Indifference

Taking the little girl who could barely stand on her own into his arms, tears flooded Eachann's rugged expression. More so than it had ever before, he wept.

Finding the strength, Aurelia shuttered within his embrace as her very mind seemed to relax within the hand of her father. Taking in his scent, that smelt of freshly cut grass, a mist grew within her eyes.

"Papa," She repeated with heavily longing one last time before losing consciousness within the arms of the man she trusted.

"Aurelia?" Eachann called, somewhat surprised by her odd behavior.

Noticing her dormant expression, a bud of pride shimmered in his heart, "She missed me so much she fainted. That's my girl. Papa missed you very much!"

Chuckling, he held her tightly, lovingly kissing her cheek once more. Casting a look of familiar love from the bottom of his heart, Eachann snickered, "You truly are my lucky star. How many times must you save this old man?"

"Keep her there; if she wakes, "Sir Logan stated, stepping out from the shadows of the woods, in a dark fashion befitting an assassin, "The Commander is approaching Duke Blackwater. Should you try to flee, there is an arrowhead with your name on it."

"But of course, Sir Logan. How could I not forget the plan," He feebly uttered, lowering his head as not to gaze upon the beast-man?

It was all but recognized by the common people that those who shared the blood of a beast could trap one in a lifetime of forever nightmares. Whether this was true or not, Eachann had never once dared to stare one in the eye.

Cursing beneath his breath, Logan step back into the shadows, mysteriously vanishing from sight.

"A bloody monsters those lot, to think one actually became a knight. It seems the tension between these two kingdoms is growing with each passing day." Whispered Eachann softly, afraid that one might hear.

Lifting Aurelia into his hands, he smiled, kissing her cheek once more, "My little apple, shall we go on a walk? There is so much we need to catch on. How I wish to be lucky enough to speak with my other children, although they would probably hate me should they still be alive. How I hoped they were worth as much as you."

Stepping past the well, heading a little deep north within the woods, Eachann grinned, seeming unaware of a deep set of sterling eyes a few kilometers away, watching with indifference.

"What say you, Duke Blackwater? Give us Aurelia, and we leave without the need for blood spread." Greymore negotiated with a nonchalant expression, just outside Zireael's tent.

Shaking his head, besides the knight who towered over him, Lord Blackwater carried an amused smile, "Contrary to what you might think; I have no interest in handing Aurelia over and to give you a clear understanding of my conviction. I will kill that boy should Aurelia not return by dawn."

Pointing towards Prince Lydon approaching, whose expression contorted the moment he laid eyes upon the demon who slaughtered all his men, he trembled within his royal garms that glistered with gold and silver.

Clenching his fist, he swallowed his anger, approaching with a loving smile that was betrayed by the flaming inferno swirling within his eyes. "Duke Blackwater, and? Oh, I am afraid I have not had the honor of meeting you?" Said Prince Lydon casually.

"To think you would be so calm, truly a talented man." Replied Zireael, somewhat amused, by the little play before him. "But allow me to introduce you to Sir Greymore of Salvan. He will be the deciding factor if there is a war or not."

"Eh?"

About to open his mouth, the air and grass seemed to freeze over at the immense pressure Zireael suddenly released from his body. Spreading a dense haze of ice within the air, he smiled, "I will kill you should she fail to appear."

"Surely you jest." Sir Grymore intervened with a dark expression plastered over his face. "You would--"

"He was the one who attacked me, or were you not aware of it." Voiced Prince Lydon with sweat dripping from his brow. "He slaughtered all my men and left me alive to tell the tale."

"Indeed, this was the second reason I left you alive. I knew someone was coming to steal what is mine. You are the best leverage a man can have. Don't you think Sir Greymore?"

"You're a bloody monster,"

"I'm perfectly fine with that." Duke Blackwater added indifferently. Returning to his tent, he did not bother looking over Aurelia, who was unconscious with the hands of a bandit.

"Your Grace, are you serious?" Talia, who sat near the edge of the tent hidden from sight, asked, "Will you really kill him?"

"Ferrum is not my concern. The lives of a few million mean nothing, whether they be innocent or not; in the end, my concerns outweigh the majority." He said, pressing past Talia to sit at the dinner table that sat, everyone excluding Aurelia.

"Will she be Ok?"

"Umm," The young lord hesitantly hummed, "Who knows, Aurelia is quite unpredictable. I can see the ending, just not the process when it comes to her."

"Than should we not help her?" Shouted the young dragon bearer, clapping the table with his hands, "We should be there with her!"

"I really liked it when you all were unconscious, but fine if you insist. Go help her, just remember should a knight or nobleman appear, you are to use my name. You two are, after all, my knights." He lazily uttered, slouching in his chair.

Not missing a single breath, Sionn and Ella rushed from out of the tent heading north at a quick pace, despite their bodies still sore from their early training.

"Lord Zireael, are you sure of this? Form what I can recall, you said, Aurelia would kill her own father." Innis solemnly expressed, praying inwardly for the children's safe return.

"I am not actually, but this needs to happen. Sionn understands well, but Ella and Aurelia. Those two need to see what a man will do when his life depends on it. Inform Earl Kest, and allow him to view their process, but not interfere."

"And what of you, my lord, "

Lifting a vial of ravane the looked no different than buds of leaves congealed together, Zireael's expression plummeted into something grim and dark, "I am about to see who has been fucking with me."