Chapter 46: Chapter 85 – Daffodils

When we arrived at the airbase, a large number of soldiers were outside the hangar preparing to exchange Valeanor to the Weyeran army. Many of them wore plate armor and gilded robes, likely veterans of the Granieda Empire under King Tarcosa.

Irapesha and Cresta even mentioned some of them by name as I drove into the parking lot. A member of the special task force was waiting to receive me. He had an enchanted rifle slung over his shoulder and probably in full anti-magic gear.

The man clicked his heels together, causing Cresta to straighten out of instinct, which inadvertently caused him to flinch.

This was clearly a tense situation for them.

I just didn't see it the same way. They were taking our friend away after all.

"I will be escorting you to the send-off zone as per Professor Markel's orders. Please, follow me in an orderly fashion. Any provocations may result in use of force from both standing units present," the operative said, then whispered something inaudible into his helmet's mic.

Cresta's ears twitched, likely from listening in.

As we were being led out of the parking lot and to the front of the hangar, I leaned into Cresta to ask, "What did he say?"

"Just that we arrived, but what worries me most is what the guy on the other end said. I'm pretty sure it was the professor," Cresta explained.

"Was it about us?"

She nodded. "That we might try something."

I expected nothing less of Professor Markel. It sounded like he knew we hatched a plan. Well, he has been working in that position for years and probably managed a whole lot of caretakers other than myself.

"Are you sure you wish to do this on your own?" Ange asked with worry.

"I'm 100% sure," I whispered. "If you guys jump in, there's no telling what they will do. Me being human and a government asset for both worlds will make them think twice. Besides, I don't want to put any of you at risk of being deported, too."

The closer we got, the more agitated Cresta became. She began to sniff the air more intensely like a scent had firmly captured her attention. Even Irapesha was acting weird, glancing around as if something was off.

"What's wrong with you two? You're going to put the soldiers on edge like that," I warned.

"S-Sorry!" Cresta ducked her head, but couldn't stop wrinkling her nose. "I'm smelling a familiar smell around here…"

Hopefully, it wasn't any weird surprises.

We stopped at the side with human operatives and Professor Markel who regarded me with a nod. Some ways ahead, on the opposite side of the hangar doors, were the Weyeran unit, several of whom gave Cresta and Irapesha acknowledging smiles.

Between both groups, standing by herself, was Val. She hung her head in shame, wrists bound with magical shackles. This had to be the most humiliating position for a queen to be in.

I always teased her, but it was all for good fun. Val knew that. Seeing her like this made me feel even more guilty. After all, she had used her magic to save me from a bout of shaming. It made me realize how much the former queen cared about those around her.

And this whole fiasco was over a bunch of stupid housewives who had nothing better to do on a weekend.

All of us marched forward together into the hangar where the large portal to the other world hummed to life. The Weyeran netherfolk soldiers framed a path for Val, leading up the portal. She reached the first step and turned around to face us with a brave smile.

"If you have anything to say, do so now. You may approach Valeanor Messier to bid her farewell if you wish, but you must return behind the line afterwards," Professor Markel explained to us.

None of the tenants moved. It almost surprised Val, and she probably thought no one cared that she was leaving. At least until I walked forward with a single, small daffodil in hand to offer her.

"Do you know what this is?" I asked.

The elven queen took the flower from my hand, her eyes widening with recognition. "It is a daffodil. Might you be giving it to me before I leave?"

"I guess I might forgive you for not knowing. In my world, daffodils symbolize new beginnings. It just so happens your new beginnings belong here. None of us want you to go, Val."

When I turned around, what might as well have been a death squad of soldiers stood firm and were all staring at me.

"Akira… return to the line," Professor Markel breathed caution into each word.

"What are you thinking, you foolish buffoon?" Val gasped.

"Valeanor Messier is my tenant, and she is my responsibility! I'm sorry, Professor. I can't let you take her away. If you want to punish anyone for her using magic, then punish me for not keeping her in check!" I shouted down to them.

All at once, every member of the special task force drew their weapons. On the other side, the Weyeran soldiers did not react with the same threatening action. They appeared more baffled than anything.

"Valeanor violated an interworld pact by withholding vital secrets necessary in considering her residency on Earth. By standing there, you are jeopardizing securities put in place to keep people like yourself safe, Akira. Have you not read the file I gave you?" he asked, eyes behind those thick glasses squinting hard at me.

"I read it all! Three times over in a single night. I completely agree with you about the dangers that hosting netherfolks on Earth present, but you're wrong about two things: I am not that caretaker, and Val is not that tenant."

Professor Markel was at a loss of what to do since I wouldn't budge.

"I'm sorry, Akira." He screwed his eyes shut and sighed. "This isn't a risk we can afford to take. Apprehend him and—"

Without warning or a cue, every single one of my tenants came to our defense. They put themselves between us and the professor. Even after I had told them not to. Even when they could very well be sent back to Weyera. Even Ines who could get into very big trouble with the government being a mere civilian. Even Remmy who had come out of the confines of her room to console Val.

"Why are you all…" Val, touched by their sentiments, began to choke up and was unable to finish her sentence.

If we were in a less shitty situation, I would have poked fun at Valeanor to hell and back about her tearing up. But she couldn't be in a more degrading place, in chains and snotting up in front of us. She belonged back home at the dorm instead.

Cresta grabbed Val's hand and flashed a fanged smile."If you go back to Weyera, you're gonna leave behind all the delicious ketchup from this world. Think of all the burgers we can lather ketchup on to eat together!" 

"Maybe it is due to how closely I served High-King Tarcosa, but I cannot stand idly by and watch a Weyeran monarch be treated in such a way." Irapesha, who easily towered over everyone, glared fearlessly at the task force whose rifles were trained on us.

Tamara took the elven queen's other hand. "Me and Rakka really like the flowers you planted outside. We want you to stay and show us how to grow more together!"

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"Baa!" Rakka bleated in agreement.

"Why, you fools? It is the duty of a queen to sacrifice herself for her people… This is happening just like during the war. None of you needn't trouble yourselves to help me! You will make it harder for me to leave…" Val said between tears, clutching the daffodil tightly in both hands.

"It's going to be a whole lot of headache renovating your room back to how it originally was. We've got it built already, so you need to live your stay's worth. You may be a royal pain in the ass, Val, but I wouldn't want you anywhere else other than in my dorm," I said.

Tears dripped down the elven queen's cheeks, landing on the yellow petals of the daffodil.

The professor was not amused. He trembled with anger and lifted his glasses to rub his eyes. This was probably going to cost him his job. I was probably going to lose my job, and I might have pulled the dumbest move ever that would cost me my tenants.

However, I had to do what was right and in the best interest of my tenants. If I didn't, I would be the biggest hypocrite to those I'd helped so far.

"Professor, when I applied for the Caretaker role, one part of the job description stuck out to me— 'Help and be there for the netherfolks like a member of your family'. Here I am, doing my job." I walked to the front of the group to confront him.

"Hmmm. I say, why not?" a familiar, whimsical voice echoed through the hangar.

Cresta and Irapesha jolted like lightning had run down their spine. They spun around to find High-King Tarcosa, standing with his back to the portal and hands on his hips, looking like he was having the time of his life.

"Tarcosa?!" Everyone exclaimed together.

"You were supposed to be here an hour ago… Don't tell me you were actually invisible the entire time?" Professor Markel groaned.

That must have explained why Cresta and Irapesha were acting the way they did.

The pipsqueak king erupted into laughter. "I saw an interesting event unfolding and wanted to stay hidden to see how it would turn out! Akira certainly didn't disappoint."

"What's going on? Is Tarcosa supposed to be here?" I asked.

"It is protocol for every deportation that the High-King or his representative be present," the professor explained. "Protocols that shouldn't be broken or made an exception of. Especially a case like this."

Tarcosa levitated over us and landed next to Professor Markel. He threw an arm around his shoulder like an old drinking buddy.

"Oh, come now. We're both old coots who need to get with the times. Look at them. Have you ever seen an entire dorm come to their friend's rescue like this before? Is there any other dorm that can rival their cohesion?"

"That doesn't make it okay—"

"I know, I know. Which is why I am willing to make some concessions on their behalf. What do you say, Professor?" Tarcosa's words piqued his interest.

After a few seconds of thinking, Professor Markel ordered his task force to stand down and dismissed most of them from the hangar. The sudden shift in tone was a pleasant and jarring surprise.

High-King Tarcosa returned to us, beaming victoriously.

"The hell did you offer him?" I asked, utterly astonished by the turn of events.

"Some magical weapons of mass destruction, no biggie." He brushed aside the topic like it wasn't an outrageous thing.

In the hands of the American government? I only hoped Tarcosa knew what he was doing.

"Tarcosa!" Cresta was slightly bent at the knees, about to tackle the High-King, but he held a hand up in preparation to cast a barrier which caused her to stop short. She fidgeted awkwardly a few feet away, trying to hold back.

"Okay, fine. Just this once, you overgrown cat." Tarcosa sighed, allowing Cresta to rub her head against his chest and be pampered with scratches.

"It is good to see you again, old friend." Irapesha knelt before her sovereign.

"I'm glad to see you all doing well. Every one of you." Tarcosa smiled warmly to each tenant, but when he got to Val, his lips curled into a shit-eating grin. "You, as well, Valeanor. Look who's bailing who out now, you pompous chocolate sculpture."

The elven queen let out an audible groan and folded her arms. "Do not dare think this makes us even. You are still indebted to me for all that I have given to Granieda."

"Awww, you're so cold now. It's hard to listen to you act tough when you were about to cry your heart out a second ago— ow! Hey!" His cackling was cut short by Val lifting him by the ears like a misbehaving child.

"You little demon! So high and mighty because you still have a kingdom to rule. It was my fortune that kept Granieda afloat!" She growled, taking particular pleasure in tormenting the little king.

Tarcosa fought back by slapping her boobs, but it was clear she had him beat. "Let go, you damn dark elf! You're the one who came begging for me to take your wealth to avenge your fallen kingdom!"

Powerful rulers as they were, Tarcosa and Valeanor were very much just like an old bickering couple.

"Ahem." I cleared my throat to get them to stop.

The two separated and recomposed themselves as if nothing had happened. Tarcosa smoothed out the creases on his robes, then he flew up to the portal to wave us goodbye.

"I'm glad everything worked out," the king began. "You're too good at your job to let anything happen, Akira. But do know there is only so much I can do, so don't expect any more help from me. Thank you for taking care of everyone, past, present, and future."

High-King Tarcosa bowed gracefully and entered the portal. The Weyeran soldiers marched up the steps to follow after him, each saying their goodbyes to Cresta and Irapesha as they left.

"That king really does as he pleases…" I sighed.

When I glanced over my shoulder, I saw Ange wiping away the tears that stained Val's cheeks.

"Tarcosa is correct. Tears are not befitting a queen such as yourself." Ange pulled Val by the hand back to the group.

"Well, Val? What do you say we head home?" I asked.

Quietly chuckling to herself, Val wiped one last tear from her eyes and picked up the daffodil that had fallen when she attacked Tarcosa. "For the last time, please stop shortening my name that way."

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