The companions
1458 Words
“My queen!” a guard walked in and bowed before her. “We`ve caught the scum that has been robbing our respected subject`s from their belongings.”
“Bring her in, I want to see her face for the last time!” she got really angry.
“Well hello there,” said Liza who was carried by the guards.
“What?” Hugo was surprised and couldn`t believe what he was seeing.
“I told you we shouldn`t trust a mercenary,” Francis looked at her as she was being carried by the guards.
“At long last,” the queen walked up to her. “It`s the end of the road, what do you have to say for yourself?” asked the queen as she paced around her, but Liza remained quiet. “Quiet then? Alright off to the chopping block with her.”
“Yes my queen,” the guards took her down the hall as the queen watched.
“Hold!” she yelled. “Perhaps…” she looked at the group.
“No way!” protested Francis.
“I wasn`t asking,” said the queen. “But who to keep her on check who better than… Franco!” she yelled. A skinny guy with average height, long dark hair, and brown eyes came out. He was wearing a black shirt with black boots and white trousers he also had a black beret on his head and a white cape on his back with a rapier on his belt.
“You summoned me, mother,” he bowed before the queen.
“Mother… huh,” smiled Francis.
“Something funny mister?” Franco looked up at him.
“Maybe you should go back to your books and academic life,” said Francis.
“And perhaps you should go back from whatever farm you came out of,” said Franco.
“Somebody has to wipe that arrogant smugness of your face,” said Francis as he drew the sword.
“No!” Hugo grabbed Francis by his hand and pulled him back. “Do you make enemies wherever you go?”
“If it`s a duel you desire, a duel you shall get,” Franco bowed and placed his hand on the back as with the other hand drew the rapier and pointed it at Francis.
“There will be no duels today,” ordered the queen. “Franco, I am sending you on a quest with them.”
“Mother! Such a fate!? I would not wish upon my worst of enemy,” protested Franco.
“You will be tasked with keeping a close eye on her,” the queen looked at Liza who was still being held by the guards. “If she so much as moves a finger… And who knows, this journey might take you east, you`ve been wanting to expedite that region have you not?”
“Yes… mother.”
“East you say?” Francis looked at him. “What is your business there?”
“And of what concern is that to you?” asked Franco.
“There is nothing but evil there,” said Francis.
“You are not talking about the dragon are you?” Hugo looked at both of them. “You know Vega is just a myth right?”
“Well this won`t be a dysfunctional group at all,” Liza commented.
“It`s settled then,” said the queen. “First we need to get you sorted out,” she looked at Cristina. “While she trains you will get shelter and food I want you all prepared in top form for this quest.”
“Can we use the library?” asked Aelizia.
“Whatever you need,” the queen walked away.
“Well a farm boy, a thief, a prince, and a princess, there will be tales for this group, what could go wrong right?” smiled Franco.
The queen placed them in a room where they were all together so that they could bond she said. Aelizia and Franco occupied the table with various books and maps whilst Francis was laying on the bed picking on his teeth and cleaning his fingers with a small pocket knife. Hugo was another story, he just stood on the window and stared outside for days on end. He was starring at Cristina as she trained with her bow whilst Liza watched both of them from afar and just smiled at them for torturing each other of not being able to express each other's feelings. Cristina was a tad bit sad that she could not spend as much time with the others or help them in any other way, but she had other reasons to be happy about it, she was finally improving her aim and was finally gaining some useful skills. The days turned into weeks and the weeks turned into months she trained and trained as the others searched and searched. They turned the library upside down, twice, but alas… they could not find a single clue as to what the sigil could be. Aelizia, Franco, and Liza were starting to have their doubts about the whole thing, but Hugo and Francis knew what they saw and never doubted each other. You could say it was the only thing they agreed on because when it came to everything else they would kill each other. But why is it like that? Why did the dream only come to them? It`s not like they were the only soldiers on the battlefield that day, but nobody else seems to remember. Perhaps it wants to t*****e them, drive them mad. The thought of not finding anything linked to the sigil and the thought of looking like fools to the others may drive them mad. They were getting restless, all of them even Aelizia, it drove her mad as well, but they clinched their teeth and the dubbing ceremony day came. Franco and Cristina kneeled before the queen as she tapped them with the royal sword, alas becoming true knights of the realm. The queen supplied them with food and water and all the necessities they will need.
“This is hopeless!” Aelizia threw a book on the floor.
“Why do you despair?” asked Franco.
“There is nothing on here about this b****y sigil,” said Aelizia as she stood up and looked at Cristina who was outside firing with her bow. “Could you stop starring and help us here?” she got annoyed by Hugo.
“What?” Hugo was just not present with his mind.
“Never mind,” said Aelizia.
“Perhaps we are not looking hard enough,” said Franco.
“No, these are all the books there is from our history,” said Aelizia “We`ve turned the whole library upside down,” she stroked her eyes. “I need to send word to my father, we failed them.”
“NO!” Francis stood up and grabbed her arm. “Not yet, We will go out there and find out, whatever that thing is.”
“Perhaps…” Franco starred at the ground. “What if there are more books?”
“What do you mean?” asked Aelizia.
“There is a restricted section, by it`s guarded by the masters. They say there are some dark books, some of which not even a king could possess.”
“And you say they are guarded?” Liza stood up.
“Yes, either you should revoke all ambitions and earthly belongings to become a master or simply steal them, both of which have a questionable chance of success,” finished Franco.
“Not for me…” Liza looked away. “I`ll take it as a challenge.”
“Honestly your reputation precedes you in this realm, your capabilities are indubitable.”
“What?” Francis looked at Franco.
“What?”
“They are what?” he asked again.
“Indubitable,” repeated Franco without ever even looking at him. “I don’t suppose a farmboy would know what it means.”
“That`s it, you sir have crossed a line,” Francis took his sword as Aelizia and Liza stopped him instantly. “Let me at him!” he yelled.
“Do you want to die?” asked Liza. “Do you know what`s the penalty for assaulting him?”
“Still it does not give him the right to behave in such manners,” said Aelizia as she looked at Franco angrily. “Was that necessary?”
“Look at us,” Cristina stood on the doorway holding her bow.
“Cristina!” yelled Hugo. “How was your training? I trust that you hit every mark,” but Cristina just ignored him for the time being.
“Is this the Francis that Anfroy trusted with such quest?” she spoke as Francis just lowered his head. “Is this our future king that insults its subjects?” she turned toward Franco. “Either bury your differences or I will bury them for you, And I don’t care about the price that I have to pay for it afterward,” she stormed off as Hugo just looked at them with disappointment and anger and followed after her.
“She is right, we are doing nothing but dooming this quest,” said Franco as he gave Francis his hand for him to shake it. “I`m sorry,” he looked at him. Francis looked at him angrily and slowly with hesitation gave his arm as well, they shook hands and the hatched was buried at least for now.
- Writer
