Chapter Five.

"I'm sorry? What are you talking about?" The news brought a wave of disorientation to Fiora. She didn't know Tobin, but she'd heard quite a lot about him already. 

"I'm sorry, but, it's going to be an impossible task." Aiden pointed out. "It was nice knowing you. I hope to see you again-"

"Shut up and let me think." She hushed him up, and as quiet as he could be, he obeyed without uttering any other word. "Could you explain all over again?" Puzzled Fiora asked, but he became too respectful because he still did not utter any word. "Aiden?"

"Women! They never know what they want, do they?" He pestered.

"This is serious, we don't have time for jokes."

"Then how do you expect me to repeat all that I'd just said? It's not like there's someone else just joining us!" He yelled, then started talking to himself, "hello there, welcome to our midst. I'd like to recap all that I'd just said. Oh? You want me to, don't you?"

She rolled her eyes and furiously tapped him on the shoulder. "Aiden, you help me solve this problem or I do it all by myself."

"You don't actually have a choice. You're going to be all on your own if you keep hushing and jumping into matters!" 

"Then tell me what I need to do!" She yelled out in fury. She knew that Aiden could see the way her eyes lit on fire.

"Hold up now. Why is this really personal to you? And- hold up! hold up!" he rushed and flashed his palms  to her face as she was about to reply, gesturing her to pause as he quickly asked all his questions at once. "And why do you hide every time but only show up at night like a midnight witch? And then why do you hate me so much?" He gasped dramatically.

Fiora took her time to process the questions, and an even longer time to reason a better answer. It took her more time to think because she weighed her options, whether to bother replying to him at all, or just give a short answer. And lies, a lot of those. Finally, she decided to go with the long version story. Small lies, small truth. Very balanced. "First question, does it have to be personal to me? Aiden, these people," she pointed towards thin air like people were there. "They're really hungry. They don't want to buy new clothing, or make new hairdos, they just want to eat. I have it in my power to help them, and you think I'd reconsider? No way!" She yelled and he squinted his eyes really fast like he'd been scared she might almost punch him or something. He didn't move, or speak. "I would do whatever it is that I can do. I don't know about you, but this Ropertman of a person? I'm going to face him. And challenge him."

"Yes. That's the spirit!" He cheered and raised his hands up in the air, all knuckles tightened, like a victory hail. Then suddenly brought down his hands, his expression from euphoria to a fear-like tone. "Please don't." Fiora scoffed, one that resembled a disappointed type. "No, listen, we'll need a plan. That's all I'm trying to say."

"Good." She replied. Everything she said were the truth of course, but only a part of the truth. She was the princess of the Central City. Big shame on her if her people were suffering as they were. If there was anything in her power for her to stop it, she wouldn't think twice.

"Second question please." He asked but as she was about to start talking, Sif appeared in their midst. 

They were in a corner, close to the wall directly beside a small well. Sif was at the other side, but in a more opened area. He had to casually say a few "good mornings" to people as they passed him by. He was the gentle, good innocent child of Sir Clement. It was expected of him to be nice and respectful. But as he stood for long, he grew curious as to whatever it was the young Prince was telling fiora. If he hadn't observed how Fiora spoke so casually with him, he would have probably fell on his knees screaming; "greetings to you, your royal majesty!" Or something close to that. He looked so much like a wealthy noble. His skin was nothing like he'd seen before, and when he spoke, it was like a god existing on the very earth. He hadn't met one before, but he figured there might not be too much difference. Sif had always been so disappointed in himself, and the way he was brought up. He wasn't the type you'd call ugly, but he didn't consider himself to be handsome either. He was tall, had long black hair before he was forced by Clement to cut it, but that was just about it. He hated his blue eyes and just wished he was born with a common brown one. "A lot of other people would kill for your eye color. It's so, so mesmerizing, why would anyone normal hate blue eyes?" Fiora had once commented, but he just ignored.

"Fiora, it's morning." He said. "I think we should head back now." 

"Why?" Aiden frowned.

"What do you mean why?"

"Fiora," he took her hands and whispered, but loud enough for Sif to hear. "Tell your brother to-"

"Brother! I'm not her brother!" He yelled out in fury, correcting Aiden. If Fiora was comfortable telling people that her first kiss, first real friend and her true love(as she claims), was her brother, he wasn't. "I'm the last person you could call 'brother', because Fiora and I are not related in anyway at all. So you watch it!" He yelled out, baring his teeth. Watching the expression on Aiden's face, he saw him tensed a bit, like he was shocked, surprised, yet disappointed. But almost ran off in fear the moment his gaze fell on Fiora's; her eyes stared intensely at him, her nose wrinkled in contempt as her lips half openly stretched further towards the direction of her left arched eyebrow, he guessed all of the possible thoughts that might had been running through her mind.

"Wait, he's not your brother?" Aiden asked the instant he was able to recover from Sif's little act.

"Apparently, he is not." Fiora managed to say through her mouth still partly opened, and Aiden muttered a quiet; "oh".

"Well, we should be heading home now-"

"No. I'll join you in a moment. Or," she said, then changed her mind again. "You, you find your way, alright?" 

"Young man," Sif turned his gaze towards Aiden.

"Who, me?" He asked, pointing at himself.

"Sif, just go home." Fiora frowned at him.

"Yes you." Sif said, ignoring Fiora and pretending not to see her roll her eyes. 

"What?"

"Sif,"

"Fiora, not now. I need to speak with this young man." 

"I thought you said you weren't her brother." Aiden asked.

"I am not. I said so already, so why ask again?"

"Sif?"

"Then why are you behaving like her big brother now?"

"What? How am I behaving like her big brother?"

"Sif!" Fiora screamed and they both chorused a "What?" in reply. "Both of you, stop it. Sif, go home. Aiden, we still need to talk."

 "I'll spare another minute, alright?"

"No. I don't care. Just go home."

"Fiora says go home."

"Aiden, stop."

"What? I didn't do anything!"

"She says stop."

"Argh! Both of you stop it already!"

"Revna!!!!!" A loud voice cried out, and Fiora shushed them to listen.

"What was that?" She asked, took out her most priced weapon from her boot just above her ankle and advanced forward, Aiden and Sif directly behind her. She loved the dagger-liked knife because it was very easy to use whenever she was on the combat field. She hated getting into fights, but whenever it was needed of her, she always tried to make her opponents crumble in terror, and succeeded most of the times.

"Leave her alone, you pesty lizard!" The voice grew closer as they approached forward and Fiora imagine it to be a young lady with a tiny voice or an actual child. Then, just right in front of them, stood two little girls and an hefty man rough handling them. They were trying to escape but he just wouldn't let go of their hands. "Stop it!"

"Donn?" Fiora called and he turned to look at her. 

"Hey there missy, how have you been?"

"Let them go." She ordered. It was very annoying and disturbing to her as he treated young women in the city, but little children again? That was the height of it all.

"Else what?" He flashed what resembled a mocking smile.

Sif patted Aiden on the chest and whispered to him, "you might want to move back a bit." Aiden didn't understand him but he knew Fiora was just the type of lady that could take care of herself at anytime, so he shifted with ease. Donn released both girls and they ran forward to where Sif and Aiden were. 

Donn cracked his bones and grunted a little to show his superiority, all ready to fight. His hands circled into a tight fist, his eyes bulging out in anger. And Fiora? She just stared like a menace, calculating all of the terror she could throw at him, but in ways that he wouldn't end up dead. She'd been waiting for that moment with Donn for a long time now. "Well what are you waiting for?" He asked.

It happened a little too fast, their gazes all fell in surprise, but Sif was used to moments like that, he just smirked. One minute Donn was standing up tall and straight like a man, the next, he was half alive on the ground with dirt all over him. He would probably not walk again for the next couple of days, and his eyes, well, hopefully they somehow managed to remain shut without any sand in them. Fiora picked up her dagger from the ground without any discomfort, realizing she made the right choice for not bringing the weapon into the combat.

****

Clement presented himself to Helen, and he might had regretted it almost immediately. The woman was sick upstairs and only very few people like him, a few maids and some guards knew of it. She was impulsive, manipulating and a maniac for all Clement cared about. Even after the tragedy that had struck his wife that morning, he still managed to appear at the queen's sight. 

"Your majesty, what do you suggest then?" Poor and tired Clement asked.

"Tell me about it! I expect you to use your head and think about things like this. It is your bloody duty!"

"The people complained they weren't getting enough food, that they can't even buy any."

"Then?" 

"Then, why don't you try to-"

"Oh Clement! All your boring talk isn't helping at all."

"If only you could listen to me-"

"Tell me then." She said abruptly.

"Let me get back to you on the source of the problem." He said. "Meanwhile, you find a means to address the people."

"Wrong."

"I beg your pardon, your majesty?" 

"I cannot talk to those poor tattered people. I won't." She refused head on.

"You don't really have much choice. Tobin is winning. Are you really fed up of your throne?" Her eyes twitched just at the thought of that. Never. Helen would rather die. "Are you going to give it all up, and make Tobin take all the glory?" 

"No." She frowned.

"Then take a step. A big one. And why is your son still hiding in the shadows?" He asked.

"I'm making a better future for Euric."

"His future is dying, your majesty."

"There are a lot of enemies out there and it isn't yet a better place to my son-"

"I need you to listen to me-"

"I am not going to send him out in this violent world-"

"HELEN!" He screamed out and she gasped in awe. The only time he'd called her by her name was before she became the queen. Clement sighed in frustration. "I'm sorry your majesty, but please, listen to me." The room was silent as she listened. She was scared and tensed. Yes. But she was also very brave and strong. She had to be. For herself, her son. For the kingdom.

She would not fail.