The promise I made

{Maizey}

I am not the biggest fan of portal magic. I prefer traveling the old fashioned way, using brooms. I love the wind in my hair, the smell of nature, and--

"Speed it up, will ya, Small Fry? We gotta get to this motel by sundown." 

I sigh, being yanked back to my miserable reality. Captain Yami and I are flying to the hideout. When I said I wasn't the biggest fan of portal magic, I meant I was terrified. You would be too if you've seen what happens when you don't get your whole body on one side of it before it closes. After practically throwing a screaming fit, I was finally allowed to fly to my 'new home,' on one condition. Captain Yami was to escort me, being the only girl in the group. Unlike portal magic, flying will take at least two days, so the Captain and I are going to a motel for the night. I sigh, looking at the beautiful landscape of the Clover Kingdom. The green hills, the endless rivers, the clear blue sky--

"Does it remind you of home?" The Captain asks, eyeing me. I nod my head. "It does. It looks like it did before." I say, a saddened smile appearing on my lips. The Captain nods. "Heard a lot of bad stuff about that battle. I was told you were quite the ally." The Captain is flying next to me now, his guard seeming to lower a bit. I shrug. "Your people were the allies, not me. They aided us quite well. We won, for the most part." I look forward. Why must tears always swell in my eyes when speaking of home? "You call that winning?" He asks. I can feel his eyes staring at the side of my face. I look at him, his grey eyes dark and stormy. "We had only one-hundred civilian casualties, and sixteen soldier deaths. Other than the land being completely corrupted after--" my voice falters. "--after the merge," I hate calling it that. Whatever that thing was, it was not Lolopechka. She did not have a single evil bone in her body. Whatever she is now must've gotten rid of the real her. "we relocated, recovered, and are now reorganizing with allied kingdoms. Lolopechka would be proud." A lump forms in my throat after mentioning her. "You two were close?" He says grimly. I laugh half heartedly. "The closest." He stays silent for a moment. "You'll get your revenge on her. Vanica, I mean." I nod my head. "I know. The next time I see her I'll be ready." I bite my lip. "I need to get better. Train faster, harder, and quicker. She won't escape me next time." We slowly descend onto the village ground, heading towards the nearest motel. "I only brought enough for one room, so you're gonna have to sleep on the floor," Captain Yami says nonchalantly. I look over at him as we enter the doors. "Seriously?" I say, furrowing my eyebrows. I shoulder my bag as the captain speaks to the inn-keeper and escorts us to our room. I enter the room before Yami and sit on the bed. I look up at him and catch a glimpse of mischief in his eyes. "I'm sleeping on the bed," I say, determined. Yami grins, taking his shirt off to change. "We'll sleep together then." I shake my head. "I'm serious. I'm a lady. Can't you have the decency to at least pretend like a gentlemen?" I ask, turning my head to look away from his chest. His body is perfectly chiseled in every way, his biceps big enough to crush my skull. I curse myself for thinking of his bare chest even as I'm turned away. I hear the doorknob rattle. I turn my head to see Yami about to head out the door. He has a compressed black shirt on now. "Where are you going?" I ask. The captain shrugs. "Out to get a drink. You comin' or what?"