𝐃𝐈𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐒 Whispers of Destiny | ⋆ 𐙚 ̊.ᴛʜᴇ ɢʀᴀᴄᴇᴠᴇʀꜱᴇ. 𐙚 ̊⋆

𝐕𝐈

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        Grace and Dante walked through the streets of Gapalan. It was their first day living there and Derek had told them to go out and explore. Everyone looked happy, people danced around the streets to music, children ran around playing and people just happily watched it all. Market stalls were filled with fresh foods such as bread, fish, fruit and veg, and almost every stall had a line of customers.
        Gapalan was nothing like Boboros. Everyone was happy, unlike Boboros where everyday was just another day people had to work. Eyes shifted towards Grace and Dante, looking them up and down as if they knew they weren't from here. Although the people from Gapalan were nice and friendly, they didn't like people from other parts of the region coming to Gapalan.
        "Grace, everyone is looking at us," Dante whispered to his sister, as they walked. Grace looked around as she felt a shiver down her spine. She hated being the centre of attention but at this very moment, she was. "It's okay, just keep walking."
        They continued to walk when they were met by the smile of a girl who looked about three or four years younger than Grace. "Hey there," the girl said with a smile. "My friends over there were wondering if they could braid your hair? They were too scared to come and ask so I said I'd ask for them."
       Grace smiled, "Of course!" The girl smiled and then looked to Dante. Her smile gave him butterfly's. He couldn't help but admire how beautiful she was, her beautiful strawberry blonde hair and blueish-green eyes that sparkled in the sunlight. Was it really love at first sight?
        The girl lead Grace and Dante over to a bench where three other girls sat, laughing and giggling. Grace sat down on the bench and all of the girls surrounded her, excitedly. "I'm Amelia," the first girl began before introducing her friends. "This is Lily, this is Lia and this is Summer. What's your name?"
       Grace smiled at the girls. Lily and Lia looked about eight or nine, Summer nine or ten, and Amelia about eleven. Amelia was most definitely the oldest out of the group. She had strawberry blonde hair and blueish-green eyes with freckles under her eyes and over her nose-bridge. Summer - the second oldest - had the prettiest blonde hair that Grace had ever seen. She had sky blue eyes that sparkled in the sunlight and her skin was quite pale. Lily and Lia - they youngest two of the group ' almost identical with their silky black hair and emerald green eyes. They almost looked as if they were twins, which Grace guessee they were.  
        "I'm Grace," she said, smiling at the girls. She looked towards Dante who was standing nearby, watching.  "Can we braid your hair?" Lia asked. Her voice was so fragile and soft. Grace could only smile, "Of course!"
       The four girls giggled in excitement before running off to gather flowers to put in Grace's hair. Within a few minutes, they were back and began braiding Grace's hair. 
       Days passed and each day at noon, Grace would meet the four young girls who would braid her hair. The girls admired Grace and looked up to her. Grace was like the older sister they never had. They enjoyed everyday when they would braid her hair.
       They girls weren't the only ones who admired Grace. A boy that stood by, watching her ever day also did. Xavier Lorcana. He watched as she laughed and played with the children. How her beautiful brown hair blew in the wind and how gentle she was with the young girls. 
       Xavier dreamed of dating her. She was the most beautiful and kindest girl he had ever seen and wanted to talk to her. But he was scared. Scared she would reject him. Scared she wouldn't feel the same way.
       Dante chuckled at the strawberry blonde before pushing a lock of hair behind her ear. Dante couldn't get over how pretty Amelia was. She was just one year younger than him and he got butterfly's in his stomach every time he saw her. He was beginning to think that he actually liked her.
       Amelia laughed - her laugh was like music to Dante's ears. When she opened her eyes, they began to sparkle in the sunlight and Dante felt like kissing her right then and there. But he couldn't. It wasn't right. 
        Dante had always been quite the flirt to the girls in Boboros but with Amelia, it was different. He didn't feel the need to flirt. He just felt like being normal, being a normal human being would wouldn't get the name if a flirt or a casanova.
        Summer immediately noticed a connection between the two and sneakily placed a Bluebell in Dante's hand before pointing to Amelia. Dante chuckled before turning to Amelia with a smile and handing her the flower. "Here you go beautiful."
       Amelia giggled and rolled her eyes, "Quite the flirt, aren't you." Dante blushed as he looked at the ground, sliding his foot back and forward along it. He didn't want to give her the impression of a flirt, but she didn't seem to mind.
        Lia came running over to Amelia, giggling before tugging her arm. "Amelia! Amelia!" Amelia gave Dante a smile as if to say 'sorry about her' before turning to the younger girl, tugging at her arm. "Yeah, Lia?"
       "Lily and Summer have ran out of flowers and the need us to pick some more!" Amelia smiled down at the girl before tapping her lightly on the nose. "Why don't you go and get the basket and then we'll go and pick some?"
        Lia nodded eagerly before rushing off to find the basket. Amelia looked back to Dante who looked at her with a beaming smile, spread across his face. He admired Amelia's kindness and the way she treated the other girls as if they were her sisters.
       "I better go and catch up with Lia. I'll see you in a bit?" Dante nodded as he smiled at her before she ran after Lia. He could stare at her for hours on end without getting tired of her beauty. She was just so perfect. So perfect for him.
       Meanwhile, Amelia rushed after Lia who was already picking flowers in the meadow. Amelia knelt down beside her, picked a Bluebell and carefully placed it in the basket.
        "Sooo..." Lia began, giggling. Amelia knew what was coming. Lia was going to ask her about Dante. Although she was only eight, Lia was a hopeless romantic and ​​​​​​a cupid. She was always trying to get Amelia to find a boy she liked and now that she had, Amelia knew Lia was going to do everything him her power to make them date.
       "No Lia, he's just a friend," Amelia said, rolling her eyes. It was a lie, but she didn't want Lia to go crazy and start planning Dante and Amelia's first date and then not to mention, her wedding. 
       "But you two would be sooooo cute together!"
       "Lia, I already told you, he's just a friend."
        Lia sighed, "Ugh, fineee.. I know you lying though!"
       "Lia!"
        "Hehe!"
        Amelia rolled her eyes and laughed before picking a few daisies and carefully placed them into the basket. They were just about to finish up when a Shadow appeared in front of them.
       Amelia looked a behind her only to see a man with messy, dark brown hair and black eyes. He wore a dirty brown coat and black hunting booths. His wirey brown beard was joined to his hair and ended a little below his chin. His face was dirty and he had two rotten-looking buck-teeth sticking out from behind his top lip. He had multiple knives strapped around his waist which is what really scared Amelia. He looked like something out of a horror film.
       "Picking flowers, are we girls?" His dusty voice sent shivers down Amelia's spine. She didn't trust him, not one bit. She knew she had to leave before something bad happened. 
       "Yep, but we're just finished now. It was nice meeting you but we really have to go now." Amelia giggled nervously as she picked up the basket, took Lia's hand and began to walk back to the bench where the others were.
       The man took a hold of Amelia's shoulder, stopping her, and turning her back around to face him. "But you barely told me anything about yourself," he said, smiling while his two buck-teeth peeked out from between his lips.
        Amelia carefully removed his hand from her shoulder. "Yes, but we really have to go now." She turned around once again, looking at Lia who looked terrified. Amelia guessed that she even found the man creepy.
       Amelia screamed as the man grew angry and took hold of Amelia's neck, pulling her back to him. "Your not going anywhere," he growled angrily at her. Amelia could feel his spit landing on her face as he spoke. 
       He threw her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and laughed. "Lia! Quick! Go get help!" Lia nodded and began to run back to the others when the man grabbed her wrist, stopping her. "Oh no you don't you little-"
       While the man was mid-sentence, Lia bit his hand so hard that blood started to pour our. He growled in pain and let go of Lia, but he still had Amelia over his shoulder.
       Lia ran as fast as she possibly could, back to the others. She needed them to help her. She needed them to get Amelia back. Amelia was like an older sister to her and she didn't want to loose her.
       She needed help.

── .✦.── .✦.──

       Lily and Summer were finishing up braiding Grace's hair while Lia and Amelia were gone to pick flowers.
        Grace looked at Dante who smiled back at her. "Looking goooood," Dante said in a singsong voice causing Grace to roll her eyes. "You never stop do you," Grace joked and giggled. Dante chuckled before Lia came running over to them panicking. 
       "Amelia...! Scary man...! Taken...! Please...! Help...!" Grace quickly stood from the bench before crouching down to Lia's level. "Woah, Liam Calm down, take deep breaths," Grace said in a calm voice although she was panicking inside.
        Lia took a couple of deep breaths before looking back at Grace with scared eyes. "Now tell me," Grace began. "What happened?"
       "It's Amelia!" Lia cried in a scared tone. "We were picking flowers and a man took her and ran away with her!"
        Grace's eyes widened as she gasped. Amelia was taken?! They had to find her. "Which way did they go?" Grace asked, panicked, as she stood up. Lia quickly pointed in the direction the ran and Grace pulled her into a hug before looking towards Dante.
       "Let's go." Dante nodded and the two siblings quickly ran off. They had to save Amelia, no matter what. She was too young. Too young to be taken. Too young to be kidnapped. He family would be devastated. Which is why it was their mission to get her back.
       The two ran until they came to the gate. They doubted that the bandit would have hidden Amelia somewhere in the village because the guards were bound to find them. They had to be outside the village gates. 
       Dante and Grace looked at each other and nodded before rushing outside the gates. They searched the nearby woods when they saw smoke from a nearby campfire. They crept closer and hid behind a nearby tree where they saw multiple bandits sitting around a campfire, laughing and holding alcohol, while Amelia was tied to tree behind them.
       A smile spread across Grace's face as a plan arranged in her head. She tapped Dante on the shoulder and gestured for him to follow her.
       The two crept around to where Amelia was tied to the tree and Grace put her finger over her lips, gesturing for her to be quiet. Although Amelia was ecstatic to see them, she kept calm Amelia nodded to Grace and looked away so she wouldn't draw any attention to them.
       Grace spotted a knife, plunged into the side of Amelia's tree and she quietly crept over, to pull it out while Dante stayed hidden in a nearby bush. She took grip of the knife with both hands and placed her left foot on the tree's bark. Then - quietly as she possibly could - she pulled with all her might and the knife came out of the tree, but it flew out of Grace's grasp and made a loud clatter as it landed on a pile of rocks.
        Grace gasped just as the bandits turned around to see what the noise was. They immediately picked up their knifes or swords and surrounded Grace. It only the second time that Grace could say she was actually scared.
       Dante was terrified for his sister but he knew he had to do something to help her. He looked around for something to help when with the corner of his eye, he saw something glint.
       It was the knife that Grace had dropped earlier. He ran out from behind the bush and quickly grabbed the knife, stabbing it into the back of the first bandit he saw.
       Blood came pouring out and the bandit growled in pain before turning around to Dante. Dante gulped as the bandit came towards him, before fainting from  blood loss.
       Two other bandits came running at Dante - who was now frozen in fear - when two arrows shot into their necks, killing them. Dante let out a sigh of relief before looking over to Grace who was smirking while holding a bow
        "Not too bad, am I?" Dante chuckled before stabbing another bandit running his way, killing him. For two teenagers that had never been training in fighting, they were fairly holding themselves.
       Grace picked up another arrow and fired it at another bandit, but she missed terribly. The bandit ran at her, attempting to stab her but she ducked and the bandit ran straight into Dante, who stabbed him in the heart and killed him. 
       Another bandit began to run at Grace and she picked up another arrow. "Close one eye and aim two or three inches above your target!" Amelia called to Grace, stopping her from firing. "The arrow will drop slightly hitting your target right in the bullseye!" 
       Grace nodded and aimed about three inches above the bandits while having one eye closed. She then fired the arrow and it shot the bandit right in the head. Grace giggled in excitement and smiled back at Amelia who was still tied to the three.
       There were two bandits left - one running at Dante and the other running at Grace. Grace knew exactly what she ahd to do. She was going to chance using two arrows at once.
        She placed two arrows in the bow, closed one eye, and aimed three inches above the bandits heads. When they were both at the perfect angle, she fired the arrows and hit them both - Dante's on the side of the neck and her smack-bang between the two eyes. 
        Dante let out a sigh of relief and rushed over to Grace, and the two high-fived. "That was awesome G!" Dante cheered as he hugged her. "I didn't know you could use a bow n' arrow."
       Grace smiled, "Me neither to be honest, but it's all thanks to Amelia. She taught me how to use it." Amelia's face spread into a beaming smile. She was honoured that he could help.
       The two looked around at the mess of the small clearing. There were dead bodies of bandits and pools of blood everywhere. The fire was still ablaze though so Dante took a bucket of water and threw it over the fire, putting it out. It was amazing how much destruction  a twelve-year-old and a fourteen-year-old with the help of an eleven-year-old could cause. Especially against a group of bandits who were all grown men with decent weapons.
       Dante then handed the knife to Grace who went around the back of Amelia's tree, cutting the ropes that tied her to it. It took a bit of time to cut right through them. When Grace cut through the last stand of the rope, Amelia lost her balance and fell straight into Dante's arms. 
       Dante smiled as he looked down into her eyes. They were the perfect combination of blue and green and were so beautiful when they sparkled in the sunlight. Dante could stare into them forever and never get bored. 
       He felt like kissing her right then and there but he just couldn't. He knew it wouldn't be right. Ljek what if she didn't want to kiss in and it ruined things between them? But they were only eleven and twelve after all, a bit young to kiss don't you think.
        A blush spread across Amelia's face as she stood up, out of his grip. "Thank you... for... um... c-catch-" She was stuttering. She was stuttering after Dante caught her. Thoughts rushed through Dante's head but there was one question that kept popping up; did she like him? Did she really like him?
        Amelia took a deep breath before restarting her sentence. "Thank you for catching me." Dante smiled, "Not a problem beautiful." Amelia rolled her eyes and giggled. He would never change, would he?
       "So guys, is this little romantic session over?" Grace asked, rolling her eyes as she joined the two. "R-Romantic s-session?" Amelia stuttered. "What romantic s-session?! There ain't nothing r-romantic goin' on here!"
       "Uh huh?" Grace giggled. "OK then, if you day so. But we should be really getting back otherwise everyone will think we're dead!" Amelia and Dante laughed at Grace's joke and the trio quickly hurried back to the village. 
       "By the way," Grace began as they walked back to the village. "Where did you learn how to use a bow and arrow, Amelia?"
        Amelia smiled. "My father thought me when I was about six. His sister was killed by bandits when they were kids so he wanted me to know how to defend myself from a young age."
        Grace nodded quite surprised. She never expected Amelia to be a fighter. She always thought she was just a small, sweet girl who wouldn't know how to use any sort of weapon.
       Grace brushed her had up and down the bandage on her right arm. It was beginning to hurt again after the fight. It still hadn't gone away and Derek had told her it never would since she had left it so long to treat.
        Amelia also noticed Grace's bandage a couple of times but had never known what it was from. Grace had had the bandage since the day Amelia met her which was almost two months ago at this point. Amelia knew that no sort of wound would be un-healed at this point so she was curious to know what was under it.
        "Grace?" Amelia said softly, Grace hummign as Amelia caught her attention. "What... why do you always wear that bandage on your arm?" 
       Grace paused before looking at Dante. Amelia realised that she must have hit a touchy subject. "Sorry... you don't have to answer that if it's to-"
       "No. I trust you. And I want to tell you."
        Grace looked at the ground and took a deep breath. "A few days before we arrived here in Gapalan... Our brother - who was a Shadow Knight - killed our whole village apart from us. I was trying to protect Dante at the time but my brother sliced his sword into my arm, wounding it. We fled the village and came here to Gapalan where we stayed with our uncle. But by the time we got here, I had left the wound for too long before treating it, and my uncle told me that... that...      t-that it would never heal so I just put a bandage over it. Since then, if anything or anyone ever hit off it, the pain would be almost unbearable."
       Amelia was shocked. Shocked to hear about everything that had happened to Grace and Dante. But she knew one thing; they were brave. Extremely brave. Braver than she would ever be.
       As the three arrived back to the village, Summer, Lily and Lia rushed over, pulling Amelia into a hug. "You're okay!" Summer cried, happily. Amelia smiled, "Thanks to Grace and Dante, I am."
       A man approached Grace and Dante with a wide smile on his face. He had the same strawberry blonde hair and blueish-green eyes as Amelia. Grace guessed that he was Amelia's father.
        "I can't thank you both enough for saving Amelia," he began, cupping Grace's hand inside his. "Please, let me reward you for your bravery."
       Grace smiled and politely shook her head. "Thank you and we had no problem with saving Amelia. But please, we won't take any reward, we were just helping out."
        "Please, I insist!"
        "Please sir, its greatly appreciated but saving her was our honour. We will take no reward."
       The man nodded. "Very well then. My name is Vincent, and you are..?" The man said, holding his hand out for Grace to shake.
       "I'm Grace and this is my brother, Dante," Grace said, smiling as she shook Vincent's hand. Vincent then offered his hand for Dante to shake and Dante shook it.
       Vincent smiled, "It is lovely to meet you both, Amelia has talked so much about you two, especially Dante."
        Dante'a heart began to race after hearing this. She talked about him at home? A lot? Dante couldn't help but think Amelia might feel the same way about him. 
       He could only hope. 
        That's when Lia burst into tears and hugged Amelia tight. "It's all my f-fault, I shouldn't h-have let him take    y-you. I c-could have s-saved you," she stuttered through her tears.
       Amelia crouched down to Lia's level and placed her hands on her shoulders. "Lia, listen to me." Lia looked at Amelia, tears still streaming down her face. "It is nowhere near your fault, if it's anyone's, it's mine. I should have walked away quicker but instead I stalled. So please, please don't blame yourself for this." Lia nodded as she wiped her eyes and nodded before pulling Amelia into a tight hug.
       Dante admired how gentle Amelia was with the younger girls. She was like a big sister to them. Dante knew she would do anything to protect those girls and he would do anything to protect her.
        Meanwhile, Xavier watched as the group reunited. We was bewildered by Grace's bravery and vowed that he would speak to her.
       Someday...
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