7 Conflicted (1/2)
The few days I had to myself passed in what seemed like seconds within Aliece's company. We spent hours conversing, she knew little of human history after the First Demon Crusade due to her seclusion in the forest. Although the fact she lived through the First Demon Crusade surprised me at first, I knew better than to ask a lady her age.
When I asked, she told me of her accounts during the crusade, it was like finding a hidden treasure trove of knowledge. She told me her first-hand experiences of battles that I had only read about in history books. She then told me her life's story, apparently, she had become indebted to a human knight after he saved her from being killed by a demon.
She would become his companion and accompany him through countless battles. She wasn't as powerful as she is today, but I imagine she was still a force to be reckoned with, although it wasn't enough to save the human knight when he was ambushed by a group of demons.
She killed all of them, but only after the human knight was fatally injured. Fulled by rage and the desire to avenge her fallen companion, she would use all of her mana to destroy an encroaching demon legion. After using that much power, she collapsed on the outskirts of the forest near where the village would be built.
A few other faeries would find her and nurse her back to health, after recovering she found that she had obtained a circlet of light, the mark of a faerie queen. She would then become the ruler of all the faeries that are in the vicinity. When I asked her why she didn't ever visit the village before I met her, she only said. ”It was too painful, seeing a human would just remind me of his death.”
Concerned I asked her why she showed herself to me, she replied. ”You reminded me a lot of him, enthusiastic about the oddest things, a great sense of justice, a good heart, he could even sing. I would force him to sing to me for hours, his voice was like that of an angel. I guess I've always had a soft spot for music.” She said while smiling at me.
She wouldn't speak anymore of the subject, instead, she made me show her of everything she had missed over the decades. She especially liked cookies, apparently, faeries can eat, it just doesn't do anything or give them any energy.
I soon came to understand that she really likes sweet stuff and bunnies, the latter became apparent after we encountered one on our way to the foreset for my nightly mandola performance. After spotting the poor creature she flew towards it at full speed giving a shriek of delight, she grappled with it sticking her face in its downy fur then stroked it continuously, she wouldn't let go of the poor thing until I pried her off of it. She can act so childlike sometimes, but that's a part of what makes her so gosh darn cute.
The fifth day of my vacation was interrupted by none other than Sir Richard, who wasted no time fulfilling his promise of ”Making up for the lost time.” I had just finished my two miles when Sir Richard returned from his visit to the capital. Shortly after we started, as always, with weapons training.
I hold my wooden broadsword in front of me, then strike vertically. Sir Richard side steps and easily deflects my attack with his wooden shortsword. I recover, then swing horizontally trying to cut his side. He steps into my me catching me off guard using the pommel of his sword to strike my face. I stumble back and fight back my building rage as Sir Richard's previous advice rings in my ear. ”A man that attacks blinded by his rage is already dead.” I put up my guard as Sir Richard and I circle each other for several seconds trying to bait the other into an attack.
Sir Richard steps forward swinging his sword horizontally, I put my sword to my left side to deflect it. He switches to a downward strike as soon as he sees that I've set up to guard, I expected this, as his strike comes down I step into him dropping my sword. I grab his wrist as his blow fell, I sweep his feet out from under him while holding his wrist. As he falls, his grip on the sword lessens. I force it from his hands disarming him while he fell. As he moves to get up I put the sword to his throat, I give him a defiant grin and say. ”Call it old man.”
Before I can react Sir Richard does the same thing to me, he sweeps my feet from under me and wrestles the sword from my hand as I fall. I'm dazed for a second, when I look up I see that the positions have been reversed. ”There, called.” He spats in defiance.
I can't help but smile. ”Come on Sir Richard, you know I had you!”
He returns the smile in earnest. ”I'll let you have that one, what's the score? 762-1?”
”Hey, that's still one for me old man, it seems like your starting to get rusty.” I say grinning
”What did you say you half-hearted excuse for a squire!” He exclaimed with mock furry.
He grabs me in a headlock and ruffled hair relentlessly. ”I give, I give, you win.”
I hear childlike laughter behind us, Sir Richard and I both turn to find the source. It's obviously Aliece, I'm not surprised in the slightest she secretly came to watch us practice. Sir Richard picks up the dropped wooden sword and got into a defensive position. Before he can say or do anything, I get between the two with my arms spread wide to keep him from getting past.
”Before he does something dumb, would you like to introduce yourself Aliece?”
She smiles innocently and flies over to Sir Richard. ”Hello, I am Aliece, Queen of the Faeries. I am Christian's.” She looks mischievously at me then finishes. ”Well let's just say he's pledged himself to me.”
Sir Richard's jaw dropped, he looked over at me with surprise painted clearly on his face. Before I can rectify the situation he grabs me by the neck putting in a headlock and spoke with a muffled, but not at all quiet tone.
”I know we were talking about girls and all earlier, but I was expecting you to go talk to one of the village girls.” He glances over to Alice quickly before saying. ”I'm not one to discriminate, but don't you think you're a little too.....”big” for her?” I become extremely flustered and try quickly to set him straight, but Aliece who was floating above us while we spoke interjects.
”On the contrary, oh you should have seen how he wooed me, he sang such a wondrous song of natures queen and heavenly gates. His voice alone was able to melt my heart, oh but how he played. It's like his fingers were strumming the very strings of my heart.”