5-13 Tranquil trip

5-13 Tranquil trip

“Now, this is strange,” Erin mused after they had travelled for some distance away from the city borders.

“What is?” Lyra asked.

“I don’t sense anyone.”

“No one at all?”

“None.”

“That is strange,” Lyra muttered. Her gaze wandered to her surroundings which were undisturbed by nothing but the winds that heralded a storm. “We’re still in the valley. We should be encountering quite a few adventurers by now.”

“We should be encountering many by now but we haven’t seen a single soul yet.”

“What do you think it’s happening? I don’t think the zealots have the power or the sway to convince the adventurers to clear the area.”

“But the nobles do,” said Siv from within the back of the wagon. “As long as they gave a sensible reason, true or not, they have the authority to prevent the adventurers from venturing into the areas in question.”

“It’s not the nobles.” Erin loosened her grip on the reins. “They are not capable of such discretion even if they wouldn’t ever admit it. That leaves us one remaining possibility.”

“Were there any other groups or factions that are at odds against us?”

“You forget, Lyra. We have our fair shares of acquaintance with one of the zealous groups.”

“Ah… The Ruvans.”

“The Ruvans do seem like the likeliest possibility,” Siv agreed.

“But what business do they have with us? Are they furious that we stole their glory at saving the city and now they are being a sore loser?”

“We’re about to find out,” Erin said and rose from her seat while the carriage was still moving.

“Incoming?”

Erin shook her head and gestured for Lyra to stay in her seat. At the same time, Erin let her tails flourish, showing off their true numbers. “Come on out. You may be able to hide from my senses but not nature. You will still disturb the flow of the air.”

Suddenly, a figure appeared in the middle of the road the carriage was traversing on. Although the figure wore a cloak and a hood, the brilliance of the armour could not be hidden neither could the locks of red hair dangling through the hood.

The figure raised their head and the carriage came to a stop.

“What do you want now, Azaela?” Erin asked.

In an instance, Lyra armed herself with her bow. Siv and Aera in the back also assumed their combat stances.

“Paying my dues, Lady Erynthea,” answered Azaela. “I know of your… plight. I’m here to offer my aid.”

“Seems like you already have offered your aid considering how deserted the vicinity was.”

“I have my Venerers and paladins formed a perimeter around the valley. You will have safe passage until you leave the valley. And of course, your companions on the other path will also have safe passage.”

“This very… generous of you, Azaela.”

“You and your companions are the saviour of this city. Thousands of lives are in your debt, Lady Erynthea. You succeeded where we failed. This is the least I can do, the least the Ruvans can do.”

“How do you manage to push those zealots back? Surely they wouldn’t have backed away so quietly and obediently, right?”

“They are not happy but they can’t do anything against us as we have the justifications. However, this is only limited to within the valley as the city has been blessed by Ruva. Any further, the Ruvans will be overextending their authority.”

“Blessed by Ruva?” Lyra muttered with a befuddled look.

“Any settlement that recognises Ruvanian as its official faith is considered to be blessed by Ruva,” Azaela explained.

“Huh… so that’s how it is.”

“That is how it is.” Azaela nodded at Lyra before turning her gaze back to Erin. “Lady Erynthea, I have stalled you for long enough. You may continue with your journey and rest assured, no harm shall come to you or your companions while you are still in the valley.”

Erin smiled. “Thank you, Lady Azaela. This aid of yours is very much appreciated.”

“You are most welcome, Lady Erynthea,” the Venerer Commander said and disappeared in the next instance.

“Whoa,” Lyra exclaimed lightly. “How did she do that? Is that teleportation?”

“That was just a projection,” Erin said and resumed the carriage’s movements after she had sat back down and folded her tails into a humble number of three. “It’s most likely a magic tool or something of the sort. Anyway, we wouldn’t need to worry about encountering hostiles for a day or two.”

“Hmm…”

Though Erin wasn’t looking Lyra’s way, she could feel her stare. “What is it?”

“Just when did you get so… amicable with the Scarlet Blade?”

“Since the night we returned from the feast.”

“So that’s why you suddenly disappeared from us that day. I thought you went off to shake the bushes with Aedan.”

Erin rolled her eyes. “What do you take me for, Lyra?”

“The Apostle of Lust.”

“...Fair enough.”

“But… did you do it with… her?”

Erin stared at Lyra with a deep frown. “She’s an acquaintance at best, Lyra. I may be licentious or lascivious but I have boundaries. I don’t fornicate with just anyone. Besides, do you think a few minutes is all it takes for me?”

“Well… you’re certainly not that easily satisfied.” Lyra sighed. “If it was that easy, I wouldn’t have so many restless nights.”

Erin snorted. “As if you didn’t enjoy those restless nights.”

“In moderation, dear. I always wonder… what would it be like if I’m your only lover?”

“Dead, or halfway there.”

“I can certainly see that happening, though I can’t imagine you would be satisfied with just one partner. I certainly don’t wish to be an empty husk.”

“As selfish as I may sound, I agree, Lyra. I can’t imagine myself being satisfied with just one or two lovers after I have a taste of sex.”

Lyra smiled wryly. “Just how many do you plan on getting, Erin? Dozens?”

Erin shrugged. “That sounds tempting but even if I can handle dozens, it doesn't mean I would enjoy it. In moderation, Lyra.”

“Nothing about you spells moderation, Erin.”

“Thank you.”

“That’s not a compliment,” Lyra huffed and laid her head onto Erin’s lap.

Erin only tittered and caressed her lover’s head as they continued their journey in silence.

****

“What in the name of the Spirits is happening?” Nivia asked in a whisper but her question was directed at no one in particular. She didn’t think there was anyone within her reach who could answer her baffling inquiry.

They were currently traversing on the highway that was connected directly to the east entrance of the city. Along the neatly paved road, at least one paladin of Ruva was stationed at every quarter of a mile. That alone was not the strange part.

What made Nivia frown in utter disbelief and unease was the fact that the paladins they came across were giving them a nod and a smile.

“I don’t usually question reality but I’m afraid I will need to do so now,” Aedan muttered as he too was bearing witness to this bizarre phenomenon.

Just around a week ago, they were at odds with the Ruvans but now, these knights of the temple were showing them the kind of respect as if they were sending off dignitaries of the highest degree.

“Your Grace, shall I—”

“No,” Aedan shot Amyra’s offer down before she could even finish her words.

“We can just ask them, no?” Lilian proposed.

Nivia groaned. “I don’t feel like it. Just looking at them is making me… uncomfortable. I don’t need the additional headache of conversing with one of them.”

“Well, if you won’t, I will,” Lilian said and made her way to the coach seat, squeezing herself into the seat beside Nivia and ending up sandwiching the Elf between herself and Aedan.

The carriage soon approached the paladin at the next interval of a quarter mile. This paladin was a young man who didn't look older than thirty. Though his gaze was stern and his posture was firm, his eyes drooped and his shoulders loosened when he saw a beautiful Fae smiling brightly at him as the carriage came to a brief stop in front of him.

“Pardon me, good sir,” Lilian greeted.

“Y-yes, Milady? W-what can I do for you?” the young paladin asked. He tried to keep his tone sharp but he couldn’t help but falter in the face of a beauty that surpassed all the women he had known so far. The fact that he was still a virgin did not help with his poise either.

“May I know the meaning of all this? I appreciate that you are doing a fine job at guarding the roads which plenty of travellers frequent but I don’t recall this being a routine of the paladins. What gives?”

“This is all an order from the commander herself, milady.”

“The Scarlet Blade?”

“Y-yes, milady.”

“Did she tell you why she gave out such an order?”

“She did not specify, m-milady but… I believe this is her way of showing her gratitude.”

“Gratitude? For what?”

“Milady, you and your companions saved the city. Thousands of lives and more would have been lost had it not been for your heroic deeds. Granting you safe passage out of the valley is the least we could, milady.”

“Oh? Truly?”

“Truly, milady.”

Lilian tittered. “Why, thank you for telling me, good sir.”

“Y-you are most welcome, milady.” The paladin bowed deeply, probably to avoid his blush being seen.

The carriage then resumed moving and Nivia was just staring blankly ahead.

“I don’t believe it. There’s just no way…” Nivia muttered. Disbelief was smeared all over her face as if she was a devout believer who had just been told the god they worship had never existed.

“He’s not wrong, your highness,” Aedan said.

“Don’t call me that,” Nivia shot Aedan a look.

Aedan smiled wryly. “Probably more than half of the city would have perished if we didn’t intervene.”

“I know that and I’m not questioning that part.”

“You don’t believe Azaela is trying to make amends with us?”

“Azaela?” Nivia raised an eyebrow. “Am I mishearing it or is that intimacy I’m hearing?”

Lilian giggled. “I did hear some affinity in your tone, Aedan. Did something happen between you and the Scarlet Blade?”

Nivia immediately glared at Aedan as hard as a wife who suspected her husband was having an affair.

“I would be so surprised if something did happen between them,” Amyra mused from the back of the carriage.

“Is there?” Nivia’s glare hardened even more.

“Even if something did happen between me and Azaela, I don’t see why you’re so upset, Nivia?”

“I am not upset,” Nivia growled.

“Are you worried about me?”

“In your dreams,” she snorted. “Even if I am worried, it’s not in the way you think.”

“Then please, enlighten me.”

“You are fornicating with the enemy.”

Lilian let loose a chuckle that could have been a bellow if she didn’t hold herself back.

“Azaela is not the enemy, not anymore. And I certainly did not fuck her. Do you take me for some kind of sexual deviant that has no inhibition with his desires?”

“Yes,” Nivia answered firmly but in the next second, her composure crumbled and she quickly looked away just as her cheeks went red from recalling the time she lost her virtue.

However, since she was sandwiched between Lilian and Aedan, her blush was seen by Lilian.

“Oh, my.” Lilian snickered. “Was he that rough with you?”

Nivia did not retort and simply cast her gaze down. “I hate you two…”

“Forgive me, my dear,” Lilian said and patted Nivia on the head. “I’m just curious, that is all. Did you not enjoy it at all?”

“That’s not the point. I just…” Her voice trailed off as she snuck a glance at Aedan. “It’s nothing.”

Lilian said nothing in return and simply continued patting Nivia on her head.

“...Is it too late to say that I will take responsibility?” Aedan asked after a brief silence.

Nivia pointed at Aedan without glancing. “Don’t start.”