"Now, aim, Amy," Aiven whispers as he passes behind me with hand on his back while the wind caresses my cheeks and dances with my tied hair.
I already had a couple of trials earlier, but according to Aiven, I was pretty good at it mostly because of my power.
He decided to give his 'Foxtrot Style' a go for me and immediately after we had a talk in his office, we went downstairs in the garden and I saw the equipment for archery prepared.
"Go?" I asked as I aim at the target while my hands and arms began to shake from nervousness and fatigue.
"Loose," Aiven irritatedly said under his breath, and without another word, I released the bow and it landed on the seventh circle.
I took a couple of breaths, then I gave the bow to Justif and I sat down on the bench in the garden.
"How many times should I tell you, give the accuracy and the speed to the bow," Aiven stomps towards me with his hands waving around from annoyance, "You have a power, Amy. Use it. You don't have to worry about anything else," he said.
Justif gave me a glass of water while Aiven just stares at me with his tired and sleepless expression.
"My arms hurt," I whinnied, "Can we take a break?"
The weight I have to pull wasn't heavy at first, but after a few times of trial, it grew heavier every draw I did. When Aiven showed me how to use it, he looked effortless as if he was just pulling a stick, but when it was my turn, it became an impossible thing.
"You should go back to the mansion now, Amy. Practicing is useless if you're already disqualified," Aiven sighed while he looks as if he'll pass out any minute due to exhaustion, "Tell them I'll be your tutor in archery, that way I can go to the mansion and help you out while we find out about your mother."
Aiven soon left, he has to sleep or else he'll be living in a spiraling world of hallucinations from sleep deprivation.
Justif wanted to send me back to the mansion on a carriage but I insisted that I will walk, since from what I remember someone was following me before the assassins even tried to kidnap me.
What if I get to stumble upon them? They might be able to tell me who it was who wanted to take me.
"Take care on your way, Miss," Justif said as he bids me goodbye.
Too sad the kids can't see me due to their study session for the morning, but at least I got to talk to Aiven about all that has happened and his confirmation of my identity to this world.
I hopped through the village with my head upon the clouds, imagining what might've happened to me while we were still living here. I may be too young to remember but, maybe my dream did happen. Maybe I was running too fast and I had my fire powers arose, or maybe it was even me who almost burnt the house.
The possibilities are endless. I just wish I can remember them.
But I wonder why we have to go to the human world, why my father has to leave me, is my mom even really dead?
I was expecting someone to pull me into a dark alley, but until I got to enter the mansion, there were no suspicious people following me.
The silent mansion with bright colored walls and hanging majestic chandelier doesn't seem bothered that I left. I can even see some of the bride candidates having tea in the garden with Princess Tellusia who looked rather pleased even after what happened last night.
I thought they wanted me back to the human world until I entered my room, and there I saw the maids panicking, Granny worriedly walking back and forth, and Regin watching by the windows.
He wouldn't see me enter the mansion from the direction he was glancing on since I went through the gate, not through the forest I used to walk on.
"Hello," I whispered, and everyone stopped moving.
Regin was the first one to walk towards me, but it was not a kind word that greeted me, but the end of his shiny sharp sword.
I knew that he'll do it again, but for this time, it was much more horrifying.
His gaze says that he'll be able to kill me in an instant, and I'm sure he'll do it if he has enough reason to.
I just stared at his eyes.
I don't even know if he really cares for my safety or he just cares about his job.
He has the nerve to get angry, when in fact, they're all hiding something from me.
"Sir Regin, please spare the violence, Miss Amelia cannot fight you," Granny said as she walks towards us and pushed the sword down to the ground.
Granny looks as if she's just trying her best to serve and be my guide in this world, but she's just the same as everyone else in this room.
"Amelia, where have you been?" She asks as she walks and holds my shoulders in a warm embrace, "We thought you really wanted to be disqualified."
Granny isn't an affectionate one, she never held my arms before, she just stares at me and says words that made me feel glad, but right now, she feels as if she was really worried. Why would she be? Is it because I almost died yesterday? Is this because she doesn't want me to be disqualified? Or is it because she's afraid something might happen to me because I am the knight's daughter?
"She already said it," Regin began with anger on his eyes, "She doesn't care if she's disqualified. She didn't listen to the Prince's orders, Ma'am."
Granny hushed Regin, then she stared at me, "Where have you been?"
"I went to Aiven," I whispered as I continue to stare at Regin, "I asked him to be my tutor for the up-coming hunting test."
Regin scoffed after hearing my explanation, then he looked at me with a disgusted look, "Do you have any relationship with Mister Untzer?"
My brow creased at what Regin said, "Relationship?" I whispered, "We're friends, I don't know what you're trying to say, but he's just a friend."
Is this the reason he really wants to kill me right now? He's thinking I am in some other type of relationship with Aiven? Granny clicked her tongue as she slowly shakes her head while the maids were just watching me and Regin exchange sharp glances at each other.
"Then, why would you rather get disqualified just to meet that captain?" He walked towards me with a cold look on his face, "I already told the Prince about what you did, and you'll have to explain yourself to him soon."
Yesterday, Regin saved me and carried me on his arms, but now, he's the one wanting me dead just because of his assumption that's not even right. I don't even know what's with this guy. Is he really my friend or he's really just a knight with no heart and no soul.
"Then I'll explain. You can even call Aiven here if you want, but he's resting as of this moment, so I prefer we talk with him tomorrow," I said as I just remembered that Aiven wasn't able to blink an eye just for me.
"And you care for him that much?" Regin scoffed as he returns his sword to its scabbard.
"He's my friend for Pete's sake," I groaned, "Just because I am a woman and he's a man, doesn't mean I immediately have a relationship with him. Can't girls be friends with boys here?"
I remembered when I first met Aiven, he was wary that I am a girl and he even tries to tell me how to act around him, but now, he'll be the first one teasing and annoying me.
Regin has to stop seeing the boundary between men and women. I know this world is an old school type, but that doesn't mean I'll fit myself in their typical gender roles.
I was raised in the human world in an advanced generation, and I won't let anyone change that otherwise.
It's better if this world learns how to respect every gender equally and see them as people on the same level.
"You know what, in the human world, ladies can sleep in a man's house without any negative thoughts from intellectual neighbors, why? Because not everything is about relationships and stereotypes," I mumbled as I walk towards Regin who was in utter shock just like Granny and the maids from what I said, "I can stay in Aiven's house, and we can still stay as friends, no strings attached. And you guys should stop assuming."
Regin stared at me with his low sharp gaze, if this was the first time I saw this man, I would've frozen in fear, or might've melted in his hot temper, but now I would stare back at him until his eyes give out.
"Humans are unruly blood, they don't have respect for law and order, they do what they want and they don't have a fear for its consequences," Regin murmured under his breath while he grits his teeth, "And it was wrong for us to choose someone who was raised in such environment," he turned his heel and left the room in silence.
Granny was about to hold me, but I stepped away from them.
I don't know what they're expecting from me. I don't even know what roles they play in my life.
"Leave," I whispered, "Leave me alone."
The maids silently left the room one by one, but Granny stayed in her position, without even moving an inch.
She was just staring at me while I had my gaze focused on the bed, I want to jump in right now and cover myself with the blanket, but I can't do that because someone is still here.
"I said leave," I repeated as I turn my head towards the old woman, but to my surprise, she was crying.
Tears and a broken expression was painted on her wrinkled face.
"Miss Amelia" she called in a broken tone, "We're sorry," she said as she intertwines her fingers as if she's begging the gods to make me forgive them for whatever reason.
"I know it's been hard for you, dear," Granny's voice became soft as her eyes yearn for my understanding, "But we have to do this, we have to take care of you."
My brows furrowed as I try to comprehend what her apologies are for, I know she's sorry for all the difficulties I've been through since I came here, but I feel like there's something more.
"We didn't want you to be alone, that's why we chose you. And yes, you're a lot different from the others, but we care for you," Granny walks slowly towards me with her hand open wide for an embrace.
But her words took my attention. I am different?
On what matter? Because I am raised in the human world or is it because of my family?
"Why did you hide it?" I asked her with my teeth gritted, "Why didn't you tell me?"
I know this isn't the right place to ask this, and this isn't the right time as well. But I can't keep tip-toeing whenever they're here because of my suspicions.
Aiven's right, I have to talk or else I'll always end up being the one who looks stupid.
Granny's face was splashed with confusion at first, but the longer she stares at me, she slowly understood what I said.
And that's when it hit me, she knew.
They knew. Everyone except me knew that I am not a human, that I was born here, that I have parents who have powers and I belong here.
I scoffed as I shook my head, "I knew it. You all hid the truth," I walked towards the door, but her fearful scream stopped me.
"No! Don't tell anyone you knew," she said, "We have to keep this between us, Miss Amelia."
"Why?" I had my hand on the knob, and if she doesn't tell me a good reason why I shouldn't ask the whole kingdom of this secret.
"Because they still have to find your father to know who really killed the Queen," Granny said in between her stammering, "And we have to keep you safe. There was another reason why your father chose to stay in the human world, and that is to hide you from someone."
"Someone?" I turned my head towards the old woman who looked as if she's about to faint from the stress, "Wait," I ran towards her and helped her sit on the chair, "Please, calm down."
I shouldn't have been too hard on her, she's already old, but still... it's their fault.
"Amelia," Granny sighed as she put her hands on mine, "Have you told anyone about this?"
"Aiven. He was with me when we saw the painting of the Queen and King with my father in the Delta Kingdom."
Granny's wrinkles even dug deeper in her skin with her creased brows, "Painting? They don't show the paintings of the royal family to the public, where did you see that?"
"In the hall, it was hanged along with other paintings. But, yes, it was the only royal family portrait I saw. It didn't hit me until now," I bent my knee as I stare at the old woman before me who's looking for answers in her aged mind.
"They intended to show it to you then, it was planned," Granny stood up immediately and walked towards the door, but before turning the knob she looked back at me, "Keep this to yourself, I'll handle everything. The prince will be bothered if he found out that you knew, and Regin might even get harder on you. But, listen," she forced a smile on her face, "We only want your safety, Amelia. The Gathrin Kingdom's the only one you can trust."
"I don't know," I shrugged, they can't even give me a proper explanation about what's happening, why should I trust them?
After a while, it was not the Prince that came, but guards who sent me to the Seven Council's hall.
And once again, I am in front of these old people who think their judgment is always right.