The 8th Tetrad: Breaking Bond

A Stranger!

Hera immediately leaves Aleem's house. However, when she reaches the front door, she bumps into someone. It's Risco.

"Ouch!" She exclaimed as she fell to the ground.

"Hera?!" Risco dropped the woods, he collected to help her get up. "Are you okay?" He checked on her.

Reed heard the loud thud and went in a hurry to check what had just happened. He catches his brother helping her stand.

"What is happening here?" Reed asked while placing the teapot on the table. "Princess, are you okay?"

"My apology, I accidentally bumped into Risco, but I'm okay. Thank you!" She explained.

Her plan to leave gets postponed because she cannot say her reason for escaping and saying "No" when Reed already pours her cup and offers her to take some biscuits could be considered rude. She doesn't want him to think of her that way, so she decides to stay for a bit.

"Here's your tea, Your Highness!" Reed handed the teacup and a saucer to her.

She politely accepts his offer after returning to her seat.

Hera took her first sip, "Wow! This tastes good! What is this? " She curiously pointed to those flowers floating in her teacup.

"They're butterfly peas! Those are my mother's favorite! We still grow them in the backyard, in memory of her", Risco answered while arranging the wood he dropped near the fireplace.

"I see why she likes it! They're nice to my taste buds! " Hera complimented their mother's taste.

Once she finishes her tea, she excuses herself and informs them that she has to go home. As much as she wants to wait for Aleem, it's already getting late, so she says goodbye to the brothers instead.

"Forgive me for coming here unannounced, but I would like to commend you for your hospitality. Thank you! " She bowed her head as a sign of her gratitude.

"The pleasure is all ours, Your Highness!" Reed also bowed down as a sign of respect.

"You can come by anytime, Hera!" Risco genuinely suggested.

Reed hits him in the shoulder and scolds him, "How many times should I tell you to address her properly? You have to call her, Your Highness. " He reminded his brother.

Risco rubs his shoulder. "Ouch! Why? Hera doesn't even seem to care!" He resents his brother.

Reed is about to hit him again, but he stops when he hears Hera laughing so hard.

"Hahaha! I'm sorry! " Hera chuckled.

He looked at his brother and then back to her. They seemed amazed to see her that happy.

"Your Highness! Is everything alright? " He inquired.

She blushed, "Hahaha! Sorry! Risco is right, I wouldn't mind if you both called me Hera. In fact, I would appreciate it." She smiled at Reed, which made him blush a little.

#

Risco offers to walk her back to the castle, but she refuses his offer. She plans to stroll more before heading back home. He bids goodbye and walks back home. When Risco is already far away, Hera walks to the Parva Silva, (a small forest). It is located midway through the castle. She cannot help but wonder about the man she saw in the photo.

"Who could he be? What is his relationship with Aleem?" She was in the middle of her thoughts when she heard a screech. "Hello?" She called out, but nothing or no one showed up.

The sound is faint, so she is uncertain if she really hears something. She looks up at the sky, the clouds are turning into gray, so she now rushes to return to the palace.

"It's getting dark! I have to go back now before my father asks Aarush to find me again! " She said to herself.

She quickly leaves the forest, unaware that from a distance there's a pair of eyes lurking and watching her each move.

"We will soon meet again!" The mysterious one said.

#

At dinner time, her mind cannot focus still. Hera jerks when the adjutor (helper) serves the soup, which causes her to accidentally spill the soup all over Hera's dress.

"Ohhh! My apology, Your Highness!" She quickly grabs a napkin and nervously wipes Hera's dress.

Hera immediately ascends from her seat to help the adjutor clean her own spot. She sees how nervous the server's face is at that time, so she holds her hands.

"It's okay! It's not your fault!" Hera said while wiping up her lovely blue dress.

When the adjutor finishes cleaning the table, Hera returns to her seat. Still preoccupied, she did not notice that her family was actually staring at her, worried.

"Hera! Are you okay? You seem occupied by thoughts. " King Horus asked.

Hera looked at him absentmindedly, no words came out of her mouth.

"Is everything alright, dear?" Queen Montana also inquired.

Hera scans the room only to realize that they are all waiting for her response. Marin holds her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze, letting her know that it is okay.

"Forgive me! Father, mother, and everyone! It's just...allow me to excuse myself!" She politely stood up and pushed herself away from her chair.

She takes her bow and without waiting for them to give their response, she hurriedly steps out of the dining hall, leaving her family in awe. It feels like an eternity running the corridor. She stops to catch her breath for a moment and when she recovers, she cannot believe what's in front of her. It's the library.

#

Deja Vu!

This is how she feels. She stares at the door frame and, in a few minutes, she sees a glowing light underneath the door gap. As she is about to get closer, she feels that her heart thumps out of curiosity. Slowly she moves toward it, but before her hand can even land on the knob...

"Hera!" She heard Marin's voice.

She almost jumps to her feet when she hears her sister suddenly calling out her name.

"What are you doing here? Is there something wrong? You know that you are acting strangely! So, tell me! What is it?" She bombarded her questions like an interrogating guard.

She blinks her eyes, secretly eyeing the gap underneath, the glowing light is already gone.

"What?" She whispers to herself and covertly takes a glimpse underneath the gap hoping to see it again.

"Hey! What are you staring at?" Marin asked, following the direction of her gaze.

She almost forgot that her sister was still there. She sighs before she gives her response.

"Nothing! I know it isn't good to bail out! It's just, I do not feel good!" She lied, which she does not normally do.

"Are you ill?" She touches her forehead and does the same to her own. "Your temperature is quite high! Should I call the Medicus (doctor)?" She stared at her worriedly.

She grabs Marin's arms to stop her before she goes to call the Medicus.

"No! You don't have to! I think I just need some rest. Would you mind if I went ahead to my room first?" Hera made an excuse.

"Of course! I will inform mother and father, so they will not be worried!" She patted her hands.

"I would really appreciate that. Thank you, big sister!" Hera offered her a genuine smile.

Marin leaves to inform their parents about her condition. When she is no longer around, Hera returns her focus to the library door. She tries to push it open, but it seems locked.

"What? I know I saw it slightly open a while ago, how come it seems to be locked now?" She asked herself.

After a couple more attempts and failures, she gives up. It puzzles her how the light instantly disappears. She is certain about what she saw, and yet she cannot force herself to believe that there is no one inside.

#

The next day, Hera wakes up early to do her usual round with the royal guards. When King Horus appoints her as the royal army's tactician, she always joins the troupe to check the passages and the borders.

"Good morning!" She cheerfully greeted the royal guards who were waiting for her outside their barracks.

"Good morning, Your Highness!" They greeted her in unison.

They give her a royal salute as a sign of respect.

"If everyone's ready, then let's go ahead!" She gave her command to them.

While roaming around the kingdom, Hera greets those fairies whom they pass by. They are always in glee to see that the royals are ready to save the day. As they do their usual checks, everything looks perfectly in place. There is no report of anything unusual of some sort.

Going to the next border, Hera decides to enter Cantata (magical forest), the short way to reach the place. While strolling the area, a loud crash instantaneously covers the forest. They all run to check where it comes from, but one of the royal guards stops her.

"Your Highness! It might be dangerous! King Horus will kill us if something happens to you! Please! Allow us to check this, first!" He bows his head.

She thinks twice and sighs before she gives her answer.

"I understand! Report to me immediately whatever you discover!" She instructed them.

After acknowledging her words, some of the guards dash to investigate while some stay with her. It did not take long when one of them returned to give his report.

"Your Highness, we saw an injured man!" He notified.

She squints her eyes upon hearing what he just said.

"An injured man? Is there anything else you saw?" She sought more details.

"That is all, Your Highness!" he responded.

Hera asks him to direct her to where they found the man. When she reached the location, she cannot believe that the stranger they are referring to reaches a young man.

"We seem to be of the same age, I believe!" She spoke to herself.

#

After observing him, she can tell how badly injured he is. He is unconscious, not moving at all. She bends to his side, and takes his wrist to feel his pulse. It is beating faintly. When she is about to lower her head to listen to his breathing, one of the royal guards again stops her.

"Your Highness! Please! No!" He pleaded.

She turns to give him a serious glance, which makes him pause. He then steps back and bows his head, a sign of apology. Hera proceeds with what she's doing. She feels relieved knowing that the stranger is still alive.

"Carry him! Take him to the infirmary. Come on, move. Quickly!" She ordered them.

They rush to follow her orders. She let them leave first, while she chooses to stay for a bit more to do some investigation and final checking.

"That was a very loud thud we heard! Did something hit him that caused his injury? What is it then? I don't see anything peculiar here!" She asks the remaining guards who are staying with her.

She is about to turn her back when she notices a long trace of a skid line on the ground. She follows the trace, it seems like an enormous object is being dragged to that particular spot. Her search continues for a couple more hours, but everyone fails to find any clues.

"Tell everyone to head back to the palace," she informed one of them.

He whistles to call the rest of the royal guards' attention. Although she does not get any clues, in her mind she finds out that something mysterious has happened. She wonders how the young man got all his wounds.

When everyone reaches the castle, Hera returns to her room to clean herself first. After that, she takes her journal to enter the entry about today's event. She also uses it to write her daily discoveries, thoughts, and ideas. Time ticked fast; she did not know that she had already spent hours writing.

#

"Hera! I was searching for you!" It is Aria.

She enters her bedroom and sits on her bed. Hera is no longer sharing a room with Marin as they are all occupying their own rooms now,

"And why are you searching for me, if I may ask? Hmmm!" She wanted to know her reason.

Hera returns her quill to its holder, closes her journal, then keeps it away in her drawer before she turns to face Aria.

"I need your help!" She looked at her with those puppy eyes.

She knows that whenever she uses that strategy, something not so good is about to happen.

"Hmmm! I don't like this! What are you plotting this time?" She squints to let her know that she is not on board and somehow doubting her words.

Among the siblings, Aria could be the youngest, but she is also the naughtiest. The last time she asks Hera a favor, one of the adjutors screams in fear because she pranks them with a moving blanket.

"I won't do anything bad, I promise!" She puts her hands together, pleading, and convincing her that she means no harm.

Hera wants to believe her. However, she knows her too well to be deceived.

"Nope! I cannot help you this time." She stood to get a key and locked her drawer.

But her sister is not ready to give up yet. She blocked her way so she couldn't leave her room.

"Okay! I will say it! I want to go outside Meraxes. I want to visit the human market." She reveals her intention.

"Aria! Are you insane?" Hera exclaims in surprise. "Father will never agree with this!" She adds.

"I know! That's why I will go with you! I saw you in disguise. You are going there alone!" She held Hera's hands.

"Aria, I am going there for work! I have to know what is happening in the neighboring kingdom. It's part of my job, and that is why I have to disguise myself so they do not know that I am from Meraxes. I need to blend in!" Hera explains, "I don't go there to play or just do nothing." She continued.

"Hera! I want to go there not for fun! I heard that there are many wonderful things there. I want to buy her a gift for mother!" Aria continued to beg, to let her join her.

"Gifts? You can buy them at the fairy market. There's plenty that they could offer. There's no need for you to go out of Meraxes." Hera still refuses.

"Yes, but I want to see more. I want to learn more!" Aria was very persistent.

"Okay! Okay! I will inform you the next time I go there! Now, can I leave?" She gave in to her request for her to stop bothering her.

"Yehey!" She screams in excitement, and a kiss lands on her cheek before she leaves in glee.

Hera cannot help but shake her head while her little sister skips out of her room joyfully. After Aria leaves, she decides to visit the infirmary to see the young man's current situation. It did not take long before she reached her destination.

#

"Your Highness!" One of The Royal Medicus bowed to greet her as she walked into the infirmary.

She bows back to acknowledge him. At the very end of the room, she sees the young man lying on his bed, still unconscious.

"Your Highness, Hera!" The attending Medicus who is currently checking on him greets her.

"How is he?" She inquires in concern.

"He is stable now. We dressed and treated his wounds, but we still needed to observe him." After she explained his current condition, she politely excused herself.

Alfonso, head of the Medicus, then walks in. They discuss what happened and, while talking about his origin or where he is probably from the young man groans. They both rush to attend to his side. Slowly, he opened his eyes.

"Where am I? Who are you?" He looked around in confusion.

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