New Revelations

If you are offended by any of the things mentioned above or are NOT 18 years of age or older, TURN BACK NOW. You have been warned... now let the good times commence!

New Revelations

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Chapter 26 (...Boobs. LOL)

Having finally made it to the doctors’ office, Lina stood by as Katibree stripped her top layers of clothing down to her chest wraps, while waiting for the doctor to see them.

The sorceress stood with her arms folded and tapping her foot impatiently, while leaning against a wall by the curtained entrance to the room while the ex-assassin settled herself on the edge of the examination table.

As the two girls waited, the redhead scanned the dull, sterile surroundings of the room boredly until her ruby colored eyes were eventually drawn to the half elf, who was sitting patiently while swinging a leg back and forth casually.

She looks pretty laid back to be sitting there with a hole in her chest…She can act as macho as she wants, but I know that she’s in pain. Lina thought to herself as her train of thought drew her gaze to Katibree’s now bloodstained chest wraps. Why does she keeps those things so tight anyway, it looks really uncomfortable… I’ve never actually seen her wrap them, but I’ll bet that it’s a pain in the ass to deal with too. After mulling that over abit the sorceresses’ eyes then strayed to the ruined mess of fabric where the bullet had struck the ex-assassin. And that’s another thing, I actually got a good look at one of those expended slugs the beast man gunner was using in his weapon when I ran back to get my sword before we headed here…and I’m pretty sure that it was made of lead…

Just then, Katibree looked over at the sorceress having felt the redhead’s eyes on her.

“What’s up Red?” The half elf asked lightly.

Lina looked at the half elf uncomprehendingly a moment before answering. Was I staring…? Oops…

“…It’s just that I’m starting to wish I’d chanced digging out the bullet myself now is all.” “It’s amazing that you aren’t already showing signs of lead poisoning as it is…” The sorceress explained, doing her best to try and keep at least some of the concern out of her voice.

“Oh come on Lina, you worry too much.” The ex-assassin chuckled dismissively.

Before the redhead could respond back, the curtains at the entrance to the room were pushed aside and a female doctor entered through them.

“Hello ladies, my name is Rumiel and I’ll be your medicine woman today.” “I understand that there is a gun wound to be treated?”

Both girls nodded at her simultaneously.

“Alright, let’s see what we have here then.” Rumiel said while making her way over to Katibree

“These wraps are extremely tight, would you mind if I just cut them to speed the process along?” the doctor asked.

“Be my guest, they’re ruined now anyway.” The half elf replied casually.

“Very well then, here we go…” the medicine woman said as she lifted the fabric of the wraps slightly before producing a small blade from her pocket and cutting the chest wraps from the bottom upwards.

“Try not to move please, no need to create any new wounds to stitch up eh?” the dark haired woman joked lightly as she continued to slice upwards through the blood-caked wraps.

“Well that won’t be so bad for you right?” “It’ll just fatten your coin purse all the more because you’d have to do extra work…” Katibree joked back distractedly.

The doctor’s next reply to the half elf fell on deaf ears as the tips of her pointed ears began to redden in embarrassment with the sudden realization of the fact that her entire chest was about to be exposed not only to the doctor, but to a certain sorcery genius as well…

Well that’s… that’s awkward… I mean, I guess Lina won’t care so I shouldn’t either…She takes baths and stuff with other girls without batting a eye. Well, that’s all fine and dandy for her, but it becomes a totally different issue when you happen to have an affinity for the gender that you’re being exposed in front of - -

Just then, the ex-assassin’s uneasy train of thought was cut off by a sharp tearing noise as her formerly heavily constrained breasts finished the doctors work, forcing the last of the uncut fabric to tear loudly, while springing out from their confines triumphantly and bouncing slightly.

Katibree merely covered her face with her hand as both Rumiel and Lina stared at her breasts in shocked silence. Fucking perrrrrfect…way to make an entrance.

The medicine woman was the first to break the silence.

“How in the world did you breathe with that thing on?!” she blurted.

“I guess they really wanted out…” the half elf said through her hand quietly while chuckling with a mixture of mortification and amusement.

Lina simply continued to stare with her ruby colored eyes as big as saucers and her mouth partially open, incapable of verbal speech at the time.

I could tell she had something under there but… they’re BLUE… I mean, I’m assuming the rest of her is too of course but…I-I just guess that I’ve never seen blue breasts before… I mean, I know I haven’t before but- - And they’re fricking HUGE! How the hell did she stuff those things in there like that? I mean, not Naga huge but… that color just makes them look larger than life…!

Hey, maybe I should try painting mine… The redhead added as an afterthought.

Rumiel cleared her throat quietly before speaking again.

“Please pardon my reaction, it’s just that I’ve never had that particular part of the anatomy aid me in surgery prep before..” The doctor explained teasingly as she deposited Katibree’s abused chest wraps into the trash.

The half elf merely rolled her lavender eyes at the sound of Lina’s muffled laughter. At least one of us is enjoying themselves…

“Alright, there’s no exit wound so the bullet is embedded correct?”

Both girls nodded affirmatively.

“And how old is the wound?”

“An hour and 24 minutes” / “An hour or so.” The half elf and sorceress chimed simultaneously before turning and giving each other odd looks.

“I only healed it enough to slow the bleeding.” Lina added.

“I see, well first things first…” “I’m going to need you to drink a glass of this.” Rumiel said while pouring Katibree a large cup of multi-colored liquid. “It’s the closest that we have to a painkiller right now, other than casting a sleep spell on patients.” She added.

The ex-assassin took the cup of liquid while gazing at it warily before finally glancing over at Lina doubtfully.

“As much as you like to drink, you’ll absolutely love this stuff Kat.” The redhead replied to the half elf’s silent question.

That being said, Katibree downed the entire contents of the sizeable glass without another thought.

“I’ll be back in a few minutes, after the painkiller has taken affect ladies.” The doctor said before exiting the room briskly.

She could have at least left me something to cover up with if she was going to leave me sitting here for a while… The half elf thought to herself somewhat self-consciously.

Noticing the ex-assassin’s discomfort snapped Lina out of her ‘blue-haze’ and she finally averted her eyes, embarrassed by the fact that she’d found herself blatantly staring at Katibree once again.

I guess I really should be more considerate… Up until this point, Kat’s pretty much gone out of her way not to bathe with or even really change clothes in front of me. I don’t see any scars or anything, but that is a pretty cool tattoo…

The only reason I can come up with for her being so shy is just the fact that she’s not used to this sort of thing… She definitely doesn’t have anything to be ashamed of.

Come to think of it, she even acted all weird that day she accidentally interrupted my bath at the lake. She was backing away like she expected me to fry her like some pervert guy that had just snuck over to the girls’ side of the hot springs or something…it’s kind of odd, because at that point I’d already invited her to come bathe with me in the past…

Lina snuck another look at the half elf, who was currently staring up at the ceiling expressionlessly with her arms folded in front of her chest. Maybe she just didn’t put two and two together so she thought that I’d be angry with her…but that really doesn’t seem like the type of thing that Kat would miss.

Either way, the lady is taking forever to come back. The redhead thought while shrugging herself off of the wall that she had just been leaning on and beginning to remove her cape. I really can’t understand what Kat thinks she has to be so shy about, I’d kill for a figure like that… blue boobs included! The sorceress sulked to herself as she handed her cape to the ex-assassin while doing her best to keep her eyes averted.

“Thank you.” The half elf said in a barely audible voice. It’s times like this that make me wonder what else Lina picks up on but doesn’t say or do anything about. Katibree thought to herself while shifting on the examination table uneasily.

“Sure thing Kat.” “So what’s up with the tattoo between your shoulder blades anyway?” Lina added in an attempt to lift the ex-assassin’s spirits, or at least divert her mind somewhat from the fact that she was half naked…

“Oh, that’s just the mark of the ‘Ethereal Daggers,’ everyone in my guild has one.” “The mark is added to and altered as a member goes up in rank.” Katibree explained as she draped Lina’s cape over the front of herself gratefully.

“Well, tattoos are permanent, so what happens if someone goes and gets themselves demoted?” the sorceress asked with growing interest.

“Then they’re hunted down and killed by the other members of the guild.” The half elf replied matter-of-factly.

“That sounds pretty harsh.” Lina replied.

“Yeah, well it’s a harsh buisnish…” Katibree slurred as her lavender colored eyes suddenly began to lose focus.

“Buisnish?” The redhead repeated with an amused look on her face.

“Whoa, I’m just… wasted all a sudden…! Katibree chuckled before flopping backwards on the examination table. “Room’s shpinin’!” she added with a barely restrained giggle.

“I thought you might like it, ya big lush…” Lina teased while taking a seat on the edge of the table herself.

“They should call this shit ‘Insta-drunk’!” “I’m sho totally buying a bottle of this stuff for the road!”

“Nice try Kat, but it’s not for sale to the public.” The redhead laughed.

“Awww, that’s horseshi- -“

“It appears that the tonic has taken affect…” Rumiel observed as she re-entered the room, interrupting the two girls’ conversation.

“Boy, has it ever.” Lina giggled while glancing down at what was most likely the least serious ex-assassin in the entire world. I don’t think that I’ve ever actually seen her truly laugh or smile without holding back at all until now, she should really do it more often. The sorceress thought to herself with satisfaction as she left the half elf’s side to take her former spot against the far wall once again.

“Woo!” Katibree exclaimed as she whipped Lina’s cape off of herself before rolling it up and tucking it underneath her neck. “Time ta get teh lead out!” she added with a laugh.

“Indeed.” The medicine woman chuckled as she laid out a few small tools on the examination table before leaning over the ex-assassin to get to work.

The actual surgery only took 15 minutes as Rumiel explained to the girls that the lead slug had glanced off of the side of Katibree’s sternum and shattered into a few pieces, but nothing vital had been damaged as she removed the shards before stitching the half elf up.

“Just watch her and make sure that she has no symptoms more serious than a fever tonight, anything other than that most likely indicates serious lead poisoning and you’ll need to bring your companion back in.” the dark haired woman explained to Lina further as Katibree got dressed behind them.

“I’ll keep a close eye on her then, thanks doc.” The redhead replied while handing the medicine woman her payment before turning to leave.

“Ready to go Kat?” she called over her shoulder.

“K.”

The two made their way across town to an inn that Lina had long ago scouted as the best one for the least amount of coin and checked into a room.

“Mmmmmm, this bed looks soooo comfortablesh.” Katibree gushed as she literally launched herself onto it and buried her face into one of the pillows, nuzzling it.

“Come on Kat, try not to tear your stitches before morning OK?” “I probably still won’t have full use of my powers until then to cast the proper healing spell. The sorceress said while doing her best to stifle a laugh. God’s she’s so lit!

The ex-assassin’s muffled reply through her pillow was incomprehensible, much to the redhead’s exasperation.

Lina sat down on the bed with a small sigh before grabbing her own pillow and clubbing the half elf over the head with it.

The smaller girl smiled at the sound of muffled protests before walloping Katibree once more.

“I can’t understand you, get your face out of the pillow already.” The sorceress laughed.

The ex-assassin flipped onto her back grabbing for Lina’s fluffy weapon of choice as she reiterated her prior statement.

“I said why do you have to use magic for everything?” “Why not just let it heal on it’sh own?”

The redhead snatched the pillow back and just out of Katibree’s reach before placing her free hand on the half elf’s forehead, shoving it playfully and causing the larger girl to lay / fall back down onto the bed.

“Because I think that it would be better for you to be at 100% sooner than later..” “And on top of that, you never really explained to me why you have such a problem with me using my magic all the time to begin with.” Lina replied. We constantly go back and forth about this, I really don’t see what the big deal is…

“Fine just go ahead, but I’d prefer you to do it while I’m asleep if possible.” Katibree said as she sat back up in bed and finally began removing her cloak.

The sorceress merely blinked at her in disbelief a few moments. That’s it? She never gives up on this without some type of resistance… she hates it when I try and heal her…

“Ok well… are you going to at least tell me why you always have a problem with it to begin with then?” the redhead asked hopefully.

“Let’s just say that… I’d don’t care to be that close to your magic if I can help it.” The half elf replied, blushing visibly as she finally managed to remove her cloak and fold it sloppily before placing it on the chair next to the bed.

Was she just blushing or was that the booze…? It’s hard to tell… Lina’s train of thought trailed of slightly before dropping completely off of the map as her ruby colored eyes were drawn to the sudden shock of blue cleavage virtually spilling out of the low cut, black leather tunic that the older girl had been wearing underneath her cloak.

I…I’ve just gotta ask… it’s killing me…

And why’s it getting so hot all of the sudden…? The redhead thought to herself with some agitation while standing to remove her cape and gemmed shoulder guards, tossing them wherever she fancied to at the moment.

“Hey Kat..?” the sorceress finally asked while sitting back down on the bed slowly and doing her best to avoid making eye contact with the half elf at this point.

“Sup Red?” the ex-assassin asked before flopping backwards on the bed once more and maneuvering herself onto her side to face the redhead inquisatively.

“Well its…uh…I was wondering - -“

Lina’s word’s caught in her throat and she turned beet red as she caught the movement of quivering cleavage out of the corner of her eye triggered from the aftermath of Katibree’s latest ‘bed flop’. She cleared her throat loudly and pivoted on the bed turning her back to Katibree hurriedly while struggling to regain her composure.

What the hell is wrong with me tonight? It’s not like I’ve never had to put up with obnoxiously jiggling breasts before... What am I wigging out about, it’s just a simple question so asked the damn thing! The redhead exclaimed to herself angrily.

“Lina…?” the half elf asked unsure that she even should.

“I…I was just wondering why you always wear those stupid mummy wraps all of the time…” the sorceress finally managed, giving the ex-assassin’s chest a last reflexive glance before standing suddenly to go open a window.

Mummy wraps? Katibree wondered to herself while following the redhead’s quick glance just now to her own cleavage.

“Oh, you’re still thinkin’ sbout the boob-in-the-box effect from earlier?” The half elf asked as she shifted her weight on the bed to keep the sorceress in her blurry line of sight.

Katibree’s only reply was a muffled snicker from the redhead.

“Yeah, I guess the expression on the doctorsh’ face was pretty classic huh?” The ex-assassin added before descending into a fit of unchecked laughter.

“I don’t think… the expressions on our faces… were much better…!” Lina chimed in while laughing so hard that all she could do was support herself with one hand on the windowpane while holding her stomach with the other.

“Ow, ow, ow it… hurts…” The redhead giggled in between gasps as she staggered toward the bed. “Move it or lose it Kat!” She managed to add before sprawling out on the bed as soon as the half elf was clear.

After both girls had gotten their laughter under control once more, Lina tried again.

“But seriously Kat, it looks really uncomfortable so why do you do it all the time?”

“It’s for combat.” Katibree replied simply.

“Combat, what does kicking people butts have to do with your breasts?” the younger girl asked doubtfully. She can’t be that drunk…

“Ok, you’ve seen me fight rights?”

“Yeah, several times.”

“And you know how fast I move?” the half elf persisted.

“How could I not?” the redhead replied.

“Well then, you’ve seen me sprint and just suddenly turn on a silver piece and start sprinting in a completely different directionsh then right?”

Lina looked over at the mostly platinum haired warrior with an odd expression on her face before finally nodding again. Where’s she going with this?

“Well without my wraps, I still stop on a silver piece… but my boobs just keep… going in the same direction that I was headed in before I stopped…” the ex-assassin said with a resigned sigh.

The sorceress just stared at the half elf in disbelief a moment as what she had just been told sunk in. She’s gotta be yanking my chain…

“You don’t know the meaning of the word ‘uncomfortable’ until you’ve suffered from ‘titty whiplash’.” Katibree finished sleepily.

L-Sama, she’s serious!!

Lina lost it, rolling around on the bed before finally falling on the floor still howling with laughter.

“Titty…Whiplash…!” she gasped in between stretches of hysterical laughing.

“Yeah laugh it up Red, you can take yourself and your nice, perky, little boobs and go find something ‘uncomfortable’ to sit on.” The half elf yawned.

The redhead’s laughter cut off abruptly.

Did she… Did she just say that my breasts were…?

Lina scrambled up to an upright position, poking her head up and back into the ex-assassin’s line of sight, while peering over the bed at her.

“Hey Kat what…what did you just say?” I have to have misheard that; none ever has anything nice to say about the size of my chest…

Katibree opened a lavender eye groggily, squinting it in an effort to see the sorceress clearly and failing miserably. “About you needing to find somethingsh to sit and spin on?” she slurred sleepily.

“HAWH!” the redhead exclaimed *face-faulting* “NO not THAT, the thing you said right BEFORE that!” Lina exclaimed, getting back up as quickly as she’d fallen over.

“The ‘titteh whiplash’?”

“After that…” the redhead said stifling a giggle. “It’s was about my…well you know...” She finally managed while blushing profusely.

“Oh, your perkies?” Katibree asked, her voice cracking to a slightly high pitch.

“…Yeah, those.” Lina affirmed quietly, with her ruby colored eyes now downcast.

“What ‘bout em?”

“Well… you don’t think that they’re…?” The sorceress trailed off her question, unable to bring herself to finish it.

“Too small?” the half elf finished for her.

“Yeah…” The redhead replied in what was practically a whisper.

“Fuck no!” Katibree laughed, “They’re perfect for yoursh figure!” “Swell n apexes are just right too…” The ex-assassin’s analysis of the younger girl’s chest size trailed off as she began to snore softly.

Swell and apexes, what the heck are those? HEY, did she just pass out on me?!

“DAMN it, Kat-I-bree… you can’t just… you can’t just say something like that without explaining it and then just fall asleep!” “WAKE UP!” Lina shouted, shaking the snoring half elf vigorously.

She’s completely out… The redhead thought to herself dejectedly.

“Hoooownn, this isn’t fair!” she groaned to herself quietly. And I still don’t know what those two words mean either… Well I know what a swell is, just not in reference to a breast… And on top of that I seriously doubt that I’ll have the guts to ask her about it in the morning, I had a hard enough time talking about that kind of stuff to her when she was plastered…

If this Inn doesn’t have a dictionary somewhere… I just might get violent!

Chapter 27

Katibree awoke the next morning, opening her lavender eyes slowly before blinking at the ceiling of the Inn a few times groggily. I don’t even remember falling asleep… hell, I hardly even remember getting here last night. It’s all one big blur…I can’t believe how potent that stuff was, it knocked me on my ass like I was some kind of light-weight.

Well, as drunk as I was last night all I can do is hope that I had the good sense to keep my tongue in check…I’m assuming I didn’t do or say anything too stupid considering that I’m still alive and in good health. The half elf thought to herself with an amused chuckle.

Lina looked over from her reading at the sound of the mostly platinum haired warrior’s chuckle.

“So you’re finally awake huh, Kat?” “Your fever just broke an hour ago.” The sorceress said yawning sleepily as she closed the book that she had been reading.

Did she stay up all night just to check up on me? Well, that was nice of her…but I really don’t think it was necessary. “Yeah, I’d say good morning but it doesn’t even look like you’ve been to sleep yet.” The ex-assassin replied while sitting up and examining her chest wound (or lack there of one). She healed me while I was asleep? That figures - - hey, I don’t remember changing out of my gear and into this nightshirt, I’d remember that much at least…”Uh Lina, did you…?” Katibree began to ask but trailed off before finishing her question.

“Oh, your gear?” The sorceress asked. “Your fever got pretty high at one point so I changed you into something cooler, besides most of our stuff was filthy and needed to be repaired so I just sent it down to the cleaners and tailors while you rested.” She added.

The half elf just stared at the redhead with an expression on her face that Lina couldn’t quite make out. She changed my clothes, took off my weapons and everything else, and I just slept through all of it like a baby? I-I must be slipping or something… drunk or not, I always wake up the moment I’m touched to defend myself…It’s just a reflex that I’ve had for as long as I can remember… So why didn’t she trigger that?

I’m sure that if I’d tried to deck or kill her at some point during the night, Lina probably wouldn’t be quite so pleasant this morning- -

“What?” Lina asked bewilderedly after squirming uncomfortably under the half elf’s luminous gaze a few moments. What’s that look all about? Is she… mad or something…? I tried not to look and everything while I did it…

“…Never mind, just try not to make a habit of doing that, OK Red?” Katibree said while standing from the bed and stretching in a mock display nonchalance. “What were you reading anyway?” The ex-assassin added in an attempt to get her own mind off of her previous decidedly disconcerting train of thought.

“Oh this, it’s just a dictionary.” The redhead said as she reached over and placed the book on the nightstand near the bed. Well, she not back to calling me by my last name again, so I guess she’s not that mad about it…

“You were reading the dictionary.” The half elf deadpanned.

“Yeah, I had to do something to keep myself awake all night, I worked on the new incantation for the talismans a little bit too though. Lina added sheepishly. I wonder how much she actually remembers about last night. Not much I’m guessing, she was pretty hammered… I probably shouldn’t tell her about that compliment she gave me right before she passed out then, it’d just embarrass the both of us. But drunk or not…

“You couldn’t find anything more interesting to read than the dictionary?” The half elf persisted once again in disbelief.

“Oh it was plenty interesting at the time I decided to pick it up.” The sorceress said evasively while fluffing her pillow with an oddly content looking smile on her face. “Anyway I’m beat, so what do you say you keep yourself occupied with something while I catch a couple of hours of sleep before we hit the road again Kat?”

That being said, the redhead curled up with her previously fluffed pillow and drifted off to sleep with the slightest touch of that same strange little smile on her lips.

Katibree merely stood there gazing in confusion at the now sleeping sorceress for a long moment. What’s up with her today? Lack of sleep I guess…

Just then the ex-assassin’s lavender colored gaze fell on a medium sized bowl with a rag draped over the side of it next to the dictionary that Lina had placed on the nightstand.

Right… she was up all night tending to and wiping the brow of her ‘sickly half elf’.

It’s kind of hard to see someone who can obliterate an entire kingdom with the snap of her fingers as being that maternal, but it’s always one surprise or another with Lina. She thought to herself while running a hand through her mostly platinum mane and blushing with embarrassment as she walked over to ring out the rag before empting the bowl itself in the bathroom basin.

That having been done, she started her bathwater and headed back out into the room to grab a towel, picking the redhead’s shoulder guards up off of the floor absently and placing them on one of their traveling packs as she went.

I really hate the thought of being babied and normally I’d be furious but, I’m really not sure how I feel about much of anything lately. I mean it was really nice of her to do that for me, but why did she even bother? I would have been fine if she’d just… Fuck, I don’t know what to think anymore. The half elf brooded to herself as she made her way back to the bathroom and began to undress.

I’ve never really dealt with anything like this before… I mean assassins don’t trust, and so they don’t have any real friends, just acquaintances and business partners. The ex-assassin continued while stepping into the steaming water and sitting down with a slight *slosh* as the water was disturbed.

Well, as much as I hate to admit it, Lina’s definitely become more to me than some business partner or acquaintance… I guess I consider her a friend now, although I’m not sure when exactly it is that the transition happened. The mostly platinum haired warrior pondered to herself as she leaned back in the tub with another deep sigh.

We’ve been traveling together for close to a month now and have hardly ever even been out of each others’ sight for more than a few minutes at a time, so I’ve really gotten to know her in that period of time… I suppose bonding to some degree under circumstances like that is pretty much inevitable.

Either way, we’re more than a week and a half behind scuedule now.

” If I didn’t know any better I’d say Lina was looking for excuses to get side tracked from getting back to her home town so quickly.” Katibree laughed to herself audibly as she reached for some soap and began to work up a thick lather on her smooth blue skin.

As it stands, this town is only like a day and a half to a day away from there, so we’ll get to Zephilia soon enough, and after that we can head to my side of the barrier.

I am somewhat grateful for this whole thing taking longer than it was supposed to though, I’d be lying if I said that I was eager to get back to the Guild Hall…I really don’t want to go, but I have to see it for myself, I owe my guild mates that much at least...

The ex-assassin broke her train of thought momentarily as she worked some shampoo into her platinum and crimson colored hair while squeezing her eyes shut to prevent any soap from entering them.

It’s still hard to wrap my head around this whole situation I’m in the middle of at times. Up until a month ago I wasn’t even sure if all of this stuff that I’d read about was even true or just legend. Gods, Monsters, demons, magic powerful enough to destroy entire cities; it’s all just so wild. She continued to brood to herself as she rinsed her hair and body off before getting out of the tub and draining the water from it.

The half elf gave herself an almost feral shake, sending droplets of water flying in every direction before resorting to the towel to begin drying herself the rest of the way.

It’s enough to make someone want to go insane, but I guess it’s different for Red… “She grew up with all of this crazy shit as a regular part of her life”. Katibree added audibly as she put on a fresh nightshirt and undergarments (bra included this time), before rummaging around in the pack opposite the one that Lina’s shoulder guards were sitting on for a hairbrush.

The sight of the red gemmed shoulder guards compelled the ex-assassin to steal a glance at the sleeping sorceress who had made her way to the center of the bed and was now curled up there snoring softly.

The scene drew a soft chuckle from the half elf, who made her way over to the bed and retrieved the bunched up blanket from the foot of the bed, draping it over the redhead.

She then sat down on the bed herself, before tentatively scooting over to being within an inch or so from the smaller girl’s back.

After giving Lina one last lingering glance, Katibree set to the task of brushing her hair with a sigh that sounded much more content than she would have liked, causing her to flush slightly.

Her blush only deepened when the redhead, apparently sensing the nearby warmth of the mostly platinum haired warrior, turned over in her sleep and snuggled up against Katibree, before draping an arm over the flustered half elf’s lap with a wordless murmur.

‘Wreckage and chaos in her wake’ indeed. The ex-assassin thought to herself while looking down at the redhead fondly.

^^^^^^……Later on that day……^^^^^^

“It’s good to be on the road again, huh Red?” Katibree said as the two girls made their way out of town and in the direction of Zephilia.

“Yeah it is, but we weren’t even in town for an entire day Kat, you must really hate civilization.” Lina replied with a giggle.

“Yeah, well what are ya gonna do?” The half elf joked back with a careless shrug.

After walking for a few minutes, Katibree was the first to break the silence.

“Hey Lina, I’ve been thinking…”

“That’s nothing new.” The sorceress teased. “So what’s up?” She added.

“Well, were basically targets right now, so the Monster race is probably doing their best to keep track of where we’re going and what we’re doing right?”

“Yeah, but honestly I don’t think that the entire Monster race is involved with or even knows about this whole thing just yet.” “Either way, what did you have in mind Kat?” Lina replied.

“Ok, well you’re pretty famous around these parts so all the Mazoku have to really do is ask a couple of people in any town whether they’ve seen you or not and track our movements that way…” the ex-assassin mused.

(L) She’s got a point there, yeah.

“So I was thinking that maybe you should change your appearance.” Katibree finished.

“Change my appearance.” The redhead repeated. “And just how do you suggest I go about doing that Kat?” She deadpanned with some amusement.

“Just hear me out!” The half elf said, stifling a laugh. “When everyone thinks of you they think ‘sorceress’, so why not just get a mercenary’s outfit or something and wear that while we’re traveling?”

“A mercenary outfit.” Lina mused quietly. Well my father was one... And Gourry was too before he met me… I guess that wouldn’t be so bad. On top of that, I always kinda wanted to follow in Dad’s footsteps anyway, Luna just got there first…

(K) “So, what do think?”

“I guess that wouldn’t be so bad, it would certainly be a change of pace…” “Maybe we can pick something out on our way out of Zephilia, but I don’t think that we really need to worry about disguises until then.” The sorceress replied.

“Why do you say that?” the half elf asked.

“Well, Zephilia isn’t just my home town, it’s my sisters’ as well and she’s the Cepheid Knight…” “That basically puts Zephilia and the areas surrounding it underneath an unspoken type of protection.” The redhead explained.

(K) Lina’s sister is THE Cepheid Knight, as in a piece of Cepheid’s SOUL resides in her body? I’m starting to think that stepping foot back in Zephilia isn’t that great of an idea…

“And on top of that, Zephilia is bordered by The Holy Kingdom of Seyruun too, so I seriously doubt that these Monsters that are after us will have the guts to even think about attacking us here.” Lina continued.

“And hey…” The sorceress said suddenly.”

“Hum?”

“We’re talking about getting me a disguise but what about you Kat?” “What, you don’t think that walking around with blue skin and red streaked hair that’s so shiny that it looks like it’s been forged by a blacksmith isn’t conspicuous?” The redhead teased.

“Of course I have a tendency to stand out, but I’ve dealt with that all of my life and that’s why I wear this.” The ex-assassin laughed gesturing at her hooded cloak.

“And just how does walking around looking all creepy and suspious help you draw less attention to yourself?” Lina asked while reaching over and flipping the hood up and over the half elf’s head playfully.

“It may make me creepy and suspicious looking, but it also makes me anonymous, creepy and suspicious looking.” “People can notice me all they want, but if I put my head down with this on, they can’t see my face to identify me.” Katibree replied while grabbing Lina’s headband and yanking it down over her eyes.

“Yeah, that’s real cute… Thanks for that Kat, really.” The sorceress laughed while readjusting her headband. “Ok, since you have all the answers today…What kind of mercenary outfit do you think I should get then?” she added.

“Well, you definitely don’t want anything too bulky or heavy, maybe just cured or studded leather.” “And maybe you could get a second weapon to make the getup more authentic looking…” The half elf mused.

“Why get a second weapon?” Lina asked while raising a crimson eyebrow at the ex-assassin quizzically.

“That’s simple, it’s because people who duel wield are cooler than people who don’t.” Katibree answered with a smirk.

“Hawh and you say I have an ego!” “Get over yourself already!” the redhead laughed while shoving the half elf.

“Don’t hate me just because I’m awesome enough to use two weapons…” The ex-assassin continued to tease as she whipped out her blades and began to spin and flip them flashily.

“Blah, blah, blah… alright ‘fingers’, what color should the outfit be then?” Lina asked while rolling her ruby colored eyes at the half elf’s shenanigans.

“Color, oh I don’t know…” Katibree trailed off while re-sheathing her blades in a fluid motion. She TOTALLY set herself up for this one… I just have to say it, I can’t help myself…”Well, if you really wanted to keep with traditions and all of that… as well as still give people some kind of clue as to who you actually are…” The half elf began coyly.

(L) …She…She wouldn’t dare say it…!

“I think that it would only be fitting to wear the color of the prestigious title that you were given, I mean… every other Great Sage wears their color with pride…” The ex-assassin continued. There she goes…kinda feels like she’s got a ‘Digger Bolt’ charging this time. Katibree thought to herself wistfully.

Lina just stopped walking completely and looked at Katibree, blushing more and more profusely as the half elf continued to talk.

(L) I can’t believe she knows about this…She can’t say it…! I can’t take it…I HATE that title…!

“And you are an up and coming future Great Sage are you not, Lina The P- -“

“Kat-I-BREEE…” Lina began menacingly.

Yup, that is indeed a ‘Digger Bolt and those really suck to try and out run...’ “Alright, alright, I’ll stop!” The half elf chuckled while holding out her arms as if to ward off the seething sorceress approaching her.

The redhead walked up to the larger girl and stood mere inches from her with a stern expression on her face, before reaching out and slowly removing one of the half elf’s blades from her belt, sheath included.

“Wha… wha--?” The ex-assassin stammered confusedly as she watched the sorceress.

The redhead backed several feet away from the half elf with that same stern expression on her face before finally stopping.

“What are you… doing Lina…?” Katibree asked suspiciously.

“Well, what did you expect Kat?” “If I’d just tried to snatch your blade off of your belt, I’d never have gotten it because you’re too fast… so I had to confuse you first…” Lina explained while breaking into a dazzling smile. “Ray Wing!”

“Oh, you little shit…” Katibree said as she watched the redhead lift off and begin flying in the direction of Zephilia before finally running after her.

“Language Kat, you’ve only got one weapon now just like everyone else… So you’re not ‘cool’ enough to curse anymore!” Lina shouted over her shoulder while clipping Katibree’s weapon to her own belt with a laugh.

Ever the fucking tactician! “Give me my fucking blade Inverse; you can’t stay up there forever!” The ex-assassin shouted to the redhead before running up the side of a tree and bounding over to a branch as she began to jump from tree to tree in pursuit of the sorceress.

“Yeah I know, but you can’t run forever either!” Lina called back while sticking out her tongue and pulling down an eyelid at the half elf currently bounding from tree top to tree top.

“Just try me Inverse, give me back my blade damn it!”

Lina merely laughed at this and picked up speed, the ex-assassin’s anger egging her on.

The two girls kept their game up for hours, Lina sometimes flying at full speed with Katibree running below her or bounding from tree top to tree top off to the side of her. And occasionally she’d coast as the ex-assassin jogged after her.

L-sama she’s still right behind me… I didn’t even push myself anywhere near this hard when I was on my way to Zephilia for the summons. Kat’s definitely got some serious stamina and she’s pigheaded to boot…

I still got enough juice to fly for at least another hour but- - Lina’s train of thought was cut off as her altitude suddenly dropped sporadically. After struggling to get her concentration back in check she continued her train of thought. But, mentally I’m almost completely drained and it’s getting almost impossible to keep concentrating on the spell to keep me in the air like I have been… I’ve got to touch down because if I keep this up my control is just going to give out suddenly and I’m going to end up dropping like a rock. Lina thought to herself with a laugh as she dropped in altitude once more and began to fly unsteadily in the direction of a nearby meadow.

Wow, I can already see Zephilia off in the distance from here, oh I know this area! Talk about making serious time…! The redhead thought to herself while coasting 10 or so feet off of the ground while preparing to touch down in the grass.

The sorceress was suddenly tackled from behind by Katibree just as her control finally gave out and the two girls went tumbling end over end through the grass for awhile before finally coming to a stop with the larger girl on top.

“I told you… that you couldn’t… out fly me.” Katibree said in-between pants while reaching down and unfastening her weapon from Lina’s belt and refastening it on her own before dropping her head down onto the redhead’s chest and promptly passing out.

“Yeah, I guess you did say something to that affect.” The sorceress giggled. “We made great time though at least right?” she added.

“Kat…?” Did she just pass out on me? Lina thought to herself as she raised her head slightly and reached up to brush aside some of the mostly platinum haired warrior’s mane to get a good look at her face.

She totally did, and after all that big talk and boasting too…The redhead thought to herself as she dropped her head back onto the cool grass while smoothing out the half elf’s hair absently. Actually that doesn’t seem like such a bad idea…I’m totally drained and it’s so comfortable all of the sudden…Lina mused to herself as the last effects of her adrenaline rush from the chase finally wore off and her eyelids began to droop.

Doesn’t seem like… that bad of an idea at all actually…She finished before drifting off to sleep herself.

Chapter 28

Lina scrunched up her face opening her ruby colored eyes and blinking them as a particularly fat raindrop spattered on the bridge of her nose rudely. She went to wipe the moisture off of her face reflexively but froze when her hand met resistance.

Apparently the redhead had somehow managed to tangle her fingers quite thoroughly in a certain half elf’s hair while she’d been asleep.

Was I playing with her hair in my sleep or something? The sorceress thought to herself blushing slightly as she tried her best to de-tangle her fingers without waking the ex-assassin to no avail. Wha- - what is she…doing..?? She exclaimed to herself, her blush deepening all the more.

(K) I fell asleep? I’m still tired, and sore too…Katibree thought to herself as she buried her face a little further into her pillow and nuzzled it somewhat before freezing in her tracks- - Pillow…? Oh God’s please don’t let her be mad, please don’t let her be mad…I’m too tired to be set on fire right now…

Katibree lifted her head up off of Lina’s chest carefully as her shocked lavender colored eyes met and locked with just as shocked ruby colored ones.

(K) “I….ah…” The ex-assassin stammered as she reached up to help Lina detangle her fingers from her own mostly platinum locks.

(L) “uh… eh, heh…”

(K) “………”

(L) “………um...”

Just then the rain, which had only been drizzling up to that point, began to come down in buckets. Both girls broke their uneasy eye contact with one another to look up at the sky as the torrent of rain poured down on the two of them drenching them almost immediately.

Katibree stared at the sky a moment before looking back down at Lina and flashing her a dazzling smile before rolling off of the younger girl and onto her back while laughing.

The redhead looked over at the half elf with a bewildered expression on her face at first before finally joining in on the light hearted laughter herself.

The two girls laid by side by side that way for a long while, just laughing and enjoying the sensation of the rain on their faces before a flash of lightning followed by the sound of thunder snapped them out of their impromptu moment of euphoria.

(L) “I’d say that’s the prompt to get going.” Lina said as she stood up with a grin.

Katibree merely looked over at the sorceress and nodded as she stood up herself.

“Come on Kat, I know a place we can go that’s really close to here!” The redhead said cheerfully before taking off in a dead run toward the direction of what looked like an alcove of some type.

Where does she get all this energy from, I don’t think I can run anymore…The ex-assassin thought to herself as she looked after the sorceress, but as tired as she was, the half elf soon found herself running to catch up with the redhead none the less.

(K) What happened around here? Everything in this area is just dead it looks like… The mostly platinum haired warrior thought to herself as the two girls came to a stop at a rocky wall near a strange looking lake.

“Here it is.” Lina said as she closed her eyes and placed a hand on a large rock protruding slightly from the wall, while murmuring an incantation quietly.

The rock moved forward and then rolled over to the side, revealing what looked like a good sized chamber of some sort.

“I practically lived in this place when I was a kid…” Lina explained as the two girls entered the stone room. “Watch your eyes Kat.” Lina said before casting a light spell to get a general idea of where all of the various candles were placed around the room, before snapping her fingers to light them all and dispelling the light spell.

Katibree walked around tracing various runes and symbols that were written on the walls with her fingers in wonderment as the sorceress continued to talk.

“I came here to study and test out new spells mostly… But back then, that’s pretty much all that I ever did.” And you’re the first person that I’ve ever brought here. The redhead thought with a quiet laugh as she watched the ex-assassin examining a huge magical circle drawn directly in the middle of the cave.

(K) “What’s this circle all about, Lina?” “It’s a lot bigger and more complex looking than any of the others in here.” The half elf asked while kneeling and tracing the patterns with her fingers. I can still feel some traces of magical energy from this…

“That’s actually kind of a long story...” Lina sighed as she opened the cave air vents before starting up the fire pit. “You can put all of your wet stuff here by the way.” The sorceress said while gesturing at a few hooks hanging above what looked like a stone vent. “I designed this place so that the natural ventilation would suck up some of the heat from the fire pit and force it out over the clothes here.”

(K) “The whole lay out of this place is amazing; you could have been an engineer, Red.”

“No way, I don’t have the patience for anything like this unless it’s magic related. Lina laughed as she began to remove one soaked article of clothing after another.

(L) “Anyway, as far as that magic circle with all of the runes on it goes…” “It was for a ritual I did when I was younger.” “I’m sure you noticed how creepy this whole area is, with everything being dead and all of that.” Lina added.

The ex-assassin merely looked at her and nodded quietly from her position in the middle of the circle.

“Well the ritual did all of that…” “It kind of just sucked the life energy out of everything in the general area of this place… it even killed the lake outside, nothing lives in there even to this day.”

(K) “Sounds like some pretty hot stuff.”

“Oh it was, and it was really stupid of me to try too, but I guess I came out of it OK minus a side effect or two.”

“Side effects?”

“Yeah, I didn’t always look like this Kat, if Naga saw me now; she probably wouldn’t even recognize me…” Lina said quietly while finally stripping down to her bare essentials.

“Look like what?” Katibree asked, genuinely confused.

The redhead chuckled quietly before walking over to the half elf and sitting down in front of her. “Well my hair for one, was originally closer to mouse brown instead of flaming orange…” Lina explained while gesturing at the ex-assassin with a lock of her hair to stress her point. “If it gets any brighter, people are going to start thinking that I just… walk around with my head on fire all of the time or something.”

The mostly platinum haired warrior couldn’t help but laugh at this quietly.

“But, I guess that the biggest change was my eyes, and I know you’ve noticed those, everyone does…” They were closer to a chest nut color before the whole ritual deal.” The sorceress explained.

(K) “And all these changes happened over the course of a few years?” Katibree asked.

“Yeah, a little over two actually… And I suffered some memory loss as well…” The redhead added.

“Well, did you get anything out of the deal that was useful?” The half elf asked finally standing and beginning to remove her own drenched articles of clothing.

“You could say that…” Lina answered evasively.

“Uh, Ok then…” Can’t begrudge a girl her secrets, Gods know I have more than one…”Well what do you say we chow down on some water logged beef and chicken jerky over by that nice warm fire pit over there then?” Katibree said while hanging up her gear on the aforementioned hooks that Lina had pointed out earlier.

“That sounds like a plan Kat!” The sorcery genius laughed as she stood up. “I’ll grab some blankets she added while still grinning.

The ex-assassin plopped a pack down wetly in front of the fire pit and began digging through it for the bag of jerky as Lina retrieved some blankets from a shelf that had been formed out of the stone wall.

The redhead draped a blanket around the half elf’s shoulders before sitting down next to her and holding her hands out to warm them near the fire.

“Thanks Red.” That was nice of her… Katibree thought to herself while blushing slightly.

“Hum…?” “Oh the blanket?” “No problem Kat…” Lina replied distractedly.

(K) “So, what are you thinking about right now?”

“Well, I’m not really thinking any thoughts right now…. They’re closer to memories, flashbacks I guess you’d call them.” “This place and I have quite a history together…” And up until now, I’d always come here alone. I always kinda wanted to share it with someone but I guess… I was always kind of afraid of what someone else would think about me if they ever saw it…If the sorcerers’ guild ever saw any of this stuff I’d be black listed for sure! The redhead thought to herself with a smile as she watched the half elf who was tracing yet another rune on the floor of the chamber with her fingers.

“What does this one mean?” The ex-assassin finally asked.

“That one is just a compound rune, it’s used to join other runes that wouldn’t normally fit in an incantation together, the whole thing kinda works as a puzzle piece with endless combinations.” Lina explained.

(K) “So this rune joins and activates these two?” Katibree asked while placing both hands on the symbols on either side of the middle rune.

“That’s right.” “Just keep your hands there, close your eyes and imagine your energy flowing out of you and into the runes.” Lina instructed.

“Ok… I feel tingly…” The half elf said nervously.

“That just means you’re doing it right.” Lina giggled. “Now concentrate and say ‘Nivos Servas’ Infernium.’

“Nivos… Servas’…” The mostly platinum warrior began before trailing off…

“Go ahead.” The sorceress urged with a grin.

“…Infernium - - “Whoa!” She exclaimed as she snatched her hands away from the runes, causing the blanket around her shoulders to slip off when a surge of energy coursed out of her body and into them.

The half elf then watched in fascination as one after another, the symbols around the base of the fire pit began to glow until every rune surrounding it was lit. And she watched with even further fascination as the flames in the fire pit began to burn more intensely before beginning to change colors, alternating between blue and gold.

(K) I… I did that…?

(L) I can’t believe she got that on her first try, she’s a natural… I’m really impressed. “Look who’s making magic now.” Lina teased while elbowing the ex-assassin.

“I’ll stick with my blades thanks.” Katibree replied while picking up the now drying bag of jerky and tossing it in the redhead’s lap.

“Hey Kat?”

“Yes Lina?”

“How come you always let me get first pick of the food?” The sorceress asked quietly as she grabbed a piece of chicken jerky out of the bag.

Do I…? I’ve never really thought about it…I guess it’s because I know how much she enjoys eating…Her eyes light up like the sun itself whenever foods’ mentioned…

“Kat?”

“Hum…?” “Oh well it just because I’ll know whether it’s poisonous or not if you eat it first is all…” The mostly platinum haired warrior replied coyly.

*WHACK!*

“Ow!” “What??” Katibree laughed before reaching into the bag and grabbing a piece of jerky for herself.

Chapter 29

(K) “The passage should be right around here.” Katibree said while searching the stone wall that was heavily overgrown with vegetation with her hands.

“Where’s it lead to Kat?” Lina asked.

“Right into the heart of the royal castle actually, it’s an old emergency escape passage that Thomas gave me the royal crest to activate the door to.” The mostly platinum haired warrior replied as she finally found the switch, releasing the latch to a well hidden stone door with a dry sounding *click*.

“So this is how you got into the castle undetected…” The redhead mused as she watched the stone door slowly grate open.

“No actually, I did that the good old fashioned way…”I did use this passage to escape afterwards... but only because it was a direct request from Thomas to do so.” The ex-assassin added as she walked into the dark passage and began to run her hands along the mossy bricks lining the walls of its depths.

(L) That makes sense, she never did like doing things the easy way… The sorceress thought to herself wryly.

“Here it is…” The half elf said while removing a loosened brick from the wall and pulling a medium sized box out from the opening left by the missing brick. “It’s all here, the business transaction with Thomas, the blue prints for the hit, the crest… all the evidence you need is right here to close your investigation.” She finished as she stepped back out of the passage, closing the door behind her.

Lina took the box and opened it, scanning the documents within for a few moments before placing them back in the box.

“This should definitely do it.” “So, are you ready to head over and see The Queen then Kat?” The sorceress asked.

“Well… that’s just the thing…” Katibree started before trailing off while fidgeting slightly with the tuff of hair at the tip of her braid resting on her shoulder.

“Is there something wrong?” The redhead asked confusedly.

“Well kind of, yes…” “I just don’t think that it’s the best idea for me to go with you to see The Eternal Queen is all.” “I’d prefer not to step foot in Zephilia again just yet.” The half elf explained evasively as they made their way back to the road.

“You don’t have anything to worry about as long as you’re with me Kat… I can personally guarantee you a pardon from The Queen herself.” What’s she so worried about all of the sudden I wonder?

“I understand this Lina, and I don’t doubt what you’re saying but… I’m just not… comfortable with the idea.” The ex-assassin finally replied while averting her lavender eyes to avoid the sorceress’s questioning ruby colored gaze. I don’t doubt that at all Red… it’s your sister that I’m worried about…

(L) “I….ah… well, Ok… If you feel that strongly about it then, I’m not gonna try and force you to or anything…” “I just don’t understand…” I know there’s something that she isn’t telling me… I can tell just by the way that she’s acting. Well I’m not going to push her about it, she’s been more than understanding with me when it comes to things that I don’t care to talk about, so it’s only fair that I treat her the same way…

“Oh, never mind… but either way the docks to the outer barrier are on the opposite side of Zephilia, so how are we going to meet up again?” “This shouldn’t take very long but, there’s always a chance that there will be some type of hold up at the palace.” The sorceress finally finished.

“I’ll just make my way around to the other side of the Kingdom while you’re taking care of business, and camp out right outside of the city if it takes longer than expected.” “It won’t be too hard for you to make out the smoke from the campfire if you’re flying, as good as your eyes are.” Katibree answered, finally bringing herself to make eye contact with Lina once again.

Lina placed a hand on her hip as she walked, looking up at the sky a moment while ruffling her crimson mane with the other hand in thought before finally responding to the half elf.

“Alright Kat, that sounds like a plan…” “But, I’ll make sure that my room is facing in your direction if anything comes up.” “The castle is really tall, so I’ll just send you a light spell signal to let you know what’s going on if there’s a significant change in plans at all.”

“Ok, what type of signals are we talking about here, Lina?” The ex-assassin asked.

“Well, I’ll keep it right by my window and a slow blink will mean that there has been a change of plans; and just incase..., a rapid flash will signal some type of emergency.”

(K) “And if everything goes smoothly… you’ll just show up whenever.” The half elf finished for her as they walked.

“You’ve got it!” Lina exclaimed cheerfully. “I’ll at least stay at the castle overnight to give you a chance to make your way around to the other side of the Kingdom though.” She added as they came to a fork in the path, one leading into town and the other continuing around the boarder of the city.

(L) “Well…. I guess… I guess that’s that then…” Lina said while rubbing the back of her neck. Why do I feel like I’m forgetting something...?

“Yeah, the plans’ pretty solid…” Should I… hug her or something…? No, that’s ridiculous…She’s just going to deliver some information, not…leave forever. Shaking her hand would be kind of weird too though, now that we know each other so well…

Well, I feel like I should do…something before we part ways…Katibree thought to herself, while looking everywhere but at the redhead standing in front of her and blushing slightly.

The two girls stood at the fork in the road that way for a few moments before Lina finally broke the uncomfortable silence with the sound of a loud *THWACK* as she assaulted a very shocked ex-assassin’s back with her hand, causing the larger woman to stagger forward a step.

“See you in a bit, Kat!” “Try not to go and do anything too reckless before we meet up again on the other side of town OK?” The sorceress teased, while giving the recovering half elf her trademark Lina Inverse wink before walking off down the path leading to the gates of The Kingdom of Zephilia.

“Look who’s talking!” The mostly platinum haired warrior laughed back, while rubbing the spot on her back that had just been ravaged. Well, I guess that does count as doing something…Katibree chuckled to herself before finally flipping the hood of her cloak over her head, hefting the sack on her shoulder, and taking off in a jog down the opposite path.

(L) I didn’t forget anything, I’m sure of it…Did I forget to do something then? Gods that’s going to bother me all day.

Chapter 30

Lina walked through the still opening massive double doors and headed straight to the throne where The Queen was sitting.

“Your Majesty, I think I have something here that you might want to see.” The sorceress said as she presented the box that Katibree had given her earlier to The Queen.

“You work very quickly Miss Inverse.” The matriarch said approvingly as she shooed an elite royal guard away, taking and opening the box herself. “You have apprehended the assailant I take it?”

“Not exactly your Highness.” Lina replied.

The Eternal Queen looked up from the contents of the box to look at the redhead questioningly. “You were unable to catch him?”

“Actually it’s a ‘she’, not a ‘he’, and there really wasn’t a reason to apprehend her…” “She was hired to do the assassinations by one of the most trusted members of your high council.” Lina explained. “All of the proof that you need is right there in the box, and now that everything has been taken care of… I’m pretty sure that Corbin won’t have much of a problem telling you everything that went on himself.” The redhead added.

“C-Corbin….?” “He is responsible for this…?” The matriarch stammered as she read through the documents. “So we have lived with a false sense of security all of these years… There was a spy right in the midst of the royal council all of this time.”

The sorceress nodded in affirmation. “He didn’t have enough proof to convict the spy and the guy she was bribing… so it would have just been his word against theirs for the most part, and the whole thing would have just turned into a big drawn out deal while Zephilia’s advancement continued to suffer…” Lina continued to explain.

(Q) “And so… Corbin avoided the red tape all together by taking matters into his own hands.” The matriarch finished for the redhead. The penalty for treason is indeed death after all…

The sorceresses nodded once again.

The Eternal Queen quietly asked a servant to go and bring Corbin Tomas to her immediately before continuing. “I understand, well if this is the case… then this ‘assassin’ has done my Kingdom a great service.” “If you see her again, tell her that I officially grant her a pardon due to the extenuating circumstances of this situation.”

“Sure thing.” Lina replied giving the dictator a strange smile. “Oh yeah, and your Majesty…?”

“Yes, Miss Inverse?”

“I was wondering if you wouldn’t mind me crashing out here one more night… All this running around has got me pretty beat!” the redhead laughed while rubbing the back of her neck in feigned embarrassment.

“Yes of course, I’d almost forgotten…” “The Cepheid Knight asked me to have her informed as soon as you arrived.” “She wishes to speak with you.” “She asked me to tell you to wait for her here, and that she would be here in a few days at the latest.” The Eternal Queen said.

(L) A few days? “And let me guess, she wants me to stay on the castle grounds the entire time so that I’ll be easier for her to find?” Lina asked with barely checked ire.

“Yes, in almost those words exactly I believe.” The matriarch replied with more than a little surprise.

“…Well, if I’m going to stay here for a few days… would you mind if I picked out my own room this time?” The sorceress finally requested after taking a short moment to cool off somewhat.

“That’s no problem at all Miss Inverse, I’ll have someone sent up to prepare the room as soon as you’ve made your selection.” The Eternal Queen answered.

“That’s great, and was there anything else that you required your Highness?”

“That will be all Lina The Pink, and thank you for your help in this matter once again.”

“Don’t mention it…” Lina replied through gritted teeth before bowing stiffly and then turning to make her way out of the throne room.

First Luna dumps this whole mess in my lap to begin with, instead of taking care of it herself. The redhead fumed to herself as she made her way toward the North side of the castle.

Then I bust my ass to get to this place, and she’s not even here when I arrive… And then I handle this whole fiasco that was her responsibility to deal with to begin with in record time with NO PAY…And NOW she wants me to wait around on the castle grounds until she FEELS like showing up to ‘speak’ with me… The sorceress continued, working herself into a quiet frenzy as she walked.

“And NOW I can’t even leave the castle to blow off some STEAM?!” She blurted audibly, startling a nearby servant and causing him to drop his cleaning supplies.

“Arrrrrrrrrgh!” She exclaimed while ruffling her crimson mane angrily and barely resisting the urge to fry the closest living thing in sight.

The sorceress forced herself to breathe deeply in an attempt to calm herself as she made her way to the higher levels of the castle to pick out a room. Well… I guess this whole situation isn’t all bad… I do get the full run of the castle and it’s ‘facilities’ for a few days. And on top of that… if Luna hadn’t pawned the investigation off on me, I probably never would have met Kat…Lina mused to herself as she poked her head into a room that looked like it had a good enough view of the forest.

Luna has never been much of one for words when it comes to fighting… Everything is always so black and white to her. She probably wouldn’t have even heard Kat out… That is provided that Kat even tried to reason with my sister at all… They’re both so damn pigheaded! The sorceress laughed quietly to herself at this.

That sure would be one hell of a fight though… but I seriously doubt that it would have a happy conclusion… Yeah, this room looks like it’ll do. Lina thought to herself while gesturing to the closest castle personnel to inform them of her choice.

Either way, it looks like I’m going to have to find something to do to keep myself occupied for at least this evening and the rest of the day tomorrow…I wonder what the royal library has to offer…? I’m sure I can find plenty of interesting stuff there, but first things first… I’m STARVING! The redhead thought to herself with a giggle as she made her way to one of the many lavish dinning areas.

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