"Well, two onions, some carrots, some paprika, a lemon, and a chicken. I don't think it's going to be enough for all of us."
"Wrong. That's all we need. We're going to make chicken soup."
"Yes, Commander."
"Chris, cut the onions. Tarek, cut the carrots. Simon, do the paprika. Andrea, you do the chicken. Michael, come with me."
"Yes, Commander."
Goes into the tent where the survivor is lying.
"Michael, you will look after him tonight."
"Yes, Commander."
"I'm going to need you to fall asleep while being on patrol."
"Pardon?"
"Michael, do you trust me?"
"Yes, Commander."
"Great. Then I'll leave it to you. Now let's go before they ruin the only food supply we have."
Both started laughing and went outside.
"Commander, we finished cutting the vegetables. What do we do now?"
"Nothing. I don't want you to ruin our dinner again."
They all started laughing.
"Wow, Commander, this soup is delicious. Is there something you don't know how to do?"
"Well, when you live most of your life on the battlefield, these skills are a must in order to protect your comrades…"
"Commander, have you been on the battlefield before?"
"Haha… if I've been there before? When I try looking at my past, all I can remember is war."
"Don't worry, Chris. I'll make sure to teach you how to cook when we get back." Smile.
Chris blushed while the other knights laughed.
"Now eat before it gets cold and go to sleep. We have a long journey ahead of us."
"Yes, Commander."
"They're asleep."
"Yes, it seems so."
"Now go and kill the survivor."
The two intruders then got into the tent where the survivor was and looked at the guard, who was most likely asleep on the chair. They stopped in front of the bed and took out a dagger. He raised his hand and proceeded to stab him, but an inch away from the survivor's chest, the intruder stopped.
"What are you doing?! Stab him!"
"I can't. My hand won't move."
"About time you showed up."
The intruders looked in the direction the voice came from, and there stood Celea and Michael—the guard who was asleep on the chair just two minutes ago.
One intruder then took a small dagger from his pocket and threw it toward Michael so fast that Michael had no time to react. Before the dagger could hit him, Celea stepped in front of him, and the dagger hit her mask, breaking it in half.
Clunk.
The mask fell to the ground.
Drip.
Blood fell from Celea's forehead.
"You made a big mistake." Death stare.
Celea held her hand in the air, then slowly closed her palm into a fist. You could see the air leaving the intruder's body. She then looked at the other intruder, still frozen in place, and he soon met the same fate as his partner.
Bang.
His body fell to the ground.
"Commander, are you alright?!" Michael shouted.
"What happened?" The other knights rushed inside, alerted by Michael's shouting.
"What happened here?" the knights shouted, looking at the bodies on the floor.
"OMG, Commander, you're bleeding!"
"Really? I thought it was just raining blood." Sarcastic.
"Can you go one day without being sarcastic?" (Chris)
"No, no, I cannot do that."
"Andrea."
"Yes, Commander!"
"Unfortunately, we don't have three days. You're going to need to teleport us now."
Andrea looked uneasy.
"Commander, teleportation takes a lot of energy… I don't think I can do it."
"It's alright, Andrea. Calm down. You will use my energy."
"WHAT?!"
"Come on, give me your hand now."
"Commander, you want me to drain your energy?"
"Andrea, this is important, so stop asking questions and do it."
"Alright."
"Michael, Chris, take the intruders."
"Aren't they dead…?" (Chris)
"No."
They then proceeded to do what they were told. Celea took the survivor bridal-style and went outside, followed by the others.
"Everyone, gather here."
All the knights gathered around her and Andrea.
"Andrea, touch my shoulder and do what you need to do."
"Yes…"
——
It's been three weeks since she left, and I feel like I'm about to lose my mind. I've never missed someone the way I miss her. I've tried overworking myself to distract my thoughts from drifting back to her, but to no use. Sigh. What am I going to do with you?
Mind link
"King, they're back."
I got up from my chair and quickly left the council room, leaving my subordinates behind.
Mind link
"Where are they?"
"West wing, King."
I can't see her. Where is she?! Angry.
"WHERE IS SHE?!"
The knights were slightly startled by his sudden change in behavior and confused about who he was referring to.
"Who do you mean, King?"
"MY MATE! WHERE IS SHE?!"
A mate? The king has a mate? That was what everyone was thinking.
Andrea spoke first.
"My King, if you mean Celea, she already went to her room."
Celea… so that's your name.
I've walked these halls countless times, but not once did this palace feel this big. It felt like the hallway would never end.