Chapter Text
“Ah.. The tyrant…”
“He’s covered in blood again…”
“Eek..! He looked this way!”
Blood dripped from the once shiny armor of Vantacrow Bringer as he trudged across a path from a parted crowd.
“Don’t listen to them, Vanta,” his blonde companion whispered as he cast side-glares towards the crowd.
“I don’t understand how they still talk about you like this after you saved them..” a man next to the blond huffed, his voice a different accent from theirs.
All Vanta could do was grunt in response with his head tilted down, his helmet overshadowing his eyes. It was the same every time, who was he to think it’d be different this time?
All he could do was continue walking with his head down as they were surrounded by whispers from the townsfolk. Although their adventures proved them to be heroic, the majority of townsfolk treated them as if they were other than heroic – but Vanta faced the brunt of it all. After all, a person with the crow’s mark is considered to only bring calamity to wherever he goes.
Eventually, they arrived at the King’s doorstep. They were greeted by the kingsguard, and servants quickly scurried aside.
“Entering, Sir Vantacrow Bringer, Sir Yu Q Wilson, and Sir Vezalius Bandage!”
The three looked at each other with furrowed eyebrows and thin lips before nodding at each other. The two large wooden doors groaned open and the three instantly puffed up their chests.
“Your Highness,” Vanta kneeled on one leg, the other two following suit.
“You may rise,” the king had his chin resting on his knuckles as he looked down upon the three. “Krisis! Welcome back!”
The three rose and exchanged their thanks with the king.
“Come closer! We’ve exchanged enough pleasantries to be at ease amongst one another, come on,” the king chuckled as he leaned forward from his seat.
“Now, I hope the battle this time wasn’t too hard!” the king beamed.
Vanta shook his head as his dented and blood-coated armor rattled a bit. “Of course not king Ryoma, right guys?”
Vanta nudged Wilson’s burnt and scarred shoulder which was exposed from a rip that was amongst many rips on his cloak. “Nope, it was all good.”
Vezalius gave a thumbs up, showing his arm littered with bruises and cuts.
“Good, good!” Ryoma laughed heartily. “For your amazing efforts, I will be throwing a ball in celebration in one week’s time!”
Wilson staggered a bit, holding onto Vezalius’ shoulder while coughing into his hand. The mission had significantly beaten them down.
“Um, two weeks then.”
“Thank you, your Highness, but you don’t really have to,” Vezalius laughed sheepishly as he handed his pouch of water to Wilson.
“Nonsense! Of course I have to!” Ryoma clapped. “Plus, you three have been single for quite some time now. It would be good for boosting the people’s morale when we have our beloved heroes being wedded away — especially you Vanta..
–Aaand I also already finished most of the preparations for it before you guys arrived..” He muttered the last sentence to himself quietly.
“Er, me..?” Vanta pointed at himself.
“You’re one of this kingdom’s top desired bachelors, I hear talks from the grapevine,” the king hummed. “Got a secret sweetheart you want to invite?”
“Ah, no no, not for a long time at least.”
“You doubt your charm too much,” the king winked. “Well, it’s getting late, I don’t want to keep you boys here all day. I’ll see you three in two weeks, alright?”
It was non-negotiable at this point. The three nodded before exchanging their goodbyes with the king. They exited the throne room.
“I was really looking forward to hibernating for a month or two,” Wilson grumbled after the large doors closed behind them.
“Yeah, we almost die but we’re thanked with a ball we don’t even want to go to,” Vezalius sighed. “Sounds fair.”
They headed to their quarters just past the castle gardens — a previous ‘thank you’ gift from a past battle won.
It was rustic, but simple. They shared a kitchen, but had their own separate bedrooms which were each an adequate distance away from each other which was nice for their own personal space.
“I’ll cook us dinner tonight, the king was generous enough to restock our food supply while we were gone,” Vezalius closed the cooler after checking it out. “I’ll just organize my bottles and the herbs I foraged on that trip first.”
“Well, I’m gonna take a shower first then,” Wilson stretched his arms. “What about you, Vanta?”
“Hmm.. I’ll take a walk.”
“You sure?” Wilson and Vezalius asked in unison, their heads popped out of the door frame as they looked at their friend, their eyebrows furrowed.
“Yeah yeah, just need to clear my head.”
“Just get back home in time or Willy’ll eat all the chicken,” Vezalius shrugged.
“Yea- Wait, hey! Zali!” Wilson groaned in annoyance. “Uncalled for!”
Vanta just shook his head and chuckled as the other two continued to banter which eventually switched to a different language Vanta could no longer understand.
As the two playfully bickered, Vanta slipped away into his room to change out of his armor. He unclasped the straps that held them in place, and the armor slipped off and landed on the ground with a ‘thud’. Vanta rolled his shoulders back and groaned from the relaxation of his muscles without it being weighed down anymore. He took his tattered shirt off, and before he could throw it away, he glanced at his body in the mirror. His body was littered in scars, but there was a new gash that joined the array and stretched from his abdomen to just below his chest. A new momento to remember his most recent mission.
Without a word, he discarded the old shirt before slipping on a simple black shirt that accentuated his muscles. It was a shirt that filled his wardrobe, as he didn’t really have the desire to buy new shirts that would wind up tattered in the end. Plus, the shirt was versatile in its comfort in both leisure and combat. For Vanta, that was all he needed.
“Alright, I’m heading out,” Vanta yelled out.
“Stay safe,” Vezalius replied from the kitchen. Wilson was already in the bathroom.
Pink and orange blended in the sky as the sun was dipping over the horizon. The breeze was cooler.
Vanta walked through the forest that met the edge of the castle grounds. He knew the forest well, as he had been visiting it since he was a young child. Eventually, the sound of rushing water grew louder, and it didn't take long until he was at the spot.
The strong gushing waterfall contrasted the calming but rushing downstream of the river it was connected to. It was a place he and his friends often trained at as children before they eventually had their own training grounds closer to the castle, but Vanta still never forgot this place. He sat on a tree stump, his fingers tracing over familiar carvings he and his friends made years ago.
Vanta closed his eyes as he heard the echoes of laughter from the past. He usually visits this place to drown out his thoughts whenever they got too loud, which was often. Only the waterfall’s sounds could mute his thoughts. It was cathartic for him, in a way. Eventually, crickets and other sounds of the night joined in as the surroundings got darker.
“Oof..!” thud
Vanta’s eyes shot open and he quickly jumped from his seat, his head turning to the side to the source of the sound.
There, he saw a large backpack on the ground with.. Two legs sticking out from it…?
“Hello..?” Vanta cautiously called out, his hand rested on the hilt of his sword.
“H-Hey! Hup ,” a girl rolled to her side, revealing herself from underneath her cartoonishly large backpack that was disproportionate to her body before she attempted to stand up.
Vanta watched as the girl stumbled a bit before regaining her balance. The girl blew away the stray blonde hairs that fell on her face before quickly fixing it with her hands instead. Afterwards, she immediately straightened her posture before extending a hand forward close to Vanta’s face. He leaned backwards.
“Hello! I’m Millie Parfait!” she beamed, moving her hand closer. “Travelling merchant, I’m trying to find the Niji Kingdom, but it seems my map has led me astray. And, you look pretty familiar.. Have we met before?”
“Uh, no we haven't, and uhh..” Vanta shook her hand and used his other hand to point towards the tops of the trees behind him. Millie followed where his finger pointed, and all she could see from the distance were peaks of ivory towers, but they were distinct enough to recognize that it belonged to a castle. “You’re kinda at the backyard of the castle— and hold on, how did you even get here? This area is surrounded by cliffs.”
“Ah, erm,” Millie laughed with furrowed eyebrows. “Well, you see—“
“ Meow ~” a black cat emerged from the bushes next to Millie and rubbed its head against her legs. Vanta almost thought she was crazy since the sun fully sunk over the horizon, and the cat blended well in the darkness.
“Lucie! There you are!” Millie gasped before picking the cat up, the two nuzzling their cheeks together. From Vanta’s viewpoint, it was like seeing two cats.
Vanta sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Alright, I’ll lead you out to the town because it’s dark and gods know whatever you’re doing back here? Not my business.”
“Yay!”
“But if I even get an inkling that you’re here for trouble, you’re out instantly, alright?”
“Yessir!” Millie saluted, holding her cat in one arm. “Just a travelling merchant! Do you wanna see my wares to check and mayhaps purchase?”
“No, I’m good.”
“Hmm, suit yourself.. But anyway, lead the way!”
“Do you want me to carry your backpack..?” Vanta glanced at her backpack that looked like it was going to burst at any moment.
“Nah, I’m all good,” Millie grinned, bouncing her bag up as she adjusted the straps on her shoulder.
“Let me know if you want me to hold it then,” Vanta shrugged.
With one lantern in hand, he led them both out of the forest, the rushing sound of water sounding more and more faint as they went farther. Instead, they were surrounded by the chirping of crickets and occasional distant owl howls. Aside from that, they both walked in silence which was occasionally broken by the cat’s purrs or meows.
Millie glanced up at the man in lead. “You’re not gonna kill me are you?”
“What? No,” Vanta looked at her incredulously. “Why are you even following me if you think that?”
“I trust you, you’re cute, but also you still haven’t told me your name.”
“It’s Vanta, and I– Wait, what did you just sa–?”
“Wait! The Vanta? As in, Vanta.. Crowbringer?”
"Well, it's actually pronounced Vantacrow – space – Bringer, but I'm flattered you know who I am," Vanta snorted, the two reaching the end of the forest where thhey were greeted by the sight of the neat castle gardens that juxtaposed the wild growth of the forest.
"Are you kidding? You're a big deal!" Millie gasped, her eyes having some kind of glimmer in them. "Think I can get your autograph?
“That can wait another time, but for now, I'll have to sneak you out through the third ga-“
“Ah, Vanta!” a booming voice erupted from behind the two. “I thought you were re— Ohoh..?”
“King Ryoma!” Vanta spun around and instinctively pulled Millie behind him. “What brings you outside?”
“Am I not allowed outside on my own castle grounds..?” Ryoma raised a brow before peeking over to see the girl. “Who’s this?”
“I’m Millie Parfait, your Highness! Travelling merchant!” Millie chirped as she poked her head from behind Vanta. “Wanna have a look at my wares?”
“Oh sure, I’m quite curious–”
“Ah actually, it’s late and Millie has to get home now,” Vanta forced out a laugh as he pat Millie’s shoulder.
Millie shook her head and plopped her backpack down and started rummaging through it. “Here, I have potions.. Health enhancers.. Snacks from other regions..”
Ryoma averted his gaze back to Vanta and crossed his arms. “What a shame, and after all you said about ‘not dating for a long, long time!’ or whatever you said.”
Vanta’s brow twitched when Ryoma’s voice deepened to mimic him but was more thrown off by what he was planning to say. “Ahah, pardon me your Highness but, what are you implying?”
“Hey man, I get it, long distance relationship,” Ryoma pat Vanta’s shoulder. “She travels, you stay here and sometimes even go away for awhile.. No wonder huh?”
“I also got nuts.. Hey, the nuts my friend gave me! Ah, and I have some fragrances.. Some temporary strength boosters..”
“Hold on, your Highness, I think you’re–” Vanta held his hands up, trying to slow Ryoma down.
“No no, seriously, I’ll keep it on the downlow,” Ryoma gave him a thumbs up before beckoning for his knight escort. “I better see her at the ball, alright? If she doesn’t have a place to stay yet, just consult with Klara! I’ll be off now.”
“Some spices.. Some grimoires.. And– Ah! He’s gone,” Millie pouted as she watched Ryoma walking off with a guard. “Having a king buy something from me would’ve really increased my sales!”
Vanta just stood there, his mouth agape in shock as if he just looked into Medusa’s eyes himself.