ATHANASIA POV.
Ara was unconscious for the next two days and till that time Dad had asked me about this assassination attempt. I told Dad about my discussion with Ara where she'd noticed the mana of Athernitas on my gift.
Dad was ready to kill Jeanette when I told him she had gifted the ribbon to me, but I somehow managed to calm him down the way I had calmed Ara. These two react the same way.
"So, her intuition was right. He is still around."
"She says he might have some motive that's why he's trying to harm us." I told him and his face grew scary.
"Ara thinks he might be aiming for the throne again by harming us." Dad clenched his fists.
I knew he must be feeling really angry and helpless that he was unable to do anything for this situation. He couldn't dispatch troops to look for Athernitas not even keep an eye on every single object that might be tampered with. At this moment, even if Ara's condition wasn't good, it was only her who could do something about this.
"Let's go see her for now." Dad said and I agreed.
When we went to see her, she had suddenly disappeared again.
The whole palace was in chaos as everyone started looking for her, I went back to the lake to see if she was there, but she wasn't.
Dad seemed quite worried as she would frequently fall unconscious and since she had said that she was cursed not to mention, she still had less idea of this present time. Well, not that Ara and I had ever stepped out of the palace grounds but with Ara now suddenly disappeared I couldn't help but feel worried.
"Did you find her?" Dad asked and I shook my head.
"Your Majesty, we found her!" Felix suddenly shouted and I and Dad followed him finding her in the rose garden. She touched a bloomed rose and then pulled her hand back frowning slightly.
"Ara?!" I called and she turned to look at us.
I ran ahead and threw my arms around her, just why was she making us worry so much?
"We were so worried, why didn't you tell anyone before leaving like that?" I asked and she patted my back.
"I felt stuffy, so I came out. I apologise for making you all worry." She said, her voice sounded weak.
I pulled back and looked at her, she turned her gaze to her hand and I saw the drop of blood on her finger.
"You-"
"Let me roam around for a bit, I hate being inside for a long time." She said as she brushed the blood off her finger.
"You still haven't recovered yet, let someone be with you." Dad said and she nodded looking at him for a moment before sighing and flicking her hand.
I looked back at Dad who slightly frowned and then looked at Ara. Did she use the recovery spell on him?
"You-"
"Robane could stay." She said and Dad looked at Felix.
"I'll stay with Her Highness." He said with a bow and Dad allowed it.
I looked once at Ara who stared at the rose again before I turned and followed Dad back inside the palace.
"She replenished my energy and health." Dad spoke as we were walking.
"She's always been worried about your health after all." I mumbled and felt a hand on my head.
"Even if she doesn't remember everything that we had experienced in all these years, we could always tell her and make new experiences." Dad said making me look at him.
He was right! We could always make new memories!
"That's right! Thank you, Daddy." I hugged him and he gently patted my head.
FELIX POV.
I watched as Princess Ara stared at the rose and I couldn't help but ask.
"Perhaps, did Princess Athelinda also like roses?"
She released a sigh suddenly looking way older than her actual age. Princess Athelinda had passed away when she hadn't even been 20, and that's quite at a young age.
"I never had a chance to admire the flowers, Robane." She said, her voice and tone sounded like an adult. Well, that's how Princess Ara used to talk as well, but with the heaviness in this tone made me realize the difference.
"Why?"
"I'd grown up competing because my father always supported my brother, I wanted to do something for him as well, so I did my best in training my body, fighting in wars for three years since I was 15 and also in cases for my brother's protection. Then, I spent most of my time with my mana practice, if that wasn't enough then there was studying and some of the official work that I did... All the time I was busy with one thing or other, if I got a chance away from all this then there were the social gatherings where I had to show myself."
She rubbed her neck as if just recalling all of it made her stressed.
"It was quite a hassle."
"Still, after hearing everything I can't help but feel that Princess Athelinda was quite admirable. She had limitless potential." I said and I saw her smile.
"It doesn't matter now... one thing I've learned about human life after recalling my memories is that... nothing is constant in this world. Everything that we see is bound to come to an end some day, you, me, these flowers, those trees, even the air, and that sky along with this whole world. The only thing that remains is the soul which we cannot see, the soul which changes vessels and continues its eternal journey."
I couldn't help but just admire the way she spoke, I could draw parallels with Princess Amara when she spoke like this.
"P-Princess Amara would also talk like this." I couldn't help but say and she sighed as she continued brushing the petals gently.
"Did she like flowers?"
"Maybe... but Princess Amara liked watching butterflies." I knew this for sure because I'd seen her admire those beautiful little creatures.
"Butterflies, huh?" She spoke and then smiled.
"I guess I can understand why." She said and I tilted my head to one side.
"Why?"
"She loves her sister the most, and that child seems like the delicate butterfly, the one with beautiful colors but delicate wings. So, she must be working hard in order to keep that butterfly free, and fought to create the path where she could fly happily."
I was stunned for a moment, something that I and others had only learned after observing Princess Amara for a longer time. She had understood it within a few moments.
"That's true." I said.
"Princess Amara had taken up sword practice and mana practice when she was 4. She was doing everything she could so that she could protect and keep Princess Athanasia and His Majesty happy."
She nodded.
"So, she has something she cherishes."
I could recall the day of mana explosion, the storm that blew around was so scary that my feet were rooted for a moment. I had tried to go inside to help the Princesses but there was the strong barrier that stopped me, I had tried to break it but it was impossible. That barrier didn't break even after His Majesty had tried to break it, even his mana was weaker before Princess Amara's will to protect them.
I could still recall the screams that I'd heard that day, and sometimes those screams echo in my dreams and I couldn't help but regret that I was helpless to the Princesses that day. Had I been a little more cautious then nothing like that would have happened. If I had managed to elude that day's incident then maybe, just maybe, everything would have been normal today.
The Princesses and His Majesty would be here having tea while talking happily.
If only...
"I guess there's some things in life that we cannot change," my head snapped up at Princess Amara.
She was staring at the blood drop on her finger. She pricked herself again, she brushed the drop away and then looked away again.
"Sometimes, we need to sacrifice something to gain something better for the future."
"Princess Amara," I spoke and she looked at me.
"You used to always think first of Princess Athanasia and His Majesty. You... would sometimes also talk about what would happen if you weren't around... you used to call us all a family, including me... I really admire your love for your family. That's why, I couldn't help but regret not doing anything that day."
She looked at me with a blank gaze.
"I will admit, I used to be scared of you when you used to talk and smile like His Majesty but, I knew it was all only to protect Her Highness Athanasia and His Majesty."
"Family, huh?" She spoke and I looked at her, she was looking at me with a small smile.
"No wonder there's that protection spell on you as well." My eyes widened.
"P-Pardon, Princess!"
"It's unmistakably my mana... I must have put it on you and the others because of that." She said before turning away and I couldn't help but touch my chest.
I... had the protection spell on me? Just like His Majesty and the Princesses?
Princess Amara had put that protection spell on everyone that she considered a family. I never knew she had done something like this. She never showed how she felt but her actions like this, protecting everyone without expecting anything in return was something that made me respect her even more.
I followed her till the point where she stopped and stared at the hammock which made me smile.
"His Majesty had ordered for it to be made." I said and she looked at me.
"Before the incident... you used to sometimes end up resting here after the sword fighting training. Since you used to end up sleeping on the ground so, His Majesty had ordered for this to be made so that you could rest well."
Princess Amara took after His Majesty, both of them silently protected the ones whom they loved.
She brushed her hand over the smooth fabric of the hammock before she removed her boots and sat on it. She lied down, relaxing quickly while staring up at the leaves of the trees that gave the shade to her.
"Isn't it comfortable?" I asked and she hummed before she closed her eyes.
Looking at her these days it seemed like she hasn't been sleeping well, her face was quite pale and there were dark circles under her eyes. I wondered how it could be, she was usually sleeping whenever some maid would go to serve her meals.
Was she really not sleeping?
"Can't sleep." I almost jumped as she spoke opening her eyes.
"Pardon?"
"This thing is quite relaxing... but I can't sleep. I guess, I would need something that would tire my body a little."
She got down from the hammock and pulled on her boots before looking at me.
"Would you like to spar with me for a while?" She asked and I smiled.
"It's an honour for me, Princess."
We walked towards the training grounds and the guards quickly started talking amongst themselves as Princess had appeared after a long time.
"Princess, are you alright now?"
"We were worried because you didn't come around here for a long time."
"Yes, we couldn't even know if you were doing fine or not."
Everyone started gathering around the Princess.
Despite having the looks and personality that was like His Majesty, Princess Amara never demanded submission from anyone, she would give the people a choice. The guards and knights knew her to be strict only when it came to His Majesty and Her Highness Athanasia, for the other cases she was quite lenient on them. She would even allow them to have a friendly spar with her while she was around the training ground.
"I'm fine now, just a little side effects which will be gone soon. I apologise for making you all worry." Princess said and everyone looked at her with bright eyes.
Yes, she never hesitated to apologise if she thought she'd made someone sad or worried, regardless of their standing.
"P-Princess, then, you should be resting."
"Yes, you don't look quite well too, we'll look after everything."
"You could leave everything to us, we'll protect you, Her Highness and His Majesty with our lives."
They really followed her like she was their leader.
"I appreciate your concern but, I am here today for a spar, I need to feel a little tired to fall asleep again." She said and the guards and knights brightened up.
"T-Then, please, let me be your spar partner."
"No, please let me be your spar partner!"
"Why you? Let me do the honours, Princess!"
Everyone started arguing and I couldn't help but sigh.
"Alright, everyone. I think you all are done with the morning training. You should head back to your duties." I spoke up making them all look at me and then groan.
They slowly dispersed and Princess turned to me.
"Are you at the swordsmaster level?" She asked and I scratched the back of my head.
"Y-Yes, Princess."
"Great then, I hadn't sparred with a strong opponent." She said and flicked her wrist and my eyes widened as an aura sword materialised in her hand.
"M-My Princess! You have an aura sword."
"I was a swordsmaster too, this child seems to have gathered enough strength for me to summon this." She said as she gestured towards her glowing sword.
It was the skill that was last used by my ancestor Paseton Robane and after that nobody was strong enough to gather enough mana to summon an aura sword. I could summon my own sword that was in the magic space but an aura sword was a very high-leveled skill that was lost in the time.
Should I be ashamed of admitting that I was a swordsmaster? I could never make an aura sword, and if I wasn't wrong then even His Majesty wasn't capable of doing it.
"What's wrong?" Princess asked and I sat on my knee.
"I apologise, Princess. I am greatly lacking before your strength."
"Heh? Why are you suddenly saying this?"
"I-I can't make an aura sword." I said as I hung my head feeling greatly ashamed for even having a name across the Empire for being the only swordsmaster after His Majesty.
"You don't need one." She said and I looked up at her.
"You have a sword, you can simply put your aura in it." She said making it sound as simple as if she was asking me to take a walk in the park.
"Come on, it's not like you don't have it in you. I can sense the strong warrior's aura from you, with a little practice you could even generate this." She said showing me her aura sword and I smiled.
"Then, I'll sincerely request Your Highness to teach me." I said and she chuckled.
"The more I look at you, the more I'm reminded of Paseton. He did the same thing when I had shown him my aura sword."
It was quite admirable to know that the person who had brought the Robane family dukedom had learned his skills from Her Highness Athelinda, the one who was standing before me in the form of Princess Amara. I couldn't help but feel myself as one of the most fortunate.
I stood up and pulled out my sword, Princess slowly relaxed her body and parted her legs ready in a stance to start any moment.
I got into stance as well and felt quite exposed as Princess watched me with the assessing gaze.
"Try to focus your power not only in your hands, Robane. The aura is flowing in a normal pattern inside your body but with little focus you can extend it outside to the sword you're holding." She said before she moved.
For a second, I couldn't see her but I managed to bring my sword up to block hers, she was blindingly fast.
The spar with her made me feel as if I had only lifted the sword for the first time.
"You're considerably better than Paseton, considering we're fighting for the first time." She spoke as she gracefully executed her swift attacks.
Now I knew why she said she'd taught Paseton how to swing a sword, it was nearly impossible to even keep the sword in hands when she was attacking at this pace.
Paseton was destined to become the swordsmaster because he was taught by this person.
"You're lacking focus." She spoke coldly and I focused on her attacks and my sword.
After a while of trying to be on defense, I moved my footing and did my best to be on offensive side, I could see a small smile on her face as if she was seeing something good. But I didn't lose focus and I continued attacking till she almost disappeared from in front of me and I felt a strong blow on the hilt making my sword fly away and a tip at my throat.
I looked at Princess who seemed a little out of breath as she looked at me with a smile.
"You did well for your first time." She said as her aura sword disappeared and I relaxed a little feeling slightly tired.
"You do focus your aura on your sword." She said and I looked at her.
"But you don't do it voluntarily, it's your fighting skills that draw your aura in your sword. You may not have learned it but your body has evolved according to it. With a little focus you'll be able to make an aura sword." She said as she started to wince a little.
"Princess?" I called and she gripped her head.
"Princess, are you feeling dizzy again?" I asked and before I knew her body swayed a little and I held her shoulders before she could fall. Her body grew limp and I scooped her up in my arms, feeling slightly shocked.
She was really light. I thought His Majesty was only saying it because Princess Amara never had as chubby cheeks as Princess Athanasia but now that I was carrying her, I realised that she was really light. She looked even more sickly up close.
For how long would she suffer like this? I needed to get stronger in order to protect her and what she held dear to her heart.
***
Annyonghaseo yeorobun!
Well, I just felt like giving a Korean greeting today.
How are you guys? I'm doing good and happy after reading your comments. So, please keep voting and commenting.
I've added Felix's perspective today, let me know how you feel about it?
Also, I know I've bragged a little bit about my OC but yeah well...
Anyways, thank you everyone for your support!
Have a great day everyone!