Where should we go princess? I can bring you home, to an alter."
"Find one of the seven."
"How are we going to do that?"
"When they are around, people talk about them, you just have to find gossip, or a large group of soldiers that are looking for me so that wouldn't be so hard."
As we continue to ride deeper into the forest, I feel a tug.
"Go east," I tell Landor who turns the horse that direction.
As we walk, a fully tacked horse runs by the trees, it's black fur camouflaged in the dark. I look to the direction it came from to see a little bit of light.
"That way," I say pointing towards the light.
He walks us through the trees and we arrive in a clearing caked in snow. Splotches of red across the ground and body's lie face down in the cold. A sword, buried blade down in the snow, is the only thing standing. It glowed a white color lighting up the area. Next to the sword was a figure covered in a black cloak. I can see the chest rise and fall with labored breathing. I struggle off the horse sliding down under Landers arm. I shuffle through the snow stumbling, feeling light headed.
I collapse next to them, and my fears were true," Cloudio," I say touching his face.
His eyes crack open, his body was terribly cut up, on top of it he had a arrow pierced threw his shoulder. I had never seen him in such a bad condition. The longer I stayed next to him the less my head hurt and I felt helpless.
"Ivory?"
"Yes it's me," he lifts his left arm reaching to touch me.
His hand cups the side of my face gently," I'm sure I've died if I'm seeing you. I'm sorry I couldn't save you I tried, but it's fitting that you are the angel here for me. I wish I had told you that I loved you in my life."
My eyes widen he, he loved me? His hand slowly lays backing on the snow. He closes his eyes leaning into my touch.
"No, Cloudio, please you're not dead. Cloud?"
I say, but he doesn't open his eyes, my eyes shut. Hot tears slide a wet path down my cheeks as they fall off my chin. I take a labored breath hugging his body, staring off into the sky trying to quite my sobs. I shut my eyes, I can't stop myself from crying. My first friend, my knight, my savior.
I dyed myself in that moment, I didn't care who stared at me there. Who would try to come and kill me. I would stay here as long as I could, as long as I needed
———
In Cloudio's pocket was a shard of gaurdanium. It slowly rejuvenated Ivory as she called to her loyal knight. As her power returned, winning the fight against her sickness, power flickered in the air around her. White ribbons of magic gracefully twist threw the air off of Ivory.
————
"Ivory, please be carful," Lander warns as he approaches, finished tying the horse up.
I can't think, I can't see. Tears stream down from my eyes dropping onto Cloud's face I couldn't control myself now.
"You can't, you can't leave me too," I clutch onto his shirt, I wasn't strong enough to lift him. I was hardly strong enough to move myself.
The sound of clattering approaches but I can't lift my head, there's no reason to, I can't see threw the tears in any case. A scream creeps out of my throat, and a pair of arms wrap around my body. Cold metal presses against my back and sides.
"Ivory...," it was Liam's voice in my ear.
If this was any other situation I would have felt relived. His arms warp me in a hug and he keeps me close to him stroking my hair softly.
"You're going to go into hypothermia if you sit in the snow like this princess."
"But, C-Cloudio. Liam do something!"
"It's alright calm down, it seems as though he is alive, even if it is just barely."
I crumble sobbing, I turn in his arm and I hug Liam tightly. This is the first time I'd been so close with Liam. I needed this comfort, this familiarity. He hugs me back, lifting me up almost like a small child.
"Men clean up his injuries and make sure he stays alive until we get to the capital."
His men work flooding the area
I was just sitting. I hadn't even heard them arrive with Liam. They must have come with someone who knew we where here.
"Sir Liam," one stands at attention," all injuries are healed."
"You mean treated?"
"No, healed, they are all shut and even the hole in his shoulder has been patched with crystallized magic."
"Then take care not to shake him around to much, let's get back home men."
"Aye!"
————
We road home, I rode on Liam's horse with him and Cloudio with another knight. The group of us caused a stir, when we arrived at the gate. Walking down the streets of the capital I heard the whispers. People talking about Cloud, Liam, then talking about who I was. They'd match my description, and come to the realization that I was their princess. Word spread faster than it took us to walk down the street, soon there was a crowd, and people talking about me, then came the guards. They cleared our path, all the way to the gates.
Liam dismounted as well as Landor and the other knights. Liam, took one of my hands in his as the other slowed my fall holding the side of my body. I hit the ground and look to the crowd around us then to the gate that creeks open.
Two other footman take the horses and Liam leads me past the gates. Landor follows us through, as well as another soldier carrying Cloudio.
The guards stop him but I wave them off," He's allowed in, he's a member of the seven now."
The guard's back off, and Liam looks down at me in surprise.
"What?"
"I thought you were supposed to run this by the group before you recruited more members."
"Well it is MY, job so really I get the say."
"Yes princess, but if he didn't make the cut, I can't let him protect you then, can I?"
The front door swings open and a flash of purple flys across the courtyard.
"Ivory!"
I look up and see Mariam running at me, I let go of Liam's arm to hug her.
"I was so worried about you!" She says before pulling away. She looks at Liam," you found her?"
"Yes, though I didn't mean to. One on Cloud's soldiers came to get me after he was gravely wounded. When we got there she had found Cloudio before I. She also brought along him," he says pointing his thumb behind him at Landor who was gawking at the scenery, completely oblivious to the fact that they were watching him.
"Who's he?"
"You're new student," I tell her walking towards the door.
"Hold up! What is that supposed to mean!?"