Finally I updated! No Reyson this time. :( But I'll start the next chapter with him.
Chapter 15 Hinko Berries
The mercenary fort was humming with chatter. Some voices seemed excited while others were intertwined with sceptism and doubt. The subject of the talk was none other than the green-haired maiden now helping Mist and Ikyna in the kitchen.
Ike was sitting at the dinning room table watching the three young woman smile and talk easily with one another. It was hard to believe the woman, now known as Elincia, was the princess of Crimea. As far as the country was concerned the king and queen of Crimea had no children.
However, Elincia explained that in order to avoid a blood feud over kingship, her existence was kept a secret. This explanation sufficed, for the moment, to convince Greil to allow the Princess to stay. Her real identity couldn't be confirmed since the King and Queen were killed by the Daein king and Renning was off fighting with his royal knights; but Greil had made his decision.
Ike didn't see any reason to doubt the girl either. In any case, Titania commented that Elincia bore a striking resemblance to the former king and queen. In general, the rest of the group agreed to take in Elincia. All except for Shinon, though that wasn't surprising, and Soren, also not surprising.
Soren was still insistent that mercenaries should put their own interests first; and serving Daien was in their best interest. Shinon, although also against lending a hand to another lost woman, seemed mostly disturbed at the thought of escorting her to Gallia. The princess nearly begged on her knees for an escort to the land of beast laguz. It was in this land she hoped she would be safe from Daein's hold. Ike wondered what a country full of beasts was like.
Elincia laughed shyly with a hand covering her mouth as Ikyna made an enthusiastic gesture by the kitchen sink. No doubt she was retelling some embarrassing anecdote from his and her childhood Ike concluded with a shake of his head. He placed his elbow on the table and rested his chin on his fist, still watching the girls.
He recalled the earlier conversation with the princess. The mercenary was pleasantly surprised at how the royal carried herself. Ike always imagined members of royalty to be unpleasant and haughty. It just didn't make sense that there could be people out there whom felt so entitled just because of their birth. In his opinion, all the lords and ladies neither earned nor deserved the respect they demanded.
Elincia was certainly the opposite though. She still had a dignified way to herself, her movements were fluid and delicate, just as was expected from a woman of high birth, yet her emerald eyes were filled, not with snobbery or contempt for the mercenary group, but, with a gentle calmness.
Ike's eyes widened when he saw silver hair come into view. Aeyori shuffled into the kitchen with her hands kneaded together and her cheeks tinting a light pink as Ikyna pulled her into an abrupt side hug. She whispered something into her ear before making a suggestive flick with her chin towards Ike.
Aeyori's eyes widened and she immediately turned away, eliciting a laugh from the female twin. Ike frowned, not liking what he was seeing. He began making his way to the kitchen, feeling that he would soon have to do damage control.
A large hand grabbed Ike's shoulder and gave it a quick squeeze. It was Boyd wearing a sly grin. Boyd turned to Ikyna and began, "Your brother managed to bring home two girls already. Aren't you falling a bit behind? Isn't it your turn to bring a guy home?" He mused.
Ikyna rolled her eyes and dismissively waved her hand, "That's what I have Soren for right?" she said while making eye contact with the raven-haired young man. His eyebrow twitched only slightly; but he didn't allow himself to be goaded into making a retort. Ikyna still smiled, happy to have earned even the smallest acknowledgement from the stone-faced mage.
"He doesn't count." Boyd complained
"Stop whining." Ikyna said with a scowl, "If you keep this up I won't make you any dinner.
"Just as long as Mist doesn't make it." Boyd said with a snort.
Mist's eyes widened and then she furrowed her brows. Her hands flew to her hips, "Well excuse me. You can just go hungry if my cooking is so awful."
Boyd murmured, "That's still better."
The auburn-haired girl let her jaw drop. She quickly grabbed a towel from the kitchen and chucked in at Boyd. It covered his face and he yelped in surprise before yanking it off; irritation was visible.
Mist made a "hmph" sound and a quick nod that seemed to say, "it serves you right." She grabbed a bushel of greens harshly and began washing them as she fumed. It wasn't her fault that her cooking wasn't amazing, she justified to herself.
"What can I do to help?"
"Huh?" Mist whipped her head around. Elincia was smiling softly as she addressed the girl. Mist flailed her arms around, "No no no, you shouldn't be cooking. You're a princess."
Elincia shook her head, "Even so, I can't just sit around. You're all being so kind it's the least I can do." She placed her hand on top of Mist's before smoothly prying the vegetables away. Without another word she began washing the greens in a wooden pale as she hummed softly when a content smile.
Mist watched in amazement. It was strange enough to have a princess in the fort, but now the royal was working for them. The whole scene was absurd and Mist made an attempt to grab the vegetables back, but Elincia swayed just out of reach and mouthed 'no,' before continuing her job.
"Mist and a princess cooking?" Boyd began as his forehead wrinkled, "This could be very bad."
He spoke soft enough that Elinicia couldn't hear him but the two sisters had. They shot Boyd with glares causing him to face Ike. Ike was also staring at him with a raised eyebrow. Boyd shrugged while scratching the tip of his nose before averting his face from his friends pointed gazes.
"Just don't antagonize my sisters when you're standing next to me." Ike said before shaking Boyd's hand off of his shoulder.
Ikyna began shooing the boys with her hands. "Well if you're not going to help then get out of the way." She scolded lightly. Aeyori slid further into the kitchen with her top fisted in her hands; her forehead creased. "I can help too." She said in nearly a whisper.
"Perfect, you can chop this potato." Ikyna left her job of scooting her brother and Boyd out before reaching into a basket filled with garden goods and passed Aeyori a brown spud and a knife. Aeyorie's rounded pink lips pursed themselves together as she stared at the vegetable and blade in her hand.
The glimmering metal reflected her face. Wide eyes looked back at her as she watched the blade glide over the potatoe. White flesh of the potato fell onto a cutting board with a wet clunk. "Be careful."
The warning tone came from Ike. He was peaking through the archway of the kitchen; his eyes focused on her working hands. She heard herself absently respond, "huh," as she dropped the knife.
"You shouldn't cut towards yourself." Ike's brows dipped into a frown as he pointed to her hands. His body, looming and broad, stood over hers. Ike grabbed her hands, a little rougher than intended, and placed the knife back in her hand. He was holding the potato in the other and guiding her knife in a safe cutting motion away from her body.
"You don't want to ever move the blade in your direction." Ike's voice was a little gruff, even a tad harsh, but his hands felt warm as he held hers and swiped them back and forward, letting her arms memorize the motion. Aeyori decided, Ike's initial front came off very unfriendly, but despite his stern expression, he was gently guiding her hands.
She found her eyes wandering again and tracing a course down his face. His dark blue eye-brows, sharp-pointed nose, and the lightly swaying shadows from his hair that darkened his high, pale cheek bones.
"Is something wrong?" Ike's eyes that looked like small oceans looked into Aeyori's scarlet irises.
"No!" she quickly recovered before yanking her hands back, not on purpose but by sheer nervous reflex, and nodded quickly. "It's fine. Thank you for showing me." Her voice trailed off at the end as she sheepishly retreated after being caught staring.
Ikyna suddenly stuck her head between the mage and swordsman, "You don't chop vegetables much do you?"
"No, not really." Aeyori admitted with a feeling of guilt. There wasn't any real reason for the slowly creeping shame that was turning in her stomach; but the question, though not asked with any ill intent, made her fret over not knowing how to complete such a simple task properly.
"What, did you have your servants do it for you back at home?" Boyd chimed in having managed to sneak back into the kitchen.
Elincia paused and stopped cleaning the vegetables before glancing at Aeyori with a questioning look. "Are you from a noble family?"
"No, no, no!" she frantically responded; her eyes widening and darting from each person standing in the room.
"I just don't normally eat this kind of food." She admitted.
"What do you eat?" Mist asked with a curious look.
Aeyori brushed a dangling strand of silver hair from her face; she nervously dug the tip of her boots into the floor as all attention was placed on her. After a few moments of avoiding everyone's gaze she gasped excitedly as she clapped her hands together.
"I forgot; I have these." Without explaining her sudden excitement she started to rummage through a small purse that was slung over her shoulder with a braided strap. She produced an even smaller pouch, made from leather, with ties at the top that kept the mouth closed. Gingerly she stuck her hands into the opening and pulled out a handful of dark purple circles.
They stained the tips of her fingers blue and violet as they rolled around in her palm.
"Are those blueberries?" Mist inquired while peering down at the tiny fruits.
Aeyori quickly shook her head, "No these are hinko berries." She offered her hand to the young mercenary with an inviting smile.
"I used to eat these all the time when I was little, would you like to try some?"
Mist plucked handful of berries and gave some to her sister. "You ate them when you were little?"
"Yes, they grow a lot by my old house. But sometimes I'll find them on my travels too."
Mist shrugged before popping one into her mouth right before her sister did the same. As the two girls chewed Aeyori passed some along to Ike, Boyd and Elincia. She eagerly waited for the reactions to one of her favorite foods.
Mist was the first to react. Her face twisted and her eyes watered as her lips puckered. She looked like she couldn't speak as she covered her lips with both her hands. Next Ikyna responded by coughing and sputtering.
"Do you not like it?" Aeyori asked with genuine surprise on her face.
"Sour, so sour." Mist said with her tongue sticking out as she gasped.
"Sour?"
"Do you really like these?" Ikyna incredulously asked while massaging her throat.
"Of course." Aeyori defended, not understanding their reactions. She turned to the other three snacking on their berries. Boyd's lips were turned down as he frowned and Elincia cleared her throat as she held her hand over her mouth.
"Is it not good?"
The group stayed silent until Elincia finally spoke up, "It has a very unique taste." She smiled sweetly, "You must have many pleasant memories of eating these with your family."
Elincia's sincere but vague response caused Aeyori to smile bashfully and silently. She looked at Ike as he chewed. He wore the same straight face he always did as he swallowed. "Do you think it has a very unique taste?" she inquired.
Ike held his hand to his chin, "Well, it's not really to my liking, but it's not like my opinion is law."
Aeyori looked at the hinkos in her hand before popping the rest into her mouth as if to confirm they really were as delicious as she remembered. The overpowering sour taste and sharp bitter bite at the end filled her mind with nostalgia and brought a smile to her face. The berries were definitely still delicious like she thought.
"I can't believe you can smile while eating those." Boyd said, still groaning from the awful after taste.
Ikyna laughed, "It's pretty cute though."
"What's so cute?" The droll voice of a new person entered the kitchen.
"You are of course." Ikyna cheerily replied to Soren as he strode into the kitchen.
She pinched his cheeks with a cheeky smile, he hastily swiped her hand away. His eyes tightened in annoyance. Ikyna pretended to pout as she cradled her hand, then, when she saw he was unaffected, she returned to her normal cheery self."
"Aeyori is." She began, "She looks so happy just eating berries because they remind her of her home."
"And where is that exactly?" Soren asked with a leery expression.
Aeyori's face sank and the kinko berries no longer kept her happy mood. She shot her head down and looked at the floor as if something truly interesting was down there.
"Well go on, isn't it about time you told us where you came from?"
"Oh come on Soren." Mist began to protest but she was quickly silenced by a dangerous glare from the dark haired boy. His red eyes focused on Aeyori with determination. "You seem to be getting quite comfy here. You owe us some information."
Ike made his way into Soren's line of vision as if to block Aeyori from the mage's pointed glare. Soren continued to look in her direction, allowing his eyes to bore into Ike.
"Soren." He said in a mildly scolding tone as he folded his arms over his chest.
Soren finally submitted to Ike, one of the few persons he really trusted. He didn't understand this misplaced trust or whatever emotion Ike was having. It was as if Ike and this girl were forming a bond already. No, Soren wasn't petty enough to be jealous of Ike's relationships, but he didn't want any person worming their way into the hearts of people he cared for if they weren't worthy.
With an irritated sigh he conceded to find the truth of this girl another time. He gave her one more meaningful glance. Her eyes caught his just for a second and she quickly turned away. His eyes were so cold and angry when they looked at her, Aeyori thought as she went back to looking at the ground.
"Goodness gracious Soren, lighten up." Ikyna wrapped her arm around Soren with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Have a berry and calm down."
She offered Soren a small handful of the hinko berries with an innocent smile. "Go on." She insisted.
Ikyna eagerly waited for him to gobble the berries up, but he paused and watched her with a dubious express, not trusting why she would offer him anything. Yet those blue eyes peered into him, nearly burrowing through his face he felt. In truth, no matter how stubborn he insisted on being, he always gave into Ike and Ikyna.
Reluctantly he popped the berries in his mouth and began to chew. The rest of the mercenaries and princess watched with held breathes for his reaction. Even Ike, who was never much into making a large fuss over things, leaned in to see what would happened.
It was not what anyone expected. Soren slowly chewed, his almost melancholy expression was maintained. He finally swallowed and cleared his throat before giving a small nod, "They are good." Was his plain response.
Aeyori's head shot up and she smiled contently at the mage. He glanced back at her then rolled his eyes. Ikyna laughed with a mixture of amusement and disappointment. She was really hoping to see an over the top reaction from her sulky friend. "I don't why I expected anything else."
Ike cracked a small smile as he watched Soren and his sister. He turned to Aeyori and placed his hand on her head. She cringed slightly before looking up at him with curiosity, "See, someone liked the berries."
She flashed him a meek smile, relishing in the moment, not sure if it was the thought of someone liking the berries or Ike's warm hand on her head that was making her so happy.
"Ike, Ike!" Rolf rushed in suddenly, his green eyes wide with panic.
"What?" he asked as his brow furrowed in anticipation.
"There's trouble outside. Daein surrounded us!"
So I'm kind of in the middle of writing some stuff for my friend so that's why it's taking me so long to update. Sorry. I wanted this chapter to be longer but it would have taken like another two weeks to get this chapter out. So sorry it's kind of short.