~ 13 ~

Anything but Farewell or Goodbye

I was knocked from my thoughts, thank fuck for that, and saw the former princess looking up at a batch of vines. I raised a claw from the ground, dirt sprinkling from my talons, and I carved around the bundle of vines.

The batch snapped quicker than expected, and it fell, faster before I could call out.

"Heads—"

Magic caught the vines, shrinking them, lowering them in a blinding light. It joined the sticks as the spell seemed to reach its apex.

"—up. Huh."

The spell flashed and, in its completion, the flash dwindled, revealing a tight, wooden sheath. Astria bent forward on her knees and picked it up, returning to her feet, slinging it over her shoulder. She walked over the sword, twirling it and catching the last spin into the sheath.

I looked at her with confusion.

Astria turned around and noticed my look, smiling with a giggle, leaning forward to flaunt herself. "What? Impressed by that trick?"

I nearly glared at her. "More like where the fuck did you learn how to do that?"

She straightened herself with a hand tucked beneath the strap. "I told you. I could only practise battle whenever I fled my room. When it comes to having to keep indoors..." —she pulled on the strap for effect— "... there are only a few tricks you're able to practise before the guards start to wonder about the ruckus."

I pushed out my lips. "And all I did in my cave was sleep, eat, and stress personal hygiene."

"We all have different desires and ambitions in life! So long as you don't mind the life you're living—then there can't be that much wrong with it!" That was a bullshit kind of answer, the vague sort joined to a speech. It really meant I don't have the time to help you work through your shit, or something close to that. "But I do suppose this puts an end to our journey together. It's been a fun one, Cole. I wasn't expecting myself to actually like ya."

I chuckled. "Now aren't you a little Miss Honest."

Astria rolled her eyes in return, crossing her hands behind her back, walking toward me. She looked up high at me. "Not like that. It's just... in being a princess, I often got to see the worst in people. In guys. In... men."

She glanced to the side. "Except for my uncle, I've hated... males, ever since I was young. They were all that I had in my life ever since my sisters died. Never had a good experience with one. All the stories surrounding them tended to be crap as well. But maybe I'm a little biassed with that. But with how our Kingdom's Hero turned out, you can see why I keep coming to despise them."

I couldn't help but make a flat face. "Glad I could make a good first impression."

"You made some sort of impression, for sure." Astria smiled and nodded and held out her arm. "But from here on out, I want to be able to make it out there on my own. I need to prove to myself that I'm strong enough to make something of myself—especially since I'm no longer a princess, and nobody has a reason to treat me as special anymore."

Words blurted out from me. "People will still think of you like a princess."

Astria blinked. "Wha... ah-hem, mm-hmm, w-what makes you say that?"

I thought about my words before I spoke them. Astria was one of the few people that treated me like a person—though I struggled to be one at times. I wanted to give her an honest answer... even if it came from a worthless source.

"It's your essence," I said in trusting my heart to speak. "It's the way you walk. The way you talk. Each and every thing about you. It exudes regality, authority, swiftness and kindness unique to you. Some people are born into a title. But you embody a role. It's because of who you are that, no matter where you go, or no matter who you meet, you'll rise and be treated like a princess—and not the kind that sits around and looks pretty."

Astria stared at me for a while, seeing for any cracks in my sincerity, any break that would give me away. But I held and endured her gaze. She had made me feel good this last while—and I wanted to return the favour.

"Now that's a lot to take in..."

I weakly chuckled. "Sorry if it's a bit much."

"No, no, not at all—I'm always happy when you give me an honest answer." Astria held out her arm firmly, keeping it, shaking it a little to draw my attention. "It's been one hell of a ride, Cole. I hope you're able to live well after this. Whether that be resting in your cave, or doing something else."

I smiled in return, though it was a weak smile, as my claw raised to meet her hand. It, however, dwarfed her considerably. With a chuckle of fear, she made a fist, and so did I, as the two of us went to a fist bump.

"Not too hard!" Astria halted our movements. "You might pop my shoulder if you're not careful."

"R-Right."

Our fists flew together, softly and lightly, bumping for the last time.