Don't Make Me Yuka

ADAMOS

As soon as he was done eating, Adamos immediately wiped his lips with a soft cloth and stood up. Everyone rose with him as he gave the cue that mealtime is finished. 

"May your reign last forever, Your Majesty," the Royal Ministers, including the servants, said in one accord.

At a quick pace, he went toward the hallway that leads to Eliko. It is the area in the Palace where Ornises, the birds that Edinians used to travel, stayed. Acyon was already waiting for him. 

'The Emperor seemed to be planning something again. I must send these women away before he hailed one of them as the Queen,' he resolved to himself, determined to attend to this matter himself. 

He has lived long enough alone. And he is not planning to change his leadership system now and in the future.

As he climbed up Acyon, he already listed his plan. 

'First is to give enough resources to the women so they can return to the path that they took before they got here. If it fails, the second option is to use my powers to create that path. And if that fails, too, I have no choice but to ask for the Emperor's help, which I doubt he would do,' Adamos face grimaced as he could already imagine the sly face of his father. 

He was already leading Acyon to fly when Lady Evie appeared from one of the exits of the Palace and walked towards where he was. 

Adamos felt his heart skip an extra beat as he recalled how she spoke about her thoughts a while ago. 

It was not just because she was the first common woman to speak out her ideas in a Royal Meeting. But because they thought alike.

As she drew near, he couldn't help but appreciate her appearance, which looked more decent than their first encounter.

There were other guards who could assist her in their travel to Valethea. But his mouth seemed to have a differing opinion.

"Ride with me," he ordered her.

She didn't seem to mind as she quickly bowed and climbed up Acyon, this time in a quicker and more agile way. 

'I am only doing this because I am following the advice of the Royal Healer to try out new things to release stress,' he contemplated. 

"Are you a politician in your hometown?" he asked as he tried to distract himself and gauge her while they were flying in the air. Perhaps he could understand how their world works better through her. 

He has read about them in books. But he doesn't have personal experiences, following the rules of Edin, that they must not leave the kingdom no matter what.

But she shook her head, her eyes fixed on his hands, which controlled Acyon's reins. 

"Then what do you do?" he continued to probe on. 

"I'm a mechanic - your Majesty," she answered in a short manner, while her attention was focused on how he was controlling Acyon.

"Do you fix cars?" he asked again, making Lady Evie slightly tilt her head to him, her face seeming surprised. 

'Maybe because there were no cars around here, she might have thought that I don't know anything about it,' Adamos wanted to laugh. 

But she answered, "No, I fix planes." 

Adamos' jaw almost dropped at her answer. He was already astonished that she was a mechanic. 

In Edin, women cannot even hold tools or their pretty dresses will get stained. But she is a mechanic of an enormous piece of a machine!

"Have you piloted a plane before then?" he continued to ask.

"Yes," she abruptly answered. 

As she answered that, a sudden excruciating pain pierced Adamos' head, making his grip on Acyon's reins loose.

Fortunately, Lady Evie was able to grab it in time. 

"Are you all right, your Majesty? Do you want to rest first?" she asked with a worried tone as she tried to control Acyon.

Adamos immediately shook his head. "No, we are already nearing Valethea." 

He secretly cursed himself for not drinking the medicine that morning in his rush to attend the royal meeting. 

He was about to get the reins back, but his hand flew to his forehead as the pain increased. 

Adamos felt his heart quicken while his breathing shortened. He knew he needed to stop and rest. But Valethea is just a mile away. He could rest there. 

He drew in a deep breath and was about to get back the reins from Lady Evie's hands. 

No one has ever ridden Acyon aside from him because he is from a wild species. If he is handled loosely, he would just fly to his desired destination at top speed, which could or could not be Valethea.  

To his bewilderment, Lady Evie's grip on Acyon tightened as she stated through a clenched jaw, "Tell me the exact location, your Majesty. I will take us there."

Adamos face scowled as he growled, "Give the reins -" But he wasn't able to finish it because his stomach gurgled inside him making him want to vomit his breakfast out.  

His dizzy vision darted to the area beneath them, hoping that there was a healer nearby. But there was none. 

The nearest is in Valethea. 

Seeing that he had no choice, he gave the directions to Lady Evie, without hoping that she would get it.

But to his bewilderment, she was able to fly Acyon there. 

At first, Acyon was darting here, and there as a new driver tried to control him.

But Lady Evie was able to handle him eventually, even driving him at a fast speed. 

They were able to get to Valethea, giving him a chance to rest somehow, before the others arrived.

The royal guards fetched for the healer who immediately gave him the tonic that he needed.

After he has recovered from his hedache episode, he turned his attention towards Evie, who was just silently sitting with him.

"My gratitude, my lady. You must be an excellent mechanic and pilot in your field of duty," he bowed down to her, making her scratch her head, her cheeks red in embarrassment. 

"Acyon is just obedient, your Majesty. Besides, I'm just returning the favor. Thank you for helping us. And I hope you get well soon."

A corner of Adamos' lips curled up as he uttered, "You deserve a reward. Tell me what you want and I shall gladly give it to you once we return to the Palace."

Lady Evie quickly answered him, "I just want to return. And you're already making it happen, your Majesty."

"Do you want anything else, then?" Adamos prodded her on. 

"Just in case it will take a while and we're stranded here, please don't make me Yuka," she answered at once. 

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In helping others, we shall help ourselves.

For whatever good we give out, complete the circle and come back to us.