Chapter 19: Be confident
Calvin had immediately found 10 guards and set off after getting his fathers approval. It didn't take long before they found themselves in front of the knights and carriages that had been reported.
"Halt!", yelled Calvin seated on his horse.
"Huh? Can we help you?", replied the man at the lead. It was Doug.
"Who are you escorting?", Calvin asked while eyeing the 3 carriages, as if trying to find something.
"Do you not see our armor? Where do you get off asking me such questions?",Doug retorted. He was quite upset with this young kid suddenly showing up and questioning him.
"Those carriages aren't something the Royal Family would use. For all we know that armor could be stolen, I demand to know who you're escorting", Calvin said.
He couldn't let this opportunity pass, for all he knew The Princess would simply pass through Viridian city without stopping. This was his best chance to get her to notice him.
"Kid are you serious? Who are you to demand such things?",Doug was starting to get irritated but still kept calm.
"He's the son of Earl Dalton, Calvin Dalton and he is within his authority to verify your identities.", a guard following behind Calvin stated.
".....", Dough could feel the vein in his forehead throbbing. However he didn't want to cause trouble so he figured he would let The Princess decide on what they should do.
"Agh...wait here for a moment.", Doug sighed as he approached one of the carriages.
Calvin's eye's followed him all the way to the middle carriage. Soon enough he saw a woman in a maids uniform open the door and begin speaking with the solider he had went to the carriage. Seeing the well dressed maid his eyes began to shine as he knew The Princess might be in that carriage. However what he saw next confused him.
A young man dressed in luxurious black robes as fine, if not more finer, than those he wore and draped in a golden feather robe stepped out after the maid. When he took a look at the young mans face he was stunned, unable to move or describe what he was seeing.
A face so perfectly sculpted that it seemed impossible appeared in his sight. The young man had dark black hair, each strain seemingly finer than the other. His light brown complexion gave off a healthy glow that showed he was in perfect health. Most of all, his eyes....his eyes seemed as if there made of molten gold. They gave of such a brilliance that he had a hard time looking right at them. Calvin, who had always been proud of his appearance, found that he wasn't anything much when compared to this young man.
He didn't know who this was or why he would be escorted by knights wearing the armor of The Royal Guard. However he could tell at first glance that he wasn't some nobody.
'Were we wrong? Is he some noble that they're escorting?' , Calvin began to think after seeing Aaron.
But his eyes were soon drawn to a second person stepping out of the carriage.
She had long wavy black hair that reached her lower back, her light brown skin gently reflecting the light, making her look as if she was shining. Her emerald green eyes appeared as if they were gems and only served to enhance her presence and beauty. She wore a green and gold gown over which a pure white cloak that glittered like snow in the sun sat, clipped in place with a golden buckle. All around its collar and shoulder area, he could see what appeared to be a thick layer of emerald colored leaves gently swaying in the wind, creating quite a serene scene.
It was Her Highness, Princess Miara.
Calvin had completely forgotten about Aaron as he stared at the young lady in front of him. She had become even more beautiful than the last time he had seen her, he was completely transfixed, as if spellbound. However, his eyes soon sank slightly at what he saw next.
The young man had reached his hand out to the princess to assist her down from the carriage. Calvin than clearly seen The Princess slightly blush as she took his hand while acting bashfully, this drove him crazy!
'Who the hell is he?! Why is he so close with Her Highness?!'
Calvin was fuming with jealousy as he screamed in his heart. Still he didn't let it show, only a smile could be seen on his face as if nothing had bothered him. He got off his horse and began making his way over to The princess followed by his guards.
"Calvin Dalton, son of Earl Patrick Dalton greets Her Highness", Calvin spoke while bowing deeply.
"We greet Her Highness." , the guards behind him had all fallen to one knee after they saw Miara.
Miara had seen Calvin approach and immediately recognized him. She had seen him a year ago at a banquet her father had held for certain Nobles of the Kingdom.
"Sir Dalton, Can I ask why you have stopped us?"
"My apologies Your Highness, we had received reports of knights wearing the armor of the Royal Guards. Thinking it might be you returning from your training, my father instructed me to come and greet you. However, we were surprised to see that the carriages were those used by merchants, we suspected that the guards might have been frauds and wished to verify who they were escorting as to verify their identities. My apologies if we offended you in any way.", Calvin stated, as if everything he had done was for the sake of the Royal Family.
Miara seeing his calm and respectful demeanor had no reason to doubt him and believed in what he said.
"Since it's like this, I can only say that Sir Dalton is quite prudent. However, there is no need to worry, although we encountered some unfortunate events and some lost their lives everything turned out better than we could have hoped for. , she said solemnly while thinking of the guards who had died.
Calvin and the guards were surprised to hear that some of Her Highness's guards were killed. Who would dare?
"Your Highness, who dared attack you? I'll immediately have my father send 1000 troops to fetch their heads!", Calvin suddenly looked up at Miara and stated.
"It was a Earth Realm Qi beast.", Doug cut it in. Anger and grief could be seen in his eyes as he spoke.
"Earth Realm Qi beast? In the western forest?", Calvin was surprised. Qi beast above peak Core Formation were rare around Viridian City. For one to appear without warning was something that only happened every couple of years.
'No wonder Her Highness's guards were killed. She wouldn't have brought guards with too a high cultivation with her on a expedition to the Western forest, which was safe for the most part.',
"Thank the Heavens that you managed to escape Your Highness. While an Earth Realm Qi beast is powerful it isn't something we can't handle with enough men. I can also ask my father to send his best guard who is at the mid Earth Realm to deal with the beast if Her Highness would allow.",Calvin said, trying to make a good impression with Miara.
"Thank you for your worry Sir Dalton but there's no need, the beast is dead.", she said with a tinge of pride while staring at Aaron.
"It's dead? How was it killed?", Calvin couldn't help but ask. He had noticed that Doug had the strongest cultivation among the group at peak Core Formation. He couldn't understand how they could defeat an Earth Realm Qi beast with such few numbers."
"It was defeated by Sir Heart!", Ella quickly interjected.
"Sir Heart?", Calvin had never heard of a Sir Heart and looked at The Princess for explanation.
Miara smiled while slightly turning to face Aaron
"This is Aaro- I mean this is, Sir Heart", she quickly corrected her self.
'Him?' He's younger than me.', Calvin looked at Aaron filled doubt. Not only was he younger than him the crucial factor was that he couldn't sense a speck of Qi in Aaron.
Just as he was about to speak up Aaron suddenly spoke.
"They exaggerate, I didn't kill it, it detonated its Qi.", he said with a smile.
"Don't be modest Sir Heart, If it wasn't for you there's no way it would have been forced to make such a decision.", Ella responded.
"That's right Aaron, don't devalue your self", Miara added. Not noticing she had called Aaron by his name.
'Aaron?! She calls him by his first name? She has never called my name!', Calvin who had heard The Princess's slip suddenly flared in rage.
He glanced up at Aaron a cold look flashed in his eyes but it only lasted for a moment.
'What the hell? Why did he just stare at me me like that?', Aaron mumbled in his heart after seeing Calvin's eyes.
Miara had been looking at Aaron so missed it but Ella had clearly seen it.
'Tsch! Little bastard how dare you look at my angel like that! As if you would have a chance with Her Highness', she sneered to herself while glaring at Calvin.
Ella unlike Miara, had been aware of all the young men who had fallen for The Princess. She and the other maids would gossip and insult the various young noble men at their failed attempts to impress Her Highness.
'As if you could ever have a shot! Compared to Sir Heart even your good looks are nothing!', she continued to mock him in her heart. Suddenly an idea popped into her head followed by a sly grin.
"Not only did he defeat a Earth Realm Qi Beast, He also gifted Her Highness with this expensive and lovely robe that he made himself! Did I mention it's expensive?, Ella suddenly said while starting condescendingly at Calvin.
"Ella! Why are you saying this now?", Miara fidgeted in embarrassment after Hearing Ella suddenly blurt that out in front of Calvin and his guards.
'Too cute!'
Aaron, Calvin, Ella ,and everyone present couldn't help but think after seeing her.
Calvin however was the first to wake up.
'Bastard! Where do you get off giving Her Highness gifts?!', he raged in his heart as he glared at Aaron again.
'That's the second time this guys looked at me like that. Is it my face? Could he be jealous of Heaven defying good looks?', Aaron thought while noticing that Calvin had a fire in his eyes every time he would stare at him.
"Anyway, now that everything is cleared up, we'll be on our way. Goodbye Sir Dalton, please apologies to The Earl for me for being unable to greet him but we are in a rush and must get back to the Capital as soon as possible.", said Miara who had recovered her stately appearance.
"Allow us to esco...", Calvin begun speaking only to be cut off.
"There's no need", Ella and Doug said at the same time.
"Thank you for your offer Sir Dalton but that will be unnecessary. We must take out leave now", Miara stated after the two and started walking back to the carriage, Ella following behind.
Calvin had wanted to say something but found no words would come out. He could only stare at Miara as she boarded the carriage. Sighing to himself he was about to get back on his horse and leave when he noticed the young man suddenly approach him.
"You shouldn't compare yourself to others, your quite good looking and I'm sure you have a lot of positive traits. Remember, its what's on the inside that counts, be confident!", Aaron suddenly said with a bright smile to Calvin. He then turned around and followed Miara and Ella into the carriage while patting himself on the shoulder for being such a nice and considerate guy.
'What the hell is the guy talking about?! Is he insulting me?!'
Calvin couldn't understand why Aaron would suddenly speak to him but he felt as if he was being called ugly for some reason. He grit his teeth and glared at Aaron's back.
'Let me find out who you are first than we'll see if you have the right to be with Her Highness!'
"Lets go!", Doug shouted and began to lead the carriage into the city. Calvin and his guards following close behind.