Chapter VIII
Beginnings
Maiden approaches the balcony overlooking the lit area below where the guardian statues stood. Up above is bountiful sea of stars laid in the evening sky. The cold night air that envelopes her, though tolerable, prompts goose pimples to appear in the exposed skin along her wrists and forearm. She straightened her sleeves to cover the skin and faintly reminded herself that the temple lies atop an island floating in the sky.
She laughed to herself, days ago she wouldn't have thought of these or if she had, in her imagination, she would have found it ridiculous.
Her worries came back to her once more despite the Goddess' assurance of her being able to learn about her magical powers. She also thought about the home she left behind. Earlier that night, she had repeatedly switched on and off her cell phone in the hopes of getting through network connection but realized her attempts are as futile as she had denied in the first place.
Her mother would not be pleased she knows.
Maiden looked ahead of her to the vast darkness partially lit by the big moon.
'What have I put myself through?' she frowned to herself.
"Can't sleep?" she heard a familiar voice from behind. She's startled but she didn't have to look behind her to know who it was.
"So are you, it seems." she said offhandedly throwing Hikaru a sideways glance as he approached the length of the marble balustrade she's leaning on thankful that he put a decent amount of distance.
"It's still early for me to retire for the night." Hikaru says to which she has no words. She has no idea of time in this realm.
She resumed staring off into the night and distant torch lights trying her best to disregard his presence.
The young prince regarded Maiden thoughtfully with a soft expression on his face.
"What?" she says not looking at him as she noticed from her peripheral view.
He continued looking at her.
"Don't look." she says as she turns towards him to find him staring at her intently.
"The Goddess has put you under my charge." he announced eyes never leaving her face.
"Why so?" she asked feeling annoyed that he sounded cool speaking his formal tongue.
"Because you are stubborn." he said matter of factly and she regretted noting her earlier observance since he is being otherwise and hitting her nerves.
"Do you find entertainment talking me down, Your Highness?!'"
"I do not." Hikaru answered quickly ignoring the sarcastic undertone. He couldn't blame her either, if anything he is even appalled by his own manner of speaking. He doesn't know why he spurt phrases that are uncharacteristic of him lately, when it comes to Maiden at least. "I also do not care if you are willful and stubborn." he tries to amend. Why is he losing for words when he tries to speak to her?
"And I do not need you to look after me either." she says looking straight ahead to nothing in particular.
"I meant that I do not care how you think of me but I will do my best to keep you unharmed for as long as mission goes." he tells her. He doesn't know to what make of her, but recently, he doesn't know what to make of himself either.
" I also do not care what you think of me. I'll be strong and will not need your protection." she replied coldly.
Hikaru is not displeased with the way she talked or with what she says. He had hoped she will indeed live up to her words else she would not live towards the end of the mission. He bit his cheek uncomfortable at the thought. If this is a way get her gain her strength and potential, he hopes it could do her help.
"That is fine." he agrees quietly. His lack of retort surprised her. "That is fine." she heard him repeat again and she peered at him from where she stands. She swear she had seen his eyes momentarily lowered-a resigned expression it seems. He looked away from her and his eyes had a far off gaze he appears to be in deep thought.
There was an awkward silence but she too felt succumbing to her own tensions and she sighed. There is no use blaming him, she thought. Instead she asked.
"How did you find out you are a guardian?"
Hikaru calmly welcomed the shift of the mood and glanced over her genuine curiosity and looked ahead once more.
"Keiko went to see me and Colleen one morning during a leisure trip in the woods past the castle grounds." he recounts.
"And you agreed right away?" she pressed.
"Adeniss is known in our books as was your older civilizations, history of reigns of kings and break of wars. We are certain of its existence in a parallel universe as a core magical world.
Some people held superstitious reverence by the thought of Adennis and highly regard it while others are intrigued by it. " he says.
"Which of the two are you?" she asked crossing her arms over her chest while leaning to her left to face him. It's becoming really cold.
"Neither." he answered firmly.
"Neither?" she challenged, feeling the cold dissipate if she carry on talking.
"I have known about it for long time. I see this is an opportune time to see greater challenge." he said with a thoughtful look in his eyes looking ahead to the lights.
She sees a particular gleam in those eyes as he spoke. She fell silent, shifted her position to gaze ahead to nothing in particular.
A challenge for him. He must be strong then. She recalled the calloused right palm that brushed her arm when he dressed her injury in the school clinic. Also, his weapon is a sword. She is again reminded that the rest of them had been into battle trainings and what does she have? An 'athletic' skill in archery? Will that be enough?
"Your arm." he suddenly shifted the conversation to hers instead of the things about himself. "You are no longer bothered by it from what I can see." he said studying her posture. She is leaning her weight in both arms pressed against the cold marble. He didn't miss her startled reaction as she uncrossed her limbs.
"I suppose so." she said nonchalantly. Didn't you use some magic and treated it yesterday?" she asked in a tone as though she is stating the obvious as she holds her right arm up.
"I do not perform healing. That is Colleen's capability. "
"You...don't?"
There was a pause as both of them wondered what could have happened but then Hikaru sighed audibly and said out loud his realization.
"That is probably yet, another strength of yours. " he said examining her reaction and he continued. "A protective spell surrounds you at the instance of danger and you heal quickly when you get hurt."
"I...do not know any of those..." she trailed off at loss for any response to his words.
Hikaru sensed her uncertainty.
"Don't worry. If anything you are at advantage." he said smiling at her.
She doesn't know what to make of that but she rather felt embarrassed. She felt as though she is being consoled for her lack of ability.
She huffed turning away from him. "You could say that but you aren't sure of anything. " she snapped. " I'm not in for that folly of yours."
He just smirked at that. Sure she is hardheaded but he wouldn't let it get to him. It is his task to care for her and help her out of discoveries and her outbursts should be nothing.
"I will prove you wrong with that." he smiled. "You just said you are going to be stronger. That's what I am counting on instead." he said prompting her to look at him once more.
The cold wind breezed to the balcony playing with her hair, if anything the ruffling only highlighted her beauty along with slight blush on her cheek and the contrast of the night on her golden brown eyes and coloration. His eyes softened at the sight and he gave her a faint smile but then he looked away despite himself and just as she averted hers . He suddenly remembered Forg's constant scowls.
They stood in quiet staring off into the night.
Once again, she felt like saying anything to break the silence however, her hesitating mouth brought an involuntary squeak as she sneezed softly.
Hikaru abruptly turned to her.
"Maiden..?"
"Oh..it's noth-" another sneeze cut in. The cold air must have gotten her. It's already nearing the end of spring in her world and she's suddenly faced with the cold bites of Adeniss air she thought vaguely as she covers her nose with her handkerchief.
Something warm draped around her shoulders. She raised her head to Hikaru's proximity realizing he has removed his school uniform blazer in her favor so quick she hadn't chance a protest.
"No you didn't have to—", he cuts her when he looked at her in the eyes in a silent plea. Her words died in her throat.
"Please." he says as softly as his eyes could tell her. He adjusted his clothing over her smaller shoulders and then stepped back.
For a moment she caught his scent it somewhat relaxed her. He smelled nice she thought but he backed away so quickly before she could make out the kind of scent he has.
She dismissed the thought immediately.
"Uh...What about you?" her brows knitted together and she averted her eyes.
"I can manage. " he answered quietly and then he looked away suddenly feeling slightly embarrassed. "Winter is turning to a close when we left our place." he added distractedly. "It had been colder." he mumbled perching his right arm on the marble rail and leaning his weight against it as he turns to her once more.
She sneezed again in her handkerchief that Hikaru's brows furrowed in worry and he straightened up.
She looked at him apprehensively her nose on a flush of red she is sure of. When she was younger, her dad would pick on her about it when symptoms of cold take her. He would first laugh at her because he thinks she looked funny and thereafter he would take her to her mom and both parents will tend to her until she is comfortable. She swore she would not let any man apart from her father see what he chanted the red-nosed Maiden not even Forg.
She was quick to cover her nose but she knew Hikaru had seen it.
Oh yes, he did.
Hikaru couldn't help but snigger at the sight. He covered his suppressed laughter with the back of his hand looking at anything but her. Well, she is adorable. he thought fondly. When he looked back at her, she is glaring daggers he did his best to compose himself.
She is about to call out on the way he reacted when he suddenly moved behind her lightly touching both her shoulders.
"I don't think you can stay out here for long. Come on in." he egged on bemused.
There is yet a long walk to the glass door leading to the warm halls of the temple and his hand on her keeps his blazer fastened on her shoulder. She carefully tugged the clothing on to herself and Hikaru took that gesture a silent message to let go and he did.
"I'm fine." she mumbled. Thanks she withheld.
He didn't miss her hesitation to look up at him. The dust of pink is still around her nose and cheeks. Cute as it might seem, he couldn't risk her catching cold before they set off the mission the following day. Not under his watch.
Once inside, he closed the door behind them and walked her to the room she shares with Colleen.
"You should rest well." he tells her once they reached the door.
She fidgeted on the edge of his coat unsure of what to answer back. He surprisingly remains nice to her even if she snaps at him often since they met. People are usually ticked off and leave her alone if she does such things but he easily brushes them aside.
That or these things are nothing to him and he is just trying to do his job as their leader. 'Maybe' that's it.
She looked at him and he is again looking at her intently.
And then it occurred to her, she still has his coat on her. She reaches for the shoulder area so does he towards her so he can assist her.
He stood close to Maiden to help her out of his clothing.
He has his both hands on her either shoulder to lift the piece of garment off her when the door suddenly flew open.
"Maiden nee-chan, you're...-" Colleen's excited exclamation upon seeing her roommate was cut short.
"Ehh...?" was all the young princess could utter as she stood there to the sight of her brother and Maiden standing close to each other. The latter, she noticed is wearing Hikaru's coat.
She suddenly felt like she's interrupting an private scene. It is just like in those television dramas she had seen in Forg and Maiden's world. The main guy and the heroine of the show goes out on a date, the guy takes care of the girl-lends her his coat when she's cold and at the end of it they will bid goodbyes and share a goodnight kiss.
Her face bloomed pink at the thought.
"Ah..I am sorry..."she blushed further and looked away from the pair before her. She abruptly turned away to hide her unlady-like sniggering. "I'm going inside, okay?"
Panic strikes Maiden as she realized how she and Hikaru must have appeared to an onlooker and this 'is' Colleen, the prince's younger sister. Quickly she shrugged the coat off her shoulders and shoved it to Hikaru. She once again, glared at him and went for the door knob.
"Don't go near me ever again!" she snapped as she closed the door with a loud thud.
He just smirked to himself. "I sure that was the first and only time." he looked fondly at his blazer in one hand recalling how her face flushed in annoyance and embarrassment.
He likes her scent. He admits. That was the closest he had ever gotten to her since they met and he sure could never be especially with Forg around.
If only he could linger a little more.
Author's Note: Time went by so quickly and a lot of things happened in my personal life since the last update, which I realized is two years ago.
One of those happenings is loosing my mobile phone where i have drafted my next chapter updates for this story. I have only been able to secure this filler-like chapter. Oh, welll...