Crimson Dust of Dusk

The clatter of armor, rattling and clanking sound of dragging steel-plated feet across this one majestic hallway whose floor was shining upon reflecting the afternoon sky where few clouds were seen here and there, separating themselves as the color blended in between... and solitude, that of a peaceful scene seemingly peeking through lines of windows, possibly struggled that afternoon color was, just to spark the white hue of the hallway with its own... but what power to possess when the porcelain floor was willing to spread the shade of afternoon, even by a small shape that escaped through those lines of windows. And that of steel-armored figure as well, whose protective attire displayed the same desire as the hue of its steel cold, blending in every time it exposed to the nearest windows... walking in the quiet hallway as the expression was seemingly hypocritical, since there wasn't really quiet nuance in current moment.

A vague atmosphere where the quietness came out of the solitary hallway and the peaceful sky, but not from absence of noise, for that blonde-haired figure was present alone, with a quite disturbed mind after the chaotic noon she experienced a while ago.

Rushing steps, perhaps out of habit appreciating every second that had passed. Her left slender, trained arms - giving an impression of a hardworking shield-maiden - was placed on her hip where her trustworthy sword stayed still... for it was a formal gesture for a militant like her, so that the sword wouldn't move too much in between of her rushing paces, and didn't cause another more noises than her steel attire already did.

Steady head and her neat hair pony style... a fixed stare from her azure eyes, gazing at the end of the hallway as there was about a turn, compelling her steel-plated feet to take a sharp turn to the left where on this new path laid a person... a prominent individual who fancied himself a complete set of flashy attire made of cashmere, yet maintaining the simple orchid color and motif, black ink-colored long sleeved outfit and trousers. Such a high-end garment, for the high-class society demanded so, as part of noble community.

Walking from the opposite way from the blonde maiden, the muffled sound of the black leather shoes dragged by that red-haired youth, slowly approaching her as she swiftly terminated any action she was doing at the moment - including her rushing steps - and deliberately took a step aside. Standing stoically and placing her steel-plated feet together, intended to greet that red-haired youth with her head bowed and her left arm was straightened down to the side while the right arm crossing in front of her steel-plated chest and positioning its open palm on where her heart was located.

Such a gesture, plainly took the initiative to show the respect one's must showed upon greeting those who had their places higher in hierarchy, groups of folks who gained their royal title in the social eye - hereditary through history.

And when their path at long last, was crossed each other, overlapping their tendencies to greet one another as - in this matter - a prince and his royal servant.

"Ah, Captain Revesia Rondine. What an unusual scene to find you in this beautiful afternoon... beautiful as you. Perhaps fate blesses our relationship."

A sincere smile was showed when his crimson eyes meeting with the white smoother skin of the blonde figure whose alluring face faced down the sparkling floor... yet somehow, that sincere smile emitted such a discomfiting vibrancy. Probably from the way he used such an inappropriate phraseology, speaking words he shouldn't as he occupied quite an important seat in the noble family. And the other likelihood, was that his sight capturing beyond his visual image and perceiving the blonde figure more than a royal servant of his noble family... someone whom he found special.

"Good afternoon, Prince Scharlac d'Alveydre."

Conserving her equilibrium, both as a knight who skilled at emotional control and as a royal servant of a noble family who had been trained and educated to nurture the proper attitude and behavior before them higher in hierarchy. Hence the blonde captain kept her face lowered, showed no expression but a polite tone condescending herself before the prince.

"Scharlac only, please. We're engaged after all, don't you remember?"

More than knew the blonde captain was, if that red-haired prince whose position was essentially higher than hers... despite the existence of social gap between them, his statements of which she understood merely as blunders out of his odd habit, were nevertheless an out-of-boundary humor. The absurdity of situation involuntary made the blonde captain raised her face, and met her azure eyes with that pair of crimson eyes.

"I beg your pardon for my impudence, Prince Scharlac... as I thoughtfully counsel Sire, to be more concerned with every words of which Sire are about to address, for this matter could probably cause misinformation and create quite a disturbance amongst the noble houses... particularly Your Majesty."

"Why... because you are not part of noble houses? Then the solution is simple enough, I'll just grant you a peerage." displaying no a trace of dissatisfaction on the prince's young face upon listening, but still the exact same kind of smile, till he let out a brief sigh, "That is... if it wasn't my dear elder brother who would be crowned the next king."

The blonde captain once again bowed her head, signaling a parting sign for the purpose of ending this conversation in which she thought there was no a real crucial matter... she was, after all, had another matter to attend at the moment. Hence the prior rushing paces.

"If my humble presence by any means necessary, there is nothing I could assist with, then I beg Sire may excuse for my absence."

However it seemed that the conversation was on the verge of entering the requisite core of which the prince about to bring up through the following question regarding the decisive event happening a few hours before this talk occurred. An event of which many people were talking about - telling about three reptilian monsters rampaging at the most populated district, destroying everything and nearly killed every inhabitants in the process, and that where the heroes came to their aid, saving the day.

But for a prince whose eyes and ears were everywhere around the city, he knew that the monsters aren't the real problem, only the surface skin of its dense and thick layer.

"About to meet with my father to discuss the incident this noon?" asked the prince with a well-mannered tone and diction this time.

The blonde captain halted her attempt to resume her rushing steps as she had an obligation to answer her royal superior's question, "Yes, Prince Scharlac. Your Majesty would wish to know about the situation after the incident... and I could presence a promise that this news is a good one, for miraculously there is no life casualty despite the scale of the threat was."

An unconscious smile, accidentally took a shape on the captain's face and being noticed by the prince... assuming that genuine smile of hers as one of a kind that formed out of admiration. The leaking emotion of hers which only corroborating his pragmatic postulation of better reaction the prince about to convey in a way that might cause such an ambiguous judgement from him,

"It seems so apparently, my father would certainly happy to hear that, since they are - not only capable of cleaning their own mess - but appear able to protect one's life too. They are surely something else. Strong, and have a strong sense of justice... and also independent."

Such a positive and encouraging remarks, yet oddly giving an ambivalence tone in phrasal expression... abruptly thrown the fresh point of view of his towards the fall silent blonde captain, waiting her royal superior to conclude his thought as she perceived a contrary one that about to be revealed afterwards.

"Unfortunately things are quite hard for them..." Prince Scharlac continued, altering his perception with the current reality, "A group of Ancient Heroes... notwithstanding their very existence already lived many centuries ago, today's version of them is only existing about less than a decade ago after the vacuum of power for over three hundreds years, hence the terms Ancient. Common folks and their common thoughts are simply startled by a sudden change in power... when they're already given enough safety and freedom, and the threat beyond anything they can think of... the inclination to put a blame is on that Ancient Heroes, for they are the most different than most. Because wielding the incomprehensible powers is reason enough to ease the ordinary mind to comprehend the current reality. Wasn't that what happened in today's noon?"

The blonde captain fall silent for a moment, did not give a straight respond but a slow process of deeply converting the outlook of that red-haired prince on how he interpreted the present reality, till she forwardly asked back yet still maintained the self-awareness of her position, "Is there something Sire would like to purpose?"

"Royal asset," the red-haired prince resumed his elucidation, based on an attitude that could bring merit mostly for the country and kingdom in particular, "That madly power they possessed - without a single doubt - can bring a benefit for the kingdom and country. Military asset or war asset which capable of pushing all enemies of kingdom out of region and seizing their territory at the same time, without so much humans sacrifice, for each and every one of those Ancient Heroes has the strength comparable of thousands of soldiers. However, the privilege of independent status they also possessed... making all of that nearly impossible to achieve. They take orders only from those White-Robed Councils... or to put it another way... they are a sovereign entity. And that is... such an unfortunate to say the least."

It was a matter of politics in the end, as the blonde captain had anticipated beforehand. Such a hypocritical flattery, narrating the righteous with a high-minded consideration that led into a favorable outcome by exploiting the reality of current circumstance - the declining of the heroes in populace's trust as that redhead prince grasped the political profit in it. Therefore he shall unroll his blanket of intention, compelling the blonde captain to listen a bit more,

"Therefore, the kingdom can't really protect them." Prince Scharlac carried on with his decisive intent that seemingly about to meet the conclusion of today's afternoon conversation, "Given what just happened last noon, bringing in anything that can potentially be a threat for the kingdom and its citizens - whomever that may be - is a serious criminal offense and a severe punishment shall they deserve. Yet there's a leniency for them if only they devoted their bodies and souls for the kingdom as we can apply the noon incident as an accident, and can also give them a go-ahead sign for them to continue with whatever they'd like to do with those creatures."

This serious intensively nuance, seemingly had yet to offer a chance to diminish, as the blue sky beyond the glass window near them, slowly drowned into the shade of dusk - bore the color of dusk blue. The blonde captain simply had no words to counter, even when she did owned some, she was solely super strictly with her wording... knowing well with whom she was being faced by now. Hence fall silent she was only did, watching both her and the prince's shadow slowly grew in length... touching the white wall behind them. And the solitude had met its satisfaction reigning the ambience, the unforeseen reinstated itself... startling the blonde captain with the anticlimax culmination that was being offered by the sudden laughter,

"Hahahaha..." an ease of a laughter, meant to ease the stressed mind accumulating inside the heart that no longer a lighthearted one, "I was just kidding. Serious criminal offense? Hahaha... they've been doing their doing for many times already. It wasn't the first time they'd made such a fuss, surely the kingdom authorities had it coming."

Staring at yet another emotional leaking on the blonde captain face that redhead prince was then... her slightly widen azure eyes, gazing blankly at his face holding back an amused laugh and seemingly losing her ability to respond completely. Hence leaving the redhead prince with no option but to verify the ambiguity,

"You're being too hard on yourself, Captain Rondine. Maybe you should take off that stiff armor of yours and try to loosen your shoulders a bit. Even though that serious attitude of yours, I find it quite attractive."

"Th- thank you... Prince Scharlac."

Powerless in the end, for the reason of denying was inadequate... at a loss of finding the potent words after all, only consenting to carry out the same gesture that was easily interpreted at the end of conversation - slightly bowed the head, followed by the simple verbal expression of showing her gratitude. It would be insolence of her after all, for not expressing any response after so many words that had been conveyed by the redhead prince through concealed way... whether that was all purely his confidential intention or merely a pleasantry to fill the gap in the dusk... one thing for certain however, hardly any of those statements of his were considered as hypocritical reality.

"Well, shouldn't be wasting your time any longer I think. It would be my impudence to make my fathe--- excuse me, The King waiting even longer." Prince Scharlac seemed about to carry on with his own initial matter this afternoon, closing this small talk for today's afternoon as the dusk nearly came upon this thriving land, "No need to worry. The King would at least find a peace at knowing there's no life casualty, for he protects his people more than the city itself above all. And as his personal royal guard, surely you know more than I do."

Crimson dust, shining under the sparkle of dusk, that was scattered in diminutive amount of invisible numbers. An insignificant existence of undervalue riches whose motion naturally immovable within a solitary plain... usually escaped from one's eyes if no one touting for them through every slight move, sweeping the sparkle particle across that of solitary plain upon the steps that were taken by the red-haired prince.

Sweeping the air that brought crimson dust as his majestic presence and garment being carried on his serene steps, slowly walking away from the blonde captain giving her temporal farewell gesture upon the departure of that redhead prince who also seemingly confident of giving his own version of farewell for the blonde captain,

"Farewell for now, my beautiful dusk. I believe our promised fate will cross our path once again... somewhere in the future."