Living in a Fairytale (Completed)

chapter 5

As much as I hated it, I couldn't stop myself from staring at the small cylindrical rod. A single rose is engraved at the middle part, a red on gold. It felt almost weightless at my grip and I glanced up to the guy trotting on his horse ahead of me. His well widened back is waving right on my face and I couldn't help but frown. He's definitely not a kid.

We rode at first light, without the host in sight. It made me feel anxious at first, suspicious why Rhodin wouldn't want to see his oh-so-dear nephew leave. But the Prince of El Malefico told me that his oh-so-beloved uncle didn't want to ruin my departure. Tch.

The three of us rode each of our steed in a slow gallop. We have leagues ahead of us before we reach El Malefico and the Prince didn't want to ride out at night. Rose didn't have enough magic to call upon a creature so the Prince needed to summon two horses for the both of them. The Prince on a stallion and Rose a mare. As for myself, I've been calling on this creature ever since I learned how to walk. I have grown fond of her now.

I sighed and placed the LaTiaar back on a leather bag slung right by the saddle. The Prince gave me the rod earlier, as we were saddling the horses. I asked him what it was for and he just simply said, "A weapon." As if I was dumb enough not to recognise a LaTiaar. I have read about this weapon in the pages of books and scrolls and heard of it from Curadora Guile, but I have never used one, let alone in possession of one.

I shrugged the thoughts away and concentrated on the ride. After awhile of silence, it was then that I realized why I am riding in the middle. With the Prince in the lead and Rose a few meters behind me. They think I'll run off and escape. I scoffed and rolled my eyes. As if I have anywhere else to go.

As the sun was setting, the sky fell into a merigold hue. The Prince halted and decided to take a rest for the night. I looked around and felt the cold starting to settle, the pines closing in around us. I sighed and climbed down the steed. I could feel their eyes, following my every move.

"I am not to escape. Pixies." I say as I raised a hand, my palm in a soft white glow and moved my fingers in an upward motion.

My other hand rested right on top of the saddle, clutched tightly at the rough leather. The horse dissolved along with a soft gush of wind. I looked back at the both of them and it was their turn to look away. I rolled my eyes at the idiocy and placed the saddle along with the bag right on top of an enormous root. The smell of pines hung greatly in the air, and the earthen ground seemed damp from rain. It'll be a mess if we get caught up by rain out here.

"I'll gather some firewood. Uncle packed food for us. It will serve our dinner." The Prince was saying as I turned my back on him and reached for my sword. He gave this back last night, with a promise that I was not to take up arms against him. It's a hard promise to keep.

I heard him sigh heavily before the sound of his receding footsteps echoed through the woods. I stared at the steel right on my lap, the ripples caused from the magic forged into the blade seemed to have taken life on its own, swirling and reflecting a soft light. My eyes met the girl staring right into the blade. Her eyes empty, her hair disheveled, plump lips cracked, and skin almost translucent due to its paleness. The Gift have consumed almost half of her hair now, the cream shade almost overwhelming the cinnamon hue.

"My Princess, is your blade sharp?" I looked up in alarm and saw Rose, her eyes watery and a nervous smile on her face. 

I looked down at the sword and thought of how many lives have perished when I last took a full grasp at its hilt. I nodded, a surprising ache on my chest.

"That's good to hear, my Princess. What shall you have of me?" I looked at her and realized how scared she is. She must be. The royal family is dead, the kingdom that she grew up in is in ruins, the possibility of any survivors is slim as a stick, and all she's left now is to serve me, a Princess with anger issues and crazy blood urges.

"When we arrive at El Malefico, you shall be free of the oaths you have spoke and taken. You will be a free woman. You need not care to serve me, ever again." Her eyes widened, and I was surprised to see her on her knees at once.

"My Princess, I thank you. You have my outmost gratitude, my Princess." Her eyes filled with tears streaming down her face. The chain on her ears chimed the most beautiful tune.

The Prince of El Malefico arrived and together they attempted to build a fire beneath the branches of pines. I stayed seated, with the sword on my lap and my eyes closed as they struggled with the twigs and branches that the Prince have gathered. I let out a heavy sigh before putting the sword back into its scabbard and walked towards the two idiots.

"Step away," I muttered and both of them stepped back a little.

I dragged my foot on the ground to create a circular space and started arranging the branches as well as I can. I grabbed a knife from the back of my leather straps and used it as a kindling. It took only a few twists and turns, when the wood and metal created enough friction, flames emerged.

I stood up when the fire was strong enough to hold. Rose squatted over and fed twigs to fuel the flames. I turned and was faced to face with the Prince, staring down at me with his intense glare. I looked away and moved the other way to escape his gaze.

I let out a sigh and laid down on the grassy space near the huge root. My body felt sore and tired from all the riding but the pain didn't take my consciousness away. I stared at the branches of pines, all pointed and murky green. Night had finally settled in and the fire was all that provided us heat and light for tonight. I felt someone's presence take the space beside where I rested my head as I stared up ahead. I didn't need to look to know who it is.

"He wasn't my brother." The Prince's low soothing voice seemed to have grown so familiar to me that I hated it.

"Why are you telling me this." I say, bored and uninterested. Seriously, I just want to have an alone time. I heard him take a deep breath.

"Our kingdom almost fell, even before the mortals took yours. With the sudden death of my father, the mist that enclosed our kingdom vanished and the humans took advantage of it." He let out another sigh. I closed my eyes and pretended to be sleeping, maybe he'll shut up and leave me be. I don't have time for stories.

But to my surprise, my eyes flew open when he slowly lifted my head and let it rest on his palm. I could feel the warmth from his hand, I could feel my head throbbing in alarm. He's sitting too close to me! He's to close for pixiesake! He didn't take notice that I had my eyes open and I could see him struggling to find a comfortable position. If he dares to lay beside me, I will bury my sword right into his chest and end him.

But he made no attempt to do so. Instead, he continued, "My mother called for the elite clans, and they gave her only enough magic to create an illusion. I saw how humans fought with illusions, how they killed every man, woman, and child, unarmed and unprotected like a wild beast. They killed everything that moved, and my mother kept it all together with blood sacrifice to continue the illusion she was implementing. All fell back into the castle walls and gaped at the horrible sight in front of them. The slaughter that took place." He chuckled humourlessly. This talk made all the memories I have buried crawl back into the surface. I bit my lip to stop the tears that were threatening to fall. I closed my eyes tightly as I can. Get it together Adelaide.

"Humans were so difficult to manipulate. It required too much blood. And they even brought my brother. My mother was never sane again. She had to have a replacement for my brother. So she picked up one homeless elf from the streets of El Malefico and donned him fine clothes to look like a blood royal. And now that kid is dead. Fuck. What will mother do now." I felt his eyes on me and when I felt his hand on my cheek, I opened my eyes. He stared back, his gaze filled with melancholy and then he smiled. As if he does not know that I am thinking of killing him right now for touching me.

"So you see, you are not the only one. We're both fucked." He chuckled, a low and deep chuckle that it made the hair at the back of my nape stir. Fucking fuck, why is he starting to look fine as hell.