156 Pressured Persuasion

"H-how?"

Michael shrugs, "That's not all I know either... I know about how you're being blackmailed by him, how he tries to poison you but poisoned your mother instead. I know the missions he sends you on are meant to kill you, wiping out any remaining heirs to the throne. And I know that sending you on this mission was an attempt to kill you as well." he explains, causing Tabitha to go more and more still the more here revealed.

He continues, "I mean, just look at it objectively. I've done nothing to harm Gallia's interests, not even stepped foot into the country! Yet the King of Gallia sends you to kill me? After I've shown that I'm strong enough to evade capture from not just one country, but two? Cutting my way through anyone stupid enough to try and stop me while I'm at it?... He sent you to die, Tabitha." he explain, crossing his arms and locking eyes with her.

...

She looks down and nods, but refocuses and glares back, "I know. There is no way out, for either of us." she announces, while preparing yet another attack. Only for Michael to interrupt her again, "Wait! I can help you!"

...

"Help... Me?" she mutters as if seeing how the words taste on her tongue.

He nods, "Yeah! This world might not have a cure for your mother, but... What about others worlds!?" he asks, causing Ralf and Tiffania behind him to look at each other with questioning looks, both of them shuffling uncomfortably as they too try to comprehend where Michael was going with this.

His words don't seem to provide any relief to Tabitha however, the girl scrunching her brows after a moment, "You lie."

Michael quickly shakes his head, however, "No!... I have the means to travel to other worlds. Well, not me... But Tiffania here does, as a Void Mage!" he proclaims, unsure if this was the right decision, but going ahead with it regardless. Tabitha was a powerful mage, and a fiercely loyal ally if he could sway her.

His words shock not only Tabitha, but Ralf as well, the man glancing at Tiffania's reaction to see if Michael's words held any truth. She just slowly nods, however, lowering her hood to reveal her ears to Tabitha, "I'm a Void Mage... Sorry for hiding it from you, Ralf."

Ralf immediately drops to a knee and lowers his head, a Void Mage was an object of worship in the Brimir faith, as it was like literally having a child of God in front of you. He'd noticed the peculiarities with Tiffania's magic when he'd been training her, but her words just now only cemented it for him... After all, Tiffania had yet to actually lie to him. "Y-your grace..."

Michael gestures behind him at Tiffania, "Once we recovered Brimir's prayer book, we'll be able to leave this world, leave all these shitty Noble behind, leave your uncle behind. We'll take your mother somewhere that he can't find her, and find a world that can heal her! I swear it!" he exclaims as seriously as he can, knowing that he'd have to kill Tabitha if she refused to work with them... Such knowledge couldn't be allowed to get out after all.

...

Tabitha pats her dragon on the back, causing it to lower itself to the ground and allowing her to hop off of it. She lands on the sand and slowly walks towards him, coming face to face... Or at least, face to chest, due to her small height as she looks up at him into his eyes, holding out her pinky. "Promise. Promise you are telling the truth." she quietly says, more demanding than anything else.

Michael smiles, remembering his sister as he locks his pinky around hers, it'd been a long time since he'd made a pinky promise... He didn't even know such a thing existed in this world. "I promise, we will help you and your mother." he says, shaking their entwined fingers up and down as if giving a handshake. "Now, shall we start this again?... I'm Michael, nice to meet you."

...

Tabitha stares at their entwined pinkies for a moment before looking back up at him, blinking some moisture from her eyes. "Ta-... Charlotte de Gallia. Nice to meet you."

*Clap-Clap-Clap-Clap...*

Tiffania starts clapping at the rather emotional scene but slowly stops as everyone turns to look at her. "Erm, sorry...? I'm just so happy everything worked out... Don't worry Miss Charlotte! We'll help your mother no matter what!"

Charlotte nods, walking over and bowing deeply to Tiffania, "Thank you... Name?"

Tiffania gives a bright smile and presents a hand "I'm Tiffania, it's nice to meet you Charlotte!"

Charlotte shakes the hand but finds her gaze drawn towards Tiffania's ears, the girl looking back and forth between the two protruding bodily extensions. "Elf?" she questions, sounding more curious than hostile.

"Ah-..." Tiffania pauses, having expected a negative reaction, but quickly picks herself back up upon not receiving insults or contemptuous looks. "My mother was an elf, my father was a noble of Albion..." she smiles sheepishly, "I'm actually the next heir to Albion after Prine Wales." she admits, "I guess that makes us the same, if what Michael said was true?"

The sides of Charlotte's mouth upturn into a slight smile, "We are..." she starts, but shakes her head when she begins comparing their heights and breast sizes, "Somewhat..."

Ralf gets up after 'paying his respects' and walks over to Michael, "You spoke of retrieving a sword, but do you have any idea as to where this 'Prayer book' might be?" he asks.

Michael crosses his arms, "Why? You planning on sticking around now?" he jokingly remarks but goes quiet when Ralf nods.

"Of course. Tiffania is too important to leave alone, her status as a Void Mage makes her a gift from Brimir himself... If she wasn't half-elf, she may have been able to rally armies to her on her status alone... Still, you and I will need to speak concerning your knowledge of 'otherworlds', if such a thing is possible."