A Very Close Call

The gathering clattered to a stop, and the big room became deathly silent.

"Mai!"

Lygawa was near, but not near enough.

"Don't make a move dragon - or else... I'll blow your precious 'Seer' apart..."

Arrnet tugged lightly on a short wire - that led to what looked like a stick of explosives, just visible now from the inside of his front black jacket pocket, while Mai was held before him like a shield, with a shiny knife keeping her still.

He's got some kind of dynamite on him! What...?!

"Now - back up!"

He ordered Mai's companion, keeping his blade visible to all, just before Mai's neck.

Lygawa gave a nervous but mostly furious stare back, but slowly complied, knowing even her lightning quick moves could still lead to a possible disaster.

"Phil what are you doing?"

Rafael asked from the shocked onlookers, but was completely ignored.

Being slowly tugged back, Mai didn't resist at all, not wanting a deadly blast in such a crowded place, sure it would led to her recent 'glimmer' becoming a reality, and her own demise too, so Mai signalled for Lygawa to stay put as she let Arrnet pull her backward from the big room.

The short blade got close to Mai's skin again, as he shouted at the many frozen onlookers.

"If anyone follows... I'll end her life!"

He kicked the doors shut as they got to the exit, after shuffling to each with Mai as a close hostage.

Giving a brief moment of isolation, and seeing the doors remained closed; Arrnet turned Mai about, but still held his short blade against her neck as he marched her away.

How am I getting out of this... or can I...?

"I'm not sure I -"

He cut her off, infuriated.

"You made a mockery of me before his Majesty..."

He quietly hissed as he moved her forcibly down the short corridor.

"And you're a friend with those rotten reptiles too! So I'll make you pay..."

He's another one who has a thing against the Dragons...

Arrnet pushed her roughly around the corner, into the not so secluded next corridor.

Alice gasped as she and Zalina halted their walk in their direction, seeing the others come into view, and that one was clearly an unwilling captive.

He didn't stop, only seeing them as small obstructions as he went on forcing Mai forward, distractedly he glanced about behind - to make sure they weren't followed and failing to note who stood in his path.

"Get out of my way you..."

He knocked the still frozen and shy Princess away, using his forearm that held the knife, but as he did, it was grabbed by the fast acting Zalina.

"I'll kill thee..."

The ruby-eyed dragon held his wrist tightly, and as Mai tumbled free she shouted a warning.

"He's got explosives!"

Zalina instantly grabbed his other arm and held both still, with her superior strength, but the slick haired man only sniggered.

"You won't stop it... and now I just might take one of you horrid beasts with me!"

"Quick."

Thinking fast, Mai had already grabbed the Princess - and pushed her along, away from Zalina, who held the crazed man at bay for them.

"Zalina!"

Alice cried as Mai bundled her backward, to get her at least to the next short bend of castle walls, having not enough time to think of something else like a magical solution.

"Ahh!"

The man shouted, in anger and pain, and Mai knew she'd run out of time, so she shoved the slightly taller woman aside to safety, with all her might, just as a huge bang sounded from behind.

She felt the blast force her from her feet, throwing her against the thick stone wall, and collapsed in pain, firstly into a high pitched ring, that turned into a consuming muffled darkness.

Mai awoke in an unfamiliar place, a blur of white everywhere; with a nice warm glow too, but it felt a little different from that strange in-between place she'd been in, especially since she still figured she had her body this time.

Mai felt quite groggy and tired, taking a little while to get a sense of what was going on around her, before she figured she was being tended to, by a figure in a long white dress.

"Hello dear, are you feeling alright now?"

I thought you said I'd have a nice quiet life...

Mai first thought she was that odd white entity again, but after seeing the woman's dark eyes, she dropped that idea fairly soon.

"Are you in pain still?"

Mai's blurry eyes still didn't let her get a clear sight of whoever was asking, but she replied back using her voice.

"No..."

"You have been caught up in quite a bit lately..."

Mai was still a little confused, as she did sound like that being too.

"Will I see Lygawa and the others again?"

Mai felt a hand pat her shoulder, as the lady attended to her, removing a little cloth from her head.

"Oh yes, very soon..."

The lady moved away out of sight.

"Sorry I never intended for you to get caught up in... all this mess."

A familiar male voice sounded from Mai's right.

Huh, what's the King doing here...?

Mai rolled over a little to see the old man sitting by her side; also finally realising she was on a bed.

"Oh - I thought I was talking with..."

Mai trailed off, but crawled back a fraction to lean up against the big pillows.

"Here I was trying to keep things settled and calm... and you very nearly died on us, again I'm very sorry."

He hung his head low to Mai.

"Oh no sir, it's not your fault..."

"So did you foresee this incident? And knew what you had to do?"

He asked curiously, returning his sight to her.

"Well... no, I think I scraped through with mostly luck..."

She told him back honestly, blinking the fuzziness from her sight.

He nodded, before turning himself to properly face her.

"I must numbly thank-you, most sincerely for saving my youngest daughter."

Oh good she's safe... but...

He read Mai's concerned look well, replying before she could ask her next question.

"Yes see... Zalina is alright too - a little banged about, but she'll recover."

He pointed out another occupied bed across from Mai's, with a figure on it and another just beside, but Mai still couldn't quite make out who they were yet, so took his relaxed word for it.

"That's good to hear..."

And while we're on the subject...

"I need to ask, sir, if you knew Dragons were working here, why did you ask me before about their intentions?"

He chuckled a little.

"I needed to see if you you'd tell me the truth - which unfortunately some around here just don't want to say anymore...."

He stopped and turned to look out the bright window.

"But you needn't worry about that... those responsible for these sets of events have been dealt with..."

"Father... I think that girl will break through the doors if you take up anymore of Miss Misaki's time..."

Father... then this lady in white is...

The beautiful woman with a bob of bleached-blond hair returned, giving Mai a small red-lipped smile and a wink.

"Yes dear... oh, by the way, Miss Misaki, this is the skilled healer who patched you up, and she's also my eldest daughter - Nina Akari Yamada."

Those last names sound very Japanese... I wonder...

Mai's unanswered questions grew, but the King got to his feet.

"No doubt we will speak again Miss Misaki, but till then..."

He returned the already gifted gold pendant on the bed beside Mai's hand.

"...Please do your best to keep safe too."

The lady with bright blonde hair waved goodbye to Mai, as they left the room together.

Mai hadn't got over their quick departure, when Lygawa burst in and jumped on her bed, scrambling up to see the conscious woman.

"Mai - I was super worried you wouldn't wake, yes, are you still in pain, anywhere please tell me, yes?"

She said delicately, as she held off, full of concern.

"I'm fine - uh!?"

Mai got plastered by the silver dragon-girl, who wrapped her up with a cool squeezing hug.

At least I'd know if something hurt still... geez...

"Alright, steady on there..."

Lygawa pulled back again, reluctantly.

"Please tell me if you are still injured..."

"I'm really okay."

Mai smiled gently to give her some added reassurance.

"Then as Zalina and Alice sleep peacefully, we must depart, yes?"

The dragon-girl bounded back to the floor quietly and held Mai's hand gently.

"Can you walk or shall I carry you?"

"Huh, what's with the rush?"

"We must leave this place, yes, before something else happens to you... or me..."

She looked about with suspicion, while Mai did feel perfectly fine now, having had another Princess with healing magic see to her, after somehow scraping by nearly being blasted.