Chapitre 32: Chapter 32: Fateful Disaster

~Arika's POV~

The sky was covered by dark grey clouds and occasionally, Arika could hear the low rumbling of thunder in the distance. It wasn't too bad waiting by the gate with Suni, who helped pass the time as she waited for Sin-Vira to pick her up.

Even though she delivered the letter the day after she last spoke to him, it was a surprise that it took him so long to reply. For a while, she worried he changed his mind and didn't have the spine to tell her directly.

"Today is the perfect day to go visit Prince Sin-Vira's kingdom!" Arika spoke sarcastically as she readjusted her floppy hat to cover her head. "I'm hoping it doesn't rain too bad, the last thing I want is my joints rusting…" she looked over at Suni who was holding an umbrella in her hand.

"Do you want to borrow my umbrella? I likely will take the day off and stay inside since soggy bread doesn't sell well." She handed the bright red umbrella out to her.

Arika couldn't see Suni due to her hat, so she cautiously raised it to see her. "No, it's fine! If it pours down, you'll end up sick with a cold! I'll just be a bit stiff."

Suni shivered slightly before huddling next to Arika. Who gladly held her close. "It's dark, likely it'll rain, and you're going to the mountains which are from home. I swear this is all brewing together to make this day disastrous."

Arika laughed. "I already agreed to see him and I'll be fine. I tightened my joints, my ankles are stable, and my skin is flawless! Besides Sin-Vira will be with me, so don't talk like I'm going straight into danger."

Suni gently pushed away and looked stern. "That's what it feels like! I'm telling you it's like a gut instinct! If anything happens to you, I swear I'll drag Sin-Vira by his spine and chuck him in the sea!"

"No no! He'll need that to walk Sibylla down the aisle! I promise I'll come back in one piece, just spare the poor boy's spine!" Arika giggled to herself while Suni remained quiet. "Well I thought that was funny…" she mumbled.

"It was funny, but the way you go about this makes me worry," Suni confessed while folding her hands on her lap. "Are you really okay with your sister marrying him? He'll practically be marrying a stranger he thought he knew."

Arika refused to appear phased as she shook her head with a small smile. "I doubt he would prefer marrying a dead girl. Sibylla's an awful, selfish, vain sister. But I'm sure Sin-Vira will tolerate her until he gets back what's his."

"Did you tell her the plan then?" Suni asked.

Arika sheepishly lowered her head, the curled brim of the hat hid Suni's gaze. "I never got the chance. All I managed to do was keep her interested in marrying him. I'll try again if I manage to impress the Snapdragons for her."

Suni scrunched her face slightly. "You need to put yourself first. You should enjoy this time with him rather than see it as a duty."

"I try sometimes. But hearing her name is always a reminder of what the world sees me as. Even if I acted nothing like her, everyone would see me as spiteful Sibylla." Arika leaned against Suni slightly. "You're the only one who knows about 'Arika'. That's enough for me." she sighed.

She heard the sound of a carriage approaching and saw Sin-Vira leaning out of it. Waving at Arika with a bright grin on his face and hair tousling in the wind. Arika couldn't stop smiling as she waved back to him.

Suni stood and pat Arika's shoulder. "I know it goes against your orders, but try to forget about your sis during this trip. Let him enjoy the real you. Have fun, dolly."

The lazy nickname only made Arika feel less anxious.

She stood and adjusted her hat once again, holding it up to see the carriage that was gradually approaching. "I'll do my best. Thanks for waiting with me, cake-fairy!" She turned her attention to Sin-Vira.

He hopped off the carriage and pulled out a bouquet of red and white snapdragons. Holding it out to her with a smug grin on his face.

"My darling Sibylla! I've longed for my peaceful days to end! Without your reckless tendencies, my days have been boring!" Sin-Vira spoke dramatically as he held the flowers out to her.

Arika held onto the flowers in one arm and used the other to hold her hat up. "Beloved Vira! Without a dense barbarian like you causing trouble, I realized how bland my days are!" She spoke just as dramatically.

He held his gloved hand out to her. "To meet you again on such a gloomy day such as now, it must be fate."

Arika held his hand and was pulled closer to him. "Suni thinks this day would be a disastrous one. I'm curious to know if she'll be right?"

Vira chuckled. "Only time will tell! For now, we can enjoy the ride to my humble kingdom! If you're brave enough that is?" He asked.

She glanced down at her hand. It didn't bother her in the slightest to have him hold her hand so casually. "You'll make a great meat shield, so I'm confident in going!"

Sin-Vira clenched his chest with a mocked pained expression. "My heart- to think such an ill-mannered princess would do something so cruel!"

"Okay, you two. Tone down the theatrical drama before you draw in an audience," Suni sighed. "You better keep her safe, princy. Sibylla is a treasure to this kingdom and my best friend."

Sin-Vira released Arika's hand and bowed to her. "I will keep her safe at all cost. You have my word."

"You better. Your spine's on the line!" Arika slapped his back before walking towards the carriage.

"My what?! I didn't agree to that!" Sin-Vira shouted before following her.

He opened the door for Arika who carefully went in and sat on the stiff seat. It was less comfortable looking than the one her father had. Sin-Vira sat across from her and closed the door. He hit the ceiling which caused the carriage to move.

"You can take the hat off in here ya know?" Sin-Vira suggested.

"Nope! It matches my outfit perfectly!" Arika pulled it down to make sure it was secure. She could only Sin-Vira's feet thanks to it. It was an inconvenience, but she refused to take it off.

"I can barely see your face with it on. Even if it matches it's ridiculously big," he pressed the issue.

Arika shook her head. "It's to protect me from seeing your face!" She laughed.

"Okay, now you're just being childish…" She saw his hand reach towards her and slapped his hand away without thinking.

Arika grimaces at her actions but looked away from him. "I-it's rude to touch a lady like that, beloved… I want it on, okay?"

She heard Sin-Vira sighed in defeat. "Keep it on then. Not seeing your face for a while might help."

Arika looked outside and saw the clouds were a heavy grey. It was going to rain quite a bit. "Had that messenger not taken so long to give you the letter, it would've been a nicer day to go."

"Um… it wasn't a messenger who delivered that letter…" Sin-Vira corrected her. He sounded uneasy about it.

Arika held up the hat's brim to see him. "Then who gave you the letter?"

Sin-Vira looked away from her before sheepishly shrugging. "I guess you could say it was my dear future father-in-law."

L’AVIS DES CRÉATEURS
Scourgie

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Chapitre 33: Chapter 33: The Old You

Sin-Vira's POV

"My father!?" Sibylla shouted. Her eyes were wide with shock, she looked terrified.

"It wasn't that bad. Please don't worry about it." He waved his hand dismissively. It was a terrible lie, but he couldn't sit by and watch her upset.

Sibylla got up from her seat and placed her hands on his cheeks. "Did you touch you? Were you hurt? How do you feel?" she asked while checking his face.

It would've been a cute act, but being hit in the face with a silly hat ruined it.

"Besides getting my head slammed onto a table and passing out from it, I'm fine," he assured her. "Now please sit down, it's not safe standing up in a moving carriage."

"Your head!? Gods, why did he even do such a thing?" She tilted his head and checked on every angle of it. He went along with it in the hopes it would calm her down.

Sin-Vira sighed. "You're making a bigger deal out of then you need to. I'm clearly fine. Now sit your ass down."

Sibylla glared at him. "Stop acting like it's nothing! He could've killed you just because he felt like it!" She shouted at him. There was such aggression in her face and tone, Sin-Vira expected her to hit him as his mother did. But all he felt was a tight embrace. "I'm glad you're not dead…"

He was left speechless from her sudden action and sat still. Unable to reciprocate the action, he simply sat her back. "Same…" he mumbled as Sibylla released him.

There was a sudden bump in the road that caused the carriage to shake. Unsurprisingly, she stumbled back and threw her arms trying to catch herself, knocking her obnoxious hat off with ease.

Sin-Vira stared at her with a gasp escaping his lips.

Sibylla's beautifully long hair was hacked, barely reaching her shoulders. Her ends were jagged, and parts of her hair were sticking up wildly. It looked like they were cut with a dull blade.

"Your hair…?" He asked while helping her sit beside him.

Sibylla placed her hat on her lap. She was red in the face and looked close to crying. "Awe shucks! You ruined the surprise. I cut it myself to impress you. But you're gonna make fun of it, huh?" She sheepishly chuckled.

Vira felt his claws dig into his legs as a sense of anger burned in his chest. "Who did this to you?" he asked.

Sibylla looked surprised before smiling. "Uh me? Who else?"

"…" Sin-Vira sat with a stern expression, waiting for the truth to finally leave her mouth.

"D-don't look at me like that. It'll… grow back…" Sibylla promised as tears formed in the corner of her eyes. "I'm… sorry… please don't hate me for this…" she pleaded in a small voice. Shrinking in her seat.

Sin-Vira gently pats her head with a comforting smile. "I'm pissed at whoever did this. You're a reckless idiot, but I know you wouldn't do this to yourself willingly." Her hair was unbelievably silky and light. He was careful not to touch her scalp since his claws could easily harm her. "I'll ask Ivy to trim it for you. I cut foes down but hair isn't something I'm good with."

Sibylla looked up at him with glistening red eyes. "I would like that…" she smiled a bit.

"Speaking of cutting down foes, do you like dueling?" Vira asked with a smile. Hoping to direct the conversation to a lighter subject.

"On occasion, I do like swinging a sword or two. Why? Don't tell me that's your idea of a romantic outing!" She laughed.

"Far from romantic, but more thrilling than sipping tea. I'll go easy on you out of politeness." He removed his hand from her head. Only for Sibylla to lean against his shoulder.

"Don't bother. Even at your best, I'll make you eat dirt!" she cheered. "Beka's nothing compared to what I can do!"

"Ah speaking of him, did you ever see him again?" Sin-Vira asked.

"Oh now that you mention it, no. Ever since that duel, I've never seen his smug face here or even at the festival. I'm surprised he's given up with how desperate he's been. Maybe he needed to be humiliated into giving up?" Sibylla shrugged.

"I can't believe even though with high standards can be desperate." Sin-Vira felt himself cringe when he thought about Beka. He was a vile trash talker who wasted his breath saying uncomfortable things about Sibylla. "It must be annoying having to deal with it."

"It's a bit of a pain when they're persistent. With your looks I'm surprised you aren't swarmed by royals during the event," Sibylla giggled at her remark.

Though it was easy for her to say, Sin-Vira felt flushed with the idea. "I've been told I looked too intimidating to approach. Features like mine aren't quite common." He pointed to himself.

"Your teeth, eyes, claws, and ears are all pointy, but that just makes you look cool! I have seen unique features, but yours remind me of a dragon! They missed their chance getting to see you up close!"

Sin-Vira felt his mouth curl into a smile as his face grew warmer. Compliments weren't always given to him, which only made her words more meaningful to him.

"You're too kind! I'm always surprised when you say nice things. It's so unlike the old you."

While he did have fond memories of them as kids, he was aware of the rude things she would say to others to the point they would cry. The only compliments she gave were to herself.

Sibylla sighed. "The old me seriously sucked, huh? Sorry about that. I've done what I can to improve so I'm glad you can see it."

"I'm hoping my mother sees it as well. You'll be seeing her likely alone, is that okay?" he asked.

"Hm… Depends on how terrible she is!"

"She's kinds towards those she likes. Otherwise, she's quite intimidating. I'm sure you'll be fine. Ivy said she might interrogate you, but it's only natural. She's probably suspicious of anyone related to your father."

Sibylla groaned and looked at her seat where her flowers were. "I know I can't sweet-talk her with saying how I'm madly in love with you."

"What if she asks what you like about me?" Sin-Vira smirked.

"Easy!" She looked up at him. "I'll be honest with her! I'll remain oblivious to our plan and be genuine the best I can!"

He wanted to know what she would say, but he couldn't bring himself to ask. It would either embarrass him or hurt to hear what she'd say. At times he forgot about the deal, but he knew he couldn't let himself get carried away. Sibylla simply played the part and he followed along without questioning too much. If it weren't for Sibylla's offer, he'd have an innocent girl's blood on his hands and a war outbreak.

Serving his kingdom came before his feelings, though he wouldn't take the bloodied path like his mother if he didn't have to.