Akira was soon standing outside, panting and breathless. She needed to find Thaggar.
"Excuse me?" Akira cautiously approached a maid who was looking at her with interest,"Where's his majesty?"
"He's training with Tak in the...."
"Thank you!"
Akira was already gone before the girl could finish her statement. She run as though she was being chased by a beast. She found Thaggar and Tak in the middle of a spar so she didn't disturb them but they both noticed her. Thaggar allowed Tak to win the spar so he could talk to Akira who looked pale and afraid.
"You went easy on me." Tak pointed out panting heavily while the apparent loser didn't even have a spot of sweat on his body.
"You look like you're about to die." Thaggar teased with a smile and he let his training sword fall to the ground,"You should rest before your sister says I'm trying to kill you."
Tak nodded and let himself sit on the ground to catch his breath. He watched Thaggar walk towards Akira, his hands immediately wrapping around her. Tak smiled and closed his eyes while he dropped his head back to face the sky where myriads of light reached him from the gaps on the thick clouds overhead.
"What's wrong?" Thaggar asked, concern etched on his face.
"Did you find anything?" Akira asked back looking over at Tak.
"No. Maybe I just can't see it but he has been normal. You?"
Akira nodded slowly, sighing quietly only to feel Thaggar's hands tighten around her shoulders. Her heart ached for him but she knew they couldn't just take both mother and daughter when she wasn't even certain about what she saw.
"They both changed." She murmured making Thaggar draw his brows together in confusion,"I think it might be a trick to put us off and...."
Akira froze looking at Tak. She tapped Thaggar and he turned to look at her brother as well, drawing her closer instinctively.
"The culprit truly does not want to be caught." Thaggar said quietly,"We need something else to find the person."
Akira nodded and as she allowed Thaggar to hug her.
"It might snow soon." Thaggar whispered against her tempo and this had Akira look up at the sky,"Tak,it might snow soon. You should head inside."
Tak raised his hand to show that he had heard and then he got up. Thaggar gently tugged Akira along with him so they could head inside together.
"Let's bath and then have lunch." Thaggar suggested and he looked at the maids who were nearby and had heard his words and they hurried to get warm water.
"What happens now?" Akira asked with a frown on her face, fine wrinkles on her forehead.
"We need more information about this. I'll present our situation to the council in the morning." Thaggar explained to get no response from Akira,"It will be alright, Akira. The culprit has only bought a little more time."
Akira nodded, still maintaining her silence and Thaggar sighed. When they reached the base of the stairs, he smiled and scooped her up in his arms making her squeal in fright but she was soon giggling.
"I love you." Thaggar whispered against her ear.
"And I love you." Akira whispered back as she planted a kiss on his chiseled jawline.
A light blush covered Thaggar's checks as he continued climbing the stairs, the shade of pink getting darker the longer Akira stared. Even his ears were a bright red, the urge to play with them overwhelming her.
"Thaggar, may I lead tonight?" Akira asked playfully only to have her heart nearly jump out of her chest when he almost dropped her after missing a step.
"Sorry...." Thaggar apologized as he steadied himself,"You shouldn't say things like these at a moment like this one."
"You have my word." Akira responded wrapping her hands tighter around his shoulders.
When they reached their room, only then did they realize that the maids bringing water were right behind them. Embarrassment engulfed Akira that she felt like she wanted to bury herself. To them she now looked like an overzealous and demanding woman who was controlling their king. Not to mention the attack on Savvy; it would look as though she had planned everything to get rid of Savvy and have Thaggar all to herself.
"You're not breathing."
Akira turned to looked at Thaggar who was looking at her with a concerned expression. She finally registered his words and let out the air she was holding.
"What are you thinking about?" He asked lifting up one eyebrow as he put her down on the bed and sat next to her, his lips curling up in a grin,"Thinking about how I'll take your breath away?"
Akira slapped his shoulder playfully, glancing at the maids who were now smiling at what he'd said.
"What? I thought you were going to handle me but look at you now."
"Thaggar, shhhh!"
Thaggar chuckled heartily while Akira shook her head in disapproval. Once the maids were seemingly done filling up the tab with water, Thaggar left Akira's side to check the temperature before they left. Seeing him walking towards the tab, Akira finally remembered that Taki had a bathroom while she and Thaggar used the tab directly in the room instead of the bathroom. She did not say anything immediately but made a mental note to check their bathroom herself. It would also be comfortable, she thought to herself.
"Bring another bucket of hot water." Thaggar instructed one of the maids and she hurried out of the room.
Akira sat waiting, her mind eventually wondering back to the wizard. She had bad feeling that something would go wrong and it left her gut tied in knots. Did it mean that whoever the wizard was pretending to be had already died long ago? If that was the case then.....Akira did not know how she would cope if it was her brother and she did not know how she would help Thaggar cope if it was Sarika or Taki.