Chapter 21: Chapter 21 - The Princess' Dilemma
Sunlight streamed through the narrow slit of the practice yard, casting long, wavering shadows against the worn-out training dummies and well-trodden dirt. Iris Midgar stood in the center of it all, a bright and unyielding beacon of strength and determination.
A simple swing of her sword, the wind humming its approval as it cut through the air, resulted in another training dummy falling apart under the force. Iris let out a huff, strands of her fiery hair plastered to her forehead, sweat tracing rivulets down her determined face. Every slash, every thrust of her blade was a testament to her commitment - her duty to protect her kingdom, a responsibility she wore as a badge of honor.
After a final, fierce swing, Iris sheathed her sword with a sigh, her gaze drifting to the damaged training dummies surrounding her. They were stand-ins for the enemies she might face, but today they also stood as a symbol of her frustrations, her ambitions, her fight against expectations. She was a princess, yes, but more than that, she was a warrior, and her heart sang its loudest in the heat of battle.
Iris lifted her arm, wiping away the sweat trickling down her forehead. She inhaled deeply, the crisp air of the early morning filling her lungs, chasing away the remnants of exhaustion. A sense of calm washed over her as she closed her eyes, bathing in the golden light of the rising sun. The worries of her status, her duty, her future, all seemed to be held at bay in these quiet moments.
However, the serenity of the moment was abruptly shattered by the unmistakable sound of footsteps approaching hastily. Her eyes snapped open, her hand instinctively reaching for the sword at her side. Iris turned towards the approaching knight, recognizing the sigil of the Crimson Order emblazoned on his armor.
"Iris-sama," he panted, clearly having run from the palace, "King Klaus requests your presence."
A feeling of unease coiled in her stomach. Meetings with her father usually meant discussions of complicated political plans or tedious state matters. She frowned, giving the training yard one last glance before nodding at the knight. "Very well."
With that, she set her path towards the castle. The heaviness of uncertainty seemed to anchor her heart, dipping it in a well of anxiety that was seldom experienced. Unbeknownst to her, a tempest of profound proportions was brewing on her horizon, a revelation that would shake the very core of her existence. But for the time being, she advanced, her heart's rhythm drumming a symphony of apprehension within her chest as the castle's silhouette, shrouded in the foreboding gray of dawn, ominously expanded in her view.
As she strode down the long, stony path, she caught sight of a familiar figure emerging from the castle's gardens. A wave of relief washed over her as she recognized her younger sister, Alexia, her silvery hair shimmering like moonlight against the early morning light. Iris quickened her pace, welcoming the interruption in her anxious march towards the unknown.
"Alexia," she greeted, her voice cutting through the soft rustling of the garden foliage. "It seems I have been summoned by our father."
Alexia, as poised and reserved as ever, arched a brow, her gaze taking in Iris's disheveled state. "You have a knack for getting summoned at the most inopportune times, Onee-sama," she responded, the corners of her mouth quirking up in a half-smile.
"I guess that's the price of being the diligent one," Iris retorted, managing to find some excuse despite her unease. They exchanged a few more words, their sibling banter serving as a comforting balm to her simmering anxiety.
After a brief moment, they resumed their journey to the castle, their shared silence a testament to their years of camaraderie and mutual understanding. The castle doors loomed ahead, heavy and foreboding, as if mimicking the weight of the impending meeting.
—----------------------------
In her father's office, Iris Midgar stood tall, her pride burning brighter than the jeweled crown she would one day wear. The world she'd known, her well-carved reality, trembled on the cliff of a change as King Klaus Midgar delivered the unthinkable news of her impending engagement. In that stately office, the expanse between them seemed to widen with every tick of the imposing grandfather clock, the sturdy oak desk that divided them seemingly a physical manifestation of the divide their words would create.
"Iris," Klaus began, his voice steady as steel, "you are to be engaged."
The room's atmosphere, already thick with tension, seemed to grow heavier. Iris, ever defiant, met his gaze head-on. "I will not be a pawn in your political games," she declared, her cold voice echoing around the room.
Klaus frowned, his patience clearly strained. "This is not a game, Iris. It's a necessary step for the kingdom's future. Your future."
Iris bristled, her white-gloved hands clenched in fists at her side. She held herself with a posture of defiance that matched the fiery spirit in her eyes. "And who, may I ask, is the poor soul subjected to such a farcical union?"
Her words hung in the air, a dare for her father to pronounce the name she dreaded. King Klaus sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose as though bracing himself for a storm. "Anos Voldigoad."
The name struck Iris like a forceful gust of wind. Anos. The youngest scion of a mere baron, the lowest echelon in the pyramid of nobility. An unpleasant and disrespectful individual she regarded with unmitigated loathing. A man she deemed beneath her in every conceivable aspect, power included. The very idea of their engagement provoked an instinctive revulsion within her.
"You must be joking!" Iris spat venomously, her fiery red eyes flashing with disbelief and rage. "You're asking me to marry that… that thing?"
Her father's stern gaze never wavered. "Yes, Iris. It's a decision made for the betterment of our kingdom. You will learn to accept it."
Iris recoiled, her disdain for the decision evident in every line of her face. The reality of the situation began to sink in, her anger morphing into outright rebellion. "I won't stand for it! I'd rather be locked away than be tied to him!" she shouted, her pride threatening to shatter the tranquility of the office.
Iris's defiance, a visible challenge to her father's authority, left King Klaus with little choice but to call for her restraint. An order that, under normal circumstances, would have been impossible to carry out. For Iris was no ordinary first princess; she was the kingdom's most formidable dark knight, a warrior unmatched in prowess, a whirlwind of fury and might that the royal guards could not hope to contain.
King Klaus's voice rang out, an undeniable decree. "Place her under house arrest," he commanded, a bitter taste of regret lacing his words. The silence that followed was deafening. The guards shifted nervously at their posts, their faces ashen, their armored bodies trembling with a fear they were ill-equipped to conceal.
Their heavy, armored boots scraped against the marble floors as they advanced, a foreboding echo in the grand chamber. Iris met their approach with a steely gaze, her fiery eyes alight with indignation and resolve. Yet, they saw no sign of resistance in her stance. She held her ground but made no move to retaliate, her pride serving as an unspoken oath of her intention.
It was clear to everyone present that the guards could not compel her. This was Iris Midgar, the kingdom's pride, a warrior princess whose power eclipsed their own. Her compliance was her own choosing. She allowed herself to be led away, her graceful stride a stark contrast to the situation at hand.
Her icy glare was fixed on her father, the promise of a looming battle reflecting in her gaze. But it was not a physical fight that she pledged. It was a battle of wills, a contest of principles, a war she was not willing to concede. And as the grand doors closed behind her, the silence of the room was only interrupted by the solemn whispers of the wind, a grim melody that marked the beginning of an inevitable storm.
King Klaus sank deeper into his chair, his features etched with signs of weariness and worry. Iris' extreme resistance was a variable he had factored into his calculations, but her fervent opposition still jarred him. Paving a path to the ideal peace between their kingdom and the intimidating figure of Anos Voldigoad was turning out to be an even steeper uphill climb than he'd predicted, particularly given Iris's relentless, baseless disdain for Anos.
Nonetheless, for their kingdom's future stability and for his people's safety, he had no choice but to persist. Even if it meant being ready to willingly present his own head to Anos as a token of appeasement once the marriage was completed. No matter the cost, he would see it through. That was the degree of determination he held in regard to his current course of action.
"..."
Alexia Midgar, the more reticent of the royal daughters, observed her family's explosive confrontation from the shadows of the opulent room. Positioned next to the towering bookshelves, she watched as her father, King Klaus Midgar, dropped the unbelievable news onto her fiery older sister, Iris.
The very moment her father uttered the name, Alexia felt a shiver crawl up her spine. Anos Voldigoad. To say that she was taken aback would be an understatement. Iris, being engaged to him? It was a concept so bizarre that it could easily be mistaken for a cruel joke.
Her gaze shifted towards her sister, who had taken the news with the grace and serenity of a typhoon. Iris was a tempest, her fury swirling around her like a fierce storm. Each word spat out with venom, was a clear display of the hatred she bore for the guy. It was a spectacle that was both terrifying and heartbreaking.
The palpable tension between the father and daughter filled the room, every word spoken adding fuel to the already raging inferno. When the guards were summoned and Iris was escorted away, Alexia's heart twisted with empathy for her sister. Iris might have been stubborn, even volatile at times, but she didn't deserve such a fate. It felt as if a storm had passed, leaving behind a deafening silence and the bitter taste of sorrow.
Klaus Midgar called a royal envoy, instructing him to inform Cid of the engagement. Then, he turned to Alexia, his gaze softening slightly.
"Alexia," he said in a gentler tone. "I need you to inform Anos about his engagement."
"But Father, why me?" she blurted out, confused. "Why not send another envoy, as you did with Poch—Ahem, Cid?"
King Klaus sighed deeply, a weary shadow crossing his countenance. He removed his spectacles, rubbing the bridge of his nose in a futile attempt to ease the tension etched in his features. "Anos Voldigoad," he began, his voice low yet firm, "is not a mere individual. He's more than that - a force of nature, a power as potent and unpredictable as a storm at sea."
His gaze lifted, meeting Alexia's with a seriousness that sent a shiver down her spine. "Anos is not a person. He is something that transcended individuality itself. He is an embodiment of raw, untamed power, a force that could rival, even overshadow, our entire kingdom. He carries within him the capacity for upheaval that could escalate into a calamity if misdirected or misjudged."
The king's hands spread wide over the intricate map of their kingdom laid on the desk between them. His fingers traced over the city borders, castle walls, and the vast stretch of their territory. It was as if he were trying to instill in Alexia the weight of their kingdom's destiny, balancing precariously on the brink of chaos.
"We must handle this entity, Anos, with the utmost delicacy," he continued, his gaze steadily on his more astute daughter. If Iris could be compared to a broadsword, employing brute strength to conquer foes, then Alexia would be likened to a finely honed dagger, utilizing agility and finesse to compensate for her lesser force. "It's like dancing on the edge of a knife with a dangerously volatile artifact in hand. This is a task of unprecedented gravity, one that requires an adept hand and unwavering resolve. First, we must elevate his public reputation within the kingdom via his matrimonial bond with Iris. This is to avoid the possibility of any ignorant commoner or arrogant noble inadvertently provoking his fury, which could potentially lead to the kingdom's downfall."
"...but Father," Alexia interjected, a puzzled frown crossing her features, "why is it necessary for me to also marry Cid, Anos's brother?"
"Because we must also secure his brother's loyalty," the king added, his gaze subtly shifting to his second daughter. "Alexia, I'm aware of your romantic relationship with Cid Kagenou at the academy."
At this, Alexia's cheeks flamed in embarrassment, and she quickly defended herself, "F-Father, it was just a fake relationship!"
The king raised a pacifying hand, "Whether real or staged, it doesn't matter. The mere fact that Cid was willing to play along signifies some level of interest in you. This will certainly make him elated when he learns about your impending engagement, which in turn will aid us in persuading Anos, should he show any reluctance."
He paused, a moment of silence filling the room as his words sunk in, then continued, "I will only give my blessings to these engagements if they occur simultaneously. This is not just a matter of family, but of national security. We are, after all, dancing on a knife's edge with a ticking time bomb. This isn't just about your futures, my daughters. It's about our kingdom's stability, and perhaps, its survival. I wouldn't ask this of you if there was another way"
"I understand, Father. For our kingdom...I will do my part."
"Excellent. Now, let's return to the matter of notifying Anos about the engagement." King Klaus straightened, laying his spectacles back onto the desk with a decisive click. "You, Alexia," he said, his gaze boring into her with an intensity that left no room for doubt, "are the only one I trust with this responsibility. You've been close to Anos, closer to him than anyone else in this palace. And since he rescued you… At the very least, you have the longest direct contact with him. It is largely because of this connection that I entrust you with the challenge of steering us through these stormy seas."
The gravity of his words hung in the air, an undeniable testament to the trust he was placing in her. "Alexia Midgar," he declared, "the fate of our kingdom now lies in your capable hands." His voice echoed through the silence, heavy with the burden of destiny that now rested on her shoulders.
Alexia took a deep breath, her chest tight with the immense weight of her father's words. She felt the full gravity of her mission settle on her shoulders, a burdensome responsibility she hadn't asked for, yet was now tasked to uphold.
"Yes, Father," she finally responded, her voice steady despite the turmoil of emotions whirling within her. "I understand the gravity of the situation and I will do my utmost to ensure the peace and stability of our kingdom."
Her father nodded, a ghost of a relieved smile gracing his features, "I have faith in you, Alexia. You are stronger than you think."
Nodding slowly, Alexia swallowed her trepidation. She knew Anos was powerful, maybe even the most powerful. But this would be an enormous task, one fraught with danger and uncertainty.
As she departed her father's office, her mind whirled with thoughts. How would Anos react to the news? Why does her father fear Anos so much? Wasn't he the one who ordered him to rescue her? She pondered these questions as she prepared herself for the daunting task that lay ahead, her heart heavy with uncertainty. She knew her life was about to change drastically. The palace, which had always been her sanctuary, now felt like a labyrinth of unknown turns.
She couldn't shake off a sense of foreboding. Something was happening, a shift in the tides of their lives. And she, along with her sister, was right at the heart of it all. She only hoped that they would emerge from it stronger and not be crushed under its weight.
—--------------------------------------------
" ⥆ Previous Chapter "◈◈◈" Next Chapter ➠ "
—--------------------------------------------
Patreon page (Replace _ with .): www_patreon_com/ridoux
www
patreon
com
/ridoux
—--------------------------------------------
Apologies everyone, I was heavily preoccupied and forgot to release last month's chapter across the various platforms. However, those who checked my Patreon page would have had access to it, as I have arranged for a new chapter to be made public automatically on the 1st of each month on Patreon.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone