Not Your Damsel in Distress

11

The room Leif was taken into was not as big as the one he had been given at the castle he had been living in since his mother became queen. Before the night set he went down to the training ground and did his routine, but once it was too dark for him to be able to see, he went to the room and sat down on the bed. He didn't bother with taking a bath as he didn't think he smelled that bad. He took the medallion he was given before he left the castle and opened it.

"What is it?" asked Isolde when her face appeared in the reflective surface of the inside of the medallion. Both she and Leif preferred to use her magic, but this castle was making her magic useless thus magic relics from other people came in handy.

"There is a problem."

"A problem?" asked Isolde and raised her eyebrow. "What is it?"

"Charlene has a fiance," said Leif hesitantly.

"Auberon?!" yelled Isolde.

"How did you know?" asked Leif and leaned back onto the headboard of the bed. "Have we already spoken?"

Isolde rolled her eyes. "She is engaged twice. This means you must beat him in a duel and you will."

"I know! I remembered it!" proudly exclaimed Leif.

"Good job, sweetie. And you will beat him. He is nothing without his magic." Isolde's smile died. "Was he fine? Physically?"

Thinking, Leif frowned. "I think so. Why?"

"Because someone can switch places with him if he was hurt."

"He was perfectly fine," said Leif and grinned. "He will fight and I will get Charlene."

"Great," said Isolde with a smirk on her face before she disappeared from the medallion.

Beatrice dragged Auberon and Emmet to Charlene's room after she had calmed down enough not to be dangerous to claw someone's eyes out. Emmet had no idea what to think of the situation thus he just sat by the door on a cushioned bench. Charlene was sitting on her bed with her legs crossed under her and was hugging one of her large pillows to feel grounded. Beatrice was sitting behind her, but not touching her; giving her support and space at the same time. Auberon, the subject of everyone's anger, was sitting on the floor on a black fluffy carpet with his legs crossed under himself.

"What did you think you were doing?" asked Beatrice. "You literally pushed her to get married to that... that man!"

Auberon ignored her and continued to play with gentle lights that he was letting run over his hands.

"Who do you think you are? You literally storm into our lives and you..." continued Beatrice.

"Talk," said Charlene and nodded in Auberon's direction, interrupting her aunt's attacks, making her stop talking. "Explain what... what was that."

"He has to fight tomorrow. And if he loses, he will step away thus you will be free," said Auberon calmly. "Then you will be able to do something about Isolde without a threat of marriage."

"Ronno, I appreciate it, but..." said Charlene after taking a deep breath, "you are terrible in combat. Don't get me wrong, but... you can barely block a few hits."

"I can barely block a few hits, true." Auberon stood up and walked towards Charlene and squatted down by her. "But you can kick pretty hard."

Charlene's eyes met his and he was able to tell the exact moment she realised what he meant. He smiled and nodded.

"I... alright," she said and smiled.

Auberon took her hand, pressed a kiss to it and walked to the door. "If someone needs me, I'll be in my room." He threw a quick glance around the room and left it. He walked down the hallway, smirk vanishing off his face when he walked into the room Beatrice gave him and Emmet to share, but Emmet hadn't stepped in it since they came. Auberon took off his cloak, threw his gloves off and walked up to a body length mirror and opened his shirt to take a look at the burns there. The room was dark thus he waved his hands and made a hundred little lights appear in the air around him. He turned his head and his body a few times to get a better look at all the burns.