《Unlucky in Love》 Prelude: The Beginnings to an End. ------------ Dangou ------------ In a dark alley on the side-streets of Brimlo, stood the leaning figure of an utterly depressed man. His name was Dangou. It was meant to be a happy day for Dangou. He had just returned from slaying the foul beast of Grimshire forests under orders from the Queen. Aside from being completely unharmed, he was also about to receive quite a large reward. But here he stood, slouched backwards, over a trashcan, talking to his enchanted sword companion, Osiro, about women. "Look I understand that the Queen is hot," Said Osiro in her typical uninterested tone. "But like, going for her is like, super stupid." "Uh, yeah, but have you caught a glance of those hips?¡± replied Dangou. "They¡¯re like, perfect child-bearing hips.¡± ¡°But she¡¯s the Queen.¡± ¡°But those hips.¡± ¡°Dangou, no. There¡¯s not a chance in the world. Go for someone else.¡± Dangou sighed and slouched further onto the trashcan till his elbow touched something soggy and he recoiled in disgust. ¡°Not even after I killed the foul beast without receiving so much as a scratch?¡± He complained. ¡°Uh, she might be impressed, but-¡°, ¡°Not even after I¡¯ve been beside her for seven years?¡± ¡°Look that¡¯s not the prob-¡° ¡°Not even after I saved her that one time from those tentacle vine things?¡± ¡°Those were just normal vi-¡° Stopping short, Osiro lit up with orange frustration, ¡°Look Dangou. If you¡¯re so serious about it, why don¡¯t you just confess and see what happens?¡± Dangou raised an eyebrow. ¡°What like actually?¡± He said, suddenly standing up straight. ¡°Yeah, totally Dangou!¡± Osiro beamed, suspiciously enthusiastic. ¡°You never know till you try, right?¡± ¡°But I¡¯ve been single all my life you know¡­ No, no, no. I can¡¯t ruin our relationship¡­¡± Osiro sighed. ¡°We¡¯ve been doing this for weeks and months and years! Can you please just confess so I can stop hearing you nag?¡± She begged. ¡°Hey that¡¯s kind of rude, you¡¯re my sword and I¡¯m your master you know?¡± Dangou frowned. ¡°Come on! What¡¯s the worst that could happen?¡± Osiro reasoned, ¡°You¡¯d be awkward for maybe a month and that¡¯s it. She wouldn¡¯t fire the best knight in the Empire!¡± Dangou paused. ¡°She wouldn¡¯t huh.¡± ¡°Of course not!¡± ¡°And maybe after spending more time together she might even like meback?¡± "Uh huh." After a moment of thought Dangou nodded and grinned blankly. ¡°Right? What¡¯s the worst that could happen?¡± He concluded.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. ¡°Yeah!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll show her what the D in Dangou really stands for!¡± ¡°Uh. No you shouldn¡¯t.¡± ------------ Break ------------ ¡°Okay so, here¡¯s how it¡¯s going to go,¡± Dangou explained to the uninterested guardsman, ¡°I¡¯m going to straight up ask the queen out for lunch.¡± The guardsman frowned. ¡°¡­what?¡± He said. ¡°You know, like just casually.¡± ¡°But all the best food is in the royal court?¡± Dangou stopped dead in his tracks. ¡°¡­ Ohshit...that''s true isn''t it?¡± ------------ The Queen ------------ Queen Eliade sat, poised with elegance, in her hide-covered throne, practicing her smile as she prepared to receive her best, and most loyal knight, Dangou Sheen. She had known this man for the majority of her peaceful, sheltered life, and unsurprisingly, held towards him, a well-hidden affection. Sometimes she dreamed that had she been born as a country girl, she could have perhaps married him without any consideration. But as she was the Queen of the Empire, she had a duty to the nation and that duty meant she could never wed herself to a man with the meagre status of a Queensguard. She sighed, unsatisfied at her fate until at last the halls reverberated with the sounds of the Drasci Honour Horn, and she snapped back into reality. ------------ Dangou ------------ Dangou was in deep contemplation as he opened the door to her highness¡¯ court. Second thoughts, piled themselves onto his mind. ¡°My dear Dangou, you have returned!¡± The Queen beamed, her precious, pink lips dancing with each syllable. ¡°Uh yes your highness, I return unscathed.¡± Dangou glanced down awkwardly, scratching his head. ¡°Actually didn¡¯t even receive a scratch! Hahaha¡­¡± ¡°That was kinda lame¡­¡± Osiro whispered slyly in her sheath. ¡°Is that so?¡± The Queen clapped joyfully, followed by a burst of genuine laughter, ¡°That is quite amazing indeed.¡± Dangou nodded, smiling sheepishly. ¡°Well,¡± Queen Eliade continued, ¡°I assume you¡¯re here to claim your reward?¡± ¡°Ah..." Dangou paused, "Yes.¡± The Queen glanced at the knight, nodded and sighed wistfully. Perhaps wishing that something else could have happened. ¡°No problem, Sir Sheen, I will have it called for immediately.¡° Dangou hesitated, his palms were sweaty and knees were weak like spaghetti. If he didn¡¯t do it now, the timing would pass. ¡°WAIT!¡± Dangou burst out. ¡°Yes¡­?¡± Queen Eliade blushed. ¡°Instead of a monetary reward¡­¡± He gulped, ¡°Could I have you instead?¡± The courtroom fell deathly silent as all eyes shifted onto this unfathomably bold and daring man. The guardsmen mumbled with respect as they looked upon the absolute Alpha of a idol, but the nobles sat unimpressed, sending daggers of glaring hatred at yet another enemy. Sitting at the edge of her seat, the Queen¡¯s face quickly flushed to a perfect crimson. Her mind reminded her of her position as Royalty, but at every attempt to speak, her tongue and lips begin to form the word ¡®Yes!¡¯. The court sat in silence, both in awe at the audacity of Dangou, and in wait for the Queen¡¯s response. But before she could speak, the immense mental conflict rendered her dizzy, and finally, she fainted. ------------ Narrator ------------ Before innocent little Eliade could recover from the shock of Dangou¡¯s confession, the council of Nobles banded together as one, voted and banished the dangerous man from the Kingdom on behalf of the Queen. It would mark the beginning of the most extraordinary and fantastical journey and love story that the world had never expected. ------------ Prelude End------------ - Dangou, right after being banished from the empire- ¡°WHatS tHe wOrSt ThAt COulD hApPen? SHE SAYS.¡± Dangou snapped, throwing Osiro into a bush along with her sheath. ¡°Look I didn¡¯t mean for this to happen!¡± Osiro shouted, but Dangou, infuriated, had already started stomping away. Making sure to mock Osiro with every step. ¡°I dIdN¡¯T mEaN foR ThIS tO HaPpEn! SHE SAYS.¡± ¡°No seriously, I¡¯m sorry Dangou!!¡± ¡°nO sErioUsLY, i¡¯M sOrRY! SHE SAYS.¡± ¡°Dangou come back!!¡± ¡°daNgOU cOmE bAcK! SHE SAYS.¡± ¡°I¡¯M GOING TO RUST IF I STAY HERE!¡± ¡°I¡¯m goInG tO rUsT iF I sTaY HerE! SHE SAYS.¡± ¡°DANGOU!! I¡¯M SORRY!¡± ¡°DaNgOu!! I¡¯m SoRry! SHE SAYS.¡± .... ... .. . "Hope you enjoyed the prelude!" - BBBTheSecond "hOpE yOu eNJoYeD tHe PrEluDe! HE SAYS" Chapter 1 - Unlucky in Love ------------ Dangou ------------ ¡°Hey, Dangou are you okay¡­?¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah I¡¯m fine. Great actually.¡± ¡°Okay¡­ then can you stop grinning like a fucking weirdo?¡± Having been kicked out of the empire by the Council of Nobles, Dangou had been thoroughly depressed for a couple of days. His once esteemed position of Queensguard had been lost, and instead of posters praising him for his good work, there were now billboards informing people of his banishment. But recently he¡¯d come to an epiphany. ¡°Look, Osiro. Don¡¯t you think this is something like, the beginning of an adventure for us?¡± He grinned, ¡°like with one of those Knights seeking redemption?¡± ¡°Uh. I guess?¡± Osiro frowned. Unfazed by the lack of enthusiasm in his partner, Dangou continued. ¡°Okay, so here¡¯s what we¡¯re going to do-¡± He paused to take a deep breath. ¡°We¡¯re going to go around Ritorias* and pick up women until we become pick up masters.¡± Osiro sighed. ¡°Stop being stupid.¡± She said. ¡°Uh no it¡¯s not?¡± replied Dangou, defiantly, ¡°We¡¯ll build up a crap tonne of charm points and when we return, we¡¯ll just walk straight into the royal courtroom and the Queen will just fall in love.¡± The sword glowed an unenthusiastic blue before responding with a tired voice. ¡°Alright¡­ firstly there is no such thing as charm points¡­ How are you so good at strategizing in battles, but so bad at common sense?¡± ¡°Secondly, we have you. Picking up women?¡± Osiro snickered, transitioning to an undesirable green, ¡°Oh please.¡± For a moment, the former Queensguard wavered. He felt that though Osiro was being quite rude today, she did however have a point. Maybe even two. ¡°Well¡­¡± He muttered, ¡°Not trying isn¡¯t going to get me anywhere either.¡± ¡°Right. Well, why don¡¯t you give it a try? What¡¯s the worst that could happen? You¡¯ve already lost most things important.¡± Osiro smirked. ------------ Story Break ------------ ¡°OI DANGOU COME BACK! YOU CAN¡¯T JUST LEAVE ME IN THE BUSH AGAIN!¡± Osiro shouted at the once-again-furious knight. ¡°I SURE CAN. ¡®WHAT¡¯S THE WORST THAT COULD HAPPEN¡¯? " Dangou shouted back, stomping away.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°DANGOU! I¡¯M SERIOUSLY GOING TO RUST!!!¡± ¡°IDON''T CARE!¡± ------------ Back to the Story------------ -Three failed attempts at picking up womenlater- ¡°In the side alleys of the small town of Delsa, a figure stood depressed, leaning against a trashcan like the trash he is.¡± ¡°Osiro can you not.¡± ¡°Having already lost everything, he decided to throw away his dignity as well, by asking out random girls on the street.¡± ¡°I¡¯m seriously depressed Osiro.¡± ¡°And as per usual, he was brutally rejected all three times.¡± Dangou sat depressed, on a pile of firewood, at the edge of town Delsa, peering into the famous ever-green woods before him. Osiro, his trusty companion, lay beside him, trying her best to console the heart-broken man. ¡°Of course it didn¡¯t work you retard, I was just trying to get you to recognise it!¡± Osiro sighed in frustration, ¡°You have no experience with women!¡± Dangou turned to look at the permanently callous sword. ¡°You¡¯re a woman, aren¡¯t you?¡± He suggested. Osiro recoiled, and slid off the wood pile. ¡°Uh if you¡¯re into swords, I guess yes?¡± She laughed nervously. ¡°Even if I was, you¡¯d be the last sword I¡¯d marry.¡± Dangou chuckled back. Osiro turned to an angry red and let off a dangerous glint. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t marry you either, moron!¡± As the lively duo continued to chat idly, a sudden bloodcurdling scream disrupted their flow of conversation. Osiro yelped in surprise as Dangou snatched her from her sheath and took a tentative step towards the forest. ¡°The scream came from the east, about a hundred metres away.¡± Said Osiro, having calmed down. ¡°The east? Isn¡¯t that the Gatherer¡¯s Fields?¡± Dangou asked. ¡°Hmm yes. I think it might be.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s hurry.¡± ------------ Allie ------------ Allie stood frozen in the Gatherer¡¯s Fields just beyond Delsa. It was supposed to be a safe-zone dedicated by the empire to families of lower class where they could gather plentiful food and raise livestock. But just metres from the innocent country girl stood a two-metre-tall monster, a Choski**. Allie was careful not to move. Her grandmother, who held within her years of wisdom, had taught her countless times the methods of defusing such a situation. The beast, with its bloodshot eyes, was unsuited to day light and lacked proper vision. To come to the large open area of the Gatherer¡¯s fields¡­ It must have been forced out of hunger. Tilting her hat slightly, Allie glanced up at its eyes. Luckily, the Choski had not yet focused upon her as it¡¯s head was still turned slightly to one side. Deciding that now was the time to take her chances, she took a delicate step backward. But the beast was quick to respond,immediately shifting its attention onto her now quivering foot. Truly defenseless, she had been caught. Managin to stay calm, she silently recalled her grandmother¡¯s words. ¡®When facing a Choski in daylight, throw something big to catch its attention, scream for help and run as fast as you can.¡¯ But what did she have to throw? The mushrooms that she had taken all morning to collect? The pebble she thought was pretty from the springs? Her straw ha- That was it! The hat! As Allie reached for the hat which adorned her head, the beast¡¯s gaze followed with nerve-wracking attention. She was certainitwas now close to confirming its prey. Trembling with fear, Allie finally caught hold of the frill of her hat, and without a moment to waste, threw it as hard as she could towards and beyond the beast. True to grandmother¡¯s words, the Choski¡¯s gaze snapped onto the bonnet and Allie, thanking the Gods as she sprinted away, screamed desperately for helpas the hungry beast closed in. ------------ Chapter 1 End ------------ *Ritorias is the closest nation-state to the Empire* **A horrific beast with a rats tail, wolves¡¯ body and enormous, snake-like, venomous fangs.** Chapter 2 - Accidental Meeting ------------ Allie ------------ Allie¡¯s legs burned. They hurt so much, but she dared not stop running. The town was now only a few hundred metres away. All she had to do was run past the ever-green wood¡¯s clearing and she would be safe. But the monster behind her, despite it tripping over every rock and exposed root in its path, was catching up fast. It¡¯s muscular wolf legs pumping with raw bestial power, compensating for each fall. As the town slowly came into sight, Allie could tell she wasn¡¯t going to make it. It just looked too damn far away. She screamed again for help. But with each effort-laden step, she became a little slower. Just one more step, she thought, just one more. Until finally, her lungs gave in and she collapsed into the soft embrace of the meadow grass. Gasping desperately for air, she looked back in horror as the beast entered leaping distance. Allie giggled nervously. This game of cat and mouse was over. She had lost. Even if the Choski didn¡¯t kill her, the tightening in her lungs eventually would. But no matter what, she would not give up, she would be defiant to the very end. ¡°You¡­ are a fucking asshole, you know that?¡± She smiled at the beast, wheezing with effort, ¡°I¡¯m not even married.¡± The Choski growled, venom dripping from its scythe-like fangs. Its eyes glazed over by primal instinct as it dug its hind-legs into the ground, preparing to pounce. Grabbing a jagged rock beside her, Allie screamed, ¡°Come, you fucking animal!¡± ------------ Dangou ------------ ¡°Come, you fucking animal!¡± The gatherer screamed. How brave and admirable, thought Dangou as he stepped between the two, hands resting on Osiro¡¯s hilt and sheath. ¡°Alright Mr. Choski, I¡¯m going to have you stop right there.¡± He grinned, taking a glance back at its victim. Ooo, it was a girl. Quite young. Twenty or abouts. Long hazel hair. Slim, but toned from farm work. Dangou approved. But she did seem to be having respiratory problems. Better end this nice and quickly. The Choski snarled in anger as it realised yet another obstacle had come between it and its prey. Rearing back on its hind-legs it let out a thunderous roar, as though to tell its opponent to leave if he still wished to live. Dangou, however, stood unfazed and wrapped his fingers gently around the hilt of his blade. ¡°Osiro.¡± He commanded, ¡°Long sword.¡± The beast watched as its enemy¡¯s weapon extended and took new form, then growled in confusion. ¡°It¡¯s quite a sight, isn¡¯t it?¡± Dangou winked, then gritted his teeth, ¡°Now, it¡¯s time for you to go.¡± ------------ Allie ------------ Allie lay exhausted among the fresh smell of trampled grass as she awaited her death. It was strange, the Choski seemed to be taking longer than usual to pounce.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Glancing upward with her oxygen-deprived, hazy vision, she caught glimpse of a young man wearing nothing more than leather as armour, wielding a longsword. ¡°What are you doing here¡­?¡± She whispered, but the man didn¡¯t respond. She watched the man take a step back as a gigantic shadow leapt towards him. There was no way he could win, the shadow towered over him like a mountain to a molehill. With a quivering hand, she gripped the man¡¯s leg, warning him to run through short, efforted gasps. Eventually running out of breath, her vision dulled and she wasn¡¯t sure what happened next. Only that there was a roar of pain, a distinct scent of blood, lots of running and lots of shouting. After that, her breath finally ran cold and she blanked out. ------------ Dangou ------------ Dangou grimaced as the white witch applied her healing salts to the gash on his shoulder. ¡°A little gentler please¡­¡± He winced. The witch nodded and let go of the packet. ¡°You¡¯re lucky.¡± She said, clicking her tongue with disapproval, ¡°To defeat a Choski and live to tell the tale.¡± Dangou laughed, but immediately regretted it as his gash opened a little. ¡°That¡¯s called skill, not luck, my dear angel.¡± He winked, holding back his pain. ¡°Whatever you say young man¡­¡± she sighed, ¡°But if it had been just a few hours later, you wouldn¡¯t be so lively now.¡± Dangou shivered as the witch rubbed yet another ice-cube*along his wound. ¡°Perhaps.¡± He replied. For a while they sat in silence, until suddenly Osiro broke into conversation. ¡°So how is the girl?¡± Osiro asked. The witch jumped back in surprise, startled at the fact that a sword could speak. ¡°Your sword can speak!?¡± She whispered in awe, glancing back and forth, between the user and the blade. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a rather special enchantment so don¡¯t mind her too much.¡± Dangou replied. He had already gotten used to the reactions from his many years in the Queens¡¯ court. Gulping down her astonishment, the witch nodded slowly and returned to mending his wound. ¡°The girl is physically unharmed.¡± She answered, ¡°but her mind is stuck in the dream-realm.¡± ¡°Limbo?¡± Dangou asked. ¡°Of sorts.¡± She nodded, ¡°We managed to save the body, but the spirit is lost.¡± Dangou nodded. ¡°So what can we do?¡± Osiro asked. The witch turned to face the sword and smiled. ¡°Well¡­ Much like how you were probably created, we need an anchor for her soul.¡± She explained. ¡°For you, it would¡¯ve been the enchantment, but for us humans, it is something by which we identify deeply.¡± Osiro flushed pink. ¡°Find that anchor and she¡¯ll come flying back huh.¡± Dangou noted. ¡°Yes.¡± The witch replied. ¡°Hopefully.¡± ¡°Well.¡± Dangou sighed, ¡°Any ideas?¡± Suddenly, the door creaked open to reveal a heavy built man wearing a blacksmith¡¯s apron. ¡°Yes,¡± Said the man, ¡°I do.¡± ------------ Chapter 2 End ------------ *Ice-cubes were used to dull the pain around by chilling the pain-receptors around the wound* "Sorry if this chapter was a bit average I had a writer''s block half way through >" - BBBTheSecond Chapter 3 - The Sirens Nest (1) ------------ Dangou ------------ ¡°Yes¡± The man said, ¡°I do.¡± Dangou frowned. ¡°And who are you?¡± He asked, a little suspicious. ¡°I¡¯m her father.¡± The man responded. ¡°Oh.¡± Dangou paused, then smiled awkwardly, ¡°Glad to have you onboard...Mr¡­?¡± ¡°Ah yes of course, the name¡¯s Bor. Bor Wintershield.¡± The man bowed, introducing himself. ¡°So, Mr. Wintershield,¡± Dangou started, ¡°you said that you had an idea as to what might be your daughter¡¯s ¡®anchor¡¯?¡± Bor nodded. ¡°The Everglade Spring.¡± He said. The witch gasped in surprise. ¡°The infested one?¡± She inquired. Bor sighed and grabbed a chair to sit down. ¡°It once served as the water supply of the Oakenbrew*.¡± ¡°The famous brewing village that one day just disappeared?¡± Osiro interrupted. Staring strangely at the sword, Bor nodded and replied. ¡°It was a flourishing village. Their brew was one of the best in the empire.¡± He explained, ¡°until that dastardly Siren** moved in three years ago.¡± ¡°As soon as it took residence upstream of the spring, it lured all the men of the village to its nest and killed the women who remained.¡± ¡°Sounds like a real smooth player.¡± Dangou giggled, then stopped, realising that the witch (and probably Osiro) was glaring at him. ¡°Oh yeah absolutely. They say she¡¯s a real beauty!¡± Bor laughed, then stopped, realising everyone was glaring at him. ¡°Ahem¡­ anyhow, my daughter used to visit that village regularly.¡± He continued, winking at Dangou, ¡°You see, there was a boy she liked.¡± Dangou winked back. ¡°And they used to play regularly at the Everglade Spring.¡± The witch nodded slowly, taking in all the information. ¡°So, do we need to rescue the boy?¡± Dangou asked, slightly confused. ¡°No,¡± The witch cut in, ¡°He¡¯s probably dead anyway.¡± Bor sighed and agreed, ¡°It¡¯s very unlikely that he would still be alive. A siren eats its partners after mating.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± Dangou scratched his head. ¡°Water from the spring.¡± The witch concluded, ¡°The water from the spring should be enough to bring her back.¡± ------------ Dangou ------------ - 13 hours later ¨C Dangou walked leisurely through the Ever-green woods, contemplating whether it had been a wise idea to accept the task or not. And Osiro, as usual, was not being particularly helpful. ¡°Are we seriously going to fight a siren?¡± The sword moaned, ¡°You do know that sirens are your biggest weakness, right?¡±The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. Furrowing his brows, Dangou stopped and looked down at his partner. ¡°What? How?¡± He asked. ¡°Because you¡¯re a single, virgin bastard?¡± Osiro suggested. Slightly peeved at the cruel comment, Dangou sat down and thought deeply about his predicament. ¡°It didn¡¯t matter that those men in the village had wives though, did it?¡± He grunted, not really knowing what to think. ¡°Either way, we should keep moving.¡± Osiro was quiet as they started moving again, and the duo walked in silence with only the occasional singsong of forest birds as company. Every once in a while, Osiro would mumble, as though wanting to say something, but eventually deciding against it. Until finally they reached the edge of the abandoned and dilapidated Oakenbrew. Dangou gulped, nervous, as he set foot into the village. Then suddenly, as though sensing his distress, Osiro spoke up, her voice echoing in the stillness of the god-forsaken place. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± She said quietly, ¡°I won¡¯t let her take you.¡± Dangou nodded, thanking his partner with a pat on her sheath. The village was positioned in a small area of filtered sunlight amongst the ancient Red Oaks of the neighbouring forest. While the buildings were still contact, each and every dwelling had been covered by ravaging vines and unkempt shrubbery. The scenery itself was eerie, but above all else, it seemed unearthly. Songbirds which had accompanied Dangou all the way from Delsa had stopped their chirpings, replaced instead by a horrid screeching, before quickly returning to the safety of the forests. The air was tense with an inexplicable fear. Dangou kept his eyes peel and ears wide open as he tread slowly down the main street. He winced as a stick cracked under the pressure of his foot, but alas, there was no movement within the village. Frowning slightly, Dangou stood up straight and took a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯M NOT SCARED!¡± He shouted towards the sky, ¡°COME AT ME SIREN!¡± Fortunately, there was no response. ¡°Whew.¡± Dangou let out a breath of relief, grinning with joy. ¡°Looks like no one¡¯s in the village.¡± He said, loud enough so that the whole area could listen. ¡°Yeah well, no shit,¡± Osiro scowled, ¡°Everyone¡¯s dead you retard.¡± ¡°I guess huh.¡± Dangou chuckled, scratching his head as they continued, now slightly more relaxed, through the village. Unbeknownst to them, however, they had caught the attention of a shadowy silhouette in the distance. ------------ Dangou ------------ - A few hours later ¨C ¡°So, this is it?¡± Osiro asked, rather unimpressed, ¡°It¡¯s kind of generic, isn¡¯t it?¡± Dangou couldn¡¯t help but agree as they approached the entrance of the Siren¡¯s cavern. It was rather typical, just another large hole, with an ominous atmosphere. Admittedly, he had wanted to raid something a bit classier, maybe a castle, or perhaps a mansion for once, but this would have to do. ¡°So, what¡¯s the deal?¡± Dangou asked, ¡°Do we just head straight in or¡­?¡± ¡°Yeah why not.¡± Osiro replied. ¡°Ok then.¡± Dangou shrugged, then entered the cave. Upon setting foot into the foreboding cave, Dangou immediately took note of the music which suddenly began to play. It was a soothing tone, one that encouraged the listener to kick back, sit down and enjoy a warm brew by the fireplace. He, unsurprisingly, quite liked it. ¡°Hey Dangou, I wanted to tell you something.¡± Compared to the tense atmosphere of the abandoned village, this musical, cavernous hole was just about heavenly. Dangou could fully understand why the villagers were tempted to come and live here. In fact, he himself wanted to settle down here. ¡°Uhhh Dangou?¡± Why not? It was a warm, care-free and peaceful place. Yes. He should definitely live here. But just at the entrance was not enough. Surely it would be even warmer, even more care-free deeper down he went. Right? ------------ Osiro ------------- ¡°DANGO! ARE YOU SERIOUS?¡± Osiro shouted, exasperated at her useless master. "IT''S ONLY BEEN TWO MINUTES." ¡°Ugh¡­ heh heh¡­¡± Dangou giggled. It was obvious that something had taken over the clarity of his mind. Something undoubtedly disgusting and obscene, given his reactions. Osiro sighed. She should''ve known that this was going to happen. Now what? She was utterly helpless. Fifteen minutes of Dangou¡¯s sleep-walking later, the surroundings had turned dark and Osiro was getting desperate. ¡°Dangou¡­¡± Osiro tried for the fifth time, ¡°Wake up, please?¡± And yet again there was no answer. The duo, like it or not, had now ventured so far down that surface light had begun to fail them. It was only by Osiro¡¯s faint glow did they continue. In the dim light, Dangou would occasionally trip, usually falling face first, onto the rugged floor. Osiro tried to utilise these moments and shone brightly, attempting to snap her master from his trance with the blinding light. But each time, to no avail. As even more time passed, Osiro gradually lost her will to keep trying, until finally, she gave in, opting instead to save her energy for the final struggle. And just like that, Osiro was dragged, against her will, towards the heart of evil, and into the Siren¡¯s nest. -------------- The Siren¡¯s Nest (1) End -------------- *Oakenbrew, one of the 5 famous beers of the Empire, recently disappeared due to the Siren Incident. It''s said that the beer brewed in the ancient wood of Red Oaks had magical properties which could completely refresh an exhausted individual.* **Siren - A monster of which usually takes form as a human woman. Her weaponis the beautiful voice that all Sirens are blessed with at birth. They are capable of mimicking and producing any sound. Usually consumes, partners post mating and so the species is predominantly female.** Chapter 4 - The Sirens Nest (2) ------------ Osiro ------------ Riding comfortably in her sheath, Osiro thought about what she would have to do when they eventually, inevitably, meet the Siren. ¡°Hmm¡­ maybe if I turn into a spear really quickly¡­?¡± She thought out loud. It could work, but she would have to bank on the chance that the Siren didn¡¯t kill Dangou before she closed in to eat him. Or perhaps in the middle of their love making? No, Osiro screwed her face in disgust. She¡¯d rather not have to witness something like that. In the midst of her pondering, Dangou¡¯s footsteps slowed to a halt. Realising that they had reached the destination, Osiro peeked* out from her sheathe and considered their surroundings. Unexpectedly, the floor of the cavern was now covered by lush, exotic furs (mostly in the colour pink) and the walls hanged full of gold and silver heart-shaped trinkets. The air was thick with the smoke of incense and mounted fire pits ensured that the area was well lit. Finally, just slightly ahead of where Dangou had stopped, stood a small wooden doorway guarded by two particularly adorable puppy statuettes, with each carrying a sign that combined to say ¡®Ms. Slithertongue¡¯s Establishment¡¯. Osiro silently approved. If anything, this Siren¡¯s sense of d¨¦cor was certainly on point. As Dangou walked up and knocked on the door, Osiro quickly slid back into the safety of her scabbard. ¡°Come on in!¡± said a high-pitched voice, ¡°Although you¡¯re uninvited, I did just finish baking some muffins!¡± Dangou obeyed and crouched to enter the dwarf sized doorway, accidentally bumping his head on the way. As they entered the room, Osiro was instantly hit with the sweet aroma of freshly baked pastry. Inside the room, she resisted the urge to see what their nemesis looked like and kept silent, listenning closely. ¡°So this is what you look like¡­¡± The siren said, sounding bemused, ¡°Quite a handsome young man, aren¡¯t you?¡± Her voice was young, high-pitched and immature. Usually these qualities would be accompanied with quite a frail and petite body, but with a Siren, Osiro couldn¡¯t be sure. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± The siren continued, humming and mauling over something on her mind, ¡°You know¡­ you can stop pretending to be charmed now that you¡¯re here.¡± Osiro fought back a gasp. Had Dangou been faking it all this time? No, no way. She couldn¡¯t believe it. But Dangou didn¡¯t move. The siren pouted, then giggled mischievously. ¡°We¡¯re going to keep acting are we?¡± she teased, ¡°Then how about this!¡± Then suddenly without warning, the monster charged forward, took a firm grasp of Dangou¡¯s arm and attacked without mercy. ------------ Dangou ------------The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. Standing at the entrance of the cavern, Dangou considered his options when fighting a beast such as the Siren. He recognised that they were powerful monsters, but physically he was quite certainly stronger, and mentally¡­ well he didn¡¯t know. As music came funnelling toward him from the depth of the Siren¡¯s Nest, he quickly formulated a plan. Casting a simple discrete spell** to protect his ears, he figured that the best approached was to approach slowly, pretending to be caught in the Siren¡¯s trance and striking when an opportunity arose. Unfortunately, now that they were in the Siren¡¯s domain, he couldn¡¯t afford to tell Osiro the plan as Sirens have incredible sound detection besides their wonderful voices. So, she¡¯ll just have to worry until they reached the nest. ------------ Dangou ------------ -In the Siren¡¯s room- The Siren, as Bor had mentioned, was indeed quite attractive. Or rather, cute, was the better description. The little monster stood at shoulder height, had an exuberant crop of shiny black hair, big innocent eyes and a perky mouth which seemed to be made solely for pouting. It was young, in its late teens at most, Dangou guessed, but its every movement was alluring and suggestive. As she spoke, Dangou made sure to maintain the spells on his ears which protected his freedom. But surprisingly, the Siren seemed rather friendly, at the very least not hostile. And by the way, was that seriously the aroma of freshly baked muffins he smelt? Every new thing this encounter threw at Dangou had him more and more confused. But before he could shake aside his uncertainty, the Siren jumped, clutching his sword arm with a powerful grip and¡­ began tickling him. At first, Dangou struggled furiously against the urge to crack, but as the Siren increased the intensity of her assault, a smile slowly, but surely, emerged on his effort induced, beetroot red face. The little monster, however, was relentless, obviously unsatisfied with a mere smile. She allowed no breaks and continued her merciless barrage until at last, Dangou cracked, giggling and struggling as forced tears of laughter streamed down his face. ¡°Alright!¡± The siren declared, grinning in victory, ¡°What do you want with me and my home?¡± Realising that his spell had been broken, Dangou quickly covered his ears. The little girl frowned. ¡°Seriously?¡± ¡°You look stupid.¡± Admitting the truth in her words, Dangou reluctantly sighed and let down his hands in defeat. ¡°Righto!¡± The Siren smiled, celebrating with a fist pump, ¡°Now, let¡¯s introduce ourselves like civilised beings, shall we?¡± Dangou nodded.. ¡°Dangou Sheen, former Queensguard of the Empire.¡± He said, with a hint of sadness. ¡°Oooo Queensguard¡­¡± The siren commented, then proceeded to introduce herself, ¡°I¡¯m Eadrid Slithertongue, um¡­ current resident of the Everglade Springs.¡± Dangou chuckled. ¡°Nice to meet you Ms. Slithertongue.¡± He bowed and smiled. Eadrid quickly bowed in response, blushing slightly at the use of her last name. ¡°S-so!¡± she stuttered and dipped her head politely, ¡°For what reason did you come to visit?¡± ¡°Umm¡­¡± Dangou scratched his head, ¡°We only wanted some water from the spring.¡± ¡°Oh!¡± The Siren smiled, ¡°Is that all?¡± Biting his lips in uncertainty, Dangou finished his explanation. ¡°¡­and to exterminate the Siren who destroyed Oakenbrew.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Eadrid looked obviously disappointed as she stepped back and sat on her pink d¨¦cor bed. ¡°Sure.¡± She nodded, ¡°That sounds reasonable.¡± ¡°Would tha-¡° Dangou started. ¡°Just wait a bit.¡± Eadrid cut-in, smiling sadly, ¡°Let me get some snacks and tea, we can talk as we eat.¡± ------------ The Siren¡¯s Nest (2) End ------------ *Osiro can only see from the blade of her body, not the hilt! The more you know¡­* **Yes! Dangou CAN cast spells! Wow!!!** Chapter 5 - The Loyalist (1) ------------ Queen Eliade --------------- Eliade awoke with a jarring headache and only a vague memory of what caused it. Vague, though it was, it didn¡¯t stop her blushing yet again as she visualised the moment of Dangou¡¯s confession in her court. She couldn¡¯t even dream to think that Dangou felt the same before¡­ but now she knew that she was truly blessed. Absorbed in her recollection, it wasn¡¯t until she attempted to get up, did Eliade finally notice two men standing at the foot of her bed. It was Duke Chanden and his Knight of Honour, Draco. The Queen smiled at her company and propped herself up with a pillow. ¡°Duke Chanden. Sir Draco.¡± She nodded, ¡°What business have you come to discuss?¡± Chanden bowed. ¡°Your majesty, we are merely here to wish you well, you should rest first.¡± He gestured, ¡°We may address other issues at a later date.¡± ¡°No, no. It¡¯s perfectly fine Chanden.¡± Eliade said, waving aside their worries, ¡°I am not so weak as to not entertain my most loyal subordinate.¡± Chanden paused, then shook his head. ¡°Your majesty, the subject, if we wish to discuss, is a heavy one.¡± He insisted, ¡°I humbly suggest that we begin when you are fully recovered.¡± The queen sighed. ¡°If you insist.¡± ¡°Thank you for your patience, your majesty.¡± Chanden bowed. The conversation took a pause. ¡°Since we have nothing left to discuss,¡± Eliade smiled, ¡°Could you call for Sir Sheen to my private quarters when you leave?¡± ¡°I would like to have a conversation¡­¡± Eliade stopped. Somehow, the atmosphere of the room had turned sour as soon as she mentioned Dangou. Draco seemed tense as he turned back to face the Queen and Chanden, keeping silent, continued to wear a calm smile. ¡°What happened to Dangou¡­?¡± She asked, unsure. Chanden knelt as he responded. ¡°The council of nobles found it fitting to remove a man of such ignorance from the Queenscourt.¡± He said, ¡°His influence upon your majesty was foul and couldn¡¯t be left unattended.¡± The Queen sat up, eyes burning with fury. ¡°He is the best knight of the Empire.¡± Her voice remained calm, ¡°There was no need to take such drastic measures.¡± ¡°Search for him immediately.¡± She continued, ¡°Have him returned to his position.¡± ¡°Your highness, ¡°, Chanden protested, ¡°I¡¯m afraid I cannot comply-¡± ¡°Duke Chanden have you gone mad?¡± Eliade voice quivered in anger, finally losing her cool, ¡°You speak to the QUEEN, watch your tongue noble!¡± The Queen fumed, something didn¡¯t feel right. And as Chanden rose to his feet, an ugly grin adorning his deceitful face, she realised that her suspicion was correct.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! ¡°Scream all you desire, my queen.¡± He said, stepping out from the room,¡± But with the devil¡¯s knight banished, the empire is no longer yours.¡± ------------ Eliade ------------ Eliade sat shocked on the silken sheets of her bed. What had Lord Chanden meant? The Empire was no longer hers? Was it a revolt? But why? Had she not been a compassionate and genial Queen during her time of rule? She couldn¡¯t understand the logic behind such an uprising. Rising hurriedly out of her bed, she rushed to the door and found it locked. She pounded against the unyielding mahogany, and pushed desperately in an attempt to escape, but no matter how she struggled, the gates to freedom refused to budge. Looking around the sleeping quarters, she bit her lip as her eyes locked onto the windows. Approaching slowly, she opened the metal retainers with a light twist and leaned over, peering down at the courtyard. Eliade¡¯s quarters was at the very top floor of the Royal fortress and the drop looked to be more than twenty metres tall. Her only respite lay in the shallow lotus pond a few metres away from the walls. The dethroned queen gnawed over the risks in her mind. At worst, she would break many a bone and suffer an ugly death, at best she may survive with little injury, sneak from the fort and search for Dangou. Either way, she was certain that if she remained, there would be little chance again for her to escape. If there was any time to make a decision, it was now. ------------ The Loyal Count------------ Count Sinclair was pacing the royal courtyards anxiously, engrossed in something that weighed heavily on his mind, when a feminine scream snapped him from his predicament. He quickly turned to investigate. It was the Queen¡­ jumping from her living quarters. Sprinting, to her aid, he spotted the lotus pond, the most probable target of her highness¡¯ leap. But with a second glance, he could tell that the queen wasn¡¯t going to succeed. Boosting his legs with a spell of haste, Sinclair surged towards the falling lady at alarming speed, praying that he made it in time. And to his elation, he did. Just managing to catch her in his arms as she landed. Despite landing safely, the Queen continued to scream for many seconds until she finally realised she had made it alive. Then she quickly stood up, pat herself down and began walking briskly away from the scene, not once taking note of her saviour. Count Sinclair frowned. ¡°Your majesty, that was extremely foolish and dangerous!¡± He shouted, running after the woman he¡¯d just saved, ¡°May I know where milady is headed?¡± The Queen stopped and turned to face him. ¡°No!¡± She shouted, then turned and continued on her way. ¡°Milady!¡± Sinclair shouted again. The Queen stopped and turned again. ¡°Stop shouting!¡± She shouted, ¡°And I¡¯m not even your queen anymore!¡± Sinclair paused, then sprinted after the Queen, grabbed her by the waist and lifted her onto his shoulder. It was only when they reached the secluded safety of behind the bushes, did he finally let the struggling woman down. ¡°Why did you say you¡¯re not the queen anymore?¡± He asked, holding the queen by her shoulders. ¡°Because you nobles betrayed me!¡± She shouted, ¡°For no reason as well!¡± Sinclair shook his head in dismay, his fears confirmed. ¡°No reason?¡± he said, ¡°Milady, you¡¯re as na?ve as I imagined.¡± The Queen slumped, ¡°Then why?¡± she said, her droopy eyes threatening to burst into tears at any moment. ¡°Power.¡± Sinclair replied, ¡°Obviously.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± The Queen paused, then started sobbing. The two slowly sat down, then Sinclair waited for her to calm down. ¡°Your majesty. The nobles had been plotting an upheaval for many years, under the leadership of Duke Sinco Chanden.¡± He said quietly. The queen nodded. ¡°At the beginning of your gracious rule, there had already been stirrings of revolt.¡± ¡°Your cousin, and wife of Sinco, Mary, was livid for losing her chance at the throne to a mere child.¡± He explained, ¡°And while I¡¯m sure you know this, the rest of your extended family weren¡¯t too ecstatic over your throne either.¡± The queen sighed wistfully. ¡°The only man that protected me through all that time was Sir Sheen.¡± She reflected. ¡°He was indeed amazing,¡± Sinclair nodded, ¡°Abating all those threats with just his presence.¡± The queen smiled shyly, blushing. ¡°I¡¯m afraid to say it, but your moment of¡­ weakness,¡± Sinclair continued, ¡°Was what they had been waiting for.¡± Eliade nodded knowingly. ¡°Can you help me?¡± She asked. Count Sinclair rose to his knee, then nodded. ¡°Your majesty, I stay loyal.¡± He said, ¡°For we of the empire, live by the Queen.¡± ------------ The Loyalist (1) End ------------ Chapter 6 - The Sirens Nest (3) / The Loyalist (2) ------------ Dangou ------------ Dangou stared at the muffin on the plate before him and wondered if tasting it would be worth the risk of getting poisoned. ¡°It¡¯s quite rude to assume that I would result to such methods Mr. Sheen¡± Eadrid commented, noticing his hesitation, ¡°I assure you that I do not serve freshly baked muffins to those I intend to kill.¡± ¡°After all, it would be a horrible waste of food.¡± Dangou smiled weakly at his serpentine host, then bit down into the fluffy dough. It was the most amazing berry muffin of his life. The texture was light, but just damp enough to smother the tongue with its sweetness. The berries, no doubt freshly collected from the forests, exuded incredible volumes of juices, invigorating his taste buds with their slight acidity. Dangou nodded as he took another bite. This was definitely worth getting poisoned for. ¡°Is it to your liking?¡± Eadrid laughed shyly as Dangou ate ravenously, demolishing muffin after muffin. Dangou paused, wiping his mouth with the provided napkin and nodded. ¡°It¡¯s not the worst.¡± He lied flatly. The Siren smiled, ¡°Ahhh¡­ I should¡¯ve expected no less from a connoisseur such as Sir Dangou Sheen, but still, would you care for some more?¡± Dangou shook his head, albeit hesitantly. ¡°No thank you,¡± He refused, ¡°I believe we have more important matters to attend to.¡± Eadrid nodded then proceeded to place the dirty plates in the sink. When the table had finally been cleared and the scent of muffins slowly drifted from the room, Eadrid sat down and looked Dangou in the eyes. ¡°So.¡± She began, ¡°You said, you were looking for a certain Siren who lived near the Everglade springs and killed the inhabitants of Oakenbrew?¡± ¡°Yes, we are.¡± Dangou replied. The siren nodded slowly, her expression vacant. ¡°Well, I certainly do know somebody who fits that bill.¡± She answered. Dangou smiled calmly, placing one hand on Osiro¡¯s hilt which had now transitioned to a murky grey. ¡°But I¡¯m afraid you cannot see her at this moment.¡± Eadrid finished. ¡°What?¡± Dangou frowned, confused. The small girl giggled as Dangou stood up in frustration. ¡°Let¡¯s stop playing games Eadrid. Tell me the truth.¡± He said, placing one hand on the table. ¡°Was it you who brought about the end of Oakenbrew?¡± Eadrid leered mischievously, ¡°What if it was?¡± She taunted. ¡°All the same to me.¡± Dangou grinned back. The once homely temperature of the room plummeted as the Siren stood up to face her guest. Her once attractive feminine features turned fierce as she let out a deep guttural growl. ¡°It¡¯s been a pleasure acquainting, Sheen.¡± She said, eyes cold with bloodlust.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Dangou cracked a smile and shook his head as he drew Osiro. ¡°Trust me, the pleasure was all mine.¡± ------------ Queen Eliade ------------ Eliade sighed in relief. At least there remained a few who were loyal, she thought. After requesting that Count Sinclair rise from his knees, she continued to ask him more questions. ¡°So Count Sinclair,¡± She started, ¡°Do we have a plan?¡± Sinclair nodded, ¡°As soon as Sir Sheen was banished from the empire, I sought it wise to send after him my honour knight.¡± ¡°Wait.¡± The queen knit her brows, ¡°You don¡¯t have an honour accompanying you at all times?¡± ¡°Well,¡± Sinclair replied, ¡°Not to brag, but I¡¯m quite capable of defending myself.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Eliade blushed. That was a stupid question. Clearing his throat gently, Sinclair then explained his course of actions. ¡°I expect that my knight will reach Sir Sheen sometime during this week.¡± He said, ¡°You must remain calm, and rational. Do not attempt an escape like this again.¡± Eliade nodded shyly. ¡°Obviously, my identity and intentions need to remain unknown.¡± Sinclair continued, ¡°And when Dangou returns, we will figure out the rest.¡± ¡°Is that all?¡± Eliade frowned, unimpressed. Sinclair frowned back, slightly hurt. ¡°Forgive me, but I thought my plan was rather well put together, your majesty.¡± He argued. The queen thought for a while, contemplating what could go wrong with the simple plan Sinclair had put forward. ¡°Okay¡­¡± She said slowly, ¡°What if Dangou is not convinced by your knight to return?¡± Sinclair smiled, having thought ahead. ¡°Firstly, it is unlikely that he would pass up an opportunity to return to the empire.¡± He explained. ¡°Mhmm.¡± The queen agreed. ¡°And secondly, if it came to it, my knight has other methods to convince him.¡± He said, wearing a borderline - wicked smile. Eliade paused. ¡°Your knight¡­ if I remember correctly, is female?¡± She asked, raising an eyebrow. Sinclair nodded. The queen took a moment to think then blushed vigorously. ¡°I would rather your knight not use¡­ such methods to convince Dangou¡­¡± she said, turning to hide her flushed cheeks. Sinclair knit his brows in confusion, then broke into a chuckle as he realised what the queen was thinking. ¡°I understand completely, and I assure you, that my knight will not use such tactics.¡± He laughed, ¡°She is¡­ quite the moral figure to say the least.¡± Eliade grinned, satisfied with his response, then invited Sinclair to stand up. ¡°Now,¡± She said, ¡°If we¡¯re done discussing, should I head back?¡± Suddenly, a deep foreign voice boomed from beyond the foliage. ¡°- That is what is best for the empire, milady.¡± Eliade gulped as she stared, back to the wall, at the bushes parting. The voice revealed itself to be Duke Roderick Sven, one of the four established leaders of the council of Nobles. As the man approached, Sinclair stepped before him and bowed. ¡°Greetings Duke Sven.¡± He said, ¡°I happened upon her majesty outside her room and was just about to report the matter.¡± Roderick nodded. ¡°If you say so, Mr. Sinclair.¡± He replied, ¡°But I heard, you were discussing some matters?¡± Sinclair smiled calmly. ¡°Yes sir, I was attempting to convince her majesty to return to her quarters peacefully.¡± Eliade frowned. Was this man truly on her side? Or had her trust been betrayed yet again by her subordinates? Roderick nodded approvingly and pat Sinclair solidly on his back. ¡°Good effort Count.¡± He said, ¡°Now let us return the queen to her place.¡± Sinclair nodded and stepped behind the Duke as he went to the queen¡¯s side, guiding her back, out from the bushes. As they walk back, Eliade resisted the urge to shout at Sinclair ¡®What is the meaning of this?¡¯ but instead kept silent, hoping against all odds that the man had been truthful in his loyalty. When finally the journey had finished and she stepped back into the room, she looked back at the man, spying for a hint of hope. But Sinclair stood still, face unflinching. She sighed and sat on the bed, continuing to stare at her one last hope as the doors closed slowly. Until at the very last moment, through only the final crack of the door, Sinclair winked. Eliade smiled. Perhaps, there was still hope. ------------ The Siren¡¯s Nest (3) / The Loyalist (2) End ------------ Chapter 7 - The Sirens Nest (4) ------------ Dangou ------------ As Eadrid stepped forward to initiate on Dangou, a weak, unknown voice disrupted the beginnings of their battle. ¡°Alright Eadrid. You can stop there.¡± It said, coughing after every sentence. Dangou peered cautiously towards the heavy-looking door where the sound had come from. He found it strange that he hadn¡¯t noticed such a large structure earlier, but put the thought aside. Keeping one eye on Eadrid, he watched carefully as a shadowy, cloaked figure entered the arena. A lock of long silvery hair caught Dangou¡¯s attention as the new arrival bent down to collect a cup that had fallen from the table. His grip tightened on Osiro¡¯s hilt. If it was a second Siren, then the battle might have become extremely difficult. As the tension in the room came close to being unbearable, the mystery figure slowly peeled back her hood and bowed to Dangou. ¡°Sir Sheen, was it?¡± She asked, raising her head. Dangou nodded hesitantly. The woman smiled politely then walked leisurely behind the now deathly-silent Eadrid and grasped the young Siren¡¯s shoulders. ¡°I¡¯m dearly sorry for all the misunderstandings this young one might have caused, Sir Sheen.¡± She said, pinching Eadrid¡¯s neck lightly. ¡°But surely you didn¡¯t believe that such a little girl could¡¯ve murdered two hundred grown men?¡± She teased. Dangou gulped, the air about this new opponent differed slightly from the beasts he had faced in the past. Her stance was solid and her eyes seemed to flitter randomly, but was in fact carefully observing the enemy. Small details pitted against one another, showing undeniable evidence of prior training. That illusion, however, was shattered as she suddenly bent over and broke into a coughing fit. Dangou stepped back, unsure as to what to do, then watched as Eadrid sprang into action collecting bits and pieces of ingredients across the kitchen. After swirling each component into a jug labelled ¡®spring water¡¯, she poured a small cup of the vile-looking concoction and offered it to the coughing lady, who quickly downed the liquid. Having calmed her down, Eadrid turned to Dangou and grimaced. ¡°This,¡± She said, pointing, ¡°is my mother Ariadne.¡± Ariadne smiled feebly and waved, then sat down to take a breather. ¡°As you can see, she is currently suffering from an illness.¡± Eadrid continued, her expression sour, ¡°So hopefully you can understand and let us continue at a different time.¡± Ariadne frowned. ¡°No, it¡¯s fine.¡± She said, ¡°We can entertain Sir Sheen for a little.¡± Dangou wasn¡¯t sure how he was meant to respond, and held an uncertain smile.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. ¡°Your mother¡­¡± He began, but was cut off by Eadrid. ¡°Ignore my mother.¡± She replied, ¡°She is not mentally, nor physically sound.¡± Ariadne stared angrily at her daughter and gave her a firm flick on the thigh. As Eadrid yelped in pain and hopped away from the chair, she turned to Dangou and bowed again. ¡°My name, as you now know, is Ariadne.¡± She said, ¡°And I, am the one who murdered the people of Oakenbrew.¡± ------------ The Honour Knight ------------ - A day before the Siren¡¯s Nest - Honour Knight Jericho Fawn strolled briskly down the rugged, brick-layered road of Delsa, all the while wondering what this fabled Queensguard of the Empire would be like in real life. Sure, she¡¯d heard stories, many of which were good, but she would not believe the tales until she found out for herself. After all, if he really was such a powerful and honourable man, why would he have been banished in the first place? Jericho puffed up her chest. No doubt the stories were nothing but mere rumours. ¡°I mean, how could a man use words to convince a Keep Drake to leave the Imperial Vault?¡± She said out loud, then laughed at the absurdity of it. As she continued to walk, an inn by the name of Witch¡¯s Cauldron caught her attention. It advertised a healer¡¯s room with the residence of a White witch. Perhaps the witch could offer her some information at a cost. Stepping nonchalantly into the warmth of the reception room, she caught glimpse of a heavyset man pacing worriedly outside the healer¡¯s room. No doubt there was a relative inside, receiving attention. Taking note of the scene, she walked up to the receptionist and smiled. ¡°Hello, I am an Honour Knight of the Empire,¡± She said, ¡°could I please speak to the White witch of this inn? I have some issues to discuss.¡± The receptionist nodded courteously. ¡°The White witch is currently working in the healer¡¯s room.¡± She replied, ¡°However she¡¯ll most likely be available in a few hours, would you like to book a room and wait?¡± Jericho thought for a moment. ¡°Hmm¡­ Yes, that would be good.¡± She decided, ¡°Could I have a room on the second floor?¡± The receptionist smiled and jot down her residence. ¡°Your room is up the stairs, second to the left.¡± She said, handing Jericho a set of keys, ¡°Please enjoy your stay.¡± As Jericho turned to go to her room, she noticed that the muscular man had gone, perhaps inside, to consult the witch. Shrugging it off, she climbed the stairs to her room. - Hours later - A knock on her door, informed Jericho that the witch had finally finished and was ready to see her. Pulling herself up from bed, she quickly equipped her sword and strode downstairs to where the witch sat waiting. The witch, noticing that her guest had arrived, stood up and extended a hand in greeting. Jericho accepted and they both sat down politely. ¡°My name is Jericho Fawn.¡± Jericho began, ¡°An Honour Knight of the Empire, and yours?¡± The witch knit her brows. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Miss Fawn, but Witches usually do not carry names.¡± She reminded. Slapping herself mentally, Jericho blushed and apologized. ¡°That aside,¡± The witch continued, ¡°I hear you¡¯re looking for a certain knight?¡± Jericho nodded, ¡°A knight by the name of Dangou Sheen.¡± The witch nodded back, chuckling slightly, then pointed to the exit of the inn. ¡°He left just an hour ago to Oakenbrew.¡± She said. ¡°Just an hour ago!?¡± Jericho blurted. The witch laughed. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± She said, ¡°Just an hour ago.¡± ------------ The Siren''s Nest (4) End ------------ Chapter 8 - The Sirens Nest (End) ------------ Dangou ------------ ¡°Come on, just one little swing would be enough to put me down.¡± Ariadne taunted. Dangou bit his tongue. He knew that if he let this opportunity slide, then the inevitable confrontation that follows would become extremely difficult. However, his conscience would not allow him, at least until he was sure of the truth. ¡°Why, then?¡± Dangou asked, regretting his choice already. Ariadne cackled. ¡°See, I knew I could trust you Dangou.¡± She said, ¡°You¡­ have the air of a gentleman.¡± Dangou ignored her chatter and asked again. ¡°Why did you kill those men?¡± He said, slightly angrier this time. The mother frowned. ¡°Why not?¡± she asked back, ¡°It¡¯s rather fun, don¡¯t you think? To listen to them scream.¡± She turned to the kitchen counter, grabbed an untouched muffin and bit into the dough. After letting out a sensual moan of approval, she looked back at Dangou. ¡°I¡¯m just that sort of woman.¡± She finished, winking. As she continued her performance, Eadrid sat trembling to one side too afraid, or perhaps even unable, to speak. Her fists lay clenched on her thighs and her lips bled slightly from the biting. Dangou glanced back at Ariadne questioningly, but the tactless woman ignored it. ¡°There¡¯s something you¡¯re not telling me.¡± Said Dangou, sensing that the truth has not yet been revealed, ¡°You¡¯re trained, I can see it. Care to explain why?¡± Ariadne faltered, but then quickly regained her composure. ¡°I see you¡¯ve been staring at me quite closely.¡± She said, laughing shyly. Dangou smiled. Finally, there was a lead. ¡°So you do not deny that there is a story after all?¡± He said, pressing his advantage, ¡°Perhaps a story linked to your massacre?¡± The Siren flinched, but remained unyielding. ¡°I don¡¯t intend to tell you every single little detail of my life Sir Sheen.¡± She shoved back, ¡°And I suggest that you stop pressing.¡± ¡°I can help you if you tell me the reason Ariadne!¡± Dangou said, frustrated. The Siren hesitated, then stared determined into Dangou in the eye. ¡°You don¡¯t know us.¡± She refused and shouted back,¡± Stop pretending you¡¯re here from good will!¡± As the conversation reached a dangerous standstill, Eadrid suddenly burst into tears. ¡°Mum! Why can¡¯t you just tell the truth!?¡± She blurted, crying openly, ¡°Every time someone comes who can save us, we do this! I¡¯ve had enough of you suffering!¡± Ariadne stepped back alarmed, and rushed to the sobbing girl, quickly covering her mouth. Her eyes radiated with saddened fury, yet she did not speak. Dangou turned away as the mother covered and the daughter cried. Though he had come closer to discovering the truth, he did not feel content. The scene behind him only confirmed that this family were not the bloodthirsty murderers that the stories made them out to be. Dangou sighed and waited for the sobbing to die down, then turned back to face his hosts.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Before he could start, Ariadne quickly raised her hand to stop him. ¡°Let me put the young one to sleep first.¡± She said. Dangou nodded and sat down quietly at the table. ------------ Jericho ------------ A shiver went down Jericho¡¯s spine as she entered the eerily silent town of Oakenbrew. With light footsteps, she traversed the town path, keeping her eyes wide open for threats. As she approached the townhall, she felt a light tap on her shoulder and jumped forward, spinning into stance. Behind her stood a woman, also dressed in Imperial armour smiling cockily. With a quick glance to the face, she immediately recognised the stranger as her former teacher, Elieza. ¡°It has been a while Jericho.¡± Elieza said, covering her mouth daintily as Jericho knelt before her, ¡°What is a proud honour knight doing in Oakenbrew?¡± Jericho dipped her head. ¡°Teacher, I am here by request of my owner to retrieve a banished knight.¡± She replied. Elieza raised an eyebrow. ¡°Really?¡± She smirked, ¡°Strange, because I am also here for a knight, albeit to end his life.¡± Jericho frowned as the woman approached slowly. ¡°You¡¯re also here for Dangou Sheen, aren¡¯t you?¡± Elieza asked from above. Rightly confused, Jericho floundered as she stood up and nodded weakly. Elieza sighed and reached forward to cup her chin in her hands. ¡°As expected, that sneaky Count Sinclair didn¡¯t tell you anything did he?¡± She smiled sadly, rubbing Jericho¡¯s cheeks, ¡°The man you¡¯re trying to take back to the empire is banished for a reason dummy.¡± Jericho stepped back, moving away from Elieza¡¯s reaching hands. ¡°Lord Sinclair may be secretive and underhanded at times, but he is never dishonourable.¡± She replied, confident in her master. Elieza smiled, then turned stern. ¡°Think what you may, but I suggest that you do not interrupt me in my mission, young Jericho.¡± She commanded, ¡°Or else that short life of yours may never become longer.¡± Jericho gulped. Her teacher was one of the four Hellcats* of the council of Nobles, the most distinguished female knights in the empire, and Guardian honour knight of Duke Roderick Sven. Though she didn¡¯t believe herself to be much weaker than her in physical ability, in the magisterium of magics however, there would hardly be a match. But the honour of her lord was in question, and so, as an Honour knight, she could not step down. ¡°I apologise teacher, but I also have a mission I must accomplish.¡± She said, drawing her sword. Elieza frowned. ¡°You raise your sword against a Knight of the Council.¡± She smirked, ¡°Do you not know of the consequences?¡± Jericho held firm, refusing to take a step back. ¡°As an honour knight, I will not disgrace my lord.¡± She said firmly, ¡°I must refuse to step down even in the face of unimaginable aversity.¡± The Hellcat paused then chuckled. ¡°Is that the vow of Honour?¡± She asked, tilting her head. Jericho nodded weakly. ¡°Good for you.¡± Elieza smiled, patting her head, ¡°That was quite a pleasant quote, so I¡¯ll let you live this once.¡± ¡°But do not go against me again¡­ Or else.¡± The woman then turned and disappeared into a wisp of shadow, leaving Jericho trembling in place. ------------ Dangou ------------ Ariadne returned alone from the backroom with an overbearing frown and red-welts beneath her eyes. ¡°So, what is the truth?¡± Dangou started. Ariadne smiled tiredly as she poured a cup of tea and offered it to Dangou. ¡°I, believe it or not, was once an Honour.¡± She said. Dangou who had just started sipping the tea, choked with surprise. ¡°But you¡¯re a monster- ¡°He blurted, then stopped abruptly. Ariadne laughed heartily, and took a sip herself. ¡°Yes. Yes, I am.¡± She said, ¡°And truth be told, for the longest time, I was just a Siren who happened to seduce a valiant soldier.¡± ¡°A valiant soldier huh.¡± Dangou chuckled. ¡°Yes¡­ He said he loved me, and obviously I didn¡¯t believe him at first¡± she sighed, thinking fondly of the past, ¡°But he followed me. Even when I did not sing.¡± Dangou nodded, smiling. ¡°He was called to other duties, however, and having a Siren as a bride in his new position was unsightly.¡± She continued, ¡°So I trained to become a knight.¡± ¡°And it worked?¡± Dangou asked. ¡°Yes. For a while.¡± Ariadne bit her tongue lightly, ¡°Then I used my powers once, and it all crumbled into hell.¡± ¡°His family ostracised me, his subordinates disapproved of me and in the end, I was let go.¡± Dangou nodded sympathetically. Though he could never experience the injustice she had gone through, he himself had also been banished for love. ¡°Moving on to Eadrid,¡± Ariadne sighed, ¡°She, is our child.¡± ------------ The Siren¡¯s Nest (End) ------------ *Hellcats - A special corps of female knights who claim to be the most powerful in the empire behind the Queensguard.* Chapter 9: The Unravelling (1) ------------ Dangou ------------ Dangou put a finger to his mouth and raised his hand to stop her. ¡®Keep Quiet¡¯, he mouthed. There was a second intruder in the cavern. Ariadne tensed. Despite her nature, she hadn¡¯t even noticed until Dangou had mentioned such, the new-comer was bound to be high-classed. Dangou and the Siren listened closely as the pit-pat of approaching feet grew ever so slightly louder, then stop. ¡°Hello? Anybody home?¡± Said the voice outside. Dangou stood up quietly and approached the door as Ariadne slipped silently into the backroom. ¡°Hello?¡± the voice asked again, ¡°I know you¡¯re in there buddy, come out now.¡± Putting one hand to door, Dangou concentrated and cast Clairvoyance*. The spell turned the door to a one-sided window, allowing him to immediately see the invader. It was a female knight and, she somehow knowing she¡¯d been seen, smiled and stared right back. ¡°Why hello there Mr. Sheen.¡± She said, ¡°Would you be kind and open the door?¡± Dangou mustered up a nervous grin. ¡°Sure, why not?¡± He replied, undoing the latch. The woman sighed irritably as she pushed the door open and continued to stare Dangou in the eye as she entered. ¡°Surely you know to hold the door open for a lady?¡± She smirked and stuck out a hand, ¡°My name is Elieza, Elieza Thorn. Though I¡¯m sure you already know that.¡± Dangou shook it. ¡°Elieza Thorn huh?¡± He replied, ¡°Sorry to say, I¡¯ve never heard such an¡­ elegant name before.¡± Elieza frowned. ¡°What? How is that possible?¡± She spat, ¡°I¡¯m one of the Imperial Hellcats.¡± Dangou smiled apologetically. ¡°Sorry, I usually do not delve in the business of lower knights.¡± He said, on his face, a sly grin. ¡°Wha- Lower!?¡± Elieza spluttered, her face flushing to an angry red. With a sideward glance, Dangou turned to sit down and faced the flustered woman. ¡°What are you up to Elieza?¡± He said, ¡°Here to take me back? Here to give me a mission?¡± ¡°Or here to kill me?¡± He finished with a laugh. Elieza paused, calming down. ¡°The Empire wants you back.¡± She said, ¡°The council wants to re-evaluate your punishment.¡± Dangou raised an eyebrow, ¡°Well that¡¯s really good.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the catch then?¡± Elieza laughed.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. ¡°There¡¯s no catch.¡± She smiled, handing over two metal rings and gestured for his hand, ¡°Now put on these shackles and I¡¯ll take you back in one piece.¡± The Queensguard clicked his tongue and put his hands behind his back. ¡°Not so fast lady, at least give me a few moments. I need to clear something up.¡± He said, gesturing to the room around him. Elieza frowned and looked around the room, confused as to what Dangou needed to do. ¡°What is it that you must do so urgently?¡± She questioned. Dangou shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s a secret.¡± He chuckled. Elieza sighed, then paused to consider his response. ¡°Okay¡­? I¡¯ll allow it. But don¡¯t waste my time.¡± She said after a while and retreated slowly from the room, closing the door behind her. ------------ Jericho ------------ Jericho sat beneath one of the majestic red oaks of Oakenbrew, considering her paths. It would certainly be difficult for her to return to the empire empty-handed, disappointing her master. However, it seemed even more so to oppose her previous teacher in her mission. ¡°To continue or not to continue?¡± She wondered out-loud. ¡°You should obviously continue!¡± Said a sharp annoying voice behind her. Jericho jumped. Even if she was relaxed, she should¡¯ve still felt the presence of another. As she stood up and turned around she scanned the area for enemies, but found none. ¡°Who are you? Show yourself!¡± She demanded at the woods. Suddenly, there was a movement to her right and from the thickets a tiny winged creature flew out. Jericho¡¯s jaw dropped. It was a fairy, in the flesh. The mythical creatures were said to be extinct due to hunting for their extremely sought-after wings, which were said to grant immortality when ground and taken daily. ¡°Y-you¡¯re a f-fairy?¡± Jericho stuttered in surprise. The little creature smirked with it¡¯s tiny, glossy lips, knowing her own rarity. ¡°That I am!¡± She proclaimed in a squeaky voice, ¡°Bow before me, filthy human!¡± Jericho, who was at an absolute loss for words, obediently knelt before the fairy and dipped her head in respect. The fairy pause, then looked down at Jericho. ¡°I-I didn¡¯t actually expect you to listen¡­¡± She stumbled, slightly embarrassed. Jericho froze, then immediately stood up, long black hair covering her face, and grabbed the creature by her wing. ¡°OW! Stop! Don¡¯t kill me!¡± The fairy said, struggling in the female knight¡¯s grip. ¡°How dare you embarrass me.¡± Jericho said, then trembling, let the fairy go and collapsed onto the ground. ¡°Oh, I can¡¯t believe I just knelt to a stupid little fairy.¡± She whispered, covering her blushing face. ¡°Hey! I¡¯m not stupid!¡± The fairy complained then stopped as Jericho shot her a glare. The fairy hovered uncertainly above the sulking knight. She hadn¡¯t intended for this to happen and wondered what to do. Until suddenly, Jericho snapped to attention and looked up. ¡°What did you mean to continue?¡± She asked, tilting her head. ¡°Ah!¡± The fairy exclaimed as though she had just remembered. ¡°You should continue to search for Dangou Sheen!¡± She explained, nodding her head excitedly. Jericho sighed in despair. Somehow everyone today seemed to know her plans to retrieve the Queensguard better than herself. ¡°And how do you know about that?¡± She questioned, tired of the surprises. The fairy shrugged. ¡°I happened to hear your conversation.¡± She answered with a smirk. Jericho nodded to herself. She thought as much. ¡°And why do you think I should continue?¡± She further inquired. The fairy paused and thought for a while. ¡°Though I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll need your help¡­ It¡¯s better if you go find Dangou.¡± She answered. ¡°Huh? That doesn¡¯t explain why at all.¡± Jericho said, exasperated. ¡°You don¡¯t need to know why.¡± The fairy winked and began to slowly hover away. ¡°Wait! I¡¯m sick of not knowing anything! Tell me why!¡± Jericho stood up and chased after the sprightly creature. The fairy giggled as she flew faster and faster, away from her pursuer. ¡°You¡¯ll thank me in the future! So listen to me okay?¡± She said, quickly disappearing into the woods. Jericho floundered for a few extra seconds before she lost sight of the mythical creature completely and gave up. ¡°Why should I even listen to you!?¡± She exclaimed at the sky, ¡°I don¡¯t even know your name!¡± ¡°Ta-¡­ -m ¡­ -in -¡° Jericho stopped. It was faint, but there was still the whisper of a voice on the faint breeze that the fairy had left behind. She concentrated on listenning until finally, she heard the full sentence. ¡°Tam. Tam Lin.¡± Said the familiar playful tone, giggling, ¡°That¡¯s my name, Jericho.¡± ------------ The Unravelling(1) End ------------ *Clairvoyance - Spell Classification: Light- Turns a section of any material into a one-sided window allowing vision through walls etc.* Chapter 10: The Unravelling (2) ------------ Dangou ------------ As soon as the door shut, Dangou sprung to work, weaving a *six-ring isolation seal onto the walls. It took him a few minutes, but as he finished his masterpiece, he smiled, relaxed. Now that he knew he was only dealing with the imperial Hellcats, he could relax. Especially since it was little Elieza, who was the student of one of his former comrades, he knew all her capabilities. ¡°Come out now.¡± Dangou called, knocking on the backroom door, ¡°It¡¯s safe.¡± For a while there were no movements and Dangou became slightly worried. But after a few more moments, Eadrid¡¯s dark-haired head finally popped through a crack of the door, glancing out into the room. Dangou frowned, looking down at the peering figure behind the door. ¡°What are you doing?¡± He asked, placing one hand on the girl¡¯s head. Eadridjumped, then, realising it was merely Dangou, stood up and cleared her throat. ¡°My mother wants you to come inside.¡± She sighed, opening the door, ¡°Her exertion in talking with you has caused her to be very tired.¡± Dangou nodded, and stepped through the crack, into the room. The room was dank, with a very different vibe from that of the living. The walls lacked decoration and the ground was made of unpolished cave stone. Occasionally a drop of condensation would fall from all the medicinal ferns tied in clusters hanging from the roof and hit the floor with a dull sound. One such cluster hung directly above Ariadne as she lay exhausted on a wooden bed, dripping its mystery concoction on her bare chest. Realising that her mother was in an unsightly way, Eadrid stepped past Dangou and dragged a blanket over her resting body. Waking from the movement, Ariadne saw Dangou and smiled weakly. ¡°So you see¡­ It was all a fa?ade.¡± She chuckled softly, ¡°Was it convincing at first?¡± Dangou shrugged and sat down beside her. ¡°It was a little forced, but I could see how one might be fooled.¡± He grinned. Ariadne frowned, then laughed heartily. ¡°Oh, Sir Sheen, you sure are a tease.¡± Dangou smiled. ¡°So.¡± He said, after a while, ¡°I have 15 minutes left. Shall we finish the story?¡± Ariadne nodded, then waved for Eliade to leave the room. ------------ Eadrid------------ Eadrid frowned as she stepped out of the sound-proof backroom and into the living. Just what could be so secretive that even she wasn¡¯t allowed to listen? She sat down at the couch before the furnace and sighed. No point stressing over it, she thought. Her mother was always keeping secrets, whether it was from her or from the visitors. Dangou Sheen was the second-time her mother had ever opened up to and for that, Eliade was glad. She liked how the Queensguard felt, his light aura, cheerful demeanour, even his serious attitude when thing turned tense. She felt like she could trust the man, despite having only met for less than an hour. At the very least, he seemed better than the first man that her mother had turned to. The thought of potentially getting close to Dangou put a grin on Eliade¡¯s face and she rolled around in happiness, giggling quietly.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. But a sudden knock on the door quickly interrupted her gleeful mood. ¡°Hey Dangou, you¡¯re taking a bit long. I hope you¡¯re not planning to escape.¡± Said a feminine voice from beyond the door. Eadrid froze, her sensitive ears tingling. How hadn¡¯t she noticed this new visitor before she spoke? And how did this visitor know about Dangou? She had been in the backroom when most of the drama occurred, and merely assumed that her mother had returned due to her weakened condition. Perhaps something else had happened? She was unsure what to do, this type of situation was foreign to her. She had only been used to receiving one guest at a time, it was her mother who¡­ dealt with groups. ¡°Oi Sir Dangou Sheen. I am asking you a question.¡± The voice threatened. Eadrid gulped and walked to the door in a confused flurry. ¡°Hello? Who is this?¡± She asked weakly. She waited worriedly for a response, but her question seemed to go unnoticed. ¡°Dangou! Are you serious? Respond!¡± Eadrid frowned. Sure, she wasn¡¯t Dangou, but she did respond. ¡°Um¡­ Hello? May I ask who this is?¡± She repeated, louder this time. She waited once again- ¡°That mongrel¡­ ugh. I can¡¯t wait to kill him.¡± The voice murmured from outside. - and again, her question went unanswered. Eadrid¡¯s frown deepened. She was sure that the visitor would be able to hear her at that volume. The living room door wasn¡¯t that thick. She knocked on the door, testing her belief, only to be stopped by a shimmering blue forcefield. Surprised, the young girl yelped as the blue-light temporarily held her finger, then rebounded it back. Eliade¡¯s eyes widened, worried that something horrible had happened to her home. But after a few moments of calm, curiously knelt to inspect the solid light. ¡°What the hell is this?¡± she whispered into the forcefield. Upon closer inspection, whenever she made a sound the field would ripple in a similar pattern. She figured that this probably prevented the lady outside from hearing her queries and that it was Dangou who set it up. ¡°But why did Dangou put you here?¡± Eadridwondered aloud as she poked the forcefield, ¡°And who is that woman out there?¡± ¡°Hello? Is there someone else in there?¡± The female voice suddenly picked up. Eadrid sat back and sighed, keeping one finger in the gooey blueness. ¡°Yeah¡­ But it¡¯s not like you can hear me.¡± She scoffed. ¡°I can hear you just fine, what are you talking about?¡± The voice responded immediately. Eadrid¡¯s eyes lit up with surprise and she immediately sat up, withdrawing her finger. ¡°Wait, you can hear me?¡± She asked. She waited for a response, but somehow the lady seemed not to notice again. ¡°Hello? Are you still there?¡± Said the voice outside. Eadridfrowned. She was sure that they had been able to communicate for a second there. What happened? Before she could collect her thoughts, a sudden outburst from beyond the door caused her to jump back. ¡°Is that it!? You¡¯re messing with me Dangou? Who do you take me for!?¡± The lady shouted, her voice simmering with anger. Eadrid stood up and backed away from the door, slightly panicked by the woman¡¯s outburst. ¡°No one is messing with you!¡± She shouted back, frustrated. As she turned to consider the safety of the backroom, the front door suddenly shook with force. No doubt due to a blow from the rampaging lady outside. Eadrid scrunched her face in annoyance. Who did this woman think she was? Trying to break into people¡¯s habitats at her will. With one angry last glance, shereached for the backdoor. Then without a second warning, the front door broke. ------------- The Unravelling (2) End------------ *Six-Ring Isolation Seal - Seals off a limited space for isolation. Renders outsiders unable to hear, see, taste, feel, smell nor sense what is within. Thus named the SIX Ring isolation seal.* Chapter 11: The Unravelling (3) ------------ Dangou ------------ ¡°She is the child of the King of *Ritorias.¡± Dangou stepped back, in awe of what he had just heard. ¡°What!? Eadrid? The princess of Ritorias??¡± He asked, ¡°And you? You were the Queen?¡± Ariadne chuckled at the knight¡¯s exaggerated reaction then shook her head. ¡°No, no. Nothing as grand as that.¡± She laughed, ¡°By the time my lover had assumed the position of king, I was merely a mistress.¡± Dangou was still shocked at the revelation. Who would¡¯ve thought that the daughter of the Siren of Oakenbrew would be a forgotten princess of the King of Ritorias? Just the thought made him dizzy. Seeing as he was still dazed, Ariadne smiled and continued. ¡°It is quite the secret is it not?¡± She said, beckoning him to sit back down, ¡°Do you wonder why I chose to reveal it to you?¡± Dangou sat and nodded. ¡°Indeed. Why me? I am merely a stranger to you.¡± He asked. Ariadne chuckled. ¡°Oh Dangou, everyone who visits this god forsaken cave is a stranger to me.¡± She answered, ¡°I chose you simply because it seemed fitting, as you are a Queensguard.¡± Dangou smiled wryly. ¡°Well, I was.¡± He laughed. Ariadne joined in laughter. ¡°Even better!¡± The pair sat, enjoying the comfortable atmosphere for a few extra moments, before Ariadne spoke again. ¡°You know there is a certain¡­ price for me revealing such close to heart secret, right?¡± She winked at Dangou. Dangou raised his brow. ¡°We didn¡¯t discuss this beforehand¡­ but I¡¯ll entertain it?¡± He replied questioningly. Ariadne nodded. ¡°I only have one request of you.¡± She said, slowly lifting her naked body from the bed and kneeling before Dangou. Dangou stood up startled, then quickly snatched a blanket beside him, draping it across the shivering, defenceless woman. ¡°What do you seek? I¡¯ll listen to your request.¡± He said in a caring voice as he carefully wrapped the siren up. Ariadne let out a quivering breath, then started slowly. ¡°As you can probably tell, my time nears its end.¡± She explained. Dangou nodded. ¡°I want you to take-¡° But before Ariadne could finish, a booming crash interrupted their conversation. Dangou instantly sensed that the front door had been breached, and sighed. Then a scream followed and Dangou froze. It seemed their time was up much earlier than expected. He turned to Ariadne, who sat bare on the floor, her eyes tearing up as they locked with his and he knew he needed to stay a little longer.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. ------------ Eadrid ------------- Eadrid turned to face the perpetrator of her home with an exasperated look on her face. Just as her life had begun to spiral in the correct direction, someone had to come in and ruin the flow. ¡°Who are you?¡± Said the woman, raising a perturbed eyebrow, ¡°So it wasn¡¯t Dangou after all?¡± Eadrid sighed, too caught up in her frustration to recognise the opponent¡¯s skill level. ¡°My name doesn¡¯t matter lady.¡± She replied impatiently, ¡°What does matter is that you¡¯re in my house without any sort of permission.¡± The woman frowned, then laughed. ¡°That¡¯s funny.¡± She smirked, then suddenly disappeared. Eadrid froze, unsure as to what had just happened, until she heard a whisper from behind her ear. ¡°Tell me more in the afterlife.¡± Said the voice. Finally recognizing the situation, Eadrid took a fearful glance behind her, but found her gaze locked forward by unknown magic. Unable to act, she took to her final resort and screamed for help. Then, without a second¡¯s delay, the backdoor exploded into shrapnel. ------------ Dangou ------------ Dangou walked through the shattered backdoor with a look of utter annoyance upon his face. After witnessing Ariadne¡¯s despair, his temper, as expected, had riled up significantly. And as he entered the room, he glanced towards Eadrid and Elieza, and sighed. Instead of paying them due attention, he walked to the kitchen and retrieved a glass of water. Then sat down at the dining table and stared at the pair of wrestling women. ¡°Dangou, what are you doing?! Save me!¡± Eadrid shouted at the calmly seated knight. Dangou casually waved aside her request and opted instead to face the perpetrator. ¡°Elieza¡­ was it so hard to wait the fifteen or so minutes I had requested?¡± He asked. The hostage-holding woman behind Eadrid tilted her head. ¡°I don¡¯t remember agreeing on an exact number.¡± She smirked. ¡°Wait Dangou, you know this woman?!¡± Eadrid complained. Dangou grimaced and waved again for the girl to shush, as though to say, ¡®Not right now.¡¯ And in response, Eadrid grumbled in discontent, but eventually gave up and stood limp in Elieza¡¯s grasp. ¡°I had the impression you were alone in this compound, Sir Sheen.¡± Elieza chuckled, looking down at the young girl, ¡°Are you perhaps, scheming something?¡± Dangou shook his head, his face void of emotion. ¡°No.¡± He answered plainly, ¡°But,¡± He pointed at Elieza. ¡°You certainly seem to be.¡± ¡°Me?¡± Elieza laughed, ¡°What would I, the rightful messenger of the Empire, possibly be scheming of?¡± Dangou shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he returned, ¡°however, the ¡®rightful messenger¡¯ of the Empire seems far too eager in her mission. Does she not?¡± ¡°Eager enough, at the very least, to take hostage a peaceful bystander.¡± He noted. Elieza smiled cockily and drew a dagger to Eadrid¡¯s neck. ¡°Whatever Dangou. Don¡¯t talk too much, put on the shackles.¡± Dangou sighed, then nodded slowly and opened his hands. In response, Elieza grinned approvingly and threw forward a pair of metallic rings. As Dangou picked up the shackles, he felt his power, in particular his *magic potential, draining from his arms. Shackles made of *cold steel, rather smart for dealing with higher class knights, he thought. He stole a glance at Eadrid as he put on the restraints one at a time and activated the lock mechanism with a press of his pinkie. When the locking had finally complete, the shackles glowed a fiery red. ¡°Red, huh?¡± Elieza paused, slightly surprised. ¡°Rather impressive.¡± Dangou nodded. ¡°That¡¯s what they usually say.¡± Elieza quickly recovered, returning to her signature smirk. ¡°Not that it matters anymore. Now, hand over the sword.¡± She said, beckoning. Dangou frowned. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t recommend that.¡± He said, ¡°It¡¯s safer with me.¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± Elieza commanded, pressing the blade closer to Eadrid¡¯s neck, ¡°Hand it over.¡± Hesitantly, Dangou reached down and unlatched Osiro from his belt. ¡°Don¡¯t blame me if something goes wrong¡­¡± He grumbled, then tossed her at Elieza¡¯s feet. The lady scoffed. ¡°Worried I might cut myself?¡± She taunted, then drew her sword, ¡°You should spend that energy on worrying for yourself.¡± ------------ The Unravelling (3) ------------ *Reminder that Ritorias is the Nation-state neighboring The Empire.* **Magic Potential - MP - Determines how powerful and how many spells one may cast in a designated amount of time. Most Magic Potential is set at birth, but can be improved through vigilant training.** ***Cold Steel - Power Absorbing Metal used in many Detainment centres as material for containment. Special properties include a change in colour depending on the detainee''s power, ranging from Light Yellow to OceanBlue to Fire Red. *** Chapter 12: The Unravelling (4) ------------ Dangou ------------ Dangou took a cautious step back. ¡°In the end, this is what it comes down to, little Elieza.¡± Dangou said. ¡°So you do remember me! Oh, I¡¯m so glad Dangou.¡± Elieza smiled sadistically, ¡°I thought you had honestly forgotten.¡± Dangou laughed, then took another step back. ¡°As good at avoiding questions as ever I see.¡± He smirked, ¡°I always knew you had a talent for the darker side of knighthood.¡± ¡°Darker side of knighthood?¡± Elieza sniffed, ¡°You mean the cleverer side.¡± Dangou shrugged. ¡°But¡­ seeing as we were once senior and junior, I suppose I owe you an explanation.¡± Elieza continued, ¡°You see, the empire is ever-changing, power, ever shifting, and your Queen is no longer holds the majority.¡± Dangou paused, mauling over her words. ¡°I follow the power Dangou. And if the power dictates that you should die, then you shall die.¡± She finished. ¡°Okay¡­¡± Dangou responded calmly, ¡°But is the Queen safe?¡± Elieza frowned. ¡°Yes, after all, if the leader of the Empire were to suddenly disappear, there would be trouble in the nation.¡± She said, ¡°Not that it matters to you.¡± ¡°Good¡­ good.¡± Dangou murmured to himself. Elieza nodded, then picked up Osiro and latched the blade to her belt. ¡°Now. I believe our Q&A has come to an end.¡± she sighed, ¡°Any last prayers?¡± Dangou smiled sadly. ¡°Yes. In fact, I do.¡± Elieza nodded smugly, then watched as Dangou knelt slowly to one knee, closed his eyes and prayed aloud. ¡°To my lord Osiro, I beckon thee.¡± ------------ Eadrid ------------ Eadrid stood nervously in the tight grip of the perpetrator, now known as ¡®Elieza¡¯, and cursed herself for getting caught. After all, if she hadn¡¯t been taken hostage, Dangou wouldn¡¯t be in such a precarious position now. On the other hand, she wanted to scream at the Queensguard. For an explanation, to understand why. Because it was Dangou¡¯s fault that her family was now in such a dangerous situation. But the man had made his message clear. He needed her to stay calm and avoid in becoming more of a handicap. Still, it didn¡¯t help to abate her anger. She watched as Elieza drew her sword, and prayed that Dangou could overcome this hurdle and save her along with her mother. But as Dangou gave up his weapon, and shackled himself at Elieza¡¯s command, she found herself believing less and less in a chance at victory. Dangou on the other hand kept himself calm, and ironically, wore a grim smile as Elieza asked for his final prayers.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Eadrid frowned as Dangou obeyed and knelt peacefully into prayer. She couldn¡¯t believe that the man was going to give up, just like that. And so, unable to hold herself any longer, Eadrid finally spoke up in anger. ¡°Dangou! Are yo-¡° But her words were promptly cut short. She felt a sudden rush of air and strangely, she was no longer restrained. Confused, but free, she rushed towards Dangou and tripped into the safety of his arms. As she lay in his firm grip, she glanced up and noticed that the grim smile he had once wore, had now transitioned to an exhausted grin. And finally, she understood that, with him, she had never been in any true danger. Turning in his arms, Eadrid stole a glimpse backward and gasped. Where she once stood, a two metre baton pinned Elieza, by the belt, against the roof. Hanging limp, the female looked stunned as she grimaced from the shock of the unforetold blow. ¡°Surrender and leave.¡± Dangou puffed, waving away the metallic pole, ¡°And I¡¯ll let you live this once.¡± Landing gracefully on the floor, Elieza snarled at her opponent. ¡°Now you¡¯ve got me angry.¡± She growled, stepping forward. Then suddenly- ¡°I knew she¡¯d say that.¡± said a foreign voice from behind her. ------------ Elieza ------------ Elieza spun in response, but found no one behind. ¡°Behind you.¡± Said Dangou, sounding alarmingly close. ¡°Fu- ¡°Elieza cursed, her outburst cut short by a deafening crack as she hurtled through the air, gasping in pain from Dangou¡¯s blow. She landed jarringly, sticking an arm out to stop her tumble. Finally stopped, she slumped, dazed on the cave floor. ¡°How¡¯s that for a distraction huh Dangou!¡± Elieza lay still on the floor, eyes flashing white from the force of her landing. But she knew there was no time to rest and tilted her head to catch sight the Queensguard. The man now stood next to the two-metre pole which had appeared from nowhere, and seemed to converse with it. ¡°I will admit. That was pretty good use of surprise.¡± Said Dangou to the pole. ¡°And the pole form as well! Just admit it Dangou, you¡¯d be useless without me.¡± Despite herself, Elieza chuckled quietly. She must be hallucinating from the blow to her head. But then again, the man had always been full of surprises. She felt a stream of blood dripping from her head, and reached back to check its condition. Luckily, it was nothing more than a gash. ¡°Dangou! She¡¯s still moving!¡± Elieza heard the annoying serpent girl shout, and sighed. Should¡¯ve killed her while I could¡¯ve, she thought. Sitting up slowly, she turned to face the man who had put her in this state. ¡°Are you happy now?¡± She waved her bloodied hands in the air, ¡°Now that you¡¯ve injured your junior for attempting to complete her mission.¡± Dangou chuckled. ¡°Should¡¯ve picked something more your level.¡± He replied. ¡°With you gone, I¡¯ve been recognised as the fourth most powerful knight of the empire.¡± She noted, ¡°If I can¡¯t do it, there¡¯s not many who can.¡± ¡°Then blame your masters for asking the impossible.¡± Dangou said matter-of-factly. To that, Elieza kept quiet. For now, she was unfit to defeat Dangou in a straight-out brawl. Despite Dangou suffering the exhaustion of being cuffed, his natural prowess and numbers put him at an advantage. What she needed, was what Dangou had used against her. The element of surprise. ¡°I¡­ agree.¡± She responded slowly, ¡°So, allow me to surrender?¡± Dangou paused at her request and tilted his head. ¡°That¡¯s an interesting proposal. ¡°He said, staring dead into her eyes, ¡°But who says that my offer hasn¡¯t already expired?¡± Elieza¡¯s eyes widened as Dangou picked up his talking weapon. ¡°Osiro.¡± He commanded. ¡°Yes sir.¡± It replied. ------------ Dangou ------------- ¡°Osiro.¡± Dangou commanded. ¡°Yes sir.¡± She replied, morphing into his standard long sword. ¡°W-wait!¡± Elieza stuttered as she backed away reaching for her sword. Dangou smiled sadly. ¡°I¡¯ll make it painless.¡± He said, raising Osiro. A sudden burst of suffocating black mist shrouded the room in darkness, and Dangou was forced to cough as the vapour invaded his lungs. Waving the black mass away, he stepped back, realising he had been tricked. Then, Elieza¡¯s voice permeated through the fog. ¡°You have always been a challenge.¡± Her voice said, ¡°But this, will be the last time.¡± ------------ The Unravelling (4) End ------------