Chapter 4
"Here." Luka said as she tossed Ahim a full set of clothing.
"I got them at the last town we were in. Thought it looked nice at first. Turns out they're just not my color after all."
Ahim stared at the pieces of clothing in her hands. A long, black trousers, a pink t-shirt with horizontal white stripes, and a very cozy-looking pastel pink jacket.
Without another word, Ahim went to the nearby bush to change whilst Luka kept watch. As she got out of her dress, her head mulling over the words. It was when she got herself into the trousers and feeling rather pleased that they fit her perfectly that she finally decided to go for it.
"I'm sorry."
"Huh?" Luka who was completely put off-guard by the sudden apology stared at the other woman incredulously.
"For what I had said before. I've offended you and it was certainly wrong for me to do that considering you did save my life."
She paused for a bit as she slid into the t-shirt. Receiving no response from Luka, Ahim decided to continue.
"Everything I say would definitely sound like an excuse right now but I know if I were in your position, I would have been angered by the sudden accusation too."
Still, Luka didn't say a word in response.
Acknowledging her silence, Ahim quickly put on the jacket and got out of the bush. Luka simply looked at her before saying, "It suits you."
Startled by the sudden praise, Ahim looked at Luka who had a small smile on her face. In that moment Ahim understood. She was some-what forgiven.
"Come on. We kept the boys waiting long enough. Marvelous is not known for his patience and I hate to listen to another round of his nagging." Luka said as she proceed to walk away. Ahim simply stared at her for a few moments before a small smile graced her lips and without another word, she caught up to Luka. Contented enough not to engage in a conversation as they walk side by side in silence.
Joe, Marvelous, Gai and Doc simply stared at the pair as they walked side by side into the clearing. Despite neither of them said a word, the male in red and the male in blue simply exchanged a look and a smile of approval were carved onto their face.
The air of discomfort and hostility that they left with initially had now transpired. The two women are nowhere of being best friends but at least it looks like they'll be able to tolerate each other's presence and that is good enough for now.
"All right, let's get a move on. Ikigai is almost 4 days by foot. We don't have much time to waste."
Everyone nodded as they began to start their journey with Marvelous and Luka leading the group through the forest, Gai with Doc who is still immobile on to walk on his own carried on his back with finally Joe and Ahim guarding the rear.
Gai had wanted to argue the second he saw the arrangement but he decided against it as he himself is unable to protect the princess with his current condition (aka carrying Doc on his back), and even though having Ahim walking in front of him might ease him a lot more, there was no way he would ever allow her to be spent more time walking next to Marvelous. From what he can gather, Luka is the sole person that can control the male. And also maybe, just maybe Joe is not too bad of a company.
"Hey, can I ask you something?" Gai was pulled out from his own head from the sudden question from the man on his back.
"Sure."
"Why Ikigai? How confident are you that they would lend a hand in this… trouble?" Doc asked.
Gai smiled a little at the thought of the quaint little country that sat just south of Shion. He haven't seen those people for quite a while now and some parts of him dearly misses some of them.
"Ikigai has been a close acquaintance of Famille for years now and in much recent years, the bond had been strengthened even more. By marriage."
"So you're saying that…"
"One of the princess of Famille wed the ruler of Ikigai. Technically, one of my Princess' half-siblings."
"How many half-siblings she has anyway?"
"About 5."
"That was surprisingly not as many as I thought it would be."
"My father only took in one single concubine after he married the queen." Ahim's voice startled the rest of the group. But nobody said a word as the princess continues.
"The queen, my mother bore him a princess and two princes. While the first concubine, Mother Lise bore him a princess and a prince."
"Sounds like a quaint and simple little family." Luka piped up.
"Yeah, except the fact that they are all royalty. Nothing simple about that." Ahim smiled at the snide comment from Marvelous.
"True. Because all of the children are part of the royal family… nothing is ever simple in our life. We have duties, to make alliances, going through multiple lessons as royalties, to having to deal with different factions trying to push one child over the other to be the official heir… and the list just goes on. But… growing up… I can't imagine any family to be as happy as ours."
"What changed?" a single question from Joe erased the small smile that was etched on Ahim's face.
Somber, she answered. "They left us. One by one. First it was Mother Lise, due to childbirth, then my mother followed afterwards, the same cause. Father fell ill a year after and the next thing we know… my younger brother who was just shy of 13 was named as the ruler. Things simply went south from then on. My older sister was married off to Ikigai for the sake of alliance whilst my other two younger brothers were simply too young to even understand a thing. One is 5 whilst the youngest if only 3. I had been raising and looking after them on my own after my sister left but the next thing I know… I'm already here."
"That's tough princess. You'd think with all those wealth, a person like you would live your life with zero worries." said Luka.
"Everything comes with a price."Ahim finished and nobody said a word as they continued their journey in silence. Joe on the other hand can't help but to steal glances at the princess every now and then.
The group had just settled up camp for the night as everyone was simply working on their assigned task without a word and Ahim was lost in her own world as she set to collect some firewood.
Mother… Father… Mother Lise… Eren… Levi… Rui… it's been a while since Ahim even reminisce about her family members especially about those who had left her for good. Whenever any other royal family came to visit, Ahim was often told that their family was weird in a lot of different ways. Her father only having 2 consorts was an abnormality already but the fact that the consorts gets along very well and even the children are very close to one another simply puzzled certain delegations.
But Ahim never once took cared about the mocking words that transpired amongst the people.
To her, her family was the most dear to her. The happiest and the most loving. Queen Clara might be her birth mother but Consort Lise was Ahim's mother too. The two consorts loved one another like sisters and they gave love and care to all of the children, regardless the ones that they gave birth to or not, the same.
Her little brothers, Eren just 13 of age that was crowned when he was too young. And Levi and Rui… both are too young to even know what is going on. Imagining those three being left alone having to fend for their own self made her heart ache.
A part of her simple wanted to rush back home, to be by her little brothers' side. But the better part of her know that this plan of hers needs to be executed if she ever wants a safe and better future for her brothers. This is the only way.
"Just hang on for a little while… Eren… Levi… Rui…" her goal for now is to get to Ikigai, get her sister's help and somehow, anyhow… try to win the war that Shion is waging on. Ahim of all people knew that at the moment, at the current state she is in – untrained and knows next to nothing on how to fight, she is being a dead weight to everyone.
Things would have to change from now on. Ahim who was too wrapped up in her head formulating a plan and picking up firewood, was oblivious to Joe who was observing her from afar.
The group have been travelling and trekking through the woods for more than two days now and Luka can't help but notice how exhausted the princess looks. When she voiced out the matter to Marvelous however, his response was simply. "She's a princess who's not used to all of these travels. It's pretty much nothing to fuss about. Just let her be."
But something still bugs Luka. Because Ahim looked as if she had never slept a wink rather than something who's been exhausted due to the travel. Her knight had been fussing over her every once in a while but Luka was never close enough to actually listen to what they were saying to each other.
It might be easier if she were to ask the person involved but that is impossible. Luka would not allow her to be seen as the nosy one. So, she went to the person that she knows will give her the answer that she needs. Joe.
"She had been training her sword skills in the dead of the night." Luka's eyes bulged open at the information.
"What?! How did you even know this?"
"Unlike the rest of you, I'm a light sleeper." Joe's answer made Luka huffed in annoyance.
"And you didn't even think to share this knowledge with the rest of us?"
"The princess looks like she doesn't want to let the rest knows about this so I choose to honour her wish."
Luka eyed Joe in disbelief. "Since when you are that considerate Joe Gibken?" Joe simply shrugged as an answer while Luka rolled her eyes at his choice to not explain further. And since she knows Joe for too long now, she got the hint that it was indeed the end of the discussion.
Joe simply eyed over Luka who was deep in thought. He pulled a small smirk. As expected of Luka. It was easy to sway her over.
Even if she refuses to admit it, behind that smug face, lies a soft heart that is super easy to be persuaded.
For now, at least this is the only thing he can do to help the princess.
A/N: and yes! I'm not dead guys! I'm back! Just a reminder that my updates are super irregular and sorry for those who had been waiting! Enjoy and leave comments!