Chapter 20

The three followed behind the zealous Anna, who led them all the way down to the fourth deck.

Anna navigated through the corridors like a rat in a maze. She knew her destination, but at the same time, she didn't.

"Anna, where are you leading us, too?" Charl asked from behind her.

"I am not sure either," Anna responded.

She was looking for something, or rather, someone. She just didn't know their exact location.

"There he is!" Anna shouted and started running down the corridor.

"Owen!" Anna ran and embraced a man walking down the corridor from behind him.

The man named Owen had another person walking beside him. They both turned around at Anna's shout and hug.

Chris, Charl, and Leah stood there speechless and watched her hug a random stranger,

Owen turned around and got a look at Anna.

"Anna!" Owen put his arms around Anna as well. They locked in an embrace.

"Damn, Owen, you scored yourself a pretty little girlfriend." The person beside Owen said.

"Shut up, Liam. This is Anna, my little sister." Owen told the man beside him.

"Little sister…?" Like everyone else, Charl was surprised.

"What? This is the little sister you've been going on and on about? She is so much cuter than what I could gather from your looks. Do you mind giving me a chance with her?" Liam said with a satirical smirk.

"Do you mind if I punched your teeth out?" Owen said. His face was smiling, but his eyes sure weren't.

"If I let you do that, will you give me a chance then?"

Owen just ignored him. He let go of the embrace and patted Anna on the head.

"Long time no see, Anna." He said gently.

"No! I want to hug for longer." Anna immediately pulled Owen back in.

After they stood there for a whole minute, Chris and the others walked up.

"Good afternoon. My name is Christopher Arden. I am Anna's friend, beside me are my sister, Charlotte Arden, and Anna's personal maid, Leah Bell. From what I gather, you are Anna's brother?" Chris offered him a handshake.

Owen shook Chris's hands with Anna still around him.

"That's right. My name is Owen Hastings, and this goofball is Liam Stratford." Owen slapped the person beside him on the shoulder.

"How dare you treat me with such disrespect. Please address me as Airman Stratford." Liam said sarcastically.

"I don't care what you call him, as long as it is derogatory, I am fine with it." Owen joked.

"So, how have you been doing?" Anna said, finally pushing herself out of the embrace, ignoring everyone around her.

"I've been doing great. In fact, I have just recently been promoted to a staff sergeant."

"Really? I am so proud of you." Anna tiptoed and gave Owen a kiss on the cheek.

"Man, I am so jealous of you. Do you know how much I would give to have a cute little sister like yours?" Liam said from beside them.

Chris was a little surprised at Anna's intimacy with her brother, but when he thought about it, he wouldn't really have minded if Charl was like her.

Charl looked away at Chris's glance. She was blushing.

Leah now understood why Anna had been excited all morning. She had heard from Maria, the family maid, that Anna was on good terms with her brother, but she didn't expect them to be so close.

"Hastings! Stratford! Get over here!" A voice called from down the corridor.

"Oh, Anna. We have some more training to do. Let's continue at the cafeteria, okay?" Owen patted Anna's head one more time.

"Okay!" Anna sounded like a little girl who was just promised a date with the boy she had a crush on.

"Anna, you are fairly close with your brother, aren't you?" Charl asked after they were left alone.

"Of course! My brother is the best man in the world! Don't you feel the same, Charl?"

"M-Maybe…" Charl was immediately embarrassed again.

"Aww, really? You have never told me that, though." Chris smiled at Charl.

"Anyways, your brother is really handsome." Charl quickly changed the subject.

She was right. Like Anna, Owen was the child of Lydia Campbell, now Lydia Hastings, the Battle Queen, who was known countrywide partly for her beauty, so he was also what one could consider as very attractive.

"I know! But don't get any ideas, Owen is mine." Anna said while pointing at Charl.

"No, no. I wasn't getting any… wait? Yours?" Charl was a little concerned about Anna's statement.

"That's right. I won't give him to any girl."

"Oh, is that so?" Charl realized that Anna meant it as a little sister protective of her brother.

"Alright, let's head back. I want to pick a bed." Anna began walking back.

"So, what is your brother doing in the Navy?" Leah asked.

"He was training to become part of the SOAR Task Force. He said that he recently became a sergeant, so he probably is already part of the squad." Anna said with pride in her voice.

"Really? I heard their Alpha Force was among the most elite pilots in Gladakia." Chris said.

"Yep. They raided over 20 enemy camps in the northern and eastern fronts just last year and didn't lose a single plane." Anna said.

"That's really impressive," Charl said.

"But what's an Air Force unit doing on a Navy carrier?" Chris asked.

"I asked him the same question over mail, but he told me it was classified. I'm guessing it has something to do with the upcoming war with the Derunce Freedom Fighters." Anna said.

"Sounds about right," Chris said.

Soon, they arrived back at their living quarters, no one else was back there yet.

"Let's split the dorm into two. The girls on one side and the guys on the other." Anna said.

"But if we do that, you can see the other side by just tilting your head." Charl was somewhat concerned.

"Do you not want to be seen while sleeping?" Anna asked.

"Yeah… It's a little uncomfortable."

"I agree," Leah spoke out.

"Well… How about the girls sleep on the bottom bunk and the boys sleep on the top." Anna suggested.

"Sounds good to me," Chris said.

"No one is asking for your opinions." Anna retorted.

"I am fine with that idea," Charl said.

"Me, too." Leah agreed.

"Great, let's do that, then. I pick that one." Anna pointed to the corner of the room.

"Then, I will go beside Ms.Hastings."

After a while, the four of them picked their beds and settled down.

"Chris, are you usually surrounded by girls like this?" Anna asked out of impulse, which she immediately regretted afterward.

"What do you mean?" Chris sounded like he was genuinely confused at the question.

"N-Never mind." Anna looked away.

Chris was lying down on the bed directly above Charl, so Anna couldn't see his face, and vice versa.

"You guys wanna check out the cafeteria? I think it's about time for dinner." Anna changed the topic.

"Yeah, I could go for something to eat," Chris said.

"Alright then, let's go."