144 Taking matters into his own hands... 3

Mika led her group of three to the residence she used before. Though Lord Kendel only allowed her to use one guest room, it was, in fact, a house.

Entering the courtyard, Mika had Kaze search for any persons that may be hiding here.

A few moments later, Kaze returned. "Miss, the coast is all clear. We are the only ones here."

"En. Let's go inside."

Though the house didn't have much, it at least had four chairs to sit on and a reasonable size table.

Mika waited for them to begin talking, but when the silent in the room persisted, she took it upon herself to address the elephant in the room.

"Jonas do you mind leaving the room..."

"Huh...?"

"I have things to discuss with my people."

"Oh...sure." Taking the hint, Jonas left the room, closing the door behind him.

"You think I shouldn't have asked him to leave?" Mika asked Kaze and Saavi when she saw their awkward expressions.

"No...It's just...are you mad at young master Jonas for something?" Saavi glanced at Mika, wondering why she was being so harsh on Jonas.

"He helped us to get to the Vlacca clan..." Saavi continued.

"Enough, we'll talk about this later...when Jonas is back. For now, I want to talk about you two."

Kaze didn't know if it was because of her gifts were awakened or if it's because of something else but the aura Mika was giving off was almost as strong as her father's.

"The situation of me being taken by Lord Kendel...I won't discuss it. What's done is done, but it can never happen again. I lucked out on be captured by such a simpleton, however, fate won't always be on our side again..."

"...but young miss everything turned out alright..."Saavi didn't like hearing the forewarning in Mika's voice.

"Kaze...do you think everything turned out alright?" Mika set her glance on the silent Kaze.

"No.."

"What!? How can you say that?... Young miss is fine, and we have Prince Ailwin to escort us back to the Udava clan..."

"Saavi! I believe I told you before at the Udava clan, that if you want to stay by my side, you need to become stronger...A prince won't always be there to save us. We need to be able to depend on ourselves...Everything could have gone terribly wrong if we were facing a more formidable opponent."

*Sigh* Mika did not want to admit that she is still weak, but to become stronger she needed her people to see the truth.

"If things do not change, I can relieve you both from your duties." Mika stood up and walked away.

"Young miss...!" Saavi sat at the table depress. Why did it seem like her young miss was preparing her for something?

Young miss has never spoken harshly to me before. Did something else happen while she was kidnapped?...

Saavi left the table, she needed to be by herself. She wanted to think about Mika's words.

With Mika and Saavi both leaving the table, Kaze was had the room to himself. Though Mika didn't scold him for his lack of duties, he still felt the guilt eating away at him.

Outside Jonas had left the courtyard to walk around the estate's gardens to give Mikaela and her people some privacy.

Strolling within his enemy's home made all the resentment he had for Lord Kendel bubble up inside him.

Oh, how he wished Prince Ailwin had finished him off, instead of letting him live.

When will he be able to see Lord Kendel die!? Jonas pulled out a dagger and stabbed it into a tree.

Hanging his head, Jonas felt like he was slowly losing his mind. At first, he thought he could put down his revenge for Lord Tasar to handle; but when Wyn stabbed him in the gut and left him for dead. He knew the only way he can continue living is if he personally saw everyone involve in his family murder dead.

"I'm sorry Mikaela, but he has lived long enough...." Jonas pulls the dagger from the tree and turned around for the Shadow Wolves' campsite.

Mika didn't head back to her room, after giving Kaze and Saavi a scolding. She had things to discuss with Ailwin that couldn't wait until tomorrow.

As a well-disciplined army, the Shadow Wolves had their camp set up within minutes.

Getting directions, Mika followed along the path to reach Ailwin's tent.

"I would like to speak with Prince Ailwin, please," Mika told the soldiers standing at the tent flaps.

"Wait here." A soldier went inside to report Mika's request, inside Ailwin expected Mika would show up.

When she entered Ailwin jerk his head to the table full of food. Taking the hint, Mika walked over and took a seat.

The table was full of delicious dishes yet for the first time, Mika wasn't hungry. Being around Ailwin's army made Mika realize how lacking she and her people were.

She wasn't stupid, she knew without Ailwin's presence and his army, she probably wouldn't have been able to follow through with this plan of hers.

The main reason for her reprimanding Kaze and Saavi was because she was feeling inferior.

When Ailwin wanted to kill Lord Kendel she wasn't sure she would be able to calm him down. If she couldn't he would have killed Lord Kendel and there would have been nothing she could have done about it. That loss of control and feeling of helplessness, made her feel useless, she didn't like it one bit.

"Why aren't you eating? I gave you a head start." Ailwin walked over to the table after finishing up his reports.

Pulling her out of her thoughts, Mika picked up her fork and began to eat, hoping Ailwin couldn't see what was on her mind.

"I was waiting for you to finish."

"En." Ailwin could feel a distinct change in Mika's mood. It wasn't as vibrant as before.

Not liking the change, Ailwin wondered what was wrong?

"Did something happen to your companions?" Not meaning to, but Ailwin happened to hit the nail right on its head. Mika stared at Ailwin pondering if her face was an open book.

But isn't the mask still on my face? Mika thought as she subconsciously raised her hand to touch the mask.

"Ailwin...."

"En."

"I would like to ask you for a favor."

"And what kind of favor would this be?" Ailwin stopped eating to give Mika his full attention.

"I have a personal guard who needs some training, I was hoping you would take him under your wing."

"...You want me to train your people?"

"Not quite...he could be our middle man, as he stays in your company."

"A middle man?..." Ailwin thought for a while before looking at Mika.

"I don't take in just anyone..."

"I know, that why I'm asking this as a favor..."

"What do I get in return?"

"You could place someone in my company?"

Ailwin waved his hand, "I have no one I need you to train...but I'll think on this for now."

"Thank you..."

"En...eat."

The mood inside the tent was quiet but comfortable until Braeden showed up to report.

"Ailwin!" Braeden rushed through the tent flaps.

Ailwin walked over to his friend, wanting to criticize him for his abrupt entrance, but Braeden's words stopped him.

"Lord Kendel is working for one of the princes....!"

"What...?"

"I interrogated all of Lord Kendel's men, and those who went with him to the border said Lord Kendel told them that he has a powerful backer in Kaia, who asked a favor from him; and if they do this right, they will receive honey trees as a thank you!"

"Honey trees!"

"Yes...the only people who are allowed to give out honey trees is the imperial family."

"Did they say which prince?"

"No, only Lord Kendel knows."

Ailwin turned to look at Mika. "It seems we have more than your problems to question Lord Kendel about..."

Grabbing his coat, Ailwin, Braeden, and Mika were about to leave when a soldier rushed in to report on Lord Kendel's escape.