Speech = ``...´´
Thoughts = [... }
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Rose….
Rose Orianna…
Princess, child, victim….
The small girl had been many things, in such a short spam of time. A sad little thing to acknowledge, but one that was….all too common. Here and in any world that he had dared to touch.
Children were weak. They were gullible, and they made good targets for those with malice in their hearts and even more foul intentions. A princess who had lived her life under the walls of luxury and ignorance would not have been any different.
And yet, the girl behaved just as much as he had expected her to do if one were to ignore everything that had laid the steps to their eventual meeting, perhaps even better than his preconception of herself.
Timid at times, but not too much to be pushed around. Calm yet not stoic like a rock, expressive but not overly the top as-well as polite and well mannered yet that did not stop her from speaking with no barrier to stop her but the brief reminder of her status or when she became self aware of how she was taking over their conversation. Now that he realized..., that last aspect of her was perhaps the most vocal of them all, no pun intended.
She was annoying with her soft, delicate sound of her voice when it left through her lips.
She was overbearing with her endless questions and banal conversations…, finding it easy to become stranded in her thoughts when coming across something that cought her attention. Be it the buildings of the village, his companion or himself..
But even though she was those things, she was….better than most children would be at her age and given upbringing. The stain of those events that should have left a profound mark on her surprising him by their lack of presence in her mind and soul.
All those things reminded him that he was not really used to deal with these sort of situations. Which is why he had believed his elven companion could have aided him in such regard. At least...he believed she would have been able to handle it far better than him with the fact that both of them shared similar ages.
An idea that had been reinforced inside his mind when taking into consideration that Rose would be far more amiable and comfortable in the presence of someone of the same gender, instead of the same sex her kidnappers had been. A logical assumption that had no draw backs or flaws...
That way someone else could deal with the emotional baggage that was Rose…, perhaps find some common ground and bond with one another while he tried to figure out a way to understand why was she a bearer of Auroras blood while also not showing sings of corruption.
After all, if the girl he had rescued was nothing but a mass of rotten flesh what was stopping that same fate to take place in Roses own flesh...?
Was it the mana circuits inside them?
Was if a difference brought by the difference of their species?
Was it because Auroras blood was more diluted, with the elfs living longer lifespans making the amount of direct descendants from the witch of calamity be higther than those of a human bloodline..?
Or was it all of the above..?
He was sure that he would find the answer to it soon enough. Sadly, such plans had failed so spectacularly before they could even hatch that he had still problem grasping the reason behind it.
Why was his elf companion keeping silence like a mute..!? What had drove her to stick behind him and watch how he interacted with her instead of actually taking part of the conversation..?
He almost wanted to slam his head into a wall…, but he decided against it. The wall would probably cave in with the first hit.
Still, he understood what it was to not be thrilled about the idea of meeting others, or being distrustful…, but was really now the moment?
That had forced him to deal with the matter first, then find out things later. Something which he resented deeply inside the depths of his body, real or imaginary…
But he was no stranger to situations such as this. Nor he expected it to be the last...
And so, that was why both him and Rose walked out from the broken vestiges of the building they had accommodated for her awakening. With him holding her hand softly and carefully, the same one would hold a piece of fragile porcelain.
Her cheeks had light up a little when he had, but she had not refused nor shy away from his touch. Merely raising one of her hands over her lips, covering for a moment before she smiled at him.
It did not took long before they reached the same place where he had left Alpha to eat her sandwich, only with the addition of a small mantle. It wasn't glamours nor eye catching…, but it would do quite well.
Practicality was something that he preferred above anything he came across...
Rose looked at the piece of cloth prepared on the ground and the seats around and then looked at him. He had expected a look of bewilderment or grimace. What he was not expecting was the enthusiasm and excitement glinting behind those eyes of gold.
``Is...is this a picnic...!?´´
He stared at her with no small amount of confusion, one of his brows rose as he cocked his head to the side before he pushed those thoughts out of the proverbial window, his face creasing, silver eyes squinting as they peered down with none of the glee that his counterpart exuded from every inch of her little body.
Yes...this was what he didn't like the ever mounting pile of changes of attention that was a child. They always had a question at the ready.., and most of the times he was surprised by either the simplicity or ignorance shown out through those very query's.
Strange was the mind of the young…, and he had not the fortitude to acclimate himself to it.
And yet he smiled.
His lips curling upwards as his gaze softened the more they were lost in those ponds of lustre gold.
``Yes, why do you ask..?´´
A moment passed, then another..before Rose rose her hands as she tried to placate a gasp from leaving her lips.
``Oh Koldarrd...´´
``Yes?´´
He asked, a tinge of curiosity and wonder passing through only to find himself fighting a far more brash response when the blond princess cut short the distance between them and embrace him in a tight hug.
Her small, slender arms pulling him closer to her. Given that he was.. "supposedly" taller than her her head was buried into his chest. By the time she freed him, her face was more akin to a squashed tomato than her fair countenance.
`` I have always wanted to go out picnic, thank you, thank you...!´´
``As much as I find joy in hearing those words.., why haven't you done such thing before? If you don't mind me asking..´´
Her glee seemed to take a hit then, her eyes closing in to a half lid as she started to remember.
``I..couldn't..´´
``You couldn't..?
She shook her head.
``No…, even though I have always wanted to go outside it was considered a desire no worth exploiting as-well as dangerous. Instead I had to contend with the gardens of the inner palace...´´
That explained things…, not much though.
``Then its good we managed to do something new for you…, but if you have never been to one. How did you came to know what are they?´´
``I..well, I don't think you would believe me´´
``I have seen a lot of things, Rose…, [For better or for worse] I doubt you would surprise me...´´
She started fidgeting with her fingers. First glancing away...before she regains her bravery to look up into those silver eyes that had yet to blink.
``Well, the idea for me to go out in a picnic came when I read it in a novel…´´
``A..book?
She nodded effusively. Her eyes once again glinting with enthusiasm as she rose her hands with an emotion that even though was all too new and alien to him, had already become the prelude of a sight he was not really willing to witness again.
[Oh no..here she goes aga-]
``Yes, but not any book you see, in Princess Kokoro the main protagonist before the beginning of her journey goes to the forest for a picnic. Taking in the fresh and cool air of morning brushing against her lithe green white dress under the soft beams of the sun´´
``I see...´´
`` Where the critters of the forest come to join her and grant her company. Playing and laughing with joy before she is confronted with the spirits of the winds that whisper her of the needs of the world and give her the first task in her journey..´´
``That is good and all-´´
``I mean, I have nothing against the royal gardens and the myriad of flowers and plants the gardeners put their life's and souls to take care of. But it still fells a bit-´´
Rose started to say, only for her words to slowly died in her lips. Her eyes widening with surprise as she stared at the two of them with a pang of shame that flared through her heart. She rose a small hand, scratching the back of her head, golden locks of hair tingling under the breeze of the wind.
``Sorry..I started rambling again? Didn't I...?´´
There were more than a hundred ways he would have called that than just blabbering…
But right now it did not matter.
``Its ok.., no harm done´´
It was then that the now called Alpha walked right next to them, placing a hand over the young princess shoulder. Grasping it softly as she did, drawing Rose attentions.
``Koldarrd is right, when there is something that draws our attention is normal for us to want to share it with others..´´
``You two are too kind..´´
``I see..., I hope that you can enjoy the experience. Though it may not be as much as grandiose and magical as the book you read´´
She chuckled, perhaps finding his choice of words amusing. Graving his hand once again, taking a step forward into the offered cloth laying on the ground before she started to kneel down the extended blanket, forcing him down as-well while she made herself comfortable. Holding herself with a regal, albeit loose sense of the word.
Standing in-front of him..
Alpha, who had tag along...joined then, though she decided to nudge to his side. Choosing to stay far closer than the human girl had.
In fact, the two seemed to share a glare...but if it was important it did not appear to be so for they did not comment or do anything on that remark onwards.
``I know I have already said this, but I am glad to have met both of you...´´
``We were doing what we thought was right, there is nothing to thank for..
``You are so modest…, like a gallant knight courting the lonely damsel..´´
She commented dreamy, clearly more to herself the last part than to himself. He decided to not delve too much in that.
Nor in that fraction of a second glare Alpha sent Rose. One he did not know was of agreement with the girls statement...or otherwise.
``I would not call it that.., but I am grateful for your words nonetheless Rose..´´
``Thanks...´´
``Still, if its not much of a hazel. Can I ask something of you?´´
The question caught her by surprise, cocking her head to the side, but it would not last as she beamed another pleasant smile at him.
``Of course, what is it..?´´
``Could you wait here for us Rose, there is something both Alpha and I need to do...´´
``Something to do?´´
He nodded. ``Yes, we are going to search for our meal back at our house where we had had it stored. With the enthusiasm of having someone new in our midst we kind of forgot. I hope you can forgive us´´
He said, muttering his words with feigned practised embarrassment. The words slipping through his lips an into the air with the elegance and smoothness of a dancer in the cabarets of Zariatch. Yet with none of their malice and grim nature.
She believed him completely. Raising her hands in frantic panic when the gears of her mind started working and decoding what he had just said.
``Ah..no! No! Don't apologize Koldarrd. It should be me who should do so..´´
``Why?´´
``It was not my intent to distract you.., for that I am sorry´´
What was it with these women making a fuss of everything? Back in his days, if someone said that something didn't matter, it didn't. Instead here, they wasted both their breath and time with such needless games..
This world was strange.
Or perhaps it was him who was the odd one...
``But you didn't…, it was just a lapse of judgment on our part. Nothing more´´
That seemed to placate her worries, but not all. Not with the way she still glared at him as if he had just taken away her favourite toy only to keep it just at arms length away from her.
``I see.., then...´´
``Then?´´
He parroted the question just as she leaned a bit forward, her lithe pink dress proving to be a bit more loose than it had appeared at first glance, not that it had drawn his attention before when he was busy making sure she would wake in the living world instead of the other.
The way the cloth had signals of tearing...draw his attention from what she was going to say again. Filling his thoughts whether he had killed those bandits as cruelly and brutally as he had, not for what they had done, but rather for what they had been about to do..
``Could I help you?´´
``What again?´´
``I mean, do you mind if I help you carry it here?´´
It took a second too long before he started formulating a response to that. First with his eyes staring blankly at the girl, then his face creased in the bemusement of an elephant staring a pack of ants push a boulder down a slope before he eventually shook his head.
Slowly, almost mechanically...but still with some elegance left through the motion.
``I would not like to force you when you are our guest…Rose. Not because we don't think you capable, but you have just woke up. Your muscles may still be trying to stir up into wakefulness.. ´´
``I see, still..., I wouldn't mind, not really. I too would not want to make life harder for my friends after everything they had done for me...´´
Friend...?
``Is something wrong?´´
His reaction... must have shown given the worried look dawning in her eyes.
``No, just surprised that you would consider us such after having spent so little time with us.., apart from sharing our names..we are literally strangers Rose´´
``A stranger would not have gone out of its way to save me and take care of me.., or even invite me for breakfast..´´
His nose wriggle, eyes narrowing to a half lid though he managed to keep the expression in her lips from turning sour. She was not wrong...
``Perhaps, but my point still stands...´´
``Well, my father once said that friends are just strangers waiting to be met..´´
``Your father must be a very kind man..´´
Alpha spoke out, her glare having softened a little bit. Rose blinked, almost startled by the sudden intrusion, but she recovered rather quickly, beaming a broad smile towards the blond elf.
Alphas words were kind and gentle.., but he had felt something more within. Intertwined and hidden from view.
Jealousy...
``He is...I am sure he would be happy to hear that from you´´
Alpha was about to reply until he decided to pat her head. Stroking those golden locks of sunbathed hair between his fingers.
He felt the way her heartbeat stopped for a moment, as-well the way her body started to heat up from inside out, but that mattered little. His attention was sorely on the foreign princess...
``I am sure he would…, Rose. But now that I think about it, I would recommend some caution from here on out´´
``Why is that?´´
``There are bad people out-there too...who could abuse such trust..´´
``I know…´´
``Do you..?´´
His tone grew harsher, a little more colder. Perhaps it could have been considered needless…but he had the need to do so.
A moment of silence stretched between the two, with the wind howling above their heads. Rose took a deep breath, clutching her chest with one hand, the other remaining over her lap.
``Bad men took me.., they tried to harm me, to do things to me.´´
``Rose…´´
Started Alpha to say only to be cut off by the young princess.
``But...why should I allow that to stop me from treating people fairly..?´´
Rather noble of her…, clearly taking after her father.
And yet so foolish…., but wasn't that the nature of the young? To try to emulate the mistakes of the past before taking their own path?
``Innocent until proven guilty, I see…´´
``Yes..´´
``I understand. So, will you stay here until Alpha and I return? We wont take long, I promise..´´
``Of course, I will be waiting for you here then..´´
He smiled back, though it did not reach his eyes in the slightest. Still, that was good to hear.
With that settled only one more problem was left...
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A/N
Here is another chapter, I hope you enjoy it. Review if you like.