Dawn- An age of Darkness

We did find the guestroom, but there was no sleep in my eyes. 

I couldn't. 

I just couldn't. 

"Still awake?"

Around midnight Alisa started talking. 

This was one of the larger guest rooms with two beds. Ve and Alisa shared one, while Me and Biteria, the other one. 

Biteria was fast asleep and I had no idea if Ve was sleeping or not. It didn't matter though.

"Yeah."

"I admire your choice to respect us but- I think you shouldn't. Or more importantly, there are more pressing things you need to concern yourself with at the moment. Your first priority should be to survive and beat the emperor, then to figure out a way to win. And then think about all this." Alisa paused for a moment. Her words weren't forced and she was speaking frankly. "Besides, we all know you love the elf. So, even asking that you think about us instead… is just wrong."

"I-"

"You don't need to answer. I'm merely just speaking out loud. Anyway, I think I'll catch some sleep. Do you want me to put you to sleep? I could even teach you the magic." She let out a faint chuckle. 

It was dark so I couldn't really see her face. But I knew, she was sad, just from her tone. It was hard to tell, but somehow… somehow, I knew. 

"No thanks." 

I needed to think. I couldn't just wander in dreamland and hope everything will be alright. 

"Alright."

…

…..

.....

And no more sound reverberated. No more nothing. Biteria was right next to me, so I could feel her breathing but that was it. 

I couldn't feel anything else. 

Nothing.

There were certain things I needed to account for. One, the whole concept of respecting their wishes, was probably just a hoax. I didn't know what I wanted to do, so when that woman back at the inn gave me advice, I acted like an idiot and thought that was the best course of action. 

But it wasn't. 

After all, I loved Lianne and she wasn't okay with this. And my friends weren't chew toys either. I couldn't just toy with their hearts and throw them away. 

I couldn't just promise them something and then dismiss them out of nowhere. 

And the fact about me dying remained too. I didn't have much time and I was wasting the small amount of time I had in domestic turmoil. 

I clutched my hand to my chest. 'It hurts.' And I was the cause of all this. 

If I'd thought things through a bit more, if I were a bit more mature in my decision-making… it would have never led up to this. 

"Mmmghmm…' Biteria made a pillow out of me in her sleep. This was typical of her but- I had a feeling she sensed my distraughtness. Or maybe even this was just a way of my mind pretending and thinking something happened because of me- for me. 

But I the end, the truth was, I was just trying to justify things without actually giving a damn about what the reality was. I was just trying to make things work my way, not the best way. 

I was just pretending.

***

I woke up when the rest of my comrades woke up exactly at dawn. I wasn't quite sure when I fell asleep but one thing was for certain, whenever it was, I didn't get enough sleep. 

"You look like an undead," Ve said. 

And I didn't have a response to that. 

All I could do was Yawn and wipe my almost dead, tired eyes.

Ve and Alisa were dressed, so maybe they'd got up a little earlier than me.

Still, seated in bed, I watched the warm light coming through the window. It was probably spring. And soon it'd be summer- the same season when I came to this world. 'My time's almost up.'

Biteira was still sleeping, grabbing my pillow, thinking it was me. It was almost cute. Why couldn't she just be the cute fluffy white bunny instead of a bunny girl? I liked bunny girls but still….

"I'm not familiar with this place, so could you lead me to the showers?" Alisa said, looking at Ve. 

Ve looked a bit troubled. After all, she didn't quite know either. Last time she'd just showed up moments before our departure and that was it.

"We could always just ask a maid," I said. "Or maybe I could take you. I've been there myself." 

"Fair enough but don't you have something bigger to worry about."

As a matter of fact, I did and I remembered every little bit of that too. The only problem was, I had no plan whatsoever and I knew nothing about what I could do to make all this work. 

  "Look Daarc-" Ve paused. "You should patch things up with the elf. I'm content being your friend."

Alisa smiled and nodded along. 

Meanwhile, Biteria woke up and grabbed my hand. Apparently, the bunny wasn't okay with things. Talk about a selfish rabbit!

I chuckled. "Alright, you guys head over to the bath. I'll fresh up a little and see what I can do."

The two nodded while Biteria just pouted. None said anything.

Not the best start to this day but it was better than nothing. 

***

I couldn't find Lianne. She wasn't in her room and she wasn't in the courtroom either, actually, no one was in the courtroom.

The guards outside had seen her leave but they didn't know where she went. 

About five minutes later Bryce showed up from nowhere. He almost cried seeing me. Good to know the guy was doing good but I had other things to worry about. 

"Know where Lianne is?"

"No, my lord. I haven't seen lady Lianne all day."

All-day? It wasn't even time for breakfast yet. What was all day to this guy anyway?

My breathing became a bit erratic and so did my heartbeat. Did she leave this place without me knowing?

She wasn't that irresponsible and impulsive, was she?

I guess after what I pulled, even if she wasn't, it didn't matter. 

'What would I have done if she'd done something similar to this and asked me? Could I have accepted such things from her? Could I even picture her with-' I stopped. 

My heart ached. I could finally feel a glimpse of what she felt… and though I knew this feeling was fake- I had to do something. 

Sighing wasn't getting me anywhere. I needed to think and I needed to wake up. I needed to make this right.

"Say, is there any warm drinks that can make you feel refreshed or something?"

The stuff I'd bought in Saram had sadly run out. They weren't that great tasting but they got the job done. 

"I think you can get a glass of warm milk if you asked the chef nicely."

I guess he was speaking from experience. The guy probably forgot for a second that I was actually the king of this land. Because his next words were "Le-let me go and bring it right away my liege!"

And he was shaking too.

"Don't bother. If I drank milk now, I'd be sleeping again."

I believed in Lianne that she wouldn't run away. I didn't know why, but I wanted to believe and when I finally meet her, I'd be sure to have a talk and make her understand, my feelings for her weren't lies. I didn't care about anything, I only loved her. And if she wasn't okay with this, then I'd go back on my word and not make a single effort in this regard ever again. Lianne mattered more. 

And I wanted to make sure she knew that. I'd have to apologize to my friends extensively for making this harder than it should have been, I'd apologize to Lianne as well… 

I had enough of trying to fix everything with my stupid fixes.. It was high time, I had a face-to-face, real conversation with her regarding our future.