Rietha, The Pirate Princess

Chapter 4 - Nightflame Hideout

Chapter 4 - Nightflame Hideout

Jarez smirked at Henriethasia as he heard the name, "Rietha ha?" he then comes closer to her and raised her chin, "Sound a bit off for a name of a beautiful lady like you but I like it."

'Ehhhhhhhhhhh?' eternal scream as Henriethasia blushed. 'Why is this guy so direct, didn't even give any warning?' Jarez then let go of her and start walking away, "Come on," he said, "Time is ticking."

Henriethasia shook her head to avoid the thoughts, she can't let her guard down yet, she needs to get that necklace. "Hey," Jarez called her again as she was not following him, still holding the necklace, "You're coming or the necklace will be mine?" then smirked.

She sighed then follow him, "I'm coming okay?" she saw how he slipt the necklace in his pocket. Then they started walking on the road before anyone could notice that the princess is with a stranger, she quickly caps her hood.

Jarez looked at her and just smirked. This street is not as lively as the other one they came from but they're still people selling. A lot of here are stores and salons, not open shops and stands. 

Henriethasia then looked up at Jarez, who is looking in front then she asked curiously, "Uhm by the way, where are we going?" Jarez looked at her and smiled.

"You would see," He said then Henriethasia felt a bit nervous, 'I got a feeling that something bad might happen, what's with the smile?'

Henriethasia was busy looking around while in front of her is Jarez, who is glimpsing at her sometimes and thought, 'Is her first time going out like this?' as he saw Rietha's sapphire eyes shimmer whenever she sees something interesting.

'This girl is something,' He smiled and just continue walking ahead.

...

While Henriethasia and Jarez were busy wandering off. Robert is a bit frustrated that he couldn't find the princess, he approaches a royal guard that was with them a while ago and asked, "Have you found the princess?"

The guard shook his head, this makes Robert clenched his sword of fear. 'Where is the princess, I hope she's not been kidnap or something?' He sighed. Stop thinking negative, he shook his head.

He can't give up just yet or else he will receive a big punishment as the King loves his daughter so much. Though, he will take it as it is his blame the princess is missing. His eyes were busy checking that jewelry earlier that he lost focus of the princess for a moment.

"Do what it takes to find her," he ordered the guard, which nodded and went off. 'I hope the princess is alright and not hurt.'

...

"Ouch!" A tall figure back was hit by the face of Rietha and she noticed that this is Jarez, "Why did you suddenly stop?" She complains rubbing her nose that was just hit by his back but the boy didn't respond.

So she was curious about what got his attention, she looks in front and saw a building, "Ekk," Her eyes widen, 'What's this?' She looked at the building again. The building had that spooky vibe, it was dull and quiet. The color of it is dark and some of the windows are broken. 

Rietha feels like someone is watching them through that dark windows, it couldn't be a ghost as it is afternoon. She was that scared as she suddenly grasped the coat of Jarez, making him face her.

"W-why are we in front of this b-building?" Rietha asked him with a trembling voice, she never thought that she will get frightened of something like this kind of a building.

"Oh, you're afraid now?" Jarez said, "But you're not scared of chasing after a snatcher in an alleyway?" 

This makes Rietha's eyebrow furrowed, "Hey! I was terrified back there too you know!" She protests and mumbles, "I can handle myself too without you helping me."

"Oh, what was that?" Jarez leans at her, making her pause for a moment and stare at his deep red eyes, "Maybe I should just leave you behind when I got time and let those two scumbag touches you, tsk."

She was about to say something when a gurgling croak was heard that make her scream and hide behind Jarez, clutching his cloak making him out of balanced, "Oi!" He protests thankfully he didn't fall and look above the building where some birds are.

He then looked at Rietha's scary face, "Are you even the same person earlier?" he asked out of curiosity then let Reitha's hand let go of his cloak as he walks ahead to the entranced of the building.

"Hey wait!" Rietha followed him behind. Jarez then cracked open the wooden door of the building as he arrived in front of it, making a scary noise, a shiver has sent down Rietha's spine and held once again the cloak of Jarez.

"Tsk," Jarez said in his breath.

They take a few steps inside the building, it was dark. Once they finally inside, the door instantly shut close making Rietha's scream again, "Would you stop screaming," Jarez complains in the dark, not even a single light is on.

Then suddenly in a snap, a dim light in the corner lit and soon the room is filled with lights. Rietha peeped from behind Jarez's back in the room. She was surprised that there's a lot of books and papers.

The room is filled with bookshelf each corner and the books seem old and dusty. They are cobwebs everywhere and papers on the floor, "Wait, is this a bookstore?"  Rietha asked Jarez, who is seriously looking in front.

"Yes, darling," Suddenly a croaky voice answer from the corner making them look. There they saw an old man with a white beard and hair, his eyes are black and he's wearing eyeglasses. He was sitting on the corner on a chair comfortably. 

"Pardon?" Rietha asked again tilting her head, Jarez looked at her and then back to the old man.

"Yes, you're right, this is a bookstore," The old man answered with a cheeky smile, "Perhaps are you here to buy a book, darling?"

"Ahh ehhhh?" Rietha was about to say something when Jarez spoke, she lean.

"Long time no see, Steven," Jarez said then smirked at the old man, making Rietha confused for this, 'Do they know each other?'

"Oh?" The old man stared at him, "Who are you? I believe I don't know you, boy, I think we just meet today."

Jarez laughed at his statement, "Stop playing games already, Steven. I know it's you."

The old man smirked on Jarez glare and sighed, "You are no fun, you know that Faris." then laughed.

'Eh Faris?' Rietha thought, 'That name kinda sounds familiar,' and glanced at Jarez and back to the old man.

"I was trying to play to that little miss darling beside you," the old man smirked at Rietha then swiftly his beard slowly fade from his chin, His white hair turns into slowly green, his eyes glowed into yellow.

The old man is no longer old but a young man around 18 years old sitting in front of them. Where did the old man earlier go? Why is this boy in front of them? Rietha's face is full of shock and confusion.

The green-haired boy who Jarez called as Steven smiled at Rietha's expression and take off his eyeglasses, "I like your expression, darling, it's cute," he said and stand up from sitting in the chair.

He approaches Rietha and grabbed her chin making her face in front of him. When Steven finally saw Rietha's face, he was astounded and amused, "What's this?" he carefully examined Rietha, "You have incredible mana inside you." he muttered.

Rietha looked at his green eyes in confusion, "What?" she asked Steven, carefully scanning her, and then a smile formed on his face, and looked at Jarez beside her.

"Wow, Faris, you have keen eyes for girls," He then stands up straight and patted Jarez's shoulder, "This one looks beautiful." 

Rietha looked at him with a wary look, 'Did he just avoid what he just said?' Rietha thought, 'What's mana?'

"Shut up, Steven," Jarez spoke and dust off Steven's hand on his shoulder, "And clean up your mess," he directed and start walking in the middle where an oval table at and placed his sword there.

"What mess?" Steven said while whistling playfully, "I didn't do anything." while shrugging his shoulders 

"Oh, you didn't?" Jarez said giving a meaningful look and glanced at the surroundings in the building, "I see."

Steven fake a cough, "Well I guess, I kinda overdo it," he said then approach Jarez.

"Then start cleaning it up," Jarez answered and took a towel from the corner and wipe it to his sword, "I've been just away for a couple of days and this is what I'll face. What exactly happened?"

While Jarez and Steven are busy talking about something. Rietha was just looking around inside the building. Well, she didn't quite expect the gloomy building outside is a such tender bookstore inside.

The building is two stories but you can see from down here the second floor because the first floor doesn't have a full ceiling at all, it's like the second floor is kinda like a terrace with railings around that visible to the first floor. (A/n: If you know what I mean here. Oh, move along.)

The first floor is full of bookshelves in the corner. Rietha walks beside the bookshelf, which has a lot of dust, and scanned the titles of the books there then suddenly her nose starts to tingle as dust flew right at her.

A cute sneeze was heard inside the building as Jarez and Steven stop chatting and lean at Rietha, who's standing beside the dusty shelf and covered her nose, "I'm sorry, excuse me." She excuses and grabbed a little towel from her pocket.

Jarez smiled and looked at Steven who starts talking again, "And you want to show the hideout to her?" he asked pointing at Rietha, "Are you nuts?"

"Well, she seems harmless," Jarez said watching Rietha wiping her nose by a towel elegantly and he starts cleaning his sword again, "She sneezes like a baby too."

"Eh?" Steven looked at Jarez with a can't-believe look and thought, 'Is this guy for real? Where's the strict-looking Faris boy, who barely knows how to smile now?' he both grasped Jarez shoulder and asked, "Tell me, where did you go these past few days that change you ha?"

Jarez once again dust off Steven's hands from his shoulders, "Believe me, Steven, I'm still that guy you know," he said and settled his sword back to the table.

"Yeah right," Steven said then crossed his arms and suddenly he felt the floor starts shaking and dust falling from the ceiling, "What the-" He looked at where Rietha is standing and was shocked that Jarez is right beside her and no longer where his standing position earlier.

Jarez is now shielding Rietha from the falling dust. Steven's mouth gaped open in amusement, which he can't believe this is happening in front of him,' Seriously? Is this even real? Okay, I need the old Faris back now, this is making me cringe.'  

The shaking stops now and Jarez glared at Steven, making him flinched in his position, "Steven, what did you do to the  hideout?" There was a warning tone on Jarez's voice.

"What? I told you I didn't do anything," Steven answered innocently while sweats running down his back.

"Really?" Jarez quickly approach him and took his sword from the table and place the blade between Steven's neck, making him gulp and freeze, "You fix it or cut off your head?" Steven shakes his head in disagreement.

'Okay, I don't need the old Faris back. He's scary as usual.' Steven knew that Jarez can't do such a thing but he can't help but get terrified sometimes, this kid is true to his words and scary to death.

 Steven then thought, 'He didn't change at all as he said,' then sighed, "Fine, fine. I'll fix it." he gave up, "Please put down your sword now, gosh." Jarez dropped off his sword from Steven's neck and glanced at Rietha and was surprised by her reaction, she looks scared at him. 

Rietha's mind was confusing and she was scared at the same time, she didn't think Jarez could do such a thing to make people frightened. She guesses she didn't know anything about him. Of course, they only meet awhile ago.

And Rietha thought, right, she only here for the necklace, not make friends or some sort of things so she can't let her guard down now, she only saved by Jarez once and that does not make him a good person at all.

She looked at Jarez, who seems to be uncomfortable by her reaction so she tries to smile. 'Okay, just smile and not get frightened, if you do you could get killed any minute,' she thought.

Jarez looked at Rietha's now smiling face, 'She seems frightened awhile ago, or am I mistaken?' He averted his eyes to Steven, now holding his neck where the sword place earlier, "What are you standing for, fix it now," Jarez ordered.

"Right, right," Steven said while waving his hands, "You're too pushy." Steven then snaps his fingers, making the whole place shake again but this time no falling dust instead the surroundings change.

It becomes clean now and more things are added. Rietha was amazed and looked around her surroundings. 'Did he just use magic?' She knew that some of the people in Azalia, especially magicians can use magic but this is her first time seeing one that can use magic except her.

The bookshelves in the corner are now clean and the books are placed perfectly in line. The table in the middle is now dust-free and the papers that are scattered on the floor earlier are now in the table arranged. There are also chairs surrounding it. 

In the corner beside the stairs, there is a fireplace in front of a couch and two soft chairs on the sides, and a big red carpet in the middle below a small table. There was a small kitchen counter on the side that is a two-step platform above the floor. 

Rietha was sure there is also a change on the second floor too. She wonders now if Steven is a magician? "Welcome to our hideaway, darling. The Nightflame Hideout." Steven welcomed her and was proud of his spell, pleased by Rietha's reaction.

Rietha then smiled. It looks like the scary looking building outside is not a bookstore after all but a warm hideout that hides the true identity. Nightflame Hideout ha? 

to be continued...

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