Caspian turned around with a confused expression after seeing Fern's reddened face and Logan's smug face.
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"Is her majesty alright?"
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Logan turned around to face him, his expression altered. Fern nodded at Caspian, "I'm---I'm alright, are we to go?"
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Caspian hastily nod his head. "This way, we are to go this way,"
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Fern run towards Caspian to walk beside him, leaving Logan behind. Caspian only smiled, guessing that the emperor must have done something to her again.
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"How do we find that watcher?" Fern whispered to Caspian. Her mouth was itching to ask it from him since yesterday night but controlled herself.
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Caspian answered, "We need to go to a place first, your majesty,"
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"Place? Is that so?"
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Caspian smiled. "You do not need to worry about danger, your majesty. Our journey will be alright,"
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Fern nodded, gazing at the sky. She hoped so. Fern flinched as she felt a sting gaze behind her so she turned her head, only to see the emperor gazing at her.
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What is his problem?
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Fern stick out her tongue to tease him and let out a, "Hmp,"
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Logan's eyes widened with shamed and gritted his teeth, asking himself why this person was so childish. But then something once again flashed through his mind.
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A memory from thirteen years ago.
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☁︎☁︎☁︎
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A year had passed since the two of them became acquainted with each other. Fern was allowed to go in and out around the empire's palace ever since she met Logan from her place, the Marquess' owned land. She was free to call Logan in his name since he said so, calling him Your Highness was really only an option. Fern was glad that the prince, which is Logan, considered her as a friend. She was glad he met him. She'd got to travel in the carriage far away from the Marquess' place other than the marketplace which is the only place she was allowed to go far.
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"Logan, I'll go back in the Marquess' place tomorrow."
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Logan's eyes widened as Fern informed him, smiling. "I thought it's in the next two days? Why so early? What's the rush? Did something happened?" Fern rubbed her forehead because of Logan's followed up questions.
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"No---nothing happened. It's just that, my grandmother's death anniversary was tomorrow so I needed to head back. I forgot to tell you, I apologize..."
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Logan looked down, feeling a little gloomy. "I've only got to see you every last week of the month for five days," Logan sighed. "It felt like I'm going to wait for forever again when you leave,"
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The beam of the sunlight shone over the swaying white dress of Fern. The meadows danced along with the tress as a strong wind get through the pavilion where they were admiring the wonderful view of the empire's wide lawn filled with flowers and herbs.
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Fern put her arms in her back and smiled as she looked up the sky, telling to him, "You're looking forward for my arrival, you should be happy when I depart too. Logan, Your Highness, know that I will be back here so you wouldn't need to feel that. Do whatever you want so you won't feel bored, and until then, you wouldn't even notice that the time was passing by and I will be here once again."
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Logan turned his head at Fern, "It's easy for you to say that, you don't know what I was feeling."
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Fern snort-laughed. "You pathetic prince!"
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Logan's eyebrows furrowed, "What did you just---"
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"You don't know my sufferings on how I badly wanted to be here all the time, so I could only do is to distract myself all the time! You know, I'm also looking forward being here!"
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"But you're happy when you're departing?!"
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"Of course," Fern rubbed her forehead once again. "Logan, can't you look to the bright side? Of course I'm happy that I would depart, 'cause I know I would be back here once again!"
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"Are you---ugh! What's your logic in there? You're really crazy, Fern!"
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"That I was your guest in here! That I was able to hang around here with you! Can't you see any guests here in the palace came back every month? No! See? Because I'm the only one! So I'm happy to depart!"
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Logan doesn't know what's expression he would going to make by her words, his face could only pale when he remembers her departing.
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What would I do for her to just be here? I kept getting lost when she's not around.
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"Hey, why did you fell silent?"
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Logan glanced at her. "Because the way you filtered and tell your words are so obtuse that if I couldn't comprehend it felt like my brain would just burst out of here."
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Fern's teeth gritted and pinched his cheeks.
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"Aw! Ouch! It---it hurts!"
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When Fern finally let go, Logan's cheek stinged as Fern stick out her tongue to tease him and let out a "hmp,"
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"You're really crazy!"
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"Whatever you say about me!" Fern laughed like an old woman. Logan could only caress his cheeks as gently as possible because it hurts so much.
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This girl...I swear I'll going to spar her when we grew up!
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☁︎☁︎☁︎
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"You're really crazy," Logan muttered, his voice was so low it seemed like he was reminiscing something. Fern could only snort.
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"Whatever you say about me,"
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That phrased was flawless, nothing changed.
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Fern back continued admiring the forest they were walking through. Logan looked away and turned his head to observe around them.
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A series of a loud caw suddenly made them worry, Fern stayed still and looked up. Caspian and Logan became bothered.
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Suddenly, they saw a crow above them that looks like heading to them as Fern smiled. She extended her arms, making Logan grabbed it.
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"What do you think you're doing?!"
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Fern stared at his hands on her arm and said, "Your majesty, it's my crow. It came to find me. He's harmless, don't worry."
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Logan and Caspian's face twisted hearing that.
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The bird that resembles death---what the hell?
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"Your...Your majesty?" Caspian trembled.
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Fern shakes her head, implying that they really don't need to worry.
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The crow's feet gently landed on the empress' arm's sleeve. Fern gazed at Logan as she remembered something.
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"Right, your majesty, if I'm not mistaken, you've seen my crow before,"
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"...where?" Logan's eyebrows furrowed.
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"That day, last month, at the Semiramis Village, you've chase him away,"
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Logan reddened as he remembered it.
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Semiramis Village. That memory he swore will be forgotten in his mind but it just kept coming back.
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Logan couldn't speak and turned his head away. Caspian astonishingly stared at the black pitch crow. Fern smiled and patted the crow's head.
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"His name is Teagan. I secretly have him since I became an empress. The Marquess gifted him to me. He's harmless."
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The Marquess, his grandfather, Marquess Dallas, has taken liking to animals, especially birds. Other nobles seemed to made a rumor about it. The Marquis's place was just at the entrance of the forest, where some kind of exotic and endangered birds live. Fern couldn't argue with them, because it's true.
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His grandfather loves birds. Fern knew it, but she never knew the reason why.
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"But...why secretly, your majesty?"
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Fern informed him, "You see, I was afraid of his Majesty killing him, I was ready to introduce Teagan to him when we were in the Semiramis Village but...you see...he chased this little one away,"
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Logan's face paled. She's not wrong.
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Caspian awkwardly smiled. "His Majesty is fearful,"
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Fern only smiled looking at Teagan. "You've found me, Teagan. Have you done the task I gave you?"
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"Caw!"
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"I see,"
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"Your majesty, what task?" Caspian asked.
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"Ah, it's about looking all around the empire to see if someone was lurking around and suspicious. The empire's dealing with a hiding serial killer and hasn't been found, it's been a year. It has killed over...a hundred civilians." Fern informed Caspian.
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Caspian's face twisted. "Serial killer---" Caspian saw Fern blinked.
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Logan was the one who spoke, "We've been chasing that person for almost a year, there was no lead of that person's identity." Logan walk between them. "---But now we're dealing with much bigger problem than that. Let's deal with this bigger problem first. Shan't we?"
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"Caw! Caw!"
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"Teagan, are you answering to his Majesty? Hahaha!" Fern laughed. The next moment she realized it, she shut her mouth. Logan only snorted. "Now, Teagan, is there any suspicious human being lurking around the empire?"
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The crow shakes his head. "Caw..."
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"I understand, I already expected such answer."
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Teagan nodded his head as it tilted his head left and right and flew. Fern's mouth fell slightly open, but then she grinned.
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"Where is he going now, your majesty?"
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Fern smiled. "I think he's desperate to leave that fast, maybe he'll go to his mate."
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Caspian, once thought of it, beamed. "Her majesty---"
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A sudden occurrence cut Caspian off, Logan hurried to grab Fern into his arms and step back away from the appearance of the big snake in front of them.
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"YOUR MAJESTY!"
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"KILL IT!" Logan shouted furiously, the empress in his arms.
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Logan tightly gripped her in his arms, afraid. But what is this feeling he's afraid for?
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"Your majesty!" Fern shouted, finding ways to breathe.
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"No, stay still! Don't do anything rash!" Logan feared that she might fight with that big snake.
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Fern thought, how could he read my mind?
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"YOUR MAJESTY, I---"
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"NO, FERN!"
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"..."
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Fern...? Fern?! He just called her name!
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Hearing that, the empress was full of nolgastic memories and astonishment. In the end, she decided not to move because of fear from the emperor.
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Right, she'll stay like this.
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