Cannon Fodder To Villainess

🏮59. Bubble

Amber had a satisfied smile on her face while listening to something that only she could overhear. She heard the sound of the Duke's heart beating, the sound of his aura escaping from the confines of his core, and his private conversation with Omar.

Alina looked at Amber like she had lost her mind. Amber had a blank look on her face that was intermittently interrupted by fits of snickering. This lady was crazy!

Amber blinked and happily stretched her back while lifting her arms above her head.

"Well that was enlightening and worked just as well as I'd hoped it would," said Amber.

[Meaning?] said Alina, speaking into Amber's mind.

"I connected some strings to the Duke's heart and used them to listen in on his conversation. Not a big deal, but I'm pleased to know that it worked."

Alina started choking on nothing in particular and her face paled. [You said his heart? You mean you connected your freaky strings to his clothing, right?]

Amber smirked. "Believe whatever helps you sleep at night."

Alina's face turned a little green around the edges.

"All of that aside. One of the duke's men, a fellow by the name of Omar, is going to come collect me sometime tonight or early tomorrow morning. You'll need to hide within my pocket, so that when I'm captured, I'll still be able to keep you safe. There's no need to resist being captured. Everything is within my plans," Amber said.

Amber paused to smile, showing a set of overly white and slightly pointy canines. Her violet eyes glowed in anticipation and amusement. Although Alina didn't know what the joke was, she could easily get caught up in Amber's excitement. She felt her heart beat erratically in her chest while sensing greatness exude from Amber. No one had made her feel this was since many years ago. Where this encounter would take her, she didn't yet know. She felt her little world shifting, like a great tide crashing against a shore. She could neither resist the currents, nor did she feel like she truly wanted to. She could feel something profound changing within her as a matching smile spread across her own delicate lips.

[Tch! Keep me safe? I'll be keeping you safe.] Projected Alina into Amber's mind.

Late into the night, Alina felt her heart beating in tune with Amber's, as she lay on her back within Amber's pocket. She rested her hand on her heart staring up at the stars through the roof of the dome tent. Amber laid on her side, snoring softly. She acted as if she didn't have a care in the world. Just as the sun started to kiss the horizon and the stars began to hide from the warmth of a new day, Alina's eyes became heavy, and she drifted off into a fitful sleep.

The next morning, Amber felt her body being moved, but she kept her eyes closed. and her breathing steady. She reached out with her senses, feeling for movement on her invisible strings. Many people were jostling around, lifting up heavy objects and walking all over her traps. She did nothing to alert them while allowing them to go about their business. She felt assured that if something went horribly wrong, she had a solid back up plan. She followed her magic sense along the string that led to Erin's heart, being rewarded by a steady thump on the other side. Knowing that everything was secure, Amber no longer paid any heed to being abducted. She rolled over and fell back to sleep.

Several hours later, since riding in a magical bubble was extremely comfortable, Amber slowly woke up and stretched in a weightless environment. The air she was floating within was light and soft, cushioning her on all sides without being stifling, cold, nor hot. The normal weight on her body was nowhere to be felt. Her little prison was so comfortable. In fact, she felt disappointed that she couldn't create magic bubbles herself.

She kept her eyes closed, savoring her comfort for a while longer, knowing that she'd have to pretend to be frightened once she opened her eyes. Acting afraid was such a hassle! It was too early for acting. She needed Mabel to bring her some hot tea and breakfast before she put on a show. Nevertheless, the show must go on. So Amber peeked her eyes open against the stabbing light experimentally. She'd never been a morning person. She felt grouchy in the early morning on a good day.

The green tinted sunlight pouring in from between the trees stabbed Amber's light purple eyes with a vengeance. Although her eyes were quite stunning to look at, resistant to sunlight, they were not. An irritated growl like a caged beast escaped from between Amber's slightly parted lips.

Omar who had the bubble attached to a tether, connected to his steed, by a black collar. He looked up at Amber who was floating within the large bubble above him. Unlike the majority of the company who were marching, he was riding a mafau. That mafau resembled a horse with dark green scales and piercing orange eyes. The creature was dark green, almost black, and shined in the light like oil covered dragon scales. It had black translucent wings like a bats and walked with frightening grace. It appeared to be somewhat skeletal, in the sense that there was no extra fat on it to be seen. However, it was strong and steady. Although you could see the shape of its bones under its scales. It had one long tail that trailed behind it which was shaped like a whip. It's long, thin tail swayed, and curled of the creature's own accord. Amber was utterly fascinated.

The cable was attached to the side of the bubble, in a way that resembled a suction cup. The other end of the cable hooked onto the black collar of the Mafau he was riding. The bubble Amber was within, floated above the ground three times as high as Amber was tall. She could easily see the head of the company while she traveled in the center of the group. Being in this weightless, comfortable bubble was definitely preferable to marching through a hot, bug infested, and uneven forest all day. The tether wasn't pulled tight, so it was easy to see that the bubble would only float up so far. She was happy that the tether wasn't what was stopping her from just floating away. She'd prefer to not relive that experience.

Amber lightly punched the side of the bubble, testing its strength. Her fist harmlessly bounced off its surface, but the momentum pushed her backwards onto the other side of the bubble. Omar glanced up and his light green eyes met hers, but she couldn't read the complex emotions within them.

"Why am I here?!" Amber yelled.

"You can hear me, but I can't hear anything you're saying. General Dreyfus told me to keep you quiet, so I enchanted the bubble you're in to be soundproof," said Omar.

Amber punched the inside of the bubble again. Then she angrily moved her lips, but didn't bother to actually say anything.

Omar stared at Amber for a moment longer. Then he looked away, as if she didn't exist. After that first moment, he refused to look above him. Perhaps he was frightened to see the accusation apparent within Amber's eyes.

After a while, Omar sighed and climbed off the scaled horse. This creature was called an ordra and although it wouldn't allow itself to be saddled, it was smart enough to follow requests without being led. Omar pulled out a dry salted fish from his pack and handed it to the mafau who sniffed it experimentally, before delicately taking the offering from his hand. "Keep on this path," he said to the creature.

It turned its face away and Omar sighed, before pulling out another fish. After three more fish, the mafau seemed satisfied and continued down the path; following the rest of the hunting party. Omar disappeared into to crowd, weaving in and out, until he walked alongside the Duke and said something.

The Duke glanced back at Amber, who continued to bang her fists against the side of the bubble. Bouncing around inside the bubble was actually a lot of fun. It took a great deal of determination to not show how much fun she was currently having in her weightless environment.