"Elicia!"
"Elicia!"
People shout Elicia's name while looking for her.
She is lost.
She hasn't even become my sister yet and the chaos has started already.
My shitty luck.
Not that I am really unlucky but nothing goes well. Almost never.
Not even the duty of saving my other sister.
I tried to breath out my grief and guilt but I can't, because I would never be able to.
She died.
Before I could have even found her. What a shame, I couldn't even see the face of my own sister. And there I was, saying I would be the best big brother.
We located her. Located her corpse.
Only if I had more connections. Only if my ability was stronger. Only if I was more active. Only if I was braver. Only if…-
It is not the time for this. I have to find Elicia first.
Even if I find her, how am I supposed to tell her this?
How can I show her my face?
She would despise me. She would never accept me as her brother. Not that I am worthy of being a big brother.
I took a deep breath before shouting her name with all my power, "Elicia!"
I repeat, "Eli-"
"Has anyone checked that room?" Henry's voice is loud as he points towards a closed door. And then I realise, it sure was a nice decision to take him with me. He sure lives up to his standing of 'Imperial Guard', there's no doubt that he sure is hardworking, strong and above all else, he's kind-hearted, though his face and body say the opposite. He's big and his muscular figure is kind of…scary, I guess?
It's a bit awkward to mention this as a man myself that I sometimes find myself scared just by being in his presence. Not to mention, I am tall, taller than most men I see, I am about six feet and one inch; when I am in public, I am like,
Oh yeah, I am so tall!
But when I am standing near him. I feel like a child. I barely reached his chest. Literally barely. I find myself frightened at the thought that I may be exaggerating a lot about reaching his chest. He was gifted to mother on my birth by the king. He was supposed to follow me around and protect me but I prefer him rather not, because he would scare the shit out of me-I guess, I should stop reading for a while because I think it's affecting my brain into thinking like a female after reading their POV's for hours-
Oh my God, how do I get lost in my thoughts so quickly?
There's no time for this.
I am starting to feel that I may be emotionless, like literally. Even though I haven't seen the corpse with my own two eyes, the fact that hearing about it does not affect me as much as it should have.
Maybe I will feel it when I see it with my own eyes instead of believing what my guards say to me. This may be because I don't really believe in their abilities. Just by being near the corpse, they told me that she is dead.
And when I was trying to absorb the moment, Elicia got lost.
"No, I have not." One of my other guards replied to Henry's question.
"Not me." Another said.
"I have neither." Arnold said while breathing heavily. He was affected terrifyingly in both the news. First Elicia's sister's death, and then, Elicia getting lost. He seemed to be fine outside but his eyes told everything. His eyes were burning, burning with something I dare not to know. He is totally not as fine as he acts to be. I guess they are much closer than I thought them to be.
It's great to know that my sister has someone to rely on.
"Seems like no one has." Henry finishes. He turns his face to me; his dark green hairs are nice and neat but his fiery eyes? They stare at my soul.
At a moment, I realized that I was no longer breathing. I am holding my breath. I don't know why but I am.
Oh gosh, can he just not stop staring at me. He's making me nervous. Does he want a staring contest? Fine. I will give him one. Does he think he can win? Of course, he cannot. Not when I am in the opposition.
I stare at his green eyes. And-
He nods to me. He nods to me-
What?!
Why is he nodding to me? Does he accept that I am the winner? Does he-
Shit. I got lost in my thoughts again.
He must be asking for permission to check the room.
I nod.
"I will check it." Arnold interrupts. His face and body are steady like he is fully prepared to throw a punch or a kick when needed.
"Fine." I pause, "As you wish." I run a hand through my hair.
"Ahm" Arnold hums, "Can I speak to you in private for a second, Kallian?"
Wait, why does he want to speak to me in private?
Does he also want a staring contest?
Or does he-no it cannot be this. I cannot believe how nasty my thoughts are becoming day by day.
He has much to speak to me about. As he should have.
"Of course." I reply while raising my eyebrows.
He walks towards me. We walk towards a corner.
"What is it that you wanted to speak with me about?" I ask him while crossing my arms.
He runs his hand on the back of his neck. He avoids my eye contact as he speaks, "I know there's much going on and I have no place to ask you-"
"You have the place." I interrupt to correct him. "You are my friend. You're Elicia's family, my sister's family. So, you're my family too." I finished correcting him.
He passes me a hollow smile and then he continues, "Thank you for the comfort." He pauses, "The thing I wanted to ask was…" He sighs, "…I have the feeling that Elicia is inside. I mean, I know Elicia is inside. I trust you to not misunderstand. I trust you, because you're Elicia's family now. So, can you please leave me alone for a moment? Me and Elicia? I have to tell her about all this alone."
I just cannot understand what in the world is going on here?
Life is not making any sense.
Firstly, I became friends with a girl five years smaller than me. Turns out, she is a thief!
Then, randomly, we somehow met in an illegal place? With her best friend? The best friend that just came out of jail? And the fact that they told me this randomly when they were drunk?
Totally not normal.
And instead of asking her questions, I started to have fun with them. Hang out with them.
Afterwards, when I was escorting them to their home as an adult should, we found dead bodies in their house.
Ironic, isn't it?
There were assassins to kill her mother? That makes no sense at all.
A knife was pressed on her mother's stomach and she was talking so nicely. Impossible.
They took her little sister. Unbelievable.
And, when I should have been asking them questions, I was there doing nothing.
And the fact that she has powers?
What in the world is going on?
When I should have been questioning and arresting them as criminals, I was promising to adopt her.
Leaving everything behind. Right now, how is he supposed to know that she's there?
This is all too much for me to handle. I cannot handle this. I should just agree to whatever he says.
"Fine." I look towards my guards, "Move outside!" I command.
15 min later.
Arnold walks outside the house, Elicia and a girl curled up in his arms.
The girl is small. She must be the little sister.
I cannot see her face from this distance-
Why is Elicia drenched so badly in blood?
I run towards them, and as I reach the distance-
There is no head on her sister's body.