Vol.1 Ch.51 Heading East.
<span ss="editText">Upon leaving the room, Dalia and Sir George stood guard outside the door. They seemed to be waiting for the two with eagerness. Quinus spoke first to his retainer.
<span ss="userText">"We''re heading to the dining room to eat something before heading out. Sir George, how much more time do we need before<span ss="aiText"> we can depart for Ironside?" Quinus asked.
<span ss="editText">Sir George looked at Rya and then at Quinus<span ss="aiText">. "Well, <span ss="editText">the captain of the Rangers said everything is ready to go now, My Lord. Marko Aitken has given the Knights horses from <span ss="editText">the<span ss="aiText"> stables <span ss="editText">and he''s giving us a carriage with enough<span ss="aiText"> room for <span ss="editText">all of us. P<span ss="aiText">er<span ss="editText">c<span ss="aiText">y <span ss="editText">i<span ss="aiText">s <span ss="editText">g<span ss="aiText">at<span ss="editText">hering enough supplies for our week''s journey ahead<span ss="aiText"> and will meet us at the stables shortly. So, whenever everyone is ready, we can depart, My Lord," Sir George exined<span ss="editText"> with a troubled <span ss="editText">look<span ss="aiText">.
<span ss="aiText">"Very good.<span ss="editText">.. But what''s the matter, George?" Quinus asked<span ss="editText"> concerned.
<span ss="editText">Sir George<span ss="aiText"> looked down and then up at Quinus. "I <span ss="editText">don''t know how to say this, but Percy seems to be walking around with a bit of a limp. <span ss="editText"><span ss="undoDeletionText">I don''t recall him<span ss="aiText"> injur<span ss="editText"><span ss="undoDeletionText">ing<span ss="aiText"> himself during the <span ss="editText"><span ss="undoDeletionText">fightst night and I told him to rest up, but he kept insisting that he was fine. Maybe he just needs to stretch a little more?"
Rya looked at Dalia, knowing that the wolfkin was knocking boots with him during the night. She wagged her tail happily, and said, "The little wolf is fine. I''ll make sure he''ll be in shape for the trip."
<span ss="userText">Dalia<span ss="aiText"> smil<span ss="editText">ed<span ss="aiText"> as she turned to look at <span ss="editText">Rya and gave her a nod which made Sir George more confused<span ss="aiText"> than ever.<span ss="editText"> He didn''t know what the wolfkin meant<span ss="aiText"><span ss="retryDeletionText"><span ss="undoDeletionText">, but he didn''t want to ask either.
<span ss="userText">"When did Lady Dalia start calling him ''little wolf''?" George said to himself.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Why don''t you twoe with me and Rya to the dining room? We can discuss the details of our journey while eating breakfast." Quinus said to Sir George and Dalia.
<span ss="userText">Dalia jumps up excited<span ss="editText">l<span ss="undoDeletionText">y<span ss="userText">. "I haven''t eaten anything yet. My stomach is rumbling like crazy!"
<span style="font-weight:400">"Aye, I could use a bit of food, my lord." Sir George said.
<span ss="editText">So the group made their way towards<span ss="aiText"> the dining room. Rya followed closely behind Quinus, watching his back.
<span ss="aiText">''Hmmm... Quin is a nice guy and he''s kind of cute, but I don''t want a rtionship. Besides, he<span ss="editText"> would freak out if he knew I was a dude<span ss="aiText">,'' Rya thought to herself as she observed her friends.
Dalia walked along<span ss="editText">side R<span ss="editText">ya and whispered,<span ss="userText"> "Is everything okay, Alpha? Do you need anything from me?"
<span ss="aiText">The dark elf looked at the wolfkin and smiled. <span ss="editText">She was touched by<span ss="aiText"> Dalia''s concern for her well-being.
<span ss="aiText">"No, I''m fine, Dalia. Thank you." Rya answered quietly.<span ss="editText"> "Let''s go get something to eat, and then we can head out," the Dark Elf said and the group continued walking towards the dining room.
***
<span style="font-weight:400">They made their way to the dining room where they found Mr. Aitken and Percy were already sitting at the long dining room table.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Ah! Good morning,dies and gentlemen! Breakfast is served!" Mr. Aitken said with a nervous smile.
Quinus looked at Marko with an unamused gaze and sat down at the head of the table. "Mr. Aitken... I hope no one has been thinking about betraying me overst night. It would be a shame to have Kishin lose a second Mayor in two days," Quinus threatened with a cold voice.
Marko''s smile disappeared and he gulped audibly, "I-I would never, Your Highness... I''ve given all the information about the traitors to the Captain of the Rangers. He and his men worked overnight to rid the town of them. As we speak, they''re being interrogated at the dungeon... I''m d you and your party are unharmed afterst night''s events."
<span ss="aiText">Quinus sighed and took a bite out of his bread, "That''s good... How many have been captured?"
<span ss="aiText">"10 were apprehended, and 4 are dead. All were <span ss="editText">loyal to your uncle<span ss="aiText">, my prince."
<span ss="aiText">Quinus nodded and continued to eat, "Alright. Well, thank you for the information. <span ss="editText">You may do as you please.<span ss="aiText">"
<span ss="aiText">Marko stood up from the table and bowed, "Thank you, Your Highness. If you need anything, you can call on me. Enjoy your breakfast and farewell, Your Highness."
<span ss="aiText">Quinus <span ss="editText">held his hand up and motioned for him to sit at the table<span ss="aiText">. "Before you go, sit back down. Please join us for breakfast."
<span ss="aiText">Marko froze for a moment but quickly regained hisposure. He then bowed to the prince again.
<span ss="aiText">"T-Thank you, Your Highness! I would love to!"
<span ss="aiText">Quinus watched as Mr. Aitken sat back down and began to eat<span ss="editText"> before he went back<span ss="aiText"> to his own te.<span ss="editText"><span ss="undoDeletionText"> While that <span ss="editText"><span ss="undoDeletionText">was <span ss="editText"><span ss="undoDeletionText">going on Dalia was giving Percy a staredown.
Dalia noticed Percy had two tes of food in front of him. One filled with all types of meat, that caused her to drool. She thought he was saving it for himself and she felt jealous.
"<span ss="editText">Little wolf<span ss="editText">? You took all the meat!? How cou<span ss="editText">ld <span ss="editText">you after everything I''ve done for you," Dalia asks, ring at him.
Percy is surprised by Dalia''s statement and responds, "What? No. This te is for you Lady Dalia. And this one is for me. I didn''t know what you liked so I grabbed a bit of everything."
Dalia quickly did a 180 from ring at him and smiled as she grabbed the te with all the meat and sat on Percy''s Lap. "Hehe! My little wolf is the best! I knew you''d take care of me. And you knew what meats I like best!"
<span style="font-weight:400">*Nom, nom, nom, nom!*
<span ss="userText">The wolfkin<span ss="aiText"><span ss="retryDeletionText"><span ss="undoDeletionText"> dug into the te of meats like a starving animal, which made Percy worry.
<span style="font-weight:400">"L-Lady Dalia!? Please, chew your food! You might choke yourself. Here let me cut those for you." Percy says with a serious face while he starts cutting the food for Dalia.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Hmm. My little wolf is worried about me. If you keep pampering me, I''ll never leave you. Hehe~" Dalia giggled and kissed Percy on the cheek.
<span ss="userText">Sir George looked at Percy with an awkward expression. You could pra<span ss="editText">ctica<span ss="editText">lly <span ss="userText">see the question marks<span ss="aiText">above his head.
<span ss="aiText">''Why does she keep calling him little wolf?<span ss="editText"> And why is Percy cutting her food? And Why is she kissing his cheek<span ss="aiText">?''
<span ss="editText"><span ss="undoDeletionText">It took a w<span ss="aiText">hile <span ss="editText"><span ss="undoDeletionText">for <span ss="aiText">Sir George <span ss="editText"><span ss="undoDeletionText">to finally ask a question, "Percy? Why is Lady Dalia sitting on yourp?"
<span style="font-weight:400">Percy gets a little embarrassed and says, "She uh... I mean, she''s my~"
"He''s my mate! I marked him," Dalia proudly announced before taking another bite of her food.
<span style="font-weight:400">"M-Mate? Her!?" Sir George eximed in disbelief.
"Yep!... I love him so much that I let him mark me," Dalia said with a big smile and wagged her tail.
<span style="font-weight:400">"But... But did he use any of my techniques?... He had to! Right Percy!? " Sir George asked in desperation.
<span ss="userText">The older teen looked at the old man in <span ss="editText">irritation. The "Love" techniques<span ss="userText"> he learned from the knight had ruined his chance at getting his first love, Bell, and he wasn''t going to scare his new love away<span ss="aiText"><span ss="retryDeletionText"><span ss="undoDeletionText"> like he did with the other girls.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Lady Dalia came to me. And I''m never using your techniques again, love sage!" Percy looked at Sir George with a stern look on his face.
<span style="font-weight:400">"You dare question my metho~" Quinus cut off Sir George.
<span style="font-weight:400">"George! Cool it. You need to stop getting jealous when every one of your friends gets a woman. Now let''s eat and get back to business," Quinus said with a sigh.
<span style="font-weight:400">"S-Sorry my lord, I lost myself in the moment." Sir George said to Quinus while taking a bite of his bacon.
<span style="font-weight:400">After breakfast, Quinus looked to Mr. Aitken and asked, "Would it be possible to impersonate Tomas, so my uncle isn''t on to us Mr. Aitken?"
<span style="font-weight:400">"O-Of course, My Lord! It will be done!" Mr. Aitken replied with a smile.
<span ss="editText">Quinus nodded and told him, "Good. Now once we''ve cleared out all the traitors in Kishin, I want you to meet up with Sir Menns, Captain of the 5th Rangers, and meet up with Sir Beck, Captain of the Western Knights. Since Sir Menns and his men have been rounding up all the city guards who are loyal to my Uncle, we should continue<span ss="aiText"> to <span ss="editText">wipe ou<span ss="aiText">t <span ss="editText">h<span ss="aiText">is influence<span ss="editText">in the surrounding<span ss="aiText"><span ss="retryDeletionText"><span ss="undoDeletionText"> viges. I need you to find the other sympathizers who are currently in the vige and round them up. We can''t have any spies leaking the news about his son''s death. I''m tired of Uncle''s games and it''s only fair to weaken his influence inside the Galfrei Domain, with Sir Beck''s help. Sir Menns told me that the Western Knights would be gathered in the vige barracks by noon. You must bring anyone you find to him. He''ll keep them imprisoned there until we''ve dealt with my uncle."
<span ss="aiText">"Y-Yes<span ss="editText">... As you wish, <span ss="aiText">My Lord!" Mr. Aitken replies <span ss="editText">with sweat forming on his forehead
<span ss="userText">"That is all... Mayor Aitken<span ss="aiText">," Quinus said and turned to look at <span ss="editText">Rya<span ss="aiText"> and the others. "Now, everyone, it''s time we go to Ironside<span ss="editText">. Gather anything<span ss="aiText"> you might need before we head out."
''Damn! The shit is getting real! Well, I guess that''s just how cutthroat it is during a feudal era?'' Rya thinks to herself while eating her food.
<span ss="aiText">"Aye, my lord," <span ss="editText">Sir George<span ss="aiText"> said and left the table.
<span ss="aiText">Dalia finished her food and stood up, "Alright! I''m ready, <span ss="editText">Bet<span ss="aiText">a!"
<span ss="aiText">"<span ss="editText">Beta?"<span ss="aiText"> Quinus asks with a curious gaze.
<span ss="aiText">"<span ss="editText">Yeah! You''re Alpha owns you right?<span ss="aiText"> Then that makes <span ss="editText">you<span ss="aiText"> Beta," Dalia said cheerfully.
<span ss="aiText">Quinus blinked twice and looked at Rya, "<span ss="editText">Well? We are still figuring things out<span ss="aiText">, but she''s mypanion."
<span ss="editText">Rya blushed<span ss="aiText"> and scratched her cheek. "Y-yeah..."
<span ss="aiText">"Hmph. <span ss="editText">Alpha... Once you get the chance, make him your mate<span ss="aiText"><span ss="retryDeletionText"><span ss="undoDeletionText">. You''ll feel a lot better when you do," Dalia says with a wink.
<span ss="aiText"><span ss="retryDeletionText"><span ss="undoDeletionText">Rya looked away embarrassed and Quinus'' cheeks became rosy.
''W-We''re just friends!... What the fuck did I get myself into?'' Rya thought while shaking her head.
<span style="font-weight:400">***
After a few hours, the group goes to the foyer of the mayor''s mansion where there are horses and a carriage that looks like it could hold six people, waiting for them.
"Well, that''s an extravagant-looking carriage," Rya says while walking towards it.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Yeah, I was hoping for something a little less conspicuous. But This is the only one we can find that isn''t a farm cart." Quinus replies while trying to hide his disappointment.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Will it be a problem to use the mayor''s carriage? We don''t want anyone to know we''re here, right?" Rya asks.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Yeah, I just hope the ck Rose Mercenaries aren''t here. Thest thing we need is them going crazy over us showing up to Ironside." Quinus says while thinking of what to do if they were to run into an ambush.
<span style="font-weight:400">"That traitorous dog will be too afraid to show his face in front of our lord." Sir George adds.
<span style="font-weight:400">"I doubt he would have had time to send out a warning to the mercenaries already. Besides, we''re going to take care of them." Percy said with confidence.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Well, it''s better to be safe than sorry Percy," Rya says with a small smirk.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Yeah, I would agree with Rya. Anyway, are we all packed up?" Quinus asks.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Aye. All of our stuff is loaded on the coach." Sir George says while opening the door for Rya, Quinus, Dalia, and Percy.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Who''s the driver?" Rya asks, confused.
<span style="font-weight:400">"One of the Knights we met up with after exiting thebyrinth. His name is Sir John." Quinus answers.
<span style="font-weight:400">"He''s someone we can trust?" Rya asks.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Yes. He''s a veteran of the Fiafyr Kingdom and has a good reputation." Quinus says.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Then let''s go," Rya tells everyone as she finds a seat inside the carriage followed by Dalia, then Quinus, and Percy.
<span style="font-weight:400">Sir George closes the door and rides up front with the driver.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Are we all set, Sir George?" John asked while George got seated next to him.
"Yes, we are ready to go, John," George answered.
"Alright let''s head east. We should reach the city of Ironside sometime within a week. You keep an eye out for the ck Rose." Sir John instructs.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Don''t have to tell me twice," George responds.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Hyah!" Sir John takes the reins and pulls the coach forward.
<span style="font-weight:400">The carriage starts down the road with Sir George and John riding up in front while the others rest inside the coach as they begin their long journey to Ironside.