[Third Person's PoV]
Cid strolled towards the VIP booth for the tournament, holding the ticket Claire had given him before her disappearance.
As he observed the opulence, he thought, 'It's truly luxurious,' While looking at the red theater seats against the gleaming gold walls that offered a perfect view of the arena.
Taking his seat, Cid turned and, as anticipated, found Iris sitting beside him.
"Ah, you're Cid Kaguno, just the person I was looking for," Iris said, pleased.
Cid raised a brow. "You were looking for me?"
"Since I heard from Claire that she gave her ticket to you, I decided to arrive here earlier than scheduled and wait. I didn't expect you to arrive so early as well," Iris explained.
In the private booth, with only the two of them, Iris initiated a casual conversation before delving into planned topics.
Curious, she inquired, "Why are you here so early?"
Cid, wearing a fake smile, lied, "Well, my sister is participating in the tournament. I arrived early to show her my support."
Understandingly, Iris nodded, "I can relate to wanting to support siblings."
While listening, Cid thought, 'I was bored and just decided to wait it out here until they call for my name.'
"Anyways, I shouldn't delay this any further," Iris said, bowing her head toward Cid, who raised a brow at her action.
"What are you doing?" Cid asked.
"First off, I apologize for the way my subordinates have treated you in the past and for thinking you were responsible for the kidnapping of my little sister.
What you experienced shouldn't have happened; it was a result of my negligence, and for that, I apologize. If you want any form of compensation, please let me know, and I will see what I can do."
Hearing genuine regret in her tone, Cid inwardly groaned, but outwardly sighed, "Please stop bowing your head. You're a princess; it would be weird if people came in and saw you like that. As for compensation, just forget about it. I really have no need for any of that."
"Does that mean you accept my apology?" she asked with a hopeful expression.
Inwardly groaning again at her expression, Cid replied, "Yeah, I do. Just forget about it, and let's move on."
Iris sighed in relief before her expression turned serious, "So when are you going to marry my sister?"
Cid was caught off guard and looked at Iris in surprise, "What?"
Gritting her teeth in anger, Iris exclaimed, "I know you have been intimately involved with my sister."
""This is a serious matter that involves the reputation of the Royal Family. It's one thing to go out with someone and spend time together, and it's another to have s-s-s… to do the deed," Iris stuttered, unable to say the word "sex" without turning into a blushing mess due to its vulgarity.
Cid hid a smirk, looking at her with an amused expression before facepalming. "I'm sorry for being blunt and for how rude I'm going to sound, but that isn't any of your concern, Princess. The topic of marriage should be something that is discussed between Alexia and me.
"We have only recently started going out. We will talk about the topic of marriage when we reach that point. So please drop it," Cid stated firmly.
Iris looked annoyed before biting her lip in a pondering manner. She then looked directly into Cid's eyes and asked seriously, "Just answer me honestly, do you have plans to marry her in the foreseeable future?"
Detecting worry within her gaze, Cid answered honestly, "Yes."
Iris studied him closely, noting his eyes, facial expressions, posture, and tone of voice. She concluded, 'He's not lying,' before nodding her head.
"Very well, I'll drop this topic for the time being. But be warned, should you end up hurting her in any possible way, I will dedicate my entire life towards making you pay. I don't care what price I would have to pay to do it, but I won't forgive you if anything happens to her because of you," Iris warned sternly.
Cid rolled his eyes at her before leaning back in his seat, getting comfortable.
Seeing his reaction, a tick mark appeared on Iris's head. "I'm serious, you know!"
"I know, that's why I rolled my eyes. There was no need to make threats like that," Cid retorted.
Iris scoffed, crossing her arms with an angered expression. "Of course there was a need. You're going to be my brother-in-law. I at least had to warn you in case you had plans of hurting Alexia. After all, she's still learning and is a naive girl who still needs her big sister's protection."
Cid looked at Iris with a weird expression. "No, she doesn't– Wait a minute, I see what's going on here," he said, his tone teasing towards the end.
"What?" she asked, arms still crossed, as she noticed Cid's teasing smirk.
"You're a sis-con, and you're worried I'm going to take Alexia away from you," Cid teased.
Iris grew red in the face, pointing at him with a shaky finger. "N-N-No, I'm not! If anyone's a sis-con, it's you! I mean, you came super early when there's barely anyone around just to come and support your sister and watch her!"
Cid scoffed. "You're goddamn right I am."
"Wha–" Iris looked at Cid in shock, not expecting him to admit it; at most, she expected him to completely deny it.
Cid then looked at her with a teasing smirk once again as he shrugged his shoulders. "I never said being a sis-con was a bad thing. You were just the one that assumed it was. Although I really didn't need it, my sister has tried to look out for me her entire life, even if most of the time it was me looking after her.
Even if I didn't need it, it's the thought that counts, which is why since she has asked me to come and support her, I would gladly do it," Cid explained.
A look of understanding overcame Iris as she gazed at Cid with a bit more admiration.
Cid smirked, noticing she wasn't aware more people were entering the booth.
"I think I get it," Iris said, still nodding with her eyes closed. "You're right, I am a sis-con!" she proudly declared, unaware of the audience around her.
Snickering erupted, and Iris opened her eyes to see Cid covering his mouth, trying desperately not to laugh. Confused, she looked around and realized everyone had heard what she said, causing her face to turn red in shame.
"You set me up!" she whispered in a shouting tone, sinking in her seat to avoid being looked at.
Cid simply leaned back, put his arm on the armrest, and laid his hand underneath his chin as he looked at her with a smirk.
He leaned over and whispered, "Then next time, don't threaten me. I don't deal with threats very well," before reclining back in his seat and focusing ahead towards the arena as more people started entering.
[Third Person's PoV]
As the entire VIP section filled up with people, Iris sat there pretending as if nothing had previously happened, as if it was all a figment of her imagination.
"Lady Iris, are you excited about the finals too? Which participants seem the most interesting to you?" a girl of high nobility asked as she sat down in Iris's direction.
Cid started to zone them out, not really paying attention until he heard Iris mention the first God of War Festival championship.
"That's right, Lady Beatrix is here in the capital," Iris mentioned with a serious expression.
Cid thought to himself, 'That's right, the woman who is most likely Alpha's aunt…' He closed his eyes and spread his observation Haki.
Finding her, he saw Beatrix wearing a black hood covering her face while walking around, before she quickly snapped her back, looking behind her.
Beatrix turned her head in confusion and muttered, "That's weird, I just felt the gaze of someone behind me… but there's nobody there."
She looked around for a while longer before dismissing it and continued walking, but not before putting her guard up.
'She's sharp, she was able to detect my Observation Haki on her. Well, I expected no less,' Cid thought to himself with an inward smile.
As Claire's first round began, Cid stood up and started walking away.
"Where are you going?" Iris asked in confusion. "Your sister's match just started."
"Bathroom," Cid answered without looking back. "Plus, there's not really any reason to stay. She's already won."
As Cid walked towards the arena, he passed a hooded figure who quickly stopped in her tracks.
"I smell the scent of an elf on you. Do you have any elven friends?" she asked, slightly turning back towards Cid.
"Perhaps," was all Cid answered as the hooded figure pulled down her hood, revealing her face.
It was none other than Beatrix, who looked like Alpha, not exactly the same, but not so different.
(Images)
"I'm looking for one that looks similar to me. She's the child of my late sister. Have you seen her?"
At first, Cid didn't answer immediately and continued to look into her eyes for a bit before replying with the same answer he gave her previously, "Perhaps."
Almost instantly, Beatrix's hands went towards her sword, but as she touched it, she saw a vision.
Cid showed her the future using Observation Haki. Each forearm would be sliced into pieces, each falling to the ground as blood flowed out of her and splashed onto the floor, before a sword came and touched her neck.
As the sword touched her neck, the vision stopped. Beatrix jumped and slid back away from Cid, sweat dripping down from her forehead as she started breathing heavily.
Her hands, which were on her sword, started to shake as she looked at Cid with a frightened expression. This was surprising to anyone who knew her, as she usually appeared emotionless.
'What's this… when was the last time I felt like this… when was the last time I felt true fear?' she thought as she saw Cid looking down on her with cold eyes.
Touching her neck, she remembered the feeling of the sword touching her skin. 'That felt too real, way too real for it to have been fake.'
As Cid looked at her coldly, he said in an equally cold voice, "You, as a warrior and a swordsman with countless experience, should know a sword isn't something one draws out to simply threaten people.
One should draw a sword when one is prepared to kill, and if one is prepared to kill, they should also be prepared to be killed as well. So choose your next actions carefully."
As Cid had stated, Beatrix was a warrior who had lived a long life and had countless experiences, so she was able to quickly take control of her breathing and calm herself down.
'He foresaw that I would threaten him before I even had the chance to fully grasp my sword, and then those realistic visions... they felt more like the future than anything else. Does he have the power to see the future and show it to someone else?' Beatrix pondered, but before her thoughts could spiral out of control, she quickly calmed herself and thought of her next course of action. She looked towards Cid and saw him examining her, waiting for what she would do next.
With a sigh, Beatrix closed her eyes and released the hold of her sword. Her expression returned to one of indifference as it always was, and she apologized. "I'm sorry for my actions, but I have been looking for my niece for a very long time and lost my cool when I heard that you may know of her whereabouts. Can you please tell me where I can find her? She's the very last thing I have of my sister, and I want to make sure she's alright."
Hearing this, Cid's cold expression disappeared as he let out a sigh, running his fingers through his hair. "Yeah, I know who you're looking for, or at least I think I do, since the two of you look like you could be related."
A flash of hope came over Beatrix's eyes but froze when she heard his next words.
"You're probably looking for my wife."
"Eh?" Beatrix was taken aback.
Cid just nodded his head, hearing the little sound she let out.
"Your wife?" Beatrix repeated in disbelief.
Cid continued nodding with a satisfied expression before motioning for her to wait a minute.
Using his connection to her, he sent her a telekinetic message, 'Come to me, there's someone who wants to meet you.'
Beatrix looked confused before she saw Cid's shadow expand slightly, causing her eyes to widen in surprise.
"Hubby–" Alpha's voice was cut short as she was quickly embraced, something she wasn't expecting.
Turning to look at the person embracing her, Alpha's shock was evident.
Beatrix had tears in her eyes, her indifferent expression leaving her for the second time today. "I finally found you, you're alive. I was beginning to think the worst and that I was too late in finding you–"
Before Beatrix could say her name, Alpha covered her mouth with her hand, already anticipating what she was about to say.
"It's Alpha. I died the day I was announced to have been suffering from 'demon possession'. My master and husband was the one to save me that day, and because of him, I was born anew. He cured my 'demon possession' and made me who I am today. So that name is no more. From that day forth, I was blessed with the name of Alpha."
"Well, you girls can talk about yourselves. I have something to do," Cid said as he kissed the top of Alpha's head before walking away, waving at them.
As Cid went towards his match, he transformed into Julius Blindman, while continuing to watch their conversation through their shadows, curious about what they had to say.
"So he really is your husband…" Beatrix couldn't help but mutter.
Alpha just looked towards where he disappeared into and nodded her head proudly before looking back at Beatrix and letting out a sigh. "It appears we have some things to discuss, don't we?"
Beatrix just nodded her head, happy that she was finally reunited with her niece after searching for her for so many years.
Paragraph comment
Paragraph comment feature is now on the Web! Move mouse over any paragraph and click the icon to add your comment.
Also, you can always turn it off/on in Settings.
GOT IT