Arizium

Chapter 20

Lucius woke up groggily and yawned. It must have been midday, judging by the sun, but he never was an early riser, or a riser at all really. He went to scratch his face and then noticed that his hands were still tied together, he sighed and thought sadly Gods, they still don't trust us?

He must have projected it towards Amaria by accident, because she replied "I know, it's not like we can really do anything anymore. Besides, we're completely powerless against them, do they think that tying us up will get us to shut our mouths or something? Because let me tell you, that is a worthless effort."

Lucius turned around and found her laying on her back, watching the leaves move in the wind. He laid next to her and grumbled "Well, maybe it's just you that they want to shut up. I wouldn't doubt that they pieced together that I'm a swordsman, seeing as they confiscated my greatsword."

Amaria glanced at him with a puzzled look, "But I had the greatsword on me when they found us, wouldn't it be easier to assume that it was me who was the fighter?"

Lucius snickered and stated sarcastically "Oh yeah, I bet they thought you could take their heads off with a single swipe with those big arms of yours swinging a heavy chunk of steel like that. I think you're more likely to talk their heads off than slice them off."

Amaria gasped, "I do not talk that much. Also, I look very intimidating when I'm unconscious, they totally think I am good with the sword."

A strange voice piped up from behind them, "Ha, you? Not a chance, you couldn't even swing a fucking stick if you wanted to."

The twins jumped in surprise, sat up, and turned around to find a boyish-looking girl with her long hair braided on only one side sitting on a tree stump picking at her nails. Amaria said what both of the twins were thinking, "And who the bloody hell might you be?"

"Call me Arro," the stranger responded with boredom laced in her tone "and before you ask, yes, I'm an assassin."

"An assassin? Who are you here to kill? Because if it's Madelina I will pay you twice as much as whatever your employer is giving you. I have waited so long, and now finally you come along to answer my prayers! Please kill her, please please pleaaaaase," Amaria pleaded excitedly.

Arro scoffed, "Well, now I know why I got this contract. Only a professional like me could take down the likes of you without having their head talked the fuck off."

Lucius furrowed his brow, "Wait, the likes of her? Were you here to kill Amaria?" he asked disbelievingly.

Arro rolled her eyes, "Oh don't act so scared, she's safe for now. That is, unless she decides to ramble on and on and oooon, then I'll let little Guertena here personally tear apart her skin slowly and methodically," she threatened and patted a grey fox that was laying next to her. Amaria opened her mouth to protest, but seemed to think better of it at the last second, much to Arro's relief. Arro looked them over and asked, "Why are you two tied up, anyways?"

"They think that we are going to be able to find our way back to Erlis through this cursed forest and tell the king their exact location so that we can get revenge," Lucius responded casually.

 "What? That's ridiculous. Even if you could find the way out, there's no way you would be able to give concise directions back here, and that's assuming the forest doesn't fucking change."

Lucius shrugged innocently, "It was not my wish to end up like this."

"Hmm, well maybe I can go change their minds. Be right back," she leapt off of the stump and strutted back to the camp.

Amaria sighed deeply once Arro was out of sight, "I just want to go home, brother."

"I know," he said thoughtfully "But I refuse to go back empty handed. We set out here to find the culprit of the game disappearances and I will not return as a failure."

Amaria nodded solemly, knowing that they really had no other options, "I just miss being bloody clean, you know?"

"You could always bathe in the river when they free us," Lucius responded optimistically.

Amaria looked at him incredilously, "You think I would bathe while these freaks are around? Who knows what they could do to me, plus it would be the perfect opportunity to finish that assassination job."

Lucius shrugged and then asked, "By the way, how do you feel about that whole assassination thing? You did not exactly say anything when Arro admitted to nearly killing you."

Amaria shrugged too and studied her hands, "It is not exactly the greatest feeling, I suppose. But then again, I always have that feeling that someone wants to kill me."

Lucius nodded thoughtfully and nudged her "Hey, you can't please everyone, you know, especially when you're royal."

"Yeah, I know," she agreed solemnly and picked at the grass. Silence fell over them when Lucius couldn't find anything else to say. He wanted to hug her or just show some way that he cared, but that was difficult with the knots around his wrists, so he didn't bother trying.

Moments later Arro came back with Phoenix in tow and a smirk plastered on her face, obviously proud of being able to persuade the leader so easily.

Phoenix sighed and muttered something about assassins and their persuasive tendencies while she worked at the knots around their wrists. Eventually she realized that they were too tight to loosen, so she put her hands on the ropes and burned through them instead.

She stood up and grumbled, "There, happy?" before stalking off again.

Arro pointed her thumb at her and made a face that said What's her problem? Before turning around to catch up with her.

Lucius rubbed at his wrists and ran his hand through his white hair, only to pull it out immediately when he found how greasy it was. "Yuck," he exclaimed distastefully "Maybe a bath would not be such a bad idea."

Amaria nodded and resumed the act of studying her hands, "You go first," she demanded.

Lucius wanted to object, but stopped when he realized that it was pointless to try and change Amaria Amaranthea Vlivian's mind. He settled with giving her a quick hug before he ran off towards what he assumed was the direction to the camp.

(A/N: wooo that took quicker to write than I thought it would ^.^ thank you for being patient.

 I strive to have Amaria and Lucius's relationship, like, you have no idea.)