章節 23: John's Loyalty
A few hours later, Liana was sitting on Lillian's right in the great hall as she listened to reports.
(Recollection) "This is the last thing I need to do today, but it's the most boring and always takes the longest. You don't need to accompany me if you don't want to." "I'll stay. I already told you I wanted to accompany you, and that's what I'm intending to do."
After their conversation, Lillian had ordered one of her men to bring a chair in for Liana and place it on the right of the chiefs' chair. Because Liz found it way too boring to attend these, there wasn't a chair already there.
(Messenger) "Chief Lera, this is a letter from the Chief of the Sunlight Warriors, Chief Brent."
Liana raised her eyebrows as from her lessons, she knew the Sunlight Warriors to be the second strongest Tribe. Lillian nodded and accepted the letter, opening it. As she was unable to see what was written, Liana observed her expression as it turned from almost blank to frowning heavily. Lillian put the letter down and signalled someone to bring her a paper and pen. They did so, and she quickly wrote something down before she folded it and passed it to the messenger. Liana could only make out that Lillian's handwriting was really pretty, and a few words:
(Writing) "… send help… keep… updated… rash…"
Liana frowned as she wondered what had happened that made Lillian react like that. Liana's eyes widened as she saw Lillian doing a discreet spell before slipping something into the letter and folding it.
(Lillian) "Return this straight into the hands of Chief Brent, do not in any situation whatsoever let anyone else read the contents of this letter."
(Messenger) "Understood, Chief Lera."
(Liana's thoughts) 'The situation must be pretty serious if she's responding like that.'
After the messenger left, Lillian signalled one of her men over.
(Lillian) "Get John. I have a mission for him."
(Guard) "Yes, Chief."
The guard bowed before leaving the room. Lillian then stood up and said,
(Lillian) "We'll finish here for today. I have some matters I need to attend to."
She dismissed everyone in the room before turning back to Liana.
(Lillian) "It's up to you whether you want to stay or not. I know I can trust you not to disclose the matters I will be discussing with John to anyone."
Liana smiled and said,
(Liana) "I'll just sit here then. I won't bother you and if I have questions I'll just wait until later to ask."
Lillian nodded. The door opened and John stepped in.
(John) "You sent for me, chief?"
Lillian nodded and turned to him.
(Lillian) "I have a mission for you and your team."
John dropped to one knee and said,
(John) "I will accept any mission you give me."
Liana raised an eyebrow and wondered why his response was so immediate but she didn't say anything.
(Lillian) "You will go to the Sunlight Warriors Tribe and report to their chief. John, you are one of my best investigators, and I want you to find out the men behind the uprisings in the tribe and report back to Chief Brent and to me. However, this is not your only mission. While you are there, you are to find the spies within their Tribe and eliminate them. Paxton was one of my Mother's closest friends and is a close friend of mine as well."
John nodded as he kept his eyes on the floor. He knew that Lillian was not finished, or she would have dismissed him.
(Lillian) "I have something else I need you to deliver. You must do this personally. You are to cross over to the Vayithen Empire and deliver this to the chief of the closest village."
John looked up as Lillian handed him an envelope. He was about to ask a question when Lillian spoke again. She took out a small token and passed it to him.
(Lillian) "Keep this on you at all times. If you show this to any of the guards, they will direct you straight to the chief. When you get to the chief, pass him the letter, and tell him that you were given instructions by Alexandra Vilera. He will know what to do from the letter."
John knew better to question his chief and accepted the mission without a word.
(John) "I understand, chief."
(Lillian) "Return to me once you've completed the mission. Do not go anywhere else and do not report to anyone else."
John nodded and stood up.
(Lillian) "John, that token I gave you is a protection charm, but it also works as a communication device and you can use it to report to me."
John bowed and said,
(John) "Thank you, chief. I'll keep this by my side always."
(Lillian) "You can go. Depart as soon as possible."
John bowed again and left the room. When Lillian turned back to her, Liana asked,
(Liana) "Are all your men like that?"
Lillian raised an eyebrow.
(Lillian) "Like what?"
Liana stood up and walked over to Lillian. While talking to John, Lillian had walked quite far away from where she was sitting.
(Liana) "Deathly loyal to you."
Lillian raised an eyebrow.
(Lillian) "What do you mean?"
Liana chuckled and said,
(Liana) "I have a skill that tells me how loyal someone is, and John would do what you say even if he knows you're sending him directly to his death. I find that strange. Even Hunter isn't as loyal as him."
Lillian chuckled. Liana burst out laughing and almost doubled over.
(Liana) "You're too serious, Lillian, the look on your face when I said that was too funny."
Lillian shook her head as she watched Liana laugh.
(Lillian) "Are you serious?"
Liana regained her composure and stood up straight before nodding.
(Liana) "Yeah. From what I could tell, John is deathly loyal to you. Did you do something to him or something?"
Lillian shook her head.
(Lillian) "John is a man that I saved when I was out hunting one day. I was nine when I found him injured on the brink of death sitting up against a tree, trying to stop his bleeding. As I was alone in the forest, I kept my mind-reading passively active, and I knew he could be trusted. I didn't hesitate and went up to him and healed his wounds, although he tried to fight me off."
Liana raised an eyebrow as a reminiscing smile appeared on Lillian's face.
(Lillian) "Even though he would probably have bled out in the next ten minutes, he still tried to fend me off. Which made him pass out. I quickly healed his wounds before taking him back to the Tribe. John is a very straightforward guy, and when he knew I was the one who saved his life, he immediately told me that he'd serve me for the rest of his life, or until he repaid the life debt. I originally told him I didn't do it so that he'd serve me, but what he did next really shocked me and didn't give me much of a choice."
Liana tilted her head to the side.
(Liana) "What'd he do?"
(Lillian) "He swore an oath of loyalty to me."
Liana's eyes widened.
(Liana) "As in an oath that cannot be broken, upon pain of death and destruction of your soul?"
Lillian raised an eyebrow.
(Lillian) "That's quite a way to phrase it, but yes, that kind of oath."
Liana chuckled and said,
(Liana) "That's how they phrased it in the textbook."
Lillian a look of disbelief.
(Lillian) "Your memory is really like mine."
Liana shook her head.
(Liana) "My memory is only photographic, it's different from yours."
She shrugged.
(Liana) "How did he even manage to do it without you stopping him, anyway? I thought you read peoples' minds."
Lillian made a sound that Liana registered as a scoff, but something milder, if that's possible.
(Lillian) "John is also one of the most random and act on the spur of the moment guys I have ever met. No sooner was the thought in his head that he was already doing it. I was shocked and I was nine."
Lillian shrugged as she finished. Liana was only now realised how much Lillian must have had to go through, since she became chief at such a young age.
(Lillian) "Don't feel pity for me, Liana. Half the people in the Tribe already do. I don't want you feeling that way too."
She looked at her feet.
(Lillian) "It was harder for Liz. She was six, and she didn't learn as quickly as I did and thus was less mature, so to speak. I would have been there for her, but I knew I couldn't always be there for her and I had to start training her from young. It's one of the things I always wondered whether I made the right choice to do."
Lillian tensed in surprise when she felt someone put her arms around her but relaxed quickly when she realised Liana was hugging her.
(Liana) "You don't need to worry about me pitying you. As for your decision about Liz, I know you made the right choice. My dad did the same when he first exposed me to what happens to prisoners in our dungeon. I've never resented my dad for it, as I understood his reasons for doing so. I know Liz feels the same. It's only you who still doubts yourself. She knows you've been doing all you can for her, and for all she complains about your training, when you're not around, it's obvious she actually enjoys it. I trust you, and Liz trusts you. Now you need to trust you."
Liana had hugged her from behind and now she released her and hugged her from the front properly. Although Liana was shorter than Lillian, it seemed like she was taller as she wrapped her arms around Liana's waist and buried her head in her shoulder. Liana could feel the wet spot on her shoulder but paid no mind to it as she rubbed Lillian's back comfortingly. Lillian was shaking, and Liana tightened her arms around her, holding her closer.
*
About ten minutes later, Liana felt Lillian lift her head and released her. Lillian faced Liana before speaking three words that made Liana pale.
(Lillian) "I was ten."
Liana pulled her in for a hug again and spoke softly,
(Liana) "Don't tell me. I don't think I can handle it."
Lillian nodded against her shoulder and simply took comfort from Liana's arms. She hadn't been held like this for years, and it was comforting to be held in someone's arms again, feeling like you can take anything on, as long as that person is there. Even when she hugged Liz, it wasn't the same, and she had forgotten just how nice it was to feel protected.
*
Lillian didn't need to say anything anyway, as those three words explained a lot. However, what Liana didn't tell Lillian was that when she had said those three words, it granted Liana a vision of some of what happened. Lillian's memories were sent straight into Liana's mind, through the bond. Just from the few seconds she saw, she knew she wouldn't be able to handle it, had Lillian recounted the details, even if Lillian herself could.
*
A few minutes later, Liana released Lillian when she felt her emotions settle once more. Lillian stood up properly and Liana couldn't help but stare as she watched Lillian transform from a fifteen-year-old girl who'd gone through a lot for her age, to a reliable chief of the biggest Tribe. Lillian noticed her gaze and tilted her head quizzically.
(Liana) "How do you do it?"
Lillian just shrugged her shoulders.
(Lillian) "I've been doing it for years."
Liana smiled and shook her head, a soft look in her eyes. Lillian frowned.
(Lillian) "Okay, now what's wrong?"
Liana looked down as she said,
(Liana) "I know it probably sounds strange or unreasonable but… I can't help but wonder if you'll think less of me if you know some of what I've done."
Lillian raised an eyebrow, then a shocked expression crossed her face. Liana nodded, looking up, but still avoiding Lillian's gaze.
(Liana) "Yeah."
Lillian smiled and said,
(Lillian) "You know some of the stuff I've done, so you should be assured that I will not think any less of you, should it be because of this or anything else."
Liana looked straight into Lillian's eyes and breathed out audibly.
(Liana) "Thank you."
Lillian chuckled as she said,
(Lillian) "You shouldn't be too surprised, since you saw my reaction with Drew."
Liana frowned, and a few moments later Lillian's eyebrows shot up.
(Lillian) "Seriously?!"
(Liana) "Of course, he hurt you."
Lillian sighed and nodded, while avoiding looking into Liana's eyes.
(Lillian) "I guess I can kind of understand, since I would want to do the same…"
Liana smirked.
(Liana) "The bond runs deep, but now will you tell me about Robyn and Ruby?"
Lillian chuckled.
(Lillian) "Didn't you say that I didn't need to tell you if I was uncomfortable with telling you?"
Liana appeared unfazed as she said,
(Liana) "I did say that, but I also know that you were going to tell me anyways, so why not just do it now?"
Lillian laughed while she shook her head.
(Lillian) "Okay, I'll tell you, but not here."
She led Liana out of the great hall, through the hall they had walked in on the first day of Liana's visit to the clan. This time however, Lillian didn't lead her into the secret room hidden in the wall, but instead through an actual door into what Liana guessed was an office.
(Lillian) "You guessed right. This is the office I use."
Liana examined the room, then sat down across from Lillian, who had taken the inside seat of the table in the room.
創作者的想法 
Phoenix169
Phoenix169 Edited/Proofread by: c_wyvern
Okay so you may or may not be wondering what they're talking about and what they say when they're using their bond, and I do have an idea but I won't be actually writing it out. (Sorry to anyone who wanted to know)
(Sometimes it's because I'm just too lazy to write ahahaha ;))
In other words, I shall try my best not to write anything that'll make me need to change the rating to mature, so it should be pretty clean but just a warning to whoever even reads these: There will still be occasions when I have to write scenes with trigger warnings.
WC: 2337
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