The Spider and the Hawk

"What are you doing here?"

The man who was about to run away froze in one spot, trembling as he turned and faced the other who was emitting a threatening aura. There was no escape, he thought. Just by being near the man he could fear that he is in danger.

"Good sir! I swear I have no involvement with the one you are seeking for!" he said, nervousness was obvious in his tone. "Please spare me, sir!" he cried out, on his knees, clinging tightly to the person's leg.

One of the aides grabbed the begging man by the collar and pulled him up, "Get your filthy hands off."

When he looked up, he felt so small and scared to see the woman looking down at him with a blank face but glaring eyes. He backed down and crawled a bit away from them, 'These people are dangerous!' he thought, chest pounding as he had no escape.

The woman pulled out her sword and pointed its sharp end in front of his face, one touch of it to his nose and it already bled. "Tell us what you know." she said and narrowed her eyes down to the man on the ground.

He bit his lip and cried, a man really crying, "I-I really do not know! Please spare me!" he yelled while bowing, rose up then bowed again. When he raised his head, his face was wet with tears and a snot hanging from his nose.

"Unsightly." the prince grimaced. He gestured and turned around.

The female aide put her sword back and stared at the man. "You may go now." the glare and threat was gone and she turned calm as she let the man go.

"You change your mood too fast, Sherin." another aide came out from the inn, laughing at how scared the man was because of her. "Normal." she answered shortly.

The other aide shrugged at her response and approached the prince. "We are in the right inn. Shall we go inside, Your Highness?" he asked.

Without moving, his eyes travelled around and went to its corners to look at both of his sides. He could feel the stares of the people passing by, for sure they have seen what the aide has done to the man so they are curious. Not only the people passing by, but the group of men near the inn in front of them.

The prince returned his gaze in front and fixed the hood of his cloak, pulling it out even more to hide his face as he felt like some were starting to notice. "Let us go in." he said and gestured to the two aides to open the door.

The doors flung open, giving entrance to the prince. His appearance may have come off as arrogant, making the people inside stand up. The man over the counter who was the inn owner, stopped wiping the mug he was holding and stared at the hooded man across him. He put down the mug and asked, "Who are you, Sir?"

The prince raised his hand and moved his fingers forward. The two beside him nodded and pulled out their swords, making the people inside take a step back and grab anything that can be used as a weapon.

"What do you think you are doing?!" One of the men asked. All of them are ready to attack, grabbing forks, chairs and even their mugs, but are still hesitating whether to fight or not.

The brave one clicked his tongue as he looked at his companions just cowardly standing in their spot. "Cowards!" he shouted to them and looked at the three mysterious people at the front.

He lunged forward to attack the nearest aide but as he pointed the knife at her, she grabbed the hand that was holding the weapon and twisted the man, making him turn around. The aide put her right arm around his nape, pointing the blade of the sword on his neck. The other hand was still on the man's hand, putting the knife on his sides. "Move and you shall meet your death."

The other was attempting to attack the woman but the man yelled at them, "Do not move! Do not move!" he said in a panicked tone. Sherin snorted the man's reaction, "The real coward here..." he said and went closer to his ear, "is you."

Sherin removed her other arm around the man and stole the knife from his hands and flipped it, hitting his sides with butt of the knife, causing him to bend down and grunt in pain.

The other aide sighed and looked at them with pity while slightly shaking his head, "If I were you, you would not dare anger that old lady. If she did not hold back, that man would have no neck by now." he stated and their faces had gloomy expressions, slowly putting down their weapons.

"Tss. Who are you calling old?"

One of the group went close to his fellow brother, "I recognize that woman over there." he whispered. "I also thought that she was familiar, who is she?" the other asked.

"That woman is an Aranean." he said which made the other look at him with disbelief, the eyes of the people who were close to where they are, widened as they know the name. "She is an Aranean? That Spider Clan, Aranea?!"

The whispers got louder and the information has been passed to every corner of the room. Others are chatting about it while others stood still in fear.

They were curious as to why an Aranean would be in Antares, even if they were to come into the kingdom, it would be in secret. They would not show themselves and fight in public. "I do not believe it. No Aranean would dress like that." one of the people behind them whispered, firmly doubting the information.

"Fools, did you not know that one of the daughters of the leader of the Aranea clan was hired by a Stein?" he said, shaking his head at how ignorant they were. "The royal family, Stein? Wait, how do you know so much about it?"

He emitted a confident aura, "I travel a lot to Canopus so I know a lot." He smirked and went even closer to them, "That woman is one of the prince's aides. Mostly known as...

The Phoneutria of Canopus."

When they put their eyes in front of them, their heartbeats quickened to see Sherin looking at them. Her blood red eyes met theirs, she was not doing anything, yet it feels like they will get killed when the woman catches them speaking again.

The moment that the Aranean looked away, the man started speaking again and the others listened closely, "The other one is from the family that has fought for the Steins for generations." he said and they looked at the smiling man who was talking to the spider. "He is Niro, the Hawk of Canopus."

The man noticed their faces changed to a gloomy expression, they must have realized that they were in danger if they fought back. "You will know why he is called a Hawk once you fight him." the man added.

'Stein?' they thought. "Why are the two of them related to the royal family of Canopus?" the brother asked. The man did not answer, "Wait, is the Hawk also an Aide?" he asked again. This time, the man responded with a nod.

Surprised, they looked at the man with a hooded cloak, "That means that man is—!"

"Tell me who you are first!" the owner said to the hooded man in front of him. The two aides leaned towards the bar and slammed their hands on it, startling the owner and made him take a step back. "This man over here is..."

"The Stein Prince of Canopus." the aides and the man said at the same time.

"And the two people beside the Prince," he said and looked at the others, "are the Spider and the Hawk."

The prince removed his hood and looked at the owner directly in the eyes,

"Tell me what you know about 'her'."