The Silver Flower

Bet and Ambush

Aamon was startled by the loud and annoying yawn from Gusion for the third time, for the past five hours in their carriage ride to the Scarlet Shadow village. Aamon sighed as he was once again interrupted by his brother from his reading. "Why don't you just take a nap Gusion?" he asked.

"Don't feel like it; plus get to annoy you more big brother," Gusion replied with a satisfied smile.

Aamon groaned in annoyance once more. 'This is going to be a long ride,' he thought as he looked outside then at his parent, who were blissfully having a nap together. 'I wish I could have a blissful nap as well,' he thought.

"This feel ridiculous that we're travelling far just for my coming of age ritual; and to add that, I'm doing with someone I don't know," Gusion complained.

"In actuality, you have," Aamon replied. Gusion looked at him in confusion. "You were so young back then, it's impossible for you to remember.

"Have you fallen for her?" Gusion asked once more.

Aamon gave a light chuckle, "Is it that obvious?". Gusion only replied with a smile. "She was adorable back then, but I didn't know that she change a lot over the years," Aamon began, "I heard she became more competitive, stubborn and proud. Kinda remind me of you, Gusion".

"How absurd brother".

"You know well, I do not lie much. But I must admit, she looks stunning than any other women I have ever meet".

"Hmm, perhaps I will ask father for permission to ask her hand in marriage," said Gusion as he decided to tease his older brother; but he admitted that he too had a crush on ninja as well.

Aamon know that Gusion was just teasing him, since he had heard that Gusion had a secret lover while, he was engaged to the Baroque family. Not only he did not want Gusion to ruin the family by having multiple lovers, but he did not want him to face the discrimination that come with it. With that he wanted to claim the ninja as his, not as an object, but as a person by his side for life. Aamon gave him a sly smirk as he replied, "Too bad little brother, you are acting more pathetic that I thought".

Gusion gritted his teeth in anger as he felt offended by his older brother's words and asked why. "Because you wanted her as well, makes me more wanting to claim her for myself". Gusion growled at him as if he was challenge to some

"Then I think you wouldn't mind a little bet big brother?" he asked with a smug look. That certainly caught his attention and asked to explain their so called bet. "Let's see who can win her heart first; if I win you will help me sneak out of Avalor and I get to keep her".

"And if I win?"

"She's all yours to keep and I will learn magic like you wanted me to," Gusion replied, which certainly made Aamon wanting to win. He shook Gusion's hand, sealing their agreement

After an hour, Aamon finally manage to take the nap that he wanted. Gusion felt bored again and decided to read the file that his brother kept reading. As he took the file, a few pictures fell out. It was a picture of him and Hanabi when they were young, a younger version of himself beside the young ninja and finally the present Hanabi. 'My she grown so much from the last time we saw her, but how come I don't remember her?' he asked himself. He put back the other two photos, but he kept the last photo. While slouching in his seat, he admired her amazing looks.

Just went the trip was going so well, everyone in the carriage was startled when the entire carriage suddenly started to shook violently and it suddenly fell apart like a doll house. Fortunately, Aamon and his family managed to get out before it turned into rubble. "Is everyone alright?" the Duke asked as he helped his wife up to her feet.

"We're fine father," Aamon replied, while he helped Gusion to his feet. "Father, mother, it's not over yet," Aamon warned as he felt the enemy was still lingering around.

Gusion agreed as he stood ready for a fight. "Father, please leave them to us," Aamon summoned his mana shards. The Duke merely nodded as he took his wife to hide somewhere safe.

Meanwhile, at the Scarlet Faction, Hanabi's father was greeting the guests along with her adolescent brother, Mike. "Where is that girl? She was supposed to greet the special guests with us".

"Patience father, she must caught up with her training again. She will arrive soon," Mike said as he greeted another

"Father!" Hanabi called out for her father, "an urgent letter has arrive for you," she handed the letter.

The Grandmaster read the letter and his face turned serious."Hanabi, Mike, please attend to the guest; I must leave for an urgent matter," he ordered. Both Hanabi and Mike nodded and when he left, Hanabi turned to her little brother. He gave her a smile and told her to go. She gave her brother a hug and sneakily followed their father. She watched him entered the great hall and summoned all the ninjas in the Scarlet Faction. "I summoned you all here because we had an urgent matter: the Paxley family carriage was ambushed today and they lost their map and horseman to find our village," he announced.

The room roared with whispers among the ninjas. Hanabi snuck into among the ninjas and listen carefully to what her father was announcing. "Since there are still preparations to be finish, I need a few ninjas to look for the Paxley family," he continued.

She looked around and saw nobody wanted to accept the task as they heard many rumours of the family and wished nothing more than to stay away from those elites. 'This will be bad for our image, if no one accepts this assignment,' she thought as she stood up, 'and perhaps I will finally get the respect I deserve from father'.

"Allow me to take this assignment Grandmaster," she asked, while formally addressing her father as the Grandmaster.

"Hanabi, I will not allow you to take this assignment when you are going to battle with the youngest master of the Paxley family," he said sternly.

"With all due respect Grandmaster, with me accepting this assignment our political ties with the Paxley family will be tighter, " she argued back.

Her argument caused her father to think for a moment. There were truth to that statement as if she went on this assignment, will certainly impressed one of the most powerful elites in the entire Land of Dawn. But he feared that she would once more get close to the young masters. However, Hanabi became a proud ninja over the years and completely stubborn, she would not be easily swooned over by them. With a heavy sigh he agreed. Hanabi bowed to him and went back to her room to prepare for her journey.