"Ugh... For the tenth millionth time, what is your name? "Staring at the mysterious little girl sitting on the rim of a water fountain, I dropped my head as the girl didn't talk. "I swear, why am I a magnet for weird. "
Taking a seat beside her on the water fountain, I held my neck when I opened my eyes and found a stranger staring intimately into my eyes.
"Can I help you? "Sitting casually, the woman tilted her head and moved her gaze towards the little girl and then back to mine. "Uh... Okay, lady. Ever heard of boundaries? "
"You... Boy. Are bearing the scent of her grace and that of the Alwren tribes high preistess. Who are you? "
"Uh... Hmm. You aren't by any chance related to a certain demon girl and leaf girl by any chance are you? "
"You speak of her grace?! Y-You have met her royal Highness!? Y-... No. It can't be?! Boy! Are you... 'Him'? "Lowering my eyes, I looked around and turned to the woman as she stared at me more intently.
"Uh... I'm a nobody. I don't know what you are going on about lady, but we have to get going. Come on, let's find a way to get you back to your parents. "Standing up, the little girl followed me as we left the woman behind. "Why do I have a bad feeling in my gut... This just doesn't seem to ever end. "
~•~•~•~
Stopping at a tavern that looked much like an outdoor dinner, we took a seat at a table and I ordered food as the little girl ate up every last bowl of whatever was considered food.
"Pay up... Thirteen Vairo."Looking up at the owner, I looked through my pockets as I diverted the owners attention away for a split second. "Huh? Hey! "
Having climbed to the top of a building, I held the little girl in my arms as we both looked down towards the tavern owner bursting with fury.
"Let those be a lesson tiny one, never run away from your tab. Its bad and only scum leave without paying. "Turning her innocent gaze up to meet mine, I smirked as I somehow understood what she was saying about me in her head. "Oh, shush. "
~•~•~•~
As the two suns had became eclipsed for the night, I sat hunched over a tree within the edge of the forest inside the kingdom. What seemed like a small park filled with all manners of plants and trees, only nobles were allowed inside. Sneaking in anyway, I had started a small campfire as the little girl fell asleep on my leg.
Reading through the old book I took from that library shopkeep, my eyes rolled from page to page as I took a break. Looking down at the little girl, my blazer was larger than her small body as she was sound asleep with the crackling of the fire.
Letting a slight smirk, I dropped my head onto the large hard tree as my head had been hurting since the morning I woke up.
Tilting my head, I closed my eyes and drifted off into a deep sleep as I dreamt of my memories of my life back home in Japan.
~•~•~•~•~
When I awoke, I felt a soft pair of small hands wipe the tears from my face and as my eyes adjusted and found the bright, sunlit face of the small little girl before me. Her red and green eyes peered into my own as of to wake me from a cold nightmare.
"What-"Inhaling through my nose, I sat up as the little girl seemed to have grown since the last time I saw her. Looking around myself, I had vines and leaves wrapping around my body from the tree. "What in the-what happend? "
Freeing myself, I stood and took a look around as I found the small campfire had been lit and reused multiple times. Along with the surrounding area, it fleet as of time had passed as everything had gotten a little bigger since last night.
Blinking and rubbing my eyes as the sunlight was shining elegantly through the branches and leaves, I turned to look around as I sw away the dust and dirt over my head and clothes.
Catching my eye, I turned around and found the little girl had grown a couple of years as she now reached me to my chin. Her beautiful, intent expression caused my vision to blur from how she looked like before.
"Are you-... No. You can't be 'her'? "Blinking and shutting my eyes, my headache was still ringing in my ears for a short while as I began walking off. "What? But I just... "
Finding myself walking in one direction and ending back where I started, I looked to the not-so-little girl and asked if she was the one doing some trick.
Resting my eyes, I looked to the sky and exhaled an exhausted breath as I was tired of these weird things happening to me. Raising my hands, I soon sent out a small pulse of my magic and had no way of knowing that it would explode more than half of the forest until I swept up a storm across half the entire kingdom with just my small reflex.
Lost and speechless, I fell backwards as I turned to find the girl exited and blissfully happy as she looked at the destruction I had caused.
~•~•~•~•~
"So... You mean to sit there and tell us... That you didn't see anything that could have caused that mass of destruction?! "Talking with the kingdoms guards, the girl and I were questioned as I was deliberating on whether to admit that I did it or lie and run away.
"Like I said sir, we were just in the area and then suddenly this happened! Honest, I thought I saw a bright light, whatever or whoever it was, please catch them. My little sister as you can totally see here is still-"Turning to see the girl still fascinated and looking intently at me, I gulped and quickly thanked the guards as we rushed out of the area. "Thank you! Hope you catch the one responsible. "
Choosing to run, I talked to a local merchant for leaving the kingdom and payed him with two silver buttons I had given him from my blazer as payment. Getting a ride out of the kingdom, the security had doubled in just the last hour alone.
"Aah...! What the heck, why!? Why is my magic getting stronger!? Agh! I don't get it!? "In my haze, I met the stern face of the girl as I quickly lost all emotions as I understood she was trying to cheer me up and it irritated me seeing her proud expression. "Ugh... "
Catching a deep breath, I sat behind the wagon along with others and felt the sway of the cart as we waited in line as we will pass through the checkpoint at the gate. Half an hour later, it was our turn and as the guards inspected the wagon, they opened the curtain and found nothing as we were coated in some kind of illusion magic.
"Free to pass! "Hearing the guards voice put me at ease, until an unfamiliar group of flashy knights arrived on what looked like armored unicorns. "Lord Ashtra! What brings you all the way out here? "
"Captain Javen, I presume? Shut down the kingdom gates this instant. Also call back any merchants leaving through the gate. We are officially on lockdown until the criminal who caused the destruction on her Majesty's proud garden gifted to the people by her grace, is caught and brought to justice. "
"Uh, Y-Yes, sire! "Turning, the man then ordered the gate to shut and watched as the wagons were rerouted back into the kingdom.
"Well, great... Just when we were so close. "
~•~•~•~•~
Having slipped out from the checkpoint and blended back into the kingdom, we walked for hours as everywhere we went, people were either interviewed or asked to not leave the area. The search for me was getting to the point where people sold false information to the guards and got someone abducted by the knights.
Having been the one responsible for all this chaos, it only strengthened my cause to avoid getting caught as it would only mean a bigger headache to explain the past week alone.
"You two! Have you any information pertaining to the incident earlier this morning? "Turning around, gold and sharp silver gloss mirrored our reflections as a galiant and beautiful female Knight stood behind us. "Sir? "
"Uh... No. W-We weren't near when the explosion went off. "
"Huh... Funny. "
"Sorry? "
"I don't recall ever mentioning there was ever an explosion. "
("Crap! ")
"Well, word travels fast around here. You guys are looking for someone who can do this kind of damage. I'm sorry I don't know anything to help you in your investigation... Miss? "
"Evabel, Lady Evabel of Count Striza... And you might be-"
"Smith. "
("Ugh... Why 'Smith'!? This isn't some western movie! Why did I say that!? ")
"Huh... 'Smith'? What an unusual name. What business do you have in Duveria, Smith? "
"A traveler for the most part. I work for a young Lord tasked with mapping the geography of the land. I am currently visiting Duveria' with my little sister as you can see to gather data. "Taking notice of the sweat dripping from my head, Lady Evabel hummed and smirked as she and her few men behind her continued on.
Exhausting a slight release of breath, Lady Evabel spun around and instantly drew heel sword as she brought it down on the girl I claimed was my sister. In an instant, less than it took for bee to blink, I snapped and an explosion rung out in the area.
Casing a powerful dent into the ground, I stood holding the female Knights sword in my hand as I blocked it with my fist.
"Who the hell are you!? "Seeing the calm rage in my eyes, a sudden prick to my neck from behind cashed me to looked to my left where a handsome man stood in full armor. "What are you? "
Seeing as it didn't take effect, I inhaled a short breath and closed my eyes as I scraped Lady Evabels sword towards the ground. Sharply spinning, she abruptly stopped her sword at my neck as she noticed my hands in the air and kneeling on the ground.
"Please, just don't hurt her. She is innocent in all this. I beg you. "Meeting my gaze as I stared firmly straight, Lady Evabel dropped her sword as our eyes met and she promised by nodding her head.
~•~•~•~•~
"Alright-"Hearing the steel door to my ell underneath the castle close, I watched from chained to the wall as Lady Evabel began my interrogation. "Let's start with the basics. Who are you? "
Remaining silent, I felt I could easily break free from my chains yet, didn't.
"Ugh... Listen, this usually ends one of two ways. You talk and tell me everything I need to know or you die. Simple as that. Hmm. "
Remaining silent, after a while, Lady Evabel stood and walked outside for several hours.
When she returned, she had brought the little girl with her.
"Well, 'Smith'? If we have to start getting creative-"Snapping my gaze towards her, I felt my nose suddenly with from the poorly cleaned dungeon room and sneezed as it resulted in abruptly exploding the side of the mountain.
After the dust settled, Lady Evabel emerged from the haze with her sword drawn to my throat. "Well now… What in the heck. "
As the girl regained her balance, she met my gaze and was quickly knocked out by the stern composed male Knight from before.
"It's no use, Lady Evabel... This monster cannot be managed nor controlled for that matter. It is clear this girl holds some power over him. We shall keep her as our prisoner until we better know what is going on! "
"No! I can get through to him! I know he wants to do the right thing. "Thinking intently, she recognized I posed no threat to the kingdom. " Otherwise, he would have wiped out half the kingdom by now without anyone to stop him-"
"She can... "Silencing the room, I spoke as sternly and acted as intensely as I could to keep the girl safe. "She dies… Kingdom dies. No exceptions... Same is true if she is hurt... The kingdom hurts. Your problems are with me, you better hope nothing happens to her or who knows what I may do-"
Punching me to silence me, the male knight was in no mood for games as I was all but bluffing by playing as a wounded lone warrior I once saw in an action movie. Keeping a stern face, Lady Evabel believed my every word as she gulped in fear.
"Very well. I promise your sister will be in my care however, this only works if you are straight with us... Deal? "
"Hmm... "Humming with a devilish tone, I smiled and met her gaze though my sullied bangs. "I'll hold you personally responsible, Eva. It's you or your entire kingdom-"Bluffing, I acted as if the male knights punches stung when they felt like a feather brushing against my skin. I even took it a step further and used a bit of magic to spit out fake blood that was actually tomato sauce, onto the floor.
"Leave this to me, Lady Eva. I'll have him talking before days end- "
"No! "Surprised, Lady Evabel stopped the male knight and practically dragged everyone out of the cell.
When they left and were gone, I exhaled a grizzly sigh of relief as I thought I would break character had it gone on longer. Surprising myself when the man's punches were weak, I continued to bide my time as I prepared for my next scene.
In some way or another, I was simply thinking of ways to stall them until I figured out a way to clear my name and be free.
Breaking the chains as if they were twigs, I sat down and began to think of my next plan.
All while hoping I wouldn't run into any further trouble in the process but still having a bad feeling in my gut.
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