"Eight years? Did he just say that the war will drag on for eight years? How are we supposed to sleep when we know our sons and daughters will be fighting for that long?" An old commoner on the left spoke, scratching his messy brown hair.
Whispers echoed as the people exchanged their displeasure in the duration of the war.
Nyxelene's sharp ears did not miss a single word of their murmurs.
"I've heard my fill of meaningless words, except Aeloria, everyone is to see themselves to the door," when the Queen spoke, it was as though winter had come. The room suddenly turned cold as the gathered people left as quickly as they'd arrived.
Ramius and Orin were the last to leave.
By the doorway, Orin glanced at Aeloria for a heartbeat before he left, leaving her in the room. Aeloria bowed as soon as Orin closed the iron doors.
"I see you're doing well." She looked at Aeloria's smooth skin and perfectly defined body.
"I've tried to take good care of myself," Aeloria answered, fixing her gaze downward.
"Take this."
When Aeloria looked forward to see what the Queen was giving her, she found a book drifting toward her with ethereal grace, hovering in the air without a single spoken command. Though also a leather book, it was a different design than the one on her lap.
'Is she making the book move on its own with Šërēĺįťh? But I didn't hear her say those strange words the Commander used.'
Without hesitation, she reached her hand out and took it. When she opened it, she saw strange words moving in different directions. Before she could ask about the book, Nyxelene spoke.
"That is the syllables of Šërēĺįťh, Orin will help you decipher them."
"Are you not afraid that this power will be used against you in the future?" Aeloria asked, purely out of curiousity.
"The devil does not pose a threat to me, an neither do any of you. Dismissed."
Aeloria bowed her head and turned to walk away.
"Oh, and send my regard to Laurina the next time you meet your daughter." Aeloria's blood run cold.
'I never told anyone about my dream. So how did she know of Laurina?" She quickly turned to ask, however, the Queen was not in the room.
At that moment, she understood why no one in the kingdom had ever tried to take her place on the throne. She understood Orin's warning to not gauge Nyxelene's abilities.
She walked out of the room.
Before she could step out of the palace doors, she heard Yoru's voice.
"Aeloria, over here." That was when she found Yoru standing with an older man who had the same brown eye color as her.
'Isn't that the same old man who stood behind Yoru in the throne room?'
"I called you several times before you responded, what did the Queen say to you to leave you in a haze?" Yoru spoke as soon as Aeloria got closer, but the Head Captain's attention was fixed on the man behind her.
Noticing her distraction, Yoru quickly introduced.
"Oh, meet my father, Crow Shikel, dad, meet my friend, Aeloria."
The older man stepped forward and extended his hand.
"So you're the fair maiden who is sheltering my troublesome daughter, it's an honor to meet you."
Aeloria shook the man's hand.
"It's my pleasure to meet you, good sir," Aeloria quickly responded, unsure how to react in front of such an esteemed man.
Thanks to Yoru's guidance and teachings, she did not find herself stumbling.
"No need for such stiff formalities. Please call me Crow," the man smiled.
"Sir Crow then, you may also call me Aeloria." 'This man, has he not heard people call me a Cannibal? Why is he so carefree?'
"If it's alright with you, would you care to join us for a short meal?" The man offered.
"If that's alright with you." With permission granted, the three walked out, mounting two horses. Aeloria and Yoru rode on one while Crow rode on the other.
It didn't take them long to reach their destination.
"Those are the soldiers of the Shikel territory." Yoru pointed at the soldiers practicing their swords in an open fields of grass.
They stopped when they reached a massive gate. They entered it. The sight was as though they've entered a new environment.
Everyone was neatly dressed in mostly blue. The air around them was gentle. It was like a mini city in an enclosed space. There were sellers and buyers everywhere, there were also some nobles riding on horseback. The entire space was lively, yet in order. There were mansions and smaller building built in an orderly manner. The air in the Shikel lands felt halcyon, a visible contract to the dark aura of the throne room.
"Welcome to the Shikel territory," The older man spoke as he led the way past the people towards the largest mansion beyond a shallow river. Guards opened the gates, they entered and dismounted their horses.
"Follow me." Maids and servants bowed to them on their ways inside.
Soon the entered a dining hall where women in blue aprons served food around the table. A woman was ready seated as though she had been waiting for them for a long time.
"Oh, pardon my rudeness, I didn't notice that the guest had arrived," the woman quickly stood and apologized, walking towards them.
"This is my wife, Sarah," Crow was the one to do the introduction this time.
"You must be Aeloria, please come have a seat." The woman gently gestured towards a chair adorned in gold. 'I knew she came from a noble family, but I didn't know they were this wealthy.'
"Thank you madam Sarah." Thanks to Yoru, Aeloria had familiarized herself with proper manners.
Soon, everyone sat and ate in silence. It was after they began to savor the flavor of desert that they begun to converse.
"The food was wonderful, thank you for the meal, Aeloria spoke at last.
"It was the least we could do since our daughter is leeching off you. We wanted to buy her a house near the training ground but she refused. She said she was living with a friend," Sarah looked at Yoru who popped a green fruit the size of a bead into her mouth with a frown, staring back at her mother.
"If I may, I would like to ask a question." Yoru looked at Aeloria, wondering what kind of question she was about to ask.
"I'm certain you all know I am the Cannibal, as people call me. Aren't you afraid of me?" Aeloria's voice was gentle when she spoke.
"Names and titles are one of the things placed on our heads, not because we chose them. In the end, it all comes down to the general perspective of the public. Aeloria, you could be the devil and I still would've invited you. My daughter had been with you for two years, and I have yet to see a bite mark on her." The man sipped a red wine after he had spoken those words.
"If she bothers you, you're free to take a bite, not at her neck though," Sarah teased.
"Don't listen to her, I probably taste horrible." Laughter broke but Aeloria watched the lovely family in silence.
'They're not afraid. No. They just don't believe in rumors. But, she knows. She knows about the meeting with my daughter, about Laurina, about what everyone is doing. Are they also aware that nothing is hidden from the Queen's crimson gaze?' She watched the family with mixed feelings.
Crow Shikel watched the amity between the two girls, his eyes softening at the sight of his daughter's choice in friends.