Crowns And Swords

Chapter Eight

"Giada!! Come back here, please! Listen to me!"
I ran as fast I could to the stables. The cool, summer evening air was calling me deeper still into my trance. All I could think about were Levi and revenge on his captor. Tearing at the stable door, I barged my way to Jean's stall, forcing his gear onto his body.
"Giada, what's going on?" Jean whispers.
"We are leaving. Now."
"Tell me what happened, Giada! This isn't like you to act this way. You need to tell me!"
I sighed, then looked up into Jean's eyes. I placed my hand on his snout and said, "I'll tell you later. We need to move, quickly. Levi's in trouble and I can't let him be out alone." I continue saddling up my horse, and once I've finished, I take him by the reigns and lead him back to the dormitory. I start to climb up these creaky stairs for the last time before I'm pulled back by someone's hand. I twist my head around to find Mavis, sweating.
"You... You can't... *huff* Please, Giada..."
"I'm not just going to let my partner die in a forest after someone takes him away! Not on my watch!"
"I won't let you..!" Mavis takes a moment to catch her breath. "At least, not on your own!"
Mavis gets up on the stairs, standing next to me. "Giada, I'm not losing you too. If you're going down after him, then I'm going down with you."
I smile a bit. It felt nice knowing my friend wouldn't let me down, let alone rescue my man on my own. We ascended the stairs together, then separating to grab our possessions from our dorms.
I look around my small room, with everything I've gathered in tow. I place my hands on the table, touching the splintered wood for the last time. I then rushed out the door, tossed my stuff to Roy, who had been convinced by Mavis to let us go. He took my sack and tied it down to Jean's saddle before giving Mavis a big hug and me, a handshake. Mavis hopped on her own horse (brought out courtesy of Roy, once again), and took off once I had. We bolted through the gates of the Forrester Guard Academy, waving goodbye to those standing near. I shouted to the General that I promised I'd find his nephew as we passed by. I could hear calls from some of the older guards to just come back, but all the negativity soon disappeared from those shouts and turned into "good luck"s and "be safe"s.

It'd been a few hours. All was quiet, except for the chirps of crickets in the distance and clop clops coming from the hooves of our rides. Mavis fell asleep not too long ago, so I decided to pull her horse behind me while I walked on the ground. The fireflies were out tonight, reminding me of him. He was on my mind, and the only thing I couldn't get out of it. All I could remember was his soft voice, his perfectly tanned face, and thick, long hair. I wanted to go back to the nights where we cuddled under the stars, where we sung songs and shared stories. He always made me laugh, and he never failed to comfort me in my darker days.
I find myself crying softly with each step. It's strange, it's like I'm obsessed with Levi. Or, at least, the idea of him and being at his side. He made me feel good, more than I had ever felt before, cooped up in that large castle growing up.
"Suffering loss, aren't you?"
I turn my head. Jean's eyes were fixated on me. I gave him a small nod, wiping away the tears and snot drooling down my face. A small, dim bug butt flies by my face and catches my attention, guiding my eyes towards the deep, dark forest surrounding the dirt road.
"Figures. I mean, you barely spent any time with me, you were so busy with him all the time. And now, since he's probably dead, you'll be more--"
I interrupt him mid sentence, shouting, "STOP IT, JEAN! YOU KNOW DAMN WELL THAT HE ISN'T DEAD!"
All sounds drown out. The two horses stop moving, the crickets go quiet, and some of the other bug butts grow dimmer. Jean frowns at me, then proceeds to shape shift. The oh-so familiar orange bubble appears, and what was once a giant horse stood a tall, grey haired man. He stood before me and squatted so our eyes could meet.
"You won't shout at me, you got it?"
"Oh, is that a threat?"
"No, only a warning. You're messing with the wrong guy, princess."
I want to argue, but that would only make things worse. My eyes dart back to the firefly that neared my face earlier, and I head towards it. I pass the reigns to Jean so he could follow as I jump into the bushes and follow the faint light.
"Where do you think you're going?"
"I don't know! Follow me so I don't lose you!" I say, stumbling through a tall bush. I soon get tired of the vines scratching against my uncovered skin, so I ensheath my sword and hack away at the thorny plants. Not too long passes by before a clearing appears; a small shack smack dab in the middle of the forest, surrounded by a few cats.
"Huh... Neat..." I whisper to myself as I approach the building. One of the cats walk up to me and nudges its face against my leg, a friendly gesture. I pick it up and cradle it in my arms, scratching it in the good spot: under the chin. It starts to purr almost immediately, making me smile. I forget about whatever I was shouting at Jean about and touch the walls of the shack.
"Sturdy, but not sturdy enough... Kinda moldy..." I mumble. The cat jumps out of my arms and runs to the outskirts of the clearing. I turn my head and jump to find a man standing there.
"Uhh..."
"What are you doing here? I thought I had this place hidden," he asks. I can't help but stare; unlike any other man I've seen, his dark, curled locks cover his left eye, and his right reminded me of the cat who betrayed me for him. He wore an oaky colored cloak with golden embroidered patterns on the edges. His leather boots were high, and the tunic he hid underneath the cloak sunk low beyond the waist.
"Well, I, uh... Um... S-saw a firefly point me in this direction... I swear, I'm not here to do anything wrong, sir-"
"Hmm... I can see your intentions are pure. Very well then." He came to the door of this shack of his, opened the door quietly, and asked, "Would you like to come inside? You seem tired. You may bring in your friends, if they so wish to."
I nod. I turn around and motion at Jean to find a place to put Mavis's horse and bring her inside. Then, I tentatively step into this strange man's abode.
The inside of this shack reminded me nothing remotely close of the outside. It felt warm, cozy. More cats filled the inside, lazily lounging in the windowsills and furniture. I sit down in one of the couches, hoping to relax in it. But, to my surprise, my lap becomes a resting place for multiple nearby kittens. Their tiny cries strike me with awe; I've never held so many cats at once before.
The stranger comes back with some tea and cakes. He gives off a friendly, yet unsettling smile before helping Jean get through the door with Mavis. He guides my horsey companion up the stairs and towards a spare bedroom, where Mavis will rest for the night.
I help myself to a cup of tea while waiting for this guy's next move. I sip it, receiving the pungent taste of sweet honey and herbs in my mouth. It's good, but I put my cup down and start petting a kitten resting on my knees.
The man comes and sits down across from me in a chair. He too pours himself a cup and drinks from it. I suddenly felt a rush of anxiety, sitting before him. My hand started moving faster; it took me a minute to realize how much fur I accidentally pulled off of this tiny, fluffy ball of cuteness sitting on me. I set it aside on the couch quickly, but it came back to my lap and curled up to nap.
"So, tell me, young lady. What are you doing in the woods this hour? It's very late, you know. Not safe, at all," he asks.
"Well, um.. You see, I-I lost a close fian- friend! Friend of mine! He was kidnapped, just a few horrors- hours, sorry, ago."
"Ahh..." He looked up and down my body. "You know, blue would look good on you. Maybe a light teal-ish shade would suffice. Or, maybe violet..."
"Wha?"
"Oh, no, it's nothing," he said with a chuckle. "So, this friend. How exactly was he kidnapped?"
"I-I don't know. I wasn't there to see it happen in person. All I was told was that some big wolf took him and two others into the forest earlier today."
His eyes widened. "Big... wolf?"
"Yes." I take another sip of the strong tea, and reach out for one of the cakes on the tray.
"Strange... If you could, Miss, may I have your name?"
I look up from my cake as I try to stuff it into my mouth. "Only if you'll tell me yours."
"Oh! Where are my manners? I'm Leonardo, but you may just call me Leo, for short."
"Good to know," I reply after swallowing a huge chunk of cake. "It's Giada, by the way."
"Pretty name, I might add."
"Mhmm. That's what everyone says," I say. "Means something about peace and balance, I believe."
"You know, you share the same name with the Princess of Deprimere. Isn't that fascinating?"
I choke on my cake. I try to play it cool and take a quick chug of the tea.
"Are you alright?" Leo asks.
I nod and put out my hand. "I'm okay..! I swallowed wrong, I think. No need to worry about me!"
"...Okay, then."
Jean comes downstairs, exhausted. He tries to avoid the cats crawling all over the floor as he makes his way to my spot on the couch.
"That girl is hard to tuck in..."
"Shush, Jean."
"What, I can't say what's on my mind?"
"Not now!"
I catch Leo smirking in the corner of my eye. I give Jean the cold shoulder and pour more tea into my tiny cup.
"Sir, are you thirsty or hungry at all? If so, please, help yourself to some tea and cake! I have plenty to go around," Leo says enthusiastically. I look over at Jean, who replies with a "No, thank you."
"More for me, then," I mumble under my breath.
We sit in awkward silence while the cats howl and cry from all over the shack. Leo stands up to check up on a few of them and give them food in the other rooms.
"What's with this guy and cats?" Jean whispers to me.
"Don't be rude! Maybe he just really likes cats!"
Jean crosses his arms and slouches into the furniture. Leo comes back and sits down on his hands, as a little child would do. He asks Jean if he likes cats, and Jean responds negatively. Figures. He's probably had barn cats claw at his hooves in the past.
A little cuckoo clock on the other side of the room chimes one time. Everything suddenly becomes harder to see, hear, so on. My heavy eyelids slowly start to shut on me. I rest my head on Jean's shoulder, hearing a "Not again," from him. I smile, falling asleep. Not too long after that, I feel two sets of arms at both sets of limbs, pulling me up the stairs.