WITHRA WAKES UP A FEW HOURS after her father left her in the training room. She sits up from her puddle of blood and looks around. Ether is still unconscious and sprawled across the floor. Withra winces as the rebar shifts when she moves. She grabs it and yanks it out of herself. She involuntarily spits up blood and falls over hitting the ground face first. After a few minutes passes the bleeding stops and she can sit up again.
Because Withra is a Demi she is very difficult to kill. Her magic will instinctively heal even the most grievous of wounds. She is actually surprised how easy her father went on her. She reaches over and grabs the arm Sabrous severed. She holds it in place and whispers a demonic spell. As she does, her arm reattaches. She then starts a holy incantation that heals her body quickly. Being the daughter of a Demon-God allows her to use both holy and demonic spells.
She stands up and walks over to pick up her spear Oli, which is on the far side of the room. She then walks over to Ether. She turns him over and checks his pulse. He is breathing so Withra puts her forehead against his. She starts the holy incantation to heal him as well. He opens his eyes instantly. He slings forward, head butting Withra accidentally.
"Ah! What the hell, man!" Withra yells.
"Princess Withra? Ouch." Ether says as he rubs his head. "Sorry, are you okay?"
"I will be." She responds.
"I wasn't much help during the fight I know." Ether says.
"No, you were a big help; he just had a point to prove today." Withra responds while clutching her arm. "He made his point painfully obvious. Still I am surprised how easy he went on me today."
"That was going easy?" Ether says while he leans back on his arms. "I never fought a God before... well besides you. Is your arm okay? What happened?"
"Oh this, don't worry about it." Withra says nonchalantly. "I just need to go to my room to get a sling." She reaches out her good hand to help him up. "So I will be going now."
"Do you want me to walk you to your room, princess?"
"No, but thank you. I'd rather be alone right now. My dad gave me a lot to think about."
"Really, it wouldn't be a bother at all; it's on the way and..."
"I do want to thank you though." Withra says as the two walk to the elevator. "For what you did earlier."
They reach the elevator and Ether presses the down button. He then leans against the wall facing Withra trying to make himself look cool.
"There is no reason to thank me princess. Especially for something so small. It was definitely not a good offering for a Goddess or Demoness."
"No, it was very sweet. No one ever wished me a happy birthday before."
"You honor me prin..."
Withra leans in while he is in the middle of his sentence and gives him a peck on the lips. Ethers face immediately reddens as the shock of what just happened sets in. A kiss from a Goddess is no small feat. Especially if it is your first kiss. Ether's cool composure leaves him immediately and he just stands there silent and mouth agape.
"Did I do something wrong?" Withra asks. "Your face has gotten red."
"I... I... I- uh. No, you didn't do anything wrong." Ether says stumbling over his words. "Princess, that just caught me off guard."
"Really? That's a relief. I've just been watching TV lately and that was how the human girls thanked their boyfriends."
The elevator opens and the two step in.
"Boyfriend! Look, Princess, I am more than flattered and quite frankly no objections from me, but we aren't dating. Are we?"
"Dating? What is that?"
"I think you're misunderstanding something very important." Ether says.
"What? Isn't a boyfriend just a friend that's a boy?"
"No, it isn't."
"Well, what is it then?"
"A boyfriend is a... well... I guess you can say simply..."
"Just spit it out already." Withra demands.
"A lover."
"A... A lover?" Withra screams her face blossoms into a bright red from embarrassment. "That means I... with you." Withra's eyes open wide as she covers her mouth. "I thought you said it wasn't bad!"
Withra presses the button to her floor and Ether presses his. The ride down is spent in awkward silence. Neither could think of what to say to the other and what is usually a short ride down feels like an eternity. They both tried to think of something that they could say to end the lull a that has come over them. Their minds racing a million words a minute but nothing would form into sentences. Withra's floor finally comes up and as soon as the doors open she darts out.
"Have a good day, Princess." Ether yells after leaning out of the elevator. He walks back inside, taking a deep breath and rubbing the back of his neck. "Smooth move there Ether."
Withra runs to her room. As she walks in and she begins pacing back and forth. Robotic arms come up from the floor removing her armor piece by piece. She places Oli in its case in the center of her room; it then begins to descend under the floor. After all her armor is removed, her body is scanned by the computer. One of the robotic arms gently lifts her arm, then ties a sling to support her injury.
"Computer, please read me a definition. What is a boyfriend?"
"The term boyfriend reads as followed, a regular male companion with whom one has a romantic or sexual relationship," the computer says. "Related word are sweetheart, beloved, darling, dearest, lover, suitor, escort..."
Withra's heart jumps with every synonym the computer reads off. She could not believe she made such a big error.
"Stop," She yells to the computer as she jumps in her bed collecting all of her pillows and yelling into them. "Wait, he didn't seem mad at me when I did it. Maybe we can just forget all about it like it didn't happen. I'm sure he'll be laughing about this tomorrow... hopefully. I just hate that me being weird is the last thing he'll remember about me." She puts her head back down into her pillows and lets out another scream.
* * *
Ether is just reaching his floor. He tried to get what just happened out of his mind, but he finds that all he can think about is Withra. He walks to the barracks to resupply his ammo that he used during the fight with Sabrous. After he gets done. He sits down at one of the work tables to take apart and clean his guns. He wants to occupy his mind with something else, but he finds it hard to focus. Suddenly he feels a hand pat him on the shoulder. It startles him so badly that he jumps and nearly flips the table.
"Woah there Ether, did I startle you?" Ether recognized the voice of Carmelita. "That's a first."
Carmelita is a dark elf. She shares the light grey skin tone of the dark elves. She has short cut white hair. Her eyes glow with a golden brilliance. The elves are natural beauties coveted for their sexual charm. Elves are said to be second to the beauty of the Immortals. Carmelita is no exception to this rule she is at the pinnacle of feminine allure. She has a large bust and a curvy body. She often has a hard time finding armor that fits her. She is much more than just a pretty face. She is a rose with thorns everyone should be weary of. She is a member of Sabrous' Myrmidon Unit which is the elite of the elite combat unit in the covenant.
"Oh, it's just you." Ether says. "I was just thinking about something."
"Just you," Carmelita says enthusiastically putting one hand on her chest as if she were offended. "You know how many men would kill just for me to acknowledge them?" She takes a seat across from Ether.
"You know what I mean, Caramel." Ether states.
"So what's got you all tense. I heard you were training with the Princess today. Did something happen?"
"You know I can't discuss anything involving her highness." Ether says defensively.
"Not even for an old friend?"
"No, Caramel." Ether says. He motions her to lean towards him. "But." He whispers. "Hypothetically... how dead do you think someone would be if they, and I cannot stress how hypothetical this is, kissed the hypothetical Princess... hypothetically."
"Oh-oh my! That's bad!" She yelps.
"Sshhh!" Ether says covering her mouth. "Do you want to attract a crowd?"
"You know Sabrous has been keeping his little girl from everyone. In fact, you are the only mortal to ever see her."
"Yes-yes I know."
"You know Sabrous can take your soul and torture you for like ever, Right?"
Ether's head drops to the table. "I hadn't thought about that."
"But, congrats dude."
"For what?"
"I know you had a thing for the princess." Carmelita says with seductive smile. "Lone hero boy Ether woos the lonely princess locked away in the tower. It's practically a storybook tale."
"Look, it's nothing like that. She just watched some stupid TV show and thought that was how humans thanked each other." Ether reassembled his guns and put them back in their holsters.
"And you believed that shit?" Carmelita laughs. "She is an Immortal, I am pretty sure she knows what a kiss is."
"You're too loud." Ether stands up. "Look, don't you have work to do?"
"Rushing me off already, baby?" She responds. "Fair enough I doubt I can compete with your Goddess. I'll see ya' around, lady killer."
* * *
"Princess Withra, please wake up." The computer says.
Withra's tired eyes open and she sits up with a yawn. She takes off her arm sling and stretches. She rolls to the edge of the bed lazily and put one foot on the floor.
"Is it time already?" Withra croaks.
"Yes, Lady Luintris will be arriving soon. Lord Sabrous wants you to attend the dinner with her today since she will be looking after you while he handles business in the Nether."
"Fine-fine." Withra says. "Besides, I've been looking forward to today for a long time."
"Shall I prepare your dress?"
"No, has my armor been repaired?"
"Your armor? Are you sure ma'am it is a dinner after all."
"Yes, and be sure to bring my helmet this time."
Withra takes of her clothing as she walks to the bathroom and preps herself. When she is done and suited in her armor, she gets Oli and leaves a note in Oli's case. She then walks back down the hallway to the elevator. She takes a deep breath. The door opens, she steps inside. When the door closes she whispers a spell and she phases outside of her armor. She takes Oli off of her armor's back. She then pulls a remote control from a pouch on the thigh armor.
"I hope this works." Withra says as she pushes the panel on the top of the elevator open and jumps through on top of the elevator. "Sorry, Lord Father, but I refuse to become your tool for revenge." Withra closes the panel and sits down next to a bag full of supplies she had placed there in advance. "Now let's go to a banquet." Withra puts the controller visor on and she can see as if she is still inside of the armor. The elevator comes to a stop. "Robot walk to the banquet hall and alert me when you arrive."
Withra takes the visor off and changes out of herunder armor putting on a Sabrous coven jumpsuit. She then picks up the bag andjumps off the elevator a few floors down.