What have we gotten ourselves into? That's the question that was swarming through my mind like a hive of bees buzzing around every corner and crevice and unfortunately it would not let me be for a second which was driving me insane.
We were riding our way to a human village called Drake's Ridge in tribute for the middle son of the King, Prince Drake Skyhawk for killing a Dragoon who lost it's humanity and just gone crazy, it came down and started wrecking havoc and killing everything and everyone in its path. On the back of his beautiful black horse Leon led the way into the village with me and Hajime riding our horses right behind. The moment before we rodel off from the Castle rushed back to me that second.
"Make sure to wear your hood when we pass through Drake's Ridge, the humans there will kill you as soon as they see your face. They are in debt with my brother so they probably already know all about you Ares and the crime that you were framed of." Leon warned.
I nodded my head slightly. "Alright I promise Leon."
Before any Guards or even Soldiers took notice of me I slipped my hood of my cloak over my head until it obscured my pale blue eyes and my long fire red hair. After getting into the village without being noticed besides the bows of respect from the humans to Leon (the Eldest son out of three sons of the King) my stomach started making painful noises because I haven't ate for two days, fucking bastards didn't give me anything to chew on before sending me off to my death so I have ate at all since my last meal which was about two or three days ago.
I groaned letting my head drop with my eyes closed and my hand on my stomach.
Hajime slightly glanced over at me from the corner of his eye. "What's wrong? Was that your stomach?"
"Yeah it was, I'm starving. I have not ate in well over two to three days." I groaned once more gritting my teeth.
"Leon, let's stop at the Inn for a moment. Our friend here is hungry and needs food." Hajime didn't use my name in protection of me just in case someone was listening.
Leon agreed with the stop at the Dragon's Blood Inn. All three of us gently pulled on the reigns to bring the horses to a stop next to the wooden, sturdy railing of the porch. We got off the saddles, tied the ends of the reigns to the railing and went inside.
I took in my surroundings almost immediately as soon as we broke the threshold between the door and the interior. In the middle of the room was a fair size hearth with a roaring fire ablazing giving off a soft yellowish glow to the room and it kept the building warm while keeping the nippy chill of the outside air from staying inside. There were a few amount of long tables on both sides of the hearth scattered with veterans sitting in chair eating, talking or drinking or all three. On the far side of the room was a bar where you buy food and drinks also a room for the night, next to the bar there was a doorway with the flight of stairs going upstairs to the many rooms for rent. Next to the stairs was a closed door which I assume goes to the kitchen.
One of the features that really caught my eye was the medium sized Dragon skull which was from the Dragoon who lost it's humanity and was slain by Leon's brother. I actually felt bad for him or her...what a terrible way to loose one's life. "Such a pitty." I murmered under my breath.
"Hey, you coming? Come on?!" Hajime called out, so I walked away from where I was standing to catch up with my companions.
While standing on the side of Hajime still taking in everything something caught my eye. It looked like a Dragon's heat that withered over time, never knew how large a single Dragon heart could be. "Hajime?"
"Yeah?" Hajime asked. I was surprised this man standing next me was a Dragoon himself how is standing next a withered heart of a Dragon not fazing?
I lightly touched the glass of the case that that the large heart was laying in. "How does one loose their humanity? Like the...Dragoon did?"
Hajime sighed softly. I can sense that it was a sensitive subject so I just shook my head. "Don't worry about it."
"No you are fine just give some time and I'll answer it."
"Ok that's fine Hajime." I smiled.
"Feather?"
Wait that voice, that female voice sounds familiar so I turned around to face a tall, lightly tanned human woman with dark brown eyes and hazel nut colored hair which flowed down her back in waves. She was in a beautiful flowing dress the color of freshly grown wheat. "Juniper?"
"Oh my god Feather it really is you." A tear ran down her cheek while walking up to me wrapping her arms around my neck.
Feather...god its been so long since I've heard that nickname. The only people who called me that names was my dead parents and also Juniper.
"Yes Juniper its me."
The woman still clung to me like I was going to fade away from existence any minute if she let's go of me. "When I heard of what happened I was so sure I lost you."
The sound of someone clearing their throat behind me so when I turned my head towards the bar I saw Leon and Hajime staring right at us.
"O right introductions but first...Juniper?"
Juniper looked up at me from my shoulder.
"Is it alright if we go to your house away from any prying eyes and listening ears? Besides I miss your cooking." I asked almost begging.
My friend blinked her eyes a couple of times before looking between me and the two men standing behind me, one she knew right away Leon the Latest Prince of Nervana but she kept her mouth shut about that for now.
"Yeah come on."
So we all followed her out of the Inn and back outside getting our horses to lead them to Juniper's home. We tied the back up at followed Juniper through the wooden door into a decent size living area on the right with the kitchen on the left. In the living area was a small hearth with a small fire blazing bright with a couch, and two chairs around it with a table in the middle. On one wall of the room was filled with books stacked on the bookshelves also potion bottles filled with potions. Looks like my dear friend hasn't changed at all since we children.
"So what's going on? Why is the Eldest Prince with you? And why are you hiding yourself Ares?" Juniper rambled with questions playing in her head.
I raised my hands in attempts to stop her in her 21 question interrogation. "Alright Jun, slow down I'll answer all the questions you have but give me some space to breath, I am still trying put everything together in my head right now myself." I pulled my hood off my head.
"One the Prince is with me and Hajime is as well because they were the ones who saved my life now they want to help me get a fresh new start. So with that I promised Leon that I will help him figure out what's going on. The reason why I was hiding is because I do not want anyone to find out who I am..."
"If that happens then the humans here will be out for her blood." Leon interrupted me in middle sentence. I glanced up to see the Prince standing next to me now.
Juniper nodded her head in response. "That AI can understand this Village is tied around Drake's little finger, so they would do anything and everything to keep him and King happy." She smiled. "But you don't have to worry about me, I'm not the type to hurt my childhood best friend."
"But I can." We all shot our heads towards the now opened door with a man as I can see the same age as me and Jun. Who is that? "You are hiding criminals in our house now Juniper?"
What our house? What is she...married?
"This girl is my friend Joseph."
"And also a Criminal to the thrones. I'm taking her to get what she deserves." Joseph wickedly smile. This is not good this man does not even know me.
I took a step back and before June got me to keep safe Hajime stepped in front of me to keep this man from coming closer to me. His eyes turned into two slits, his nails on his hands grew to sharp points, his teeth sharpened and his black horns grew out from the top and side of his head.
Joseph took a step back, realizing that he needs to back off before someone's blood was going to be spilt.
I gently grabbed a hold of Hajime's left arm before something bad actually happened. His eyes shot down to look at my slender fingers which were wrapped around his muscular arm. "Calm down, its alright." I spoke reassuring the man in front of me.
He glanced back at me while his body features relaxing under my touch. He closed his eyes taking a deep breath and letting it go, when the man opened his eyes he smiled gently and glared back at Joseph. "You should be lucky that your wife is really good friends with Ares."
God this tension is so thick you figuratively cut right through it with a knife. Juniper cleared her throat to get our attention which worked. We all looked over at Jun who sighed. "Well if everyone has finally calmed down let's get away from the door which is by the way still open."
I made my way past Joseph while enduring glares from him and closed the door. I walked past Hajime grabbing his wrist while following June to the living area and Leon followed right behind.
"You haven't changed one bit Jun well aside from being married." I smiled letting go of the Dragoon's wrist so I can sit down on the left side of the couch next to my dear friend who was sitting in the chair next to me.
She smiled and nodded her head. "Yea I guess I haven't."
"If you don't mind me asking but I thought humans were the only species were unable to use magic?" Leon asked curiously because I guess from the sight of all the potion filled bottles.
Jun nodded her head again. "Yes we are. Why do you ask your Highness?"
While sitting next to me on the couch Leon scanned the room again. "I was just curious because you have all these potions and looks like spell books on the shelves."
"Oh that, its because..." Jun sighed softly looking down for a second silently. I touched her hand forcing her to raise her head towards me some, I smiled weakly giving her a small nod with my head. She smiled looking back up forcing tears back. "Its because when me and Ares were children our family were really close and Area' mother took me under her wing teaching me everything she knew about making all sorts of potions including poisons. Her mother was a Healer I adored her mother. Thanks to Athena I became a very re known Alchemist."
Just listening to Jun talk about mom brought tears to my eyes, so I bowed my head down with my red hair falling hiding my face while trying to relax myself. But a thought came to me which brought a chuckle escape my lips. "I know this if mom was alive if she heard about me being hung for something I didn't do she'd be pissed, but she isn't neither is dad so they are probably turning over in their graves."
"Yeah I know, but you know what...they would be proud of you for the woman you grew up to be."
I smiled at Jun. "Thank you Jun."
Leon rested his hand on my right shoulder and Hajime on my left, Leon released my shoulder but Hajime kept his where it was to show that he cared.
"So where are you headed after you leave Drake's Ridge?" Jun asked.
"We're heading to the Dead Wood." I commented.
Jun looked concerned. "Why are you going there? The Cult of the Dark Witches reside there, its not safe."
"Yes we know...but we have no choice. There's a Witch who lives there we need to convince her to help us." Hajime nodded his head.
✶⊶⊷⊶⊷❍⊶⊷⊶⊷✶
An hour has passed since the reunion between me and my best friend Jun. We talked about everything we have missed when we were kids while we ate supper that Jun was already making over the heart in the kitchen, I've gotta hand it to this woman besides being an incredible Alchemist she's also an amazing cook.
Jun took all the dishes to the kitchen to clean them later and came back.
"Well..." Leon cleared his throat standing up. "Thank you for the hospitality and for dinner it was really good but I think we should head out now."
"Really? You don't have to, you can stay here for the night. Rest up and get whatever you need for the travel, just getting to Jackles Cave is going to take half of the day to reach and going into the Dead Wood is a lot more dangerous during the night anyway."
"But we don't want to intrude on your night." I spoke up for all three of us.
But Jun just shook her head and took my hands into her's. "Ares you know that I love having you around so no you will never be intruding or a burden. Besides it would give us more time to be together like old times."
I smiled and nodded my head. The old times, when we both were still kids inseparable and when mom and dad were still alive and well. I miss those days.
She led us to the guest room that we will be sharing and mind you the bed was big enough for all three of us to share which put a deep blush to my face. Jun walked away for a moment leaving us alone.
Hajime looked between me and the bed while I was untieing the strings of my cloak and hung it on the hook next to the full length mirror. When I was glancing at my neck in the mirror I sighed and Hajime walked up behind me.
"Does it still hurt?" Concern was laced in every word in the question.
I lowered my eyes to the wooden floor and silently nodded my head.
He took out a small vial of some kind of pale lavender color paste like substance. He gently took a hold my shoulder turning me around to face him. Gods I didn't realize how tall he was compared to my 5'3". I was taking in everything of this man in front of me his broad chest that was hidden behind all that armour, all those muscles because of him being a Dragoon. All the way to his short black spikey hair, to his dark red almost black eyes which I could drown myself in then last to his full lips how would it feel to touch them. Oh Gods, I need to stop I don't even know Hajime that well to think that way.
Hajime saw the look flash through my eyes so without making the situation awkward he cleared his throat and opened up the vial and a distinct familiar sent woffed to my nostrals. "It will help with the bruising. The doctor made it while you were knocked out." He gently moved my red hair out of the way so he can have easier access to my bruised and sore neck.
Then he rubbed the paste on the sore skin while trying not to put too much pressure. The sun was finally setting under the horizon, it was a good thing that I agreed on staying...at least I hope it was a good thing I did.