What is going on with me I barely know this man who is checking my neck out, I keep fucking blushing every time he speaks even when he touches me. A soft sigh escaped my lips Gods, something is definitely wrong with me. After Hajime was done putting the medicine around my neck I glanced passed him to see Leon sitting on the edge of the bed.
I walked passed Hajime, around the bed to the left side where the eldest son was sitting with his left elbow on his leg and his hand covering his face.
"Leon...are you ok?" I softly asked feeling concerned for this man in front of me. I raised my hand to put it on his shoulder but I pulled it back at the last second, instead Leon wrapped his arm around my lower back resting his hand on my hip which pulled a soft surprise gasp out of me and a blush to my cheeks.
"Are we...am I doing the right thing?" Leon asked with an irritated sigh.
A confused look came to my face features. "What do you..." My own question was interrupted with Leon laying his head on my thin stomach which made my body stiffen for a moment.
"Nothing, don't worry about it." He sighed.
With that answer I let out a soft sigh of my own and laid my hand on the top of his head. We stayed like that for a moment until a sound of someone clearing their throat came from the direction of the closed door but now open. All three of us shot our heads towards the door noticing Juniper standing there.
"Am I interrupting something?" Jun asked a little amused.
The blush that was still on my cheeks deepened. "Oh, ahh...no no you wasn't."
Hearing the slight discomfort in my voice Leon let me go which made me instinctively look down. "What's going on Jun? You needed something?" I curiously asked.
Jun nodded her head. "Yes, I needed to talk to you for a moment.
"Oh ok." I let my hand drop to Leon's shoulder and walked away. Then walked up to Jun and she led me out of the room closing the door behind us leaving the two men to their thoughts.
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Meanwhile in the guest room the men were silent. Hajime leaning against the furthest wall with his arms crossed over his chest and Leon still sitting in the same spot he was in.
Hajime shook his head. "Leon what's going on with you? Something's occupying your mind and its bothering you."
"Its nothing Hajime." Leon spoke.
Feeling irritated now. "Don't give me that 'its nothing' crap Leon. I've been your right hand man since we were kids so I know when something is wrong and something is definitely wrong." He stopped for a second. "So tell me what's going on with you?"
Leon sighed and glanced down at the hand that was wrapped around my back just moments ago. He was silent for a little bit.
"What? Is it your father or is it...Ares?" Hajime guessed.
When my name was spoken something was pulled in the human male, which forced him to speak. "Yes and yes on both accounts." Leon sighed.
An hour past until I barged through the bedroom door in a silken cream colored night gown, it flowed all the way down to the floor, wrapped around my body like it was made for me and exposed some cleavage, it also had spaghetti straps.
Both the men stared at me blinking a couple of times while I stood there with a worried expression on my face. No one broke any part of the silence with any kind of question or anything. When I started to walk into the room Leon stood up, watching me go over to the cracked opened window then sat back down. When I stood in front of the window I pulled it open to let a soft gust of wind in.
The conversation I had with Jun came flooding back.
"What's up Jun?" I asked.
Jun sighed turning around towards me with concern and sorry in her eyes. "Remember that male Elf named Jax who resided in Moonlight Forest?"
"Um I think so...oh you mean the one with the brown almost black eyes and white hair? And the one who I had feelings for back...then." I asked curiously and Jun silently nodded her head. "Okay what about him."
He's the one who helped turn the Dragoon evil, when the Dragoon was destroyed Jax went into hiding until...now."
"Until now? What does that suppose to mean?"
Jun hesitated like she wanted to say what was on her mind but also scared to say it.
"What? What's wrong?"
Jun sighed and shook her head. "I heard from one of the fairies from our home that Jax is back and...he's cooking something up unimaginable in the forest."
My body froze with anger and panic. "What? A-are you sure?"
My friend nodded her head. Then I stormed off.
When the memories faded from my thoughts I focused on the darkened horizon until my vision sped all the way to where my home is the Moonlight Forest. Plants and trees are starting to wither and die which is strengthening the fire of anger within me more. Then I saw a Fairy with black hair trying to help heal something that looked like one of the Diamond Crystal flowers that is only indigenous to my home but instead it just wither even faster with the sight of the look on her face my heart sank and started to hurt painfully. My eyes kept scanning the surrounding area until my vision caught movement of the male Elf I thought I'd never have to see again...Jax. Just thinking of his name made my body freeze also forgotten feelings started to emerge all over again with butterflies fluttering in my stomach.
"Jun was right...he is back. How convenient." I spoke lightly mostly to myself.
Hajime and Larkin looked at each other for a brief second then went back to staring back at me clearly confused.
I watched as Jax snatch up the Fairy into his hand while the poor creature struggled to get free. The Fairy was saying something that looked like a threat that I could not hear but from that evil, menacing, crazy smile that was spreading on his lips Jax didn't care one bit.
One thing I could make out was the words that his lips were making out. "I know my dear Ares is somewhere watching. I do not really care about your threats. But this is a threat to her, now givin me the dust for that poison." When the creature refused the Elf's slender fingers gripped onto the Fairy's left wing and started to pull. My eyes started to go wide and then next thing I knew her wing was yanked away from her back leaving an open gapping bleeding hole in her back which left her screaming and crying.
I pulled away closing my eyes with the sight still fresh in my mind with more tears streaming down my cheeks. I could feel bile forcing itself into my throat and my knees threatening to give out from underneath me so I leaned against the dresser next me.
I swallowed the bile down.
"Is everything alright Ares?" Leon asked with concern clearly ringing out.
I glanced over to the human man, before I could speak a light shimmer caught my sight. So my eyes went to the direction of a half filled bookshelf. On one of the shelves that was empty sat a well preserved Diamond Crystal flower. When I stood in front of the bookshelf I gently touched the translucent, clear pedals.
"Ares..." Hajime spoke up when a minute has passed. He stood right behind me gently touching my shoulder. I wiped the tears away and picked up the flower while turning around to face the man behind me.
"This...is a flower from my home the Moonlight Forest called the Diamond Crystal flower. You see the light blue pods in the middle surrounded by the clear, translucent pedals?"
Hajime looked down and saw the pods nodding his head. "Yes."
I softly touched the the bigger pod in the middle of the cluster so it doesn't split by accident. "Well those pods are filled with dust...the Fairy's dust. You can use it for healing purposes or if someone has evil intentions like an Elf I know uses the dust then it can be harmful or in worst scenarios even kill someone."
"What do you mean an Elf you know?" Leon asked obviously heard that part.
I sighed and stroked the pedals while explaining. "His name is Jaxilious, Jax for short. He was a dear...Friend of mine and Jun's when we were kids." I sat the flower back down on the shelf. Thinking about when we all were kids burned my throat and tears were threatening to fall out again.
"When we were older like 16 or 17 something like that I confessed my feelings towards him." I felt a sudden burn on my cheeks, telling to two men I barely know or anyone is just way to strange but I did it anyway.
Hajime saw the redness on my cheeks figured out why, before he could stop himself he asked the inside question. "Did...did he return your feelings?"
I silently nodded my head now the tears finally forced themselves out. "But the was the problem."
"What do you mean that was the problem? He didn't harm you did he?" Panic surfaced for a second in Hajime's voice.
I shook my head quickly. "No not physically anyway. When he confessed he disappeared not before he murdered my parents with a poison made out of the dust. On top of that there are whispers that he helped with that Dragoon going crazy and loosing its humanity."
I looked up at the man in front of me and saw anger stated to form on his face. I cleared my throat.
"Now he's back and he's in the Forest, trying to get his hands the pods, for what reason I can not say." I went silent for a minute with the scene I've witnessed through my sight enhanced power. The poor Fairy having her wings pulled out was etched in my mind. I covered my mouth muffling a sob, more tears pouring down my cheeks.
Hajime wrapped his right arm around my lower back and his other hand rest on the back of my head pulling me in a soft comforting embrace lettering me cry in his chest.
"Alright that settles it."
Both me and Hajime shot our heads up seeing Leon standing up with his arms crossed over his tight chest.
"Settles what Leon?"
"Well isn't it obvious Hajime? When we collect the Witch our next destination is the Moonlight Forest. Something happened and some how Ares saw it and whatever it was is clearly effecting her pretty bad." Leon answered mattereffectly.
I plopped my head back down on the Dragoon's chest. Listening.
"So when we get there we'll figure out what's going on. What do you think Ares?" The Prince pointed to me with his eyes.
I nodded my head closing my tear filled eyes. "Alright. Thank you Leon I really appreciate it."
"Come on let's get you to bed." Hajime picked me bridal style forcing a gasp out of me. I looked up at Hajime cocking my head to the side. He smiled softly taking me to the bed resting me in the middle of the bed. The man was started to walk away until I laid on my side and grabbed his wrist, he stopped looking down at me.
"Will you please lay with me? Both of you." My cheeks burned a deep shade of red. "I don't want to sleep alone." I looked away until I felt arms around my belly so I turned my head some to see Leon laying behind me with his cheek on the pillow which made me smile.
The Hajime layed down in front of me pulling the blanket over all three of us. He he turned to his side resting his hand on the back of my neck stroking the nape of my red hair until my eyes slowly closed and unconsciousness over took my senses.
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"Ares, Ares darling its time to get up." A woman called out while shaking my shoulder gently.
I started groaning rubbing the sleep out of my eyes. I yawned letting my eyes flutter open seeing a woman with long beautiful red hair pulled into a sideswept braid and pale blue eyes the same color as mine. "Mom?"
"Morning sweetheart. Happy 17th birthday my dear girl." Mom kissed my forehead.
Wait mom? But mom is dead and so...is...dad. Dad. "Mom where is dad?"
"Oh your father is making something very special for you for your birthday." Mom stood up grabbing a plain box off of my desk. "This is from me."
When I pulled the lid off I saw a dress inside. "Its beautiful mom."
"I'm glad you like it. Try it on."
Thirty minutes later I finished tying the laces of the bust and on the back. I twirled letting the fabric flow around me. The color was a light sea foam green with a dark trim and the long flowy sleeves were translucent. When I looked down at the wide wrap like fabric that went around my hips and down to the bottom of the dress right in the middle was a Diamond Crystal flower.
"The flower was Juniper's own personal touch."
I smiled and hugged her, thanking her then ran off to find my best friend.
I ran off till I found Jun talking to a Fairy and it looks like the one who had her wings taken away from her in the most brutal of ways. "Hey Jun."
Jun and the Fairy glanced over at me, smiled and came up to me. "Ares you look beautiful and happy birthday."
We spoke for a little bit until something clicked into Jun's mind. "Oh yeah I almost forgot Jax wanted to see you in our usual spot to meet I think he has something for you."
"Oh thank you Jun." After waving my goodbyes I slipped the bottom of my dress up some so I can run to the meadow where we all used to spend our childhood at. When I made it to the meadow I found a tall, pale Elf wih short white hair in the middle of the field. So I called out and when my voice made it the ears of the Elf he turned around half smiling.
"Ares, you made it." After Jax spoke once again the scene melted to when I came in to the house when Jax pulled the poisoned blade of his dagger out of my mother's chest, and he was covered in both my parents blood. When I saw that let out a blood curling scream which made me shot up straight out of sleep yelling no.
My chest felt heavy till the point it hurt and I was panting pretty hard as well. I bit my lower lip cut off a sob, bending my knees up to my chest wrapping my arms around them. "Mom, dad." I said quietly with a whimper plopping my forehead on my knees.
"Ares...you alright?" Hajime sat up.
I silently shook my head.
"Nightmare?"
I nodded my head silently.
"Do you want to tell me about it?" He asked while wrapping his arm around my shoulders comfortingly.
"It was about the day of my parents death. It was on my 17th birthday. Jax figured out how to use the Fairy dust as a poison so he poisoned his dagger and attacked my parents while I was there." My shoulders started to quiver, Hajime sighed softly and pulled me into his arms until we both were laying down and my head was on his chest.
"We'll make that bastard pay, I promise. Just try and get some more sleep. I'll be right here I won't let anything happen to you." The man started to stroke my hair.
I nodded my head and fell right back to sleep.