Ascension of the Monster Queen

"Just someone heading back to where I am supposed to be," She responded and she chuckled.

"My name Clara, nice to meet you," She said.

"Nessa, nice to meet you as well, Clara," She replied.

The young lady was tall, blonde, slim, and fair.

"Are you really working for a merchant?" Nessa asked and Clara glanced at her.

"Yes, I am; I presume the location you are returning to is your home?" Clara inquired, and Nessa nodded.

"Yes, it is; it is new, but I suppose it is." The girl smiled after hearing her response.

"If someone is new to a place that is usually their response, does your new family love you?" Clara asked as Nessa looked at her and then smiled.

"Yeah, they trust me with their lives as well, without thinking much," She responded.

"That\'s not a bad thing, it just shows how much they trust you, a lot of people would die to have a family like that, keep their lives safe, show them that you\'re more than worthy, if that\'s what makes you feel better," Clara said, and Nessa chuckled.

"Thank you; I guess I\'ll do just that," She replied.

"You can do it, now I have to get back to work," she said, "it was nice talking to you Nessa."

"It was nice talking to you as well, Clara," She replied as the girl dashed away and Nessa looked at Akio then patted him on the head and he exhaled deeply before stretching off.

"Are you tired?" She asked.

"I suppose I am," He responded, and she smiled as she lifted him into her arms.

"You\'re quite petty," She remarked.

"I have no idea what you are talking about, I am not petty," He replied and she chuckled.

"Sure," she said, "if you say so."

"You sound as if you don\'t believe me, I\'m not lying, I\'m just tired, thank you for lending me your arm, my lady," He replied as she rubbed his head and he closed his eyes before falling asleep.

Hours had passed them on the ship when it came to a halt by another harbor, and she sighed and looked at the carriages waiting to pick up passengers.

\'As if I would go with them,\' She thought as Akio woke up then stretched off and looked at her.

"Are we off the ship?" He asked.

"Yes, we are back in the city, you know the one in which the caravan crew lives, but we cannot go visit them now, we will come back another time, however, we can go through the forest from here, it will take us a few days to get back home if we go slow, that cannot happen, I just need to make sure everything is okay, are you up for another walk?" He scoffed when she asked.

"Sure, I am; I will protect you as well, and we can return faster if you transform into your adorable fox form, will you?" He inquired, and she sighed.

"I guess I can, let\'s get out of this city first, it will be trouble if they knew we are here, they will want us to stay and right now, we can\'t," She responded.

"I agree, we just have too much to get done, we will come back to visit when we have more time later on in the future," He said.

"Yes we can, now let\'s go," She replied with a smile as she walked away and he followed her.

They finally managed to leave the city without being seen by their friends, and once they reached the streets through the forest, Nessa sighed, then took a bottle of water from her bag, drank it, and fed Akio.

Nessa then checked the time and noticed it was getting close to midnight.

.

"Lady Nessa, do you want to take a rest?" He asked as she transformed into her fox and looked at him.

"No, there is no need for that, besides I am not tired, the more we rest, the longer it will take to get back," She said.

"I agree with you, but let\'s not push it now, we will take it easy, come on, let\'s go home, my lady," He replied and she chuckled, then he ran off into the forest and she followed him since he always knows his way around.

They walked for more than two hours before coming to a halt, where Nessa sat down before transforming into her human form, and Akio looked at her.

"Are you all right?" He inquired, and she sighed.

"Yeah, I\'m fine, I\'m just getting a little sleepy, we\'ve got a long way to go, I\'ve got snacks with me though," She responded by opening her bag and giving Akio his share of the food to eat, then she ate and both of them drank water before she fell asleep beside a large tree, and Akio looked over her but took turns sleeping.

The next morning when Nessa woke up, she stretched off and looked at Akio as he stood beside her and she held onto her neck which was aching.

"Good morning, how are you?" He inquired, and she smiled and patted him on the back.

"Good morning, I\'m fine, are you ready?" He looked at her as she stood up and asked.

"Are you certain you\'re ready to leave, my lady?" He asked, and she smiled.

"Why wouldn\'t I be?" She asked and he exhaled deeply.

"I should know by now that you never give up," He responded and she chuckled then patted his head and he wagged his tail.

"Should we leave now, Akio?" She inquired as he locked his gaze on her and exhaled deeply.

"You appear quite sleepy my lady, this is not healthy," He responded.

"It\'s okay, you want to get home, don\'t you?" He gave her a sidelong glance as after she asked.

"Yes," He responded.

"Good, then let\'s go, I will race you," She said and his tail started wagging quickly and she smirked at him.