An Unlikely Friendship

“Princess?” A voice calls from the distance.

It was a familiar voice. Unfortunately, it was the last voice I wanted to hear at that moment.

“Elzara! You’re here.” Princess Rhiannon called out.

“Princess!... You! What are you doing here?! What are you doing to Princess Rhiannon!” Elzara yelled angrily.

Rapid footsteps echoed through the room and the sound of a creaking steel door opening—we were inside of a cell. I felt hands pull on my hair.

“Get away from the princess, scum!”

Elzara kept pulling on my hair. I couldn’t see anything—there’s no way for me to discern where he’s standing at. I couldn’t mindlessly swing my arms; I could hit the princess.

“Princess Rhiannon, help me, please!” I pleaded to the only person who could help me.

“…” She doesn’t respond though.

“Please, princess!” I pleaded some more.

Hair pulling progressed into punching my head. It actually really hurts now.

I can only put my hands up to block his attacks but, as if he can see clearly in this pitch-black room, he starts punching me in my vulnerable spots.

I’m starting to grow weak and my consciousness is slowly fading.

“Prin…cess…”

The sound of Elzara’s fists making contact to my head echoed within the room.

“El… Elzara! That’s enough!” Princess Rhiannon demanded.

“But, princess. He’s a human!”

“I know, but still… Wait.”

I feel a gentle, soft hand touch my chest. The hand goes inside through the collar of my shirt and out in an instant.

“Why do you have this necklace, human? Who gave this to you?”

I feel so weak that I can’t answer her question properly. Still, I have to try.

“It’s… from A…rin.”

“Lord Arin? He gave this to you?”

Just what does that necklace signify? I thought it’s merely a lucky charm that’s able to nullify incoming magic attacks, as well as being a tracking device.

Wait… Tracking device? Arin. Please, come for us. Elvina and Felaris too. Are they even safe? Last I saw them was when Captain Lipton hit them with his attack.

Orlin disintegrated when he made contact with the beam though- No! I shouldn’t think like that. It serves me no purpose.

“Human! I’m talking to you!”

“Nao…ki. It’s… Naoki.”

I finally collapse to the ground. Completely powerless and exhausted but weirdly enough, I am still conscious.

I end up hearing everything that’s happening in the room.

“Elzara… What is this human- Naoki talking about? He said that you were colluding with the Knights of the Sacred Flame?”

“Princess, you mustn’t believe his lies.”

“Answer my question, Elzara! He wears a special necklace imbued by the magic of Lord Arin—a necklace worn only by his closest confidants. This could only mean one thing: Arin completely trusts him.”

“… Tch! You only needed to stay out of my way, princess, but now I have no other choice.”

“What?! What are you talking about, Elzara?”

A set of heavy footsteps entered the room, it approached us slowly.

“Elzara. What’s taking you so long?” A man with a hoarse voice said.

Yet another familiar voice. It’s Captain Lipton.

“What?! What is it?!” Annoyed, Elzara goes off on Lipton.

“I’m simply making sure you don’t “accidentally” kill the boy.”

“Hah! I’m pretty sure he’s still alive. Ain’t that right?” He pulls my hair up, and in extension my upper body, suspended in the air.

“It’s true then! Elzara, you are a traitor!” Princess Rhiannon yelled in exasperation.

Elzara lets out a deep sigh and in a moment, I hear a loud bang echo in the room. The sound of hands hitting skin is a sound that I’ve become familiar with as of late.

I hear the princess whimper as she got slapped across the face.

“You have no power here, princess- or rather, Rhiannon. Soon, you will meet the same fate as your sister and no one will be able to stand against me.”

“Why?! Why are you doing this?” Princess Rhiannon uttered as tears stream down her face.

“Why, you ask? So that I can take the throne for myself! But I couldn’t achieve that if I just had the king killed. I have to remove his next of kin out of the equation as well.”

“T-that’s…”

“HAHAHAHA! I can’t wait to become king. I think the first thing I’ll do as king is execute that bastard Arin.” Elzara announces as he continues to laugh maniacally.

The hair on my body stood up hearing this deranged psycho laugh. I couldn’t do anything against him though. I have to bide time, at least until Arin and the others finds us.

“Elzara. It’s time to go.” Captain Lipton demanded.

“Yes, yes. No need to be hasty! But, before we go…” I felt a hand hold my neck tightly.

“Ack!” I choked, gasping for air.

Suddenly, the necklace Arin gave me has been yanked out of my neck.

“We can’t have them find you that easily.”

Fire exudes from Elzara’s hands—it was the first and only thing I’ve seen while in this dark room. The necklace started to melt quickly, turning it into a hot liquid.

The glare from the bright fire revealed Elzara’s face, or at least, what used to be his face. It was twisted to the point that I could barely recognize it anymore, save for the eyes, which unfortunately is engraved in my mind from him beating me repeatedly.

His twisted face reminded me a bit of the fox in my dream—how it’s face twisted as well but that’s about it.

The fire dwindled. Thank God, I didn’t have to look at that horrible face anymore.

Elzara spoke to Princess Rhiannon one last time before they left.

“Princess? Be a good girl and stay here for now. We’ll be back soon.”

Princess Rhiannon didn’t respond but I did hear weak sobbing coming from her direction.

Shortly after, I hear footsteps quickly leave the room, leaving me and the princess alone.

The pain of the beating is still tolerable but it would be nice if Arin was here. I bet I could have him heal me back up, like he always do.

Wait. What if I have the princess cast healing magic on me. Would she be up for it though? Only one way to find out.

“Princess…” Still finding it hard to speak, I try my best either way.

She doesn’t respond. I guess being in the same situation doesn’t magically make us friends. I do need to get this taken care of so I continue to get her attention.

“Prin…cess.”

No answer.

“Prin...cess Rhia…”

Still no answer.

At this point, even I realize that what I’m doing is irrational. Princess Rhiannon just found out that her closest confidant is the reason for all her suffering, and now, that same person will take more from her.

Even though she’d only been rude to me, I want to help her!

Although painful, I slowly and carefully crawled towards the sound of the crying. It took me some time to get to her, having to take breaks often as the pain gets unbearable.

Now, I have to bring her out of her despair. That’s the only way we can get out of here.

“Princess… It’ll be… fine. Everything… will be… fine.”

“How will it be fine?! I’ve lost everything. I can never find my sister and soon, I’ll suffer the same fate as her. On top of that, my father will perish in the hands of his most trusted confidant. What can I even do…” Princess Rhiannon poured her heart out.

The earlier soft sobbing have turned into loud wailing as if a child is crying. I didn’t say anything though. It’s for the best for her to let it all out. Then maybe, after she has some clarity, we could make a plan to get out of this place.

It continued for a while. The pain all over my body has started to subside; it should be tolerable to speak now, at least. Eventually, she stops sobbing.

“Princess?”

“What?”

“You’ll be alright, I promise.”

“What are you even talking about? You can’t make promises especially looking that pathetic.”

“Then, can you heal me?”

“Excuse me?”

“Cast a healing spell on me. Arin used to do that for me but…”

“…” She doesn’t respond.

“Please, princess?”

The darkness envelops us, denying my ability to see. A warm, bright light suddenly start to shine next to me. It’s a familiar feeling.

Very slowly, I start to regain my strength—still not enough to stand and walk but at least I don’t feel like dying anymore.

“Arin… What happened to them?”

“I’m not sure, princess. Last I saw him, they got hit by an attack by the captain—Elvina too, and as for Felaris, he dodged the attack but I don’t know what has become of him.”

“What captain?”

“The one from earlier—the one Elzara is colluding with.”

“That man? He’s with the knights isn’t he? I saw his armor earlier.”

“How could you even see in this pitch-black place? Elzara managed to land all his punches as well.”

“It’s a spell. Don’t ask me to cast it on you because I won’t do it—healing is all you’ll get. Still, to hear about Arin and the others…”

“They’ll be fine, princess. I mean, it’s Arin we’re talking about here.”

“Yeah, you’re right. Arin has proven himself to be quite resourceful in dire times such as this. I’m sure he and the others will pull through.”

The healing spell finished, though the warm feeling lingered. I barely feel pain in my body but my mind does feel exhausted. I guess that couldn’t be fixed with a healing spell.

“Thank you, Princess Rhia.”

“Only my closest confidants get to call me that, human. Just because I casted a healing spell on you doesn’t make you one, understand?!”

“No, princess. I don’t understand. Besides, you won’t call me by my name either so...”

“H-huh?! … Nao…ki… Naoki!”

“Yes, Princess Rhiannon?”

“Tch! Don’t get wise with me, Naoki. It’s not like I healed you so you wouldn’t die. I only did that because Arin would get mad at me if I let you perish.”

Ah, her tsundere attitude is showing. Cute.

I sat on my rear, my back against the wall.

“Thank you for healing me, princess. I really appreciate it.”

She doesn’t say or make any remarks, and yet I could tell that she’s flustered.

“Don’t worry, princess. I promise you; I’ll help you get back home.”

“… thank… you.” I couldn’t hear what she just said.

“What’d you say?”

“Shut up! I didn’t say anything.”

I let it go. I needed her to do something for me again if I’m going to save her from this place.

“Princess Rhiannon? Can you cast that spell on me too? The ability to see in the dark, I mean. It’d be really nice to know what we’re working with here.”

She hesitates for a bit before she gives me her response.

“Fine. Show me your eyes.”

I follow her voice and open my eyes fully. She hit me in the head for that.

“You idiot. Just open your eyes normally.”

After a short while, I feel air being blown to my eyes. Is this some kind of joke? Is what I originally thought but slowly, the dark room starts to have color, like how scenes would fade in in movies.

The first thing that I saw is Princess Rhiannon. Her eyes are closed and lips puckered, blowing air out—she’s so beautiful. Thank God for elves!

“You should be slowly gaining vision now.”

“Thank you, princess.”

“You’re welcome. How is it?”

“It’s amazing! I can see your face now.”

Her eyes open fully; her expression shows what seems like a mixture of shock and embarrassment. She quickly averts her gaze elsewhere.

“I-I see… Well, you got what you asked for already. Now go look for that exit.”

I did just that. I stood up from the ground and inspected every nook and cranny of this room.

There’s… nothing. There’s literally nothing in this room—no furniture in sight as well. It does lead me to believe that they’ll probably move us to a different room later or we’re simply being held here for the time being. Either way, we don’t have to sleep on the cold floor.

I face the princess and ask her a question.

“Can’t you use your spells to destroy this metal bar?”

“I could try.”

She started muttering her chant, a couple of swords materializes out of nowhere. It seems those floating swords is her go-to spell.

Suddenly, the door to the dungeon opened haphazardly, the metal door hitting the walls creating a loud bang.

It made my ears ring for a while. I look at Princess Rhiannon and she ended up covering her ears as well.

I look back at the origin of the sound. There stands a man, intimidating in his pose. It’s Captain Lipton.