165: His Holiness's talents

His Holiness's talents

Adela awoke abruptly, her hair damp with sweat, and her satin pillow likewise moist. In her dreams, she heard cries echoing from the depths of the forest, but the more she tried to reach the forest, the more her feet felt weighed down. Looking down, she found herself sinking into sinister quicksand, far from the pristine white sand she had once seen in Latora.2

Gasping for breath, Adela struggled to return to reality, desperately trying to recall the source of those haunting cries. Yet, no matter how hard she strained her memory, she couldn't identify them.

Gazing through her open window at the first signs of dawn, she decided to shower before taking Emily out. She wondered if Count Sirius would agree to accompany her to the forest and worried about the condition she would find it in after Egon and Bastian's encounter with the mercenaries.

Lost in a daze, Adela took longer than expected to shower. Hastily putting her hair up in a braid and getting dressed in her riding gear, she slipped de Lanark's signet ring onto her thumb, a reminder of her father's trust and her responsibilities. Fervently hoping they wouldn't have to camp in the forest after that dreadful dream, Being there already burdened her, especially since she discovered what had befallen Egon and Bastian in the past.

Adela's next stop was the stables, where she intended to meet Emily. As she made her way there, a few early maids bowed to her.

"My Lady," they greeted.

"Good morning, have a nice day," she greeted back.

She also planned to visit the infirmary to specifically request Count Sirius as her companion for the journey.

"Good morning, My Lady. Have a safe trip," Bernard bowed to her, opening the manor's door.

"...Thank you, Bernard," she replied, albeit a moment too late, her gaze fixated on the peculiar carriage parked just outside.

The oval carriage had a navy blue exterior, its material resembling the steel used in Emorian swords. But what surprised her even more was the absence of visible doors or wheels from her current vantage point.

"...Bernard, to which House does this carriage belong?" 

"I was told it is a Varinthian invention, My Lady," Bernard answered.

Just as Adela was about to inquire further, a door opened from the carriage's interior, remaining suspended in mid-air instead of falling back. A playful smile lit up her face as she recognized the man who stepped out.

"Your Holiness!"

Descending the stairs, she met the man's midnight gaze. His clothes seemed perpetually unchanged.

"It is only logical that we go together, I hope you don't mind," he remarked.

Adela nervously tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, unsure if it was correct for her to do as he suggested.

His usual half-smile transformed into a full one. "Kaiser has been informed,"

She reciprocated his smile, her eyes alight with curiosity as she extended her hand, gesturing toward the intriguing contraption parked behind them. "How does this carriage move?"

"It is one of a kind, even in my kingdom. Come inside, and I will show you,"

Placing her hand over his extended one, she felt a slight surprise as he entered the carriage before her. When she stepped after, the interior was dark and empty.

"Don't be afraid," he reassured her as the door closed from above, plunging them into momentary darkness.

"Are you afraid of the dark?" he asked, a strange question given the circumstances.

"No," she answered honestly, her voice steady. The strength of his hand, still holding hers, reassured her.

Gradually, Adela sensed a change in the air around her, and then everything turned transparent, as if they were floating in mid-air. It seemed impossible, considering she had just stepped into the invention.

Losing her balance, she turned around and grasped his shirt.

The King remained motionless, neither laughing at her faux pas nor pulling away. "You will get used to it momentarily, here,"

With a wave of his hand, the lower half of the carriage took on the same shade of blue as its exterior.

Spotting something beneath her feet, Adela released her grip on him and looked up, meeting his midnight blue eyes assessing her reaction.

Putting on a brave front, she asked, "How are you doing this?" She gulped, feeling thirsty all of a sudden, "There must be mana stones in here," she concluded, searching everywhere but finding nothing.

And then, they started moving.

She looked to the sides of the carriage, marveling at the impossible wheels crafted from swirling currents of air and earth. They appeared weightless, gliding just above the ground effortlessly, as if propelled by an invisible force.

"How is the carriage moving!" Her curiosity was tinged with annoyance, before remembering the person she was speaking to. "...Your Holiness!" She added with a shy smile.

He stared at her as if she had missed the obvious.

"Are you..." she hesitated, wanting to ask if he was a blessed priest after all.

"I am a warlock, one who possesses the ability to bend the elements to my will. This carriage is a testament to my powers and the magic that flows through me."

Adela marveled at both, the carriage's steady movement, and the King's title that was finally explained.

"That's incredible... I never imagined witnessing such extraordinary abilities..." she trailed off, everything suddenly making sense. How he had battled her father as a mere child and why Egon had been apprehensive about him when they first met.

"You said you were not afraid of the dark, so you shouldn't be afraid of me," he stated with an undertone.

"...Is your magic dark?"

"Dark, yes, but not inherently evil. I wield this power responsibly," he remarked, brushing his unique hair back with a graceful gesture. His voice carried a sense of conviction as he continued, "You need not fear, for my intentions are guided by wisdom and compassion." Pausing momentarily, his gaze shifted down to meet hers, and there was a hint of something unspoken in his eyes. "Only Healers wield white magic... And it pales in comparison to the force that courses through me. I am strong enough not to hide, and I prefer it that way."

A surge of questions raced through Adela's mind. Does he know that I am a Healer? Will he judge me differently if he does? As their gaze locked, it felt like a test, a challenge to step out of her comfort zone and embrace the unknown. Aldric had always demanded courage from her, right from the beginning.

"Healers may have to conceal themselves, but that doesn't make them weak," she held her ground against the intensity of his presence.

A faint smile played at Aldric's lips. "It sounds like you are acquainted with one."

Adela drew in a settling breath, "I know two," she corrected him, a quiet pride swelling within her.

Their smiles converged, bridging the gap between two enchanting souls who existed as both, magical beings and vulnerable humans.

pqdm.com