[AN: Warning, this contains ~5 chapters worth of story]
Narrator's Point of View
Over the next few months massive changes would shake Ristaze to its roots, similar but incomparable to itself.
---Till now---
During the one month the Princess had been out of the capital multiple initiatives had been put into order. The first of which was the 'Royal Intermediary For Pharmacy and Herbology'; A state funded company to control all export of medicine, drugs, herbs and spices. The company would buy the plants or powder from the producer, and then sell it on to merchants either local or foreign. However, its main function was to assist in the transition to disallowing a very, very long list of drugs. Lists had been put up around the capital, containing names of to be illegal plants, where owning them would be marked as a crime. The company would be the only legal way for the producers to get rid of their remaining produce and plants, though requiring them to list themselves up to avoid them producing any further drugs.
Alongside this, House Listere lead another initiative which was far more in the shadows. They were digging through the House Salender papers that were in the capital, getting locations of the underground guilds and the underground tax section. By the time the Princess returned to the capital they were mostly done with the preparations to turn over the underground of the capital.
The day after Emilia returned to the capital, letters were sent to all countries that Ristaze had business with, declaring the end of an era in Ristaze, and that she had laid claim to the throne. Furthermore, that Ristaze would not be accepting delegates before springtime, to risk putting them in danger.
---Late Fall---
As late fall approached half of the armies holding the capital closed went south, striking directly for the head of the snake, killing Lord and Lady Salender in a collaborative effort between part of the forces from House Tepet, House Celeste and the Northern Marquesses, guided by Princess Emilia's words that carried the knowledge of the dead. Large parts of the capital went into an uproar, during this time, causing large amounts of trouble for the troops remaining at the capital. Barely held in check by Lady Tepet, Bertram and Reynold who arrived at the capital to alleviate exactly this. During this, both Bertram and Reynold displayed frightening instincts when it came to the underground's underhanded tactics, especially including assassinations and traps.
The injured Tepet troops would be healed by House Listere or the Heir's new fiance. The battle hardened Tepet soldiers were already impossible for a civilian to injure in a fair fight, and the resisting nobles had hidden in the shadows. Shadows where the Northern troops would find them. The capital river became a deathtrap, an area avoided by anyone that didn't need to be there.
As house Salender fell, an odd, tense silence fell over the capital, and for the first time a very real fear started to spread.
A week before the beginning of winter a royal decree was announced to the public throughout Ristaze, but mainly in the capital, and in the now occupied large pleasure cities along the river going from the capital to the sea through the former House Salender territory.
'Any members remaining in UCOR, will be arrested and executed come winter.'
UCOR was an abbreviation for United Criminal Organizations of Ristaze, the formal name for the system House Salender had been keeping control of for the last many hundred years.
Over the following days members of UCOR gathered, preparing for their resistance. The decree meant an all out war, and what had been dissatisfaction before turned to a war for survival. Of course, many who could tried to escape UCOR as well, especially those that had already seen or experienced the force of trained soldiers. Those who were only halfway into the organization hid away, some sending a 'resignation letter', betting their lives that the Princess would be serious.
...but most weren't lucky enough to escape the grasps of those that had planned their lives on blackmail, protection money, drugs and murder.
However, this decree was not the only thing that was whispered throughout the underground. Another, far stranger offer was extended: Any spies still remaining after the fall of house Salender would be offered a position as investigators or guard captains, were they to surrender themselves to the crown.
---The First Night of Winter---
The first night of winter arrived. A crisp night where leaves were covered in a layer of frost. A full moon night tall and white... and a night that would henceforth be known as The Night of Bloody Shadows, or the Winter Purge among nobility.
As the moon rose over the city, the army surrounding the capital descended upon the capital, going through the streets from the outside and in, in a grid formation. They walked as shimmering shadows under the moonlight, only to slam in the doors of civilian residences, ripping screaming family members from the arms of their beloved, and executed them right then and there, staining the cobbled streets with blood. Then continued to the next house like bloodhounds hunting foxes for their master. That is how the commoners remember the night, glancing from their windows and trembling as they hoped their turn wouldn't come next.
By the time it ended, the streets and houses were stained red with blood, and the smell permeated the cold winter air, together with the reminder that the rule had changed, and those unwilling to change with it, would die.
Gambling dens, whore houses, slave traders, drug dens, crime headquarters and 'disposal guilds', all closed forcefully and brutally, making bundle of screams echo into the night. Where the soldiers weren't enough to deal with those who resisted, came a high noble that turned the scene into a scene of horror that would haunt everyone there for the rest of their lives.
Come morning, the corpses were still being cleared away, creating a sight that none who lived in the capital would ever forget. For the next many days the rain poured down heavily.
---Winter---
With the massacre came the consequences. For the capital wasn't the only place that had been hit. Lord Celeste and Lady Tepet had been going through what they could catch in their own lands, and the Northern Marquesses made short business of what remained there, though they had been doing a slow purge themselves ever since they found out they were being targeted.
The large pleasure cities along the river were economically crippled, as they'd thrived on the lack of rules, and the free work force from people under slave contracts well hidden away.
Slaves that were now free.
On top of that, those that had made their living off of crime, but had given up that life were, just as the slaves, helpless and work-less.
Huge sums of money that had been confiscated UCOR's associates were fueled into initiatives to lure new merchants, chefs and the like to open new stores in the now vacant spots, with the requirement that they take a couple of the female slaves or former prostitutes in as apprentices.
The situation for the men now without work was far simpler. Now where the control over the underground had been cut, pockets of remaining resistance began appearing. In addition, nearly all guards were corrupt and needed fresh blood. The men were to serve either with the army, or in newly formed guard squads vastly increased in size.
Existing corrupted guard captains were given exactly two chances to reform to a long list of new, practically military, standards. There were rules from everything between training routines and guard routes, to basic etiquette when dealing with nobles and foreigners. The spies that had surrendered themselves would get a chance to lead new guard squads like these, of course under supervision.
By springtime this had taken quite hard on Ristaze's economy, but the Ristaze that appeared that spring had already changed drastically.
Once again, letters were sent to Ristaze's business partners. An invitation for a party, and wishes to continue their cooperation.
---Spring---
When the foreign dignitaries arrived the sight that met them was far from the war ravaged land they had expected once they were forbidden entry during the winter.
Their favorite shops were still open and the buildings were intact, but the amount of flowers was without a doubt lessened compared to usual. There were many gardeners working on new arrangements to take over the old ones, but everything still seemed somewhat the same. The first thing that truly stood out to them, was spotting groups of highly visible guards in the streets in stylized uniforms matching the district. Ristaze had always prided itself on having no need of guards. The number of guard squads they spotted on the way to the palace was quite high as well, far higher than they were used to from their own homes.
In the end, the capital didn't actually change that much other than that. The belly of the capital wasn't a place for many nobles anyway, and though now under supervision, both the black market and the red district still exists. It's shrunk a lot, but still runs. Those running the black market are of course nobility, but both quality and quantity is both in small controlled percentages of what it had once been.
The only things gone for good were drug dens, actual organizations and the 'cleaners'. A surprisingly large part of UCOR had been getting money to get rid of the immense number of people overdosing from drugs. A shadow number that would only truly be felt over the next few years as Ristaze went into a baby boom.
The biggest change was with the pleasure cities along the river.
They were still cities of pleasure, but the number of restaurants, herbalists, beauticians and wellness stores had exploded in the absence of the less well seen businesses. The casinos that did remain were quite high class and offered gambling for both real and false money.
Crime was never entirely eradicated, but whereas you before could walk down just about any alleyway, you started needing to know where to look.
As the yearly tourists carefully expected the changed city, many left with disappointment, while others enjoyed the slight change of scenery and focused on the displays of research directly from the academy.
Business did far from as well as it used to. It was without a doubt the worst economical year Ristaze had seen in centuries, and it would never return to the same standards. However, the production and research of medicine in general would explode, mostly in the direction nutrition and general health.
In case you worry for the general civilian, you don't need to. Those living outside the cities neither heard or noticed the difference, until their semi-large villages had their local guard squads replaced or put under strict orders. If anything, their payments decreased and became regular.
Another change was fashion among the ladies of Ristaze.
Over the next decade the look of seductive opulence and extravagance was replaced by two general styles. The look of innocence, and the look of elegance.
Idealized by the future Prime Minister's Fiance, Claire Talwen as innocence, and the future Lady Tepet, Lily Celeste as elegance. Large gems and ruffles were replaced with intricate lazing and simplified designs, adding ribbons or small details to style it sweetly, and no matter the style, far less skin would be shown than had been custom.
--- In the general future ---
One of the biggest changes in Ristaze was the change of four laws:
- Taxes for the entire country was decided by the crown. Changes in taxes would have to be accepted by the crown.
- All land belongs to the crown
and
- Nobility that holds land were no longer forbidden from holding military.
- Land was no longer locked to a specific title or family name.
The first two laws, though seeming unimportant at a first glance would spark another grand wave of dissatisfaction among the nobles. It was a bold decision made while everyone had the memory of the King, Alstair and House Salender's fall. Those who resisted would have to go up against the only three houses with trained military forces, as well as the royal army. The only resistance ended up being in the shadows for a long time.
The second law, while seeming vague, was the biggest change of the four. In effect, it meant that Emilia could take land away from nobles if she wanted to. She needed no further reasoning. Of course she would give reasoning to minimize satisfaction, but that is the amount of power this one little sentence gave her.
In effect, those that ended up unable to manage their territory when the taxes were lowered, would be stripped of their land and replaced. This was of course very few nobles, but the discontent would be palpable.
In return, this created an upwave of popularity among the commoners that had been suffering under greedy lords, decreasing the dissatisfaction over Emilia's magic, as they reached a conclusion: Corruption was purged, be they commoners or nobility.
The last two laws would spark many conflicts in the nobility that had been used to having their land promised for eternity as long as remnants of their family still existed. Within a decade the first armed disagreements began between nobles, and that was the first time the throne would put the nobles in their place.
At the field where the two nobles meant to fight it out, a third army appeared, twice the size of each army. The royal army.
Each side was given the following order:
'A request for military movement has not been filed, nor has the agreements for the battle. Return your troops or have them eliminated. '
It was a rule of might.
The agreements were to follow a set of rules set down by Augustus Celeste and named 'Formalities of Internal Armed Conflict', which was based on the rules Rei herself had been subject to in her former life, though with some modifications to make it fit better with the traditions of knights.
Zocria who had not signed the peace treaty didn't make a move up until this point, but after this incident Zocria initiated positive contact for the first time.
Crinia turned itself inwards after Catarina died. With support from Headal, especially in the form of knowledge, the Queen started taking her place as the ruler seriously. She married a year later and would soon become pregnant. After about a decade Crinia started a foresting project to increase their livable areas to the south, and along with many changes in social policies left over from the Tyrant King, Crinia would slowly begin to sprout as a nation once more.
Semor to the North remained quiet, but over the next decade increased their defense at the border immensely, gaining what seemed to near paranoia. Landon knew exactly who was the main cause of those four rules, along with the overhaul of much of the military in Ristaze that would happen over the years. Rei's clan had been known for one thing, and one thing only, which was their military and its ruthless efficiency. Now given what seemed near full control over the military, many of the methods used would be implemented. These methods were mainly in structure and communication, and they would be developed further by military researchers that blended these methods with the magic in Ristaze. Aware of this change, Landon wanted to take no chances on the temper of someone he killed once.
It would later become public that King Landon accused King Jacques of killing Catarina, but a lack of evidence, and the intense protests from Crinia to let the dead rest with honor, the matter was put to rest. Headal and Semor never reconciled.
Characters
--- Claire's Future ---
Claire and Soleil's story together first began during the kidnapping event. During the month that Lily, Lionel and Emilia were gone Soleil and Claire worked closely together, sharing many additional moments together. Claire had already been there when Soleil was at his lowest, so now he approached her without regrets.
Claire, who had promised her heart to Augustus, had been rejected. Augustus was in love with someone else, and though hesitantly she would let Soleil's displays of kindness, care and professionalism in the work they were doing, begin to affect her.
When the two of them finally took a break at Soleil's family home in the capital, both Soleil and his family realized that Claire fit into the family perfectly, handling Soleil's many younger sisters with seemingly boundless love. By the end of the day they were referring to her as onee-chan.
From this point on Soleil's mother began interacting with Claire's family via letters to improve the relationship between the families. Aiming to make Claire a part of the family before Claire could fall back to Augustus Celeste.
On the other hand, the relationship between Soleil and Claire got intimate quickly. Claire would have Soleil sleep with his head on her lap when he was exhausted, and he would let Claire sleep on his in return. Late meetings became dinner invitations, exhaustion became intimacy, pauses became time where they got to know each other better, and step by step the two started forming a far closer bond, than distant one-sided crush that she had with Augustus.
However, Claire, as Lionel had warned Lily, might seem quite innocent, but her mind would at times go straight to the gutter. This began happening with Soleil, and Soleil would begin to notice this as well. Thus, due to certain... incidents... the two of them would be engaged quite rapidly.
Claire's Point of View - Present Time
I am so happy Magdalin-chan is safe after everything that suddenly happened. I knew Wolfram-sama was going to propose, but how... how could her own family be like that?!
I was so shocked. To think her own father would say something like that... and Lily-sama even looked more angry than I've ever seen her before. I ended up locking eyes with her at that point, giving me this nod like it was some sort of signal that something was planned. But, as the situation unfolded, I became sure of what I was to do!
I would have gone even if Lily-sama didn't give me the sign, but with this I wouldn't hesitate at all! And the two saying she might be their daughter seemed like good people too!
Still, that is that and this is this...
This is a very important conversation.
I look up at Lily-sama's elegant figure as she sips her cup of tea in front of me. Even though Lionel-sama gave me his mean stare before we went inside, I need to ask her!
"Uhm... Lily-sama... are you perhaps trying to seduce Lionel-sama?"
Lily-sama's eyes narrow at me. I, didn't want to believe it, but if she reacts like that, then that means she is, right?
"W-why would you do that when Augustus-sama loves him too?!"
I blurt our the words. Can I convince her not to? No, in the first place why would she do it? I looked up to Lily-sama... why would she try to steal the one her brother loves?
Is this because of Lionel-sama?!
He always acts embarrassing, and gets too close. What if he seduced Lily-sama instead while he had Augustus-sama?!
"Claire."
I jolt and look up at Lily-sama. She looks annoyed and a little angry.
"Your thoughts are being noisy."
"Noisy?" I ask while tilting my head to the side.
"Just now you went from blaming me to realizing Lionel might have been the cause, didn't you?"
I stare at Lily-sama shocked.
"Can you read minds?"
I knew Lily-sama was a skillful lady, but I never expected this!
"Stop. You're having a strange misunderstanding all on your own. Your thoughts are showing too clearly on your face right now."
S-so clearly? I suppose Soleil-sama says the same thing when he embarrasses me once in a while... but now even Lily-sama joins in.
I cup my cheeks for a few moments to somehow get my face back to neutral.
"Ah, Lily-sama, don't redirect the conversation!"
As expected of Lily-sama, she is good with words!
Lily-sama actually clicks her tongue at me before taking another sip of tea, while making a grimace.
"I am not seducing him. Besides, once Eric or my father accepts it, Lionel and I will be officially engaged."
E-engaged?!
"Wha-?!"
I stand up from the couch I'm sitting in, and slam my hands on the table.
"That is too mean towards Augustus-sama! I cannot accept it!"
I try to give Lily-sama my most intense stare, but in return she looks at me like I'm a pebble at the roadside.
"I will protect Augustus-sama's happiness!"
Lily-sama puts her tea cup down while staring at me with cold eyes.
"Then stay out of it, and quiet down."
"Why?!"
"Because I do not want you to whether I am in one garb or another!"
Eh...?
Lily-sama continues relentlessly as I start looking Her over from top to bottom.
"You have been obsessing over Augustus for more than half of your current life, and that obsession was there only because of one little kiss, for a kid that is understandable, but you should have grown up enough now to see that it is an unhealthy obsession. Did you even once consider that even if you love 'Augustus-sama' that you were not Augustus' type at all? You have been far too stuck in your own head. You have already been rejected quite clearly too!"
Lily-sama lets out a sigh of frustration.
"You need to find someone that actually cares for you instead of a foolish one sided crush that will never pay off-"
"I have," I vaguely manage to interrupt her, though my head is spinning right now.
"Just before, you said whether you were in one garb or another..."
Lily-sama crosses her arms while staring at me... emphasizing her lack of shape in that specific region...
"...it couldn't be..."
I look over Lily-sama again, feeling blood fade from my face.
"If I had let you heal me in any way, then you would have noticed, wouldn't you?"
Ah- my confession at Castle Celeste, and when Augustus-sama was taken away after the battle at the palace...
No no no, wait! She could be lying. But how would I prove that she is not Augustus-sama? ...wait. Is this the reason Asher shifted to Lady Lily's side so quickly?! Then that look he gave me-!
"But! But w-why would you keep such a thing secret?!"
My head is spinning. If Lily-sama is Augustus-sama, then... then what have I been imagining all this time?! T-the images of romantic scenes flash by, together with the less pure ones from right after I saw Augustus-sama ride away from the school. I had imagined Augustus-sama lean over me the way Lionel-sama had done!
"Why would I tell anyone? You yourself know what a scandal it would be if anyone found out. The only reason I am telling you right now is because you would go out of hand if I didn't."
...she's right... but somehow I just can't accept this!
"But! But it's not fair for it to stay hidden that Lily-sama then saved us!"
Lily-sama sighs again, and then picks up the tea.
"Why would that be so important? I know what I have done, and my heart is where I feel it should be. I didn't go out there for glory, but to protect what is important. However, if I did go out there for glory, then why is it not satisfying enough, just because the name is another, which is also still mine?"
She pauses to stir her tea, as an oddly calm mood overcomes her.
"Is it because other little girls should look up to me?... that is a foolish thought... Don't compare me to any normal woman, as I can use abilities you cannot. Doing that would cause more harm than good... there are places where the physically weaker can help in a war, but the frontline is not a place where they should be. Had their example been a scout, an archer or mage instead of me, then it would have been good. However, on the front line they would be hit with strikes far harder than what their light bodies can handle as long as the men. That's why, even if it came out I am a woman, nothing good would come if it."
Lily-sama looks into my eyes.
She... isn't wrong. When we got kidnapped and I held down that one guy, I could feel the massive amount of strength under me. I had only my position to use against him... even if I had been stronger, would I have been able to hold him down properly?
But... it's still unfair... if Lily-sama is Augustus, then she's beautiful, she's wise, she's elegant and good at dancing and the other girls look up to her from afar while trying to compete with her... if she on top of that is Hero-sama...
...then doesn't that make Lily-sama twice as amazing? If how much I looked up to Lily-sama and how much I looked up to Augustus-sama is now the same person.
I look at Lily again. Poised, elegant. Still a little angry.
She even took her time scolding me to find something more than an unrequited love. She worries for me, and she worries for others even though she scolds people.
I feel a smile spread on my lips as I go through the memories I have with both Lily-sama and Augustus-sama... but in place of a guy is now something else... there's the face of a cool older sister doing what she needs to do, even if it hurts her and even if she needs to hide away afterwards.
I recall her flustered expression when I fell into her lap and cried just when the school year began, and I finally realize that she must have avoided me because I might have recognized her. I remember how she was cautious with Alstair, and how she must have seen through him already back then.
"Lily-sama..."
I look up at her, and our eyes meet. Her eyes are really like Augustus-sama's.
"Can I call you onee-chan?"
After Lily-sama answered that only her blood bound siblings and fellow apprentices can call her that, I was overjoyed. After all, for the next two years I got to call her onee-sama. She did try to withdraw her permission immediately afterwards as I tried to grasp her hand, but too late! We have classes together after all, Lily onee-chan!
—- Eric and House Celeste's Futures —-
Once Eric noticed that Claire and Soleil were getting close, he decided to test if the curse that had haunted him for the last few years was finally over.
Of course, Eric had already suspected that it wasn't actually a curse, but interference from Gilbert that had lead to the many rejections and the few accidents that had happened. He was still looking for proof of this, but regardless of the cause, it would be gone now. Claire had settled on a man, and house Salender was gone.
He spent the last couple of weeks before Lily and Emilia returned, on approaching one of the more curious noble ladies who was watching the knights with interest in what they were here for. He managed to sneak a lunch invitation out of her for the knights, and she showed up with a huge picnic basket the next day, to let the Celeste knights get a snack while working... with an actual meal for the two of them to enjoy while chatting.
She was a far more playful girl than Claire, and was a girl with a lot of joy, which was only constrained by her manners. Even then, an aura of life surrounded her, quickly charming both Eric and the Celeste knights.
When Eric graduated the Academy that spring, he married her, and almost immediately took the role as Lord Celeste. Still guided and advised by Adam Celeste, but the young lord. It took a while for them to get children, but Eric would end up the father of two curious boys.
Adam Celeste, now retired as a Lord, spent his retirement with Adela while watching over their two grand children. He would at times join a patrol of their fiefs with the knights to confirm the quality of the new guard system, and to make sure the villagers were safe and happy.
Adela, as she always had been, remained a social butterfly. Already guided away from the path of opulence years ago, she had lost her biggest weakness since then, and thus now where the queen was gone and Lady Salender was gone, Adela was the center of social society for the older generation of noble ladies as the society around them began to change. Anyone who resisted the change under her gaze would soon find themselves trapped in her spiteful humiliating schemes, that were as always unchanged. In the years to come, the social circles of the older generations remained vicious, to such a point that the younger generations would fear becoming a part of it.
--- Asher and Alva's Futures ---
As Asher finished his second year at the academy the following spring, Alva was forced to give birth to a healthy baby girl. As Alva refused to push, knowing that her life was over the moment she gave birth either way, the doctors and midwives of the palace had no choice but to get the baby out by force. A bloody and macabre operation that still had a a hundred percent death rate.
As the seasons changed to summer, a small basket with a crying child was found by the door to the knights' dorm house. With it was a letter written by Alva. They had Alva write it back in Headal shortly after they caught her, and now this was in Asher's hands.
The letter was simple. She declared that the child was unwanted, and that she regretted the time they had spent together. The dead refused to talk to him about where Alva had gone after delivering the baby, so he was left with only this and the child.
Emilia herself had delivered the baby together with Jacques. For a while, Jacques had considered keeping the child, but in the end he decided to let Asher have the opportunity to take care of the child that had been born without his knowledge.
The scandal shook the academy. It wasn't unusual for the young knights to go out into the red light district of the city, or mess with the young girls, but this was the first time one of the knights had been given the child. Usually a child born in such sin would have been abandoned or killed. If not that, then hidden far away where they could never be found by curious eyes.
Yet, Asher picked up the small fragile child from the basket and let their eyes meet. Her wails would stop as she looked back up at Asher, and instead a tear filled smile spread on her chubby cheeks.
Among the curious eyes of the other Celeste knights he held the baby girl tightly, and named her Joy. The dorm leader of the Celeste knights would change rooms with Asher for the next nine months until Asher graduated, and a nanny would feed Joy as Asher finished his time at the Academy.
Asher became a doting single father, and would routinely bring Joy with him to work. Be that watching Lily, or training with the other knights of House Celeste or House Tepet. By the time she could walk Joy was the darling of the Tepet knights. She was gentle, smiling and always excited to judge a match from the sidelines.
Asher himself didn't take a woman for many years, but took care of joy instead. His reputation among nobility was far too battered after the scandal to find a noble woman. Even among the commoners he was watched cautiously by the ladies for a few years. The few ladies that were curious were also worried that he might love Joy more than any child that they could give him.
—- Iris and Curtis' Futures —-
When Lily returned from the war, it was a reunion of tears and smiles Iris. Sobbing loudly she had thrown herself at Lily as always, and as always Lily had stopped her easily. Though, this time with a hand which she used to ruffle Iris' hair, while giving a soft smile.
The two remained both distant and yet close as the years passed. Even if Lily had decided to get closer with Iris, it was far too much like an overexcited puppy Iris trying to play and love the grouchy old cat Lily.
Iris remained persistent as always, of course, be it about learning the prayers of gods or about Curtis. However, no matter how persistent you are, your plans don't always pan out the way you want them to. Iris never did manage to call upon Lumere's favors even once.
Despite Lily finally teaching Iris how to call upon the spirits for their attention, it never succeeded. Lily herself wasn't surprised. The ability to sense the gods was the keystone in communicating with them, and if you couldn't communicate, then no prayer would be answered. This ability wasn't a skill, but something you were born with. Just like the purple eyes of those blessed by dark faeries, it was something to see beyond the veil that gods and faeries exist behind.
Of course this didn't stop Iris. Eventually, she did make a contract with a water fairy, but she would still mimic Lily's prayers before she used magic. Lumere had... mixed feelings. While he was asked for permission for being used, his answer technically didn't matter.
When Iris was old enough to enter the academy, she published the 'Theory of Nature's Will' through Emilia without Lily's knowledge. The theory proposed that parts of nature had a will separate from the actions of the faeries, and that this will could overrule the magic of the faeries. When Headal magicians started supporting this due to unpredictable changes in vectors both during the battle at Ice Claw Keep, but also at the Peace Negotiation, the theory started gaining traction. Another researcher proposed that this will was what caused the internal mana explosion when basic elemental fairy magic was used beneficially directly on people.
Iris spent most of her academy days working on proving this theory by finding a way to see or contact what she knew was gods.
Meanwhile Curtis was becoming a fully fledged knight like his brothers, however, unlike his older brothers Curtis never managed to prove himself in battle, earning him no title of his own to keep.
When Iris finally graduated from the academy the two of them married, and were given a ceremony far beyond what their new status would otherwise let them.
They received an old and fairly unkept castle and land south of Celeste Castle in their wedding dowry from Lord Celeste. It was a place that needed a good bit of work as it needed to be reclaimed from the hands of time. Of course, the two of them were both quite stubborn, and the castle would end up being a center of everything Lily would mention that the gods fancied and all of Iris' experiments.
They did travel overseas for about five years where their poor retainer had to take care of their castle, and when they came home they brought along a fierce dark skinned and red haired boy from Crinia that they took as their adoptive son. A couple years later when they got their own son, the fierce kid became a doting and cuddly brother.
That red haired kid would in the future become Lily's first apprentice.
---Mike's Future---
Mike's Point of View
I stare down at the snow covered dirt road passing by beneath my feet. It's midwinter, and the beautiful landscape is covered in white as far as the eye can see... but I find it hard to lift my gaze as we approach my village for the first time since...
I shake my head as I feel my chest tighten up again.
I spent a long time preparing for this. I- I am okay. I'll be able to say it.
I glance towards out Lady riding next to me in the guise of Augustus. She has gone to visit the other families of dead knights already. Rudder's family is the only one left...
I grasp Rudder's sword tighter and feel myself begin to tear up. Merely the thought of their faces makes my chest tighten up and my hands tremble. It's okay. I thought long an hard about how to tell them.
"Mike."
Our Lady calls me with slight worry in her eyes.
"We are here."
I look up.
The snow covered buildings of our village stands before us as we move past the first home. I catch a glimpse of the warmth from a fireplace through one of the windows and quickly look back down as my heart starts hammering.
It's okay. I'm ready.
I'm ready.
"It's Mike!"
I freeze at the bright sound of children's voices calling my name. I look up at the smiling village children that run off in all directions with excitement in their eyes.
"Mike. Which house?"
Lady Lily calls me, and almost in a daze I point towards one of the larger houses... mine is right next to it. She nods and dismounts. Then puts a hand on my back without a word... a quiet, wordless gesture that makes my eyes begin to water. She walks past me, glancing back as she waits for me to follow...
The warm light of the fireplace.
The coldness of the snow.
I take Rudder's sword from my belt, together with the sheath, and hold it out. I swallow the lump in my throat as we approach the door, and our Lady knocks on the door.
Time seems... so slow. I stare down at the sword... feeling the flashbacks of polishing it after his death begin to haunt me.
It's alright.
I prepared for this.
"Mike?...where is Rudder"
My stomach turns and I freeze up at the sound of Erica's voice. My eyes move from the door to her figure, clad in beautiful green like a sign of hope and spring while she looks around for the man she loves.
I... I had planned how to tell her. I had planned to tell her how he died heroically, how he died protecting someone, and how his last thought had been of her when he died... but the moment I saw her, all the words inside my head vanished into the silence of the snow around her.
A warm gasp of a sob escapes me, and her eyes finally lock onto his sword in my hands.
Her hands cover her mouth, and she drops to the snow covered ground with horror and sorrow filling her eyes.
As my lips part to speak, nothing comes out but a warm gasp, filling the frosty air with puffs of my breath and the snow below me with the warm of tears. The only words that escape are
"Sorry... I am so sorry," as I break down in tears.
The kids peek around the corner, eyes filled with innocence as they don't understand what is happening, only that Erica and I are crying our hearts out.
The door in front of me opens, and Rudder's mother peek out from the other side of the door, snug under her shawl and with eyes of hope until her eyes land on me.
My chest tightens painfully as her expression fills with horror and sorrow.
"No!" His mother's pained screech echoes through the village, as she wobbles, all strength leaving her for a moment.
I shake as I reach the sword out to her, but unable to compose myself.
"Rudder- Rudder he-" I choke out, only to feel a hot stinging pain on my cheek as she slaps me across the cheek. Tears streaming down her cheeks.
"I-"
"Shut up! You were supposed to be there with him!" she screams at me desperately.
"Ma'am, if you want to blame someone, then blame me," our Lady intervenes.
"Had I noticed the ambush earlier this would not have happened, and as the commander of the knights I take full responsibility, and apologize for my incompetence. There was nothing Mike could have done to save your son in the situation."
I stare at Lady Lily and lower my head. Why... why would you say that? You didn't even see it! Why would you take responsibility for it-
I jolt as another slap echoes through the quiet village square. She slapped the Lady. A stinging red mark remains where she was hit, but Lady Lily doesn't flinch. She just stands there.
Another slap.
I jolt.
"He was under service of Lord Eric! You had no right to lead them!"
Rudder's mother cries and trembles, and as she raises her hand towards Lady Lily again I stop her, grasping her hand and hugging her tightly.
"Please stop," I plead with her.
"I'm sorry, I tried. I tried to reach him but it was too late. I- couldn't save him," I cry out.
She trembles in my arms, and as Rudder's father appear with tears in his eyes he puts a hand on my shoulder.
"No!" His mother screams as her husband pulls her back inside.
"He's still alive! You're lying!"
Her words are like a knife to the heart, and I shake as I recall how I cleaned his cold body from blood and bits of brain, and how his soul turned to dust in my hands when he disappeared from my life a second time.
I feel the strength leave my legs as I collapse into the snow, looking at the sword in my hands.
I can't- I can't anymore.
A warm pair of arms wrap around me, and warm tears hit my neck as Erica hugs me tightly. She's crying just as hard as me, and I give up, letting the tears stream down my cheeks and letting go. I don't know how long we cried... at least until a kind pair of hands put a blanket around us and pulled me to my feet... guiding us inside the village chief's home where we were seated on a couch by the fireplace to cry our hearts out.
When I finally stopped crying, my head was feeling heavy and numb. On the table in front of us were cups of milk tea, and next to me was Marie... caressing my back while watching Lady Lily talk with the village chief and Rudder's father quietly in the kitchen.
"Mike..."
I look to Erica, whose eyes are red from crying.
"How did he..."
I try to swallow the knot in my throat, as I reach into my pocket and fish out Rudder's pendant. The only really personal thing he brought with him.
"Protecting children," I force out as I put the pendant in her hand. I selfishly chose the beautiful one of his deaths. One day, I might tell her the other, but right now I want to give her what little comfort I can that he died a beautiful death, rather than one of betrayal.
She grips the pendant carefully with a trembling hand and tears up again, leaning into my chest.
"I'm sorry," I mutter out again. I wish I could find better words, words I could say with certainty that would give her relief or hope.
"He said... Rudder said to tell you that he gave everything to protect the home you would make-"
I pause to put my head against my own shoulder as the tears overwhelm me.
"that you would make. And- and that he's sorry he cannot make it with you."
She cries harder, probably imagining the life they could have had. The children they could have had. The home they could have shared.
Why... why are gods so cruel? They brought our lady to this world instead of letting her rest, and they let those who are loved die so easily.
I hate you... whatever you are. For playing with people's fates and their feelings, all for your own amusement.
Narrator's Point of View
Once Rudder's mother calmed down she would eventually reconcile with Mike, but the pain would linger for many years for all of them.
Marie, who had been consoling them quietly, would be their support through the mourning period. Her usually loud demeanor subdued and temporarily replaced to soothe the pain in any way she could.
When Erica finally left that evening, Marie would stay by Mike's side until he could walk back to his own home to be pulled into the loving arms of his own family. Lily left the village the following day, her duty complete.
Over the months that followed Mike would gradually tell them more about the time he had spent with Rudder till the end, and about his death at the palace. It would be many years before he properly spoke of the battle at Ice Claw Keep and Peony's betrayal, and the first one he told was Marie, who had been soothing him through the nightmares.
Mike did return to the academy and knighthood, but though he did end up in an officer's position, and he did get landed, he would remain near the village every winter, staying with his family, and with Marie and Erica until Erica was finally able to move on as Rudder has wished.
Marie who did her best to help Mike through it didn't get married in the years Mike spent mourning, and didn't know what to do with his emotions. When he finally began to return to his old self the two of them were far closer than they had been before Mike left in the first place,
When Marie ended up hearing about how Lady Lily had proposed to Lord Lionel from Mike in a moment of thinking of fun things, she decided to take action... and the following spring she would pull Mike from their village to a flower meadow, mess with him until he chased her, then swing him around in a childish dance... only to shove him into the flowers, and kneel down besides him. Caress his cheek and propose.
Of course, Mike never stood a chance.
---Other knights' Futures---
Arven was already heir to a small fief, so after Claire healed his injuries completely, he could once more fight against the many bandits raiding his home lands, which would become incredibly important during the reformation.
The Lord that owned the fief next to them, which was the cause of both the many bandits and refugees migrating to Arven's family's fief got his land claimed by Emilia shortly after she was crowned, and with the military and guard reformation peace would finally begin to settle in the neighboring territory, bringing a peace to Arven's home that he had never thought he would see.
Darius became Emilia's permanent bodyguard. Despite Lily's displeasure with his methods, Emilia was fond of them. His silence brought peace to her mind among the noise of the ghosts, and he would end up chasing down intruders found by the ghosts without being found first. While his dream came true, he had one regret. His wish to work for House Celeste would never be fulfilled, as Lily had once predicted. Yet, he would fulfill his role as Emilia's protector excellently.
Felix, as ever the observer, didn't become an officer, but remained a very skilled individual under Vitis' command. Felix' hunger to prove his skills kept him in the service as a knight for many years, and as he grew older, and began to mature he finally began to gather faint thoughts of settling down. He remained under House Celeste's service when he finally got married to a quiet village girl called Maika, who had been eying him from apart for a while before he approached her the first time. It was a careful and innocent love.
Spence who had already decided upon a life in the military, stayed in the military. Unlike some of the others he didn't display huge amounts of skill or leadership, so for many, many years he remained unlanded. Of course, Spence being Spence he lived a full life with everything it could offer. Be it food, drinks, friends or women, he had everything, and enjoyed it all thoroughly. When he got his own little ten man team of subordinates as a minor officer he would be their big brother, and later their silly uncle. He was late to settle down, but when he did, he found a lady whose chest could make his head turn for a double check every time she passed by.
Vitis went on to become a high ranking officer in the Celeste Army. He became one of the first fully fledged Celeste knights that had perfected their new style, but also had actual combat experience. His role as next in command during the battle of ice claw keep would put him at Eric's side as well, at times acting as Eric's own second in command as well. Over the years he became a landed knight as well, taking in unlanded knights of his own for when Eric would call upon him. The event with Peony would always stick with him, and while he would always try hard to have rookies fit in at first, he also became strict and kicked them out if they appeared unable to adjust to the social life required in the military. He married a knight's daughter, who embroidered a handkerchief for him that she hid in his armor while he was chatting before getting ready for the yearly royal hunt. That year's hunt ended up being a hunt for the girl having given him the handkerchief instead. After she narrowly escaped that event after leaving a clue, and the next two dance parties, she finally got caught by Vitis as she tried to sneak into his room.
—- Emilia's Future —-
Emilia was crowned properly the spring after the coup, named Queen Emilia of Ristaze, with all the privileges, duties and rights that came with the title.
Her health would end up quite frail, often falling asleep on her feet due to exhaustion. It would get slightly better due to Jacques' and his advisors' guidance, but the amount the young girl had to learn and do every day would drive her to the brink of exhausted repetitively.
As she grew up, she protected her little sister Maja's life and privacy fiercely. Maja would be introduced carefully, and when Maja was blessed by the faeries of darkness, she would be taught at a far slower pace than Emilia.
It didn't take long before hundreds of letters arrived for the very young Emilia. Marriage proposals, or meetings for suitors to present themselves, or be presented by their parents. There was a hope from many outside countries that whoever married Emilia would become king, and thus gain control over the vast resources of Ristaze as the country began to settle down again.
Of course, most of these stopped the moment Emilia announced at a summer party with all the ambassadors, that whoever Emilia would marry would never become king, but only a prince consort. That is, he would not be a ruler of the country, and Emilia would always be above him.
After that, Emilia would endure a few assassination attempts, but didn't change her mind. When she, a couple years later, picked out the son of a Headal Count as someone she wanted, neither they nor Jacques could really put up a fight... and neither could her ghosts. The reason she picked that specific boy was simple:
- He was quiet.
- He wasn't an heir.
- Alstair didn't like him.
- He had an okay social status.
- He played the piano well.
- He wasn't greedy
- He wasn't arrogant
As for the boy, well, he went along with it, though rather confused as to what was going on.
Also, yes, you saw right, Alstair's name was mentioned. Among the many ghosts, there was Alstair, watching over what happened with dissatisfaction, bitterness and cold anger. Emilia used him as the devil's adversary as she ran her plans by him.
Even more bitterness came from him when Claire got married to Soleil. Alstair would eventually move on without his curse having any effect. However, he never could get close to Lily either way. If Emilia's ghosts didn't stop him, then the Tepet ghosts did. That, or the stomach turning sight he had seen when King Landon caused her to burst out in anger, kept him at a respectful distance.
Emilia herself ended up being a wise ruler. Though she took in a lot of Lily's ideals and plans, she also adjusted them to a lighter version and took some compromises where they were needed, such as reusing the former spies as new investigators.
By the time Emilia hit adulthood, the voices of dissatisfaction with the new rule had almost entirely quieted among nobility and commoners alike.
--- Helena and Jesmaine's Futures ---
Helena and Jesmaine stayed together over the years following. Jesmaine would return to her family after the peace meeting, with Helena gaining the official post as Jesmaine's maid. Since Helena wasn't nobility, she couldn't become a lady-in-waiting, and thus to outsiders Helena would be forced to stay quiet in the background without a word to say.
Jesmaine's nativity towards being used by other noble girls would fall as Helena ended up by her side, but she would still be tricked multiple times now where she lost Jacques protection.
She would eventually get married, but not for love. Jesmaine's family started losing status due to Jesmaine's broken engagement, whenever Jesmaine got tricked, but also the new alliance with Ristaze, so they arranged a political marriage for her to let her make up for her mistakes.
Of course both Jesmaine and Helena tried to express their dissatisfaction, but Jesmaine's always kind mother cut them short with the simple phrase:
"If you want a marriage of love, then make him love you. Just like Jacques tried to."
Sadly, it was far from the fairytale marriage that Jesmaine had hoped for. It was not a bad marriage at all, but they never truly fell in love with each other, and her husband was not one for grand romantic gestures. The more mistakes Jesmaine made, the less she would be brought along and the less she would be allowed to do.
Eventually Jesmaine did give birth to a single son, but it was the only child they got before their bedrooms became permanently separate.
Helena watched this and her heart broke. She could only support Jesmaine from the shadows, and the lady-in-waiting that Jesmaine was assigned by her husband would rank over her. It was a difficult friendship.
That said, Helena fell in love with the stable boy. Even so, it took them a long time to start dating, as Helena felt guilty for having a loving relationship while Jesmaine's was loveless. When she eventually married the stable boy that became a servant of the house, their friendship deteriorated for a while, but would blossom up once more.
Jesmaine's joy in life became her son, the little time she got to spend with him. When she became 'aunt' of Helena's son and later daughter she lightened up a bit more, and both Jesmaine and Helena began to mature, living fulfilling lives despite their situations.
—- Jacques's Future —-
Jacques mostly stopped helping Jesmaine after everything that happened. He decided that if he kept protecting her, then he would do more harm than good. He knew he could have prevented the loveless marriage, but he also knew that Jesmaine's new husband would be good to her and wouldn't find a mistress. Furthermore, she had Helena with her now.
He also decided that if the two of them asked for his help, then he would compensate Jesmaine's family and let Jesmaine and Helena live the life of commoners, a life that they in his opinion were more suited for.
Jacques himself would spend a lot of his times teaching Emilia how to use her powers, and how to filter the information she got from them and how to get the ghosts to do as she asked when they got selfish. He also took care of Asher's child for the first three months of her life, and over the years he would visit Asher and Joy, but only watching them quietly from the distance.
When Joy got older, she would realize the existence of Jacques, and Asher, although hesitantly, would over the years invite Jacques for tea just for a short while.
As for Jacques love life. Quite the scandal, Jacques actually ended up marrying a commoner. A young woman from one of the bakeries near the palace. The poor girl that thought she fell in love with a scribe, found herself being proposed to by a king. After meekly requesting him to let her think about it, still in shock, she spent a long time debating the choice before accepting.
--- Magdalin and Wolfram's Future—-
Magdalin found an entirely new life in the northern lands. She found a people that was loud and artistic, expressing themselves with surprising elegance no matter the subject.
Once she met with her new parents alone, she found out why something had seemed off when she met them. Apparently she looked a lot like the daughter that they had lost. So much so that Lady Vinhold had lost her composure. While Magdalin truly wished she was their real child, she knew that she wasn't.
Still, Lord and Lady Vinhold would treat her as their real family, spoiling Magdalin to the point that Magdalin didn't know what to do with herself.
She also gained a new older brother, as Lord and Lady Vinhold already had a son a few years older than Magdalin. He was far less excited for his new family member than his parents. This worry was caused by the fear that Magdalin would take advantage of his parents' weakness over having lost their daughter.
Of course, Magdalin did no such thing, so her new brother warmed up to her gradually, and would come to think of her as his sister. Maybe not bound by blood, but a little sister he wanted to protect none the less.
After the first year, the northern Marquesses merged back into a single house. The two other houses still controlled their own houses, but would remain as branch families of House Stanbell. This meant that the competition between the three houses vanished, and they got monopoly on Ristaze's silver. Thus causing the prices for silver to rise dramatically.
While it would fall again over time as poisoning became less prevalent in Ristaze, this would take a long time, and Ristaze would keep the tradition of gifting a silver tea-set to the new adults for many years to come.
When Magdalin eventually became Lady Stanbell, she would be pushed to the very front of social life, and her skills in magic, her contacts from being near Lily, and the contacts she made in Headal would become an explosive start to her career as the Lady of Silver.
She was suddenly the same rank as Lily and was forced out of Lily's shadow where she had been partly forgotten by her surroundings. As Magdalin's friendship with Lily would remain for the rest of their lives, House Tepet and House Stanbell would officially form what would later be named the northern alliance between the two houses. It mainly meant that Lily and Magdalin would meet often, and Lionel or Wolfram would often make the trip as well and discuss politics while the two ladies met.
Magdalin's marriage became a happy one, partly because it started with mutual respect and mutual agreement to the marriage. Wolfram learned to love Magdalin for her awareness and often unspoken care, while Magdalin learned to love Wolfram's playfulness and small surprises for her that always appeared when she least expected it. Both read each other well, and they were a couple that would barely fight. They communicated well, and cared for each other.
This didn't change when the northern castle filled with the cries of a baby boy, nor a couple years later when a baby girl was brought to the world. While the two of them wanted more children, Magdalin's body didn't take the exhaustion from giving birth well, even with Claire and Lily's healing and fatigue relief. The doctors had warned Magdalin and Wolfram already after their first child, but Magdalin had insisted that she would be okay for at least one more child.
After their daughter was born she was strictly forbidden to have more children, as the birth had caused more than usual bleeding, that would have gotten Magdalin killed, had Lily not been there to help her through it.
Magdalin would end up a slightly overprotective mother, when her own discipline failed. She wanted to give her kids the love she never got, and thus they got spoiled with love. They would still receive the discipline they needed, but both of them would grow up to make small sneaky plans to surprise people... at least when they weren't visiting their friends at House Tepet.
--- Lily and Lionel's Future ---
While both Lily and Lionel's time at the academy was interrupted quite often to help out Emilia with either lessons or other business, they both did well in the following years, getting closer and confiding in each other when things got hard.
However, though Lily confided in Lionel, it was not until the spring they got married that she finally let down her final guard and openly cried in his arms when the memories of loss would overwhelm her.
Their marriage became a grand event throughout Ristaze's nobility, especially as both Lily and Lionel were now official advisors for Emilia. The marriage was held in the royal palace, and the party lasted a couple of days, as people needed time to sober up after the party.
Well, everyone but the married couple, not that they were seen much after the reception on the first day.
Asher, who was taking care of Joy at the palace as well had an easy shift that night, and got to spend that night taking care of Joy, as both of his charges were awake anyway.
When Asher checked up on them the next day, he ended up walking in on Lily being halfway climbed on top of a Lionel pushed against the wall, while trying to nom his hair with that blue lion ears headband in her hair.
Asher of course insist with every bone in his body that he didn't see anything.
Almost exactly nine months later, Lily would give birth to a blue eyed baby boy, who would grow up the wisest of the kids. And almost exactly a year later she gave birth to a green eyed girl with Lionel's chocolate brown hair. Except, those green eyes of hers would at times shimmer with a golden light that would look beyond the veil of spirits. Her playmates would be the spirits, and as she grew up she would wander Castle Tepet, causing havoc as she woke the gods slumbering around her. Another year later another boy was born, this one with a temper as fierce as his mother's, but with far less manners, and far slower at learning manners, then a year later-
Let's put it like this, neither Lionel or Lily were getting a lot of rest, and Lily spent an awful amount of her spells on fatigue removal for both of them.
Castle Tepet went from having distant sounds of war, to having a racket mixed with the laughter of children having barely any idea about the chaos they were causing. They became a family that could truly be the main cast of an otome game all on their own, not only because of the sheer size of their family.
Many of these children would marry out of House Tepet, and many would explore the world, while other swore their undying loyalty to Queen Emilia.
Lily and Lionel lived their lives happily, and this wouldn't be the last war the two of them faced together, but it was the last war that they truly spent apart.
Lily's recklessness was never fixed, of course, but Lionel discovered a cute trick to keep her just a little bit in check. You see, the more he teased her in public, the more she'd bully him back when the two of them were alone later.
It ended up being a competition that none of them would win, but would always be ongoing.
Despite fights, arguments and disagreements, the two of them faced each other directly and confronted each other, but also listened to each other, forming a strong bond between the two of them that would earn them many happy gazes from their knights and servants.
[AN: With that we are completely and entirely done! An ending both sweet and bitter, both right and wrong. The main theme of the story has been the dynamic between what is right and wrong, and honor and dishonor. I hope you've felt conflicted, I hope you've laughed and cried to your heart's content and had many things to consider.
Also, thank you to everyone for enjoying this together with me ^^ ]