Tough To Crack

Anasthasia's ears perked up, murmuring, "What dream would that be?"

He sighed heavily, for a moment, after he clenched his fist, "...Nevermind, it's fleeting memories..."

"I see." Her eyes took a glimpse on his position. "How are you feeling?"

"I feel much better." He wryly smiled. "That's all because of what you did."

"Don't sweat it."

Anasthasia repositioned as she drew her knees closer and then tightly embraced by her arms. Neck arched up and smiled, "Such a peaceful night."

"I wish it can be like this forever—"

"I beg your pardon?"

"I have never felt this safe and secure in my whole life."

"That must have been tough." Her lips drew thin. "Someone would be aiming for your head, be it night or day."

"I guess it's just how the way I live."

"How you live?"

He nodded. "Yes, I guess it's common for the royal families or higher aristocrats."

She leaned her head to the side, with her blue eyes gazing towards the Prince, "You think so?"

"Of course." With a deep sigh, he shifted his position, grunting heavily. "—I find it natural, don't worry—"

"Don't move right away." She quickly let go of her position and went closer to his side, extending her arms to support his back, "You have yet to recover."

"I'm fine." Michael waved his hand, parrying her. "I think you should help them, not me."

Anasthasia's eyes bore onto them, looking petrified, "Alright, I'll do this for now." She snapped her fingers, and a phantasmal mist hovered over their faces. There, she noticed how their tensed muscles relax and welcomed their backs to Freidmirth's colossal figure.

"Look at them," She giggled in silence, "They look so cute when they're taking rest."

Michael just watched her with an intense gaze. When she noticed him, in peripheral vision, she turned with refutal, "What?" He cackled, but not strong enough to disturb their rest.

"That's refreshing to hear!"

"It's true, though."

"This is the first time they failed at their duties." He landed his left palm to his thigh, tapping fingertips, "I'm glad this happened."

"Pray tell, Michael."

His grey eyes gleamed with amusement, which curved up the corner of his lips, "You're unique, Tasha."

"You better off not changing this topic—"

"Not really, just see for yourself." His smile had flashed his white, polished teeth, "When it comes to you, there are no honorifics."

"Well, of course, cause I'm—" Her eyes widened in astonishment as she almost blurted out such utterance. Which, in turn, scratched her head in annoyance, "I live in a different era, after all."

'Did I just almost threw my ultimate cards right there?! That's such a clumsy move!'

"Different era?" His leaned closer, with such proximity, she saw further details on his eyes—so grey that it brought silvers to shame, dark pupils that never rattled in the slightest detail—that deeply locked to hers, mockingly smiled "I wonder what's the disparity between our points in time—."

"You won't believe me if I say it." She cut him off right away as she could no longer contest with that kind of gaze, she kept her eyes shut tightly, no response shown.

But Anasthasia flinched, this sent her hair on ends from his alluring whisper.

"I think you can trust me that much."

"You sly fox!" She huffed, hit his forehead with a snappy flick of her slender fingertips. "That's easy for you to say, huh!"

"I'm just kidding."

'Dame, is this guy a prince? He's quite comfortable around me.' Her dainty lips twitched from his guffaws—loud and full of vigor—which narrowed her eyes, 'Is he even aware that he's vulnerable on his state?'

"My apologies, I hope you aren't startled from all of this."

'Too late for that!'

"Rest assured, and I don't mind that." She rustled her blue mini dress for one last instance and then bent her knees closer to her head, "I'm more interested in their duties."

"Alright then, it's a long story—"

"Come on, don't try to press my buttons. With your stoic nature, I highly doubt you can do it."

"Stoic nature?" He found himself rubbing his smooth, chiseled jawline. "Am I?"

"See for yourself."

When Anasthasia shrugged, and as a response, he just shook his head in disbelief, "They're just doing their duties, but I feel like their—"

"Dedication and loyalty is an understatement? That's natural, what do you expect from a knight?"

"At least be complacent."

"Then, definitely, your life had been claimed a long time ago."

"You think I'm not that strong to defend myself?"

"Who knows, no matter how powerful you are..." Michael saw how she began to doodle her hands, carefully drafting the forest's floor. Her face, especially her flickering eyes, screamed with melancholy and in vain, "You'll always find yourself in a predicament."

"Did that come from experience?"

Her fingers stopped for a moment but drew once more, albeit at a slow pace. "Not really, that's just me saying out my thoughts."

'Isn't he a shrewd one? Or I'm that obvious myself?'

"I'm glad they're in such a calm and comfortable state." Michael slowly scratched his lithe nape, "Allow me to express my heartfelt gratitude, Tasha."

She curtly nodded, and just when she thought it was over, his deep voice rang once more.

"I heard you earlier."

Anasthasia jerked from her position, eyes filled with doubt. "I beg your pardon?"

"Exactly what I said, I heard you earlier."

She rolled her eyes as she urged to conceal her sudden fright. "Which one, that is."

"You missed his smile—"

"WHAT?!" Her eyes almost gouged out of their sockets, "You mean..."

"Yes, I heard everything." Michael peered down; he was beyond flustered, hearing those deep sentiments from her. He ought to keep those to his heart, buried and forgotten, but his good conscience can't let him rest peacefully.

"I never thought it would that be that long." His voice rattled with hoarse. He creased his brows as he didn't know what to react at this point. Beads of sweat formed and started to trickle down his face from a myriad of emotions.

"That's..."

"That long? It's still quite unbelievable."

"I'm shocked."

"That's my line."

Anasthasia heavily pondered, her mind assaulted with sudden chaos, 'Dang it! This man, I knew his senses were sharp. But not to this extent! Also, I thought he was so engrossed with the pain he's feeling.'

Despite feeling alienated, his grey eyes gleamed with great interest. He muttered so loud that it creaked the forest hums, "Actually, after what you've shown all this time. There's no point in feeling shocked. You just blew our minds that were beyond common sense."

"... That's the longest line I have ever heard from you so far." She blinked her eyes for his astounding response. He snapped out of his amazement and clenched his teeth. Eyebrows knitted in humiliation.

"Tasha, I—"

"L—Let's just pretend that you didn't hear any of it, how about that?"

"...I have no qualms about it."

'Things should be good!'

"Well, so much for that." He then cleared his throat, "Didn't you want to gather more information at this point?"

Anasthasia scoffed, mocking his response, "Oh, I sure did. Why don't you tell me about it?"

"I thought that—" He moved his hand, and reached out his pockets on his dark leather trousers, and retrieved a small item, engraved with a majestic, spectacular symbol on a gold metal plate. It dangled gracefully with a metal chain in it, "This should make your life easier."

"You think I needed that?"

"Why not?"

"I can easily infiltrate any land therein." Her lips twitched in disdain. "Do you know how far it is from here?"

He rustled under his pocket again and retrieved the navigator. "We're pretty much close at this point. With Freidmirth, we can reach tomorrow when the sun sets."

'Everything—from the terrain, the environment down to the mana fluctuations—has changed. But my gut tells me I'm close to where my Prismatic Empire established.'

"Afterwhich, we shall separate our ways." She looked at him, eyes glistened with curiosity, "I'd appreciate it if I were to take my moment and work my way in when we reach your kingdom.

"Just make sure to read instructions and directions—"

"Excuse me?"

"That was a reminder..."

"Well, I accept good graces." She gracefully grabbed token.

"That should do for the moment."

Meanwhile, Michael leaned back to Freidmirth, he shut his eyes firmly and took the golden opportunity. Soon, the silence took over. The natural sounds—the dragon's snore, a chorus of cricket noises, and similar forest hums—pervaded the serene night.

However, it wasn't that serene when her head thumped harder than before. Her head landed heavily on her knees sideways, opposite from their sight, and nudged her forehead from the chronic pain.

'This pain, not again!'

Soft groans escaped Anasthasia's lips from time to time, which grabbed Michael's attention at an alarming rate. His hands reached her stature, but she screamed in horror.

"No! Don't touch me!"