☢ Chapter Written By StriplessKitten ☢

Aya finally made it back to the Under-World, a smile graced her features, a rare sight indeed. She then realized that Phillip had passed out from blood loss, not that she cared. She walked through the streets, the peasants greeting her with praise, they respected and trusted Aya on a level that they wouldn't really question why she had a royal dangled over her shoulder. The elders of the Under-World, who were also Exavier's allies, were immensely impressed that someone of Aya's stature could carry the weight of Phillip for a long period of time, it was as if she used a heavy sand bag for a trial to run a lap around a large field for a military test of the sorts. The elders were only more astounded at Aya's growing strength when they eventually comprehended who she was actually lugging around with her.

Phillip groaned, as if he were sleeping, or tired. Aya hummed in response to him, as if he were awake, and she had finally made it to the barn that the Under-World rebels used for a gathering place, a mini HQ if you will. Aya opened the barn door, and inside the barn, the entire interior was renovated to be a gathering place, as there was weapons stored under the floorboards, and there was a circle of stools for sitting around, even a small makeshift kitchen and a long dining table they stole in order for every last one of the rebels to sit down and dine at.

Haídem, a woman with short white hair styled in a pixie, and blue-grey eyes who also was Aya's gymnastics and horse riding mentor was out in the stables behind the barn to help care for Ynitsted's injury. Aya trusted Haídem, for she was in her early thirties and had a lot of experiences in tending wounds, which is why she also acted as a vet for the animals and a medic for the warriors. That's how she was absent from Aya's view.

The others who were occupying the barn were Mazen and Karma, who were situated at the dining table, drinking tea and speaking of their pasts to one another. Meanwhile, Mikah was busy pacing back and forth in the center of the room, he immediately perked up upon hearing the door open and revealing Aya. He dashed over to her, worry laced on his face. He then noticed Phillip slumped over her shoulder.

"You're back." Mikah said breathlessly.

"Yes, now get him off of me and tie him up. He's a hostage."

"Gotcha, but why?" Mikah took Phillip off of Aya and then began to restrain him.

"He tried to capture me, so I overwhelmed him." Aya then huffed.

Mikah didn't question her anymore. Karma and Mazen greeted Aya, and offered her a cup of tea, which she accepted. She then sat herself down opposite the two and proceeded to enjoy the aroma of the hot beverage. They were slightly startled when the barn door opened again, revealing Lezabella. Aya's childhood nanny.

"Ah, my word. Aya's attire is quite unusual for her! I haven't seen you wear a dress since you were so small!" Lezabella chirped.

"Well, if isn't ol' Bell, how are ya?" Mazen said, his voice was deep and thick with his tribal accent.

"I am splendid, I just returned from speaking with the construction management, they tried to talk me into some things, saying things would benefit everyone if we stuck to their own system." Lezabella took a seat next to Aya.

"Oh, I see. Have they mentioned anythin' about the site other than that?" Mazen asked.

"To my knowledge, they've started a good amount." Lezabella took a cup of tea herself.

"Ya doin' a great job in this whole building world, Bell." Mazen took a sip of his tea.

"Why, thank you. They'd have to try harder to con me, I may be old, but I'm not daft! I grew up very wise, my age could tell time itself." Lezabella covered her mouth to stifle some of her soft laughter.

Aya remained silent as her cheeks were dusted a red hue from Lezaebella's prior entry comment about her attire. Karma noticed this, but didn't point it out, she just smiled to herself in amusement and hid her grin behind the rim of her cup. Lezabella then caught sight of Mikah tying as many bounds to Phillip who was perched in a chair, as he could muster.

Aya rested her elbow on the table, then propped her cheek up on her palm, boredom spread across her pale facial features, Mikah finished, then sat down in the seat next to Aya that Lezabella didn't occupy. Aya blinked, then shrugged. Then, the barn door opened again, revealing Haímen this time, She greeted everyone, then took a seat next to Mazen, opposite Mikah.

"Now that the majority of you are gathered here, we have to go over a couple things." Aya began.

"Name your discussion." Haímen gave Aya an encouraging look.

"Mhm, well, first of all, I'm wanted for an execution, the Kingdom want a bounty to bring me in and all that jazz, second, those fools who are creating that construction for us are trying to persuade Lezabella for extra profit on their behalf, thirdly, the dickhead behind me is our hostage." Aya finished.

"Aye." Mazen acknowledged Aya's information, as did everyone else.

"May I ask a question?" Lezabella proclaimed.

"Go on." Mikah responded to her request.

"Why is the royal fellow a hostage?"

Aya shifted in her seat as she took a sip of her hot beverage, and rested it back down on the wooden surface of the dining table.

"As I was previously stating, the Kingdom of Idreselle wants my head, but to bring me back in one piece, that bastard was ordered to capture me, but I managed to overwhelm him and do the reverse."

"Understood, dear, I suppose you carried out that mission of killing off the Highness and his bride?" Lezabella nodded in understanding, before asking another question.

"Yeah, I was successful in that aspect, but I did manage to not plan out the escape route too well, which resulted in the damned blondie to follow me, and also get Mikah and Mazen into slight bother."

"All things happen for a reason, fate decides a lot, it gave you a lot of benefit in terms of coming across the fine young lady who's skilled in her magical wielding." Lezabella smiled, the outer corners of her eyes were wrinkled and began to crease the bigger her smile grew.

"Tch, fate doesn't exist, don't be cocky." Aya pouted.

"Fate is real, it connects with this universe." Karma spoke up.

"Yes, Aya." Lezabella agreed with Karma, and gave her a nod as a 'thank you'.

Aya then turned her gaze to Phillip, as did the rest of the table.

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Time-Skip

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The gathered rebels were discussing many things, awaiting for Phillip to awaken. He eventually came around, and was extremely groggy. Mazen stood from his seat, a grin etched on his face. Karma remained seated, as did Lezabella, but Haímen was just as quick to get up as Mazen was. Aya was about to rise from her seat, when she felt Mikah put his hand on hers. He gave her a small smile of reassurance, Aya blushed a light shade of pink, and took her hand back from his grasp, and eventually scurried over to where Haímen and Mazen stood over Phillip. Mikah watched Aya, before joining her himself. Lezabella gave another, brighter smile when she saw the display.

"W-Where am I..? Ugh.."

"Speak up, what do you reckon about the royal's next move is gonna be?" Haímen quizzed.

"Hell should I know, that much should be obvious enough, the entire Kingdom are going to destroy this entire underclassmen filth infested area." Phillip retorted.

"No talkin' to ladies like that." Mazen hit the side of Phillip's head, increasing his chance of some sort of concussion.

"Ow! Urgh.. please, don't mock me, I'm fully aware you all are foreigners to matters such as manners." Phillip hissed.

Aya pinched the bridge of her narrow nose. She then gestured for everyone to take a couple steps back from Phillip. She then leaned forth, hovering over him with her upper half as she swung the chair back a couple of centimeters for some decent space, her feline-like hazel eyes bored holes into Phillip's as she held that intense stare a couple more minutes before she scoffed.

"You're being unbearably uncooperative, something that I highly don't appreciate, how much for that change in tone of yours do you wish to wager a bargain for?" Aya glared.

Silence.

"My tone will be altered under one condition.."

"That is?"

"Tell me about my Highness."

Aya nearly choked on her own saliva as she shot back, she then furrowed her eyebrows, swiping hair out of her eyes as she then clenched her fists.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me.. tell me more about my Queen, I wish to.. court-- know.. more about her." Phillip gave Aya a brief glance.

"Everyone, out." Aya ordered, whilst the others hesitantly left, except for Lezabella, nobody would've forced her, but it did irk Aya slightly how she didn't obey.

"Why'd you get them to leave?" Phillip asked as Mikah looked at Aya once more before closing the barn doors.

"I don't wish to look weak or rash before my colleagues, if we are to have this God awful discussion, it shall be on my terms, in my own privacy, and my wishes shall be granted, they always have been, and never will be dismounted." Aya shot back, before pulling a chair from the dining table and slamming it down in front of Phillip. She turned the chair so that the back face Phillip, and perched herself down onto it, glaring at him again.

"That's.. understandable, my Queen must be a difficult person to debate about in your presence." Phillip looked around the room.

"Aye, so what's it that you don't know about the bloody whore? You've been longer at her side than I have." Aya tapped her foot on the ground.

Phillip felt a light tint of pink creep across the surface of his cheeks, before he cleared his throat, and gave a small, nervous chuckle.

"Well, for one.. I might've been at her side, but I didn't get so many opportunities to see the real her."

'This son of a bitch is near lost his mind if he thinks about Sakura like this.. but if it's the only way to figure out when she plans to siege the Under-World, so be it. I need to know this information, why can't Lezabella use her crafts to obtain the info in a more quicker route? That damn woman and her meddling always goes unaltered. Whatever.' Aya thought, before clearing her throat to speak.

"Hm, how typical. Ask away to your heart's content, but you tell me straight after when she's going to fuck with my folks."

A tinge of a smirk tugged at the corner of Phillip's lips, "You have my word."

"Aye." Aya rolled her eyes.

"First thing I have to ask is, what is she like in private company? Is she a joy or is she a little harder to obtain, attention wise?"

"You're asking me if Sakura is appealing when you're alone with her? Hah! You're some comedian, I'll give you that. When we were kids, I mean, she wasn't so bad. But now? She'd fuck you within an inch of your life, she's a dirty bitch." Aya laughed, amused.

"Oh.. so this is more of a drawn opinion.. I should've analyzed that beforehand of this mini questionnaire, so, I'll just say that she's boisterous alone. Second question, is she easy to please?"

"Are you fucking serious? She's like a damned pampered dog. Unless you got bank and a nice amount of free time to splash on that wench, I doubt you'd get very far. The energy she consumes would outmatch that of a succubi."

"Ah.." Phillip cringed.

Lezabella faced forth, drinking her tea as she listened on to the interrogation with small peeked interest. She then glanced over her shoulder at Aya. She had changed so much, she was the image of Exavier, but her personality was so cold, so troublesome. she wished for the old times back, but she knew that she'd stay loyal to Aya as much as she could, due to Aya having such a bond with her still. Lezabella knew almost all of Aya's weak-points that she couldn't manage to cover up with her facade.

"Is she still a virgin?" Phillip asked.

"Beats me, Hell if I know, most likely not, judging by the amount of fellas she's set eyes upon, she probably shagged half the fucking Kingdom by now. Her coming of age lasts a century no doubt." Aya hummed.

"Do you have any good things to say about her?" Phillip sighed.

Aya seemed alarmed by this, and sooner than later, reassured her composure, once she gained it back, she wiped her mouth with the back of her gloved hand.

"Not precisely."

Lezabella frowned at Aya's sudden loss for words, and then turned half-clockwise in her seat to join the conversation finally.

"If you're trying to bewitch Miss. Miki, you're going to need an awful lot of patience, son." Lezabella smiled.

"Get accustomed to her tantrums and so on, she's no better than a brat." Aya eyed Lezabella with the corner of her eye.

"Does she have a type of dream to aspire to that I can help assist?" Phillip ignored both female's advice.

"Her only dream now is to have my neck tightened with a fancy noose hanging from a spire." Aya stretched out her limbs.

"That I'm already apart of."

"Go figure." Aya folded her arms.

"I think he was gesturing to a more romantic appropriation for Sakura, dear." Lezabella rested her palms over one another upon her lap.

Aya was growing sick of the whole ordeal of having to have a 'pleasant' conversation concerning the topic of the girl who shot down her Father. It was written all over her face.

"Is this shit over? Can you tell me when the prissy royals are gonna emerge or not?" Aya piped up.

"Oh, that I can do." Phillip nodded.

"When?" Aya calmed down, almost enlightened by the answer he was about to revelate to her.

"Now."

"Wha--"

Suddenly, the barn doors slammed open, revealing Mikah, Mazen, Haímen, and Karma-- all weaponry drawn. Aya stood, and unsheathed her sword. Mikah and the others dashed inside, he, Mazen, and Haímen all standing around Aya as Karma took a stance aside Lezabella, a glowing mist of purple submerging her fists, Lezabella slowly arose from her chair, staring at the barn doors as a variety of shadowy figures began advancing into the barn.

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A booming voice rang in all their heads, that belonged to none other than Sakura, who's voice had been projected. She spiraled her parasol around as she clutched the floral enteric engraved handle.

"Tch." Aya clicked her tongue as she then sent a hatred induced glare towards Phillip who was smirking.

"Good evening, peasants.~" Sakura cooed, giving a sly wink as she did so.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" Aya clenched the hilt of her blade.

"Just paying a visit, taking back what's mine y'know? The usual." Sakura shrugged, her tone was that of mockery.

"You're not welcome, nor in ownership of anything or one in these parts, be gone or you'll be booted out personally." Haímen adjusted her crossbow.

Sakura twirled her parasol again, her bodyguards stayed stuck to their locations, awaiting orders.

"That's a pity you aren't bowing to me either--" Sakura was cut off by an explosion to her right, which one of her guards had shielded her from.

Sakura shot her eyesight back at the rebels, who were all staring at one elderly woman.

Lezabella had her arm outstretched and her palm pointed out, steam arising and swirling around her nimble digits.

"So the rumors are true, the old hag is a witch. I despise witches." Sakura hissed.

"Leza--" Karma spoke up, but shut up when she saw Lezabella give her a warm smile.

Aya took the opportunity to launch herself at Sakura, but she wasn't single-minded in that manner of assault, for Sakura had also sprang forth. Everyone exclaimed in protest to the two girl's, but it was little to nothing they could do to interfere. Sakura adjusted her parasol in a few clicks and turns, before it became a staff, she then would attempt to strike Aya's ribcage, but Aya had caught the center of the staff with the edge of her blade. Sakura then twirled backwards, swaying her staff back and forth in front of her. Aya clutched her sword's hilt and swung her blade in a figure eight, before slashing it forth, a warning for Sakura to watch her movement.

Both girls were immensely matched in combat, as Sakura had little experience with training, but was a very quick learner and had a higher relevance to acquiring knowledge of an opponent's moves. But Aya had a higher intelligence with combat and was extremely agile and flexible, so she could evade almost every attack then strike. Sakura's weakness was her lack in training compared to Aya who did it 24/7 for years alongside Exavier's allies, but Aya's was her stamina, from her being so fast, it cost her her energy levels greatly, but she could still attempt to strike, or find a place in order to recover.

Aya was about to strike at Sakura again, when her guards attempted to intervene, they knew they'd be punished for getting involved with their Queen's own battle that she didn't order them to be included, but it was their duty to protect her at all costs, regardless of her wishes. It was apart of their pledges. Mikah and Mazen both caught onto the guards and went to meet their swords with their own, likewise with Haímen who had an arrow ready to shoot them in their napes.

All was interrupted in their advances in the end. Lezabella casted various spells to throw everyone off guard, as did Karma, this confused the non-magic wielding fighters, and this tempted an interest in Sakura.

"Aya, I'll make a trade, you can keep Phillip, but I want that old lady." Sakura offered.

"No fucking way." Aya hissed.

"Where did you get such power?~" Sakura ignored Aya's hiss.

"I was the former leader of the witch clan called Hybenda, up in the Iceles Mountains that tower overhead the Hybrid Kingdom. I met Aya's Grandmother when I was fetching herbs in the forest that once belonged to the Werewolves called Hedroso Woods, and she was wounded. It was a carriage accident no doubt. I helped tend her wounds.. and I couldn't have helped myself falling for her, when my fellow coven found out.. I was out-casted. No witch could ever mate with a vampire, especially a female one, who was married and had offspring already. Alas, I defied them, and then Aya's Grandmother, Capana.. stole my heart and my freedom, she said she'd stay with me during the nights her husband was away and that she would do so in exchange for me to tend to her daughters and sons in the meantime she had manners to attend to herself.. I lost all my privilege for that sham of an affair.. and I wouldn't trade it for the world. My power belongs to Aya."

"That's sad, but, it doesn't have to belong to her, if you don't come with me, I'll set this entire place alight."

Aya felt her breath hitch, fire?

"..You can't just do that, young one."

"Oh, but I can, wench~ Do comply and nobody will be injured~ You're needed with me, not her."

"I cannot."

"You can, because I will kill Aya right here and now."

"..How?"

"Burned alive.~"

"..I have no choice?"

"No~ Now stop stalling."

Lezabella.. slowly began to walk to Sakura, past Aya, who grabbed her wrist. Lezabella shyly freed herself from Aya's grasp then in an abundant cloud of smoke, disappeared with Sakura and her guards. Aya let out a gasp, and Mikah grabbed her when she suddenly felt her vision blur, and the room spun, only for her to shut her eyes, she'd fainted.

Copyright © 2018 by StriplessKitten

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