Foxtails and Fairytales: Facades and Fables of the Phantom Prince

[Arc 10] Ch. 9 Dodging Questions

Sebas

There was a spark of relief that unleashed a wave of tears. She reached out to me and buried her forehead in my shoulder. She wailed and it had an odd note of that relief in it as she clung to my shirt. "He was the Guardian Angel of Sudaven. And even though I was its princess, I was it's Devil!" She wailed and sobbed until she could barely catch her breath.

I managed to wrap my arms around her now.

"I'm the worst, even though I'm really starting to like you." she gasped for air. "I can't get him out of my head. I know it's over between me and him but... I'm so confused, Hyde. I don't know what I'm doing here. I don't know where I'm going. I feel so lost and confused. Am I even allowed to fall in love with you?"

I sighed.

This girl could probably wrestle a dragon on equal terms. But as I held her, I felt the guilt for ignoring the fragile girl in front of me.

"Hey what are you doing to that girl!" A couple of magic knights patrolling near the beach started running towards us... just do their job... but why did it have to be right now?

I run through escape tactics in my head but before I can decide on one someone approached from behind us.

"I can vouch for them." The person from behind me said. They slowed to a stop and the knights looked less frantic but still approached us.

I turned and noticed a girl with black fur, and fox features well mostly fox features. All save the emerald horns and one reptile tail hidden among three black foxtails. She was dressed in clothes that showed she'd also been out for a run. Her skin was tan except for her legs. A pair of shorts revealed scales on her leg up to the hem of the shorts. Part dragon, I think I recognized her.

Are the knights tailing me or something! "Not again."

I pat Minerva on the back, and she tries to collect herself since she heard what was going on. She laughed humorlessly, "Been a bad boy, have you?"

"And who might you be?" the knight said.

"My name is Emma Reynis Ti'en, I'm in service to the Red Lady and her son the Phantom Prince. It was a rather touching scene." Emma's ear twitched next to her horn. "He was about to confess his undying love for her, and you totally ruined the mode, you inept brutes. GAHHH! It was just getting good!" She looked sincerely distraught, was she some kind of romance Otaku?

And who said I was about to declare my undying love? Don't going putting words in my mout- hold on! The Red Lady and her son? What? Wait What?

"Hey jerk!" Emma turned to me, "just get her out of here, go buy her something sweet." She turned back to the knights and smiled sinisterly. "I'm about to make a full recounting of the moment they spoiled." She punched her hand and the knights flinched.

*

Life just never slows down does it?

I picked Minerva up since she was still collecting herself and I was in a hurry to take advantage of Emma's gesture. I held her in a princess carry and ran away shouting, "thank you!"

I didn't see what happened after that.

Minerva didn't calm down as much as she collapsed. She must have been holding onto this for a long time.

Angela's sleepy form greeted us at the door to the hotel room. But she went into panic mode the moment she saw Minerva in my arms. "What did you DO! And where have you Been! Lady Minerva was up all night waiting for you!"

"Now, now, now. He's back and he brought her back too." Cedric pulled Angela out of the doorway while he yawned. "Come on in, Warlock."

"That's the first time I've been called warlock in the last couple of days when it wasn't cursed at me." I said as I walked in.

"Ya, well you don't make it easy to like you, that's for sure. I still don't know what Minerva sees in you." Angela huffed.

"Angela, will you grab me a couple pillows, please. We both had a long night and need a nap." I said.

"Don't you dare order m-" Angela stopped mid-sentence. "Did he just say please?"

"It was a long night." I explained. I walked over to the couch and laid her down on it. I noticed the guitar was leaning against one of the cushioned chairs. She must have been playing guitar all night while waiting. "What a tiring girl." I plopped on the chair while Angela retrieved a pillow.

"Where did you go last night?" Cedric asked. "As soon as Sable left you just took off without an explanation. Did you go to the catgirl's?" He asked.

"Hardy har har. If I had, I'd still be there, or Flint would have killed me by now." I groaned. "I was weak and nursed my wounds somewhere else. Call it what you want, but I don't like being around other people when I'm vulnerable."

"I'm not bothered by it, I fought beside a few warlocks in the past. You are a paranoid bunch, but you lot have your own kind of honor I've come to appreciate." Cedric sat down on another one of the available chairs.

"You did, huh?" I yawned. I just don't feel rested at all.

"Yep, in the war and after it. You'd be surprised how many Warlocks ended up getting regular contracts with the Archangel Mercenaries. They started by patrolling with them, it gave their image a real boost with the common people in Sudaven. In fact, I'd even say prince Sebas was a warlock, or at least he fought like one, more than he ever fought like any mage I know." Cedric gazed off into his memories. "That kid could take a punch like no caster I've ever seen. He even went toe to toe with the King and laughed when he lost. I called him a blood knight out of respect, but now that Warlocks are better liked back home, I'd call him a Warlock to his face, if I ever saw him again."

"Won't that upset the balance of power if all the Warlocks gather under the Archangels at Sudaven?" I asked.

"It might have, but the Archangels set up a base in Marsanth that became the Warlock center of the middle kingdoms. They dispatch their contracted warlocks all over to try and increase their likability and to prevent any one place from having too many at a time." He explained. "Besides, when it comes down to it, it's the Demon Queen who pays their salary. It's no exaggeration that that woman has a nation's worth of power. I've been meaning to ask if you were going to go work for her after you graduate?"

"Nah, I'd rather stay independent if I can." I answered. The warlock gathering was Boss Tir's idea. So was the publicity stunt of basing them in Marsanth to make it look like they were in a position to stop a war instead of starting one. It was also one of the reasons I made Hyde a warlock.

"Well if you ever need a quick buck between jobs, I'm sure the Archangels will be able to cut you a deal." Cedric answered as Angela came out of the first bedroom with a pillow and blanket.

"It's good to know options at least. But I'd like to work for the southern kingdoms for a while. Or go to one of the other continents. I'm not good at staying in one place or fighting some noble cause. When it comes down to it, I'm more interested in judging a client for myself on my own terms." I answered.

"I guess that makes sense when you think about it." Cedric rubbed his eyes.

I grabbed the guitar and begin plucking at it.

"I've also been meaning to ask where you learned how to play the guitar." Cedric probed.

"The Phantom Prince came to me in the night and haunted my dreams with guitar lessons until I woke up with bloody fingers." I smirked.

"Well I guess you don't have to tell me."

"And you don't have to believe me."

We both chuckled at that.