Chapter Seven: The Ride of the Dragon Slayers
"Let's go to Fanelia" she said so casually, like she was asking him to accompany him to the market.
He stared at her, waiting for her to flinch, laugh or show any signs that she regretted what she said. But nothing. She just stared back with a straight face.
"What?" she asked.
"What do you mean what?" he chuckled. "We're not going."
He's already done with the conversation but of course, he can tell that she's not about to drop it.
"What are you so afraid of?"
He snapped a branch into two and threw one of them to the fire. "Careful, Princess" he warned her.
He shot her a glaring look, but she didn't flinch. He sighed and threw the other branch.
"Why?" he asked her. "Why are you so determined to see me go to Fanelia?"
She looked away, for the first time looking quite unsure of herself.
"I am not," he can tell she's lying. "It's on the way, what wrong with a little detour?"
"This is not a vacation, and it's not on the way, Princess. It'll take us at least three days to get back on the road to Moria if we go there," he said flatly.
"Now," he once again looked deep into her eyes, the fire reflecting on her green eyes. "Are you going to tell me the real reason why you want to go there?"
She looked down and pulled her blanket tighter around her. She stared into the fire for a few seconds before looking up again.
"Before I tell you," she began. "I want you to keep an open mind."
He simply nodded.
"Okay," she took a deep breath. "What do you know of the Kanzaki's?"
"Only that you are one of the oldest families in Gaea," he said.
"Mhmm, it is also said that we've descended from the Wing Goddess herself," she paused, as if she's waiting for him to react in any way. When he didn't say anything, she continued.
"Once in a while, our family is blessed with a seer. There is no way of telling who it will be next. The last was my grandmother, and before her it was her great, great grand aunt,"
"That is why, the generations before my ancestors married within the kin to preserve the bloodline. But my great grand aunt's brother died in battle, leaving her without a future king. They feared that the gift of the goddess will not be inherited, until my grandmother started having visions"
"It turns out that it wasn't necessary for the bloodline to be pure. Somehow, the goddess favors the Kanzakis, and have reasons to bless one of us with the power to see what was, what is, what will be."
"The elders used to say, when a seer is born, a war is about to happen," she said. "My grandmother used her abilities to help Fanelia win against Zaibach in the last war, and my great grand aunt protected the kingdom from the colonizers from the western sea."
"We don't really know what the reason is behind it, but perhaps the gods have their own bets on who will win the war, and the Wing Goddess bless us with the ability for her to have some sort of advantage" she chuckled. He wasn't expecting her to have any dark humor.
"My grandmother was the last recorded seer, until the day I got lost in the temple," he met her eyes. Again, she did not flinch. It was pure honesty.
"She passed away when I was young. I didn't know that the dreams I was having were visions, and the things I see when I'm awake, they're not dreams or figment of my imaginations. The Goddess was trying to speak to me."
She paused, for quite a while. She stared at him, like she was waiting for something to happen. She simply smiled and started to fiddle at the hem of her coat.
"You can choose not to believe me, but I think I can prove it to you,"
He waited for her to continue.
"Back in the camp, I saw a woman, her hair and eyes are just like yours," she smiled at him. "I think she was your mother and," she hesitated for a bit "'she had beautiful white wings."
He felt his heart skip a beat. He felt the hair on his skin rise. There were too many emotions running in him. For the first time, someone is telling him of his past.
There were so many things he wanted to ask. "What did you see?"
She shook her head. "Not a lot. Only her face, her wings, and she said that as long as the heir lives, Fanelia is still alive,"
He kept quiet. He waited for the cloud of confusion to take over his mind. Anger? Sadness? None of it came. It was relief, like he was holding his breath for a long time and finally was able to let the air out.
"Van?" the serenity on her face is gone now.
"One day," he smiled. "One day, if it meant saving your life, I'll show you my mother's gift to me." Though he was happy that he's finally learning something about his past, he couldn't help but feel a great longing and sadness.
Will it really change things for him if he knew more about his past, he wonders. He's still a king without a land, a leader without people. Whatever it was, this time he is not afraid to face the uncertainty.
There he was, manically laughing as he throws a torch into a tent. Men, women and children screaming at a distance.
"Burn! Let it all burn!" he commanded. His silver hair disheveled, face sweaty and messy with ash.
Smoke and blood—he knew the smell too well. They say that the olfactory resurfaces memories that you have longed suppress. Disguised as the king of Asturia, it has been too long since he stepped out of the castle to deliver a message himself to the last person he wanted to see. The very man who burned down his village. It was Dornkirk little punishment for him.
It was as if it just happened yesterday. Dilandau and his dragon slayers came to his village and made him watch as he killed everyone in his tribe, all because he failed to lure the king of Moria out of his kingdom.
Dornkirk came to their village full of promises that they will rebuild Gaia, uniting all cities and kingdoms. No more monarchy, no more government. No more factions and hierarchy. Doppelgängers don't have to hide in the shadows and trees. They can live peacefully and walk among humans. All they must do is follow him. Turns out, dealing with Zaibach wasn't freedom. It's just a different kind of chain, a different kind of fear, a different kind of darkness. And in Dilandau's case, a different kind of evil.
'At least he doesn't hide his monstrosity underneath powders and perfumes,'
If there's one thing he learned in studying the monarchs and politics, evil in high society is a like a poison. It seems harmless, it's clear and can be sweet. But you don't know that it's slowly killing you inside, one cell at a time. You will never know what's hiding behind their smiles and courtesies. They bow to you but half of them wants you dead.
"AH! His royal highness has graced us low life thieves," Dilandau kicked a wolf man lying face down on the ground.
"C'mon now, Rhum. Don't be rude. Greet the king! You taught us how to show our respects," he kicked the wolf man again who didn't move an inch, not even for a breath of air.
"I see you're about done here," Zongi said.
"Just a few more loose ends," he drew a knife and threw it a man who was trying to escape. The knife hit his back. Although he's still breathing, he knew that wound will fill his lungs with his own blood.
"The Emperor has a message for you," he handed him a scroll sealed with the Zaibach's insignia.
"He got his little pet king delivering messages now like a crow? How amusing"
The hatred must be mutual, he figured. Dilandau never showed him any respect. Then again, he only bows his head to Dornkirk, and tolerates the black winged Stategos.
He slowly read the scroll, his eyes lit up and cruel grin swept across his face.
"Wakey, wakey boys! We're going hunting!"
His men cheered and celebrated.
The advantage of working closely with the Emperor is that he knows exactly what he is planning and what are essentials to his plans. He can only hope that the knight of Caeli gets to the princess of Moria before the bloodthirsty dragon slayers.
The forest hides many secrets, but the forest is wide and vast. If they were to go after the Princess Hitomi, then they can't possibly get derailed by looking for clues. Half of him wants to just forget what Princess Millerna has said, but her eyes were pleading. And he was afraid for her safety and the safety of the kingdom.
"Captain, I see smoke!" Gaddess said.
"Lower the Crusade," he commanded. "Make sure we're not spotted. Gaddess, are there any melefs or nearby ships?"
"No Sir. The smoke is weak, I think whoever started the fire is long gone now."
"Then prepare to descent. Arm yourselves."
"Aye, captain!"
He has been to a lot of fights and seen a lot of deaths, but it's not something someone get used to. You can see it in their face when someone goes through a lot of pain before dying. As he looked at the wolf man covered in blood, stabbed in the back, he knew he was betrayed by someone he trusted.
"Captain, survivor!"
He rushed towards the only living person in the middle of fire and ash. He is pale, fighting to survive. Death has already got his grip around his neck. He was weak but he was still able to muster the strength to grab him by the collar and whisper, "dragon slayers" and with that, he died.
"Dragon slayers?" one of his men repeated.
"What is this place?" Allen asked.
"It's a tribe of outcasts," Gaddess explained. "There have been reports of travelers attacked and robbed in the forest. I think it's their doing,"
"Why would they be attacked?"
"Maybe they crossed a powerful merchant, and this is their revenge."
"The same tribe that attacked the princess?"
"I'm not sure boss," Gaddess said. "But it is the nearest camp from the kingdom. Perhaps the princess was here."
"Quick, search the bodies. Look for signs of the princess. She has sandy brown hair and green eyes!"
One by one they checked the bodies, searched for any signs of the princess but to no avail. Perhaps the princess was never here, he thought.
'That's good then,' but he couldn't shake off the feeling that he's missing something. Something tells him not to leave just yet and to keep looking, but where? What must he look for?
'Dragon slayers, where have I heard that before?'
"Boss," Gaddess and the rest of his crew are covered in ashes. "No signs of the princess."
He started pacing, his brilliant blue eyes scanning the horror that has befall upon the poor souls on the ground. He found himself staring at the knife buried at the back who left them a message before he died.
"I'm sorry for this," he whispered as he knelt before the body. He pulled out the knife and scanned the hilt. His heart stopped when he saw what was engraved at the hilt.
"Zaibach?"
"One day, if it means saving your life, I'll show you my mother's gift to me." Though he was smiling, there was great sadness in his face when he said it.
Her grandmother used to say, when your emotions are so strong, sometimes people can feel it. At that time, she felt Van's great sadness and longing for home. She wanted to comfort him but was not sure if he will receive it. All she could do now is return his smile and hope that her company gives him comfort.
She wasn't sure if he was going to believe her when he told her of her powers and his lineage. She was sure he was going to hit her when she implied that his mother is a Draconian, a cursed creature from the Mystic Valley.
But she remembered how beautiful her face was, and her white wings. It reminded her of fresh snow of the first winter. They looked so pure and innocent. How can something so beautiful be called cursed, she wondered.
She looked at Van's back and wondered if that was his mother's gift to him, a pair of beautiful white wings.
'Can he fly?' she thought to herself. And her mind started to wonder. His tanned broad bare back and wings as white as snow.
'If it meant saving my life.' She imagined her falling into darkness, Van taking off his red shirt and jumping towards her and his wings elegantly emerging from his back.
"Are you okay?" she was suddenly pulled back to reality.
"Huh?" was all she could muster.
"Your face is red. Is the heat getting to you?" he wasn't teasing. She can tell by his face that he was truly concerned.
She shyly pulled her hood and tried to hide her face. "I'm fine," she said.
'Gods, Hitomi, you're an engaged woman!'
"Here," he slowed the pace of his horse to match hers and they were riding side by side. He handed her a wet towel.
"Might help cool you off"
"Thanks," she took the towel and wiped her face, hoping her blush would go away.
It's been a week since they set off for Fanelia. He never brought up the vision again or asked what else she could do. But they would talk, a lot. About his tribe, about her country, about her brother and his adventures. There are times when they would just be quiet in each other's company, but it never bothered her. He didn't seem to mind the silence either.
And although she felt the bond between them is growing, he would always keep a respectful distance. As much as possible he would not touch her, mindfully handing her things, like how he handed her the towel. A courtesy practiced by royal bloods. She didn't think he would know such things.
But there are nights when she would feel him fixing her blanket for her, making sure that she's warm and comfortable. Sometimes she'll wake up and find him lying closer to her than he did before she fell asleep. But at sunrise, he'll be back to where he was.
She figured it was his way of protecting her, just in case something happens, he can quickly get to her. Or maybe she's just presumptuous and he just happen to roll a lot when he sleeps. Either way, she didn't mind his company. She didn't mind his touch.
"Drink your water," he reminded her. And she did as she was told.
"You're obedient today," he raised one eyebrow and tried to look at her face under her hood.
"Wha—what do you mean obedient?"
He chuckled. "You're stuttering, Princess. Mind your eloquence," he teased. He enjoys teasing her and making fun of royals and all things related to high society. Yet here he is, acting like a prince on a mighty horse, saving a princess in distress.
"If it pleases you, Your Majesty," she sneered at him and waited for a reaction. She thought he would snap at her but to her surprise, he cringed.
"That felt wrong," he chuckled. "I thought somehow it would sound right when someone calls me that but that felt—unnatural."
"Maybe you prefer, milord, my liege, your highness, my world and life?" she immediately regretted the last one.
He chuckled. "Maybe that last one, but that sounds more like a proposal than an honorific."
She felt relieved and quite disappointed that he took it as a jest.
"Have you ever thought about it?" she asked.
"What?"
"What we will find there," she handed him back his towel. "how that will change things for you. What will you do after?"
"I don't know," his answer seemed genuine. Not confused or anything, just a straight answer. "I don't even know if we'll find anything. The castle has been abandoned for 25 years"
"Well, what do you want to happen?"
"What do you mean?"
"Don't depend your decision on what we will find or not find in the castle," she said. "Your past may have the answers you're looking for, but after this, you should leave it behind you and focus on what is ahead of you. What path are you going to take? Back to the camp, or to Fanelia?"
"Who do you want to be, the king or the outlaw?"
"I haven't decided yet," he simply said. "You're right, I shouldn't let the past dictate what will happen to my future," she smiled at his answer
"But," he said, "I still think that my past can teach me things that I cannot simply ignore as I move forward."
"I don't know what we will find there, but it is certainly not something I can just leave in the past. But even as I am now, lost and alone, I know that I have a duty to restore my kingdom and a duty to all Fanelians in Gaea"
And at that moment, Van Slanzar de Fanel, looked more like a king than any king she knows in all of Gaea.
"Wait," he said in a low voice.
She heard rustling of leaves in the distance, a high screeching voice of an animal in distress.
"What is it?" she asked nervously.
"Quiet!" he hissed.
They heard the animal's cry again.
"Dragons," he smirked. "We're here"
AN: Happy 2021 my friends :) I am really determined to finish this story so I hope you enjoyed it. I do apologize for the delay, but here it is.