They were to meet up at the destination itself. Estelle rode throughout the night. Her horse galloped with all its strength. She had dismissed the Shadow Troop, and had them bring the captured Rafelgo back to the Rayleigh estate.

She held the compass in her hand. With the needle trained in the direction of her brother, the place to go was obvious. A blood soaked paper was stuck on the tip of the red needle, and it was locked on. The notes scattered around the psychopathic mage’s room told a story that she would never, ever forget. The torture he inflicted on her dear brother, and the means that he used to find him. Which was why when the only lead given to her was the compass, she had to use it. All three parties were converging onto the same destination. Her sister was chasing the dragon, which itself was chasing her brother. The princess and the bodyguard located his whereabouts, and were headed there too. And finally, Estelle. If only she had gotten there a day earlier. Then it would all have been well. Another mage wouldn’t have snatched him right out from her hands. And her family wouldn’t have needed to even get any help from the royal family.

Estelle would only stop once her horse got tired. She dismounted, and let the horse rest. With a circle of small rocks in a circle and some firewood she chopped down, she tossed a match into the middle to start a small fire.

It crackled as she sat down against a tree. With her eyes closing, she slept through the night. She dreamt of nothing in particular, and returned to business when she woke. There was no time to waste. Her Quartz Screen vibrated within her pocket. Who was it? She tapped on the glass.

“Yes? What do you want?”

“I lost contact with him.”

“You what?”

“I can talk to him through something I gave him. And now I can’t reach him.”

“I’ll be at his location soon. Let me know if anything happens to him.”

“Alright. Good luck, Lady Estelle.”

The princess hung up. How annoying. Estelle got on her saddle, and began to journey again. She rode for quite a while, all in the direction of the compass.

Above the trees, she spotted a building. Yet, the compass pointed in a slightly different direction. It was about 15 degrees to the left of the mansion.

“Is he kept in another part?” Estelle muttered to herself.

She rode closer. Following the needle, she turned her horse and reached an opening in the forest. Once the woods seemed to clear, she got down from her saddle and tied her horse to a tree.

Following the compass, she walked past the large mansion. Past the clearing, past the trees. There, a small cozy cottage stood. Its walls were made of wood and stone, and looked only about a storey high. The compass pointed straight at this small house. Was he here instead?

She made her way to what looked like an entrance, though, past a certain point of the radius to said home, she felt something change. Minor, just like the winds changing direction, but it was different nonetheless. Stone stairs, which consisted of only two steps, led to a wooden door. It seemed to be built on the side of a dirt road, tucked away within the forest. The compass pointed to the house’s interior. Estelle drew her blade, and stepped up to face the door.

With a strong kick, she forced the door down and pointed her rapier in front of her. No one. Then, a shout from inside. Feminine.

“Go away! Don’t be so rude, will you?” a woman said as she walked out.

A small ball of blueish energy rested on the tip of her fingertip. It spun on the tip of her middle finger, and she faced Estelle. The intruder pointed her rapier at the owner and began her questioning.

“Ooh. You don’t look like my normal disturbances. What, have the imperial guards already been called?”

“Who are you?”

“You ought to introduce yourself first.”

“I have means to believe that you are sheltering someone I wish to take back.”

“Tsk. So you’re just like those bastards in the mansion? I have no reason to entertain people like you.”

Estelle raised her eyebrows. What? That entirely contradicted the story. Those in the mansion were the ones that took him, at least that’s what she was told.

“Wait, hang on. What do you mean?” asked Estelle.

“Are you here to take him away, again?”

“I think we have different understandings. I am Estelle Rayleigh. And I think that person you have with you is Francis Rayleigh. Am I correct?”

“Huh? Wait. Are you his sister or something?”

“Yes. I’m his older sister. He has grey hair, pink eyes? Probably wearing a dress? Really should be a girl instead?”

“Don’t move. I’ll check. Give me your rapier.”

“You know that it's a rapier?”

“Just wait here.”

The woman disappeared into a room. She kept her finger trained on Estelle, but she seemed to be holding it in a somewhat awkward position. Some whisperings took place whilst she waited.

“Alright. Answer some questions. Uh, what is he?”

“He’s a mixed blood.”

“Good, good. What’s his position or title?”

“The son of a duke, but also an Arcleus. Just tell him to see me.”

“Fine. You’re correct with those,” she turned around and shouted, “She seems safe. Tell me if you want me to shoot her.”

Out came an individual with grey hair. His dress trailed along, and he met her eyes. Instantly, he rushed towards her, and opened his arms.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

“You’re here!”

“Yes, I’m here, Fran. You alright? I read what they did to you.”

“Welcome, Lady Estelle,” another woman said as she left the room, “I am Grey.”

“Hahaha! Oh I’ve missed you,” Francis said as he embraced his sister.

“I’ll make some tea. Oh, I’m Kim Hye-Sung, by the way. Sorry for pointing that straight at you.”

“No no, I would have done the same.”

A few minutes later, a new pot of tea was brewed. Kim Hye-Sung poured 4 cups of tea, and sat down. All of them sat around the table, and started talking.

“So anyway, this is Kim Hye-Sung. I’d like for her to be my second bodyguard, and to stay close to me.”

“Are you unsatisfied with your current one? I know that she failed to protect you.”

“Is it not safer to have two? And Katalina is skilled with aura, is she not? Ms Hye-Sung here is capable of using mana.”

“Then so be it. I take it that you’ll bring it up with her highness yourself?”

“Of course. This is my own decision after all.”

“Now, I apologize for the question, but that is a strange name, is it not? Are you from around here, Lady Kim?”

“No, I am not. That aside, are you the only one here to retrieve him?”

Estelle took a long, long sip. On one hand, she wanted to bring him back there and then. On the other, her sister was on the way. She sighed, and placed her cup down.

“That reminds me. I have to contact them and let them know.”

She removed the Quartz Screen from her pocket. Wordlessly, she tapped on the glass, and it glowed. Her sister picked up.

“Hm? We’re on the way. Have you reached him yet?”

Estelle motioned for Francis to answer.

“Yo. Where did you go?”

“You’re safe!”

“Hi. Will you be here soon?”

“Yeah yeah! Within the next day.”

“Okay! I’ll see you then,” Francis said.

He leaned against the chair. Pushing his hands against the table, he tried to stand up. But, that woman near him swooped in and helped him up. Grabbing onto his hand arm, she looked close. Who was that? Why was her brother so close to her?

“He can walk by himself, you know.”

Estelle growled as that woman touched him. That woman chuckled. She grabbed him tighter, and helped him up.

“Oh my oh my. Is the sister perhaps jealous?”

“No no. Just don’t get cocky. He may have a liking towards you, but don’t try anything.”

“Ah it’s fine. I trust her. And I don’t think that she’s that type of person, right?” Francis said.

“That may be so. But what about her?” Estelle pointed at the woman called Grey.

“Ah. I am Grey. I was his servant during his time in my mistress’ mansion.”

In a flash, Estelle had her rapier drawn and pointed at the girl’s throat. She was there to take him back, Estelle was sure of it. And she would not let her brother slip out of her hands again. The torture inflicted on him was something that she wanted to return tenfold.

“Stop fighting. Can’t you two just calm down?”

“You’re right. I’m sorry Fran.”

“Nah. It’s fine.”

“Oh! Right!” Estelle slammed her hands on the table.

How could she have forgotten? The reason why Elise was coming here was because of the dragon. And said dragon was drawn towards her brother, so where was it?

“Whoa! Calm down. What’s happening?”

“There should be a dragon here. Where is it?”

“Hm. I took care of it. Don’t worry.”

“What do you mean, ‘took care of it’ Fran? It's a dragon. Sorry to say, but you’re weak. You can’t take care of it.”

“Do you see a dragon anywhere?”

Francis gestured to the world around him. Indeed, no dragon. Not even the typical destruction one would expect from a passing dragon. Still, Estelle checked every nook and cranny she could see.

Though she had never seen a dragon, it was rather easy to imagine it. Large, scaly, and beast-like. Animalistic in instinct, and sadistic when playing with their prey.

Estelle touched her brother’s face. Pushing his hair aside, she stroked his face. She grabbed the hemline of his dress.

“You sure you’re okay? How did you manage to deal with it?”

“It’s a long story that I’ll tell when everyone’s at home.”

“Is that so? But you’re returning to the imperial palace, are you not?”

“That’s true. Maybe I’ll take a break from the princess.”

“Hmm. That’s nice.”

“Come. Go outside with me.”

Francis motioned to the door. That woman was still holding him up, and helped him there. How? How were they so close? What made her different?

“Sure thing,” Estelle said once she stood up.

As if competing, the sister displaced Hye-Sung’s place on Francis’ shoulder. The woman stepped back, and let the two siblings get all touchy feely. Good. Outsiders should be like that. Without even asking, Estelle swung her brother around into a carry, and brought him outside.

The grass was green, and leaves swooshed in the wind. With a lush forest as their backdrop, Estelle carried him out. She stepped onto the soft grass, and spun him around.

“Whoa whoa whoa! Be careful, don’t drop me.”

He grabbed on tightly to her body. Estelle simply laughed, and set him down against a tree. With his back against the trunk of a strong tree, and beneath the shade, she sat down beside him.

“You’re really back.”

Through her gloves, she grabbed his hand tightly. His warmth penetrated through the relatively thin layer of fabric. A leaf drifted in the wind, and landed on his head. The green blade settled within his hair, and she flicked that off.

The fresh air was surprisingly nice. She took a deep, deep breath and laid down. The soft grass was smooshed beneath her body weight. She put her hand behind her head, and squeezed his hand tight. It was a nice change of pace. The clouds passed by without a care in the world.

“Well, had enough?” Francis turned around and looked at his sister.

“I suppose so.”

She sat up and stretched. Extending her arm out, she pulled her brother up. He stumbled, and grabbed onto her for support. Holding onto her arm, she escorted him back to the cottage.

“Wow. Looking mighty fine there. Have you thought about being a knight?” that woman said once they stepped in.

“What were you two doing when we were outside?” asked Francis.

“Just lamenting about the fact that you two are siblings. You two go surprisingly well together.”

Francis laughed it off. Estelle set him down on a wooden chair, and sat down after him. The hard wood was quite a change to the soft grass of the outside. A small smile crept up to the corners of her mouth.

Making her way to the window, she looked at the mansion. So that was where he was kept. The ones who took him from Rafelgo’s captivity. Perhaps she should give them thanks. But then again, Elise was on her way. And it's been quite a long time since they worked together. Estelle chuckled, and gripped her rapier.

“What are you thinking of?” asked her brother.

“Oh, nothing much. Just wondering if I should give them a gift.”

“What sort of gift?”

“That reminds me... That girl, Grey, she works for them, doesn’t she? Bring her here.”

“I won’t allow you to hurt her. She was kind.”

“Kind? Kindness does not excuse her crimes.”

“But I do.”

Estelle turned to face him. There was a rather determined look on his face. Dark determination, even. She smirked. Good, good. He was becoming more like a Rayleigh. With that sort of willpower, that resolve, he looked like he could kill. Perhaps he really did deal with the dragon. Well, what was the worst that could happen?