"Mm... sorry about your cheek. Do you have any herbs I could pick through to use as an ointment?" Mikhail peeks at the wound he caused on Arthur's cheek as he fiddled through his pockets, searching for his clean handkerchief.
"Hmm? It's fine. I can just--" before Arthur could finish his sentence, the door flap of the tent was brutally pushed aside a burly man entered through.
Upon seeing the two, he freezes and slowly excused himself. Mikhail blinks blankly, slowly processing what happened before shifting his focus back to Arthur.
"Ah, found it... I'll dampen the cloth a little first. Just stay put." Mikhail patted Arthur's shoulder as he smiled in reply.
"Okay, it will hurt a little. Luckily I found the ointment William gave me. I thought I forgot to pack it." Mikhail laughed as he dabs lightly on the wound.
Arthur shuts his eyes, his expression void of pain until Mikhail presse
William awakens from his slumber, the faint light which filtered past the spindly branches of the tree dancing on his cheek. He gets up and rubs at his eyes before taking a brief look around him.It was now down to him and his lone aide. The fight after his separation with Mikhail had been exhausting and they had only barely managed to retreat because of the sudden surge of sandstorm that occurs in that part of the nation regardless of seasons.William stretches his limbs and surveyed his surroundings as he brings Urdin down with him to search for some water. By now, they had managed to distance themselves from the canyon and their pursuers but water has been scarce."... Mikhail should be fine. I've trained him enough to handle himself... And he has the other men with hi--- huh...?" William squinted his eyes as he spotted a figure in the distance.An enemy...?William patted Urdin's forehead as he slowly approached the figure. The figure see
"I'm back." Arthur slips into the seat beside Juniper as she instantaneously goes silent and hugs his arm.Mikhail stares at the two in silence as he pours the last of the tea into his tea cup. It felt like ages since Arthur had left and all Juniper did was sing his praises."D-did the both of you get to know one another better?" Arthur gives Mikhail furtive glances which inquired whether Mikhail was in any way interested in his sister.Truth be told... any idea or feeling of wanting to get to know her disappeared the minute she showed such sky high adoration for him. But it was hard to put into words seeing how hopeful he looked."In a way." Mikhail said as he takes a sip out of his cup.He flinches from the teary eyed look on Arthur's face, only to shift his focus on finishing his cup of tea. Out of the corner of his eyes, he noticed Juniper fondly caressing his arms and felt like he was watching something he shouldn't."Commander. I have
Mikhail awakens in the midst of the bamboo grove as he sits up in a startle. He touches his head, patting his body as he knits his brows.The last thing he recalled was getting hit on the back of his neck before passing out. He glances around, slowly getting up as he brushes the dirt off his clothes.The view of bamboos had grow rather familiar in the few times he arrived at said place, but he had never once heard of a place ever having such strange looking trees and warm weather throughout the seasons.Mikhail walks through the maze of greenery as he tries to locate his mother. If it was a dream, he always manages to find her with just a few steps. However, it has gotten to the point where he could hardly tell whether he was dreaming or wide awake.The fine line that separated him from reality and dream had long felt non-existent ever since he followed after the writings on the map that he was certain was a play on his mind. He had also begun looki
"... The... Gods?" Arthur glanced at Mikhail with a look of disbelief as Mikhail felt the hesitant smile on his face start to falter.Arthur then burst into laughter as he holds onto his stomach for dear life. Mikhail frowns in response, lowering his disappointed expression to his hands which he suddenly realised were cuffed."What?! You... you chained me up? Why?" Mikhail gasped and shifted his anxious eyes at Arthur who was busy wiping the tears from the corner of his eyes that were a by-product of Mikhail's words."Because of what you said. It could be anyone's guess that you were grasping at straws, begging us to save William. But for you to make a wild guess that we had hidden messengers... it would be implying we don't trust our own men." Arthur tugs on the chain, jerking Mikhail's attention towards him before donning a serious expression."I wasn't grasping at straws. I saw it myself.""That's impossible. We didn't find any communicati
"Your Highness! I have an urgent report that beseeches your attention!" a messenger rushes before Lilith, lowering his head as he holds forward a scroll to prove of his task."Let me hear it." Lilith swivels around to face the man, turning away from the window as she sits herself down by her desk."There is a foreign enemy consisting of a large troop by our Eastern borders. Reports have claimed that their attire are not known to resemble any of the Agrestians, Trevaulties or Lestrian garments."Lilith straightens herself as she taps her fingers impatiently. She opens the lone jewellery box that rests atop her desk, the only object that didn't match her otherwise packed desk of paperwork.She stares at the innocent stone sitting in the box, void of any colour before shutting the box almost as quickly as she had opened it. She ponders something before shifting her gaze to the messenger who had been furtively glancing at her."I've received the
The hands of the clock on the wall seemed to tick all too loudly as the only sound that accompanied it was the clinking of the teacup as it rested back onto its saucer. The uncomfortable silence and tension in the room made the air overly sufferable for the knights stationed to guard Xander.Lilith takes a sip from her teacup, her expression calm. It made it seem like she was unfazed by such a situation and had been in one countless times before. She glances over at the two people across from her before peeking at Xander from the corner of her eyes.If she had known better, it was obvious he was irritated and his bad mood was much worse than when he had to deal with the pesky nobles. Lilith shut her eyes and takes a deep breath before placing her teacup back onto its saucer as she decided to break the silence."To what do we owe this unfounded invasion?" Lilith directed her question at Diane but before Diane could say anything, the man beside her cut her off.
After their discussion, Xander walks down the corridor with Lilith by his side. Not too far down from the room they just exited, he halts in his steps.Lilith paused as she turned to face him, curious eyes met muddled ones as she opens her mouth to say something but decides against it. She purses her lips, deducing the words she knew he was going to say before swallowing the lump in her throat."The nobles must be feeling rather impatient after this long. They must not be used to waiting, being the top of the social hierarchy... we should head over." Lilith eloquently puts her words into a chain to shackle Xander down, hoping that his Kingly duties would keep him from going back to Diane."... .... You're right. We should make haste..." Xander meets Lilith's gaze as he takes a step forward.Lilith releases the breath she had been holding as she heads over to his side. It wasn't like her to act in such a behaviour. However, upon seeing Diane up close, it w
Back at Trevault or somewhere fairly close to Trevault, Mikhail kneels stiffly as Arthur paces around him. Even if he wanted to make an excuse, the way he was caught clearly puts him at a disadvantageous spot regardless.Mikhail shifts uncomfortably before straightening his back upon noticing Arthur's narrowed gaze. His legs had been growing number by the second and he could only feel pins and needles in his lower half."How did you escape?""I escaped? No... I..." Mikhail peeked at Arthur's face before the flap of the tent was raised and Juniper walked in eyeing Mikhail as she gave him a belittling gaze."Brother... so this is where he was..." Juniper sighed as she walked over towards Mikhail and kicks him onto his side.Mikhail gave her an astonished gasp before knitting his brows. It was totally uncalled for, for her to act in such a manner when she was the one who requested such an act to be carried out. He was simply carrying out her ord