Chapter 37: 35 – Even a Delinquent is Weak to Love

Tomorrow is the start of the Lannarkis Ring. Nonstop fighting for the next two days against god knows how strong the opponents are. Those asian-looking guys seem pretty strong.

Especially that big guy, Mingba. I can count on one hand how many people can block a swing from Sacchan. Granted I didn't put my all into it, still took me by surprise. Even so, there exist people who can put up a fight. That's good enough for me.

It got my blood going.

Most of all, fighting Anya is going to be another matter entirely.

She's strong. Maybe too strong. Not knowing who her teammates are, but her knowing full well who we are puts us at a disadvantage.

"Thinking about the fight is only going to make you worried. You should think about me when going into battle instead," Loraine says, her chin rubs the top of my head, making me shiver in response.

Both of us are laying in bed, her arms are wrapped tight around me as I'm snuggled into her chest. Our legs are intertwined like clasped hands, but Loraine's gotten into the habit of rubbing her knees between my thighs. The more I squeeze my legs together, the harder she seems to press. I've been on the losing end for the past hour, and she's bound to get to my crotch by the end of the night.

"You distract me enough in person, now you wanna distract me in my head?" I groan.

I'm suddenly having the life squeezed out of me as Loraine squishes our bodies together.

"If I'm not occupying your mind 24/7, then I'm not doing a good job of making you happy. You're always on my mind. Whenever I think about you, I can do anything. Tell me to slay a dragon, and I'll go into its lair using your name as a warcry!"

I don't have to see her face to know Loraine's got a big grin on. All she's succeeded in doing is make my face burn up. She's probably aware of it from feeling the heat on her chest.

"I still don't get it. What about me is so special that you like so much? Just because I freed you from Bracca?" I ask.

Loraine's grip on me loosens. Her hand strokes the length of my arm, reassuring me that she's still awake. She scoots down a little and presses our foreheads so that our eyes meet.

"Maybe these feelings were shallow at first. The best way to survive was by clinging to someone stronger than me. Somewhere along the way, I wanted to start protecting you the only way I knew how." 

"And how is that?" I ask.

"By smothering you with hugs and kisses!" she answers, once again tightening her embrace, but this time pressing her lips against mine.

A tongue pushes past between her lips and slides into my mouth. It sends fireworks off in my head. I push Loraine away, not because I didn't want it, but because I know where this always leads.

"Too much stimulation?" she asks, sticking her tongue out.

I hide my head under her chin again. "I… I like what you do with your tongue, just not when Kawa is around."

"Oh, well. I'll just have to help myself to you in the morning," she says, joyfully.

"What is that supposed to mean…?" I ask a question to which I already suspect the answer to.

"The truth is, I've been waking up early so I can kiss your sleeping face fifteen times at minimum to recharge myself," Loraine answers triumphantly.

"Oh, my god…"

Warm fingers stroke my cheek. Loraine's loving gaze melts me more than the embrace she has on me.

"Tell me what you love about me," she pleads, nudging our noses together.

It feels like I'm being asked a trick question. Yet when I try to think of a reason, not a single thing comes to mind. A whole slew of memories come pouring in.

Every night that she holds me until I fall asleep. The meals that she's taken over to cook without the servants' help, including the gyoza she still hasn't perfected yet. The protective breeze she put around me coming to Ash'tar. The sound of her voice when I'm about to lose control of myself.

I can't pinpoint where I started liking her. I just do.

Because she makes me happy.

"Well, I—"

The door to our room is kicked open. Guards with torches in one hand and weapons in the other pour through shouting for us to wake up.

I throw the sheets over Loraine and put my jacket on. When I try to reach for Sacchan on the table, a guard cuts downward on my wrist with his scimitar. The blade stops on my skin and clinks like the sound of metal against rock.

"I dunno what the fuck is going on, but you picked a bad time to fuck with me," I growl.

The guard that attacked me staggers back, but I throw a punch that knocks him into the others.

More pour in, beastlings and dark elves alike. They glance around the room, see Loraine, and call for more who are in the hallway.

"Grab the dark elf girl!" one of them shouts.

"There's two other people in here and one of them is fighting back!" another screams.

Twelve more guards file in, knocking over furniture and stepping over their unconscious pals.

What is Emir Owyn thinking? Why are his guards attacking us? One of them said to grab Loraine, are they assassins going after her? For what?

Doesn't matter.

"Kawa, sick 'em!" I yell.

Kawa transforms into her wolf form and lunges at the guards, all of whom fly into a panic by the sight of an enormous wolf tearing into them.

"What's happening?" Loraine asks desperately.

"Stay back. They're after you for some reason," I answer.

The guards are on the defensive now, unable to hold back a wolf whose burning mane melts metal and ignites leather on contact. Kawa chases them out the hallway where a high-pitched whimper stops both her snarls and the screaming.

I swallow hard, the silence gnawed at my ears.

"You sure know how to make a mess of things," Anya's tired voice comes through from the hall.

Anya enters the room, dragging the unmoving Kawa by her collar. She yawns into her hand and surveys the damage done to the guards that littered the floor. Then Anya flings Kawa across the room, the impact breaking the adobe and wooden wall.

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I glance out of the now gaping hole in the wall of our room. Kawa struggles to pick herself up.

"Anya, you cunt. The hell do you think you're doing?" I set Sacchan aflame, but she doesn't flinch one bit, as expected of the Dragon of Tohoku.

"It ain't personal, I'll tell ya that. Just doing what I'm told," she answers.

"Tsk."

I grab Loraine and jump out of the building, landing next to Kawa. Anya jumps out after us. She charges forward, and I swing my bat to meet her fist head on.

But as soon as the impact connects, her punch sends Sacchan flying out of my grasp. I throw a fist out, striking only air. Suddenly, my feet are swept out from under me, and she pins me to the ground with a foot on my neck.

"Ora ora ora ora ora! No one's fucking with Anego on my watch!" a shrill voice shouts.

A surge of lightning forces Anya to jump away. Yui lays into her with a flurry of blows from her nunchuck. Anya's on the defensive with her arms up, but she manages to grab the metal bar and bury a fist into Yui's gut, sending her crashing across the ground. Yui somersaults to her feet, but coughs a mouthful of blood as she gets up.

Kawa comes to consciousness. Her lips are pulled back to a snarl, ready to get revenge on being thrown like a ragdoll.

"Please, please! Let us save the fighting for tomorrow. However, I must insist Lady Loraine come with me." Owyn emerges from his palace with an even larger number of guards.

Kain, Mildred, and Frey rush out as well, the look on their faces showing that they have no idea what's going on.

"Lady Micchi, what in heaven is going on?" Kain asks, he and the others keep a distance from the battle.

"Your friend the Emyr is trying to kidnap Loraine is what's going on. Better tell him to fuck off before I throw his shitty goatee into the river along with his head," I answer.

Kain turns to the Emyr for answers, but he simply shrugs as though it is a bother to say anything.

Owyn shakes his head and sighs. "My dear Prince Kain, the dark elf woman in your company is no mere woman. She is none other than Loraine Arselios, grandniece of his majesty, Sultan Yusef Arselios."

All of us turn to Loraine, shocked by this revelation. She returns the look, just as confused as anyone else.

Loraine and steps forward in an attempt to refute the claim saying, "That can't be. I was born to a family of farmers and fishermen in the coastal city of Xatal'hakir. My father was—"

"Laaeq, the younger brother to the Sultan. Surely you know his name. Your father was stripped of his name and was never supposed to bear children, as was his punishment. Yet he did," Owyn explains.

Her eyes turn blank. The strength in the arms leaves her and falls to her side. I catch her before she collapses as her knees buckle and give out. She clutches my arms with both hands, harder than she's ever done before.

"I remember now. My father sent me on a wagon to Scoth. He said there were people after me and we needed to leave, but… our caravan never made it," Loraine whispers in a murmur that only I could hear.

"I'm not letting anyone take you. Count on that," I assure her. Then, much louder to everyone else, including Owyn, "If you guys wanna get to her, you're going through me first!"

Anya takes a step forward, but Owyn puts a hand out to stop her.

"We are not so barbaric as to hurt the daughter for the father's sin. In fact, the Sultan only wishes to see his adorable grandniece. I, too, wish to see them reunited. After all," He licks his lips, looking right at Loraine with a disgusting smile. "His majesty promised me her hand in marriage."

Upon hearing that, my heart sinks. Like it's submerged into the coldest part of the ocean.

"I never agreed to any of that!" Loraine shouts.

"No, it was made for you. Under our familial laws, those nameless exiled who bear children are thereafter children of the next of kin. Come here, Loraine. The Sultan will see any refusal return as the Kingdom of Scoth's act of aggression. Who knows what they have done to coerce you to stay," Owyn remarks, grinning.

Kain gasps. His worst fear is ruining the alliance between the two kingdoms. He tries to reason with him, but his words fall on deaf ears. "Emyr, please see reason. Loraine remains by our side of her own volition—"

"It is not her decision to make, just as it wasn't Laaeq's decision to have children after escaping the punishment of castration. My dear prince, if our alliance is so precious to you, perhaps you will see reason." Owyn completely turns the table on us.

Kain bites back his hesitation and rests his hand on the hilt of his sword. He turns to me with pleading eyes. I can't count on him anymore.

"What happened to owing me a favor?" I ask the prince.

I know it hurt him to hear it, but that didn't stop me from saying it. He's a prince with responsibilities to take care of. Actions he takes will reflect his father, the king. The very same actions can lead to dire consequences for tens of thousands of his kingdom's people.

I know that, but it didn't stop me from getting angry. A boiling fury raged inside me like a furnace. The taste of iron filled my mouth, I didn't even realize I was biting down on my lip. Right now, I want nothing more than to wipe the Emyr's smirk from his face by jamming my bat into his mouth.

If he says anything else, I might actually go for it. I could do it before Anya puts me down.

Fuck.

If it wasn't for Anya, if I was stronger than her… I'd kill all these fuckers.

A gentle touch washes away the fire. Loraine's hands clasp around my hand holding Sacchan. As soon as I settle down enough to feel her touch, guilt begins to fill within my lungs to suffocate me.

Her hands are trembling.

"I know you will think of something," Loraine speaks between quivering breaths. "For now, let's not cause Prince Kain anymore trouble. Okay?"

Loraine lets go of my hand and walks toward Anya and Emyr without turning back.

Yui and Kawa in her human form each grab my arm.

"Are we really going to let Loraine go?" Kawa asks.

"Let's just beat them up, you and me. I got your back, Anego." Yui clutches her nunchuck putting up a brave front, but the punch she had taken from Anya nearly knocked her out.

Shame and spite claws at my heart. If I was stronger, this wouldn't have happened.

I watch as the one person who showered me with unconditional love leaves, and there is nothing I could do unless I want to start a war. But Loraine doesn't want that.

"Nothing's gonna happen to her on my watch," Anya says, more sincerely than I'd like to believe.

I point Sacchan at the Emyr and leave him with a warning, "You touch one hair on her, and I'll ram this bat so far up your ass, you'll see it coming out of your mouth. Bet that I can do it before Anya can save you."