43 Chapter12: Forgotten 3 (1/2)
I went back to where I left Kain and realized he's not there anymore. I wonder where he went now?
”Lady Aerra?” I turned and saw four unfamiliar faces of young men. ”Good evening!” One by one they greeted.
”Good evening” I answered, quite confused by their sudden approaching.
”Is it true you're not officially engaged yet?” A guy that has a ash blonde hair asked.
”My father said the young Lord of Osteell hasn't prepared any acknowledgement party for your betrothal.” Added another, this one has a chestnut colored hair.
”He's too busy for you, why not just choose from one of us?” says another with a squinty eyes.
One of the guys hit him on the head, ”You're being rude to a Lady, Till! Pardon my rude friends, we simply mean if you want to make friends with us? I am Aromir.”
”Umm...” I took a deep breath and took one step back. ”I...” They took one step closer.
What the heck?
This is ambush.
”No... It's okay. Nice to meet you.” I murmured unsure. They're not particularly being rude, they just want to be friendly. But they're being too aggressive that it starts to feel uncomfortable.
They moved closer again, cornering me by the wall.
”I am called Till.” Says the guy with squinty eyes. ”This is Orik” he points at the chestnut colored hair guy. ”And this is Yunn” he points at the guy with ash blonde hair.
I curtsied a bit to respond.
”I hear the Duchess is very kind. She might allow you to choose your own betrothal. I'm confident to present myself as a prospect. My family is quite popular with the jewelry business. What do you say? I can give you all the jewelries you might want!” says Orik in a self contented grin.
”You're just scaring her, Orik. Move aside! Don't listen to him. Well, the land I own has many beautiful places to see. If you want, I can take you there some time!” Aromir insists.
”Well my father gave me an airship. If you want, you can use it to travel around the world, Lady Aerra!” Yunn interrupts.
”I appreciate your offers, m'Lords but...”
”But what? We can give you just as much as the young Lord of Osteell can!” Aromir says in a sneer. ”We're all on equal grounds as his worth. Maybe much more”
”Worth?” I murmured
Why talk about worth?
”Well, he's powerless, isn't he? He's from a commoner blood. Even black market merchants won't accept any of his body parts if you cut them.” They all laughed. ”His stone faced expression won't even worth anything”
Body parts? Black market?
I suddenly remembered Cerguz and how Nora's sister died...
How dare him make a joke out of that!
”Levi is irreplaceable.” I said simply. ”Not even the slightest in comparison from you.”
”What?” Aromir snickered.
”You might be confused, m'Lady! He—!”
”I won't stand to listen to you talking bad about Levi!” My voice raised higher than I expected. I can see people turning heads towards us. I pursed my lips and spoke calmer this time, ”Now if you must excuse me. Have a nice evening, m'Lords.” I walked away.
He grabbed my arm, ”Now hold on just a minute” Aromir pulls me to stand back to the corner, ”What are you trying to say here? That a commoner like him has more worth than nobles like us? Their title was just given to them by the High King. While my family's line goes way back from the beginning of time! We hail from nobility. Even you, m'Lady.
He should know his place. Without us nobles, they are nothing more than lowly merchants. Everyone knows our kinds are more worth than the life of a common peasant! We noblebloods protect this lands. They owe their life to the likes of us!”
I pulled my arm free, ”That kind of thinking alone sets no grounds to compare you from Levi.” I stared directly at his eyes.
”Aromir, that's enough.” Yunn tried to pull his friend away but Aromir stood his ground.
”You're crazy. You actually believe that a commoner like him is greater than a true noblemen? Or is it just empathy since you haven't awakened your own powers yet?”
”You really want me to compare?” I challenged him.
He mockingly bowed and swayed his hands wide, ”By all means, enlighten us!”
”Levi... he's a splendid individual. If he sets his heart on something, he goes all out to finish it. He never talks about worth of people, titles, or lands, especially not from his father's achievements. He creates his own. He sets his own goals and pursues them adamantly. And for that I respect him on the highest regards.
I know how busy he is from trying his best for his people and for the people who believes in him. He works day and night to finish paperworks just so that he can visit me and my brother. I know, even if he doesn't even mention it, he spends a day with us despite being sleepless for almost a week. And he never complains.
He may have been born from a commoner blood but his hard work and the love he has for his people, his empire, and the respect and pride they have for him is nothing compared to anything you've bragged about. He even extensively cross boundaries just to search for missing friends and you won't even hear him make a big deal out of it, instead he'll even apologize for not arriving sooner.”
I remember how he jumped the decks from way above his airships down to the sands when he saw us from the deserts. That's when we just escaped Ouboros. He ran to us and almost cried seeing me and Aeron. I remember the look on his face that day. How his stoic expression broke into so many emotions. And then... he earnestly apologize for not finding us sooner. After that, he made sure to visit us as often as he could just to watch over us while spending the day even if we're not particularly doing anything.
”He may not be born into luxury like you but the milestones he has attained and the people who looks up to him without any consolation of fear nor bribery, is something you could never have easily just from being born into a noble house. I can't even fathom how your little mind manage to believe you're far better than him.”
Aromir glared at me. ”You're smitten with him.” he uttered. ”Now I get it... you're blinded by the idea of how great this guy is. You have forgotten what lineage ruled this land!”
”That's enough, let's just go.” His friends kept tagging on him.
He stepped closer and stooped to my eye level, ”He works hard because he's nothing. That's how it has always been for the people below us, m'Lady. And there's nothing in this world that he can do that we can't if we try; nothing he can offer that I can't!”
”How about fires that can burn your lands to the ground?” Levi stepped in beside me out of nowhere.
”Levi!” I gasped. His eyes laser focused at Aromir.
Aromir cleared his throat seeing Levi, ”Fires?” He scoffs, ”I don't think a Lady would like a fire as a gift”
”No, but the property title and ownership would do if I take over your lands, Lord Aromir Destan of the South. Your family's lands dwindle on our Eastern borders. It soon might become a problem.”
I can see Till tagging Aromir's sleeves while whispering something. ”Let's just go”
Aromir yanked his arm free from Till. ”Is that a threat?” he raises his nose up high, acting tough despite the sweat running down from his forehead.
”Threat? I don't make threats. It's a notice. Consider it done first thing in the morning when the clock strikes nine. I'll be expecting to see you again by then.” Levi's face is as expressionless as ever but his gaze were piercing. ”Nobleblood or not, only a fool would walk into a dragon's den only to taunt it unarmed.”
I watch the blood on Aromir's face drains.
”Invasion is part of the treaty of the Seven Kingdoms! It's forbidden to take other people's lands!”
”Not when they are situated at the borders of someone else's. There's no law to protect you, Lord Aromir. Not when you cross against the High King's own beloved niece. You're not even part of the Southern Kingdom Ak'hilheim” Levi's calm and reserved as ever. And I can see it somehow makes Aromir more edgy.
”Indeed not!” Ifrit stands beside me with arms crossed. ”We have no responsibilities over lands that our domains doesn't own.”
”Ifrit!” I looked at her as she just smiled at me.
”And who do you think you are?!” Aromir is just muttering now.