anwhile, around the sa ti in Elandria...
The last surviving assassin knelt before Lady Arnarra, with his head bowed low. He had been traveling the whole day from Xathia and the mont he reached Elandria, he went before its ruler.
"Speak," Arnarra said coldly.
"We failed, my lady," the assassin said, with his voice sounding strained. "Oberon killed the other two. I barely escaped with my life."
Arnarra had a disappointed and irritated expression on her face. Her hands curled into fists at her sides, and she repeated, "Failed."
"Yes, my lady."
She turned away from him, staring out at the moonlit gardens beyond. "Leave my presence."
The assassin bowed lower and backed out of the room, leaving Arnarra alone.
For a mont, she stood in silence, staring into the night from the balcony until Lysandra stepped into the corner.
The young lady’s had an unreadable expression on her face, and her eyes carried this dangerous edge.
Over the past month she had worked closely with the Ruler of the Elfs, feeding her whatever information was necessary. Channeling all that grief over the death of her father, into one purpose.
Revenge.
"My Lady..." she began. "Were they successful with Oberon?" She asked. She already knew Arnarra had sent assassins after him. and had spent the last two days waiting for word, hoping for the good news of his death.
Arnarra shook her head but said nothing more.
Lysandra clicked her tongue in frustration. By her understanding, Oberon should have been killed before his coronation, only then would they turn their full attention to Aiden.
However this unexpected turn would only serve to slow down their plans.
Still, she expressed that desire once more.
"My lady, might i suggest that perhaps we focus all efforts towards killing Aiden instead? He is after all the true culprit here "
Arnarra turned to face her, with her expression softening just slightly. "Patience, Lysandra. I want him dead as much as you do, but he is not an easy target. He’s too strong, and even the assassins I sent after Oberon failed."
Lysandra said nothing in reply but her face had twisted into a scowl
Arnarra stepped closer and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I promise you, Lysandra. Aiden will answer for what he’s done. But we must be smart about this."
Lysandra exhaled slowly, then nodded. Although the scowl remained.
————
Back in Dragonhold, the night had grown late, and the guild mbers were beginning to make their way back to the guild hall in small groups.
Aiden walked slowly behind the others, Laela on his left and Arianna on his right.
They had to an extent when abruptly, Aiden stopped.
Laela and Arianna paused and looked at him curiously.
"I want to give you both sothing," Aiden said quietly.
Before they could ask what, he reached out and took both their hands.
Space warped around them, and in an instant, they were standing in his pocket domain.
They both looked at him, really surprised. Laela then asked again, "what’s going on? What is this thing you want to give us?"
"Just... one second," Aiden said in a soft voice.
Then he spoke to the system in his mind. "Reforge the rings quickly. Mix the sapphire crafted into the rings with the purple hermis stone from my inventory."
[Understood. Reforging in progress...]
A mont later, two rings materialized in Aiden’s hands. They were beautiful, simple but elegant. The sapphire and hermis stone had been woven together seamlessly, creating sothing entirely new.
Aiden looked at both won, his expression serious but filled with warmth.
"As per both your requests.." he began. "Well this is also trying to do right by you both"
His sights were first on Laela, "I want you both to know that I love you..." then he glanced towards Arianna for another mont, "and will cherish will protect you, no matter what."
Then he held out the rings.
"Laela, radiant as the morning sun and the sweetest song that lingers in my heart. Arianna, fierce as wildfire and the smile I never knew I needed. Will you marry ?"
For a mont, neither of them moved.
Then Laela’s eyes filled with tears, and she nodded. "Yes."
Arianna’s breath was caught, and she smiled through her own tears while saying. "Yes."
Aiden , with a smile on his face slipped the rings onto their fingers, and the mont he did, they both threw their arms around him, holding him tightly.
He kissed Laela first, soft and lingering, then turned and kissed Arianna with the sa tenderness.
When they pulled back, Arianna was grinning. "When?" she asked breathlessly. "When do we do it?"
Aiden’s expression shifted slightly, and he hesitated. This was the part he hadn’t managed to figure out a way to tell them.
"After I return from Dellheim," he said quietly.
The mood starts shifting slightly.
"Delheim? Where’s that?" Laela asked with a puzzled expression on her face. She hadn’t exactly held of the place
Then Arianna whose mory served better to rember the children stories, then asked. "Do you speak of the forsaken continent?"
Aiden nodded slowly without saying anything further.
Laela then reiterated the fact that she had no idea where this place was, and asked again. "Where is this Dellheim?"
Arianna then explained that it was another continent entirely and also explained why it was called the forsaken continent.
Laela after hearing that then turned towards Aiden, "why would you want to go off to such a place by yourself?"
She had this genuine worried look on her face.
Aiden sighed, and then went on to explain how he t Cronyssia at the S-Ranked Dungeon. The warning he had to pass on across to the Dragon of Ti of the Present, who could possibly by the Forsaken Continent.
It was a hard story for them to swallow in and grasp quickly, forcing them both to sit on the stone pavents and ponder over what he just explained.
Then Laela asked, "When are you leaving?"
"Soon," Aiden said.
Arianna’s face fell. "How soon?"
Aiden looked at them both, sighed again and said. "After the coronation."
"What? Isn’t the King’s Coronation like tomorrow?" Arianna expressed how discontented she was with all of these.
Aiden was unsure of what to say to it.
"Well, if that’s the case. We’ll be coming with you" Laela said
Aiden blinked twice. "What? No no it’s too dangerous" He shook his head vehently
Arianna backed her up. "I agree with Laela. We are coming with you. Moreoever, Delheim is too far which ans you’ll be gone for weeks"
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