Sabrina sighed out loud when she was finally alone as she traveled to Fayglen in the carriage by herself. Typically, a maid or butler would go with her but, depending on the weather and time of year, they would sit with the driver. Maybe there were some rumors that the servants got together but Sabrina never focused on that. Sabrina tried to push the letter out of her mind and tried to focus on the fast traveling world outside.

But Sabrina was the type to fret about it. For as much as she says she doesn’t like her sister, Sabrina focused on her a lot and that brought a lot of irritation to her. She waved her finger, and eventually, her wrist moved with it. Soon, magic started to form at the tips of her fingers. As an elemental witch, she had always been used to creating ‘sparks’ of magic such as this. She usually would create her favorite image - an image of herself as a battlemage fighting an unknown enemy. It was translucent and it was akin to a doodle on a piece of paper but nevertheless the image appeared before her.

Her mother had requested to pick up some early supplies for Evia’s arrival and subsequent celebration and from the list that Sabrina received; it seemed that they were trying to make something for her. It’s hard to push anything regarding Evia out of any private space she had. From birth, she knew, she understood, and more than anything she accepted from a young age even that her big sister had quite the weight on her shoulders. So she would always be favored by her parents, especially.

The witch looked outside the window and saw a family of monsters who rested in between the trees. Maybe they saw the carriage go by, maybe they didn’t, but Sabrina understood how corrupted the country of Covania has become for over one thousand years. She tried to imagine what that family of monsters was once before they became corrupted.

Rumors had it, according to Estax, that Covania had a king once. A monarch to look up to but he had been held hostage by a demon and because the demon was cruel, it kept the king alive on purpose to show how the country wouldn’t survive without him - how the demon could corrupt the animals to ignore their divine light and listen to the divine darkness that was the essence of demons.

But that demon was wrong. Once the king was imprisoned, the Royal Wizard had taken upon himself, and his descendants thus, to enact the High Wizard Era - wizards who were those deemed enlightened enough to temporarily rule over Covania until the king is free - and whoever freed the king would be granted the crown.

Sabrina had no wishes or desires to bear the crown - that role would always go to Evia. All she wanted to do was to travel the world - see what the world was like outside of Covania, even outside the town of Fayglen. Even though witches weren’t barred from joining the Shields of the Orb, wizards and witches who protect those weaker from monsters attacking those who require protection, Sabrina Bellerose was. As long as she’s a Bellerose, she would not dare leave the estate.

When the carriage stopped for a small lunch, a small break, Sabrina opted to eat outside although she kept to herself, as she usually did. Whatever the discussion the driver had with the assigned maid, it didn’t apply to her. They gossiped about their lives and what they did on their off time. Sabrina used to be curious but she wasn’t anymore.

“Oh, Mistress Sabrina,” the maid suddenly cried out to her. The woman had just swallowed some food when she heard her name being called. She answered her with a grunt and a glance towards the maid’s direction.

The maid, Sabrina couldn’t remember all of their names, seemed very kind with her big eyes hidden behind equally big glasses. Her brown was neatly tied up in a bun under the maid’s cap. She wore a coat appropriate for a maid traveling with her mistress. They, including the driver she was talking to until just a moment ago, sat on a blanket - though, if Sabrina’s mother saw such a ‘cheap’ garment, they would’ve gotten in trouble for sure.

Sabrina turned to give the maid proper eye contact.

“I almost forgot! When we get to Fayglen, we need to check with Ser Owain about Evia announcing her return! Your mother sent me to make sure you remember!”

It wasn’t the maid’s fault. If she wouldn’t have come along, surely another servant would. However, Sabrina couldn’t help but get annoyed. She remembered, all right. She had the specified instructions in her small pouch that went across her shoulder and never leaves her side when she does travel. A great flash of irritation filled Sabrina very quickly and she could already hear the maid apologize.

“It’s … not your fault. I know Mother is trying to make sure I remember something very important!”

She let out a sigh. She would have to train extra hard when she was back home to get rid of this irritation towards her mother. They tried to enjoy the rest of their lunch even while Sabrina wanted nothing more than to set things ablaze around her. She remembered how her hand hurt after copying the letter she had to copy from her mother about coming back on a certain date.

Because she is destined to save Covania, Sabrina remembered her parents had to ‘register’ the prophecy with the Shields of the Orbs when Evia was finally born. But, she remembered her mother telling her, they wouldn’t accept it for the simple fact it came from an oracle that wasn’t registered with them. So they rejected them, something no one thought it was even possible.

However, when Ser Owain Aboret suddenly produced a letter five years ago from Evia and their school days, suddenly, they rushed to register her. Maybe it’s because it was around the time when Zekon revealed themselves to be a demon - a demon that had been indebted to her family for generations. Whenever Evia even thought about coming back, her mother would make her copy the letter and turn it into the Shields to make sure that everything is ‘okay’, whatever that meant. Ser Owain would try to be gentle and understanding but it’s hard for Sabrina to accept that it took until his letter that got her properly registered.

Every time she came home, Ser Owain and his inferiors would follow Sabrina back and stay with them until Evia returned. Everything about this situation frustrated her but the only thing she can do is watch from the sidelines.

.x.

By the time they finally arrived in Fayglen, it was already in the early afternoon. The maid and the driver wanted to do their errands while Sabrina had to meet with the Shields. Instead of wasting her time with picking up the necessary supplies, she decided to give them her list. She really didn’t want to travel at night if that family of monsters was close enough for her to see. She didn’t want to risk it.

“Here’s the money for it and leave without me. I’m going to stay with Jacques tonight. All this traveling is getting to me and I’d like to be alone for a while longer. Tell Mother the usual - I’m selling wares, or whatever. And here’s a little extra should you decide to stay in a hotel.”

Unsure, the maid nodded once Sabrina handed half of her gold. Whether or not the maid would actually keep the gold and run away, or if she’s one of the few loyal servants, Sabrina really didn’t care. She knew deep inside that she probably should at least get the things on her list to ensure things were bought but from how the maid acted, she knew she was in good hands.

However, Sabrina had another reason why she gave the maid her usual task - to visit the Shields meant another long visit with them. It was just easier to stay the night in Fayglen with her brother after a night of the Shields talking and trying to convince her to leave. She was the wrong person to convince; who they should talk to was her mother. Soon, they disappeared with the townspeople who started to hustle for their last sales for the day.

As Sabrina wandered around the town, taking in the usual sights and sounds, she couldn’t miss what she was looking for - the giant Shields building had beautifully decorated shields on each side that bore the flag for the Shields - blue trimmed with gold and silver braided to create the insignia of swords surrounding a cross in the middle. She had learned from the Shields she’s about to meet that the gold and silver represented the wizards and witches who banded together to protect the people in Covania - at least until there’s a new monarch.

Every time Sabrina saw those billowing flags, she was always touched by them. She knew that if it wasn’t for Evia, she wouldn’t be allowed to even think about going in. But if it wasn’t for Evia, where would they be? She brushed the thought inside as she made her way inside.

.x.

Though they had this grand building, there were more grunts than necessary although Sabrina had guessed a long time ago that they were more administrative than those who actually saw action. She approached the receptionist, who was a pretty girl who was more interested in the outside world than her job.

“Hi, my name is Sabrina Bellerose. I’m here to see Ser Owain Aboret.”

The girl looked up and finally focused on Sabrina and smiled and nodded. “He’s down the hallway. You know where to go.” She pointed towards the back area. Even though this seemed like a building more meant for administrative purposes, Sabrina never took the time to learn that girl’s name - but then, they always changed workers at least a few times a month… it wouldn’t have mattered anyway.

Had Sabrina been anyone else, she would be nervous to meet a squadron leader from the Shields but she kept her posture straight and her attitude low. She knew that the Shields were just doing their jobs and it is her duty to inform them about Evia’s eventual return.

However, she was surprised to see that the door opened before she could even knock. She had to back up a little bit when she recognized the tall man as Ser Helies Nogas, one of Ser Owain’s inferiors, or as he would call him, his left hand. He was extremely tall and surprisingly paler than most people she had seen around Fayglen - but that wasn’t what surprised her. He seemed to have been in a heated argument about something since his face was scrunched up in his own anger.

His long black hair was tied halfway through with the rest of his hair flowing freely. He wore his usual knight outfit - covered in blue with an obnoxious cravat in the middle of his uniform top. He didn’t seem to carry a weapon on his person, but that’s to be expected after all. Sabrina was briefly close enough to him where she noticed a beauty mark underneath his left eye, where his right eye would normally be covered by his bangs.

Once he recognized Sabrina, his expression softened up quickly. It wasn’t so much the look of irritation that surprised her - it was more of the fact he seemed more energetic than usual. In the few times she had interacted with him, Ser Helies had always been sleeping or at least had some type of food in his mouth.

“Oh, Lady Bellerose,” he suddenly said. If the two didn’t watch where they were going, then they would’ve definitely hit each other. Sabrina could’ve sworn she saw a soft smile on his face but maybe she was just tired. Usually, she would eat before she visited the Shields on Evia business, but this seemed quite urgent this time around. “I didn’t realize you were dropping by this afternoon.”

“Ser Helies,” Sabrina said as her own rendition of a smile appeared. “Didn’t my mother sent a dove to Ser Owain or is he still not sharing important news with you?”

The man looked a bit flushed so he avoided his gaze for a moment but looked back at her. “Er, no, I mean, yeah, we received the dove this morning. I apologize. L-let me get out of the way.” He emphasized the point further as he stepped aside to let her in. Sabrina had always appreciated Ser Helies’s gentleness with her. She thanked him and she entered the room.

Without having to ask, Ser Helies closed the door behind her and she could hear his footsteps walk away although she went to focus in the room before her.

As it was the afternoon, she could see that Ser Owain had a small candlelit as he wrote something with a quill and paper. There was a familiar, but much shorter, figure next to the man at the desk. If it wasn’t for the usual knight’s outfit, she would’ve thought Lady Roesia Havenblossom was a statue. However, she already recognized her as such - her mid-tone black skin with her long white hair tied up with the same uniform Ser Helies wore. Unlike Ser Helies, she had a sword by her side. She stood firmly and as Sabrina got closer, Sabrina waved hello to her. As expected, Lady Roesia did not wave back.

The squadron leader kept writing something and eventually found a place to stop. Sabrina could hear him chuckle softly and turned his gaze to her.

Ser Owain Aboret was quite the handsome fellow - his blue hair looked almost very uncharacteristic for both the title and uniform he wore as it was still somewhat disheveled. His big purple eyes watched her very carefully but his smile remained big as ever. While Lady Roesia and Ser Helies wore a deep blue for their uniforms, Ser Owain wore an even deeper blue uniform and had more decor on it than the two of them. The grunts outside would probably wish to wear such a grand uniform but they wore simple blue uniforms made for a grunt.

Sabrina was out of place with her red smock dress and witch’s hat. However, she was used to that feeling - she stopped questioning it years ago.

She curtsied in front of the Ser and gave him eye contact when she meets him. “A pleasure, Ser Owain.”

Ser Owain did not change his position but instead nodded his head as he acknowledged the etiquette before him. He smiled a bit wider. “Always a pleasure, Lady Bellerose. I have received your mother’s dove about Lady Evia’s return. Do you have the letter copy written?”

Another bow. “I do. May I reach into my pouch to retrieve it?”

“You may.”

She tried to hold back a sigh but with swift movements, she retrieved the copied letter and stepped forward to place the folded letter on his desk, on top of whatever paperwork he was previously working on. On the folded paper, there was a seal of the Camilla flower - which indicated it was sealed using Evia’s spare. Ser Owain reached over and broke the seal.

In it, he read the letter:

Dearest Mother,

I am happy to tell you that I have completed my training. I am an officiated warlock now that I have made my pact with Zekon. The training was tough as it was invigorating. I look forward to being home with everyone in a few weeks' time. Would I have to register Zekon with the Shields? Oh, I don’t expect an answer right away! I’m just curious.

Best,

Evia

Even though Ser Owain could clearly tell that it had been copy-written by Sabrina, he could see the seal of the white hyacinth next to what would’ve been Evia’s signature. This would let his superiors know it was Sabrina who copywrote it.

After he read the letter, Ser Owain let out a soft chuckle. He folded the letter back to how it was originally folded and set it aside.

“Well, to answer Lady Evia’s question, she wouldn’t have to register Zekon. She’s an official warlock after all and, as you know, that warlocks are not permitted to join the Shields. I will have to inform Ser Helies or Lady Roesia here to strike that from the letter officially. They don’t care about that sort of thing, you see. She wouldn’t have to worry about a thing.”

Sabrina made no movements but listen to the man speak about what to do.

“And now since we know that she’s coming back,” he said as he finally stood up from his desk, “I would have to let my superiors know about this. Are you staying in Fayglen tonight or are you heading back to your estate immediately, Lady Bellerose?” He walked over by the fireplace that had yet to be lit for the evening and leaned slightly on it.

“I’m heading to my brother’s place this evening. I… may stay in town for a little longer though so if you have anything urgent for my mother, you’ll probably have to send a dove.”

“Oh? Which brother?”

“Hm, is this pertinent to Lady Evia? She’s the only one you’re concerned about, right? She’s staying wherever she’s staying. I’m staying where I’m staying.”

“Oh, Lady Bellerose, I’m just trying to make conversation.” He closed his big purple eyes and smiled wider. Finally, Lady Roesia moved to face him. She looked like she had something to add to the conversation but eventually deemed it inappropriate. Sabrina always admired Lady Roesia’s discipline. “Plus, I was wondering if you would like to join Lady Roesia, Ser Helies, and myself tonight for dinner. Most likely, whenever you’re ready to leave, we’ll have to go along with you.”

Again, Lady Roesia moved slightly and Sabrina could even hear her sword move with her.

“Didn’t you hear, Lady Roesia? Oh, my, I must be holding back information again! I got a dove from Ser Thumas along with Lady Bellerose’s dove that the decision has been made for us to escort Evia to Madhollow to fulfill the prophecy.”

This guy is really annoying… Sabrina thought as she could feel the mood shift in the room. She felt sympathy for the two Shields under him.

However, Lady Roesia still didn’t say anything but gave him an annoyed look. She dug her heels into the ground and decided to leave the two alone. She didn’t slam the door but soon it was only Sabrina and Ser Owain. The Ser didn’t move and instead chuckled at the very small tantrum they had just witnessed.

“That’s a really bad habit of mine, isn’t it?”

“It is, Ser Owain. You better start telling them these things are they’re going to request to leave.”

“Probably… but I suppose even great squadron leaders like me can make mistakes. So, would you join us for dinner?”

To Be Continued…