Pᴀʀᴛ Tᴡᴏ - Tʜᴇ Sᴇᴀʀᴄʜ Bᴇɢɪɴs
Three days later, on the back end of the yellow-sun season when the leaves began to show their waning colors, they found themselves on an unfamiliar road.
All the while, Subaru had been gazing at the vast mountain range towering over him in awe. They were far from it—maybe a day's travel—but that didn't stop it from blanketing the road and surrounding woodland in its shadow as the sun passed behind it. The only thing he could compare it with was Mount Fuji, a mountain in the otherworld where he hailed from—but even it paled in comparison, as this was something else entirely. The peak of its highest mountain rose so tall it tore the sky asunder, cloaking itself in a veil of clouds so it was unable to be seen.
It was now late in the day. To the west, over the horizon, was the capital city of Lugnica, and to their east, the unmistakable expanse of Mount Cordor.
The sun setting over the mountain was not a signal of the day's end, but a testament to just how vast it was, and as it crept lower and lower, the snow-tipped peaks of the mountain shone with a beacon of light radiantly. Subaru could just barely make out the smoke billowing from the mining village of Cramlin, which rested just above the base of the mountain itself, as well as the winding crags and pathways which snaked in and around the mountain—pathways no doubt perilous to traverse.
Since the pair had left the capital, their journey had been safe and relatively uneventful. Before departing, Subaru had purchased a detailed map of the land—a tool which would unmistakably aid them in their journey. From here to the village of Cramlin, there was nothing but a strong stretch of uninhabited land; a wilderness which could be identified only by the markings of forests, rivers, and green plains on the map. Even though Subaru could see the mountain and village from where they walked, they were probably still hours from reaching their destination, maybe even an entire day if they ran into any problems.
Dragging his gaze from the mountain ranges in front of him, Subaru turned his attention to his silver-haired partner who tread quietly beside him. Her dazzling ashen hair blew gently in the first winds of the yellow-sun, and a level of peacefulness graced her soft features more beautifully than ever before. Subaru must have been staring too long, because Emilia noticed, causing her lips to curve into a bashful smile.
"You're staring again," she pointed out from behind a playful and teasing glint in her eye. "You have been doing that so often, Subaru! You know how I can't handle you looking at me for too long, it's veeery embarrassing—and I can't just ignore you."
Subaru returned her smile. "It's just how I want to spend my free-time in these peaceful moments like this," he said, adjusting the blade which hung at his side. "Looking at your face always puts me in a super good mood, and that's just what I want to be in right now."
Emilia's face reddened to a shade not unlike a beet. "Looking at my face?! When you put it that way, it's so… never mind. But you always used to stare at me when we first met—you had perverted intentions? I thought you were just weird and it's something normal from the land you came from, so I let it pass."
"It's not perverted if we are a couple," Subaru said, laughter threatening to escape his voice. "In fact, where I come from, it's normal for couples to stare at each other for hours on end! It just means I'm deeply infatuated with you, that's all."
"Very well," said Emilia.
Without warning, she ceased her walking, and in a sudden movement, she turned and locked eyes with him, lilac to hazel.
Catching Subaru off guard, he almost jumped back in surprise. "Em-Emilia!" he squeaked, a strong confusion laden in his stutter. "What a-are you doing?"
"I'm staring," she answered, pointedly at that as her eyes bore a hole into his head. "I have to be honest, I never really looked at you like this before, Subaru. I never noticed how amazing your eyes are… and when I'm looking at them this closely—there are so many different colors in them! It's sooo nice."
Taken aback at her sincerity, Subaru blinked in astonishment, and in response to her dare, he returned her gaze just as determinedly. He had brought this on himself, and he couldn't back away now, especially after those words of love she just showered him with.
"You won't make me back down," he said defiantly, accepting her challenge. "No matter how beautiful you are, I can stare into those mystical pools of lavender forever! Mark my words."
"Mystical pools of lavender?" she asked, questioning his eccentric choice of words. "And you have the nerve to say I talk in a funny way. Well, I guess you have been picking up a thing or two from me, then. You know, that's sooo cute—really Subaru, I'm beyond flattered by you."
He just gawked at Emilia who continued to stare down at him triumphantly. Subaru then said, "That was quite the compliment. I couldn't imagine a time when you would finally accept my incessant staring, and that makes me truly happy, little Emilia!"
"You're going to have to give me a little bit more time on the pet names," she quipped, while letting a polite laugh escape her lips. "I always just tolerated it before because you're just so odd, but honestly, I couldn't feel the same about you if you weren't just the way you are!"
Her soft and pure voice was like music to his ears, and when she laughed, it threatened to drown him in a sea of pure happiness. Every word spoken from her, every emotion displayed, was genuine beyond compare. That was who Emilia was, and her authenticity was unmatched by anyone he had ever met.
Just then, another gentle breeze blew through the air, capturing her long silver hair in its grasp. He couldn't hide how far he had fallen in love with her. His eyes, brimming with tears at any moment from the emotion said it all, and she stared at him, reading his every thought as if she was the mind-reading Puck.
He held out his hand for her and said, "I would love to stare at you until the end of time, my little Emilia—but we need to be on our way."
"Yes, well," she said plainly, taking his hand. "There will be plenty more time for staring in the future, I'm sure of it!"
Subaru nodded happily and turned down road again. "You know exactly what I want to hear now, don't you?" he asked suddenly as they walked hand in hand. "There was a time when I thought I would never hear these wonderful words coming from the love of my life!"
Emilia couldn't stifle the laugh which followed. "Oh, please, you are so ridiculous! Sometimes I can't take you seriously, especially when you are doting on me like some fair maiden who's locked up in some forgotten castle!"
"That's exactly what you are to me, though," Subaru admitted with no reluctance in his speech, before continuing, "Oh, my fair maiden, hear this: my bounty is as boundless as the sea, my love as deep; the more I give to thee, the more I have, for both are infinite!" Subaru's voice was almost a parody of his own jovial self.
Emilia, beside him, chuckled. Subaru felt as if his heart was going to implode if he heard that amazingly cute laugh once more. It was a pure sound he wanted to wake up to every morning until the end of his days.
"You really are beginning to talk like me, aren't you?" she stated, as her hand raised to her mouth to stifle yet another laugh. "Where did you learn to speak like that?"
"It's a quote from a tragedy of love from the land where I'm from," Subaru said, a sudden realization growing on his face. "Oh… wait."
He realized quoting from a romantic tragedy which resulted in the death of the two titular star-crossed lovers was probably not the most romantic thing ever—but Emilia didn't need to know that.
"A tragedy?" Emilia questioned, her interest piqued. "So, you think our relationship is a tragedy, huh?! Subaru, I'm veeery disappointed in you. You know I want our love to have a happy ending, don't you? I think we have had enough sadness in our lives; it's time to stretch out and enjoy the goodness the world has to offer us! We shouldn't have to live our life constantly watching our backs for danger, no matter what we do—it's just not fair."
Subaru realized his lack of tact might have led this lighthearted conversation to a far more serious one yet again. Mentally, he scolded himself for having the commonsense, or lack thereof, of an average shut-in with no life experience.
He sighed, with the burden of two worlds on his shoulders. "I know exactly what you mean, Emilia," he said, his tone lower and weightier than before. "We're going to have a happy ending, I'm sure of it…" He wanted to say more, but for some reason, he suddenly lost the power of speech.
Emilia stared at the space between her two feet as she walked along the dirt road, silently pondering on what their future together had in store for them—and then she looked to her left. Suddenly, her breath hitched, and for a moment the rise and fall of her chest came to an unexpected halt.
Concern painted indiscriminately over her soft features in response at what she saw: Subaru's expression was unusually grave, and his brow was furrowed in anxiety indicating he wasn't well—indeed, something was bothering him.
In a knee-jerk reaction, her frail hand tensed around his own, wrenching him from his silent and solitary ruminations. Returning to the world of the living, Subaru locked eyes with her once more, and he scrutinized her with his gaze.
Emilia said nothing, but she allowed him to prod her silently with his hazel eyes.
"Is there something wrong, Emilia?" There was real worry in Subaru's voice. "If we're in danger, you need to tell me."
Subaru looked around quickly, scanning his surroundings in fear. His grip on Emilia's hand tightened as his overprotective nature took ahold of him once more, and after checking the plains, he turned his eye toward the dark woods just across the trickling stream adjacent to them.
His eyes narrowed, as he strained himself to see the unseeable. "I don't see anything…" he trailed off, continuing his investigations, before continuing, "Come, let's get off the road…"
He spoke this last sentence as an order directly to Emilia, who still stood silently next to him, her visage elegant but expressionless. After he gave her a tug and she did not budge, she finally granted him a response, though indelicate in her delivery. "There's no danger, Subaru… and I'm not worried about myself right now—I'm worried about you."
After giving their surroundings one final once-over, Subaru looked over to the half-elf who gave him such confusing signals. By now, she had her hands on her hips as if she was upset at him, but otherwise, her expression was difficult to read.
"No danger…? Well, why are you worried about me?" he pushed verbally, as he walked up to her suddenly, a hint of anger lacing his pointed words. "I thought we were in some sort of danger, Emilia. Isn't that the norm for us? By the way you're acting, it's almost like you think it's unnatural for me to be this way—well, I got news for you…"
"Listen to how you are speaking to me!" Emilia interrupted in her defense. "I barely gave you the slightest hint of anything, and this is how you respond! That's how I know there is something wrong with you, Subaru."
And that, Subaru did not expect at all. When he heard the accusations emerging from her soft lips, they stuck into him deeper than the sharpest dagger. Mentally incapacitated, he stepped back in shock.
She closed the distance, making sure he couldn't avoid her anymore. "Don't walk away from me, Subaru," she pleaded, as every gentle step she took thundered like a giant to him. "I'm not angry at you… I'm just concerned, that's all. I see how you carry yourself, how you try to carry the world on your shoulders like it's your burden to bear! I don't want you to carry it by yourself, so let me help you—I'll even shoulder you if it comes to that!"
It was spoken with worry and love. Surely, he could have denied her allegations, or even outright ignored them. But Subaru had made his decision to put Emilia beyond himself, and if she wanted such things, then he would oblige her.
"Am I that easy to read…?" Emilia heard his voice, barely above a whisper in the evening winds. "I'm really sorry, Emilia. I keep doing things I promise myself I would never do again, and for that, I'm truly sorry."
She could tell from his half-broken voice he was hurt, and hurting was all they'd endured for the past few weeks.
"You have nothing to be sorry for," Emilia consoled him gently. "I was only trying to show you I am here for you. I know you walk with the weight of not only yourself, but mine as well—which is why I want to be there for you like you are for me. Remember what I said before, just a couple days ago? I want to walk beside you, not behind you—that means in every way: as your partner, your friend, when we laugh, when we argue, and when we cry—and most of all, as your lover."
Subaru finally understood, as her gentle words reassured him in the most effective way. His solemn expression curved into a weak smile bearing a mixture of emotions; both sad and happy.
Emilia noticed this, and his weakened smile threatened to turn her into an emotional mess. She wanted nothing but for him to be happy, and it pained her to see him continuing to shoulder such an emotional burden because of her—but this time she did not cry, and nor did he.
For a moment, no one spoke. The two just stared at each other, absorbing the emotions dancing across the endless oceans of their eyes. Subaru saw Emilia cared about him more deeply than he could ever possibly understand, and so gently, he rose his hand to cup her cheek in the most passionate way he could.
"A happily ever after?" he said, his voice cutting their shared silence as light cut effortlessly through darkness. "Now that's something I could look forward to!"
"I can't wait for that future!" Emilia said, her own subdued smile curving into a joyful one. "A future with the one whom I love! Subaru, I reeeally love you so much," she said cheerfully. "These past weeks, they have made me realize there isn't anyone else in all of Lugnica or the rest of the land I would want to spend my time with more."
"You can say that again," Subaru murmured, as he moved closer to her, their faces barely inches from one another. "It's amazing that through all of these trials and tribulations thrown our way, our love continues, and has even grown deeper than it was before. I was so sure… so sure I loved you before, but now, it's almost different. The protectiveness, it was always there, but now I can see past my own selfish desires and realize our love is something bigger than just me. It's about us, Emilia."
Emilia was speechless, and she could feel his hot breath tickling her nose, as he uttered the final words:
"It's not my love," he corrected, his mouth closing in on hers for a climax. "It's our love."
Subaru craned his neck downward and their lips met fiercely for what felt like the first time. Emilia, caught off guard, pushed herself against him in order to keep herself from falling backwards from the ferociousness of his kiss. Moments passed, and Emilia forgot she could breathe through her nose—soon, she needed to get some air. Briefly, her lips separated from his own in a desperate attempt to suck a breath in, but Subaru continued his advancement on her lips.
"Oh, Emilia!" he breathed into her moan as her clammy fingers wrapped possessively around his neck.
Too soon, their lips parted, and she settled against him, almost limp in his arms.
Truthfully, their current location wasn't the most ideal area for a heated lovemaking session—especially in the middle of the road. They hadn't seen any travelers recently, but they'd leave themselves exposed to all sorts of nasty rumors and embarrassment if someone caught them like this in the heat of the moment.
Rumors? he thought, almost laughing. He didn't care about any of that.
"Su-Subaru…" Emilia said breathlessly, as she pushed off him and fixed her disheveled appearance. "That was so… unexpected. It's been a while since we kissed like that, hasn't it?"
"Yeah…" he replied shortly. He was great with words right now, especially when his higher brain functions hadn't fully regained control yet. "I mean… uh, yeah. Sorry about that, I guess?"
Emilia's reddened cheeks were beginning to return to their normal shade of pink. The amount of blood rushing earlier to her face almost sent her into a daze.
She ran her hands through her long, silver-thread hair, and let out a huff. "Sorry?" she pouted, her voice clearly in a temper, and an angry one at that. "You almost tackled me to the ground!"
"I just can't help myself!" he complained, crossing his arms defiantly. "You're lucky we are standing in the middle of the road—very lucky, in fact."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Emilia said, her mouth gaping open in shock. "Subaru, you are such a pervert sometimes!" Slowly, her expression of shock turned to one of bashfulness. "And I know I haven't mentioned this before, but you haven't gotten me drunk enough for something like that to happen again. I mean… Oh, forget it. Just think about our future, Subaru! We are in no position to take care of a baby right now! Imagine what Puck would do to you if he found out there was a baby in my tummy! He always told me to be careful around other men… I just didn't expect he meant be careful around you!"
Subaru heard what sounded like a cough or a sneeze, and he could see Emilia rubbing her belly possessively as if she were already pregnant.
Wait, what…? he thought. "Don't tell me…" Subaru then said, as he brought his palm to his face in complete embarrassment.
"I mean, I feel the same," Emilia said, as she raised her hand to her forehead to feel her temperature. "I don't feel too hot, and I don't feel like there's a baby in there… Wait, are you okay Subaru?"
The mortification on Subaru's face was plain for anyone to see. It wasn't one at the fact he didn't want a baby with Emilia, oh no—never that, as he wanted to have a dozen kids with her. It was mortification that in his stupidity, he might have brought something upon them they both weren't ready for—parenthood.
"Ah, Subaru, you idiot!" he scolded himself in front her as if she wasn't there. "You idiot, you idiot, you idiot!"
Emilia just stared at him as he reprimanded himself for something she didn't quite understand. After a minute, she walked up to him and took his hand, snaked it up under her undershirt and pressed it to her belly. The warmth of her skin filled him with peace and tranquility.
"Do you feel anything in there?" she asked, her voice so soft it almost couldn't be heard. "I can't feel anything, and the lesser spirits haven't told me yet. Usually, they share all kinds of secrets with me…"
Subaru blinked. "Well…" he said, as he centered all his being onto her soft belly. "I can't say, honestly. I don't have the ability to sense things like that, or at least I think I don't…"
Emilia looked at him with worry, and she gave his hand a little squeeze. Subaru looked back up to her and clashed eyes with her once more. Her spiraled amethyst eyes narrowed and bore holes into his own coffee-colored eyes. She was speaking to him, and not verbally.
An immense wave of relief washed over him as if he was soaking up the ocean surge on a warm summer beach. All signs are pointing to her not being pregnant, he thought.
It wasn't that he didn't want children with her, it's just they simply weren't ready—especially now they were vagabonds on the road with no roof over their head. It would be some time before he would even consider the thought of conceiving a child with her, accidentally or not. Next time, if they ever copulated, he would be more careful than he was before—and sober.
He looked down at his lover who stood silently in front of him. Her expression was one of… sadness? Was she disappointed she might not be with child? His concerned eyes relaxed to a more compassionate state as he inched his fingers under her chin, tilting her upward to meet his gaze.
Subaru did not speak, but Emilia understood every word those beautiful brown eyes were conveying to her in its absence. He told her not to worry, and told her one day, when they were ready, they would share a child together—a child born from love.
Emilia swallowed, and she nodded to him, accepting his solemn vow for what it was: a declaration from the heart.
After a while, the two departed their embrace, and continued their way down the pathway toward Cramlin village. By now, the evening sun began to dim, a subtle orange glow replacing it. Soon, it would be nighttime, and in these wilds, their environment would no doubt become dangerous.
By this time, Subaru was mentally scolding himself for not purchasing a ground-dragon for them to ride. They would have been in Cramlin by now, maybe even by yesterday. Next time they were in Lugnica, they would make the stables their first stop and purchase one immediately.
By late evening, the sun had finally fizzled out, and now their pathway was lit by the translucent moon which hung peacefully overhead. Still, they had seen no travelers coming or going from either direction, which Subaru found to be more than odd. Even though he treasured the fact they were left alone, he always felt odd in the stomach when things were too quiet.
Subaru stole a glance at Emilia who followed just beside him. For quite some time now, he had been ruminating on what transpired earlier. The young half-elf had clearly been disappointed she might not be pregnant with his child. If he were honest with himself, he feared something monumental like that happening between him and Emilia. Even if the events from that night were almost lost to him, fueled by mead and a deeper passion than the two had ever shared—the butterfly effect sending shockwaves through their relationship still echoed even now. He found himself hoping, that one day, the two would settle down peacefully, enjoying their adulthood together hand-in-hand, their budding relationship growing organically as it should.
For now, however, he had other things to worry about.
As if on cue to that thought, Emilia's voice ripped him from his introspection, and he looked up ahead.
"Look, Subaru!" she called, her voice more panicked than usual. She pointed straight down the dirt road which they travelled, where a small fire burned, smoke billowing from it high into the sky.
"Get down," he hissed, motioning for Emilia to get down and off the road. "I don't want us to be spotted by whatever is over there."
Subaru crouched low to the ground and crept over in the darkness. His right hand lay on the pommel of his sheathed sword, ready to draw in the case of emergency. Likewise, Emilia was beside him, her mind acute and hands readied to cast any manner of spell.
As the two trudged closer and closer to the fire, the situation became quite clear; just ahead was the burning remains of a military caravan, adorned with the insignia of the Divine Dragon. Strewn about the area were corpses, and not just any corpses; their white capes with red trim flapped somberly against the evening winds—they were Kingdom Knights.
Realizing this, Emilia covered her mouth with her hand in shock. "Oh, no!" she gasped, her voice trembling in terror. "Who could have done this?!"
A cold chill sent shockwaves down Subaru's spine, and it rendered him undeniably speechless. If the Kingdom Knights were no match for this foe, they wouldn't fair well either. He turned his head to look behind him, wondering if they should travel in the other direction to get away from here—and fast.
Subaru looked forward again, and he met eyes with Emilia who looked up at him with worried eyes. Her lips were trembling, not in fear, but in sadness for the Kingdom Knights who had been slain and discarded upon the ground like mere cattle.
"I don't know," Subaru said plainly, his voice dark and grave. "But what I do know is, whoever did it must be strong enough to fight people who are significantly stronger than we are. We need to get away from here, Emilia."
She nodded in agreement, not willing to argue against that logic. There was a time and place for everything, and fighting something as powerful as this was not one of those situations. She didn't want to risk bringing any harm to Subaru, or herself.
"I think we should still go to Cramlin," Emilia said evenly, as she peered over the nook. "We are so close, and it's not that far from here. While we are there, we can let the authorities know what happened so they can send word to the capital. There should be a Kingdom Knights outpost there, as there is in every village under the domain and protection of Lugnica."
Subaru sighed heavily. He wished he was a physically stronger man. If only he had the power to protect those he loved so dearly and make it so they wouldn't be afraid of anything. In his current state, he had only the skills and ability to defend themselves from the most basic of foes. Even now, it was all he could do to prevent his hand from tremoring in terror as it was right now.
Struggling to regain his composure, Subaru said, "Let's go around that brush there." He pointed toward a concealed area which they would be hidden under the dark of the night. "If we go around, we shouldn't run into any problems."
Silently acknowledging him, Emilia followed Subaru into the darkness. Carefully, they stepped, trying their hardest not to step on a stray twig or produce any other sound which could give them away. It was difficult, since they couldn't even see two feet in front of them from the darkness.
Suddenly, Emilia bumped unexpectedly into the back of Subaru—he had stopped moving.
Rubbing her head gingerly, she peered around his shoulder. "What is it, Subaru?" Emilia asked quietly. She couldn't see anything other than the smoldering smoke pouring from the fires of the caravan.
Subaru raised an unsteady left hand, motioning for her to cease all movement and voice. His steady gaze was pointed unwaveringly in the direction of the caravan. For a moment, they sat there, still and unmoving as if they were both long-forgotten statues in an overgrown wood.
Emilia stayed still, unwilling to give into curiosity... until she caught something in the corner of her eye—Subaru's hands were trembling uncontrollably. She reached out to grab his shaking hand and she gave it a tight squeeze, pulling Subaru's attention away from whatever was in front of him. They made eye contact for a moment, and in those quick seconds, she felt every ounce of fear and horror as he did. She stood up a little and peered over Subaru's shoulder, in the direction of the caravan.
There, jutting out from one of the gutted corpses of what remained of a Kingdom Knight, was a large and distinct dagger with maroon markings in the center of it. Undoubtedly, it was the unquestionable dagger of a witch cultist.
Subaru heard a sound, and realized moments later Emilia was whimpering behind him. Likewise, he fought hard against his own will to keep the fear from shutting his body down. The mere notion witch cultists were in the area threatened to send him into a panic-induced coma. He had only assumed the recent events they took part in were the Witch Cult's work, but he really didn't want to know for sure. He sought nothing other than to remove himself from their diabolical business and to stray in a direction opposite of their own—simply for the safety of the half-elf whimpering in fear just next to him.
He hated the witch cultists, and would slaughter the whole lot of them if he had the power to do so. And to think they would do something so brazen as to murder a whole caravan of Kingdom Knights. Come to think of it… the recent disappearances, the burning of Nicia, the cursed wood, and the missing envoys—they were all connected, and no doubt to the Witch Cult. What were they planning? he thought.
Abruptly, out of the darkness, he heard another sound echoing through the starry night sky. At first it was faint, but as it got closer, he recognized what it was: the unmistakable pounding of a ground-dragon's claws against the hard dirt.
Getting lower to the ground in response to the intruding party, he waited patiently for who was to arrive and witness the ghastly scene in front of them. Judging from the echo of the gallop, they were getting close. Suddenly, the gallop ceased, and the ground-dragon came into view—it was an Earth Dragon, and a shockingly familiar one at that. Patrasche?! he thought, his eyes widening. Wait… then that means…
As if on cue, the older white-haired gentleman dismounted from his ground-dragon with a thud, landing unceremoniously on the dirt roadway.
"Wilhelm?" Subaru whispered, his voice quiet enough no one would hear him.
With his hands resting calmly by his side, Wilhelm walked up to the blazing fire and analyzed his surroundings carefully. His stern expression, while clear he felt no fear, gave credence to the seriousness of the situation at hand. Attentively, he knelt beside one of the corpses and checked for vital signs. He frowned and closed his eyes solemnly before removing the blade protruding out of the back of the corpse. With curiosity, he examined the blade and returned to Patrasche in order to stow it for safe keeping.
Unexpectedly, Wilhelm turned toward the wood where Subaru and Emilia lay just under the brush. His hand shot to the pommel of his blade in a reflex too fast for a normal eye to see, and he readied himself in a battle stance, scanning the darkened woods for any life—friend or foe.
In response, Patrasche let out a yell which sent a reverberating echo into the dark of the night, no doubt reaching for miles on end. Silence followed, and the ground-dragon gave Wilhelm an approving purr. Even still, the ever-careful Wilhelm continued to observe his surroundings until the threat he sensed was spotted.
Yet, he saw nothing; soon, his calm demeanor returned, and he ceased his battle-ready stance. Gathering himself once more, Wilhelm mounted Patrasche once more with ease and with a click of his reins, he dashed into the darkness toward Cramlin until all traces of him vanished from sight.
Realizing it was now safe to expose himself, Subaru wordlessly stood and took Emilia by her hand. Gently, he tugged, indicating it was time to go.
Obediently, and without question, she followed his lead. This was one of those times when no words needed to be exchanged—she knew exactly what needed to be done and nothing else was required. For now, they would stay off the road as to avoid any more unwanted attention—and as for Wilhelm van Astrea, it wasn't a question of if they would meet him, but when. This peculiar situation they had placed themselves in was difficult to digest indeed. Ideally, if they had two magic concealment cloaks, they could both hide their appearance from him, and all the better for it—but that wasn't the case, since they only had Emilia's cat-eared cloak.
Subaru had similar thoughts. Not only were the surrounding events making more sense now the Witch Cult was involved, but their inaction was leading to more deaths and destruction. Morally, they were at a crossroads now. Of course, they should report such occurrences to the respective authorities, but giving such information would no doubt lead to their identities being exposed. Names had to be attached to intelligence such as the burning of a village, the massacre of government officials—and the list goes on and on.
At this point in time, and as selfish as he might be—he only cared about Emilia. For all he cared, the witch cultists could burn down the entire city of Lugnica before he put her in harm's way again. He was probably the worst person in the world for thinking that way, but such selfish ways of thought were the only way he could keep her from getting hurt any further. But Emilia did not think that way—and he knew that. He knew in her goodwill, she would want to go to the authorities to explain what they have witnessed, putting herself in danger once more… he only wished she would make the right choice.
Gradually, with only the moonlight to guide their way, the pair made their travels through the woods and up the winding pathways which led deep into the mountain. As they ventured higher and higher, the growing incline strained both of their bodies almost to their breaking point. Luckily enough, Cramlin wasn't so far up the mountain they had to exert themselves any longer. In their tribulations, they had come closer and closer to Cramlin, and before long, they found themselves in front of a towering wooden gate, much unlike the one from Nicia.
By now, Emilia had tucked her long, silver-flowing hair into her cat-eared hood—her curious pointy ears concealed from the view of regular humans.
Two village guards were posted in front; halberds reaching high into the sky, barring entry to any vagabond or wayfarer who found themselves in front of the large towering gate.
"—Halt!"
The guards bellowed in unison, and then presented their arms formally in front of them, beckoning a response from the two travelers.
"There has been word of unusual activity in the domain of Cordor," the left guard asked, "What business do you have in the village of Cramlin?"
Subaru stepped up and replied, "We have been traveling for three days from the capital city of Lugnica. We are tired from travel and were just seeking shelter in order to recuperate and continue our travels toward the east."
"Eastward, you say?" the right guard questioned curiously. "What business do you have in the Eastlands? We don't get many travelers on these roads who go beyond the Hyclara Plateau."
"If you really want to know," Subaru replied coolly, as he gestured to the east. "We are making our way into the city of Flanders, as we have business to attend to there."
"Is that so…" the guard hummed. He stood there silently for a moment, pondering on whether to believe him or not. After a moment, he motioned to his partner and decided, "Well, I don't see anything wrong with letting you stay for a day or two. I do hope you enjoy your stay in the most famous mining village in all Lugnica!"
The guard gave a signal to the watchtower above, and soon a loud cracking sound filled the air. Unlatching—gradually, and very slowly, the monstrous gate began to gape itself open. The two guards both conducted an about-face and then marched into the village. Two additional guards exited from the gate and marched toward the entrance, their metal plated boots trodding the damp mud below them.
The changing of the guard? he wondered as they came out. He looked over to Emilia and shot her a reassuring smile, to which she returned more than kindly with her own. Her features, while always graceful and elegant, were no doubt tired from the couple days of travel they had endured. It was time they got some much-needed rest in preparation for their next adventure in the morning.
As the pair entered through the gate, they were met with something they did not expect—the village was immense.
It wasn't a village, no—it was a city. It was like something you would see in a fantasy novel about dwarves. The village itself extended and was built deep inside the mountains. Within the crooks and crags, lay homes burrowed deep almost in tandem, growing out of the mountain like flowers. Even though it was nighttime, traders lined the bottom levels of the village, peddling their goods to customers both humans and demi-humans alike. Unlike other villages Subaru had been to, there was a growing nightlife typically found only in the capital.
Indeed, this was a mining village—and it was proven to be so due to the massive harvesting structure jutting out of the numerous caverns overhanging the village; a tool used to transport precious gems, coal, and other materials you would otherwise find deep inside a sprawling mountain. The main terrace itself was adorned and sculpted to perfection, and the surrounding buildings were made of stone, brick and mortar.
Subaru and Emilia walked along the main walkways of the village, their eyes wide in wonder like little children in a magic store. He was just a fraction ahead of Emilia, but their distance grew further as her gaze dashed from merchant stand to merchant stand.
She had never been this far to the east before. This was just as much of an alien environment as it was to Subaru, who was just as excited as she was. In her sheltered days, she would never have made such a trek so far past the capital like this. Luckily, she had brought a large amount of gold with her—and no doubt they would spend every last piece of it here.
Suddenly, the pair heard shouting coming from a wide-open expanse just past the marketplace. A large crowd was gathering there, just in front of a raised platform. As Subaru and Emilia pushed themselves through the crowd, they were able to see who was on the platform itself. It was three Kingdom Knights, one who donned a black hood and a large battle-axe, and then a lonesome man who had been stripped of his clothing down to his bare skin, bruised and clearly injured.
The roaring of the horde grew louder and louder, before it resonated high into the night sky and bounced off the winding and overhanging crooked mountain. Without warning, one of the Kingdom Knights rose his hand, silencing the crowd and announced:
"It is my pleasure and honor to oversee this public execution as it takes place in the most customary of ways," he said, his voice resolute and judgmental. "It is my duty as a Kingdom Knight; a soldier who has taken a solemn oath before the Divine Dragon himself, to render this justice in the eyes of the common people." The Kingdom Knight cleared his throat before continuing, "We meet on this somber occasion to render justice on a criminal whose worth is no less than that of a common rat, and he will be remembered as such."
Small murmuring amongst the populace turned into a roaring thunder of clapping and whistling as the Kingdom Knight finished the beginning of his speech. Subaru and Emilia just observed the spectacle from the backrows in quiet wonder.
"Quiet please, everyone," the Kingdom Knight chided the unruly crowd. He then unfolded a large scroll, and read, "So, we shall begin to serve the sentence accordingly—the accused stands guilty of the following crimes: high treason against the Divine Dragon, the practicing and adherence to the Witch Cult…"
Subaru turned to Emilia and whispered, "He's a Witch Cult member? They must have been onto their plot after all."
Emilia nodded gingerly and turned her attention back to the spectacle.
He continued, saying, "The acts of murder, unlawful execution of citizens protected under the Divine Dragon, burglary, kidnapping, and an innumerable amount of petty crimes which cannot be accounted for." The Kingdom Knight furled the scroll back up and handed it to the knight which stood beside him. Turning to face the man accused of being a witch cultist, he rhetorically asked, "Is there anything you want to tell the Divine Dragon before you depart this world?"
The naked man looked at the Kingdom Knight, and then to the crowd. He was expressionless, save for the horrendous swelling on his face which made him appear to be smiling, even if he wasn't. He shook his head negatively and knelt next to the execution block, signifying he was ready to go.
The hooded Kingdom Knight hardened his stance, and then raised his heavy battle-axe far above his head in an effortless motion which showed both skill and strength. Quickly, he swung the axe down, letting its weight and momentum add to the killing blow. Cold steel cracked against damp wood.
Collectively, the crowd gasped, and the man's head fell into the basket as his lifeblood spilt from his lifeless corpse.
Now that the spectacle was all but over, the crowd began to depart at a rapid pace—leaving Subaru and Emilia standing there, wondering what had just happened.
Subaru had never seen a public execution like this before, but he did read about them in the history books. The executions of history were usually brutal, torturing the accused individual before giving him a slow, agonizing death. This execution, however, was swift, and the accused did not suffer. His respect for the Kingdom Knights began to grow even more as he realized how vast and expansive their duties were—and the sanctity of duty to uphold their oath was admirable indeed.
Looking up at the twinkling moon overhead, Subaru decided it was probably time for them to turn in for the night. As much as he wanted to spend the night wasting their gold in the bustling nighttime bazaars of Cramlin, they had travelled far without rest—and they deserved at least a little sleep. His gaze turned to Emilia; her eyes were dark and dreary, and even though she did not complain, it was clear as day she was more than ready to sleep.
"Hey, Emilia," Subaru called to his partner who stood next to him. Her eyes appeared sleepy, and she let out a yawn. "I can tell you are getting a bit tired. Are you ready to go look for a place to get a good night's rest?"
"Yeeeeah…" she yawned out her reply in an otherworldly cute manner. "I am feeling rather drowsy… I think I caught sight of a tavern back there next to the bazaar. Maybe we should rest there?"
Subaru found himself hoping whatever tavern they slept in tonight had comfortable beds. The ones they had slept on recently were anything but that. They always had a choice to sleep on the floor, but he couldn't bring himself to do that after hours of travel on foot.
Taking her by the hand, Subaru led the drowsy half-elf as if she was a lost puppy. He was tired himself, but she was about to fall asleep standing up!
"I'm sooo sorry, Subaru," she mumbled, wiping the sleep from her eyes. "I know you want to stay up and explore the city, but I don't have the energy for that, I think."
He grinned, adoring every second of the sleepy Emilia. "It's far better for us to get a good night's sleep than to stay up all night," he said, his words laden with caution. "Especially with what's in store for us in the future, sleeping would be the responsible thing to do, little Emilia."
Emilia just nodded and gave him a hazy smile.
He needed to find this place, fast, before he must deal with an unconscious half-elf sprawled out in the middle of the bustling streets of Cramlin. That would be a sight to see, he thought, the mere notion of it humoring him more than anyone could possibly know.
As if it were a scripted event in a videogame back home—there it was: a sprawling stone-made tavern built into the side of the mountain. It was picturesque, to say the least, something out of every fantasy novel reader's dreams. The Miner's Hole, the signpost dangling above the entrance read.
Upon entering the tavern, he was amused yet again to witness such a vast and expansive surprise. By far, this was the biggest tavern he had ever seen since he came to this new land. Round wooden tables lined up and down the halls by the dozen, and every single seat was filled with jovial and sodden patrons—mugs of mead in hand, no less. Pipe smoke floated hazily throughout the establishment, and Subaru thought he might just get contact high just by walking from one end to the tavern to the other.
Hoisting Emilia's arm around his shoulder for him to carry her further, he set her down on an empty chair in the corner of the tavern. He figured she would be safe and sound here while he went and rented a room.
"Hey, there…" he murmured, giving her shoulder a light squeeze. Her long lashes fluttered open, revealing her tired lilac eyes. She gave him a dreary, but inquisitive look. "Are you doing okay?" he whispered, his voice of concern giving her the spike of energy she needed.
"I am fine, Subaru," she replied sleepily, while giving him a cheeky wink. "Go find us a room, and I'll rest here while you go—but don't worry about me, I'll be fine by myself."
"Okay!" Subaru said enthusiastically. He was excited to finally get in bed for the night.
He took a few steps backward to make sure she wasn't going to fall asleep after he left, and then finally turned on his heel and headed for the bartender.
Emilia's eyes lidded slightly, sleep threatening to overtake her—but she remembered her promise she would stay awake and be okay. She didn't want to worry Subaru any more than she was already.
She sat up and looked around the tavern for the first time, observing all the humans and demi-humans sharing in their merry festivities. It was something she loved to see… humans and half-humans, humans and half-beasts—getting along together and coexisting peacefully. She only wished that one day, she would be able to coexist with everyone else without having to hide her identity.
While deep in thought, Emilia began to lull herself accidentally back to sleep. Thinking so deeply like this, it was as if she was counting Puck jumping over a fence. Slowly, her eyes lidded once more… the longing for sleep beckoning her to a world far removed from the reality of the present. She saw Puck jump over one fence… and then another… and then another… four times… five times…
A sudden panicked scream jerked her from her mental lullaby.
Shooting up wide awake, Emilia readied herself her hands down by her side—palms open and ready for anything. She looked around frantically, noticing all the eyes of the patrons were tracked on her and her alone.
In front of her was a human woman, and she pointed her finger at Emilia and shouted, "Lo-look at h-her ears!" Her stutter was just an afterthought due to how frightened she was. "It's a half-witch! No, no… maybe it's the Witch of Envy, herself!"
Emilia's eyes moved to her peripheral vision, and then she realized—her hood had fallen, revealing her true nature to everyone around her.
Quickly, another patron—a human male—approached Emilia and grabbed her by her shoulder in a threatening manner.
"What's a witch-freak like yourself doing in here, huh?" he growled both menacingly and detestably. "I dare you to cast a spell, see what happens." He withdrew a knife from his boot and held it to his side, ready to strike at any moment.
Fear overtook Emilia, and she froze up. There's no way she could raise a hand against all these innocent people in here. If she cast magic in here, she could maybe lose control… and it would result in the deaths of countless innocents. She wouldn't let that happen—no, she couldn't let that happen.
More and more patrons surrounded her, and she had no idea what to do. All it took was one wrong movement, and someone might kill her for no reason other than out of spite. Where was Subaru? He had to come save her, and do something, fast. But Subaru never came, and there's no telling where he was if he wasn't here already.
"You got nothin' to say, huh?!" the drunken patron pressed, raising the knife to her flowing silver locks. "Look at all this beautiful silver hair—it makes me fuckin' sick. What would you do if I cut it all off, right here and now, huh? Don't think I won't do it, because I will."
Hot tears welled up in Emilia's eyes, threatening to fall at any moment. She was powerless to do anything against this man, because if she did… the entire tavern would be frozen over, or worse, it would go up in a blaze of fury nobody could control.
Roughly, the drunk took her by a tuft of her long, silver hair. Jerking her down, he brought his rusted blade against her hair and threatened her once more. "I've had enough of this, hold still," he slurred, and in one quick motion, he cut through her hair as if it wasn't there at all.
A vast amount of silver hair fell solemnly to the ground. He loosened his grip on her and Emilia fell to the floor, her hair now disheveled and hanging just above her shoulders. She lay face down in the floor, her tears of sorrow now trickling one tear at a time down to the weathered stone floor underneath her. Her whimpers had grown to sobbing now, and the embarrassment was all too much for her to handle.
For far too long had she been discriminated against just because she was a half-elf. It was something she had dealt with since the day she stepped foot in a civilization which was not her own. This was one of the worst incidents she had endured, and in such a public place. Nobody had come to defend her—not a single person. Subaru was the only person who would have ever defended her from these vile, disgusting humans—and he wasn't here.
Rage boiled inside of her, and hot tears began to sting as they slid quietly down her cheeks, and soon, they evaporated. The temperature in the room began to rise, and the patrons of the tavern stepped back cautiously as they realized what was happening. The man who cut her hair and defiled her—the one with the knife—dropped it as it burnt a scar deep into his hand from the growing heat of the air.
As the patrons cleared out of the way, one man stepped forward, his footsteps booming as he took them.
Emilia, filled with fury, looked up to the older man with a ferocity he had never seen before from the half-elf. He looked down at her with a gentle pity and sighed softly. Kneeling on one knee, he met with her at eyelevel before he spoke:
"Lady Emilia," he pleaded, his voice filled with caution. "I can't possibly attest I understand your feelings right now, but I can tell you this—you must, calm yourself." He looked around the tavern. By now, everyone around her had dispersed, fleeing out the door before the tavern itself combusted into a fireball of flame. The heat was growing to such levels it might combust even the stones above them. "You must center your feelings, or this entire place is going to be gone very soon."
Emilia's breathing, which was panicked and distraught, began to slow to a more even level. She could feel her heart thumping so hard against her chest it might burst at any moment. Her mind was nothing but a fiery blaze itself, a torrent of chaos she barely kept control of. Any longer, and she might have returned everything around them to ashes.
Wilhelm placed a tender hand on her shoulder and smiled. "I'm so glad you're okay, Lady Emilia," he consoled, his voice filled with gentility and understanding. "I have searched far and wide for you, and by chance or luck, I have found you."
Emilia drew long, heavy breaths through her nose and blew the air out through her mouth. The heat in the room began to rescind to an acceptable level, and the sweat on her brow returned. The air, however, was dry and distasteful, as all surrounding liquids had been evaporated within the entire confines of the tavern.
Emilia looked up to Wilhelm with tears welled in her eyes. "I'm… I'm sorry…" she apologized, her voice no less than a whisper. Fresh tears fell when no one could catch them. "I don't know what came over me… I was just so upset, and I lost control…"
"I understand, Lady Emilia," Wilhelm said, eyeing carefully the tuft of locks which had been incinerated on the floor. "You did nothing of the sort to deserve this… in fact, I will personally find those responsible myself and handle them accordingly, with the harshest measure of punishment."
"Thank you, Master Wilhelm," she said, before her eyes widened in a sudden realization. Her hands went to her hood which rest on her shoulders. "I… You… I don't…" Her power of speech, easily conquered, escaped her mercilessly.
"Don't worry, Lady Emilia," Wilhelm assured, raising his hand. "I am aware you have been hiding your identity from the world. I knew who you were from the moment I laid eyes on you in the trinket store."
Emilia looked at the floor between her two knees in embarrassment. She had done him a great disservice by hiding her identity from him, especially when he was looking for her. While she wanted to reveal her identity to him immediately, her worry of what might follow prevented her.
"I'm very sorry," Emilia said, her voice breaking. "It's just, I don't know what came over me. You know, so much has happened in the past few weeks—it's almost impossible to think clearly. Any decision we make, it could have repercussions we couldn't possibly understand… so we had to act with precaution."
Wilhelm nodded in understanding, and said, "You don't have to explain yourself to me, Lady Emilia. I have been on your trail ever since the news of your disappearance came to light. I am so happy to have found you, and I will do anything to protect you. I owe it to Master Subaru for giving me the ability to avenge my late wife, Theresia, and I owe it to you. Please, if you have anything to ask of me, do not hesitate, and I will be there for you."
His kind and sincere words spoke almost like the Knight's Oath. It threatened to bring tears to her eyes, tears she could not control. This man, he had cared more deeply about them than he ever cared to admit before, but it showed in his actions—and now it showed in his words.
"Thank you so much!" Emilia said, bowing her head profusely before the old gentleman. "I am not worthy of your service! I am afraid I know not how I can repay such an oath."
"There is no repayment," he said plainly, while holding out his hand to lift her to her feet. "A debt is a debt, and a debt paid does not need repayment. My oath to defend you extends as long as I draw breath, or until I am relieved of my services by you—you have my word."
Taking Wilhelm's hand, she stood to her feet, her silver shoulder-length hair billowing elegantly as she had done so. Finally understanding his oath, she nodded her head and gave him her best bright smile. "I am honored to have you under my service, Master Wilhelm!" Emilia beamed at the elder Knight, and then asked, "But please, you don't have to refer to me as 'Lady Emilia' any longer, if you choose not to. No longer am I befitting of that title…"
He shook his head negatively and said, "As long as you are an active candidate for the Royal Selection, you will always have that title. Seeing as you are still alive and well, as far as I can tell anyway—you are still in the race for the Royal Selection, wanted or not. Now, it's up to your decision what path you want to pursue, and I will follow you anyway you lead me."
Emilia's eyes widened in astonishment at his words. "I'm still a candidate? I thought that could be the case, but I never believe it would actually be true…"
"You must understand, Lady Emilia," he explained, while adjusting the cuffs of his dress shirt. "There are active agents who are still looking for you, as I'm sure by now you are aware. For the time being, I suggest you continue your current path, but please—try not to attract so much attention to yourself like this. I would hate to see you, or Master Subaru injured because of something like this."
"I understand, Master Wilhelm," she said, bowing her head slightly in embarrassment and sadness. "Which reminds me—Subaru will be so excited to see you again!"
He looked around the emptied-out tavern—there was nobody in sight. "Where is Master Subaru, by the way?"
Emilia's eyes widened once more, and then darted from one end of the tavern to the other. She then looked back to Wilhelm with worry painted over her delicate features. "He said he was going to find us a room in the tavern," she recalled, panic rising in her voice. "There's no way it took this long, and he wouldn't leave me like this!"
Wilhelm's eyes widened in shock and in a hurry, he turned on his heel with his hand readied on the golden Holy Sword Astrea resting at his hip. Emilia followed quickly behind him, and the two began to search far and wide for their missing companion.
Natsuki Subaru… was nowhere to be found.
