Veyron by true.fantasy (best books to read for self improvement txt) 📕

say rubbing my arm.
“Why would I defend them? Maybe because you were about to kill them!”
“So?!” I ask surprised.
“What do you mean ‘so’??” She gave me a look. Releasing a sigh she calmed herself and spoke again. “Xave…I thank god, and you, you made it here in time and for your help…but I—I couldn’t let you kill them! Not now that…” She trailed off. “At least I know who they are now.” She whispered slumping to the ground.
“Who?!” I ask.
She closed her eyes and lent back on the tree. “You know not everyone united for my father. They’re part of Garran’s gang. They—they want Aksum to rule; they don’t think one Auroran progeny hold any right in leading the country. Xavier……I’m sick of this politics. I don’t even want to be the ruler.”
My temper faded and I stayed quiet. What could I say? I sat down beside her quietly and she rested her head on my shoulder. I resisted putting arm around her and breathed in the rose-scent aroma from her hair. Mm…caving in, I did wrap her shoulders under my arm.
“Xave?” She looked up. “Can I—ah, ask you about…well, about your past? I mean, your parents, your home town…”
“Why?” I ask simply.
She hesitated. “Curiosity…”
“I hope you don’t mind Tsarina, I’d rather keep my past to myself.” I say glancing only briefly at her. She seemed disappointed. My heart clenched. Maybe I should just tell her everything. No. Never. She may be…breathtaking in every way, but I can’t put that much faith in her; in anyone.
She nodded. “Fair enough…I guess…”
I tilted my head to face her, but this time she wouldn’t look at me. “I’m sorry Yeira…I--” I was cut off by a shout. We both looked up to see a middle aged man in a turban heading for us. Yeira quickly got up and started speaking rapidly in the native language. The man came to a stop and I got up to my feet. They exchanged various comments in some other language, and he finally nodded and faced me.
“I’m Lushun Kumar; Kumar for short.” He spoke in Kistni this time—I could understand that.
“Xavier.” I say extending my hand, which he took.
“I heard a scream, then as I came here—those hooded felons were running…well limping off injured. I feared you were one of them.” He apologised.
“Oh.” I said simply. Then I laughed. “I guess Yeira’s scream’s very piercing like that—hard to ignore.”
“Xave!” She slapped my arm. “So you were trying to ignore me, were you??”
“No-no-no.” I laugh. “That’s not what I meant—”
“Empress Yeira?” Kumar asked. “Who’d have thought?” He beamed.
“Yes…ah, pleasure to meet you.” She said uncertainly folding her hands in greeting.
“You seem tired.” He smiled, “Please, come rest at our village, my queen, it’s not far. You and your guard seem to have had a long journey.”
“Guard??” She gave me a look. “He lacks the discipline and regard required to be a guard. Just a nuisance accompanying me on my journey. But thank you for the offer; we do need shelter for the night.”
He nodded laughing as I shook my head repressing a smile. “Nuisance, ay? Well no bother, you’re both welcomed to the village with open arms.” Kumar smiled gesturing past the forest. “It’s not very far; just follow me.” And we did.


Kumar kept questioning Yeira on where we were going and why; and I had to admit she evaded giving a response quite skilfully. Right now we were both in the village ‘guest room’. We’d gotten clean and we ate some dinner, and then decided to pick up another map—that Yeira insisted on carrying. She kept flicking back and forth between the two maps frowning—deep in thought. Shaking my head with a smile, I turned back to the various weapons the villagers had dug up for me.
“I don’t get it.” She says.
I look up from the gleaming sharp sword on the table. “Hmm?”
“The maps—they’re different. The map from this village doesn’t match the Shaman Sarina’s map.”
“What?” I moved up to her and pulled the two maps away to scan over them. True to what she had said—the maps were different. “How can that be?”
She snatched the maps back with an annoyed look. “That’s what I was thinking. The terrain couldn’t have changed much in the last few years. Either the map Sarina gave us is really old…or just different.” She looked up at I smiled.
“Indeed.” I concur, slipping my hand under the two maps and pulling them away again.
“Hey!” She reached out but I stepped a few steps back. “Xave! Give them back!” She stepped after me.
With a smirk I held them in the air. “Don’t snatch.” I say.
She stretched out and jumped for the maps—held safely well above my head. “Xave! You snatched them from me first!” She argued. I laughed and she folded her arms across her chest indignantly.
“How about trades for a kiss?”
Her cheeks flushed and she gave me a well-annoyed look. “Xavier Dork-a lot. You know what? Keep the map. See if I care.” With a huff, she turned on her heels and began walking away.
“Yeira!” I stretch out my arm and pulled her back, almost causing her to stumble. “I only kid, madam. No need to get huffy.” A small smile slipped onto her face. I felt the maps slip out of my hold.
“I win.” She smirked.
“Yeira!” I laugh feigning an irritated look. “That’s cheating.” I reached out for her arm. She bounded a few steps back laughing,
“There is no cheating, monsieur, just talent.” She smirked. “Night.”
“Not so fast, mademoiselle.” I smile walking forward. “I want some answers.”
“Like what?” She asked tilting her head.
“Like whom Garran is.” I say—I’d been thinking about him for a while. What grudge did he have and who was he?
“Garran…” She sighed. “Was a…boy at our village…he was there when you raided.” She shrugged. “The local bully you could say.”
“What does he have against you?” I ask thoughtfully.
She shrugged. “Childhood grudges no doubt. I stood up to him and…I guess he didn’t like not getting what he wanted.”
“What did he want?”
She looked up anxiously. “Nothing, never mind about that.”
“Yeira…” I sigh. “Come on, spill.”
She looked apprehensive and shook her head. “No, go to bed and rest. We’re leaving in the morning.” She stepped to the side to leave and I took her arm quickly.
“Yeira. Please. If he’s the gang leader, and they’ve tracked you down to here; I need to know who he is, what he wants and how that connects to you.”
She pulled uselessly at my grip. “Let go.”
“No.”
“Xavier—…ah…what’s your last name?” She asked ceasing her struggles for a moment. I almost smiled.
“Just Xavier.” I reply. “Now answer my question.”
She gave me a look. “Well then listen, Just Xavier; if I scream, the villagers will set fire to you, you do know that right?”
I laugh. “Yeah, I’m sure they wouldn’t like to see the guard restraining their Empress.”
“Xavier!” She scowled. “I’m not telling you, so let me go.”
I smirk. “You’re not telling me, so no.”
There was a large blast and the walls shook. Yeira turned to look through the window frightened. There was a light coming the houses on the other side—fire?
“Did you do that?” I ask, remembering the last time she had…gone freaky on me.
“What?” She only glanced back at me. “No of course not. Why would I use Aura against my own people?” She turned to face me grief-stricken. “Xavier…I—I think it’s an ambush. They found us.”
I looked at her tenderly before glancing back at the flickering flames only 50 meters or so from us. “Come on then, we’d better get out of here.” I say. Still holding onto her arm I pulled her out of the room ahead of me, and we ran down the corridor. Smoke was clearly evident now, and although it didn’t bother me much—the smell was getting stronger. We had reached for the door handle when someone took hold of my shoulder from behind; I was about to smash my fist in the stranger face’s when I turned to recognise Kumar. He held some cloth in an arm and he shoved it towards me.
“Get her out of here, and wear these cloaks—it’ll be easier to slip away in the dark. Take the back door.” He pointed to the back of the house. “And keep her safe, you hear me?”
I nodded. Yeira coughed and shook her head. “Your village. I’m so sorry Kumar; I’ve brought this upon you. We have to help, Xavier.” She spoke sternly at me.
“You can do little now, the men are getting armed and we will cover your exit. Just leave, my queen.” He turned quickly to me. “Get her out of here, by any means necessary.”
“I will. Farewell Kumar and best of luck.” I say. Yeira shook her head.
“No! We can’t let this happen!” She coughed. Kumar gave me a nod and I slipped my arm under her legs and swept her up as she struggled. “No Xavier, put me down! That’s a command.” Kumar threw the cloak around us, and I ran to the backdoor and out into the night air, hearing a farewell from Kumar. Yeira had started crying and although I felt terrible, I had to get her away from the village.

~YEIRA~


I hadn’t stopped crying as Xave came to a stop by a lake a few acres away from the village. I tried to stop—I did. But as I swallowed down a few tears, more came flooding through. I had probably drenched his shirt in tears as I pressed up against him weeping like a small girl. Gosh Yeira, you’re an Empress, I thought. I felt something stoke my hair. I peeled my face from his chest to look into those amber eyes.
“We’ll rest here.” He whispered softly. I didn’t reply, worried I’d probably just start crying again if I opened my mouth to speak. He walked over towards a broad oak with a mossy base and placed me down carefully, kneeling down beside me. “We had to go.”
I bit my lip to stop another flow of tears and a stiff nod.
He pulled a cloak around me. “I’m going to scout around to make sure no one followed us—stay here, ok?” He touched my cheek lightly and rose to leave.
My hand shot out and took hold of his sleeve. I couldn’t say anything, but I wouldn’t let go. He had stopped. “You’ll be safe here.” He assured.
“And you?” I asked in a low voice. “Xave…do you know h-how guilty I feel right now? What if something happens to you??” I barely managed to keep a steady voice.
“Nothing will happen. And you have nothing to feel guilty for.”
“Not again.” My voice quivered. “I can’t let this happen. I—I’m going to use Aura.” I say decisively. I got up, despair slowly replaced with anger. “They’ll regret this attack.”
“No Yeira! We can’t let them confirm your location!” Xavier took my arm as I strode to the pond.
“Yes we can Xavier. I have to.” I turned to face the village drawing on the Aura. I knew my eyes were a bright blue. The wind whipped past me as my long hair rippled around me in the strong wind.
“Yeira!” Xavier called. And a glance at him revealed the same emerald glowing eyes as the other night. Powerful and ravishing bright green glow emitted from his eyes—but I couldn’t get distracted. They needed me. I was improving. The last time I had brought about a storm on a burning village was when the raids happened. I hadn’t pulled on the Aura as such;