Stand Down!

  It wasn't long before he could feel his legs starting to give way that he felt an irritation seemingly smacking him in the head!

  He grimaced in pain as he struggled to keep his rage in. 

  "Malleus?!" Peony quickly appeared before Malleus in her black dress before grasping his shoulders, "Hang in there!"

  Peony looked towards the dark window and grimaced painfully. She had only been resting for a bit before the intrusion of a presence tried to attack the entire dorm! No...

  She scowled angrily as she thought quickly!

She had fought hard against the pressure of this guy's presence upon them to get to where Malleus is. However, it will be another thing to stand up against the guardian's pressure with what remains of her mana alone. Not even Malleus's mana could help her here either! She grimaced as she struggled to fight against the pressure of the guardian.

Seemingly interested in the pair, the guardian began to add his pressure upon them curiously from afar.

Peony grew deeply irritated by this and stood up to shield the infant with her entire body stretched out before Malleus as she stood her ground mustering all the mana she could bring forth!

She absolutely must not fall here of all places! She has not yet achieved her goal!

As though irritation was the key, her pent up emotion suddenly awoken some strange familiar sensation in her as she grasped it in her grasp only to find herself basking in this new sensation before conjuring it into a massive wave of energy! She opened her mouth with a sharp glare as she declared, "That's enough! You dare breach the line of your oath?!"

She could sense the spiritual energy's interruption as it started hesitating!

"It's been a while, hasn't it? Do you still remember who I am? If you do, do me a favor and get off your high horses…" She said aloud feeling wiggle room from the retreat as she swiftly drew out her spiritual energy released within her, "I said…. STAND! DOWN!"

She did not waste another strike as she sent her energy directly against the pressure as it was flung back to whence it came followed with a cold glare. 

  Feeling the intense familiar energy the other being was stunned and instinctively pulled back! Seeing this moment of respite, Peony bit back a sigh of relief knowing she could not understand when the other side will respond with another wave of energy. With a freezing tone, she opened her mouth that blew out a puff of cold air in the warm room, "If you still retain any loyalty towards the Empress of the Beasts and the imperial families, heed my words carefully… For attempting to toy with the life of another of your kind, you shall dedicate the remainder of your life to educate what is required for the children of your kind a proper lifestyle. Mannerism, control of spiritual energy, and so on. Should you go against our words and harm them again, not even the world will spare your for your transgression! Do not make me repeat myself again..."

  With her words alone, Peony could feel her spiritual energy having bound the individual down with a scowl before finally collapsing to one knee!

As she struggled to catch her breath, she could feel her consciousness fading back and forth before she quickly struggled to grasp onto a spirit stone and called forth a hasty teleportation!

"Peony-!"

She could feel someone grasp her by her arm just as she collapsed and finally lost all consciousness…

…..

  After checking on their queen, Maisey exited the makeshift room and returned to the empty runaway. Glass has been installed ever since the princess approved of the design in her majesty's stead. Now everything was falling into place. Word has it that the humans are training a new batch of students to compete this time as well. This idea has gotten many of the fairies excited wondering what sort of performance it would be this time. The princess who was only shown to have worn dresses once a year for the sole purpose of performing for her majesty may return to performing twice a year since she had rarely ever danced in the beginning party of the gala since that incident. Thinking of the event, he recalled the princess's despirited eyes that once glittered brightly with unbound determination and warmth. In the arms of the dark faes who was given the permission to have familial ties with the human princess, she seemed lost as though she was upset over something that could not be said. The princess was such a person in his eyes after all. As he thought this, he quickly shook his head hoping to clear those dark thoughts as he grimaced, "No, no, no! You got to get rid of those thoughts right now, Maisey! The princess is doing well, right?"

  He nodded and took a deep breath as he nodded affirmative, "Okay! Let's go back to the workshop!"

  With that, he quickly spread his wings covered in fairy dust and took flight as fast he could. However, not long after arriving at the workshop, he paused in horror as a familiar scent wafted in the air!

  Blood!

  It was a familiar scent. One that he recalled when he was raising the young princess. Thinking this, Maisey paused as a thought came to him, "Princess?"

  He hurried in a panic as he followed the disgusting scent before finding a dark figure huddled on the ground before him. Horrified, the fairy tried to run away, but, as he did, he crashed into the nearby dustpan and fell down. It came down with a clatter as a deep voice sounded in the darkness, "Is someone there?" 

  As the darkness moved, light finally entered into the window as a dark cape was removed revealing it to be a figure in the end. It was a dark fae! 

  Maisey had not seen other dark faes aside from the Zigvolt's family. However, the horns on his head told him another story.

  It was the royal family of Briar Valley!

  It didn't take long before he noticed the figure in his arms. 

  "Princess!" He shouted in horror and hurried to her side. 

  "A fairy..." Malleus muttered in surprise as he watched the fairy struggle to carry the princess on his own. 

  However, Maisey was so concerned over Peony that he did not hear the prince as his mind raced on what could have happened to his liege. That's when it dawned upon him! The first time this scent occurred, he recalled how upset the princess was as she clutched her stomach. However, that was also the time where she engaged with some difficult problems regarding the development of her schools and left for the Queendom of Roses. Not long after, she arrived in Pyroxene, which they often called Shaftlands, that later brought them back to Kingdom of Heroes and she was given a private conversation by one of her older friends. Ever since then, she would always be in retreat once a month of consume a number of human medicine. Could it have something to do with that?

  He tried to move her to another location. However, unlike the soldiers and knights, he did not build up enough muscle to carry her despite his small stature. It was then that he could feel the weight lift off his arms as Malleus stood up, "I'll carry her. Is there a place for her to rest?"

  Maisey hesitated but nodded his head, "We have a break room. There's a sofa she could rest on. Follow me."

  They entered a cozy and clean room with a small kitchen as Maisey led them to one of the two sets of sofas they had. Maisey grew nervous as he watched the prince put her onto the cushion. What was Peony and the prince doing that made her in such a condition?

  He had always recalled the princess experience much pain as during the month, but never to this extent! He nervously turned to Malleus and dared himself to open his mouth, "P-Prince Malleus, m-m-may we ask what h-has happened to the princess?"

  It was easy to see the palpable fear on the fairy's face but Malleus was curious how loyal the fairy was to not back down before his aura as he did so. He began with a frown, "I was in the middle of an interrogation when a topic changed to one that was more sensitive, it would seem. After that, the topic of discussion seemed to have overheard our conversation and shot a long distance magic attack on us. Your princess jumped in and forced it back. However, she fainted and so we ended up here. I came along very likely due to the fact that I came in contact with her during her collapse."

  Hearing this, Maisey hesitated before nodding his head, "I understand. Please leave the princess to me. I'll take care of her."

  "You are..."