IV - The Princess & the Tavern

After the satisfying meal, Aurora paused, outside of the dining hall door, she realized, she forgot her fan on the table after she and her sister were alongside her friends. 

Aria stared at her with a confused look forming on her face, asking softly.

"Sis? What's wrong?"

Aurora stared back, replied. "Something's off…I forgot something."

"You mean…you're one of your fans?"

Aurora nodded silently, her hand tightened around the strap of her bag. 

"Yes, I'll be right back okay?"

"Of course, sis. Go find it before it's too late."

Aurora paused, glanced over her shoulder if her sister was still there, waiting to arrive back before she turned to her heel and stormed inside the restaurant, hoping the fan remained untouched.

The owner of the restaurant slammed the empty jar onto his desk with a loud bang making Charlotte flinch. 

He points finger at her, demanding to hand over the missing coins. 

The manager held the empty jar with a deep brow.

"Charlotte, how many times have you stolen from the coupons on the jar?" 

"Sir, please…I-I didn't steal anything." Charlotte replied, hands on her back staring at the floor beneath her instead looking at the furious owner and the suspicious gaze from the manager.

"You sure? I can feel my magic if you lied. I can feel it."

"What?! I didn't steal anything, look."

Charlotte insisted, holding her both hands out to show they're both empty.

The owner draws closer, activating a magical glow on his both irises to scan her aura as if she's lying or not, attempting to pressure her into confession, immediately grabbing the collar of Charlotte's uniform, pulling her against his eye level, sneering.

"That's a SEVERAL TIMES lying, Someone report YOU STEALING."

"I-It wasn't me, please I didn't do anything wrong please." Charlotte responded, swallowed nervously as her vision watering, already vulnerable in front of the owner.

Aurora opened the door, her gaze immediately focused on her fan sitting still on the table from earlier, with a sigh of relief, she picked it up.

I thought I'd never see you again, my fan.

Just in time she left the restaurant, one of her ears twitched, she heard shouting and accusing someone for stealing made her gaze narrowed suspiciously.

What was that? I heard something shouting, maybe I should figure this out.

She moved at the half-open door of the 'staff only' room, peering inside through the crack, her mismatched eyes wide in disbelief.

Charlotte? What are you doing there!?

She saw Charlotte standing before the furious owner, her gaze lowered at the floor avoiding the furious look of her owner.

Aurora's gaze immediately landed on the empty jar sitting on the desk between them, her heart ache silently placing her hand on her chest watching Charlotte protest back despite exhaustion to defend her honor but it's clearly now overwhelmed she'd realized her classmate was falsely accused.

Poor Charlotte…I need to do something to save the vulnerable paladin!

Making a bold decision, she immediately slammed the door open, the owner and the manager looked up from Charlotte watching the intruder step forward with both eyes wide in disbelief.

"Excuse me? How dare you accuse her like that?"

"Who the hell are you doing, young lady?" The manager asked demandingly.

"That's none of your business, get out before we call your—!"

Aurora slammed her fan on the corner making them both flinched, she wasn't joking, she was serious—definitely serious.

"You know, she was serving my table the entire evening under my direct sight." she explained calmly, very calmly that made two of them sending shivers through one of their spines, she added once more.

"If your coins are missing, look at your own careless bookkeeping before you insult me—er, you're the hardest worker."

Charlotte lifted her gaze, she could see Aurora was defending her from the abusive owner and his manager.

Aurora… What are you doing?! she thought to herself with both eyes wide in disbelief and awe.

Aurora stared back, her mismatched eyes softened on Charlotte's ones, rushed towards her without a word, she asked softly.

"Are you alright, darling?"

"Y-yeah, I'm fine." Charlotte responded, rubbing the back of her head with a sheepish grin forming on her lips. 

Without hesitation, Aurora boldly grabbed Charlotte's wrist as both of them left, leaving the owner and the manager stunned, no words came just…stared at them in disbelief.

Once they're already outside the restaurant alone while Aria has gone home. Aurora crossed her arms and said to Charlotte.

"Consider this as a payment for your own knight service from my dream, Dummy." she said.

"But you owe me a new favor, but not yet."

Then she turned on her heel and walked away, leaving Charlotte standing stunned.

A favor? Really, huh? Thank you for saving me, Princess.

With a soft smile curling on her lips, she moved forward with a sigh.

꒰ა ✦ ໒꒱

"Mom, I'm home." Aurora called softly, Aria emerged from the washroom, wrapped in a comfy fabric, already fresh from the bath, tilted her head softly.

"Ah, sister, you took a long time huh?"

"Yeah… I feel exhausted." Aurora sighed, but her sister grinned mischievously.

"Ooohh~ really? Is that about Charlotte?"

"Aria! H-H-How did you know—?"

Aria smirked, wrapped the fabric tighter, crossed her arms wisely.

"I feel something a great disturbance from the force, sister."

"Eh? What do you mean?"

"It's as if a million of your thoughts suddenly cried out in embarrassment." 

Aria covered her mouth with a giggle that made Aurora's ears twitch.

"Oi, stop giggling."

"There's no place at this home to admit you have a massive crush at Miss Rayburn."

Aurora rolled her mismatched eyes, and couldn't help but smile a little bit.

"You're such a weirdo, my little sister."

Aria leaned against the doorframe, smirking even wider.

"To be honest, sis. Her gaze was focused on yours, not from another girl, you. And also don't forget… she had you at 'Greetings, our Princess.' Like you're staring at the space like a lovesick main protagonist ever since we left in the restaurant."

"Absolutely not that!" Aurora groaned, hiding her face on the couch pillow muffled her voice.

"Oh frankly, my dear sister. I'll never give her anything about whatever she thinks."

"Sleep now, childrens. You have a magical test tomorrow." their mother called out from upstairs.

"And also, good luck to both of you."

Both girls glance at each other one more time before both of them heading towards the stairs. Their own respective living quarters.

"Goodnight, sis."

"You too,"

They're both dozed off in peaceful slumber, the night became silent— except the sound of soft breathing from the entire family.

Their cat name Rocky stirred from her sleep, stretching her limbs before she dozed off once more on her bedding.

꒰ა ✦ ໒꒱

The cottage is perfectly silent as Charlotte arrives, slowly creaking the door ajar walks over a small table a single frame sits perfectly; a picture of their late mother passed away a year ago that left them behind as orphans.

No other parents present in the house, just taking care of themselves despite the grief was still present.

Even Charlotte was the oldest child reminiscing from her traumatic events since she was a small, she adjusted the frame, took a long breath to gather her strength after Aurora saved her from the owner and the manager.

Consider this as a payment for your own knight service from my dream, Dummy. Aurora's voice kept repeating through her mind.

"Excuse me? How dare you accuse her like that?"

"If your coins are missing, look at your own careless bookkeeping before you insult me—er, you're the hardest worker."

My? Did she just skip 'my'? she wondered to herself what made her heart flutter, but she shook her head with a small chuckle that slipped from her lips.

She glanced at her sleeping siblings and whispered a classic line that was made entirely by herself.

"I am the master, I'll try my best to protect my siblings, especially Princess Aurora."

Showing a paladin determination to give her siblings a better future neither what obstacles they came away with at school or work.

꒰ა ✦ ໒꒱

The next morning in Asahi Academy surrounded by crowded students, Aurora tapped her feet against the floor waiting for someone, mismatched eyes roaming around anxiously.

Charlotte, where are you? she thought to herself, long dark blue hair with red streaks tied into loose ponytail fluttered behind her from the wind.

Quincy and Sarah stared at her with a melancholy look across both of their faces, one of them tapping her shoulder.

"Are you okay, Aura?"

"Huh?" Aurora snapped her attention towards them, confused. 

"W-w-what's wrong? Is there something you want to tell me?"

"You seemed nervous?"

"Waiting for someone?"

"Yeah… I'm waiting for Charlotte."

Charlotte arrived, adjusting the ribbon of her ponytail.

"Hm? Are you guys looking for me?"

Aurora's eyes lightened up, immediately rushing towards her.

"Yes. Come on! We have to go before it's too late!"

"O-Okay!"

"Wehave a magical examination today!"

Aurora immediately grabbed Charlotte's wrist, both of them walking across the hallway, books on their arms while Quincy and Sarah followed after them with giggles.