Primogeniture

Chapter 15 - Return

     In the carriage that carried prisoners, she rested her cousin's head on her lap. She had to place anti-magic shackles on him to prevent him from using magic. The rest of the HPG squad sat surrounding their team leader in the back while 2 men in the same black uniform as their leader maned the carriage with magic. They were experienced magicians who could use gravitational magic to lift the carriage into the sky beyond the clouds for safe transport back to Stormridget Palace. There 7 of them who surrounded the girl who was said to have the most talent among the younger generation and on her lap is said to be the best scholar ever produced in the kingdom. They are cousins, their mothers are sisters but Emrick has never seen Cara's mother as she was the mayor of some city in the western region of Historia. Cara on the other hand has seen Emrick's mother a lot of times and it reminded her of her own mother as their mothers had striking resembling features but she took after her father in eye and hair colour. She also kept her short to remind herself that she was so powerless to protect the boy who she let go so many years ago. The one person who had never treated her like some noble but as a family member even though she could not reciprocate those same actions to him. When he left, she felt a gaping void in her heart like an important part of her life was taken. 

     Emrick had grown a lot, he had a larger frame than her who was always larger in size than him. He was no longer the short boy she one known, his mother's genes passed onto him well and he turned out to be a strong person. He helped his accomplice escape before blacking out, the HPG team's mission was to capture Emrick back alive. His accomplice was simply a bonus, they would capture her too if they had the chance but decided to let her go as wandering deeper into Altracian territory to find one girl was a foolish thing to do. When the squad was given the mission, they were given only their targets' features to find them. The two left trails when they escaped the village as planned by Thinuo who gave the capture order.  

     Under the silence of the carriage, everyone froze and readied themselves as the boy on his cousin's lap opened his eyes as if he was on high alert. He did not sit up as he knew what kind of situation he was in. He was familiar with the black uniforms too, he once saw it in his mother's closet. This HPG uniform was worn by the HPG special operatives when they were executing special operations. He looked straight up to find another HPG member staring back at him, she was the only one whose mask was off and was not hostile towards him. He kept his eye contact on those hazel eyes as he uttered his first words since he woke up. 

     "Still a crybaby?" He said as he remembered the tears she spilled when they reunited. 

     "..." She was speechless and a bit red in embarrassment for her actions. He was slightly laughing as he sat up and turned to face her. He was aware that all the members in the carriage were armed to teeth to protect their team leader.

     "I will not make any stupid moves to harm anyone and potentially plunge this carriage in the ground below, so be at ease and keep those knives where they belong. He said in a commanding voice but was ignored by everyone in the carriage. Cara on the other hand who sensed Emrick's intentions to relax gave a hand signal to make her men at ease which they followed. Emrick thanked her by nodding his head before showing her his shackles by extending out his hands.

     "No can do, these stay on." She replied to his annoyance as he accepted her terms and waited by sleeping in a sitting position. Soon, the palace that stood on a hill overlooking the river below came into view of the carriage and it landed in the designated spot just off the gates to the palace. There, they were saluted as they got down form the carriage and Cara put her mask back on. Emrick was awaken by her and he got up with a sigh as he saw the palace in front of him. 

     He walked into the palace grounds once again, the garden was as well-kept as he once remembered and the staff were as disciplined and well dressed as always. He stared into the palace with a tower in the middle as he walked and remembered that he was trapped in there, forced to do research for a king and queen who he despised.