Chapter 135:
Journey of Self Discovery
"Clarence, you're an elf." Silas's words sounded like a question, but he could only state them aloud, as if he were attempting to elude himself of the truth.
Listening to Silas's words, Clarence grew pale. "What?" He said, his voice trembling faintly as he stared at the glowing scarf, his eyes growing red the more he stared at the fabric around his neck. He rested his hand on the fabric again, and it continued to warm his palm, this time, leaving wisps of mana to trail from his palm. "Angeline, what's going on!?"
Angeline stood remorsefully, a bitter expression resting at her lips as she stared at the two men with a face that could only be read as quiet. Her small stature was lacking energy as she spoke, staring at the mana leaving Clarence's palm. "It's exactly as Silas said. Clarence, you have mana in your body, a large amount I might add. That means that your-"
"Shut up." Clarence said, the mana from the scarf began to dance around him, unconsciously heating the air as a wispy, burnt scent filled the air. The scarf around his neck was still glowing, heat radiating from the item in a dangerous manner.
Staring at the scarf around the prince's neck, resting around him like a chain, Angeline could only bite her lip, summoning her own mana. She used the mana to conjure a gust of air to blow the concentrated air away from him, keeping his rampaging mana from exploding. "Silas, you need to get the scarf away from him. The mana around him is channeling into it." She said in a heavy tone, her gaze full of worry as she stared towards Clarence.
"Got it." Silas said, staring forward with apprehension as he stared towards the prince, who appeared lost in his own anger, standing still like a gargoyle statue, his expression twisted in despair.
Silas slowly stepped forward as Clarence stared at his hands, frozen in place. The wisps of mana had yet to disappear from his palms, trailing like lonely lines of smoke. It was something he had never seen before. Something starting, something unorthodox, and something he would soon learn he had to live with for the rest of his life.
"Let's get this off of you first." Silas said in a gentle tone, his face grim as he slowly removed the scarf off of Clarence's neck. He reached up, slowly unwrapping the small item off of his neck. Once it was unwrapped, he threw it to Angeline. "Angeline, please hold that."
As he said that, he felt the scarf around his neck suddenly loosen, and soon, it fell to the ground, unraveled by the young man in front of him with tear-streaked eyes. There was a faint anger in his eyes, tinged with pain, confusion, and an insufferable feeling of loss. It was a feeling Silas knew well. It was the same feeling he felt as he watched his own village burn to the ground, ruined by the man in front of him. But, the more he stood in front of Clarence like this, the more he felt they were not very different after all under all of the grudges they held.
Standing in front of Silas, Clarence took a step forward, startling Silas out of his daze. His eyes were dark, his lip pulled taught as he opened his arms. Silas wanted to step back, but a voice in his head told him to stand still. If he were to try to escape now, he felt something dangerous would happen.
Rather, obediently, Silas stood tall, staring up at Clarence's voidless expression. Staring at Clarence's lips, he saw them move, but no words could be heard. It was only when Clarence's figure stepped in front of Silas, moving his head towards the side of Silas's face, he felt a faint, warm breath pass the shell of his ear. A chill trailed down his neck as he heard the prince's faint voice trail around him.
"I'm not an elf." Clarence stated soullessly, his eyes glassy, "It can't be. I can't be."
Silas's eyes narrowed as he stepped back, lifting his hands in front of him in a defensive posture as Clarence stared at him, his eyes dark as he reached up his hands and grabbed the sides of Silas's arms, bowing his back to stare at Silas, staring into his eyes with a demonic ferocity that made Silas and Angeline fall cold.
"I'm not an elf!" He shook Silas heavily, his nails digging into the muscular flesh of his arms like barbs. "Stop lying to me! How can I be one of those evil creatures! Those demonic scoundrels, those murderers-"
Silas swallowed the dry spit in his mouth, his limbs turning cold. "Clarence-"
Clarence stared at Silas, his eyes reddened as tears streaked down his face, his emotions mixed between sadness and rage. "You don't understand. I-I've lived my entire life as a human, I've always been a human… how can I be something like that?" His hands were shaking as he held onto Silas, as if the man were his last lifeline. "I'm not, I'm not an elf!"
"Clarence, stop it!" With the nails digging deeper into the skin of his forearms, Silas finally retraced his arms back, nearly pulling them out of Clarence's grasp.
"You don't understand at all, Silas!" Clarence hissed, his eyes red and bloodshot. "I can't be an elf! It would ruin my life!"
"Is being an elf the worst thing that could happen to you? You've lived as a human for nearly twenty years! Twenty!" Silas's temper had been burned, causing him to yell back at the man. "Now you'll understand why we do what we do to survive!" His voice echoed in the area, dripping with frustration and irritation. "Is that why you're afraid, because you'll be reaping the consequences of your own actions!?"
Silence fell between the three, Angeline fixed her gaze on Silas, who had already reversed the grip on his arm. He now held onto Clarence's shoulders with a heavy, weighing grip, much like Clarence's. Once Silas spoke, something seemed to penetrate the prince's thoughts, bringing a glimmer of light back to his eyes as he stared at Silas, the blue hue in his eyes returning to their natural, sea-like color.
"Silas?" Clarence finally asked, as if he had returned to his senses.
Silas was panting, his heart raking in his chest as he stepped back, nearly half of his sowing frustration extinguished by the shy, confused look on Clarence's face.
Angeline's own face was full of astonishment, staring between the two as if something had broken the wall separating the two. It was as if they had suddenly returned to reality, their faces falling as their understanding of the situation finally set in. The bitterness in the air remained, but the lingering hatred began to fade away the more the pair shared gazes.
"I-" Clarence said finally, "I need to be alone for a while. I don't want to see anyone right now." Suddenly, he turned away from the pair as he began to walk unsteadily towards the hidden wing of the mansion, slowly stumbling out of view. Silas stepped forward, contemplating stopping him, but Angeline spoke first once Clarence was out of view.
"Wait, Silas. Let him be."
The tension in the air had fallen, but Silas still looked towards Angeline with a quizitive expression, looking for an explanation for the sudden test of their mana. "Why did you do that, Angeline?"
"If I knew he would react like this, I never would have told him." Angeline said solemnly, staring towards Silas with reddened eyes, full of shame. "I wanted to test him, but all I did was make him view us as monsters even more." She shook her head, letting out a large, shaky sigh. "I'm sorry, Silas. I should have never pushed the issue."
"Did you have us test these garments knowing Clarence was of elven heritage?" Silas asked directly. "What were you thinking?"
Angeline stared up, her expression still low, "I had to know, Silas." The pair stared at each other with heavy gazes, neither backing down. "When he touched the fabric for the first time, I could see traces of mana, but I wasn't sure if it was my own. It wasn't until you two began to help me that I noticed it."
"Noticed what?" Silas pushed.
"I noticed his body contained mana. You know what that means, Silas." Angeline clutched her chest, her eyes wavering, "It means that he's an elf. Someone in his family has been lying, a member of the Yursinean royal family no less! Do you know what that could mean?"
What would happen if a Yursinean royal was found to be an elf? It was something many of the elves wondered. Would the person be executed as a traitor? Would their role change how elves were viewed in the kingdom? There was little hope of anything positive coming from the news. Rather, it could serve as a detriment to their mission, particularly if Malcolm was made aware of Clarence's heritage.
The nobles were on Malcolm's side, their reactions far from helpful, but how would the common people take such news?
"We need to tell Eva this immediately. This could jeopardize the mission." Silas said, staring in the direction Clarence had disappeared.
Angeline nodded solemnly. "I should have spoken to her first, but I was foolish. I'll talk to her first. For now, please don't tell anyone what we discovered." She held her hands in front of her chest, her expression full of concern. "For now, please keep Clarence in his room. We'll figure out what to do with him later, once we can explain his elven heritage a bit more."
"I'll talk to him once he calms down." Silas rubbed his arm where Clarence had grabbed him, grimacing as he brushed past the bruising skin. "He may be foolish, impulsive, and naive, but he's trying his best to better himself." Silas pondered, letting out the stiff air he had been holding. "All I know is that Clarence is devastated right now."
Knowing Clarence could not hear her, Angeline could only say with a smile, "You really care for him, don't you?" Silas stared at her with irritation, wanting to refute, but Angeline persisted. "You strike me as a closed off person, Silas. Why would you care for him like this if you hated him? Even after he tried to kill you?"
Silas paused, his lips pulled taut. "Angeline-"
There was a strange feeling lingering in the air, a feeling that made Silas's heart thud nervously, as if he were about to be confronted with a problem he was not ready to face. His fingers trembled at his sides, and his heart began to beat in his ears, his face falling still as Angeline finally said, "You know what I'm getting at, Silas."
"Whatever you're thinking, you're wrong." Silas spat with an air of certainty, his face grim. "I'm going back inside. Let me know when you talk to Eva." He stepped away from Angeline without acknowledging her, only turning on his heel as he walked away.
Angeline did not speak as Silas left, stepping down the same path Clarence had only moments ago. She thought with a small, nostalgic smile. The way you look after him, it reminds me of how Mille looks at me. She tapped a nearby rock with her foot, the redness in her eyes yet to recede as she watched the man disappear, prompting her to return to the palace with an air of solemness.
…
"It's been nearly half an hour, and I haven't seen a single guard covering this portion of the tower. Something's wrong." Jasmine lowered her binoculars, rubbing her nose bridge with a frustrated expression. "Have you seen anything on your end, Neema?"
Neema had been scouting in a nearby tree, using her own set of binoculars to monitor the castle walls below. Saoirse stood just below the tree, hiding under the bushes of the tree. Not much time had passed, but it was enough to make them worry for Holland's safety. The only time guards would delay their shift change was the arrival of a royal family member or during executions.
Captain Laurent would never allow Holland to be executed in such a lowly manner, but the thought made everyone's heart fall tense as they prepared to start their journey to break into the palace and rescue their comrade. The discussions and plans had already been made, changed again and again by the arrival of the soldiers, but their base mission still remained, and their methods still very much effective.
The four prepared their satchels and weapons, discussing the plans one more time before they were about to travel to the palace walls. Before they could start, however, a figure was spotted not far off from their location. Due to the distance and their location in the foliage, they were unable to tell if the person was friend or foe.
This far into the Yursear Kingdom, they would only encounter foes.
"Someone's coming. All-" Saoirse waved her hand, lowering her binoculars as Neema stepped to the side, back into the shadows. "Get ready." Jasmine, standing under the tree, slid out of view, allowing Vaan to take the lead and step forward and approach the unknown figure.
Vaan slowly crept to the side, holding his sword in his hands as he hid behind a nearby tree, attempting to get a spacial advantage on the other party. The group of four found it odd there was only one soldier approaching, but they could only assume more guards were nearby, leading the other three to spread out soundlessly, watching for others as they monitored the single approaching man.
As the man approached, he tripped slightly, the wooden stick in the crook of his arm barely keeping him afloat. As he stumbled, he let out an unsightly string of words, his chest heaving and breathless as he attempted to hold back the pain he was feeling. Blood droplets fell to the ground and stained the grass under his feet as he dragged his battered body, slower than a healthy soldier could move.
Vaan lowered his sword at the sound of the man's words, and the rest of the group stepped forward, staring at the man they had come to rescue. Their eyes fell on his injuries as the light of the sun seeped through the leaves, illuminating the man's ragged face and ratted hair, making him appear no better than a vagrant.
"By the gods… Holland!" Saoirse said first, her eyes widened like tea saucers. "Here, hold onto me." She hurried to Holland's side, using her shoulder to help support his weight.
As Holland let out a relieved sigh, happy to have found his group, Vaan reached into his satchel for medicinal equipment. They were unsafe in their current location, so he could only provide the basic, most quick aid to Holland. He held a small green pill in his hand, a painkiller made by Yulia for their journey.
"Do you have a water canteen or something? My mouth is a little dry." Holland's voice was gravelly and dry, forcing his lips to form each syllable. He coughed as he spoke, but had enough energy to stare at Vaan with sparkling eyes, as if he were hoping the other man would pity him.
Vaan only stared at him, holding out the pill in his left hand as he grabbed his canteen in his right, passing the two items to Holland with quick succession. The pill was bitter, but Holland threw it back, washing the disgusting taste back with a grimace. After most of the water in the canteen had been drunk, Holland wiped his mouth with his free arm and handed it back to Vaan, who only stared at the nearly-empty canteen with a frown.
"Thank you, by the way." Holland said with a rumbling laugh. "Anyway, what is our next destination? Hopefully somewhere with food and a warm bed." Holland teased. The others smiled, relieved that Holland had enough energy to joke.
The Yursinean knights were still in the area, and there was little time before they scouted the perimeter of the palace again. The place they were standing was only a short distance from the break in the wall. They would find it, and they could very well trace their steps to their current spot.
"I don't know how you found us, but we'll talk about that later. We need to hurry to the rendezvous point. Once we're there we can provide Holland with medical treatment." Jasmine urged, staring at the state of Holland's injuries. "Can you make it a few more miles, Holland?"
Holland nodded his head, "If we hurry, I should be alright for a little longer."
"Do you need to be carried?" Vaan asked suddenly, his face full of seriousness as he stared at Holland's bloodied figure, concern unhidden on his face. "Your leg won't make it another two miles like that."
Saoirse, holding Holland up, could only agree with Vaan's assumption. With the fear of more soldiers appearing, Holland was carefully placed on Vaan's broad back, allowing the taller man to loop his knees under his armpits, carrying him on his back like a piece of luggage. His satchel was held by Jasmine, who had already summoned the horses to move them forward.
"Holland's in no condition to ride. I can walk with him." Vaan said directly, prepared to walk as long as he needed.
Holland stared at Vaan's back and then his injured legs before he abruptly held out his arms like a bird, allowing Vaan to adjust his grip on Holland's legs, "Well, I can't refuse that." Once the other man was secured, Vaan moved forward, and the rest of the group hurried forward, prepared to set off onto their next destination.
…
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Finally felt good enough to post this with Hunny's edits! Lately Google is catching onto me making up words, but they work, so fight me, google. Again, sorry for the delay... I had to facilitate interviews today for work (one more tomorrow, then I get a whole week off work, paid ;u; ). My stomach has been in bad shape, so I've been taking meal supplements to get my appetite back and keep my food down :D It's good, except it tastes chalky as hell. Writing this week's chapter was a nice distraction, that's for sure... >n< (perfumy strawberry, bleh)
My store's construction is almost done, so things should slow down here shortly. I'm getting a lot of traction on my art in my community with my store, so I've been a little sick from stress getting everything together. I also have a piece in a local exhibit, so I'll share that when I can! :D I will be displaying YMtK stuff there as well >y<
Hunny made me cut out things around 3 times, so the sweet, teary hugs y'all want will most likely be next week. Just sayin', I was ready (ahaha)! Thanks always for your patience, all, and we should be back on time for Sunday!! ;u;