Finding Mavis

>>Enri

I knew I kept it from everyone, so I didn't have the right to ask anyone for help either.

She was my responsibility and I have to look for her on my own. I kept her secret even from her since I felt that was the right thing to do.

But I never would have guessed that she would expose herself like that for my sake.

My heart throbbed every time I thought about it.

For me, there was a warm feeling inside my chest, she did it to save me.

I looked straight ahead.

I have to find her no matter what!

My only guess at finding her is through rivers. It's the best place she can hide. With her mother gone, she either went home to that house or to the river in the forest.

I wasted no time in going to the house first but found it empty.

Still, I was expecting that so I rushed to the forest.

I hope she doesn't randomly swim away somewhere thinking she doesn't belong here or that people will harm her. I won't let anyone harm her!!. As I kept a keen eye around in the forest I noticed something and stopped dead in my track.

The hell…

I looked back.

"Why are you all here?" I folded my arms in the dead empty forest, where there was no sign of anyone, "Come out!!" I yelled and then my knights slowly came out into view.

They all kept their heads down as if they were shamed but didn't say anything as they assembled in front of me.

"Why are you all here?" I repeated the question and then calmly waited for an answer.

"To help you find Mavis," Rose said.

"After you all scared her away?" I glared at them and they all flinched.

"We didn't mean to scare her!" Nana said, "We just asked her a question…" All the knights agreed.

"Captain! We really have no bad feelings for her!"

"That's right, she saved your life!"

"We won't be prejudiced with her!"

"Didn't you all hate demons?" I asked calmly.

"Sirens aren't really demons."

'Yea, they're a separate category."

"But she's still far from human." I answered.

"It doesn't matter!!"

"Yea! It doesn't matter at all!!" They all agreed.

"Besides, it's been two years since the peace treaty. We can live in harmony with a demon."

"But Mavis isn't a demon!"

"It doesn't matter if she's a siren. She's one of us!"

"In fact, we'll even protect her from any harm!!"

"You don't think she's dangerous?" I asked.

"No!!" They answered in unison.

"How can someone so pure like her be dangerous!" I noticed that they all were quite desperate.

"We adore her!!"

"And you adore her." There was a random comment in there?

"Right!!" They all were very enthusiastic.

I rolled my eyes but it somehow made me feel better that they all weren't having any negative thoughts. It made my feelings lighter knowing that my people were supporting the one I adored and were on my side.

It really, really, made me feel good.

"Alright," I took a deep breath, "She's most likely in the river. That's the safest place for her." They all nodded, "Spread around the river and look for her."

"Yes sir!!"

***

>>Mavis

It felt like I was having auditory hallucinations.

Why else would I be hearing the voice of my knight mates calling out my name?

They all figured out that I'm not human so there is no need for any of them to look for me!

I stayed underwater as I listened to the familiar voices.

They could be here to harm me though…

The thought hurt my heart.

Would they actually do that? I thought I had grown close to all of them…

"Mavis!" They had been shouting my name for a while now, "We're here to take you back."

"Mavis!"

"We're here to help!"

"Come out! We're sorry if we scared you!!"

"We didn't mean it!"

"We weren't angry!"

"Just curious!!"

"Mavis!"

"The captain is looking for you too!"

OH!?!?

"Yea and he's going crazy trying to find you!"

"Mavis, if you can hear us then please come out!!"

The captain is here for me too!? Has he healed already?? Should he even be here? Is it alright for him to move??!

I popped my head out of the water a little and all the knights paused, they immediately caught onto the movement and turned to look at my head which was barely out of the water.

"Mavis!!" The four knights there took a sigh of relief. "Captain!" They screamed, "She's here." I had my eyes out but not my nose as I looked at them with suspicious eyes, "We found her!!"

"Mavis!!" Ains was there with Yeol and they looked happy to see me for some reason, "Are you alright?"

"..." I kept looking at them and then slowly nodded my head.

They let out another breath of relief and that made me feel like they really were here for me.

I brought my mouth out of the water.

"Don't you hate me?" I asked softly and they shook their heads, "I kept my identity from everyone."

"No!" As they answered, I heard the sound of someone running towards us and soon the person came into view from behind the trees and bushes.

Enri came running over, there was a distressed expression on his face and he didn't stop because of the river or at the edge and jumped right in, against the current he walked towards me and I let myself out of the water more unconsciously while he came over and pulled me into a hug.

"Ah, you idiot!" His embrace got tighter, "Why did you run away?" His body wrapped mine into his.

His hug was very warm, it was shocking and I was utterly surprised by his actions but his embrace was very cozy and it made my eyes teary.

He really came for me!

"Mavis!" The rest of the knights came into view as well and they all just kept coming, "We want you back!" But the whole time Enri didn't let me go. On the contrary, I could hear his loud heartbeat.

The sound of which made me flush a little. Was he that worried about me?

"The captain came for you as soon as he woke up," Rose answered and the rest of the knights smiled, "We didn't mean anything bad when we asked about your identity."

Seeing them all concerned for me made my tears come out and slid down my cheeks. He really came for me! They all really came for me?! To take me back!

"Really?" I looked at them, "You don't hate me?"

"We don't!"

"We want you to come back!"

The heartwarming scene made me feel all bubbly and safe. I felt like I really belonged with them. They really were my friends!

"I see," I smiled and when I was finally about to hug back Enri, he let me go.

!!?

He broke the hug and kissed my forehead out of the blue, making my brain fuse, "Let's go back." He held my hands tightly and then pulled me into his arms bridal style to take me out of the water.

My brain got so short-circuited, I could only reply with a, "Okay…"