Tales of the Pearly Kingdom (Pearly Tales Vol. 2)

114. Let's Race

"WAAA!" Naomi realized her mistake and pulled away but as she did Sieg hit the floor with a sickening thud.

The door to office opened at moment.

"Siegfried are you in here? I swiped some food from the kitchen do you want to share-?" Tesla walked in the door with an armful of rolls. Tesla had long red hair and tight fitting leather that gave off a more casual preparedness for trouble. Next to Sieg she was one of the Lightening Elementals that had a more mild temperament, however that was replaced with a mischievous sister glow. The kind where she knew she could get away with anything because she was smarter and a better schemer.

"Naomi..." Telsa closed the door as she stepped in. "... What did you do to my brother?" She was more curious than upset. To her Sieg was a quiet soul and she'd gotten a handle on how much she could tease him but he was quicker to resort to legitimate death threats when pushed too far. He was easy going but he had a switch, there was no build up of aggression that she should stop her pestering, only a blush one minute and a cold sword on her throat the next. It didn't stop her, she was still his sister, but she was more careful with him then her other bumbling brothers.

Naomi panicked. "I didn't do anything, I just pat his head and then he fell off his chair and when I tried to see if he was hurt I took off his mask and he passed out."

Tesla giggled. "So that is what happened. I guess he was more shy than we thought." Tesla plucked the mask out of Naomi's hand and placed it on Sieg's face. "Where is his sword?" She looked around and spotted it. "Ah," she grabbed the sword and placed it in his hand.

She offered a roll to Naomi. "He'll be okay, stop panicking." Tesla giggled girlishly. "Master has a policy. 'There shall be no perfect Elementals'. He's quite proud of us like that. Each of us is made with a fatal flaw, a way to keep us humble. But it is more than that." Tesla bit into a roll and sat on one of the chairs. "It's also a way of proving his love for us." She said spitting some food out.

"He loves you, so he gave you flaws, how does that work?" Naomi asked.

"Yep. We can't grow stronger if we are perfect. With obstacles he gives us the first tools to become better then we are. We aren't to strive toward perfection, only to become better then we were yesterday." Tesla chewed her food and swallowed. "He doesn't tell us what they are. From the looks of it, you discovered the weakness of our mighty dragon killer. The strongest of us all."

"He's the strongest?" Naomi looked at the Elemental on the floor.

"Yes, he beat Alea in a that duel remember? Alea was the strongest in the city. Joltiana may have beat Anastasia, but she tied with Dakota. Despite the difference in strength, Joltiana still has a blemish on her record were Siegfried remains undefeated. While the rest of us remain unchallenged."

"But that makes no sense, Joltiana is a savant and your leader."

"Hee hee, she takes great pride in having a strong family. The lightning clan will be the strongest. She will seek a rematch with Dakota, she sees him as a rival. Besides a leader's job is to lead. She must command respect and she does that through being the bravest. She is also no fool despite how she may act sometimes. When the serious matters roll up she takes it seriously, I trust her with my life." Tesla was making her way through her second roll. "Also because master says she is the boss. It really is that simple."

She kicked Sieg in the leg. "Oi, lazy head get up."

Sieg gasped as he sat straight up. "What is going on!"