One hour later. It was raining heavily.
Sierra: In the door of the inn. She was glowing. "Shade…!" She covered herself with an invisible light barrier, shading her form the rain. Moving and moving and moving. A little bit further from the inn. And then she found a tree and laid on it.
Sierra: She took the golden apple out of her socket "Aniston…"
????: "Your sister is waiting for you to save her."
Sierra: "Who's there?! (I can't believe I let my guard down!)" She showed both her swords and aimed at him.
????: "Do not worry. I will not fight you now. And I don't think I will fight you in the future either."
Sierra: "Where is she?"
????: "Maximal's territory."
Sierra: "'Small gasp' (as we thought)… But how should I know that you're not leading me to a trap."
????: "It is up to you to find the best plan to get her back without getting kidnapped yourself."
Sierra: "And why are you telling me that?"
????: "…"
Sierra: Cautious more than ever.
????: "If you did not hurry, you might not catch up with them. He is intending to leave the continent soon."
Sierra: "What!"
????: "Bond is an unbreakable tie."
Sierra: "Either for family, friendship, or love.W-w-why do you know that?"
????: He left without a trace.
Sierra: "WAIT!"
Hero came to her. "To whom you were talking?"
Sierra: She turned quickly to Hero with happiness and smile in her face. Her eyes were widely open from happiness. "He… He said that my sister is still here in Maximal's territory." Rushed to hero "As we thought Hero! Maximal is the one who got her. Now we have a clue to where she is."
Hero: "It might be a trap but it worth trying. You said Maximal huh."
Sierra: "What is it that he wants? There should be a reason for his deeds. If we can solve this quietly without a fight, I would be grateful."
Hero: "Wise decision. If it does not work, I will make it work by force."
Sierra: "A Queen should not jump to conclusion. Find the source of the problem and the reasons that led to this incident. Then find a way to solve it due talk. If not, she should force her way through, even if it was an ally, friend or family."
Hero: "Huge talk for a little princess."
Sierra: "I was always raised as a Queen. My mother and Father are willing to hand the throne to me within two years maybe. I have to smile and do my best!"
Hero: "Although you don't have to force yourself to be something your parents chose for you."
Sierra: "Huh."
Hero: "But I will help you if you needed any help in the future. From now on we are best friends. You can trust me."
Sierra: With little tears in her eyes, "Thank you hero."
Hero: "Don't worry. Take it all out."
Sierra: covered her face with both her hands and started crying. 'sobbing'
Hero: "Whoa, I'm really no good when it comes to girls." Wiped her hair and placed her head on his chest "Everything will be fine from now on. You are not alone now. I am with you. I am grateful that you traveled with me and trusted me although I am a complete stranger to you. Perhaps. But for some reason I feel that there is something that makes me feel so comfortable."
Sierra: "'Sniff' me too. It is like a family bond. I can't describe it but your presence is like Aniston. Like a cousin."
Hero: "From all the people around you, you only chose that Plank—, Ouch I bit my tongue! Even though he's not here, he is a harm and a pain in the neck."
Sierra: "Hehe. That is not true. Aniston is a reliable man, strong and genius. His strategies are always the best. He does not get mad when he loses at all. He thanks the one who won against him and tells him that he gave Aniston the reason to work harder and harder."
Hero: "Heh…. (I know him like the back of my hand… the same way I know you) Yeah, I admit he's a wonderful groom too for the cute princess here but I'm not sure about the part of 'he does not get mad'. If he saw me hugging you here like this, I will be thrown from the cliff."
Sierra: "Really? Well then be careful."
Hero: "Easy for you to say."
Sierra: "Let us get ready for tomorrow. We will rescue her!"
Hero: "That's the spirit. Make sure you get enough rest. I don't want to hold you when you collapse. I can't run like that. Although you're so light like a feather."
Sierra: "Hero! Eat your tongue."
The next morning
Crystelle: "So it was really your sister."
Sierra: "For what he said, I think it is true. I believed him."
Crystelle: "Who was he?"
Sierra: "A guy Hero's age with yellow hair just like Aniston."
Hero: "White Masked guy!"
Sierra: "So you saw him!"
Hero: "When he noticed me, he fled."
Sierra: "You should have been a little late so he can give more information."
Hero: "I wasn't sure if he was planning to harm you or just talking. You forgot that the commander itself entrusted you to me."
Sierra: "No need to remind me of that every day."
Hero: "So you really hear what I say."
Sierra: "He gave us valuable information. Why did he do that?"
Hero is staring with a serious look.
Crystelle: "I'm not sure... But… I think he is luring you there."
Sierra: "I-I know. I'm afraid we— ouch I bit my tongue! Who is talking about me at this moment?!"
Crystelle: "sigh."
Sierra: "My mom said whenever you bit your tongue. That means that someone is talking about you. So Crystelle, do you know any way to sneak inside?"
Crystelle: "Well I know one but we need to be quick."
Hero: "Why?"
Crystelle: "Because it leads directly to his study room."
Hero: "You will be dead if you led us to a trap."
Sierra: "Hero!"
Crystelle: "I don't care. You can kill me when I kill Maximal. I don't have anything else to live for anyway."
Sierra: "Crystelle… Don't worry Crystelle" smiling to her "You will live with us in the palace. I will introduce to everyone in the palace. And you will become one of our family. It will be fun"
Crystelle: She was speechless.
Sierra: Changed her way of looking to life. "There is hope. Choosing death is not an answer. It only leads to darkness. If you still have some time, use it. But don't waste it. There are many people who wish to have few more seconds in the world."
Crystelle: "Thank you." She looked down
Hero: "There should be someone who wants you to be alive Crystelle."
Crystelle: "…"
After few minutes
Hero: "We should hurry toward the place where they keep the princess."
Crystelle: "There is no jail in there because it is a smaller compared to the rest. Unlike the mansion in Salam, this one has only 30 rooms. So for sure, she will be kept in the upper room. There is no way for her to escape there even if she tried."
Sierra: "(Jewel can escape but what's going on? I bet she can escape but... They knew her weakness.)
Hero: "You really know too much about him. What are you to him? How come you know all these things?"
Sierra: "Wait hero this is our chance and we have no other choice." She looked so worried.
Hero: "'Sigh' okay okay don't look at me like that. I will try to get along with the squirt but give me time. Not all my friends kept their promises and said the truth y'know."
Sierra: "Hero!"
Crystelle: "I don't blame him. It is true though. Now let us go now."
They reached the gate
Crystelle: "It is used as an emergency exit." She wore a mask now.
Hero: "He did not think that someone might use it to get inside huh…"
All of them got in the middle.
Sierra was seriously calm and entered with high cautious
Sierra: Swallowing and talking to her mind "(We must do it.)"
Crystelle: "Now we got inside. Let's go."
They were running the stairs to reach the top
Sierra: "I can hear someone… Talking."
Hero: "Hide…Quick."
Maximal: "I don't want to hear excuses. Lure the other princess here at any cost! I cannot wait anymore. I need them both!"
Albert: "Surely my lord. If we failed here, it will be a matter of time until that faithful knight brings her." He noticed the intruders.
Sierra: 'Small gasp' her eyes got big "(There is a traitor among the knights!)."
Crystelle: "You won't get away with this!!!!" And ran to them.
Hero: "NO you idiot!!!!" Ran after her.
Albert threw a knife toward Sierra but Hero dodged it for her and ran toward Albert to fight him.
Hero: "SIERRA?! Wake up!! You almost got yourself killed. AUGH!" he was injured by a dart.
Albert came toward him and they were sparring. However, Albert was looking around until he put his eyes on Sierra.
Albert ignored Hero and ran toward Sierra.
Hero: "Come here!!!"
She was well prepared and in her full guard. She dodged him and threw his weapon from his hands and placed the sword in his neck.
Albert dashed backward.
Sierra: "Tell me." Moving forward slowly and dodging all the knives Albert throwing at her. "Where do you keep my sister?"
Albert: He was amazed by her. He was slowly getting back until he reached the corner and touched the wall. "Nothing less from the crown princess."
Sierra pointed her sword on his neck "Where is she?"
Albert: "Your sister is not here. And you will come with us." "I guess I have no choice." He threw something. She dodge it but it was pepper and smoke.
Sierra: "Ugh!!!!" The swords fell from her hands. Her hands were on her eyes.
Hero: "Sierra!!!"
When the smoke got away. Hero and Crystelle captured Maximal to the ground. And Albert Captured Sierra from behind.
Sierra: "Don't let him go….!!!"
Albert: "Tsk…"
Hero: "Bring her or we will kill him here."
Albert: "All we care about is the princess here." And he made her drink a poison. "Don't worry, she will be paralyzed for few days only."
Crystelle was covering Maximal's mouth "Heh… now our trump card!" She opened his mouth.
Maximal: "Idiot! Save me here and let her go. I don't want to die here. What's the point of all this if I die now." He was begging "I will pay you anything young man but help me!"
Albert: "Tsk, I knew it!!" He was slowly getting near them and let her go. He placed Sierra on her knees.
She was about to fall to the ground but Hero came front of her and held her along with Crystelle in the other hand, ran toward the window and jumped.
Maximal: "Come back here!!!"
Hero used the wall to smoothen his fall and hid directly inside the bushes.
Maximal: "I guess we have no choice but to count on him to bring her."
Albert seemed like he did not like what he was doing.
Albert: "As promised, this is my last mission."
Maximal: "If she came into my hands, you will be free this is what we have discussed. As for the knight and the young man, I still need them after all. I have the whole royal family wrapped into my hands." Grinning