Her sanctuary. She lies down on the mattress that seems to be harder than a rock and a pillow stuffed with goose feathers. Yunho has left after claiming that the queen has finally 'lost her mind', offering no further explanation to what he meant. It did not ease her mind, in fact she's now lying on what is a sad excuse of a bed and thinking about the virtue of this quest. If she refuses, it will be considered going against the queen. It was not a request, it was an order. She can't help but think, what is the queen's true intentions of asking her to find the Shadow King in exchange of her becoming princess? It does not add up. The queen has suddenly allowed her to call her by name, thrust her a dangerous order and offered her to become princess. She can never understand the queen. Yunho seems to know something, but the guy is good at keeping secrets, albeit that he's very talkative.
She knows she is not stupid, but the queen, her former friend has made her feel like the biggest fool in the kingdom. Why does she shake in fear whenever she faces the queen? Why can't she be the same Akira she is when she faces her victims? The victims beg for their lives as she draws her sword, they plead for forgiveness when they realize that it will be their last day. However, when it's her turn in front of the queen, she falls to the ground and feels so small. The queen is only three years older than her, but her position has made Akira feel as if she has been living for a thousand years.
Her eyes travel to the worn-out calendar on her wall. The large four-figure number on top indicates what year they're currently in: 3091. According to the stories that has been passed around in centuries, humanity had reached it peak a thousand years ago. They had these tiny devices they used to contact each other, or know what's happening on the other side of the world. They didn't rely on horses or carriages to ferry them around; they hopped onto vehicles that were powered by motors to travel around. There are even proofs that they had managed to fly in the air, like birds do. She had seen the pictures; she would hang out at the library for hours because she was fascinated by how the world used to be. However, the glorified days ended because of their own selfish actions. Their selfishness lead to their own destruction, and the technology they've been worshipping had eaten them whole. They left their futuristic buildings and skyscrapers as debris and rubble on the ground. The last of the known Homo sapiens had died well over a thousand years ago.
They are of the same genus, Homo, but now identify themselves as a whole new species: Homo civicus. To be more civilized than the past species.
The technology they had built back then had been encased in books, but it would take time to build civilization just like how they did. Right now, they're taking baby steps to rebuild the technology and improve them. There are still technology that they managed to preserve, like having pens and erecting stable buildings. They want to learn from the past mistakes. To make sure that they won't be wiped out just like the past species. She sneers, that might prove to be hard because humans never learn.
There is a rap on the rickety door and as she allows the knocker to enter, she is met with one of the queen's royal servants. "The queen has ordered you to make your move to the Kingdom of Nyla as soon as dawn breaks. You are to leave your sword and your vest; whatever that may give away your identity as the general. You are sent there as the Kingdom of Lucida's ambassador. The people in the palace are informed of your attendance and has promised to give their utmost hospitality. You are to carry your quest as ordered, as quietly, secretly and quickly as possible. When you are done, you may send a letter here for us to pick you up. However, failure to do so-" she stops, as if the words are too painful to be uttered. "-will result in dire consequenses."
Akira blinks. "Understood. You may leave." The servant is about to close the door as she hastily adds, "Thank you. Do send my regards to the queen."
She is about to lie down once again, but stops her intention when she hears another rap on the door. She expects the same royal servant, but even before she gives her approval for the knocker to enter, Yunho slides open the door and bursts into the room.
"Are you really leaving?" He is out of breath, as if he has used all his energy to run to her room.
"Yes. I'm leaving tomorrow as soon as the dawn breaks. I should be able to reach there..." she mentally calculates the distance, "...in about four hours. Or maybe five, depending on the condition of the roads."
"I never thought the queen was serious about this."
"Yunho." She bites her lips as his name - instead of 'lieutenant' - escapes her lips. "Queen Emira never goes back against his own words. You and I should be the ones who know that best."
"But it's dangerous! Sending there could get you killed. The people in the palace of Nyla are dangerous people. If they manage to hide the Shadow King until now, who knows whatever else they're keeping."
"What do you have against the people of Nyla? You should stop worrying as I am just a lowly servant that does not even deserve the least bit of care from anyone."
"Akira... stop treating yourself like this. You seem to always forget that I am a royal servant too."
"Get out."
"I just-" He sighs. "Fine. But at least take this." He shoves around in his pockets and takes out a bandage. "The queen is really heartless." He eyes the cut on her finger. "She never lets you rest." He throws the bandage onto her rock-hard mattress.
"Stop speaking ill of the queen. You have no rights to do that."
"Why are you always so intent on protecting her?"
"Because this is my job, this is our job!"
"Stop... trusting her so much. Have you ever thought of why she's insisting to send you there alone? I heard that she didn't even let you to bring your own sword. You have no means of protecting yourself. This is suicide-"
"It's not. Queen Emira has been so nice to me, to us by giving us a place to stay in the palace. There are people out there who are dying because they don't have enough to eat."
"I don't know what the queen have been saying to you until you're all about defending her, and she may used to be our friend, but now, she won't even bat an eye if you were ever to die. Can't you see? When there are people dying because they don't have enough to eat, there is something wrong with the sovereign."
She lifts her hand and it lands on his cheek, hard. He stops talking and leaves his red cheek unattended. He leaves wordlessly and slides the door behind him. When she thinks he is gone, a piece of paper is slipped under her door.
She picks it up gingerly, unfolding it as she straightens her posture. It bears a list of names: 7 men with different background. At the end of the list, a small note is written by the Yunho's unmistaken handwriting: These are the list of the suspected Shadow King, but I cannot guarantee you that one of them is. It's just my suspicion after years of observing them. Please don't do anything rash and come back safely. I wouldn't want to receive the news for us to claim your body.
"Him and his rude jokes." She catches herself smiling and she quickly puts up a straight face. As she takes hold of the paper and the bandage, she sighs. She may have been too rough with him. Yunho is always playful, even when he's supposed to be serious. But the urgency in his tone about the danger of this venture is apparent.
After their friendship had broken when Emira ascended the throne, they never spoke to each other with the same familiarity. She was the one who mostly shut him off, while it was obvious that he was trying so hard to keep what's left of it. She had told him he was being delusional, but he fired back saying that how can a friendship for 16 years disappear just because one of them had rose higher than the rest?
Her answer? Of course it can, our destiny since the start has been written in our blood.
It toned him down, but deep down, Akira had wanted him to fight back saying how it wasn't true.
He didn't.
---
That night she can't sleep. She has already packed her belongings; they mostly consist of her clothes and some basic toiletries. She doesn't really own anything else besides her worn-out calendar and shabby map she always keeps close. She has no pictures of her late parents; in fact she doesn't even know the identity of her real parents. The palace is her only home as long as she can remember; she was said to have been born at the palace. No one else has provided more information to her, and she doesn't take the opportunity to find out. She is always busy with trying to keep up with her job.
Protecting the queen.
She doesn't know what they'll prepare for her there, but she sure does hope they'll be providing her with a place to sleep and food to eat. How much has the queen told them? How should she act when she's over there? Things are seemingly easier when you're the one giving the orders as opposed to being the one carrying them out. It's easier sitting on the throne rather than bowing in front of it. She puts on a jacket and steps out of her room.
The night is a quiet one, she observes as she sits on the stone bench constructed beside the lake. She looks up at the sky and sees one huge white dot, and several small ones in clusters. The moon and the stars. She prefers the night because it's as close as to the real vision she can get. She was told that the night is dark, and although it's not completely black and white, it is the closest to what she experiences.
"It's the full moon today."
"As if that matters," Akira utters. She turns to see Yunho standing, hooking his reading glasses on the collar of his tunic.
"To you, it doesn't. To me, it does. May I?"
She nods slightly and he sits beside her.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to slap you."
"It's fine. I deserved it after all I said. What are you doing out here? Can't sleep?"
"I'm just too excited for tomorrow," she says it matter-of-factly, until Yunho stares at her to make sure she's not being serious.
"You sure know how to make people worry."
"I don't need people to worry about me."
The lieutenant doesn't answer as he points towards the moon. "The full moon is when it all changed."
She knows what he's referring to. The day of Emira's enthronement.
"I have a question for you."
Yunho lifts his eyebrow, prompting her to ask.
"If you were to choose, who would you save? The queen or me?"
He presses his lips into a thin line.
Akira smiles weakly. "You don't have to answer then." She stands up and smoothes her jacket. "I already know the answer."