Radiant Age, Spring, 1127
I shot up from my bed. My heart was racing from the terrible images flashing in my mind moments ago. One would think I'd get used to them by this age, but it wasn't like that.
"All my night terrors have no cohesion to them."
My throat was sore, likely from the intense screams I did. So, I took of my bounding and got myself a glass of water. Afterwards, I opened my journal and noted down what I could remember from this previous night terror.
"Hm. Not much this time."
Bloody walls, being trapped in a cell, tortured by dark creatures and horrible faceless demons.
"It's just all horrible."
I cleared my throat and pondered the meaning, if any, of these dreams that plagued my life.
"Hm?"
There was a knock at my front door. I wasn't expecting anyone, so I cautiously made my way over to the window.
"Huh, it's that knight from last night."
Pacing around my porch was that knight with the fiery red hair and eyes. Terra was in her white and blue uniform with black boots. A signature of the Knights of Radiant City.
"Why is she here?"
Scenarios were racing through my mind. She might be here to give me a tax order on my cabin. Or maybe the knights wanted to accuse or arrest me of something. I wanted to melt into the shadows under my bed and hide until she left.
"F-Feodora! Are you in there!"
Terra sighed deeply.
"I must have missed her. Can't I do anything right?"
The knight sat on my steps and pushed her hands up to her cheeks. With a pout, she looked off into the distance.
"Awwww."
She looked like she was going to cry.
"Now I feel bad."
I murmured.
Not wanting to see a girl cry her eyes out on my porch, I reluctantly opened the door.
"Yes?"
She turned to me, eyes starting to water. Terra rubbed her face with her white military shirt and looked away, shielding her expression.
"O-Oh, you are home!"
The soldier stood up right. I stepped out of my home and shut the door behind me to greet her.
"You're Terra, right?"
I asked.
"Y-Yeah. I'm Terra Yuroso, a knight of the Radiant Kingdom. I-It's nice to meet you, Feodora."
Terra pushed her fingers together and looked away slightly. Her cheeks were bright red, and her boot was rubbing against the wood of my porch.
"I see."
I didn't know what else to say.
"Y-You're Feodora Cicer, the dark vessel and hermit."
"I'm not a hermit."
"But the note in our files clearly states that you're a hermit."
I rubbed the back of my head, a tad annoyed by this slander.
"Anyway, what do you want from me?"
The soldier straightened her posture and put both arms at her side.
"I wanted to apologize for what happened the previous night! Mellissa was at my authority, and she escaped to attack you."
Terra closed her eyes with shame.
"As a knight, that is inexcusable! Please, forgive me!"
In earnest, the knight said.
"Ah."
I wasn't sure what to say. But she seemed genuinely concerned for what happened. My cheek itched and I felt embarrassed by all of this.
"It's fine, Terra. I'm okay in the end."
She lifted her head with a bright smile.
"Thank you, Feodora! You're too kind."
The knight grabbed my hand and shook it. My entire body was shaking by the force she was putting in.
"I make a lot of mistakes and I'm trying to be a better knight. I-I didn't want our first meeting to be like yesterday."
"Actually, you called out my name before I knew yours last night."
Suspicious, I asked.
"Do all the knights know about me?"
Terra looked to the side and swayed about cutely.
"Ah, kind of. We talked a lot about how rare it is for a dark vessel to be in town."
Terra walked down the porch steps, looking at the clear blue sky as she did.
"Then I heard that you were helping Jade Opal out with her investigation. And that you killed a massive beast in the ancient ruins. A-And how you and Jade confronted the Baron Group!"
The knight turned back to me, the smile on her face was as radiant as the sun above.
"I read over your files yesterday afternoon and thought-"
Those ruby eyes reflected admiration.
"You're really cool, Feodora!"
Her words were clumsy and honest. They were refreshing compared to most people I've met so far.
"I see. Thanks, Terra."
Embarrassed, I turned away from her sparkling gaze.
"If that's all, I'll be going back inside now."
Despite her kindness, I wanted a break from people today. All the socializing I had to do wore me out.
"A-Ah, before I go, I wanted to-"
Terra rushed back up the steps and handed me a stack of papers.
"If you ever wanted to be a knight, here's the forms!"
The recruiter pushed the papers on me.
"Be a knight?"
I nearly scoffed at the idea, but I stopped myself. I didn't want to hurt her feelings.
"Yeah! From what I hear, you're so strong! You could easily climb the ranks and be a captain! And I think it would be so cool to work with you every day!"
Terra blurted out.
Becoming self-aware, her face turned the shade of a strawberry before turning away.
"S-Sorry, I didn't mean to say that."
The knight's shoulders slumped before looking back at me.
"I'll think about it, okay Terra?"
I had no intentions of doing that but it's the thought that counts, I guess.
"Sure. Then, I'll be going, Feodora."
We waved to one another before I shut my door, locking out the world behind me.
"Hehehe!"
I heard the knight giggle loudly. Interested, I peeked out my window to see her rubbing her boots together and clinching her fist in excitement.
"I talked to Feodora!"
Terra joyfully shouted.
Embarrassed, she looked back at my cabin momentarily before rushing back towards the city.
"I'm not sure what she sees in me, but Terra doesn't seem like a bad person."
I smiled.
"If bunnies had red fur, Terra would be a red bunny."