn how beautiful a woman was. If she wasn''t his wife he''d never sleep with her like that. Sex, to him, was the most intimate act a couple could both enjoy together.

    And to be like some people who treated it like something insignificant? That was just a foreign concept to him. He despised those who didn''t understand it''s importance.

    The way the girl looked at him, so full of some sick, twisted obsession he couldn''t fathom the reason of, was concerning on multiple levels.

    But he was sorry. To her, those feelings were real. And while he didn''t reciprocate them he was pretty much encouraging them. Stoking the flames.

    There was no way true love could be formed in such a short time--he didn''t believe in love at first sight either, that petty excuse people use to disguise their own base desire for a good rut--but she thought that''s what it was and he was using it against her.

    There were times in the past, times he wasn''t proud of, where he used similar tactics...their usefulness couldn''t be denied...but nothing to this extent.

    He found it hard to look at her.

    So blantantly playing with her supposed feelings for him, acting like he really believed the words he said, made him feel a peculiar sense of self-loathing.

    Of course he knew that she wasn''t well in mind and was obviously suffering from some sort of delusion that they were meant to be together...but even still it didn''t help much.

    Especially since he knew Melanie must be feeling awful too.

    He could just sense her eyes periodically landing upon them throughout the journey. He must have put her through hell, letting her see him flirt with another woman not even a full day after they got together.

    It was because of this that he moved them in front. He did regret it though. Because of that Sera had apparently gained enough courage to do what amounted to dry humping him.

    Lyle was suddenly assaulted by memories of how exquisitely tender her rear was, how shapely...the way it moved...

    He angrily shut those thoughts away once again. He really got himself into a mess, hadn''t he? Had he always been so stupid?

    Currently everything was calm, the girl--Sera--choosing to sit side-saddle and rest her small head on his chest. It was a difficult position because it meant he had to use his arm as a seatbelt to keep her from falling off.

    The saddle they used wasn''t meant for riding like that, and neither was Spirit trained for it.

    But it didn''t trouble him in the usual way, his arm was as strong as the rest of his body so it wasn''t as if she was a burden on him at all.

    Rather the way she occasionally stared up at him longingly and idly drew hearts on his thigh with a finger was what was truly getting on his nerves.

    He admitted it: She was cute. Her large eyes and wide forehead, the way she peeked up at him behind long eyebrows, her dainty hands and well-manicured nails...all of it left such an impression.

    The thing was that he really grew annoyed at how...how damn girlish she acted with him.

    She acted as if they were on their honeymoon of something. It was really irritating.

    He didn''t mind intimate action like these but only if it was with a woman he was actually dating. Which in this case would be Melanie.

    Before it was only Sophia who he would tolerate acting like this towards him...or Iris, but only because he was her brother and the meaning was different in that case.

    Any other girl?

    He''d tease, if anything, but not anything serious. And if they themselves grew more serious than he was comfortable with then he''d put a stop to it right quick.

    This situation was of the latter, yet he had to endure. He didn''t let his mask slip, occasionally glancing at her as if he couldn''t wait to have her in bed.

    It was a hard look to pull off look. Luckily his father was a good teacher and Lyle a quick learner.

    He ignored his father''s dark past as a notorious playboy most days, but right now he was grateful for it--even if Lyle respected his father a little less when he thought of how many women he''d apparently tricked back then.

    Those teachings served him well today.

    People saw what they wanted ninety percent of the time anyway, that was why all you needed to do was encourage them.

    And Lyle laid it on thick with her.

    "Bell..." She cooed unexpectedly. "Kiss me..."

    And he had to comply. No matter how the action made him want to stab himself for being exactly what Sophia had accused him of all those days ago. A cheater.

    It was something that had to be done. He knew that. Didn''t do anything to ease his guilt though.

    "I really do love you." She said, sighing dreamily. "You don''t know how much. It''s like I''m really alive for the first time in my life."

    Lyle forced a laugh. "I don''t? Please. Do you even know how wrong you are? Until you the world to me existed only in shades of grey. But you just walked in and brought color to everything. I don''t even know how I lived without you." He stared at her, speaking slow. "And I don''t know if I can anymore."

    There was no pause of hesitation when he said this, only an aching sincerity he didn''t feel.

    .And her eyes again went red with unshed tears. "You really mean that, don''t you?" No, he didn''t, but he''d make her believe it without a shadow of a doubt. Bastard indeed. "Bell, I..."

    She stopped, looking to have choked back a sob. "I''m so happy. To have you here with me, to know how much you care. This is real, isn''t it? Please tell me it''s real..."

    "Of course it is," He lied.

    "...I''m sorry..." She looked down. "It''s just that this is just too good to be true. I never really thought I deserved to be loved like this. It''s...a new feeling for me. I can''t help but fear that someday I''ll wake up and find that this is all just a dream. I don''t think I could survive that."

    Her voice shook, and she looked so pitiful that Lyle couldn''t resist patting her head.

    For all her delusions about him, even she deserved to have someone who really loved her.

    It was a cold, hard fact that not everyone did. But her? She, from what he''d seen, at least wasn''t too bad a person.

    So this reveal from her caused a pang of sadness to resound within him.

    And more guilt.

    But he couldn''t help it if he wasn''t the right one for her. Someone somewhere was a good match for the girl, but not he. He''d already committed himself to someone else, for however long that may be, and understood that he wasn''t the one to cherish her.

    Even if she wanted him to be.

    "If it''s a dream you can just fall back asleep. I''d still be here. Always." He gave the best, warmest smile that he was capable of and he could tell it set her at ease.

    "Promise?"

    Lyle felt his smile threaten to slip. Promise? He didn''t make a habit of making promises he couldn''t keep.

    "Would I lie to you?" An evasion, but she didn''t notice.

    "...No...you wouldn''t." She gave her own smile in return, and it was one of the sweetest and most heartfelt ones he''d ever seen.

    Fuck.

    "Of course. Now," He brushed her bangs up, exposing her face. "What did I say about bowing your head? Sera, the world shouldn''t have to suffer through you hiding yourself like that. It''s ugly enough, it needs a bit more beauty in it."

    She blushed. "Sorry. I-I-I''ll stop..." Then she muttered, "Saying such things...isn''t that just playing dirty...how unfair...."

    But she just leaned into the touch and enjoyed it shamelessly.

    It didn''t last long, Lyle felt his sanity being tested once more and so calmly removed his hand from her head.

    A sound of displeasure came, then the girl again rested against him and closed her eyes.

    Meanwhile, Lyle was busy with something.

    He was concentrating on the feeling of that fire inside him, how it circulated in his body.

    It was alien, yet not. He hadn''t ever felt an energy like this before. It was more than just lust. It was also...life. Pure, unadulterated life.

    The energy--the fire--was teasing and playful, licking at the edges of his skin and beckoning a finger. It whispered in his ears and told him to do all sorts of wicked things to the girl currently riding with him.

    Lyle took a deep breath and tried to grasp at that energy. To control it. Yet it eluded him, moving away.

    When he tried to smash it down, it resisted. When he thought to let it do as it pleased, it came back and seemed almost malleable.

    Like it wanted to be used.

    However he never let it.

    Most of this energy lived within his chest. Or rather, near his collarbone. Right where that strange Mark resided.

    He could feel it pulsing, like a second heart.

    Bump.

    Bump.

    Bump.

    As real as any other.

    He hoped the day when he''d be rid of it came quickly.

    **********

    Large, overhanging gates, walls thick and tall enough to look right at home around a great fortress and a long line of travelers waiting for permission to enter.

    This was one of the entrances to the city-state of Zeshar. The only place within Drann kingdom that boasted independance from the rule of the Lautremont royal family.

    To explain, the city rested within Drann kingdom to some extect, being along the border between Drann and the kingdom of Virma. So you would expect them to be partially under control of the Royal Family since it was within their territory, yet that wasn''t the case.

    As a city it was prosperous, green, and was so large you could live there all your life and maybe still not see everything there was to see it in, holding many thousands of people.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

    Still not quite the largest city, but certainly one of the most advanced and beautiful. With the city built along the Capheus river, they implemented a canal that connected the river to a harbor built inside the walls where ships could be docked, bringing in merchandice for trade.

    In fact the river led out to a nearby body of water just three days to the west, where you could take to other parts of the world easily.

    Although it couldn''t be see, he knew that on the other side of the city''s circular walls, just outside it''s parimeter, was a stretch of land where farmers grew bountiful harvests to feed the residents of the city and that there was many smaller pieces of land that did the same even inside.

    Zeshar also had a high castle nestled in the center, a glittering jewel that overlooked all of it''s splendid beauty.

    It was a magnificent city.

    In fact, the city even reminded Lyle of Nos''Thragnea but on a smaller scale. Who knew, perhaps that was the point. Maybe it was designed that way.

    As they came into view of the city, Sera grew lively again.

    "We''re here!" She shouted in glee. "This is so great, now I can introduce you to father and he can have you knighted before the day is done!"

    "Can''t wait." Lyle said something to placate her.

    "I''m so excited." The girl was just shaking with pent-up enthusiasm. "I never thought this day would come so soon." She grew sad suddenly. "I only wish there was more time to prepare. I would have loved to do this better, but I can''t help thinking that it doesn''t matter as long as we''re together. That''s all that really counts, right?"

    Something she said made Lyle pause. "What day do you mean?"

    Sera let out the most serene smile he''d ever seen from her yet. "My wedding day, of course."

    ...Lyle froze.

    "What?" His heart skipped a beat, jumping up his throat as he worked to choke out even that single word.

    "I know, it''s so sudden...but why wait?" She asked, placing her hand over his chest, snuggling close. "I won''t ever change my feelings for you, I''m sure this is what I want. Aren''t you also like that? We both love each other. Complete each other. Even though the time we''ve spent together has been so unbelievably short I still look forward to knowing more about you, in learning who you are. And I won''t regret living the rest of my life with you because I know that, no matter what, we were always meant to take this step."

    Alarm bells rang throughout his head.

    This girl...was completely fucking insane!

    Marriage? Bullshit! A commitment like that wasn''t something you decide in a matter of a few days with a person you barely knew! It wasn''t some game, it was something sacred that bound two people together.

    If Lyle didn''t want to even have sex before marriage he certainly wouldn''t be open to the idea of actually having one on the fly like this.

    This girl was being ridiculous.

    "Sera...we can''t." He said intensely. "It''s too soon, we barely even--

    "The strength and legitimacy of our love isn''t dependant on time." She insisted flatly. Then her face cleared up."Things like ''too soon'' don''t have to apply to it at all." She smiled gently, lovingly, holding his face with her hands. "It''s okay. Once my father sees how great and caring you are towards me he''ll accept you just as I have and we can simply leave the rest to him. By midnight we can be husband and wife."

    Just as she planted her lips on his, a small and quiet voice intruded upon them.

    "Brother?"

    Once they all stopped behind the long line of travelers and merchants, Iris, Cecelia and Melanie apparently left the carriage in Murphy''s care to come find him.

    Well, Iris did. Melanie just followed, and Cecelia didn''t dare leave Iris'' side.

    "Iris...Melanie..." Lyle extracted himself from Sera, while the girl in question blushed upon seeing the face of her future sister-in-law while being so intimate with him before their wedding.

    With this and the time from before she feared she didn''t leave a good impression of herself on the girl....

    "Brother...what is this?" Iris looked pointedly them, referring to how close they were.

    "Iris, you know what it is." For Lyle and Sera this had different meanings.

    He knew Iris was aware of the plan, while Sera thought he was coming out to his sister about their relationship.

    "You kissed her." At Iris'' blunt words, Melanie flinched. Cecelia just gave a small shake of her head, thinking that much was inevitable but still not liking it.

    "Well technically she was the one who--"

    She ignored him. "What gives you the right to kiss my brother?" Iris'' rage was cold and harsh, not at all the explosive kind he usually saw.

    And ever ounce of it was directed at Sera.

    The other girl felt depressed, knowing that things were deteriorating. So she got off Spirit''s back and politely bowed to the younger sibling. Lyle followed suit, for the first part.

    A Noble bowing to a commoner, not a single knight of her''s who were watching felt comfortable seeing that.

    "Please forgive me, it''s just...your brother and I...well, we''re "that", you know? I''m sorry you had to find out this way, without any warning, and I''m also sorry I caused you to become distressed. Seeing a strange woman kissing your brother like that, I must seem like some sort of harlot." She averted her gaze. "But I and your brother are truly in love with one another, and though it might seem unbelievable given the circumstances, I hope that you can give us your bless--"

    "When I look at you I see notmerely a harlot, but also a homewrecker. Do you not know my brother has already promised himself to another?"

    At this, Lyle felt his heart race from zero to a hundred in the span of a single second.

    "Iris!" He hissed.

    Sera''s entire body became still, motionless.

    "Bell? Bell, what''s she talking about? What does she mean?" She asked, her eyes going wild. There was clear panic in her face as she looked at him.

    "Sera, don''t listen to her, she doesn''t know what she''s saying."

    Iris, Lyle shouted spitefully in his mind, What the hell are you doing!

    "She''s saying you already have someone else!" She cried. "What''s not to know?!" Sera felt horrible.

    All of a sudden every single doubt she''d had rattling in her head but a short while ago came rushing back with a fury.

    Dream? What dream, wasn''t this just a nightmare?

    She was stupid. So stupid. Of course, all this really was too good to be true, just as she said. Why? Why didn''t she listen to herself? No one could love her.

    She didn''t deserve it, nor was it meant for her, she could only do as she was told and forever lead the life the goddess chose for her...

    Sera thought she could be happy, she thought it was something she was worthy of? Pathetic.

    A fantasy...that''s all it was... now it was time to wake up to that oppressive lonliness once again...

    And when she woke, he wouldn''t be with her.

    The thought nearly broke her.

    A world without him? Now that she knew what it was like to feel true happiness, to have someone who really cared about you instead of caring only about what you could do for them?

    No...She didn''t want that...she didn''t want to go back to having nothing but a gilded cage! To being...unloved...

    If that''s what I have to endure again, I''d rather just lay down and--

    "Sera." She heard someone call her name. "Sera, don''t listen to her. You know how I feel, right?"

    Lyle shot Iris a glance that said, "Stop. Talking."

    "Even if there was someone else, do you think they could compare to you? Do you think I would give a damn about them now that you''re with me?"

    Melanie''s eyes went wide.

    Even though she knew why he was saying this, even though she knew they were mere guiding questions and not assertions, even though she understood that she shouldn''t and it was completely irrational for her to feel this way...

    ...She felt her chest tighten painfully. And for a moment she imagined this was real, and he really said those things.

    It wasn''t that she was the kind of woman to easily be put so low by such words, but that she always understood the dfference in social status, life experience and options they had.

    Nobles will always gravitate towards other Nobles, everyone else was just a nice distraction.

    Melanie thought that this is what she would be. When had she first grown conscious of him as a man? She wasn''t sure, maybe even during the first time they met it had already happened.

    He was always very robust for his age, always taller and more mature than it warranted.

    Sometimes, she admitted to herself now, she would think, "What''ll I do if someday he....wants me?"

    And each time she thought that, she''d have a sense of hopelessness.

    Because she''d always carried a gratefullness towards him, and if something like that were to ever happen she believed only one of two things would happen: Either he proved to be a person who just came to her for momentary pleasure, or even if by some miracle he actually did start to like her, there would only be a sad ending for them.

    Because commoners were only picked up by Nobles when they were bored and wanted a bit of fun or excitement.

    Since this is what she believed, even now that she knows better about who he was and his seriousness with which he would treat any of his relationships, she still feared that''s all she was.

    Someone who, ultimately, would only be a footnote in his life. Not important. Not good enough. Not...of the right birth.

    ...Hearing him say those things caused all these thoughts to flare up and she was temporarily floored by how strongly she rejected them.

    "What do I know? I''ve said it so many times already...and yet I hadn''t heard you say it even once..." Sere''s eyes were filled with a resigned sorrow.

    Lyle was pissed.

    Oh he knew what she wanted. He just hated the idea of giving it so much he thought he''d rather lose an arm.

    "Is it really so important to you?" Was his voice just a bit stiff just then? He couldn''t tell. "They''re just words. They''re meaningless."

    "If they''re meaningless to you, why can''t you say it? Even if it''s nothing to you they''re everything to me!"

    "It won''t change anything. Facts are facts whether you say them aloud or not." He fought her stubbornly, but he could tell he was slowly losing her.

    A very quiet, sad, "But I want to hear them." Was her only response.

    Dammit. What the hell was this? Such a petty thing. A petty, overdramatized situation. This wasn''t the fucking theater.

    Yeah. He thought that but he''d already committed himself to the act.

    He made her believe what he''d told her. Made her excited and hopeful and content to just be with him because she had, until now, though he loved her.

    She wasn''t well.

    She was sick. In mind if not in body.

    What would she do if, after all this, she learned the truth? If he didn''t give in, and tell her exactly what she wanted?

    Would she snap? Try to do something to them? Her men were already starting to grow suspicious, if they saw her so distraught and she told them what happened wouldn''t they directly try to take their heads?

    They were commoners right now. They couldn''t act like Nobles.

    And Jaime? The Haddocks? Would they dare offend a Noble whose father, just from what he''d heard he can do, was obviously of the upper echelon even among Nobles?

    Which was another thing. He still didn''t know who she was and he could be offending someone troublesome.

    ...Just three words...

    "Fine," Lyle sighed, defeated. "Sera, I..." Every part of him fought against it. "...Love you."

    He felt like a thousand pound weight was placed upon his shoulders and he couldn''t face the others. He felt like he lost a small part of himself by saying that.

    Three words and he''d only ever said them to two people. Apart from his mother and Iris he hoped he''d only have to say them to his wife and kids. Now he''d told them to some random woman he didn''t know or cared for.

    It was a bitter pill to swallow.

    They weren''t words that people would usually hold dear. Lyle, however, attached a special meaning to them. He didn''t like being forced to say them to someone he didn''t love because of the hot-headedness of someone he did.

    It was so easy to say them, those words. If you said them and didn''t mean it then how could they not lose a bit of their importance?

    While Melanie and Iris became dumbstruck Cecelia''s eyes turned sharp.

    How could she not understand how much those words meant to him? Not a single time had she heard him say them to her sister, or even to his parents. Although he did feel it, he didn''t say it.

    Only Iris had the privilege of hearing those words come from his mouth, to have them directed at her.

    Lyle was a very stubborn person in certain areas. He had very old-fashioned ideals about things like love and marriage. He never took either as something to kid about.

    Sure, he''d tease, he''d play along and joke, but on those subjects he was always secretly very serious when things got down to it.

    She also understood that his hand was being forced here. If he didn''t say it, who knew what this unstable woman would do?

    She had dozens of knights on her side and she was a Noble. No one here wanted that kind of trouble, they didn''t have the backing to gainsay her in anything she wanted to do.

    A single word and she might be able to make even the Haddocks act against them. The power to turn friend into foe, that''s the kind of authority a Noble was capable of wielding.

    Knowing this, Lyle made his choice.

    It may not seem like much, but the potential consequences--putting Melanie and Iris in danger--wasn''t worth it.

    Cecelia doubted she was part of the reason he did it. He never thought of her as a woman that needed anything from him, who needed or wanted his protection.

    Sera''s face instantly brightened like the sun. "My Bell!" Then, without warning, threw her arms around him tightly.

    Although it might seem like something small, to her they were the most important words of her life so far!

    To believe in something and to hear it were entirely different.

    He never lied to her. She knew that. He would never be anything but honest with her, Sera understood.

    So to hear him say it was world-changing. To hear him say those words were to know that they were an irrevokable truth!

    He really did love her...

    "Take it back!" Iris, who had stayed quiet for some time, broke out into a fullblown rage. "Saying those words to her, in front of me, even as a lie I can''t accept it!" Her eyes blazed.

    Lyle threw her an annoyed look. If it wasn''t for you wanting to cause trouble, would I have had to say it at all?

    He knew very well that she wanted only to see Sera cry, to put her down, because of how closely they acted. She couldn''t stand seeing it.

    Iris'' irrational jealousy was always a problem, but only now did he truly find it growing old.

    She couldn''t hold it in? Couldn''t let it go?

    "Iris, go back to the carriage." There was no room for arguement in his words, he really was disgusted by her petulance.

    "No!" She hissed. " I''ve had enough of this! I won''t stand by and let a woman who doesnt even know you act as if you belonged to her!"

    "Iris, you''re brother''s right. Please, let''s go." Melanie was worried about how the situation was becoming. Upon seeing that they were attracting attention from the other travelers in the line she lightly pulled on the girl''s hand.

    "For once leave well enough alone." Cecelia said darkly, very displeased with her actions just now.

    "Shut up!" Came a low snarl. "Both of you, pretending you''re fine with it when nothing but envy and hate clouds your hearts just watching them. Bitches in heat, only wanting him for yoursel--"

    "Iris, go." Lyle''s face, which had always remained calm and collected, started to take on a harsher light.

    "Bell, no, wait..." Sera, seeing her future sister-in-law like this, felt a deep sadness.

    The young girl only wanted what was best for her brother. Seeing a stranger be so close to him and hearing them say how much they loved each other, why wouldn''t she be confused and hurt?

    She didn''t know what relationship he may have with the other two women but didn''t care anymore. She knew that he loved her, that was more than enough to satisfy her.

    However she did care about Iris. It''s just that Iris didn''t know her. She might only see a new woman who wanted to use him. Of course she wouldn''t understand them, how could she, when they only just met but a day ago?

    Although they loved each other Iris would never be able to so easily accept this change. She probably though Sera was a bad woman who was manipulating her brother, leading him around.

    Sera couldn''t stand to see the little girl hate her! She was soon to be her little sister, Sera wanted her blessing, wanted to be liked by her.

    "Don''t get angry with her. She loves you too, that''s why she''s so mad. If we didn''t experience it ourselves would we think something like what we have could be cultivated and grown so fast?"

    Iris probably wants your head on a pike, and yet you stick up for her? And what do you mean? Of course this is impossible, do you think love is something that can blossom after only a day or two?

    Lyle grew more stressed out with each second, and most of it was because of the woman by his side right now. Such a troublesome existence.

    "And I get that, Sera, but she said horrible things to you. No matter what, that can''t just be forgiven so easily. Not only that, she''d disturbing the other travelers too. She''s acting like a child, so I''ll treat her as one." He looked at Cecelia. "Take her to the carriage and lock her up. It''s time she reflected upon her actions. I''ll be there in a minute."

    The girl nodded, and all but dragged an unwilling Iris away with Melanie in tow.

    As they left, neither of the young women wanted to look back.

    "She hates me." Sera''s shoulders slumped. "Why didn''t you let her stay? I could have shown her that we--"

    "Iris hates any woman close to me, don''t take it to heart." Lyle shrugged off her concern. "And nothing you said would have helped at all. Didn''t I say it? Act like a child, I treat you like one. And she''s done little but act that way since she was old enough to walk, I''ve just been spoiling her up to now."

    "She''s your sister, isn''t it fine to indulge her?"

    Lyle almost laughed. Iris'' idea of being indulged would include nonstop hugging, hand-holding, praising, and being carried around all day.

    It was already bad enough that he spoiled her to the degree he did, let alone what he''d have to do if he gave in to her fully for even a single day.

    "Maybe a bit, but lately she''s been too bratty. Especially in how she talked to you three."

    Sera didn''t ask about the other two. She didn''t want to know anymore. After today, it wouldn''t matter.

    "Maybe I should go and speak to her? I''m sure if she gets to know me better--"

    "It wouldn''t change anything. Iris is set in her ways and she''d only tolerate you if she thought you were easy to push around." That''s why she always had a bit of a soft spot for Melanie. The girl wasn''t able to really say no to her.

    "But--" Sera began.

    "No. I''m telling you, it wouldn''t work. Give her time to cool down first, then I''ll talk to her. Make her understand." He smirked. "Even I want you two to get along, so just be patient and let me handle her before you try anything. Okay?"

    She nodded her head demurely, obediently.

    "Okay. I will." Sera took his arm, her breasts morphing as it was smashed against them. " Oh!" Her eyes moved to the front. "The line''s moving, come on!"

    And after that, they soon well and truly arrived at the city of Zeshar.

 Chapter thirty-six pt. 1

    Behind the gates was a great circular space with a wide road running down the middle that led to the Plaza area, several smaller roads to either side of it that also led to different areas.

    "I guess this is where we part ways." Jaime looked at him.

    "I suppose it is." Lyle agreed.

    Boris shifted his gaze to a few feet away, where Lyle''s carriage resided. Off to the side a bit was a girl surrounded by four mean-looking, burly knights.

    "Be careful with that one, kid. Nobles taking an interest in regular folk isn''t a good thing. Handle her well, you don''t need that kind of trouble. I don''t think we could help you if you did." His eyes flashed with worry.

    "I know." Lyle replied seriously. Nobles really could be a handful.

    "I don''t know how long you''ll be here, but at the very least we''re going to be staying for a week or more. It''s a big city, but if you find the local Merc Hall feel free to visit. Father should be here as well. Maybe if things go south with that girl, you can lay low with us for a while." Jaime offered without hesitation.

    Lyle was moved, because it was always a real possibility that they''d be in a lot of trouble for hiding a person a Noble wanted found.

    "Thanks. If it comes to that, I will."

    "Once you''re settled, go to the Golden Stag. We''ll get plastered and you can help me seduce a pretty lush!" Murphy, walking up from behind him, clapped him on the back cheerfully.

    Next to him was Nyk, who offered Lyle a nod but otherwise stayed silent.

    "I''ll see if I can make it." Was all Lyle said, knowing he couldn''t. Too open, he wouldn''t be able to go without being seen and if Sera really sent someone after him it''d be hard to hide when in a place full of so many people.

    "Before you go, you never made up with Fey I take it?" Jaime suddenly asked.

    "That would imply we have a relationship that can be made up. We don''t. Why?" Lyle didn''t want to talk to that girl if he can help it.

    "She''s been acting up." Murphy cut in irritably. "Even more than usual. You know, you two had a good thing going. She tried to kill you, you tried to kill her, both of you unleash your inner sadists against each other while possibly fighting a faint hint of sexual tension that''s hidden beneath a very real dislike for the other''s existence...it worked. Now she''s directing all that repressed anger and aggression upon us poor little lambs. The fuck happened? "

    "I can''t control what she does." Lyle shrugged.

    "Before you go, you can''t just argue with her first?" He begged. "One little insult, a few sword thrusts, then you two can kiss and make up and we can all be one big, happy, dysfunctional family again?"

    "Don''t disgust me." Lyle wanted to gag. "The very thought of that disturbes me on levels you cannot even begin to comprehend. No, I think those days are over. That woman''s irrational hatred for my very being isn''t something I want to entertain any longer."

    It would be fine if she had a reason, but she didn''t. She just straight-up didn''t like him. No explanation given.

    "After today the next time we see each other I''ll just pretend I don''t even know her."

    Jaime idly wondered how Fey would take that, but concluded it''d end with her completely raging out and trying to kill him. Which would make him defend himself, and the two might be back to normal.

    "Anyway, I should go." Lyle looked at Iris''s face, which stared at him through the carriage''s side window.

    "Wait, my little Bell~! Forgetting something?" A high-spirited voice interrupted them.

    Val popped out from the ether, winding her arms around one of his own in an apparent attempt to keep him from going.

    Just as she did so he felt a small prick at his neck. He clapped his hand over the spot but found nothing. Weird. A mosquito? Damn thing.

    "I don''t think so." Lyle replied, feeling uncomfortable with the way she touched him.

    "My com~pen~sa~tion, you know~?" She sang. "You can''t leave without payment for my service."

    This again...

    "You literally did nothing useful for me!" Lyle shook his head in exasperation.

    "I''m paid for my time, not effort or action." She grinned shamelessly.

    "Oh gods, fine, how much do you want?"

    "Bell, please, I''m your friend." She said smoothly. "I can''t take your money." There was a very greasy-looking smile that found itself on her face just then.

    Yup. He was about to be robbed for all he was worth. He felt his coffers running dry already, a premonition of the poverty to come.

    "Then what--?"

    "You''ll see." She put a finger to his lips and stopped him. "Come here, pretty boy, mama knows just what she wants." In the next minute she began dragging him away to parts unknown.

    The others looked on strangely. "Hm...somehow it feels like there was something important we had to tell him."

    Murphy commented.

    Boris raised a brow. "Yeah? What?"

    "I...I...don''t know..." He touched his head. "I can''t really remember, honestly. Bossman, do you?"

    Jaime shook his head. "Nothing that I can recall, no."

    "Nyk, you?"

    Another head shake. "Must not be all too important then." He said reasonably.

    "...Maybe..."

    But as they watched Val pull the young man away, they couldn''t help feeling distinctly ill at easy.

    **********

    Before he got too far away, he told Cecelia to go on ahead and find someplace to rest for the day.

    Without her being able to ask how he''d find them, he was dragged further

    His eyes caught Spirit following after them, much to his regret.

    Originally he planned to tell Cecelia to take the others and find accomodations somewhere far from here, then take Sera for a walk and ditch her when her back was turned.

    Now it looks like he''d have to change plans a little.

    He looked at Val. "So where are we going?"

    "Oh, there''s someplace I wanted to take you. Don''t worry it shouldn''t be far." She waved him off casually.

    They wound their way through boisterous crowds people, sweeping past the merchants intent on selling them this thing or that.

    Lyle took in the sights. He''d been here a time or two to attend a banquet thrown by some Noble or another but never had the time to just explore.

    He smiled bitterly, thinking he wouldn''t be able to do it much this time either.

    Eventually they found that the crowd became thinner as time went on and up ahead Lyle saw what might have been a garden area.

    "You know, my great-great-great-great grandfather was part of the city''s defense force." Val spoke up just then, without warning.

    "Yeah?" Lyle hadn''t heard that before.

    "Yup. He was an archer." She grinned. "Runs in the family. Always get a keen eye and steady hand." A chuckle. "He died in battle, but because of him the enemy leader got a arrow in the gut and had to be rushed out. Died an hour later, poisoned. Grandpa had a penchant for the stuff. Well, not just him. We all do."

    A iron-wrought gate lay open before them.

    Lyle vaguely felt as if he heard a story like this before. He never would have thought she had come from such a line though.

    "And I''m guessing this place is...?" He saw a few momuments here and there, but not many.

    "A graveyard. Yeah." She nodded. "Very few bodies are buried here, only the ones who did a great service to the city."

    They entered a large field of green grass, saw several small buildings that looked well taken care of.

    "For his merits in battle they gave him a cozy little mausoleum when he later got a arrow in the knee and died of blood loss."

    They saw another small building, nestled quietly away from the other sparse graves, all by it''s lonesome near a man-made lake.

    "How morbid." Lyle muttered. Not a topic for casual conversation. "Val, why are we here?"

    He was starting to grow anxious.

    "I told you, I wanted you to see something."

    Yeah, she''d already made that clear. But come on, she was taking him to her however-many-greats-grandfather''s grave? The hell was that about?

    "What about your compensation?" He asked carefully.

    The eyes flashed with a mysterious light. "Oh, we''ll get to that. Just be patient."

    Lyle accepted the fact that he wouldn''t be able to get this over with quickly and just stayed silent.

    They reached the structure and Val took out a key. "I don''t come here often, you know." She went to work on the lock to the gate surrounding the bulding. "I wasn''t even thinking of coming at all." The lock opened.

    "And honestly, I was just thinking about having you get me something pretty. Then I thought of something better you can do for me, much better."A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    "Like what?" How much is this going to cost me? Actually what the hell does she want me to do, bringing me here? Is grave-robbing a new pastime of her''s these days?

    "Val, come on, tell me why I''m here already." He was really starting to get annoyed by all the theatrics.

    He was ignored.

    "But I knew we couldn''t do that with everyone watching. We would have to sneak out, you know? Your sister, Cecelia, that Melanie chick, Lady Seraphina, who knew what they''d do if they found out? Not to mention those little girllies of mine."

    "I''m sorry, what?" Lyle had absolutely no clue as to what the woman was talking about.

    "So I had to think of an excuse to get you away. And I''ve been thinking about what to do for a while now, thinking of what where we were gonna go. Then I remembered this place!" Her eyes brightened. "I used to hang out here all the time as a kid, hide from my aunt Josie."

    She pulled him inside, closing the door behind her.

    It was dark. "Ok, Val, you''re creeping me out. Are you going to kill and rob me or something? Hide my body and run?" His voice grew stern, no longer wanting to humor her. "Seriously, tell me what I''m going to be doing here, or I''m leaving."

    "Going to be doing?" She started to light the torches, illuminating the aged room. A smirk. "Well, isn''t that....Me?"

    And she pounced.

    Before he could even question what she meant, he felt a pair of lips close over his own. Two slender legs wrapped around his waist, arms holding onto his neck for support...

    He was so shocked that he just froze, struck dumb.

    A moment later and Val let go of him, her legs still tightly clinging to his waist, and had her shirt on the floor in two seconds flat. Then she resumed her forceful kisses, pressing her naked breasts against him.

    Lyle, feeling the surprise weight, unconsciously stiffened his back to hold them upright.

    It was only when she started to tangle her hands in his hair that he came back to his senses and pushed her face away.

    "What the hell are doing!" He hissed.

    "Recieving my compensation." She panted. "Bell, don''t worry. No one has to know."

    "Compensation!" He exclaimed, incredulous. "What the hell kind of compensation is this? Get off me!"

    She started unbuttoning his shirt. "Don''t bother. I know you want this too, I know how you look at me. You want this to happen just as much as I do!"

    Lyle was momentarily speechless. "No, I don''t." He said with force. "A friend, Val! I think of you as a friend. Now quit this idiocy and get down!"

    "You don''t want that." She cooed. "I can tell when a man is lying. This thing gives you away."

    She shifted her hips, grinding against him seductively, and hit something hard.

    Lyle''s voice was a bit strained. "That''s just the pommel of my sword. " He said stiffly.

    "Don''t you mean the tip?" Val bit into his ear, sending shivers down his spine.

    Now he knew what Sera must have felt that time.

    "Val, I''m serious." He made himself calm down and be rational despite really wanting to just tear her the rest of her clothes and give in to need. "We can leave now and pretend this didn''t happen, alright? I''m not playing around. Get off, or--"

    He felt something cold digging of his neck, hard enough to have surely drawn blood.

    "Sorry, the first one didn''t work so I had to use something stronger." She explained, as if that meant something to him.

    Without caring about his lack of understanding she just smiled at him. The look was disturbing with the way the torchs'' fires cast shadows over her face.

    "Now...ask me what I want."

    Feeling that cold knife bite into his flesh he had no choice but to comply.

    "What do you want, Val?"

    She whispered huskily into his ear. "I want you to fuck me."

    "Val--"

    "...So this is where you two got off to..."

    **********

    "Your Eminence, we''ve received word that your daughter, Her Holiness Lady Seraphina, has arrived."

    Atop a high balcony, looking down at the sprawling city beneath, stood a man. His long white robes, elegantly adorned with silver inlay, billowed in the wind. Despite that, he had a serene countenance.

    Around his neck hung a large golden jewel, reminiscent of an eye.

    The man had a shock of white hair that formed a halo around his head, but his face was ageless.

    As if stuck in time, you couldn''t tell if he was but in his thirties or well into his sixties, a face that could look like either and neither at once.

    Faintly handsome, with sharp ice-blue eyes that spoke of fierce intelligience.

    "I see." A smooth, slightly deep voice which bespoke a calm and scholarly temperment. "How was her journey?"

    "She was met with a group of manticores. The Aes''fal were about to act, but someone else interfered and so it wasn''t needed."

    "Well, best not to reveal them unless she''s in danger of dying, so it''s good she was saved before then."

    "Indeed. But Sir..." There was a large man behind him, weaing a full plate of armor and a royal blue cape. He was a square-face man, hard. The air warped around him, a strong aura of power radiating from his every pore.

    "Yes, Paladin Vael?"

    "We''ve reports that your daughter, the ones who rescued her group, were the Haddocks. She traveled with them here."

    "You''re worried why they''ve come? They must be investigating the disappearances. It won''t lead anywhere, so don''t fret. Is there anything else?"

    "Yes. A young man was seen riding with her as they got within range of the southern gate. Riding behind her atop Spirit, my Lord. "

    The man didn''t even turn back, nether did he appear concerned at all.

    "My daughter has brought a young man with her. Interesting." A dry laugh."Who is he?"

    "We don''t know, Your Grace. However, it was he who truly saved your daughter Her Holiness."

    "How so, exactly?"

    "Her Holiness was being chased by manticores. He killed two, but they were forced off a cliff by the leader. Landed in the river below."

    The other man''s hands tightened. "She was in no danger of dying." A forceful statement, one that dared to be contradicted.

    "Of course not. But the height was such that, if the Aes''fal were not there to ensure her safety, the outcome would have been death given her weak flesh."

    "You said they didn''t have to act." The older man stated.

    "They didn''t." The other replied evenly. "The boy who fell with her...his body was extraordinarily strong. Despite falling from a height like that, and shielding Her Holiness'' body with his own upon contact with the water, he was still able to get up and walk after. From the report, he also saved her from drowning in the cold waters, then dragged her to land. After that he gave her a dry coat and found her some shelter. Her injuries were likely treated by him as well."

    "And then?"

    "Then they were found." Vael lied. What events truly happened after, he dared not say.

    "Very well. Bring them both to me. I wish to meet the man who has fate with that daughter of mine."

    "Yessir, Your Eminence." The Paladin rose, leaving to carry out his orders.

    "Oh, and Sir Vael."

    The knight halted.

    "Yes, Your Eminence?"

    "Do you have any word about the fire?"

    "No, Your Grace. None."

    "And the letter?"

    "We believe it was destroyed along with the Manor."

    "A pity." The robed man sighed, musing. "He was the last to be sent, his report on the effectiveness of the drug after the continuous days of exposure would have been quite valuable. Malphas will be quite displeased." Another sigh. "Although it''s of no real consequence that he passed. His daughter is a true believer, after all, and has agreed readily to support the cause. " The man seemed to just be thinking aloud rather than talking to the other person.

    " However..." Paladin Vael hesitated.

    "Yes? What is it?"

    "We searched, and found that the manor''s valuables were, for the most part, stolen. some may have been ruined along with the report, and other stolen by thieves...but something doesn''t seem right."

    "You think there was foul play?"

    "I think that the timing of this is a bit too coincidental." Came the shrewd reply. "Not to mention the weird phenomenon which happened at the Alderton estate some days ago."

    "There was an incident, I take it. So be it. What happened?"

    "The entire staff, including our informant, along with Lady Alderton herself, appeared to be unable to account for nearly half an hour of time."

    "Strange." There was a long, considering pause. Like he was lost in deep thought. A moment later he nodded to himself."Okay. You''re free to go."

    **********

    "Mira?" Lyle''s eyes slowly adjusted to the bright light of the outside as it came rushing in through the open door.

    "What do you think you''re doing to him, Val?" Mira only glanced at Lyle, then directly sent Val a question.

    The dagger in Val''s hand was as clear as day.

    "Oh, just a little rough play. Not something a prude like you would understand." Val''s smile was coy. Then right in front of her she continued to rub herself on Lyle and suck at his neck.

    With that knife of her''s threatening him he didn''t dare resist.

    If he had just a few inches to work with he thought he could get away. But with it pressed so firmly against him right now, and his knowledge of Val''s speed, he didn''t try anything.

    And yet, even now, he couldn''t help but notice how firm and tight her legs were...how good she smelled...

    "I think you''d be surprised." Mira, a woman Lyle had come to identify as the big sister of the group for her maturity and level-headedness, did something he never would have imagined her capable of.

    With her eyes focused on him she slowly, carefully, lifted her shirt over her head. He saw her face become clouded in desire, the same as Val''s own. .

    What that hell is wrong with them...

    They were his friends. His comrades. People he trusted. Why would they do this? What was the point? ...Was this actually happening?

    "Mira!" Val laughed. "Who''d have thought you of all people would be so eager. It''s unbelievable. Fine, I guess one more wouldn''t hurt." Val said magnanimously.

    "Please. You say that, but didn''t you just want him for yourself? That''s not nice Val, you know the rest of us wanted him too but you didn''t even think to share."

    "Yeah, who said you were the only one who could have fun?"

    "We''re like sisters, aren''t we? Sisters share eveything, you can''t be so stingy!"

    One by one other familiar faces started to come through.

    Lyle paled. He felt a cold dread coil around his heart.

    "Bitches. You followed us?" Val asked. Without waiting for their reply, she went on. " And really, everything? Don''t be ridiculous." She frowned severely. "Even if I did feel that generous, there''s only one of him!" Val''s face was full of livid ferocity. Baring her canines she looked ready to kill.

    It was at this time that one of the women, Lissandra, a pretty blonde Lyle had more than once fought side by side with, brushed her hand along Lyle''s arm. A look of rapture came to life on her face.

    "Just let us touch him...we can wait...we can take turns...please..." Her words came through shallow breaths.

    Lyle felt that flames in his chest wildly flicker and burn, sending him shockwaves of pleasure as Lissandra touched him.

    No...were these...really his emotions?

    Or were they...her''s...?

    The flames licked at his skin, and Lyle''s control was being assaulted by a need for the fires to be extinguished.

    "Bell...our Bell..." The other women, crowding the space within, started calling out to him. Touching, groping, pulling at everything they could.

    His coat was being taken off as Val seemingly accepted their deal. Lyle was just frozen there, still denying the reality of the situation. Then he saw Mira go to her knees to work on his belt.

    He couldn''t take it. He felt sickened, disgusted by their actions.

    They were supposed to be his friends, yet they so easily turned on him like this? Why? Was he supposed to just lay here and allow them to do as they pleased? Was he seriously expected to have his dignity stepped on like this?

    This wasn''t right. He didn''t accept it. Hewouldn''taccept it!

    It was in that moment that he pushed Mira away, reached for his sword and readying to fight them off by force. Dagger? So what? Let her use it! Better he die than allow them to take him in such a way!

    But someone stopped his hand and kicked at the back of his knee.

    Amazingly, Lyle fell.

    ...But how? He''d never been taken down so easily before!

    "See, you barely put up a fight at all." One of them said. "You shouldn''t lie to yourself...you want this..."

    "Just lay down, and let us work. "

    "We''ll make you feel so good...why struggle?"

    "And after this we can leave. You and us, traveling together. Enjoying each other. Doesn''t that sound wonderful?"

    "We can do things like this every day, all day, forever."

    "Because we all...really...love you..."

    As their words grew more and more insane so did Lyle himself start to feel weak.

    For some reason he thought back to his conversation with Val just a while ago.

    "...Grandpa had a penchant for the stuff. Well, we all do."

    "Sorry, the first one didn''t work so I had to use something stronger."

    The prick on his neck. Was that really a mosquito?And then he remembered the dagger. Val almost never used daggers. She didn''t bother to just threaten him, she pierced his skin the first chance she got.

    Poison, He realized. Val poisoned me.

    It was just a threat. She''d never intended to actually kill him. She just needed to wait until he couldn''t fight back.

    "Let go of him!"

    A wild scream tore through the room like a banshe''s wail, and a second later Lyle felt an influx of foreign emotions blast through his body.

    Waves of pain, anger, sadness and other dark, negative feelings he couldn''t give name to forced it''s way into every aspect of his being.

    He felt like he''d been hit with so much life that his own was under threat of being snuffed out.

    Like he was drowning and floating all at once.

    The souls of uncountable numbers of men and women seemed pass through his body, each bringing with them their own regrets and personalities.

    He gasped for air.

    And just like that every single woman surrounding him crumpled to the floor.

    His head was spinning. He found consciousness difficult to keep hold of.

    "Bell...Bellamy? Bastards, what did they think they were going to do..." Again, a surge of anger that wasn''t his own. "It''s so weak, why is it weak? It''s never like that!" Was that relief, though? He couldn''t tell. Weak...he wondered what that meant...

    Who was it? The voice seemed familiar, but the concern he heard within it was so alien that he thought he must be wrong.

    "Hey, stay with me." Someone snapped their fingers at him. "Dammit, Val must''ve poisoned him."

    "Fey, how on earth did you even...?" A deep, masculine voice this time.

    "Shut up!" The first one--Phaedra--angrily yelled. "Leave me alone."

    Jaime held up his hands innocently. "Alright, fine. I won''t ask any questions. Come on, we should get him out of here first. Help me--"

    "Don''t fucking touch him!" She snarled.

    Jaime faltered.

    When the hell did she get so defensive about the young man?

    He saw a fierce look in his sister''s eyes, hinting at danger. She was serious. Why?

    "...Sorry. " She calmed down a moment later. "He just...doesn''t like it. Come on, help me lift him and let''s go... "

    "...RIght..."

 Chapter thirty-six pt. 2

    "He''s waking up, I''ll go get Jaime."

    Lyle slowly opened his eyes, instantly alert.

    He took only a second to take in his surroundings, then rolled off the bed and jumped towards the voice.

    With the greatest of ease, in the midst of a pure instinct and rage, he pinned a lithe body to the wall by her neck.

    "Bell, you asshole...what the fuck...stop...." Val gagged, struggling for breath.

    Someone by his side stalked up and put a soft hand on his shoulder, and Lyle felt all his anger vanish as if it were sucked out of him.

    "Put her down." And he did. "Val, leave us." Val fell to the floor, and throwing him a look of annoyance and injustice, she marched away in a huff while muttering curses at him.

    Lyle''s anger, upon seeing that, instantly came back.

    He turned to Phaedra, snarling. "What was she doing here?"

    "Watching after you." Before he exploded again, she quickly added, " Don''t worry, she''s back to normal now. And I was keeping an eye on her in case she wasn''t."

    "She poisoned me!" He was not appeased by the news at all. "She and the others, they--!"

    He couldn''t even say it without feeling as if a sickening bile rose in his throat.

    "I know." Came the quiet reply " I''m sorry."

    Lyle...had no words. He was stunned. Seeing how she folded her arms and looked away, her voice low, he couldn''t form any sort of retort.

    This was perhaps the first time he''d heard those words sincerely directed at him by her.

    "They...they don''t remember anything." She explained after an awkward silence. "...Are you alright?" Concern? From her?

    "Why do you care?" He asked suspiciously.

    His muscles went taut, ready for action.

    "I don''t." She replied flatly, her usual coldness coming back.

    Only now did he calm down. "As it should be."

    But something was weird. He, for a moment, saw her eyes flicker downward.

    A slow awareness, now that he wasn''t in attack-mode, dawned on him. He looked down at himself in rising horror.

    ...And discovered he was naked.

    "Why am I...?" Another suspicious look came over him.

    "Some of them lost control of their bladder. Right on top of you. And one on your side. It''s fine though, Boris and Murphy cleaned you up. "

    "I see." He was glad he passed out before that.

    He smirked, "I suppose it''s not all bad. At least we''re even now." Lyle calmly walked to the bed and covered himself with the blanket.

    His dignity was already unrecoverable at this point, so he didn''t mind it.

    Her eyes narrowed at him spitefully. "Erase that from your memory!"

    "Not gonna." His smirk only grew more arrogant. "In fact I think I''ll even draw a painting of it from memory and spread it across the continent."

    "Shameless bastard, don''t you dare!" A dagger mysteriously appeared in her hand, then flew towards his head and nearly clipped his ear. It sunk into the wall behind him beautifully.

    "Alright." He agreed easily, unruffled by the attack. "I have no desire to relive that memory anyway."

    "Please, you know it was the most amazing day in your pathetic life." She sneered. "Disgusting pig, you probably used up all the luck accumulated by your ancestors to be able to witness me bathing."

    Lyle laughed. "You''re seriously overestimating yourself. You''re a beautiful woman, but not that beautiful. As if I''d care to even look at you twice. You''re just not my type."

    She stopped. "You think I''m beautiful?"

    "Women really do hear what they want, don''t they?" Lyle raised a brow. "Don''t get ahead of yourself. You''re only an average beauty, nothing to be proud of."

    She prepared another dagger, but his next words stopped her in her tracks.

    "Also...thank you, Fey."

    The would-be murder weapon dropped to the floor. "I''m sorry, what?" She blinked.

    " I said thank you. For helping me. If you hadn''t, I...Well I''m not sure what would have happened." He didn''t want to think about it.

    "You''re... welcome...I guess." She looked incredibly awkward just then, obviously not knowing what to do or say in response.

    "So how''d you do that thing?" He looked around for some clothes in the small room. They had to be at an Inn.

    "What thing?" She appeared to be calming down with the change in topic.

    "I don''t know. It was weird, like my emotions were going out of whack. Such a strange feeling...and then everyone just dropped. Was that some sort of blood magic?"

    Phaedra was already shaking her head. "I didn''t do anything."

    "Liar. Come on, tell me. What--"

    "I. Didn''t. Do. Anything!" She glowered at him.

    "Fine, keep your secrets." Lyle gave her a dirty look. "Petty woman. I truly dislike you."

    "No, you don''t." She spoke flatly.

    "Oh?" He shot her a doubtful look. "And how, pray tell, can you be so sure of that?"

    "I can feel it." It was such a simple answer.

    "I wouldn''t put to much stock in these feelings of yours." Lyle said.

    "I never said they were mine. "

    "Brother!" Before he could question her about that weird little statement the door sudden;y burst open and a golden streak leapt from the entrance, clearing five feet in an instant to nearly knock Lyle off his feet.

    "Iris!" Lyle exclaimed, shocked. "Why''re you here?"

    "I felt as if brother was in danger, so I got here as soon as I could!" She explained shortly.

    Lyle turned to Phaedra for a better explanation.

    "She and the rest of your entourage tracked us down shortly after you left." The young woman said. "We tried to tell the girl to calm down but she just kicked Boris and Jaime in the shins and threatened to go to the city guards and tell them they touched her if they didn''t go and help look." Came the monotoned reply. Phaedra showed a rare smile. "Little brat, I have to say I''m impressed. That brother of mine has probably never had someone be so rude to him before except our father. Really put him in his place! Boris too, I''d bet." She chuckled.

    "Good thing she did though." Another person popped their head in through the door. Boris. "A few minutes later and who knows what would have happened? The kid might have been a father by now. "

    Boris''s face showed unease. The way the women acted was just...strange. He really wanted to know what was going on.

    He regarded the young man in front of him cautiously. The guy was as strong as an ox, and now he somehow gained the ability to make the women go into a serious heat season.

    Was he really human? This guy...

    "I can''t believe we didn''t warn you. We knew the women were acting weird, how could we have forgotten it? Son of a bitch! What the hell was wrong with us?" Murphy and Nyk, ever a pair, walked in just as Boris was thinking these things and the kid had a face full of guilt.

    "Are you alright?" Nyk''s discerning gaze roamed up and down Lyle''s body. Seeing as how he was naked under the blanket, he looked from Lyle to Phaedra with heavy suspicion--and perhaps relief?

    "Sorry, are we interrupting something?" Murphy also noticed, but didn''t have Nyk''s tact. "We can come back if you two need to...sort out your issues together." His face was full of lewd suggestion.

    "Don''t be disgusting." For once Lyle and Phaedra were in perfect sync.

    As expected, Iris locked onto Phaedra with an intense focus.

    "Thank you for helping my brother." To everyone''s complete astonishment, Iris bowed her head and sincerely thanked the woman.

    Phaedra''s mouth fell open. "Hold up shrimp, I thought you hated me?"

    Iris nodded sagely. "You and I could never be anything but enemies, however, I found that you are the only trustworthy woman my brother is friends with." She told the hrt. "Were it not for your inability to see how kind and cool my brother is perhaps we could be friends. But I fear you might also become like every other no-good woman if that were ever the case," She went on."So I suppose this is the only way we can live together on this planet. With you and brother no longer fighing, I can tolerate you."

    It was a rather sensible response, in a certain way.

    "Thanks...?" Phaedra wasn''t sure what was happening. It felt like she was being complimented, yet also not...

    "Brother..." Iris hesitated, looking at her brother with worry. "Are you okay? I heard something about poison...."

    "I''m fine, Iris." He rubber her head affectionately.

    "But, brother, are you sure? This is a serious matter!" This time Iris was not to be placated so easily.

    "If I wasn''t fine, would I be so lively?"

    "...Probably not..." But she still fussed, not entirely convinced when it came to something like this.

    Boris tried to reassure her. "The poison was only meant to stun him for a while, didn''t last long after we got him the antidote. Your brother was never in any danger, lass." At this, Iris seemed to become more relaxed. " Well, his purity may have been though."

    Iris went wide-eyed when she heard this, obviously terrified at the thought.

    But she swallowed it down. "That''s...good." She forced out. "And thank you too, Mr.Boris. Also, I''m sorry about your shins..." Iris made an apologetic face.

    Boris grinned. "No worries, your concerns were right on the mark. And besides, I like women with a bit of spunk. Means they''re spicy, a nice flavor. Goes great with soup." His teeth looked exceedingly sharp in that moment, causing Iris to go pale.

    "I''m shocked, big guy. I didn''t know your tastes ran that young." Phaedra''s cool comment made the smile disappear instantly.

    Boris sent her a mean look. "Quiet, you. A bit of teasin''s well within my rights. She nearly sullied my honor, you know?"The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    "What honor?" Lyle asked, as if genuinely curious. "You''re a merc, not a knight."

    "Yeah but we''regentleman mercs. " Murphy cut in, looking offended.

    "I once saw you robbing the corpse of a merchant you killed, bury him, then piss on his grave." Phaedra said disdainfully.

    "That fucker deserved it."

    "You killed him two days after buying "magic cologne" he said would make women more attracted to you." Phaedra''s eyes were full of disdain.

    "And I smelled like horse shit for a week. I''m not sorry! People like that who cheat others deserve what they get!" He asserted firmly. It wasn''t only him who got cheated!

    The guy also sold meds...which were, of course, fake. So his conscience was clear.

    "Gullible idiot." She shook her head.

    "Iris, where are Cecelia and Melanie?" Lyle ignored them and began questioning his sister.

    "Downstairs holding off that annoying woman. She followed us. I really don''t like her." She pouted.

    "Sera''s here too? Damn." Of course, if Iris and the others were here it should be expected that she''d follow them to him. "Alright, where are my clothes?" Lyle raised his voice and asked.

    "Here." Nyk threw a brown sack at him.

    "Thanks."

    Lyle rose, then retreated to the small bathroom off to the side.

    He came out a few moments later.

    "Time to put on another act, I suppose."

    **********

    "Bell!"

    As soon Lyle came down the stairs he was met with an enthusiastic greeting by a lovely young woman.

    Sera.

    The girl was extremely similar to Iris, rushing foward and all but jumping at him.

    A pair of slender arms wrapped around his body, trapping him.

    "I was so worried!" She buried her face in his chest. "I saw them bringing you in and thought the worst! Are you alright? Are you hurt?"

    Can''t you go five minutes without touching me?

    He stopped himself from becoming too annoyed, bearing with it.

    "I''m fine." Lyle saw Melanie standing awkwardly to the side, staring at them.

    Not even a week into our relationship and I''m making her watch another woman throw herself at me....Nice, Lyle, very nice.

    Guilt gnawed at him but he could only force it down for now.

    The sooner he got rid of this girl, the better.

    After that he''d be able to focus on his own matters, and make all this up to Melanie.

    He wondered how he''d do that...it wasn''t a small thing, this. Allowing a girl other than her to do something like this.

    It was his own idea but he didn''t think the young Lady would be so aggressive and bold with her affections. In a way it was admirable that she was so honest and fierce with her "love", but in this situation it was just suffocating and bothersome.

    "So what happened?" Cecelia gave Sera a subtle glance, dismissing her a moment later. It was almost pitying, that look.

    "Nothing." He responded curtly.

    This didn''t satisfy her. "Bell, what happened?" She persisted forcefully.

    Lyle clenched his jaw, gritting out a short, "I told you nothing happened."

    Cecelia blinked, at a loss.

    That cold tone of voice wasn''t something she was used to hearing from him. At least not directed at her.

    Seeing her reaction, Lyle went on casually, "So did you find a place to stay yet?"

    "Yeah." She spoke slowly, peering up quietly at him for a moment before continuing. " It''s not far. I already put the carriage in storage."

    "Good." He saw several knights to his far right, on alert for any trouble.

    "Sera, I''m really alright." He gently pried her off of him. "You wanted me to meet your father, right? Why don''t you and your friends over then go wait outside for me, and we can leave in a bit? I have to talk with the others for a while, okay?"

    The girl smiled, nodding happily. "Okay, I will." She agreed easily. Then she paused. "Bell..." She began but stopped, unsure.

    "Yes?"

    Sera bit her lip nervously. "When you meet my father, can you...That is to say, I still haven''t told you a few things about myself...and when you find out, I just want you to know that it doesn''t have to change anything."

    Lyle, of course, decided to placate her. "Of course it wouldn''t." He laughed lightly. "And if you want we can just take things slow and sort things out at our own pace. No need to rush things."

    She shook her head. "I''ve waited my whole life for you, I don''t want to wait any more. That''s why I want us to hurry and take our vows. Once we''re wed, we can have the rest of our lives to sort things out."

    "Wed?" At that exact moment Melanie, Cecelia and Iris spoke up as one.

    Lyle''s smile nearly faltered but he held it in place.

    Sera grinned widely. "Me and Bell agreed to have my father marry us later. Maybe today or tomorrow...I want to get it over with as soon as possible."

    Melanie and Cecelia went pale, as if the news drained the life out of them. Shock, rejection and disbelief struck them like lightning.

    Iris'' eyes went dark, a burning, murderous rage coming to life within them.

    Lyle quickly talked before she could blow up.

    "About that...Sera, like I said earlier, don''t you think marriage is a bit too soon?"

    "Not soon enough, rather." She replied without a trace of discontent. "I never even thought I''d be allowed to have this. But I know everything will work out, because this is something that was meant to be."

    Melanie felt like the world was spinning.

    After hearing something like that, she wasn''t able to stay calm!

    Iris and Cecelia were equally disturbed as well, neither able to make sense of how this came to be.

    "Oh, but enough about that. I''ll let you go and talk." Sera said. Then without any warning, she planted a kiss on Lyle''s mouth.

    GIt was a long, drawn-out sort of kiss that included her standing on the tips of her toes and bringing his head down to meet her''s so that she could twin her hands in his hair.

    Lyle felt her soft, warm tongue slip past his lips for several seconds before she let him go.

    Afterwards she glanced at Cecelia, smiled, and sauntered away.

    It was then that Lyle noticed something strange.

    It was the looks she got from the people around her, the stares. It was weird, because this wasn''t the looks people gave a beautiful woman. Rather it felt more like they were trying to figure something out about her but not quite able to figure it out.

    When she was here everyone was silent, unlike how a bar filled with people should be. It was only after she left that they started talking again.

    ...The four were quiet for a moment, Lyle walking to the bar desk and ordering a drink to wash the taste of the girl''s tongue out of his mouth. Iris was still fuming beside him.

    Melanie and Cecelia, they brooded on their own, not saying a word.

    "So am I invited to the wedding?" Cecelia was the one to break the silence.

    Lyle took a drink, then answered. "You can even be her maid of honor. I''m sure she''d be willing."

    Cecelia was disgusted. "How can you joke about something like this?"

    Lyle shrugged. "The entire thing is a damn joke. What''s the problem? We both know there''ll never be a wedding."

    "She thinks there will be." She asserted.

    But he didn''t care. "She can think what she wants, it doesn''t have anything to do with me."

    The girl gave barked out a short-lived laugh. "Oh no, nothing at all. You''re just the one who''s been actively seducing her all this time."

    Lyle almost didn''t believe what he''d just heard. He worked hard to take the anger out of his words but they still had a hint of it regardless.

    A tic formed in his jaw. "I''m distracting her, not trying to fuck her." He all but growled. "You know damn well why--"

    Cecelia slammed her hand on the desk, attracting the eyes of several people. "It''s not the same and you know it!" She yelled, then quieted down after noticing how her actions brought unwanted attention. "I knew you''d lead her along, but marriage? Really? You let her believe that''s what you wanted?"

    "She''s the one who got that idea in her head." Lyle downed his mug in one go, then ordered another...something stronger this time.

    "You didn''t seem to really put up much of a resistance though, did you?" She mocked. "I can understand you entertaining her, but this is just ridiculous."

    "It is." Lyle agreed unexpectedly. "So why''re you getting worked up?"

    "Because there''s a difference between distracting her and making her believe you actually love her." Cecelia folded her arms.

    She seemed angry. Lyle couldn''t fathom why.

    "So you''re going to blame me for something I have no control over? You do realize the situation we''re in, right? You understandwhy we''re in it in the first place,don''t you?"

    Cecelia faltered. "I do, but--"

    He''d reached the end of his patience. Thinking about it, why did he even have to defend himself here?

    But he did it anway, even if he didn''t want to.

    "You do realize she could have, at any time, ordered her lackeys to start trouble with us? Even Jaime and his group? Do you think they''d have the flak to go against a Noble''s orders? We aren''t known for being able to take no for an answer. Especially not when that Noble is a hormonal teen with severe delusions about a fated tale of love between herself and I."

    He took another long swig of his newly-acquired beverage, feeling the alcohol burn his throat. "You know, I could have kept her at bay by just being polite. But no, you had to go and get yourself exposed, didn''t you? Making her feel threatened."

    Lyle wasn''t very merciful, because things would have been much easier if the girl had just left well enough alone. He didn''t mind that Jaime and Phaedra were close by, because the loud multi-voiced noise from the bar would block their conversation from their sharp ears.

    "Threatened?" Cecelia grew uneasy. She didn''t know where this was going.

    "What, do I have to spell it out for you?"

    His eyes pierced right through her, and she felt pinned down by them. Under that gaze she always went meek, unable to defend herself.

    "...No." Because deep down, Cecelia already knew.

    That woman, with her status, wouldn''t be concerned about other women who were of a lower class than her.

    But a Noble? That she would feel on guard against.

    Noble Ladies could be very greedy. Sera was no exception.

    Cecelia felt it, could see the hostility in her eyes when the other looked at her.

    In that girl''s mind, Lyle was her''s.

    Even the way she''d kissed him just a while ago was a very deliberate action.

    She did that intentionally, for everyone to see. It wasn''t just a show of affection, but a statement, a marking of territory.

    She looked at Cecelia and smiled, but that smile wasn''t kind or welcoming. No, it was almost a challenge, a dare. Then just walked off without a second glance.

    It was a very subtle warning, one she didn''t miss.

    "So you understand then." It wasn''t a question.

    Cecelia swallowed har, her anger deflating and replaced by a pang of guilt once again

    "...I provoked her..."

    "Yes. Maybe not by anything you said, or did, but just by being who you are. And I had to clean up your mess."

    It was fine before. Sera was more tame, more content. She felt she was safe. But Lyle knew that would have changed as soon as she learned about Cecelia.

    Because now there was someone who didn''t lose out to her, who was close to the person she favored. And she''d grow restless. And maybe a bit paranoid. Maybe she''d think they had something with each other.

    Maybe she''d think the person she "loved" was already taken by another. And she wouldn''t be able to stand for something like that.

    This was how Nobles Ladies were. They could be territorial, quick to anger. Lyle had seen it enough times to know.

    Hell, his own mother was like that with his father. When they met she wasn''t much impressed and didn''t care much about what he did or with who. But when they started a relationship she quickly took control and held him on a tight leash.

    Sera might be even worse. Lyle didn''t want to find out what would happen if she got so caught up in her own jealousy that she did something extreme.

    It was a very real possibility, because when a Noble Lady had her eye on a man she didn''t easily let go. And that was just assuming it was another Noble she fancied.

    If it were a commoner then there were several obvious reasons why a prideful Noble Lady would be even more aggressive in her pursuit.

    And why wouldn''t they? There''d be little to protect the other person. Little reason to back off. Everyone would believe they''d been smiled upon by a goddess anyway, what would anyone say in their defence?

    "Sorry." Cecelia honestly hadn''t thought that deeply into it. She knew she was the cause of why he had to put up this act, but she didn''t know there was another reason aside from keeping her from asking too many questions.

    If he wanted to assure her Cecelia wasn''t a threat, and keep her from doing anything too heavy-handed, he could only lay it on thick with the girl.

    Still, none of them liked that marriage bit.

    "It''s fine. Let''s just forget about it."

    Lyle didn''t want to be mean, but Sera was getting on his nerves. He didn''t like how she treated him and didn''t like how different she was from how they first met.

    Was this Azamat''s doing? Was that the reason for all this strangeness?

    He had to be, right?

    ...Exactly how bad would it get?

    What if Melanie or Cecelia started acting weird too? Rather, why haven''t they already?

    ...Or what if Iris, too, started....

    Lyle didn''t finish the thought. It was a scenario he rejected with every fiber of his being.

    No. She was his sister. She loved him, but not like that. Never like that. She wouldn''t be effected. She was family. His family.

    He didn''t dwell on these thoughts.

    "Are you going yet?"

    Someone came up behind them and asked such a question.

    Phaedra.

    "So eager to be rid of us?" He called over the waitress. "Get the woman a drink."

    "I would like to not have to see you, yes. I also don''t want that girl stirring up trouble with us. Oh, keep the drink for yourself. I don''t take people''s charity."

    He waved off her concerns. "We''ll leave in just a bit. Don''t worry. Plus, it''s not charity. It''s just a thank you."

    Her eyebrow twitched. Annoyance? Uneasy? Hard to tell. "You already said your thanks, there''s no reason to get all mushy. And it wasn''t just me who helped."

    "True, but you were the first to arrive. And frankly? I''m not sure Jaime would be able to handle Val and her poison. Not even if he was actually willing to go up against numbers like that in such a small space in the first place. Eventhenthat was assuming he''d fight them seriously, which is doubtful. Without you, he''d probably not have been any help at all."

    Val wasn''t weak. And Jaime wouldn''t be able to handle them all if he pulled his punches. He might not be able to handle them even if he didn''t, not with so many of them.

    He wouldn''t have room to fight. Val would probably hit him with that poison easily.

    Lyle knew who the real deciding factor was.

    "I didn''t help you because I care about you." She said she asserted firmly. "You understand that, right?"

    "Yes, I do." She didn''t like him, it was a fact. "But for whatever reason, you helped. That, at least, can''t be denied. So someday I''ll repay you for it."

    "And how exactly could you do that, hmm?"

    Lyle was thinking he might regret what he was about to do, but that didn''t stop him.

    "For starters, this." He reached into one of the hidden pockets of his coat and pulled out a thick coin.

    It was about two inches wide, a faint, icy blue. It bore the image of a wolf on both sides, one baring it''s teeth in a show of ferocious might while the other was the very picture of calm regality.

    "What is it?" Phaedra eyed the coin intently, liking the lustrous blue tinge and polished shine.

    "Something good." He said vaguely. "Keep it on you. Maybe someday you''ll run into a situation where it''d be of some help."

    "Whatever you say." Phaedra shrugged, not putting much stock in either his words or the supposed usefulness of the coin. But at least it''s pretty. Nice to look at if nothing else.

    She used her thumb to flick it high into the hair before pocketing it carelessly.

    Seeing how she treated it with such casual disregard, he almost wanted to take it back.

    Just then Murphy showed up, saying, "We know the owner of the place. There''s a hidden exit in the back, leads to the docks. Said you can use it if you want."

    "Stay safe." Nyk offered his own short, somewhat premature good-bye

    "Thanks." Lyle felt it was nice to have friends.

    "So you ready?" Murphy asked.

    Lyle looked at the others, then nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, we''re ready."

    And just like that, they quietly slipped out.

    ***

    "Young Miss." Voorhis'' weather-beaten face appeared next to her.

    "He''ll come." She wrung her hands together nervously.

    "Young Miss, it''s been nearly an hour." He reminded.

    "He''ll be here soon." Sera told him firmly.

    "Miss..." Voorhis stopped. To him the situation was obvious, yet how could he tell her? Instead he just suggested something to her.

    "Perhaps you should go and check up on him?"

    Sera went quiet for some time.

    Then she broke the silence once more.

    "He''ll come." She insisted. "He will."

    Sera stood outside their recently acquired carriage till her feet grew numb. Stood until the sun began to fade away.

    Watching, waiting.

    He never came.

 Chapter thirty-seven pt. 1

    Cecelia and Melanie were rather quiet. Melanie especially. Though she said she was fine, Lyle knew that she had trouble looking at him now. He couldn''t blame her.

    When they got away they didn''t go back to the Inn Cecelia and co. had found earlier, and neither did they find another Inn. No, a place like that would be too crowded with people, and they would be here for at least a week or more maybe. Winter was here and snow was starting to fall.

    Soon the roads would be too dangerous to travel. They were lucky, very lucky, that few monsters and bandits had shown up while they made the journey here. It was an odd occurance but they were grateful for it.

    He may even have to call his mother and inform her of him perhaps arriving home later than he thought he would.

    Because of the existence known as Sera having been brought into the picutre, Lyle''s plans had changed quite a bit.

    Following this plan, he had Cecelia, Iris and Melanie change their look a bit.

    Before they exited that hidden tunnel near the docks, he took out a change of clothes for them. He also had them change their hair styles.

    Iris he especially paid attention to, making her put her hair in a topknot and leaving shortly to purchase boy''s clothes for her. It pained him to make her wear them but if he could make others see her as a boy then he had to do it.

    Sera would probably search for a man along with three women matching certain descriptions. This is why he did this. He''d make them all into "men" if he could do it, but...

    While Ceceliamightbe able to pass as a man if she tightly bound her breasts, it''d still be a stretch...but there was no way to do the same for Melanie who was even more well-endowed and shapely than Cecelia...

    So Iris was the only one who could pass as a boy in this case--albeit a rather pretty, feminine boy.

    On another note he also changed clothes and opted to wear a simple hat before he left to procure Iris'' own. It was a simple disguise but since he was the only one able to change his general aura and mannerisms, something like that was more than enough.

    Needless to say while they changed he went further back into the tunnel and kept himself company for a moment.

    Once everything was done he put on a cheerful, dandy-like expression before taking Melanie by the arm and walking out of the tunnel with the rest of their little gang.

    To all those who noticed them they simply saw an energetic and playful-looking young man being accompanied by two beauties and a young boy who may have been the man''s brother.

    Lyle felt subtle envious stares being thrown his way that for some reason gave him a...very satisfied feeling. He wasn''t sure why it was so.

    Once he strolled along the streets for a time he sought out the local Adventurer''s guild. It was a bit troublesome to find it, but a bit of asking around made it easier to locate.

    The reason he went to the guild was because the Adventurer''s guild was one of the largest and versatile guilds among them all.

    They offered many different kinds of services, one of which dealt in real estate.

    Because so many people became Adventurers, and because so many people went in and out of the various buildings associated with the guild, it was a smart idea for real estate agencies to have an office or two housed within one.

    Many Adventurers needed to own their own home too, after all.

    However it wasn''t just homes from the real estate agencies that were put up for sale, but also the former homes of dead Adventurer guild members.

    Because if there were no other kin to inherit an Adventurer''s belongings, it would usually go to the guild to use or sell.

    If an Adventurer owned a house and there was no one from his or her family to claim ownership, it wouldn''t be put to waste. The guild would either rent it out to other Adventurers, or, in more rare cases, they''d allow the real estate agencies to sell it and they would recieve part of the profits.

    Being part of a guild was a pretty serious commitment in some ways. Of course usually the guild didn''t just take the belongings of a deceased member, that would be outrageous.

    Only if they didn''t have any other family to give the member''s belongings to, or couldn''t find them, would it become their''s.

    They were surprisingly fair in this aspect, which Lyle respected.

    Lyle didn''t immediately enter but instead told his entourage to wait outside for him, then he went to another building. Once he found a quiet spot without prying eyes by the back of the building he took out his Blackbox.

    Thankfully no one decided to snoop. Not that they''d be able to do anything with the Blackbox anyway since it was spelled. Only those with his permission could really use it.

    Once he made sure no one was nearby he took out a few bottles of liquid. Then a few large, inky-black berries.

    Next he mixed the various potions together along with the juice from the berries, and out came an oily and black colored substance that smelled faintly sweet.

    He didn''t like this method since it was a bit crude and made his hair feel somewhat greasy after washing it off, but it''d serve his purposes.

    Taking the oily substance in his hands, he worked it into his scalp. Once he was done, his hair became the same color of black as the liquid.

    After taking out a miror and smiling arrogantly into it, he put the various vials and bottles away.

    Now he was ready.

    ***

    "You there, girl." He saw a pretty woman standing behind a large desk and greeted her without ceremony. "I''m looking to purchase a house. I require your assitance on the matter. Service me."

    The words were quite overbearing, and he was sure the lady would be put off by it. Maybe even say something to him.

    Yet reality was different. He only saw her stare at him a moment, blink, then make a perfect smile that must have been cultivated from years of experience.

    It was a bit outside his expectations. So she wasn''t new, at least. He was a bit in admiration of her, she must have been used to dealing with these sorts.

    "Yessir, of course. We have a wide range of properties to choose from. To start off, may I know your price range?"

    He waved the question off brusquely . "Don''t bother with the price, I only need something matching my conditions."

    The sales clerk felt her smile stiffen.

    To say something like that he must be wealthy. And indeed his handsome, prideful looks and well-made attire seemed to also indicate this.

    Though the clothing he wore wasn''t anything too extravagent or expensive from her reckioning, it was a cut above the other people here since it was obvious crafted from good materials.

    The young man before her gave off a very arrogant feel to him too, and the way he looked at her told that he was used to getting his way...In various ways...

    The clerk felt her ears warm slightly as she thought this, but her face didn''t slip.

    "Alright, sir. Your condition, what would it be?"

    "Something close to the Workshop. Secluded, preferably. Somewhere people won''t be pestering me with noise. I''m going to be studying at the library for some time and need decent accommodations while I work on my research."

    The clerk''s eyes brightened. Since he need something close to that place it means he''ll be there pretty frequently. He had to be quite an intelligent person then, not many had the qualifications to do such a thing. Although the library was open to the public, few really understood any of the knowledge inside.

    Though maybe she shouldn''t be surprised, the Workshop brought in many young scholars and geniuses from all over. It''s just that most couldn''t afford a property that matched the conditions this man listed off.

    "I have a small estate just fifteen minutes away. It''s already fully furnished, eight rooms total with a nice master bedroom that has a lovely view of the Cathedral. It''s a bit old, but the house and gardens are kept in good condition. Also there''s not many people who live nearby, so you can have all the privacy you need for your studies. And," She added with a twinkle in her eye, "A very large bathing area to relax in. Would you like to see a picture of the property?"

    He has such pretty eyes...You could drown in them...

    "No, it''s fine." There was nothing warm or thankful in his voice at all. "How much?"

    "That''ll be 200 gold, sir." It wasn''t a small sum.

    A faint curl of the lip. "Is that all?" A small pouch was thrown on the desk. "You can pocket what''s left over, I don''t care."

    Stunned, the clerk picked up the pouch. She was quite experience in this job and just from the weight of it she could tell it was clearly what you would expect from 200 coins worth of gold.

    More, even.

    She looked inside and as expected, gold coins were all that could be seen.

    ...Wealthy indeed, to so casually toss out money like this....

    She estimated 250 gold pieces.

    "Thank you, sir." She bowed enthusiastically. Pocket the rest, he said...with money like that she''d be able to quite her job and live comfortably for some few years if she wanted.

    "Just hurry on with it."Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    "Yessir. Please sign these." She handed him a small stack of papers and a pencil.

    Lyle took them and went to work.

    The woman watched silently.

    His fingers are so long and slender...so elegant...he must be very good with them...

    "I trust your agency values it''s customer''s right to confidentiality." As he slowly went through the stack, his voice suddenly rose up.

    The clerk jolted upright in surprise, being broken from her thoughts.

    "What?...Ah, yes. Of course." She coughed lightly, embarrassed. " Our company always places it''s customer''s privacy first before anything else. You can rest assured, Young Master." She smoothly changed the way she addressed him.

    "Good." He took another several minutes before returning the papers.

    While he signed, the clerk had already taken out a ring of keys, which he now took.

    "Anthing else?"

    A slight hesitation."Well, no..."

    "Fine. I''ll be leaving then." He turned his back carelessly, clearly done with her.

    The clerk felt a sudden sense of panic. She reached out and grabbed his hand from across the desk.

    "Wait." She stopped him.

    Lyle''s gaze returned to her face.

    "What is it now? Was there something else?"

    The clerk paused for several moments. "No. No, not really. I was just going to say that if you have any questions about the property, or require other kinds of assistence, you may come and find me." She finally said.

    She saw a look of understanding flash in his eyes.

    "I see." A small smirk adorned his lips just then. "I''ll take that to heart. Afterall since I''ve already paid... I may as well enjoy your services in full."

    The clerk''s cheeks went red at the implication the words held, and as she stared up at him she was acutely aware of how she reacted to the way his hand felt under her''s.

    How strong it felt, how...warm...hot...

    Her mind went blank, and by the time she recovered he was already a few steps away.

    He peered back at her, his brilliant, limpid blue eyes pinning her where she stood.

    "Feel free to drop by some time, Miss."

    ***

    Lyle was shaken.

    He saw it there, plain as day, in that woman just now.

    How she looked at him, how her eyes glazed over and gave a sharp inhilation of breath as she touched him.

    How she...smelled...

    It was a weird smell. Not unpleasant. He wasn''t even certain how he picked it up.

    But it was sickly-sweet and spicy, overpowering his senses.

    He remembered how she held his hand. Notjusttouching, no...she was feeling him. It was in the way her thumb stroked his knuckle, a gentle carress.

    In the way her mouth dropped ever-so-slightly as she stared up at him, how she licked her lips with her tongue and leaned forward.

    As if trying to get closer to him.

    His thoughts were a mess.

    Why? What was with all this? It''s like women went into heat whenever he was around them. First Val and her girls, then this clerk woman...

    But why, how, were Cecelia and Melanie and Phaedra uneffected? They, at least, didn''t look to have the same reaction to him as the other women did.

    It was incomprehensible.

    Why were some effected, but others weren''t?

    What was different?

    He had no answer, so in the end he decided to stop worrying about it until he had more information.

    He thought back to his plan, contemplating silently as he returned to that quiet spot and took out some water to wash the black off his hair.

    ...He wasted so much money...

    Money itself didn''t matter much to him, but that wasn''t a small sum! It was wasteful! Too wasteful!

    He comforted himself by reminding himself that it was necessary. And, well, he wouldn''t lose any sleep over it either way.

    Lyle had to put on a good act. He wasn''t stupid, he didn''t do all that for nothing.

    When it came to wanting to hide from others, one of the best methods was to use a bit of misdirection.

    Rather than trying to leave people with as little impression as possible, it was better to leave people with an even stronger impression!

    An impression that was different from your usual self. Something they would never associate with you.

    An impression that was strong and lasting.

    And the arrogant young master type was exactly the kind of impression that would accomplish this. It was easy to do, and perfect. Perfect in how common it was.

    He even used one of his other aliases when putting his signature on the paper. He only had one "real" persona that he actually used, but the amount of names and forged backgrounds he had were several.

    Everything he did since leaving that Inn was to make it look like Bellamy Greyson had just up and disappeared.

    He, Cecelia, Melanie and Iris, they all looked different. The house he purchased was an estate where few would venture by, if any, and was bought under a fake name.

    And once he got settled, he''d change his hair and eye color again. Bellamy Greyson, at least during his stay here in Zeshar, would be no more.

    No one in the city saw how they really looked, and if Sera searched she would find that no one matching any description she gave would pop up.

    She''d never find him.

    ***

    They arrived at the estate, the large, foreboding doors opening with a loud creak when they entered.

    Sounded like the hinges would have to be oiled. He''d do that later.

    "Smells dusty." Iris wrinkled her nose.

    "It looks nice though." Melanie examined the interior with an expert eye, already thinking of how best to clean it up.

    "So this is where we''ll live for the time being." Cecelia walked towards the living room and ran a hand along the plush couch near the fireplace.

    It''ll just be the four of us here,She thought idly."Could be worse."

    "I like it," Lyle shrugged. "Seems cozy."

    "I''ll let in some air."

    Melanie went to go open the windows, and a large gust enveloped them. The curtains billowed violently as the air rushed in before settling down.

    " This..." She coughed lightly, dust having gotten in her throat, "Might take some work."

    "The water works." Lyle went to inspect the kitchen to his left, satisfied when seeing the water gush forth from the sink.

    That was fast. He didn''t think they''d turn on the utilities that quick.

    "I''m going to check the bathing room. I could go for a good soak." Cecelia hadn''t had a real bath in quite some time now, and it bothered her.

    Usually they cleaned themselves in nearby rivers if there was one, but more often than not they had to use a cloth to give themselves a good scrub.

    Which was somewhat as effective as a shower or bath, but was much less relaxing and satisfying as one.

    "For once we agree on something." Iris followed her through a hallway, leaving him and Melanie alone.

    The girl didn''t talk to him, instead she just gazed out the large window and stood motionless.

    Lyle, feeling a tension in the atmosphere, couldn''t stand it anymore.

    He walked and placed himself beside her, watching the small garden below.

    "Melanie."

    "Yes, Young Master?" She asked hollowly.

    Back to that again, huh...

    Lyle couldn''t help being frustrated.

    "Tomorrow, let''s go on a date."

    Out of the corner of his eye he saw her twitch, then look at him with a surprised expression.

    Melanie, who was caught completely off guard, nearly didn''t believe her ears.

    "I''m sorry, what was that?"

    She must have heard wrong, right?

    "A date." He answered calmly.

    No, she hadn''t, he really did say that!

    "Why so suddenly?" She cautiously inquired.

    "I think it''s time we have one. Not interested?"

    "No! That''s not it. It''s just...don''t you have things to do?" She didn''t want to keep him from his business.

    "It''ll probably take a while to find what I need anyway, there''s not really a need to rush it and stress myself. "

    "But isn''t it important?"

    "It is. But so are you."

    A date. A date, he said....Melanie had never been on one...

    She felt excited about the idea, but quickly deflated.

    "No thanks." She refused with a sad smile. " You should probably just go find Lady Seraphina and take her on one instead. " Her words were quiet and lonely and unmistakably bitter.

    "I could do that." Melanie felt her heart break at this, flinching. "But I''d much rather go with you."

    "Why? I''d probably not be much fun anyway..." She became depressed thinking of every single reason she''d not make good company.

    "I''d be happy even if we could just take a walk together."

    "I''m...I''m not really good at conversation either."

    "As long as you''re with me, we don''t have to talk. We can just enjoy the scenery."

    Melanie wrung her hands together nervously. "I''d probaby gawk at everything like a country bumpkin..."

    "Who could blame you? It''s a beautiful city."

    "I''ll just embarrass you..."

    "I''d never be embarrassed by you."

    "But...I..." Melanie felt her resolve weakening, but she was out of her comfort zone here.

    She was sure that she''d mess everything up somehow, like she always did. That she''d do or say something and ruin the date, that he''d regret every taking her out.

    She could picture it now. Her just stiffening up and following him mechanically as they walked through the city, too scared and anxious to speak up at all.

    Then making the whole atmosphere awkward after an unsuccessful attempt at conversation that just leaves everyone confused.

    She wanted to cry just thinking about it.

    "Melanie, I like you. You know that, right?"

    But it didn''t help at all. She just got even more upset.

    "You say that, but you wouldn''t even look at me if you and Lady Sophia hadn''t broken up." She mumbled. "And if you weren''t guilty about...that." She sighed. "Young Master, you really...I don''t see how you can like me all that much anyway. It''s not like you don''t have much better options."

    Melanie thought about Sera and Cecelia, those two.

    "Compared to them I''m not anything at all." She whispered. " I should give up and stay away. I''m just a maid. I don''t belong here. Just extra baggage. Useless. I should just crawl into a hole and waste away..."

    Her negativity had reached heights that even she didn''t know she was capable of.

    Seeing her vacant, forlorn gaze, Lyle got a mad and directly pinched her cheek.

    Melanie cried out in pain. "H-hey, stop, that hur--Ow! Oh! W-Wait a minute, that really--"

    "Do you know your wrong?" He asked, not caring about her pain at all.

    Confusion. "But...I didn''t do anythin--Ah! Stop it!" Another firm pinch from him cut her off.

    "I''m not stopping until you understand."

    Tears built along her eyes. "W-What did I do?"

    "Melanie." Lyle was merciless, his tone hard and immovable.

    The girl was very pitiable, her eyes downcast." Y-Young Master, I''m sorry, I under--" Another pained cry. "What was that for!" Once she was released she turned her back, squated down and held her reddened cheeks tenderly before giving him a wronged look.

    "You know what." He was entirely unremorseful.

    "You...You...Meanie!" Melanie continued rubbing her cheeks, sending him a glare. "Rogue! Scoundrel! D...doo-doo head!"

    She stopped dead in her tracks when she realized what she''d said. She froze, then buried her face in her hands.

    Lyle smiled in amusement. "Doo-doo head?" His mouth twitched, as if surpressing laughter. "That''s...quite something. You really have a way with words."

    Melanie was blushing fiercely. "Oh gods...kill me now..."

    Laugh couldn''t stop a soft chuckle from escaping his lips. "Melanie...I swear you''re one of the most adorable creatures I''ve ever come across."

    She began banging her head on the wall, mortified by his words.

    "Please stop..."

    Seeing her like this, he gradually calmed down.

    Lyle was driven by an uncontrollable urge at that moment, kneeling beside her and bringing her into his arms without warning.

    "Melanie." He felt like his voice may have been a bit gruff just then, but continued anyway. "I''m sorry. I''m really sorry. I made you watch something you shouldn''t have, and I know that wasn''t fair. I...I wronged you. I understand that."

    "But what you said just now, I can''t forgive it. I know what I did was bad, that I hurt you...but you shouldn''t ever think you have to compare yourself to others. You''ll always be perfect just the way you are, and I really hope you''ll understand that yourself one day."

    These words, he sincerly meant them. Melanie was great. She was kind, and caring, and helpful... She wasn''t greedy and covetous, she wasn''t prideful or full of spite.

    She never wished anyone harm, and her ability to forgive was exemplarary. It wasn''t an ability Lyle himself possessed.

    "Young Master...." Melanie''s muffled voice reached his ears.

    "Yeah?"

    "That date...I think I want to go after all..."

    ***

    The night was dark and cloudy.

    Lyle looked down at the small map in his hands, checking it twice.

    This is the place alright,He thought.

    The building was small, the customers few. Just a modest amout of light streaming out from the old wooden door. A very unasssuming place you''d not expect to see in a place of magnificent and large establishments like Zeshar.

    It was a bar, a very worn out looking bar that seemed way past it''s prime.

    He entered confidently.

    An old man with a sharp, pointy moustache was idly cleaning a glass behind a long desk.

    Standing in front of him, Lyle produced an identical coin to the one he gave Phaedra some hours ago.

    He placed the coin on the desk without a word, watching him carefully.

    The man''s eyes shined brightly, but otherwise he stayed expressionless.

    "Come with me." Was all he said, beckoning with a finger.

    Lyle followed him, relieved that it was the right place after all.

    ***

    "Young Master Lyle...I''m surprised, I hadn''t been informed you''d be coming."

    Lyle was taken underneath the bar to a large room with a round table where a stack of maps and papers rested. The room was brightly lit, with bookshelves lining the walls.

    The man who had spoken was not very tall, but he had an imposing presence and cunning eyes.

    Brown hair, a pair of gold-rimmed spectacles, a scholarly sort of face you''d associate with a kindly uncle.

    But he gave out a very...intimidating air regardless.

    "And you are...?"

    The man smiled politely. "Excuse my rudeness. My name is Isaac, and I am the overseer of the intelligence network stationed within the city of Zeshar. I am at your service, Young Master." He gave a deep, respectful bow.

    "No need to stand on ceremony, Isaac. Raise your head." Lyle motioned for him to rise.

    And he obediently heeded the command. "Yes, Young Master." He nodded calmly. "Now then...what is it you wish of me?"

    Lyle moved forward and peered down at one of the maps on the table.

    His finger tapped down on one section of a map in particular, causing the man to frown.

    "I want to know the current situation of Princess Su''Mei of the Demon Continent. "

 Chapter thirty-seven pt. 2

    Isaac studied the boy in front him. He didn''t match the description he knew the Young Master by, but he knew it was him. His eyes were blue like his father''s, while his hair was blonde like his mother and sister.

    This was not his true appearance. Hair the color of a fine red wine, and eyes that would glow a bright golden yellow not unlike that of the sun itself.

    Isaac mentally changed his colorings, and in his mind''s eye the two figures converged until he saw the strong, tall visage of a young man with the same sort of regal bearing and proud gaze one would find on a ruler of nations instead of someone barely at the age of 15.

    Indeed, the Young Master didn''t disappoint. He fit his status as the Heir of the Greyborne family perfectly.

    He had a special sort of aura about him too.

    It was a calm aura, a mature aura. Saying he was completely at ease in their own skin. It was a not a feeling that was easy to project, but when done right it created a powerful image.

    Few members of his generation, from Isaac''s experience, had this same kind of feel to them.

    He recalled that tournament some time ago, remembering the overwhelming might the boy before him used to crush his opponents. How old was he then? 14?

    Facing those nearly five years his senior. That alone proved his talents to everyone present.

    Probably every single one of the Greysons he was bonded to had heard of the feat.

    They must be quite proud to have such an excellent Lord,Isaac thought.Serving him in the future will surely be something to boast about. Our Young Master truly seems worthy of his name.

    Never would Isaac have predicted that the Young Master Lyle whom he respected would show up here. It was a surprise. One he didn''t know was good or not.

    Because the thing he wanted to know, strictly speaking, was a bit sensitive.

    Isaac asked, "Young Master...may I ask why you want such information?"

    The man had a bad feeling. He had a favorable impression of him, but he''d long since heard of the Young Master''s eccentricities that sometimes appeared. For some reason he thought now was one of the times when they would pop up.

    And true to his expectations, the young man stared at him. It wasn''t a hard stare, no.

    It was the kind of quiet, disdainful stare a king would give to a disrespectful subordinate.

    "Does it matter?"

    Isaac was no fool, shaking his head without hesitation. "Of course not, Young Master."

    "Then answer."

    No longer asking any questions, Isaac began his report.

    "Currently the situtation has grown worse for the young Princess. In the last week four more attempts on her life had been made. The general populace, however, does not know of this. Because of that they are outraged by the King''s latest decision regarding the Princess."

    Isaac peered at the Young Master''s face inquiringly.

    "I''m following so far. Go on."

    A nod. "Simply put, the Princess is under house arrest."

    It was Lyle''s turn to frown. "This wouldn''t happen normally. What happened to her?"

    "She was injured. I hear that despite her precautions her life was once again put in danger."

    "How?"

    "...A child." Came the heavy reply.

    Lyle was stunned, but his eyes narrowed dangerously as he contemplated the implications of what was said.

    "A child...you say. Explain."

    Yet Lyle already guessed, and the man''s next words only confirmed his suspicion.

    "They spellplagued the lad. Broke him." Lyle''s hands gripped the edge of the stone table, hard. " From what I know, during a stroll within the Imperial City the ones behind the recent attacks mixed the child within the crowd and waited until the Princess was within range. The child was kicked onto her path, and then--"

    "When she went to help, he attacked." Lyle finished for him.

    Su''Mei...From Lyle''s knowledge she was a kind and righteous person. She''d be unable to resist checking to see if the child was alright. She''d rush to his side before anyone could say a word.

    "Exactly."

    Isaac noticed a subtle change in the young man just then. There was clear coldness emanating from him that made the room drop several degrees. And he knew why.

    "The child..."

    "It is as you think, Young Master." Isaac''s voice was solemn. "Dead."

    And just like that, Isaac heard the table crack, the stone unable to bear the young man''s anger.

    For an instant, Isaac even thought he saw the Young Master''s current blue-colored eyes flash there usual gold, then turn a terrible blood-red.

    A thick, coppery stench seemed to assault his nostrils, the room appearing to darken and warp nightmarishly.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    Rage. Raw, uncontrollable rage. That''s what it felt like.

    Isaac, for a moment, sensed his heart grow cold as the shadow of a monstrous beast seemed to appear behind the Young Master Lyle''s body.

    Yet the moment passed, as quickly as it came, making him doubt it was ever there at all.

    "Bastards." Lyle cursed viciously.

    "Monster." Isaac, still shaken, said as much. And this point he wasn''t sure exactly who he directed that to. The one behind this...or the one in front of him.

    But he shook himself and regained his bearings, putting the strange happening into the back of his mind.

    After he calmed himself, he added. "They''d never have let him live anyway. And even if he did...he''d be a simpleton for the rest of his days." It was perhaps a good thing that he died.

    At least it meant he wouldn''t have to suffer becoming a fool who would never be able to live a normal life. He supposed it was a mercy of sorts.

    "Being spellplagued at that age..."

    Isaac sighed, not deigning to continue. It was a tragic fate. A life snuffed out so young, it was always saddening.

    He knew that in times like this many innocents may be harmed. That didn''t make knowing about it any easier.

    "Mei, how is she?" Lyle forced back his anger and moved the conversation back on track.

    "The dagger pierced her side, but she lived. It was poisoned but it wasn''t anything too deadly so she was on her feet within hours. It''s just that that the poison used was a rather odd choice for an assassination."

    "Let me guess." Lyle gave a sarcastic smirk. "It was weak, wasn''t it?"

    "Rightly so." Isaac nodded.

    "They never really had an intention to kill her, did they? At least not right now." A thought came to him. "Isaac, the child, was he--?"

    "Human. Yes." Isaac''s face was grim.

    Humans on the Demon continent weren''t all that rare. They were not common at all, but since the peace treaty among the two powers had existed for some time now there were some humans who migrated there for one reason or another.

    "And the people won''t give a damn how the child was coerced into doing the act, all they''ll see is a human trying to kill their beloved Princess." Lyle was very cynical about the situation, but he knew he wasn''t going to be proved wrong.

    "That will likely be the case." Isaac ageed. "And that was only the second attempt this week."

    "Second?" Lyle''s voice was riddled with confusion.

    "The Princess...was very stubborn. The incident was the last straw, after that the King couldn''t bear it any longer and entreatied her to stay in the Palace. Despite this, the Princess went out again and again. Finally the King refused to allow her to continue, forcing her to stop. Right now the Princess is a prisoner in her own home. "

    Lyle rubbed the bridge of his nose, thinking dark thoughts.

    Dammit, Mei...you really don''t know how to compromise, do you?

    If it were Lyle he''d know when to ease off a bit. He''d know his freedom was sacred. Without it, what could he do? Nothing.

    That girl, she was too reckless. Although he had to say, he admired her a bit for her stubborness even as he chided her for it.

    He understood well her reasons for wanting to keep going outside the Palace grounds despite the danger.

    "She wants to try and ease the tension between the demons and humans. But now she can''t do that." He muttered.

    "As expected, the Young Master is able to see into the heart of the matter. Yes, I believe that''s her intent too. The King should also understand this, but he won''t risk her life for something like that."

    "And he made the right call." Lyle said with respect clear in his tone. "Humans and demons can repair their relationship any time. So long as there is life, there is hope. Specifically her life. She''d be able to mend the rift eventually. Even without her, it can still be done by someone in the future no matter how bad our relations get. Since it''s like that, why expose her to the threat of death? It''d be absurd to risk her life needlessly."

    "That is indeed so. If only the Princess herself realized this."

    "What do you mean?" Lyle was already thinking that she''d done something stupid, but hoped she wasn''tthatunreasonable.

    "She tried to escape. Several times." Isaac monotoned. His lips pulled at the corners, faintly amused. "I hear she even put one of the guards in the hospital."

    Lyle shook his head in wonder, marveling at her rash behaviour. Apparently shewasthat unreasonable.

    "Of course she did." He sighed tiredly. "Foolish girl."

    Lyle slid off the stone table he''d been making his seat up to now.

    A hard light of determination came into his eyes, a light that gave Isaac a feeling of dread.

    "Send in the Wardens."

    Isaac''s mouth nearly fell open. "Young Master, you can''t be thinking of--!"

    "I am." He cut the man off. "I want five of them sent to her by morning. From this point on those five will be her eyes, ears, hands and legs. Both within the Palace and without. They will listen to her commands, all of them, as if they were the words of the gods themselves."

    "Young Master, the Wardens aren''t to be used so carelessly!" Isaac''s eyes blazed at the outrageous idea. "They''re the elites of the family, taking years to raise, costing unholy amounts of resources to mold...Giving them away like that, your father and Lord Alec would never allow or accept it!"

    The Wardens of Death...In this life and the next, Isaac didn''t believe there was ever a more terrifying force.

    Purged of their humanity, of their wants and desires, of fear and hesitation.

    Without emotion. Cold, bloodless.

    Loyal.

    It wasn''t that they were all-powerful. But rather the powers they did wield was the kind that could bring you to the edge of your sanity and threaten to push you over.

    Because that''s what they did to those that became the enemies of the Greybornes.

    This why they were called the Wardens of Death. You didn''t die until they bade it so. Until their masters, the Greybornes, allowed you that luxury.

    The Wardens didn''t merely kill.

    Theypunished.

    "They don''t have to allow it, because I''m not asking for permission." Lyle smiled. " On my authority as the Heir-Apparent of the Greyborne family, I am issuing a command. And whether it''s you or them, it will be followed. This is my right as Heir."

    ...Isaac felt unwilling yet was also unable to deny the words.

    The old made way for the new. This is how it was with the Greybornes.

    He was the Heir, and that was all that mattered.

    What''s more the Young Master''s father had already long since lost the majority of his strength due to his injuries.

    This fact alone made many of the younger generation of followers within the Greyborne clan impatient for his son to take command.

    Especially those who were directly Bonded to him.

    And this is because even in his prime Lucius was not like his son.

    The Young Master was not just a regular Greyborne, he was one blessed by his ancestors. Not only did he have the crimson locks of the original Greybornes but he also posessed the golden eyes of the Bathory clan.

    Both traits were ones that hadn''t been seen in generations. Was this not what one called heaven-sent?

    The truth was that with these alone, with the great promise he held...If he truly wanted...he could take the reins of the family straight from his father''s hands.

    And not a single person would be able to stop him.

    Not a single person may even want to.

    Because who was better suited to be in power other than him? He was a true Greyborne. More than his father. More than his father''s father.

    And the Greyborne clan as a whole, the forces who followed the Greyborne family, all recognized this.

    "I...Understand, Young Master." Isaac could only grit his teeth and acknowledge the command.

    "It''s good that you do." Lyle patted him on the back in a friendly manner, his previous kingly air from just moments ago vanishing without the slightest indication it was ever there at all.

    He started walking towards the exit, then stopped.

    "Isaac, before I go...does the name Seraphina ring any bells?"

    The question caught Isaac completely off-guard, stunning him for a few moments.

    He answered with a hint of confusion, clearly a bit shocked. "Young Master, off the top of my head the only person of note bearing that name would be Her Holiness Lady Seraphina Felhorn, Patriarch Felhorn''s only daughter."

 Chapter thirty-eight pt.1

    "Good morning."

    Iris watched Melanie turn her head to greet big brother as he came down. The young woman was busy slicing apples and welcomed him warmly with a big, bright-eyed grin.

    "Morning." Melanie was always easy on big brother when it came to giving him a smile or two. Yet I noticed those smiles seemed especially splendid now that they were "going out."

    Brother''s eyes also brightened in response. He walked right up behind the unguarded girl to issue a kiss on the cheek.

    Iris felt her eye twitch.

    It was something that had been occurring often the last couple of days so she didn''t mind it.

    Melanie''s hand jerked exaggeratedly and she probably would''ve cut herself had brother not predicted the reaction. He stopped the blade before it could do any harm, his hand now grasping Melanie''s own and not looking like he intended to let go.

    "Y-Y-Y-Y-Young Master, what are you--?!"

    The girl stuttered incessantly. She did that a lot. It was annoying.

    He didn''t seem to mind. "What, is it wrong for me to greet my girlfriend like this?" His arms, which were currently wrapping themselves around her waist, apparently did not know the meaning of shame as they pulled her closer.

    Their bodies were brought together snugly, Melanie''s smaller frame fitting into his taller one like a glove.

    Ugh. It was torture. Why did they have to be so mushy? Brother had been sweet on Sophia too but this was a bit much, didn''t he think? Melanie was even easier to get a rise out of so maybe that had something to do with it.

    It wasn''t over. Brother actually had the audacity to give a small squeeze, which made Melanie squeak like a mouse before hastily stepping back.

    He put on a sorrowful face that Iris knew to be a lie. "Sorry. Was that too much? I just thought you''d like being spoiled a little. But if you don''t, then--"

    "N-No, that isn''t it at all!" Melanie hurried to say, then shrunk into herself. A glance was shot Iris'' way. "...I mean, you just surprised me is all."

    "So you don''t hate it?"

    Melanie appeared greatly distressed. "I don''t hate it." Her voice was incomparably small. "Rather I think I like it a bit too much." The words were very nearly inaudible by the time she got them all out.

    She was an honest girl.

    "So there''s no problem then." Brother concluded, gracing her with another kiss.

    Iris closed her eyes and tried to keep from looking disgusted.

    She froze.

    No. That wasn''t right, she thought. I said I wouldn''t be a bother anymore. I can''t ignore this.

    "But Young Master." Melanie shifted about uneasily. "Lady Iris is...I mean we aren''t somewhere private, so..." Private? What the hell did she want to do when things were ''private'', huh? "Um, that is to say...we can''t just..."

    "Melanie, do you think our relationship is something that needs to be kept out of sight?"

    "N-No...?"

    Was that a statement or a question?

    "Good. Because I don''t care at all if others see, or what they think, I''ll never be hesitant to show you my affection. I''ll only care about whether what I do is something you''re comfortable with. That said, if at any time me kissing you becomes something you don''t want then I won''t do it again. "

    The girl giggled. " I really doubt a time like that will ever--" She broke off, going awkward. "Uh, no, nevermind."

    "But." She continued bravely, "At least when Lady Iris is around please show some presence of mind." Melanie then whispered, "I really don''t want to be hated more than I already am, so..."

    Iris heard that and felt like snapping at her. Complex emotions clouded her mind these days and this didn''t help.

    She didn''t trust herself to speak. Iris reminded herself of the words she''d said to her brother that one night.

    Remember, she told herself. Be a good girl....Be a good girl...

    The words had long since become familiar. Yes, since long ago. And again, as always, they echoed about inside her head. A chant, a spell.

    Lyle rubbed the older girl''s head like she were a kid who''d just said something amusing. "Silly thing, who could hate you? " He smiled.

    It wasn''t even directed at her but to Iris'' eyes that smile was just so incredibly brilliant. So blinding and warm. She knew she''d never be able escape it.

    Lyle noticed his sister''s keen gaze and sensed her discontent.

    "Iris." He called.

    "Yeah?"

    "I love you. You know that, right?"

    She seemed distracted. It took her a second to reply. "I know, big brother." She nodded. "Because Iris is a good girl."

    She always had to be a good girl.

    ...But sometimes she wasn''t...And so what did that mean?

    ***

    You, Melanie, are a beauty. A fine specimen of a woman. The epitome of feminine grace and elegance.

    Pay no mind to all the much more stylish and pretty young ladies currently giving you death glares.

    Yeah. Easy.

    ...Please don''t hurt me.

    Melanie felt a shiver. Her lower lip quivered. She gulped and fiddled with her hair nervously.

    "Young master, you''ll be the death of me." She whimpered.

    "Hmm?"

    He didn''t even realize his crimes! This guy was just...no, actually, he didn''t do anything wrong though. Definitely not. It''s me, yeah? I admit my wrongs. So pretty please stop with the staring, okay?

    His eyes followed her own and he pinched her cheek a moment later. "Don''t worry about them. You''re beautiful. How can they not stare?"

    "You know that''s not why they''re looking."

    "Do I?" A teasing smile. "I''m not sure. It''s why I''d stare."

    "No! I''m talking about the women, you know? The women. They wanna lynch me, I just know it!" She glared at them all like the enemies they were. Right from behind Young Master''s back, where it was safe.

    "Envy is such an unbecoming trait in a woman, isn''t it?"

    This guy was determined to act oblivious! I had a headache. "Ugh. Honestly, Young Master. How do you deal with them? I''m serious here. All those eyes, it''s disturbing. Right?"

    He shook his head in refutation. "I''m used to those kind of looks from girls by now. I don''t get worked up over it anymore. I mean I used to, inwardly. Now it doesn''t bother me at all. You''ll get used to it too, some day."

    "I don''t want to!" Melanie persisted.

    "In any case it doesn''t matter how they look at me. The only woman I''m interested in is already by my side."

    As expected of Young Master, he didn''t forget to add a little heart-stopping one-liner. And yes, alright. She had to admit, it really was a smooth one-liner. The way he said it so naturally...

    Did her heart skip a beat or two? Maybe. Okay, yes. Fine. It did. Sue her.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    Enemy. He was the enemy of women, placed here by the gods to test our mettle. Hmph, she''d not be so easily rattled by him this time.

    He could use all the smooth lines he wanted, she shan''t be moved!

    ...Her resolve crumbled in seconds.

    Melanie couldn''t resist feeling all mushy inside, damn her.

    Saying something like that, how unfair.

    "Young Master''s finally showing his true colors, hmph. Your skill at meaningless flirtation is as great as always but I won''t be fooled so easily. I swear, what a bad guy....saying such things...trying to lead me astray...how hateful..."

    Lyle took her words in stride.

    "I wouldn''t ever tell you something I don''t mean."

    "See, you say that, but what if someone really epically beautiful came along and tried to seduce you?"

    His lips curled upwards. "Considering I''m already another''s woman''s man? Nothing."

    Melanie flushed. Her man? What, was he her''s now? She was embarrassed to death but the idea wasn''t unwelcome. Then she chastised herself for feeling that way.

    Shame on you, me. Being happy over something like that, learn your place. We''re trying for a serious conversation here and you''re feeling happy over something so trivial?!

    "Liar."

    "No, no, really." He insisted. "To me it doesn''t really matter how beautiful a woman is. As long as I already have a woman I''m seeing I won''t care if others come and make advances, okay? I like to tease, but I''m not unfaithful. If I was I would''ve pushed you down ages ago."

    "I mean If we''re being technical, you did push me down."

    Lyle gave a helpless smile. "But I wasn''t together with Sophia back then, now was I?"

    Ha. Lyle really didn''t like remembering that.

    "Yeah, that''s true." She acknowledged. She spotted a woman throwing her a dirty look from afar just then. "Speaking of pushing people down, I think some would hope it to be one of your favorite pass-times."

    He followed her eyes. "I can''t exactly control how other people feel, though, now can I?" He poked her side with a finger to draw back her attention.

    Melanie gave him a look that said she didn''t believe that at all.

    From what she''d seen and experienced that statement just seemed like a big fat lie.

    "So." She went on. "What if it were Lady Cecelia?" She continued. "Would you feel tempted if it was her doing the seduction and we weren''t dating?"

    Not the most subtle way she could have asked what he thought of the woman but certainly the most direct. Which had it''s own merits, she supposed.

    Lyle''s mouth twitched. What was with her?

    "Cecelia''s like a sister to me." Actually she almost was. "I wouldn''t be so callous with her like I would be others. If you''re asking if I''d ever consider her a romantic partner, the answer wouldn''t be a definite yes or no since feelings can always change. Like you she''s an important person to me. But I don''t see her in a romantic way, at least not right now. And I find our current relationship due to the whole thing with Sophia to be..." He thought. "Complicated at best. It would just be weird if we were to ever start a relationship."

    If there''s one lesson that father had always made a point to remind him about, it was ''Don''t fuck your ex''s sister."

    A rather crude way of putting it but also the most effective.

    Not that it applied to Lyle in the sense his father meant it. He found his determination of marriage-only intercourse to be particularly useful in avoiding a lot of situations his father warned him about.

    Lyle sent her a knowing look.

    She coughed, not meeting his eye.

    "So you don''t like her that way. And as a person? How do you...view her?"

    Lyle wanted to knock her on the head. "You seem awfully interested in Cece...should I be concerned?"

    Or what else, was she feeling jealous? How cute.

    "What? No, what the fudge? Of course you shouldn''t!" She denied, quite vehemently.

    "What''s with the sudden interest in her then? You know you don''t have to be jealous of her. I already said--"

    "I''m just curious, that''s all."

    He breathed out in frustration. Stubborn.

    "There''s nothing much to even say. She''s been a friend, a comrade and sometimes even a saviour. She wouldn''t betray me."

    He said that but Melanie had never even implied she would.

    So that''s it. That''s how it is. He seems to have a lot of trust placed in the girl. But wasn''t it sad?

    Young Master Lyle is and always will be a very intuitive man. Maybe he already had suspicions of his own. Maybe he only forced the doubts down, denying them.

    "I see."

    She found him staring down at her. Under such an intense look Melanie faltered a step.

    He caught her easily, however, and locked his arm around her''s more firmly to prevent it from happening again.

    "Sorry..." She mumbled.

    "It''s fine."

    She wondered if they were talking about the same thing just then.

    That aside...He was close, too close! Her heart felt like it might explode, it was pounding so hard.

    "We''ve been walking a while. Would you like something to eat?" Noticing her discomfort he suggested they stop. They had breakfast already but a light snack wouldn''t hurt.

    He knew this little glutton always felt better when she was chewing on something sweet. And there were many bakeries in the vicinity.

    "No, I''m fine." However as they walked something caught her attention.

    It was a quaint little shop with a window that displayed several delicious-looking items.

    "Too bad. I could go for a treat myself." Lyle knew Melanie well. "But if you don''t want to--"

    "If you''re hungry it''s not good to hold it in, right?" Melanie was already pulling them towards the place, almost unable to contain her excitement.

    Lyle found the entire thing very endearing.

    The previous topic was long forgotten.

    It''s the way it should be.

    ***

    "If you''d like anything else, please let me know."

    "Mm."

    The waitress had her body extremely close to Lyle''s own, an enamored smile on her face. After a few moments she reluctantly turned away to continue her duties, clearly disappointed at his lack of response.

    Melanie watched her leave without saying anything, biting into her warm donut wordlessly.

    It was good. It was good, but what was this annoying feeling...?

    "She''s pretty, but she''s not you."

    Lyle, leaning back in his seat and sipping a cup of milk, looked for all the world like he owned the place.

    He did that alot, didn''t he? Melanie wanted to learn how to do that too.

    "I know." Melanie took another bite.

    They were both silent for a while. Both were lost in their own thoughts. She felt him look at her. If there was one thing people would always notice about him, it was his eyes.

    Although they were not currently their natural mesmerizing gold they still had a very magnetic quality to them.

    And right now, as they gazed at her unblinkingly, she was keenly away of every small movement she made. Conscious of everything. Even the way the hairs at the nape of her neck straightened.

    The young man seemed to pick up on this. "Melanie, you''re beautiful."

    "Hmm." She gave a neutral reaction, eyes downcast.

    "And kind."

    "Hmm."

    "Sweet too, I''m betting."

    "Hmm." It took a while for the words to sink in. "...E-eh? "

    Sweet? Did she hear right?

    Sweet.

    Sweet, was it.

    ...Huh?

    Somehow that sounded...sorta bad?

    Understanding the implication behind the words she looked up and was about to chastise him for his roguish ways.

    But before she could his next words stopped that from happening.

    "It really makes me want to take a bite out of you." A slow and wicked smile began to form at the edge of his lips, his voice a mere husky whisper.

    "A bite!" she choked out " What? Huh?!" W-what did he mean by that?! He couldn''t have meant "that", right? Right? Or did he? No, surely not? Saying something like that in public, even he couldn''t be that bold, could he!?

    Seeing her get into a fit of uncontrollable coughing he calmly passed her his cup. She downed more than half of it in an instant, gulping the drink greedily.

    Then he simply took the cup in hand and lifted it to his mouth, saying soon after, "Ah, I was right. Sweet."

    Melanie swallowed hard, staring at the cup in shock.

    "You...you..." She didn''t even know how she should react to something like that!

    "So how was my warm milk?" His tone was glaringly suggestive.

    Melanie sank down in her chair, holding her hands over her face. T-This guy...

    Then a thought came to her: Did he order that on purpose? C-Could it be he planned this from the start?!

    "Young Master has a lewd mind."

    "Oh?" He blinked innocently. "Lewd? However did you come to that conclusion, Melanie my dear? I simply asked if my cup of warm milk was to your liking, in what way is that lewd? Melanie, if either of us is lewd it can only be you, right?"

    ''My dear''? Oh...this bad guy, trying to make her all flustered. Hmph. It only half-worked!

    "Me?" Melanie didn''t believe it. She refused to. "But that''s not....I mean, I''m not..." She trailed off, not sure what she was going to say in response.

    Lyle enjoyed her suffering."As expected, your reactions are just so adorable." He laughed, calling the waitress who eagerly came at his beckoning. "I think you''ve earned another treat, wouldn''t you say?"

    He was using her as entertainment! He was definitely using her as entertainment!

    "You..." She glared, feeling wronged. She shot daggers at him, which only made his grin widen.

    "Melanie..." But whatever he was going to say was lost as she stared at him. He could only shake his head and say, " Honestly, you''re so cute it should be a crime."

    Seeing how her attempt at intimidation did nothing she just sighed helplessly and continued eating her pastry.

    "Not cute." She grumbled sulkily, through mouthfuls of donut.

    "Cute."

    "Not cute."

    "Cute."

    Stubborn man.

    "Not cute"

    "Very cute."

    "...Maybe... maybe just a little cute?" A compromise was offered.

    "No. Amazingly cute."

    "...."

    Very stubborn. How hateful.

    Melanie really disliked him right now. Why did he always say that? She didn''t want to be cute! She was older than him! To be called cute by someone younger than yourself, it was degrading!

    "So, still angry?"

    "About what?" Melanie caught sight of that waitress from before and, with mixed feelings, took the cr��pe that was brought forth. She marveled at it''s magnificent creamy goodness.

    Lyle''s eyes momentarily drifted to the waitress, whose face noticibly roamed over his profile and lingered near his lips. She took her time walking back, hips swaying seductively as she left.

    "That." He saw the woman glancing back at him, giving Melanie a smirk as if him looking at her meant some sort of victory.

    Melanie''s cheek twitched.

    The woman could have at least made the effort to not act like she wanted to mother his children.

    Just oogling a customer so openly, is professionalism a dead concept? Although since she was dating her employer, maybe she isn''t one to talk.

    "Ah. Right. That." She deadpanned. "I''m not angry. At all."

    She really wasn''t.

    Really.

    "So that''s how it''s going to be, huh? Alright, fine. Melanie, come here for a sec." He beckoned.

    Melanie, out of habit, listened to him without question.

    She leaned in from across the table, curious, and felt one of his fingers press up against her chin.

    The kiss wasn''t chaste or quick at all. No, he took his time and thoroughly laid claim to her lips, tongue and mouth.

    It was a kiss that completely disregarded the people around them who were watching, a kind that just focused on making her slowly lose her sense of reason.

    Melanie went brain-dead, allowing him to do as he pleased with her. Her heart beat wildly in her chest. It''s erratic pounding became louder and faster by the second.

    She may have even purred.

    ...Now she wasn''t going to say with certainty that she actually did, in fact, purr, but she acknowledged that it was within the realm of possibility she at least made a noise reminiscent of one.

    And when he finally broke their contact, leaving her breathless, she felt a particularly strange sense of dissatisfaction.

    "Right now you''re the only woman in the world I''d be willing do that with. If nothing else, remember that."

    Melanie, still addled from that kiss just now, asked, "Would you be willing to do it again?"

    And instantly regretted it. She started cursing her own shamelessness.

    Bad, naughty girl! What the hell are you saying, huh!

    He laughed, short and light. "I think we can work something out."

    Oh. Well then. Good job, me!

    ***

 Chapter thirty-eight pt. 2

    "It''s real pretty, isn''t it?"

    Melanie stood at the end of a pier, the cool winds pelting her face refreshingly.  There were sounds of activity everywhere. To the her right now, though, they were a distant thing.

    Her mother would have loved it here. The thought brought a sense of longing for that now rarely-seen mother of her''s. Since the first few months of their employment to the Greybornes they had gradually grown apart.

    Not emotionally but physically. Melanie, from the moment she entered his employment, became Lyle''s personal servant--a rather high position she in no way deserved back in those days--while Lady Greyborne had taken a liking to her mother.

    In fact her mother had recently become the Head Maid within the Greyborne Estate, amazingly. This meant she was always pretty busy. They usually kept in touch by letter but it wasn''t the same as seeing each other in person. Not that it was all bad. Melanie, too, kept herself busy.

    She just wished her mother could be with her to share this moment...or maybe not, considering this was a date.

    Melanie turned her attention away from this line of thought and instead went back to enjoying the view.

    A large pool of water as far as the eye can see, birds flying in the sky above them, the ships that came and went without pause.

    Everything was so new and exciting that she wanted to just jump right in and explore the deep, cerulean blue waters till the last light of the sun faded away.

    And yet at the same time Melanie also felt inexplicably peaceful here despite the noise.

    She loved water ever since she was a kid. The feel of it, the beauty in the way light reflected off it''s ever-changing surface.

    And especially the creatures that lay within the depths of the oceans. Even though she''d only ever seen pictures of them in the books that her mother had at times brought home to her.

    On some occassions mother would take her to a nearby river just outside the city, a popular spot for kids of Melanie''s age at the time.

    And she''d still be thrilled days later, a goofy grin on her face as she stared at some trinket she''d found.

    Those were her happiest memories. Just her and her mother and the lukewarm river that had seemed to stretch on for eternity.

    Once upon a time she even dreamed of being a sailor. A captain. Riding her own ship across the seas and discovering new creatures or place.

    But those were merely the fantasies of a child. Still, though she grew out of it she did always feel a sort of longing inside her even now.

    "I really like it here."

    Lyle, standing next to her, nodded. "Thought you might." He took her hand. "Well don''t just stand there. Get on."

    "What?"

    "The boat. Get on." He pointed. It was a small vessel but it was more than enough for three or four people to squeeze into, let alone just the two of them.

    The thing swayed with each gentle wave, constantly in motion.

    She went bug-eyed."We can''t just steal it!" She yelled. Melanie fidgeted, uneasy at the prospect.

    Lyle, of course, had an answer to that. "We won''t be." He assured her. "While you were admiring the view I took the liberty of renting it out for the day. It''s fine."

    "Oh." Melanie calmed down instantly. " You didn''t have to do that."

    "I wanted to. And I understand you do, too. Didn''t you always like the ocean?"

    "Well, yes. " She stilled. "Wait, how do you know about that?"

    "I used to see you reading books about marine biology in the library, remember? Not hard to piece together."

    Hm? Strange. His words just now indicated that he''d actually taken note of her interests even back then.

    Strange, really strange! He might be expected to do that now, but why would he have bothered back in those days? They barely knew each other at that point.

    "I pay attention to you. It is something so surprising?"

    Really, how did he do that? Could he really read her mind? No, impossible, right? If he could she might as well kill herself right now.

    She thought this because in more recent days her thoughts towards him were somewhat inappropriate.

    That is to say, she would blush fiercly from time to time due these "thoughts" and feel guilty for even having them. If he could really know what was on her mind so easily then how could she continue to live in this world?!

    But it was weird too. That question, it made her feel funny. Like, nice.

    It took her a moment to organize her thoughts.

    "It honestly kinda is." She admitted. "I''m not the most interesting of people."

    "I disagree. You''re a very fascinating creature, Melanie. In multiple ways."

    Melanie didn''t think it was so but didn''t bother trying to refute him.

    As always he easily saw through her. "Don''t trust me on that, huh."

    Melanie smiled weakly. "I mean how ''fascinating'' can a person like me be? I''m just--"

    "If you say just a maid or servant, I''ll hit you." Lyle announced. "A person''s occupation has nothing to do with how interesting they are."

    Lyle knew high-ranking Nobles who were more boring to talk to than a pile of stones.

    Melanie wasn''t sure how to feel about this conversation. "I really don''t see what it is about me that grabs your attention."

    "A lot of things."

    "What do you mean, a lot? I don''t think you can really come up with all that many good points where I''m concerned."

    Lyle was disdainful of her words. "Hmph, you doubt me? How naive. If I say I can, then I can. I happen to know quite a bit about you. Whether they are your good points or bad, I know them all!"

    Melanie laughed at how excited he got over something as trivial as this. "Is that so?"

    He crossed his arms, the very picture of arrogance as he said, "It is."

    Melanie didn''t want to start an arguement so she just nodded. "Yes, yes, the Young Master knows me well." She placated. Then something slipped out of her mouth, a single sentence that slid past her lips without her realization. "I know you a lot more than you do me though."

    And that was it.

    Just like that Melanie knew she had awoken his competitive spirit.

    "I sense a challenge in those words. Care to try backing up that claim?"

    That smuggness on his face was perfectly designed to get on her nerves. And Melanie wasn''t one to back down from a challenge she knew she would win.

    Heh, it was her job to know him. There was no way she could lose.

    Melanie promptly decided to follow up on his provocation.

    "Care to follow up on yours?" She shot back.

    He showed no sign of doubt. "Ladies first." Melanie had no objection.

    "What''s my favorite food?" She asked, sounding a little arrogant now too. Lyle must be rubbing off on her.

    "Rice boiled in heavy cream and honey, topped with nutmeg. Your mother used to make it for you."

    ...Huh? Melanie was confused. Just when did he learn that little tidbit?

    No matter. Next question!

    "Am I a dog person or cat person?"

    "Trick question." He sounded bored. " You don''t really favor either. Cats have razorblades on their paws and dogs have bad breath. Weird you don''t like them since you love bears so much. Way more dangerous."

    She was stunned. He wasn''t wrong but how did he even know?

    Her confidence shook.

    "Best sport?"

    He gave her a droll stare. "You have the muscle mass of a twelve year old." Was all he said.

    It would have been acceptable if he''d left it at that but then he had the nerve to poke at her noodle-like arm just to illustrate his point!

    Okay, so maybe he wasn''t wrong but he didn''t have to make her seem so out of shape! Ah, but no, she kinda was...

    Whatever.

    Melanie decided to play a bit dirty.

    "Beauty mark, where?"

    She was inwardly gloating. No way he''d be able to answer that. Melanie wore a smile that was as smug as Lyle''s own.

    It was smashed to pieces a moment later when he said, quite casually, "Left breast, just underneath. You also have another near the small of your back, in case you didn''t know. Right side, a little above your hip."

    What!

    Melanie fell into a horrified silence.

    How the hell did he know that! Impossible, this was just luck, luck I tell you! Although he did do those things...but that wouldn''t be enough, right? I wasn''t even fully naked back then!

    Then she thought: Wait, I have another one too?

    Melanie had no idea! She was dubious about that statement though and had a strong urge to check herself. But how could she do something like that with him around?

    She decided to take a look later.

    It continued like this for some time. Melanie shot off question after question and, to her continuous surprise, he answered each one with utter perfection.

    She became more embarrassed with every reply. They weren''t casual questions, you know!

    Even she wasn''t entirely sure about the answers to some of them! But when he spoke the answer aloud she realized he was right! Dammit, he knew more about her than she did herself!

    Melanie was struck dumb by the end of it. She held her face in her hands and begged him to stop. If he continued she didn''t think she could live anymore!

    Melanie was convinced of it now. This guy...was definitely a mind-reader! A psychic! There was no other explanation!

    Oh...oh gods...he knew...he knew everything...this couldn''t be happening, she didn''t accept it!

    All those weird thoughts, doesn''t this mean that he...that he...

    No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, please gods, please, please, please! Anything, anything but that!

    Melanie''s brain was having a meltdown.

    "Ah, I broke her." Lyle watched her mental crisis as if it were some kind of show for his viewing pleasure.

    He continued to look for a few more moments. Then when she''d all but decided to throw herself into the water he finally took action and said, "You do know I can''t actually read your mind, right?"

    You aren''t helping at alllllll!!!!!!

    "Then how did you know I was thinking that, huh?!" A woeful cry.

    "What do you mean, how? It''s written all over your face."

    Melanie stopped.

    Is that really it,  she wondered with heavy doubt.

    "Pretty much, yeah." He shrugged.

    Psychic!

    His lips formed an arc. "Plus you sometimes think out loud."

    ...Eh?

    Melanie hurriedly closed her mouth tight, sealing it shut.

    "So?" He asked. "Have I proven myself or should we go on? I don''t think I''ve told you what color panties you''re wearing yet. That could be fun."

    Melanie was thoroughly scandalized. He probably could tell her! They''re just pink, okay? Okay?! Normal! There was no reason to say anything about them at all!

    What made it a hundred times worse was that they both knew Melanie had to be wearing a pair that he''d bought her. None of this was fair at all!

    She gulped, her throat feeling dry.

    "Young Master," She whispered quiveringly. "Is terrifying."

    Paying attention, huh. Was that really all it was?

    Melanie glanced sideways at him, still suspicious. She was extremely skeptical of this excuse. There were limits to just paying attention, weren''t there? Melanie didn''t think her face was that expressive either...or that she said things out loud so often.

    How observant had he actually been? He knew so much, no way could it be only that!

    Melanie now recalled the instances they''d been together in the same room and thought about those golden eyes of his just roaming along her body, drinking in every little detail.

    The idea of him quietly watching her to such a degree all this time made her skin grow taut.

    She''d never been aware of it before but she now realized even something like that... could be unexpectedly stimulating.  Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    Again, as if knowing her mind, Lyle''s eyes suddenly lit up from the inside. It made Melanie wish she were a turtle so that she could shrink into herself and hide.

    If he said anything right now she''d die! Just die!

    After seeing her miserable, terrified face Lyle wisely decided to hold himself back. But he still couldn''t resist patting her head and letting out a doting smile.

    Ugh, this guy, treating her like a kid again.

    She raised her fists and pounded on his chest in a fit of anger. Unfortunately the move didn''t effect him at all.

    It was like a baby kitten swiping at a lion. Adorably arrogant in effort but ultimately useless.

    He even laughed at her attempts, her smaller frame appearing very cute as it tried and failed to cause him any harm.

    Melanie gave him a dirty look. If she wasn''t so tired from lack of sleep she wouldn''t be humiliated like this! He just caught her on an off day is all.

    But any other time she would definitely, definitely, definitely be able to teach him a lesson or two! Probably.

    "Scoundrel." She muttered, feeling aggrieved.

    Lyle was extremely tempted to change his mind and continue teasing her but forced the urge down after monumentous inner struggle.

    They''d been standing there for a good few minutes already.

    "Guess it''s your turn, Melanie."

    Melanie snickered. "Your mistake, Young Master. I admit you know a thing or two about, but do you think my knowledge of you would be any less after all time?"

    ....It was.

    Lyle shot off a series of questions without hesitation and Melanie found herself struggling to answer them.

    It was quickly discovered that out of every five questions only four would be right.

    It was a far cry from Lyle''s own perfect score.

    Melanie berated herself.

    Stupid girl, what was with that confidence from before, huh? It''s your job to know him, isn''t it?! So why the heck does the Master know more about the servant than the servant does the Master?!

    Isn''t that just too ridiculous?!

    Failure, what a failure!

    But while she was thinking this Lyle''s thoughts were entirely different.

    As expect, Melanie knew him very well. He was impressed.

    "So are you going to get on, or do I need to carry you in myself?"

    Melanie stiffened abruptly at this. "N-No, I got it! I''m going! "

    Carry her? Her, a grown woman? Hmph, Melanie had at least some pride. No way would she allow something so shameful to happen, it was just a few steps afterall! And a drop. A drop onto an unstable surface, floating above deep icy waters, with who knew what laying beneath.

    Melanie thought about his question again and knew that he would probably do it. Although secretly finding the idea a bit attractive Melanie wouldn''t survive that kind of contact with him right now.

    The directions her mind had been wandering in this past week made her very cautious. Melanie had always been prone to daydreaming, and recently these daydreams were just downright shameful for a person who had up to now been completely oblivious to matters regarding the opposite sex.

    This is why she was so scared of his supposed(and yet to be entirely disproven) prowess in mind-reading.

    It drove her crazy. She couldn''t let her guard down without the fear that he''d somehow hear her inner thoughts

    And of course she blamed him, this hateful guy, for all of it. Doing this and that to her, making her...feel things.

    She''d never been like this before. Her blessed ignorance, where did it go? It was him, right, he was the one who snatched it away from her!

    Honestly, this scoundrel...

    Melanie put these kinds of thoughts on hold and crouched down to tentatively place one foot inside the wobbling boat.

    Her heart seemed to rise up into her throat as she felt the thing give under her weight.

    She tripped and fell forward disgracefully.

    "Don''t worry, I got you." Thankfully Lyle had already gotten in and grabbed onto her.

    "Thanks."

    She cast her eyes towards the now seemingly dark waters. They appeared quite ominous for a moment there. She couldn''t fathom why she''d always loved the water. Right now it just looked like a deathtrap.

    The most attractive of things usually hid the greatest of dangers, it was indeed so.

    As she came to this realization her eyes were inexplicably drawn towards Lyle''s face.

    "What is it?"

    "Nothing, nothing." Melanie coughed.

    Yes. Dangerous in many ways.

    She changed the topic."I would not have survived a single day as a sailor." She grumbled at him. Melanie only now understood how foolish her childhood fantasies were.

    "I think you''d have managed just swell." Lyle patted her back. "Even Iris threw up when she first got on a boat."

    "Really?" She didn''t quite believe it. Lady Iris was a strong young girl, it was hard to imagine. That one was just like Lyle, able to do anything if she just set her mind to it.

    He nodded, undoing the rope that held the boat in place. "Motion sickness had her bed-ridden for a full two days. Had to stay with her constantly."

    These words replaced her disbelief with a certain conviction.

    Ah.

    Melanie came to some sort of understanding

    Clever girl. I should remember that, maybe.

    Melanie blinked. What am I  even thinking? Something like that, too underhanded!

    She didn''t know, however, that for once Iris had not been as calculating as Melanie believed.

    Melanie was silent for a moment, then."I guess that does make me feel a bit better then."

    She didn''t believe that particular tale but instead there was another reason she gave a positive response

    It was that Lyle, apparently, had faith in her future sea-legs. When the Young Master believed in something Melanie tended to believe in it too.

    "I''m glad it does. Don''t worry, we''ll make a sailor out of you yet."

    They could have been empty words but just him saying it still put a smile on her face.

    Her confidence soared.

    ***

    Lyle sat back and allowed the gentle waves to row them across the water in a steady, tranquil rhythm.

    Another few weeks and the water might start to freeze. During winter not many ships would remain docked since the fluctuating water temperatures can cause damage to the hull.

    Any ship docked would be under threat of ice, not having the protection of open water.

    It was good they got here before that.

    Lyle sent his consciousness into the little Blackbox inside his coat. A moment later two mugs and a large leather flask appeared in his hands.

    Truly a convenient item.

    "Hot chocolate." He poured her a glass and held it up to her enticingly. "Want some?"

    "Oh gods, yes." Her hands were freezing and the delicious warm drink was the perfect thing to combat the cold.

    He handed it over carefully.

    While she drank she glanced at him sneakily through her lashes, occasionally peering up to study him every now and then.

    She couldn''t help it. The sun was high and the thick clouds had parted ways just enough to allow soft rays to shine down over his head.

    It usually wouldn''t have been a very special thing but what made it so was the fact that the light bathed his figure alone. For miles all around everything else was a pale grey, yet for some reason it was just him who enjoyed the sun''s radiance.

    This luminous pillar of light seemed to have been made for him alone, giving the young man an almost angelic appearance.

    Beautiful, she thought to herself.

    That was the only way to describe it.

    She had always thought so before, but the world really did seem to favor him.

    Who could say it did not? It''d blessed him in so many ways, given him so much, all without wanting to take a single thing in return.

    It was enough to make anyone envious.

    He inspired sin in others just by being who he was. In various ways.

    It was then that, as if sensing her attention, he turned his head towards her. He didn''t say anything, he just calmly stared back without the slightest of ripples clouding his eyes.

    A slow, ambiguous smile began to form on his lips at they locked gazes.

    Something flickered deep in those eyes of his, something low and smouldering and dangerous.

    ...Hah. Did she say angelic? More like a devil.

    She was trapped, unable to look away.

    Melanie felt her throat dry and her legs tremble.

    A pleasant warmth gradually welled up within her, causing her breath to hitch.

    But then she blinked and broke eye contact, momentarily freed. For a small, blissful second the rising heat halted itself.

    Melanie looked away immediately with reddened ears.

    She could feel him continuing to look at her, however, and swallowed hard.

    Fearing the direction things would go in if it continued like this Melanie scoured her brain trying to think of a way to stop this discomforting silence.

    Finally inspiration struck her and she bought up a question she''s long since held.

    "So how does that even work?"

    "How does what work?"

    "That. The...Blackbox thing. How do you take things out?"

    Melanie had seen him use it before but couldn''t figure out how it was done. The short answer was, of course, magic. Still, there had to be something more to it.

    "It''s nothing special, really." He lifted the cup to his lips, the drink hot to the touch. "You just concentrate."

    "Concentrate?" Her nose wrinkled, not satisfied with the answer.

    "Pretty much. You never used one?"

    "No. I mean how could I in the first place?"

    "Mm. Right." Lyle thought that was reasonable. Adventurers used Iceboxes and Spacial Bags--another product of magic that was, strangely enough, exclusive to the Adventurers Guild--but they weren''t all that common.

    Regular folk had other means to keep things cool or hot, they didn''t have the luxury of objects like his Blackbox.

    He assumed she used one a time or time since she''d been in his employment, but apparently she hadn''t.

    She wouldn''t have need to use them back at the estate. A fair amount of the supplies they brought with them were just stored in packs too.  If they needed something he was the one to bring them out.

    Maybe she used an Icebox before but it wasn''t the same at all.

    "To put it simply, you just have to focus on what you want. As long as you know what that something is and have it stored within, you can take it out. Some with putting something in, except you have to be touching it before you can store it."

    There were exceptions to this--like if you took someone else''s and didn''t know the contents--but he wouldn''t get into that.

    "And what do you mean by concentrate? Is it tiring?"

    "You could say that." He looked at the distant ships. "When dealing with spacial artifacts the rule of thumb is that the higher the level the harder it is to use. It takes a strong will to command the power they hold, it''s not something most folk can do. It wears on you. "

    "So how hard is it to use what you have?"

    Interesting question, that. Honestly he never thought of it too much.

    "Well I ''d say about five times harder compared to an Icebox." He answered. " For those most anyone can use it and not feel a thing, you don''t even really have to know what''s inside. You can just open it. They''re just coolers, simply a bit smaller and with very minor enchantments." Lyle lectured. "That aside, your will isn''t something you can easily train. What''s more it can fluctuate between weak and strong depending on your state of mind. That''s another reason why what I have isn''t too common, apart from being just that much more expensive."

    Blackboxes were taxing on a person''s will. The magic they were comprised of was wild and fought you at every corner. Just being bonded to one drained you somewhat even if you didn''t use them, or even if you were thousands of miles apart.

    Not only that but the number of things you stored was also a factor, unfortunately.

    Lyle was bonded to dozens.

    As for why, he never knew. It was his father who made him go through this ever constant drainage. Although given the strength of his Bathory clan bloodline he felt he could guess why. It was preparation.

    "Sounds complicated." Melanie took a drink, feeling all warm on the inside as it slid past her lips. Or it could have been the lingering effects of that strange fire she''d felt earlier, but she didn''t dwell on it enough to try figuring it out.

    She was just happy that the previously strange atmosphere was gone.

    Although maybe it was only her who had felt it in the first place. She hoped not, otherwise she''d have to admit it was just her being overly conscious of him.

    "It can be, yeah." Certainly not a simple topic, to be sure. In some ways it delved deep into several forms of magical theory that he was ill-equiped to discuss with any authority. "So let''s just stop here. Instead why don''t we take the opportunity to talk about you?"

    "Me?" When Melanie heard that she nearly sprayed her hot chocolate all over him. Luckily she swallowed it down quickly.

    "Who else but you? Do you think I was talking to the birds?"

    "But why?" She wiggled about uneasily, then froze in terror as she felt the boat tilt a bit more than she liked. "I don''t think there''s anything too interesting to talk about where I''m concerned."

    "I disagree." Lyle stated strongly. "I happen to think you''re very interesting."

    "In what way?"

    "All of them." His eyes coasted along her body. "Every single curve, line and edge."

    Melanie once again became acutely aware of his gaze and had a renewed fit of coughs. She choked on her drink.

    "W-What!" She exclaimed loudly.

    "Hmm? What''s wrong?" He asked in response.

    Melanie stared at him as if he''d grown another head. "You can''t just say something like that to a woman, it''s cheating!"

    "Cheating?" Now he was well and truly confused. No, was he? He could have been acting, she didn''t know. "In what way?"

    "All of them." She threw the words back at him. "Honestly, you just..." Melanie sighed tiredly.

    Always saying lines like that, how exactly was that not playing dirty? Did he really not notice what effect his words had? Was he that dense or was it just the way he was?

    ...No, he wasn''t dense. She knew that. No one as perceptive as him could ever be called such. The guy could ignore some things when it was convenient to him but he could never be accused of being ignorant of other''s thoughts or feelings.

    The problem, she concluded, lied in how he was raised.

    He just didn''t give any thought to saying things like that, to him it was probably all normal!

    "What''s the point in playing fair? This is so much more fun."

    ...So he was acting!

    "Hateful."

    The conversation went in a similar fashion for some time. They talked easily back and forth, Lyle being the one to hound Melanie with all sorts of questions this time around.

    Even a few things she didn''t want to talk about, somehow, were all brought out into the open. It was truly a strange thing, he had a way of getting you to speak. Every time she tried to dodge a certain topic he''d just rope her back into it the next instant and she answered him before she could even think to stop herself!

    It was very irritating and yet weirdly relieving at the same time. Melanie felt a few pounds lighter when all was said and done.

    The day crept along slowly but she didn''t notice any of it. She was only aware of a faint sense of comfort that had snuck up on her.

    It was so serene, so peaceful, that time became irrelevant.

    Being here now, in this place with him, drifting along on calm waters, it felt almost magical.

    Here they were conversing, connecting, growing just a little closer with every precious, passing moment.

    There was no one to interrupt them, no one to come between them. For perhaps the first time since they met it truly was just the two of them, alone together.

    And it was wonderful.

    "Close your eyes."

    When a lull in the conversation finally appeared Lyle seized the opportunity.

    Melanie heard the rustling of his clothes and a moment later she felt him grab one of her hands, placing something cool on her palm.

    "Alright, go ahead and open them."

    Melanie did so--and gasped.

    Because in her hand was a small, delicate piece of art.

    With eyes of cobalt blue and a silver body, a beautiful rabbit-shaped pendant could be seen.

    "It''s so pretty." She whispered, marveling at the soft curves of it''s design. "When did you...?"

    "I saw it when I was out for a stroll the other day and instantly thought about you." Lyle explained with an off-handedness that was entirely untrue.

    The fact of the matter was that after he left Isaac Lyle had actually looked long and hard before finally finding a gift he was satisfied with.

    He put a considerable amount of time, effort and thought into searching for something suitable for the occasion.

    This was also part of the reason he was so tired last night. He''d walked throughout the city ceaselessly until Lady Luck deigned to give him a helping hand: He very nearly missed this particular treasure.

    Or course it didn''t help that he constantly worried over Mei''s precarious situation.

    Hell, if he wasn''t in a special circumstance himself he may have even had half a mind to make a trip to her personally. Lyle never felt right remaining on the sidelines like this when people he cared for were in trouble.

    And he did care for her. Maybe she wasn''t a very close friend but she was still a colleague and a person he kept in touch with. In the future they''d work closely together too.

    Who knew exactly what she was going through right now?

    Lyle turned his thoughts away from such grim matters upon realizing he couldn''t do anything about them. He''d done what he could for her, that''d have to be enough.

    "So, like it?" He switched gears and refocused on the woman in front of him.

    Melanie''s smile was radiant."I love it."

    It was one of the best gifts anyone had ever given her. What''s more it was a clear sign of his affection for her and she knew it.

    Even if it wasn''t so pretty she''d have still cherished it. Because this thing the first gift her first ever lover had decided to give her.

    In her heart it was special. Unique. Precious.

    Melanie stroked it covetously, with exquisite care. Then shook her head in wonder as she stared, thinking that with the level of beauty and craftsmanship it held it must have cost quite a sum.

    And it was with this thought that her smile faltered, slowly fading away. Her previous elation died down.

    She wrenched her eyes away and extended it back to him. "I don''t want it."

    Lyle just looked at her. It took him a moment to regain his senses. In fact he even thought he''d heard wrongly.

    "I''m sorry, what was that?"

    "I said I don''t want it." She repeated. "Take it back, please."

    His face was overrun with confusion. "I don''t understand." Lyle was motionless. " Why? I thought you liked it."

    She replied to him with downcast eyes. "I do. I do, but..." She stopped.

    "But what?" He prompted.

    Melanie''s heart ached. "But I didn''t start this relationship with you because of what you could give me."

    "I like you. I want to be with you." She suddenly felt it hard to speak. "But I don''t know how to accept your gifts and feel like I deserve them. Also..." Her throat seized up painfully. She forced herself to continue. "...Well,I just don''t want you to someday think that I care about receiving those gifts more than I care about you."

    Melanie knew he wouldn''t hide their relationship from his Noble colleagues. She knew, too, what they''d think when they saw her with him.

    And that was fine. She''d be able to endure that. She could live with that.

    But the thought of him one day believing the same as them made her want to cry. That''s why she didn''t want to accept anything from him if she could help it.

    Because every time she did she''d feel like she was just using him.

    Lyle watched her a moment more, then finally started to reach out with his hand.

    But against her expectations he didn''t go for the necklace at all. Instead he pulled on her arm and drew her into a hug.

    "Foolish girl, worrying about useless things like that." He let out a soft chuckle. "I swear, when I''m with you I always feel so light-hearted."

    "Y-Young Master?" Melanie wasn''t used to being held so closely like this by anyone but her mother, and the difference between this and that were worlds apart.

    She couldn''t calm down at all!

    "You know, Melanie, contrary to what you might think I don''t give people gifts without meaning."

    As he said this he pushed her back a bit, grabbed the small object in her hand, and began the process of hanging it around her neck.

    Her muffler was moved out of the way and she felt a pair of warm hands brush back her hair.

    A moment later metal touched her skin.

    "When me and Sophia went on our first date," He began. " I gave her a gift as well, something to help her remember it. A couple''s first outing together is special, Melanie." His face was extremely serious. "It''s still early in the day, I know, but that''s why I''m giving you this. So that what we experience here today, it will too. So that later on you can look at it and remember our time together here."

    His face may have been steadfast and somber but his eyes held an intensity that told just how much affection he held for her. Every word felt so full of sincerity and care that she couldn''t help falling apart.

    Melanie blinked, feeling small beads of liquid build along her eyes until the world went blurry.

    When he said those words to her it made all kinds of fluffy, happy feelings came to life in her heart and in such great amounts that she could barely contain them.

    In a fit of wild giddiness she lunged forward and kissed him, knocking him back.

    Lyle''s back hit hard wood but he ignored the pain and silently accepted the surprising display of emotion.

    He grabbed hold of that slim waist and brought her even closer, mashing them together.

    When Melanie finally came back up for breath her face was flushed and her lips swollen.

    It took her a moment to come back to her senses and when she did she remembered something.

    "I think I dropped my cup in the water..."

    She coughed awkwardly.

    Lyle stared at her a few seconds, then responded. "I think I dropped mine too."

    They continued to look at each other, then let out a small round of laughter.

    When they sobered a thought came to her. "Hey, Young Master?"

    " Yeah?" He asked.

    "You said you gave this to me so I can remember our time together." She lovingly fingered the rabbit-shaped object around her neck. "But then why didn''t you get yourself something too?"

    The young man''s smile in that moment, to her mind, was simple, serene, and just utterly unforgettable

    "Because I didn''t need to. I can''t know for how long it''ll be, but for that I already have something infinitely more precious than anything money can buy."

    "And what''s that?"

    "You."

 Chapter thirty-eight pt. 3

    You...You...You...

    Melanie''s head grew so hot it was a miracle it didn''t start emitting steam.

    "You." He''d said.

    That...was just so unfair!

    Melanie was over the moon. The levels of sweetness coursing through her veins right now threatened to put her into a diabetic shock.

    In fact she firmly believed that were you to take blood out of her at this moment you would have in your hands an extremely potent form of liquid sugar.

    It was just one word but darn her if it wasn''t as lethal as an arrow to the heart!

    Melanie could only shake her head helplessly, thoroughly defeated.

    Who even said things like that? Seriously, this guy...he knew how to pull on a woman''s heartstrings too well.

    No wonder Lady Sera fell so hard so quickly. Attacks like this, going on continuously? Melanie dared the gods themselves to find a girl who could withstand them!

    Ah, it was frightening, too frightening.

    Good thing he wasn''t a person with bad intentions, otherwise he''d have stolen the souls of countless women by now.

    Really, this bad guy...

    That was his real talent, right? Had to be. Ugh, even just the thought of it was frustrating. Exactly how were you supposed to deal with something like this?

    Melanie had a newfound respect for the Lady Sophia who was able to hold onto a troublesome guy like him for so long.

    It was confusing too. She must have went through so much to keep him from the thieving hands of other girls, how could she have just let go? Sure she realized there must have been a lot going on she hadn''t known about that had put pressure on the poor girl, but come on.

    Was it really that easy for her? Did she have such little faith in him? Melanie might have that same fear Sophia had but she knew, rationally, that he wasn''t a man to go philandering around.

    Ah, no... that wasn''t fair though, was it?

    After all, who knew how long that sister of her''s had fanned the flames of Lady Sophia''s fears and insecurities.

    While Mealanie was lost in thought Lyle had taken out two long, rod-like objects from a compartment nestled within the interior of the boat.

    The almost looked like...

    "Fishing poles?" She asked in surprise. "We''re going to fish? There''s actually fish here?!"

    Lyle just nodded and handed her a pole.

    "This place is connected to the river, of course there would be."

    "I haven''t gone fishing since I was a little girl." She commented wistfully.

    "I assume I don''t have to show you how it''s done then." Lyle was already busy getting the bait out.

    Melanie shook her head. Finally something she was confident about!

    She had a rare pride about her as she replied. "Heh, that won''t be needed at all. Young Master, today you shall see my true power at work!"

    ***

    An hour later and Melanie was on the verge of tears.

    "Why another boot?!"

    This was the tenth time already!!!!

    She choked back a sob and directly threw the fishing pole into the water in a fit of rage.

    "And after I boasted like that too...Young Master, I''m worthless, so worthless..." Melanie whined despairingly.

    Lyle flicked her on the head. "Always saying such self-deprecating things, this girl." He tsked chidingly. "Don''t get so down . Besides didn''t you already catch an amazing one? Being too greedy isn''t a good thing."

    "Amazing?" Melanie felt she was being mocked. "Amazing?! What''s so amazing about it, huh?! It''s barely the size of my pinky!" She cried.

    "Size isn''t everything." Lyle shrugged his shoulders.

    Melanie looked over at him with hollow eyes. "You caught ten. And they were all as big as my head."

    "Just a few common ones, nothing worth mentioning." A careless wave of the hand. "And besides, what''s mine is always yours." Lyle grinned.

    The words, which would have normally gave her face reddish hues, didn''t have much effect this time around. It just went right over her head.

    Melanie held up a small glass. Inside was a tiny fish with silvery scales and a gold streak near it''s fins. It had surprisingly long whiskers yet it''s small stature just made it sad to look at.

    Didn''t warrant a bucket. The glass she had now was even too big for it.

    In her eyes the lustrous silver-and-gold glow of its scales were, at the moment, hideous.

    "This fish." She began miserably. "Is equivolent to the value my life has had up to now. Look at it. So small, ugly and pathetic. So worthless even birds wouldn''t want to eat it. Not big enough for a pidgeon to take a poop with even if you had five of them."

    Lyle watched her with a strange smile.

    "Melanie...don''t tell me you don''t know what that is?"

    She thought he was trying to rub salt in the wound. "A tiny, pitiful collection of blood and bone no one would want even if you paid them? Like me, but a better swimmer..."

    Her self-deprecation was spiraling out of control by this point.

    She knew how unhealthy it all was but she couldn''t stop herself. Although actually, contrary to expectation, all this self-belittlement did help make her feel better whenever it popped up.

    Melanie wondered if she was a masochist.

    She probably was. Being together with a person like the Young Master, who obviously hid a sadistic nature within his heart, proved it.

    Pervert. She was a pervert. Just a useless pervert who slipped into bouts of self-pity at the slightest sign of adversity!

    Lyle paid no attention to her pathetic-looking visage.

    "Wrong." He stated. " I mean I know it''s a baby, but it''s still a Golden Sea-Strider no matter how you look at it. You really didn''t know? Sure it''s more silver than gold for now but that''ll change as it matures."

    Melanie was lost. "Wait, a what?"

    "A Golden Sea-Strider." He repeated patiently.

    "And...and they''re valuable? Useful?"

    Lyle snorted. "Those things aren''t easy to come by, you know? You can use their blood, bone and flesh for all kinds of things. Medicine, cosmetics, high-class culinary ingredients...just to name a few. They''re pretty famous pets to some circles, even. It''s really a wonder how one found it''s way here. Maybe it''s their migrating season and it got seperated somehow."

    He tapped his finger as he tried to come up with a plausible theory. Melanie took a few seconds to fully comprehend what he''d told her.

    Life surged back into her dead eyes.

    "A-Ah, yeah, I knew that. Of course. I was just testing you." She laughed sheepishly. She didn''t want to lose face in front of him when it came to something she''d boasted about so confidently.

    "As expected." Was all he said.

    Melanie let out a breath of relief. She didn''t know whether he saw through her lie or if he was just being tactful. It was probably the latter but either way she was glad he didn''t call her out on it!

    The Young Master, truly a kind and magnanimous individual!

    She ignored the fact that she was actually cursing his keen perception just a while ago.

    Melanie thought about the way their date was going so far.

    Certainly one wouldn''t think a chilly morning of fishing to be a very romantic event for a couple on their first outing together.

    It wouldn''t seem to be very romantic even if it wasn''t, right?

    But somehow it was? Yeah.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    She was having a lot of fun, more than what she''d expected to have.

    Doing this brought back pleasant memories of her childhood. In between the insufferable boot-catching she found the moments of silence to be quite comforting and nice. Just them and the sound of rolling waves was very soothing.

    Maybe that''s why he chose this. Could he really have put that much thought into it?

    Did he truly have such insight into her? Ah, she shouldn''t be questioning that anymore. After all he did prove himself time and time again when it came to that.

    The Young Master really did seem to know her very well. The thought nearly brought tears to her eyes once again.

    Did she know him even half as well as he knew her? She didn''t think she did, and it tore at her.

    Melanie was supposed to know him. It was, again, her job to. And yet her knowledge about him seemed paper-thin compared to what he''d shown regarding Melanie herself.

    She made the decision to fix that in the future.

    Lyle had said he wanted to learn more about her, but was there really much left for him to learn?

    This was unacceptable. Therefore Melanie, too, would learn as much as she could about him!

    It wasn''t just her competitive spirit talking, she herself was curious about him too. What kind of person had he been while he was off on his training missions? What other aspects of him hadn''t she seen yet, hadn''t had the chance to see yet?

    What things had he done while she wasn''t looking and what kind of people had he met on his journeys?

    She wanted to know everything.

    He was so devoted to making their newfound relationship work and she was finding that she desired it as much as he did. She liked being with him. It made her happy.

    "Getting pretty late in the morning. " Lyle looked up at the sky. "We should be going, it''s probably open by now."

    Melanie found that comment interesting. "What''s probably open?"

    "You''ll see. Pretty sure you''re going to love it."

    ***

    "Y-Young Master, look! Look! What''s that? And over there too, how pretty! So cute!"

    Melanie was moving with a speed Lyle could only ever dream about matching as she zig-zagged her way to every exhibit she could find.

    They''d made one stop before coming, which was simply to put Melanie''s catch into a nice bowl of water at their new, temporary home. As for his, they''d probably make a dinner out of them.

    After that they quickly made their way to this densely-populated area of the city.

    He scanned the loud, boisterous groups of people around them. Every person present had the same enamored looks as Melanie.

    Some just watched quietly, others oopenly ooh''d and aah''d at every opportunity. An even rarer few reminded him of Iris as they stood with looks of intense focus, their pencils or brushes moving with expert precision and speed as they struggled to capture the image of the animals down on paper.

    There were quite a number of couples here too.

    The place they were at was, of course, a Zoo. One that was going to be closing soon due to the cold. Luckily they got here before that, just a day early.

    There weren''t many Zoos in the world, mainly because a lot of cities were ill-equiped to tame the many dangerous and wild animals their planet was home to.

    It wasn''t impossible, and many animals were already domesticated, but the more exotic varieties that would draw crowds?...Well they were difficult to control so it wasn''t a very widespread practice.

    The animals here were relatively harmless but really only due to extensive training and care.

    Melanie, who had never seen such a large variety of animals before, was having a fun time getting to see and learn about all the new new kinds of beasts she was witnessing.

    Lyle tracked Melanie''s erratic movements. The animals didn''t excite him much but waching her certainly did.

    Definitely worth it to come here.

    Lyle understood he shouldn''t be out in front of so many people. That Sera woman might really be looking for him and even with his disguise it was still wise to be cautious. Yet seeing Melanie so happy and excited brought a ripple to his heart that made him throw that caution away without regret.

    How did she do that? Just watching her like this gave him a sense of satisfaction he couldn''t easily explain. He''d never seen her like this in all the time she''d been in his employ. It was because he never had the opportunity to see it and she''d never had he opportunity to show it.

    He felt glad he was able to witness a new side of her. This girl was just so pure and honest, two rare qualities most people didn''t possess. Certainly not him. And that smile she made, full of such child-like innocence...it should be a national treasure.

    Lyle had always favored her, always considered her a friend rather than a servant, but now he was discovering that he liked her more and more as time went on.

    ...I was truly lucky to have found her, he thought.

    Melanie was a good woman.

    She didn''t bad-mouth anyone and her shy kindness would be welcome no matter where she went. She was warmth and light, a mellow ray of sunshine that slowly melted your heart.

    Melanie was no rose. She was not boisterous or flashy and certainly had no thorns. No, not a rose. But she was a daisy if ever he''d seen one. Vibrant, colorful, open.

    He didn''t deserve her. Didn''t feel worthy enough.

    Lyle was not a good man.

    He''d done a lot of bad things, killed a lot of people. He had only ever done what he felt he had to and didn''t shed a single tear for anyone he''d cut down. Yet he couldn''t deny he was no longer stainless.

    "Young Master, come here, look at these!"

    While he was lost in thought Melanie had appeared at his side and dragged him along.

    She brought him to a large exhibit where behind iron bars one could see many small, cat-like creatures.

    They had faces slightly reminiscent of a bear but had the body of a cat. Their fur was a rustic red, almost like that of a fox.

    "Look, look, you see them? Do you? They''re so adorable!" Melanie gushed loudly. "I wonder what they are?"

    Her arm was still wrapped around his own as she pointed the creatures out. She didn''t look like she had any intention of letting go.

    Lyle, of course, wouldn''t say anything about it either.

    There was a small plaque near them that Lyle walked to after hearing her question.

    "Vermello prisca." He read. "Red cat." Lyle absently translated the text for her. "Believed to be part of the racoon family. Heh, mischievous little things like to steal shiny objects. Murphy would get along with them just fine."

    "Cute..." Melanie''s eyes were bright and wide, completely locked onto the small animals. Desire was written all over her face.

    One appeared in front of them just then, looking at them with a tilted head.

    Grinning goofily, Melanie put her hand forward with obvious intent.

    This one''s shade of red almost reminded her of the Young Master''s. As she lacked courage to stroke his hair herself she settled for the creature in front of her.

    Lyle saw this action of her''s and quickly drew her hand away. Almost as soon as it was out of range they heard a snapping sound.

    "Careful." He told her. "They like to bite."

    "Eh?" She blinked. "To think these cute things actually hide such viciousness!" Melanie shook her head in wonder. Those teeth look pretty sharp you know! Her finger might have ended up as it''s lunch!

    "You can''t really blame them. " Lyle laughed. "If I saw such a delicious-looking treat I''d want to have a taste too."

    Again! He was saying that kind of bad thing again! This is the second time today already!

    "Young Master, women really can''t let their guard down around you. You''re far too dangerous, you''d devour them without remorse." She muttered darkly.

    "Nonsense." He replied. "I''m most certainly not a danger to most women. Only you."

    Melanie was not sure whether she should be pleased or depressed at this. On one hand the thought made her smile like an idiot, on the other she didn''t think she''d ever get any rest if it were true!

    With such an unruly boyfriend what women could have any peace of mind? She''d fear a heart attack each day.

    Ah, maybe that wouldn''t be so bad though...

    Melanie shook her head, her face heating up.

    Not good, he was making her weird. He was a such bad influence, this guy!

    "Come on, let''s show you the sea life next. I hear there''s a dolphin or two somewhere, want to take a look?"

    "Dolphins? Where?" Melanie was bursting with eagerness.

    Lyle wanted to hug her.

    Tsk. Damn girl, she was bad for his health.

    He shook his head and guided her through the throngs of visitors. It wasn''t long before they entered a dark room connecting underground. A trail of softly-lit crystals led them towards enormous glass tanks behind which resided sea creatures of every shape, color and size.

    "Whoa..." Melanie exclaimed as she eyed the sleek, playful creatures that had dominated her attention for some time now.

    "So fast! How majestic! Look, they move so quickly, like birds!"

    "They''re something alright. But it''s a shame." Lyle said. "If it were warmer you could''ve riden one."

    Her mouth dropped. "You can do that?"

    "It''s one of the most popular attractions here from what I understand." Lyle nodded.

    She seemed crestfallen. "If only we''d come here sooner." A sigh.

    "We can come here again some other time." He assured.

    Her spirit came back in an instant, only to deflate once more. "Ah, no, it''s alright. It''d be too much trouble."

    It was a long distance from Varric to here, she couldn''t ask him to travel for several days just to fulfill a selfish desire of her''s. Plus hadn''t they run into a lot of problems on the way over? Bandits, monsters, a love-struck Noble.

    Plus who knew how long he''d be a wanted man? That Sera really appeared quite taken with him, after all.

    And Nobles usually got what they wanted.

    There was no way Melanie could let him do it.

    Lyle understood her worries without even a word from her. "I''m sure Iris would want to come too, perhaps even Mother would like to participate if she''s still around by then. It''d be a nice change of pace, not any trouble at all."

    "And I won''t have to hide myself either. Even if that woman continued her search and discovered my real identity, what could she do to me at that time?"

    "But aren''t you worried? I thought you wanted it to be kept secret?"

    Lyle didn''t deny it. "I do. But that''s of no consequence. I may have reasons for not wanting attention right now but that won''t always be the case. In the future all this pretending won''t be needed. Don''t worry about anything, just leave it to me, alright?"

    "Since it''s like that...okay. I understand." If he said so himself she would believe in him.

    He watched as her enthusiasm took hold of her once more and prompted her to run off on her own.

    Lyle allowed it without care and simply kept a close eye on her.

    "Do you really think it''ll be so easy to be rid of us?"

    The words, soft as a lover''s kiss, clutched at both his heart and mind.

    ***

    *Grr~*

    Melanie stiffened, a hand on her stomach.

    It was so loud!

    This little glutton, Melanie scolded, didn''t you just eat a few hours ago? Why''re you doing this to me, huh? You''re biting the hand that feeds you! This is mutiny, mutiny I say!

    Ah, so embarrassing....

    "What was that?" Lyle asked.

    "Oh, um, I think it was from one of the lions. Yeah. Wasn''t that a loud growl? They''re probably angry for some reason. W-Weird right? Maybe someone threw a stone at them. Haha...ha"

    Nice save, me!

    Melanie was rejoicing. That is, until Lyle folded his arms and cast a knowing glance her way.

    "Lions, huh. I see. So in Melanie-speak that means you''re hungry." He poked her stomach playfully.

    "Melanie-speak?" Such a thing exists?!

    "Indeed. You''ve a very intricate and mysterious language, Melanie. Luckily I''m quite proficient in decyphering this complex code of yours. "

    "What? No, what''re you talking about? It was the lions, hear me? The lions!"

    "Yes, yes, the lions, I understand." Lyle didn''t enlighten her to the fact that there were no lions at this particular exhibit.

    He simply gave her stomach another quick poke and said, "Don''t worry little one, we''ll get you a nice meal to enjoy soon, ''kay?"

    Melanie was mortified. What did he think he was doing to her, huh? And out in public too...

    ...Did he want her to die? Because she''d been getting death-glares for a while now...

    Being with a handsome man truly invited great dangers, ah...

    She was led to a small restaurant near the center of the area. The outside tables were packed with couples.Those not totally absorbed with each other all glanced their way.

    Or maybe it was just her imagination? Ugh, she really was too conscious of others, wasn''t she? Probably.

    They entered the establishment, Melanie treading warily just a step behind Lyle. She followed him as calmly as one could be when faced with the hatred of maybe the entire female population.

    Not to mention the strange looks some of the men gave her that just made her more uneasy.

    Lyle, ever her saviour, gave everyone a pointed stare and made them too scared to give her a second glance.

    Most of them anyway.

    Unfortunately the women here were a bit more courageous than the men and openly regarded that stare as an invitation to continue the task of stripping him with their eyes.

    Lewd women. Nothing better to do than act like pervy old grannies.

    Gloom hung over Melanie''s shoulders like a black mist. Seriously what''s with all of you? Save those looks for your own men, leave mine alone!

    Melanie nearly tripped after realizing what she''d just thought.

    What the heck, woman! Melanie berated herself quietly.

    You''re as bad as them! You''ve only been dating for a few days and you already think you own him?! W-Who do you think you are to be so pretentious? Just a lewd, boring, disgusting, possessive, old...

    The inner self-hate went on for quite some time.

 Interlude 3

    "So he disappeared?"

    A brightly lit room. The soft glow of crystal lamps, the somber tranquility. The faint smell of paper and ink. Everything about it was quaint and homely. A sanctuary. A retreat.

    It was here that Elias stood, an open book in hand. It was always a fascination of his, reading. So much information to be absorbed, so much wisdom to be contemplated upon. This time however he had a book open for a different purpose than mere curiosity.

    "Yes. We searched the area, no one matched the descriptions we were given and none saw anyone suspicious either."

    Strange. "They didn''t leave through the front, and someone would notice if it were from the back." Elias tapped his chin.  He examined an illustration, an old map of the city. " Appears I was right. That place is right above an old sewage tunnel."

    "Sewage tunnels, Your Grace?"

    "Indeed." Elias nodded. "Many sewage tunnels used to lead out into the docks where they''d dump the city''s waste. This stopped when more were built that led out downriver. Needless to say, the old tunnels were left alone. In times past these old tunnels had been used to smuggle contraband into the city. I thought all the passageways had already been found but this one seems to have escaped discovery." The man pondered a moment. " I wonder if the owner back then had some sort of deal with one of the officials in charge of the investigation." He thought aloud.

    He chuckled softly. "So that''s what they did. Disguising themselves before they even exited so no one could track them. Smart. Most wouldn''t have paid that much attention to detail. And regular folk wouldn''t take much notice of them either, but they didn''t take that risk." There was slight praise in his tone. "They''re very cautious if nothing else."

    It wasn''t hard to figure out what happened so long as you knew a bit of history about the area.

    And people tended to take it easy once they thought themselves safe. Make foolish mistakes.

    Rarely did someone so young have the experience needed to take such careful measures.

    To escape even Sir Vael''s thorough investigations they would have had to rid themselves of their current looks.

    But the question was, why?

    Why take precautions like that at all? Why run away?

    Elias quickly guessed: They had something to hide.

    Even if they merely didn''t want the attention of a Noble, even if the young man didn''t like that daughter of his, there was no reason to be so paranoid.

    Their actions were suspicious, too much for what the situation warranted.

    "We don''t know what they look like now, searching that way would be useless." Elias closed his book gently, taking care not to somehow harm the aged thing. "We do, however, know how many they are. Broaden your search, look for groups of four. Three young adults, one child. Disregard gender. Start by the docks. I''m betting someone noticed them. After that check the furthest Inns from the area."

    "The furthest, Your Grace? I see. Understood."

    WIth how cautious the group was it''s unlikely they''d pick the nearest Inns. They''d take their time in choosing a location. They would assume someone might find where they came from and begin searching the Inns nearest their exit point.

    As for the docks, younger folk would not usually be found among the rough and foul-mouthed sailors, especially not a child. They could change their looks to an extent but their ages would be harder to hide. And though it''s not a certainty that people would take note of every person they pass by, noticing a child in a place one normally wouldn''t be seen is still possible.

    It''d have caught someone''s eye.

    "Yessir." Vael bowed.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    "Moving on, my daughter, I understand she shut herself away?"

    Since he summoned her here she would have usually come straight to him. Doing this, therefore, was very much outside her behavior.

    "She did. The servants say they heard soft sobs coming from her room, she probably cried herself to sleep." The man reported. "She''s not even eaten yet either from what I understand."

    That did not sound like his daughter.

    "She''s never acted like this before." Elias commented, frowning slightly.

    "She''s never really been in love before." The Paladin had a wry curl to his lip. "I was told by Voorhis that she was quite attached to the young man. He seemed to make advances towards her as well. Although," He added, " Since it was said he was very cold to her just the night prior, I''m not sure what to make of it."

    Elias, however, did.

    "Did she interact with anyone aside from him?"

    "Not really, no," Vael answered. "He kept her busy with him until they arrived."

    And that confirmed it. "A distraction." He mused. "Did anyone meet my daughter prior to the last leg of their journey?"

    Vael nodded. "Once. A girl apparently went to speak to her early in the morning before they left. I didn''t mention it since they weren''t sure who the girl was, they assumed she was a member of the Haddocks."

    "Doubtful. How did he treat her before that?"

    "Distant. But it didn''t last long. Her Holiness is a very beautiful young lass, after all. Must have worn him down, can''t even think of any man his age being able to resist her charms. " Vael''s brows furrowed when he caught the look Elias sent his way. "Wait. You think her talking to the girl is why he suddenly had a change in attitude."

    It wasn''t a question.

    Vael had a tendency to underestimate others at times, thus he didn''t immediately make the connection and simply considered it a matter of Her Holiness Lady Seraphina having gotten the boy to finally lower his guard.

    He thought so because she did indeed attract many eyes, and what man could remain cold to her for any real measure of time anyway?

    ...Apparently this one, he thought. If it were really just an act, or rather a distraction like what the Patriarch believed, it meant the boy wasn''t one to become addled by just physical beauty alone.

    "That is the logical conclusion to make, yes." Elias replied drily. " Go to her. Get an answer."

    "It will be done, Lord Patriarch." He answered. "But about the boy, when I find him what do you want to do?"

    Elias smiled faintly, his eyes unreadable. "He saved my daughter. I should show my thanks." Whatever the youth had to hide didn''t really matter to him, he was merely curious about it. Nothing more.

    This meant that if she hadn''t become so attached to him Elias would not have cared to meet him at all. At most he may have recruited him as a prospective talent due to his achievements and naturally strong body. Perhaps he''d even have had Vael mentor him a bit if he showed true promise.

    Now, though, things were different. Seraphina was a special existence, with a special purpose. Her role in the future was of utmost importance.

    She had many responsibilities, and falling for a random stranger would only complicate things.

    He couldn''t force her to do anything, but her sense of duty would make up for that.

    This time however what he had to ask of her was no simple matter.

    At any other time this would not be a problem, but as of right now her feelings for that boy would just make it uncertain that she''d ever agree to what was needed from her.

    So those feelings had to be thoroughly broken, to the extent that not even a fragment of affection for him was left.

    Only then could Elias be sure she would be obedient.

    In order for that to happen, he had to be brought here. If he simply disappeared from her life like this it was possible there would always be lingering feelings for him in her heart.

    And even that couldn''t be allowed.

    Elias closed the book with exquisite care.

    They were not new but rather had survived through the ages to end up in his hands. And he was not unaware of this fact.

    "Alright. Onto other matters." Elias idly fingered the jewel hanging around his neck. "How is our little wolf?"

    Vael''s face grew severe. "We don''t know." A neutral tone. "The news just came in: Someone''s been killing off the men we had stationed near his estate. Combined with the fire and the occurrence at Lord Alderton''s home, it''s safe to say we''ve been compromised. And unfortunately, the ones we had watching him had a day where their memories showed signs of tampering. It was during that time he left the estate, which means his whereabouts are now unknown."

    Vael had dreaded being the one to tell the man this development. He knew how important the boy was, him running about unsupervised when they had just gotten close was frustrating to the extreme.

    With his father and that old spider''s attention diverted they thought they would finally have been able to enact their plans. As such they''d spared no effort in ridding him of his defences.

    And now, when he was vulnerable, with no one to guard him, he just...disappears. How can that not make one want to rage?

    And true to his expectations, Elias'' next words became as hard as steel. " Find him."

    For a moment, it looked like the world darkened. Maybe it did.

    An unreasonable command was issued. Vael wouldn''t even know where to start, the possibilities endless.

    But he didn''t dare refuse.

    "Yes, Your Grace." Was all Vael could say.

 Chapter thirty-nine

    Lyle heard it long before he saw it.

    He and Melanie had just walked out with full bellies when a faint, almost indiscernible shriek reached his ear. It was one he��d heard before and loathed to the extreme.

    It was the sound of a scryling.

    ��Can you find your way home on your own?�� Lyle increased his pace and asked.

    ��I think so, yes��.why?�� Melanie took note of the frown between the young man��s brows.

    ��Because I��m being followed.�� He replied calmly.

    ��What?!�� She yelped in surprise. ��We��re being followed?!��

    ��No, only me.�� He shook his head. ��Just now I heard the call of a scryling. �� He recalled the cloth Sera had taken some time ago. ��They aren��t native to this area and are great trackers. If one is here it could only belong to a Noble. I think Seraphina has to be the one using it to find me. She has something with my scent on it. I need to lead it away and confuse it before I can go home, but I need you to leave now so it won��t become familiar with your own scent.��

    Melanie looked around anxiously. This wasn��t a laughing matter. That girl was resorting to tracking him with some weird creature now?

    ��Won��t it pick up your smell on me?�� But she calmed herself and brought up an important point.

    ��I can deal with that.�� He assured. ��Don��t worry about it. Just go and let the other��s know what happened. Tell them to stay inside.��

    With that, he ripped a piece of his clothing, pricked his finger with a blade and smeared a bit of blood on it.

    ��They track by scent and scrying magic.�� He explained under her concerned gaze. ��I think she had some of my blood so I��m going to leave behind pieces of clothing with my blood on them all around the city and hide. Should fool both it��s senses.�� Lyle heard another faint shriek, closer now. Even he was starting to feel an urgency. ��I��ll be back before nightfall. Hurry and leave.��

    ��Okay...be careful.�� Melanie didn��t want to waste time. She nodded and went on her way.

    Lyle didn��t bother to watch her go. He immediately set to work and started tearing a few more strips from his coat. He then took off in a sprint. He ran as fast as he could, down streets and alleys, sometimes even stopping by shops to hide the pieces of cloth.

    He followed no set path and sprinkled them out randomly. But he didn��t only run. Sometimes he walked or jogged. Maybe an unneeded caution, but news of some weird guy running all over the place is almost certainly bound to stand out.

    Lyle cursed under his breath from time to time, a bit resentful. His date had been interrupted and now here he was building up a sweat just so that obsessive girl didn��t find him.

    He felt lighter than he had in good while just staying by her side and watching all her cute, ever-changing expressions. From happy to mad to gloomy all in the space of a few seconds. It was a bit different from Sophia. She had more control and tried to restrain herself. Melanie didn��t have that, or at least not as much as she thought she did.

    Again, as open and honest as any sunflower or daisy.

    The thought brought a smile to his lips as he casually dropped one final piece of cloth. That should make over a hundred, right?

    Now came the part he disliked.

    After walking for another ten minutes he found himself back at that graveyard area he��d been taken to the other day by Val. The place brought up the memory of her poisoning him and all the anger he��d felt at the woman that time spiked up once more.

    Well, he knew it wasn��t exactly her to blame though. At least, not entirely.

    Despite the bad encounter he��d had and the terrible impression of the area it��d spawned, he still felt this the most suitable place for the next part.

    There were almost zero visitors and the ground was soft, a little moist. Cold as ice, or near enough, but he��d been through worse.

    The last time he��d had a run-in with scrylings he had to hide out in a swamp that smell of shit and piss. This was much more preferable.

    He heard a shriek just a while ago and knew the critter was determined in it��s search. Must��ve been trained well. Lyle found a secluded spot. He dug his hands into the earth and rubbed his face with the cold mud. Then, once that was done, dug deeper and deeper until there was a narrow hole just enough for him to stand in.

    He hopped in, covering himself in the dirt until the hole was refilled. The damp, freezing soil robbed his body of it��s heat and caused a shiver. But he hardened himself and endured.

    Scrylings really did have an acute sense of smell. It wasn��t enough to just spread out your scent, you had to hide the source of it too. Eventually, it would leave, forgetting the smell once it didn��t find what it was looking for.

    Fortunately, their scrying magic was very primitive. Unfortunately, it could take hours before it decided to head back.

    And so he waited.

    The minutes ticked by. FIve minutes. Ten. Twenty. Then then the hours. One, two, three��

    He felt like an icicle. His muscles cramping, desperate to move. The stinging pain was almost a relief. But the numbness set in soon enough and the shivers stopped.

    If he were a normal person he knew he��d be facing a dire situation, under serious risk of extensive hypothermia. But this wasn��t his body��s limit.

    The only thing truly put to the test was his patience. He kept an eye on the sky. He kept hearing the scrying somewhere up above. Sometimes far, sometimes so close he��d think it was right on top of him.

    He didn��t dare to look when that happened. Scylings had an innate intuition when it came to certain things. They could tell when a person saw them. It��s why they were so hard to avoid.

    As soon as their imaged entered your eyes, your��s would enter theirs.

    You could only avoid this by blindfolding yourself. If there was total darkness then you were also safe.

    Lyle didn��t much care for losing his sight when he didn��t have to, so he didn��t use any sort of blindfold and just looked down or shut his eyes when he thought it was nearby.

    This trick of his was a bit risky since if it found him it��d take a while to get out, leaving him vulnerable. But he doubted it would attack anyway.

    Finally, after a full six hours, it gave up it��s search.

    Lyle waited an extra hour to be sure it was gone before struggling  his way out. He felt grateful he had heard it that first time. Had it found him it��d report back to it��s master and continued to track him after, leading Sera right to him.

    Wild scrylings could even track you for weeks, sometimes months, if it spotted you. It��d be damn near impossible to lose unless you were smart and, admittedly, a bit lucky. That��s why he was positive. He was pretty fortunate to have caught it��s presence, otherwise things would have been bad.

    Lyle dusted himself off as best he could and slowly warmed himself up. His sleeping muscles felt like they were being pressed upon by a legion of needles. They were stiff as a board brought a new wave of pain with each movement.

    He frowned.

    Then made his way home.

    ***

    It was a bit late in the evening when he arrived.

    Cecelia was the first to welcome him. ��You okay?�� She asked upon seeing his dishelved appearance.

    He nodded. ��Everything hurts, I��m freezing and need a bath. But yeah. I��m fine. Thanks.�� Lyle replied.

    ��You look dreadful.�� Melanie fussed, ��Your hand���� She took the wrapped palm into her own and inspected them. He had to make a good few cuts. He bandaged them with a strip of cloth earlier.

    He willed his shaking hands to stillness as soon as he saw her coming. He didn��t want to worry them.

    ��Move it.�� Iris gently moved her away. In her arms were various ointments and gauze. ��We can��t leave it like that. Come sit down.�� She tugged on his sleeve.

    ��I��ll go make you some tea.�� Melanie didn��t know what else to do. ��And maybe start a soup.�� She hurried over to the kitchen.

    Meanwhile, Cecelia stopped Iris. ��He needs to warm up first. Those kind of wounds won��t kill him.��

    ��They can if they get infected.�� Iris argued, annoyed this chick was getting in the way when she was trying to treat her brother.

    ��Cute you��re so concerned,�� Cecelia��s cool tone persisted, not at all backing down, �� But he��s had worse. Besides, wrap them now and they��ll just get wet later on. Wait until he��s done.��

    Lyle agreed. ��These aren��t anything that require immediate attention. Let me wash up first.��

    Iris sighed. ��Well, I guess you��re right.�� She relented. Then perked up. ��I��ll draw you a bath.�� And ran off, a mere streak of gold as she left.

    ��I feel she��s becoming a bit more thoughtful,�� Cecelia commented. The way she took the initiative to bring the ointments and start a bath for him was unlike the girl.

    And Lyle noticed it, too.

    ��Maybe�� He acknowledged.

    Cecelia fell silent, walking back to her seat and staring into the fireplace��s flames as Lyle was about to head back to his room to take off the ragged, sullied clothed.

    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    ��Did you enjoy yourself?�� She spoke up unexpectedly.

    He looked back. ��With the date?�� Her silence was all the confirmation he needed. He continued without missing a beat. ��I did, yeah. For the bit we were able to have.��

    ��I see. That��s good.�� And she said nothing more.

    Lyle regarded her a moment longer. Normally she wouldn��t bother to ask. Even when he was dating Sophia she never had.

    He wouldn��t call her on it though. Instead he continued on his way.

    ***

    He quickly peeled off the mud-crusted clothing and threw them into the fire of his room��s furnace. With a small wet towel he did what he could to take the majority of the dirt off from his arms and legs. After about fifteen minutes of that he heard Iris pop in.

    ��The bath is ready!�� She informed cheerfully. ��You can go in now.�� And froze. She saw her brother standing there with nothing but a towel around his waist. The only thing on him besides that was the bandages covering his upper torso and arm.

    But they couldn��t hide the toned body underneath. Although his skin was quite pale from the chilling weather it only gave him a colder sort of a charm, like a figure carved from alabaster.

    With his hair and eyes darkened from special dyes it made him look almost like an entirely new person.

    Iris felt her cheeks warm. Her brother was attractive no matter how he changed, but each disguise made it just that much easier to forget certain little details. Such as, their blood relation.

    ��Thanks.�� Lyle smiled at the thought of a warm bath. He caught her looking at him strangely. ��Is something wrong?�� He walked over after taking a bathrobe from his closet. He waved a hand in front of her face. ��Iris?��

    She blinked. ��Huh? What? Ah��.um, no, it��s nothing.�� She shook her head from a wave of strange thoughts that��d suddenly pervaded her mind for a moment.

    ��Huh.�� He shrugged. ��Alright. Anyway, if you��ll excuse me.�� He nudged her a bit and walked passed.

    Iris slapped her cheeks as she found herself staring at his retreating back.  She then went to the kitchen to help Melanie with the cooking. Or rather, to learn. However when she got there she found the place empty except for a simmering pot of soup over a low flame.

    Hm? Where��d that woman get to now?

    Lyle, on his end, approached the bathing room quickly. It wasn��t far and he could see a hint of steam rise from the open door that led to a changing room, and beyond that, the bath.

    It was very large, a perfect square around ten feet wide capable of easily holding four or five people.

    He stepped inside leisurely, dropping the towel to the tiled floor. Next was the bandages. They had to be changed.

    As soon as he walked inside he felt a heavenly warmth pelt his face and body. He let out a shiver, getting goosebumps. This was a much-welcome feeling, that warmth.

    Lyle slipped into the bath with a sigh, enjoying the hot water lapping against his skin.

    The heat was endlessly pleasant after several hours caked in cold dirt.

    He took a rag and applied some body wash before thoroughly rubbing his limbs once more.

    So immersed was he in the act that he nearly didn��t catch the soft patter of footsteps behind him.

    He was instantly on alert.

    ��It��s just me.�� A familiar voice called. ��Young Master...ah. Um...L-Lyle. ��

    ��Melanie?�� He only slightly calmed. He slid deeper into the bath to try and hide the markings. ��What are you doing? I don��t need anything.��

    Melanie came in wearing only a white towel covering her front. She had to admit, this morning was trying on her. It was fun and enjoyable being with him, just the two of them, despite it having been cut short. But while it made her happy, she couldn��t help remembering all the other women who kept looking at him either.

    Somehow, she disliked it. For some reason, it bothered her. Maybe more than it should. She kept thinking about it off and on all this time and it made her chest tight whenever she thought of it.

    Did she really have the right to be so upset? Even though they��d only gone on a single date, one that hadn��t even ended properly? The question was agonizing. Yet...well...h-he was her boyfriend. So, yeah.

    She was restless. That��s why before she even knew it, she was here. Having summoned up all her courage, she suppressed the embarrassment in her heart and kept moving forward.

    ��That��s...I just noticed how stiff you were moving and thought you��d need help washing your back. ��

    ��I don��t.�� His voice was strained. He could sense her just behind him and didn��t dare look back. ��Just go. I--��

    ��I-It��s fine.�� She cut him off, her voice going up a few octaves. �� I want to��.can I?��

    Melanie knelt down. He felt a hand on his shoulder.  An evil fire instantly sprang to life.

    His will was tested for the second time today, and this time the battle was a lot harder than just staying still.

    Melanie could tell he was tense. As she��d done many times before, she started a slow and careful massage. She could barely see anything past the steam and most of his body was hidden by bubbly water.

    But she could feel the taut, steel-like muscle under her palms. She was intimately familiar with these strong, steady shoulders yet each time she did this for him, these massages, she couldn��t help but think her touches lingered just that little bit longer than they actually had to.

    A sudden urge swelled within her.

    Lyle��s head was turned upwards. His eyes met Melanie��s own. They were bright, clear, and just full of so much affection.

    Her kind, pretty face was all he could see. And their lips touched. She kissed him softly, gently. A little shy, a little bold.

    And then deeper, more fervent, as she grew in confidence. A strand of stray hair fell and tickled his cheek. Her hands wandered, from his face to his shoulders and chest.

    He was the first to break contact. ��That��s enough.�� He clasped the young woman��s wrists and held them away. It felt a monumental effort to stop her.

    The woman didn��t seem interested in that, however, because she slid into the bath right beside him and started after his neck.

    ��Melanie...listen to me.�� The words had to be forced out. Her hand got adventurous yet again and traveled down.

    The girl felt intoxicated. It was amazing. Touching him, tasting him, they both set her skin on fire in the sweetest way possible.

    ��Young Master���� She breathed. ��It��s alright. I��ll help you relax, okay?�� Then her hand brushed something hard. Something that felt...daunting.

    It was solid, hot and even twitched.

    She determined to treat this as one of her dreams and forged ahead tentatively.

    She was still too apprehensive about doing THAT... but if it��s just this much, then��

    Her hand lightly grasped that hard thing, moving up and down while going for another kiss. There was something addicting about having his lips on her��s and she needed more.

    Lyle couldn��t let this continue. ��I said, that��s enough.�� His voice harsh and maybe even cruel-sounding. But his sanity was being tested and he couldn��t help it.

    That rough, almost angry tone made Melanie realize just how uncalled for her actions were. Her ears burned. ��I��m sorry.�� She stood abruptly. ��I shouldn��t have...I just--��

    ��It��s okay. �� His voice sounded raw. He cleared his throat and went on. ��Don��t apologize.��

    ��Are you mad?��

    This girl��

    She thought he was upset about it? Silly thing.

    ��Of course not. It��s just not a good time.��

    Melanie was boiling with shame. If he hadn��t stopped her she wasn��t sure what she��d have done. It wasn��t what she��d planned at all!

    ��I��ll go after all.�� She smiled shakily and crawled out of the bath, wanting to escape.

    Lyle couldn��t watch her leave. There was a voice telling him that if he took even a single look he might not be able to stop himself from bringing the woman back. His hands ached to grab her, the desire damn near driving him mad.

    Only after a long while did the fires in his chest subside.

    ***

    Lyle slept early and woke up at the crack of dawn. With a clear mind free of worldly desire, he got dressed and left a note saying he was on his way to the Workshop.

    It was finally time to get some answers. Hopefully.

    He��s going to seriously work on banishing these assholes from his and Iris�� bodies. Then, once that��s done, he��ll get the hell out of here and enjoy a proper goddamn date with his new girlfriend.