Speech = ``...´´
Thoughts = [... }
ºº
``Oh, by the goddess...this taste so good!´´
Rose could not help but hum out loud with endless praise as she took spoon after spoon of the mysterious soup she had been served for breakfast.
When Alpha and Koldarrd came carrying that steaming pot with them she had not known what to make of it, the smell that escaped from its sealed form was rather enticing to say the least, but when she took a good look at what was inside she had been left rather puzzled.
Even after all the plates and dishes the chefs in the palace had served her she had no idea of what she had been looking at. And she had seem quite a lot!
True, she had recognised a thing here and there...but there were some ingredients that appeared alien to her. Its form and delivery were also different from what she was used to, it was not...elegant perse…, but it wasn't crude either. No, not at all.
Still, there was something to it that drew her attention, and it wasn't just because it was a novelty in her eyes.
And when she saw Alpha take a spoon of the soups contents into her own bowl she took upon herself to try.
She was glad she had.
Oh, the colours! The scents and touches melting in her taste-buds like the softest of ice-creams or the most expensive of delicacies. No, she shook her head internally, such descriptions were too mundane to even get near the point she was trying to make.
As if an angel had descended from above and had blessed this meal with its holy power. She could almost daydream on the spot, the fact she had not been already was a testament of how much she tried to resist into giving into doing so in front of her friends. That would be an embarrassing situation.
Still, the way it filled her and warm her body…there were few words to describe it.
In fact, she was sure that her body felt stronger and more energetic than ever! A funny tingling itching at the edge of her fingertips as if a small puppy were licking them..
``I have to agree, for something with such a simple presentation it does manage to surprise with its peculiar taste and scent. I have the feeling that you could whiff it from the distance and feel full already..´´
The voice of Alpha drew her temporally away from her own happy thoughts.
Cocking her head into her direction, she noticed that the young elf was smiling at her, holding with one of her hands her own bowl while the other pushed to the side her golden mane away from her eyes from the time to time brushes of the wind.
Revealing those delicate ears that twitched from time to time in the process…
It reminded her of a cat she had seen back in the royal gardens. If she were to stretch out her hand would she purr like one..?
...
She shook her head internally, hoping that she had not been caught staring, though who could blame her? Alpha was the first elf she had actually see and spoken to in her life.
Still, the blond girl was right, the simplicity of the meal had taken her by surprise.
``It seems that the ladies are enjoying themselves…., that is good to hear. I feared that you may not find it to your taste´´
She felt her cheeks heat up a little bit at that, quickly raising her hand over her lips as she tried to fake a cough in some sort of attempt to appear professional if only for a moment as she tried to regain her composure..
Normally she would have used a fan, but lacking on that regard and the fact that she had seen her father do that from time to time when talking with her mother she decided to give it a try. After all, it had to work, right? Right..?
``Was that a cough? Did you catch a cold Rose..? I believe Alpha does have some remedy for that´´
``That I do.., a remedy from my village´´
Her eyes blinked a bit with surprise, finding another wave of embarrassment wash over her. She had tried to avoid something only to throw herself down into another.
What a way to go...
``N-no is not that…´´
``Are you sure?´´ Questioned Alpha, her face frowning not with suspicion but worry that was unneeded and undeserved.
``That cough did not sound good nor natural, surely a little couldn't do harm..´´
``I am grateful for your offer, I really am Alpha. But it was nothing.´´
``Are you sure..?´´
``Yeah, see? I don't have it any-more..´´
The blond elf stared at her for a moment, but with a sight and shrugging her shoulders Alphas wary demeanour vanished and once again returned to her calm nature.
``I will hold you to that...´´
The princess of Orianna could not help but smile back at her friend, the edges of her lips slowly widening into a broad grin.
Even though she had met her for just a brief time, she was grateful for the elfs kind heart.
``I will, that I swear...´´
``So Rose, what was that..?´´
Koldarrds sudden intrusion brought her away from those thoughts. Silvery eyes flickering as if the shade of gold of hers were reflecting a small sun.
``What do you mean..?´´
``You were going to say something…, but you stopped, what was it?´´
Her lips opened up, yet no words left through. Did he saw through her..?
She shook her head internally, what was with her been caught in either awe or surprise these last few days? She was a princess, for Oriannas sake she had to act like it.
It was just that with the delicacy she was enjoying herself had the power to make her temporally forget about it.
``If the food felt like arguing with your stomach you have just to say..´´
``W-what?´´
She had not really expected that.
``Perhaps I should have come to expect it.., I just forgot that even if someone likes something that doesn't mean their body may take it well. Like a dog wishing for a treat..argh, clumsy old me. ´´
She ignored the fact that he had just the figure of a pet as comparison.
``Koldarrd, I think you may have misunderstood something´´
One of his eyes took a brief glimpse at her, a raise eyebrow while one of his hands pushed to the side some strays locks of black from his eyes.
``Is that so? But if is not that, then what could it be Rose´´
Well...wasn't that the point..?
``I..was just looking for the right words to congratulate you´´
``Surely you jest..´´
She chuckled at the puzzled expression on the boy before her. It made him look rather cute when his features were not plagued with solemnity.
More young...
More filled with life...
``Oh Koldarrd, you don't have to be so modest.., this meal was wonderful. Truly, I have no words to express my surprise. It almost feels like ´´
He shook his head, though his movements were not plagued by any sort of stiffness.
``You don't have to pretend Rose.., I am old enough to take a hit´´
She almost stood up, her hands raised into the air before she started waiving her hands up and down.
``But I am serious! I have never taste anything like it..! This is deserving of a prize, no.., several at least! ´´
``I must agree with Rose, it would be quite hard to do so when you have personally cooked this meal for us, Koldarrd...´´
Spoke Alpha, offering her support on her opinion albeit in a much controlled and refined manner. And yet, it was not that drew her attention in the end...
``You cooked this!? Alone..?´´
She could not help but utter with disbelief, a small part of her knew that should have been the most obvious answer yet she had thought that they had acquired their meal from some wayward village not to far away from here.
Wise, kind, gentle and handsome...as-well as in the company of an elf in a remote setting like this abandoned village.
To think that the raven haired boy was able to cook this well only added another pleasant surprise to the mystery that Koldarrd was.
If it wasn't because the raven haired boy was a noble by the looks of it she would have been glad to bring him to her home. Perhaps she could convince her father to appoint him as her personal chef since she doubted that because he was her first friend in Midgard would be a good enough reason.
The two could have talked and played in the gardens that had always been a little bit to large for her liking, the lack of other royal children or nobles to fill the silence and emptiness a bit too jarring if she was honest, but something that could have vanished from her thoughts with him as her company.
She could have read and share those books she liked so much with him so that he could enjoy them as much as she did and perhaps have a different opinion.
Perhaps go to the kitchens and learn to bake some cookies….
Still, she was not disappointed with what she got. And that was enough...
Who knew…, perhaps getting kidnapped had not been all that bad.
…
She bit her lip. Well no.., she had gone through a rather bad time and she would rather not dwell on it…, but had she not she would not have been able to meet her new friends.
In fact…, now that she thought about it. If she had remained guarded as she should have nothing of this she would have managed to experience. She would not have managed to find a purpose to dedicate her life to the sword.., nor she would have been able to experience this simple yet amazing pleasures of life.
To think what had needed to take place for all of those things to even have the possibility to happen. It was….dreadful to consider.
Unknowns to her, a pair of eyes of silver had been staring rather ominously at her, squinting and softening at times. Reading more than just the signals coming off from the expressions in her face.
He cocked his head to the side.
``Actually, I made it..´´
He said, seemingly correcting some sort of mistake on her part, though she did not know why or what. Not that she minded in the slightest nor she put much attention to it though. And as such, she did not realize the way his voice gained an ounce of tension through it.
And why would she when her attention was elsewhere? As far as she was aware, making and cooking were the same. They just sounded different…
If only she knew...
And so in her ignorance she pondered. Perhaps it was just another style of speech from the region that she had yet to get used to. She had so much to learn, Midgard was so different from her home country…
The buildings, the people, the culture….she would have loved to learn so much more about them, about everything, but the guards that her fathers friend had placed to watch over her merely paraded her around and did not let her explore.
She felt her stomach slowly tie itself into knots, her breathing growing a little more heavier as she slowly found herself reaching the edge of that cliff.
She knew she should look away, but something always drove her to look over her shoulder into that darkness..
``Rose..?´´
Alpha asked, but her words were disregarded as Rose as the young princess found herself once again reliving those days of captivity.
It had been so fast.., she had been walking through the street and then in a blink of an eye she was been tossed into a carriage. The rough touch of the ropes wrapped around her arms and legs.
The inability to move…
To do something...
``Is something wrong Rose…?´´
She was broke out from her thoughts once more, the touch of his hand landing over her shoulder. His finger clasping softly around it and giving her slow, yet comforting palms. She almost leaned into the touch, only for her senses to go return and made her realize what she was doing under those watchful eyes of blue.
``I-sorry...I was in deep thought again and I quite lost what you just said., was it something important..?´´
He stared at her, clearly having trouble believing that, still...he gave her a weak nod.
``I know.., you were not responding to neither Alphas or my questions. It felt as if you just...freeze on the spot´´
His tone was calm, yet denoting a small pang of worry in his voice. His eyes closed to a half lid, softening in their glare as they gazed at her. Thin lips twisting downwards, almost imperceptibility in what could only be a frown. A sight mirrored in his elven companion soon enough.
In any other moment she would have not been able to avoid pointing out how cute that was, but right now it only made her embarrassment grow all the more prominent
``I-I see.., my apologies. I did not mean to ignore either of you´´
``We know Rose…, that is not what worried or troubled us though´´
Said Alpha, the elf placing her arms below her chest and pressing them against it. Her voice filled with worry and understanding in equal manner. Her eyes glinting with a glimpse of companionship that almost disarmed her.
It wasn't like her dearest friend back at the capital. This felt more….deep. Was it the magic and allure of the elf's? Or something else..?
``Really..?´´
She asked, a bit surprised by the lack of irritation that one could find when being ignore, but this time it was Koldarrd who spoke back.
``Yes, and though we may have not known each other for a long span of time...we could not help but notice the look in your eyes..´´
``Is..is nothing, really´´
``We will be the judge to that, still... is there something wrong Rose? Did you feel hurt somewhere..?´´
She shook her head, raising her hands in a placating manner.
``No, is not that...I was just remembering something´´
Or in this case, reliving something...
Why were bad memories so easy to recall while those moments that were pure and kind were a little more harder..? Was it because of how fresh it was? Or was it just her mind playing games at her..?
``You mean what happened before we found you…?´´
Alpha questioned, though it felt more like a statement. Her voice echoing softly as her golden brows narrowed in to a thoughtful expression. Rose did not answer back, merely nodding her head as she placed her hands over her lap. Her slender fingers fidgeting with one another.
Koldarrd leaned closer, his eyes unblinking..his expression stuck into a mask of stone that seemed to have been carved into his flesh while his black hair dropped around him like a soft mantle that almost covered the both of them.
Had she not been struck with a sense of awe at the way his appearance seemed to grow more mature in a heartbeat she would have realized that she could sense his breath brush against her skin or how his hand landed on hers.
``…´´
``Rose..´´
``Yes..?´´
``Do you want to let it out..?´´
``Let it.. out?´´
She questioned, one of her brows raising at the words of the raven haired boy who slowly leaned back, his hand placing away his own bowl of soup into the mattress.
``Yes, someone told me once that sometimes to share ones own burden with others may help to alleviate the pain you suffered´´
``Will it make those memories go away..?´´
``No..´´
She stared wide eyed at Koldarrd for a moment, taken a back by the simple rebuttal before she chuckled with a half hearted shake of her head. Her golden hair dancing left and right as a result.
She had expected a lie…She had expected a few words of comfort. She had not expected to be given the truth.
It was...rather refreshing, to not be treated as if she was made of glass.
``You are not good at talking to a girl, aren't you?´´
``No..´´
``Most people say that they are...´´
He shrugged his shoulders almost absently.
``I am not most people.., nor I find the need to lie to those that consider me a friend…´´
That made her heart flutter for a brief moment before a chuckle escaped through her lips. He definitely was the most peculiar person her age she had the pleasure to meet.
Fun too..
``You are strange…´´
She muttered to herself, toying shyly with one of the golden streaks of hair with her other hand.
``Strange..?´´
``Y-yes, but in a good way I may add!´´
She replied with haste once she realized that she had spoken out loud her thoughts. Not hearing the way Alpha chuckled at her reaction, nor the way Koldarrd seemed even more confused.
``Perhaps, I believe I have been told that a few many times already..´´
He said, halting for a brief moment before looking away from her, those silvery eyes finding the blue ocean like of Alphas. Who offered a timid smile in return, lips quirting upwards slowly before he switched his attention back to her.
``It may not take it away what happened.., but it will make it more bearable, that I promise´´
``Do you really mean it?´´
His demeanour did not change, his posture did not change...and yet she felt as if he became extremely more serious if only for a few brief seconds as he delivered his answer.
``My life is my word, and I don't break my promises..´´
She believed that..
She did not know why but she did.
The way he held himself, the way he stood...even if he was just a child of her age, he appeared and acted like a true ruler. Majestic and powerful, there was no doubt in her mind that if he promised something, he would carry it out..no matter how dangerous or difficult it may be.
``Still, if there is something we can do for you, we would´´
``You are too kind..´´
``He truly is..., that is something I have grown to learn with Koldarrd these few days.., but know Rose that we would do our best to help you, that is what friends are for.., aren't they?´´
Said the elf, the girl leaning closer and placing a hand over her chest. Similar to the way a knight would. Even though she was not aware of elf customs, she understood that it was a promise of some kind.
And oath…, one born out of the kindest of a girl she had met just a few hours ago and that she knew Alpha would not break.
The two of them….
They were marvellous people weren't they?
``Indeed…, Alpha is right. Besides, is it not common sense to help a soul that is in need of aid..?´´
How many times she had heard those word sin her mind in the countless of stories of adventures and knights she had read in her home?
She had always imagined them in a rather fancy way, mirroring the thrill and the mystery that those books always entailed. Tall and gallant men whose features were carved into stone but with a kind visage on the eyes of the beholder, wearing those heroes their bright and shining armour, their lithe capes of silk floating in the air while they trod the field with a pure white stead
Koldarrd may be a child her age, he may not be encased in plate armour, nor wearing blades or traversing with a horse
But he felt like one all the same...
``Rose..you are crying..´´
Much to her surprise, she actually was. She brushed aside a single tear of emotion from sliding down her face. Holding his hand and clasping her fingers around it. Feeling the warm of his fingers with hers.
``Yes, I suppose you are right..´´
``Which one..?´´
``Why not both..?´´
She replied with a timid smile once she was sure that no more tears would slid down.
Koldarrd however remained silent, calm and clearly not troubled at all, allowing her the space and time she needed for herself before she tried to return to the conversation. Alpha merely seemed to acknowledge her choice with a sense of pride. Like a sister watching their younger siblings do something on their own without their attention.
It made her feel better.
She would be grateful to the goddess to grant her the kindness of her new found friends. Without them, she was sure that she would have found the stillness of the village rather unsettling instead of a peculiar wonder to be explored
`` I see…, then will you help us? Will you tell us?´´
Asked Koldarrd, his voice like before washing over her like a soothing cool blanket, while Alpha seemed to radiate with a warmth as similar as the sun.
They always worried about others didn't they...? She liked that.
``Its just that my mind sometimes gets back to those moments when I was kidnapped…, I know I should left it out of my mind and enjoy this, but without that experience..
``You would not have met us..´´
Finished Alpha for her as she realized what she had been trying to say, earning a nod in the process.
``Exactly..´´
``I suppose you feel puzzled about such conundrum.., the hurt you feel...is not just about what happened, but rather with the way that it collides with your beliefs...´´
[Yeah, that would be a way to put it] She thought.
He took her silence as her answer. The depths of those eyes darkening for a second before softening in what could have only be mild sorrow. Then steel like resignation as his shoulders sagged and his lips curled into an apologetic smile.
``Rose, bad things happens to bad people, right? So why did this happen to me is what you are really telling me, isn't it?´´
She nodded, still taken by surprise by the raw force of those emotions she had managed to peer on as they exuded from his body.
In the tales and fairy-tales that she had grown up with those who did good were always gifted with fortune and the wicked punished terribly for their misdeeds. That was how things were suppose to go.
That was the nature of things...at least, in her still growing mind.
As if he was listening to her very thoughts he shook his head.
``Bad things happen for no reason apparent…, that is the nature of things. No higher power or arbitrary decision from fate...just unfortunate events caused by happen-stance.´´
She bit her lip. ``B-but that can not be! ´´
``Rose, think.. if your food falls down to the ground because you stumble..is that a way to show that you are a bad person?´´
``No.., but that is not the point´´
``Why...?´´
``Because...there is no providence that guides me to stumble. Just...my clumsiness I guess´´
The black haired boys face creased. Silver eyes squinting…, yet not too much, his face still giving out his calm and polite smile but there was a new feeling hiding underneath.
``So it is really about fate...´´
He muttered, more to himself than her. His eyes narrowing a little bit, his lips moving downwards. Bemusement could be found in his voice, yet there was some titbits of cold attached to them.
He did not wait for her answer. Leaning a bit forward in the process...
``If a noble losses all of their wealth by the schemes of another, is it fates will to do so?´´
``No, I did not mean..-´´
``Its it fates hand to guide a humble merchant to traverse through the world as they try to pay their debts to help their family only to be mugged and butchered on the road? Their body left to be the feast of beast and birds of carrion alike..?´´
Her lips opened then closed, her teeth biting them as she found in the paradoxical desire to speak up, to convince him…..only to find that she had nothing remotely good to say anyway.
This was not what her father had taught her when she had asked what happened when trouble neared its head into the ears of the court.…
This was not what her servants and teachers had taught her through those sessions in the palace…
This was not what the holy scriptures had taught her at all…
A part of her wanted to rebuke his claim, that there was some truth to her words. That those who committed good deeds were rewarded by the goddess while those foul and craven at heart were punished by the strange will and ways of fate.
And yet she felt the words make a dent and then crack a part of a metaphorical wall inside her. Something that only grew larger and bigger when she remembered what he had said before.
"Nor I find the need to lie to those that consider me a friend…"
She had believed his words then and she believed still them now. That would not change. Not now, not tomorrow, and perhaps not ever...
Because he was her friend…, and by the looks of it, Alpha too seemed to agree with his reasoning.
Koldarrd remained still, his eyes closing for a moment..his face losing the tension that had seemingly built up inside him. A slow, weak sigh leaving through his thin lips.
When he open his eyes again, he looked like he had aged a decade or two..
``Bad things sometimes happen to good people.., Rose. There is no need to explain things, no hand needing to be there to push things...at least..not above in the heavens´´
He halted...clouds of the past passing by the depths of those steel like ponds. Her own unable to look away from him before he managed to continue, stretching his arm to the side, his hand open wide, firm...but not in tension.
Not yet..
``Then the same applies here..´´
Rose was left dumbfounded at the reply, mouth hanging open as she forgot the ability of speech in this given moment while her brains tried to racket up things into place. How five words could make such chaos?
The serenity of his voice, the simplicity of the way he stated his point... as if he had lived through it. As if he had saw it a thousand times over, again and again..
The sight almost made her stumble backwards as if it had literally slap her across the face. Then the gears of her mind started to work. Her face frowning.
That could not be possible, it just couldn't, not because she thought so..but rather how impossible it was for it to be true. Yet her senses had not betrayed her before and she doubted they would be doing so now.
True, she may have been caught by surprise and taken hostage.., that she would not deny and the memory only made the embarrassment of the experience resurface once again. Guards or not..she should have been at least more observant, more on guard.
She would remember this lesson, but right now that was not what mattered, what it did was the fact that she was sure of her ability to judge the character of those around her.
And she knew what she had seen..
Alpha and Koldarrd may have been different as day and night, their demeanour varied and peculiar…, their origins vastly different from each other. But the two of them..
The two of them were no liars…, they were as honest as they could be. Their bodies merely reflecting outside what they could not bring out from their insides.
And what she could at least try to guess on was pain. Raw, unadulterated pain. Blocked, and dulled.., but it was still there. Underneath their eyes, festering in the process...
She had come to realize Koldarrds own far sooner than Alphas, because he had been the one her attention had been more often than not. His form lingering in her mind with more frequency than it could have been than Alphas, but she had good enough memory to recall some of the side-glimpses she had caught from the elf.
That would explain things…
That could give voice to the scorching questions that were in her mind, yet there was no satisfaction in this revelation, not with the can of worms that it opened in the process..
What had happened to them? Who or what could have...hurt such kind and gentle people..? To think and even imagine her friends in pain, in worst situations than she had been only filled with dread and pain.
And now she started to understand.
How could the goddess treat her friends so callously when they had done nothing but help her so much? What wrath had they incurred to demand such fates when they were as young as her?
She did not know...and she found that she didn't want to.
And yet..
And yet...
She bit her lip. Even if she wanted, she could not completely give in to it. Be it her pride as a princess and the need to hold her opinion no matter what as a person of her station, perhaps a matter of principles or if it was merely stubbornness she did not nodded her head and agreed with his view.
``You make it feel...so impersonal´´
There were so many things she could have said…, and yet this was the first to come out.
He looked at her, his face not betraying an ounce of emotion behind those silver eyes, but she knew that he was not bothered by it.
In fact, it felt that he had welcomed it. Smiling underneath the skin and bone...
``You don't have to like my words nor follow them to the letter…, merely consider them..´´
This time she nodded, weakly.., but nodded nonetheless...
That seemed rather wise and rather useful, no..,she shook her head, it was wise and useful.
His advice was not filled with idealism tethering his words but rather covered with simple pragmatism. Sometimes it felt he was talking to someone far older than herself. As if he had been forced to grow up before it was time.
The thought lingered in her mind for a second, like a simple side glimpse at the back of her mind.. before it plagued her for what it felt like minutes as it reconnected with the thoughts that had come from what she had sensed.
And here she had thought the bandits and the failed kidnapping would the what she would have to be worried about…
Right now that felt like a distant memory, inconsequential.., insignificant.
She did not wanted to believe that, to consider that…., but what could have done something like that to the kind and gentle boy before him such thing if not down right tragedy?
Why were the two of them here in the wilderness? In this abandoned village? Where were their parents?
She knew she shouldn't have worried about such things, that perhaps there was a far simpler and brighter explanation.
But she could not shake that feeling...
She wanted to reply, to give voice to those thoughts. Instead she leaned closer to the young boy, her eyes locked with those silver eyes that glinted with such intelligence and ethereal aura around them.
``Can I ask you a question Koldarrd..?´´
A moment of silence followed her weak demand, the sound of her voice weak even now that she had tried to bear those words into the world that it almost think that she had thought rather than stated her question through her own lips.
Such worries were dispelled as soon as it came when Koldarrd granted her a response in the form of a weak nod. His eyes softening ever so slightly while his lips pursued into the ghost of a smile.
``If its in my power...´´
She was glad he accepted.., and yet this was the easy part. The next...would not be as much.
``Do you think I could meet your parents one day..?´´
ºº
A/N
Here comes another chapter, hope you enjoy it. Review if you like.
Real smooth Rose, real smooth...just asking what could be taking in the wrong way in front of dear little Alpha.