Patreon LogoYour support makes Blue Moon possible (Patreon)

All's Fair in Love and War ((Half-Demon X Yajirobe))

"I see, well it is a complicated relationship that you have," he said relaxing as he said nothing about demons in general or at all. He relaxed as he thought about it for a long moment and had one question to ask the demon, "what will you do when the war is over, I know it won't go on forever, and I was curious, win or lose what will be the first thing you do, and what will you do long term," he asked with a curious tone, "I am going to have a large pie from this place back home, it is so good, I miss it a lot, but long term, just going to take things as they come, no worry in rushing anything along, enjoying each day you can is so important."
 
"Well, assuming we all survive this war, I may decide to take advantage of these springs more.." She left out the long-term, because she didn't want to let it slip that she was the princess, or have it implied that she and the prince were together after all. Still a strange thought in her mind. She then thought over what he said. "Lowly knight get's to enjoy palace food? Right. I'm guessing you're a higher up if that's the case." She watched him carefully to see his reaction.
 
"Who said anything about palace food," he said with a huge smile on his face as he looked at her, "there is this small store that sells the best pies in the world about 200 yards or so from my home," he said as he relaxed not saying anything else about the fact, it was true. "As I said I am just a lowly knight who volunteer to fight for my lands," he said as he cracked his shoulder gently. "Now, I would take palace food, but I don't seems a bit out there for me," he added in as he looked at the blonde demon, "So now, you do have that edge, this place is nice, and I have faith I will find some way to survive, can't think negatively after all it isn't good for the soul."
 
He may have acted natural, but she still didn't buy it. He was still too arrogant to be as low ranked as he claimed to be. Natalia figured that she would find out eventually, whither it be here or on the battle field. She watched him carefully, trying to find any sign he may be lying, but gave up and looked away as her eyes began to wander lower. Nope. She didn't need to think of him like that. He was an elf. A stupid, arrogant elf.
 
"So demon, still conceted that all of your foe are evil," he said as he looked at her, and grinned a bit, "you know for a person who talks peace and love, your really a horrible example of it. "Just looking at you, I can see the hatred from your eyes, and the fact you think down on others," he said as he looked at her a small grin growing a bit as he looked at her, "the type who loves to judge other I bet," he said as he let himself float in the water, "I don't care that you are a demon honestly, but you seem to have me measure up, just cause, odd, huh?"
 
"I never said that demons were a peaceful and loving race. I said we were an honorable one as a whole. We use no trickery in battle, no assassins, no traps. We face our foes and never show them our backs. We care for our brothers, watch each other's backs, work together. We may be violent and judging, but we keep our promises.." Natalia glared at him, irritated that he had jumped to the peace and love conclusion. "This includes the treaty that kept our nations in peace for hundreds of years. The treaty that your king trampled for greed." Frankly, she could careless what he thought of her. That wasn't her problem. She had her opinion on him anyways.
 
"Again you make that like it was a one sided ordeal with couldn't be farther from the truth, it is was just a king's greed then his people wouldn't fight for him with such loyalty," he said as he looked up at the sky knowing that she was far to stubburn to listen to him but saying so anyhow. "Your demons are far from innocent, and without blame, but I have already pointed out those points where your race has broken the deal many times before now in those many years, just not your government, you seem to thing there is an absolute difference, but there isn't to the average person who is attacked, trust me, I lost a sister once to your warbands, ever wonder why the mad king is mad he lost a daughter too," he retorted as he felt relaxed he honestly didn't care what she thought of him either.
 
"You've lost a sister, while I've lost a brother and best friend to your elves," She growled out, looking away. She didn't want him to see the sadness she felt, the one that fuled her anger and hatred. Just that one statement would give him enough opening to understand why she held such hostility towards him. Natalia would much rather the elf think of her as an ill tempered, hate filled demon than a lonely and sad girl.
 
"Everyone has lost someone, it is why this war is such a horrible thing, but without trust no end shall ever come to the war," he mused outloud as he didn't worry if she hated him or not, he didn't actually hate her, but he wasn't one to normally hate at all in the first place. He let himself slip from the spring and sit on the outside, "I don't think our leaders are going to see or understand that any time soon, I don't trust you, and I am sure you don't trust me, thus we shall be doomed to fight till one is gone."
 
Natalia glanced at him as he moved. She hated that she thought he was attractive. She wasn't supposed to think like that. Huffing slightly, she thought about his last statement. "Then how do you suppose we gain each other's trust? How would that help, seeing as you're a lowly knight, and I'm a simple servant girl?"
 
"Even if we are no ones, then I think that trust between two people despite their rank is better then no trust between our sides at all. Plus, your connected and have the ear of the blood prince, hardly someone who is so low," he said calmly as he looked over at her. "I do not know how one gathers the trust of another, I just know to be honest and willing to listen, other then that I think it is something natural that happens perhaps with time," he mused as he sat there for a moment and looked in her direction. "I figure that knowing your foe as someone who isn't evil is a start at least," Ico mused again out lout his thoughts.
 
Natalia nodded slowly as she watched him. It was true that some trust was better than none, and so long as his side didn't attack first, she wasn't about to have her army attack them. The peace offered them time to try and learn of each other. "Right.. Well, if that's the case, we may as well start somewhere. You know I am Talia, but I don't know your name."
 
He looked at her and blinked as he then nodded his head, "I actually did tell you Talia, but I guess you do not remember," he said as he looked at her with a kind enough look, "Yoko is my name," he said with a kind tone, it wasn't really his name, it was his middle name but he knew his real name would give himself away as the person who was the prince and that wouldn't end well at all. "Well it is a pleasure to meet you Talia," he said as he looked over, "I won't shake your hand as the fact we are both without clothes and all, nothing personal about it at all."
 
Natalia shrugged. "I believe we're both fine with that," She said as a small smile formed on her pale lips. She was about to use the traditional 'nice to meet you too,' but she still wasn't sure about that one. It was better to be honest than lie about her sincerity. "I will say though, I'm a bit surprised based on your boldness from last night."
 
"I say what is on my mind, it is just a habit of mine," he said honestly looked at her, "I think that I should be honest with my opinion, it is most likely why I am still a lowly knight despite any skills I might have," he said as he rose up, the top half of Ico sticking out of the water as he looked over at the elf. "I have nothing against demons other then they are my enemy and I have to protect those who I care from them. If it wasn't for that simple thing I could perhaps respect a demon, but I must not allow any more of those who I care for be harmed due to demons."
 
"Unfortunately, I cannot speak for every demon, as there are the banished and bloodthirsty, but most demons live by that same ideal. Fighting only to protect them and their families.." Natalia stated quietly as she looked away, giving him a bit of privacy.
 
"That is true, but I am sure your prince could, he is in charge, a person who is in charge has to keep those who are less helpful in check, and make sure they are brought to heal when they are causing problems with other countries," he mused as he got out and sat down by the edge of the water. "I am not surprised, but in protecting each our families we are destined to fight each other, we have to defeat you for we don't trust you due to the warbands, you want to defeat us cause you don't trust us due to the greedy mad king," he said as he looked towards her.
 
"You are probably correct," She admitted. When this war was over, she and her father had much to fix, assuming they survived and won the war. "Unfortunately, neither problem can be fixed while this war is going on. If only someone could talk both kings into creating another peace treaty, efforts could be focused on the real problems..." She said, glancing over at him. She could probably talk her father into it, but she had no idea who could talk a mad king into such an idea.
 
"Well, it shall not be long till the Elf king has passed from what I have heard, his illness has gotten worse by the day, and if time goes as it has been going, I would say a few months at most and we will hear that the Elven King is no more and shall be replaced by the elven Prince Ico," he said as he looked at her, he was telling her the truth, he knew it all to well, it saddened him, but he didn't show that as it would be give away of who he was really, "well, here is hoping common sense can work someday."
 
Sighing, Natalia looked down as he mentioned the elvish king only having a few months or so. "How many will die before then, though..?" It was strange for her to show him her softer side, but it was a question that plagued her since her brother died. How many more would die before the end of the war..? As much as she didn't want to think of it, she did. She truly cared for her people.
 
"Well, we shall see, till he dies though, it will be near impossible I would guess for anything to be done. I hope however this cease fire can last till he does pass away, and then it can be extended into a real pace," Ico commented as he looked at her, "I think that is what the prince wants too, why he put it in place or worked for it," he said with a shrug, "but who knows, I have no idea what is on the man's mind, I can only hope and figure out what I can do to survive and help those around me."
 
"You know.." Natalia began as she gazed up at the sky. "If the two kingdoms could establish a real peace treaty, I think a festival for both would be a good idea... If we can establish real peace anyways," She mused out loud. It was something she could think about, even if it wasn't likely to happen.
 
Ico nodded his head, "most likely that would be a great idea actually, it just to bad it can't happen during war, but hopefully that things can get better after the war, and I must say I think that would be a great way to improve relations between our sides," he nodded in agreement with the demon, "I must be going, I have watch tonight, so if your going to attack, you will be face against me this night," he said before grabbing his pants and heading back towards camp.
 
Natalia shook her head and chuckled a bit. Strange elf. She allowed herself a bit longer to relax in the warm water before coaxing herself to get up, dressed, and return to camp.
 
For Ico the next few days had been rather busy ones, he had been working to train men from new place that had joined his unit, it took him all day three days of work to make sure they were all prepared for anything the demons might do, he had the camp prepared for a sneak attack. He also heard rumors that the King had taken a turn for the worse, but he also knew that if that was true, a final battle order would come soon, most likely the next day as the King would want his great victory before his death, which would be days if not a week later. Ico didn't return home, he thought of his father as dead already, it was just a matter of time.

That night, Ico was stressed more then normal and slipped into the springs around the start of the evening the sun still seeable in the sky, he used a bit of magic to create lights from the flowers that were around giving the spring a different but interesting look that night even after the sun went down it would be useable. He knew that the next day it would be about preparation for the final battle then the day after that it would be the final battle. Things were going to get out of control fast after that happened.
 
Back
Top Bottom