Honey : The Empire's Treasure 132 What's yours is mine...

Where have I seen this man before? Mika thought back to where she could have met a man like him.

Braeden grabbed Ailwin arm, "Be careful..."

Ailwin brushed his friend's hand off and bent down to accommodate Mika for petite height.

"Who might you be?" Ailwin gave Mika a faint smiled to ease her nerves.

When Ailwin smiled, the memory came back to her.

It's the cake and sword thief!

Ailwin saw Mika's eyes widen in surprise. Is this little fledgling dazzled my smile? Why isn't she talking?

Ailwin looks back at Braeden, who shakes his head, and turns back to face Mika. Clearing his throat and he tries again.

"What is your name?"

"What is your name?" Mika replied back when she regains her composure.

"Argh!" Braeden shouted out when he heard Mika's answer. "Her name is..." Damnit! I can't even say her name!

"What's her name...?" Ailwin asked, waiting for his friend to finish his words.

However, Braeden wouldn't speak, instead, he scowled at Mika shutting his mouth.

When Braeden didn't continue, Ailwin shook his head and chose to ignore his friend from now on.

Turning back to Mika, "I asked you a question."

"I asked you a question, you should answer," Mika smirked.

Having better tolerance than his friend, Ailwin quickly came up with a solution.

"Hmph...is this how you want to play. Fine. I'll answer your questions, and you'll answer mine as we leave this place. Deal?"

"...Deal."

Everyone filed out of the ruins, with Braeden picking up the rear.

"Name?"

"Ailwin, fifth prince of Kaia."

"Name?"

"Mikaela."

Ailwin stopped and turned around to give Mika a sharp look. "Name."

*Sigh* "Mikaela Amara."

"Age?"

"13."

"Age?"

"19."

"Hmm...pretty young, aren't you..." Mika commented, making Ailwin raised an eyebrow to her response.

"Excuse me?" Ailwin looked at the petite girl walking alongside him.

"Hm?...well, most Fae are still considered fledglings until they have reached the age of fifty..."

"That may be true, but I've always been mature for my age." Mika wanted to laugh, she didn't think other species used this expression as well.

"Okay, if you say so." Mika chuckled, remembering his obsession with her cake.

"Why are you here, Mikaela?" Ailwin looked down at the girl's face.

Against the burnt setting sunlight, the mask covering her face sparkled lighting up her smile and eyes. Ailwin was charmed for a second before reality became back to him with Mika's words.

"I was kidnapped."

"What!?"

"I was kiddnap-"

"I heard you. Who kidnapped you?" Ailwin sifted his eyes in different directions, his vigilance going on high alert.

"Uncle."

"Uncle?"

"En."

"....what does that mean?"

"It means that it's a long story." Mika didn't want to give Ailwin too much information. It wasn't like he was her benefactor.

"So, you're not going to tell me?"

"This is your fifth question."

"....."

"Why are you here?"

"There was a rebellion at the border of my country. The instigators of the revolt ran out here. I sent my general to capture them..." Ailwin pointed back to Braeden, who was still walking at the back sulking.

"That man is really a general?" Mika looked at Braeden still skeptical of his status, though he told her before.

"Though it doesn't look like it...but yes, he is a very outstanding general. His name is actually quite well known."

"You're proud of him." Mika glanced at Ailwin's face, seeing satisfaction at his friend's achievements.

"Yes, why wouldn't I be?" Ailwin didn't understand why Mika would find this strange.

"I didn't think the royal family would be happy with their general stealing attention away from them." Mika hadn't been living under a rock for these years. She had heard the stories about Kaia Kingdom's royal family.

Thinking of his family on his father's side, made all the joy he had on his face disappear; replacing it with stoic coldness.

That expression was the same expression she saw on her mother's face at the cave.

It seems the royal family has more than just bad rumors going around in their midst.

Ailwin stayed quiet like that for the rest of the way until they reached the entrance to the city.

"While you are in our care, we will see you back to your family safely." Ailwin turned to Mika, giving her this promise.

"No, need I have guards to see me back."

"Oh? Where are they?" Ailwin didn't see anyone but them in the city.

Mika pointed to where Braeden walked off to enter his tent.

"General Ginweys?"

"En. He's now my guard, him and all his men." Mika nodded her head.

"General Ginweys is my General."

"No. Use to be your general."

Ailwin looked at Mika like she grew a second head.

"Here." Mika held up Braeden's wristband and played the recording of hers and Braeden's bet. Of course, she edited out all the stuff about the tree and replaced it with something different.

"I, Mikaela Amara, bet Braeden Gilwenys that I can bring him to his knees. If I win him and all his men will become mine. If he wins, I'll...." It was a piece of cake for Mika to replace the initial recording. As a person who has always been great with the electronics, all Mika needed to do was get a hold of Braeden's wristband; enter in a string of codes and just like that a new recording was made.

Ailwin listened to the whole recording. Thinking back to how he found Braeden on his knees in the ruins, scowling at Mikaela.

"So, you see I don't need your men, I have my own." Mikaela shut off the wristband and passed it to Ailwin.

"Will you please give this back to Mr. Ginweys, he dropped this."

Ailwin flipped over the wristband in his hand and cursed. Braeden's name was inscribed on the cuff.

____

Kaze, Saavi, and Jonas were making good time. By sundown, they should see the Vlacca clan's gates.

"Jonas, draw out the layout of the Vlacca's clan territory. I want to go in at nightfall." Kaze passed Jonas a piece of leather scrap to draw on.

"Okay, but something might have changed since the last time I've been there," Jonas warned.

"That's fine, as long as you can draw out the entrances and the residences I will be able to figure out the rest."

"I still think I should go with you."

"Saavi we've been through this. I need to be able to get in and out swiftly without Lord Kendel finding out. I know I can do it by myself, but if you come, you'll be a burden." Kaze made his point brutally honest.

"Then what about Jonas...?" Hearing his name being mention, Jonas lifted up his head from his drawing and looked at Kaze with hopeful eyes.

"I didn't bring him you did..." Kaze turned away from Jonas crestfallen face.

"I can help..."

"No." Kaze didn't even bother to turn around and face him.

"Why not!" Jonas stood up, throwing down his work, "You know what Lord Kendel did to my family! I can help rescue Mikaela and-"

"That is just it! I am not going there to seek revenge for you! I am going to get Mikaela back, that's all!"

"..but I thought you like-" Jonas stared at Kaze in bewilderment.

"So does that mean you get to use me!?"

Kaze's body has been hurting this entire trip because his mind was on more than just rescuing Mikaela. He didn't mind though because he didn't feel ashamed of his feelings for Jonas, he felt ashamed of failing Mikaela. Yet, when he heard Jonas' words, suddenly his heart was hurting for a different reason.

"I told you my feeling not for you manipulate me.... you haven't even told me how you feel..."

"...I'm still thinking about how I feel..." Jonas hung his head, avoiding Kaze's eyes.

Kaze blinked back the tears that he felt coming, and threw his spare dagger at Jonas' feet.

"If you want Lord Kendel's head, do it yourself."

Jonas looked at the knife before turning to walk away.

Saavi wanted to go after him, but Kaze stopped her.

"Let him go."

"...but..."

"Saavi..."

"Hmm?"

"Stop testing me. I understand the reason why you felt the need to bring Jonas along, but I'm not seeking your forgiveness. I'm seeking Mikaela's...Don't cross my line anymore, this is my only warning to you." Kaze took one last look at the dagger on the ground and walked off.

Chapter end