Feral looked indignant as he glared at the laughing princess. "It's not funny," he exclaimed.
On waking up, he had been scared to death when he thought Zillah had betrayed them as that would mean game over but it turned out the little imp decided to put up a show just to watch him writhe in panic.
"Ahahaha- My apologies, but with how careless you were being, I couldn't let you be," said Zillah with a smile. The impact of the smile seemed to brighten up the dark environment they were in, and Dina couldn't help but feel her troubled mind calm down.
Indeed, an ally no matter where was best in any situation.
“So, what happened?” Zillah asks seriously whilst handing over to them some sweets.
Feral hums a soft thank you while popping open the candy which he then stuffed into his and Paws' mouth.
“It’s a very long story princess but I’ll try my best to shorten it.”
Feral tells her all about their predicament but makes sure to leave out a few unnecessary details and after he was done, Zillah was able to get a general idea of how much of a mess they were in.
"I see that Genad has the angel bloodline, and I'm not surprised. I'm sorry about everything," Zillah says, sounding sad.
"However, you can't assume that you're safe here. The other races are against humans because they believe that we protected you during the coupling event. I'm under serious suspicion and monitoring because they claim that I saw through your races with my gift and kept silent. My father even had Lucius taken away from me for questioning and to prevent any suspicious moves from my side."
“I understand princess, this must have been tough on you, and I do hope your beloved is well?” Feral asked anxiously.
“Yes, he is. He is my knight after all, no matter what, Lucius will yield to absolutely no one but me. Plus, they’re still speculating it all so they have no right to touch me or anything that’s mine unless solid evidence is given so don’t worry! As long as I am here, I’ll make sure to help you guys in any way I can,” Zillah stated boldly with a bright smile.
Her smile was brilliant and held a charm so bold one couldn’t help but be entranced. Dina suddenly felt that this person before her was the true embodiment of an angel, even so that the true angels couldn’t compete.
Trustworthy to the end no matter what her friend might have done and holding a love so deep that even in dreadful circumstances like this she was willing to give her all just to help a friend.
Sure she wasn’t going about fighting dangerous beings for her friend or placing her friend before her life but this much was enough. Heck, where could one find a friend who was even willing to risk a strand of hair for them to talk more of what she had done?
Oh, but she, Dina, did have one of such friends… two even but foolishly threw them away.
“You okay?” Zillah asked on seeing Feral’s countenance fall heavily, his originally bright face had turned gray to show just how low his mood was.
“Yeah, just dizzy.”
“I’ll be going then, I can’t be here for too long, if you thought to come to an ally then they probably guessed it and the best thing to do now to avoid being caught is for me to be out there within their view. And under no circumstances should you leave here, no matter what! Unless I personally come to get you, please,” Zillah pleaded with a serious glint in her eyes, any little mistake now meant their doom and even she couldn’t guarantee them 100% safety.
“Yes princess,” Feral agreed but before Zillah could leave he suddenly called out, “Also princess, I want you to know that having a friend like you is one of the best things to ever happen to master. I’m not speaking for my master but for myself and all I can say is that master was truly blessed to have a friend like you.”
Zillah seemed stunned as her sharp amber eyes widened and then, very slowly her lashes were lowered bashfully as a blush adorned her pretty doll face. No words were said but the beaming smile that lit up everywhere, magically clearing the moody environment was evidence of how much those words meant to her.
Without knowing the two had gotten closer by that one single action.
Later, Feral leaned onto the bed with Paws on top cuddling with him. Genad was before them still suffering from the fever and Dina wondered if he was still the mean bastard that wouldn’t back down even if he was on fire, now a simple fever was all it took to knock him out?
Oh, how the great had fallen.
Momentarily forgetting about the ‘fallen great’ she contemplated on their next move. after all they had leave or risk being caught and implementing Zillah. The portal would be opening very soon and that’d probably be their next destination but until then they had to hide away somewhere.
Thankfully, due to the peace law between all races which stated that from 183 days before the opening of the portal to its closing no conflicts were allowed or else those involved would be directly executed even the kings. This was mostly due to the level of respect all races had for the portal’s opening, it was a deeply revered event for all of Styr kingdom.
They were at 185 days according to Zero’s calculation therefore all they needed was to escape within 2 days to a relatively hidden location and stay safe till the portal opened.
But where could they escape to?
‘It can’t be anywhere, we need a place where food and water are steady to avoid contact with other living beings. After all, no conflicts don’t mean we’re off the wanted list. Not to mention our training…whatever, I’ll leave these thoughts to Genad when he wakes up!’
After shutting off all the annoying thoughts, Feral decided to doze off a bit. In the end, all this chaos had him drained and even though he would always be on high alert, a power nap wouldn’t hurt now and then, would it?
***
[Minutes later]
Feral instantly snapped his eyes to glare at the bastard before him scaring the shit out of him. The male had probably not expected that even before coming close to him he’d immediately sense his presence, even from his sleep, a particular elf’s instinct truly was scary.
“Who are you?” Feral bellowed lowly with glowering crimson eyes while making sure to hide the tiny mice behind him.
The startled guard managed to calm down and with an awkward cough explained,
“The princess told me to lead you out that it had gotten dangerous, she couldn’t make it.”
“Oh!” Feral’s eyes brightened up and he leaped up gleefully, “Am sorry, right now everyone’s after us so am on high alert. You can call me Taro, am friends with the princess.”
The guard nonchalantly glanced at the outstretched hands with no thoughts of receiving the greeting causing Feral to awkwardly retrace his hands. Although he had been at fault, why was he so rude? To a guest of his master nonetheless? Fucking asshole.
“Let’s leave,” the guard stated and without a second word disappeared with Feral following behind.
After a few seconds however, the guard suddenly stops and glancing at Feral with a questioning look asks, “Your company? The princess insists you all escape together.”
“Ah? We’re leaving now?! This is bad, they both went out for a night walk….” Feral stated with a worried frown, perfectly imitating the look of a troubled person.
“At a tense situation like this? The princess would be…”
Feral suddenly chuckled cutting off the blabbering male and with a dark smirk adorning his face stated bluntly, “You keep saying the princess, why do I feel you're unto something else?”
CLANG!
Just as the words landed a sword was drawn but Feral was a step faster and immediately summoned the VR stunning the male momentarily and giving him enough time to make a run for it.
Staying for so long in this world and experiencing many things along with her training had immensely sharpened Dina’s precision. She could tell from the moment a person began approaching the door that it wasn’t the princess, which was when she instantly took action.
Kicking Genad to the bottom of the bed and telling Paws to turn into a small creature while divulging to him what next to do, she offered herself as bait. Good thing she managed to fool the guard with her pretense, enough to make the fool even forget her companions.
She could tell the moment they stepped outside that hidden forces had surrounded them which made her even more grateful to Zillah for letting them know of a secret passage through which to escape in case of being surrounded. Now it had been put to good use and Paws and Genad had escaped through it. Everything was well planned and while dodging the arrows and knife throws Dina had never felt so fucking impressed with herself.
“Now it’s up to how good I am at playing cat and mice!”
***
“Father please reconsider! He was once your friend's child! A brethren! Is this all the human race loyalty amounts to?!” Zillah roared stubbornly at her parents who sat on the throne gazing at her with furious looks.
“You dare speak of loyalty! What about your loyalty to the human race?! You hid fugitives wanted by not one- but three races within your chambers to cause what? WAR? Do you think we could handle that ZILLAH ABBOTT!”
“I don’t care! Unlike a certain person who’s really good at screwing up his friends when needed most I think am quite impressive aren’t I father?” Zillah spat viciously as she delightfully took in the crestfallen look on her father’s face.
Ah, It was truly delightful!
“ZILLAH!” Queen Clara exclaimed in shock, how could this child cruelly jab her father with such a painful memory?!
“Stay out of this Mother. You know nothing! Only I knew! Only I was there! Tell me, dad, why? Just why? You were so close then, just a little favor... A simple risk, yet you threw away years of friendship without remorse.”
“I shouldn’t have introduced you to his son back then…” the king sighed tiredly, why was this happening now? After so long why was this dark history being reopened?
“But am glad you did Dad because then I can appease our ancestors whom you’ve shamed by breaking the code of humanity!”
“WATCH YOUR MOUTH YOUNG LADY!” the king roared with a glare.
“Why would I? Tell me why father? How could you? I was so young but I still understood how horrid what you did was! He asked you to look after his son, such a poor young child and even with all those years of friendship you would rather cut all ties with him, betray him than fulfil that simple request.
“You could have sent him away! Not in the palace, you are the king and own the entire fucking human territory but you couldn’t send a young child to even a barren land?! Just to consolidate your place as a king! Like a weak coward, you threw away your years of friendship just for your selfishness?!” Zillah was pretty much unstoppable now, the anger was getting to her and she was raging mad.
“I hope you do know young lady that selfishness of mind is why I am king and you are a princess!” the king swore, refusing to be won over.
“Father! Don’t play the victim with me old man we all know you got that shit in the bag from the very beginning. You just wanted to cut off Uncle Eugene when you noticed how large his enemies were. You wanted to have nothing to do with him on seeing just how backed up to the wall he was!" Zillah bellowed before suddenly facing her mum with a brilliant amber gaze.
“Now tell me mother, how would you feel if the whole world was against you and your most trusted person, let's say, aunty Sasha ditched your ass? Pretty shitty right? That’s what your man over there did!
“I was by the door with Genad when I heard everything. I was heartbroken and feared to look into the boy’s eyes to see repulsion or disappointment but when I did you know what I saw? Acceptance. He gave no shit about what happened and promised to be my friend to the end and you know what I promised in return? Something you couldn’t give Uncle Eugene! UNDYING FUCKING LOYALTY!”
Zillah slumped to the floor when she was done, huffing and puffing. She had said so much in rage but regretted nothing, she couldn’t live hiding it anymore. She always wanted to confront him from that very day and this… this was the outcome of all the pent-up desire.
There was a deep silence as the guards and the queen stared at both agitated figures anxiously, one was panting in rage and the other from relief, It was quite a sight in the royal palace.
After a long drawn silence, the king finally spoke with a calm voice,
“Take her away.”
The guards with a bow mercilessly took away Zillah she kept yelling at the top of her voice, “Father! Make the right choice for once and save Genad! He was your friends son. FATHER PLEASE!!"
BAM!
The door was shut close by the guards leaving the two parents figure alone.
“That child… I apologize,” Queen Clara said anxiously, her husband was an enduring and loving man but this time… Zillah had gone very far. She crossed every single line possible and the queen couldn’t help but worry for the child.
Surely, he wouldn’t punish her too much?
What she didn’t expect was for her husband to pull the crown off his head and to the floor. His face was filled with true guilt and despair and for the first time, the queen saw her king hold such a heartbroken face.
“M-my king…” the queen stammered fearfully, placing the crown on the floor was an atrocious act.
It wasn’t in law but common knowledge had it that a king was never to put down his crown unless in bed, as the crown signified the human race as a whole. Wearing the crown was the king honorably carrying his citizens without rest but placing it down meant… he was putting down his citizens too.
Before the queen could panic any further the king stood up from his throne and began sorrowfully narrating a tale as he slowly approached his crown.
“I had a friend Eugene who was a demon, my queen. We met during a minor festival those days that had long being abolished. He was intelligent, funny and an interesting person to be with and our relationship had been established due to our very similar taste in drinks, wine, aesthetics and visions; although demon and man, we were inseparable.
“My friend was a very ambitious demon, too ambitious and despite my warnings, he somehow managed to incur the wrath of all three races but was still protected by the gnomes. However his protection soon fell apart but he never once sought my help to save him but only to care for his son, the only other living creature he cared for.
“I was appalled on finding out just how many enemies he had and combined with the brainwashing by my father and the courts I believed the best thing for me was to cut off all relationships that we had. And so I rejected his offer, uncaring of what might befall the young son of his because to me it was the right thing to do.
“And on that day dear, I sincerely regretted it. His looks, his words, everything tore through my heart viciously and before I could reconcile my feelings and try saving him, he was executed and his son was nowhere to be seen.
“His research and everything was ransacked by the demons and I felt even more disgusted with myself on thinking I could have handed all this to that child. But I eventually forgot, writing it off as a tragedy and a lesson to be learned. Years later, and I have never found a friend as wonderful as Eugene, even my own daughter did better than me and despite her lower position risked herself for a friend. She knew more than me, her father, the true meaning of friendship. So honestly my queen, Zillah has every right to be disappointed in me for I have betrayed even our forefathers by such an act.”
The king ended his tale with a long sigh as he looked distantly at the crown, he felt grief beyond measure on thinking back to that day. That very day his friend had said those very words that shattered him, he said- 'I should have never met you Abbott. You're a disappointment to all we ever had'.
The day he dissolved all they ever were and although he was the one who dashed it with his own hands, he seemed to be the person who felt the most pain.
Queen Clara stared sorrowfully as he bent down to pick his crown and with an ashen face stated-
“And now as I stare at this crown sorrowfully, a fleeting thought crosses my mind— ‘Was it worth it?’. Someone do please tell me because I… can’t seem to tell.”