Not long after we began our conversation with Aria regarding Axis, Emrum came searching for me and we were forced to postpone the rest of our talk.

  Seeing the worried dwarf storming around the mansion was quite a refreshing sight after all of my recent hardships.

  Soon enough, I was trapped in a suffocating bear hug as the man looked over me with a critical eye. Seeing that I was mostly fine, thanks to my healing magic from earlier, he relaxed somewhat.

  “Thank the guardians! You seem relatively fine. I expected worse based on the wild rumours going about.” — Before I could explain any further, Aria interrupted in a cold voice.

  “She was not fine. What you see now is hardly representative of the injuries she suffered, after all, she just blowed all her power on healing herself.” — I turned towards the elf, doubt, and curiosity lingering in my mind. Seriously, what was her deal? One time she was acting like a tyrant, then the next she was a hovering mother hen. Her change of moods were driving me crazy.

  I felt her warning gaze prickling my skin and swiftly covered up my confusion. I gulped, I shouldn’t irritate her any further. Let’s stop doing so, before it comes around and bites me on the butt.

  Emrum’s expression turned serious, hearing Aria’s words. I was startled by his darkened features and instinctively interjected. — “I mean… it’s not that J-Jolga beat me up that much… it’s more like getting caught in my own spell…” — I added, mumbling at the end. Feeling embarrassed by the entire ordeal.

  To my surprise, Emrum's expression seemed to only become tenser.

  “Sorry about not being here when you needed me, lass…” — The man sighed, giving me an explanation. — “Nerha, and I went over to visit an old friend. It was but a few hours’ visit in the noble district. We were supposed to come back for lunch, but they insisted for us to stay.”

  He seemed genuinely troubled by all that happened. He sighed again, then continued. — “I expected some tension, and a bit of animosity from my sister side of the house, but this was beyond anything reasonable.” — A malevolent chuckle broke free from his throat as he shook his head with mild amusement. — “Well, at least I heard that you sent the perpetrator flying. It was coming for her, I tell you. It’s unlikely that she would cause any trouble for you from now on, and if she does…” — His expression grow serious once more than he looked me in the eye and added. — “Tell me.”

  I nodded, feeling oddly relieved by his words. — “Thank you, and… um… sorry about ruining the dining room…” — To my surprise, Emrum shoved me on my back playfully as he burst out in a boisterous laughter.

  I struggled for a moment to keep my balance as his heavy arm pushed me to the side. Damn these dwarves and their ridiculous strength.

  “Haha! That was a good one, lass. Don’t worry your pretty little head over it. There is a reason why we make all our furniture with an almost indestructible wood. Fights like this happen every once in a while, especially when there is a lack of important missions and most of the family stays home.” — He explained in a jovial tone, but no matter how light-hearted his attitude was, I felt quite dreadful by the notion.

  “Um… what do you mean by that? Are you saying such conflicts are a daily occasion?” — My voice trembled a little at the end.

  Emrum chuckled again, clearly overlooking my sense of discomfort. — “Well, more like a weekly one, really. You can’t expect to put a bunch of egoistical warriors with short tempers under the same roof without things starting the fly once in a while.”

  When my expression paled, Emrum finally noticed that something was wrong. He turned serious once again, gauging my reaction. — “Ah, I see! Don’t let old Emir’s dramatics get the better of you. This was hardly the worst of the scuffles the dining room have witnessed over the years.” — Seeing that my expression only grow sour, he added with a touch of hesitance. — “I mean, I told you previously, didn’t I? My family was a kind of eccentric bunch.” — He scratched the back of his head, clearly feeling insecure about this fact.

  My mouth fell open as I took in his bullshit.

  It took me a few seconds to gather my wits once again, when I did, I slowly closed my mouth and said. — “I mean… you are not wrong, but…” — I began softly.

  The shock of my recent experiences have snapped something in my head as my voice become sharper and louder with every word. — “Calling it eccentric is the understatement of the year!” — I shrieked.

  Emrum winced at my high-pitched voice. Continuing to scratch the back of his head with an uncertain expression, he was clearly avoiding my gaze.

  He shook himself with a forced cough, then started to derail the conversation with all the subtlety of a charging bull. — “Anyway… it’s good to see that you are in high spirits, girly.” — Then he turned towards Aria with a thankful look. — “I heard that you volunteered to ensure that nothing untoward might happen to Selora from now on. I mean… they will get used to her presence soon enough, then everything will work out just fine, I promise you that!”

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

  Ariawyn nodded sceptically to the dwarf, giving me a side glance while answering in a meaningful tone. — “I will watch her every step."

  I couldn’t help but shrunk under her piercing glare. Rubbing the side of my arm in a self comforting half hug.

  Emrum seemed to sense the unusual tension in the air. He let out a strained laugh, then excused himself, saying that he had to go and smooth things over with her sister, which was likely true. He also added that Nerha would like me to visit her for an afternoon tea, and to ask Bella for directions if we need any.

  We were left in a tense silence, both of us staring in the direction of the mansion’s entrance, where Emrum disappeared in a few seconds ago.

  I felt my throat tighten as I was once again left alone in the company of the older elf. My newest trauma of being put at the knifes edge was coming back to me twofold. I fidgeted slightly, feeling naked in the elf’s presence. The thought that she knew something of me that could doom my faith at any minute was pressing down on my mind. I mean, what held her back from telling that I was a blood mage to literally anyone? She could simply cover up her part in the story and nobody would believe me saying otherwise.

  I had never been in such a vulnerable position before. That a simple word from someone could doom my entire existence. It was strangely exciting.

  I was surprised by my own thoughts, and a sense of shame flushed my system. What was a thinking again? I shook my head violently, trying to get rid of the very thought.

  “What?” — The sharp voice of Aria startled me out of my stupor, causing me to jump slightly.

  I turned around, my eyes unintentionally wandering to the knife hanging from her waist. Reminding me of the tight sensation of my throat. I lowered my gaze and spoke in a thin voice. — “How… how long are you going to treat me like a prisoner?”

  Aria’s eyes narrowed at me hearing my question. — “That depends on you, idiot girl.” — Came the not exactly unexpected answer in a haughty tone that would make the dead flinch.

  It was really making me annoyed, being called an idiot so often was beginning to sting no matter how thick one’s skin might be.

  “Would you please stop calling me that all the time?” — I directed my words at Aria for the second time now, slightly pleading to her with my eyes.

  The woman took in my desperate look and scoffed. — “That also depends on you, idiot girl.”

  I flushed red from the straight insult to my face, only to realize that I can’t really do anything about it. I stomped my feet to alleviate some of my rage, then turned away from the annoying bitch and stormed back towards my room.

  “Now, where do you think you are going?” — Sounded the impossible woman’s voice falling in line behind me.

  I growled to myself. Not deeming her worthy of an answer. For once, she decided to let it go. Either taking pity on me, or deciding that further antagonizing a blood mage was not the brightest idea in the world.

  ~oOo~

  We stood in front of my room.

  My previous anger cooling off by the time we got back to my room. I opened the door, taking a peek inside, and feeling relieved when seeing that no one else occupide my room for the time being. Bella must have left in the meantime, clearly getting bored with waiting.

  I sighed, some of the accumulated tension finally leaving my body. Here, at least I could be alone-…

  I turned around to closed the door only to see Aria’s suspicious glare leveled at me, for a second I couldn’t make sense of what was happening.

  “Um… you are?” — I asked, baffled by the situation.

  “I said…” — She began, but I cut her off. — “I know what you said, but… are you seriously going to watch me sleep?” — There was a moment of pause. — “Because, that’s what I intend to do, and maybe… take a bath? Are you going to watch that, too?”

  Aria’s stony exterior seemed to crack a bit under my demands. Noticing her discomfort, I pressed my advantage. — “Is that what all of this is about? You wanted to watch me going to the latrine? I ain’t gonna lie, that’s pretty messed up…”

  To my surprise, the woman turned bright red at the suggestion. Her vehement reaction gave me an unexpected pause. Wait… did I subconsciously use my twenty-first century standards again? Last time I did that…

  Aria scowled at me, then let out a long sigh while grabbing the bridge of her nose, clearly struggling to make sense of my words. — “For a girl your age to have such a mindset… Where would you even hear such disturbing t-things.” — She stuttered.

  Did she just stutter? Aria? Ariawyn Virdithas? The same woman who almost cut off my head an hour or so ago? I stared at her, baffled by the genuine reaction.

  She seemed to notice my stare a touch too late, as she attempted to reconstruct her strict facade. Attempted and failed miserably, overcome by frustration, she shouted at me. — “Fine, you little-” — She paused, struggling with her words for a second before eventually saying. — “…elf… have it your way! But your staff stays with me!” — She demanded and I didn’t like that at all. That was my staff, and it will stay right where I was…

  Her eyes narrowed dangerously, as if sensing my intentions to argue. Before I could raise any opposition, she stretched out her hand towards me and said in a no nonsense tone. — “Give it, now.”

  I swallowed back my forming words seeing her expression, and I reluctantly went for my staff, which was leaned against the wall in a corner and handed over to her with a sour expression. — “Take it then! And get out of my fucking room!”

  I shouted at her while pushing her out.

  She gasped. — “Langua-” — Her voice was cut short by the shoved in doorframe. I leaned against it from the inside, more tired mentally and emotionally than physically. — “Fuck your language… idiot.” — I mumbled to myself hearing a distant, I heard that, idiot girl, but I ignored it completely.

  Like she was one to talk.