“I absolutely cannot believe you pulled such a stupid stunt, Ser Helies! Not only is she the daughter of the Belleroses, but she is the sister of Lady Evia Bellerose. What in the world is wrong with you?”

Sabrina didn’t want to move from her position when she heard a strange voice. Her brother, Jacques, may be young but he didn’t exactly have the taste for such proper women much to their parents’ annoyance. The voice itself didn’t sound very familiar to her much at all but the one responding did.

“Roesia, it really isn’t what it looks like! I mean, I was here on the couch the whole time!”

“It doesn’t matter where you are now - what matters is what you had done!”

“I didn’t do anything - that’s my point!”

“I don’t know that! You could be lying to me!”

Sabrina couldn’t take their arguments much longer. They started to get progressively louder or their whispers became too harsh for her ears to deal with while trying to sleep. She sat up and saw a very angry Lady Roesia who had her hand at the base of her sword, about to attack a freshly woke up Helies. Her hair didn’t seem to be in its usual ponytail and she wore what seemed to be her civilian outfit. It took her a while for Sabrina to piece together where she was and once she did, she immediately understood the situation.

“W-wait!” she yelled out. “H-he didn’t do anything to me, alright?” She hoped that her loud voice could grab Lady Roesia’s attention and the black woman did manage to turn around and gave her a surprised look.

She could feel the oversized shirt fall off her shoulder and she knew her hair was a mess. It really didn’t look good for either her or Helies in any way she could look at - but her hat. She lost her family hat and she absolutely could not see Jacques without it unless she had a good reason - but she had to address the situation in front of her.

It took a while before Lady Roesia even reacted to her statement - with her deep, cold, green eyes, it was though she searched for any lies buried between Sabrina’s words and her soul - it was the truth. And it was her idea. It was all her idea. And because of that, Helies was probably going to get punished for it.

Once the other woman realized she was telling the truth, she withdrew and Sabrina just realized how cold it was before she did so. She knew that Lady Roesia was a wizard of ice magic but she didn’t even see frost on her hands.

“I’m sorry, Ser Helies, Lady Bellerose.” She said as she faced both of them one by one to give them what seemed to be a proper apology. “I had jumped to conclusions. It should have been more obvious that Ser Helies was sleeping on his usual couch instead of, you know, together.” She even bowed to illustrate her point further. Once she stood up straight again, she took a small deep breath and exhaled. For another quick moment, the room became chilly once again and it was a long enough moment for Sabrina to grab the bed covers around her shoulder. “So why are you here? This is the officers’ quarters after all. It’s very unusual for you to stay with us longer than you usually do, much less being here.”

“Uh,” Sabrina had to remember her original plan - maybe there was a way to get out of this awkward situation yet! “Uh, we ended up at one of the bars and I probably had one too many drinks. You know, the usual troubles. Ser Helies was kind enough to offer me his bed for the night! That’s all! Really!”

Another moment of staring into Lady Roesia’s green eyes and then the room became room temperature once again. Sabrina hoped she didn’t actually make the room this cold every time she would try to catch either Helies or the other Shield in a lie.

“I see; my apologies for using my level zero Icy Truth magic here. I wanted to make sure that Ser Helies really isn’t the lecherous fool I believed he was.” So that’s what that was for - to make sure that the truth was told. Sabrina imagined it must’ve been very useful when interrogating criminals and demons. But she scoffed at the idea that these officers probably hadn’t had the chance to fight demons either here in Fayglen or Summer’s Wall. “In any case, you better get dressed, Ser Helies,” she turned to Helies who seemed relieved and surprised that Sabrina’s half-lie worked on someone like her. “Ser Owain awaits us at the morning meeting.” She clicked her heels, somehow, with her flat shoes.

Finally, Helies spoke. “Why? It’s our day off. If it’s important, he can send a bird.” He shrugged as he leaned back into the couch. He placed his long arms around his head and he crossed his legs. Sabrina felt awkward being there but she couldn’t help but stay silent during the conversation. She tried to search for her own clothes and, sure enough, she must’ve just strewn them wherever.

“Someone broke into the transport house in between Fayglen and Summer’s Wall. They…” Lady Roesia seemed to try to pick her words carefully in the presence of Sabrina, “found something.”

Could it be my hat? Sabrina stopped as she managed to place her feet to the cold ground after she gathered her clothes. She hoped it was her hat, but if it was, wouldn’t they question her too? Shouldn’t she go along with it? But then, she didn’t want to admit that they both snuck into the transport house at night to her. Just for the fact she was there when she really supposed wasn’t nearly got Ser Helies frozen over and she definitely did not want to admit something like that.

“What did they find? Oh, don’t tell me, boxes! They found boxes!” Ser Helies smiled his usual teasing smile - the smile that Sabrina had gotten used to. It seems that he’s sticking to her story as well and, for that, she was relieved. However, she couldn’t help but eavesdrop.

“Ser Helies, I’m not in the mood to joke around. Weren’t you just talking some nonsense earlier about our fellow Shields taking our stuff? I’m sure you were tempted to check out that transport house anyway so I wouldn’t be surprised if you checked. But no, that’s not what they found.”

“Are you saying I should’ve? Because even mentioning my theory about our things being replaced, that means I’m right. Are you saying they found our things?”

“Don’t make me say it in front of her.” She pointed to Sabrina who sat down on the bed and jumped at the sudden shift to her.

“Lady Bellerose, are you embarrassed to hear that they found Lady Roesia’s teddy bear in the transport house? Because, Roesia, my dear comrade,” Lady Roesia could be seen getting more irritated with Helies and even more so at the dropped honorific once again, “there is absolutely no shame in sleeping with such personal treasures! I understand that Lullian is quite closer to us than our homes but--”

“They found a body! Ser Helies, I hope you’re happy that I’ve sullied this Lady’s ears!” She pointed to Sabrina once again who, albeit shocked at the revelation, was more surprised how easy Helies teased the lady Shield before them. “Someone, or something, came to the transport house and killed a guard! And yes, your stupid theory was right! They found our things among other treasures that were assumed to be stolen!”

Sabrina didn’t remember opening other boxes - just the boxes that Helies thought to be his and the others.

Lady Roesia turned to Sabrina and even kneeled to her. She placed a hand over her heart and apologized. “I am so sorry to have your ears disgraced by such horrifying news! My lady, please forgive me. Please do not tell my superiors about this, but if you must, please make sure my punishment is swift.”

“W-wait, I have no power here. I’m just Evia’s sister! What’s this about a body? No, please ignore that I’m here! Please go on!”

Lady Roesia stayed in her position. “No, I cannot go into further detail with you. You are more than just Lady Evia’s sister, you are Lady Bellerose - one of the wealthiest residents in Fayglen. I have committed a crime, a small one, but a crime nevertheless.”

Even though that Sabrina hadn’t heard Lady Roesia talk outside of this room, much at all, she was shocked at how much she could talk now. Maybe it was because of where she was that made her feel a bit comfortable - she wished she understood why Lady Roesia didn’t speak too much outside of this room but Sabrina imagined the Lady had her reasons why.

Sabrina had no other choice but to respond in kind. “Stand, Lady Roesia,” she stood up again on the ground to elaborate her point. Her tone was that of the usual voice she had whenever she commanded a servant at the estate. The scene itself seemed strange, considering Sabrina was still in Helies’s pajamas. It would’ve been more humorous even to Helies if Lady Roesia didn’t just mention someone’s body was found in the transport house they were in the night before.

When they left, surely, that guard was alive… wasn’t he? Did Helies use too much of his telekinesis?

“If there is a murderer in the vicinity of Fayglen, and the news happened to land my own ears, it’s important that I know so I may warn my family who live here.”

Lady Roesia didn’t stand. She sounded fearful when she responded, however. “I-I understand but upon certain news, I did not want any rumors in town! Especially about murder! Oh, the citizens of Fayglen speak very quickly and things get muddled up just as fast! You must understand me, Lady Bellerose! Demons simply just don’t come to Fayglen!” Upon her mistake, she gasped and covered her mouth. She was even more fearful of the consequences.

This took Sabrina aback. “Did you say demons? There are demons in Fayglen?”

At this point, Helies stood up and slowly made the gasping and shocked Shield stand up in her horrific mistake. “N-no, there’s no way she said demons. Perhaps she had meant to say that there are demon-like murderers out there, right? There are those nasty rumors anyway that violent criminals become low-level demons themselves if they commit crimes, correct?”

Lady Roesia was more shocked at her mistake. She had tears coming out of her eyes, not for fear of what’s going on, but of what might happen to her.

“Roesia, what’s going on?” Helies was more concerned and the woman still didn’t answer. “Are there truly demons?” Then he turned to Sabrina who had long since dropped her clothes again on the floor in shock. Horrified and terrified, Sabrina couldn’t even believe at her own reaction to the news.

“Leave. Sabrina, please leave. I’ll tell you what’s going on later! A dove might be too obvious so for now, just get out of here! Get changed and go! Don’t worry about my pajamas, just go!” Lady Roesia was shocked at the honorific drop towards Sabrina now and couldn’t be more terrified. Her eyes were widened as though she witnessed a demonic act before her eyes. Helies was trying to quiet down the weeping Shield.

Sabrina had no other choice but to move. She would have to move - or the words of a weeping Shield would drag her down too.

.x.

Once Sabrina was finally gone, Helies did his best comfort Roesia. He was truly surprised that someone like Roesia would burst out with such a thing. She wept and cried and shook. Her own ice magic truth started to freeze up his hand and he had to pull it away.

“Roesia! Don’t do that!” He said as he shook off the cold. The temperature went back to how it was. However, his other hand still gripped her. He gently let go of Roesia and she doubled over to catch her tears and breath. “Look,” he sighed. “Surely, truly, you didn’t mean to say demons, did you? Was it a ploy to get Sabrina out of the room?” His tone was near pleading - there’s just absolutely no way that there could be demons in Fayglen!

She let out of some coughs and wiped off any remaining tears from her eyes. Helies hoped and prayed she was more afraid of some old and stupid rule about rich people punishing officers of the Shield than the fact there were demons in Fayglen - he would have to tell Sabrina all about that rule later.

“N-no… No. Sh-she shouldn’t have been here in the first place! Drunk or not, you have a responsibility! And on top of that, you’re familiar with her?! How close are you two? When did this start? Is there anything else you need to tell me about her, Helies?!” Now that Sabrina was out of the room, Roesia was more open to dropping the honorifics, especially since they were of the same rank anyway.

“I will tell you more about it when you tell me about demons in Fayglen! I think that’s a little more important than how close I am to some wealthy noblewoman! Who died? What happened?”

“No, I’m not telling you! You’re coming with me to the morning meeting but only after you tell me your true relationship with Lady Bellerose! If you’re trying to pursue a romantic or otherwise relationship with her, you know that’s extremely forbidden! You should know that! You should know that it’s not meant to be...”

Helies was taken aback at Roesia’s response. He was surprised at the levity of her last statement, especially. She was right - it wouldn’t have worked out anyway. Owain, Roesia, and he were assigned to escort the warlock, Lady Evia Bellerose, to Madhollow, the long-abandoned capital and home to the king that once was. And they were assigned to die for her.

“We’re lonely people, Roesia. Ever since that happened, it’s really hard to find solace here in this town. Would you rather me sleep with random women or at least make friends with our charge’s family - so that I could at least be remembered by someone? And she might lose her sister forever. We don’t know if this prophecy is even going to work out. I know you never really cared for prophecies and magical words but,” he sighed as he tried to fight the loneliness from echoing in his voice, “I… don’t want to be forgotten when I die at Madhollow. I don’t want to die in vain.”

Roesia wiped her face once again. Some tears still flowed but a lot less than earlier.

“You’re not going to be forgotten. You won’t die in vain. But it’ll hurt her more when she realizes you’re not coming home - this is what we signed up for, Helies.”

Now she stood up and straightened her back. “You should end your relationship with her immediately, especially now that Lady Evia is on her way back.”

“Do you know how awkward it would be when we’re planning to stay at her family’s estate until then?”

She was silent for a moment and looked away. “We all have to make sacrifices, Helies. I know who your family is. And I imagine they would never forget you either. You should worry more about them than Lady Bellerose. She’s a noblewoman after all like you said. She’s just as forbidden to have a relationship outside of her station, friendship or otherwise. She’s only supposed to be friends with those inside her station. She’s going to be married in kind. I know it’s hard being here in a quiet town like Fayglen and it’s for the best - a bit of respite before we go out and fight demons.

“But we have to make sacrifices. I had to. Owain had to. And you do too. Now get ready. I’ll be outside the door and we can go to the meeting.”

.x.

In her smock dress and flat shoes, the same ones she traveled with and the same ones she snuck in the transport house with, Sabrina had to keep everything in her heart.

The possibility that a demon could be in Fayglen… when she looked around at the busy folk, unaware of the possible danger they’re in, almost comforted Sabrina. They didn’t know a murder occurred. She heard something she shouldn’t have but she was also at a place where she shouldn’t have been.

Jacque would be wondering where she was. She had to hurry and get to his home before noon. And as she traveled around Fayglen, she could feel the vibrations of her mother’s magic surround her in anger. She knew if her mother knew that not only did she lose her family heirloom, but she stayed with an officer of the Shields - and one assigned to Evia even - she would probably never be allowed to leave the estate again.

There was something in the air the night before. Was it because she was happy to see Helies again? Was it because of the conspiracy he told her? Did she really need so little to say, “let’s go”? She was so desperate for an adventure of some kind that she broke so many rules and just realized that she was acting like a teenager again. Back in her youth, she used to be worse in the sense she snuck in places she wasn’t supposed to.

But she was past that age. She should’ve been married off by now, at least by other wealthy families’ standards, but instead, she’s waiting on Evia. For everything. For the prophecy. She probably will get hauled off the second Evia’s carriage disappears from the gates to a merchant’s son for an alliance or even a political move. Even worse yet, she might get hauled off to a stuffy prince in order to allow better trade.

Oh, but that didn’t make her stop in her tracks. It was the morning sun that beat on her head.

She had lost her grandmother’s hat. She had lost the only thing she was actually allowed to keep. And as a civilian, and especially with a murder, there was absolutely no way that she could go back. Not only would they suspect her, but she might have to implicate Helies and that’s something she absolutely could not do. However, it was possible that they already found her hat and probably thought her to be a suspect anyway - they had some dogs and other magic that could lay the culprit - but she’s not the culprit! She didn’t know the entire situation about it and she knew she would have to talk to Helies about it when they’d meet up again.

Even though the next time they might meet was when she would go home, it would be impossible for her to get a private word in with him. But it’s her home - she knew the invisible nooks and crannies her family long since forgot about. And not only that, everyone would be distracted by the festivities of Evia’s arrival.

Maybe she can ask about her grandmother’s hat then. She forced herself to walk home. None of the villagers knew the wiser that she wore the same clothes as before, or if they did notice, they didn’t pass her a judgmental glance. That would’ve been reserved for her brother.

And soon enough, she had arrived at Jacques’s home. She slowly reached up and before she could knock on the door, it opened. Inside, her younger brother Jacques gave her his usual face that was only a fraction, if that, of what her mother would give her if she knew what her less destined daughter was up to.

.x.

Once Helies was dressed in his usual loose clothes as he always hated how tight his uniform was, he and Roesia made their way to Owain’s usual meeting room. Usually, if there were any important news, they were sent a sparrow or some other bird depending on its importance, on anything that went on in the day. However, knowing that it was a murder, with a demon as a supposed culprit, Helies finally understood the reasoning for Roesia’s emotions.

True, she was scared about the old punishment that hardly applied anymore, but she was more shocked at the audacity of the murder. It was one shock after another but he couldn’t help but feel melancholy in his heart when she mentioned that he had to make sacrifices - he had already done so. It’s why he was in this position in the first place.

But maybe Roesia didn’t know that. She said she knew about his family, but did she? She only knew what she read in whatever available books she got a hold of but Helies wasn't going to confirm or deny anything. No one outside the family and certain officers needed to know what they know. He was foolish to think they would tell Owain and at least he was thankful they didn’t.

However, she didn’t understand his emotions. Helies wanted to pursue a romantic relationship with Sabrina so very dearly but he knew his position as a meat shield and the night before was exciting enough. His heart still beat from the excitement of it all and it only beat still because he was at least going to see her again when they travel back to her estate. He wanted to be with her more than anything and maybe she had figured it all out, but he had planned to confess to her before they would leave anyway. It wouldn’t have mattered if she had rejected him or accepted him anyway.

But he must take care of business first before they would leave. They had to figure out who killed the guard at the transport house. It had to have been right after they left and he wanted to know if they were planning to accuse Sabrina of murder. She did leave her hat there, after all.

The walk to Owain’s meeting was silent. They both still seemed to recover from earlier - Roesia was quite the chatterbox once she was back in her comfort zone. And that usually meant it was inside the officer’s quarters. However, she refused to look at him in the eye. She had refused to say anything more to Helies after stating how they had to make sacrifices. She didn’t seem angry but she just chose to close communication with him further unless it was necessary.

That was fine with him. He wanted to be alone in his thoughts but he wouldn’t be able to for long. Soon, they had arrived. As it was in an area where grunts, much less civilians, weren’t allowed to go, the door was unguarded. It had always been strange that for officers’ quarters, it was quite guarded at first but lately, rooms such as these have been empty. Roesia didn’t dare question it and Owain shrugged it off.

“Come in,” said a familiar voice.

Then they both entered. When they entered, they saw Owain with his usual smile and, instead of the highly decorated uniform he would wear, he wore his two-layered shirt with pants and shoes. He had his legs crossed and he had paperwork everywhere.

“Good morning you two. I imagine you slept well?”

Roesia saluted him. “I slept rather well! Did you, Helies?” She clicked her heels and turned to Helies but still somehow avoiding his eyes. A rather rude gesture, Helies thought. He raised his eyebrow. He didn’t want Owain to think anything was off.

“Oh? That’s unusual of you to ask me, Roesia. Hmm, don’t you find it strange, Owain?”

“Hey! Call him Ser Owain!”

“It’s our day off. I can call him whatever I want.”

“I swear, you have no respect for the rules!”

Owain laughed softly. “Alright, you two. Not so early now. Let’s get this meeting started. They want us to stay in the quarters for our safety - at least until the demon is caught.”

“So, there is a demon in Fayglen…” muttered Helies.

To Be Continued…