Life Anew [TCF OC Insert]

Ch 5: War of the Names

Redika disappeared after chuckling toward my warning which possibly seemed ridiculous to such a powerful mage as himself, but to me it was the only thing I had besides using my shield against his attacks again if he decided to let loose, "Are you okay, young master?" Taylor had run over in a hurry with a priest as I held Ari who was breathing heavily after using her strong magic, "Just fine, though if you wouldn't mind your highness." Glancing at Alberu who was about to talk to me I had asked him, "I think my fiance needs some time to recover." The crown prince (blonde bastard) allowed us to ride back with him to the palace and as much as I would have preferred he entered the carriage first, he implored me to do so first because of Ari who had been sleeping soundly in my arms through the aftermath of the ordeal, "It would be this lowly thing's honor to accept your highness's grace."

Venion gazed at me in envy as Neo avoided eye contact with his leader growling in his head no doubt on how someone like me could sway the prince, "If possible, could you get some doctors and priests to check her health? My little lady isn't in the best shape right now." Alberu nodded as he gazed at her, "Did you know that she was once engaged to me, young master?" My gaze widened as he explained to me, "Our arranged engagement was so that the imperial family could have the immense power of the fox tribe in us." He added, "Her magic comes from her mother's fox side, but everything else is from her father. Including her punch for getting out of nasty situations."

Shifting her weight as I held onto her, a question came out of me before I could contemplate if it was worth asking, "Why was your engagement canceled?" He smirked then explained, "Because the mother of the third prince despises beastmen, and used our engagement as her starting point to turn the people against those who they used to cooperate with." His eyes glowered when recalling the person he was forced to call step mother, "She would do anything to achieve her goals even if it meant the eradication of an entire race. Which is why she thought by taking down the royal heads of such a race, would cause its eventual decay and subsequent downfall."

His gaze turned apologetic toward Ari who was shifting against my chest, "I didn't have enough power back then to do anything and my father...didn't care what or who did anything so long as the glory of our empire was known." We arrived just as he finished telling us one last thing, "So the empress got away with her plans...or so she thought. When news of Ariemis showing up reaches her, she will stop at nothing to kill her." He warned me as we disembarked, "I hope you're ready to protect her."
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"...It's warm....and hard...?..." My eyes slowly fluttered open as I looked up and saw Cale giving me his signature look, "Have a nice rest, little lady?" My face really did turn as red as his hair when Rosalyn and the others walked in to see him bullying me, "Rose! He won't stop bullying me!!" Fleeing from the bed and to Rosalyn's side, Cale seemed kind of jealous and then annoyed when Hans had to come in to inform him of some important things, leaving after with Rose glaring at Cale and hugging me close to her. "How could you bully such a cutie!!" She exclaimed as he sweatdropped but asked, "It's only fair? I get to call her little lady because she called me her strawberry."

Raon who had walked in with Choi Han and the kittens felt the awkwardness of the situation as Cale made me blush a dark red again, "That's because of your hair!!" Alberu walked in after they left and chuckled when seeing me, "I don't think I've ever seen you that flustered, Kit." I retorted back with some of Ariemis's personality taking over, "That's because I've never had a reason to be flushed around you, Dainy!" The childhood nickname that the owner of this body used slipped out easily as he gave a dumbfounded stare, probably because Ariemis had never called him that after the third prince's mother had attacked them.

"I'll take my leave now, but both of you sure have some strange scents on you." He left after saying that and Cale pulled me onto the bed with him as the dragon stared at us quietly, "He knows too much." After pawing at us for a while, he stopped and disappeared when Amirel, Taylor, and what's his face came to visit. Cale being himself wanted to put on an act to fool them so he had me dressed in bandages as they walked in, and placed beside him in bed. "Thank your for your concern." My smile was enough to reassure them as Cale pulled me closer by him, "I'm sure it'll all work out." 

Cale gently squeezed me after they left with my ears twitching softly, "Cale, I am sorry about Alberu. He can be a massive pain in the ass, especially when it comes to public appearances and image." We both looked at the scroll that said we would be receiving medals for our heroics, even though he knew we did it purely to save our own skin. "Mistress Fox!!" Both of us were suffering,  from the embarrassment of the nicknames that the people gave us, though Cale's were far worse than mine. "Shall we head to the Ubarr territory, my little lady?" He held his hand out to me as I turned as red as his hair, just where does he get the confidence to tease me in such a serious time?! 

"Yes, we wouldn't want to keep Ariel waiting. Strawberry." He gave me a slightly irritated glance at the nickname but it was his fault, for using the one he called me in the first place.