"Pardon?!" Felix gasped as I told him what I wanted him to do.
"Yes."
"B-But, My Princess, how could I-"
"I'm asking you this because I trust you and your skills. Felix." I said looking right into his eyes keeping my posture relaxed, mimicking Claude to be precise.
"B-But, His Majesty-"
"We will train at this time and Dad shouldn't know of this," I said gesturing at the darkness around us. It was just close to midnight. I didn't know what Claude's reaction would be to my wish of learning swordfighting from Felix but I didn't want to test him.
"Bu-But still..."
"Are you refusing me?" I asked putting intimidation in my eyes and words. He flinched at that.
Now, I was sure, he saw Claude through me; my personality and my eyes were an exact copy of Claude.
"I... Alright, Princess." He gave in.
"Let's start from tomorrow." I said and he sighed.
"Alright, but, considering that you are still young so your training will only be for three days in a week." He said and I shrugged my shoulders.
"What days?"
"Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays." He said and I nodded.
"Okay, and while we train, address me casually since I will be your pupil." I said and he seemed like he'd refuse but one glare for me and he swallowed his words.
"As you say, Princess." I smirked.
The next day being Wednesday, I and Felix trained, he was surprised to see my makeshift sword.
"Did you make this?" He asked and I nodded.
"I know, this is quite inadequate yet, I've been training with this for two years."
"Pardon? Two years?" He gasped and I shrugged my shoulders.
"Let's start?" I asked and he sighed before he fell into stance.
Currently, we were training in the training grounds since it was night time and Felix had removed the knights and guards from the vicinity.
"Your stance is perfect, Pri- Ara." Felix said.
"I have been observing you and your boys' training for two years. I tried to copy on my own but I was lacking." I admitted and he stared at me for a moment.
"Princess..."
"Don't get emotional and start the lesson!" I snapped and his expression grew serious.
"Okay, Princess Amara."
With that we started our very first lesson. I was surprisingly able to keep up considering Felix was quite fast but even his teaching skills were admirable. He was shocked to know that I had the basics already down.
We trained for two hours before calling it a night.
"I am surprised, Princess. You will make a very strong knight in future." He said with a smile and I shook my head.
"I'm not doing it for a title, Felix." I said as he escorted me back to Ruby palace.
"Then?"
"I'm doing it to grow strong enough to protect Athy and Dad." I said and he fell silent.
"I really admire your dedication and love for your family, Princess."
"Those two are the only reasons why I am living. I don't want to lose them because of my shortcomings." I said and he stopped in his tracks while I kept walking.
"Also, since you and Lily are around I can relax a little," I said as I turned around smiling at him, "so, thank you for everything Felix."
With that said, I walked inside the palace leaving Felix behind.
I fell asleep quite quickly as I was exhausted by the first time proper training.
The next morning our etiquette classes started, a noble lady was called for that. Lily was always around till the time we'd have our classes. Athy was putting efforts to charm the lady as well while I was just following the instructions.
A week passed by with my classes and Athy seemed to be happy since we weren't seeing Claude. But that made me worried because I knew he must be overworking himself.
During my usual morning routine one day I ended up discovering something which made me freeze in my tracks.
I had just finished my meditation and had seen a man dressed in black outfit with long black haired sleeping on the grass in the shade of a tree.
I pinched myself as I wondered if it was a dream or not but it stung so I just stared at the sleeping man for a long while. He's seriously not...
I walked close to him and sat near him, he was sleeping quite peacefully.
Was he really so close by? But then why didn't Athy run into him till we turned 7?
I poked at him gently but he didn't budge, I slowly placed my head on his chest feeling his faint heart beats but he still didn't move. I stared at his face for a long moment before I ended up speaking.
"What a spectacle!" I muttered.
"Why would you be sleeping out here?"
No response.
"Are you expecting a Princess to come and kiss you awake?" I joked but he still didn't move.
Should I just pull his hair to wake him like Athy had done? But he's been sleeping for 200 years.
I sighed and just lied down using his stomach as my pillow.
"Quite surprising. If a knight or guard found you they will stab you first and ask later, but if Dad saw you here he'll chop your head off. It wouldn't matter who you are." I spoke and then chuckled.
"I still can't believe you're here."
I started talking about random stuff about myself and Athy as I lied there for around one hour before I stood up.
"I'll have to leave now. I'll come later."
I hesitantly left him and went for our etiquette classes. Despite our ages, Athy and I were quick learners according to our etiquette teacher. Coincidentally, Felix had to say the same thing for me.
Another week passed with me going to the sleeping Lucas every day after meditating to chat with him, well, more like me chatting and him sleeping.
***
Time just passed with us not seeing Claude and one night I couldn't sleep. It wasn't the training night so I had nothing to do. So, I simply walked out of the Ruby palace and walked randomly until I reached in front of Claude's room. Strangely, no one stopped me. Hell, I didn't see anyone.
I slowly placed my hand on the doors and they opened slightly, I walked inside closing the doors behind me and instantly saw one lamp on the table still lit. I could also see Claude's sitting figure on the couch.
"Seems like you've forgotten your manners, Felix." Claude said and I rolled my eyes.
"Pardon me, but, it seems like you've forgotten that nights are for rest and sleep, Dad." I said as I walked towards him and he looked at me with slight surprise on his face.
"What are you doing here at this time? Did Felix bring you here?" He asked and I noticed the papers spilled on the table with the feather pen, ink bottle and the lion shaped royal seal.
"I couldn't sleep so I went out for walk, I just came here on a whim. And no, Felix didn't bring me here." Claude frowned.
"It's late, just sleep here." He said as he resumed working.
I walked over and sat on the couch beside him and looked at the papers he was working on, most of them looked like the reports of the taxes from different regions. He was checking them and signing.
"Looks like a hassle." I muttered and felt Claude's eyes on me.
"It's surprising to see you alone here."
"Athy is asleep... probably." I said and he sighed.
"How are your etiquette lessons coming?"
"Good."
He goes back to writing something and I lean ahead to read what he was writing but in the little light I couldn't see clearly. Was he really doing this work in such meagre light?
"How are you able to read this in such bad light?"
"I'm used to it."
"It's bad for your eyes." I mumbled and then sighed.
"I can't help but nag at you for everything." I chuckled and then picked up a piece of paper from the table.
"With you being like this, I wonder which one of us is the parent." I said jokingly.
"Go to sleep, Amara."
"Just call me Ara. I'm used to that since Athy always calls me that." I said still reading what was written on that paper. A trade proposal from a neighboring kingdom. It was an accepted thing so I thought I'd read it, but once I read it I frowned.
I sighed deeply, "Did you sign this just now?" I asked and he looked at me.
"Yes, why?"
"This is clearly a loss trade." I said showing him the paper.
"These guys will use our fertile lands to grow raw material and then take it to their kingdom manufacture products and then sell those products in our markets." I said pointing at it and Claude frowned slightly.
It was clear that they would use us our lands and our markets for their own profit with us getting practically nothing.
"God! Please get some sleep and do this properly in morning light." I said, "If you want I could come help you in my free time."
"Ah... what else would be here like this?" I frowned as I looked through the other papers.
Claude took the trade proposal paper from me and stared at it, "Should I just take over their kingdom?"
"I'm glad you're not my age." I said shaking my head, I had just smacked his head for saying that if he were of the same age.
"What do you mean?"
"Just reject it for now." I said and he raised his eyebrows. Oh, shit. Did I just order him?
He didn't say anything but just wrote something on the paper and handed the tiny lion statue which was the royal statue to me.
"Stamp it." He ordered.
"Wait, seriously? You want me to put the royal seal on this?" I asked as I pointed at myself. He's seriously giving such a large responsibility to a 5 year old.
"Just do it." He insisted and I obliged.
I put the royal seal on the paper and then read what he had written.
"If you don't want me to chop your heads off, don't send any other proposals in future." I ended up laughing at his threat as I leaned back.
Claude looked at me and I shook my head.
"Oh, God!" I sighed as I placed the paper down.
Suddenly he placed the feather pen down and kept the paper weight on the pile of the papers. He further closed the ink bottle and I frowned as I watched him wrapping up.
"Are you done?"
"I'll leave this work for you to deal with tomorrow." He simply said making me stare at him. For me to deal with?
"What?"
He switched off the lamp and the darkness dominated the room. I felt Claude lifting me from the couch.
"I thought you liked sleeping on the couch, since you felt safe here." I spoke as he was moving but then he stopped.
"What gave you the idea that I felt safe on couch?"
"Human psychology. Traumatized people tend to have such sleeping habits, they find comfort in cramped or small spaces. Someone might feel safe in wardrobe or bathtub or couch like you and..."
"And?"
"... I sleep on sofa as well." I said and Claude seemed to have started moving again towards his bed.
"Are the maids not taking good care of you?"
"It's just the childhood habit I have. Lily tucks me and Athy in and then I just couldn't sleep on bed so, I go and sleep on the sofa. Well, a part of the reason is also Athy because she has the habit of trying to grab me or kick in sleep." I said as he rested me on the bed which made me feel as if I was sitting on the clouds.
"Wow, this is so soft." I breathed and felt the bed dipping beside me.
"You can come here anytime you want." He said and I smiled, he couldn't see it though.
"Sing me the lullaby that you sang that day." He said and I sighed.
"I mess up with that lullaby," I admitted but then I moved to Claude.
"You-"
"But I have another thing for you." I said as I placed my hand over his head and groped in the dark for his hand which I got quickly.
"Follow my instructions now, please." I said in a soft voice as I sat close to him.
I brushed my fingers through his hair as I started speaking, "Close your eyes and take a deep breath,"
I put my fingers on his wrist to feel his pulse, I felt him inhaling, "Hold your breath."
I counted his heartbeats till it beat five times and I said, "Release it slow,"
He exhaled and I continued brushing his head, "Relax your shoulders, slowly relax your abdomen, relax your legs. Now breath slowly, just focus on your breathing."
I could feel him getting relaxed as his pulse grew slow. I held his long fingers then as I gently patted his head I started singing the song that I had made myself.
"Little butterfly... don't fly so close to me...
You'll lose your beautiful wings,
You don't want to be in pain...
Little butterfly, I am not a good person,
I will end up hurting you...
I see you... from far, far away,
I'll admire your colours, and your dance,
I see you... from far, far away
As you flutter over the sweet roses...
Time will pass by,
And I will keep watching you,
I will smile unknowingly,
I will always admire you from far...
Even if I can't touch you,
I'll love you from far,
I see you... from far, far away,
As you slowly come close to me...
Little butterfly... don't fly so close to me...
You'll lose your beautiful wings,
You don't want to be in pain...
Little butterfly, I am not a good person,
I will end up hurting you...
I see you... from far, far away,
I'll admire your colours, and your dance,
I see you... from far, far away..."
I sang as softly as I could and once I was done I felt his heart beats which were slow and rhythmic. He had fallen asleep.
Could I do something about his black magic? I could feel it at this moment as the black mist drifting from his body slowly curled itself into my small hand.
"God, help me save my father." I thought to myself before I placed my hand over his heart and closed my eyes focusing on the mana flow in his body. It was almost immediately that I found the black pit like thing. It seemed like the gathered sludge which was eating up the light.
I had no choice but absorb it, but how could I do it?
Should I just think of absorbing it?
I closed my eyes and thought strongly of taking the black sludge away and instantly felt as if the black sludge moved towards me.
I started absorbing it as best as I could and just as I started that a sharp pain stabbed in my chest. I gritted my teeth to keep myself from grunting in pain as I kept absorbing the sludge until I felt the darkness clouding my vision and before I knew it I passed out.
***
I know the fact that Ara can use magic so easily is a bit unsettling but everything has an answer and with time you'll know just why Ara is like this.
Also, the song is mine so, please don't copy it.
Till then, enjoy reading!
P. S. Since you guys are wondering of the tune for the song, I've put a video which sounds the closest to my song.
It's BTS's Jimin's song "Letter".
Hope you like it.