The Odd Return

CHAPTER 12

"Wow, your sword skills have gotten better since we last met." she said.

"And you've gotten rusty." Orion said back. Both of them looked at each other for a minute then broke into a smile ignoring all the blood on the road and on the clothes.

"I greet, her royal highness. May the blessing of the moon be over you." Orion bowed a little and teasingly greeted the blond girl. Hold on!? She is a royalty?

"Hush! No one calls me that! And don't you dare say that out loud in public!" the blondie panicked.

"Fine! Fine! I won't do it again, and everyone is cowering away in fear." he chuckled. He was not wrong, the moment the thugs showed up as the nobles fled. And not a single one came to help. Cowards.

"Sister!" the red head called who had her hands still around me. Orion also turned his attention to us and rushed towards us.

"Are you hurt?" was the first thing he asked as he crouched down to my level. His voice was soft, his smile was hiding away the anger and worry. I looked over at the road where all those half dead thugs layed. To think the person I was teasing all along is capable of that.

"I won't tease you anymore." I mumbled, avoiding his eyes.

Orion just stared at me and blinked a couple of times, then burst into laughter.

"Is that so?" He jokingly asked with a genuine smile on his face.

He pushed his hand forward for me to take, as soon as I took it he pulled both of us to our feet. I looked around once more until my eyes fell on the 3 thugs who were still chained up. At least a few of them were alive for interrogation.

"Are you hurt anywhere?" Orion asked once more.

"No, I don't think so. But it's them who need proper rest and treatment." I told him, no idea how to address the two ladies.

"Oh, I am so sorry we never actually had a proper introduction." the blonde spoke. Her voice was filled with confidence and grace. So she is actually a royal. But there was no princess in the empire.

"I am Asterin Adarlan, eldest daughter of Duke Adarlan." She said.

"And I am Catherine Adarlan, the youngest daughter of Duke Adarlan." the red head said.

"Oh," was all I could say. I never heard of such names in the book. Are they side characters or something?

"Not to mention, Lady Asterin over there is the fiance of the second prince Derek De Conlaed Alastair." Orion said. The fiance of the second prince?! The mysterious unnamed fiance of the heart throb second prince which almost made the whole fandom cry just because they couldn't have him for themself. Oh wow.

"Does it not make Lady Asterin the second Princess?" I asked.

"Well, it sort of does but we are waiting till the official marriage we will have when I am 18." Lady Asterin smiled sweetly. I almost remember that I didn't introduce myself, and also I don't remember them even if I met them before.

"Mind my manners, I forgot to introduce myself. I am sorry if we met before as I can't remember you because of my amnesia." I replied with a sad smile.

"There is no one who won't know you, lady Evanora. The Empire was blessed with your beauty but you are suffering amnesia?" Lady Catherine asked.

"Sadly yes." I said with a slight smile.

Lady Asterin was about to speak but her face turned dark as she looked over at something behind me and Orion. Both me and Orion, who got curious by the odd chance, turned about to check it out for ourselves. The guard knights and security officers were walking towards us. Orion still had his sword on the other hand of his so it was clear he was the one who turned the situation into this.

"Swords and shows of destructive magic are forbidden in public gatherings like this! A lady complained about how she got hurt and a couple of them fainted. Sir please explain yourself." the security office yelled at us. Does he not know who he is talking to? If he doesn't even know by our clothes he should know we are not normal aristocats.

"You have the guts to ask for an explanation from me. I had been away from academics for a while and Eyrith turned like this." Orion, whose back was facing the officer all along, turned around and looked at the officer whose proud face crumbled into dust.

"I think he is drunk." I whispered to Orion. Knights have sharp senses then he shows none, only disappointed slow movement.

"Does it matter, I will still punish him." Orion glared at him. His captivating cyan blue eyes aren't something people won't recognize, at least all the knights of Eyrith should know his identity.

"Young master Esmeray, I was frustrated and foolishly made a great mistake." the man nervously spoke under the death glare of Orion. And he called us psychopaths.

"If you have made a grave mistake then why aren't you kneeling?" Orion's face turned dark, only his eyes were glowing as he looked down at that man. The noble men who were starting to come out of their hiding went back to their place as soon they saw the scene unfold before them.

"Hey, Orion. Let's head back now." I spoke slowly as I reached out for his arm. But instead of one of his arms I saw two of them? When did he grow a second arm? Or is that his right arm? No, it's the left one with the right one. But they shouldn't be together? Hold on, am I drunk? But I didn't drink and I am a minor.

"Lady Evanora, are you okay?" I could hear the blonde, I mean Lady Asterin called me but it felt like she was so far away.

"Yeah, I am fine. Absolutely fine. Perfectly fine. Fifi, I saw Fifi. Where are you going...Fifi?" And after calling my pet cat who's name is Fifi and who died when I was in 6th grade everything around me turned pitch black.

...

"Uh..." I groaned as soon as I opened my eyes. I looked at the ceiling I got used to by now. I was in my bedroom. Slowly everything that happened all day rushed back to my mind.

"I passed out." I mumbled as I sat up, holding my thumping head between my hands.

"Milady, are you awake?" Veri called.

"Uh, yes. What time is it?" I asked.

"The sun just set my lady." Veri replied politely.

"I...I must inform his grace..." Veri stuttered with wide eyes, shocked that she forgot her task and rushed out of the room. I watched her leave and felt an odd sense of deja vu.

And just like that I found my room filled with people the next minute. The duke, elder brother Kaven, Orion and Lady Asterin and Lady Catherine who were now freshened up and changed from the clothes they were wearing.

"Hi!" I smiled at them as the atmosphere was pretty awkward.

"Don't say 'hi' to me after you pass out! And why on earth did you not tell me about the cut on your neck!? You probably got that when that scum pointed his sword at you!" Orion yelled at me as Kaven held him back from jumping at me and strangling me.

"I am sorry?" I said I didn't know how to reply. "Everything happened so quickly I didn't even notice that the blade tore the skin of my neck." Orion huffed and turned away from me like a 5 year old kid, as the Duke begged me through his eyes to do something to Orion's sulking mood. Good god, give me strength.