Promise

"I have something to protect which is very precious to me" Irie answers without any hesitation

"hmm...I see" general chuckles

as he was about to say more someone interrupts them "sir, your highness is asking for you"

he left after giving the message.

general unlocks the chain for Irie

"go home, you are lucky that I am not keeping you here because you are still underage and don't try to sneak out again, I will be watching over you" Arthur gives Irie a side eye and then finally walks out

Irie dusts off her cloths then grab all her belongings and moves out from there, it's the second time she has ever been to the main city but this time without her grandmother.

Irie found it very noisy place she thinks how people even service in place like this, poor Irie haven't seen anything yet. if she did then she would have thought this place is way better then any.

"I am hungry let's grab something to eat first"

~are you seriously thinking about food right now?

Ryu asks in disbelief

"so what should I do sit and cry" Irie roles her eye

~fine! do what ever you want!

"now don't be mad at me"

"hey!? Ryu?"

"this stupid dragon" Irie whisper and keep walking after few minutes of walk she finally spots a stall with less people, they were selling dumplings. she buys five plates on which seller was also shock but why care since he gets to earn a little more today.

Irie walks to less crowded area but realised that there is no such place where she could be alone unless she climbed a high area, so she simply find an dark allay so she could climb and find an empty rooftop.

again after walking and jumping for few minutes here and there on roof of the houses and shops she thought may be she should just walk home but don't know how much time that will take but still she starts walking towards the forest.

once she reaches to the dense forest which is blocking all kinds of noises Irie let out a sing of relief, "this is way better, right Ryu?" Ryu didn't answers back who is till sulking god knows where

"ugh! fine don't talk to me and I couldn't care less" now Irie is sulking.

Irie sits down beneath a shady tree and took out the tasty dumplings she brought, her mouth started to drool the moment she smelled those tasty dumplings so why wait and she dig in.

"mm..Ryu it's so.. good" Irie eats non stop

~like I could ever taste them

Ryu roles his eyes on her

"oh..." Irie paused because she realised where this conversation might go so she didn't say anything further

~its okay...I don't desire to eat them anyway

"it's not okay Ryu! I want you to taste them too I want to enjoy it with you I promises one day we both will sit and eat this dumplings together"

~we are together now too Irie

"yes but I am still alone here you know"

Irie will never say it but only she knows how lonely she feels when her grandmother is not here with her.

the sun sets too fast she didn't even realised when it started to get dark while she was resting under the shade

"look what we have here"

Irie opens her eyes when she heard someone talking she found few men gathered around her looking at her which gave her chills down the spine

"why are you alone lady haha wana have some fun with us?" those men were drunk and talking bullshit which only pissed off Irie.

one man came to grab her but Irie is quick enough to move out of there pretty fast they don't even noticed her, she kicked a man's bottom from behind and he falls in pain.

other men leashes towards her

"you little shit!"

"hey! don't curse in front of me I am still underage you know" Irie laughs on her own sentence because she just remembered that those were general's words

then she took each one of them one by one but still some of them ran away.

~are you okay are you hurt somewhere?

"no..no I am fine"

~i think we should rest some where safe for the night

"I am not sleepy anymore you know" Irie shrug, she takes a look around and it's really quite around her not even a leaf move from its place too much of silence.

since she has nothing to do she decided she could do some self training with the swords because general said she is very bad

"I know I am but what can I do, if only anyone can teach... wait" Irie shook her head

"wait who can better then general itself?"

~and why do you think he will do that for you?

"we won't know until we try right?"

Next morning~

"no"

just an straight answer with a straight face Irie receives from Arthur, this early morning she sneak inside the training yard where the prince was giving the lessons to the new recruits. and she was caught by general yet again. she started to wonder how he is always the one to find her out all the damn time.

"general please....I swear I will do anything for you" Irie has been tailing general for about an hour now. she has been trying to pursuing general to teach her the techniques.

general turns back and lift Irie by her collar

"if you keep this up! I will chop your throat and feed your body to my dogs" more like a threat.

"I am ready to become your dog's meat sir but please! only you can teach me those swords" Irie looks fearless into general eyes.

"oh?! is that so then...why don't you follow me" Arthur let go of her then Irie follows him again

'he is not going to serve me to his dogs right' Irie is questioning herself now because Arthur is leading her to the battlefield, why though she thought.

"get in there" Arthur commands Irie to walk inside the empty field no one is there at this time, general open the gates for her.

she walks in not knowing what is gona happen next is he going to training her? Irie thought

~irie I don't have a good feeling about this...

"what do you mean?"

then another gate opens but no was there Irie tilts her head, few seconds later there comes a hungry beast walking slowly towards the prey

"he was not joking about his pet!" Irie step back a little.

it's an big black wolf with beautiful green eyes he has a collar around his neck it means he is not a wild one, walks inside with slowly and steady steps.

it walks around her looking at her in the eye

~irie don't run or move back

"w.h.a.t?"

~no animal can harm you as long as I am alive trust me!