Fate is such a fickle thing

The people were busy going about their daily life, shopkeepers shouting their prices, people haggling for prices and children running around. There was a lively atmosphere as Blake and Irene were slowly walking towards the inn.

Irene kept stealing glances at her companion but couldn't quite figure out what to say, how was her grandfather? how did they meet? did her grandfather say anything about her? did her grandfather cheat on her grandmother? so many questions were on her mind but couldn't find how to start. She was used to people fauning over her, to be starstruck or infatuated with her, to treat her as someone higher than them. Never had she encountered someone her age who didn't look at her with lust or greed, this was the first time a man other than her father simply saw her as a woman, a peer, a normal person.

It felt ... refreshing, to be seen not as a princess or someone to be revered, to have a conversation without titles, politics or hidden agendas. But right now after knowing the status of the man beside her, she was the one lost for words and it was something she never experienced and didn't know what to do.

Blake seeing that they were nearing the inn and his companion still couldn't form words decided to start the conversation. "You probably have a lot of questions, so ask away. I'll try to answer them as best i can", he said. Hearing him take the initiative Irene took a deep breath and finally asked, "How is he, grandfather, is he well?". "Yes he is fine, in fact 'I feel like i'm in the prime of my life' was his exact words the last time we sparred and i asked if he was alright", Blake said smiling at the memory. Irene nodded and was glad that he was doing good, "How did you two meet, he didn't tell me exactly where he went and since father forbid me from going to search for him i could never contact him", she asked the last part in a bit of frustration. She had tried to find his whereabouts for years but couldn't find him, since she herself couldn't go, she had sent various people in search but all of them came back without success. "Well, its more i stumbled onto his house rather than any sort of meeting. I woke up and found myself in a forest and didn't know how i got there, so i just walked around until i found a house. I decided to ask for help and maybe find out where i was, so i knocked on the door and grandpa opened it. We talked, i found out i was far away from home and he was kind enough to provide shelter for me and i stayed the night.

After getting acquainted we decided to stay together and he awakened my magic and found i had exceptionally large magic so he decided to train me and we've beem training and living together for the last 3 years. As for where he is, its in Dark Vale forest", Blake answered, but then stopped and looked back when he found Irene stopped moving and looked at him with a shocked expression, "Did you just say, Dark Vale forest, as in the S-rank forest where Rockbears and emboars that are difficult to beat evem for a team of A-rank mages and even S-ranks have a hard time. That Dark Vale forest?", she asked. "I guess?, didn't know it was S-rank or anything, i trained fighting them for training and for food. Man it was really scary for the first year but got used to it after a while", Blake answered nonchalantly.

"They said there are even wyverns in the inner forest and there are rumours of a dragon residing at the very heart of the forest", she said, impressed and amazed that he talked about such dangerous creatures as if they were nothing special. "Oh i've seen a couple of wyverns, but grandpa said not to fight them unless they provoke me first and be have a sort of respect for one another, i don't intrude on their territory and they don't disturb my hunting ground. As for a dragon, i don't know, there might br one, grandpa said to never go to the heart of the forest because a friend of his lives there and doesn't want anybody to disturb his dwelling. Maybe he has a dragon friend?", Blake said, he always followed his grandpa's rules and didn't really have time to wander about anyway so he never found out who lives there.

Irene thought about Blakes words and seemed like her grandpa really might have a dragon friend or a very powerful mage in seclusion. She had read all the books she could find about dragons and wanted to see them and have a conversation with such wise and knowledgeable beings. It was said that they had existed long before humans so the amount of knowledge and experiences they would possess not only on magic but the history of the world was like a goldmine and Irene wanted that knowledge. Ever since she was little, she had a fascination for magic and loved to read the history of various kings, places and legends. The mystery, and wonders in reading of knowledge was her passion and couldn't wait to find a dragon. "One of these days i'll really find a dragon", she thought.

"You know he misses you, he talks a lot about you and how you asked him to read you stories and you'd climb on his head and sleeping there", Blake teased, Irene had a small blush on her face hearing about her childhood but still answered,"I miss him too, i know why he left but still, it made me really sad and angry that he didn't takee with him. I drowned myself in my studies and training ever since", she answered with a self depriciating manner.

"Well since i'm now your personal guard, we could technically go there you know, since i am enough of an escort", he suggested, as he felt sorry for her and knew just how much his grandpa wanted to see her. Hearing Blakes suggestion Irene perked up and had a sudden epiphany that Blake was right and she could finally see her grandfather after more than 8 years. "Your right, lets leave immediately", she was super excited but Blake decided to calm her down, "Whoa, whoa, slow down there princess, lets go after we get the girls and children a proper home first, its not like he's going anywhere. That lazy bum is probably wasting his time on that rocking chair of his. What is it with old people and their stupid chairs", he joked.

*Achoo*, grandpa Ed wiped his nose, "Why do i suddenly have the urge to give that stupid grandson of mine a beating", he mumbled as he sat comfortably on his rocking chair.

Irene and Blake kept conversing and soon they arrived at their destination, after telling them the good news Irene offered them to stay at the palace until their new home could be arranged and the kids were excited while the women were a little hesitant about it. But Irene assured them that nothing would happen to them. It was a shock to them all to know that they had previously been talking to the princess but Irene asked them to talk to her as they did before and not as a princess.

They hired 2 carriages and went towards the palace, while Blake was following them on foot. While he was walking along the road keeping and eye on the carriage, he suddenly remembered that his grandpa had said something about missing Irene's 20th birthday and decided to buy a present for her in his stead.

He walked along the various shops but didn't find anything that he liked. After thinking for a while, he remembered how much she liked to learn about magic and decided to gift her the magic lacrima he found inside an Alpha Rockbear during one of his training sessions.

Arriving at the palace, the children and women were escorted to the east wing, which was designed for guests and the king had ordered they receive the best hospitality available. Making sure they were settled down, Blake followed Irene towards her private chambers as her new guard and they had a pleasant conversation along the way.

"After he said i could name it anything i want, i decided to learn the ancient language that it was original written in and researching its origin i came up with a suitable name", Blake said as they were currently talking about the name of his magic. Irene was amazed that Blake also had magic sense and the more they conversed, the more she found his company pleasant. "So, what did you name it", she asked wondering what he had called her grandfather's self created magic. Blake smiled at her question and simply said, "Now, that would be telling. Maybe you'll find out in the future, hahahaha". Irene had a small pout as no one except her grandpa had ever teased her like this. She decided to ignore him and didn't want to look at him, "Hmph", Seeing her pout and turning away from him with a huff Blake laughed even more and wondered if she knew how cute and spoiled she was acting right now.

Arriving at her quarters before she went in Blake decided to give her the present, "Princess, before you retire i brought you something as a form of compensation for grandpa missing so many of your birthdays and my gift for your birthday", he said and took out the magic lacrima. It was a diamond shaped crystal like structure with a brown sphere in the middle that constantly glowed. Irene looked at the lacrima and was amazed for the umpteenth time. "This is a magic core of an Alpha Rockbear, only a handful of these have been ever been found and are always damaged to a degree because killing them cleanly is hard to due to their high physical and magic resistance", her inner geek went off as she carefully inspected the undamaged core. Because of her enthusiasm she held his hand as she inspected the core and their bodies were touching very closely, Blake was surprised by her enthusiasm and felt heat rising to his face as he could feel the soft mountains pressing his chests as well as her soft hands holding his own. He could smell the scent coming from her, a fragrance of cherry and roses.

Seeing as she didn't seem like she was letting go anytime soon, he decided it was time to retire and cleared his throat, the sound awoke her from her observation and realised the compromising position they were in and immediately took a step back. She was blushing hard and couldn't look at him in the eye, but was secretly happy that he seemed to have a blush as well. This meant that at least he didn't mind the contact. "*Ahem* sorry for my blunder Sir Blake, and thank you very much for the gift, i shall treasure it immensely", She said. "No need for apologies, to be honest....i quite liked it actually. And please call be Blake princess", Blake said with a small smile and a bow. Irene blushed even more but still answered, "Then please call me Irene, then....i-i'll see you tomorrow.....Blake", after saying her piece she immediately went inside and closed her door. Her heart had never beaten so fast nor has she ever been so embarrassed. She had a lot of suitors growing up, various nobles and that bastard Rung too, but she always was disgusted by the looks they gave her when they thought she wasn't looking, how some didn't even hide their intentions, or in the case of Rung, something simply felt wrong and now she knew why. But it never happened with Blake, he didn't seem to have any kind of ulterior motive and his eyes were always looking at hers whenever they talked and when she tried sensing his magic, it felt like it was attracting her. There was this sense of peace and safety when she was around him, although she was a strong mage and fighter and would give any S-rank mage a run for their money, but she was a woman too and wanted someone who was her equal to stand by her side.

While she was living in her thoughts similar things were occuring in the opposite side of the door. Blake held his hand over his chest and felt his heart running a mile a minute. After his training his heartbeat was slow and powerful and had never beaten so fast and loud like it did now. It just felt so right to talk to her, to tease her. The Irene she knew before this life had already gone mad and sadistic, to the point of nearly killing her own daughter and barely surviving as a spirit in Wendy after Acnologia destroyed her body. But this Irene hadn't undergone those horrific times that made her insane, no she was still the innocent and caring princess that loved her kingdom enough to even sacrifice her freedom and marry someone she didn't even know or love. She was cute, endearing, sweet, smart and way her eyes light up when she found something interesting. Not to mention her beauty, he didn't think it was love yet, but he definitely felt attracted to her and his magic sense was attracting towards her magic too. It felt like someone was trying to pull them together.

Shaking his head he headed towards the chamber where the kids were staying, he needed to clear his head a bit. "Fate is such a fickle thing", he mumbled to himself.