"Where else?" said Phil. "We should get out of here before we both faint. Staying too long isn't good for you."
"Oh…." I was a bit taken aback by Phil's concern about my health, though I didn't understand why he was carrying me. "Um….I can make my way out by myself…" My voice was getting soft, unsure if I should jump out of his arms or let him carry me for a while longer. I had never been a princess before.
"Don't worry. You're not too heavy."
Phil walked around the edge of the hot spring, away from the deeper parts. Every step he took as he got closer to the exit, my mind went a bit….dirty. My tail swished back and forth at my thoughts. I had to reel it in a few times so I wouldn't be caught as some kind of pervert. A couple of times, I giggled to myself, then stopped as Phil looked at me worriedly.
Eventually, Phil came to the hot spring edge, where they were stone stairs leading out of the pool. As he took his first step up, I flinched, realizing that he was going to be completely naked.
My mind whirled into chaos, making my face turn completely red.
"Wait!" I shouted, squirming in his hand. "You're going to step out naked?!"
Phil stopped, looked down at me, and grinned. "Do you think I'm naked?"
"I…." Was he naked? I wasn't sure anymore, but I thought people usually go into hot springs nude. "I don't know…"
"Don't worry. Even if I am naked, you wouldn't be able to see." Phil chuckled, making me blush even redder. He started to move again.
"B-b-but!" We were both halfway up the stairs with my body completely out, hitting the hot air. I struggled some more embarrassed at the thought of him possibly being naked.
"Quit struggling. I might drop you on the stairs. If I do that, you might hit your back and break your spine."
I froze at what he just said; the thought of being paralyzed wasn't something I wanted to be. Instead, I tucked my wings even tighter to the point where I was a cocoon. Phil was softly chuckling at me at how I was acting.
Finally, out of the water, He walked to the door, where a group of maids were present with a towel. A couple of them squealed with delight while they tried to keep themselves from gossiping.
Gently, Phil put me down on the ground foot first, allowing me to stand up independently. One of the maids quickly came over and handed Phil a towel, which he placed around his head. Another came over towards me with a large towel. I quickly opened up a small opening in my wings and snatched the towel out of her hand.
Accidently, while wiping myself as best as I could without opening too much of my wings, I caught a glimpse of Phil. He was in swimming trunks, making me feel a bit stupid that I thought he was naked this whole time. When he caught my gaze, a glint of mischief danced in his eyes, making me realize that he was pulling my leg the entire time.
"You're wearing swimming trunks?" I unconsciously spoke my thoughts, realizing too late that I couldn't take it back.
"Of course. Don't people usually wear something when they go into a hot spring?" Phil asked as if it was the most obvious answer in the world.
My mouth gaped open and closed, unable to retort back. Then I turned towards the maids, hoping that they would have an answer.
"Young mistress." One of the maids stepped forward and gracefully bowed. "This is your home, you may do anything you want."
Still, her answer didn't answer my question, while the other maids pulled her back, shaking her head at her. They realized that I was lost, confused, and still a bit embarrassed that my thoughts were read so easily. Instantly, they knew that I needed space without speaking it.
I wrapped the towel around me and waddled my way out back towards the changing room. My mind was still thinking about what Phil said. I didn't even realize that I had changed into my clothes, while the maids rushed over to help.
When I passed the mirror, I checked myself. I was wearing simple black pants with sandals shoes. A simple popular attire that was going on around in my city that the maids had brought for me. It wasn't the extravagant clothes that Coco favored and brought over all S rank clothes. The maids helped out with my long hair that was dragging behind me and braiding it. My wings were tucked behind me, so it wouldn't bother me when I walked.
I didn't see where Cathy had gone but assumed that she left before me.
I went out the door and noticed that Phil was standing there by himself, waiting on me. He was leaning on the wall with his eyes. Phil was wearing black pants with boots with a rope tied around it, holding it up. He wore some kind of blazer on top that you would see officers would wear, but more toned down. His long hair wasn't braided like mine but kept it lightly tied together behind him as his elvish ears peeked out.
"Phil?" I called out, wondering why he was out here, waiting. "What are you doing out here?"
Phil glanced up, he gently smiled. "You took quite a long time to come out."
"Well…."
"It's fine. Come on." Phil walked over, he grabbed my hand and pulled me.
"W-w-what?" I cried out, startled by his sudden pull. "Where are we going?"
"Just follow," Phil replied, following behind him wasn't easy, especially because he had a longer stride than me. Even in my dragon human hybrid form, he was still a bit taller than me.
We quickly passed through the hallways and went straight towards the landing spot where I usually take off from the castle, eventually leading outside into the dark night. The only thing that was lighting up around me was the lamplight hanging off the castle behind me, but the light wasn't bright enough to light up everything.
The castle was a bit further away from the city lights, making it look like speckled dots here and there around the forest.
"Phil?!" I cried out, pulling at my hands. Being pulled around wasn't something that I liked, especially as if we were rushing to something, and I didn't know what it was.
Phil finally let go, he clapped his hands a couple of times, causing the lights to dim further. Even the lights around the city started to dim down as if he personally caused it to go, but I heard a couple of shouts and knew that it wasn't so. At first, I couldn't see it. It was almost pitch black until my eyes adjusted in the dark. The moon that was hidden behind the clouds peeked out, allowing the moonlight to shine through.
"Shh," Phil whispered, he stepped up beside me. Then he pointed up into the sky.
I looked upwards, wondering what Phil was looking at. When I turned towards the sky, I gasped. An aurora light started to trail down from the east side of the castle and spread outwards overhead.
It reminded me of the northern lights, and I was shocked to see something like that here.
"What?" I asked, turning towards him for an answer. "How?"
"It started on the night you blessed everyone," Phil spoke. My eyes became wide, completely dumbfounded by what he said.
"How is that possible?"
"This whole forest is thickly laced with your magic now after what you've done. The magic that rested in the forest itself reacts with your magic that has been left over. Every time there is a full moon, the magic harmonizes together, creating this effect." Phil was watching the aurora with a peaceful expression, a small smile escaped his usual cold expression. "It's become quite a popular night viewing. That is why you see the city lights dimming down at this time."
"Ah, I see." I realized now why the whole city was simultaneously becoming dark. It was for this moment, and to hear that it would come out every full moon made me realize how much magic I must've spent to cause this supernatural event.
"Do you think it would eventually go away?"
Phil thought it over for a moment, thinking over what I said. He shifted his stance, tilting his head. I waited patiently, but he didn't answer.
Wondering why he wasn't answering, I walked over towards the ledge's edge and sat down. Dangling my feet off the edge, I moved it back and forth, letting the cool air that I miss brush against my skin. The weather wasn't as crazy as the desert, making me happy that I was here and not out there. Experience in the desert was something that I wanted to completely forget.
I leaned backward on my hands as I watched the aurora dance overhead. There were even quite a few meteor showers that passed by in the night as the stars twinkled in-between. It was truly a wonderful night that I couldn't help but close my eyes as I breathed in the clean air. No more was the harsh dry air that made me feel my throat and nose were always burning.
With a sigh, I opened my eyes back again.
"I believe it would last for a while," Phil stated in a soft tone. He came over and sat next to me as he too got comfortable. "As long as you are alive, Berry. I believe the gift that you have given to the people will last a lifetime."
"As long as I'm alive?" I was caught in his gaze that seemed to pierce through me. It was as if he could read my very soul, making me feel very uncomfortable.
"Yes," Phil stated something about his words that seemed heavy. "There are lots of magical things around the Forgotten Forest, this city, and this castle has something connected to you."
"Well, I know the castle is connected to me, but the city and the Forgotten Forest? " I asked, wondering if he got his information correct. Forgotten Forest was a beast in its own self, making it a lot more difficult to control, especially because it had a mind of its own. If I didn't know better, the Forgotten Forest seemed to allow us to stay on its lands than me controlling it. Many times, quite a few of the citizens were lost or eaten by the monsters that roamed the forest.