43 Unsuccessful Mission
MEANWHILE IN THE INFIRMARY
The moment General Rowan and Prince Galen stepped out of the infirmary, Haelan sat down on the bed as she heave a sigh of relief. Then, Yereah draw near Haelan and somewhat handed her over a fabric wrap. "I found these, are these yours?", Yereah asked.
Haelan reached for the floral fabric wrap and opened it. Her eyes glistened at the sight of her crest and dragon hilt. "Yes, thank you", Haelan replied as she took both precious items on each of her hand.
"You're welcome!", Yereah enthusiastically sat down beside Haelan and flipped her hair softly. "Those ones are useless. A hilt without a blade? And.. a.. what is it? A crest? Why would you keep them? ", Yereah curiously asked Haelan as she stare at her fair face.
"I just found them, I thought it would be nice as a collection", Haelan lied. She wouldn't want Yereah to get an idea of her keeping an item that belong to soul travelers.
"You're sentimental for a Paladin. I like you", Yereah giggled. "Unlike Sir Stellan and Sir Alesso who are both very distant and unappreciative of anything nice and fancy", she said as she scooch closer to Haelan. Haelan cleared her throat as the ambiance became awfully awkward, with how the palace priestess behaves towards her.
"Do you know what that is?", Yereah asked as she point at the crest. "It's a crest for soul travelers. The one that you got doesn't have any energy at all. You found a broken piece, similar to your bladeless hilt", she said.
"I see, maybe that's why the owners threw them away", Haelan sadly replied knowing that her crest can be no longer of use for her.
"However, this hilt look familiar. I just can't recall where I saw it.", Yereah said. "Nevertheless, I'm sure you'd carry a real weapon with you, the kingdom keeps getting sudden attacks lately" she added.
"Of course, as a warrior of the kingdom. Besides, the General and the Paladins will certainly assure the safety of its people", Haelan answered.
"Yes, Especially when you are here.", Yereah smiled sweetly as she rest her hand over Haelan's. "I'll leave you for a while Sir, rest well.", Yereah said as she stood up leave the entire healing room for Haelan.
Haelan sat alone in the empty room, thinking of what she's going to do. She sunk her face on her palms gathering the courage that's left. Time is running, her presence is cunning. Now that she have drawn attention, she desperately have to read the books and find the stone to leave Nether. Determined in what she aims, she took the six healing potions on the table, then went out of the room in silence.
As she snuck out of the spacious corridor lighted with torches to look for the Southwing Tower, she walked on soft steps with her hands grazing one side of the walls built of stones with wooden frames. Listening to the sound of the wind, she followed her proclivity to find passageways that would lead her to the sought after tower.
As she pass by a room, she noticed an unfinished oil painting portrait of the King. There were scattered jars of mineral pigments in red and yellow ochre. The walls were filled with other different portraits of the King, Queen Isavelle and Galen. There were also three ornated apertures that shows a view of the river. The moonlight lights up the room from there.
Staring at the King's painting, she couldn't help but notice the hilt of the sword he's holding. She observed for the uncanny similarities it has with the hilt she owns. 'It's the same black metal hilt in the shape of a dragon that I have', she positively claimed.
"Why would my mother give me a hilt that belongs to the King? Is my mother, Tris?", Haelan raised so many questions that only the king or her parents could answer.
She quietly went out of the room with a sigh and found herself at the end of the corridor with a large window. Looking through the transparent colored glass, she could see the guests departing the palace. She smiled at how elegant and grand the ladies were in their vibrantly colored gowns and shiny jewels. She even imagined herself wearing one in her favorite fabric as the real her - Helena Athena. Her heart ache as she swallowed a lump in her throat as she see her reflection in Agalea's body on the colored glass. 'This is me, for a while', she thought.
Onto her right, she could see a narrow hallway with two open doors and an arched opening in the end leading to a fortified tower which she suspects might be the Southwing Tower. As she draw closer, she felt an extremely dark aura exuding from one of the rooms. Slowly and quietly, she peeked in and saw General Rowan speaking into nothingness.
She could hardly hear their conversation, but one thing she's sure of - the General is furious about an unsuccessful mission. Haelan backed away slowly. Sensing how dangerous the aura inside the room, it would be critically precarious for her if she gets caught hovering.
As she take a few steps back, Haelan bumped into someone tall with an aura of great strenght who smell of lichen and moss. When she turned around, she found Alesso in his vibrant forest green cloak,
covering his silver hair.
"There you are!", Alesso said as he smile at Haelan. "I've been looking all around for you", he said as he keep his hood on hiding his silver locks.
"Shh!!", Haelan hushed Alesso as she panickly pulled Alesso in one of the rooms nearby. Haelan shut the door of the room where she found the king's painting. Then, they kept it down for a while. Haelan rested her palms on the door trying to sense General Rowan's aura.
"What's going on?", Alesso closely whispered at Haelan's ear.
Haelan's sensitive ear turned red as she withdraw her head away from Alesso. She rubbed her ear as she creased her brows at the grinning Paladin archer. "Will you please stop, and keep it down", she said in a lowly angry tone.
"I am a Paladin, you know. It's insulting that you're letting me hide if there's danger", Alesso said.
"Oh. Of course", Haelan just realized that Alesso is indeed a Paladin prepared for any clash.
Alesso chuckled softly as he tightly close his lips. He covered his mouth to seal his laugh as he was entertained with how Haelan turned to a cherry from embarassment. "Never been this close to a man?", he asked with a smirk. "Actually, never have I thought that it would be this nice to be close to a man", Alesso kept teasing.
Haelan squinted her eyes at Alesso. He must have heard about his encounter with Stellan in the library. She completely ignored Alesso to keep him from talking and making noises. Then they heard heavy metal clanking in the corridors.
"Are you avoiding General Rowan?", he asked in a low tone as he recognize the sound of the General's footsteps. Whenever he is in the palace, he always wear his brass armor.
"I don't trust him", Haelan said.
"That's not the first", Alesso replied at Haelan's boldness in being honest about not trusting the chief commander of all warriors.