The Overlords Witch {BL}

Chapter 29 - Loved By Nature

"Are you okay?", Natashya finally asked once they entered the outer rims of a forest.

She helped the boy off the horse, he responded by rubbing his bottom quite wildly. That action Natashya understood after all they had travelled for at least half a day.

Leaving was a fairly simple procedure. Entering was the more tasking effort. Nonetheless, her freedom within the kingdom was one of her many benefits. As a princess of the kingdom, her face had to be shown, it brought the citizens a sense of pride, peace and admiration.

The sun sank into the sky and a purple-yellow haze layered on top of one another.

Natashya tied the horse to a close tree and brought Sera through the thick vegetation that bordered the outside of the forest, he followed along without a fuss.

After parting through a set of bushes they found themselves facing a small still lake, it had stunning wildflowers growing from it and fireflies dancing around skimming the surface.

The boy's hand loosened from her and looked around as if mesmerised unable to focus on a single thing. After finally pulling him to sit beside her she took out the crystal he'd given her. "To make this, you are loved by nature", she said holding the crystal even tighter. "When you gave me this I felt this entire dwelling".

It was a place that's she kept to herself but he deserved to see it. "I wanted to thank you and also apologise". Witnessing what he was capable of blinded her and the desire for revenge clouded her mind, she had wanted to use him.

"I asked something ridiculous of you, but such beautiful power shouldn't be used for evil."

"Beautiful? My power?" as if not hearing those words together ever, he questioned her meaning.

"Yes, it's stunning like this entire place, it's special". Natashya could guess the reasons for his doubts about her words but she was being sincere.

Sera now avoided her gaze and looked around unsure, "Do you really think so? Why special?"

"This is the only place that reminds me of my family, so I come each time I miss them," she said in a considerably much lower tone.

"Why not see them?" asked the boy cluelessly.

"They're dead", she subconsciously snarled and her voice got more distant, "My mother, father were all killed by Ares". She couldn't stand that castle, the same castle in which they were slain. Natashya could no longer speak she was afraid she might scare the boy if she did.

To her surprise the boy who was quite slow actually went out his way and wrapped her in a secure embrace, it was soft. He hummed a melody to it was mellow and pure, it felt familiar. The boiling rage in her body soothed into nothingness.

She held the boy tighter her chest, for a moment she forgot her formalities and allowed herself to unshackle from her thoughts. "You have my thanks," she said finally parting away from the younger boy. "We should head back Sera, it has gotten quite dark", she was the first to jump to her feet and pulled Sera to his.

Natashya turned for a moment and when she looked back, she found the boy surrounded by fireflies, they dispersed as if feeling her gaze. He really was loved by nature.

They came out the through the bushes but to her dismay to the horse was no longer present. Natashya immediately caught a foreboding feeling, "stay close" her tone was pointed, she was serious. She took the sword out she had strapped to her waist and crouched forward.

"To think" a tall man spoke, revealing himself from the thick set of trees. He continued "Our jobs were made this simple" following him was a mob of men. shabby-looking people and the most well-dressed was the speaker.

"Who are you?", Natashya demanded whilst manoeuvring the boy to remain behind her.

The mob of people spread out and inched closer, "Such information does not come free, unfortunately", he announced each word with his chest. Natashya realised that he wasn't easy he seemed a little too experienced and bribing wouldn't work.

"You can kill the loud one first then make sure to dispose of the black-haired one but remember to secure some of her hair."

Each of them had weapons drawn but they were more akin to tools than anything else, Natashya leaned forward prepared.

Natashya's dress was pulled from behind, "Don't worry", she tried to calm the boy, she could hear his breathing he was nervous.

"They're trying to hurt us?" his voice was shaky and Natashya wondered what sort of face he was making but she couldn't remove her eyes from the enemy.

"No, they want us dead but I won't allow it"

Two men charged in with sickles the first didn't even touch a hair on her but the other was slightly more skilled and nicked her arm. She quickly stepped back before she sliced him, creating a large wound from his chest down to his abdomen, and the other she managed to push the sword directly through his neck.

Seeing they're fallen comrades they stopped and looked back at the obvious leader, they were clearly thrown off guard. 'After all, how is it a girl can wield a sword as broad as her arm?'

"Who's orders? Who are you working for?" all traces of warmth had faded, she now looked at them as if each of them were corpses. After being ignored Natashya couldn't help but throw a taunt,
"Not a very intelligent master clearly. He sent all of you untrained amateurs to be slain by my hand".

This time the man didn't ignore, but he didn't appear particularly moved, "She's not that strong if you all throw yourselves at her she won't stand a chance"

Cold sweat leaked down Natashya's neck even though they had pathetic weapons It only gave her a small advantage against the large group and that gash on her arm began to show through her clothes.

She looked back to check on the boy, to her surprise though he was still standing tall – or even opposingly - his face didn't match, for the first time ever she saw him crying. 'Was he that scared?' she was going to comfort him but his eyes made her stop.

Again, they were glowing, he raised his hand and a blue fire lit from them. Each of the men from the crowd let out a yelp right before dropping their weapons in a haste.
In an instant, all those flimsy weapons combust into cinders. And those that were either too slow or; too scared to discard their burning weapons surprisingly were left unharmed by the blue blaze.

Somehow when their weapons disappeared the fear turned quickly into disgust, and their eyes held a dark ruthlessness and greed. As if there was a united sense of duty regarding the witch's fate. Before they were unsure now, they were certain they wanted the witch dead.

Quickly sensing the shift in atmosphere Natashya no longer underestimated them, "Run!" she shouted. Even if they weren't armed the number was still high and now, they didn't place her in their eyes; only the boy. "Please be safe" she shifted her stance and guarded him more tightly.

"Don't let him escape", one of the men shouted the leader was already slipped from her sight.

Nothing her desperate pleas the boy had finally turned reluctantly in the direction of the lake and ran.