chapter iii. dreamers
Last night, right the moment Yijeong saw you for the first time and had his curiosity drawn to you, the first thing that he thought of doing was to go straight back to Yoongi the first chance he could get and tell him everything that he was seeing—or, in this case, who he was seeing.
Once he shared his story and finally managed to voice out all the thoughts and doubts that came running through his head the whole night, he felt relieved. Seeing that Yoongi wasn't making fun of him or dismissing his discovery, Yijeong also felt validated.
But the feeling didn't last long.
Because Yoongi has become restless ever since. After hearing what Yijeong had to say, Yoongi rose from his seat and has been pacing back and forth since. His reaction is making Yijeong feels bothered. He begins worrying for Yoongi, and wondering if he should have found out more about you before sharing this information with his close friend.
"There was another man who joined us drinking last night, Hadi's old friend. He's the shopkeeper working for the town's blacksmith in the southwest side of town, known as San," Yijeong adds when Yoongi still hasn't said anything after a moment has passed. Hearing this though, Yoongi immediately stops to listen. "I saw him chasing after her before she left the pub and they briefly talked. He was the one who spoke to her the most, so maybe he can tell you more about her."
The entire time Yoongi is listening to Yijeong speak, he has his eyebrows furrowed, a sign that his mind is still working hard to comprehend all of this new information. He slips his hand into his pocket afterwards, reaching to find something that he can hold onto while he tries to gain back his composure.
"I'll keep that in mind," Yoongi says, almost absentmindedly. He then turns away, making his way to his writing desk without giving Yijeong another look when he dismisses him. "You should probably go back to your tent. We don't want the other men wondering if something is going on after I called you in."
The couch creaks as Yijeong pushes himself up, readying himself to leave. But he doesn't step out before sharing his one last thought. "How much longer are you going to keep this disguise?" he suddenly asks Yoongi. He has been questioning the same thing for the past week, but never once had he gotten any reaction or answer from the other. "You know that you're not supposed to be away for a long time. Not this long. Isn't that why you couldn't leave camp once the sun is out? I assume that you are slowly losing control of your mana flow and being out in the open at night would have made it worse."
"I'm doing fine," Yoongi snaps, though he quickly stops and calms himself down with a sigh. "And I'm not going anywhere. I'm not done here," he says again once he is calmer. He tightens his grip on the object hidden inside his pocket, as if he is in desperate need for clarity as he whispers, "Not yet."
Shaking his head, Yijeong shows displeasure to the answer given to him. "It wouldn't hurt just to return home for a while to recover while you have the chance to. I'm sure your mother would love to see you back home again."
"Would she?" Yoongi asks with a bitter chuckle, not even turning around to look at his friend when he says all of this. "I highly doubt it."
"Well, you never know," he hears Yijeong says. "If you really do want to keep this disguise longer, you need to get at least somewhere close to home, get your mana under control before you can carry on with whatever it is you've been doing out here in the human realm. Just think about it. I'm talking as a friend who have known you since we were kids to know when you're the weakest, not as your subordinate who only sees you as a regular Captain of a rebel army."
"Yijeong," Yoongi suddenly turns and calls him out just as Yijeong is making his exit. Still with his hand hidden in his pocket, Yoongi stares at him deeply, saying, "Find out more about this lone traveller. Ask around and maybe pay this guy, San, a quick visit before the end of the day. And try to see if you can find other locals who might have seen her too while you're out there."
Yijeong grits his teeth and holds back from calling him out on his lack of response to his suggestion. "Is that all?"
"That is all."
Noticing how Yoongi has chosen to disregard his advice about going home to recover his mana control, Yijeong can only exhale a deep sigh. "Got it," he bitterly says, before bowing his head to mock a salute at Yoongi, "Captain."
Once he is left all alone in his tent, Yoongi pulls out his hand, retrieving the amulet necklace that he has been holding tightly earlier to calm himself down. The amulet has been in his possession for as long as he can remember. A token that was handed to him when he went through the Culling, a stage that is much similar to what most humans go through when they reach adulthood. His coming of age. It is the most important part of his life when he finally reached his adult stage and gained his full powers.
It was said that the amulet would serve its owner by guiding them through life and to find what their soul truly need. Once Yoongi figured out what he was supposed to do, that he had something to find, he used his magic to activate the amulet to help lead him the way.
For many years, the amulet had rarely ever shown him its true powers, only reacting to mana energies that were similar to his own, when he had been searching for another. It wasn't until he started following all the traces and hints which had him landed here in Smotia, when the amulet finally started showing some reactions, letting him know that there were magic existed here, hidden among humans without them realising its presence.
It was the moment that Yoongi initially came so close to The Citadel when the black crystal in his amulet started glimmering for the first time, its magic began vibrating to let him know about the magic that was present there. Then last night, when he felt the burst of energy flowing from downtown, it had been his amulet which confirmed that what he felt had been real.
Not only had it been awakened by the energy's movements, but the black crystal had given him its strongest reaction, as it kept glimmering and vibrating as if it was telling him that he was so close to finding what he had been looking for.
It had become the sign that he was so desperately waiting for to see. To finally confirm that somewhere here in Smotia, hidden behind all the magic and the spells that have been placed to conceal its secret, he would finally be able to retrieve what had been taken away from him a long time ago.
His missing soulmate.
"Where is he? Where is my father?"
On any normal day, when the sun is setting down at dusk, you would find your father sitting in his study room as he does his last minute work before dinner is to be served. That was what you had expected when you barged into the study room, ignoring the guards standing by the door who tried to stop you from forcing your way in.
Instead of your father, the only one sitting by the massive desk in the middle of the room, wearing a startled look on his face when he saw you rushing in was none other than Advisor Kim. Standing right beside him, looking just as startled as he watches you with his eyes widened in fear is your father's loyal aide, Marc, who seemed to be in the middle of helping the advisor with his work.
"Your Highness?" Advisor Kim rises from his seat once he snaps out of his shock, inquiring you, "Is there something wrong?"
With a deep inhale of breath, you calm yourself down, which is quite taxing when you have just run across the palace to get here until you were near out of breath. "Where has my father gone? I need to talk to him," you ask the advisor, who suddenly appears a bit too nervous to answer your question.
"I'm, well—forgive me, Your Highness. But His Majesty is currently unavailable," he tries to explain. "His Majesty is out handling a few business matters."
That makes you stop. "When? Where?" you question him, wondering how you could have missed it, seeing that you had never seen any sign of His Majesty leaving the palace the whole day.
It might not have been uncommon for the King to be away during the day when he has important matters to deal with, but that couldn't have been the case today. Not with all the security issues and the news that you had just gotten earlier. And after spending a lot of time outdoors in the palace's property for your extra lessons and errands, you know that you would have seen it if he was to leave The Citadel.
Be it as it may, from the day until dusk comes, his royal carriage remained to be parked at its intended spot, while the guards showed no signs of tending to His Majesty's departure, something that would have been easy to notice even under normal circumstances before all of these issues started coming up.
Advisor Kim appears flustered for a moment to hear your question. "I'm afraid I don't have the liberty to say—"
Gritting your teeth, you refuse to back down. There was a purpose for you to rush through the palace to get here, and you are not leaving until you get an answer. With or without your father being present to give it to you. "Then tell me this," you say to Advisor Kim, keeping a firm gaze on his face as you walk closer to him, denying him a chance of slipping away from you and ignoring your question. "Is it true? Have we received war declarations from the enemy's kingdom?"
Advisor Kim draws back. His face looks a bit pale when he hears you talking about the declaration of war that may or may not have come from the enemy. Deciding that he has no way to escape from this conversation, and that the information he is holding must remain confidential, Advisor Kim instructs the aide and the guards who had followed you to leave the two of you alone in the room.
The advisor waits until the aide slips out of the room at the very last, gently closing the door behind him in his exit. Only then does Advisor Kim begin to relax a little, even if you can see the distress appearing on his face when he is answering your question. "Nothing is confirmed yet, but our informants have sent us emergency warnings about the enemies getting ready to attack. However, they can't do anything yet until at least one of us declare war publicly while stating our demands from the other. So far, nothing has yet to be heard, but we are preparing ourselves for it in case they really are ready to make a move."
You take a sharp inhale of breath, right before asking him again, "And the direct threat against my father?"
You watch as his eyes grow wide, showing you how surprised he is that you would hear anything about the incident. You had suspected that your father and his advisors had deliberately been keeping everything from you. The look in Advisor Kim's eyes and the way he grows visibly defeated now only confirms it for you.
"There had been...an attempt."
Hearing this, it almost feels like the air is being forcefully pulled out of your chest, more so than earlier when you first heard the rumours about it.
An assassination attempt was said to have been done just a few nights ago, when the palace was infiltrated by unidentified warriors who managed to make their way into the King's chamber. That was the news that were spread among the guards, and it was all being kept as a secret under His Majesty's direct commands. If it wasn't for the fact that you had kept your word to Nanny Abigail about taking more lessons out in the gardens today, you probably wouldn't have gone passed the courtyard by dusk—which was around the time for the palace guards to be exchanging shifts—and heard them mentioning the incident in the middle of their briefing.
You came here with nothing but denial, hoping that it would not be true. As you are now standing here in the King's study room, listening to Advisor Kim as he not only confirms the news, but is now also explaining to you all the details about what had happened, it feels as if your world is being tilted around its axis, and you are being forced to wake up from your blissful dream where life remains calm and peaceful within the palace.
"Did my father get hurt? How about the culprit? Had any of them been apprehended?"
"The attempt failed because His Majesty managed to defend himself. Unfortunately, we had no witnesses from the incident aside from the guards who came in to assist His Majesty once they caught wind of the attack." The way the advisor is telling you this, with a grim look on his face yet his eyes are glowing with pride, you can almost hear the words that he is not saying to you.
His Majesty King Aneas had slaughtered them all.
"But...do you have any suspects on who may have been the one behind it?"
"We don't have any proof to help us in identifying the culprits, as the intruders had worn no markings or symbols that would have allowed us to track down where they were coming from," Advisor Kim regretfully says. "We have been watching closely at the rebel army, observing their movements, as they were the last ones who were identified to make efforts to infiltrate the palace just before the incident. You may have seen them posing as the traveling mercenary soldiers who call themselves as the Brotherhood of Jorn. But aside from their sketchy movements around the capital, we are unable to tie them with the recent attack made to the King."
The advisor stops for a moment, taking a deep breath. "Our only other suspect would be none other than our rival, Kosha Empire, seeing that despite all the rumours and prognosis that they might be launching an attack on us in the near future, their kingdom has been showing no movements and has kept themselves silent until the night His Majesty was attacked."
While you are pleased to have gained enough detail from Advisor Kim, who is mostly known to be the more reserved one among the other advisors working for your father, all of this information is a bit too much for you to comprehend. With a nod, you slowly step away from him, needing some space to allow you to breathe some air, and perhaps clear your mind from all of this.
"I see..." you find yourself whispering, drawing a concerned look from the advisor.
"Your Highness, please understand. It was under His Majesty's orders not to divulge to you anything regarding the situation," Advisor Kim gently explains, thinking that you are disappointed or hurt for being kept in the dark about the dangers that the King has been facing. He is not entirely wrong, but those feelings have faded quite some time ago already. "The King—he didn't want you to worry."
"No, I understand," you immediately say to him, even if it is partially a lie just to appease the poor advisor. You turn away and nod at the desk, where some papers that he seemed to have been studying when you barged in are spread. "I know that you still have matters to handle with while His Majesty is away. I should get out of your way, then."
You leave behind Advisor Kim in the study room with an invisible weight on your shoulders and a painful pinch in your chest. It turns out that your suspicious were right, after all, that the situation has been way more dire than what they had all made you to believe.
Now, you can finally understand about your father's odd demeanour—the way he always seemed tense and how he would appear to be so lost in deep thoughts since before the royal dinner—and also why your father and his men had been so adamant in finding the perfect solution to keep the peace, to handle all the political tension without giving a chance for an unwanted war to erupt.
Deep down, you silently wish that you can do something, instead of simply wallowing in your thoughts like this. Perhaps you can help him find a better solution, or maybe even fight alongside him when the time comes. You know what you are capable of, and you know that you would be able to do both of these things for your father and the kingdom.
As the Crown Princess, you have learned not only all the knowledge that you would ever need to take the King's place and rule a kingdom, but you have also learned how to wield a weapon. A few of them, in fact, as King Aneas himself has always believed that in order to keep yourself safe from harm, you would need to be able to defend yourself against any threat that may come your way.
But how would you be able to do anything to help, when your father had chosen to keep things from you, keeping you in the dark and choosing to send you away when the empire is having its major crisis. It makes you feel powerless, not knowing what you can offer when you are made to feel as if your movements are restricted with the King's final decision of taking you away from the palace.
Throughout the day, you had continued to feel apprehensive about leaving. Now, it seems like you have no other choice but to follow your father's will.
At least, for now. Until you can find a way to come back stronger, and ready to stand side by side with the King when the time comes.
Nearly three days have passed since the morning King Aneas dropped the news about your departure, and much to your surprise, you haven't been able to see him again since.
Nobody knew where the King has gone to, except perhaps for the royal aide and senior advisors who would often work closely with His Majesty, yet they all kept their mouths shut. The only thing that they could ever tell you was to remain patient, while advising you to focus on your daily lessons until His Majesty's return.
It wasn't until earlier during dinner when you finally saw the King again. His Majesty has made it yet another private affair, allowing the two of you to speak alone without the presence of his acolytes. Seeing him at the dining room after days of his absence left you feeling completely dumbfounded, so much so that all the questions that came running through your head the entire time he was away simply evaporated.
'Are you hurt?'
'Where have you gone to? Was it something serious?'
'Is there anything else that you are hiding from me?'
You had wanted some answers, but the words just wouldn't come out. And then you lost all the chance to speak when His Majesty questioned you first, "The carriage is ready, and I have prepared a team of guards to take you to the home castle tomorrow by dusk. Have you decided who you are going to choose to be your travel companion?"
Obviously, you had not gotten the chance to actually think about it, when your mind had been preoccupied with other matters. You may have surprised both the King and yourself when you told him, "Will it be okay if I ask Lady Abigail to accompany me on this trip?"
Despite being caught off guard with your choice, His Majesty had immediately agreed to your demands. He might even seem a bit relieved at your choice of companion, though it is heavily concealed by his astonishment. Then, later in the night, you quickly learn that your father hadn't been the only one who was surprised at your decision.
"You could've chosen someone younger to join you on this trip. I'm afraid I won't be as much help once I'm exhausted by the journey. You have three different lady-in-waiting to choose from who would've loved to accompany you," Nanny Abigail comments once she arrives at your bedchamber after receiving the news. Yet, despite her grievance, she still lends out a hand to assist you when she sees that you are in the middle of packing your essentials for the trip.
"I couldn't think of anyone else to ask," you simply tell her with a shrug. "And I've sent all the lady-in-waiting who have been working with me back home to their families this afternoon."
You aren't lying when you say this. Earlier today, before you met your father, you had somehow decided to inform all the lady-in-waiting who have been assisting you during your lessons and royal duties to return back to their noble homes. With all the conflicts happening in The Citadel and your future absence, there would be no need for them to stay at the palace. Of course, you had kept all the recent incidents a secret from them, only letting them think that you had relieved them all from their duties simply because you had wanted to give them a short vacation so they could enjoy the Lemmus Rising events.
But there was another reason why you had decided to choose Nanny Abigail to come with you.
Lady Abigail was once your mother's closest friend and attendant ever since before you were born, and remained your mother's most trusted person until the day she passed on. It was the reason why Lady Abigail became the one who was entrusted to foresee your education and royal training, and even to assist you in your daily duties before you acquired your own aides after your coming of age. So it wouldn't be wrong for you to choose her, your personal guardian, to come with you on this journey. There was also your worries about the threats and the assassination attempt that you heard the other day. Knowing how dangerous it would be to remain at the palace, and that Lady Abigail has no family to come home to in Smotia, you figured that it would be best to have her come with you to make sure that she would be safe.
Something that you know for sure that your mother would have done if she was still here.
"Did you come here to try and change my mind about inviting you to join me in this trip?" you ask her teasingly once you are done packing your luggage.
"Not really. His Majesty was the one who sent me here," she admits. "His Majesty requested that I make sure you are to rest early tonight."
You raise your brows at this. "But the trip won't be until tomorrow evening."
Nanny Abigail nods. "Indeed, but you will need the strength for the long journey tomorrow, and to not have you risk getting into trouble or injured before you are to depart."
There is something in her words that gets you thinking deeply. You have wondered if your father had somehow found out about your night escapades or if she had informed him about the night she found you slipping out into the night and went missing until dawn. But you had never gotten the chance to confirm it. "Are we talking about the other night? Did my father really told you this, or you're just worried that I'll go crazy and decide to jump out of the window and disappear again tonight?"
Nanny Abigail turns, giving you a grim smile. "It is His Majesty's formal request, made under my personal advice," she firmly says to you, without confirming anything. "Which I also think would make perfect sense. You are about to embark on a journey which is meant to send you towards a safe place where no harm can reach you. It would be foolish if you should get yourself sick or let alone injured before that can happen, wouldn't you think?"
You cannot deny that there is some truth in her words. But it isn't like you were planning to escape tonight to have a stroll while there are a lot of questionable things going on at the palace.
"How far is this journey going to be?" you ask her, turning the conversation around when you find no answer to respond to her with.
"I won't be able to tell, to be honest. I've never travelled that far, let alone going anywhere across Elcester Forest."
You look out the window just then. Even if you cannot get a good view of the Elcester Forest from here, you can still picture it through your memory—the widespread of dense trees that seems to never end when you look at it from above. You have always wondered what you might be able to find on the other side, and it still sounds surreal to imagine that you are finally going to have a chance to figure out the answer soon. "I never knew that there would be a place so far out there that would still be under the empire's rein, or that my father would own a property hidden somewhere beyond the forest," you mutter softly, almost as if you are wondering out loud.
You turn away from the window before Nanny Abigail can say anything, and you give her a smile as you promise her, "Fine, then. I'll go to bed. You don't have to watch over me tonight. I have no plans on touring the towns tonight, after all."
Hearing this brings a smile to Nanny Abigail's face, showing you that she really did worry about you slipping out in the night to have your little adventure. "I've requested a sleeping remedy from the healer to help you sleep better tonight. Make use of it if you have any trouble sleeping," she says as she turns away to leave, but not before she playfully adds, "Or if you are suddenly overcome with any urge to step out."
Once she is gone, you take a small portion of the remedy to help you sleep. Not because you are afraid of giving into the urge to leave like what Nanny Abigail suspected you would, but only because you are worried that your thoughts would be much too loud once you are left alone to prevent you from getting a good sleep. You cannot deny that you have been feeling anxious ever since you found out that you are leaving so soon, so you are hopeful that the remedy may help calm your nerves so you can rest.
It doesn't take long for the remedy to take effect once you slip into bed. But while it manages to calm the rapid thoughts that have been bothering your sleep at night, it only sends you towards a different kind of waking world, with vivid images coming to you in your sleep.
You open your eyes to find yourself standing on top of a cliff. The rocks around you seem almost as menacing as the rocky walls atop Mount Orrum, yet with patches of green grass and sand appearing here and there on the ground you are walking on. Before you can stop yourself, you walk up to the edge, and you are presented with a stunning look of the wide spread ocean opening up before you.
Steady water appears as far as your eyes can see, though you can see and hear the rapid waves hitting the sandy beach and the rocks below. For a moment, you hear nothing but the waves and the passing breeze, until a soft hum begins to reverberate through the air, passing together with the breeze flowing around you.
Like an enchantment, it calls out to you, luring you towards the rocky walls formed on the other side of the cliff. It isn't until the moment you start walking towards the voice when you realise that you are completely barefoot. Looking down, you see the sand slipping between your toes, mud soiling the ends of your dress as you keep advancing forward steadily, yet you cannot feel a thing. Nothing except for the warm breeze falling on your skin and the invisible fingers brushing through your hair as you keep on walking.
You look up once you reach the cliff's wall, and your heartbeat starts racing.
Right there, leaning against the rocky wall where the standing grey slate of rock roughly splits, appears a man standing with his back leaning against the rocks. He is wearing an all black attire with a robe hanging from his shoulders. Both the robe and his hair are dancing with the breeze, while his eyes appear as if they are glowing under the sunlight. An amulet necklace with a shimmering black crystal is seen hanging from around his neck, and your necklace seems to be oddly vibrating the more the glow appears before your eyes.
With unwavering gaze, the man steps away from the rock and makes his way towards you. Even his movements seem to captivate you, keeping you frozen right where you are standing, unable to move or to look away from his handsome face.
"It's you," he whispers to you as he stands right before you. His voice sounds like a spell as it drifts around you, enveloping you with its warmth.
"Do you know who I am?"
Instead of answering your question, the man simply smiles. His eyes drift down to your collarbone, understanding gleams through his gaze when he sees the necklace you are wearing. "The necklace," he murmurs while reaching out to brush gently across the engravings on the golden framed pendant without touching your skin. There is a glint in his eyes which shows how astounded he is at the sight of your mother's necklace hanging around your neck, as if he had just gotten an answer to a riddle that he could never solve. "Of course. I should've known."
"What do you mean?"
He looks up to meet your gaze and slowly pulls his hand away. Instead of answering you, he merely speaks in riddles when he talks again, "I've been searching for you for a very long time. But you were kept hidden from me, even when you were so close to find."
His words confuses you. "I'm right here," is all you can say, and for some reason, it draws another smile to his face.
"Yes, here you are," he says, though the expression on his face suddenly changes, and he looks crestfallen once his smile is gone. "But you cannot stay. I wish I could make you stay just a bit longer."
But, why? You find yourself wondering, but the words refuse to come out. You suddenly feel yourself drifting away. As if he can feel it too, he reaches out to you one last time, touching the strand of hair that has fallen on the side of your face. You can feel the tip of his fingers brushing against your cheek, and you find yourself closing your eyes and leaning into his touch to embrace it.
"We will see each other soon, though. I can feel it," he whispers, then all of a sudden, his touch disappears. You open your eyes as he pulls his hand away, and you fall silent as you watch him bending down, taking your hand in his before pressing his lips on the back of your hand. The touch of his lips leaves a tingle on your skin, one which lingers even after he releases you. And then, together with the loss of his touch, the world around you begins to fade. "I'll come find you, Princess. I promise. This time, I'll be able to catch up with you."
"Wait!" you try to call out to him, but to no avail. Because everything vanishes all so suddenly.
The cliff and the ocean, and the captivating man who had just made both your hollow heart and your lonely soul come alive, all fade together as you are brought back to the familiar waking world just when the dawn comes.