CH. 20

"Duke Marcus Helios Astrea's daughter? Well, she…"

Mera trailed off as she pondered what to say next. The longer the wait, the worse the bad of a feeling began to settle over me. The kind you get when you suspect the worst has happened.

The last thing I remembered had pretty been the end for her and I, just as the towns guards and Stoldt arrived. Obviously, I had been saved from being killed. But knowing whether she had survived as well was another thing entirely.

Or worse, she had been successfully kidnapped and was now being held against her will with those scumbags.

Was I concerned whether she had perished or lived through the ordeal? Was I concerned about her safety with her abductors? Well as safe as you could be with kidnappers anyway… Was there even such a thing?

There were no particular feelings of indifference to it. I hoped that she had survived, as one does about another person, they don't know who's subject to a horrendous experience. It was akin to seeing a news report on television of some third world country's village being massacred by a guerrilla group.

Some innocent people being killed for the sake of being killed?

Certainly, anyone with some modicum of a heart would feel that it was a terrible occurrence.

As with the soldiers that had been protecting her which had been ruthlessly cut down as I observed the spectacle. I felt bad for them sure.

But that was as far as it went. Actually, really, caring, for them didn't strike home.

Call me cold, heartless, reprehensible, whatever it is that suits your taste.

I just didn't see the point of worrying about others who held no closely held relationship with me whatsoever. The meeting with one another had been complete circumstance.

The same sentiment I carried with my former and current family. Which was why I wouldn't recognize Mera and Keiran as my parents and the same went for my former parents in my former life, once they'd effectively washed their hands clean of me.

Knock knock.

"Come in."

Mera had opened her mouth to continue speaking, but at that moment there was another knock at the door and instead, invited the person in.

"Sorry for the intrusion my lady, I just wanted to thank you personally for your kindness before we departed."

"Hey, I know you!"

The figure that entered caught me off guard and surprised me. I hadn't expected to see them again after the brutal carnage that had been inflicted in them and their comrades during the attack against them.

"Ah, you're finally awake master Seth. Perfect."

The same armor that had been battered, scratched and dented whilst previously covered in filth was still adorning her body. The damage sustained by it still clearly evident and requiring a substantial amount of repair, but the blood which had marred it and her had been wiped clean.

Black hair tied back in a tight ponytail that was carried over her shoulder and stern eyes that would make anyone quake under their scrutiny, the female knight that had thrown herself at Julius, the leader of the group that attacked the entourage, stood.

It was hard to get a picture of her figure underneath the plated metal she wore, but the parts of her body that were exposed, such as her legs and arms, looked strong, as if she had trained for years to hone her body into a warrior.

It wasn't so much as a butch or rugged appearance, she still carried herself with a femininity that was obvious, but there was a steely resolve underneath it all.

But where were the bumps, bruises and scrapes from the battle? Hell, what even about her shoulder which had literally been the victim of an arrow burying itself into it?

If I didn't know any better, she appeared as refreshed and reinvigorated as if she had just climbed out of bed and was starting her day fresh, minus the damaged armor. There were no scratches, scars or anything else amiss on her exposed skin that would indicate only three days ago she had been in the fight of her life.

"I thought you were dead."

As blunt as I was, I definitely thought she had perished. If anyone else had seen what I seen then they would have thought the same thing as well.

She flicked her ponytail over her shoulder and behind her with a dismissive hand and leaned up against the bedroom wall, fixating me with a look.

"Aye, very nearly I was. But it'll take more than an arrow and some meager licks of a blade to put me down. I can't very well afford to be offed when I have a duty to protect the miss."

"I see… Well for what it's worth I'm glad to see you alive and well."

"Yes, magic potions have mended the physical wounds. However, my armor will take some serious work to repair the damage."

"I can't argue with that. It must look impressive when it's not so banged up."

"It's a spectacular piece gifted to me by the Duke himself. It shames me even more that I've allowed it to be treated so." She scowled.

She took a knee and place her hand across her chest, bowing her head slightly to complete the posture.

"Regardless, since you're awake, now I can show my gratitude for saving the life of my ward. Allow me to take this opportunity to introduce myself. I am Freya Fumulan, personal knight to miss Arabella Helios Astrea. Thank you. If not for you, then she would have perished. As it stands, I must live with the shame of my own complete and utter failure."

Whoa, now this was new! I'd never been thanked for saving anyone's life before. Actually, scratch that, I had never really been thanked for much of anything really.

And coming from a noble knight of all people!

"I haven't actually done anything so there's no need to thank me!"

Besides, it wasn't as if I had done anything to save the life of the Duke's daughter. But at least that had answered my question about her current life status. It seemed as if she was fine and had not succumbed to any further injury or torment.

"You protected her where I failed. Once I return to the Duke, I'll endeavor to make amends for my own actions. But at least the young miss is able to be seen alive by her father. That's what's most important."

Damn, she was really beating herself up about the whole thing. I guess that's what you called a knight's honor? Or pride?

Although I still wasn't quite sure what had happened, I just hadn't found a space to ask Mera what had gone down and what those stakes were that had projected from the ground.

That bad guy Julius had said it was magic, but I still wasn't sure that's what it was myself. Especially when I'd already had Loriell of the elves suss my magic aptitude out herself and was found wanting.

I didn't get the impression that Loriell was wrong either. She came across as a very capable mage and someone who knew what they were talking about. Although she had mentioned using an item to act as a conduit for drawing my magic out if I did possess it. Her staff if I recalled correctly…

That was something I'd have to return to later and spend time figuring out.

Getting back on topic for now, beyond all that was the mere fact that I hadn't saved her. At least not intentionally. I'd only been trying to save my own skin and she had been caught up in all of that.

If anything, it was the others coming to both our rescue that had stopped us from being massacred.

"You really, really don't need to thank me for anything. I didn't do anything, really. As for yourself, I don't think you failed at all. You managed to provide a safe path for her to escape from, even whilst against an enemy that outnumbered you."

I wasn't such a dirt bag as to claim that I had indeed saved anyone. The less people looked into the altercation and my actions, the better for me.

Otherwise, they would discover that I had been about to up and leave the Duke's daughter until, unfortunately for me, I'd been discovered.

"You're being too humble. Too modest. If it weren't for you stepping in and using magic to kill that parasite that was about to do unspeakable things to the miss and then abduct her… A real tragedy would have occurred."

"Well, you see… What happened was just luck. It's thanks to Stoldt and the other guards who came that you and I are okay. Your gratitude should be for them, not me."

No doubt that if anyone did find out just how close I'd been to abandoning her, there would be hell to pay. I held no doubts that the Duke himself would want my head on a pike. Moreover, he'd probably stick it up there himself, regardless of whether I was a child or not!

No, playing a small, insignificant part was much more ideal, for saving my own skin.

"My lady, you are raising a fine son. I'll be sure to press upon the Duke just how exemplary a son of the Baronet is exhibiting himself. It is a real credit to you and your husband."

Freya stood and addressed Mera, who was startled at suddenly being congratulated for excelling with her duties as a parent raising their child.

"Thank you, although, the child did take his younger sister into a dangerous situation and almost got himself killed. He also did manage to hold off those barbarians long enough until help could arrive. I don't know whether to praise or scold him."

Exasperated, Mera grumbled the last part out, clearly still conflicted as to how she really felt about the turn of events.

"I realize it is not my place to say this, but I feel I should, given the circumstances. Please don't be too harsh on him. If it weren't for his actions, things would have turned out much worse."

"You don't need to do such a thing, but I am thankful for your heartfelt words. I will take your request on board. We are all just glad that we were able to be of some assistance, albeit, not completely. Your comrades…"

Quickly recovering, she offered up her condolences for the deaths of the other soldiers who had given their lives in defending Arabella.

What a quick turnaround this was! Only minutes ago, I was being given a strict scolding and now I was being praised.

"Haa…"

I breathed a sigh of relief. My impending crises had been averted for now. I'd just need to keep steering the ship clear of that rocky shore.

"Yes… It is terrible that they are no longer with me. However, they gave their lives honorably, dying in the line of their duty. They won't be forgotten. A ceremony honoring their sacrifice will be held back at the dukedom when we return."

Freya stood with her back to us staring out of the window to the sunny outside day. A moment of silence passed between the three of us, as each one reflected on our own thoughts.

"Freya! Hurry up! We're supposed to be leaving except we're waiting on you!"

In stamped a scowling, impatient six-years-old girl, dressed in a different dress from whence I last saw her, but even more extravagant than then. Her entrance was just as wild as her yelling.