Okay.. So.. I was sleepy and bored, so I'm not sure if things'll make sense.
But i still do hope you all will enjoy..!
There shouldn't be any route spoilers here, as I have not yet read Nico's route.
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I've had my suspicions about Nico..
..And I've been hearing rumors around..
..But I never thought that they would be proven to be true..
..And in the way I least expected..
•••••
--16 hours before the attack--
"Princess-" Giles started, quite hastily to me, "-We have a major problem. A society of rogues, hailing from Stein have now declared war upon Wysteria."
The tranquility I normally saw upon Giles' face had vanished.
At that instant, I saw Nico's face flash in my mind.
"Where's Nico? Is he okay?" I asked.
Giles nodded.
"He's fine. Right now, you need to focus on saving yourself. Nico is more than capable of fending for himself. We were updated that your personal 'guardian angel' is helping out Alyn and his troop. We must make haste for the planned escape."
As I listened to Giles, I suddenly felt a sharp pain in my chest. And it was unbearable..
"Nngh- Ah!" My chest felt like it was being crushed as I gasped for air.
"Princess..!-" I heard Giles say that among other things, but I couldnt make out the words due to the pain in my chest.
And all I could say was, "He's hurt, somewhere..!"
Before collapsing.
--2 hours later--
I woke up to the feel of someone running their fingers through my hair.
I shifted a little before opening my eyes, adjusting them to the bright light in the room.
Is this my room..? No.. I dont have a wallpaper in this color..This looks like a familiar room, though..
As I got a better view of my surroundings, I found Nico on a chair, with his right arm bandaged.
As I sat up, the pain I felt was gone.
"Princess-..! Don't sit up just yet."
"Nico-.. What happened..?"
"It was nothing much.." He looked away as he held my hands.
I looked at him as I got up from the bed, still in the dress I had collapsed in. I walked over to Nico, a small pout on my face.
"Tellll mmeeeeee.. Tell me pleeaassseeeeee" I said.
Nico looked at me and sighed softly.
"The palace guards and knights found me sneaking around and attacked me.."
I gasped.
"Aria, I want to tell you something."
"I-.. What is it?"
Nico held my hands firmly.
"I.. I am a knight from Stein. I came here on a solo assassination attempt."
I gasped, but he held my hands firmly.
But.. If Nico's from Stein.. Why would he be here in Wysteria when he actually serves another country? And who would he need to kill here..? Oh my god.. What if it was me..?
"..Now I know what you must be thinking; Why is a knight from Stein doing in Wysteria, hundreds of miles from home? Well.. As I said, I came here on my own accord to kill someone I couldn't accept as a new ruler.."
My blood ran cold.
"But.. I cant do that, not anymore.. Do you know why, Y/N?"
I froze.
Why- Why can't I move..? Why cant I speak..? And why.. Why does my chest hurt so much..? Why am I crying..?!
Nico's face softened as he watched Y/N stand frozen, stuck to the ground. And he watched as drops of clear crystalline tears formed and fell from her beautiful E/C eyes..
"I'm sorry, Y/N.. But I've failed my mission.. I failed to kill you.."
When I heard those words, I stiffened.
My head snapped up at him and I stared at him.
The reason why Im alive.. Is because Nico failed to assassinate me..? Then why... Why am I not afraid..? Why am I not afraid.. Of him?
I let go of Nico's hands and backed up one step, but continued to look at him.
Now I see it.. Now I know why Nico's earring looked so.. Familiar.. That was because at my coronation ceremony, King Byron was wearing one! Now its all crystal clear.. But.. Why would a rogue group decide to attack Wysteria?
When I matched Nico's gaze, I stepped forward once, reversing my previous move.
"Nico.. Tell me, if you know.. Why would a rogue society decide to attack a country that's fundamentally larger?"
He was silent for a moment before he spoke.
"...Because they know if we engage in a war, this whole country will be in chaos.. But I can't carry out my mission because... I love you, Y/N!"
I stood my ground as Nico and I stared each other down.
Then there was a knocking at the door as Giles and Alyn entered the room.
--10 hours until the attack--
I've been pacing around in my study for the past 20 minutes and I cant seem to wrap my head around what Giles and Alyn did in that room...
~~Flashback--
When Giles and Alyn came in, they told me to get away from Nico. Although we both knew of the love we felt, we had to go our separate ways.
~~End Flashback--
I could see the faint glow of sadness in Nico's eyes as we parted.
And I couldnt even say the words back to him..
I'm so sorry, Nico..
I love you..
I'm so sorry...
Just know..
I'll always love you..
~~5 hours until the attack--
I sighed, feeling knots in my stomach as I awaited the moment when the rogues would strike..
I really do hope Nico's okay..
5 hours ago, Alyn took Nico down to the castle's dungeon.
And I haven't seen him since..
I'm so worried...
As I continued my work in my study, there was a knock on the door as Giles came in, carrying a letter with him.
"Princess Y/N, we got a letter. There was no name from who, so we assumed that it was from the rogue attackers."
I took the letter from Giles and opened it.
...And I gasped.
It was the handwriting of one of my former students..
..Written hastily, I could tell this was made in a hurry.
After reviewing the contents of the letter, I pleaded with Giles to allow me to visit the dungeons, where they kept Nico.
Exasperated, he complied.
--15 min. later--
We found Nico in cell #12.
I pulled up a stool and began to read the contents of the letter aloud to both Giles and Nico.
"Dear Ms. Y/N, We all are so glad you were choseM as the prEncess of the whole Kountrie!! But we are all afraid we need yu•r mIld.. We are all stuck! Ask your friend, he'll know where we are. From Kay'Cee, your eldest former student."
When i completed reading the letter, Nico asked if he could read the letter itself.
Of course, I obliged, for I didn't know why Kay'Cee would make so many grammatical errors.
--change in perspective-
"Light Bridge." Nico muttered.
"What was that?" Y/N questioned.
"Light Bridge" Nico said again, louder.
"Light Bridge? Where's that?" Y/N repeated, asking a question as well.
"Its also known by another name in Wysteria and other countries-" Giles informed.
"-The floating bridge of heaven.." Nico ended Giles' sentence as he warily looked Y/N in the eyes.
"Well.. Whats that?" Y/N questioned yet again.
"Well-" Giles started, only to be cut off by Nico.
"-The floating bridge of heaven goes by its real name of "Tulay ng Langit", which is just the native language of that particular area."
"What makes that area so unique is-" Giles started, only to cut off by Nico again.
"-is the fact that the geography of the terrain is so rugged and steep that once you actually see what we call a "bridge", it's really just a long thin slab of rock suspended mid-air eight feet over a lake over 10 feet deep."
Y/N gasped.
"We need to hurry!!"
--2.5 hours before the attack--
We sent a separate group of knights to the bridge in Stein to where Nico said Kay'Cee would be, perhaps alongside others.
I knew the knights wouldn't be back for a few days, or even, at all, but there was still hope, and I refused to let it go.
I headed to the extraction point where Nico stood, waiting.
"Princess-.. Do you still trust me..?" I heard him ask.
I laughed a bit as I mounted my horse. (yes, you can do dat. Alyn was a great teacher. : ] )
"Nico.. You are responsible for my safety. Since no one else around, you are practically the only one I can trust." I smiled.
Nico laughed, shaking his head as he mounted his own horse.
"Ah, you're right, Y/N.."
Together, Nico and I sped away from the palace towards the safe house, the point where we agreed to meet up.
But little did the both of us know..
Of the impending danger that lay on the bumpy road ahead...
~~T.B.C~~