Visibly relaxing, even though she was confused, Libbyie greatly enjoyed Alicia's attention. Still a child indeed, her mind swayed once more as she forgot her tender anguish.
Though Alicia knew this, she had no plans to remind the small future heroine. It's not her place to become, mentor and or moral compass. Mother Marys' did not need help except from their knights in shining armor.
Alicia shook off her thoughts, along with the drowsiness hanging above her eyes. "What's with the glares? Else my memory is failing, which I highly doubt, hadn't I warned already? Do you plan to test my patience?"
Alicia patted the future heroine, who'd once again clung to her arm. Growls along with bloodthirst filled the air, scaring the child once more. Even the cub had taken up a threatening stance, diminishing any residual feelings left behind.
Alicia's words were empty air, the nomad tigers turned it to carbon without a thought. Caution and fear only pertained to the beast by her side, Ash, leaving room for Krad as it was his magic which binds them.
She was well aware of this. Underestimation is what stabs you in the front, shocking your soul with regret as you breathe your last. Oftentimes then not, even those beasts in the wild were struck down the same.
Once again she did not plan to be a moral compass nor guiding hand. Blood froze and unthawed her veins into liquid nitrogen, her voice gentle despite this as she spoke down to Libbyie. "Close your eyes, cover your ears, you're safe. It'll all be over soon."
Opening her dress long sweater, Libbyie compiled, hiding herself within the comforting fabric, scented with soothing lilac.
"Milady, allow me." Heartlessly she shot Krad down, not taking her eyes off the ignorant house cats. "Your way is too messy, too loud."
"What about me mom? They won't have a chance to scream!" Ash wagged his tail, looking for approval. Just like Krad, he did not get it.
"No, this is not up for discussion." None the less heartless, Alicia cracked her neck and fingers, popping out the air between her joints.
Confusion tilted Ash's head, his thoughts spun out of control. This was unlike mother. Why hadn't she given the okay, sitting back as she watched him in pride?
Ash and Krad wouldn't be the only ones shocked and confused. Even Alicia would be surprised by her own actions. But once thinking it over, she'd understand.
Since her younger siblings birth, she'd become more cautious about her actions. Blood and gore, brutalities of nature as the strongest lived and the weak would parish. These were a few of what she'd refuse to let their young eyes see.
Currently her new mindset was still in play. Young eyes and ears were hidden behind her. Unbeknownst to her, once her views changed, in this moment Libbyie Vemen became one to be sheltered.
Static filled the air. Tension rose the fur upon the backs of those Nomad Tigers. Sparks lit up all around on contact with dust and otherwise small particles.
Whimpering in submission, belated reactions as finally they knew. Ash and Krad were mere fodder in comparison to the cold child before their eyes.
"Scared? Finally you know fear?" Just a meager tilt of her head startled the cowering beasts. Empty laughter escaped her lips into a chuckle. "You know what, I've changed my mind."
"Krad, grab the cub." With a nod, he complied. His movements were swift, so fast in fact, the adult tigers hadn't the chance to react before the young had vanished.
"Keep it safe," Alicia rubbed its head, soothing down its anxious fur. "Since Ash and Bubbles tend to refuse leaving my side, Purna and Ruleck have been quite lonely. They will need a friend whilst I'm away from home. This cub is perfect."
After she'd settled the cub down, once more her sight fell upon the open space ahead. Her attention quickly quieted their growls.
Quiet filled the alley. Not a single sound could be heard. Even breaths stiffened as the nomad tigers refused to breathe.
Just as one finally couldn't hold it no longer, in a blink of an eye, the sky turned dark. Not even enough time was given to look up as a rain of white lightning fell into the blind Alley.
The nomad tigers stood no chance as the relentless out pour of heat and energy took their lives. Even after their hearts had stopped, the lightning did not. Not until every inch of them was turned to ash and bone.
Strangely enough, besides the fizzling of electricity, not much sound was heard. A bit of grumbling in the sky like thunder, yet no sound upon impact.
Alicia had controlled her magic well. Not once had the magic touched the earth, halting any booming sound at the door.
Pride swam in Ash's eyes as he watched his mother. Krad grit his teeth, biting his nails into his palm in concern.
"That's enough milady, they're gone." Unable to watch any longer, Krad took a step forward.
"I told you," Alicia swallowed her amusement, halting her magic as she glanced over her shoulder. "I'm not that fragile."
Twirling energetically, her silly pose caused Libbyie to giggle. Hand on her hips with nose to the sky she laughed. "Fear me! I am Thor the god of lightning!"
Krad grinned at this. Ash bounced up and down as his tail wagged. The tension had quickly vanished with Alicia's silliness.
Yet, that did not last long. Slowly dying out, Alicia's laughter became quieter, until her body began swaying.
Reacting quickly, Krad caught his lady before she toppled over. "Lady Alicia!"
Draping his hand over her forehead, he flinched. The heat radiating from her was that hot as it singed his palm.
"Oh no, is Ally okay?" Krad ignored the child, Libbyie Vemen's concerned tears, only focusing on his lady.
"Hand her here." Shocked by his master voice, Krad hadn't the time to take a professional air. When had the duke arrived? Had he zoned out and lost his place?
Duke Cadarvic did not wait for a response, scooping his daughter up into his arms. He winced at her heavy breathing. "Princess what have you done. How you worry your king, this father to death."
Barely managing to open her eyes, Alicia looked upon her father's face. Wrapped in exhaustion, the creases of age below his eyes stung her heart.
Tears spilled down her cheeks as she began whimpering softly, "Sorry, daddy. Sorry."
With just just those few words, her energy had completely drained away. Darkness pulled at her eyelids, swallowing her into that suffocating abyss, into the place she fears the most.
* * *
"Duke, this fever is much too strange. This one isn't able to do much. Please forgive this one." Fear clouded this voice, lowering oddly as what she assumed was due to bowing.
"Useless!" Alicia heard her father's roar. "Every single one of you are useless! Roy, get these pieces of trash out of my sight!" Crashing followed soon after, then only silence.
Eerie ringing assaulted her ears as she tried to listen. Becoming worse the harder she focused, the silence grabbed Alicia by the hair, drowning her in anxiety.
"No more." she pleaded. She couldn't bear the constant attacks of Tinnitus. That constant buzzing, hissing, driving her emotions up the wall.
Floating in the waves of heat, bordering the edges of suffocation, hatred quickly turned into weakened reluctance. "I'm not fragile. I'm not fragile."
She truly isn't fragile. She doesn't want to be seen as a source of protection.
Why couldn't she protect herself? Her arms and legs worked just fine. Her heart and soul fought in stubbornness, armed to the teeth with pride and knowledge. Yet...
Yet, her body was not having it. Though she worked her muscles hard, in this moment of need, they fail to move.
Concentrating her effort into perfecting her magic. Lightning so sharp and precise, her only match is mother nature herself. Still in this moment, not a single drop of magic could be felt.
It was as if the suffocating heat had taken a spoon to her insides, scooped everything out, pouring liquid lava inside as phantom hands gripped her lungs.
"It hurt." So much it hurt. So painful in fact, she couldn't decide if it was her body or heart that ached the most.
"She's over done it." Tension left her weakened body at the sound. Even the voice of this irritating creep was god sent compared to silence.
"I'm afraid monthly visits are now essential. She's in too much of a fragile state." Head Cleric Balbazar calmly stated.
A soothing touch, cold energy wrapped around Alicia as she relished the feeling. Finally she could breath.
"Little one," Alicia stilled, she hated the nickname, simply because it came from this frustrating creep. Yet right now, hatred was lost to her as she hadn't even the energy to blink.
Opening her eyes tiredly she looked up. Muted colors of candle light and darkness of nightfall made her sight hazy. Still she could make out the striking man in front of her.
Those clear grayish blue eyes draped by pure white hair filled her sight. She swore, if given pointed ears, he'd looked just like an elf.
"From now on, this pain you feel will be a monthly venture. Not only that, it will be twice as bad." Harsh and to the point, he didn't even try to coax her, nor show any signs of kindness despite her age.
If anything, this was the only redeeming feature Alicia could identify from this creep.
"If my words continue to fall on deaf ears, so be it. You're the one suffering not I. Keep being reckless and the heavy consequences will be yours alone to bear."
Leaning upon his hand, propping him upon the large bed, Head Cleric Balbazar whispered into her ear. "Of course that is, if you disregard the anguish of your parents and loved ones."
He ignored her heated glares as he stood up and took his leave. Alicia painfully watched as her parents cried, hugging her as they spoke words of love.
Alicia's tears fell, knowing the words they truly wished to say. She whimpered as she knew she'd have no choice but to be protected.
As much as she hated to admit it, that creep was right. "I really am fragile." Dammit.
»»————- ✼ ————-««
Author's note: In case of theft. This is an original -English- novel done by yours truly [MyKataren]. This author will state here and now, oh ye thief of old, thanks for the free advertisement!
Original : www.tinyurl.com/MVPGAwebnovel