Joyful Moments with Marie

As the horse-drawn carriage trundled along the streets, its wheels creaked in rhythm around the city of Aetheria. It's a weekend, so there's a lot of hustle and bustle in the market. I am in the back alley, petting a unique-looking cat with three tails and white fur shimming in the dim light, which had an enchanting gaze.

"Hey cutie, are you feeling alone here?"

It closed its eyes and enjoyed my fingers around its neck.

"You don't have an owner with you?"

~Meow

"Hehe." I smiled at it.

"Elea! What are you doing?" Marie called from behind. "Come fast."

"Coming!" I replied.

"Take care; I have to go now." I said this to the cat, who doesn't know what I am saying, yet he meowed in response as if understanding me.

We moved from place to place, one after another. Marie's favourite destination of all was where there were pretty clothes to wear. Ironically, even though we are very far from home, the style here isn't any different from our Ashura Kingdom.

Even though I wasn't interested in it, as Marie forced me to, I gave it in and tried different types of clothes.

From their lands long to short, different types of cheongsam, and other regions dresses called kurti and sarees, then, like most, Marie prefers something on the bold side—jackets and denim shorts, crop tops, and jeans.

It doesn't matter what I wear. Marie was screaming in astonishment.

"Wow, Elea!"

"You are looking so cute in this."

"Wha- Princess Eleanor!!!"

"But this one."

"Change yourself into it. Come on, come on."

And I did not want to offend the shop owner for wasting their time, so I bought and changed myself into a pair of long white shirts and a pair of black jeans below to wear.

Marie also tried many clothes, but she only brought them with her and didn't change her original black sweater dress. I guess that's for the better, as she looks way prettier in it than any other dress she tried.

"Seriously, it looks so good on you," said Marie, looking at my shirt.

"I think so too. It's your choice after all." I replied.

"Always rely on me. I know the best when it comes to fashion."

"Yes, yes, miss fashion queen."

Marie also brought me a black-laced bracelet that went with the shirt I was wearing.

After the clothing session, which took almost 3 hours, obviously came our food session, as we both didn't have breakfast due to the meeting with the Queen, and now we were hungry as fuck.

"Where should we eat?" I asked.

"I know a place for lunch. I've tried multiple times there, and I always loved it," replied Marie.

"I see. Let's go there only then."

Marie guided the route to the restaurant, which she believed was the best place to have lunch. Obviously, she spent the entire year here, so now she knows everything around the city.

The place where we sat had a very cosy ambiance, with dim lights around. It's the best place for couples or families to eat, as those are the only types of people I was seeing around us.

"Marie, are you sure we should be eating here?" I whispered to her.

"Yeah, why not?" she replied, casually sipping water.

"What about the money? This place looks extremely costly."

Even though the place was cold, I was already sweating from overthinking about it, but just then Marie lifted her finger, stopping me from saying anything further.

"I will be the one to pay for everything. You just enjoy yourself," said Marie.

"You will?" I crossed my arms and sat straight in serious.

"You've already brought me the clothes and bracelet, as I didn't have money on me, and now for food too?" I said. "From where are you getting this much money?"

"Who do you think I am?" asked Marie.

"Who? Marie? My dumb friend?"

"Bro..." *sighed Marie. "My profession, I mean."

"Ohh," I understood what she meant by that. "You must be a knight too now, so you went on any mission that paid you, I guess?" I asked her, holding a glass of water in my hand.

"I am..." said Marie. "an elite knight."

*Thud*

The glass fell from my hand on the table, and water spilled.

I was too stunned to speak or apologise for the spilling of water on the waiter who came to clean my table.

"Hehehe," smirked Marie. "I am always with the Queen now as her personal bodyguard.

"How?" I asked. "In just one year? You became that strong?"

"I don't think it's because of the strength alone. It's more like a trust, or maybe she wants to keep an eye on us." Marie said, dwelling over the reason, as even she doesn't know. "The other two elite knights trained me, and even the Queen herself spared once in a while, so she was like, ~Why don't you work as an elite knight?"

"Wha- that's so cool."

"Yeah, I went on two missions so far. It was small, like helping around and killing the goblins, but they paid a lot for my position."

"I see, that's why." I said.

And the food in the hot pot came in front of us. Bowls of soup, rice, noodles, and whatnot. It was a complete set of a variety of meals.

"Good to see you again. Miss Marie," said the waiter.

"Thank you so much for the good."

Damn, she is famous here too.

"So, are you stronger than me now?" I asked her, picking up the spoon from the plate.

"Who knows? Maybe I am. Why? Feeling inferior, Miss Eleanor? Hahahah." Marie teased me.

"Nope, why will I feel like that? I am happy for you." I said. "At least, from now on, you won't have to chase me anymore."

"Ahh- you knew."

"Since childhood, darling." I said, eating the crunchy piece of chicken. "Umm, it's tasty." I expressed.

"See, I told you. This place is the best of all," said Marie.

After lunch, we strolled through various parks and different momumental places. We paused and took our photos by asking the photographers that were around us to capture this joyful moment, which we don't know for how long it will last.

Marie said there was a fair happening nearby, so we went there and tried different rides and played in the arena. It gave off the vibe of Ashura Carnival, which we were both missing. Even though we already had lunch, we didn't stop ourselves from eating and drinking more from the stalls there.

And with that, it dipped low, and the loud, excited noises came to a halt.

"AHH, that was so much fun." Marie said, stretching her arms in the air.

"Indeed, it sure was," I said. "After so much time, we got to release ourselves like that."

"Exactly"

The warm sunset was happening behind the mountains as we were walking on a small bridge beside a vast lake. There was no one around us, just a silent crash of waters. It felt relaxing and peaceful.

"Do you miss them, Elea?" asked Marie, facing the river and watching the sunset.

I did not have to think about what she meant there. Obviously, she is talking about our home and friends, which we left and brought here.

"I do," I said. "Every fucking single second of it."

"Hehe, same here," said Marie.

I joined her and stood by her side.

"Were you okay by yourself here?" I asked her.

"At first, no; later, I realised I must become strong so that I don't hold my friend back."

"Oh, so you've become a little mature now." I said, teasing her.

"Stop it; I am not a child anymore," laughed Marie.

After a few seconds of silence, Marie turned her face towards me. The sun's orange glare reflected on her beautiful face, and the soft wind swayed her hair.

"At the restaurant, you said. You are happy, as now that I have become somewhat strong, I will stop chasing you."

Feels like the question came right from her heart after a proper thought.

"Yeah.." 

"Trust me, I won't stop. I don't want to."

"Why not?"

"I don't know the reason, but your back always makes me feel comfortable," said Marie.

"I see..."

I don't know what the right response will be here, as I feel kind of embarrassed and shy. I hope it's not showing on my face, or else she'll start teasing me.

"So, thank you very much for always being there for me," said Marie.

The sun glare hid itself behind the mountains, and the street light turned on and lit the place in the dim glow.

"Marie.." I said.

"Yes?"

I went ahead and hugged her tight, as it felt like she was on the verge of crying.

"Thank you. I am glad I was able to make you feel that way."

She nodded at my shoulders. 

.... 

*Hufff* *Arghhhhh!!

Underground, somewhere in the kingdom of Aetheria. River grunched in pain and screamed as he held his arm ahead on the table, beside his dagger. There's blood everywhere, and bandages are all over his body.

"Do it properly, Mother Fucker! or I'll kill you."

Hesitating, the healer in front places his hand on his hand and places the talisman.

As the light glows from his hand, the cut and wound start joining together, but the pain is too much for River to bear.

"Aaaaa!!!" he says, holding his dagger in anger.

Tch* Tch*

A voice interrupted from behind before River could swing his arm at the healer.

"Control; it was already hard to abduct another healer in the first place, and now you want to kill him too."

A heavy, demonic voice that felt like 2-3 souls were speaking at once came from the shadows.

*Sigh* River sat down again and threw his dagger on the table.

Tap* Tap*

The figure revealed itself, and a woman in a long white t-shirt emerged. Her eyes were small, like a dot in the vast eyeballs. Hairs open and nails big as if multiple knives were ready to strike.

"So are you going to help us now?" said her.

"I said I would help on the condition that I get my revenge and it isn't completed," replied River.

"That's too bad. Maybe you are just too weak," she smiled. "I can help; I happened to know the girl you fought with."

"Bathsheba.." said River. "right? That's your name."

"Yes."

"Watch your mouth." River warned her with a heavy glare. "Or I am cutting you in half."

She let out a big smile, like a devil menacing proudly on the countless souls.