A KNOT OF LOOSE ENDS

In Defectors state, Alicia perched on one of the benches in the knight headquarters. She searched her surroundings, watching passers-by brushed her by as though she didn't exist.

"This place is so uninteresting."

As she sat waiting for the so-called captain of the head office, she thought to herself. When the secretary told her his name, she was too preoccupied with the prospect of losing her only lead to finding the ghostly blacksmith, all because of that annoying tea freak!

She didn't know why, but she despised him. Her anger was fuelled by his sluggish tone. It had only been a day since their meeting. She chose to report to the headquarters because that was the only choice she had. Her baggage was also robbed, making her trip to the office cardinal.

The secretary finally straightened up and started shouting out her name.

"Iko, Alicia!! Alicia? If Alicia is around, please make yourself available at the secretary's desk."

She sprang out of her chair. She fidgeted with her robe as she rolled the bottom edges of the clothing on her fingertips and palm as she stood at the register, waiting for the next secretary's next words. She fixed her attention on her for a moment, catching her not-so-lazy eye.

The secretary had a stunning, artistic smile. It wasn't flashy enough to draw the attention of the whole audience, but it was distinctive. Her dark hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and she was dressed elegantly in a black cloak, much better than the robes worn by the other knights in Defectors state.

"Mr. Albert isn't going to report to headquarters anytime soon. He's on a mission somewhere, and I'm sure he won't be around for quite some time. I apologize for the inconvenience, but we will let you know as soon as he returns."

"Excellent, just what I wanted!"

She thought to herself as she came dangerously close to slamming her fist against the weak counter, which had nothing to do with it.

"As for the robbery situation, we'll look into it as quickly as possible and locate your belongings..."

The secretary continued, her voice clear in tone, as if it wasn't the first time she'd repeated the lie to the many others who had come to file a fraud complaint.

"Thank you for your report, Miss Alicia; do you have any other needs while you're here?"

"No, thank you, Miss..."

"Miss Felista!"

"Miss Felista!"

"Wait, I thought I was supposed to be doing something important?"

As soon as she knew her name, it rang a bell in her head. Before the secretary walked back to where she came from, it was restored to her.

"Do you happen to know anyone named Garvin, Miss Felista?"

Her appearance quickly shifted from a simple, dulling look to one that was more expressive, defining her facial features and giving the impression that she had put on a new, more colorful face.

"What about him? Is there something wrong with him?"

Every word she said was laced with passion, and she shifted her brows at the end and beginning of each one.

"Nothing seems to be wrong. When I arrived at the border, he told me to tell you to record fifteen hundred and thirty, or something along those lines."

When she drifted away, testing her mind, Alicia glanced at her uncomfortably.

"Uhm, can I inquire as to what makes that number so special?"

Felista's trance took a while to be shattered by Alicia's inquiry.

"Oh, it's nothing; it's just the total amount of refugees we've allowed to cross the border this moon,"

Alicia was also perplexed as to how the number of refugees could make her face flush! Or did she have a thing for big numbers?

"What's the big deal with refugees? You're acting strange," she said.

"Oh my goodness, was it that obvious? It's not the migrants, it's Garvin!"

Garvin? What does he have to do with all of this?

Instead of whispering into Alicia's ear, she whispered into her face. It wasn't really a whisper; it was almost like she was breathing her breath in Alicia's direction, trying to get the words out of it.

"Did he change his haircut, he didn't, did he? Wow, it's been so long since I've seen him!"

"Garvin! What may it be in the smoke pot that makes her look like a drunk cat!?"

What may it be in the smoke pot that makes her look like a drunk cat!?" Alicia asked herself.

"He's tall and muscular, and he's got that fantastic shiny hair, eh, I wish he could be posted in headquarters, but Albert wanted to send him to the border, and it seems that he's out to ruin our blossoming romance."

"Wait, tall, that guy is clearly shorter than most door frames,"

Alicia thought to herself once more.

Alicia mused, almost smiling at her own exaggerations. Felista uttered her final words with a strong dislike for Albert. It was obvious from the scowl on her face as she said his name.

"Does he happen to be your lover or something?"

"I wish, but the fact is that I'm afraid to speak with him! Whenever I do, my sentences get choppy."

Alicia had reached the end of her perplexity.

"So you don't interact with him but yet claim to be in an intimate relationship with him?"

"Hey, I said it was blossoming, but it's only in the planning stages!"

Felista's juvenile gesture drew Alicia's attention. She had never known how people fall in love, owing to the fact that she had never experienced it herself. The manliest of men and the most stubborn of women were overgrown toddlers as a result of this passion.

When she was younger, she witnessed her mother and father behaving differently when they were together and when they were apart and she thought it was due to some kind of spell. She never understood love as a child. She was absolutely stunning. Her days at the Noble school proved that to her when she received love letters enshrouded in her bag on a regular basis, and the brave ones approached her and asked her out on a date, only to be rudely turned down.

During her school years, she must have maimed the souls of half of her class, which was a significant number. She was also dubbed "Iron Heart" by her peers. But it wasn't her fault; she had never cared much for someone who had asked her out. Her heart was frozen solid, and not even the most charming boys from the noblest of families could crack it, despite their best efforts. However, she quickly wished she could experience it because it made her uncomfortable. Felista was behaving like a child in front of her.

"Did he say when he'll be back?"

"No, he just told me to pass the detail on to Felista, the secretarial assistant," I explained to Alicia.

Standing next to Felista made Alicia feel a little uneasy. She was worried that any extended interaction with her would expose her to whatever was afflicting Felista.

"Okay, I'll be on my way now. I'll stop by later in the week; maybe the captain will have returned from his mission by then."

When she turned around and approached the exit, she said to herself, 'Perhaps Felista will have returned to her old self by then.' Felista was absolutely deaf. Alicia assumed her place and departed the headquarters, returning to the crowded streets of Kiyani town, where the headquarters were located. She didn't know what she was going to do next. At that hour, a meal sounded appealing; fortunately, the thieves did not take her money pouch, which she wore around her waist.

Alicia was exhausted after a long day of walking around town, and her legs begged to be amputated and immersed in cold water to cool off. Her bulky armor made it difficult for her to get about. Alicia sat on a bench by a wooden bridge on the outskirts of town. The small bridge linked the path leading out of town with the path leading back to the village she had just visited. It was founded over a narrow stream that snaked its way down from the forest's mountains to hidden valleys in the east. Its waters were so pure that they appeared like they were made of glass.

Alicia noticed a young girl filling her water bottle under the bridge. She was swaying her head from side to side, looking into the swirling watercourse, humming a song to herself. A large basket of vegetables stood beside her, full to the brim. The little girl was dressed in a beautifully colored tunic with a blue ribbon on one side and a light green ribbon on the other. Alicia wasn't sure why, but she felt drawn to speak with her; maybe it was her comforting high-pitched voice that pulled her in. She found herself crossing the bridge and turning in the direction of the girl.

Alicia was taken aback by the girl's response at first. She reasoned that she had seen something behind Alicia that had caused her to jump backward and lose her bottle. Alicia turned to glance behind her but saw nothing, so she turned back to face the girl, who was looking her in the eyes with a dreaded expression on her face.

'she's afraid of me?' Is it possible that I have something on my face? '

Alicia was perplexed, she asked herself.

"Hello, little one, my name is..."

"Please don't cause me any harm! I've brought everything; there won't be any more until the next moon!"

Inside of Alicia, a horrible feeling was brewing. How could a young child be so scared of her? That feeling gnawed at her and made her feel guilty, she didn't like it.

"No, I believe you mistook me for someone else!" I'm not here to do you any harm!"

The little girl seemed to be terrified. She clung to her tunic with trembling hands. She was cautiously creeping out, as though she needed to get out of the bridge's shadow and take off as fast as she could. Alicia was so angry at herself that she tried to punch herself for scaring that girl. Is it because she approached her under a bridge, giving the impression that she was abducting her? It couldn't be that she didn't have a kidnapper's face.

"Yeah, it's all right. Please accept my apologies if I frightened you. If it makes things easier, I'll leave. All I wanted to do was chat.

"Are you here for the weapons?"

The little girl inquired, her voice soothing and less nervous than before. She was slowly but gradually returning to her former self.

"Weapons?" asked Alicia. " No, I was just sitting on the bench when I saw you and wanted to say hello!"

The girl's eyes dilated quickly, and she raised her brows so much that they almost touched her hairline. Then came a bright grin that ripped half her face open. She sprang to her feet and hurried over to her water bottle. She then skipped all the way across the bridge to Alicia and gave her an enthusiastic embrace with both of her little hands grabbing Alicia's left hand.

"Then you must have arrived in need of repairs!"

Weapons, repairs, and other words that Alicia didn't equate with a child her age didn't make much sense to her that she was familiar with them.

"Repairs?" Alicia asked.

"Isn't it true that you're a knight guard? But I've never seen a purple-robed knight guard before?"

How could she have known Alicia was a knight guard because all the knight guards in Defectors state wore black uniforms? Or perhaps it was simply that obvious.

"Actually, I'm a state guard..."

"Ooh, that's much better! A state guard is a friend of mine! She's incredible."

Her eyes glowed much more.

"Can I have a look at the repairs?"

The girl said to Alicia, extending her hand in the hopes of receiving something. Alicia placed her hand on her sword unconsciously. The little girl's attention was drawn away from Alicia's face and toward the blade.

"It's the blade, can I look at it?"

"Uhm...no problem," Alicia said.

It was an understatement to say that Alicia's sword was in bad shape. It had been well over a decade since it had been serviced. It had just been three weeks after her mother had given it to her, and it was only sitting on a shelf in her house, waiting to be swung again. Alicia carefully removed her sword from her sheath and handed it to the little girl. She was concerned that reckless handling of the blade would result in the little girl's hand being severed.

"Isn't this from his earlier days? In reality, I've never seen anything like it before. Normally, he infuses the handle with the sword, but this one seems to have been designed separately."

"Huh! He?"

Alicia inquired of the girl.

"Yes, Grandpa, isn't he the one who made you this sword?"

"Are you referring to the blacksmith?"

"Yes, silly, now, come on, we've got to get going; he said we're leaving as soon as my big brother and I finish supplying the swords to the knight guards; now, let us hurry up before we leave; he may be able to help you."

'All right, let me first assist you with this basket,"

Alicia took the basket and slung it over her shoulder. What a once-in-a-lifetime chance, Alicia never expected luck to be on her side that day; maybe it was destiny that her luggage was stolen so she could find that precious little girl under the bridge.

Her tiny hands caught Alicia's left hand and began pulling her with all of her strength, but it wasn't nearly enough to get Alicia to move. They continued jogging into the forest after crossing the bridge. The sun was setting and the night was coming.

Alicia took the basket and slung it over her shoulder. What a once-in-a-lifetime chance, Alicia never expected luck to be on her side that day; maybe it was destiny that her luggage was stolen so she could find that precious little girl under the bridge.

Her tiny hands caught Alicia's left hand and began pulling her with all of her strength, but it wasn't nearly enough to get Alicia to move. They continued jogging into the forest after crossing the bridge. The sun was setting and the night was coming.

She saw the girl running about as though she had been there before. Then Alicia recalled the tale of the vurhan abducting people and turning their bodies inside out as they wandered through the forest.

"Hey, do you think it's okay to go for a stroll through the woods right now?"

The little girl didn't even notice her because she was so busy giggling and running around.

"Hey, little kid, are you sure it's okay to go for a walk in the woods at this hour?"

She repeated her question,

"Well, it's perfectly safe. My older brother is with us, and he is a gifted individual who would not allow anything to happen to us."

"What's your name, by the way?" "

She came to a halt, her eyes closed and a luminous grin on her lips, and she gladly answered the question with unrivaled enthusiasm,

"My name is Lisa, "

She said it as if it were the best name in the world to her. Who in their right mind wouldn't fall in love with such a vibrant soul? Her vivid and lovable aura softened Alicia's spirit. Lisa and Alicia landed in an open field after a long montage of circling trees and untangling weeds from her boot. The sky had already darkened with the arrival of night. She found two tents and a small bonfire in the center of the open area. An individual sat beside the flickering flames, gazing into the hot embers under the light.

"Let's go,"

Lisa was frantically skipping towards the individual seated beside the embers when they approached the bonfire. Alicia trailed her by a few steps.

"Hi, brother! Was I away for a long time?"

The man was dressed in a long robe with a hood that fell over his back.

"You almost gave the old guy a heart attack because it took you too long."

Alicia scowled as soon as the voice reached her eardrums. She was well aware of the sluggish sound! It was something she would never forget.

"It's you!"

She yelled at the guy who was seated in front of the fire, loving the warmth. He twisted his head to look at Alicia in a sluggish manner. Since he was wearing his hood at their first meeting, Alicia never got a chance to see his face, however, she could now. His silky black hair brushed against his brow. His eyes were partially open, and his chiseled jaw was clearly marked by the shadow cast by the flames on his neck. Of course, he was holding a steaming cup of tea in his right hand.

"Who is she?"

He inquired of little Lisa, clearly demonstrating that he had no clue who Alicia was.

"What do you mean, 'Who is she?' You were the one who caused me to misplace my belongings!!!"

The man brushed her aside and returned to blowing off the steam rising from his cup of tea. Alicia had no idea why, but she despised that man! Nothing, in particular, made her dislike him, but when she first met him, it was the first feeling that came to mind.

"Hey! When I'm talking to you, keep an eye on me!"

The man then twisted his head back and looked Alicia in the eyes, not blinking once. Alicia's words appeared to be pulled from her lips by the gaze. She became uneasy as she stared into his eyes. The man then stood up and walked towards her, squinting his eyes a little.

Alicia tried to flee, but her legs didn't appear to be cooperating. The man was just inches away from Alicia, his gaze fixed on her. Alicia tried to raise her arms and drive him backward, but her body seemed to be acting up. Alicia's defiant mouth started to behave on his own again after a five-second period of straight eye contact between the two.

"Oh, it's you again," said the guy, finally recognizing her.

The man moved in closer, his gaze fixed on the king's seal affixed to Alicia's breastplate.

"you seem to be someone I know? I'm sure I've seen you anywhere else except the Thief's Market, right?"

"Wha... what the hell are you doing, you pervert!!"

Her voice was quieter than normal, sometimes cracking. Her sense of contact was paralyzed by a wave of unease. Her palms and legs were tingling with enthusiasm. Was this some kind of sorcery, the man's gift, a kind of paralysis caused by simply staring someone in the eyes?

"I'm ... I'm telling you, if you don't stand back, I'll slice your face off."

She wanted to sound as threatening as she could, but her softened voice never came close to being dangerous. What was going on with her? She had never behaved in such a way before in her life. He was clearly taller than she was. Given the fact that he was a little farther down, she could already sense his warm breath cascading over her brow in the frigid night. She finally had her sword in her hand, but just as she was about to draw it, she heard a grumpy voice from inside one of the tents.

"Is it you, Lisa? Why did it take you so long?"

Lisa jumped to her feet and skipped over to the tent.

"Sorry, gramps, but the knights were a little late!"

"It's well, but what about the vurhan detail... Which village did they claim was..."

As soon as he walked outside and saw Alicia, he cut his speech short and left the query hanging.

"Oh, you brought a knight with you; will she be our guide to the village?"

Alicia was paralyzed with terror. Her spine tingled when she saw the man's deep cut over his forehead. He was in his late fifties at the time. That rickety voice was unmistakable. She'd heard it a thousand times in town halls when she was a child. His wrinkled skin was also not to be overlooked. Fear overtook Alicia's mind as adrenaline-filled her bloodstream. She couldn't believe what she was saying. Drom's far-fetched argument had been proven correct all along when the former Commander of the Independent States stood right in front of her.