Chapter 48: Haircut

[Fiore's Castle, Hallways]

After things were settled, Beck and Emily were heading back to their room. An awkward tension lingered between the two. Both of them were wondering the same thing: "Is he/she mad at me?"

"Erm... Emily, I'm sorry for being really stern just now. I really didn't mean for it to come out that way." Beck forced out through the awkward silence. "I hope that you aren't—"

Before he could finish, Emily cut in, "No. I was being the idiot. I shouldn't have acted the way I did, and you're just helping me to realise that. So, I'm sorry."

Beck stopped and shook his head, "Please, there's no need to apologise to me. I was in the wrong."

"No, I was." Emily protested and she stopped beside Beck, "You're the nice one, helping me to get my head out of my ass."

"I didn't do much really. You should take the credit instead, you the one that listened and stood back up." Beck replied modestly, "Besides, that did not change the fact that I spoke a little too rudely—"

Just then, he remembered about pulling the princess to the king's study room. He cautiously grabbed her arms and inspected it, "Did it hurt when I grabbed you? Sorry, I was pulling you along mindlessly."

Emily was a little startled by his abrupt action but it did not hurt her.

She shook her head and smiled, "Nope. I'm actually really grateful that you did that. Otherwise, I would have been sulking in the room. And that's final. I was in the wrong and you're right. I'm the princess so you need to listen to what I say."

A sigh escapes his lips when he heard her, "You're always using that as a reason."

"Well, it is a valid reason." She replied smartly, being oblivious to how ridiculous it was to her to bring her title into a little argument like this. Beck laughed at how ridiculous it was and his laugh was contagious, Emily could not help but laugh along a few seconds later.

[Fiore's Castle, Study room]

"Aren't you glad, Anderson?" The queen asked as she looked over to her husband who was buried in his paperwork. Without looking at her, he replied with a question, "...Glad about what?"

"Oh, you know. Emily being capable once again. She doesn't know this, but this reunion can help Zack to be a better leader with Erik by his side." The queen explained as she shut a thick book that she was reading.

Suddenly, a raven perched itself on the frame of the window, that was behind the king's desk. It pecked the glass a couple of times, prompting the king to open it. He did, allowing the raven into the room.

It flew in and landed on the king's arm.

The queen joined him and instantly realised the bird was sent by Noct. She detached a tiny scroll that was attached to one of its feet and unrolled it.

"What did it say?" The king asked as he let the raven out of the room.

The queen read it and replied, "There's an update on Phantom's movement. According to Noct's observations, they might not be planning an attack anytime soon. He'll be back in a day or so and he got the information I needed."

"Regarding the symbol on Damian?" The king asked once more.

"Yeah." She replied as she placed the letter on the desk. She then leaned onto the desk and crossed her arms, "I'm suspecting that the symbol is a seal."

"...A seal?" The king questioned as he picked up his quill and continued his paperwork.

"Yes. I heard from Mary that his recovery speed is abnormal, probably even faster than Beck." She explained as she tapped her chin a couple of times, "So, maybe a seal of a creature of some sort?"

The king paused for a moment and looked up, "Erik might know about this, after all, he was the one who was assigned to get Damian back."

"That's a good call." The queen complimented as she pointed to him, "As observant as always."

The queen walked away from the desk and sat back onto the settee in the room elegantly. She crossed her legs swiftly and said, "Well, we'll ask him tomorrow when he will be released."

[Fiore's Castle, dungeons]

"You're free to leave."

A guard interrupted him when he was finally getting some decent sleep, despite those wounds.

Still feeling a little groggy, Erik looked up with a rather surprised expression, "What... do you mean?"

The guard irked, "It's pretty self-explanatory, isn't it? You. Are. Free. To. Go."

"Well, someone isn't having a good time guarding these criminals."

Suddenly, a chirping voice appeared behind the guard, scaring him in the process. "Well, in other words, you don't have to be executed anymore."

A petite girl came up behind the guard, "I'm Mary, by the way, if you don't know. The king sent me to treat your wounds."

"What? So, Emily did it?" Erik asked with a hint of surprise in his voice.

"Yeah! Amazing, isn't she?" Mary's eyes were clearly glittering at this point, she had always visibly shown her admiration towards Emily. It was not because of her title, but it was because of the traits she held instead.

Subconsciously, he let out a smile, but it was so hidden that Mary did not catch it.

"Come on, let's go. Time to get you fixed up!" Mary proclaimed excitingly.

It was already dawn when Mary was done treating his wounds. She wiped the sweat off her forehead and proceed to bandaged his remaining wounds.

It was a lot of work, considering that she was the only that was doing all of these. She reattached some of his fingers, stitched up a couple of deep cuts, healing some of those serious bruises and treating some broken bones.

"Well, do you need anything? Like food or something?" Mary asked as she was in the midst of wrapping him up.

"No, not really." He replied quietly, trying to hold in the pain.

"Alright, then. Man, that Garrett guy is seriously too violent. Just so you know, I'm surprised you're not dead." She was trying her best to start a conversation with him since she was dying amidst the thick awkward air for the last few hours.

Erik did not feel like talking, especially since his entire body was screaming in pain. However, he knew that Mary was uncomfortable. Well, who wouldn't be? Until recently, he was still hunting for them and their princess. And it was weird how all of the sudden they were in the same room, on the same side.

Unwillingly, he responded.

"Well, he was probably just doing his job. Besides I was the one that provoked him."

"I guess that's true." Her voice sounded a little cheerier when she received a response from him, "I heard you have an attitude problem."

Erik snorted at that.

However, suddenly she got a little serious, "Look, I don't want to sound mean or anything, but I don't trust you a single bit."

Ouch.

Well, he expected her to be. The reason was obvious.

"Yeah, I get it."

Knowing that she was a little direct, she quickly tried to save the situation. "But... I do trust Emily. So, since she looks like trust you, I'll trust you... For now."

That was not the most comforting answer, but hey, he was making progress.

"Thanks, I guess." He gave her a smile, not a bright one, but a genuine yet sheepish one.

Seeing his smile, she pushed his hair away from his face, revealing his features.

The smile faded and it turned into shock.

"What are you doing?!" He questioned as he looked at her from top to bottom.

"Oh. So you do have a face!" Mary completed ignored his question and continued, "I've been starting to wonder if you actually have an actual face since your hair is always covering your face."

"Well, I do. So, are you done?" He asked urgently, emphasising how flustered he was.

Again, he was ignored.

Mary grabbed his chin and scrutinised his face from side to side, for a minute or so, before letting go of him.

Just as he thought that he was finally let off, she came back with a pair of scissors.

Feeling increasingly anxious, he raised his hands as if to surrender, "Err... Mary, I'll ask this again... What are you doing?!"

Slowly, a villainous grin spread across her face. She then let out an eerie giggle, "...You'll see..."

"Time for a haircut!"