Chapter 8: depart.

Louise woke up the next day with a groan. Her back ached from sleeping on the ground and her eyes hurt from the intensity of the sun. Yet despite the aches and pains she felt it all seemed worth it in the end, as she lifted her head from Saito chest (which served as her pillow the night before), she smiled. A warmth of joy filled her chest as she looked at his sleeping form. Sure she had memories of him like this, but seeing him, making her own memories with him made her happy and before she knew it she was kissing his lips. She only realised when she pulled away and Saito blinked awake.

"Morning." Saito spoke with a tired voice.

"Morning." louise said with a bright blush brought on by the fact she was caught kissing saito as he slept.

Saito grinned and pulled louise close seizing her lips with his own. The kiss was short and sweet leaving the pair smiling brightly. Then louise grown.

Saito panicked but kept a straight face. "what's wrong."

Louise blushed deeper and she hid her face in Saito chest to hide it. Her voice became muffled and vibrated against Saito. "I've got to back soon."

Saito sighed as realization hit him. "and were not going to be able to be like for a while."

Louise said nothing and sadly looked into saito eyes. He could see the pleading in her eyes, she had finally found what she had wanted her whole life and still just like before, like in her memories she couldn't have it because something or someone was in there way. Saito kissed her again and held her chin to make her look at him. "I know it hard but we have no choice. It…. It's probably better if you go now...if you don't only going to get harder to let you go."

A single tear fell from Louise's face which Saito quickly wiped away. Louise forced her eyes shut and made her tears stop. She then looked at Saito with a fake smile. "right then. I should probably go."

Louise then stood up and pulled out her wand. She shut her eyes and envisioned her room before putting her want to go there into her spell. It took some trying but she got the door open. She turned to Saito and was about to say goodbye but he pulled her close and kissed her deeply. When they parted louise could see tears in Saito eyes and before hers started to pour like a waterfall she rushed into the portal and into her room.

Once she was in her room she face planted her bed and then she cried. She cried enough to fill a lake, she cried until she had no tears left and she fell asleep.

/the next day./

Louise sat in the canteen playing with her food. She was miserable, she had thought meet Saito would fill the void in her heart which he did, he filled it completely and utterly but knowing she couldn't with him until he had dealt with wardes only made Void bigger. Only now she had a way to occupy her mind.

Louise had a goal, a goal she could achieve easily, it wasn't to master magic. That was something she would get with time as derf told her, once she had mastered the void magic within her. No her goal was much simpler. Make friends with a maid.

So she sat and waited until everyone had left to go to class, a class she now saw no point going to. All they were going to do was practice spells she was yet to be a able to cast so she waited. It took a good half hours for everyone to leave but once they did she made her move. Picking up her plate she walked into the kitchen to drop it off, which was uncommon for a noble to do but not unheard of so all Louise got was some odd looks. They expected her to simply turn around and leave but what's she did next surprised them all.

"Um is Seista around I need to talk to her about something."

Her question again wasn't unusual, noble would ask for specific servants all the time. The only difference was Siesta had moved on.

"lady Siesta was transferred miss Louise. Count Mott came about 3 weeks ago and asked to see all the maids. He selected her and paid top coin for her to work for him and because of the counts station the headmaster was unable to say no."

Louise's eyes widened. She remembered this happening before. She remembered Saito not accepting Siesta's and rushing off to fight he count to get her back. His time however Saito wasn't around to save Siesta and she had been gone for 3 weeks.

Fear slowly began to grip louise as she realised what it would mean. She quickly turned around and rushed to her room hoping to find a solution.

As she ran she shifted through what she remembered about the events. It wasn't easy but she did it and instead of going to her room she went to Kirche's door and knocked loudly forgetting that all the student were in class. Sighing Louise tried to come up with a different plan. It took a minute or two but she got one.

Louise started by looking up and down the corridor seeing if anyone was round. She smirked at seeing she was alone and then she closed her eyes and felt for the magic within her. She then drew her wand and pointed it at the lock. All of her training with derf to be able to cast world door and allowed Louise to get almost perfect control over her explosion spell. She could control the size and impact of it now so blowing up a lock was child's play. "explosion."

With a tiny pop and puff of smoke the door Swung open. Louise entered the room, she closed the door shut and was glad to see it close loosely. Louise then dived under the bed looking for the chest Kirche kept the summoned book in. After some digging she found it and pulled it out onto the bed. Again she cast a small explosion spell into the lock and opened the chest. She smirk recognising the book count Mott wanted and took it. She then rushed out the room and into her own. Making ready for tomorrow when she would go to rescue Siesta.

/Saito./

Saito, Han and the 200 swords had just finished the day's march. Progress was slow but consent. Only stopping every 2 hours or so for about half an hour. Saito lead the march directing the men to their new home being the only one to know the correct route. Sure everyone knew of Des Orienes as the bandit capital. Known to be filled with riches the locals were more than happy to part with. That's story the bandit gangs tell anyway. But getting there is hard as there are no signs to follow like there are for other villages and towns. It also cost a lot of gold for a guide to take you. So even if Des Orienes was most profitable place to go if you were bandit none ever went. Leaving a very small yet dangerous group to have the spoils all to themselves. However Saito had traveled the path many times so he knew exactly where to go the only problem this time was that's Henrietta hadn't dealt with the bandits for him he and his men were going to have to do it and this time saito wanted no prisoners.

With Saito leading the way Han the responsibility of keeping the men in order. Having no horse made the task tiring so he stopped a lot more than others but then also had to move faster to get to the front again. As he passed the line and as the line passed Han watched every man and women making sure they stayed in line. After all this march was part of the sword of people training.

But now the day was over. Saito looked as his men seeing the effect the days march had on them and their bodies. "OK we stop here today get some rest we start early tomorrow."

As saito walked away he smirked. The older members of the group took the new members and paired with them. Teaching them and helping them develop. Han's training had stuck. Not wanting to be put to shame by his own men Saito found a tree and started using it as a dummy. He had some built up frustration to get out after all. The Tree may of looked strong but after a couple of Saito's strikes it fell which forced Saito to dodge out the way and not earning anything for his troubles.

Saito let out a frustrated groan and dusted himself off. His improved sense from the bond let Saito know Han had approached from behind. "Hey boss mind tell me what's on your mind. I mean other than everything that's going to happen."

Saito sighed. "it's complicated."

Han chuckled "it's always complicated with you. Right then draw your weapon let's have a duel. No dragon power mind."

Saito nodded and drew his blade as Han drew his own. The pair clashed swords with ease their fight looked like a dance. Both predicted the others move before they made it so every strike was blocked or dodged. After a few minutes Han asked again. "what's on your mind. You been like this since yesterday when you rejoin camp from you meditation. Did Grandlfr warn you about something in Des Ornienes.

Saito growled Han wasnt going to let this go. "louise she came to me yesterday. I mean literally. She used world door, at first I thought it was an mistake a figment of my imagination but then she said my name and she knew me. She knew everything."

Han looked confused. "so what's the problem this is a good thing isn't it."

Saito back away and moved on for a another strike. "it not that's it not good it just makes things harder than before. I mean before I could work at this without the desire to be with her because I knew she wouldn't know who I am."

"but now that she does know you and everything happen just like you, you think you can have the life you couldn't have before." Han said finishing Saito sentence.

Saito nodded. "and yet there still so much work to do so I had to tell her that she couldn't see me."

Han nodded knowingly. "well If everything goes according to plan you can at least send her a message."

Saito nodded looking over the horizon towards the direction of Des Orienes. "then let's hope everything does go as we planned."

A/N and there you go. Hope you enjoyed it followed and favourite if you like and let me know what you thought in a review.

And I will see you in the next one