Confession

I get on to Leir's horse. He turns it around and head straight to where Sir Aragorn's cottage is. Our horses' shoes are clopping loud in rhythm as they speeding up. The wave of the ocean can no longer be heard as we are close to the center of Aetherux. Mr. Luthien has activated the Light Catcher to enlighten Aetherux.

We have passed the public service cottages; Church, School, Library, Medica, Inn, Craft and Tailor. Without taking a break on the way, we lead the horse up to the hill.

Finally, we arrived at Sir Aragorn's cottage. A lot of elves are surrounding the cottage. They are shouting at the guards for not letting them in. Some yell at them for answers about the kidnapping. Two guards stand straight with axes crossed against the door.

What's going on here?

They make a way for his horse to walk in. We hurried get off the horse and tie their reins to the cottage's fence. One guard opens the door for us and the other hold the elves from going in.

As we walk in, I find Sir Aragorn is sitting across the table, staring at the map with tiny flags on it. When he directly senses our presence, he walks towards us. We bow to each other.

"Good evening, Sir Aragorn. I am here to report our mission in Brealis. But before that, I would like to ask what is going on outside?" My eyebrows frowned.

"They are waiting for me to inform them about Elena and Zephyr. Thank goodness you are here. Moustier investigation team has not returned. It has been a day since the kidnapping. No wonder they starting to rage. I hope for good news in Brealis, Claire." He rubbed his forehead while covering his eyes.

"Very well, Sir. Brealis has come clean. We recognized that they put a lot of trust in Aetherux to give me this clam necklace." I showed him the necklace.

Sir Aragorn gasps with his eyes widen, "This is... Ainé's necklace." He touched the shell. "What did she say when she gave it to you?"

"When I told her about Pharmacist is working on a new potion using rainbow herb, I promised her to give her a free sample. In return, she gave me her necklace. She said I can use the necklace to access every place in Brealis even the limited ones," I continued, "Sir, they do not waste their time in holding jealousy towards us. They are very grateful and proud for what they have. Kidnapping us is neither give them advantage nor they have closed place to locked elven in. They do not seem to have a weapon to make bombs, for they only have fisherman's tools, Sir." I stared deeply at him. "I assure you, Sir. Brealis is cleared from being a suspect of this ambush. If anything goes wrong or says otherwise, I will take a full responsibility for my false claim about them." I tapped my left chest.

"I see. What else have you find out?" He let go off the shell back on my neck.

"Madam did not just give me this." I rustled inside my bag to take Siren shell out.

Sir Aragorn eyes widen the moment the shell is out from my bag, "Is that what I think it is?" His hands tried to reach the shell.

"You knew what this is, Sir?" I leaned the shell to his hands.

"Siren shell. I have read about it but I have never seen it in person. It is said, Siren shell was crafted by sirens whom they befriended with. Until one day, the very first Brealis leader bonded with one of the sirens. Brealis women are half siren ever since." His eyes turned to me. "Did she sing?"

"Yes, Sir." I nodded.

He turns his head back to shell once I nodded, "Their singing has various of use. What is this for?" Sir Aragorn gave back the shell to me.

"Let me finish, Sir. When I investigate her, she said she heard an explosion from the forest. Yet, she was not suspicious about the question I asked and gave me this instead. She wanted me to blow this whenever Aetherux has trouble we cannot face alone. Brealis will immediately come to assist us when they heard siren call coming out from it. So, the answer to your question is, this shell contains emergency call, Sir."

"I see." Sir Aragorn's eyes focused on the shell.

"She considered this as a symbol of our friendship. I already tried it out, Sir, as Madam Ainé requested." I took the shell back in my bag as he leaned it to me.

When Sir Aragorn takes a glance at Mr. Morthil. Mr. Morthil nods to him as an affirmation of my claims. He takes off a tiny flag off on Brealis' territory in the map. Mr. Morthil walks next to him. Suddenly Sir Aragorn falls to his seat without words.

"Are you alright, Sire?!" Mr. Morthil caught him.

Sir Aragorn waves his hand, "No, I'm alright Morthil. I need to inform this to the whole Aetherux once Moustier investigation team arrived here." He paused for a while. "Morthil! The Moustier team could be in trouble right now!" His eyes suddenly opened wide.

"When there is only one suspect on the list, then they must be the culprit." Mr. Morthil agreed to Sir Aragorn's concern. "Shall I inform the guards outside to prepare our horses, Sir?"

"No, wait. I should inform those who came here first." Sir Aragorn stood up. "You may sit while waiting, team Claire."

Sir Aragorn pleased us to sit around the table then excuses himself to go outside with Mr. Morthil after he called for his assistant to serve us dinner on the round table.

The room is dead quiet for they are thinking many possibilities of Sir Aragorn's response, until his assistant returns with a couple of dishes in her hand; a fruit salad with peppermint on top placed in front of me. None of us opens a conversation during the meal.

I take a glance at every one of them. Their eyes focus on the food, even Leir. I look down on my salad with my thoughts hovering in my mind.

Moustier is the culprit. Well, I'm not surprised. But I'm not ready to face reality either. Moustier elves have the strongest weapon than us because all their weapons are made of metals. No matter how many times I deliver potions for them, they always ask for my ID. Until I had to head back to Sir Aragorn and ask him to make me an ID to pass their guards. They're always ask for it even when they have remembered my face. Not to mention none of them is unarmed. My body shivers from the sharp eyes on their faces. I once wanted to state a confrontation: "I deliver potions for your health, yet you give me a cold greeting? It took an hour to get here!" – but it was only on my head.

When the bamboo plate of mine is empty, my mind stops rewinding memories of my time in Moustier. Sir Aragorn's assistant takes the empty plates and return to the kitchen. The crowds outside are slowly fading. Elves footsteps faintly going further away from the cottage.

I think they are returning home.

"So, the last village on the list is Moustier, huh? Not surprising." Leah smirked.

"I wasn't surprised either." Naela muttered.

"I saw this coming since Sir Aragorn gathered us yesterday." With his crossed arms, Leir leaned back on the chair. His face is hidden behind his hood, but his deep voice chilled the entire room.

"Sooner or later, we have to face war." Leah's intense voice froze everyone.

This will be our first war.

We are spacing out, lost in thoughts from the last word that came out from Leah.

War.

Sir Aragorn and Mr. Morthil do not seem to be going inside the cottage for a while. I ask everyone to come with me outside.

The moment I open the door, two guards lift their axes up; letting me out of the cottage. Sir Aragorn and Mr. Morthil are facing up to the mountains with their hands crossed on their back. They are waiting for the last team to come. The guards are chatting with each other.

"We need to fetch the last team if they did not make it back here." Said the left guard.

"Until Sir Aragorn gives that order, we just need to wait and guard him." The right guard rattled his first to the axe and stabbed the tip to the ground.

When Sir Aragorn and Mr. Morthil take a step back to the cottage, horses' neigh faintly heard from the north. We all run towards north where the sound came from. The Light Catcher lightens the approaching horses.

Horses' shoes clap is getting louder as the last team is closer to the cottage. Mr. Dior's armor at the front of the others is damaged. I suspect Moustier had attacked them. The other five of them got injured on their face and body.

Naela runs towards Mr. Dior. Mr. Dior stops his horse in front of Sir Aragorn, and gets off. I run to the other elves behind him. Once they are off from the horses, I pour a couple of blue potion drops on their wounds – some on cotton flower and press it on the scratches on their faces.

"Sir Aragorn. I humbly apologize for passing midnight to report." He panted. "We have found the place where they captured the victims. They attacked us before we get to see them. They assigned elves to follow us the moment we managed to get inside from the main gate. We were outnumbered." He said weakly, with his face is completely pale.

Naela immediately gives Mr. Dior a green potion to drink and regain his stamina. She then treats his wounds with red salve on the burn.

"I should have fetched you at the gate like my feelings told me so! I am truly sorry this happened." Sir Aragorn clenched his arm. "Morthil. Ready an ink and paper." He ordered Mr. Morthil. "I will assign all of you, Brealis and Moustier teams to deliver a message to them. We cannot send this letter by a messenger bird for the possibility of the bird being killed is high."

Mr. Morthil comes back with what Sir Aragorn asked. Ready to write down what Sir Aragorn will say.

Sir Aragorn speeches, "Moustier. I, Aragorn Horith, the leader of Aetherux, had found two missing elves in your land based on our investigation yesterday in Moustier. We have determined the source of the uninvited bombs and missing elves are all originated from you. My team is the witness to this claim. Return our elves immediately or Aetherux shall take them back by force. You have until sunset to respond. Should there be no response, we will assume you're uncooperative to our demand."

Mr. Morthil did not miss any word coming out from Sir Aragorn. He finished writing as Sir Aragorn did. Mr. Morthil gives the letter to Sir Aragorn for him to read. His eyes switch at one word to another.

"Perfect, as expected of you Morthil." He thanked Mr. Morthil then leaned the letter to Mr. Dior. "Read this to Moustier once you are in their territory. Whether they open the gate for you or not, read it out loud. Make sure not one single elf misses this message." He glanced at Naela. "Assist Mr. Dior with your catcher."

"On it, Sir." Naela nodded.

Mr. Dior takes the letter from Sir Aragorn's hand. Sir Aragorn turns his sight to me.

"Hide that necklace from Moustier, but keep it safe. Ainé entrusted it to you, protect it with all your might. Do not let it fall to Moustier." Sir Aragorn sharp eyes stared sharply.

"Understood, Sir. I will treasure it." I nodded.

Sir Aragorn thanks us all for our great work, then without any eye contact to any of us, he and Mr. Morthil walk back inside the cottage. Before the door shuts closed, I slightly sense frustration within Sir Aragorn.

All the teams bow to each other before going separate ways. Naela gets on Leah's horse behind her. While Leir and I rode back to our homes.

We are lost in our own thoughts on the way to my home. No words came out between us until we arrived.

Before I turn my body to Leir to say good night. He stands in front of me while sliding open his hood to reveal his beauty. His eyes never escape mine. The wind blows his hair to his forehead.

Between the beauty of Light Catchers, he takes out a Stone Ring out of his pocket. "Claire." His gentle voice called out my name.

I covered my lips while gasping. My eyes almost fall off from its place for staring at the ring in his hand. I turn my sight right into his eyes with so many unsaid questions in my head. My heart beats incredibly fast, and heating up my whole body.

"I have a feeling Moustier won't cooperate with us tomorrow. Which means Sir Aragorn will ask us to wage war against them. I don't want to lose you before nor after the war." He took a step closer. "We have known each other half of my life than I trained myself as an assassin. That's when the bombs nearly hit us, I should've sensed it!" He clenched his fist. "I should've protected you." His eyebrows frowned. "I want you to depend on me, like how you depend on Naela."

I hug him to calm him down.

"Waking up with my arm burned, my other arm should've pulled you away from the explosion. Knowing we both got burned yet you–"

I shush him from talking anymore nonsense.

He puts me in his embrace with his arms tremble, "I can't lose you, Claire."

"You won't lose me. I'm here." I whispered.

He lets go off me with his one hand holding mine, "Let me return the favor. My heart beats for you, Claire. I shall throw my life to the danger we are in to protect you. I want you to depend only to me."

I caress his cheek, then pinch it, "You're jealous of Naela, aren't you?!" I let go off his cheek when he yelled in pain. "Just because she was proud of herself that she said I cannot do it without her?"

He innocently nods, "But not just that."

Although my cheeks are hot, my eyes never escape its sight from his gentle eyes, "Is there more?"

"I love you with all my heart." He leaned the stone ring to me. "Claire Priest, will you stay with me for the rest of my life?"

"I wonder, was this what you wanted to say to me yesterday?" I rolled my head; trying to act cute. I giggle when he turns his head to the other way. "I love you too, Leir. With everything I have. I wouldn't leave your side when I know how to heal you. I don't care much about what happened to me; burned, slashed, or–"

He touches my lips softly with his finger, "This is your side I'm concerned about. Let me protect you from any harm." He caressed my cheek.

I nod with my eyes teary.

He puts the ring on my right ring finger. "I will pick you up tomorrow morning."

"Until tomorrow, Leir. Good night."

"Good night to you too, Claire." He kissed my forehead.

The softness of his lips on my forehead warms my chest. My heart beat is steadily loud. Leir leaves my house and return to the trees. I close the door slowly while exhaling.

I miss him already.

I lit up the fire by the fireplace. The night is not as cold as it used to be, for the warmth in my chest is warmer than the fire. I go to the kitchen to cut the fishes I bought.

After the fishes are cut into three pieces each, I put them on a wooden plate. I go out and put the plate next to the door. With my body cleaned from shower I had, I went to bed.

Even with the softness of thousands of cotton flower under the blanket on my bed, my eyes are still wide open, unable to stop rewinding Leir's proposal. I stare at the stone ring on my ring finger. Without knowing how late it is, my eyes weakened the longer I keep my eyes open and finally shut closed.

Stars come and go. The dark sky slowly brightens as the night ends. The light of dawn pass through the window. The brightness awakes me from the bed. When I open my eyes, orange light from the fire by the fireplace enlighten the ceiling of my bedroom.

I groan.

Another night without dream.

I get up from bed and go to the fireplace. The fire is almost out as I sit in front of it.

I stroke the stone ring while warming myself there. The woods in the fireplace are cracking from the fire burns. My mind rewinds its memory of Leir's proposal once again.

He will pick me up soon.

I lift my shirt while getting up. I go inside my bedroom and search for white cotton and feathers to modify my current dress.

With needle and thread in my hand, I begin to knit. The feather is almost done knitted on the right and left part of waist, and stomach part of the dress until the edge of the skirt. I stop knitting to stroke the feather on my left shoulder.

I smile as I imagine the feather attached on my shoulder will be added another one similar to Leir's.

When the sky has finally brightened by the sun, I finished modifying the dress. I bite the thread off of the dress, then lean it back until the whole dress can be seen from top to bottom.

The sun has replaced the fire in brightening the lab. Birds are beginning to awake in their nest. I hurry wash myself in flower bathtub. After that I put on the dress I just knitted. I spin around in front of a mirror beside my bed to see how it looks.

Perfect!

I open my wooden wardrobe to search for the singed dress to take to the Tailor. Once I found it, I put the dress back inside the wardrobe. I close the bedroom, and put out the fireplace with water for my house is bright enough by the sun – tsss!

I organize the brewing tools as well as flowers, herbs, and beeswax away to make space on the table so I can brew another potion for next week.

I need to cut off potion delivery to Moustier before they use it for bad things even further.

I sigh.

I shouldn't have cared about their health if they ended up hurting us.

I shake my head from negativity. My eyes return to the herbs in my hands. I pick five leaves of orange herbs and put it on mortal to make vitamin potion. Every time I brew potions, my grandparents' face slip in my mind. I take a glance at a book shelf on the corner of the table.

"Potion Brewery by Mr. & Mrs. Priest"

I put grandparents' book close to my chest before Leir arrives at the front door.

Knock knock!

"Coming!" I let down the book and hurried to the front door to open the door. As hard as my heartbeat is, I am excited to see Leir right after I woke up.

Leir is behind the door in black outfit wrapped his upper half body, arms and legs with roller bandage, "Good morning, my beautiful princess." He lifted my chin up. He kisses me on the forehead. "Did you knit that the whole night?"

"Good morning to you, gorgeous." I locked the door. "How did you know I knit it the whole night?" I took a step closer to him with my eyes are shining out of excitement. "Did you peek on me before knocking again?" I turned my head to the window behind me.

He holds my hand, "Maybe." With his teasing tone, he led the way to which tree he tied the horse rein.

The bright blue sky is decorated by the beauty of colorful birds flying in the air. Aetherux is known for its birds' melody for they always chirping beautifully since the sun is up. The birds' chirp in this early in the morning represent my happiness. Not long after we have passed many trees, the fact that our new mission is to deliver Sir Aragorn's message to Moustier ruins the smile on my face.

Naela walks out from the Medica. While Leah is talking to her husband by the bench in front of the cottage. Mr. Dior and his team are getting out from the Inn. Leir helps me to get off of the horse once we arrived. He holds my hand while guiding the horse to come along to them.

"Good morning, all." I greeted them all.

Their sight stops at me as Leir and I are approaching them. They greet us as we have gathered at the center of public cottages. Naela and Leah notice our hands are holding each other.

"What is this?" Her eyes widen while pointing at our hands holding each other.

"What is what?" I played dumb and looked away.

Leah approaches Leir, "Did you finally say it to Claire?" Her sharp eyes interrogated him.

Leir scratches his head, "Ah, yeah. I finally did."

"Oh, Leah knew?" I switched my gaze to both of them in turns.

"As a twin, we cannot hide anything from each other. I can feel what he feels, so does he." She crossed her arms together.

Naela holds both my arms, "I knew you both have the same feeling. Congratulation, Mrs. Reila." Her high voice teased me.

Mr. Dior approaches with his men behind him on horseback, "Are you all ready to Moustier?"

I nod along with Leir. Leah talks to her husband before getting her horse by a tree. Naela follows her as they ride together on horseback. When we are prepared, we depart to the mountain up north, Moustier.

Moving beyond the trees of Aetherux, we could no longer hear the chirping of birds nor sights of animals that reside in the woods. It is replaced by whistling wind and lifeless trees.

As we continued up north, the land beneath our feet slowly changed into snow. A large metal structure made itself visible on the horizon as we marched up.

The closer we approach, the more the wind blows. Howls could be heard in the far-off distance. It seems we are not the only ones here as one of us spotted some wolves resting to side wary of our presences.

I thought they built the wall to keep the wolves in – I guess not.

One of five guards are guarding the mighty metal wall with their axes, "State your business." They approached us with their axes steady in their hands. Their glare is as cold as the snow under our feet.

Mr. Dior takes out the message in his bag with Naela follows beside him. She takes her Sound catcher out. The catcher hovers in front of Mr. Dior.

He is readying the letter in his hand; ready to read the message out. "By the order of Sir Aragorn Horith, the leader of Aetherux, we are here to deliver his message to you." He scrolled down the letter.

"We had found two missing elves in your land based on our investigation yesterday in Moustier. We have determined the source of the uninvited bombs and missing elves are all originated from you. My team is the witness of this claim. Return our elves immediately or Aetherux shall take them back by force. You have until sunset to respond. Should there be no response, we will assume your uncooperative to our demand."

Sound catcher shined as it reflected Mr. Dior's voice ten times louder.

The guards aim their axes at us when Mr. Dior's voice is echoing loud enough to reach inside Moustier. Mr. Dior leans his shield to his chest and slowly slide his sword out. Leir is silently readying katars in his both hands. Leah blows inaudible whistle to call out her hawk. When the sound catcher finished echoing the message out loud, Naela lets her catcher flies back to her. She puts the catcher back inside her pocket.

Mr. Dior stabs the letter and aim it to the guards, "Deliver this to your leader. Or else we shall read it even louder than before until the leader himself comes out from his slumber." His deep voice said it loud and clear.

I stand beside Leir, "We, Aetherux, are not like you who attacked us without warning!" I shouted. "As Sir Aragorn's order, we will be waiting until sunset."

Leir takes a step forward in front of me with katar in his hand stop me from going any closer to them.

The guard in the middle takes the letter scroll in Mr. Dior's sword, "Weren't you are the one who went to our property without permission!? You're no different than us." He glared.

"That property of yours hold our elves in! We never take what is not ours!" Mr. Dior shouted furiously. "We give you options, and you didn't. Clearly we are not the same." Mr. Dior let out his catcher in between us and activated barrier. "Let's go!" He tucked his sword back in the scabbard.

Mr. Dior gets on his horse and turn his back on them. With the help of his catcher, we are protected from invasion during our way back home.

The snow on the ground is now replaced by leaves. Living trees replaced the dead ones as we finally arrived on our land. Birds chirping happily, but the atmosphere around us is gloomy for what had happened. Mr. Dior points at the hill. We stir our horse to the left where the hill is.

The trees rustle in the wind. Only the sound of clopping horse shoes filling my hearing as no words come out from any of us. Then, the forest echoes frog's croaks from Aetherux Lake mix with the clopping sound.

My breath has starting to flow heavily when the ground as we are going on is getting higher. The higher we go to Sir Aragorn's place, the harder the wind blows. The sun has reached its highest.

Sir Aragorn's cottage is visible from where we are. The guards are sitting down on the ground with wooden plates in their hands. Mr. Dior immediately gets off his horse once he reached in front of the cottage. Since the guards knew what our business here, they let Mr. Dior open the door himself. We quickly try to keep up with his speed and enter the cottage.

"...believe what Moustier said to us?!" Mr. Dior shouted at Sir Aragorn. "They said we trespassed their property where Zephyr and Mrs. Iziuel were in!" He paused. "How could they throw the blame on us?!" He punched his fist against the wall.

Sir Aragorn stands up from his seat, "Calm down, Prae." His sight turned to us behind Mr. Dior. "Welcome, everyone. Prae told me you all had delivered the message I gave you last night. Thank you very much." He bowed to us. "I shall give your next mission after sunset. You know what it will be."

"War." Mr. Dior's deep voice responded.

"Yes, and I expect you all to be ready tomorrow whatever respond they will give us. I shall announce it at sunset. Here is your payment for sending the message in my place." Sir Aragorn dismissed us.

Mr. Dior and his men leaves the cottage as do us. He excuses himself and his team to return to their daily activities. His horse neighs as he stirs it back to the public cottages.

The moment their horses are gone by the trees, Leir asked Naela and Leah to attend our wedding at the church right now. Naela smiles brightly and immediately agrees to it with her high voice. Leah excuses herself to invite her husband to the wedding as well.

After everyone agreed, back on our horses we head to the church. My heart beats incredibly fast along the way. When the smoke flows up higher than the trees, the public cottages are just a couple of miles away from us. The fewer trees are the closer we get. Leah drops Naela off to the church before she heads to east.

Leir tie his horse by the tree across the church. Naela wraps my arm around hers while walking me to the church ahead. The smile on her face calms my heartbeat a little bit. Leir comes back then walks directly inside the churc. Naela and I follow him from behind.

Leir talks to vicar for marrying us. Not long after the discussion, the vicar stands in the middle ready with his book. Leir walks toward us.

"Everything is ready." His voice trembled a bit.

Leah comes in with her husband next to her,

"Don't worry, you'll be alright other half." With her hand wrapped around her husband's arm, her gentle eyes stared at Leir.

Leir nods to her. He walks in front of the vicar. Leah and her husband take a seat on the front pew close to where Leir is. Naela guides me to the vicar.

Three elves with flute, clarinet, ocarina in their hands are at the corner of the room, playing their music beautifully. Leah and her husband watching us taking every step to the vicar while the musician elves play their wonderful notes within marriage music along the way.

Leir turns his body to the back as my heart gets warm every step closer to him. I hold Naela's arm gently and match my step with hers slowly on the aisle. My heartbeat follows every rhythm note of the music they blew into the instruments. Naela lets go off my hand and sits on the pew. The musician elves finish playing their beautiful notes as Leir and I are facing the vicar.

"We are here gathered today, in the eyes of God, to listen holy souls vow according to God's holy law." Vicar paused. "Leir Daz Reila, do you take Claire Priest to be your lawful wedded wife, to love and cherish, to protect and hold, in sickness and health, for richer and poorer, for better and worse, as you both shall live?"

"I do." Leir firmly vowed.

"And do you, Claire Priest, take Leir Daz Reila to be your lawful wedded husband, to heal and hold, in sickness and health, for richer and poorer, for better and worse, as you both shall live?"

"I do." I sealed the vow with my heart pounding.

"Now you may attach the feathers." Vicar gave Leir a cue to put his feather on me.

Leir takes out three feathers out of his tiny bag on his waist. I take off my feather on my left shoulder and give it to vicar.

When Leir is putting his two feathers on my left shoulder, I put his feather below his current feather on his right shoulder.

Vicar clears his throat, "I now pronounce you, husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Leir holds my jaw line as he leans close to me. He gently puts his lips on mine. I kiss his lips along with him to seal the sacred vow. I smile when Naela shriek in happiness. I kiss Leir some more passionately, and he returns the kiss romantically.

From this day forward, Leir and I tied the knot.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***