The Princess of Wrath

Chapter 7 - Part III: Faces Obscura

The journey back home was proceeding without a hitch. Imperial patrols had increased their presence in response to the attack by the now-defunct band of the Hamilton siblings, causing the lesser clans that roamed the western moorlands and at the foot of the mountain range to be forced to keep a low profile until the dust settles. With the carriage repaired and the road clear, they entered the Dead Lake Valley after several hours of travel.

Belrus was at its highest point when Asura managed to see, still in relative distance, the outline of the Astronomical Tower looming between the lesser mountains. She knew in advance that Roland, who was reading his notes with full concentration, was going to accompany them to the Silent Keep as he intended to secure an audience with the Empress. Whatever the reason, Asura did not know it and was not overly curious to know so at the time: she was in the middle of a lively conversation with Diana about the brief hand-to-hand "baptism" matches she had with her new companions, prior to the trip, and those she would have to deal with once they have returned.

"They don't have to hurt you like that!" the Princess exclaimed furiously. The knightess, sitting next to her, smiled at her with the discomfort of someone who had just realized that it would have been better not to open her mouth. "I thought I smelled blood last night...!"

"P-please, my lady, there's no need of such scandal!" Diana interrupted her quickly, her face suddenly flushing and thus preventing her lover from shooting her mouth off in front of an attentive Roland and an indifferent Lucy. "Those are traditions. Some may be outdated and unnecessarily violent, but to denigrate our customs is to put our culture at risk."

"She's right," added the Alchemist agreed.

The Princess looked at both of them in astonishment. She understood perfectly what they were referring to and of course she agreed, but her amazement lay in another aspect of the conversation.

"Well well, I certainly didn't imagine the two of you allying and turning against me..." she said, laughing jokingly and making the knightess and the man with the brightest mind on the Continent look at each other in disgust.

"A mere coincidence, my lady," Roland hissed. "I would appreciate it if you don't put me on the same level as a brute who luckily knows basic arithmetic."

"Roland!"

"Oh? I'd like to see you standing up for those words in the arena," Diana replied, her beautiful smile unfazed. "Numbers won't stop me from breaking your teeth with a good uppercut."

"Diana!"

Asura was unsuccessful in attracting the attention of those two and was forced to stay out of the discussion, sighing and deciding to look out the window in the direction of the Astronomical Tower. She could see that there were still vestiges of the wolves that had attacked Roland the day before, as they passed in front of the path that led to the mountain, and instinctively she looked away at the Alchemist —who was very little from using the Demon Night as a vile device of mockery against Diana again— and his cane. She was curious about the laws of physics and the ever-moving mechanisms that made that mere object capable of such harm.

"Had it worked sooner, his life wouldn't have been at risk," she thought, turning from the cane to the dark stain on the sleeve of his suit. She knew she should not blame herself for forcing Roland to give up his crystal for security reasons, but she could not help but think that she had made a mistake that nearly cost the platinum-haired man his life.

"What is it, my lady?" he asked her with a mischievous smile once he realized that he was being the Princess' center of attention. "You'll make me blush if you keep looking at me like that."