Adventure of Exiles

That night through Emily, Michael and Felix was sat around the dinner table.

“How was your day, Felix?” Michael asked as he chewed his food.

“It was alright.”

“How was your work, Felix?” Emily asked as she drank her soup.

“Eh, not bad.”

“Are you okay?” Emily asked.

“What do you mean?” Michael said as he finished his bite of roasted pork.

“Are you completely ignoring the fact there is a military commissioner in town!” Felix blurted out.

Michael looked up from his bowl of pea soup, “yeah there sure is.”

“Why aren’t you concerned. You should be the most concerned out of all of us, Michael!”

Michael ate some bread, “because we are laying low. I talked to Stephen as well and he’s not even looking for a woman. They have no idea of who we even are. Why would we be worried?”

“That is so easy for you to say.”

“Well, there’s no sense panicking, Felix. If we left town now that’s way more suspicious.”

“Yeah, yeah. You make it sound so simple, Michael. There’s a military commissioner here and we’re in danger.”

“We’re not in danger. We are just a family of a farm hand, a wood cutter and a girl who helps with chores. There is nothing suspicious about us.”

“Yeah, I don’t know Felix. He was nice to me when I talked to him.” Emily chimed in.

“See? Nothing to worry about.” Michael said.

“I have no idea how you can be so calm.” Felix replied with some disbelief.

“Just trust me. If I didn’t think we were safe, we would have left town immediately. I’m going to protect the princess with my life. It’s my oath.”

Felix grumbled and drank his ale.

“Why do you think they are looking for Isaac?” Emily asked.

“No clue. He’s probably a mass murderer and just forgot about it.”

Michael kicked Felix under the table.

“Come on, Felix. Be real.” Michael said.

“Ouch.” Felix rubbed his shin, “okay, fine. I have no clue. Maybe he was a spy or something. Who knows?”

“Maybe he’s a good person and you are just being mean.”

“I doubt it.”

Michael kicked Felix again.

“Ow! Hey, stop it. I’m trying to eat here!”

“Stop being an ass. That’s your problem.”

Felix sighed.

Suddenly the front door burst open.

Who in the Underworld?

It was Lisa, of course it was.

“I’m here to discuss what I wanted to from earlier, Felix.” She declared.

“Are you fucking serious right now? I said later. We are eating dinner.”

“Which can be now!”

“Oh, hello Lisa.” Emily greeted happily.

“Hello everyone. I’m sorry to interrupt dinner but I need to have a conversation with Felix.”

Michael looked at Felix with a disapproving look and kicked Felix again.

“Ouch. What was that for?”

“Why didn’t you tell me you were going to have a guest for dinner?”

“Are you taking the piss right now? It’s the middle of dinner. Why would I have a guest for dinner when we are having dinner? Why didn’t you lock the door!”

“Oh, please Felix who locks their house in this town? I would appreciate the heads up next time.”

“Sorry, Michael.” Lisa said.

Michael just shook his head and drank his soup.

“Just sit down and have some dinner. Pea soup and roasted pork.”

“Don’t mind if I do.”

Lisa grabbed a plate and some food.

“Emily, can you hand me that breadbasket please?”

“Sure thing, Lisa.”

“Thanks.”

Lisa sat next to Felix and ate her dinner.

“So, when were you going to tell me, Felix?” Lisa asked.

“Tell you what?”

“That you and Michael are Restorationists.”

The statement hung in the air for a moment.

Michael looked at Felix. If he had a father, he would guess that would be the look of a father before he grabbed the belt.

“Oh, I’m Felix. I’m very concerned about our safety but also I’m going to causally tell my lover everything.” Michael stated.

“I did not tell her everything! Besides this wouldn’t of have happened if you didn’t let Noah sniff us out.” Felix replied.

“This wouldn’t have happened if you didn’t give Emily big ideas of adventure.”

“That’s on you! Emily is nineteen. She should be able to do what she wants. That’s your fault for trying to shelter her instead of having a normal life experience.”

“How is going into crypts and fighting ancient spirits part of the normal life experience?”

“I don’t know, I didn’t exactly have a normal life, Michael! Maybe Emily is just more adventurous than either of us. But the fact is that she wants to explore. She’s an adult.”

“You two stop arguing!” Emily yelled.

Felix and Michael stopped their bickering and looked at Emily.

“Lisa is a friend and an ally. And she would never betray us. I trust her.”

“That’s right. I just want the truth.” Lisa said earnestly.

“The truth then.” Emily said as she stood up.

“I’m Emily of House Strass. The last of my line and the rightful ruler to the Kingdom of Lyris. As the Restorationists are preparing a coup against the Military Grand Council, we came to Kurkenburg. To hide in case the plot is discovered I would still be free. My bodyguard Michael and the mercenary, Felix have sworn to protect and serve me until I’m restored to the throne.”

Emily sat back down.

Felix and Michael looked at each other in disbelief.

“This is somehow your fault, Felix.” Michael said breaking the silence.

“Are you serious? You are blaming me?”

“I’m just saying, the princess would have never said that if you weren’t here. You are a bad influence.”

“You are the worst babysitter ever, Michael. She said it because she wanted to.”

“Boys! Both of you stop. You both are acting like children.” Emily scolded.

“She’s right.” Lisa added.

Michael and Felix both grumbled.

“Well. There’s the truth, Lisa. Are you happy?” Felix said with a sigh.

“Not exactly. I still want to talk to you.”

“Alright. Fine, let’s go then.”

Felix finished his ale and put down his tankard.

“I’ll be back, Michael.” Felix said as he picked up Lisa.

“Hey! I’m not done my food yet!”

“You’ll be fine. Food will still be there.”

Felix took Lisa outside and to the dock.

He didn’t say anything and got his boat ready to sail.

“Come on, Lisa.”

“I’m coming.”

He untied his boat and got on. He offered Lisa a hand and helped her on.

“Let’s go.”

Felix started rowing and he rowed the boat out onto the sea.

After getting a distance from the shore he put up the sail and let the boat drift.

“You are the one who wanted to talk, so start talking.” Felix commented as he sat back down.

Lisa sat across from him with a look in her eyes.

“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

“What’s the point? The less you knew, the safer you were.”

“You know, it is strange. You always talk about money and freedom. Blah, blah, blah. Yet here you are dead set-in fighting for a cause.”

“What does it matter? It’s my business.”

“Well, it is my business too. You are going to drag yourself and me into a war.”

“Woah, hold your horses there. You are staying right here in Kurkenburg. You aren’t going anywhere.”

“Really? That’s what you are worried about? That was your plan huh? I’m safe in the middle of nowhere when the kingdom is on fire?”

“You damn right!”

“Why don’t you trust me?”

“It’s not about trust. The battlefield doesn’t care about you. I won’t let you get killed. You stay here, it’s safe.”

“Excuse me?! You aren’t going to decide things on your own. I will go where I please and I will fight when I choose. I can handle myself, you know.”

Felix stopped leaning and looked at Lisa in her eyes.

“Death is not pretty. It’s a fucking horrible thing to watch. One moment there is someone with hopes, dreams, ambitions and the next nothing. You can scream at it. Throw rocks at it but nothing. Because they are just gone just like that. I held on to comrades as they breathed their last. Clutched on their guts as they slowly bleed out as they stare down at the wounds and their own entrails. You know what the look is like when they realize it’s the end, that their own body is failing them and there is no way back. That look haunts me, as the one left behind. You don’t want that I promise you.”

“I...I can’t imagine that. But if it is a choice between living a life full of regrets or a life of bravery. I’d rather die. Because if I don’t do anything and you die. I will never forgive myself.”

“Why are you so stubborn, woman. This is literally for your own good.”

“Because you are being dumb! You think I’m helpless or something? I’m an alchemist, I can handle myself!”

She said as she stood up.

“An alchemist, not a soldier. I’m not having this conversation with you. Just listen to me.”

“And you listen to me! I’ll be so hurt if you died. The same thing as you not wanting me to die.”

“At this point Lisa if I die. I had it coming.”

“Felix!”

“At least if I die, I can finally get some rest.”

Lisa shook Felix’s shoulders, “I would not that happen. I would literally scream at you and do anything I can save you.”

Felix groaned, “are you being serious?”

“Dead serious!”

“Woman, you wouldn’t let me just die in peace!”

“Exactly!”

Felix rubbed his temple.

“You are going to live a long time, Felix. I promise you.”

Felix groaned, “you are a stubborn woman, Lisa. Fine, fine. I’m not going to win this argument with you, am I?”

“Nope!” She said smugly.

“Then I guess I’m not going to win. Do you realize what you are getting yourself into, Lisa?”

“I do. I’m going wherever you go, Felix.”

“Okay.”

“Okay?”

“I mean if I can’t talk you out of it. Then it is up to me to make sure you stay alive.”

“Exactly. We will watch each other’s back.”

“I get it. Now sit back down.”

“Fine, fine.”

She went to sit back down, and she slipped.

With a yelp she fell into the water.

Really, woman.

The thought barely registered in his mind as he already dove into the water.

Lisa struggled as she tried to swim up.

He reached her in no time and grabbed her. He dragged her back to the boat.

She coughed and gasped for air.

“Hey, hey. It’s alright. Calm down.”

He hugged her.

“I’m so embarrassed.”

“Well, good news. If you fall in the water again, you are already wet. So, the second time shouldn’t be that bad.”

She playfully hit him.

“Hey, you said we should watch each other’s back. It’s my bad for not realizing you meant literally starting as soon as you spoke. Honestly you were just tempting fate there.”

“It’s not funny.”

“It’s kind of is.”

“Ugh.”

“You’ll be fine.”

“It’s so cold.”

“Here, we can share body heat.”

Felix wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close.

She snuggled close and laid her head on his chest.

They just laid there together for a moment.

She then leaned up and kissed him.

“...maybe we could do a little more to share body heat.” She whispered.

“Well, we are alone.”

“Mhmm.”

Felix gently put her down and kissed her.

“Good thing I’m the one on top.” Felix said as he pulled away.

“Hmm?” She moaned.

“Yeah. If we get too rowdy, I’m the one falling off the boat this time.”

She burst into laughter.

“No worries. I can hold you steady.”

“Oh yeah. I’d like to see that.”

“I could tie you down.”

“Now we are talking. Don’t threaten me with a good time.”

He kissed her passionately and pulled her close.

They spent more time together out on sea before heading back to shore for the night.