Chương 8: Understanding

Entering the door, I found a big garden with different colored flowers all around. Some looked recognizable, others look strange to me. After scanning my surroundings, I heard voices. I decided to make my way to them slowly. As I walked, I began to feel a strange sense of discomfort in my chest. It confused me, it wasn't pain, but it wasn't there a moment ago? I decided to make my way to the voices a bit faster. The feeling continues to grow, when I arrived, I saw 6 figures standing there.

Warrick, Aqua, and Crest were who I recognized. The other 3, I had never seen before. One was a young man who looked to be about my age, he was standing next to Crest, he was in black armor with a sword as his side with a sheath, depictions of sea life carved into it. The 4 I just described were standing together, in front of them were 2 little girls. One looking a little closer to 10 and the other looking no older than 5. Upon closer inspection, Warrick and Aqua looked younger than they were when I first met them.

Crest looked the same, maybe I just can't tell if he looks younger because of his face being that of a lion? I was surprised at what I found and without noticing, I had stepped on a tree branch quite close to the 6 of them, but they didn't seem to notice. As I approached them, the feeling in my chest became more palpable and I realized what I was feeling. It was a mix of anxiety and sadness. As I got within 10 feet, I started to hear the conversation Warrick was having with the 2 little girls.

He was speaking in a warm tone with hints of worry in his voice." Now Sarah, Cynthia I know it's scary to think about us going to battle. But we need to protect Our Country from the Humans who seek to do us harm. Your Brother Alex needs to come in order to learn what it means to bear the Crown of a King. It is one of the duties of the Royal Family to protect Our Country and its People. But I promise on My Love for you all, we will return safe and sound!" His voice picked up at the end in an exited tone.

I assume to bring reassurance to the 2, but the feeling in my chest only grew. I must be seeing an important memory for Sarah and her emotions are being transmitted to me. I'll need to be careful moving forward to not peak on her thoughts and memories, it seems very wrong to me. As I'm about to turn and walk back to the door, I feel strength enter my mind as the older girl, who must be Sarah, began to speak." If it is the Duty of the Royal Family to protect this Country, than I refuse to be a bystander!

I don't want to be protected by everyone! I want to become a person who can protect the people I care for father!" Every word that came out, I felt a resolve strengthen in my chest. She must really hate the idea of only being protected. For me, I think it's a good attitude to have as a royal. Warrick begins to answer to her words, as the 4 people staring at the girls all look on with a warm and tender look on their faces.

Warrick's tone to his words carrying that feeling, hoping for the little girls to understand it." I understand Sarah. There will come a time for you and Cynthia to fight for Our Country. Unfortunately, I fear I won't be able to stop that day from coming. However, today is not the day for you or your sister. Once you reach the age for your Appraisal Ceremony, I promise to put my full force of Skills and knowledge behind raising you both to be strong women like your mother. But until then, please be patient.

Do this if not for yourselves, than for me." Aqua, feeling a strong emotional response to her daughters, proceeded to hug them with great strength. I can feel the discomfort from the strength she put into it... But I also feel... Content from it... After letting her children go, she beckons a maid over and hands the girls 2 stuffed bears. A light pink one to Sarah and a deep blue one to Cynthia. I feel that resolve still burning but also another sensation, one of warmth and love.

I feel happy for them that they can be this close as a family. As my thoughts trail off, the surroundings melt into the floor and a door appears. I guess I should go through it before I sink again, shouldn't I? I enter and end back up in the hallway, but something is different, I feel the hairs on the back of my neck start to stand like something is watching me with bad intentions.

I decide to let this feeling guide me since I assume it's the curse that's latched onto Sarah and it's not enjoying an intruder being so close to it. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. I walk and walk, it feels like hours, but who knows if it is outside of this place, but I finally stumble onto a door that makes my blood run cold. Figuring this is the door, I take a moment to compose myself and enter the door expecting a fight.

entering, I see a space that looks like a track field of a school, but there's barrels of weapons and training dummies for either sword practice or archery. I search with my eyes and I find Princess Sarah practicing swings with a halberd. Her lunges and thrusts are like something out of a movie, her movements look as graceful as any professional dancer I've ever seen. After finishing her practice, I sense fulfillment in my chest. Again, it must be because I'm in her mind.

As the feeling washes over me, I see a presence approaching Sarah, I close in on Sarah to see who it is. To my surprise, the person is Peter, the General I just saved not too long ago. They begin to speak to each other... Peter begins it with a greeting." Good afternoon to you Princess Sarah! Your Skill continues to improve at an astonishing rate! Heck, I reckon you can give General Crest a run for his money already!"

Despite the complementary words, I don't see a lick of sincerity in his eyes, apparently neither does Sarah as I feel annoyance and discomfort take root in my chest. Sarah, perhaps not wanting to continue feeling this way. Asks what Peter wants in a blunt manner. Perhaps not the best attitude for a princess, but Peter seems to take it in stride." What is it you need of me General Peter? My day is quite busy. I must be moving onto my next appointment."

Peter, not changing his expression, one which doesn't fit on such a child-like face to start with, proceeds to take out a bag from his pocket." I had a run in with Dorothy earlier in the day and I mentioned I would be in the area of the Royal Army training grounds. She asked me to hand these candies she had made over to you Princess." Sarah proceeded to take the bag from his hands loosening her feeling of discomfort. Peter begins to walk away and I follow him. I hear him mumble under his breath...

Almost in a whisper." To think all I had to do was mention that fool Dorothy and she took it so readily... I'll remember that for my next victim."

"!" That's when I felt the reaction, I feel tendrils wrapping around my body. I turn and see Sarah put a piece of candy in her mouth, but what shocked me was the mana coming out of it. Black mana with sparks of sickening red... Like dried blood... Maybe because I'm a Paladin, but so I could see that the candy was cursed. Sarah swallowed the candy and she transformed from her spellbinding figure to a mass of black with red tendrils that were the same colors as the mana I just saw.

I immediately begin casting Holy Heal. I don't know why I did, but something inside my gut told me it was the right thing to do. / Woosh! / The mass noticed me, perhaps because it was an interloper in Sarah's mind as well? Its tendrils wrapped around me, but I decided to ignore them and focus on channeling my mana. As the squeezing became unbearable, I felt the tendrils begin to wrap around my throat and squeeze tight. As I launched the Spell. I yelled it with all of the air I had left in my lungs.

"HOLY HEAL!" And like that, blinding light gushed forth out of me. I heard the sound of metal scraping together in a roar. Then the roar subsided for a moment and I heard nothing but silence. I closed my eyes, tired from the channeling and I felt like I began to fall down somewhere? Or did I feel myself ascending? I'm not too sure which it was for some reason? Drift... Heavy... Either way, I felt like I was drifting, like when you relax in a pool and let the waves take you where ever they go...

I felt weightless and then I felt like I was on solid ground again... I opened my eyes and I was in Sarah's room, the light pillar still gushing out of me. And that same metal roar came from Sarah's direction, but when I looked at Sarah, the sound was gone. I saw black and red specks dissipate out of Sarah's body and disappearing into the air. Then the pillar of light dispersed. The room was quiet, Warrick and Aqua looked on in a sense of fear.

Most likely thinking something bad was happening, but I knew the truth, I walked to Sarah, looking down at her, I examined her face and I could see she was regaining her energy. That tired expression was gone finally, I gently picked her hand up and she felt warm as well. I could also feel her mana pulsing in her body and saw a dark purple cloud begin to emit from her body. At that moment her deep, dark purple-colored eyes opened. They were a little glassy, fitting of someone waking after a long rest.

I began to smile, and I said the first words that came to my mind." Welcome back, Princess Sarah."