Chapter 124

124 Never again for her

David, Anne’s best friend, looks at the two men inside the jail. He recognizes Henry and Horden but is surprised to see there was a change in Henry’s personality. He asked Marina, the chief guard in Merlinni town, to release the two of them and invited henry and Horden to have lunch together at a small seaside restaurant.

The fisher was back on the boat after the army fought hard to defeat the monsters on the hoard. They say goodbye to their family and went away for a day. Living here means there’s a ninety percent chance that your family is a fisher or has a family’s own business related to the fishery. Merlinni town, once a thriving fisherman town, until a year ago, the portal conjured on this beautiful town.

After ordering food for them, David huffed and looks at Henry and Horden once again.

“So, I am afraid I must ask you now, why are the two of you searching for me?” David asked them with a frown came into his face, of course, curiosity will come since Henry and Horden never actually spoke to him before.

Horden keeps glancing at Henry, and when the latter just keeps his gaze on the ocean, he let out a sigh and speaks to David, “We need to see miss Anne, and I was being told that you’re one of three people that know her location.”

“I kind of knew that you were here to meet me because of Anne.” Chuckles David, his eyes turn into Henry, “Was it for your reassignment, captain Henry?”

“Yes...” Answered Henry without turning his head to David, he just kept looking at the ocean, trying to disconnect from the two of them entirely.

Looking at Henry, David was convinced the man was not even trying to meet with his friend. He never even speak anything, and only gave him small talk. Henry was, in fact, not interested in seeing Anne right now. He just wanted to be reassignment, and once again he cursed his bad luck.

“Look, no offense to your grandson, but I don’t think Anne wanted to see him, right now,” David was hinting at Horden while he nudge his face towards Henry, “There was something going on, between them two years ago, and Anne felt she need to go away from the capital so that they could have some breather to each other.”

.....

Somehow, David’s words gave Henry chuckles. He finally turn his head to David, and said the unthinkable, “Alright, you’ve intrigued me. Where’s Anne right now?”

David was amazed by a changing manner in Henry. “Are you joking, captain? I was just said...”

“Yes! And that’s why I wanted to see the lies when she said those words directly to me.” Even though he was laughing but his eyes were empty.

Chills came right into David. Whatever happened to the most beautiful knight with a charming smile? He was gone and replaced with this cold man with no trace of warmness inside. Anne never actually told David and Darla about what happened to them after the destruction of Viora village. They were always wondering, whatever happened back then definitely changes her relationship with the four gentlemen who fall deeply in love with Anne.

“Look, captain Henry... I don’t know if I should give to the location of my best friend, I need to make sure that you will do no harm to her.” David was adamant, Anne is his best friend, even though he was going to betray her decision to hide away from the people in the capital.

Horden prevented Henry from casting another doubt in David’s mind, “I’ll be there, so don’t you worry, I will never let miss Anne be alone with Henry.”

Let out a sigh. David finally gives in to Horden’s request, “Alright, I give up, I’ll give you Anne’s location for now.”

Now, even Henry was surprised. “For now? What do you mean by for now?” Asked Henry to David.

“Anne never settled in one place, she... Loves to go around any villages or small towns helping everyone that needs her as a healer.” David gave the answer, with his eyes still observing Henry’s behavior. He wanted to see if there were still sparkles of excitement or adoration on his face.

“I see, I guess it will be hard to pinpoint her location then...” Muttered Henry with a scoff.

Horden gave him a warning look, “I’m sorry about him, he just needs to get some rest.”

David could see how sunken Henry’s eyes were, he tried to give a sarcastic remark and said that he need more than a rest, but decided that it was probably a bad idea, “Let’s get something to eat and prepare for the journey, it will take one day to reach her location from Merlinni town.”

Two hours passed by, and they were ready to go and leave Merlinni town. David says goodbye to all of his magi friends, and with the permission of his captain, they departed the Merlinni town to meet with Anne.

Meanwhile, at the capital, Justice was in the middle of eating his lunch with Xavier and Vale. This time they also asked Xander to join in for the celebration as his successful exam period, and now gaining his certification as Knight.

“Congratulations to Xander who’s going to be a little minion for our friend Henry.” Xavier was teasing his brother while the others laughed at his antics.

Xander glared at him. “I know that captain Henry is still on indefinite leave, so I’ll take comfort in that.”

“He’ll be back soon. He was going to ask for a reassignment task when he reached the capital.” Vale informed Xander with a slight chuckle.

“No! you’re joking, right? Oh, I never even talk to him...” Xander cowers on his table, while the other three are amused by his reaction.

For two years, Xander filled the empty seats of Henry. When Henry went away, Xander came and become the new acquaintance, and by time like the new addition to their group. Henry, of course, was aware of this. He doesn’t mind, because they need the three of them to let go of him as for his journey to become a stronger person.

“Don’t worry, you’re going to like Henry,” Said Justice, but then he went quiet for a while, something was weighing on his mind, “Although, I felt he was... Not like the Henry that I knew... I mean, every letter or his message from Sabrina was so tense.”

Xavier looks at Justice, “I thought I was the one who notice something was wrong with him,” Xavier said, his concern to Justice as well.

“Look, probably he was in a dark place right now, and we could help him back when he come home.” Said Vale to the other two. He always tried to be the calm one out of the three of them, especially after the Viora incident.

Xavier muttered, his sad face saying it all, “Let us hope so, just thinking about the devastation two years ago...”

Trying to warn Xavier, Justice glared at him and cut his sentences. “Xavier! We already had a deal, never talked about the incident from two years ago, right?!”

“Calm down Justice, no need to be so agitated!” Xavier looks at him and tried to calm Justice, he then muttered a few words, “Seriously! Not just Henry, that was changing.”

“Xave... Please, can we just have a good lunch?” Vale was complaining, his appetite almost gone. Whenever Xavier tried to mention Anne, Justice will become agitated and Vale shut himself and went quiet all of a sudden.

“Eventually, we need to face her. You know that, right?” Xavier warned the two of them, while Xander tried to eat his lunch in peace.

Justice drops his napkin on the table. “You know, Xavier, you can just...”

‘Your majesty.’

A voice of a familiar called for Justice from the window. All of them turned around to see Sabrina, and one of the palace attendants, open the window to let Sabrina in. She immediately flies to Justice’s shoulder.

‘Good day, your majesty, I came here sending a private message from my master.’ Said Sabrina to Justice.

“Hello Sabrina, good to see you, yes you can give me the message right now,” Justice said to the little red cardinal while giving her bread crumbs.

‘Right here... Your majesty?’

All of them look into Henry’s familiar with a question in their head. Justice asked her once more, “Yes, why are you hesitating?”

‘Affirmative, this is my master’s message... He got the reassignment, and your majesty could shove your great sword into your *ss.’

Xander choked on his food, while the other was shocked by the message.

“Wait, he was mad at me?” Asked Justice to Sabrina.

‘Yes, he was furious. It seems the reassignment mission wasn’t the one that he will enjoy.’

Thinking for a moment, he tried to remember who else besides him had the authority to instruct such a mission.

“Thank you for the message Sabrina, I’ll make sure you get some rest and food before going back to Henry.” Said Justice who then gave the red cardinal to the palace attendant, he stands up from his table and tell the others that he will be right back.

Rushing to the third floor, he goes straight to Jason’s study and when he opens the door, Jason was in the middle of reading documents from his attendant.

“What kind of reassignment that you gave to Henry?!” Justice demanded the answer from his brother.

Jason looked at Justice and let out a sigh. “The kind that you probably never going to give him.”