Heroine Worship

Chapter 69- Scheduled Pause

     It had been Arlo's dream to see the world— especially Isilynor. Always dazzled by the tales of its greatness from his youth, he yearned to have a glimpse of the iridescent city himself one day. The gorgeous sights, the history, the beautiful women— he wanted it all. Now, however, it was different. There seemed to be an overwhelming sense of precaution that was always present everywhere he went.

    In the short time that he was in Isilynor, he couldn't help but notice how regimented his and the Athelaric delegation's schedules were. There were only specific parts of the city they were allowed to visit and they always had to be accompanied by an escort. Sure, what they saw was absolutely stunning, the food was delicious, and the women were just as breathtaking as Arlo had imagined, but the atmosphere was so tense he swore he could have taken out his sword and slashed it.

     Sitting alone, Arlo finished the last bite of his breakfast. With a sigh, he stood up and readied himself for the next day. All Arlo had known was dressing up fancy and looking his best, but recently, he wished for those unrestrained days he spent on the run. Although he was supposedly being pursued, he didn't feel like he was in danger. He knew his new allies would protect him. Yes, they were being paid to do so, but after a while, it really did seem like they cared. Arlo smiled. They sure made fun of him a lot, but it was just that— fun. When he'd feel that way again was completely unknown.

     "Prince Arlo?" a voice accompanied by a knock came from the door.

     "I'll be out in a minute," Arlo called back, snapping out of his nostalgia. It seemed the routine had to begin again.

     "Actually, I need to tell you something," the voice replied. "We're leaving."

     "What?" Arlo jerked his head towards the door, freezing in time.

     "We're leaving," the voice reiterated.

     Arlo shook his head, then started over to the door, then threw it open. "What do you mean 'we're leaving'? We've hardly been here at all!"

     "It's not my order, sir," the Athelaric soldier clarified with a slight shake in his voice. "It came from Isilynor directly."

     Arlo stood, then leaned on the doorframe with his brow knit, letting out an exhale. They had hardly had any time at all to investigate the circumstances of Valeria's disappearance, and now they were being shoved away from the place that likely had the answer to it all.

     That's just it, isn't it?

     Although Arlo knew that there was no way the Light Elves picked up on his and Jae's plan to find Valeria, keeping them from picking up on anything suspicious was likely a strategic choice. The Light Elves were hardly ones to cut corners, so keeping any outsiders— allies or otherwise— within their borders was a potential threat.

     "...Anyways, we meet in the Great Hall where they give us a parting message," the soldier explained.

      "Ah, I see," Arlo answered, straightening his posture. "Well, I'll be down there in a bit."

      The soldier nodded and went about his way. Arlo slowly closed the door, letting out a sigh. If the Light Elves wanted them to leave, then they had no choice. He wouldn't give up so easily on Valeria, though.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

     All packed up and ready to go, Arlo waited in the Great Hall. An uncountable amount of nobles and diplomats milled around the area, making it difficult for him to find his one friend in the group— Jae. Although Arlo was undoubtedly friendly with him, the other Athlarians were rather ambivalent towards Jae, and Arlo knew why. He scoffed to himself, crossing his arms as he waited.