Hand in Hand Journey
The path from the town to the city was still desolate. Plants were growing, but it still couldn’t change the fact that there was no life. If I didn’t have Veirya next to me, boredom might’ve killed me. Veirya was no longer the aloof and silent Veirya anymore. At the very least, she expressed jealousy when I was involved. That meant Veirya cared about me. She still wore a stoic look, but I was happy.
Veirya rode next to me with her gaze ahead. All of a sudden, she asked, “What. Exactly. Is your relationship. With the Elven Queen?”
I knew Veirya would inevitably ask the question. Veirya looked at me through the corner of her eye the entire journey. I, therefore, knew she wanted to ask, but I didn’t think there’d be a reason for the Elven Queen to behave the way she did.
If we were being logical, the Elven Queen and I shouldn’t be close yet. I never did anything that would touch her or make her want to repay me with her body, did I? All I did was give her one kiss. Surely that wasn’t enough for her to develop romantic feelings for me. I didn’t quite understand elves, but I think a woman who would be so devoted after one kiss… for the most part, only existed in novels, right?
“I’ve been with you recently. Nothing happened between her and me, either. Maybe it’s their elven tradition? I’m not too sure.”
“What if, then. She really. Wants to. Be with you. Will you. Have children with her?”
Veirya turned her head to look at me. I lingered for a moment before looking back at her: “Why are you suddenly asking me that? I never thought about it… I don’t think my relationship with her has progressed to that stage… It’s too soon to have children.”
“Mom said. People only have children. With the person they love most. She also said. You love me. So. She told me to watch you. And not let you have children with anyone else.”
“… That woman…”
That was bloody embarrassing. It was so embarrassing to have Veirya mention that I love her as if it was nothing major. I cursed in my mind, “That woman can’t do anything right. I’m supposed to say that. What’s your issue, woman…?”
Also, I was dead certain Angelina didn’t do it with the intent of bringing us together, but for her own entertainment!
I thought Veirya started to care about me. To my disappointment, it was due to Angelina putting ideas in her head… Nonetheless, Angelina didn’t seem to be the reason Veirya got jealous of Queen Sisi that night. After that night, Veirya was somewhat different to her past self. I still remembered it was impossible to approach her in the cold winter, when she exuded a cold aura. At the time, she was Queen Sisi’s sharp blade. Merely touching said blade would cut you. Nevertheless, Veirya resembled a girl who didn’t know how to interact with the world. She revealed such a weak side of herself that night. She was no longer a weapon but a genuine girl.
I still remembered my promise to let Veirya experience the life of a normal girl. I guess I was gradually making that a reality.
“Mom said. That the love you mentioned. Means that. You wanted to live together with me?”
“Uhm…”
Since we had taken the conversation that far, it wouldn’t be tactful of me if I didn’t admit it. Veirya was a serious individual; if I refused to acknowledge it, she may never mention it again. It might even affect my confession in the future. Worse, it might’ve made it impossible for me to confess in the future. Thus, I decided it was best to admit it.
Veirya seemed to have something in mind. She turned back to face ahead. In a quiet voice, she said, “Is that. Love? Is that. What Her Majesty. Is after? Is love. Just being able to live together with someone? If it is… I think… I should. Be able. To provide Her Majesty with it…. It’s. What Her Majesty. Wants more than anything.”
I smiled helplessly. What sort of love would such a strong woman want? A man who could set Queen Sisi’s heart aflutter must be one extremely formidable man. Honestly, I couldn’t think of any man who could handle the proud peacock that Queen Sisi was. It’d probably take a man who saved the entire world to be able to rein in her pride. I did believe Queen Sisi was after a romance, though.
Queen Sisi was ignorant of the things between men and women. Perhaps her rough experiences as a child left her indifferent to so-called romance. After becoming the richest and most powerful woman of the entire empire, she probably started fantasising of beaming and blissful romances found in fairy tales. Actually, she’d need the world she knew to be rescued. Needless to say, I didn’t have any intentions of getting involved with her romantically. I had Veirya’s world to save; I didn’t have time to bother with someone else’s world.
“Love isn’t that simple.” I paused for a moment before proceeding: “Personally, I don’t understand it very well. In saying that, love is between two people. I think an understanding of what love is can only be achieved by two people who are together.”
“When I’m with you. I become. Strange.” Veirya turned to face me. She calmly elaborated, “I don’t know. If it’s a good or bad thing. However. I feel. Happy. Every day. Have I started. To become. A normal woman?”
“Uhm.” I responded with a nod to provide Veirya with an affirmative response.
Veirya didn’t express anything else. I smiled. I didn’t know if I managed to pick up a mind-reading super power after spending so long with Veirya. While she didn’t say anything or express anything visually, I could tell that Veirya was genuinely happy.
I extended out my hand and looked at Veirya. She looked back at me surprised. She didn’t quite understand what I was trying to suggest. I took in a deep breath: “Do you want to hold hands?”
Puzzled, Veirya asked, “Why? It’s meaningless.”
“I just want to.”
“Okay, then.”
Thinking about it, it seemed as though our roles were reversed. Usually, it was the female who acted coquettish. Not that I considered it a problem. Her hand was warm, and her grip was firm, after all. Plus, it made me happy…
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