Worries and Fears

As soon as dawn had broken on the horizon, Aries, the royal siblings, and Quaria had gathered at the dining table. While they were enjoying a delightful breakfast, Siorre arrived with a big smile on her face.

"Luck is on my side," she was brightly beaming as she took the empty seat at the left side of Princess Pieffer. "I came just in time for breakfast. And you know what?" she gazed expectantly at everyone around the dining table. No one replied but it did not diminish her good mood. She went on excitedly with her story. "I won against Pines! We bet for two weeks and I won against him! I can spend two weeks with you!" she tightly embraced the princess then glanced at Aries. "Thank you for teaching me how to win a card game. You're the best!"

She finally looked down on the table and filled her plate with plenty of food.

"I thought I will catch up with you at the border heading towards the House of Scale," she kept on talking even when her mouth is full. "Are you enjoying your time here in the House of Pitcher?"

"I have to fix the barriers around my house," Quaria answered with a kind smile.

"All of it?"

"All of it," Quaria nodded.

"That will take days," the smile faded from the lips of Siorre but only for a second. She shrugged her shoulders and a grin curved on her lips again. "Well, I have two weeks to spend with you. We can reclaim another house by that time," she said with so much confidence.

"I will start at the Southern Border," Quaria stated. "I need you to guard the rest of the borders."

"You cannot protect yourself while strengthening the barrier," Siorre said after swallowing the food in her mouth. "I will be your shield."

"Thanks, Siorre," Quaria smiled gratefully at Siorre then glanced at Aries, "You guard the Western Border. Princess Pieffer will take care of the Eastern Border. Prince Sunrei will protect the Northern Border."

"Understood," Aries and the royal siblings had chorused.

^###########^

Aries quickly arrived at the Western Border by traveling through the shadows and as soon as he closed in on the gate, he encountered a few corrupted souls. He was absorbing souls until Princess Pieffer arrived and fetch him.

"I think I will stay here until the barrier here is fixed."

Princess Pieffer smiled at him but the worry was evident in her eyes.

"I'll stay here with you," she put her hands over his wounds. "I will guard the border while you take a rest."

"How can you fight and not get wounded?" Aries wondered as the woman in front of him was unscathed.

"I only drove five corrupted souls out of the border for the entire day," Princess Pieffer beamed wider. "You did not only absorb a lot of them today. I'm sure you've fought possessed people as well. It is tougher on this border. Siorre also had a rough day. But the important thing is that the barrier in the Southern Border had been fixed. There is an inn near the bridge. We can rest there. I'll just inform my brother and Quaria."

"Maybe you should stay with your brother," Aries said while they were heading towards the inn. "What if Merrick returns?"

"Siorre is with him," though Princess Pieffer was smiling, concern was still showing in her eyes. "I asked her not to leave my brother alone."

"But you are still worrying."

She let out a heavy sigh and said, "Something is wrong with him but he is not saying anything."

"He will be at peace once we find a way to bind his soul to his body."

"I hope so," Princess Pieffer wanted to feel at ease but she could not shake away her anxiety.

^#########^

Aries slept well. Princess Pieffer made sure that his rest would not be disturbed.

When he woke up, the princess was sleeping on the couch not far from the bed where he was lying, and sitting on the window sill was Siorre.

Her arms were crossed and she was seriously gazing at the princess.

"What are you doing here?" Aries quietly asked as he sat upon the bed.

Siorre moved from the window to the bed without a sound.

"Sunrei is unusually quiet and serious. He will not talk unless you asked him a question. I want to stick with him all the time because Pieffer is worrying so much about his safety but he was good at slipping away. I asked him where he went but he did not answer. I never felt this frustrated against him. He was usually kind and friendly."

Aries kept his silence. It was not his story to tell.

"You've changed. You've become a different person," Siorre was glaring suspiciously at Aries. "Did the same thing happen to Sunrei? What exactly had happened to you? It was not just as simple as losing your memories, right?"

Aries only stared at the house leader and Siorre grunted in frustration.

"I wanted to wake Pieffer up and ask her but the innkeeper told me that she guarded the border gate for hours and only returned here an hour ago. I can see how tired she is," Siorre sighed. "Her senses are sharp. She should have felt my presence. But she remained asleep when I entered the room and even when I am staring intensely at her."

"Just wait for her to wake up," Aries lay down on the bed and turned his back on Siorre. "Return tomorrow. For now, guard the prince as much as you can."

"There is no need for that," Princess Pieffer sat up on the couch. Her eyelids sagged with weariness and as she yawned, tears formed in her bloodshot eyes. "I will answer all your questions."

Aries sat up and stared at the princess.

"I can wait tomorrow," Siorre sat on the couch, right next to the princess. "You look exhausted. Get a lot of sleep and recover your strength first."

"I'm tired," the princess agreed. "But I can no longer sleep. I am worried about my brother. My concern for him had grown deeper when I heard your story."

"I'm sorry," Siorre sighed in frustration. "I cannot help ease your anxiety."

"You don't have to apologize," anger formed in the weary eyes of the princess. "This is not your fault. The corrupted souls are messing with his mind. They are the ones we need to destroy. That is the only way my brother can be freed from his doubts and fears."

"They want his body because he looks like the Celestial Knight Sunrei, right?"

"Yes," sadness replaced the anger in the eyes of the princess. "We cannot let that Celestial Knight possess the body of my brother."

"Of course, we can't," Siorre agreed. "I will return at his side at once. I will not let any corrupted soul get near him."

"I will go," Aries volunteered. "Princess Pieffer told me that Quaria will fix the barrier at this border once the sun is up. Stay here and help Princess Pieffer protect Quaria."

"How about the Eastern Border?" the princess had asked.

"You encountered only five corrupted souls in that area yesterday. I can easily handle corrupted souls. That number will give me enough time to check on Prince Sunrei from time to time."

"I agree with that," Siorre said. "Leave this border to me and you take care of Sunrei."

"Call us immediately if you need help."

"Yes, Princess Pieffer."

"Hey, can you drop the honorifics? I know you've changed but Pieffer is our friend. Why are you calling her so formally?"

"I can understand his reason," Princess Pieffer smiled weakly. "Just let him be."

"Fine. If you say so, Pieffer," Siorre said but she was glaring at Aries.

^########^

Guarding the Eastern Border was easier than protecting the Western Border. It would take hours before he could spot a corrupted soul. It had given him enough time to check on the prince who was also not that busy in protecting the Northern Border.

The corrupted souls did not drain Aries but traversing through the shadows back and forth had depleted his stamina.

But he could say that it was worth the effort. He could guard the border and the prince at the same time. He also did not notice anything bothersome with the actions of the prince. He was only taking his rounds around the Northern Border and would shove away corrupted souls whenever he encountered them. Aries never saw him talk to any of them. He also did not sense Merrick lurking around the prince. It must be because Quaria is fixing the barriers. Corrupted souls could not enter that place as easily as they did a few days ago.

Aries returned to the Eastern Border and slumped on the ground. He had to take a few minutes rest before returning to the Northern Border.

The sun had set. A few more hours and Quaria will be done fixing the barrier at the Western Border. He could sleep by then.

"Aries."

It was Prince Sunrei and there was a bright smile on his face.

"What are you doing here?" Aries asked as he got up on his feet.

"Quaria is done fixing the barrier at the Western Border. We should head back to her house and get some rest."

"I'll stay here," Aries glanced at the misty barrier. "I should keep on guarding this place until Quaria is done fixing every barrier around her house."

"Fine. Stay here and die."

Aries winced as pain shot from his back and through his abdomen. He turned around and glanced at the prince who had stabbed him from behind.

^#########^