Knights of The Dauntless Princess

Chapter 8: Argument

"When did you return?" Lillian asked Cyrus while they were eating at the table in the backyard.

Amara and Dion had also changed into their respective clothes after bathing and were now comfortably joining them. Meanwhile, Dravis seemed busy chopping wood.

Amara turned her attention to the young man Lillian was talking to and felt at ease with him. She thought Cyrus seemed like a good person, and they could trust him regarding her stay at Dravis' house.

"I actually just returned the other day, but I only passed by here today since I had some paperwork to attend to," Cyrus replied, his face brightening and his eyes sparkling. "After teaching children in a foreign town, I was delighted, so I thought of establishing a school here in Erin."

Amara's smile widened upon hearing Cyrus' words. "Really? Are you a teacher? That's amazing! Did you know I also wanted to try that? Teaching children!"

Cyrus looked at the princess and shyly smiled back. "Yes, maybe it's not obvious, but I continue to pursue expertise to become a professor. However, I prefer teaching children because, in my opinion, they are easier to teach. You see, once you teach children, they won't ask you intimidating questions, but when you teach some young men and women, they will tend to question you as if they already know everything."

Amara laughed, finding the young teacher to be playful and cheerful. Cyrus continued telling stories about his teaching experiences, and Amara, Dion, and Lillian continued to laugh. Meanwhile, as Dravis heard Amara's laughter, he seemed to lose his focus and missed hitting the wood he intended to split with his axe.

"Dravis?" Lillian called out.

Dravis stopped and let go of the axe. He got everyone's attention, but his eyes were fixed on Amara, although the lady surely couldn't see it.

"Good thing you're not drinking today. Come on, let's shave that beard of yours! You look like a hermi—" Cyrus teased, but Dravis threw a piece of wood at him before he could finish his joke. Cyrus managed to dodge it, but the shock was evident on his face. "I-Is this for real? I was just joking! Calm down!"

Dravis didn't say anything and turned away. He walked back into their house and decided to go to sleep. Amara followed him with her gaze, furrowing her brow because she couldn't understand his behavior.

Lillian stood up and excused herself to tidy up inside, leaving the three outside. They continued eating while chatting as if they had known each other for a long time.

"Sorry again, my dear princess—"

"I already told you it's fine. I understand everything," Amara said with a sweet smile. Cyrus briefly stared at her, captivated by her beautiful face and that smile, which seemed to make his heart beat faster. "By the way, why are you carrying an axe? Did you always do that?"

Cyrus grinned. "The road to get here is quite far. And sometimes, I encounter wolves or wild boars on the way."

"Ahh, I see," Amara nodded, understanding the reason. "But you seem to know how to fight. I noticed you were skilled earlier; I couldn't escape from you."

"Is that so? Maybe it's because I used to be a soldier," Cyrus replied, surprising Amara again.

"R-Really? You were a soldier?"

Cyrus nodded. "Uhm! Dravis and I joined the army when we were just seventeen years old. That's because our fathers were brave soldiers of Emmett, and we wanted to follow in their footsteps. But when Dravis left his post, I followed suit. Since childhood, wherever he went, I have been there too."

Amara seemed fascinated by Cyrus' story. That's when she realized that Cyrus and Dravis had known each other since childhood, but something confused her.

"W-Wait, you've been together since childhood? You both became soldiers at seventeen?" Amara asked in bewilderment, to which Cyrus nodded. "So, you're the same age as Dravis?"

"Yes, why? We're both thirty years old now," Cyrus revealed, dropping Amara's jaw in surprise.

What!? T-Thirty? So, Dravis is only thirty years old!? I thought he was in his 40s or 50s!

Cyrus laughed at Amara's reaction, seeing that it was unexpected for her.

"I guess you thought Dravis was older, am I right? Hahaha!" Cyrus laughed, and Amara quickly gestured for him to be quiet.

"He told me he looks like he's in his mid-40s—" Dion interjected, but Amara swiftly silenced him by covering his mouth.

"Dion! Quiet! He might hear us! We'll be in trouble!!" Amara warned Dion.

"Hahaha! Don't worry. Everyone who doesn't know him thinks the same," Cyrus chuckled. "It's just because of those hairs on his face."

Amara furrowed her brow. She looked at Cyrus, and she thought he had a good-looking appearance. But then she remembered what Lillian had said, that Dravis was the most handsome man among the generals and soldiers of his time.

Amara immediately shook her head to dismiss those thoughts. She realized she shouldn't be focusing on such matters. However, Dion suddenly spoke up.

"Uncle Cyrus, why doesn't Uncle Dravis want to cut his hair and shave his mustache and beard?"

Amara looked at him and also pondered on that question. Yes, why doesn't Dravis want to do that?

The smiling face of Cyrus earlier was replaced by seriousness. His eyes dimmed, looking downward. "That's because he no longer wants to see the world. Ever since his beloved woman died, his perspective on everything, including himself, has changed. He wants to forget who he used to be. He feels that being a soldier is not valuable since he couldn't even save the woman he loved."

Amara's shoulders slumped as if she felt the weight that Dravis had been carrying all this time. She thought about how much Dravis must have loved his former girlfriend and felt... jealous. Amara forced a bitter smile, but her eyes were filled with sadness. She wondered if she would ever find a man who would love her in the same way despite her circumstances.

And she remembered her purpose once again. She looked at Cyrus with hope in her eyes.

"Is it true that Dravis was a former general?" Amara asked.

"H-Huh?" Cyrus replied, taken aback. "Yes, why? I was his lieutenant."

"Really!? Oh, wow!!! That's amazing!!!" Amara exclaimed happily, smiling. "I want to bring justice to my family and reclaim the kingdom. Can you help me?"

"Is that all? Of cou—"

"NO, YOU CAN'T!" Cyrus was interrupted as Dravis suddenly hit him on the head with a bucket, hiding his face.

"Eh? Dravis!?" Amara stood up in surprise.

Dravis frowned as he stared at Amara. He thought she was stubborn, as if she hadn't understood what he had said before.

"What part of what I said isn't clear to you!?" Dravis asked irritably.

"It's not clear to me that I know you're capable of changing everything, but you're not doing it!" Amara bravely replied. "You'd rather drown yourself in alcohol! What does that do for you? Nothing!"

Dravis felt his temper rise because of Amara's defiance. "You don't have the right to tell me what I want to do, so just shut your mouth up."

"You also don't have the right to tell me what I want to say!" Amara argued, glaring at him. Cyrus removed the bucket covering his head and looked at the two alternately.

"You piece of—" Dravis snarled, his calm demeanor beginning to c***k.

"You keep drinking alcohol! Why? Because it makes you forget? Yes, when you're drunk, you forget temporarily! But when the effects wear off, isn't it still there? Nothing has changed except that you're destroying yourself!" Amara sharply retorted and took a deep breath. "If your girlfriend were here, do you think she would be happy to see you in despair? I doubt she would smile and say it's okay!"

"Shut up," Dravis said through gritted teeth, infuriating Amara. His cold and stern words seemed to silence her. Dravis turned his back on Amara. "If she were here, I wouldn't waste my time on a childish princess like you."

"Dravis!" Cyrus tried to end the argument, but Dravis didn't let it end just like that.

"Put this in your mind that you're no longer a princess, and I'm no longer a soldier, so I have no responsibility to take an order from you! I don't do babysitting, so stop it! You're a pain in the a$s! Huh!"

After saying that, Dravis walked away, and Amara remained standing there, feeling the pain deep within her heart. The sharp words of the young man seemed to pierce her once again, and she had nothing to do but restrain herself from crying.

"L-Lady Amara, are you okay?" Cyrus asked her when he noticed the tears welling up in her eyes.

"You heard him, didn't you?" Amara asked and looked up at Cyrus. She forced a smile, but tears still fell from her eyes. "I'm no longer a princess, so don't call me that."

"N-No, princess—"

"Sh*t! Sorry!!! Sorry!!!" Amara apologized, quickly wiping her tears away. She chuckled softly to show that she was fine. "Maybe Lillian needs help inside. I'll go to her!"

"Hey, big sis! Wait for me!!!" Dion exclaimed, quickly following Amara into the house.

Cyrus was left outside, watching the direction Amara had taken. He felt pity for the young lady, but he couldn't confront Dravis. He knew the young man, his heart was unyielding and cold in his dealings, but Cyrus was certain that he also worried about the well-being of the former princess.

****

Because of the argument he had with Amara, Dravis felt a thirst for alcohol once again. He wanted to channel his anger toward the lady through drinking, but... her words seemed to resonate in his mind.

No matter how many bottles he consumed, alcohol wouldn't change everything.

"Oh, what would you like to drink?" the bald bartender asked.

Dravis turned to the old man and replied, "Tea."

The old man was surprised by Dravis' request. It seemed unbelievable to him that the young man ordered coffee that day.

"Tea? Really? Is that really you?" the bald man smiled and took a cup.

"Any problem with that?"

The bartender quietly laughed, "I just thought that in the five years you've been coming to my bar, only now you ordered tea."

Dravis didn't say anything because it seemed to have occurred to him just then as well. While waiting for his coffee, Cyrus arrived and sat next to him.

"You mor0n! Why did you say that to her!?" Cyrus scolded Dravis. "You're so cruel!"

"She's stubborn—"

"Do you know that she cried?" Cyrus interrupted Dravis. Dravis seemed to stiffen in his seat upon hearing what he said. "Let's say she's stubborn, but I don't think you should treat her that way. It hasn't even been a month since she lost her family, and even though she's smiling... I know it still hurts her. She was acting so cheerfully, but we didn't know; maybe she was still crying every night. Think about it, she lost not just one person but her entire family. She's all alone now, and everything was taken away from her instantly. Isn't she admirable? She kept on smiling despite everything she'd been through. She's so brave."

As Cyrus spoke, it felt like a bucket of cold water poured over Dravis in his seat. He momentarily forgot that the princess had indeed been orphaned in an instant. Still, they had never seen her sulking or drowning in alcohol like Dravis had been doing since his girlfriend died. At that moment, he felt like a fool for being insensitive to the young woman's feelings.

"Oh, here's your tea," said the bald bartender as he placed the cup in front of Dravis. "I made it to your liking. Hope you enjoy it."

As the bartender left, Cyrus glanced at Dravis in surprise.

"Tea?"

Dravis, feeling embarrassed and annoyed, responded, "So what? I just wanted tea!"

Cyrus chuckled at the thought of Dravis being confronted with Amara's words. "Maybe I should tell Dion about this—"

Dravis quickly grabbed a table napkin and stuffed it into Cyrus' mouth. "Go ahead, and I guarantee you won't be able to speak ever again."