Chapter 77

Arya stood there blankly for a few minutes as her mind started to process what was going on.

That demon woman…she'll definitely remember her.

She lifted up her hood to cloak her face. 

It was getting colder now. She could see her own breath now and snow was everywhere.

She headed back to the town.

….

Arya bumped into Elijah and Catalina as she made her way to the dining hall.

She was famished and she had a long day today.

The food was spread out on a long table similar to how it might be displayed at a banquet or ball. A small stack of plates was placed on the table and everyone helped themselves. 

She helped herself to the following selections: Roasted potatoes and carrots with roasted pork ribs, Grilled cheese with freshly made and steaming hot tomato soup, Stir-fried broccoli with chopped onions and pork, And for dessert, Vanilla cake coated with white and fluffy frosting. 

Everyone was laughing and in a good mood. There was lots to eat and it was warm and toasty inside the dining hall with a large crackling fire in the fireplace and the body heat of hundreds of people.

Humans and monsters sat together at the tables and the kids, both monster and human, looked happy and carefree.

Then Arya remembered that they had a war going on.

Right now, there had been no new refugees or news of battle or fighting but a sword still hung over their heads.

She sat with Catalina, Elijah and Javier as she ate.

"Where were you, my princess?"

Arya gulped down a piece of pork rib before she spoke. She hoped she sounded convincing enough.

"Oh, I went to use the restroom."

Elijah raised an eyebrow.

"You took a long time."

Arya smiled as she stabbed a potato with a fork.

"I had to poop-"

Javier lifted up a hand in a sign for her to stop.

"You don't need to tell us the details, your highness. But I should introduce myself. My name is Javier and I'm the older brother of these two."

He threw an arm over Elijah and Catalina.

Arya nodded and tried to look polite. Damn it, socializing was never one of her strongest talents.

"I'm Arya. You know me. The "Green-Eyed Princess", the Lost Princess. I'm a princess that came out of nowhere if you heard all the rumors about me."

Javier smiled. 

"I sure did as I roamed the streets. It was lonely all those years by myself when dear old dad kicked me out of the house."

"Why were you kicked out?"

Arya said that without any real thought behind it and she mentally kicked herself for saying such a rude thing.

Before Javier could answer and Arya was saved from the embarrassment, Ezekiel took center stage to make a announcement.

He was standing in front of the room, looking like the future king he was destined to be, and he had everyone's attention.

"Hello everyone. I have a announcement to make…."

…..

It was early in the morning that the small army assembled.

Assyrian and Granite volunteered to stay behind to protect the non-fighters and civilians.

Freya stayed behind as well along with Javier and Catalina.

Lots of people did.

Ezekiel insisted on a small army so that they could launch a surprise attack.

There were some people who agreed to come along as part of the army.

Elijah.

Kanan, Jarek and even Astraeus.

The girl with coppery red hair.

The pretty girl with soft pastel pink hair tied back in a single braid.

The girl with dark blue hair. 

The boy with long whitish-blonde hair.

The tall, muscular boy with tanned skin.

Arya noted that Lucifer and Lucinda were coming along.

They wanted to come along as this was their father they were talking about. And they wanted to put an end to this war.

Ezekiel finished talking with the people who volunteered to stay behind to take care of the civilians.

"Okay, Astraeus, do your thing."

A large and tall oval made of golden light appeared. It looked hypnotizing and the golden light swirled and twisted. 

Ezekiel stepped into the portal and disappeared.

Everyone else followed suit.

Arya balled up her hand.

She was worried and scared as to what lies beyond the portal but she looked back into why she was fighting.

For happiness and peace.

So no more people, monster or human alike, have to suffer.

To bring an end to this story that needed a happy ending.

Her hands rested on the twin swords that Lucifer gifted her after learning that the original ones were stolen.

She looked back at the people watching her.

They looked back at her and stood there respectfully as if they understood the true weight of her decision.

Arya smiled back.

She finally stepped into the portal and the portal disappeared behind her.