Chapter 22

Screeching chair, rattling china, followed by a loud bang— the seat whom the warlock once sat on fell on the floor, the moment he stood up abrupt. A perfect glower carving his face; his cool finally loosing itself.

Their tempers were scaling high. Both frustrated over one another for either being stubborn or protective. None of them wanted to back away, it was as if they were having a competition of some sort.

“I am not a coward. I’m merely preventing you from throwing yourself on danger!”, roared Alejandro, a growl escaping his lips after his outburst. With the energy flowing out of him, one of the china— the teapot, to be precise— shook before shattering into shards.

“If it means throwing myself on danger, to return what is lost. Then I’d be glad to”, she countered back. They were like squabbling children as of the moment, both being petty over the situation.

They could’ve just conversed in peace, just as the mage planned. But it turned upside down upon his declination. He wanted her safe, anyone in their right mind would’ve smack her some sense and do the same as he did.

“You’re being irrational”, the warlock frustratingly sighed, ruffling his already unruly gray hair even messy.

““Yes. Yes I am!”, shouted Clementine. Chest rising and falling in order to catch air.

Breathing seemed so hard for her right now, it ached in the middle. Her heart kept on clenching, squeezing itself out and causing so much pain.

Clementine was so distraught at the idea of Dark Magic, like it traumatized her at some point. Though, she did not know why.

It’s her first time encountering one. One so strong than the past ones she dealt with. Perhaps, that was the reason, perhaps.

Mentioning Dark Magic just sent her into a panicking frenzied state. And that frenzy shook her brain into acting on impulse, which then resulted on her rather rash decisions. She claims it, because she isn’t dumb to refuse something so true.

But she’s going to do it for the best.

She’s doing it for the best.

Or does she?

Silence then resonated throughout the vicinity, breathing only heard accompanied by crickets that wandered in the darkness of night. Their heated argument had just reached its end, and the warlock was ever-so glad that it did.

He hated shouting. And he hated it even more when the reason all along was the white haired lass before him. It makes him guilty whenever it happens. And heaven knows how much guilt that he’s been feeling his cup to the brim, right now.

Defeated and sapped with energy, Clementine let her knees buckle and give in, settling on the floor on her raw knees. Her head was lowered, too much that her forehead was touching the ground. Hands, clenched into fists on both her side.

She was being pathetic. Too pathetic that it made her want to puke. It was simply, not characteristic of her to be so. She was a mighty mage, strong, courageous, and all of those sort. Yet now. . . She was reduced into a laughable pitiful state.

A strained chuckle emitted from her pursed mouth, earning the attention of the warlock, who then watched her on the floor. His face, indifferent of emotions. Albeit, deep down— he felt really absolutely bad.

“Pitiful, aren’t I?”, she muttered, her voice muffled. Clementine made no effort to push herself up, merely wanting the ground to open up and eat her whole. It was ridiculous. “I was never appropriate for this role. It’s not for me”.

She’s being ridiculous.

“Stand up. You’ll hurt your knees”, Alejandro mumbled, loud enough for her to hear. As much as he felt really infuriated at her, he couldn’t hide away the fact that he cared for her being. Albeit, he chose to discard her second statement, not knowing how to respond to that.

She’s great, powerful, smart (but can be dumb at times). Heck, she even exceeds him and that poor excuse of a magician, being ranked as second and all. Clementine is just. . .too reckless, irrational at times, and chooses her desires without second thought.

If she wants something, she won’t stop until that thing is claimed.

She wanted Florencius captured, she won’t stop until he is.

She wanted peace for Celeste, and she will also not stop until it is rewarded to her affiliated nation.

Clementine wouldn’t hesitate for bloodbath and war, if it means achieving her goals.

The clock ticked by, adorning the silence that embraced the room that they were currently in. His intense emerald gaze watched her still, softening bit by bit once the tension started to dissipate into nothingness.

Sighing once again, the warlock made move to approach her, coming into a slow pace only to halt before her, kneeling on one knee— at the same time, letting his soft-noble hand to caress and pat her head. He smiled faint, both his hand creeping on either of her cheeks to lift it up.

Dark emerald collided with bright diamonds, as he held her gaze, letting a thumb rub on her puffy smooth skin affectionately. “I care for you. I’ll loose it if I’d leave you be and do whatever reckless and unimaginable things that would either cause you harm or worst. . .death”.

“Yet at the same time. You’re the only one who could resolve your nation’s peace. And I’m honored that you approached me first for help”, he calmly explained, eyeing each crevice of her visage as he thought of the next words to utter. Within a moment, he opened his lips, ready to continue his speech but instead— he was cut off by a gentle finger on his mouth, calloused from years of scrubbing and feeding sharp hay to horses.

“I know. One word is enough. I’ll go to Xereisee now. I need Delphinium for something”, her tone was soft, understanding yet defeated. Her line of vision then travelled back to the floor, a hand detaching Alejandro’s own from her cheeks.

“I’m sorry”.

“I should be the one to apologize”, Clementine chuckled, face-palming mentally. She purposely stood up from her previous position, dusting away some possible specs that may have planted themselves on her attire. “That’s insensitive of me.”

At this notion, the lad also stood up, exhaling out a huge amount of carbon from his lungs, before finding something to lean his body on— luckily a bookshelf was near, quite two meters distance but still near enough to witness her. He ruffled his hair once again, crossing both his arms as he let his body rely on the shelf for support.

“Why don’t you stay the night and go travel when the sun is up?”, He offered out, waving a hand to fix whatever was thrashed and broken. With the work of magic, all broken pieces that scattered the floors united with each other, forming what was once the teapot whom he had accidentally broke.

The chair that as fallen, then floated up to its place. The spill from the piping hot tea that coated the desk, now gone within a blink of an eye. Everything were reorganized as it was before all hell broke loose, and the warlock was ever so pleased with it.

On the contrary, Clementine shook her head as response, declining his offer. She had to go to Xereisee as fast as she could possibly do, and rest was in the very bottom of her list as of the moment. As if depicting her tiredness, she yawned— earning herself a raised brow from the warlock.

“Rest. You need it”, Alejandro pressed, grumbling incoherent nothings underneath his breath whilst he pushed himself off the shelf. He then went to a slightly ajar door, pushing it wide enough with a beckoning hand for her to accept and enter.

“No. I need to go”, stubborn she is.

The warlock could only sigh yet again, silently mulling over things and reasons that would likely make her stay in bed. None seemed to be registering in his head as of current second, probably due to the fact that sleep is slowly eating him as time goes by.

He glanced at her and to his bed once again. Oh how inviting. The smooth covers, the fluffy pillows, the bouncy mattress. “Don’t be stubborn please”, he scoffed, rolling his stiff neck which later on made a faint crack.

Alejandro disappeared from the door, appearing behind her with a pop. Hands grabbing her shoulders, he pushed her forward, pouring strength as he took each step while the other wriggled and retaliated. Though, he knew better.

The warlock knew that his companion also wanted to rest. He could see it from her droopy optics, to the change of body language. She had quite a day or night, or whatever.

Gently pushing her on the soft mattress, he let magic to its trick to tuck her in, whilst he conjured a mattress for him to sleep on the floor. Tired and sleepy, Clementine made no effort to retort a remark, but instead she let her eyelids drop, covering her diamond optics.

Everything went black not too long after, finally succumbing to the essence of slumber, while the Lady of Dreams gave her peace for the time being.