Instinct

Thomp! Thomp! Thomp!

Lenora ran as fast as her legs allowed. The maids and butlers, and even soldiers were trying to get in her way. Some were running behind her while others were coming at her from all directions; it was like they were all children again and fooling around in the playgrounds. She dodged them all thanks to her robe which also doubled as an illusory deflector. Fourth room from the north wing, right?

But while running, she didn't know left from right, let alone north. One, two, three- Crash! She kicked a door so hard it broke open. Ow. Perhaps she underestimated just how weak her current body was. Eyes moistened and she wanted to cry but now was not the time.

There was a boy inside. A young boy, probably sixteen. Thin, frail, and barely awake. He stared at her with those sleepy eyes, dark circles beneath. Confused.

"Monsor?" Lenora asked, unsure.

She'd seen the man but that was only after the events. Only after the boy had transformed.

"Yes?"

Lucky!

Grinning, she ran ahead but quickly tripped. Her leg had taken more of a damage than she assumed. Shit! Fuck! She pulled herself up, they were just behind her.

"Hold on to me if you want to live!"

"What!"

"You heard me!"

"She's in here, she's in here!!!"

The boy grabbed her and she grabbed the boy, and then Lenora jumped. "UP!"

She floated and slowly flew away from there. The boy, although confused didn't even let out a yelp. He was far too mesmerized, probably thinking the whole affair as a dream. "Elfrieda is attacking tonight. The viscount has decided to do nothing and has probably been bought out."

"But-"

"This is the end for the viscounty. Zabruza and Elfrieda will attack tonight and everything will fall. But you will be safe."

"But the people."

He held on to Lenora tight, like a little boy hugging his mother. Lenora didn't mind the hug but she probably didn't want the demon lord to see this, even now.

The view from above was nice but it was really taxing to keep it up and Lenora more or less wanted to lie down and pass out. At this rate, she probably was going to pass out.

Nice! Just another push. "They will die. Without a proper lord, without anyone to lead… they will all die."

He bit his gums hard, exhaled. Fully awake. "Let me down."

"But sir-"

"NOW!"

Lenora let him down. She wasn't sure just how much her words were having an effect but she was confident the wand made her at least semi-believable. Although she couldn't really control any of its abilities just yet, she knew it should have given her words some credibility, like hearing something from a longtime friend however unbelievable it was. She felt some sort of a melancholy the more she used it. But it was for the greater good, right?

Yet… why do I feel so… regardless, most of what she said were true. The viscount betraying the people was conjecture but the boy didn't need to know that.

"Hanzon!" The boy yelled.

A soldier ran to him from the distance. "Yes sir?" He cocked his head. As did most people of the noble district.

What was the young master of the viscounty doing out here, at his late hour?

"Arrest this lady now!"

"Yes sir!"

Huh? Maybe she wasn't as believable as she thought after all.

At least he thinks I'm a lady, not a man like the rest. She sighed. Well, that didn't work. Lenora considered just jumping away to safety but she was out of plans and for the time being decided to go with the flow. She tried to do something and it didn't work.

The only other way to stop the war would have been to eradicate the enemy which she wasn't capable of. Guess war would screw this place regardless…

Was fate… unchangeable?

No, I've tried. Let's have faith something will be different. It has to be.

There was another reason why she didn't bother resisting.

She was tired.

Fucking tired.

***

"Funny how fate repeats itself," the elf said, finding the whole situation musing.

Lenora and the elf sat on the hard ground, staring at the bars in front. A soldier stood at the corner, yawning. Faint smell of rot and feces itched at her nose, almost making her wince but compared to the demonlord's dungeon, this was nothing.

"Perhaps," she said. "Once they take over this place, hundreds, hundreds of cities would fall. Eventually the country would also fall."

"You speak as though you already know it'll happen for sure."

"It will."

"Can you," the elf paused. "Can you see the future?"

"No."

Steps. Steps reverberated.

And a young man walked into the dungeon. The very same boy. This time, he was properly dressed in a black garb, and dark blue shirt. "Release them." His voice lacked the same naivety from moments ago.

"What was the point of that little stunt?" Lenora asked.

The young boy gave her a cold glance. "That's my line."

"This suits you more. More than pretending to be a clueless kid."

"Hmph! Don't speak as though you know me."

"But I do know you. I know your favorite food, I know your type, I even know who you have a crush on right now."

"I'm telling you sire, she has to be a spy!" A well-dressed man stood by the young man's side. This particular man had a bob cut and looked to be of the intelligent bunch. Keyword, 'looked'.

"Who, tell me," Monsor said, curious.

"Lady Hilda-"

"Sir, she's a spy!"

"Follow me," the young man said. "When will the attack be?"

Squeak!

Out of the cell.

"Later tonight. They're marching with Wolfric cloaks, so it would be hard to spot them."

"But not impossible." He paused. "Sound the alarm. We're under attack; ask for help from the viscounties."

"You believe them sire," the well-dressed man paled. "And even at the latest, no help would come before evening on the morrow."

"I have no reason not to."

"But they're clearly-"

"I've been wondering, are you a spy? Why haven't you carried out my orders yet?"

Frustrated, he stomped out of the dungeons and just ran outside.

"What about your father? I'm sure he wouldn't appreciate you barking orders," Lenora said.

"He's asleep and should be for the next few days." Meanwhile, "How did you know about her? No one knows about her, and we never even met-"

"Let's just say, it was a good guess," Lenora said. "I can introduce you two, if you want me to. We're friends."

Which was of course not a lie. They'd been friends before. Or they would be in a few months.

"I see."

"Why did you believe us," Drifus asked.

"Instinct."

"You can't just!" Drifus insisted.

"Enough questions. Let's go get things done," Lenora said, eager to skip the question and focus on the real job at hand.