First Impressions

Chapter 11 

She jolts awake. Her limbs that were entangled with another body makes her fall on her face. She groans but stands up to continue to hobble over to the nearest bathroom. She drank way too much last night. Her eyes were almost sewn shut with sleep. And her breath stank. 

Ugh. Zarracen shakes her head before washing up and leaving the bathroom. The room she was in. Certainly wasn't in the barracks. Odd. She rubs her face looking around unsure of where she's at. She drank herself into a stupor last night wound up flirting and leaving but she left by herself right? 

The knight looks around the room. Looks like she's in some kind of noble's quarters. From the style of the place, it looks like she's in a hotel of some sort. Crap. How much does such a place cost. It's still dark out so maybe just maybe she can run off without trying to foot the bill. 

Zarracen didn't need to stay to get yelled at in the morning. She dresses quickly and quietly to escape. 

"Going somewhere?" The woman says just as Zarracen was pulling on the suit jacket. She turns to see a woman walk in. 

"Uhhhh yes?" She says in a bit of questioning tone surprised to see this woman here in front of her. 

The woman should feel threatening given her Videle levels were Tier 1 just up under Zarracen's own. And yet she didn't exude the need to try to harm her. This has her pausing as well as the lack of disdain she had. If this was her room then she's gotta be a noble of some kind. 

"Who are you and where am I?" Zarracen questions. 

The brunette arches a finely trimmed eyebrow before walking forward and handing Zarracen a bundle of clothing. Unconsciously Zarracen takes it a bit taken aback. 

"I am Fiella Disma Aide to her highness Isabella," the woman introduces herself. Zarracen stares at her. 

"You were one of women with her last night. You were wearing a party dress." 

"As were most non-female knights." 

It's an odd statement of course but the woman was wearing butler like clothing fitted to her curves. The hair that was done yesterday was up in a stern bun not one lock of hair out of place. 

"I what do ya want with me." Zarracen gathers herself. 

"For you to get dressed. Her highness will be expecting you within an hour." 

"For what!? Sun's not even up and-" 

 "And you are her personal royal guard meant look after her as of your appointment yesterday and instead you got so thrashed you passed out, I believe on your way home." 

"And so what. It was a party." 

"From what I found out about you; you can hold your liquor. Many expressed surprises yesterday when you didn't pass out after the fourth bottle of Haggd." 

"I need to go to the Valor Barracks and retrieve my equipment." 

"No need if you check through that door over there, you'll find your belongings from the Valor Barracks, that bag containing the dragon's fire sac and other miscellaneous items that are yours." 

"What!? You broke into my room and bypassed the magic protections." 

"Nothing is protected from the royal family it'll do you well to remember that. I'll be back in thirty." 

Fiella leaves Zarracen standing their fury burning in her chest. Her privacy, the little she had in the shared barracks invaded. The princess was full of it if she thought Zarracen would just let her get away with that. 

Zarracen scoffs humorlessly. Who was she kidding. Isabella Desdemona was the princess of the Empire she had sworn herself to. The only way she wouldn't is if she was a foreigner. 

Auturia is looking better by the second. She clenches the clothes in her hand before sighing and taking a look at it. For a decision that was made yesterday it appears she already has a royal guard uniform with her crest and colors tailored to her size. She readies herself for the day placing the dark red and black uniform on. 

It's snug. Zarracen moves slightly. Pants feel like leather but not. Interesting. It's good material better than what she got for the Valor uniform at the very least. She moves to the closet and finds what was left of her weapons. A spear, a dagger and a sword. Zarracen places the dagger on her right hip and the sword on her left. 

She's ready at the very least for what. She didn't know. 

True to her word Fiella was back within thirty minutes. If the chronminer on the wall's time is right. Zarracen stares at her as she enters her room without a knock. 

"I thought nobles would at least be polite enough to knock," Zarracen states her eyes narrowing on Fiella. 

"Come," Fiella didn't even respond. 

The woman simply turns on her heels and walks out expecting Zarracen to follow. It's here where Zarracen takes a seat on the bed as the woman approaches the door. 

Hearing her sit Fiella turns on her. The woman whose presence was muted looked like she wanted to explode. Zarracen simply smirks at her. The princess was one thing but she's damn sure not going to let this Fiella order her about. 

"The princess is waiting." 

"You say that like that means anything to me when my autonomy has been stripped as a Knight of Valor now that I'm a royal guard." 

Fiella scoffed at this. The knight from the slums simply blinks at her. 

"You can come quietly, or I'll make you." 

"Wanna try it?" 

The aura's of their videle starts to spike. Zarracen uses this chance to feel what Fiella has. Her aura was like murky darkness able to disappear and burn brightly all at the same time. It's interesting. She grins. Excited for a fight. 

However, Fiella's energy recedes leaving Zarracen the only with hers spiked. Zarracen blinks in confusion as she turns on her heels and walks off. The former knight of valor sits there a moment feeling unsettled. 

"Shit!" 

She jolts up and follows her energy. Zarracen hurries after her. Her long strides allowing her to catch up to the shorter woman with ease. Fiella glances at her and smirks as if she knew she'd come. It's true Zarracen is many things, but she's not fool enough to ignore an order from the emperor or a princess. 

She requested her presence last night. She's on the way to her. 

"Where are we?" Zarracen questions looking around the hallways. 

Usually there are paintings along them, but it was rather bare. No statues either. It's kind of creepy. 

"The Crystal Mist Mansion that Princess Isabella resides in," Fiella informs as they turn a corner down another long hallway. 

They walk to edge of the hallway to what seems to be a door made purely out of Ethrite. Fiella opens the door slowly without a knock again. Zarracen blinks in confusion at this. 

"Fiella is she with you?" Fiella curtsies. 

"Yes your highness." She steps aside allowing her to enter the room fully. 

Zarracen is taken aback at Isabella's appearance. She's lounging on a crimson couch with near see through nightwear on. 

"Welcome Galt Ahktan." Her name startles her out of her stupor of just staring at her. 

Zarracen bows at the waist. 

"Your highness," she greets utilizing the little skill in etiquette she has. 

"Come here." 

Zarracen approaches slowly unsure of what was happening. Isabella stands when she approaches allowing the knight to note her being just a head shorter than her. The woman's eyes stare into her own red ones making Zarracen lost. Her eyes glaze over as Isabella places her hand to her cheek a grin displaying on her face. 

The knight could feel her mind getting muddied as the princess' other hand runs up the side of her waist to her arms. The hand that was on her right cheek slides down her shoulders. 

"What's going on?" Zarracen murmurs she could feel Isabella's videle with every touch. It's like a cool piece of ice was sliding against her skin despite being fully dressed. 

"Take a seat Zarracen we have much to discuss about your duties." 

That snaps Zarracen out of whatever spell she was under. She steps back bringing her own videle to the surface to burn away the cold. She rubs her hands through her curls. 

"Nothing to discuss is there. I'm your guard and I'm to protect you that's it." 

"Hah!" Isabella laughs but it sounded so mocking. "You think is your job. Fool." 

"Oh then tell me what's the job of the Royal Guard." 

"To be my pet. I asked for a wolf but a jackal will do." 

"I'm no pet." 

"Seemed very docile a moment ago like a trained one." 

"That's because you-" what did she do Zarracen stops herself. There was no invasion of videle on her mind she wasn't under a spell. She didn't understand it. It was something like what Emperor Bhaltair did in the throne room but different. 

"Sit." Isabella turns away to Fiella. "Bring us something to drink and then leave us." 

"But-" Fiella starts to argue but she's silenced with Isabella holding a finger up her way. Fiella disappears. 

Isabella looks at Zarracen her eyes pointedly making her want to comply. Zarracen sits down with her eyes closed as she tries to right her mind. Isabella settles next to her. She opens her eyes they land on the smooth expanse of her olive skin. Her chest hitches and she averts her gaze. 

Fiella brings them a warm drink. From the smell it smells like maxt. A sweet drink that many drinks in the morning to wake them up. Zarracen takes the cup and sips from it as Fiella leaves them alone. 

"Let me disabuse you of the notion that you are here for my protection," Isabella starts which causes Zarracen to look at her. "You are here as an insult." 

"What?" 

"Children of the royal family stop utilizing formal guards at the age of twelve. If you're not strong enough by then to protect yourself, you're dead or considered unfit for rules. Living as long as I have, you'll find I have a great many dead bodies under my feet from the number of assassins sent to my bed chambers." 

"Which is why the emperor assigned me as a royal guard." 

"He assigned one as a means to make me out to be an unfit ruler." Isabella sneers. Zarracen shrugs. In comparison to her siblings' backgrounds, she seemed to be not as promising. Kayiback didn't even think anything of her and given his family he should know. 

But, Zarracen did think it was odd that she was assigned to Isabella. Not to mention her eyes narrow it felt like an icy cold wind that could cast over the whole continent worth of videle was beneath Isabella's skin. It felt like it was hidden but she could sense it. She was powerful and certainly didn't need a guard. 

Even if she did it feels like Fiella would fill that role. It's weird to her. 

"It's an insult to me. Land and to guard you as a prize for killing a dragon." 

"Yes, in comparison to your cohorts prizes yours was lacking wasn't it." Zarracen nods her head in agreement. 

"Why did you summon me?" 

"To let you know the danger you're in. As my guard you're to always accompany me everywhere. Gather a group of trusted subordinates to set up a guard rotation for my protection. I'll be vetting every one of them though." 

"I know that much." 

"Fifty will do." 

"I don't even know five people." 

"Maybe you should've made friends instead of enemies Jackal." 

Zarracen places the cup down gently on the table in front of them. She stands in one motion. She didn't really know what Isabella was telling her this for. She knew the job of a royal guard watching her to make sure she didn't die. She'll keep her alive because it'll keep her alive. 

She remembers when she was younger and one of the royals were kidnapped as a child. Their guards were strung up and killed for all to see. She didn't want to end up like them. She'd protect Isabella because her life is on the line. Everything else she might imply didn't matter to Zarracen. 

"I'm not swearing myself to you." 

"I already have a personal knight." Isabella waves her hand dismissively. "You may leave be back in four hours I have something to attend to." 

Zarracen leaves out and Fiella enters. The door shuts slowly but Zarracen is able to hear easily the two of them talking. 

"She's brash your highness," Isabella chuckles. 

"That's always been her charm Fiella." 

"But that doesn't change the fact that...." 

The words suddenly become muffled. Zarracen unable to eavesdrop anymore, walks off. She returns to her room and finds her way to her bag with the dragon's fire sac. She has four hours she can eat this and absorb the videle within that time can't she? She frowns at the sac and then blinks. 

She needs to pay the mercenaries.