"Brother?"
Footsteps emerged from the stairs. Not knowing what to do, Allyria quickly grabbed the things she knocked over without looking at the person.
She was busy putting it back to their original place when the boy called for her, "Princess?"
Allyria jolted to her feet. The sound of that voice was someone she could recognize anywhere. Before she could react, he jumped in excitement and ran to her for a tight squeeze.
Allyria froze, staring at Kaius who was raising his brow in question, "Who is he?" he mouthed. She was still startled to utter any word.
She knew him, the boy from the fountain who disappeared after he gave her a coin.
'Why is he here?' she asked to herself but immediately dismissed the question when the little boy raised his chin, waiting for her to say anything. "Hi. It's me again," she stammered between words and released from the grasp. She'd really want to catch up and have a good talk with him but circumstances forced her otherwise.
"Why are you here?" he asked, his missing teeth showing. He must still like lollipops. "Do you still remember me?"
Allyria nodded. "Y....yeah. I do, little one."
"What brought you here?" he asked again. Isn't she the one who's supposed to ask that question?
"I… Uh..." she looked at Kaius, asking for help. She needed an alibi. An effective one.
Luckily, Kaius was there to save her for the nth time. He walked towards where they stood and placed a hand over the little boy's shoulder, kneeling in front of him to meet his eyes. "Hello! We thought this was the cabin where our friend lived but I think we're mistaken."
The little boy grimaced involuntarily and stepped back. From the look on his face, it seemed as if he didn't like Kaius very much. "I don't know you," he pointed at Kaius. "You don't live here too."
"Well… Uhm... " Kaius stood and turned to Allyria, his brows raised but she only gave him a shrug. She almost forgot. This kid wasn't easy to fool at all. Good thing Kaius immediately knew what to say. "I just moved here yesterday. Your brother, Dragunov, isn't it? He uh... recruited me."
"Brother? You aren't even sure," she murmured.
The little boy nodded, clearing things up.
Kaius grinned, giving her the I-told-you-I'm-right look.
"Oh. So you must be the new worker he told me about," the boy said.
Kaius smiled even though it was obvious he didn't know what the boy was talking about. "Yes. That's me," he answered.
"And you princess, are you here to work for my brother too?"
'Work? Over my dead body.' She thought but didn't say aloud.
Allyria shook her head, "No. I just dropped by to say hi to my friend."
"You came all the way here to see him?" he sized Kaius up from head to foot. Allyria wanted to laugh at the look he's giving him but she prevented herself from doing so. Kaius may be a good prince but he wasn't good with kids at all.
"Yes. We worked together in the castle for years. I have become very fond of him because he's a kind guy, like you."
Allyria could see Kaius asking her "Really?" as he flashed a playful smile from her peripheral vision. How flattering must it be for him.
She dismissed him with a wave and confronted the little kid. "Anyway, we should really be leaving. I'll see you soon," she said, grabbing Kaius by the arm and walked at a hurried, frantic pace. Chitchat time was finished. They had to flee before his brother or anyone from the camp comes back.
Kaius and Allyria were about to use the back door when the kid stopped them from their heels. "Wait."
Allyria turned around to meet his gaze, "Yes?" she bared a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. Time was running out. The longer they stay here, the higher their stakes in getting caught.
"Why are you going there?" he asked in confusion. "You could use the front door."
'Uh oh.'
The little boy ambled towards the door.
"No!" she shrieked but it was already too late as he already opened it for them. Kaius and Allyria crouched down behind the sofa, tense at the thought of someone knowing they escaped from the cellar.
"Why? Did I do something wrong?"
Allyria peered over the couch. "No. We just don't want to disturb anyone," she said.
"It's okay. My brother can escort you outside of the forest though he is busy at the moment."
"We don't—"
Far beyond the cabin, something caught her attention from the distance—soldiers wounded, families tending to their fathers, brothers and even sons, weapons drenched in blood that were scattered all over the ground.
Was this the reason for the explosion earlier?
"Kaius��" she blurted out.
"Why? What is it?"
Allyria was silent. Seeing as she didn't have the plan to answer his question, Kaius spun around and took a peek to see it for himself.
"What the—" Kaius couldn't even finish his sentence. He stiffened at the disorder he observed, "What is happening here?"
Allyria shrugged, "No idea."
"Where are you going?" Kaius asked.
"I need to find out about it," she said. "If I get caught, don't think twice and run for the door."
Like a sneaky fox, Allyria scuttled past him and went towards the door, covering half of her face. She hoped they were too busy enough to notice her straying in Dragunov's cabin.
"What are you doing?" the little boy asked. She didn't bring her eyes up to see him and focused on the floor.
When she was finally on the side of the door, she took the knob off him and closed it, "Did something happen?" she asked, ignoring his question. Allyria wanted to leave as soon as possible but there was a part of her that was also curious about the unruliness happening in the camp.
The little kid nodded. "Battle," he gave a brief answer. Allyria waited, certain that wasn't the extent of his explanation, "My brother's the one defending us."
"Defending you?" her curiosity even grew more, "From whom?"
"Bad guys."
"Why? Did someone attack the camp?"
The light from his face faded as she asked the question, "It was your men, princess."
"My men?" she looked at Kaius who was still behind the couch, asking for clarity but she was sure he didn't even know as much as her so she leaned onto the kid, "Do you mean the royal guards?"
"Yes."
Allyria didn't answer. She's never liked the thought of war. No matter how evil both sides were, innocents shouldn't have to suffer. Just like what happened now. That was why they heard the explosion earlier, they attacked back.
All of a sudden, delight coursed over her veins. The thought of coming home didn't seem so impossible anymore but she didn't want to put her hopes up so she queried, "Are the bad guys already gone?" Even if she admired the kid, she wished his answer was no. They're just here, trapped. A little push and they might find her.
"Yes."
Allyria's smile slipped, sighing like a slight spring breeze, soft and gentle. She really thought they could go back to the castle now, but it would be harder especially if the Astrenmir's are here monitoring their every move. "I know you've done many things for me, but I want to ask a favor for the last time, is it okay?"
"What is it?"
'Time for plan B.'
"You see, I am a playwright and I want to discover what the outside world is like without anyone identifying me. I have to write it for my next play and consolidate information from people who aren't from the castle. It would ruin the fun if I introduced myself as a princess so I disguised as a worker with my friend here," she glanced at Kaius and back to the kid, "Will you help me?" She admitted the excuse sucked but that was the only idea she had in mind.
"Sure!" he smiled, showing his front teeth. Well, he was easy to convince, "You don't want me to call you princess anymore?"
"If it's okay for you."
"It's okay but… I want to tell my brother."
Allyria held his shoulder in shock, "Don't!" The kid braced himself for the sudden grasp. When she realized how much this startled him, she calmed down and slipped his hand from him. "I'm sorry. Are you okay?"
The kid nodded, pouting, "But I can still you princess when it's only the two of us, right?"
Allyria couldn't think of a better response so she just nodded, "Sure."
"What are you doing? We need to go now." Kaius whispered, holding the knob of the back door.
Allyria shook her head, a faint smile escaped from her lips. Since she was already here, she had to use everything she knows to her advantage.
Does Dragunov really think he's the only one who knows how to play the game?
Allyria smirked at the thought.
'Let the games begin.'
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Written and edited by ephemery.
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the author.
Allyria will hunt you down to the ends of Arde Terra and cast you out together with the Undying in the Islands of the Cursed. You've been warned.
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