Zero No Tsukaima Fan Fiction ❯ Zero no Tsukaima The Holy Knights ❯ Chapter 13

Gaining Reputation

 

Seth and Rain leave the town with no further trouble from the yellow gang or the red gang heading in the direction that the compass points them.

Rain notices that Seth is limping a little but she doesn't want to bring it up as he looks a little bit distraught this morning. They quietly walk side by side for a couple of hours before anything happens to break the silence. Seth stumbles forward and falls flat on his face. Rain quickly kneels down beside him and helps him roll over onto his back. Seth's face is pale and he seems to be drained.

“Seth are you okay, you've been limping ever since yesterday and you are breathing kinda heavily.”

Seth takes a few breathes in through his mouth and then with a painful grunt gets back to his feet, “I am just sore, and tired....” Seth can't even open his eyes all the way, “I think I might have done something against Tayo I shouldn't have.”

Rain doesn't understand what he means, “Did you get injured or something.” Rain leads him over to a tree and helps him down to the ground, “You should rest for a bit before we head out.” Rain puts a finger to his lips as he is about to voice his protest, “We have the compass we don't need to be in such a hurry that my familiar dies from exhaustion.” Before Seth can even nod his literally passes out and falls over from his seated position. The impact with the ground doesn't even disturb his sleep. Rain lifts his head and she sits down against the tree, allowing his head to rest on her lap. A warm day with a gental breeze, a beautiful day especially for a nap under a tree. Rain can't deny her own logic and she closes her eyes.

 

 

“Okay now her.”

Rain's eyes snap open just as they are surrounded by armored soldiers. Rain looks down and finds that Seth isn't there. She quickly stands up and reaches for her wand, but her hand is caught by a nearby soldier.

“We would like to avoid any violence, Miss Strine.”

Rain doesn't struggle knowing that without her wand she can cast any magic and Seth is gone. The soldier that has her hand releases it and then removes his helmut, blue eyes and blonde hair, he looks extremely familiar.

“My name is Kai Tutor, we are soldiers of Albion, we'd like your help.”

“Where, is, Seth?”

Kai hands his helmut to one of the soldiers beside him, “He is fine I've had him taken to our camp, is he in a coma?”

Rain almost smiles at the question, “He didn't wake up?”

Kai shakes his head, “We tried to wake the both of you....”

“Please just take me to my familiar.”

Kai seems displeased with the situation, “I'm sorry, I am just following orders of my step brother Wales the Prince of Albion.”

That is where she has seen this guy before. He looks like a younger version of the Albion Prince. “If the Prince wants our help why did he not come himself?”

Kai moves a loose strand of hair from his face, “My step brother is extremely busy, there is much worry of a civil war in Albion and he can't simply leave the country to ask for help. That is my lot in life.”

Rain notices something wrong with his introduction, “Wales' name isn't Tutor its Tudor, who are you really?”

Kai sighs, “Please I can explain it on the way, I'm sure if your familiar wakes up without you being around he will be most displeased.”

Rain agrees with that, if anything she has noticed that Seth has become very protective of her and would more that likely destroy however big a camp that his in at the moment. Rain follows behind Kai and the rest of the soldiers follow behind them both.

“So are you going to explain the name now that we are on our way?”

Kai looks down at the ground but continues to walk, “I have always spelled my last name differently out of a sort of, punishment.”

“Punishment?”

Kai smiles though Rain can't see it, “Yes, my father and Wales' father are the same man and neither of us really knew he was a man of such moral proportions. I didn't know who he was until I met Wales for the first time, we look like we could be twins if it wasn't for his being older than me. Father doesn't know that I am with Wales and we'd both like it to stay that way. My mother is dead as is Prince Wales' so we are very simular in many ways. Only the men in our group know that he is my brother and now you do as well, as a sigh of good faith.”

She puts her hands together and looks at the ground trying to take in the enormity of the news. The King of Albion having an affair and by the look of Kai it had to have been well before the late Queen passed away, “So that doesn't explain the punishment, what harm could spelling it the same do?”

Kai looks at her from over his shoulder, “I am only half, so why have the full name? Wales is the son of the King and Queen, the crowned Prince and rightful heir to the thrown.”

“But when he takes the thrown he could reveal you as a possible successor.”

“No it would shame our whole family and if we didn't explain my origens than it could clause civil unrest. My name is different because I am different, son of a King and a commoner.”

She doesn't answer back and likewise doesn't receive anymore information on the subject for the rest of the trip.

'He must not like to talk about it, but he had to introduce himself that way, he was right I would have been much less respondent to someone who is not a high ranking noble or at the least working for one'

A few minutes later Kai leads the group off the trail and into the forest. Only a little ways inside of the forest are a bunch of tents all built into a circular pattern leaving an open around in the very middle of the camp. Kai points at one of the tents and Rain goes inside. Seth is still asleep laying down on the ground with his pack substituting for Rain's lap. She walks over to him and sits down next to him, a strange feeling of relief coming over her. Kai opens the tent and sits down on the opposite end as Rain and Seth.

“I told you he didn't wake up, he is a rather lazy person isn't he?”

Rain isn't sure if Kai is joking or not, “No, he isn't lazy, he has been very tired and hurt for a while and I decided to let him sleep today so that he'd be back to normal.”

He seems less than sure about what Rain has said, “Well regardless I guess it would be better if you read this and made the decision anyhow, since you are his master.”

Kai hands her an envelope and then walks out of the tent. Rain opens the envelop and pulls out the letter,

 

Hello, if you are reading this than Kai has successfully found you. I hope you can understand that with a possible civil war in Albion I couldn't ask you for help in person. If I could possibly ask you to do this one task for me I would be in your debt and would be able to repay you in anyway you feel necessary. I need you to take a second letter that I have entrusted to Kai to the princess of Tristain, Henrietta. I realize that this may seem like a menial task but inside of the second letter is vital information to the future of both Tristain and Albion. My intelligence network has told me that your group has begun to gain a reputation for stopping evil men and I hope that you take this request to heart. I cannot sent the entire group all the way to the Tristain castle as I feel the war will be coming soon. I sent Kai out of fear and trust, I wouldn't want anything to happen to my dear brother. Please look after him during your travel.

 

Prince Wales Tudor

 

“This seems like a pretty easy task, all we have to do is deliver a letter to the Princess. How did he know about what we've been doing?” Rain looks back at Seth who has recently turned over onto his belly, still fast asleep, “You are going to have to wake up soon.” Rain gets up and leaves the tent. When she exits Kai is sitting outside of the tent waiting, “We will help you.”

Kai stands up and bows, “Thank you Miss Strine, I'm sorry that my brother has caused so much trouble.”

Rain turns back to the tent, “He is just worried about you, and we are more than happy to help the Royal Family of our country's allies.”

“Not the Royal Family, just Wales, father doesn't know about this.”

Rain enters the tent and lays down with her back to Seth's side, “I hope this will be alright.”