《The Alchemist of Rozarre》 Chapter 1 The Alchemist of Rozarre Chapter 1 Cerise de Vernase noticed some strange affliction overcome her beloved sister, Anna. She simply guessed it was the season, as it was a very rainy and stormy month and it could¡¯ve been illness born from the cold weather, but when it happened at midnight, her sister was in a kind coma. She still breathed, she still had a healthy color to her skin, and she willingly would take food and drink when offered to her, but her eyes remained close and she dozed in a dreamless slumber, unresponsive to anything else around her and remaining tucked under the comforting worth of sheets and comforters in the cozy bed next to the fire hearth. Cerise clasped her sister¡¯s hand¡ªit was surprisingly warm, though her Anna¡¯s fingers remained lax and didn¡¯t twitch or curl in response to this sisterly affection. The doctor was confounded by this. Anna was perfectly healthy in every single way¡ªexcept for the fact that she remained asleep and wouldn¡¯t wake up no matter what happened. Cerise ventured to guess that this wasn¡¯t a very common phenomenon, though she guessed that the closest it would be is a coma. That¡¯s what the doctor diagnosed it as, though his brow was furrowed and his spectacles belied a troubled expression indeed. Cerise stayed in the house, putting more logs into the fire and then holding her sister¡¯s hand, praying to God that her sister would wake up from her unusual slumber. No matter how much Cerise called her sister¡¯s name or pleaded to God, however, her sister still didn¡¯t wake up. If the doctor didn¡¯t know what happened to her, then she would have to find her answer somewhere, wouldn¡¯t she? The trip to the Kingdom was a long and perilous road, though Cerise was sure someone in the Kingdom could help her with her problem. The wise King would probably know. Yes, that is it. Consult the King with her plight, and maybe he would use his resources and wisdom to help save her sister! That¡¯s what Cerise surely thought, as she made her way out into the night and brought a white horse from the stables and started to ride into the forest where the wind snatched and snarled and furled her cloak behind her. Staccato flashes of lightning flickered in the distance. Her horse whinnied in fear, though Cerise held firm with the reins. Lightning struck the tree ahead on her journey, causing it to tumble and fall down with a thunderous crash on the ground. Thunder itself blasted the charged air, and Cerise could feel a certain static crawl along the fine hairs of her skin which prickled with gooseflesh as the close encounter with the tree could¡¯ve fallen on her and her horse. ¡°Easy girl, easy,¡± Cerise said while she comforted the white horse, which trampled it hooves deep into the earth and refused to move further. The lightning and thunder scared the horse, obviously, though there was something else that would prick Cerise¡¯s attention. Glowing yellow eyes surrounded them in the forest, and then wolves prowled among them. ¡°Go!¡± Cerise shouted, slapping the horse on her rear and that motion along with fear of the wolves spurred the horse into running. They sped through dark twisting passageways with gnarled tree roots threatening to trip them up in their mad dash towards teh kingdom, with wolves snapping at their heels. One of the wolves leaps and attempted to grasp its jaws around the horse¡¯s flank. The horse squealed in pain, though adrenaline caused it to run faster and faster until they made their way into the kingdom. The wolves stopped their mad pursuit, retreating into the darkness, though her horse was wounded. She needed to find a stablemaster who could help tend to this horse, but more importantly, she needed to find information on the illness that befell her sister! Leading the horse to a stable, Cerise promised to come back to it later. She then made her way up the twirling path to the castle, though knights stopped her from entering. ¡°Halt!¡± one of them called out, peering down at Cerise through the slatted visor of his helm. ¡°Identity yourself!¡± ¡°I am¡­I am Cerise de Vernase,¡± Cerise said in a breathless rush of words, and suddenly tears came unbidden down her cheeks as the stress of everything that happened came to her. ¡°My sister has fallen ill with a mysterious illness and I was hoping that the King¡ª¡± ¡°The King isn¡¯t available right now,¡± the Knight said coldly. ¡°He has other matters to tend to.¡± ¡°Please,¡± Cerise said, suddenly feeling very small underneath the Knights¡¯ scrutinizing gaze. ¡°The King can help, I¡¯m sure of it. I just need to seek an audience with him, and¡ª¡± ¡°No means no, little girl. The King will not see you. Off you get.¡± Then with a nudge of his lance prickling her back, Cerise was shoved out of the castle grounds and she stared back despondently, wondering what she should do now.Why couldn¡¯t the King see her? Surely the King welcomed any and all to his castle home if they were in need. But why did the knight seem so stubborn that Cerise be driven out? ¡°I guess I¡¯ll have to wait till morning,¡± Cerise said to no one in particular, huddling in a lodging where she could take shelter from the rain and storm. For three gold pieces they could spare a comfortable room, warm food and drink, and a nice bath to soak in. Cerise performed her ablutions and she got out of the tub, soaking wet, toweling herself dry as her red hair flowed freely behind her, let loose from the bonnet that she normally wore over her head. When Cerise dreamed that night in the warm bed, she dreamed that she was aware of everything around her, though she was trapped in her body, apparently in the same strange coma that her sister was in. No matter how hard she tried to open her mouth and shout to the others that she was still alive, the doctor looked mournful and told her parents and everyone in the household that she passed away, dead from fright. Cerise awoke, startled, and the sun was shining through the windows. Cerise put a hand to her chest, to help still her beating heart. ¡°What was that?¡± Cerise wondered aloud, before she shook her head. She needed to find information, and her discouragement from everything that happened seemed like a distant dream.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. She asked everyone in the mess hall that she could bout why the King wasn¡¯t available. No one knew anything, though someone rumored that the Queen was going to hold a tournament. Cerise thanked them and then headed out to the town square where the tournament would likely be held. Cerise stared in awe at all the handsomely dressed knights with their plumed helms and their insignia ingrained armor. It certainly would be a grand affair, though Cerise attempted to gather as much information as she could. However, both the knights and townspeople seemed to be annoyed with her questions, as the Princess has gone missing. Probably off on one of her escapades, no doubt. Cerise then took her place in the audience, watching through the sidelines as a mysterious figure in a cape and masquerade mask appeared before them. ¡°En garde, you unrefined curs!¡± the mysterious figure aid, as she leapt off a building and landed gracefully on her feet into the ring where all the knights had gathered. ¡°I¡¯m here to join the tournament as the sophisticated and lovely crusader who will challenge anyone and everyone that dares! I¡¯ll have you warned; I haven¡¯t lost a single match once! So prepare yourselves for a grand spectacle!¡± Cerise found herself drawn to this compelling figure. What a grand entrance! And what wonderfuly swordplay she had with her rapier. Cerise watched in awe as the mysterious masked figure danced and parried and pirouetted in sinuous motions to dodge, weave, and land attacks on her opponents. It was a complicated dance of something that was a grand spectacle like the masked figure said it would be. Cerise was so awe-inspired by this figure that she stepped into the ring herself, wanting to ask this masked figure if she could help her. ¡°Excuse me¡­¡± Cerise began, before the masked figure pointed her rapier towards Cerise. ¡°Another challenger? Very well, I accept your challenge, maiden! But know that I won¡¯t go easy on you! I have a reputation to keep, after all.¡± ¡°Actually, I wasn¡¯t here to challenge you¡­¡± Cerise attempted to say, before the masked figure went on. ¡°Have you no pride? You stepped into the ring, that was when you confirmed that you would challenge me, the Grand Duelist! Pick up a sword and I will best you!¡± ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t know how to fight with a sword,¡± Cerise said nervously, wondering what kind of person was so eager to challenge anyone and everyone to a duel. ¡°Well, you mustn¡¯t keep the audience waiting, you know!¡± The masked figure said with a huff. ¡°Since I¡¯m the Grand Duelist, I will accept any and every challenge! How about a jousting tournament where we try to knock one another off of our horses?¡± Cerise bit her lip. ¡°I couldn¡¯t possibly do that.¡± ¡°Then perhaps we can climb to the highest mountain peak and stake a flag there, avoiding avalanches and crumbling rocks and prowling mountain cats that may shadow our feet!¡± ¡°That¡¯s dangerous,¡± Cerise said nervously. ¡°Well, since I don¡¯t seem to have any good ideas, why don¡¯t you choose the nature of this competition, fair maiden?¡± Cerise considered for a moment. ¡°How about¡­rock paper scissors? That¡¯s the only game I have a chance of winning at against you.¡± The masked figure seemed intrigued. ¡°Oh? Such a simple game. But no matter how simple, it is still a competition, and I will do my best to win it. I will give it my all!¡± Cerise nodded, before she took a deep breath and counted to three inside her mind. She closed her eyes, and played scissors. When she opened them again, she saw that her opponent played paper. The masked figure seemed to be in shock, as was the rest of the audience. ¡°Impossible¡­¡± The masked figure said. ¡° I lost? How could this be?¡± ¡°So I would like for you to answer a few questions, maybe,¡± Cerise said, before she realized that her opponent ran off, trying to evade the crowds and Cerise. ¡°Wait!¡± Cerise cried out, and gave chase towards the mysterious masked figure. They dashed and waved through the various alleys and throng of people, yet Cerise couldn¡¯t hope to catch up with the masked figure. The knights, however, rounded both Cerise and the masked figure into a corner, roughly grabbing the two ladies and leading them towards the castle. Cerise suddenly felt a sudden pang of fear resonate through her bones. What if she was in trouble? She did interrupted a tournament after all for her own selfish reasons. Is that why they wanted to capture her and bring her before the King and Queen? Cerise¡¯s heart thumped in her chest madly, while the masked figure remained silent and almost sulking while she was led to the castle gates. Once the Queen stood before them, the Knights bowed, and forced Cerise and the masked figure to do the same. Cerise swallowed. What was the Queen going to say? How would she reprimand them? What was she thinking? Will she banish Cerise and the masked figure from entering the Kingdom ever again? ¡°Please rise,¡± the Queen said, and the knights and two girls rose up. The Queen stepped forward and removed the masquerade mask from the figure in the tournament; revealing that it was the princess. ¡°That swordplay couldn¡¯t have been anyone else except my very own daughter. As trouble-making as she is, there is no doubt that she would be the winner of the tournament. But then unexpected complications happened.¡± The Queen then glanced towards Cerise. Cerise felt her stomach plummet. What was going on here? ¡°As a royal family that is known for being the best in all tournaments and competitions, our very own princess had been bested by this girl.¡± Cerise felt her heart beat even faster. She was in trouble, wasn¡¯t she? ¡°So, in order to resolve this shame, there is no other choice,¡± The Queen said. ¡°This young girl and the Princess shall be wed to one another after they go on a quest for the Philosopher¡¯s Stone.¡± ¡°The Philosopher¡¯s Stone, Your Majesty?¡± Cerise tentatively said. ¡°The alchemist¡¯s ultimate treasure?¡± ¡°Yes, yes,¡± The Queen said a little impatiently. ¡°What did you think the tournament was for? It was a grand tournament to see which champion would be brave enough to take on such a quest and scout out the Philosopher¡¯s Stone.¡± ¡°I¡­I see¡­¡± Cerise said, feeling her stomach plummet even further. ¡°But what does this have to do with me getting married?¡± ¡°You see, the royal family has a spotless record of being the best in tournaments and competitions alike,¡± the Queen said patiently. ¡°And the Princess has won them all¡­except for one simple game. That involves you, my dear. So in order to negate the shame of losing, Princess Roselle will bed wed to you, the victor, and your victory will also be our victory. You see? That also means that you must go on this quest, as you are the champion of the tournament.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Cerise said very weakly, before Roselle turned and gave a huff. ¡°To think that I would be bested by this little girl,¡± Roselle said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, dear Mother, that I have tarnished out family reputation.¡± ¡°Not to worry,¡± the Queen said while a twinkle in her eye indicated mischief. ¡°Roselle will be accompanying you on your journey, Miss¡­?¡± ¡°Cerise de Vernase.¡± ¡°Very well. Miss Cerise de Vernase, you are now our current Champion and you are the only hope to save our King.¡± ¡°Save the King,¡± Cerise said while her curiosity was roused. ¡°Yes,¡± The Queen said while overlooking the balcony. ¡°The King has fallen with a mysterious illness where he will not wake up from his slumber. We¡¯ve consulted all the best doctors in the kingdom and nothing will rouse him from his slumber. So we think that our only hope is staked on the Philosopher¡¯s Stone, which is said to be a panacea for all illness and mysterious ailments. That being said; will you, Cerise de Vernase, help save our Kingdom?" Chapter 2 Cerise stood frozen, as though her feet rooted through the floor, preventing her from escaping. Did the Queen really find her worthy on going such a dangerous journey? All of this was determined by a simple child¡¯s game! She certainly didn¡¯t have the courage or talent or strength that Roselle had, did she? She was simply Cerise de Vernase, a humble village girl that had a mission of saving her sister. She didn¡¯t think that it would grow into an epic grand adventure where the lives of the King and the good people of the Kingdom would be at stake. What should she do? But Cerise knew that she couldn¡¯t refuse, though she also couldn¡¯t bring herself to speak, either. ¡°Look, she¡¯s stunned speechless from the honor of being bestowed a grand mission such as this,¡± Roselle said. ¡°I of course would accept without hesitation. It¡¯s a grand adventure, building character and all that.¡± ¡°I mean, how can I refuse,¡± Cerise said as she bowed towards the Queen. ¡°People¡¯s lives are at stake. My sister has fallen to the exact same illness, my Queen. I was hoping to find a solution to all this, and I think that coming to the Kingdom was the right decision after all.¡± ¡°These are troubling times, to be certain,¡± the Queen said, before she looked fondly towards her daughter, Roselle. ¡°But I have faith that if you can defeat my daughter, then you have all the courage and pluck that you need to save the Kingdom, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Why do you have to bring that up, Mother,¡± Roselle said with an injured sniff, and the Queen simply laughed at her daughter. ¡°Because I think that you learn more from your failures than your victories,¡± the Queen said. ¡°At least, that¡¯s what the King would¡¯ve said. I wouldn¡¯t know, because I¡¯m perfect in every regard. Hmhmhm. But my dear Roselle, I still think that you have much growing up to do.¡± Roselle bowed her head, before a Knight came charging into the room. ¡°Run, fair ladies! There¡¯s some strange creature that is attacking the castle!¡± Roselle¡¯s eyes brightened at the notion of a challenge. ¡°I invite them to come into the castle to have a grand battle with me, the Grand Duelist!¡± ¡°Oh dear me,¡± The Queen said while putting a hand to her cheek. ¡°Looks like a fine situation to prove your champion status, dear Cerise. Don¡¯t worry, you have Roselle with you.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you taking this situation rather too calmly?¡± Cerise said, as a strange creature crashed into the castle. It was a truly horrendous creature with strange markings across its sleek body, resembling a mixture of creatures with three heads, a lion¡¯s body, and a snake¡¯s tail. Cerise found herself rooted to the spot once more, fascinated by the creature, before the creature lunged at her with a mighty paw. Roselle slashed at the beast with her rapier, cutting into its skin as It bled blue blood. ¡°I¡¯ll take you on!¡± Roselle called bravely to the creature ¡°En garde, you uncouth creature!¡± Cerise watched in horror as Roselle took on the horrid creature, whatever it was. She couldn¡¯t do much, but she had to help Roselle! Cerise threw a fancy looking vase at it, bashing it from behind while it¡¯s attention was focused on Roselle; and the creature roared in pain and something in the back of its head opened slightly, before it closed again. What exactly was that? Maybe if¡­ ¡°Roselle!¡± Cerise said. ¡°Try to target the back of its head!¡± ¡°Easier said than done, but I¡¯m known to do the impossible,¡± Roselle said with a confident smirk, before she parried and danced and performed a series of intricate footwork to confound the creature and thrusting and jabbing at it at every opportunity. Cerise wondered; what was the thing behind the back of its head? Could it be a weak point of some sort? They had to discover that, though Roselle was still in the middle of furious flurries of attacks against the creature. Cerise decided to distract the creature from Roselle, turning its attention to her from Roselle so that the back of its head would be exposed to Roselle for an easier landing. ¡°Hey, you big dumb creature!¡± Cerise said. ¡°Why don¡¯t you come fight me instead?¡± The creature hesitated, torn between indecision. It poised its paw in midair, trying to take a swipe at Roselle, though Cerise shouting at it caught its attention as well. While it was frozen in indecision, Roselle landed on its back and stabbed at the back of its head. The creature roared in agony and pain, attempting to shake Roselle off, though Roselle kept steady on the creature¡¯s back while she continued to poke and prod the back of its head with her rapier. The thing behind its head opened, revealing a dark blue eye that suddenly turned red. Cerise instinctively yelled, ¡°Don¡¯t look at it, Roselle!¡± Roselle attempted to turn away from the glaring red eye, though now she was frozen in a stupor, stunned, as the red eye closed again and the chimera shook Roselle off its back. She landed on the ground with a thud. The creature rounded on Cerise, and Cerise stood protectively by the Queen, even though she had no fighting ability and stood frozen in place, trying to calculate what to do next. The creature then lunged forward, maw opened wide. Cerise closed her eyes, expecting the end to come, though the knight from earlier regained his wits and stopped the creature from pouncing on her. He swept at tis open mouth with his sword, and the creature roared in unchained agony before collapsing on the ground. When the Knight took Roselle in his arms, the creature started to glow and then detonated in a bright light, causing damage to the surrounding area. Cerise stood in astonishment. She knew that she didn¡¯t prove her champion status to the Queen or Knight or Roselle there. She simply stood there, frozen in fright, unable to move and do anything¡­This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. The Queen patted Cerise on the back, before saying, ¡°You did splendidly, Cerise. You came to protect me from the creature even though you had no fighting experience or courage. You simply did what was right without thinking.¡± Cerise¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Surely¡­I wouldn¡¯t call what I did admirable. I didn¡¯t do anything of significance.¡± The queen smiled, before saying, ¡°Well, this adventure will toughen you up and help you build character, that¡¯s for sure! Just think, at the end of this journey, you will marry my daughter. Isn¡¯t that a fabulous prize?¡± Cerise blushed. ¡°Well, I¡¯m honored of course, but¡­how can you be so carefree, my Queen? Our lives were at stake there.¡± The Queen waved a hand. ¡°A life without a little risk and gamble is boring, wouldn¡¯t you say? Anyway, here¡¯s what you and Roselle need to do. I want you to go to the royal treasury and find a suitable weapon for you to protect yourself with. You did have quick thinking about you, Cerise, though I think that having a weapon will give you that little extra protection that you need.¡± Cerise wanted to say that she wasn¡¯t up for grand adventures when it involved more scary chimera attacks like that, though Cerise stayed her tongue. She didn¡¯t want to end up disappointing her bride to be, who was currently polishing her rapier and making sure it was in fine condition. The Queen led them away from the chimera attack and the Knight followed suit, showing them the royal treasury. ¡°It¡¯s not going to be easy, you know,¡± The Queen said. ¡°The Royal treasury is compact with traps and dangerous things that keep the weapons locked deep safe in the vault. I¡¯m sure that you¡¯ll be able to find the key somewhere in there. Hmhmhm.¡± ¡°Why do you make things unnecessarily complicated?¡± Cerise asked in despair, before Roselle patted Cerise on the shoulder. ¡°Everything we do in the castle is a challenge,¡± Roselle said. ¡°Ever since a young age, when I was old enough to lift a sword, my Mother would send assassins after me every morning and before I could get breakfast, I had to hunt the large game and gather fruits and feasts from the Forbidden Forest. Then I would study, which is never ordinary because if you get the wrong answer, then you have to scale the castle walls and rooftops to evade the tutors, who are also secretly assassins.¡± ¡°You put your daughter through hell and back?¡± Cerise asked the Queen in wonder, before the Queen said. ¡°It was the same training that I received when I was a little girl to earn the title of Grand Duelist. If she hopes to inherit the title from me, then she must be perfect in every regard, and if that means enduring a few hardships along the way, then so be it.¡± ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t understand,¡± Cerise said faintly. ¡®Come on, Cerise,¡± Roselle said with a haughty sniff. ¡°We need to get started on this mission as soon as possible. Now is not the time to express doubt about my upbringing!¡± ¡°I just don¡¯t understand why we have to go the extra mile to equip a weapon that is suitable for me though,¡± Cerise said, before Roselle laughed. ¡°Well, you¡¯re going to be a part of this family, after all; or are you too cowardly? Will you go back on your word about saving the Kingdom and our marriage?¡± ¡°Not that I¡¯m opposed to marriage, I didn¡¯t exactly agree, did I?¡± Cerise said, before Roselle huffed. ¡°Hmph! This marriage must happen or I will have to bear the the shame of being humiliated by a plain girl with no extraordinary background forever written in the history books! I couldn¡¯t bear for that to happen, so therefore this marriage must happen so I can continue to keep my legacy as the Grand Duelist of being undefeated!¡± ¡°Does it really matter so much?¡± Cerise asked. ¡°Being the Grand Duelist?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a prestigious title only given to one person throughout the seven continents,¡± Roselle said, appearing appalled that Cerise didn¡¯t share the same enthusiasm or pride as her. ¡°You¡¯re lucky to be marrying into this family, you know! Riches beyond your imagination! Going on a grand adventure to save the King himself! Don¡¯t you think that it¡¯s just grand? Or are you a dull little girl with no imagination?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not dull or unimaginative, thank you very much,¡± Cerise said, before Roselle continued on. ¡°Of course, I wouldn¡¯t expect you to have the same advantages and wits that I have. I had many tutors teach me in literature and lore and history and science and alchemitsry and whatnot. Come, come, though. Let¡¯s go to the treasury and choose your weapon! Though the weapons vault is actually MY vault, just so you know. I know how to duel with various weapons from bows to arrows to spears and swords and whatnot.¡± ¡°You¡¯re pretty amazing, Roselle,¡± Cerise said in admiration. ¡°Compared to you, I am nothing.¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t say that,¡± Roselle said. ¡°You¡¯re only rubbing in the fact that I lost to you. As much as I¡¯m loath to admit it, there must¡¯ve been some certain quality that I¡¯m lacking that enabled you to win against me, the Grand Duelist.¡± ¡°Losing a game of rock paper scissors is a game of luck, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Everything is calculable,¡± Roselle said. ¡°And there¡¯s a certain percentage of times where either rock, paper, or scissors will appear and common statistic of which one is more commonly used and which variances people will play, and it involves a bunch of mind games trying to guess what your opponent will play out of three options while thinking of your own play! Rock paper scissors is more of an intense game than you realize, and the fact that you¡¯re not taking it seriously drives me up a wall! Seriously, Cerise de Vernase, competitions exist because it¡¯s to prove a person¡¯s worth.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Cerise said softly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry that you think that way, Roselle.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t pity me,¡± Roselle said while she held up her head high. ¡°Don¡¯t look down upon me. I worked hard for that title, and I must prove that I¡¯m the best in all seven continents and hold that prestige with pride. I just can¡¯t have the other Kingdoms know about my loss, or it will be a disaster. An absolute disaster, you hear! So whatever you do, Cerise, do not shame me!¡± With that, Roselle headed off towards the weapon vaults, with Cerise following close behind. Going on a grand adventure¡­was that how Roselle saw it? It was full of danger and the stakes of people¡¯s lives were at hand here. Roselle may have had romantic notions about going on an adventure and being the Grand Duelist, though life wasn¡¯t all about competition or proving that you¡¯re the best or anything like that. It was sad that she thought that way. What about all the other people who were content to live their lives without such ambition? What about those who didn¡¯t have the ability or privilege to do so, yet were still content with their lives? Wasn¡¯t happiness the most important thing? You¡¯re not happy. You¡¯re nervous about this journey, and you¡¯re not sure whether you¡¯re cut out for it, her mind whispered. You¡¯re not sure if you¡¯ll live up to the high expectations of Roselle and the Kingdom. You don¡¯t know if you can even believe in yourself in the first place. You think that you should¡¯ve been the one who was in a coma instead of your sister. That¡¯s what it comes down to, isn¡¯t it? Roselle was just like your sister; headstrong, bold, talented, and everything that you¡¯re not. You truly are an ordinary and simple girl with nothing extraordinary attached to your name. Thinking this depressed Cerise a little, though she tried not to let it show on her face. She would cry alone later when she had time to herself, after they went through the weapons vault and risked their lives acquiring a weapon that suited her. Chapter 3 When Cerise stood near the weapons vault, she stared at the impressive doors with a golden lock in its middle. She found herself awestruck, and could only imagine what was inside the treasury itself. Probably a menagerie of weapons, of swords and axes and bows and wands and tomes filled with magic all waiting to be used. She wondered if the weapons themselves were enchanted, or whether Roselle carried a normal rapier and did extraordinary things with them. With a tad of jealousy, Cerise wondered if Roselle ever had to work at anything in her life. She had all the tutors and scholars that she could¡¯ve liked, and lived in a luxurious castle with various riches that could buy a continent ten times over. Despite being pushed by her mother, Roselle lived a life of privilege and she had the attitude of a privileged Princess that believed that everything should fall upon her lap because she was talented and beautiful and graced with all sorts of talents. Cerise, she decided, hated Roselle¡¯s guts. Roselle shared the same sentiment, apparently, as she sneered down at Cerise when she balked at the treasury. ¡°Have you lost your wits or guts, Cerise?¡± Roselle said. ¡°For me to share the Grand Duelist title with you, of all people; a homely little girl with nothing special or extraordinary to her name, that only won through a game of chance! You truly are pathetic, Cerise, and I¡¯m even more pathetic for ¡®losing¡¯ to someone like you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re simply a spoiled brat that believes everything should go her way,¡± Cerise said in anger. ¡°I know you noble types; you live a life of privilege and luxury yet you¡¯re still wanting for more. You don¡¯t understand what it¡¯s like to live a life of hardship, because you¡¯ve always had everything handed to you.¡± ¡°How dare you say that I have everything handed to me!¡± Roselle said in astonishment. ¡°I worked HARD for everything that I did.¡± ¡°You had everything handed to you,¡± Cerise said patiently, as though she were lecturing a child. ¡°You were born with privilege.¡± ¡°I would like to hear you say that after you¡¯ve heard about my life story,¡± Roselle said. ¡°But I¡¯m not interested in sharing it with a closeminded girl like you, who believes that just because I¡¯m a princess and part of nobility that everything was just handed to me.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you living with your mother¡¯s title though?¡± Cerise said sharply. ¡°You haven¡¯t earned the title Grand Duelist yet, it is a title that you merely claim so that you can intimidate others with it and throw around your weight and pretend that you¡¯re better than everyone else just because you have a little talent.¡± ¡°You¡¯re selling me short,¡± Roselle said with a sniff. ¡°There¡¯s no shame in having pride in your talents when you actually have the skills to back it up. But you, you didn¡¯t even challenge me to a proper duel! A simple child¡¯s game that is won based off of luck rather than skill.¡± ¡°Then why did you challenge me to do it?¡± Cerise asked. ¡°You could¡¯ve just said no and kept your perfect record. Then you wouldn¡¯t be forcing me into marriage and then insisting that I have to listen to you and be your lover.¡± Roselle stamped her foot. ¡°You¡¯re most infuriating! Whatever, we¡¯re going into the treasury to retrieve a weapon for you; so you¡¯re not completely useless, at least.¡± The comment stung. The little barb that Roselle threw at her dug deep into her skin, and her skin crawled from Roselle¡¯s words. ¡°Take that back.¡± ¡°I never go back on my word,¡± Roselle said with a smirk. ¡°I mean what I say, and I say what I mean. You, Cerise de Vernase, are not a wife that is befitting of me. You didn¡¯t do anything for the chimera except cower like a timid mouse under the shadow of a cat.¡± ¡°I knew its weak point,¡± Cerise said in a cold tone. The Queen cut them off, however. ¡°As much as I find your animosity very entertaining, there¡¯s no need to insult one another and bring one another down,¡± The Queen said. ¡°Also, Roselle, I updated the security in the vault; I¡¯m sure that you¡¯ll like the surprise that I have waiting for you within.¡± Roselle gave a perplexed look towards her mother. ¡°A surprise? I¡¯m not fond of your surprises very much, Mother.¡± The Queen let out tinkling laughter, before saying. ¡°All right, I will unlock these doors for you, but I will be locking you inside until the two of you have made up with one another.¡± ¡°Your daughter is the one who started it,¡± Cerise muttered, before Roselle turned towards her and snapped at her. ¡°I¡¯m the one to start things, and as a lady, I¡¯m also one to finish them,¡± Roselle said. ¡°You, Cerise de Vernase, are most insufferable! I don¡¯t like your attitude.¡± Cerise found herself opening her mouth to argue with Roselle. Before they both knew it, the Queen unlocked the great treasury doors and threw them both inside. Then, she locked them both in the treasury room, leaving them to their own devices. ¡°Kiss and make up, you two!¡± The Queen said as she laughed behind her hand. ¡°You¡¯ll need to do so. Roselle, I¡¯ve got something that even you can¡¯t handle in the treasury. To give you some friendly advice, you may need to rely on Cerise to help you.¡± ¡°I will never ask for her help!¡± Roselle shouted at the door, pounding on the great doors that locked them inside. ¡°I can handle everything on my own, thanks very much! I¡¯m the Grand Duelist! Just because I lost once¡­¡± ¡°A loss is a loss,¡± The Queen said firmly. ¡°And Cerise is now your partner. And Cerise, you are bound to my daughter as well. So please look after her and tell her to grow up a little, hm?¡± ¡°Ugh! Mother!¡± Roselle said as she stamped her foot again on the floor. ¡°Whatever, I¡¯m going to go on ahead. Out of my way, peasant. You¡¯ll only get in the way!¡± ¡°Did someone forget to put the sugar in your tea this morning or something?¡± Cerise asked, and Roselle whirled around on Cerise, and Cerise thought she caught a glimpse of tears momentarily. But that was impossible; Roselle was too proud, too tough, to show any tears. ¡°I wanted to marry for love,¡± Roselle said as she clenched her hands into fists, before she narrowed her eyes towards Cerise and dared her to say something. ¡°I thought I could have someone of my choosing in a wonderful marriage that would be both prosperous and faithful. Instead, I have to marry some wretched girl that is a constant reminder of my shame.¡±Stolen story; please report. Now Roselle done it, Now Roselle was making her look like the bad guy. Still, Cerise couldn¡¯t help but pity the girl a little. Nobles were used to arranged marriages though, weren¡¯t they? For the political unity of a kingdom or its prosperity. Cerise wasn¡¯t so important that she was a bartering chip for political advantages across kingdoms. ¡°Look,¡± Cerise said. ¡°We don¡¯t like one another, but now¡¯s not the time to fall apart. We need to work together and fight against¡­whatever is guarding the weapon treasury in this vault.¡± ¡°Hmph, as if I¡¯d agree with you, but I share the same sentiment,¡± Roselle said, before she took her rapier and pointed towards a large spiral staircase that fluted down several corridors below. ¡°Onwards, then. And do keep up.¡± Cerise followed without question. The fluted column became darker and darker, and a cold seeping through her bones chilled her. Cerise¡¯s legs ached with every step, but complaining about her muscles cramping would certainly get Roselle on her case. So she suffered in silence, thinking about earlier and how she refused to acknowledge Roselle¡¯s little lapse in character. She almost sympathized with the woman. She couldn¡¯t have that, could she? Roselle was a forced marriage that was dictated to her by the Queen, all for the fancy Grand Duelist title. As far as Cerise was concerned, she could care less about the title, but it clearly was very important to Roselle¡­ Cerise shook her head. She would sort out her feelings later. The sickening feeling in the pit of her stomach grew as they groped their way through the darkness. ¡°As much as I hate to do this, we might have to hold hands,¡± Roselle whispered, and Cerise blushed at the thought. Holding hands with Roselle? As though they were lovers and more than friends and weren¡¯t even enemies at all? Maybe Cerise was overthinking this. It was a good way to ensure that the two of them didn¡¯t get lost in this labyrinth maze. ¡°I could just put my hand on your shoulder,¡± Cerise finally settled. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you want both hands to defend yourself anyway?¡± Roselle became flustered. ¡°O-Of course, I could fight anything with one hand tied against my back! It¡¯s only natural that I give this thing a handicap so that it would be fair fight. That¡¯s all.¡± Cerise fought back a smile. She couldn¡¯t help herself. Whenever her enemy got flustered like that, Cerise sometimes forgot that she was the noble that she hated and was forced to marry. Her face eventually contorted into a frown, however, as she sensed something enormous hovering ahead of them. ¡°Is that¡­¡± Cerise asked, pointing a finger towards the darkness. A burst of flame roared forth, and Roselle hastily grabbed Cerise and shoved her out of the way. ¡°Dragon!¡± Roselle shouted in despair, before stamping her foot again. ¡°Damn you, Mother! How do you expect me to fight a dragon in this locked-in vault?¡± Cerise wracked her brains to figure out something useful about dragons. What she knew, however, was that dragon scales were imbued with a magic residue that made them resistant to physical attacks like Roselle¡¯s rapier, and they spewed forth flame that incinerated anything and everything in its path. There was something else, she was sure, but something deep within her panicked and she found that she stood frozen in place again, just like she did with the chimera. ¡°Have at you!¡± Roselle said, though the normally stalwart Grand Duelist had been cowed by the dragon¡¯s sheer size. It scaled bigger than a large house that nobles lived in, and its eyes were as large as dinner plates. Its sharp talons left claw marks on the concrete floors and could easily be the size of large swords in the weapon vault itself. The thing had glossy shiny red scales covering it from head to toe, and Cerise couldn¡¯t see any vulnerable spot on it. There was no way that Roselle¡¯s rapier could pierce its hide. Why did she have to freeze up at important moments like this? Cerise noticed something strange. She saw an image in her mind, of a faint color impression. It was a mellow yellow color earlier, as though drowsing in a nice dream, and then it suddenly flashed a hot burst of red when Roselle attempted to pierce underneath one of its many red scales. It swatted at Roselle like a fly, and she crashed against a wall and let out a cry of pain. Cerise stood frozen, and the dragon stared at her as she stood rooted to the spot. Surely it would devour her now, would it? The colors inside her mind changed, and she could see a faint impression of a human shape, and the dragon shook its head slightly. Cerise still stood frozen, though something was going on in her mind; was the dragon reading her thoughts? Did it actually shake its head at her that it wouldn¡¯t eat her? Before Cerise could discover more, the mental link between herself and the dragon snapped out as the dragon roared when Roselle clambered up its great scaly hide and headed towards its head. It attempted to swat at her, though Roselle continued to make the great journey along its back onto its long serpentine neck. ¡°Wait, Roselle!¡± Cerise said. ¡°Don¡¯t attack the dragon!¡± Another tentative attempt at connection, and the dragon showed a picture of an egg that was a brilliant scarlet ruby. Cerise thought she must be defending her baby, and that¡¯s why she was upset; they were trespassing on their territory. However, Roselle avoided the flames from the dragon¡¯s mouth and pierced its one great eye, and Cerise momentarily felt pain in her left eye and clutched it. ¡°Roselle, stop!¡± Cerise said. ¡°You¡¯re only making her angry!¡± ¡°Is your head full of stuffing?¡± Roselle sniffed. ¡°I managed to get a weapon for you. Here, catch.¡± Roselle threw something towards Cerise, and Cerise managed to catch it. It was a stellar wand probably blessed by the stars themselves; it was full of potent magic, and Cerise could feel it practically thrumming alive in her hands. Cerise felt a stirring anger; she was not sure if it was her own or the dragon¡¯s, but she directed it towards Roselle. She never would¡¯ve gotten into this situation if it weren¡¯t for the wretched girl. She would be home safe with her sister and family and now she had to go on a Quest that she never asked for to retrieve the Philosopher¡¯s Stone, laying a heavy responsibility on her young shoulders. The wand vibrated, and Cerise clutched it as an explosion of magical power erupted forth from her wand. It blasted a hole in the steel reinforced wall of the treasury, and both Roselle and Cerise ran through it to avoid the rampaging dragon. When they were inside a secret passageway, Cerise stood stunned, unbelieving that she just caused that. She attempted again to use the magic, but the magical vibrations and thrumming in the wand died out. How did she manage to activate magic so strong? Her anger, however, started to rise like a blood pressure. ¡°Roselle, how could you!¡± Cerise said, and Roselle looked at her with a dumbfounded expression, as though she didn¡¯t realize that Cerise would be that angry with her. ¡°Look what you did! You¡­you harmed a magnificent creature and now she can¡¯t properly take care of her egg!¡± ¡°I got you a weapon, Cerise,¡± Roselle said in a strangely meek voice. Yet Cerise didn¡¯t want to give her any quarter. ¡°It was just waking up from a nice nap and then you had to go charge in and attack it like a fool! This whole scenario could¡¯ve been avoided if you stopped and listened to me! But no, you just have to have a duel no matter how dangerous it is, you always have to throw your weight around and show off how great you are. You think you can handle everything by yourself, but admit it; you needed me there with you. Otherwise the dragon would¡¯ve killed you! In fact, you could¡¯ve used the wand yourself! You would¡¯ve been much better at it than I am!¡± Roselle muttered something under her breath. Cerise leaned closer, still buzzing with anger. ¡°What?¡± Cerise said in a sharp tone. Roselle blushed, before she said. ¡°I can¡¯t¡­use magic.¡± Cerise found that her words died in her throat. She couldn¡¯t believe what she just heard. The Princess, the great Roselle Perrault, couldn¡¯t use magic? ¡°A life threatening condition almost killed me when I was born,¡± Roselle said softly, staring down at the floor. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for a doctor that helped realign my Magic Circuits, I would¡¯ve been a goner for sure. There was too much magical energy eating up my body. At the cost of a cure, I could no longer use magic.¡± Roselle sniffed, and Cerise realized that she was crying. She didn¡¯t want to comfort her enemy, but something in her broke when Roselle let out a wail. ¡°I wanted to be the Grand Duelist so much because I wanted to show that a person who had no talent in magic could achieve the title through sheer guts and bravery. Don¡¯t you see why it¡¯s important to me now, and why you¡¯re my greatest shame? You¡­ you can use magic, and you won against me. It was fair and square, I admit it. I¡¯m a great big loser, aren¡¯t? So just¡­ leave me alone!¡± With that, Roselle ran off, and Cerise was left with a heavy heart. Chapter 4 Cerise paced outside the treasury room. Roselle hid herself within the castle or possibly out of its great scaling walls. The Queen noted Cerise grasping onto the wand, tapping it against the palm of her hand. Cerise wondered if she could use the wand to summon Roselle, though that seemed silly, didn¡¯t it? Magic wasn¡¯t there for convenience; it was something that was unearthed and discovered and had its own rules and layers to the system. Cerise felt her stomach twist at her previous words; she blamed Roselle for having the privileged life that Cerise herself did not, but it turned out Roselle couldn¡¯t use magic at all and she was sensitive about it. She never thought she would witness the normally noble and dignified Princess in tears, though she saw a more human side to Roselle than she initially gave credit for. Still, what was Cerise to do? They didn¡¯t exactly kiss and make up, really; and now Cerise was left with her stomach plummeting lower and lower until she was sure it reached her bowels. Maybe she shouldn¡¯t have scolded Roselle like that. On the one hand, some part of her insisted that Roselle needed to hear those words, that someone needed to put her in place, though Cerise knew that she was in the wrong this time, as much as she was loath to admit it. She tried to think of ways to approach the Princess and ask for her forgiveness, before stopping herself. She would rather die than beg for the Princess¡¯s forgiveness. Even if she was wrong, Cerise still had her pride. She couldn¡¯t let herself soften towards the Princess. She was her enemy, after all; the one that she was forced to marry by the Queen. Actually, shouldn¡¯t the Queen be the real enemy here? But Cerise dare not express her ill feelings towards the Queen; doing so would be treason. Cerise shook her head. No, she mustn¡¯t think such thoughts of the Queen! Who happened to be Roselle¡¯s mother; and Roselle was¡­ Cerise groaned in frustration. ¡°If she¡¯s going to sulk like a child I¡¯m not coming to her!¡± Cerise declared. ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened between you two in the treasury vault,¡± The Queen said softly. ¡°But my dear Roselle has been wounded deeply. Her pride is injured, and she tries her hardest at everything to make up for her weakness. You may find her to be haughty and prickly and all sorts of unpleasantness, but Roselle is my daughter and I do truly want her to be happy. I know that this is an arranged marriage, but I believe it¡¯s in the best interests of all.¡± ¡°And why is that?¡± Cerise asked. ¡°Well, you see, Cerise, Roselle only has one saving grace to keep the Grand Duelist title,¡± The Queen said. ¡°It puts you under a lot of pressure, but with you being married to Roselle, she can keep the title and save face. You, on the other hand, marry into a powerful family with all the riches and treasures and whatnot that you could ever want.¡± Cerise remained silent and bowed her head. She, like Roselle, wanted to marry for love. Sure, she always fantasized from her storybooks at bedtime that she would one day marry a handsome prince that swept her off of her feet and carried her on his noble steed. Roselle was far from being the handsome prince that she imagined, though she was very beautiful and she wielded the rapier better than any prince or Knight that she has ever seen. I can¡¯t fall in love with her, Cerise told herself. She is my enemy. The Queen may say that I¡¯m marrying into riches and splendor, but love is greater than the weight of gold or any other treasure. It¡¯s priceless. The Queen rose, before saying. ¡°I¡¯ve witnessed your magical ability firsthand. I think it¡¯s best that you go to the Soreno Kingdom to learn magic. It seems like it¡¯s something that you can¡¯t command on and off yet, but eventually with practice and great teachers, you can do it.¡± ¡°But I thought this was a quest for the Philosopher¡¯s Stone?¡± Cerise protested. ¡°Since you¡¯re marrying into this family, you need to learn how to hold the Grand Duelist title alongside Roselle,¡± The Queen said patiently. ¡°We need to make a champion out of you.¡± ¡°I¡­I¡¯m not prepared for this,¡± Cerise admitted to the Queen. ¡°I don¡¯t think that I can study magic and become a champion! There¡¯s no way that I can handle all the responsibility!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you will eventually learn,¡± the Queen said. ¡°You will bring honor to your family and our family if you do. Imagine the prestige of rising up from your station in life and being able to go on a grand adventure! Very few people can lay claim to the Grand Duelist title; it¡¯s a very honorable position indeed.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t ask for any of this,¡± Cerise said, her voice trembling slightly. The Queen put a comforting hand on her shoulder. ¡°I know. This is a rather selfish request of mine, but I do want you to look after my daughter. I think that you¡¯re the only one who can open up her eyes and her heart.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Cerise asked. ¡°She is growing up still,¡± the Queen said. ¡°She must learn many responsibilities before I pass down the title Grand Duelist to her and prepare her for becoming the next Queen. You probably realize that she doesn¡¯t use magic, right?¡± Cerise nodded. ¡°I found out¡­in the treasury room¡­¡± ¡°Well, Roselle closed off her heart from the world because she was ostracized for her lack of magic in the Kingdom,¡± The Queen said. ¡°Roselle actually comes from a line of sorceresses, who are believed to come from a goddess who turned mortal and lived a human life in this world. Since Roselle¡¯s Magic Circuits were so powerful and eating her up, they had to be sealed and thus her magic abilities are sealed. She always had an obsession with the Philosopher¡¯s Stone because she believes that it would cure her and she will be able to use magic again.¡±The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Cerise lowered her head. ¡°Do you really need to use magic, anyway?¡± ¡°Magic is part of the fabric of this world. It was said that a Master Song was sung to breathe this world into existence through a goddess, who then threaded the tapestry of Fate with her needle to bring people and worlds together.¡± Cerise bowed her head. ¡°So I have to go to the Soreno Kingdom now? What about my family? My sister¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s already taken care of,¡± The Queen said. ¡°I already sent messenger pigeons to your place of residence Your family will also be guided through the forest and towards the castle in a carriage to live in the castle with us, since you¡¯re now engaged to Roselle.¡± Cerise bowed her head again. ¡°About Roselle¡­¡± ¡°You have conflicted feelings about the matter, don¡¯t you?¡± The Queen said. ¡°Marriage is about compromise. It may be an arranged marriage, though I think that the two of you will become fond of one another in time.¡± ¡°I guess¡­¡± Cerise said, before the Queen put a comforting hand on her shoulder. ¡°Your family will have all the provisions that they¡¯ll ever need,¡± the Queen said to Cerise. ¡°They won¡¯t have lack of food, wealth, or love in the castle here. Your sister will be in safe hands at the castle. Now go find Roselle. I will prepare a ship for you to go to the Soreno Kingdom soon.¡± With that, the Queen departed and Cerise was left wondering what she should do. She was going to be sent to a faraway kingdom by sea--not to mention that she¡¯s never been on a ship before, and she might get seasick, and oh, what if there were sea monsters?--and she felt homesick already. She wanted to be at her sister¡¯s side, though through her own stupidity and bad luck, she must go on a faraway journey to find the Philosopher¡¯s Stone It was her original goal, wasn¡¯t it, but she didn¡¯t expect to get entangled in a political marriage with a princess. ¡°I am to be wed to Princess Roselle,¡± Cerise whispered to herself. ¡°I must put on a smile and act kind to her. But what should I say?¡± Cerise took a deep breath, before muttering to herself and trying to recite the apology that she wanted to say to Roselle. None of them did any good, and she felt that they sounded feeble and insincere to her ears. Besides, Roselle said that she wanted to marry for love too, didn¡¯t she? Some part of Cerise¡¯s mind told her that Roselle wasn¡¯t her enemy, but that didn¡¯t mean that Cerise should just accept everything blindly. Ir may seem like good fortune to her and her family, but most people will probably think that Cerise is ordinary and plain girl who happened to weasel her way into the royal family¡¯s good graces and got all the riches that she could ask for. They will never accept her, despite what the Queen may say, and Roselle was only marrying her because she didn¡¯t want to lose the title of a Grand Duelist. ¡°Roselle,¡± Cerise said aloud. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­that¡¯s the only thing I can say. No, it still doesn¡¯t sound right. Whatever am I going to say to her?¡± Cerise started to walk through the corridor in search of Roselle. She paused when a Knight approached her, breathing heavily. ¡°What is it, Sir Knight?¡± Cerise asked, and the Knight looked towards Cerise and huffed and puffed, as though he had been on a long chase. ¡°Roselle¡­escaped from the castle,¡± the Knight said. ¡°I think she might¡¯ve run away!¡± ¡°Ran away,¡± Cerise said blankly, though some part of her internally cheered. Maybe she didn¡¯t have to get married after all! While Cerise¡¯s heart thumped in her throat, she then felt a guilty twinge and found herself wondering what Roselle was doing. How would she survive out of the safety of her castle? Surely Roselle didn¡¯t know a thing about living in anonymity or among commoners. When Cerise was left pondering about where Roselle could¡¯ve possibly ran off to. The Knight continued his search, and Cerise was left wandering aimlessly down the halls until she felt a hand cover her mouth and pull her into a darkened corridor that led into a secret passageway which led to a secret crevice in the castle where a hidden garden blossomed with fragrant flowers of all delicate colors. When the person let her go, Cerise turned to face Roselle, whose face looked splotchy from a good cry. ¡°Rosele,¡± Cerise said blankly. ¡°I thought you ran away from the castle.¡± ¡°Do you think that I¡¯m so cowardly that I would run away from my duty?¡± Roselle hissed, before she softened and let out a sigh. ¡°No, I figured I would bring you here and have a private chat.¡± ¡°I thought you wanted nothing to do with me,¡± Cerise said, then immediately regretted it. She was supposed to apologize, wasn¡¯t she? Why couldn¡¯t she bring herself to do it? ¡°Now is not the time to argue,¡± The Princess said with a sigh, before she gestured to the flower garden. ¡°Aren¡¯t these lovely?¡± ¡°Surely you didn¡¯t bring me here to discuss the flowers, have you?¡± Roselle let out a sigh. ¡°You¡¯re right. What I wanted to talk to you about is¡­well¡­¡± Roselle blushed. ¡°Do you think that¡­er¡­well¡­¡± She trailed off, wondering how to phrase it. Cerise was left wondering what left the princess so tongue-tied. ¡°I was thinking about what you said,¡± Roselle said. ¡°And¡­well¡­I guess I really did bring all of this upon myself. I was only thinking about myself, without considering other people¡¯s feelings. So¡­I was thinking that¡­maybe¡­we could start over again. Not as enemies, not as friends, but as..well¡­partners?¡± Cerise felt her heart flutter in her throat. Was Roselle¡­actually apologizing to her? The too proud, too serious Roselle Perrault? Cerise seriously considered her proposition; they could be partners. They could work together and help save the kingdom together. Roselle was being earnest and sincere, and something about that lit Cerise¡¯s heart alight with something buoyant, though her memories of another person that she loved drifted through her mind. There was someone else before Roselle, and Cerise couldn¡¯t shake her loyalty towards this person. ¡°There is¡­someone else,¡± Cerise said awkwardly. ¡°I mean¡­well¡­there was someone that I love before coming to the castle. I¡¯m really sorry, Roselle, but¡­this marriage can¡¯t happen.¡± Roselle paled. ¡°But surely¡­you¡¯ll¡­you and your family will live well here!¡± Cerise shook her head. ¡°I can¡¯t, Roselle. Besides, people will never truly accept me among the nobility anyway.¡± Roselle clenched her hands into fists. ¡°So you¡¯re just going to run away?¡± Cerise closed her eyes, before saying. ¡°I¡¯m just being realistic. I think it¡¯s better to call this whole marriage thing off. Why does it matter if there¡¯s one loss on your record, anyway? It¡¯s not like it was anything important, it was just as you said; a child¡¯s game in luck. Hell, just lie and say that I cheated in the tournament or something; I don¡¯t mind living in a scandal.¡± ¡°I would never do that,¡± Roselle said in shock. ¡°That defies all my principles and honor! And you won fair and square! But I must have that title¡­you don¡¯t realize how important it is to me¡­¡± ¡°But it looks like I have no other choice,¡± Cerise said aloud, pondering her situation. ¡°We leave for Soreno Kingdom tomorrow. I guess I can¡¯t disobey my Queen¡¯s orders, who is by extension the order of the King.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Roselle said, before a sad smile tilted her lips. ¡°Well, I thought that¡­maybe we could¡­that we would be¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m in love with someone else,¡± Cerise whispered. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Roselle.¡± Chapter 5 Chapter 5 Cerise watched the Kingdom fade away into the distance as they left the harbor. Staring back at the castle, knowing her family would be safe there gave her a little ease, but not much. Because currently, she was already feeling homesick and seasick. Cerise lounged on the railing, feeling like she might hurl when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She sluggishly turned around and saw a handsome sailor staring back at her. ¡°Are you an escort of the Princess?¡± he asked, looking her up and down. ¡°Er, kind of,¡± Cerise said, before she shook her head. ¡°Actually, I¡¯m married to her. Or going to be married to her. Or something.¡± ¡°Married, huh?¡± the sailor said, before spitting over the side of the ship. ¡°The married life ain¡¯t for me, kiddo. Especially to a Princess, of all people.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± Cerise asked, curious despite herself. ¡°I¡¯ve been on many adventures, see, and I travel across the world on my trusty ship,¡± the sailor said with pride. ¡°Saved many damsels in distress. Princesses are the worst of them all, you see. Too high maintenance.¡± ¡°Princess Roselle is different,¡± Cerise said, wondering what made her compelled to stand up for the Princess at all. ¡°But anyway, you say that you¡¯re on adventures a lot, right? Because you travel the world by ship. What are adventures like?¡± ¡°Well, they¡¯re fun and exciting, of course,¡± the sailor said with a shrug. ¡°I go on adventures delivering goods and retrieving artifacts and recording strange monsters that I see in the area for other people. Draw plant life in my journal and whatnot.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think adventures are exactly a thrill,¡± Cerise said, before she finally hurled over the side of hte railing. The sailor patted her back comfortingly, before saying. ¡°It¡¯s all right, Lass, you¡¯ll get used to it. Now look sharp now. I¡¯m going back to the wheel.¡± With that, the sailor departed, and Cerise was left looking gloomily at the ocean and hearing the raucous cries of birds overhead. The sun glared directly into her eyes and Cerise winced, trying to rub her eyes of discomfort, before Roselle approached her. ¡°Hey, Cerise?¡± She said a little tentatively. ¡°What is it?¡± Cerise asked. ¡°Forget what I said yesterday,¡± Roselle said a little morosely, before looking over the side of the ship with Cerise. ¡°From now on, you should keep my identity as a Princess and the Grand Duelist secret.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Cerise said. ¡°Though what¡¯s wrong, Roselle? I thought you were really proud of the title?¡± Roselle looked away. ¡°I¡¯m starting to lose confidence in myself. I was practicing my swordplay and noticed it was way sloppier than usual. I can¡¯t stop thinking about that single loss that I have on my record.¡± ¡°One loss shouldn¡¯t matter,¡± Cerise said, feeling somewhat concerned that Roselle was taking failure so hard. ¡°Sometimes your swordplay may get a little rusty, but just keep practicing.You practice everyday, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°But I can¡¯t wrap my mind around it,¡± Roselle said. ¡°My footworks is clumsy. I almost tripped and poked my eye out while practicing.¡± ¡°That¡¯s no good,¡± Cerise said, feeling a little concern, but trying to quell it as best as she could. She mustn¡¯t get too close to Roselle. She couldn¡¯t fall in love with the Princess, of all people, despite the fact that they had an arranged marriage. Like Roselle, she wanted to marry for love, but this arrangement only made things more complicated. ¡°Take care of yourself, Roselle.¡± Roselle smiled a little bit sadly, before she wrung her hands together. ¡°Thanks. You¡¯re only saying that out of politeness, but it¡¯s all right. You know, Cerise¡­¡± Before Roselle could say anything further, the sky darkened and a tempest storm rocked the ship. The ship careened sharply to one side, and Roselle almost found herself tumbled overboard and a great splash of seawater struck her in the face. This time, Cerise really did hurl, though something else made her sicker to her stomach than the seasickness that afflicted her.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Up ahead she saw a gigantic creature with one solid eye that stared unblinkingly at them, and several tentacles with suckers attached onto them rose up into the sky, wrapping around the ship. It was a Kraken, the most feared creature of the sea! ¡°K-Kraken!¡± Roselle said, and she took out her rapier and attempted to poke the things eye out but it curled a tentacle around her lithe body and squeezed. Seeing this, Cerise instinctively tried to unwrap the tentacle from Roselle¡¯s body, though it was no use. Cerise was captured as well by a snaking tentacle, and the sailor from earlier used a machete to hack through the tentacles to release them. Unfortunately, the tempest only grew stronger, and then the ocean turned into a gigantic whirlpool that dragged everyone into it, ship and all. Cerise head¡¯s spiraled while she was launched into the whirlpool at vertiginous angles. She was sucked underwater and for a moment she couldn¡¯t breathe or see. She didn¡¯t know what was happening ,the world was looked at upon confusing angles¡ªand then she gasped for air, finding herself in a different area than she was used to. Stranded upon a beach somewhere out of the middle of nowhere, Cerise untangled algae from her hair and stood up on the sands. The place looked desolate, with nothing but a jungled area resplendent with palms and fronds and other sea life vegetation. ¡°Roselle?¡± Cerise said in a small voice. She heard no response. Cerise looked to see if the ship was anywhere in sight, but all she saw was the ruined remnants of a hull. She dropped to her knees and sobbed. Perhaps Roselle and the sailor met their fate at the bottom of the ocean to drown. And there was nothing that she could do to save them. How was she going to face the Queen now? Was she now the Grand Duelist now that Roselle is dead? ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± Cerise said, before she let herself have a good cry and then clambered on top of a rock to think. Crying did no good in this situation, but she needed to purge any excess emotions out of her system before she could really think. She she sobbed and cried for the sailor and Roselle, before she gathered her wits and thought about a plan. What was she to do? Well, she needed to find someone¡­anyone. She knew that she couldn¡¯t go on this journey forever. Some part of her felt relieved that the journey ended and she could go back to her family, though another part of her insisted that Roselle and the sailor might still be out there, somewhere. As unlikely as it seemed. Did the Kraken take them somewhere? Was it being controlled by someone? How did they manage to control a creature of such massive size? Did Cerise have any hope of fighting someone like that?¡­Cerise paddled to shore, though a strong wave drug her underwater. She tried do break to the surface, but became distracted by something. She thought she heard singing underwater, a mesmeric tune like the lure of Sirens, perhaps, luring sailors to their deaths. Cerise found herself enchanted by teh singing, sounding like a chorus of underwater angels. Cerise closed her eyes and concentrated really hard on something, trying to see if she could sense Roselle¡¯s presence anywhere. She dove deeper underwater and found that there was a school of jellyfish swarming all around her, drifting their tentacles like wispy veils. When they brushed past her, she didn¡¯t feel a single sting. Cerise heard that jellyfish would often sting with their tentacles, though this was odd. They seemed to be brushing up against her affectionately, drawn to her somehow. Then she wondered; was this the singing of the Sirens, or the singing of the strange and fantastic jellyfish that surrounded her and drew closer to her? Cerise didn¡¯t know, but one giant sized jellyfish appeared before her and lifted a tendril to Cerise¡¯s head, forming a bubble around her head imbued with magic. Cerise now found herself able to breath underwater, and she heard the singing from the jellyfish amplified in her little dome of air. ¡°Thank you very much,¡± Cerise said, and the jellyfish swarmed to her approvingly. The giant one even offered its head as a cushion for her to ride upon as they made their way deeper underwater, to a sunken ship. Cerise marveled at the majestic sight, with algae growing on its sides and barnacles plastered on the hull. The inside was filled with wooden planks and various treasures that the jellyfish must¡¯ve gathered over the years in this sunken hull. The jellyfish urged her forward and she explored the inner sanctum of the ship. Looking at all the gold and treasures and ends that have been collected. It was almost as magnificent as Roselle¡¯s treasure vault (which was a venture that she didn¡¯t want to remember), and Cerise questioned one of the jellyfish when one of them presented Roselle¡¯s rapier to her. There was no mistaking the fleur de lis engravings on the hilt¡¯s handle. ¡°Roselle is alive?¡± She asked the jellyfish through her safe air dome, and the jellyfish seemed to nod it¡¯s great head in response to her. ¡°Can you take me to her?¡± The jellyfish then guided Cerise outside of the ship again, the rapier gripped tightly in her hands. Renewed hope filled her. Roselle was still alive! Some part of her was elated at the thought, that the Queen wouldn¡¯t behead her for not taking responsibility for her daughter, though Cerise shrank a little at the thought of facing the Giant Kraken by herself. What was she going to do? She held onto her wand and let out a short prayer. She hoped that her faith would pull her through this nasty situation, that she would survive the Kraken if she were to rescue Roselle. She thanked the jellyfish for their help, and Cerise squared her shoulders and swam deeper underwater, to rescue Roselle from the Kraken¡¯s clutches. Chapter 6 Chapter 6 Cerise swam further, reaching an underwater cove of sorts. She had a premonition that this was the place that the jellyfish wanted to lead her to, but couldn¡¯t themselves. She attempted to find a secret entrance of sorts, though it looked like there was only one opening. Cerise gulped. She would have to face it head on. Cerise debated with herself. She could flee and still live a normal life. She could tell the Queen that Roselle was kidnapped and eaten by a Kraken, and there was nothing that she could do. Cerise then shook herself. She hated the cowardice in her heart. The fact that she always took the easy way out, that she didn¡¯t push herself to her limits or really try to push her boundaries into something new and dangerous. She needed courage, and she didn¡¯t believe in herself, let alone others. Timid little Cerise, an ordinary girl that had nothing extraordinary to her name. She wasn¡¯t Roselle. She wasn¡¯t the Grand Duelist. She only one through sheer luck, but even if she did have luck on her side, it wasn¡¯t infinite. Relying on luck was too risky. This was no time to hesitate, Cerise decided. She would need to confront her insecurities and fears head one, along with the Kraken. She would pretend to be the ideal version of the Grand Duelist that Roselle imagined it to be. She shared the title with her, after all. Cerise would pretend that she was Roselle. What would Roselle do in this situation? Swim straight through the cave.. She face an angry dragon head on. Cerise could face this Kraken. Once Cerise gave herself a little pep talk, she swam through the cave and saw Roselle unconscious and bound together with kelp or algae that sealed her as tight as steel. Cerise attempted to unbind Roselle, after several attempt to unwrap the kelp around her body with great effort, and managed to release Roselle from her bonds. Cerise broke to the surface of the underwater cove, where the water was shallow. And let Roselle breathe. However, greeting her upon the surface was an unexpected person. The woman before her had light green hair and coral and seashells strewn through her hair. She wore a simple white dress that bared most of her legs and left little to the imagination. She clapped her hands as she saw Cerise submerge from the water with Roselle. ¡°Very good,¡± The woman said in a sultry voice. ¡°You found my underwater cove. But understand that I was the one who led you here.¡± Cerise¡¯s head spun. So the jellyfish were pawns of this woman, then? ¡°You have the same power as I?¡± The Kraken Priestess said. ¡°We are the same, you and I. You can learn how to tame a creature of your choosing, such as the Mighty Kraken, to do your bidding.¡± ¡°I¡­have those powers?¡± Cerise asked. ¡°You heard the jellyfish singing, right?¡± The Kraken Priestess said, and Cerise gave a reluctant nod. ¡°You got caught in my whirlpool at the end of the world,¡± The Kraken Priestess said. ¡°Normally you would be captured to be slaves, though it seems like we have someone special amongst our midst. Princess Roselle from the Rozarre Kingdom, it seems. She¡¯ll fetch a pretty price, I think.¡± Cerise¡¯s mouth went dry. ¡°I won¡¯t let you do that to Roselle.¡± ¡°I heard whispers on the wind and sea that you are not satisfied with your marriage with her,¡± The Kraken Priestess said. ¡°This is now a crossroads for you. You can part ways with Roselle and be eased of your conscience. The Princess will be in safe hands; she will be treated well.¡± Cerise paused. Could she really consider taking Roselle off her hands and having her freedom? It was a tempting prospect, but¡­ Cerise cleared her throat. ¡°I can¡¯t let that happen.¡± ¡°How do you propose that you¡¯ll fight me?¡± The Kraken Priestess said. ¡°I have a mighty Kraken by my side. You have no such companion.¡± I can fight you,¡± Cerise said with a calmness that she didn¡¯t feel. The Kraken Priestess laughed. ¡°Very well. This place shall be your underwater tomb. Kraken, go!¡± ¡°Wait!¡± Cerise aid, an idea blooming in her head.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. ¡°What is it? The Priestess said, checking her fingernails idly. ¡°I propose¡­a competition. For the title. You can have the Grand Duelist title if you defeat me in a competition that I choose.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± The Kraken Prietess said, before she grinned. ¡°Are you so sure that you¡¯re willing to bet the title so easily? Especially since I¡¯m going to crush you.¡± ¡°The Kraken must participate is on condition,¡± Cerise said assuringly, and the Kraken Priestess only looked intrigued. ¡°Oh? So what is the competition, may I ask?¡± ¡°It¡¯s going to be a dancing competition,¡± Cerise said with a smile. ¡°You can show me the dance of your people of the Isles, while I show you the Rozarrian Steps.¡± ¡°The Rozarrian steps? Intriguing. Well, let me show you how the people of the Isles dance.¡± With that, the Priestess did light-footed steps on the chunk of rock in the cavern. Cerise followed suit and took a deep a breath. Okay, it was all going according to plan. This was what she wanted to happen. She just needed to play it cool. ¡°Like this?¡± Cerise said, before the Priestess giggled. ¡°You¡¯re surely duck-footed,¡± The Priestess said. ¡°A rampaging bull is far more graceful than you. It looks like I¡¯m going to win this competition.¡± ¡°Well, now that you¡¯ve shown me the dance of your people, let me show you the Rozarrian steps,¡± Cerise said. She took one step forward, then one step back. The Priestess followed. Good. She did a twirl, and the Priestess did the same. She noticed that the Kraken was getting into this as well, watching them intently. Cerise then said with a beautiful smile. ¡°Now everyone, raise your arms up in the air!¡± She started to lift her arms into the air. The Priestess did as well. When the Kraken lifted its tentacles into the air madly, it started pounding the cavernous walls. Rock started to tumble down from the ceiling, though the Priestess was too focused on winning the title from Cerise that she didn¡¯t notice. Now then,¡± Cerise aid happily. ¡°Jump in the air!¡± Cerise then jumped into the air, making a star formation, and the Priestess and Kraken did as well. That¡¯s when the Priestess realized too late what Cerise¡¯s plan was. The Kraken bumped it¡¯s monstrous head on the cavern wall, and with a thunderous shake, it collapsed into the waters unconscious. Cerise immediately wielded her wand and pointed it to the Priestess. ¡°You will let Roselle go, or you will get a blast of magic to the face,¡± Cerise said. The Kraken Priestess paled. She knew she was at a stalemate. Cerise gulped. She tried to keep her legs from trembling. The Kraken Priestess must¡¯ve sensed her hesitation, and she lunged forward and grabbed at the wand. Cerise pulled back on the wand, though the thing snapped in half after they handled it. Cerise looked at the wand in dismay, wondering what she should do now. That was her last desperado move! However, the Kraken Priestess had a rapier at her throat, and Roselle smirked as she said, ¡°Good job, Cerise. You took out the Kraken, and I will now take part of the Grand Duelist duel. Admit that you¡¯ve lost, girl. Your Kraken is unconscious and we could easily take you out here. So what is your decision?¡± The Kraken Priestess slowly held up her hands in the air, before saying in a mournful tone, ¡°I surrender.¡± ¡°Very good,¡± Roselle said, before she embraced Cerise (making sure that the pointy end of her rapier was nowhere near any vitals or something). ¡°Oh, Cerise! You came to rescue me! You surely did! I¡¯m forever grateful to you and I¡¯m in you debt. I will find a way to repay you somehow.¡± Cerise¡¯s heart thumped in her throat. She considered asking Roselle to call off the wedding, though some part of her hesitated. She was bonded with Roselle now, whether she liked it or not; they both took down a Kraken and a Kraken Priestess together, didn¡¯t they? ¡°Roselle¡­¡± Cerise said, and Roselle looked towards her with a puzzled expression. ¡°We need to get out of here,¡± Cerise said, blushing a little when she turned aside and tried to capture her breath. Too many events have been going on, and she couldn¡¯t keep up at all! Flustered, Cerise then looked at her wand in dismay. Her magic wand was able to create a bubble of magic over her head so that she could breathe underwater; but how to get out now that the wand is broken cleanly in half? ¡°I know you¡¯re worried,¡± Roselle said. ¡°But we can think of a solution if we think together. How to escape this place, right?¡± Cerise nodded. Roselle looked towards the cove. ¡°It must be a thousand miles underwater or so. How to get to the surface? Or maybe¡­we can ask this Priestess to make another whirlpool.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Cerise said, before she turned to the cowering Kraken Priestess. ¡°You will transport us to the Soreno Kingdom, then.¡± ¡°The Soreno Kingdom?¡± The Kraken Priestess asked. ¡°I could. But why should I? I¡¯m your only leverage to escape, aren¡¯t I?¡± ¡°You can either let all of us live by transporting us to the Soreno Kingdom,¡± Roselle said. ¡°Or all three of us can die together. Which sounds like a more a tempting prospect?¡± The Kraken Priestess gulped. ¡°Very well. Though know this; the Soreno Kingdom won¡¯t welcome you.¡± ¡°As long as we get out of this stuffy cove,¡± Roselle sniffed. ¡°I should think it would be better than being trapped underwater, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Fine, then,¡± the Kraken Priestess said, before she created an underwater dome bubble outside the cove. Once they entered inside it, the Priestess created a whirlpool that swirled and frothed with rushing water. ¡°There you have it,¡± The Kraken Priestess said. ¡°I should hope that our paths do not cross again.¡± ¡°Likewise,¡± Roselle asid, before she hopped into the whirlpool first without any doubts whatsoever. Cerise lingered a little while longer, before giving a smile towards the Kraken Priestess. ¡°Thank you,¡± Cerise said, to which the Kraken Priestess looked flustered at Cerise¡¯s genuine good will. ¡°I hope that, despite everything that happened, we can become friends in the future. What is your name?¡± ¡°N¡­Nautilus.¡± ¡°Very well, Nautilus. Farewell, and may your journey be prosperous.¡± With that, Cerise went into the whirlpool and disappeared. Chapter 8 Chapter 8 Cerise was roused by Roselle. She woke up, bleary-eyed and feeling fatigue in her muscles, though she suddenly became alert when she sensed the present of another in the dungeons. The person, whoever they were, stopped outside their cell and regarded them thoughtfully. ¡°You¡¯re the Princess of Rozarre?¡± the woman said, a tall woman with blonde hair with two strands of hair dangling to her breasts, and her hair put up into a ponytail. ¡°Y-Yes?¡± Roselle said. ¡°I heard whispers among the kitchen wenches that the PRincess of Rozarre was held here. Lucky me, I struck gold today. If I can bust you out, then you can help me infiltrate the treasure vaults and rob them of all their money.¡± ¡°A heist adventure,¡± Roselle said while perking up. ¡°Like in the stories that I read! That sounds fantastic! I would much rather be out there doing something thrilling instead of sitting all cooped up in a prison cell.¡± ¡°But isn¡¯t stealing wrong?¡± Cerise said, while Roselle laughed. ¡°Come on, it¡¯s a heist adventure. Besides, we¡¯ve got a free opportunity to get out of here.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I trust this woman,¡± Cerise whispered to Roselle. ¡°Think about it. There¡¯s got to be some kind of catch.¡± ¡°I know it, but what other choice do we have?¡± Roselle whispered back, before she said. ¡°We will help accompany you, Miss?¡± ¡°Viola,¡± the woman said while folding her arms underneath her sizeable chest. ¡°I¡¯m a combat medic nurse that travels across the world on battlefields and other hectic places to heal the wounded. Why is a combat nurse trying to steal money, you ask? That¡¯s a very good question, but not something that I will reveal until all three of us are safely outside the Soreno kingdom. ¡°All right, we trust you for now,¡± Roselle said. ¡°Just get us out of here! Please.¡± ¡°All right,¡± Viola said. ¡°I get the larger portion of the treasure. You two can split the rest among yourselves. Meanwhile, I know the layout of the castle like my own hand. I¡¯ve been scouting out throughout the Kingdoms while acting as a Medic. The Prince himself is very sickly, you know. I had to take care of him. Princess Nautilus was tending to him.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Roselle said, while looking shame-faced. ¡°I do hope he is all right.¡± ¡°Personally, his sister is crazy, if you ask me,¡± Viola said while clucking her tongue in disapproval. ¡°Has this crazy obsession with her brother. Did you know that the Princess is keeping her brother with placebos? She¡¯s convincing him that he needs medicine to stay well. All so that he could stay dependent on her and no one else.¡± ¡°That sounds¡­rather messed up,¡± Cerise admitted. ¡°So? Do they have any lore on the Philosopher¡¯s Stone?¡± ¡°Plenty, as I can see,¡± Viola said with a cluck of her tongue. ¡°But time is a wasting. Time is money. We can¡¯t stop and chit chat all night long.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Roselle said ¡°Leave it to us to infiltrate the treasure vaults. We¡¯ve had good practice before, fighting a dragon in a treasure vault.¡± ¡°You infiltrated a treasure vault before?¡± Viola said, seeming impressed. ¡°Well, my mother always keeps traps and monsters hidden within the castle of the Grand Duelist¡¯s training,¡± Roselle admitted, and Cerise confirmed it with a nod. ¡°I think that you two are the right people that I¡¯m seeking,¡± Viola said with a smile, before she unlocked the cell door with a pick. ¡°Well, come on out, you two. There might still be time yet to escape this place far richer than we would¡¯ve been before!¡± ¡°I¡¯m in!¡± Roselle said, and Cerise reluctantly followed along. She had a bad feeling about this, though she didn¡¯t voice her trepidation out loud. She didn¡¯t want to be the wet blanket of their company, and maybe it would work out in the end. She just needed to be loose and go with the flow, or so they say. ¡°Now,¡± Viola said. ¡°Well stop by the library real quick, it leads towards the treasure vault. The treasure vault is unlocked by finding various riddles hidden within the labyrinth books that you need to solve in order to open the treasure vault hidden within the library.¡± ¡°Sounds like something the Soreno Kingdom would do,¡± Roselle whispered. When they made their way to the library, Cerise stood in awe at all the books lining the various shelves. So many tomes of knowledge with the wisdom of authors long dead past, or current authors sharing their lifetime of secrets and their mistakes to overcome hurdles were put here. Cerise felt a thrill shiver up her spine. She could probably spend her time reading here endlessly! She was sure that the Rozarre Kingdom ahd a grand library, but nothing as grand as this. This was where the Mages would go to practice magic and learn their tutelage from Archmages. In this very library. ¡°Fascinating, isn¡¯t it?¡± Viola said. ¡°I once studied here to become a combat medic nurse. But that was in the past.¡±Stolen novel; please report. ¡°Which book to choose?¡± Roselle murmured as her finger trailed past the spines of various thick bound tomes with gold leaf pages. ¡°There are thousands of books! It would be lovely to spend an afternoon here reading all the tomes that I can want¡­¡± ¡°Focus, Roselle,¡± Cerise whispered, and Roselle startled when she picked up a giant tome on Magic and Symbology. ¡°You¡¯re right, we don¡¯t have time to waste,¡± Roselle said, and she looked at the patterns in the library. ¡° ¡°I already found the four tomes scattered throughout the library that we need,¡± Viola said cheerfully. ¡°The vault is in the very back of the library, behind that bookshelf. Do any of you know magic?¡± ¡°I do,¡± Cerise said, before Viola handed the books over to Cerise. ¡°Now go to these pages read the certain sections that I tell you to say, in this order. That will move the giant bookshelf aside and let us into the treasury vault.¡± Cerisde did as she told, and she muttered the incantations that were said in the books and teh book shelf before them trembled and moved aside to reveal a giant treasury door vault that needed to be open. Viola clapped her hands together with glee before she started picking open at the lock popping the door wide open. Viola laughed. ¡°For magical safety measures, they sure didn¡¯t think about the vault itself. I guess they were confident that no one would find the exact tomes and solve the riddle.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think that it was a little too easy though?¡± Cerise said with some unease, before Roselle waved her aside. ¡°Come on, Cerise! We¡¯re on a heist adventure! There¡¯s no reason for doubt or hesitation! We made it a out, and we¡¯ve completed an adventure!¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Viola said, before she took fistfuls of money in her hands and looting it into her bag. ¡°Let¡¯s go girls. We¡¯ll make it out by ship.¡± ¡°Sounds like a lovely idea,¡± Roselle said, before she slipped a tome into Cerise¡¯s hands. ¡°That¡¯s one book of lore on the Philosopher¡¯s Stone. It¡¯s by Nicholas Flamel himself.¡± ¡°Nichols Flamel? The great alchemist?¡± Cerise said in wonder, before she marveled at the pages within it. She would read this and find the answer to her sister¡¯s illness! They crept out of the library, past the guards and the great kitchens where savory foods were smelt. Cerise¡¯s mouth watered, and Roselle managed to use her graceful footwork to steal a honey roll from the kitchens to split between herself and Cerise. Viola only seemed to care about the money, however, and when they made their way to the docks of the Kingdom, Viola said, ¡°Well, I guess is now time for our departure. After we go on this ship, we may go our separate ways. It was nice meeting you girls, but I¡¯m afraid that our adventure ends here.¡± Before any of them could get on the boat, however, there was a great torrential wind that threw them all onto the ground. The winds were so forceful that neither of them can fight the tumultuous force that pinned them to the ground where they were. The waters in the harbor frothed and fumed, and the clouds started to spiral overhead to indicate a great storm being brewed. When the winds stopped, they found themselves surrounded by Knights. Roselle and Cerise looked shame faced. ¡°I would¡¯ve expected such actions from the Angel of Avarice,¡± Prince Caspian said, his sea foam green hair tumbling past his shoulders. ¡°But not from you, dear Roselle. But not from you, dear Roselle. And Roselle¡­oh dearest Roselle. You will marry me now or else your exploit would be heard throughout the kingdoms. And why would anyone support a Princess who is a common thief?¡± ¡°Prince Caspian,¡± Roselle said with a gasp, and Cerise swallowed as well. The Prince caught them redhanded. ¡°It hurts my heart that you would do this, Roselle,¡± Prince Caspian said. ¡°But Viola is actually my highly trained combat medic nurse, assassin, and maid. What to do with you?¡± Roselle looked like she might crumble then and there. Cerise put a hand on her Princess¡¯s shoulder, before saying, ¡°Prince Caspian, We are in dire need of finding the Philosopher¡¯s Stone. We were originally on a journey to retrieve it for the Queen so that my sister and the King may be saved. We plead that you show mercy and pardon Princess Roselle and I¡¯ll¡­I¡¯ll marry you.¡± ¡°Cerise, you can¡¯t!¡± Roselle said in astonishment, before she said in a firm voice. ¡°The one that I love is Crerise. Not you, Prince Caspian.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know why you would choose such a homely girl over me,¡± Prince Caspian said, anger marring his handsome features. ¡°I could¡¯ve given you everything. Yes, even curing your Magic Circuits so that you can use Magic again.¡± Roselle¡¯s lip trembled. ¡°Are those lies or are you speaking the truth, Caspian?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve always been honest with you,¡± Caspian said. Hurt on his features. ¡°But apparently you didn¡¯t trust me enough or shoved me away. All because¡­ you cared about the Grand Duelist title so much. I purposely lost so that you would hold claim to the title rather than me.¡± Roselle paled. ¡°You what.¡± Prince Caspian, in his anger, pressed on. ¡°I lost on purpose so that you would win. In fact, it is I who should have the Grand Duelist tittle instead of you. You may have fancy footwork and swordplay, Roselle; it may even surpass my own, but you can¡¯t use magic. I did it because I loved you, Roselle.¡± ¡°I thought you said that you couldn¡¯t use magic,¡± Roselle whispered, before Prince Caspian looked frustrated. ¡°I was always able to use magic. I kept them hidden from you because you were so sore about having your Magic Circuits being ruined. Well, the least that you can do for reparations is marry me. I will share the Grand Duelist title with you, and you can have everything that you want; I will forget your shameful deed today.¡± Roselle¡¯s lip trembled, before anger narrowed her eyebrows towards him and look of pure venom was shot toward Prince Caspian. ¡°You¡­you¡­you held back against me? I shouldn¡¯t have the Grand Duelist title at all? How could you make me shamefully hold the title when I didn¡¯t deserve it? Why didn¡¯t you actually show your true strength and best it against me? I do not tolerate half heartedness, and you know that I would¡¯ve gladly given the title to you if you truly deserved it, which you did. But you held back, and now my title of Grand Duelist is sullied. I don¡¯t want the title anymore. I don¡¯t care. All I know is that Cerise really stood up for me and saved me when she had the choice to run away; that is true love, isn¡¯t it? She¡¯s not a mere peasant girl, she is Cerise, and she taught me to open my heart!¡± ¡°Very well,¡± Caspian said, his features hardening into a cold glare. ¡°I will take the title from you forcefully. We will hold a duel. This time I WILL overpower you. And then I will force you to marry me if you want to keep your status at all. Will you still choose Cerise over me?¡± Roselle cried. ¡°I hate you, Caspian! I will never love you, even if you do win!¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s settled,¡± Prince Caspian said coldly. ¡°I will take your title. I will force you to marry me. And I will have Cerise sold off to a brothel where she will pleasure other men instead of you.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t let that happen to Cerise,¡± Roselle said, sending acool glare towards teh Prince. ¡°You have angered me, Caspian. And I will make sure that you will repent for YOUR crimes. En garde; I challenge you to a duel to the death!¡± Chapter 9 Chapter 9 ¡°If that is what you wish,¡± Prince Caspian said. ¡°Then so be it. I will make you barely cling to consciousness while I beat some sense into you. I won¡¯t let you slip through my hands again¡­I will earn back my title and have you at the same time! Even if you loathe me, even if you resist me, you will love me!¡± ¡°You¡¯re despicable!¡± Roselle said, before she drew her rapier and lunged towards Prince Caspian. However, before Roselle could lay a hand on Prince Caspian, the combat medic nurse used a train martial art technique that cut off sensation to her nerves. Roselle collapsed in a heap, gasping. Her rapier slippd out of her hand and she was face down on the ground, unable to move. Just what technique did Viola use on Roselle? ¡°You hurt her!¡± Cerise said, immediately gathering Roselle in her arms and glaring at Prince Caspian. ¡°I will duel you in her place, Prince Caspian. You did something absolutely unforgivable; and I won¡¯t let her fall in your hands to use her as an object! She¡¯s a person of strong will, she is my love, an I won¡¯t let you have her!¡± ¡°What can you do against me?¡± Prince Caspian said. ¡°I can control the wind and seas. I have power beyond your imagining.What can a little girl like you do against me?¡± ¡°Do not underestimate a woman¡¯s wrath, especially when her lover is concerned,¡± Cerise said coldly to the Prince. ¡°And don¡¯t hide behind your Viola, Prince Caspian. I want to duel you myself.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not even worthy of such consideration,¡± Prince Caspian said. ¡°Roselle is mine. Not yours. She was supposed to be mine. Yet you, Cerise de Vernase, are nothing but a little homewrecker that got involved in the affairs of royals. Someone with no status or money or of prestigious bloodline can hope to ascend beyond their station of life. Losers will be losers. ONly the strong rule the week, and only the strong and the people in position of power should make decisions for the little lambs that flock to their open palms.¡± ¡°Roselle¡­¡± Cerise said. ¡°Would never think of something like that. She wanted to marry for love, and you have none to give to her. The only thing that you truly love, Prince Caspian, is yourself, and you view Roselle as an object and want her for your status and prestige instead of loving her for herself. ¡°How can you say that your love for Roselle is great than mine?¡± Prince Caspian said. ¡°You wanted to marry Roselle because it was an order by your Queen. Otherwise you never would¡¯ve agreed to it. And you wouldn¡¯t have forced Roselle into such an awkward position, as well, if you haven¡¯t meddled in a tournament.¡± ¡°I will defeat you,¡± Cerise said, her heart thumping in her throat. :¡±For Roselle¡¯s sake. I can¡¯t hand her over to the likes of you.¡± ¡ªx¡ª Caspian wondered what that red haired peasant was saying. Did she honestly think that she stood a chance against him? That homely girl who had nothing to her name, no status, no power? Roselle was his, even though she didn¡¯t know it yet. Having his dearest Roselle enamored with that peasant was unacceptable. Roselle deserved someone who was of high status, handsome, and nearly perfect in every regard. His mother always told him that he would be a great ruler of the Soreno Kingdom, and his sister often whispered how perfect he was. He was destined to be King. They told him as much. It was ordained by the Gods. And now his plans for kingship were thwarted by a mere peasant girl, who claimed to love his beloved Roselle. Roselle of the sandy gold hair, of angelic blue eyes. What did that red haired peasant think that she could keep up with Roselle? He liked her feisty spirit, her never giveup attitude despite insurmountable odds. He knew that her mother told her that she should never lose to anyone, and she grew up fighting and dueling to become the best in the world. Caspian fell in love with Roselle when she first told him that a timid boy like himself could become a great ruler. Even Roselle herself said it. That he would be a great ruler, that he would be destined to be King. So why? Why? Why did she reject him now? After how hard he worked, after all the blood and tears that he shed, and even giving up a precious title that was rightfully his to make her like him? Why didn¡¯t he win her heart? Was it because she always thought that he was beneath her? AFter telling her the truth, however, Roselle shunned him even more. It was true that he could¡¯ve defeated her that day. He held back, and now she hated him for it.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. His voice didn¡¯t tremble when he said, ¡°If that is what you wish, then so be it. I will make you barely cling to consciousness while I beat some sense into you. I won¡¯t let you slip through my hands again¡­I will earn back my title and have you at the same time! Even if you loathe me, even if you resist me, you will love me!¡± He wouldn¡¯t have to raise his hand against her if she only cooperated and admitted her love for him. Caspian was her childhood friend, he supported her when no one else would. He was there for her before she became the Grand Duelist, saw the scars that she received for the price of attaining greatness. Why didn¡¯t she love him the same way? They were destined to be together, the perfect match, they said. The beautiful Princess Roselle and the handsome Prince Caspian. It was a match made in heaven, as ordained by the goddess that governed the stars in the sky. Prince Caspian, who was of the wind and seas, while Roselle came from an earthen kingdom that strived to reach for the heavens. He picked up Roselle from the ground, holding her tenderly like a lover. HE wanted to kiss her; though he restrained himself. She would kiss him willingly tonight after he was through with her. Once her so called beloved Cerise was dead.He will kill her, and then the title will go back to him and he could have Roselle back. It was everything that he could¡¯ve wished for. ¡°Don¡¯t touch her!¡± the redhaired harlot screamed. ¡°Get your filthy hands off of her, Prince Caspian!¡± ¡°I love her more than you ever could, wench,¡± Caspian said. ¡°Go back to the hole where you crawled out from. If you wish to win Roselle back, then we will have a duel to the death. It was Roselle who claimed that was how the match would be done. And it¡¯s obvious that I will kill you. Yet still, why do you risk your life for her? You didn¡¯t love her as long as I had.¡± ¡°What you have for Roselle isn¡¯t love,¡± Cerise pointed out. ¡°It¡¯s possession. And quite frankly, that sickens me. You¡¯re a monster, and you showed your true colors when you told Roselle that you will beat her unconscious for the Grand Duelist title and her.¡± ¡°Viola,¡± Caspian said with a nod towards his combat medic nurse. She disappeared in a blur and reappeared behind the red haired harlot, striking her in the back of the neck and causing her to crumple to the ground. He will have Roselle watch, as her precious Cerise was sold off to the slave market for the dark pleasures of the underworld. Caspian will whisper in her ear that he was the only one for her, and that she will bear his children for him. The green-haired prince stroke Roselle¡¯s hair tenderly. Lovingly. I love you, Roselle. And I won¡¯t let anyone else have you. Absolutely no one. Because you belong to me alone, and you will willingly let me claim you. ¡ªx¡ª Princess Nautilus was in her chambers, calmly sipping some tea. Prince Caspian came to her chamber, settling next beside her and calmly sipping some tea as well. There was some trepidation on Caspian¡¯s face. She knew that her brother wondered if he went too far. Though this was a precipice that they both struggled to stand upon, and there was only the freefall down to the churning waters below of the ocean. This political marriag had to happen, even if they had to force and subdue some innocents out of it. ¡°Sister,¡± Prince Caspian said. ¡°Are you sure we should go through with this? Rosellle¡¯s heart isn¡¯t set upon me.¡± ¡°It must happen,¡± Princess Nautilus said. ¡°For the good sake of our kingdom. Roselle comes from a bloodline of goddesses, Caspian. Even if she can¡¯t use magic herself, she will still pass down that goddess bloodline through heirs. In order to have goddess blood in our lines, we can create a lineage that won¡¯t be defeated by anyone else.¡± Prince Caspian looked troubled. ¡°I love Roselle, I truly do. I don¡¯t want to see her as simple breeding stock for heirs.¡± ¡°Oh please,¡± Princess Nautilus said. ¡°You¡¯ve followed her around like a lost little puppy. Do you think that she forgot the promise that she made to you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Caspian said. ¡°She said if she earned the title Grand Duelist, that she would marry me. That¡¯s why I lost to her.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re just going to coop Princess Roselle up in your chambers moping and pining for her little Cerise, are you?¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t wish to duel her Cerise,¡± Prince Caspian said uneasily. ¡°Cerise somehow formed a stronger bond with Roselle than I ever would or could. Despite all my boyhood pining after Roselle, following after her,vowing to become stronger to protect her¡­that¡¯s all for naught. Instead, I became the villain, and it¡¯s the role I must play in order for her to be safe.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell Roselle the truth?¡± Princess Nautilus said, before Caspian shook his head, his long tresses of green hair whipping back and forth. ¡° I can¡¯t,¡± Prince Caspian said. Princess Nautilus sighed. ¡°She might like you more.¡± ¡°But is that really in her best interest?¡± Prince Caspian said, before Princess Nautilous went silent. ¡°It¡¯s your choice, in the end,¡± Princess Nautilus said regretfully. ¡°Whatever decision you make, I will support you behind it. Like I always have.¡± Chapter 10 Chapter 10 ¡°Are you really sure that you want to go through with this, Cerise de Vernase?¡± Prince Caspian said as he wielded a rapier with the same fleur de lis design upon it like Roselle¡¯s. ¡°I¡¯ll even handicap myself by dueling with my left hand. But even so, it will not be enough for you to win a duel against me, whether it¡¯s magic or sword fighting.¡± Cerise gulped. The situation looked dire. But Roselle¡¯s life was at stake here. She couldn¡¯t possibly let someone as horrible as Prince Caspian take away her beloved Princess. She couldn¡¯t condemn Roselle to a miserable life producing heirs for such a man. There was absolutely no way. ¡°I don¡¯t go back on my word,¡± Cerise said. ¡°But I¡¯m not sure if I can trust you, Prince. Are you sure that you will release Roselle from her prison and bring her to me if I duel you?¡± ¡°As I see it, there¡¯s no chance for you to defeat me,¡± Prince Caspian said while flicking his light green hair. ¡°But do as you wish. I¡¯m not stopping you from making reckless decisions. In fact, I savor the thrill of battle.¡± Cerise held her own rapier. She had no idea how to do swordplay or make the same maneuvers as Roselle with her beautiful footwork, but damn it, she had to try! She had to fight for Roselle¡¯s sake. Using her rapier. The rapier was light in her hands, though perfect for jousting. Roselle must¡¯ve specifically asked for a magic enchanted rapier that was light to lift. There was a memory of a spell that lingered back in her mind, but she wasn¡¯t sure how she would use it in this situation. A bubble to breathe air underwater. How was she going to use that in a sword duel? She didn¡¯t know. Caspian lunged forward with speed that the human eye couldn¡¯t perceive. Cerise narrowly dodged it lifting Roselle¡¯s rapier to block the thrusting lunge. Her rapier clanged and Cerise felt the vibrations ripple through her hand and arm and it eventually spread through her entire body. What could she do against such a monster? I might not be able to save Roselle, Cerise thought in despair. I can¡¯t¡­ ¡°Giving up already?¡± Caspian said in a taunting manner before he nicked Cerise¡¯s cheek with a flick of his rapier. Stung, Cerise backed off and put a hand on her cheek. Blood smeared over her hand, and she looked over to Caspian while trembling. ¡°I¡¯m going to mar your face so that Roselle won¡¯t want to look at you anymore,¡± Caspian said in a serious tone, and he lunged forward again. He sliced a little bit into her clothing, marking her, in vital spots that could¡¯ve easily killed her if he sliced through her vitals. That was when Cerise realized that Prince was merely toying with her. She was never a challenge, to begin with. He wanted to make a spectacle of her humiliation, with thousands of onlookers within the ring, including Roselle, to witness her defeat. ¡°Cerise!¡± Roselle shouted from the top of the box overseeing the whole tournament. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare lose to him! Don¡¯t lose to Caspian!¡± Cerise looked towards Roselle, then turned back to Caspian, who was eyeing Roselle with a certain longing. He probably wanted the unattainable, the things that he couldn¡¯t get because he was so used to getting what he wanted all the time, Cerise felt. She didn¡¯t think that Caspian actually loved Roselle, and instead thought of her as a precious trophy wife that he would hang on his arm to show off his status. The thought made Cerise¡¯s blood boil. Cerise¡¯s beloved reduced to a mere trophy wife? She wouldn¡¯t let that happen! Roselle once told her that she once wanted to marry for love instead of being in an arranged marriage, but after everything that has happened so far, it was a little hard not to fall in love with her somewhat haughty yet achingly vulnerable Princess. Her beloved Roselle. ¡°I¡¯m going to win this duel,¡± Cerise said. ¡°No matter what it takes!¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t count on it, peasant!¡± Caspian said. ¡°Why do you still stand, even though you know you[¡¯ll be beaten down again? Why do you keep on fighting a hopeless battle?¡± ¡°Because¡± Cerise said with gritted teeth. ¡°I promised Roselle that I would save her father and that I will protect her. That I will stand up how many times it takes no matter how hard I get beaten to the ground. Roselle gives me hope; she opened my eyes and showed me someone who was strong, compassionate, and with the heart of a real ruler. You¡¯re merely a man who desires power and status rather than love, and that¡¯s why I won¡¯t let you take Roselle!¡± ¡°You think my life was so perfect, huh?¡± Prince Caspian said as he nicked a red line across Cerise¡¯s neck. IT was barely visible and didn¡¯t bleed, though Cerise knew that there was killing intent behind that blow. Caspian truly hated her, and he would end this match on his own terms rather than allow Cerise any chance of winning. ¡°Take a good look at Roselle up in the stands,¡± Cerise commanded. Caspian stopped his assault and looked up to the stands, seeing Roselle was redfaced with tears, screaming at Caspian. She was being restrained by Viola, the combat medic nurse because it looked like Roselle wanted to duel the Prince himself. Maybe slice him to ribbons, if she could. ¡°Do you think that her heart will ever yours if you kill me here? Those tears are not for me, Prince Caspian, but for you. How long will you make yourself fall further from decency until you become a lowlife?¡± Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. ¡°I am no lowlife,¡± Prince Caspian said, though there was hesitation in his golden eyes. ¡°Do you think that will stop me from killing you?¡± ¡°If you want to cross a line that shouldn¡¯t be crossed, then so be it,¡± Cerise said. ¡°But remember this, Prince Caspian. A ruler doesn¡¯t enforce himself or herself through fear. You see the true personality of a noble when you see how they treat their lessers rather than their equals. For now, you¡¯re just putting on a grand spectacle to humiliate me and then intend to kill me. Is that you¡¯re going to rule your Kingdom, Prince Caspian. If so, I don¡¯t want anything to do with the Soreno Kingdom and I will die for the honor of the Rozarre Kingdom gladly.¡± ¡°Silence,¡± Caspian said as he slashed against Cerise¡¯s chest, digging into her shoulder and narrowly missing her heart. Cerise coughed up blood, but she wasn¡¯t finished yet. Oh no. She put all her desperado emotions into this one attack. Cerise called upon the magic within her ro rush forward at lightning speed, slashing against the prince. With one swipe of her sword, she disarmed him, and she put her rapier against his throat. ¡°I told you¡­¡± Cerise said. ¡°To not underestimate the wrath of a woman.¡± ¡°Then why don¡¯t you kill me?¡± Prince Caspian said. ¡°Because¡­ I believe in mercy, even to those who don¡¯t deserve it. For sparing your life, I will say that you live on and redeem yourself.¡± ¡°How can I redeem myself now?¡± Prince Caspian asked. ¡°Roselle surely hates me now.¡± ¡°Live on and repent for your sins,¡± Cerise said to Caspian. She saw the Prince seeing her in a different light now. Probably because he had been bested by a plain peasant girl when he had all the advantages. Viola released Roselle from her restraints, and Roselle began running down the steps and into Cerise¡¯s arms. ¡°Oh, Cerise!¡± Roselle said, chanting her name like a prayer or a promise. ¡°I knew that you could do it. I knew it! You showed some exemplary skill, maybe we can make a Grand Duelist out of you yet!¡± She finally turned to Caspian, who looked heartbroken, though he tried his best to smile for her. ¡°Caspian.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve bested me, Cerise de Vernase,¡± Prince Caspian said. ¡°I will call the marriage off and I won¡¯t hold you guys hostage in the Soreno Kingdom. You are free to go.¡± ¡°Thank you, Prince Caspian,¡± Roselle said before she took one of his hands within her own. ¡°One day I will spar you again. I don¡¯t want you to hold back against me, all right? I want to earn the Grand Duelist title with my own two hands.¡± Caspian gave a little smile towards Roselle, before saying. ¡°I will give it my all, Roselle.¡± ¡°All right,¡± Roselle said before pointing her finger towards the docks. ¡°The reason why we headed into the Soren Kingdom, Caspian, is because we wanted to teach Cerise magic.¡± Cerise nodded. ¡°I want you two to become good friends,¡± Roselle said, putting Cerise¡¯s hand into Caspian¡¯s hand, pulling them together. ¡°Forget the past and move forward together. Caspian, I¡¯m sorry I can¡¯t return your feelings. But you spared Cerise and redeemed yourself.¡± ¡°I did it for you, Roselle,¡± Caspian whispered. Viola appeared by his side. ¡°I know,¡± Roselle said, before she said. ¡°Caspian, you¡¯re a great tutor of magic. I want you to teach Cerise how to use magic.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Caspian said. ¡°I can¡¯t deny your wish, Princess Roselle.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Roselle said with a smile, and she kissed Caspian on the cheek. Caspian flushed a deep shade of red, which Cerise almost found so comical if he didn¡¯t look so serious about it. ¡°I would like for Viola to accompany on your journey as well,¡± Caspian said, once he got over his initial flustered state. ¡°Because Princess Nautilus and I cannot accompany you on your journey for the Philosopher¡¯s Stone. Yet with Viola being there with you, then my mind and heart will be at ease.¡± ¡°My Prince, are you sure?¡± Viola said while she bowed down towards him, and Prince Caspian smiled towards her. ¡°I am certain,¡± he said. ¡°So it looks like you¡¯ll be staying in the Soreno Kingdom for a while,¡± Nautilus said. ¡°You will need to learn about the lore of the kingdom and everything else possible to search for the Philosopher''s Stone. Unfortunately, there isn¡¯t a lot of lore about it except in the most ancient of texts, though from what I remember, the PHilosopher¡¯s stone was created by a Magician named Nicolas Flamel and it was said to be able to grant powers of immortality. What the methods are used are unknown, though I¡¯ve heard that some shards of it have been scattered throughout the continents and a man named Faust is trying to piece them together.¡± ¡°Faust?¡± Cerise said while tilting her head, while Princess Nautilus nodded her head. ¡°He¡¯s a very mysterious man. I think that Viola might¡¯ve had a connection with him at one point; which is why she should be a valuable asset to your journey. That, and I think that Prince Caspian wants to keep an eye on you and Roselle.¡± ¡°Hmph! I so do not,¡± Prince Caspian said with an injured sniff before he smiled again. ¡°In all honesty, Roselle, I¡¯m glad that you found someone who could open up your heart.¡± ¡°Well,¡± Roselle said with a flush on her face as she intertwined hands with Cerise. ¡°I want you to be the ring bearer at our wedding, Prince Caspian.¡± ¡°You¡¯re certain?¡± Capsian asked while Roselle nodded towards him. ¡°Of course. You were my childhood friend, after all, ¡°So! In order for you to go on your journey, I will teach Cerise my magic,¡± Capsian said. ¡°And Nautilus will teach Cerise how to summon her own familiar.¡± ¡°My own familiar?¡¯ Cerise asked. ¡°Is that even possible?¡± ¡°It¡¯s very possible,¡± Nautilus said. ¡°You managed to defeat my Kraken and communicate with the jellyfish underwater to save Roselle, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Oh, about that, Princess Nautilus,¡± Cerise said. ¡°Your Kraken bumped its head pretty hard during the dance competition. Is it going to be all right?¡± ¡°Viola is the best that we have,¡± Nautilus said with pride. ¡°She can patch up anyone and anything with her medical skills. ¡°Interesting,¡± Cerise said before a smile beamed on her face. ¡°I¡¯m glad to have met you all, truly. You[¡¯ve given me the chance to grow and open my eyes and ears to the world. It used to be so much smaller when I thought that the world was out to get me. But now that I learned to trust other people, trusting Roselle, trusting Prince Caspian, I became a much better person for it!¡± ¡°The real training starts tomorrow,¡± Prince Caspian said. ¡°Be prepared.¡± Chapter 11 Chapter 11 ¡°The Soreno Kingdom has been known for producing the finest Mages in history,¡± Caspian said with pride, while Cerise found herself nodding off while she read the tenth book that Caspian forced her to read out of the many piles of books that she must still read. ¡°If you want to be someone befitting of Roselle, then I will train you to become someone who could hold the Grand Duelist title alongside her. It¡¯s the least that I can for my previous sins.¡± ¡°Are you still going on about that?¡± Cerise said while stifling a yawn. Damn it, she couldn¡¯t keep her eyes open! She just needed at least a five-minute nap, or maybe a ten-minute nap¡­maybe longer. Her head started to swim with histories and dates and names that all jumbled together like indecipherable hieroglyphics. ¡°Caspian, you were one wrong move down to the path of darkness, but I believe that anyone is capable of redeeming themselves. Some people may make a mistake, some may have even taken innocent lives, but it¡¯s never too late to change oneself. However, you managed to overcome your weakness and you¡¯re managing it just fine¡­though still, you¡¯re devoting all your taskmaster sadisticness on me, aren¡¯t you?¡± Prince Caspian smirked at Cerise. ¡°You may have won over Roselle¡¯s heart, but you haven¡¯t won mine yet, dearest Cerise de Vernase. You need to prove to me that you¡¯re a worthy bride for the Princess, you know.¡± ¡°Since when do I have to prove anything to you?¡± Cerise said with slight irritation, her right eye forming a tic. ¡°You¡¯re just overloading me with books and boring crap of the history of the Soreno Kingdom.¡± ¡°Oh, are you saying you¡¯re ready to handle my training,¡± Caspian said with a smirk and a dangerous gleam in his eye. ¡°You¡¯re not even a tenth of the way there, Miss de Vernase¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± Cerise said, suddenly letting out a great big sigh and plopping her head into the book that she was reading. ¡°Wake me up in ten minutes.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t stop now!¡± Caspian said. ¡°You need to study! You need to understand the ley line layout of the Soreno Kingdom! You need to be someone of ambition! You can¡¯t be satisfied with just stopping there. No matter how tough or boring it, you must do it for your own betterment. That¡¯s how you become excellent. That¡¯s how you become the Grand Duelist. Did you think Roselle sat idly by and took ten-minute naps when she was studying under her assassin tutors? Not a chance or they would¡¯ve wiped her out!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not Roselle,¡± Cerise said with a yawn, though Prince Caspian lifted up her head and tilted her chin towards him, his face dangerously close. ¡°Listen to you,¡± Prince Caspian aid, his golden eyes narrowed towards her. ¡°I will whip you into shape if I must. Now get reading or else I¡¯ll have Viola inject you with a poison while you¡¯re unaware, which you¡¯ll need to discover the antidote for somewhere in this library.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not fair,¡± Cerise groaned. ¡°I¡¯d die.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what you keep telling yourself,¡± Prince Caspian muttered. ¡°Honestly, how could Roselle love a hopeless girl like you.¡± ¡°I honestly don¡¯t know,¡± Cerise said, shrugging her shoulders. I¡¯m not as amazing or talented as her. And to be honest, my match with you was won by pure luck as well. No matter how much I try to avoid my destiny, it seems like the world is conspiring against me to put me in the role of the hero that saved the world.¡± ¡°Your indifference unsettles me,¡± Caspian said in amazement. ¡°Look at you two,¡± Roselle said with a smile on her face. ¡°Bickering and squabbling like siblings. I think that you two can become very good friends.¡± ¡°No,¡± Cerise and Caspian said, frowning towards Roselle, before frowning towards one another. ¡°She¡¯s slacking off on her duties!¡± Caspian said. ¡°How am I supposed to make a Grand Duelist out of her? She can¡¯t possibly hope to share the same title as you as long as she has this kind of work ethic.¡± ¡°Well excuse me, Prince,¡± Cerise said as she shoved a hand towards his face. ¡°Who was the one who defeated you in a match to the death and spared you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s utterly shameful!¡± Prince Caspian said before she took Cerise¡¯s cheeks and started to grab at them and stretch them with his fingers. Roselle simply laughed, clutching her sides while she watched her lover and best friend¡¯s antics together. Eventually, Cerise couldn¡¯t help but laugh too, and Caspian joined in. ¡°I think,¡± Caspian said. ¡°This calls for a cup of tea, wouldn¡¯t you say?¡± ¡°Tea would be lovely,¡± Roselle said, and Cerise frowned. ¡°I¡¯d prefer coffee,¡± Cerise said, to which Caspian and Roselle gasped. ¡°Coffee? But¡­¡± Roselle said while scrunching up her face. ¡°¡­It¡¯s so bitter!¡± Caspian said while making a face as well alongside Roselle.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Well, you can always sweeten it up with sugar and cream if you must,¡± Cerise said before Roselle and Caspian gave their minds to Cerise. ¡°Do you know why they call it afternoon tea here? It¡¯s not afternoon coffee, it¡¯s afternoon tea!¡± Caspian said in a rant. ¡°Which you should have three times a day and sparingly use sugar and honey if you¡¯d like, but a plain cup of tea is far sweeter than any coffee with sugar and cream. Tea is the quintessential beverage of the elite; if you want to be elite, then you must drink tea too.¡± ¡°Well, I say that coffee should be the drink of elites,¡± Cerise countered. ¡°Even if it¡¯s bitter, once you take down that first swallow liquid that is black as death and sweet as hell! You must absolutely try it sometime.¡± ¡°I will never drink that horrid drink!¡± Roselle declared. ¡°Just no, no, no, NO. Tea is more refined and lovely. It¡¯s a drink befitting for the Grand Duelist.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you guys taking this a little too seriously?¡± Cerise said as she sweated a little at Roselle and Caspian''s passionate discourse. She could tell that they were good friends in the past and that they were well on their way to mending their friendship in the present. Cerise wondered how the two of them met, though she supposed that would be a story for another time. In the present, she could see taht some part of Caspian truly cared about Roselle this entire time; though his love ended up being smothering to her and It made Roselle retreat from him. However, Cerise had tosmile. She was glad that roselle opened up her heart again, and she could see that the Prince started to open up his heart as well. Somehow, Cerise had a way to open up people¡¯s hearts. That was her special power. She wondered if love really was magic, that it was the most potent force in the universe. It can topple over dragons and Krakens; it can even topple over entire civilizations and rebuild them anew. She wondered how the Soreno Kingdom would prosper now that Prince Caspian finally came back to his senses. It seemed that he could become a fair ruler, just like Roselle. And now they gained an ally on their quest for the Philosopher¡¯s Stone. She knew that some part of Caspian would always pine for Roselle; you don¡¯t forget your first love so easily. But she was sure that Prince Caspian, with his handsome face and his smarts and talents, could find a suitable wife for himself if he wished. Or a husband. He was rather beautiful in a patrician sort of way, almost as fair as his sister, Princess Nautilus. ¡°You two look good together,¡± Cerise said with a smile, and Roselle and Caspian turned to look towards her in confusion. ¡°Do you really think so?¡± Prince Caspian said with a flush, and Roselle giggled at the Prince¡¯s plight. ¡°Hahaha, Cerise, sometimes you say the strangest things,¡± Roselle said while sliding Cerise into a hug and giving her a slight smooch. ¡°What do you personally think about Cerise and I, Caspian?¡± Caspian smiled before saying, ¡°Roselle looks radiant as usual¡­¡± Then to Cerise. ¡°And this redhead is too much for me to handle. Are you sure you can handle her, Roselle?¡± Roselle sniffed. ¡°Please, Caspian. I¡¯m the Grand Duelist. Though speaking of that title¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for a rematch,¡± Prince Caspian said. ¡°You¡¯ve rightfully earned it. I would like to spar with you again, though, not as a claim for the Grand Duelist title, but as friends that have a deep bond with one another.¡± ¡°You were the one who taught me hot to do swordplay, after all,¡± Roselle said with a giggle. ¡°I wanted to become a Prince just like you.¡± ¡°Whether you¡¯re a Prince or a Princess,¡± Capsian said with a smile. ¡°You¡¯re definitely my beloved Roselle. Never change.¡± ¡°Get a room, you too,¡± Cerise muttered before Roselle flushed. ¡°Oh please, Cerise, there¡¯s no need for your sass. Caspian and I are very dear friends, that¡¯s all!¡± Cerise then wondered how their battle went with one another, for the title of Grand Duelist. She learned that Roselle wanted to be a Prince like Prince Caspian. Cerise thought that was adorable in a way, and she learned a little more about Roselle and how her bridge to strive for greatness. It was through Caspian, who was a stepping stone to her greater career as a Dueling Princess. Their battle must¡¯ve been must¡¯ve been magnificent to behold; Cerise could only imagine the footwork they used in their duels, like graceful dancers, parrying and thrusting with their rapiers. ¡°Honestly,¡± Cerise said as she looked towards Prince Caspian and Roselle. ¡°You two are on point with one another. You¡¯re able to think of what the other is thinking.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because we¡¯ve known one another for so long,¡± Caspian said with some pride in his voice. ¡°I know that Roselle wants to¡­¡± ¡°Caspian!¡± Roselle said in a warning tone, and Caspian merely laughed at his friend¡¯s flustered state while Roselle turned several degrees red. ¡°Did we suddenly forget that we¡¯re training Cerise to hold the title Grand Duelist alongside you?¡± Caspian said with dead seriousness before Roselle waved it with a hand. ¡°My beloved wife will be able to uphold the title. I have absolute trust in her, after all.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Caspian said. ¡°Well, Cerise, Roselle may have gotten you off my training regiment, but you have to remember that it takes diligence and consistency to become a Grand Duelist.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Cerise said. ¡°But I want to learn more about magic. Why don¡¯t you teach me how to summon creatures like Princess Nautilus? Like she could summon a giant Kraken and flying jellyfish!¡± ¡°That will come in time,¡± Capsian said sternly. ¡°But first you must research the lore and history behind the Soreno Kingdom¡± ¡°It¡¯s so boring!¡± Cerise said as she tossed a book aside. Caspian¡¯s eyes widened and he managed to catch the book before it toppled face down on the floor. ¡°How could you do that to these sacred tomes?¡± Prince Caspian said. ¡°After the Soreno Kingdom spent so many years collecting these priceless treasures, you would dare toss them aside like they¡¯re garbage!¡± ¡°They¡¯re so boring though!¡± Cerise said while scrunching up her face. ¡°Why don¡¯t we do something more exciting like have a magic duel.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t wish to challenge me to a magic duel, Cerise,¡± Capsian said with a tic forming in his right eye. ¡°I am destined to become an Archmage of the Soreno Kingdom.¡± ¡°Well, teach me how to be like you, then,¡± Cerise said. ¡° I want to be able to summon powerful magic.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not ready yet,¡± Caspian said with a certain finality. ¡°It takes years of training, and you¡¯re a fledgling young Mage that has untapped magic potential You need proper training, so that¡¯s why you need to learn Magic theory.¡± ¡°I can help you with that, Cerise,¡± Roselle said eagerly. ¡°I¡¯ve read tomes upon tomes of Magic Theory! I couldn¡¯t perform magic myself, but I will be able to help you in this regard surely, along with Prince Caspian.¡± ¡°Mm¡­¡± Cerise said. ¡°How am I ever going to get a break from you two? You two are such stern taskmasters!¡± ¡°If you think it¡¯s hell now,¡± Capsian said seriously. ¡°Wait till tomorrow.¡± Chapter 12 Chapter 12 ¡°So, this is going to be our duel,¡± Roselle said, holding out her rapier and giving Prince Caspian a grin. She turned towards the stands, where Cerise was and winked towards her. ¡°Watch me spar against Caspian. As long as I have you by my side, dear Cerise, I can overcome any challenge!¡± ¡°Good luck, Roselle!¡± Cerise called enthusiastically, and Roselle giggled and put a hand to her face as she flicked her side ponytail to the side. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll give it my all,¡± Roselle said while pointing her rapier towards Prince Caspian. ¡°I expect that you will give your all as well, Prince Caspian.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Caspian said. ¡°I have a formidable opponent in front of me. Though I have to warn you, Roselle¡ªI¡¯ve sharpened my blade, wits, and skills. You¡¯ll have a hard time keeping up, I think.¡± ¡°Oho,¡± Roselle said while putting a hand to her mouth and laughing. ¡°I will challenge you to a Duel, my Prince Caspian! You will not best the Grand Duelist at the peak of her career!¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Prince Caspian said with a wink. ¡°I¡¯m going to disarm you before you¡¯ve had time to blink!¡± ¡°Oh, stop your posturing,¡± Roselle said, even though Roselle loved the aspect of posturing and giving a spectacle for the crowd, that was excited to see the two Kingdom¡¯s best sword wielders duke it out with one another. ¡°I could take you on blindfolded and with one arm behind my back!¡± ¡°You just only need to hit me once, Roselle,¡± Prince Caspian said. ¡°Your blade cannot touch a Deity of the heavens.¡± ¡°Show me what you¡¯ve got!¡± Roselle yelled out, and then she lunged forward with blinding speed. Her footwork was so amazing that it looked like she teleported at several places at once, and Prince Caspian merely stood there, with a serene smile on his face while he tried to determine where the real Roselle was. His instinct finely honed, he guessed that Roselle came from behind and parried her blow to the back of his head before she could react. ¡°Now you¡¯ve got my blood boiling!¡± Prince Caspian said to Roselle. ¡°I¡¯m going to get you! Just you wait!¡± The Prince then showed off his fancy footwork, and together with Roselle and Capsian formed an elaborate dance of teleporting dancing across the stage with their special footwork technique. They parried, thrust, and clanged their swords together in a mad dance for domination and in hopes of disarming the other, though Cerise could only imagine how intense this match was. They tried to strike at their vital areas though neither one of them could land a playful flick onto the other; their defense and offense were literally perfect. So the was what it was like to witness two top-tier swordsmen have at one another. Cerise couldn¡¯t possibly hope to match their swordplay, which she found enchanting to watch. She clenched her hands into fists and gritted her teeth, cheering Roselle on. Roselle must¡¯ve loved the posturing and gesturing and grand spectacle, as with a flourish of her hair she paused in mid-strike and posed, while Caspian did the same while simultaneously crashing his rapier against Roselle¡¯s. Those two were such large hams; they complemented one another. Their swordplay was definitely a spectacle that should be witnessed, and Cerise found herself cheering them both on at the same time.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. Wait, since when did she become attached to Prince Caspian? He was troublesome and high maintenance, to be sure, but there was something about him that reminded him of her sister. Cerise thought that Caspian was doing well for himself, and he looked so happy sparring with Roselle. He truly did love her, even though that love might not be reciprocated. The duel ended in a tie. Both of them were panting, though there was a very satisfied smile on both their faces. They both must¡¯ve lived for the thrill of battle, the intricacies, and adrenaline of sword fighting. IT was a grand spectacle to be sure, and the crowd cheered when Prince Caspian and Roselle bowed together towards the audience. Cerise stood up in the crowd and clapped as hard as she could, cheering for both of them. When Roselle came up the stairs in the auditorium, Cerise clasped her arms around Roselle and lifted the petite Princess in her arms, laughing. ¡°That was a grand show,¡± Cerise said before she turned towards Caspian to acknowledge him as well. ¡°You guys did a great job. I now know what it¡¯s like to have two master swordsman on the battlefield.¡± ¡°It takes years of dedicated practice,¡± Capsian said with a somewhat shy smile. ¡°As soon as I could pick up a sword, I was trained from childhood to my current status as a Prince to learn the fine art of swordplay. That¡¯s one of the essentials that a Prince must do, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got that right,¡± Roselle said. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to be an ordinary Princess that sat idly by. I wanted to get into the thick of the action, and thus learn the art of the sword so that I could stand side by side by Prince Caspian. I believe that the score is now 350 to 351 now.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been keeping track all this time?¡¯ Prince Caspian said with a smile. ¡°Well¡­you¡¯ve definitely improved in your swordplay, Roselle. I think it¡¯s because you had a reason to fight so long and hard for someone to protect.¡± He then gave a nod to Cerise. Cerise blushed. ¡°Well, er¡­¡± Cerise said before Roselle leaned forward and give her a kiss on the lips, which made Cerise blush as red as her hair. ¡°Dearest,¡± Cerise said with a laugh, and Roselle laughed as well. ¡°I wanted to give my wife to be a little kiss,¡± Roselle said. ¡°I like it when you blush, Cerise. It¡¯s very becoming of you.¡± ¡°Now you¡¯re just trying to embarrass me on purpose,¡± Cerise said while hiding her face behind her hands. ¡°In front of Caspian, of all people!¡± ¡°Please, you embarrass yourself on your own,¡± Prince Caspian said, though there was a good-natured smile on his lips. ¡°Don¡¯t make me fall for you, Cerise. It¡¯s very high up in the heavens.¡± ¡°Someone needs to bring you down to Earth,¡± Cerise said with a laugh, and then she saw that Princess Nautilus and Viola were waiting for them. ¡°Congratulations on the duel, my Prince,¡± Vila said while bowing towards her master. ¡°Yes, it was most invigorating,¡± Caspian said. ¡°I haven¡¯t had a good sword fight like that in ages. Roselle is the only one who can give me a good match like that.¡± ¡°I share the same sentiment with you, Prince Caspian,¡± Roselle said. ¡°Now we need to teach Cerise how to properly wield her wand so that she may learn magic on our journey for the Philosopher¡¯s Stone.¡± ¡°Oh yes, we prepared a trial for you too, Cerise, ¡®Princess Nautilus said, as Cerise cocked her head to the side in wonderment. ¡°What kind of trial?¡± Cerise asked, clasping her hands against her chest. Capsian gave a meaningful look to his Sister, Nautilus, and Nautilus nodded. ¡°Nautilus was setting up your trial while you were studying the history of the Soreno Kingdom,¡± Caspian drawled. ¡°Which, you¡¯ve no doubt found so fascinating that you were moved to tears.¡± ¡°Ha,¡± Cerise said, though her green eyes gleamed with excitement when she heard about the trial that Princess Nautilus set up. ¡°So what exactly is this trial?¡± ¡°It is going to be a test of your wits,¡± Princess Nautilus said. Chapter 13 Chapter 13 ¡°Are you sure that this leads to the Philosopher¡¯s Stone? ¡° Roselle asked doubtfully as the Prince and herself went to the marketplace where they advertised their wares, from consumables to jewelry and other such things. Prince Caspian was busy preening himself, worrying about whether or not his light green hair looked good in the lighting, probably. Honestly, he was her friend, though sometimes Prince Caspian invested too much stock into his looks and worried about the trivial things about whether or not he looked dressed for the occasion and did the exact perfect posture or pose that the situation demanded. ¡°Hm?¡± Prince Caspian said while he was in the middle of preening himself. ¡°Oh, oh. Oh yes. There was a merchant who said that they handled the Philosopher¡¯s Stone in this Kingdom, though it was passed onto a man that called himself Faust.¡± ¡°Who is this Faust, and what do you know about him?¡± Cerise asked while Prince Caspian took some time to consider. ¡°Well¡­¡± Prince Caspian said a bit embarrassedly. ¡°I don¡¯t know, exactly. He¡¯s a very mysterious man.¡± ¡°What my useless brother is saying,¡± Nautilus said with a sniff. ¡°Is that Faust has proven elusive in several of the Kingdoms. He is a great Mage that once worked with Nicolas Flamel, the person who created the Philosopher¡¯s Stone, mind you. He was on a quest to retrieve the Philosopher''s Stone because he wanted it back, you see.¡± ¡°Is he hoarding it to himself, then?¡± Cerise said in astonishment. ¡°Do you realize how much good the Philosopher¡¯s Stone would do for the people of the various kingdoms, instead of being hoarded away as a priceless relic in someone¡¯s mansion? We need to track down this Faust and find out information about his current location.¡± ¡°If you do find him, though, Roselle,¡± Prince Caspian said softly. ¡°What will you do?¡± ¡°I will challenge him to a Duel if I must,¡± Roselle said. ¡°Alongside my beloved Cerise. We do make a perfect matching pair, don¡¯t we, my Ceri?¡± ¡°Since when did you start calling me Ceri?¡± Cerise said while she ducked her head and hid her blushing face from view. It was just like Roselle to come up with an affectionate pet name for her, especially to her mortification. It was just¡­too endearing, too cute! She couldn¡¯t handle all this concentrated cuteness that was the pint-sized Roselle! ¡°Why, don¡¯t you like it?¡± Roselle said, looking slightly amused. ¡°Tut, tut, Ma Cherie Ceri. You will get used to it, in no time.¡± ¡°Hahaha,¡± Prince Caspian said, putting a hand to his face while laughing at Cerise¡¯s misfortune. ¡°Roselle, if you¡¯re going with endearing nicknames, you can always call me ¡®Cas¡¯ if you¡¯d like.¡± Roselle stuck out her tongue at the Prince. ¡°Caspian just suits you fine.¡± ¡°You wound my heart, my fairest Rose,¡± Caspian said, and it was now Roselle¡¯s turn to blush as she pounded her tiny fists on Caspian''s chest. ¡°No, no, no!¡± Roselle cried. ¡°Only Cerise may address me in such a manner! You¡¯re really a homewrecker, aren¡¯t you, Caspian?¡± Caspian laughed before he grabbed Roselle by her wrists to stop her pounding against him. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t enjoy my good-natured teasing?¡± ¡°Mmmmmngh,¡± Roselle said before she looked towards Cerise for help. ¡°Ceri! Help me overwhelm this fool!¡± ¡°It¡¯s kind of amusing to watch you two,¡± Cerise said, glad to see that Roselle was the one who was flustered right now instead of herself. ¡°That¡¯s what you get for calling me ¡®Ma Cherie Ceri¡¯.¡± ¡°Oh come now,¡± Roselle said. ¡°It was enchanting! Don¡¯t you love being called pet names and other affectionate nicknames by your beloved wife?¡± ¡°Seriously, stop it,¡± Cerise said, but she couldn¡¯t help but laugh all the same. Her beloved Roselle really did love her, and Cerise couldn¡¯t imagine there being anyone else in the world that she longed to be with than her. ¡°Though you know¡­Roselle¡­after all that we¡¯ve been through together¡­we¡¯ve really bonded, haven¡¯t we? Who would¡¯ve thought that the likes of us would become friends¡­or lovers?¡± ¡°It¡¯s strange when you think about it,¡± Roselle said, before she flicked her hair. ¡°But it also felt inevitable. I think that the stars have aligned together for our union, don¡¯t you think?¡±If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Get a room, you two,¡± Prince Caspian said, while both girls giggled at Prince Caspian¡¯s grumpiness. ¡°If you have time to be flirting, then you definitely have time to be training, sparring, practicing, or studying! Time is very valuable you know; or as Viola would say, ¡®time is money¡¯¡± ¡°Oh, relax a little, won¡¯t you Caspian?¡± Roselle said while she looked at him with big pleading eyes. Caspian couldn¡¯t resist Roselle¡¯s charms. ¡°All right, I suppose I can let it slide. Though in all honesty, we need to figure out where Faust is; and what he¡¯s planning to do with the Philosopher¡¯s Stone.¡± ¡°What do we know about the Philosopher¡¯s Stone in general?¡± Cerise asked before Prince Caspian racked his brains on the lore that he¡¯s read. ¡°There isn¡¯t much more on the Philosopher¡¯s Stone, and even if there is, the texts haven¡¯t been translated from their ancient languages. It might even predate to the Word itself; the Word that the goddess spoke, and eventually sang the world into existence. Magic is resonance, like the tenor of a voice. And they blend and meld and layer over one another. So I¡¯m guessing that the Philosopher¡¯s Stone was made with the potency of raw magic from primordial times, but all the scholars that have known the properties of the PHilosopher¡¯s STone have been systematically purged because the belief of the Church tried to quell the Philosopher''s Stone so that they could hoard it for themselves. Though I think that the Philosopher¡¯s Stone is neither a thing of the Church or magic, something rather a curse.¡± ¡°A cures?¡± Cerise asked, before saying. ¡°I read in one translation, a tiny verse, mind you, that the Philosopher''s Stone can make you immortal,¡± Prince Caspian said. ¡°But that¡¯s a dangerous price to pay, don¡¯t you think? The cost of immortality must bear one¡¯s conscience as their lovers and friends fade away while you¡¯re still living on without them, watching civilizations rise and fall¡­it¡¯s not the charming thing that you think it is. Immortality, something that has been desired by mankind throughout the centuries, come with a price.¡± ¡°I see what you mean,¡± Cerise said. ¡°I don¡¯t care for immortality. What I wish for¡­what I hope that the Philosopher¡¯s Stone will do¡­is cure my sister. That¡¯s why I embarked on this journey, despite having doubts, despite being told by people that I couldn¡¯t do it.¡± ¡°Ah, we found the merchant,¡± Prince Caspian said. ¡°Please let me work my charms upon her and we will be able to get Faust¡¯s location.¡± The merchant batted her eyes at Prince Caspian, while Caspian gave her a brilliant smile that could disarm and the entire army. ¡°Miss Aimee, it¡¯s good to see you.¡± ¡°Oh, Caspian,¡± the purple haired woman said, showing as much bosom as possible towards the Prince. ¡°Come to take a look at my wares?¡± ¡°Oh, Miss Aimee, as you¡¯re regarded for your intelligence and supreme good taste, I¡¯ve heard that you have some valuable information that would be in the Soreno Kingdom¡¯s best interest,¡± Caspian said, a gleam in his golden eyes. ¡°You¡¯ve encountered a man by the name of Faust? You originally had the Philosopher''s Stone before selling it to him?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve made several coins and filled out my purse from him,¡± Aimee said while licking her lips. ¡°He had plenty of money to spare. I could buy the whole capital ten times over from this! Though a kiss from my dearest Caspian; is truly a priceless treasure that can¡¯t be measured.¡± ¡°You flatter me, Miss Aimee,¡± Caspian said. ¡ªx¡ª ¡°We found out the information that we needed,¡± Cerise said with a gleam in her eyes as she dashed off towards the harbor, twirling on her foot. ¡°We need to find this Faust and track him down if Miss Aimee¡¯s information is accurate. Though Prince Caspian, I never thought you would kiss the hand of a maiden that wasn¡¯t Roselle.¡± ¡°Sometimes a Prince has got to do what a Prince has got to do,¡± Caspian said stiffly. ¡°I did not particularly savor that woman, who threatened to spread the gossip of Roselle to the four corners of the Soreno Kingdom, but using my charm to help save Roselle from embarrassment and humiliation is my only wish to help her achieve her goals.¡± ¡°Awh, come on, Caspian, lighten up,¡± Cerise aid while knocking him against the shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re a lady killer! Maybe you should try settling down with Miss Aimee or some other woman; because Roselle is off-limits, you know?¡± ¡°I will never forget my beloved Roselle,¡± Caspian said as he put a hand to his heart. ¡°But alas, it is not meant to be. But surely, Cerise¡­you must remember the training and information that I gave you. Practice dedicatedly and devotedly. You need to stay on top of things. And there¡¯s so much that you haven¡¯t learned, as well! I¡¯m not sure how you will pass these trials.¡± ¡°Don''t worry, Caspian,¡± Cerise said with a soft smile towards him. ¡°You can trust that Roselle has good judgment. She wouldn¡¯t have devoted her life to me if she didn¡¯t think that I could do something that would save the Kingdoms from despair.¡± ¡°I honestly can say, Roselle does see things in other people that most people wouldn¡¯t,¡± Caspian said before he said. ¡°I cannot accompany you on your journey, but I will be ruling over the Soreno Kingdom and managing things from there. You will have Viola to accompany you, however; I trust that she will be useful?¡± Viola bowed. ¡°My Prince, but¡­¡± ¡°I want you to keep an eye on Roselle and Cerise,¡± Prince Caspian said. ¡°Make sure to protect their lives as you would mine. Just think of this as an extension of the Soreno Kingdom¡¯s goodwill, Roselle, to the Rozrrian Kingdom.¡± ¡°Thank you, Caspian,¡± Roselle said with a soft smile towards the Prince. ¡°Thank you for the information that you gave us. It¡¯s very helpful and gives us a lead on where the PHilosopher¡¯s Stone would be. I guess we¡¯ll have to borrow one of your ships and head straight away to the continent of Alantia.¡± ¡°The weather gets horrible just as you¡¯re entering Alantia,¡± Princess Nautilus said. ¡°Though we¡¯ve heard that Faust is hiding out somewhere in that country. I do wish you good luck on your journey; you¡¯re going to need it.¡± Chapter 14 Chapter 14 When they left Soreno¡¯s shores, Cerise looked out towards the sea, her light feeling as buoyant as the waters and light-hearted as the seagulls flying above. She didn¡¯t think that they¡¯d ever leave there, though it turns out that they¡¯ve gained a new companion on their journey as well; the mysterious battlefield medic nurse Viola. She wondered what she was like. The battlefield nurse had an unattainable air and beauty about her; her lime green eyes had a certain coolness to them that told others she wasn¡¯t be messed with. She remained silent on their journey and even gave Cerise some powerful medicine to make sure that her seasickness didn¡¯t appear. Life was good at the moment, and after Caspian bid them farewell alongside his sister, Nautilus, Cerise then thought that things came around full circle. ¡°Viola,¡± Cerise said, trying to get to know the battlefield combat nurse better. ¡°What kinds of things do you like?¡± Viola directed a cool gaze toward Cerise, before saying, ¡°I like serving my Prince and only my Prince. However, since you¡¯re an extension of the Prince himself, then I suppose that I have no qualms about it.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Cerise said. ¡°Sounds like you¡¯re really close to him.¡± ¡°I tended to him when he was just a babe, My Lady Cerise,¡± Viola said. ¡°What was he like as a child?¡± Cerise wondered aloud before Viola smiled a little bit at a fond memory. ¡°He was a quiet and calm baby. Though very sickly. The King and Queen of the Soreno Kingdom let me tend to him because they wanted him to grow up to be an Archmage of the Soreno Kingdom, alongside Princess Nautilus.¡± ¡°Sounds like he¡¯s been through a lot,¡± Cerise said in wonderment before she confided. ¡°Roselle had her magic Circuits closed off since she was a little girl because she had too much magical energy eating up her body on the inside. Do you think¡­there¡¯s a cure for that?¡± ¡°It could be possible,¡± Viola said softly. ¡°Her body may be mature enough to handle the magical energy that she couldn¡¯t as a baby, though she will still be very powerful. She might cause a lot of destruction with her magic and has no fine-tuned control over it like Prince Capsian does. Her parents decided to keep them sealed, not because she was in danger of dying, but they were worried about what Roselle would do with such power. She didn¡¯t have the maturity to handle a kingdom let alone magic, but it seems like she¡¯s grown into a fine young woman after meeting with you, My Lady Cerise.¡± Cerise felt as though there was something that Viola wanted to tell her, though that was interrupted when one of the sailors announced that storm was gathering round ahead. Lightning crackled in staccato flashes overhead, and the tempestuous winds swirled and lashed against their faces while the rain started to smash down in silvery skeins. Cerise was reminded of that stormy night when she first came to the Kingdom for help, trying to reach the King only to get in a marriage with a feisty princess and discover that the King too, had succumbed to an illness that was similar to her sister¡¯s. The air tinged with static, Cerise felt gooseflesh ripple across her arms when she noticed that a gigantic wave came towering above them, threatening to crush the ship down below with its monstrous, monolithic height. The wave crashed down, leaving everyone soaked to the bone, and Cerise shivered as she held onto the ship¡¯s ledge for dear life. The medicine stopped working; Cerise felt the tumultuous tumble of the ship and nearly hurled over the side. Cerise¡¯s now fixed wand tumbled dangerously towards the edge of the boat, and Cerise scrambled towards it to grip it in her hand. Could she use magic to dispell the storm? But she didn¡¯t know how did she? If only she paid attention during Prince Caspian''s lessons¡­ There was some magical theory that objects could have magic stored inside of them with a person¡¯s magical ability in a concentrated form. It acted as a medium of sorts to enhance the magical power of a user, Cerise remembered while she was in a fight with a dragon in the weapon¡¯s vault that she unleashed her anger towards Roselle and caused a huge blast in the steel reinforced treasury wall because Roselle attacked the dragon that was protecting her egg. But what focus did she have now for her emotions? She was frightened of the storm, and she certainly couldn¡¯t concentrate her fear into a magical channel to dispel the storm. She thought they were done for when another whirlpool sucked them underneath the water and kept them below the surface in its own magical bubble protection. The jellyfish! Cerise figured that it was Prince Caspian and Prince Nautilus helping them along their journey. They must¡¯ve summoned the underwater jellyfish to guard the ship against the storm and make them travel underneath the storm rather than through it. It was a clever idea, and Cerise herself wished that she would¡¯ve thought of it herself. Once they made it on Alantia, their ship boarded onto a dock, Cerise and Roselle cheered. ¡°That was an amazing adventure!¡± Roselle said as she hugged Cerise tight. ¡°Oh, Cerise, we¡¯re so close on our journey to finding the stone¡­¡±The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°Yes,¡± Cerise said happily. ¡°I can¡¯t believe that we¡¯ve survived! I thought we were done for.¡± ¡°Prince Caspian would never let one of his own go on a senseless journey to their deaths,¡± Viola said quietly, to which Cerise and Roselle turned towards her. ¡°Hm? Oh right,¡± Roselle said in wonderment. ¡°I know that big brother Caspian is always looking out for me¡­¡± ¡°We need to ask around town where Faust was,¡± Viola said. ¡°He was at least last seen here in Altania. Though he might be long gone from the area, any trail of clues that wecan find for his whereabouts, we will be able to uncover it.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll say,¡± Cerise said before she looked about the ramshackle town they were in. It didn¡¯t have any of the splendor or wonders of Rozarre or Soreno Kingdom; it looked barren and like a ghost town. Were the peoples staying hidden, or did something cause them to flee? ¡°I don¡¯t like the looks of this,¡± Cerise said before Roselle seemed t be enamored with the idea of a ghost town. ¡°I never saw it before, an actual ghost town,¡± Roselle said in wonderment. ¡°Does Faust, perhaps, have something to do with this town¡¯s barren state?¡± ¡°Alantia was known for its prosperous city,¡± Viola said. ¡°Full of life and cheer. Though something must¡¯ve happened here to the people.¡± Cerise felt as though she were being watched, though she couldn¡¯t put a finger on it. No one was at the vendors, and no one was inside their houses peeking out from decrepit windows; but what was this sense that she felt? She felt as though someone was watching her from behind, and whenever she cast her gaze towards somewhere, whether it¡¯s a nook of a cranny or behind her, there was nothing. Yet that sensation; she could sense some kind of magical aura here. The only thing that she saw was her own shadow, which elongated and swelled in the afternoon sun. ¡°Hm,¡± Cerise said. ¡°I think that the villagers are still here somehow. But maybe they can¡¯t show themselves¡­for whatever reason.¡± ¡°You mean like spirits or ghosts,¡± Roselle said with a delicious shiver down her back. ¡°I guess we¡¯ll have to explore more to see where they could¡¯ve been taken.¡± Roselle, Cerise, and Viola searched the town, though couldn¡¯t find any clues at all. They sat together at a fountain where they gathered their thought processes, trying to figure out where this was all going. ¡°So you think that Faust is behind this?¡± Cerise asked while Viola nodded in her conjecture. ¡°He is said to appear on battlefields and other places. I was following him for a while before I lost his trail for Prince Caspian. There is no doubt that this must be his doing. But he¡¯s as elusive as ever.¡± ¡°What do you think that his plans could be?¡± Roselle said before Viola shook his head. ¡°He was obsessed with immortality; I was under his tutelage, actually. He was one of the world¡¯s greatest doctors before he became obsessed with the Philosopher¡¯s Stone. He became so obsessed with it and extending his own lifespan that he couldn¡¯t think of anything else.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s why he¡¯s hoarding the stone for himself,¡± Cerise said. ¡°Often feels selfish, doesn¡¯t it? That he¡¯s trying to extend his own lifespan instead of saving the patients that he devoted himself to.¡± ¡°He¡¯s changed,¡± Viola said. ¡°Though I feel there may be a chance of redemption for him.¡± ¡°Everyone has a chance of being redeemed,¡± Roselle said. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯d like to believe, anyway. However, let¡¯s have some lunch before we continue on. I¡¯m starving.¡± Roselle unfurled the picnic basket that Caspian prepared for them. Elegant sandwiches and some tea and cookies and crisps for them to enjoy on their journey. They all ate ravenously, and once they were satiated, Cerise got to thinking again. What was she sensing again? ¡°Guys, I have a feeling that something isn¡¯t right here,¡± Cerise said uneasily before Roselle and Viola turned to look at her. ¡°Cerise!¡± Roselle stated. ¡°You look awfully pale! Are you sure you¡¯re all right?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine,¡± Cerise said, and before she realized it, she collapsed on the ground. ¡°Cerise?¡± Roselle said, before panic manifested on her features. ¡°Cerise! Oh no, what¡¯re we gonna do?¡± Viola knelt down to where Cerise was and sensed her pulse. After that, the combat medic nurse said in a succinct tone, ¡°Looks like she¡¯s got anemia. Something is draining her energy and cutting her red cell production. At least, that¡¯s how I guess it, anyway.¡± ¡°Something is draining her energy?¡± Roselle said with a thoughtful look before she wondered how they were going to take care of Cerise now. Cerise was a higher priority than Faust; or at least, that¡¯s what Roselle believed. She then gingerly put Cerise¡¯s head on her lap while stroking her hair soothingly, humming a lullaby that she knew ever since she was very small. ¡°That¡¯s a very enchanting melody,¡± Viola said. ¡°Where did you learn it?¡± ¡°Oh, just something that my Mother hummed to me when I was a child and I would have a hard time sleeping,¡± Roselle said with a flush. Cerise woke up to the sound of Roselle¡¯s humming, and she blinked tiredly as she let out a yawn. ¡°I don¡¯t know what came over me.¡± ¡°Something is draining our energy,¡± Viola explained simply, while Roselle nodded. ¡°Hm,¡± Cerise said. ¡°I sensed something before, though now it¡¯s gone. I wonder what it could be.¡± ¡°Oooh, I don¡¯t like this place now,¡± Roselle said with a shiver. ¡°It¡¯s taking a toll on my poor Cerise.¡± ¡°I think that there¡¯s¡­a shard somewhere,¡± Cerise said weakly, to which Roselle and Viola looked excited. ¡°You can sense Shards of the Philosopher¡¯s Stone, Cerise? Well done! This will prove useful, I think,¡± Roselle said. ¡°I sensed my sister¡¯s presence,¡± Cerise said. ¡°Well, I dreamed about her. And I had a conversation with her in my dream.¡± ¡°Go on,¡± Roselle said, to which Cerise relayed her tale to Roselle and Viola. ¡°That¡¯s very strange,¡± Roselle said. ¡°You say that your sister said that her soul was stolen? Is that¡­what could¡¯ve possibly happened to my father?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, Cerise said, before she heard the sound of something furtively stalking their way. A chimera. ¡°Everyone, look out! There¡¯s a chimera!¡± Roselle and Viola readied their battle stances. Indeed, there was a chimera, another monstrosity that came out of the woodwork and stalked towards them on wolve¡¯s paws. It looked lean and hungry, and it just found an appetizing course for itself. Cerise took her wand in her hand, prepared to strike at the creature should it target any of her friends Chapter 15 Chapter 15 The chimera advanced. Viola took out a syringe while Roselle got out her rapier. Cerise took out her wand, ready to fight. She won¡¯t be stuck here helpless and not contributing anything! She finally found her courage after encountering the Kraken and found it was possible to do something with her own agency and power, and she would defeat this chimera as well. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Roselle,¡± Cerise said while she stood in front of Roselle and Viola, much to the other¡¯s surprise. ¡°I¡¯ll be the one to protect you. I think that¡­after fighting the Kraken, I¡¯ve found out something about myself. That I can do something, that I¡¯m capable. So now, Roselle it is your turn to watch my back!¡± ¡°What¡¯re you going to do, Cerise?¡± Roselle asked while Cerise tried to walk towards the chimera and tame it. ¡°Cerise, no! It¡¯s¡­twisted beyond help! There¡¯s no way that you can resolve this peacefully! These chimeras are our enemies!¡± ¡°There¡¯s got to be some way to help tame it instead of mindlessly attacking it,¡± Cerise said. ¡°Just watch, Roselle. Remember when you got into a fight with a dragon that was merely protecting her egg? If I can figure out what this thing wants, then maybe it will go away and not attack us.¡± ¡°Please, Cerise now is not the time for your humanitarian nature!¡± Roselle said. ¡°Faust sent it after us, I think.¡± ¡°Please, listen to me, Roselle,¡± Cerise said with pleading eyes and Roselle looked reluctant. ¡°If I can just get a connection with it like I did with the dragon¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t do it, Cerise!¡± Roselle cried, though Cerise ignored her warnings and attempted to sense the chimera¡¯s energies and what it¡¯s mood was. Unfortunately, there was nothing but twisted and morbid thoughts inside the Chimera¡¯s mind; nothing but bloodshed and the lust for the hunt, it¡¯s prey was in front of it, it wanted to dig its teeth in its prey and rip out the jugular¡­ Cerise gasped, and before she knew it, the lupine Chimera was on Roselle before she knew it. Roselle screamed. The lupine creature bit into her leg with steel vice jaws. If it weren¡¯t for Viola¡¯s intervention, which was to swipe at the creature¡¯s head with her sword, Roselle might¡¯ve lost a leg. Cerise stood there, numbed, suddenly feeling a deep despair wash over her. This was her fault, she knew, and Roselle paid the price. Out of the battle and Viola tending to Roselle¡¯s leg, Cerise decided that she would use her magic to blast at the creature for hurting Roselle. However, when she tried to concentrate her magic, she could only think of bloodlust and the hunt, of sinking her jaws into her prey¡¯s leg and¡ª Dark energies started to swirl around her. Cerise let out a cry, becoming corrupted from the magic that was now a foci inside her wand. She released powerful, destructive magic that defeated the chimera, but left her senseless with blind rage and bloodlust. She started to blast at the lupine creature¡¯s body with several blasts of destructive magic until none of it was left; and when Cerise came to her senses, she saw that Roselle¡¯s eyes were widened. Roselle was afraid of her. Cerise swallowed. It was her fault, and she didn¡¯t know how to explain herself. Something overcame her, and she couldn¡¯t help herself, and she wanted to make sure that the creature that hurt her beloved Roselle was dead¡­ ¡®Well,¡± Cerise said, trying to soothe over the fear that Roselle displayed towards her. ¡°It¡¯s defeated, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Cerise,¡± Roselle said faintly. ¡°Are you sure that you¡¯re well?¡± ¡°Oh yeah!¡± Cerise said, putting on a smile towards Roselle. ¡°Just fine. Perfect. I mean, I should be asking you that question. How¡¯s your leg, Roselle?¡± ¡°It¡¯s injured,¡± Viola said simply. ¡°The Chimera managed to break her leg with its jaws.¡± Cerise swallowed again. How foolish she must¡¯ve appeared. She made a grave error, she knew it, they all knew it, and now Roselle was hurt because of her. Didn¡¯t Cerise say that she would be the one to protect Roselle? Was it a lie that she had the power to do anything at all? She was the same powerless girl that she had been back then; it¡¯s just that this time she had some terrible destructive magic which she had no idea how to control it. ¡°I should b fine,¡± Roselle said while Viola made a splint. ¡°Don¡¯t¡­need help.¡±Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous,¡± Viola said sternly. ¡°Prince Caspian made me watch over you, Princess Roselle. You need to let your leg recover, and you can¡¯t go hopping on about wherever you damn well, please. This injury; there¡¯s a possibility that you might not be able to perform the fancy footwork that you do for your rapier.¡± When Roselle heard this, the light seemed to die out of her eyes. No magic, no footwork, unable to spar with her rapier; that was a major blow. Cerise bowed her head in embarassment. This was all her fault. She neded up hurting Roselle more and more, didn¡¯t she? She wounded her pride at first, and now Cerise took away something that was dearly important to her; her image as the Grand Duelist. If she couldn¡¯t do the fancy footwork required to keep up with her dancing rapier moves, how would she be able to maintain it now? More importantly, Roselle loved swordfighting more than anything else; the thrill of a competition, the savory aspect of winning. But now¡­Cerise took it all from her by a single mistake¡­ I¡¯m so sorry, Roselle, Cerise wanted to say, though the words died on her lips when she saw Roselle¡¯s blank expression. Sorry was useless in this situation; nothing could mend the broken trust that was formed between them now. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Roselle said distantly.¡±I don¡¯t wish to be carried like a newborn babe, but this leg¡­it hurts so.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll carry you,¡± Viola said simply, before hoisting Roselle on her back. Viola then trekked off ahead without looking back. Cerise trailed behind, mourning Roselle and how she wounded her even more grievously then the chimera did. This was something that would not heal, even after her leg recovered from its injury. I hate myself, Cerise thought to herself. I truly mean it. If it weren¡¯t for me, then Roselle would''ve been happily living her life without me. I am the bane to her happiness ¡ªx¡ª They stopped at nightfall in a forest. Viola tended to a camp while Roselle sat on a log waiting patiently for Viola to hunt their game. She was gone for a while, supposedly giving Cerise some time to mend her injuries to Roselle. Cerise almost let out a sigh. Viola was making things more difficult for her, wasn¡¯t she? If Prince Caspian heard that Roselle was injured and it was her fault, then Cerise knew that the Prince would hate her again. I am truly despicable, Cerise thought. What should I do? What should I say? How do I comfort her in this direst situation? I feel so powerless, even more, powerless than when my sister fell into a magical coma. IS it possible that¡­all of these events are my fault? That the universe is conspiring to make everything go wrong for me? ¡°Roselle¡­¡± Cerise said while putting a hand upon the Princess¡¯s shoulder. No response. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry¡­.I didn¡¯t give you a properly apology before for hurting you at the beginning of this journey, and I probably can¡¯t think of a proper apology now. But know that, from the deepest depths of my heart, that I didn¡¯t mean for this to happen and if I had the power to change it I could. It¡¯s my fault, really¡­so if you hate me, Roselle, then I don¡¯t blame you.¡± ¡°Ha,¡± Roselle said, not turning to look. ¡°I might¡¯ve once said that I hated you and I would¡¯ve been glad for any reason to hate you. But it seems as though our destinies are intertwined together, Miss Cerise de Vernase. You¡¯re stuck with me, whether or not you like it.¡± ¡°Roselle¡­¡± Cerise said before she took Roselle¡¯s hand and held it with her own. Roselle gripped it slightly and then slackened her grip. She was looked up at the stars in the sky. Cerise found them beautiful, enchanting; almost haunting in a way. Cerise once remembered that her sister told her that when people die, their soul ascends to the heavens as a star. Did Roselle believe that too? Cerise often wondered whether there was a greater purpose to the universe or not, or whether it was made out of chaos and random patterns that coincided with something that emerged into existence and people were meant to make meaning of it. ¡°Cerise¡­¡± Roselle said before she turned to look at the redhead. Cerise blushed slightly, before she unconsciously leaned forward and kissed her on the lips. The stars looked on; the world held it¡¯s breath. ¡°If we find this Faust¡­what will we do?¡± Cerise shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°He has to pay for his crimes¡­¡± Roselle said aloud. ¡°We can¡¯t just let him go around doing what he pleases. I just hope that this will be enough to save Father¡­¡± ¡°And I hope my sister will be spared as well,¡± Cerise said before she wondered aloud. ¡°Do you think that Faust, the Philosopher¡¯s STone, and my sister andyouru father have a connection somehow?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Roselle said before Viola returned with a brace of rabbits. ¡°Dinner is going to be ready soon,¡± Viola said as she started to skin the rabbits with a knife. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to patch up your leg, Roselle. It will take time to heal, but I think we must stop our pursuit of Faust to work on recovering your leg. But don¡¯t worry. We will find him.¡± ¡ªx¡ª Faust sensed her with a scrying bird in Altania. Yes, she was the one that he originally tracked down but snagged her sister instead. He made a deal with that stupid sister that he wouldn¡¯t touch Cerise as long as she sacrificed herself in Cerise¡¯s place. A foolish, sentimental gesture. It didn¡¯t deter his plans, and he merely coaxed Anna into giving up her soul for him. The King also readily sacrificed his own soul for his beloved daughter Roselle; a spoiled, childish prat that no doubt wanted to challenge him in a duel. But oh, things were orchestrated perfectly; he needed to think of the opportune moment to finally meet them while he made preparations for activating the Philosopher¡¯s Stone again. It was all going according to plan. The two girls had no idea what was in store for them. Faust would continue to let the scenario play out further; he always loved the idea of tragic lovers best. Who would¡¯ve thought that he heard whispers upon the wind that the Grand Duelist and the girl that he sought would be married together? Killing two birds with one stone, apparently. He would have Cerise, and then as for Roselle, that pesky King¡¯s daughter, he can hold the girl as leverage against the Queen. He liked the idea of that. While receiving a message from one his crows, Faust then lets one of them fly aloft, to scry over the unfortunate souls that wandered in a wasteland. Chapter 16 Chapter 16 Faust made an appearance before them. His long black hair and red eyes burned through them, and Cerise felt unimaginable horror mount in her heart. She knew that this was the man who took away her sister¡¯s soul. This was the man who had stolen her heart and she was left empty, without any emotions, without any hope or sadness or despair. Anything would''ve been better than the emptiness that she felt inside. She couldn¡¯t even rouse anger towards the man, though Cerise¡¯s words were cold and sharp towards the Mage. ¡°Give my sister¡¯s soul back,¡± Cerise said, and Faust chuckled at this, as though he found Cerise¡¯s words apparently very amusing. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t do that,¡± Faust said in a patient tone as though he were lecturing a child, and Roselle attempted to stand up on her leg but Viola restrained her. ¡°You were hoping for an encounter with me, weren¡¯t you?¡± Faust said, as he stepped forward and touched Cerise¡¯s cheek. She tilted her head away from his inquiring gaze, and Faust murmured. ¡°Beautiful like your sister. Red hair, shining bright like January embers. Well, you may despise me now, but you will become a willing servant soon enough.¡± ¡°I would never come along with you!¡± Cerise said, and Faust quirked a brow at her. ¡°Oh? You will willingly save your friends though, would you? I have a plan, and I will make a deal with you right now. I kill your friends if you don¡¯t come with me, or I will spare them if you do come along with me willingly. It¡¯s your choice.¡± Cerise bit her lip. ¡°That¡¯s not fair!¡± ¡°Life isn¡¯t fair,¡± Faust said with an amused grin, before flicking some of his long black hair. Cerise looked back to Roselle, and Roselle was saying something though Cerise couldn¡¯t quite hear her. She looked steadfastly towards Faust again and said. ¡°I will do it. To save my friends.¡± ¡°Very good,¡± Faust said, before smiling amiably at her. ¡°That wasn¡¯t so hard, was it? It was an easy decision to make. It looks like you might get your heart back after all, and your friends still live.¡± Cerise stared stoically ahead, though something brushed past her eyes; tears? Was she crying? SHe didn¡¯t think she would be crying, she thought she purged all these tears out of her long time ago when her mother died, her sister¡¯s soul became stolen, and her heart was taken as well. She still had some tears to shed after all, but what good did they do? She was so pathetic, without a heart, without feeling; the tears were like theatrics, her stone heart breaking. She wasn¡¯t mourning the loss of her friends, she was crying tears of joy because they were spared. They would still live, that¡¯s all that mattered, didn¡¯t it? Yet Cerise wept, with a curiously blank expression on her face while she did so. Roselle¡­Viola¡­please come to save me, Cerise thought while she tried her hardest to forget Roselle¡¯s face when she departed with Faust. The Princess cried and pleaded and begged with Cerise, though her mind was made up. She would not let her friends die. ¡ªx¡ª Roselle cried. This was the first time she¡¯s cried since Cerise broke her heart and reminded her that her title was nearly lost and the fact that she couldn¡¯t use magic. It was worse this time, however, because she actually grew to care about Cerise and even perhaps love her, until Faust took Cerise away from her. She couldn¡¯t doanythingg, stupid her, because she was powerless and she hated feeling powerless. But what can she do with an injured leg? She can¡¯t follow after them, and Viola had to tend to or else Chimera could possibly stalk and hunt her down. How did this all happen? Roselle felt dizzied from the prospects. Viola looked over to the ocean, before saying, ¡°It¡¯s not safe here. We must prioritize your safety above all else, Princess Roselle.¡± ¡°But,¡± Roselle said between sobs. ¡°What should we do about Cerise?¡± ¡°There will be no rescuing of Cerise if we don¡¯t give you proper time to heal and mend. It will be uncomfortable going back on the ship, but we need to go back to the Soreno Kingdom. Perhaps Prince Caspian and Prince Nautilus can help us with this situation.¡±Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. After Roselle had a good cry, she wiped her tears on her sleeve and nodded slowly. IT was no use crying and doing nothing. As much as she hated sitting around and being told to hold back for the sake of Cerise, she would do so because she knew there were no other options left. Sometimes a tactical retreat was necessary. Though Roselle silently promised to herself that she would get back to Faust. Somehow, someway. She will never forgive him for putting her father in a magical coma, and she will never forgive him for taking away her beloved Cerise. They made their way on the ship back to the Soreno Kingdom without incident. Roselle had a blank expression on her face, and when Prince Caspian saw her look that way, he immediately knew something was wrong. He didn¡¯t ask where Cerise was; he knew that somehow during the operation that Cerise got kidnapped by Faust. Roselle rested in a spare bedroom, waiting for her leg to recover. Caspian would sometimes drop by and read her poems and stories from books from the Soreno library, but none of them cheered her up. She could only think about Cerise and what Faust could possibly be doing to her. She shuddered at the memory of the man¡¯s red eyes, which stripped her bare to her vulnerabilities. When her leg recovered, Roselle tried to practice her swordplay, though her footwork was clumsy and she couldn¡¯t perform the dancing flash step that she could do before. Caspian sparred with her occasionally, though he could tell that Roselle would never be able to perform her flash step again, which means the Grand Duelist title could be easily taken away from her now. ¡°Where could Faust be?¡± Roselle wondered aloud. Prince Caspian put a hand on her shoulder. ¡°There is a way to save her. I had Viola investigate and he¡¯s hiding in a swampland forest where the Philosopher¡¯s Stone is being kept. Along with Cerise. He intends to enact some sort of ritual, something that he¡¯s intending to use Cerise for. Your leg has recovered, though you don¡¯t have to join this battle if you don¡¯t want. There are some battles you can¡¯t win, and¡­¡± Roselle gave Prince Caspian a cold look, and he remained silent. After a while, the coldness in gaze dissolved into tears, before she said. ¡°I can¡¯t give up. I mustn¡¯t give up. My whole life¡¯s ambition was to become the best and never let the impossible stop me. But oh, I¡¯ve been brought down from the heavens and down to the earth; just a pathetic little girl who can¡¯t save the one who¡¯s important to her.¡± ¡°We will track him down,¡± Caspian said. ¡°Together. ¡°Princess Nautilus, Viola, and yourself will be one a rescue team to recover Cerise from Faust.¡± ¡°Thank you, Caspian,¡± Roselle said, sniffing as she wracked out the last few sobs. ¡°I can still fight. But¡­I wonder if Cerise¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened to her during that time,¡± Caspian said. ¡°But we¡¯re going to save her. All right?¡± ¡°All right,¡± Roselle said, before suddenly clasping Capsian in a tight hug. Caspian seemed surprised, though he slowly embraced her and helped calm her tears. ¡ªx-- ¡°Your friends should be coming for you,¡± Faust said in his manor while preparing a kettle of tea. He poured a cup for himself and then for Cerise, who was dressed up in a gothic lolita attire that became her. However, no matter what Faust put before her, she would not eat and drink. Faust noticed this, and let out a sigh. ¡°If you¡¯re not going to eat or drink, you will starve to death,¡± Faust said not unkindly. ¡°I can always reanimate your corpse, and trust me, that¡¯s not a pleasant experience. At least while you¡¯re still alive as my servant, you have a choice. As a mindless corpse, all control is relinquished and our will and mind are manipulated by someone else.¡± Cerise¡¯s lip curled. She hated Faust. She wanted to throw the tea in his face, the plate of biscuits at him. ¡°I will never serve you,¡± Cerise spat, while Faust looked amused. ¡°You did it to save your friends, but what does being a martyr serve you? You¡¯re needlessly causing your own suffering. Having immortality together wouldn¡¯t be so bad, would it?¡± ¡°I can barely stand a minute of you,¡± Cerise said. ¡°Let alone an eternity.¡± ¡°Suit yourself,¡± Faust said, before tipping his cup towards her. ¡®Cheers.¡± Cerise finally relented and drank her tea. It tasted like ashes. Cerise hurled the cup away from her, and Faust looked up and frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t do that. That was a good china cup, you know.¡± ¡°What was in that tea?¡± Cerise said before Faust chuckled humorlessly. ¡°Something to soothe you to sleep,¡± Faust said. ¡°I hear you screaming form unpleasant dreams at night.¡± Cerise heart thumped in her throat. ¡°What do I say?¡± Faust shrugged.¡±Incoherent things. Sometimes you¡¯ll call for your sister, then your mother, and eventually for Roselle. Tell me, how important is this Roselle to you?¡± Cerise remained silent, before saying, ¡°She means the world to me.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s about time that I paid her a visit,¡± Faust said cheerfully, straightening his gentleman¡¯s tie and turning to leave. ¡°What¡¯re you going to do?¡± Cerise asked before Faust smiled towards her. ¡°Nothing, in particular. Just want to know about this person who has so enamored you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t do anything to her¡­¡± Cerise whispered, ¡°Please.¡± ¡°Well, I can keep that promise,¡± Faust said cheerfully. ¡°The others, however, are fair game.¡± ¡°No. No!¡± Cerise said, though Faust swept out of the manor and kept her bound in the chamber. She watched him depart, and Cerise wondered how they would manage to defeat a madman like Faust. Chapter 17 Chapter 17 ¡°You¡¯ve done very well to locate me,¡± Faust said to the group. Roselle stepped forward and pointed her rapier towards Faust. ¡°You! I¡¯m going to pay you back for breaking my leg! I can no longer hold the Grand Duelist title any longer; what¡¯s worse, you¡¯ve stolen my beloved Cerise. Have at you, cur! I¡¯m going to strike you down and stab your vitals!¡± ¡°Ah, so you¡¯re Roselle,¡± Faust said with a smile. ¡°A beautiful Princess who is as fierce as she is lovely. Perhaps that¡¯s why Cerise has fallen in love with you. Don¡¯t worry my dear; I¡¯m not here to kill you. Your friends, however¡­¡± Prince Caspian stood by Roselle¡¯s side and pointed his rapier towards Faust. ¡°You won¡¯t be able to take me down so easily, Faust. I¡¯m prepared to give my life for Roselle.¡± ¡°Ah, love,¡± Faust said. ¡°Isn¡¯t it wonderful? So misguided. So¡­weakening. It makes you soft. And vulnerable. Your love for Cerise and Prince Caspian¡¯s love for you, Roselle, are going to be your downfalls.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so sure that you¡¯ll defeat us,¡± Princess Nautilus said, standing by her brother side, while Viola stood next to Princess Nautilus. ¡°We¡¯re going to take you down. Together. You''ve always been alone, Faust; and you¡¯ll discover that being alone and having no friends is going to be your downfall. You are wary of betrayers at every turn; therefore you betray people before they betray you. But if you learned to trust other people and rely on other people, you would¡¯ve found fulfillment.¡±Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. ¡°Yes,¡± Roselle said. ¡°It¡¯s through my friends; and especially Cerise; that I became stronger. My love for her burns brightly! I won¡¯t let her fall into your hands to become a Homunculus!¡± ¡°How very touching,¡± Faust said with a sardonic ton, his lip curling into a mean smirk. ¡°Your foolishness will only bring despair.¡± [They fight against Faust and save Cerise] ¡°Oh, Cerise!¡± Roselle cried as she cried and hugged her beloved close to her. ¡°I thought I¡¯d never see you again. Please, darling, kiss me! I have to make sure that everything about this is real! That you¡¯re here in my arms!¡± Roselle then leaned forward and gave Cerise the longest and sweetest kiss that Cerise ever experienced in her life. LIghtheaded and giddy, with happiness brimming up from the tips of her toes to her buoyant head, Cerise felt as though she took a deep breath of fresh air after being pulled down in the undertow of a tide, drowning and struggling for so long, before Roselle found her and kissed her. She wanted to savor every second of this, and she wrapped her arms around Roselle¡¯s tiny form and kissed her back. The others looked pleased. After defeating Faust, they could go back to their lives. Prince Caspian put a hand on Roselle¡¯s shoulder, saying, ¡°Well, if there¡¯s going to be a royal wedding, I expect to be invited.¡± ¡°Of course, Caspian,¡± Roselle said with a gasp as she parted away from Cerise, laughing and giggling, giddy from the high of her first kiss. ¡°All of you are invited! It¡¯s thanks to everyone that we were able to save the Kingdoms from danger! And there will be a grand ball, some dancing, great food; oh it would be wonderful! I hope that you all will see me in becoming Queen!¡± [They have a royal wedding. Cerise and Roselle and the others have a grand time] The END.