Despite Everything

Chapter 2: Fear and Hope.

Present (Days after King's Death)

"Lose my mind? How could I not? It was all my fault... The people of Askr and Sharena... Even Kiran..."He paused as red eyes landed on the Summoner. Kiran was shock to see his eyes looked pained and sad at the same time."My sanity...it died with them."Cold words betrayed what his eyes were telling Kiran.

She just stood there staring at the spot where Lif was before. She can feel her chest getting tight as she gasped. What is this? She's hurting everywhere."Kiran?"The Commander's Voice snapped her back to reality.

"Ah..."She turned around and looked for the red head,Worry and concern painted on it's face. Her eyes settled down on the Askran Prince,Who seems to be lost in his thoughts but he wasn't alone."Sorry,Commander..Let's keep moving."With that their Group started walking again

"Kiran? Are you alright?"Princess Fjorm spoke somewhere besides her."Your been spacing out for quite awhile now."She turned to look at the Princess and smiled bitterly.

"I'm fine,Princess...I..I just need time to process all of this."Princess Fjorm looked at her and the Askran Prince who was walking ahead not paying attension behind him.

Fjorm looks back at Kiran."I can not blame you Kiran.."She murmured so,Kiran was the only one who can hear."With what happen...With this Version of Askr...and what happen to you in this world..."She looks at the path."I can understand why you can not process it quite well..."Kiran chuckled even if she wasn't smiling.

"As much as I wanted to say that is what I'm trying process....It is not..."The Princess Fjorm looked at the Summoner confused as if she was asking what is it..."I can't process the fact that the Alfonse here turned out like this..."She lowers her head."Was it because the me here failed as the Great Hero?"

"Kiran...I'm sure,Lif or Prince Alfonse does not blame you for that..."Kiran looked towards the Prince who has his back turn to her.She sighed and return her attension to the Ice Princess.

"Thank you for saying that Princess.."She couldn't help but to avert her eyes."I mean..It is my job as the Great Hero not just to protect Askr but every realms as well..."She lowered her head."And Clearly I....I failed at that."

"No,I do not think you did..." Princess Fjorm said somewhere beside her,Voice low only letting Kiran hear it. "I think Prince Alfonse,Appreciate what you done so far and I,too as well...You saved me,My world...You can still prevent what occur on this Realm from happening on the Realm you swore to protect." The Princess puts a hand on her shoulder. "So,Please do not think this way." The Princess Smiled. "Breidablik choose you for a reason Kiran.. And we all know why.."

She retreats to her thoughts for a second ,Princess Fjorm was right. She can't think like this. Sharena and Alfonse, Needs her to be strong. She has to be strong, She has to chance their fate. She chuckled and smiled brightly at the Ice Princess."Thank you Princess."She looked at the Princess with a new found determination. "You have no idea how much those words mean to me."

Princess Fjorm beamed at her. "Kiran?"The Commander called. They halt in the sight of the ruined castle of the Order."I think it is best for us to investigate the Order's Castle,We might find clues about what our next move is."The Order gathers around. "We will go in Partners."She looks at everyone. "Princess Fjorm,You will go with Princess Sharena,And Princess Eir with me."She looks at her and Alfonse."Kiran,Go with Alfonse." Her voiced was muffled to the back ground as she looked at Alfonse. He was still deep in thought."Alright!"The Commander Clapped to get our attension. "Let's go."Nodding all of them headed towards the ruin castle.

The two of them were quiet and she can tell that Alfonse has something to say to her but for some reason he didn't. "Should we check on his--er...Your Room?"Alfonse looks at her as if he was snapped out of his deep thought.