Lunar Flare Book 2: Midnight Eclipse

Chapter 4

"Eighteen... Nineteen... Twenty! Ready or not, here I come!" Beowulf announced, taking his armoured hand away from the slit of his helmet visor and looking around the courtyard. The large soldier began his search, walking around the immediate area first and looking behind bushes and up in trees, knowing how agile and acrobatic his quarry could be. The last time they had played, Thedrick had somehow carried the princess up into the rafters of the chapel, and Beowulf only found them when he heard them snickering above him at his fruitless search.

Of course, he didn't find anything in the courtyard, they weren't going to make it that easy for him, then the game wouldn't be as fun. So, he started wandering around the castle grounds, checking any already known hiding spots and searching for any new ones. Beowulf was always the seeker when they played, as he was too huge to be able to hide anywhere. Meanwhile, the vampires were both very small, and could fit into surprisingly tight spaces, so he needed to be thorough.

While searching, Beowulf came across a sight he was not expecting. He recognised Emil's curls from behind, though he was dressed in plain linens rather than his usual fancy armour or fancy noble clothing funded by his parents. He was sweeping the paving stones under one of the archways that connected different areas of the castle. Beowulf approached slowly, then reached out and tapped the guard on the shoulder.

Emil jumped slightly at the touch, letting out a small yelp of surprise before he spun around to look up at the giant soldier. Then suddenly he was glancing away as his cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "Oh, Beowulf..."

"What did you do to annoy Cassian this time?" Beowulf asked humorously, guessing that Emil was undertaking some kind of punishment.

Emil made a sound of frustration, baring his teeth slightly. "It wasn't my fault this time, I swear!" he claimed, looking up at Beowulf earnestly.

"I'm sure," Beowulf said sarcastically, smiling behind his visor.

"It really wasn't! I didn't start the fight; I was just defending myself! But Cassian never believes me, since he has it out for me," Emil grumbled, eyes falling to the ground.

"Have you perhaps tried not being so insufferable?" Beowulf joked, placing a hand on Emil's shoulder.

Emil snapped his head up to glare at Beowulf. "Oh yeah? Just because you're mister perfect..." he sneered, raising his chin defiantly. "What are you doing out here anyway, going out of your way just to demean me? I thought you weren't supposed to leave the princess's side?"

"We're playing hide and seek," Beowulf said, a little taken back by Emil's bitterness. "Did you happen to see her and Thedrick pass through here?"

Scoffing, Emil shrugged Beowulf's armoured hand off his shoulder. "Yeah, they did. Headed in that direction," he nodded towards the other end of the archway.

"Thanks Emil," Beowulf said cheerily, clapping him on the back with one hand lightly before stepping around him heading off through the archway. He heard the guard mutter something behind him but couldn't quite make out what it was.

As Beowulf continued his search, he passed by the infirmary just as Balthasar was emerging from it, his clothing and face stained with blood. Beowulf stopped next to him, and the chirurgeon looked up at him with a questioning eyebrow and a weary expression. "What do you want, Beowulf?" he asked curtly.

"Have you seen the princess and Thedrick?" Beowulf asked, stopping himself from asking about all the blood.

Balthasar looked confused. "Has Thedrick taken off with the princess?" he asked with some concern.

"No no no," Beowulf said quickly while shaking his head, "we are playing hide and seek. I sent him with her to protect her."

"You sent Thedrick... to protect the princess?" Balthasar asked with disbelief, eyebrows pulled together. "You know he can't even protect himself!"