17 Bea

"I guess we won't receive any help from this place." 

Titania tried her best to carry the Archduke by her shoulder as she struggled to find some cover from the rain. The place is getting darker since the moonlight is covered by clouds. "What luck." She continued searching until she found a nearby cave. 

"I couldn't believe this." She talked to herself out of frustration. "Ebony! Come here." Titania called up to the horse as she lay the Archduke on the ground. Any longer than that would make their belongings dripping wet. Even if Astra made their bags waterproof. 

"What kind of luck is this?" 

The rains look like it won't stop, and the Archduke is out of his wits. Titania noticed Sylvester trembling due to coldness; she chuckled and thought, 'So he's not immune to the cold?' and then she began making fire with the branches she found. 

"Good thing I've joined girl scouts camp back on Earth." She said after making a fire inside the cave. 

"Let's see, what should we eat?" Bonbon and Ebony just looked at her being busy preparing for their meal. 

If she didn't grow up in an orphanage where she needed to prepare their daily meal, then she probably wouldn't last a minute in this world.

As she continued cooking their meal, she noticed how the Archduke grunts in his sleep. She wondered what could be his problem, but she almost shouted when he touched his arm due to how hot it was.

Titania tried to touch the Archduke's forehead and was astonished for the second time. That's when she realized that the Archduke was burning with fever, and he was still wearing his wet clothes. 

Anxiety filled her mind knowing that she was not aware of the conditions of the Archduke; she thought that he might die with how hot he was (literally).

Without even thinking, Titania begins undressing the Archduke as she places a sleeping bag on the floor. Ebony bit her dress, stopping her from moving further when she was about to pull Sylvester's pants off. 

"I'm trying to help; let me go." But the horse didn't listen and was about to swing Titania the other way. However, the sudden grunting of the Archduke made her stop doing so.

"If you still want your Master to live, then let me go." The horse quickly lets the lady's dress go as she goes back to what she was doing. 

Without hesitance, she pulled the Archduke's pants off and made him wear a new one to keep him from feeling cold any longer. She even placed her favourite blanket on him to make him feel warmer. 

The sounds of the rain dropping on the ground make Titania feel dozy. She finished eating with Ebony and Bonbon, and now they're asleep alongside Sylvester. Titania also fed the Archduke soup to keep his stomach warm. 

Titania kept putting a damp cloth on Sylvester's forehead to at least ease the pain on his head. He looks like he's been struggling for a while now. 

Titania thought that if she could just control her powers, she might help the Archduke. "It's not that I care about him, though." She said to herself as she watched the rain outside. 

Her bruises disappeared after her fight with the Viscount because of Titania's healing ability. She didn't know how she activated it, but it just did. It also helped Bonbon when he was crushed by a carriage and acquired some minor bruises. 

"Wait! I remember Astra gave me some medicines." She searched her bag, but the medicines were missing. 

She sighs, "I hate my life," Titania murmured as she lay down on the cold floor of the cave. She didn't even bother putting a sleeping bag for her because she was too tired. Her eyes grew heavier as she slowly fell asleep. 

The following day, all Titania could feel was regret. The Archduke's condition worsened, and his face turned pale with lips turning into blue colour. Titania didn't know what to do, so she decided to go to the village to get some medicines and herbs. 

But she couldn't do that by foot, and so she tried her best to learn how to ride Ebony alone. It was difficult since she couldn't control the said horse; even so, she did great. 

She left the Archduke with Bonbon by his side as she rode along the wet and slippery road back to the foot of the mountain. 

They've arrived at the village entrance. As Titania removed the hood of her cloak, all the attention went to her. The usual response of people upon seeing Titania is awe with how gorgeous she is, but here it's different. 

They all looked at her with angst, whispering that she was the 'Devil's companion.' She ignored their mumbles that kept stabbing her on the back, and she silently walked towards the small clinic they had. 

A deadly and piercing gaze followed her as she went inside the clinic, leaving Ebony outside. "Can I get some medicine for a fever?" She asked the clerk inside. 

Instead of giving her what she needed, the clerk looked at her up and down and laughed. "We don't serve the devil." The clerk said, making Titania flustered, 'Why did she laugh at me?!' is what keeps going on her mind as she stares back at this clerk person that doesn't seem to know her place. 

"I have rubis." Titania showed them the bag of rubis that she brought, and as if it sparkled something, the people inside the clinic began surrounding her like a pack of wolves hunting a small rabbit in the middle of a forest. 

"Give it." One of the villagers said while holding an axe pointing towards Titania, she backed away and ended up crashing onto the wall.

"Are you seriously going to threaten the Fairy Queen?"

The villagers looked at each other and laughed. "You people use your titles whenever you're in a pinch. When you don't even help your own people." A woman said. Knowing that she's not aware of what happened in the past, Titania doesn't know what to say.

"The man you're marrying, he has forsaken us! He chose to be the Coventry's dog instead of leading us as the Emperor!" 

Titania couldn't believe what they were saying; she knew that the Archduke didn't forsake his people. "He's doing his best to protect you all, didn't he?" 

Titania received a slap from a woman holding a knife, making her fall to the ground. "Protect us? Don't make me laugh. He let the demons feast on us to save the capital where that useless Emperor is." She looked at the woman in disbelief, 'He wouldn't do that. Wouldn't he?'

"Hey, stop it. Just get the rubis already." The man with the axe said as he snatches the bag of rubis from Titania. They quickly kicked her out of the clinic soon after they got what they've wanted. 

'What a bunch of jerks,' is what Titania thought as she rubbed off the dirt from her dress. She didn't mind that she got slapped for no reason at all. It didn't hurt that much anyway.

"I guess we need to find another village." She petted Ebony and was about to ride her.

"Young miss," that was until a woman wearing a black cloak appeared in front of her. "May I offer you some help? I noticed the villagers maltreated you." The woman removed her hood and showed a smile. 

She has long, straight pitch-black hair and a pair of dark black eyes. Titania wonders who the woman is, she's emitting a mysterious aura, and it is the first time for Titania to see a person from this world with black eyes. They usually have different eye colours, the opposite of Earth.

"I think I should go." 

Titania didn't want to involve herself with the people of the village anymore after the trouble she had gone through and is now ready to go away. But the woman grabbed her from the hand, "I have the things you want." 

Although reluctant, Titania followed the woman. They arrived at a small house outside the village, almost near the cave where Sylvester is. 

"Do you have medicine for a cold?" Titania wandered her vision through the whole house. There were things that she couldn't understand, a dead black crow hanging by the window, a creepy doll beside the bed, and a big black mirror in front of her. 

"No." 

Her forehead puckered, 'She told me that she has it, didn't she?!'  "Then why did you bring me to your place?" The woman looked at Titania all of a sudden, making her surprised. 'Why is she acting like a serial killer in a horror game?' is what she thought as she slowly backed away.

"That's not what you want." The woman giggled. "And by the way, my name is Bea." Bea reached out her hand for a handshake, but Titania felt hesitant. She's weirded out by how Bea acts as if she knows everything about her. 

Bea, all of a sudden, pulled Titania's hand and hugged her, "Don't be shy, I won't bite." Titania didn't want to hurt the woman because she might be overthinking things. But black crow hanging by the window? If that isn't a red flag, then who knows what is?

"You can go back now." 

Titania stood quiet for a moment while staring at the woman. "You don't have any medicine to give to me?" 

Bea could not stop grinning, "You won't need it." 

Titania's eyes narrowed due to confusion, 'What is wrong with this woman?' is what she thought as she tried to analyze the woman in front of her. 

Bea sighs, "Okay, I know you're having trouble triggering your magical abilities." Titania's eyes widened; how did she know that? That is what she thought. 

"Of course I'll know it. You're the Fairy Queen, yet you find medicines for a cold." Bea giggled as she gave Titania a genuine smile. 

"Now go, and be safe." 

Even if Bea was creepy and quite mysterious at first, Titania thought she wasn't that bad compared to the other villagers. She smiled and waved the woman goodbye as she rode at the back of Ebony and hurriedly went back to the cave where the Archduke was waiting.