Reunion
- Curse! A young woman grew led as she ran down the shadowy alley.
She looked back, calculating the distance they had from their pursuers. How had they detected them, she asked, annoyed. They had prepared the mission for weeks, all the courses of action, all the alternatives, and at that point they were running like thieves. That frustrated her.
- Run! - shouted the young man who was behind her to the young woman who was behind her” They are remarkably close!
- You think I don’t know! She shouted at him in turn, dodging a burst of energy that hit a structure next to her.
They turned a corner to find the road closed. The trapped. They looked at each other, analyzing possibilities at full speed, exchanging glances and signals as they readied their swords. They were at a numerical disadvantage. What to do?
- Shoot everything you have at my brand! - shouted the young woman who was in front of them, moving away towards the wall of the alley.
- What are you going to do, Yaina?! - shouted the young man with black hair and green eyes, hiding behind some boxes. He received no answer, the young woman looked beyond him, concentrating on the approaching footsteps.
- Already! - I heard her scream as she ran at full speed to the box near the young man, climbing to the top of the stacked block structure.
As they engaged the attackers, they saw the young woman leap spinning in the air and firing trails of magic as she reached the ground, standing behind the pursuers. The surprise gave them time to eliminate several of those who were chasing them and those who remained entered a hand-to-hand fight. Both groups trained, and the winner became fuzzy in strategy. They were exhausted and that limited the response or agility, regardless of the adrenaline from the race.
- Stop! A soldier shouted, grabbing Yaina by the neck while aiming at her head. Only the young men and two soldiers remained.
The young man stopped short, looking at the scene helplessly. At what point did they get careless? He frantically looked at the surroundings, analyzing points of attack and escape so long as he took notice the person kneeling in front of the soldier begging for his life.
- I’m sorry, sir,- he whimpered, - I sinned. Please, sir, spare my life! - he approached the soldier’s leg that was holding Yaina, while he continued to apologize, terrified.
- Let me! -shouted the soldier, trying not to be destabilized by the shot - Get out, you don’t see what’s happening here!
- Sir, - he kept repeating without hearing, - I’m sorry, I deserve punishment!- he looked at Yaina pleadingly - Lady - he asked when the soldier was only cursing at her - Help me, intercede for me!
- I think you’re better off than I am! - she responded, making a gesture towards the sword in her throat. If the soldier continued to rage, he would cut her without hesitation, - The gentleman will forget what you did, - she explained, - you don’t have to worry. I will talk to him and pay him with my money for any damage - she spoke calmly with a prepared smile on her face trying to move the kneeling man away from the place. From his appearance, he looked like a peasant, covered in dust and simple clothes. She couldn’t see his features clearly because of his hair. It was dirty and covering his face.
- Would you do that for me, miss??? - She heard him exclaim excitedly, straightening up a little.
- I said I would,- she said before hearing the young man who was with her warn the other soldier who was trying to draw the sword.
- Hold still! - he shouted at him, - He has nothing to do with this situation, or you are so low as to kill innocents! - he paused and clicked his tongue - It may be... as a vassal of Sarlack, he had forgotten it,- he said ironically.
The soldier, furious, rushed at the young man while the peasant jumped forward, holding the sword and knocking down the soldier who was holding the young woman.
- Are you okay? - he asked the woman after knocking him and helping her up.
- Yes...- she murmured, still a little surprised, looking at the peasant with distrust. Now, standing, he surpassed her by almost a head and his gestures did not resemble those of a humble person.
- Yaina! - the young man shouted while holding her to check if she was injured- Uff, I thought we hadn’t told her! - he extended an arm towards the young man who had helped them and patted her back hard, making him stumble - Thank you for helping my sister! - he said - What do you want as a reward?
- Calm down, Alex,- asked the other young woman approaching, -Not everyone has your strength,- she approached the man, who bowed in front of her.
- I wouldn’t dare, my lord,- he replied, returning to the affected voice, making Yaina alert, -I was to blame e for being so careless.
The young woman approached the other young men at the same time as she whispered to Alex that he was lying. He was not who he said he was. That alerted Alex, who surrounded him feigning a carefree smile.
- My master is not from here,- he replied, keeping his head down.
- From another kingdom? - repeated the young woman with short blonde hair - How strange... All safe-conduct has been suspended by order of the royal secretary. Is your master powerful enough to go against the secretary? Even the Yamain Empire has respected the agreements.
- I don’t know about those things, Milady, I’m just a servant,- the man whimpered, clenching his hands in his lap.
- You haven’t said where your master comes from yet,- Yaina interrupted, seeing him hesitate, - answer what you were asked,- the no answered. - If you’re hiding something, we can leave you with the security guards who just took away the soldiers who attacked us,- she warned threateningly, indicating to the 6 guards that they were taking the soldiers for interrogation.
- I beg you, Lady Derk,- he begged, kneeling, - don’t do it.
The mention of their house started them to the point of drawing their weapons.
- How do you know who I am? - she demanded - Answer now, or you won’t get out of here alive.
- Were you following us?! -Alex shouted at him.
- No, young master! - he waved his arms in denial. - I wouldn’t dare. I was there when I saw them being persecuted... I thought I could help.
- How did you recognize us? He asked, bowing menacingly.
- Uniforms,- he indicated with a trembling finger, - their uniforms - The young men looked at each other perplexed. They were black, with capes and hoods without badges.
- You keep lying! -shouted the young woman with short hair, grabbing him by the shirt and lifting him from the ground - We have no time for your lies!
- Stop, Maya! - Yaina asked, putting her hand on her outstretched arm in an attempt to reassure her.
-What a nuisance,- she exclaimed, dropping it like a doll on the ground, -Take care of it,- Maya said to the other young woman -If he doesn’t speak by then, I’ll kill him. This mission is critical enough to leave a witness who knows who we are.
Before Yaina could approach the young man, a laugh was heard coming from him as he stood up shaking the dust from his pants and shirt, making them wonder if he was crazy.
- What the hell? -Alex began to say, but Yaina extended her arm to stop him.
- Well, well,- the man said in a clear and polite voice, walking towards them, -I didn’t think my sister could have such a character. Has father heard that vocabulary?- he asked, pulling the gugels from his head, revealing his tousled blonde hair.
The young woman looked at him for a moment confused, trying to assimilate the appearance of her brother and the man in front of her.
- Kairon? - She asked him - What are you doing here? - she approached, hugging him tightly. Marcus told me that you had escaped again.
- Escape? - he said, looking at her without ceasing to hold her shoulders - That butler talks nonsense. Going out for air is different from escaping.
- Sure,- Maya sneered, -How if the Crown Prince of Yamain could leave without warning?
Yaina tensed and was on alert, visibly affected, so Alex looked at her worried. He knew the feelings her sister had since she was a child for the man in front of them, and he also knew the pain he had caused when he rejected her at the Princess of Yamain coming-of-age party. Several nights he accompanied her until she fell asleep crying and, added to the death of the previous duke, it was a difficult time for her. How many times had he wanted to beat him up for making her suffer?
Her brother, determined, wrapped Yaina around the waist possessively. He would have fun for a while at the expense of that little prince, he thought.
- Ahem...- Alex cleared his throat, making himself noticeable. - Greetings to His Imperial Highness,- he bowed respectfully, - we haven’t seen each other for a long time- I apologize for not acknowledging it.
- From the academy, Your Excellency,- Kairon replied, fixing his eyes on his arm at the young woman’s waist, responding to the greeting.
- The duke of Corelia entrusted me to represent him while he is in the territory,- he smiled. - It was an honor to work with the Empire.
- Alex...- I heard Yaina murmuring but ignored her.
- Do you remember my sister, Lady Derk?- He asked carefreely, smiling cheerfully - My little lady is already a young lady.
- Of course,- he said, bowing in a formal greeting strangely affected by the way the young man treated his sister. I knew they had no blood ties, but such behavior was at least uncomfortable.
Yaina reciprocated with a nod and then looked at Alex, who smiled at her. Was he protecting her? If he managed to control the trembling of his body and the anxiety when he saw him again after 5 years, so be it. She would use her brother as a shield.
- We must retire,- he said, -we thank you for your help.
- Milady,- Kairon interrupted, cutting her way, -I could...- he began to say
- Why don’t you leave the teacups for a next occasion? - Maya urged - We have to leave. If they were waiting for us, someone betrayed us, and we had to tell the general. Let’s not stay here,- she looked at her brother, who did not move - Are you going with us or are you staying? You know I’ll let Marcus know I saw you
- Even when you reveal that you were here too? - She have grimaced at him.
- I am the duchess of Starcross who serves as a knight of the Council of Nations. I’m working.
The argument sounded valid, but seeing them without any distinction, it was obvious that they were not in that figure. What are you up to, Maya, Kairon wondered, remembering the change his sister had had during her time at the Academy. Not only from her behavior, which went from a delicate princess and a warrior expert in technology and alchemy, but also in her relationship with him. As princes of Yamain they had received a strict education, but Maya seemed to tolerate it better than he did, even though Kairon was five years older. They shared their free time by setting up or talking sitting on the carpet in her room about multiple topics and dreams. When his mother died, the emperor focused on preparing her to support the administration of the palace as host and him as crown prince. The obligations distanced them, without crossing paths in the period of studies and only to learn from her father that the princess was the knight of the council of nations.
Since then, they had rarely seen each other; always for brief moments at official events, but quickly the princess left before she could even speak.
- I’ll accompany you - he smiled, adjusting his clothes - Shall we go? I’ll follow you,- he extended his hand to Yaina - Will you be with me, Lady Derk? – The young woman ignored him, passing by Alex starting the path towards the horses.
