Lost

Chapter 9 : The Elf Village

It was a couple of hours since the rapid cascade incident. After being traumatized by the adrenaline rushing ride, they decided to just quit water voyage for now and just settled on solid ground for a while. Lycia recognized the place and says that there's an elf village nearby. She decided that it'll be a good place to forage for provisions, shelter and some Uni-Cs. Since no one can find out that Louise's a human, Lycia decided to forage the village herself first for disguises while Cyane makes sure that Louise didn't get caught in some troubles while she left. Extremely bored, Louise watched curiously as Cyane's tail gradually disappearing before she scrambled onto dry land.

"Uh, remind me why we're here again." Louise asks absentmindedly.

"To get ride, provisions and shelter?"

"No I meant why did Lycia get to do the fun stuff and the both of us are stuck here. Bored out of our skulls." Louise flicked a pebble into the river.

"Well if you joined her you will get caught, you know."

"She already distrust me on the first day we've met. Why didn't she turn me in on the authorities."

"Well I have mixed feelings and reasons for that. The first is because of her nature. I've been Lycia's friend since childhood. I know her front and back. And she has a rather...stubborn nature. She has this saying where if a dream is a wish you make all alone, then an achievement is an action you do all alone. Which is not entirely wrong but not entirely right either. I mean to accomplish big things you needed help from others. But Lycia has some kind of hard shell. She wants to prove that she's independent and capable to achieve things...most of the time. It's just a bit rare to see her team up with someone out of her own desires, you know."

"I see. What's your second theory?"

"My second theory is it's because of her social status."

"Her social status?"

"Yeah. All of the magical creatures here are divided into groups based on the elements within. And within each of these groups there are, of course, status and classes. Lycia is the daughter from an...absurd combination that even I am not sure what elements she posses since well she's able to control a bit of everything. She can do that because her father is the Great Sorcerer or like the ruler of Magicis Regnum which automatically makes her a princess or a sorceress. It is common for the children of High Sorcerer and Sorceress to be teached a bit of every element since, well, their parents can do it too. It's a sign of peace and unity actually. And my theory is that since her father once fought off great evil from our land, I suppose she felt a bit of a feeling that she must follow her father's footsteps and eliminate any possible seedlings of evil."

"But I'm not some seedlings of evil. I came from a good family."

"Yes, but when we met you we don't know that. And well since the great catastrophe from a decade ago, it's hard trusting humanities since then."

'What happened ten years ago?"

"Well I-"

"Cyane, Louise! I'm back!" Lycia called from behind a massive thicket of trees.

"Lycia! What took you so long?" Louise pouted a little in annoyance.

"Sorry. I need to find the right size for the cloak." Lycia apologized as she unwraps the cloak and began fastening it on Louise. 

"Cloak?" Louise screwed up his face in confusion.

"Yes. Say people here had unique things to separate them from each other. Such as hair colors, accessories sometimes even horns or tails. Since this is an elf village, no one can know that you've got no pairs of horns."

"Cyane didn't have one." Louise points out.

"But she has an abnormal cyan hair color and wearing seashell accessories. Anyone would know she's a siren."

"You don't have a horn."

"It's because I came from a...an absurd combination. Besides my half and half hair color's enough for people to recognize who I am. Now stay still while I click on the fastenings."

The two suppressed a blush as Lycia continued to make little adjustment to his attire before finally feeling proud of herself. As soon as Louise is all disguised, the three walked their way towards the elf village. Apparently, most of the magical creatures are elves but the sirens and tritons. As soon as they're in the city gates they're approached by a couple of gatekeeper.

"Well, well, well. Princess Lycia. Back again?" One of the gatekeepers boomed.

"Yes well, I have brought a couple of visitors with me who are...dying to see your village." Lycia gestured to Louise and Cyane.

"Ah, I know you!" The other gatekeeper boomed. "You're Cyane, right? Daughter of King Poseidon and Queen Cyren and princess of the deep sea."

"Yes, it's I." Cyane stepped forward proudly.

"And you...I do not know who you are. Not to famous I suppose." The second gatekeeper scratched the back of his head.

"Tch, what're princesses like you twos doing hanging out with some commoner?" The first gatekeeper taunts Louise but despite all that, he kept silent.

Lycia's eyes began to go bloodshot red, filled with anger and fury. "Leave him alone. It is up to me to decide whom I'll befriend. You don't expect me to hang around people with high status just because of their power and mindlessly overseeing their traitorous nature. I befriended people because of their true colors not because of their social status. Now I suggest you to back off because I do learn a thing or two from my mother."

"Bah, even if you do, you're too afraid to do it in public. You know it's illegal. If it earned your mother an entire banishment from Magicis Regnum, all decreed by her own husband, surely think of the things he'll do to his dear daughter when he learns that you're playing with dark magic. I can't even imagine them myself! I can't bare to think your fate afterwards." The second gatekeeper points out.

"Even if I can't do dark magic, there are some legal magic I managed to master that can shut both of your stupid mouths if you don't get out of the way." Lycia threatened as her fists clenched.

"Uh, lady, don't get me wrong but in this situation it's you who need me. You need my approval to pass by these gates-"

"I said...GET. OUT. OF. THE. WAY." Lycia repeated, her eyes are redder than ever, her fists tightly clenched and her voice trembled with every syllable.

The two gatekeepers gulped at her scary and threatening attitude. "A-alright, y-you and your friends may enter." The gatekeepers flashed an awkward smile as the opened the gate for her.

 Lycia recomposed herself and passed by the gate, even stopping to say a cold and forced "thank you."

"So where are we going first?" Louise tried to break the awkward tension.

"Let's go find some Uni-Cs first. I know a good stable here that will be able to supply our demand for a fitting ride."