Arthur's Point of View

Reed Family Farmstead

Sitting in the kitchen at the table with my head down, I could feel the stares of the other three on me. About thirty minutes had passed since Austin was sent up with Elincia to keep an eye on her and let us know when she wakes up. Thus, Augustus, Aydalia, and Cassidy were all watching me carefully. After all, seeing is believing, and you best believe I beat Elincia’s bitch ass.

With my head down, I heard whispering and I groaned. “I’m way too old to deal with this shit.” I finally said before lazily pulling my head up. “If all of you are gonna keep whispering, I can just leave.” Then I leaned back in the chair. “Or kill myself.”

I was met with silence. “… Yer not gonna really kill yerself, are ya?” Cassidy asked, worried.

“Unfortunately, that’s not really an option for me.” My response was met with less than enthusiastic responses. “It’d take a lot to kill me and I’m not a fan of suicide.” Then I gestured to the second floor. “If dozens of swords piercing my body aren’t proof enough…” I trailed off with a shrug.

Aydalia moved forward slightly from next to Augustus. “Sir Arthur, you do realize you just defeated Priestess Elincia in combat rather handedly.”

“Not the first time.” I held up three fingers. “Since I got here, I think that’s the third time I’ve beaten her. I’ve defeated Arceana twice if you count the time her and Elincia teamed up against me.” Another shrug. “Not that either of them are much of a threat.”

Rubbing her ears nervously, she spoke cautiously. “How is it my daughter, Ayda, almost killed you with her spell, but neither of the Priestesses are a threat to you?”

Frowning, I tapped the table absentmindedly. “Because Ayda’s spell wasn’t powered by just her magic and those wounds came from something else entirely.”

They were all confused at that, but I didn’t clarify. “Why’d ya fight Elincia, Arthur?” Augustus inquired.

I quirked a brow at that a gave him a ‘really bitch?’ look. “Aside from her showing up her raging?” He nodded.

“Yes, aside from that.” The old man confirmed.

“I have my reasons and let’s leave it at that. Call me cruel, brutal, or any other insult you want. It doesn’t matter to me.” I replied.

“You’re not cruel.” Aydalia stated and I glanced at her. “In fact, I’d say your quite merciful. Had it been anyone else, they would’ve likely tried to seize power and take the throne.”

I scoffed. “Then you don’t know me. I am a cruel and spiteful man. That’s something I can admit. Merciful?” I repeated. “At times I suppose, but I have my reasons. It also depends on the person in question. None of you know me. Truly know me. I’m not the man you think I am.”

Cassidy crossed her arms. “Then why didn’t ya take the throne? Ya get into enough arguments with the Priestesses. This’d be a sure-fire way to stop that.”

Smirking, I leaned towards the redhead. “There is no power in a chair, Cassidy. A throne is meaningless and is more constricting than actual power.” My standing got their attention. “I have power. Power I did not want and did not ask for. With it came tasks and responsibilities that I have no choice in.” Stretching slightly as I watched another two magic signatures approach the house. “And it came with enemies and foes far stronger than I had ever dared thought possible. Because of that,” There was a knock on the door. “I will have to do something I never wanted to do again.”

Cassidy, Augustus, and Aydalia all looked confused at that. “Would ya get that, Cass?”

She nodded and went to the front door as instructed by her Grandpa. “Ayda? Typhon?” Cassidy said in surprise.

“Hi! Hope we're not intruding!” Ayda greeted. “Some of the local Town Guards informed us there was a bit of a ruckus over here so we came to make sure everything was-“ She stopped quickly when she stepped into the kitchen. “Mother?!”

“Ayda.” Aydalia greeted with a smile.

Typhon entered and smiled at me. “Hey, Arthur!’

I smiled back. “Hey, Ty.” Before anything else could be said, I moved in front of him. “I’d like to make you an offer, Ty, and I want you to really think about it.”

He was surprised at that but nodded. “Okay?” Typhon replied in an unsure manner.

“Do you want to be stronger?” I asked him and quickly continued. “Because I would like to make you my Squire. Now, I say Squire, but that is more of an official title. I’d like to make you my student with the intentions of training you for greatness.”

The boy looked ecstatic. “Yes!”

Ayda immediately shouted at him. “No!” Then she looked to me. “You cannot make a member of the Delmaris family your Squire!”

Aydalia put her arms around Ayda and pulled her back. “Stay out of this sweetheart.” That confused her daughter as she looked at her in disbelief.