Kings and Heirs (A Da-iCE Fanfiction)

Chapter 1

"Your majesty! Oh thank you for seeing me today" the peasant woman said as she bowed down to the king. It was obvious she tried to clean herself up before her meeting with the king, however the stains from the dirt showed clearly on her white apron. "It's about my son," she started.

"Yes, ma'am, we understand. We have the best medicine in the kingdom to offer your son. How ever we do not have the benefit of magic" the king of Silverwind said as he regarded the woman.

"I thought we had a magic wielder in this kingdom..." She said as she rose from her low bow, "That was why we had traveled for many moons to see you today"

The king frowned. "Although I wish you were correct, our last sorcerer had passed two seasons ago," he said heavily. "I'm afraid there is not much else we can do about your son." He walked over to place a gentle hand on her shoulder. She was shaking.

"I...I understand..." She said quietly and looked up at him, a soft smile playing on her cheeks, "He will be okay... Whatever happens, he will not suffer."

Taiki nodded, "Yes. I'm sure he is strong, he will-"

"Milord!"

The captain of the guards threw open the doors and walked to the king, "I have urgent news" he said as he closed the distance between him and his king. He cast a glance at the woman, "I'm sorry, my lady, but I must speak with the king at once."

She nodded her head in understanding, "Of course. Thank you, your majesty" she said, bowing to him once again before scurrying off.

The king turned to the captain, "What is it, Captain Iwaoka?" He asked.

The captain removed his helmet, revealing his sweat drenched hair. It was the color of the bark on the trees that littered the kingdom, "Someone is here to see you... She says she comes from a land far from here... She has dire news"

"What news?"

"She would not tell me. She said the news were for your ears only, milord."

The king's brow furrowed further. "Bring her in. I shall speak with her alone."

The king watched his head captain walk off and let out a small sigh. Whoever the woman was, he would listen to her pleas. A part of him hoped that she was simply delusional. This kingdom had enough hardships to deal with, should another war break out, Taiki did not know if he could keep his kingdom standing.

He pushed the thought aside and dismissed his subjects. The fewer people informed, the better.

A few moments later, the captain walked into the empty throne room with a woman clad in a large, dark cloak. The cloak hid many of her features, however a lock of crimson red escaped the darkness and made itself visible.

The captain bowed to his king, "Milord. This is the lady I was-"

"Lady?!"

Both the captain and the king turned to the screeched question that erupted from the lady's mouth. "I'm not a lady!!" She said and threw back her cloak.

The king's eyes widened in slight amusement as the 'lady' tossed aside the dark cloak to reveal simple peasant clothes. To further prove their point, the uncloaked figure took their blouse and in one swift movement, threw it off of their body. The body that was hidden well underneath the clothes was, in fact, male.

"I am so sorry." The captain stuttered and bowed to him. "I meant no offence.. you see... your voice... the way you carried yourself..." The captain's face was as red as the hair that framed the traveler's face.

"You've made your point fairly clear," the king waved off. "Please put your clothes back on." He brought up a hand to cover his eyes as the man put his shirt back on.

"Now. Where was I?," the man smiled. "Ah yes, I've come with a warning for your kingdom."

The captain and the king exchanged a glance before the king gestured for the man to continue.

His face hardened as he regarded the king. "We are on the brink of another war," the man said without hesitation. "And if you do not do something soon, both kingdoms will suffer for many years. One fortnight ago I was granted a vision. Death... destruction... So much blood shed..." He shuddered slightly at the thought, a thought that never left his mind since it appeared. It haunted his waking mind and his resting mind. A cruel reminder about the horrors of war.

"A vision?" The king asked, his full attention now on the man. Who was this man? He was certain he was not a member of his kingdom. "Explain yourself."

The red haired man shifted his weight uneasy, "one night... as I laid on my bed, a magical entity came to me. He-She.... They granted me a vision. In my vision, I saw you and the king of  Celeste.... He had accused you of uprooting his kingdom and declared war upon you and your kingdom of Silverwind. My vision then jumped to the near future... not a single person remained. Both kingdoms had crumbled."

Had this come from another mouth, the king would have dismissed this immediately. However, the king saw true fear in this man's brown eyes. His voice had trembled as he spoke, as if simply recalling the vision had pained him. "And... you are certain this will happen?"

"Every vision I have been granted had come true... I do not wish to take any chances. Not again"

"Not again?"

The man shook his head. "That is a story for another time," he spoke quickly.

"Milord. A word?" The captain asked. The king had walked a few paces away and turned to his guard who was also his adviser. Once they were out of ear shot, the captain crossed his arms. "I do not trust this man. Our kingdoms have been at peace for many years, not once has the kingdom of Celeste raise arms against us, not since the peace treaty. For them to raise arms against us now would be-"

"Peace friend."  The king said softly. "You know I value your input as much as anyone else's. However, if we do not do anything... who is to say this might actually happen."

Toru Iwaoka frowned further and let out a small sigh, "as you wish, milord."

"So." The king began and slowly walked back to the mysterious man, "what is it that we must do in order to divert this future?"

The man frowned a bit and shrugged,  "That... I do not know. But I do know that if we do not do something, everything will be ruined."

Taiki nodded thoughtfully. "Very well. Then you will accompany me as I speak with his royal highness."

"No!" The captain said and shook his head. "I will not allow this. I mean no offense, but what if this man had been sent by a neighboring kingdom out to undermine you?"

Taiki regarded his friend with compassion, "I understand you are doing your job. I have thought of this, but no harm shall come to me if you travel with me." Once he saw his small nod of approval, he turned back to the man, "we shall leave on the morrow, once we send a missive to the king. Then we can-"

"There's no time." He said and shook his head. "We must leave now. We do not have the luxury of time."

The king frowned, but there was a truth that ringed within his words. "Very well. And what, kind sir, is your name?"

"My name? I am Sota Hanamura."