Chapter 9 - Realisation

Isabel was irritated. It had been almost three weeks since she got dropped into this world, and it had sucked entirely.

Currently, Isabel was in the middle of sparring. She blocked the feeble strike Mila attempted and raised her wooden sword.

Well, it wasn’t entirely true. There were some bright spots here and there, but those tended to make Isabel's irritation even worse. She used her wooden shield to push back the smaller opponent and stabbed at her chest.

Mila danced around her attempt, if barely. The little devil was annoying to deal with. She always knew what Isabel would attempt.

And it irritated Isabel. She was getting good with the sword and shield combo. Even Silinth admitted she did. Her skills were quickly approaching Tiff’s and Kefo’s level. Or at least she could put up a fight against them.

It wasn’t like she lost to Mila often. Not by a long shot. But Isabel did not feel like her victories were deserved. She won because Mila’s body was too weak. The shorter girl was clearly more skilled.

Isabel’s mood got the better of her, and she charged her opponent. Of course, Mila had read the move and tried to counterattack, only to fail when her legs gave from the sudden manoeuvre.

With a thud, Isabel managed to bash Mila back, making her fall. She was immediately overcome with regret.

It had been too rough, and Isabel feared she had hurt Mila, only for her to get up right after as if nothing had happened.

“Let’s continue.” Mila took a stance, raising her wooden sword.

Isabel felt a pang of guilt in her chest. She knew Mila was tough. More than she and Andrew combined. Still, watching the frail girl carry herself with such conviction made Isabel want to protect her.

And Isabel was aware that this feeling was slowly growing stronger. She parried Mila’s attack while attempting a swing at her arm.

Somehow, her sparring partner managed to twist herself away from the swing and almost succeeded in slipping past Isabel’s defences.

Mila only failed because she was slow. Isabel took a step back and reoriented herself. The irritation still gnawed at her thoughts.

The more she interacted with Mila, the more she wanted to shield the girl from the world’s problems. Not because Mila needed it but because Isabel wanted to do something for her.

And it was consuming Isabel. At first, she wanted to find a way back home.

This world had magic, so there had to be a way. Isabel missed her family and the bed back on earth dearly. That and proper pads. Linen cloth was serviceable but certainly not preferable.

Keeping herself presentable was getting increasingly difficult. Isabel did not consider herself vain. But she did want to make a good impression on Mila.

Her blemishes became apparent when Isabel compared her skin with Mila’s flawlessly pale visage. The girl did not even try and managed to look great.

Isabel stopped herself. This was getting dangerous. Recently, her thoughts had frequently drifted towards Mila instead of her family and life on earth.

Soon, their training with weapons ended. Isabel glanced at where Andrew was sitting on the ground, panting. He was trashed by Silinth for the better part of the last twenty minutes.

The day continued as usual. They bathed, ate, took classes and did chores to keep the place clean. It was the same every day, without fail.

Isabel would complain it was boring if she wasn’t constantly too tired. Still, the evenings were quiet and peaceful. They had plenty of time with their own thoughts.

It irritated her. Most of her efforts went into learning the local language, and the reason was simple. If she had a book in her hand, she could immerse herself in it to run away from the constant invasive daydreams starring a certain girl.

And Isabel felt guilty about it. She missed her old life and did her best to get stronger to reach a point where she could seek a way back. And her resolve was crumbling.

Would it be so bad to try and find happiness here? Silinth had told them there was no way back to earth long ago. Isabel knew Andrew did not believe him, and neither had she.

But as the time passed, Isabel thought it over. Wasn’t it just their denial speaking? Would Silinth lie about something so important?

Just like that, another day had come to a close. After they finished their dinner, the group scattered around the place.

Andrew was probably near the forest, where he had found a large rock on which to sit. Tiff and Kefo usually spent their time together, playing or taking care of their belongings. Silinth rarely ate with them, spending his time brooding.

Which left Mila.

Isabel paused to think about where her friend would be at this time. It felt so strange to call her and Andrew friends.

Before coming to this world, Isabel and Andrew hadn’t gotten along too well. Even now, they had moments where they were at each other throats.

They simply knew each other for a long time, and while Isabel would never tell it to him, she was grateful for his presence in her life. He was one of those people who did not judge her nor change his attitude when she messed up and confessed to her classmate.

That had been a disaster. Isabel shuddered. Mila wouldn’t be the same as her, would she? Mila would not push her away the way that girl did, would she?

Those events had scared her more than Isabel wanted to admit.

Showing the terrifying thought away, Isabel headed outside to clear her mind. She looked up to the overcast sky and sighed.

“Fancy meeting you here.”

Mila’s voice behind her startled Isabel. She hurried to turn around while calming her mind. Isabel found her arms suddenly felt conspicuous, and she struggled to find the right place for them. “Ahah, yes, indeed!” Her voice was a tad too high from what Isabel had intended.

“Is anything wrong?” Mila asked a simple question.

And yet, Isabel had too many things on her mind, resulting in her telling none of them. She tried to give a reassuring smile and hoped it would fool Mila. “No, I was just thinking.”

Mila sagely nodded, grabbed Isabel’s hand and pulled her back inside. They walked hand in hand until they reached Mila’s room and entered it. Isabel could not help but notice how small and fragile the hand she was holding was.

Isabel’s heart raced as she stepped past the door sill. Her mind conjured a myriad of fantasies, overwhelming her senses. She felt her palm burning from the contact.

And then she was sat down on a chair. Isabel watched Mila walk to the nearby nightstand and grab a hairbrush. The next moment, her friend was behind her, brushing her hair.

Of course, she was. Isabel could not help but feel disappointed. While her mind had run wild, she had forgotten one simple fact. They were both girls. They were friends. It was impossible from the start.

Mila’s finger brushed against her cheek, stopping Isabel’s self-destructing thought spiral.

“No need to hold yourself back.”

Mila’s voice tickled Isabel’s ear, sending shivers down the spine. “I- I am not.” She gritted her teeth. It was a major blunder on her part. This was not what she wanted to show Mila.

“This tear says otherwise.” Mila presented the tip of her finger, wet from touching Isabel’s cheek. “But have it your way.” She continued, her voice steady. “Just keep in mind, I can help you carry your burdens.”

This was the worst. Isabel felt her tears spill as she failed to restrain herself. Mila continued to brush her hair, soothing and making her feel worse at the same time.

Isabel wanted to be the one Mila relied on. She wanted to be her rock, her sanctuary.

And yet, it was always Mila who saved her. Just like back when they had just arrived. Isabel remembered the moment clearly.

When Mila stood up for them and threatened the man twice her size, her voice - steady and unyielding. That moment had given Isabel the strength to move forward in this world.

And then the brave girl had collapsed in front of her. Isabel wanted to say she had rushed to Mila, but that was not what happened. Her body froze upon looking at Silinth’s imposing body.

Isabel regretted it still. When Andrew had woken up, Silinth explained their situation to them. Afterwards, he had picked Mila up, and they had left the dark underground hall.

All she had done was follow Silinth as if she were a lost puppy.

So, Isabel wanted to do better. She would do better. Her trembling hands refused to stop. “I-” She tried to speak through her sobs. “I- I want to protect-” Her voice broke before she could finish.

Mila’s warm hands caressed her crown. “And so you will.” Her voice was steady as ever. “Even if you feel you are not strong now, you will only grow from here.”

“I will,” Isabel swore to herself.

Mila combed her hair for a while longer. Isabel had stopped crying and now felt incredibly awkward. She shifted in her seat, trying to find a suitable topic.

The past was out of the question. Isabel had enough of reminiscing about her school life. Her problems had spilt over to her relationships with her parents as well.

For a while, the connection with her parents had been quite strained.

And Mila’s past was problematic as well. Isabel was curious but did not want to touch the sensitive topic and inadvertently hurt Mila.

“Do you-” Mila was the one to break the silence. “Want to stay here for the night?”

Isabel’s breath hitched, and she began to cough. “Wh- Wha- What?” She managed to stammer.

“You still look out of it. If you prefer, I can offer you companionship until you feel better.” Mila explained. “I am not good with words.” She paused. “So I must do with what I can by offering my bed.”

“Nope!” Isabel’s voice took a shrill undertone. “That’s entirely unnecessary!” She hurried to rise from the chair and step away from Mila, who looked flabbergasted.

“I apologise for offending you.” Mila lowered her head. “Such was not my intention.”

“No, no, no! It’s not that, not that at all!” Isabel waved her hands wildly in denial. “You just made it sound-” She choked on her spit and started coughing again.

It didn’t look like Mila understood. Isabel felt mortified. Her mind had jumped to a place she would rather not be. Of course, offering a bed did not mean what Isabel had imagined. It was just a friendly gesture.

Just that, and still, Isabel’s mind overheated, and she could not help but glance at the inviting furniture. She finally managed to rein in her cough while blushing furiously.

Mila took a step closer.

Isabel found herself spellbound by Mila’s beautiful green eyes peering into her soul. She released a breath full of yearning. “Ah.”

That was it. There was no mistaking it. Isabel was in love. It was time to admit it. What to do with the newfound love, she did not know. For now, the fact she had recognised this crucial fact was enough.

Isabel’s emotions started to flow freely. She would do anything for this girl. Anything to protect her from harm.

There was a sudden influx of something unexplainably warm. Isabel felt her body overflow with strength. She raised her hand and watched it in fascination.

A light was gathering at her fingertips. Slowly, it expanded, taking form. Isabel observed a shield form in her hand.

It was a simple silver shield. Isabel hefted it in her hand, feeling its weight. It was so light she could move it without any real effort. Her body trembled from sudden exhaustion, and the shield started to grow blurry.

Isabel raised her eyes to look at Mila. She wanted to ask what had happened, but her words failed to leave her lips.

Mila’s eyes were fierce and full of piercing determination. She looked ready to fight the world and slaughter her way through it.

It was the same look that scared Tiff, but all Isabel could think of was - “Hot.” She mumbled.

And yet, despite Mila’s fearsome scowl, her movements were full of worry and desire to help Isabel.

The last thing Isabel saw before losing consciousness was the distraught expression of her love.