Against the Shadows|| A Zodiac Story

Six

"Woah~" Gemini looked in awe at the decorations plastered all over the streets of the kingdom. She heard from the town's people a few days ago that the king announced his marriage to the princess of the neighboring kingdom and today, the princess will arrive at the city and the people are throwing a celebration to welcome her.

Despite her father's orders to stay away from humans, Gemini has always been curious about humans and decided to sneak out of the Black Woods to experience a human celebration.

"Oof—" As she was mindlessly wandering the streets and looking around the decor and stalls, she bumped into someone. "Oh, sorry! I wasn't looking." She lowered her hand to the woman who fell on the floor from their collision.

"I'm fine. I'm fine." The woman exclaimed. "Oh, thanks!" She grabbed Gemini's hand and patted the dust off her dress. "It's okay. I wasn't looking too." The girl chuckled as she stepped back from Gemini. 

"Well, see you around!" The woman waved her hand and ran off in a different direction, leaving Gemini alone once more. 

"Okay?" She frowned at the direction where the woman went but her attention quickly shifted to the food stalls near her.

"Woah~" Gemini stared as the man in the stall skillfully cooked some food with a mouthwatering smell.

"A-actually—" As she stared at the food, someone spoke beside her. She turned to see the woman from earlier who was interrupted by Gemini's growling stomach.

"Oops. Sorry about that. The food he is making smells delicious." Gemini laughed awkwardly.

"Are you... going to buy some?" The woman frowned. 

"Buy?" Gemini titled her head.

"Oh— sorry! I didn't mean to be rude." The woman looked flustered. "I-I can treat you if you don't have the financial means."

"Financial... means?" Gemini looked even more confused at the woman.

"Two of those, sir." Gemini watched as the woman ordered food and gave the man some coins. "I'm Taurus, by the way." The woman turned to Gemini and introduced herself.

"Gemini." Gemini replied with a frown. "Sorry, why did you give the man shiny metal?"

"Shiny—" Taurus looked at Gemini with amusement. "It's payment, of course. How do you not know that? Are you living under a rock?" Taurus gave Gemini a confused look.

"I live in the forest actually—" Gemini quickly covered her mouth with her hand and gave a worried look to Taurus. "Oh my goodness. Mother is going to be so mad at me!"

"What..." Taurus' frown deepens.

"Pretend you didn't hear that! Taur- Taurus, right?! You heard nothing! Say it with me!" Gemini held both arms of the poor woman and forced her to look into Gemini's eyes.

"Forget this. I'm going to be screwed." Before Taurus could even say a word, Gemini had already decided to run away.

"Hey, wait!" Taurus was about to follow her but was interrupted by the vendor who handed her the food she ordered. "Your food!" She shouted loudly as she was about to run after Gemini.

Before she can even run a distance, she sees Gemini running back and had an idea in mind. As Gemini approached her, Taurus casts a spell on her.

"What are you— You tricked me, witch!" Gemini glared at Taurus as she struggled to free her feet from an invisible force.

"First of all, I am not a witch. I am Taurus Horne, a mage. Second of all, you and I both know that you will run off as soon as you get your hands on this food. So, how about I give you this food, we talk properly and you don't go off running?" Gemini eyed the glazed food in the mage's hand and huffed.

"Fine." She muttered. With a satisfied smile, Taurus undid her spell and handed Gemini her food.

"So... you live in the forest? I guess that kind of makes sense why you don't know how money works." Taurus started talking as they found a less crowded space to sit down.

"Money?" Gemini frowned as she stuff her face with the glazed sweets that Taurus gave her. "Oh my, this is delicious. Sweet~"

"Mm~ Caelestis really have great food. To think that if not for my apprenticeship, I would be able to go here and taste it." Taurus agreed as she munched on her food as well.

"You are not from here too?" Gemini looked over the mage with a curious gaze.

"Oh yes. You too?" Taurus wiped the corner of her lips and looked expectantly at Gemini. The latter nodded profusely and the two of them looked at each other meaningfully.

"OMG! We are totally going to be best friends! I was so nervous to be a total outcast when I travel here but I found a bestie who also isn't from around here! We are going to have fun exploring Caelestis together! Oh sorry, can I call you bestie?" The mage squealed happily holding Gemini's arm.

"Y-you mean... friendship? With you? Really?!" Gemini's eyes seemed to sparkle as she just heard a human wanting to be friends with her. "OMG! It would be my greatest pleasure! I-I mean... yes yes, totally!" Gemini grinned from ear to ear, thrilled with her newfound friendship.

"Right, so by any chance, do you have any idea where the High Tower is?" When the two finally calmed down, Taurus remembered what she was supposed to ask Gemini in the first place— High Tower, the place where the famous Grand Magus resides in.

"High Tower?" Gemini frowned.

"Well, my teacher kind of sent a letter to the Grand Magus' office about my magic, and the Grand Magus, himself, replied. He said he would like to take me as his apprentice." As Taurus explains her situation, the other woman's eyes grow wide as she processes the new information about her new friend.

"WOW! T-that means you are a strong mage! No, like stronger than strong mage." Taurus blushed slightly as her new friend looked at her with awe and admiration.

"S-something like that..." Taurus replied with a slight chuckle.

~xxx~

WC: 979

Taurus, the foreign mage genius has joined the gang! Any thoughts about her?

I got a little carried away when writing this and made the scene longer than planned. I guess the other scene will just be moved to the next chapter.

Two more zodiacs remaining! Stay tuned for the next zodiac introductions. Cya~