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goddessofeternity · 2 years

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Love Amidst the Darkness

Chapter 19: Moments of Bliss

Althea twirled her pen between her fingers with anticipation as she stared at her bedroom door every few minutes. She was currently being fitted for a dress for her visit to the Chowa empire, but she could not focus knowing that the mail carrier could arrive any minute. She was glad to learn that she could send letters to the army and even better she would get responses from everyone! The war had been raging for over a month now and she couldn’t wait for everyone to come home. She was worried most for her mother though, she had been working herself incredibly hard since her father and the armies left. Althea could not convince her to take a break and rest. It took Althea writing letters to her godmother to finally convince her. Now, Althea and her mother were getting ready to spend a few days in the Chowa Empire with their close allies and friends.

“Althea…how would you like to wear your hair today?” Althea perked up as she smiled at Marina briefly before looking at the door again. “The mail carrier will be here soon.”

“I know…I just wish he would arrive faster. I would like my hair tied up please. I just hope this trip will be good on my mother…”

“I’m sure that it will be. She just misses your father terribly and is worried for him.” Marina sighed sadly as she brushed through Althea’s hair. “You just have to continue to be here for her and rely on each others strength.”

“I know…you’re right…”

“We should head downstairs…your mother is probably already waiting for us. I can’t wait to spend some more time with you again. It has been far too long since we enjoyed each others company.”

“Yes I know…we get to experience a new land and spend time with each other again.” The pair made their way through the palace and Althea could not help the sigh that escaped her as she frowned at her mother. The queen was sitting on a bench once again signing and looking over her paperwork. She ran a tired hand over her eyes before getting back to it.

“Mother…”

The queen kept her writing up, not quite hearing her daughter call out to her. Althea walked to her mother and gently placed a hand on her shoulder. The queen jumped slightly and looked at her daughter with a confused glance.

“Yes, my love?”

“We have a long trip ahead of us mother…we really should get going. Someone else can look over things while we have some time to relax.”

“I can’t relax…this must all be done. I don’t want your father working on anything when he comes back. Our friends know that we are coming…if we show up a bit late they will understand…”

“They will worry about us. There has been so much danger that it will fill their hearts with fear…”

“….” The queen considered the words of her daughter before she sighed and closed her book. “You’re right…I’m sorry my sweet rose.”

Althea smiled as her mother finally joined her side and they climbed into the carriage and the knights packed their bags up. Marina sat beside Althea and gave her an encouraging nudge before she began to read a book. Althea wrung her hands together before she looked at her tired mother.

“Mother…I miss him too…” The queen flinched hearing the sadness in her daughter's voice. “We have barely spent any time together since he left. I know there is always work that needs to be done, but I still need my mother…I hate seeing you overwork yourself so hard…”

“….” Hestia stood and kneel in front of her young daughter and held her cheek. “You are absolutely right…I…I haven’t been the best mother at the moment and you deserve me at my absolute best…”

“I know…”

“So…when we get to the Empire you will have me at my best. Plus, I hear that the empress has many exciting things to show us. Despite my mood, I do hope that you are excited to see a new place.”

“As long as we are together…I’ll absolutely enjoy it!”

The queen and princess held each other in a tight and warm embrace and enjoyed some small talk, while Marina smiled behind her book, happy that he pair were able to talk to each other again.

♛

“Oh!”

Althea and her mother looked out their carriage with wide, but excited eyes. The Chowa empire was nothing like either of them had ever seen. All of its many colors were vibrant and the architecture was unique and beautiful. Althea looked at the people and noticed that it was not just the empress and Liling, but all the residents had animal like features. There were so many different smells in the air and the young princess was excited to try them all. She hoped to learn some new things to cook for her family and friends. The carriage soon arrived at the imperial palace and they were greeted with an entire staff of maids.

“Greetings, Queen Hestia, Princess Althea and Lady Marina. We will be your caretakers while you are staying in our lovely country. The empress is awaiting you in the gardens. We will handle and put away all of your belongings.”

“Thank you…I hope that we didn’t take too long in getting here.” The group ascended the stairs and their head maid smile kindly at them.

“Oh not at all. You arrived right on time. The festival is tomorrow and we only need to get your measurements for your hanfu. The empress had told me that you favor golds and reds, while the princess loves blues and purples.”

“Hanfu?”

“Yes…it is traditional wear that is worn for such special occasions. The empresses…wife…has been spending the last few weeks preparing the finest silk for you both.”

Althea frowned and found herself uncomfortable with how she addressed Liling. Liling was such a wonderful and sweet person. She hoped that the older woman didn’t have to hear such things from the people meant to serve her. Glancing at her mother, Althea was not too surprised to see her mother sporting an icy glare at the back of the woman’s head. The flames of the candles in the room slightly flickered harshly.

“Is this common behavior in the empire?”

“Hmm?” The maid looked over her shoulder and almost tripped when she gazed at the queen. “W-What ever do you mean, Your Majesty?”

“Is it common to speak in such a tone about the ruler of your empire? To clearly disrespect them in front of guests from another nation? That is an act of treason and shows weakness in the country…”

“I-I…that woman isn’t-”

“That woman” is the empress as well and she will be ruling over you and ensuring that things in the empire are running smoothly. She is making sure that you still have work and have a roof over your head. You live a good life because she has made the empress happy…so keeping such a tone about her love is not something you should continue to do.”

“Yes…such a thing would be foolish to continue.”

Althea and her mother looked toward the throne as they had finally made their way further inside the palace. The maid had failed to realize that the empress was standing by her throne, and she was wearing a glare that could freeze oceans. The maid looked ready to cry and with a snap of her fingers, several guards stormed into the room and snatched her away.

“Y-Your I-Imperial Majesty! Please! I meant no disrespect! Have mercy on me!” The empress ignored her pleas with a roll of her eyes before she smiled at Althea and her mother. Althea looked at the retreating woman for a bit, before she realized that she probably shouldn’t stare.

“Your Imperial Majesty…” Hestia nodded at her fellow royal as Althea and Marina dropped into curtsies. Hestia gestured for her gifts to be brought forward and the empress raised a brow at the sheer volume of them. “I thought it would make up for years of communication and meetings that were missed. I also thought some wedding gifts were in order.”

“Thank you for the gifts. I’m sorry that you had to experience the…personal feelings of my own subjects. Ever since we came back after the wedding…it has been…difficult…”

“Well…” Hestia approached the empress and grasped her hands tightly. “I do hope that this fades soon and you both can be happy. I hope that our presence here will bring you both some comfort.”

“Thank you…I really have appreciated your friendship over the months. Come…why don’t we head to the gardens. Liling has been setting up all day for your arrival.”

The group arrived at the gardens and Althea found herself once again taken aback by the stunning architecture. A large tree with branches took up most of the garden. Its long and sweeping branched were almost making a natural shade over the area. A small pond with flower petals floating in its waters was teeming with aquatic life she had never seen before. She took notice of General Honghui helping Liling set up the table that was at the base of the large tree. Walking over to the pair, Althea looked at another larger pond with an intricate bridge running over it to another section with interest. It seemed that some construction was happening.

The stone pathways were designed almost like a chessboard with their black and white colors, but every other stone had dragons etched into them. Althea was never one to really take notice of architecture but she was about to. A shrine was attached to a small gazebo to the northern part of the garden and the smell of incense filled her senses, the loveliest scent of…roses?

“I see you like the gardens princess.”

“Oh!” Althea flushed as everyone was looking at her with a smile. She didn’t realize that she was staring so much. “It’s very beautiful here…it’s so different from the types of gardens that I have seen. I also didn’t expect to smell roses her either.”

“Well…trade has proved quite lucrative and Liling used the roses you let her have to their fullest.” The empress smiled and held her wife’s hand when she walked up to them. “I didn’t realize that she had such a green thumb.”

“Well neither did I…I thought it would make you both feel more at home to be surrounded by the scent of roses.”

“That is very kind of you…thank you Liling.” Althea was about to thank her as well, but feeling something against her legs she looked down and was quite shocked.

“Lyna? What on Edrion are you doing here?” Althea knelt as the lioness licked her palms and rubbed against her.

“Surprise!” Althea and her mother both snapped their heads back to the large table as empress Yvette appeared from behind the tree. Matteo made an immediate run for Hestia, who knelt quickly to scoop him into her arms. “I thought I would visit too since I heard you both were coming.”

“Yvette!” Hestia rushed to her friend and engulfed her in a tight hug, but pulled back to glare harshly at her. “You should be home resting! I’m always glad to see you, but your baby could be born soon!”

“Oh I still have another month…besides…I…I couldn’t bear staying in the palace much longer with Klein out there…it’s too much on my heart…”

A noticeable and harsh silence fell over the group at her words. It was surprising that emperor Klein had joined the war efforts with king Kyros and Zacharias. He had been very concerned about his wife’s pregnancy and was never far from her. Their empire had also had a terrible storm and was in the process of being rebuilt. Althea imagined he left for the same reason everyone else did…to ensure the safety of their loved ones. Emperor Klein was going to be a father again and she could only imagine that the empress was more upset than she let on.

“We are more than happy to have you in our home and would love to visit while the war is still going on.” Liling offered with a kind smile, but Althea didn’t think her smile matched her words. Everyone was tense and worried about the war right now. It was a hard thing to worry and wait on news for. Althea did her very best to keep her spirts up, but the only thing really keeping her going was the letters she received. The only problem was that the mail carrier didn’t arrive before they had left.

“Let’s eat and we can discuss plans for the festival tomorrow.”

The collective agreed easily as they sat around the table and began to converse. Everyone fell easily into their conversations. It was friendly conversation, but it was also so very forced. No one wanted to talk about the war, but it was the only things on their minds. Althea wondered if it would be like this the entire campaign. Hushed conversations, restrained feelings and frantic hearts had suddenly become the norm, and Althea desperately wanted things to go back to the way it was.

♛

Althea sighed as she walked through the halls of the palace and wished that she was in a better mood. It seemed the week in Chowa had done little for her and her mother. They were only going to stay for three days, but her mother insisted that they stay longer. The festival was fun, but she honestly could not really remember it, despite how beautiful it was. Her mother had seemed to grow more and more quiet as time went on. Despite their conversation on the way to Chowa, their ride back was silent except for Marina occasionally striking up conversation.

Her mother often was in meetings or would lock herself in her drawing room. Althea had to continue her lessons, but she barely paid any attention. She probably wrote an entire book with her recent thoughts she had been having. She had gone through two books at this point and the mail carrier had still not shown up. She was beginning to fear that something had happened to him, or worse something had happened to the armies. The knights and other nobles were even becoming restless and anxious as the days passed without a word.

Althea wrapped her robes around her body tighter as she walked the halls, occasionally greeting the odd knight here and there. It was hard for her to sleep at night, so she found walking to be the best remedy for it. She was surprised by her own bravery at doing such a thing. The incident with Lord Derrick was often in her mind, but she had more control of her fire and that gave her more confidence than ever. Finally resting, she sat by a window as she looked up at the full moon.

“Gods…please…whoever is listening…let my father and my friends come back home safely. I want nothing more than to see and hold them again. It has only been a month and a half…but I fear that without word my mother and I will worry ourselves sick and I…” The young princess looked over her shoulder to make sure no one was around before looking back at the moon. “I wish to hear news from my love…I want to know that he is safe and doing his best. I wonder if he thinks about me as much as I think about him. I…I long for his touch…for his kiss…

Holding a hand to her heart, she prayed with every ounce of feeling in her heart. Surely word would come to them soon and they could breath a sigh of relief. It was very optimistic, but she hoped that news of the war ending would come sooner rather than later. It would be good to push such an awful thing as far from their minds as possible. The distant sound of banging metal made her jump, and she squinted in the darkness of the palace as several knights came into view.

“Y-Yes?” No sooner had she thought about Lord Derrick…now there were knights approaching her in the cover of darkness. It brought back awful memories, but she held firm as one of them stepped forward.

“We would like to ask for your assistance in regards to the queen.”

“What? What has happened to my mother?!” Althea sprang to her feet and rushed to her parents bedchambers. The knights were close on her heels as they hurried along. “Is she ill? Why haven’t you taken her to the doctor?”

“No princess…she is…” They had reached the door, but when Althea went to grab the handle she paused just shy of it. Her heart sank to her chest as she heard the very distinct sounds of her mother crying her heart out. From the sounds, she was trying to mask her cries into one of her many pillows, but it was clear all the same. Looking at the knights, they all looked saddened as they looked towards the ground. The knight who asked for her assistance stepped forward again.

“She has been crying every night since you both returned from the Chowa empire…”

“What? Why have I just been informed of this?”

“She…she usually stops after about an hour…but she has been crying for well over three hours at this point. We did not want to disturb your rest before princess. We just figured that she was upset about the war and the king…since there has been no word for awhile.”

Althea clenched her hands tightly before she looked back at the door. Her heart broke hearing her mother so sad and heartbroken. She quickly dismissed the knights before readying herself and quietly opening the door. Holding a small ball of fire, Althea was surprised by the state of the room, it was covered with half painted canvases and ones that had been torn to shreds. Pillows were thrown all over the floor and it looked as if her mother had burned some of the paintings. Looking towards the bed, Althea felt her heart sink more as her mother had her face buried into a pillow.

The queen was trembling as her cries rocked her body. Only a thin sheet covered her lower body as her left hand gripped the pillow tight. Her other hand was tightly clenched around the sheets on the other side of her…where her husband should have been. Althea finally found her courage and stepped towards the large bed. “Mother…”

The queen gasped as she shot up from under the pillow. Althea almost cried as she saw how red her mother’s face and eyes were. The queen quickly wiped at her eyes and cleaned off her face as Althea climbed into the bed. Clearing her throat and conjuring her own ball of flame, the queen gave her daughter the weakest smile she had ever seen. It was hard to fake any other emotion when she looked the way that she did.

“My…my sweet rose…what on Edrion are you doing up so late? You should be in bed and resting…you have lessons in the morning.”

“I can’t sleep that well at night…I’ve been taking walks throughout the halls. The knights were concerned and asked me to check on you…mother you…you don’t have to be alone in your sadness. I’m here too, let me be here for you.”

“….” The queen released a tired and sad breath as she looked at her daughter. How strong she seemed to become over the course of this year….where had the time gone? Flipping back her blankets…Hestia gestured Althea forward and the young princess climbed in beside her mother. Hestia reached over to hold her daughter, but Althea surprised her again by grabbing her instead.

“We don’t have to be sad, mother…father and the armies will be back. We just have to have faith in them. We have the toughest men and women fighting beside him. If you ever get sad…we can go out riding or you can teach me how to paint and I’ll show you how to cook.”

“….” Her mother remained silent before she buried her face into her daughter's chest. Althea held her mother tighter as she felt her nightgown get wet. “Thank you, Althea…”

“I’ll always be here for you mother…”

“You miss Duran terribly too, don’t you?”

“Everyday…but…I know that he’s going to be ok. I have to believe that…it’s the only thing I can do.”

“….” Althea continued to hold her mother tight as her sniffles started to fade. Figuring her mother was falling asleep, Althea moved away to let her rest, but she was surprised to see that her mother was wide awake and wearing a look of intense thought.

“Mother? What’s wrong?”

“Have I ever told you about how I met your father?”

“You haven’t actually…it is a story that I have always wanted to hear though.”

“Mmm…well it is quite the tale…so get comfortable my sweet girl…”

~~~

“We have to do something!”

“Obviously you fool! Who knows what could happen if we don’t act quickly!”

“How could he even do something like this?!”

“Silence you fool!”

The collective group of council members all glanced at the end of the long table. The young prince was silently writing and signing papers in deep concentration. A boy of only seventeen, but he carried the true poise and strength of a royal twice his age. The council had been apprehensive about talking around him, but they were getting restless and so were the citizens.

It had been over eight months since king Rasvan disappeared. The kingdom had since been in a state of panic at the loss of their ruler. It had been silent the first couple weeks, but the information had been leaked to the public. A panic had ensued over it, but the army had managed to keep things in order. Although, it was only a matter of time before they were riled up again.

The young prince had said not a word since his father disappeared. No words of worry, anger, fear, nothing. He simply dressed himself and went to collect his fathers work. He fell into this routine for the past eight months without complaint. Those around him often worried about his mental state, but he was diligent in his work and the kingdom had fallen back into order slowly…but there was steady progress.

“We should be more considerate of his highness…” One of the councilmen whispered to his peers. “This is his father we are talking about…”

“The boy does not care! It’s been months since he left!” Another councilman growled back, throwing his arms in the air. “We need to discuss how the king didn’t leave anything to help!”

The young prince sighed deeply as he leaned on his hands and looked over his foolish council. He had finished his work a while ago, and now he just listened to the useless prattle of tired old men. They failed to notice his gaze so he just waited and drummed his fingers on the table. He glanced to his left and smiled at the woman in the corner.

“Should I get their attention?” She whispered amused at their arguments.

The prince smiled and shook his head. Their constant prattle was humorous at times. He needed to rest his writing hand anyway. They would stop their bickering soon enough he hoped. It was a full fifteen minutes before he yawned and caught the attention of one of his councilmen.

“Prince Kyros! I see that you are finished with your paperwork, excellent!” The young prince resisted the urge to roll his eyes as the men looked over the documents with satisfied expressions. “We have looked over some potential candidates for a wife and we have some very good options!”

Kyros winced at the prospect of “shopping” for a wife. He considered the whole thing pretty barbaric and he didn’t really see the need to be married. Sure he liked women, but the only reason they wanted him to have a wife was to have heirs and secure the bloodline. Something else that wasn’t really needed. Ever since his…ever since the king left, the council had been frantic about everything. Many kept up the search for the fleeing king, but Kyros didn’t really see the point.

He kept silent about it though, if he had to hear them whine anymore and he’d lose his mind. “I think that I’ll rest for the day…I’ve been signing things all morning.”

“Your highness-“

“He’s tired…he needs his strength if you want him to lead this country. We will convene again tomorrow.” Kyros smiled at the annoyed faces of the men around them, with a firm nod he left the room quickly.

“Thank you…I have no idea how the king dealt with them after all these years…”

“He didn’t really…he often ignored them and only paid attention when he was bored.”

“Yeah…that sounds right…” Hearing the bitter tone in his voice, the woman placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. “How are this annoying afternoon though?”

“Well…just looking after the young prince who has not been very happy lately. I would have hoped that after so long, he would finally show me his wonderful smile.”

“Heh…I have to much to worry about right now…this whole wife business is pissing me off. I just want to make sure that the kingdom prospers and is safe for the future ahead.”

“I see I see…so when will your happiness be at the forefront of your duties?” The young prince looked away at her words, knowing that she was right. His head maid had a way of reading him, but it was to be expected since she raised him when his mother left. He often wondered at times if she teased him just because she could. Many whispered behind their backs if something was happening under the surface, but both of them just ignored such things.

“You should get some air…it will be good for you…maybe you could have a nice flight?” He thought about her suggestion, not really wanting to take a break, but he probably did need one. “Go on…shoo…I had better not see you in here for a few hours.”

“H-Hey!” He groaned as she pushed him through the hallways, a small giggle escaped her lips. “I’m going already! You are so pushy, Ms. Boulviere!”

“Have fun!” She gave him a parting smile before she slammed the palace doors in his face. Scratching his head, he looked around the garden quizzically. He was not often in the large gardens of the palace that he had lived in for so long. The scent of the roses were sweet as he walked through their thorny bushes, and sat beneath a tree.

“Ugh…maybe she was right. I hope that those idiots in there can handle not being alone without me for awhile.” The young man sighed as he leaned his head back against the tree, preparing to take a short nap. That was the plan, but it seemed that fate had something else in store for him. Hearing something rustle above him, Kyros opened one eye as leaves started to fall from the tree. Fully opening his eyes, he stood and narrowed his eyes as a large mass moved in between the branches.

“What the?”

Hearing a distinct snap, the weight of whatever was in the tree finally gave way, but Kyros saw the last thing that he had ever expected to see. With a startled yelp, a young girl fell from the branches right on top of him. The pair groaned at the rough landing and when he sat up, Kyros was met with a girl with the most beautiful eyes he had ever seen. The pair blinked at each other before the girl blushed, or he think she did, it was hard to tell with her messy appearance. He was about to say more, but a fist to his face was not what he expected.

“Ow! What the hell is wrong with you?!”

“Fuck you! You’re nothing but a pervert feeling up on me like that!”

“You fell from the tree you stupid girl! I had to catch you!”

“You call that a catch!? You felt up my ass!”

“I did not!” Kyros blushed a deep red at the insinuation. “Why would I want to feel up on such a dirty girl like you anyway!”

For the second time that day, Kyros received a fist to the face from the girl. He fell back on the ground and held his nose as he looked up at her in anger.

♛

“Mother!”

Queen Hestia chuckled in embarrassment as her daughter looked at her in horror. “I was…quite the angry young lady.”

“I thought a young lady wasn’t supposed to use such language either…” The queen smirked at the sassy remark from her daughter.

“Yes…well I didn’t have such a great upbringing like you do, my love.” She rubbed her daughter’s cheek tenderly. “I thought that your father was an insufferable brat.”

“How did you know about all the other things that happened that day?”

“Your father recounted everything that happened that day to me. It is something that I could never truly forget.”

“Well continue! I want to hear more!”

“Alright alright…now where was I?”

~~~

“She punched me…right in the face! Like some some…animal! Ouch!” Kyros looked at Ms. Boulviere when she slapped his shoulder. She rolled her eyes before she twisted another tissue into his nose. “What was that for?”

“She is still a young lady…you should at least go and apologize to her.”

“Apologize! She punched me in the face! Even if I wanted to, I can’t! You ran off after she punched me in the face.”

“Kyros…” He winced when she gave her “mom” voice. Despite being the heir and in charge of her, she had raised him, so he was awfully weak to her when she got mad at him. He resisted the urge to roll his eyes, because she would just scold him again. “You go find her right now and apologize to her.”

“Alright alright!” Removing the tissues from his nose, he marched to the stables to retrieve his horse. A few knights accompanied him, but he didn’t see the need for it. Although, he suspected that it was he didn’t run off like the king did. He wouldn’t abandon his responsibilities like he did, he loved this kingdom and its people. He would never let anything happen to them if he had anything to do with it. So, now he left the comforts of his home to search for a girl that was not really worth his time or energy. She was rude and had barely even let his say anything, some “young lady” she was.

The young prince grumbled to himself as he went through the woods with his knights in silence. It was not often that he ventured out to the forest by the kingdom. He only really traveled when visiting the allied nations. Speaking of which, he would have to do that very soon since it looked like the king was not coming back.

“Stupid old man…”

“Your highness, I think we need to rest the horses for a bit…” Kyros shook himself from his thoughts and dismounted his horse as the men took a break. Peering through the trees, he couldn’t really see the palace anymore. Looking back at the knights, he decided to just keep walking on foot for a bit. They would be alright for a while.

Once he was sure they weren’t paying attention, the prince disappeared into the brush. He continued walking even as he heard the panic from the knights. He gave them some credit for noticing that he was gone so quickly. Ignoring them, he continued ducking and weaving through the thick bushes.

“I can’t believe that I’m doing this!” He grumbled and slapped a branch away, but failed to realize it, returning and hitting him in the face. “Damnit!”

“Heehee…”

Hearing a giggle above him, he looked up and held his nose to see the dir-…the girl up in the tree and smirking at him. She was lounging across it so leisurely and he wanted it to break again so she would fall on her face.

“Glad to see that my pain is enjoyable for you…”

“It is actually…nothing like seeing a little pervert get some karma…”

Kyros’s face flamed a bright red as he jumped to his feet. “Stop calling me that! I am not a pervert! Ugh! Look…I…I’m sorry. If I accidentally touched you inappropriately…I did not mean it.”

She made a surprised noise at his apology before she leaped from the tree and landed easily on her feet. She walked up to him and he tensed up, alert and ready for another possible punch. She was his height so he was sure he could take her, but it wouldn’t be right to do that.

Although with how hard she hits…she might as well be a man.

“I didn’t think the prince knew how to apologize…fine I accept your apology…now shoo shoo…I was having a nap.”

Ignoring her tone, he glanced up at the tree and noticed she had made some sort of makeshift bed. Several articles of clothing were strewn about the various branches as well. It seemed that she had been living here for some time.

“Gonna make fun of how I live now too?”

“What? No no I…I’m just curious…how long have you lived out here?”

“Oh…my whole life.”

“Huh?! How old are you?”

“That’s rude to ask me my age.” She huffed and rolled her eyes at him. “If you must know…I’m nineteen…”

“Oh alright…” Now Kyros found himself at a loss for words. He had come to do what was asked of him, but now face to face with the strange girl again…he was unsure of his next course of action. “Right…goodbye then.”

The girl waved her hand dismissively as she climbed back up her tree. Kyros watched her the entire time before he turned to find his frantic knights. The trip back to the palace was as silent as the trip there. Although she was rude and annoying, he could not help but feel bad for her. A young lady really shouldn’t be living in the woods in a tree.

The rest of his day was consumed with thoughts of the tree girl. He barely ate dinner that night and no one could rouse him from these intrusive thoughts. He laid in bed that night thinking more and more before he finally had enough. Throwing off his blankets, Kyros marched to the kitchens, skillfully avoiding the night patrol.

Peering into the kitchen, he quickly went around and gathered some food into his robes. He thought about grabbing some utensils, but she probably didn’t care about that. Just as he was about to sneak back out, he jumped in fright seeing his head maid staring at him.

“Gods…don’t do that! How did you know I was down here?!”

“You have a compassionate heart…that’s how I knew you were down here. It isn’t in your nature to leave someone in need alone.”

“What? No I…I’m just getting a late night snack…”

“In your boots? With a cloak to match? Also sneaking around the knight rotations?��

“….”

With a heavy sigh and chuckle, she walked around him and found a large basket and began to fill it with food and some blankets he didn’t realize that she was carrying. She really did know him well and figured he would do this.

Clever woman.

“Now make sure that you stay safe…I want you back here in bed in no more than two hours.”

“Yes yes, thank you mother…” He had said it in a joking manner, but he caught the soft look in her eyes all the same.

“Go on…” She pushed him along towards the stables and quietly shut the large doors behind him. Holding tight to the basket, Kyros went back to the woods with haste. The knights would occasionally check to make sure he was sleeping, but hopefully they wouldn’t check on this night.

Seeing the familiar tree, Kyros dismounted his steed and conjured a flame to his hand. The forest was a much more frightening place under the cover of darkness. Every sound made him more and more on edge. Finally reaching the tree, he glanced up trying to see if she was asleep.

“Psst! Psst! Hey you!”

“That is not my name…”

“Gods!” Kyros jumped at the voice behind him, the basket soaring through the air. The girl caught the basket easily and peered inside curiously. “Why would you sneak up on me like that!”

“I thought it would be funny…and I was right.” She laughed at him and his face grew red. This girl was going to be the death of him. “Having a picnic in the dark?”

“No, you blasted woman! I brought that for you!”

“Huh?” She looked down at the basket and then back at him before looking at it again. “Yeah…I don’t want this…”

“What? Why not?”

“I really don’t want you pity…or whatever this is kid…”

“Kid?! I’m only two years younger than you! That hardly makes me a child. Just take the damn basket!”

“No.”

“Ugh!” Throwing his hands up, the young prince stormed in a circle in agitation. Such a difficult and stubborn woman! She was so annoying! He could see why she lived in the woods…who would be able to stand her! He sure wasn’t going too! So with that all set he stormed off back to his horse.

“Hey! Wait!” Ignoring her, he grabbed the reins of his horse and was about to mount, but she pulled hard on his arm. “I’m sorry…I’m only teasing…”

“….”

“Listen I…I really appreciate this…you really didn’t need to do this though…”

“Yeah well…apparently I’m a compassionate person…even to crazy tree women that punch me in the face…”

She giggled and he found that she had a nice smile…only nice…it wasn’t extraordinary or anything. She reached into the basket and nibbled on some of the bread and her eyes sparkled in delight. She really did have beautiful eyes though. Coughing awkwardly, he looked away from her as he rocked back and forth on his heels.

“So…I’m gonna go now…”

“Oh please…you came this far, you might as well join me and eat. So sit down.”

The young prince grumbled at her commanding tone, but sat down anyway. He bit into an apple she tossed at him and they both sat in a comfortable silence. He glanced at her every few minutes and watched her eyes light up every time she ate something. She must not have had anything fresh to eat in a very long time.

“Why were you at the palace?”

“Huh? Oh…well…I’ve never been to this area of Edrion before…and I wanted to explore.” She twirled a strand of hair around her finger, suddenly becoming quite shy. “I’ve never really been around many people and I thought about going to the marketplace…”

“If you wanted to meet people…camping in the tree in my garden was not a great choice.”

“Yeah well…” She huffed and sighed as she looked at the bread on her lap. “I thought…I thought the palace looked pretty. A sweet smell was also coming from over the wall, so I wanted to see it.”

“Oh yeah…you’ll notice that a lot. The scent of roses is strong throughout the kingdom.”

“I don’t think I’m staying much longer…”

“Huh?” That was not what he expected.

“I’m not very good around other people and this is all I know…”

“You would really rather be out here…just because your social skills aren’t up to par?”

Her casual shrug bothered him. It bothered him more than it should have and he just couldn’t fathom why. Despite her aggressive nature, she did not seem to be any real trouble…

“I think you should stick around…my cooks at the palace are really good…I could bring you more food…”

“I don’t want your pity…”

“It’s not pity! I swear I just…I could help you with your people skills I mean. Perhaps you could visit the marketplace. I also…I don’t really have anyone close in age that I can speak to…so…yeah…”

Her sudden giggles made his face burn up and he was ready to change his mind immediately. This was truly the most infuriating girl he had ever met, and he met the princesses from across the seas! Now that was an annoying bunch of royals.

“Aww…how sweet of the little pervert…fine I’ll stick around for a bit, but it won’t be for long.”

“Enough you annoying woman!” Kyros rose to his feet angrily as his face turned as bright as a tomato. “My name is Kyros! Learn to use it!”

“Oh? What a strong name your parents gave you…too bad it’s wasted on you…”

“Oh shove off, you crazy tree woman!” Despite his rising attitude and anger, she laughed at him. Her giggles filled the still air and Kyros found himself enamored with the sound. It definitely didn’t fit such a wild animal.

“My name is Hestia…I look forward to giving you hell.”

♛

“Mother…”

“Hmm?”

“You were awful…”

The queen burst into laughter at her daughter's deadpan expression. It was so much like her father’s face in his youth when she teased and did such wild and wicked things. The princess was completely floored by the story that she was hearing. This sounded nothing like her calm, collected, poised and graceful mother. This girl in the story sounded truly unhinged in her mind.

“Oh my rose…I knew that this story would surprise you. I can assure you, this is a true story. I was a wild child and your father had no idea what to do with me half of the time.”

“So…how exactly did he fall in love with you?”

Hestia smiled as the memory rushed back into her mind. A love story for the ages is what it was called. A brave and strong prince, and the wild girl that managed to capture his heart.

“Alright…I’ll tell you the rest…”

~~~

It was not long before a deep friendship formed between the two new friends. Kyros had come to enjoy her company and so did Hestia. He would often travel to the forest and the pair would explore and talk. He would tell her about everything that happened in his day, and she would talk about her time in the forest. He was always fascinated by the things she would experience pass the palace walls. Before he knew it, the days become weeks, and the weeks became months, and before long a year had passed. Months had passed and Kyros was the happiest that he had been for a long time.

Ms. Boulviere was incredibly happy to see him so filled with joy. He would often come back to the palace and talk about his adventures with the young lady. She often wondered if something more was brewing under the surface between them. Even if they weren't…it was nice to see him having a friend to spend time with. She worried for him though, the council had been getting more and more pushy with their “suggestions” and it was starting to bother the prince. He was good at hiding his feelings, but he couldn’t keep them from her.

So, she figured it was time to bring the mystery girl to the palace after so long and see who had captured his attention. What she didn’t expect…was that the knights took the retrieval a bit too seriously.

“I’ll cut your damn eyes out! Let me go right now!”

Kyros was busy talking with the council, so she thought it would be a nice surprise to have the young lady brought in. If only the knights could be gentler with her, they were really giving her a bad impression.

“Ow shit!” It would seem that she still liked to punch people as well.

“Guards…you can let her go! I will take care and watch over her.” Hestia growled low in her throat at the guards before looking at the older woman warily. She seemed to be the woman that Kyros seemed to always rave about, but that meant little to her. Those guards showed up to her home and just dragged her away! Where the hell was Kyros!?

“Where the hell is the prince? I want to see him right now!”

“I’m terribly sorry about how the guards brought you here…the prince is busy at the moment and once he is done I will bring you to him.”

“What purpose do you need me here for?” The tone in her voice made the elder woman pause. It was filled with a worried type of strength. Her eyes darted to the knights warily every time one of them even shifted his weight. She was on edge and seemed ready to bolt at any second. “I would rather talk to him outside.”

“He doesn’t know that you are here.” Hestia visibly flinched at that and she slowly backed up to one of the large doors. “I brought you here as a surprise for him…his birthday is tomorrow and I wanted to ask you to join the festivities.”

“His birthday?”

“Yes…it will be the first one without his father. I thought having a friend come would make him feel better about it.”

“...”

“I once again apologize for the way the knights brought you here…if you don’t wish to-”

“No no…I…I’ll come…” Hestia fingered her hair for a bit before looking at Ms. Boulviere. “I…I don’t have anything…t-to wear…”

“Oh sweetheart…you won’t have to worry about that! If you would follow me, I can get your measurements and we can show you how to dance if you’d like…”

It was at this moment that Hestia really thought about what she was agreeing to. She would be around a lot of other people. It would be nothing like when it was just her and Kyros in the forest. Important people would be around her, and they would judge and probably laugh at such a dirty forest girl. Although…she really wanted to see Kyros. He had been busy for the last week and he assured her that he would be back soon…but she really missed his company. This was completely out of her comfort zone, but she would face her fears, especially if it meant more time with him.

“I…I can do that…ma’am…”

“You can just call me Ms. Boulviere. Come along…we have much to do it a short amount of time.”

~~~

Kyros wanted to burn the entire palace down at the moment. His stupid council had invited everyone across Edrion to his birthday ball. They had even conjured up a ridiculous story about the king being sick, so he couldn’t make the ball.

“Not like he would care or show anyway…” He grumbled under his breath and glanced around his ballroom, confused that Ms. Boulviere was not around. He had seen her earlier in the day, but she had since vanished from his sight. She would be able to keep his mind clear of all these intrusive thoughts and feelings. All the noble daughters and princesses would piss him off, but he would have to be courteious and friendly, because one of them could be “his future wife and queen”.

“They just want the pretty dresses and the chance to bear my child…disgusting…”

If he was to be truly honest with himself…he wanted and wished for only one thing. He would love nothing more than for Hestia to be here with him. She did not need pretty dresses and jewels, it did not matter to him what she looked like. She was real and she was funny and when it would slip through her cracks, she was kind and gentle. He leaned his chin on his hand as a maid shined his shoes, glancing out toward the forest, he resolved to sneak away to see her. He longed to hear her laughter more than anything, it was the only present he wanted. She was not like most of the girls in his life, she was much much better.

“Your highness…it is time to greet your guests…”

“Alright…here I come…” With a tired sigh, the prince threw his cloak over his shoulders and marched down the halls, the sounds of merriment and music soared into his ears. He couldn’t find joy in these parties anymore. It was just another event to him, and it was event he wanted to wrap up quickly. Ignoring the fanfare, he went straight to the princesses and after a brief chat, he took one by the hand and let her have the honor of the first dance.

“You look rather dashing tonight, your highness.”

“Yes…”

“I’m honored that you would choose me to dance with…I heard that your favorite color was blue…is that what drew your eyes to me?”

“Mmhmm…”

“Ahaha! Oh I knew that you would!” The princess laughed obnoxiously and looked at the others, who were fuming in the crowd. Kyros had forgotten her name once they made it to the dancefloor. He was looking everywhere except at her. He wondered what Hestia would think about balls…would she think they were silly? Or would she enjoy them? If he could bring her he would ask her…and the sight of her in a dress made him smile. She would look so silly…

“Oh I knew you would find that funny!” Another obnoxious laugh made him look at the princess, tearing him from his thoughts. Was she always this close to him before? She was pressed against him quite close.

“Right…” He would have to finish this dance quickly, and maybe he could find some way to slip away. Holding her waist, he almost rolled his eyes at the purr that came from her lips. He twirled her around the room, and he caught the council nodding approvingly. It was at that moment he caught Ms. Boulviere at the top of the staircase in the back of the room. He kept up his dancing, but kept looking at her highly confused. She was beckoning someone to enter the room, but he could not see who.

He slowly danced closer and dipped the princess and just as he looked back up at the staircase he froze. In his stunned state, he dropped the princess and she cried something fierce but he could not focus on her. He slowly stood straight as he looked at the stunning creature at the top of the stairs. The sight was unlike anything he had ever witnessed, and in his opinion nothing could ever compare to it either.

Hestia stood at the top of the staircase with a burning red face. The ballroom grew quiet as everyone looked to see who had captured the attention of the prince. She was a vision in a deep red dress that perfectly hugged a figure that Kyros didn’t even think she had. A light dust of makeup accented her surprisingly delicate features, her gorgeous eyes seemed to pop, and that alone rattled his heart. She nervously tugged at the fabric of her dress as all eyes were on her. The thing that really surprised him was her hair. Her hair was always a mess and it was so often riddled with dirt and grime, he thought she was a brunette, but no, she was so much more.

He could only describe it as the color of moonlight. It was not white, but it was definitely not fully blonde. It was like the rays of the full moon had trapped itself in her hair. Roses were entwined in the strands that cascaded down her back, and even from this distance, he could smell her sweet perfume. She was…he just had no words. He did not care that he was staring like an idiot up at her, she was magnificent.

This was the scariest thing she had ever done in her life, and she had fought monsters before! So many people were staring. Did she look bad? Did she still smell bad? She had been bathed and scrubbed with various oils over ten times! She wanted to run away, maybe everyone would forget that she ever showed up if she left quickly! Already starting to back up, a firm hand on her back stopped her.

“Dear…you look so beautiful…it would be a shame to waste such a pretty dress.” Hestia looked at Ms. Boulviere as she whispered to her.

“I look foolish! I should go…”

“Do you really? How about you look at the prince?”

“Huh?” Looking at her pointed finger, Hestia’s face burned up as she locked eyes with Kyros. She had not even seen him standing there! A much prettier girl was on the floor pouting under him, and she almost laughed at her pitiful face. Her body did go stiff having his gaze on her, but she found that she liked to have his undivided attention. She could be brave…yes, she could do it! It was just her and Kyros…that was all she had to imagine in her head…she could do this!

“Hestia…” Hearing him call her name, made her heart skip a beat. He had stepped over the girl and was holding the railing of the stairs, with his hand outstretched to her. His gaze was gentle and his smile that was across his face was even more so. It was in that moment that everyone around them seemed to disappear. Holding the skirts of her dress up in one hand, she slid her other down the railing as she slowly descended the stairs. She slipped her gloved hand into his, and he led her down onto the floor. Their eyes never parted as the crowd separated for them. The two of them were in their own world and nothing could break such intense eye contact.

Remembering what Ms. Boulviere said, Hestia quickly dropped into a deep curtsy. “H-Happy birthday, your highness.”

Kyros frowned as she curtsied to him, it just did not feel right to him. She should never have to bow to him. He pulled her back to her feet and laid a gentle hand against her waist. She sharply inhaled a breath as he pulled her close to him. His lips were right at her ear as they moved across the ballroom floor. “Never lower your gaze from mine again…you are not beneath me Hestia. You are…so much more to me than that…”

Her heart was ready to leap from her chest as she leaned her head against his shoulder as he held her ever closer. She could not let him see her red face, she could not let him see how much that meant to her. He did not see her as less than him, even though she was. She was nothing, she had no one. Her own mother left her for dead…she didn’t deserve to feel…happy. She didn’t deserve to…to love him. It was something that she refused to acknowledge, but she could not deny it no longer. She loved this stupid kid and she didn’t know what to do about it.

Had she always been this delicate?

Holding her body against his, he was reminded of just how much smaller she was than him. It was not by much, but she just felt like it. She was also very soft…wait was that inappropriate to say? Now, his face was taking on a red hue as they danced. He wondered if she thought he looked handsome tonight. He did not really pay any attention to his looks, but now he wished that at least glanced at a mirror, but how was he supposed to know she would come! Looking like this no less! A ray of moonlight gifted from the Gods themselves.

“Kyros…” Her voice against him made shivers go up his spine. “Everyone is staring…”

“Are you nervous?” He whispered back to her, sending glares over her head at the council staring hard at her. “You don’t need to be…just stay by my side…”

“Ok…” He left out a breath as her hand tighten against his shoulder. As they continued their dance, she opened up more and soon they danced to a more upbeat tune. The other princesses were getting more and more angrier at the pair. They did not care about the glances from the other occupants of the room, they only had eyes for each other.

“Hestia…”

“Hmm?”

“You…you look very beautiful.”

“Oh…t-thank you Kyros…”

“I didn’t think you had it in you. Here I thought you would be the crazy tree girl forever…didn’t think you could clean up so well-”

It had been a while, but there was something familiar and kind of comforting to feel her fist crack his nose again. He fell back on the floor and looked up at her flaming face as her fist shook in anger. He had said it to get her riled up, but he didn’t expect a punch. It was a comforting and he loved her fiery personality. All he could do was laugh as he held his nose and stood up. The collective were gasping and whispering amongst themselves, but he could care less.

It was not long before she joined him in his laughter, and hearing her laugh was the final missing piece in this surprisingly perfect night. It was what he wanted to hear the most, and he loved it.

No, he just loved her. He loved her in all her imperfections. He would love her when she couldn’t find things to love about herself. He would do it all for her. She deserved the world and he would make sure she would have it.

Forever.

~~~

The months seemed to fly by and any thoughts about the king had left his mind. He only thought about her and that was enough for him. They were never vocal about their mutual feelings, but those around them could see it clear as day. The council were not happy about this new development one bit, they could not stand to see such a rough girl in the palace walls. Ms. Boulviere had been showing her the ways around such high society and it had been rough, but she was getting the hang of it. Kyros was surprised to see that Hestia seemed to like the pretty dresses. So Kyros would often leave them for her as gifts. He didn’t tell her they were from him, but maybe he would one day.

Hestia loved that she had her own room in the palace. The bed was comfortable and she had the best sleep she ever had in her life. She would have delicious food, nice clothes, and she was around the person she loved. It was not how she expected her life to take this course, but she was grateful for it regardless. Her lessons were infuriating though, but after a while she came to enjoy them. It was fun to learn about the world and its inner workings. Those old men on the council seemed to hate her, but she really could care less about them. Ms. Boulviere had been so kind to her, and Hestia wondered if that was what it felt like to have a mother.

Kyros was lucky in that regard.

“Hestia?” Ms. Boulviere peeked into her room just as she was jumping on it. Hestia quickly sat down, embarrassed to be caught. “Oh don’t be embarrassed dear…Kyros did the same thing when he was young. Now…he would like for you to join him on a ride into the forest. He thought you would like to visit your home again.”

“Oh! I would love too!” Any time to spend with him she would take it. A cough soon caught her attention and she turned back around quickly. “Are you still sick? The doctor said that you should be resting…”

“Oh no I can’t…I have too much to do. I always get sick when the seasons change. You run along now, Kyros is excited to head out. He should be by the stables.”

“Alright…but you should drink some tea!”

After getting dressed, Hestia quickly went to the stables. A happy and excited smile gracing her lovely face. The knights smiled seeing her race by, despite the council expressing their dislike for the girl, the knights and common people had quickly taken to her. She was a breath of fresh air after the kingdom had been in disarray of the king disappearing. So they all welcomed her, despite knowing that she probably would not stay forever. Marriage proposals had been flooding the palace ever since the prince’s birthday ball, and it was only a matter of time before he choose a bride.

“Hestia! Over here!” The young prince was completely smitten with his love. She might not know it, but he sure was. He helped her mount his horse and the pair set off for a quiet ride through the forest. Hestia held him tight around his waist and rested against his back. She loved listening to his gentle breathing and strong heart, she just felt safe when he was near.

“How come you didn’t let me ride my horse?” She had been ecstatic when he surprised her with a horse for her birthday. He had showered her with gifts but nothing she said had deterred him from getting her things. She had just learned to roll with it really, there was nothing to be done about it.

“I thought it would be better this way…besides I wanted to talk to you about something…”

“Oh? Well you sound serious…”

“Yeah…I am…” He reached up and held her hand that was around his waist, she blushed but squeezed it back as they continued to travel.

“You know you passed my tree some time ago right?”

“Yeah…I just wanted to go further into the forest.” It was not long before they dismounted, and Kyros held his hand out to her and intertwined their fingers as they walked. Although he suggested it, Kyros found himself incredibly nervous and shy at the moment. Hestia felt exactly the same as they traveled onward. “So…you come out here often?”

“Oh shut up!” She shoved his shoulder and he playfully shoved her back. It was not long before she pulled his crown from his head and held it away from him. “Come and get it, your highness!”

“Oh no! I need that back, you crazy woman!” He lunged for it, but she jumped out of the way. She stuck her tongue out at him as he jumped at her. “I’m going to catch you Hestia!”

“I don’t think that you will!” The pair laughed as they chased each other through the woods. It was the most carefree that either of them had felt for a long time. Hestia felt like she finally belonged somewhere and Kyros could actually show his true smile to someone other than Ms. Boulviere. The trials and tribulations brought about by the king had fled his mind. None of it mattered anymore, he had Hestia and Ms. Boulviere and that was all he would ever need. He could finally know what true joy and happiness felt like.

Hestia had managed to avoid and evade him for longer than she thought. Stopping to catch her breath, she fixed his crown on her head and peered into a creek. “Hmm…not bad…”

Glancing over her shoulder, she expected to see Kyros at any second. After a few minutes, she realized how quiet it seemed to be. “I guess he got lost…”

Trekking through the woods, Hestia started to get worried as she traveled deeper into the forest. There was no sign of him. “Kyros! Kyros where are you?! You can have your crown back…you’re scaring me…”

After another fifteen minutes, she finally had found him. Letting out a deep exhale, she smiled as she walked over to him. “Kyros…I was calling you. You can’t not say anything…scared me half to death…Kyros?”

He wasn’t saying anything as he looked down at a small pond in front of him. She could not see his face, but the tightness of his shoulders and his clenched fist worried her. Stepping forward, her heart leaped into her throat, as she looked upon a body floating face down in the pond. His head had been separated from his body. The pond was a bright red as his blood filled it to the brim. It did not take a genius to realize who it was. The regal clothing, the crown, the same dark hair as the prince. They had found the missing king. She looked at Kyros and her heart broke seeing his expression.

There was nothing.

The light seemed to have faded from his eyes. He just stared at the body of the king like he was a foreign object. There was no type of attachment, no anger, no sadness, there was nothing there. He said nothing as he stared.

“Kyros…” She slipped her hand into his and squeezed it, but there was no response from him. “Kyros…I’m sorr-”

He tore his hand away from her and just walked away. She looked back at the body and then the retreating form of Kyros before she ran after him. He had already mounted his horse and just waited for her. She silently climbed on and he took them back to the palace. She barely could say two words to him before he disappeared into the depths of the palace. Hestia was at a loss for words as the days flew past her.

The funeral for the king was silent and the kingdom mourned for their king, but the prince said nothing. He gave no speech, he shed no tears, and he didn’t even look at the coffin. He was there when the body was buried and then retreated into the palace. Hestia had stayed behind, but Ms. Boulviere had encouraged her to check on him, and so she did. The palace was quiet as she tried to gather her thoughts on what to say to him. It was hard to console someone when someone died, but she hoped to comfort him somehow.

As she drew closer to his room, she heard the distinct sounds of crashing and banging. Rushing to his room, she threw open the door and ducked as a vase flew at the door. Kyros had torn his room apart and was a disheveled mess. His crown was stuck in a mirror and his clothes were a mess. His fists were red and bruised and she saw the other mirror in the room was smashed. “Kyros! Kyros please stop!”

“Bastard!” Hestia flinched as he threw another vase against a wall. “Why am I not surprised that he did this?!”

“Did what?”

“This!” Kyros threw his hands in the air as he paced around his room. “He never wanted the responsibility of the kingdom! He never gave a damn about anything! He sure as shit didn’t care about me!”

“Kyros…”

“I was only born to throw this kingdom onto! My mother didn’t care about me either! She just wanted the kings cock and money! Fucking bitch! Fuck the both of you!” He punched the mirror and blood flowed from the wound as he angrily looked into its broken shards. “He never cared about me…he ignored me my entire childhood…I was just his replacement. My birthdays didn’t matter to him…his people did not matter. He just wanted to drink and lounge around. The kingdom almost collapsed in on itself if I didn’t care so fucking much!”

“....”

Kyros collapsed to his knees as he laughed humorlessly and weakly hit his hands against the mirror. “He never loved me…I was nothing to him. I did not matter. He always made sure that knights were everywhere I went…that was the only way he “cared”.” He couldn’t let something happen to his precious asset. The king never cared about his prince…his son. He left once he realized I…I could do it…nothing left for him here. Fucking coward!”

Hestia held her hand against her heart as Kyros poured his emotions out. It was heartbreaking to watch and she often felt that way about her mother. Her mother had left her when she was young and had never looked back. She was grateful for the elderly woman who looked after her, but she couldn’t replace her mother. It was a temporary feeling, but it was just not enough. She had held onto the fact that her mother would come back, so she never really got attached to the old woman, but her mother never did return. It was a hole in her heart that she thought she would never fill…until she met Kyros.

Kneeling beside him, she touched his shoulder and he finally looked at her and her heart shattered. Tears were running down his face and she wiped his tears. “Hestia…please…don’t leave me too…”

No more words could be said, she would never let him feel such pain again. Seeing his tears were too much to bear on her heart. He deserved love, they both did. The world had been cruel to them and it was high time that they truly grasped their happiness. Her body had moved on its own as she kissed his tear stained cheeks and he pulled her close as he kissed her neck. Their bodies moved as one as they kissed each other. The kiss was salty from his tears, but Hestia did not care…she would take in all of his tears. He didn’t deserve this pain, she would accept it too. She would accept all of him.

Their bodies moved across the room as their clothes left their bodies. Desperate to love the other, desperate to make the pain go away. It was not their imagined first time, but despite the situation, it was theirs. It belonged to them and they cherished it, and they would continue to love each other, even during the rough times, the sad times, but especially during the happy ones.

♛

“Mother?”

“Hmm?”

“Oh you…you just stopped…”

“Well…it was getting to be a bit much. I never thought that I would tell you this story without your father here. It wasn’t always such happy times for us in our youth, but thankfully, we still found each other and now…now we have you…the ultimate testament to our love.”

Althea smiled as her mother caressed her cheek. She never knew much about her grandparents and now she could see why. It was probably hard to talk about them. She was glad that her parents loved her as much as they did. She was also glad that she had Duran…someone that she could love and who loved her back just as much.

“The story is almost over, my sweet rose. Once it’s done…we can have a nice long rest.”

“Ok! I can’t wait to hear more!”

~~~

The council was not happy when Kyros informed them that he intended to marry Hestia. They had no real say and he was ready to torch them all. It had been six months since his father had died and the pair were planning their wedding. Hestia had been drilled in many many things that were to be expected of a royal and she took them all with a grace that surprised him. It was a happy time for them, but the kingdom was facing a crisis. A sickness had overtaken it, and many people were dying from it. He imagined that the council was too worried about this than his wedding, and he was selfishly glad for it. As the princess consort, Hestia had taken her new duties seriously. He suspected after what happened with his father she wanted to help as much as she could. She really did have a kind heart under her tough exterior. It was not all good news for the happy, but busy couple.

Ms. Boulviere had contracted the illness and she seemed to grow worse and worse as the days dragged on. The doctors weren’t any close to finding a cure, and Hestia could see that this fact was killing Kyros. He visted her everyday and made sure she was comfortable and Hestia would visit her and read her favorite books to her. It kept her happy and that was enough for her. She was happy that Kyros was not going to be alone, but he hated when she talked like that. The days were blending together and Kyros finally received the news that he was dreading.

“This is unacceptable! Where the hell is that other doctor that I sent for?!”

“He said the same thing, your highness. She doesn’t have much longer…you…you have to prepare yourself for the worst…”

“I don’t have to do anything!”

“Kyros…” Hestia placed a hand on his arm and he visibly relaxed, but he was still a bit tense. With a heavy sigh, he took her hand and the pair left the room. “I…I know this is scary,..but we should speak with her…see what she wants…”

“....” Kyros hesitated outside her door and Hestia patiently waited for him to open the door. After a good ten minutes he pushed open the door. Ms. Boulviere was sitting up and staring out the window, but hearing the door she turned and brightly smiled at them.

“Oh! Hello…I thought you both had a meeting to go to…”

“...” Kyros just looked at the ground, so Hestia stepped over to the bed and took a seat as she grabbed her hand.

“We did but…we don’t have good news…”

“I’m dying aren’t I?”

“Don’t say that!” Both women looked at the prince in surprise. The candles in the room burned bright in his anger. “You won’t die! Just let me heal you!”

“Kyros…I have accepted that this is my fate. I will not fight it…”

“You can! This is ridiculous! I can’t lose you!” Hestia looked between the pair with worried eyes. Kyros could not accept that she just wanted to let nature take its course. Hestia did not wish for ir either, but she had to respect her decision. Kyros was essentially losing his mother and he couldn’t take losing that connection.

“Come here…” She held her arms out to him and he reluctantly sank into her embrace. “I know that you don’t like this…but it is my decision. I already am quite old…this would become reality soon enough. I won’t live forever like you will my sweet boy. This is the reality that you have to accept. Now I know that its not fair, but this life. You have a new chapter of your life that you are going to embark on with Hestia. A life filled with love and happiness. I want you to enter that life joyfully and wholeheartedly.”

“I…” Hestia walked over and placed a hand on his shoulder with a warm smile. Her smile once again was powerful enough to give him strength. He would need that when…when she was gone. “Alright…I…I respect your decision….:

“Hmm…thank you…now I just hope that I can make it to see your wedding…” He let out a sad sigh and Hestia had a brilliant idea.

“You can still make it…we can move the date up!” The others looked at her in surprise, but she just nodded excitedly. “You deserve to be at the wedding! We can do it in three days…that way the nobles and other royals won’t be so upset and can maybe make it.”

“Hestia…my princess…are you sure that you want to do that?”

“Of course…don’t fight me on this! You know that you won’t win!”

~~~

Once again, the council was not happy about the wedding being moved up, but their words mattered little to the young couple. They only had eyes for each other that day. Nothing would sour their moods on this joyous day, especially not some irritating old men. The pair married in the gardens surrounded by thousands of roses, and despite the ongoing illness in the kingdom it was a beautiful and loving day. Ms. Boulviere had made it and she could not stop crying watching the prince marry the woman he loved more than anything. The coronation would take place in another month, the couple wanted time to enjoy being newlyweds for a bit, and Kyros wanted to spend as much time with Ms. Boulviere as much as he could.

It seemed that life was against him though, for it was only after the wedding that she grew sicker and it was reaching the time for goodbyes. Hestia stayed by his side the whole time as he held her hand. Ms. Boulviere smiled at him and rubbed his cheek as her coughs grew worse. Hestia quickly fetched her water, and helped her drink it as she tried to speak up.

“No no…save your strength…” Kyros was putting on his bravest face, but his voice kept cracking and his hands were shaking as he held onto her frail hands. “You don’t…you don’t have to say anything…”

“No I…my Kyros…I just…I’m so happy that you found your other half…” Kyros grasped both of her hands as the tears finally fell from his eyes. “You have been…such a wonderful light in my life…my sweet boy…I just hope…wished you never have to feel this pain again…but Hestia…she…”

“Ms. Boulviere…” Hestia knelt beside Kyros and touched her hand. “He will never know the pain of losing me. I…I was going to tell him later, but…I am also a phoenix. I will love him until the end of time.”

“Oh! You…how wonderful…” Kyros looked at his bride in surprise, and she shrugged and smiled sadly at him. He always thought the time would come when they would part, but he didn’t have to fear that anymore. She would be his forever, but he couldn’t even enjoy that now as Ms. Boulviere grew weaker and weaker. She didn’t have the strength to grasp his hand anymore, and the light was fading from her eyes. “Kyros…”

“You…you were always more than my maid. I want you to always remember that! You…you mean everything to me…I can never thank you enough for raising me. I love you so much…thank you. Thank you for being my mother…Althea…”

“Thank you for letting me…love…you…thank…you…for letting me be…you..r…mo..th..er…” With her last words, she finally closed her eyes for the last time. Hestia held Kyros close as he cried against her, her own tears fell down her face as the woman who had raised him, and her own mentor had left this world.

Her funeral was a solemn affair, but Kyros had Hestia by his side, so he was able to make it through, but his heart still ached. It was another few days before he was in a better mood. He wanted to be alone in his grief, and Hestia had respected that, but she was still close by if he needed her. A few nights later, he joined his wife on their balcony as the sun started to rise on a new day.

“So…a phoenix…”

“Mmhmm…”

“That is quite a secret to carry around, dear wife…” She smiled as he wrapped his arms around her waist pulling her back against his chest. “I guess…that means that we have forever…”

She smiled warmly at the thought as they swayed back and forth in each others arms, before she turned around, wrapping her arms around his neck. “Yes Kyros, forever and always…”

The two lovers of fire kissed with a passion that would burn away despair, ignite hope, and in those ashes would a kingdom be reborn, into a legacy that lasted over four millennia, and that would only know love and hope.

♛

Althea found herself at a loss for words as her mother finished the story. It was a lot to take in, it was a fantastic tale, and she wished that she could have witnessed it. Her parents had gone through so much, and she imagined that her mother left out some details. Althea leaned into her mothers arms and Hestia smiled as she held her beloved daughter tight.

“Thank you…for loving me as much as you do mother.”

“Hmm…thank you for allowing me to be a mother and loving me as much as you do.” Hestia squeezed her daughter tight and Althea giggled.

“I didn’t know that’s where my name came from…”

“Oh yes…we were always planning on telling you some day. I thought we would do it together, but plans do change. When we found out that I was pregnant, your father was hoping that you were a girl. We both knew that we wanted to honor her if our baby turned out to be a girl. A beautiful name for a princess and the wonderful woman who raised the king.”

“Father will come home mother…I know he will…” Althea yawned as she settled against her mother. Hestia rubbed her back as she pulled the blankets around them both. “He definitely will come back…”

“Yes…yes he will.”

The queen and princess drifted into a peaceful slumber, one filled with hope and anticipation. Hestia resolved to keep her spirits up and pray for the best. Although no more letters came, Althea and Hestia wrote several. The pair kept busy and soon enough, when the war campaign reached its third month, a familiar sound rang throughout the kingdom. Althea burst from her bedroom and the queen was not far behind as she raced from her study. The knights were tripping over their feet to catch up to them.

Althea and her mother stood outside the palace, looking over the fields and the trumpets blew. The two waited with bated breath, and then, finally over the far hill, the army arrived. Being proper about their return was the last thing on either of their minds. It seemed that most of the kingdom felt the same. People were rushing towards the army as they drew closer and closer. Althea heard the all too familiar sound of people crying and mourning the ones who didn’t make it. Her heart stung but she had to believe they were ok.

Her father should have been in the front of the army, but he was nowhere to be seen. She raced through the army with her mother, but her mother spotted the knight commander and they stopped, breathing heavily from their sprint.

“J..Jeremiah…where…where is my husband?” Hestia tried to keep her shaky voice still, but not seeing Kyros terrified her. “He…he should have been in the front…”

“The king is alive, your majesty.” Hestia let out a breath and almost collapsed if Althea wasn’t holding onto her. “Some knights were struggling in the back, so he stayed back to help them along…he should be coming over the hill now.”

Althea and her mother turned just as the king rode over the hill. He was messy and tired, but he was in one piece. Tears sprang to their eyes as they raced across the fields. The king seeing them coming dismounted his horse, and just as his feet touched the grass, he was tackled to the ground by his wife.

“Hestia omph-” She crashed her lips against his and he held her tight as they shared a desperate and happy kiss. They parted for only a second before their lips met again and again. Sitting up, he held her face and wiped her tears. “I told you I would come back…”

“Yes! Yes you did…” She sniffled and laughed as he kissed her forehead. He went to kiss her again, but another tackle, courtesy of his daughter, took him down.

“Oof!”

“Father! Oh I’ve missed you so much! I’ve been counting the days since you’ve been gone! I love you! I love you! I love you!”

“I love you more rosebud…I could never leave you and your mother…” He pulled his girls close and the family just drank in the feeling of each other. So much needed to happen, but not now. Now, it was their moment and they would cherish it. So many had lost their lives, but so many had made it back to their beloved kingdom. “Oh Althea…your friends have all made it back. They should be right behind me…go ahead and see them.”

“I…but father…”

“Go ahead…I will see you in the palace.” Althea glanced at her mother who nodded her head. Gathering her skirts, the princess took off and she indeed saw Liam and Honora battered and bruised, but they were alright. They saw her and waved and she tackled them in a strong hug. She had missed them terribly and she never wanted them to leave again.

“I knew that you would be alright! I just knew it!”

“Of course we did! Honora and Duran are monsters on the battlefield. I had nothing to fear.” Liam puffed out his chest and Honora just punched him in the gut. He quickly deflated and Honora hugged Althea again.

“Duran is waiting at the usual spot…” Honora whispered into her ear and Althea felt the butterflies in her stomach start to swarm. She was definitely going to fly back to her room now! Once she made double sure that Liam and Honora were alright, she took to the skies. She was glad that she left her window open. Landing in her room, she didn’t have to look far as Duran appeared and took her into his arms, kissing her deeply and passionately. It felt like heaven to be able to hold him and kiss him again.

They were both breathless when they finally parted and Duran kissed her tears away. She was shaking, but she was also laughing as she touched his face and kissed all over it.

“M-My knight…you came back to me…”

“Always, my princess. Always.” Althea wanted to spend more time with him, but he needed to see his family and she needed to see her own. A celebratory victory would be held in the coming days, but Althea did not find herself caring much for it. She would much rather have something smaller and intimate with her family and friends. She had a lot of time to think about what she wanted in her future, Duran was never far from her mind and it only made sense to her what she wanted to do next.

~~~

It was easier said than done for what she had in mind. The celebratory victory had lasted all week and it was hard to spend time with her friends, espcially with Duran. Her parents were attched at the hips, but Althea gave them their space, and her father made time with her every second he could. Duran had been with his family and was doing patrols around the kingdom. So, she had only seen him a few times since he returned. She was determined to get some time alone with him, and she would have it!

Or else, she would lose her courage and let the moment pass.

In a rare stroke of luck, she finally spotted Duran near the palace gates. He spotted her and waved, she bit her lip gently before approaching him. He raised a brow at her as she leaned against the wall. “Something I could help you with princess?”

“Well…I was wondering if…we could meet at the usual spot?” She whispered low as some knights walked by. Duran made sure they were gone and looked back at her.

“I think I can tonight…”

“Could you stay for awhile?”

“I…yes I probably could…”

“Great! I um…great!” She awkwardly laughed and backed away from him before full sprinitng to the palace. Duran watched his love sprint away with a smile and a shake of his head. She was such a silly girl, but he loved her all the same.

♛

Althea paced around her room as she waited for Duran. She had made some food, but it had gotten cold, and she tried to heat it back up, but she just bruned it.Sighing, she looked over her attire with a wary glance.

“This might be too much…”

“Althea…sorry that I’m…” Duran clmibed into her window and when he looked at her, his breath caught his throat. Althea blushed a deep red as she fiddled with the ruffles on her nightgown. It was a light blue and transparent. She had run a brush through her hair over a hundred times. This was a big moment for her, and she was rightfully nervous. “U-Um…did you want to put on a robe?”

“N-No! I…I did this on purpose…” She bit her lip as Duran looked away from her. Did he not find her appealing? Or was he just being respectful? It was sweet of him…but she wanted him to see her.

“Um…Althea…am I missing something?”

“No Duran…could…could you sit on the bed please?” He quickly sat down and Althea giggled before she took a breath and sat on her bed. “L-Look at me please?”

Duran turned to look at his love and his face burned a bright red. She was wearing so little, but he kept his gaze on her beautiful eyes. She looked like a perfect angel as her face turned redder and she looked nervous. Did she want to…?

“Duran…I…I can’t possibly imagine my life without you in it. It was so clear to me when you were gone and my heart ached. I didn’t know what could have happened to you…and well…tomorrow is nver promised. I don’t want to wait and not love you to the fullest so…I…I…I hope…I want…I…” Althea fisted her hands tightly into her nightgown as she looked down at her hands. “I…I want to…m-make l-love…w-with you…”

She refused to look at his face and he was glad that she wasn’t. His entire face was red, all the way up to his ears. He felt lightheaded hearing her say that. He knew that someday down the line they might make love, but he didn’t think it would be so soon. He wanted to love her, but this was all happening so fast.

“Althea…” He tilted her chin up and her sparkling eyes entranced him. “I want to make love to you…but is now the right time? Are you sure that’s something you want to do now? We can always wait…I’m in no rush.”

“No I…you never know what could happen in the future. What if we never get the chance to show our love for each other? I…I don’t want to wait to love you in that way…”

Duran released a deep breath seeing how serious she was about it. How could he deny his princess when all she wanted to do was love him? She was right…you could never know what would happen. He just never imagined that she would initiate this. “Althea…you know that…being together for the first time…it will hurt…”

“I know, but I trust you more than anyone.”

“If…if it hurts, you have to let me know. I don’t want to hurt you, and let me know if you get uncomfortable! You can hit me if you want! O-Or um…”

“Duran…I trust you…” His face lit up as she touched his cheek. She moved closer to him and he held her close as they kissed. It was a sweet kiss, but it ignited a fire in them both. It was not like their other kisses, this was a kiss filled with desire and passion. She worked off his shirt and she marveled at his tone body. “Oh…wow…”

“Hmm…I’m glad that you approve…” He slowly reached out and touched her waist, she jumped slightly and he quickly backed off. “I’m sorry!”

“No no…your hands are just a bit cold…” He sighed in relief before he held her close and kissed her leaning her down against the bed. He laid kisses down her neck, and her sudden moan turned him right on. He could feel himself getting hard in his pants, he wanted to make sure she really understood what she asked of him. So, holding her waist gently but firmly, he pressed himself against her.

“O-Oh!” Her body jerked in his hands and he smiled as he continued to kiss her neck. “T-That…it felt…g-good…”

“I’ll make you feel even better love…” Althea blushed even more when he pressed himself against her again. It felt good and she wondered how it could possibly feel better than this. Sitting up, she grabbed the straps of her nightgown and slowly pulled it down. Before he could really see them, she held her arms over them.

“I-I’m sorry…s-sorry if they aren’t very…large…” She looked away from him and he gently took her chin to look him in the eyes.

“Althea…I love you for more than your body. I love you for who you are. Our relationship is built on more than just looks. It’s built on love and trust. I don’t care if they are big or small. I care that it is you…” He caressed her cheek as she smiled and he wiped a stray tear. “I love you Althea.”

“I love you more, Duran.”

The young couple joined in a night of bliss and fiery passion. Nothing more mattered to them in that moment than each other. They were together at last, and they would always be together. Love was powerful, love was raw, and for Althea and Duran, it was what kept them going. It was what they hoped to continue for a lifetime. As they laid in each others arms, all doubts and worries for their future evaporated. Duran had the courage to tell the king how he felt about his daughter, no matter the outcome, and Althea would face them right by his side.

For love was strong, love was true, and it was the most powerful thing in their world.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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#Althea #Duran #Queen Hestia #King Kyros #Empress Xiaoli #Empress Liling #Honora #Liam #love #the distant past #royals #original story #original work #oc #writing'#my writing

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