Chapter 134: Attune
Zariel stood just above Aurelia, who had long passed out. Forced to the limit each day during the coming month, Zariel had taken it upon himself to push her to the limit her body could handle. He knew the advantages of a strong body and would not allow himself not to abuse it.
He listened to the soft, even snores of the little lass, and thoughts whirled over him this last month. Aside from training Aurelia and her friends, he had been atoning himself into the web of the weave, trying to unlock its secrets to no avail. Still, oddly enough, with each venture into the silky spun web of the Weave humming its tune, Zariel found himself more emotional, more attune with those around him. He could understand Aurelia's emotions more, same with Sionn and Ella, something he found rather annoying, but not as much as the uncontrollable feelings he usually kept under wraps.
Zariel sighed when images of sharp breathing and teary eyes flickered over his mind. Fear that was not his own stabbed into his heart. His mind spun into action, and he reached into himself. Into a soul and peered at the manner as a whole. Slowly making his way through the decorative halls filled with fixtures of art and statures, Zariel approached the main entrance and beckoned to a night maid.
"Open it," He said calmly.
Hooked by the starry eyes gleaming with wonder, the young maid held her head low the instant their eyes met and meekly nodded, her cheeks tinged by a lush red.
"Right away, Duke Blackwater." The Young Maid obeyed and reached for the door. Opening them, a turbulent gust of snow and ice burrowed through the halls, billowing the young master's loose robes. He looked out at the shadow racing towards the estate, her cheeks stained with tears.
"Prepare some tea for our new guess," Zariel instructed, unable to believe the words that had left his lips that were in benefit to another aside from himself. Disbelief filled his mind but did not reflect on his face as a stunning young woman covered in snow the moment the young maid left appeared.
"Young Master, " Talia cried, dashing through the entrance, her long aqua blue hair in disarray, her chest racing back and forth with a heavy heart. She pulled close, taking hold of Zariels clothing, "Please help me," She pleaded, through shattered breath, "Mother took her. She took her. She took—"
"My cook?" Zariel interceeded to his horror.
"—Innis," Talia finished. Gripping the loose clothing of her Master, she bowed her head and desperately begged." Please help her."
Zariel was very much annoyed, he hadn't put in a lot of work to recover Innis's eyes, but he had not found a better cook. Good help was hard to come by, especially those as clean and tidy as Innis. he would be damn if she died under his watch.
Sensing something disturbed her heart, Aurelia snapped awake; she lifted her gaze towards the crackles of fire near the fireplace and frowned, touching her heart that was beating wildly. Standing to her feet, gripping Morningstar that never left her side, she hooked it to her waist and left her room, feeling a gust of cold wind racing past her cheeks. Her deep golden eyes swirled.
Following the cold breeze, Aurelia stared at Talia in the arms of Zariels, and her heart dropped. She knew something was wrong.
"Aunty," Aurelia stared, fearing for the worst, "What is wrong."
Pushing Talia off, Zariel glared at the tears and snot that clung to his clothing. Casting a cleansing spell and settling his gaze on Aurelia, noticing her sword already on her waist, he beckoned, "you're coming with us. I'm injured. You will deal with this. And you stop this teary shit. It's disgusting."
He patted his robes and lifted his head, " Come on, let's head to the palace. Let's see who dares to steal my cook…I mean Aurelia's First Master," he said, quick to feel the killing intent emitting in full from the young lass to his rear. Salvaging what little empathy he had developed through this past month, he beckoned through the entrance.
Aurelia followed behind, taking hold of Talia, who seemed smaller than she had seen the last time they met. Probably due to her heartbroken face, she grasped long ago that Talia and Innis were lovers, while she still didn't understand the implication Arsene had taught her many things. Her hands tightened around the shaken Talia and pulled her along.
"It will be ok, aunty," Said Aurelia, her voice oddly soft, but leading the way towards the Palace, Zariel glanced back, sensing something that had stirred him awake when he left the Redwoods. The Weave was whispering a warning, and Zariel was sure to listen. He gave a heavy breath, picked up the pace, and decided patience was needed when dealing with the mystory of Aurliea and what lay hidden.
Worry touched his heart only to be buried by a sliver of coldness, hidden behind a mask he hid from everyone, even himself.
The streets of Seigram were empty over the twilight, but both Aurelia and Zariel could sense this was but an illusion. They could feel the tremors in the snow, the cold intent hidden beneath the rainfall of snow blanketing the city.
"Dumb-Dumb," Said Aurelia darkly.
"I know," Zariel answered, his calm, serene eyes pressed evenly ahead, not giving the hidden forces surrounding them the time of day. "Hold your head high. You are supposed to be my knight, you know. Keep your gaze ahead and your heart cold."
"Yes, Master," Aurelia said, bowing her head, during this instance where she acknowledged him as her master, even though he had repeatedly stated he wasn't going to accept her. Not that Aurelia truly cared if he accepted her as his apprentice or not. He was teaching her, so she was his master.
Darkness filled her golden eyes; under the strange gaze of Talia, the eldest child of the royal family stood shaken by Aurelia. The warm girl she had raised, had taken care of while still there, seemed to crumple leaving only an icy blade.
Talia's lips puckered, and she dared not speak. It had been years since they last met, but she could not believe the warrior Zariel had molded. Aurelia was beautiful, carrying a grace that did not stem from her upbringing but rather from her bones. Everything about her seemed different.
The Silver Devils' footsteps came to a halt as he gazed down the lines of soldiers leading up to the palace walls and to his left and right, where he stood surrounded, arrows pointed dead at him and Aurelia.
"What did you do?" Zariel finally asked, perplexed by why so many soldiers were there. She was the princess of this nation. Unless she tried to poison her father or mother, there should be no reason why so many soldiers stood fully armed standing in their way.
A pit of fire burned through Talia's eyes, blazing with anger, "Mother found out of my relationship with Innis." She spat through clenched teeth, unable to believe her own words.
Both Zariel and Aurelia blinked, losing their solemn aura, in an instant, " That's it!" They shouted in unison, taken by the absurdity.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone