To Capture A Heart (girlxgirl)

Part Twenty-Five

I couldn't help but smile, when I got up the following morning. Avery turned to me and smiled, too. 

"Good morning, pumpkin," she greeted me. 

Of course, the both of us had a lot to work out. This was especially the case when we accounted for the fact that the bandits were still wanting to fight the entire empire and steal our gold. I was fairly sure that was their only real goal, anyway. I didn't think it much of a goal, in all honesty. In my opinion, it was just petty thievery. I understood that the people wanted money but I didn't believe that stealing it from the empire's castle was the way to go. 

I got ready for the day ahead, as did Avery and soon there was a knock upon my bedroom door. 

"Is it okay for me to be in here?" Avery asked, with a pleasant smile. 

"Yes," I said. 

Harold entered my room then and smiled towards the both of us. It only lasted so long though before his expression became much more serious again. 

"Girls, I needed to talk to the both of you. I would like for you both to go with some of the soldiers to go to the location of the bandits hideout," my father said. 

"You found it?" I asked him. 

"Haven, let me finish please," he said. 

I took a step back, then. 

"Right, sorry. Please continue," I said. 

The corner of his lips twitched upwards a little before he continued. 

"I need for you to go with the soldiers to the location of the bandits hideout so that you can, to put it simply, eliminate them," he said. 

I looked towards Avery momentarily to find that her eyes had widened. I couldn't blame her for that. This was a pretty dramatic situation, but we needed to eliminate the bandits if we were going to keep our empire safe. 

"Alright, father," I said in agreement. 

I wouldn't let him down. 

"My best friend, Thomas Crow, will be going with the both of you," he explained. 

Of course, Avery hadn't yet had a proper conversation with Sebastian. They had spoken a few times before, though, but nothing major. 

Sebastian had appeared to be entirely too busy, to say much of anything to me lately, actually. That was just something I was going to have to discuss with him later on. I was sure that everything was fine. The two of us were close friends and nothing would ever come between us. 

"I'm counting on you girls. The two of you need to get rid of the bandits before the Moon festival," he told me. 

I couldn't forget about that. 

"We can do this, father. I promise you that," I told him. 

My father only took a step closer to wrap his arms around me, then. He then turned to Avery, too. 

"You're part of this team now, Avery. Get in here," he said. 

Avery smiled, though she looked a little uncertain. 

I just reached out to grab her hand so that I could pull her into the hug with the two of us. 

Once the hug had parted, my father met my gaze again with a meaningful glint in his eye. 

"I've got this, father. You can trust me," I assured him. 

He simply nodded, despite looking a little nervous.