Akantha

Who is in charge

"Princess. Wake up. It's time to get ready to depart for our trip." Yvelle hummed as she went about the room to rio open the curtains.

"Five more minutes." I grumble pulling my pillow over my head.

"Now! Selias is waiting for us! And you said that five minutes ago!" Yvelle whines pulling the covers off of me.

Selias was the grandson of the swords master Louis Cairn. Louis Cairn was infamous throughout the demon realm and human realm. He was extremely picky about who he trained and even more picky about who became a disciple under him. His grandson showed extreme talent in their family. Their family was also widely know for their silver hair and horns and the talent for fighting. I was lucky enough to have been picked from thousands upon thousands of people and groomed personally by Louis Cairn himself. Selias and I grew up together, fought together and conquered together. I knew he had feeling for me that went beyond admiration but I only saw him as a younger brother.

"Come on, lets go! We'll get scolded by his puppy eyes and we'll never hear the end of it!" Yvelle said breaking my train of thoughts.

As soon as we had arrived, his blue grey eyes were wide with grievance.

"You guys are late! I had to carry all the luggage by myself!" He complained. He was wearing light iron armor, sword on his hip.

My sister Amara, the second oldest princess, had the biggest crush on him and took every chance she could get to talk to him. And today was no different. There she stood hands on her hips talking his ear off. She huffed in anger when he completely ignored her to talk to me. She glared at me, her wavy pastel pink hair blowing in the wind, and her elegant dress wrapped tight against her body. Her eyes looking me up and down with a smug satisfied look. I was wearing a long sleeve white shirt tucked into my pants and knee high boots that had weapons hidden within. My hair was a high ponytail with part of it braided and wrapped around the base. I was elegant in a cool mature way whilst she pretended to be innocent and beautiful.

"Sorry Selias. It's been awhile since I had a comfy bed." I shrug opening the carriage door and climbing in, ignoring Amara. Selias and Yvelle both climbed in and shut the door in her face, completely ignoring her existence. I knocked on the roof and the carriage began it's journey. Amara screamed in frustration and stomped away, probably going to take her frustrations out on a poor maid.

A pile of books landed in my lap. I look up at Yvelle with a frown.

"You have to study! Your coming of age ceremony is in less than 6 months and you are waaaay behind. I have brought everything to get you started until we get back and can actually get you to those classes." She said.

Selias broke out into laughter. We both look at him frowning.

"What's so funny puppy eyes?" Yvelle yelled.

"Just imagine... Illara trying to dance! Haha! She's gonna step in their feet and then glare at them like it's their fault! Hahaha." Selias laughed. Yvelle chuckled a little.

"I can see that haha."

"Shut up!" I said chucking a book at him. "How dare you make fun of your commanding officer?"

The journey was long and boring and I finished reading all the books she brought me or more like skimmed them. We were quietly sewing a handkerchief or at least I was failing miserably at.

"What is that supposed to be?" Selias commented with a mocking grin. I look down at my supposed flowers and butterflies. It was a mess. Crooked lines, over lapping lines. I frown.

"It's flowers and butterflies. Obviously." I reply

"What's yours supposed to be? Huh?" Yvelle asked Selias. He proudly presented his.

"Mines a dragon clearly."

"Looks more like a fat lizard." I gruffed.

"Hey! I'm not even supposed to know how to do this in the first place! My hands were made to hold swords not sewing needles!" He yelled.

"Same." I said also throwing mine down. Why do I even have to learn that? Not like they are going to ask me to sew on the spot at the stupid ball anyways.

It took us five days to get to the disaster area. There were refugees left and right. Dirty and sick people everywhere you looked. They glanced at the carriage with fear once they recognized the insignia,a thorny rose. They scattered like rats and disappeared. We hadn't even pulled up to the gates of the family in charge of this place before  groups of servants and well dressed people met us at the gate.

I slowly Descended from the carriage with a fierce look of disapproval. I could smell the fear dripping off them like sweat, their breathe fast and hurried.

"Mr. Bouldaire. Please step forward." Selias called. I patiently waited, my leather gloves crinkly from placing my hands behind my back.

And then a thin man walked forward, almost quacking in his boots. He had a thin mustache, and his hair was thinning out. His nose was long and pointed and his eyes small. He looked like a rat. A dirty rat. He slowly made his way to stand in front of me, avoiding eye contact.

"I-I am Mr.."
Slap!  My right hand swung and made a loud crisp slap as I back handed him across the face. The look of surprise and pain filled his face. He fell down  and quickly got back up.

"Do not speak unless spoken to first." I commanded. He nodded quickly.

"Are you in charge of the disaster funds sent by his majesty?" I ask, taking a cloth and wiping my glove clean. No immediate answer.

"I said, are you in charge?" I stared him down.

"Yes your grace." He trembled.

"Then why are there dirty and sick refugees running amok. Dying from starvation or illness?" Selias interrupted angrily.

Bouldaire looked at a loss for words. He looked at me for approval to speak.

"Speak." I said

"The-the funds were stolen. Not all of it. But what little we had received wasn't enough to make much of a difference. We used our own personal funds to help the people but rogue mercenaries kept causing trouble and prevented us." Bouldaire said.

He said exactly what was secretly investigated and reported to me. So he wasn't lying. Good.

"Whom do you suspect?" I ask. He didnt want to say.
A young man, probably a servant, had the courage to step forward and say something.

"Your grace! It has to be Harely Yates! He was the one in charge of bringing the funds and then left immediately. He didn't stay to keep track of how the funds were used!" The young man said.

I turn to look at his interruption. He gulped.

"Yates?" I asked. He nodded. I beckoned him to come forward.

"Continue."

"Yates was always an arrogant man cause he is nobility. But this time it was worse like he had some kind of backing to be able to pull this off. Believe me your grace! They are trying to frame us up!"

"Name."

"Curtis, your grace."

"Come with me. We shall pay Harley Yates a visit. As for the rest of you! Here!" I throw a large bundle of coins to bouldaire. "Get those people some help. In the mean time, we shall investigate and Reimburse you for your loss in this situation."

"Thank you your grace." Rang out from the servants and they all bowed or curtsied. Selias nodded at them.
"Tsk." I clicked my tongue in annoyance. I hated dealing with Yates. Arrogant son of bitch he was. just because he had noble families backing him and we didn't want to start an internal war. Nobles vs nobles. The king couldn't say anything now. I was going to get rid of Yates in way or another.

"Let's go." I say, climbing into my horse.