Rise Of Faeries Book I : Ascension

Chapter 19 - Grandmother's Permission

"Grandmother..."

"No. I am done listening to you, young lady. Now it's your turn, sit."

Kairo obliged, mainly because her grandmother did not look the least bit angry. She looked as though the fight had seeped out of her, she suddenly looked older.

"You don't just look like your mother, you are just as stubborn as she is. Outside Celesteia, there is only so much protection I can offer you. Kaimana has changed my dear, they don't care for Celestria anymore, in fact, they are for its destruction."

"But why? What have we done?"

"We persevered. We protected those who could not protect themselves and gave them a home, the house heavens favoured us for that and gave us precious things to protect. In the last war, fairies lost part of their ancestral magic. Their ability to grow wings and fly."

"We can fly?" Kairo asked. Her mind veered towards one of her favourite characters on TV, Bloom from the Winx Club.

"We used to be able to. You were born at a time that we lost that ability, one of the severe aftereffects of the first war and every kingdom in Kaimana blamed us for that."

"Are we to blame though?"

"Hardly. We haven't lost our power and we are stronger than any other kingdom out there. That is why the Imperial palace is hesitant against turning their backs on us according to what the other kingdoms want, we are what holds Kaimana together, should we pull back, I am afraid Kaimana will become a mass grave."

Kairo's body twitched at the words, her memory rushed back to the scene Katanya showed her.  She felt bile rise within her, the fact that what she saw then would happen without Celestria, terrified her.

"Then we would have failed humanity or whatever," Kairo muttered.

Isabel kept quiet, her eyes held that faraway look in them. "Kairo, the world outside hates us enough, that they did not care when a child died in their midst. Her name was Laurie, she was born a few years ahead of you and was one of the few Celestrains to enter the Academy."

Kairo swallowed. She hadn't heard of this. She watched as Isabel took a deep breath and blinked strategically to stop the tears in her eyes from falling.

"She was a rising star and wanted to be the first female army commander of Celestria. She was also her father's pride and joy, Aloys haven't laughed or smiled genuinely since her passing."

"General Aloys?" Kairo's voice was a mere whisper. Something coiled around her heart and squeezed painfully. The queen nodded sadly, still with that faraway look in her eyes.

"He volunteered to train you, you know? He said you reminded him of Laurie and his biggest regret was refusing to train her daughter, perhaps she could have fared well out there."

"That's why - that's when Celestria stopped its citizens from attending the school?" Kairo asked to which her grandmother affirmed with a nod. "But why did you suggest that Clarisse and I attend the school that day?"

"Because of your mother." Isabel's dress swished as she came to sit by Kairo on the infirmary bed, she caressed Kairo's silvery hair, tucking it behind her ear. "I made her a promise a long time ago, that when you came of age and she wasn't here with us, I would let you go to the academy. She said the path to your destiny began there, but then I was reminded of Laurie and with the recent attack with the denas..."

The denas! A temporarily forgotten memory suddenly flooded back to Kairo. "The denas...is that what that thing was called? What happened to it?"

Isabel pursed her lips. "General Aloys and his men took care of it. That was incredibly reckless of you to attempt a magik conduit, how can someone inherit her mother so wholesome? I don't remember being this troublesome at your age. But you and your mother have done it amazingly!"

"Mischief managed, then," Kairo grinned.

"That's not funny," Isabel tried for a firm tone but smiled regardless. Patting Kairo's hands, Isabel conceded, "I will let you go to the school. But remember to be vigilant and Kairo, a Celestrian royal is above all other royals, including the Imperial royal, unless they know to you first, you are not to bow to them, understood?"

"But why?"

"A Queen bows to no one," Isabel responded firmly, her eyes shining with a secret that burned within her irises. "As my heir, you are my representation and you are to act as I should."

"But I don't want to advertise my status as the Crown princess. As you have said, they do not like us very much and for my survival and at least half a chance at gathering information that could help me with my search, I need to stay low."

"That's probably smart. But it won't last, that facade you want to present. The status of the crown princess is more than your position and the crown, your power becomes guarded by a celestial prime and when it presents itself, it holds a magnitude that rivals that of a current monarch. That of mine and yours my dear, the day it presents itself, it would be magnificent."

"But why? What aren't you telling me, grandmother?"

"I have decided that to be your assignment. Don't spend all your time seeking information about the shadow realm, understand the world you are in. Experience the cultures and study the traditions, meet people and make friends. But most importantly, find a way to make people accept Celestria once again."

Kairo felt like there was a lot her grandmother wanted to say but didn't. Something she wasn't aware of was happening and it had her stubborn grandmother relenting.

.******

Isabel didn't realise it then, but Kairo was more like she was than Irina had been. General Aloys thought as he unintentionally eavesdropped on the last conversation of the duo. He turned back the way he had come.

If Kairo was headed to this academy, the only way to ensure her protection was to enlist a caster to protect her. Royal Casters were rare, found only in the prominent palaces, it would expose her secret if the caster protected her, but it was for her good.

He will not lose another Celestrian or someone he regarded as a daughter, again.