Lucas
"Three more rounds around the training grounds and you're free until tomorrow." I calmly tell my knights, who are visibly exhausted. But that's the point of endurance training. "Sir!" They were supposed to chant that loudly, but it sounded more like they are wheezing. Well, one and a half acre of land to run about isn't exactly the sweetest experience.
They'll get used to it.
Night has fallen already, in fact it's about 11pm. I walk around the castle, treading the paved path on which I follow the princess when she takes an afternoon walk. Speaking of the princess, I realise that I am right under her balcony. I lift my gaze to that the door to the balcony is still open, and the candles within are still lit. She's up late working again. And she'll still have to get up early tomorrow. At this rate, she'll kill herself. I sigh and spin on my heel to go back to the grounds.
She wouldn't want to be disturbed.
Then, a soft voice. One I would love to listen to all my days. "Lucas? Is that you?" I turn around to see her on the balcony, leaning against the banisters. "Yes, my lady, it is." I reply. "I was wondering why the fireflies are out this late, so I came out. A wonderful sight, isn't it?"
"Wonderful, are they?" I almost mumble.
"Whatever do you mean by that?" She asks. "I can barely hear you, perhaps I should come down there."
"No, I couldn't possibly ask that of you, my lady."
"Then will you come up here?" She laughs softly. So softly I almost miss it. "Let's give that a try." I almost make out the confusion on her face when I use gravity manipulation to fly up to her. I can see her face so clearly now. She is surprised and amused. "I thought you would come in through the castle, but I suppose this is fine too." She smiles. "May I ask what you are doing up this late?"
"Still finishing up endurance training."
"At this hour?"
"War has no regard for time." She sighs. "The fireflies are beautiful, aren't they?" She catches one gently.
"They reminded me of battle torches at night." I breathed.
"War isn't everything, Lucas. It surely isn't the sole reason you were born." She says that, but that is exactly what I was made to believe my entire life.
"So then, what was I born to do?"
"That's something you decide for yourself." I stop to think. More like I barely think. "What if I decided it was to be your knight?"
"Hmm," She scratches her head, thinking. "No."
"No?"
"I would rather you be my friend, Lucas."
Her friend.
Her friend.
"I want you to tell me stories of your childhood. Tell me your interests and dislikes. How on earth you got so strong, and what drives you. Tell me anything." She looks into my eyes, searching them. But what scares me is the horrors she'll find if she searches deeply enough. She can't be tainted by who I am.
She can't be tainted by what I am.
"You don't want that for yourself, your highness."
"My name is Seraphiell. And I know exactly what I want." She pauses. "And you need to know that too." If she knew in detail exactly what I have done, if she saw the shade of crimson that stains my hands no matter how much I wash them, would she say the same thing? "My lady, I-"
"Seraphiell."
"You can't possibly expect me to call your highness by your first name, do you?"
"That is what friends do, or am I mistaken?"
"M-May I call you something else?" I am all but certain I'm slowly turning red. How does this woman manage to make me feel so bashful all the time?!
"If you are too uncomfortable with my first name, what do you think you should call me? Perhaps Atheril?"
"That's even worse, my lady." I rub the back of my neck. "What about just princess?"
"Hmm... I suppose princess will have to do for now. It is an improvement from your highness." She is finally pacified. "But I will have to call you my lady when others are present, yes?" "Why would that be?"
"The nobility would certainly-"
"I genuinely couldn't give less of a damn what those snooty nobles think. I'm royalty. They'll simply have to deal with it." She pouts like a child. There's a little bit of silence. Comfortable silence. I didn't even realise how lonely she is before now. Apart from lady Pembroke, who only visits occasionally, the princess has no friends. Her brother surely isn't helping matters, and the emperor has been bedridden until today. I pull my pocket watch and read the time. It's almost midnight. I must urge her to get some rest. "Your h... I mean, princess, you must get some sleep. It's getting late."
"I promise I am just fine." The bags forming under her eyes say otherwise. "Please don't be stubborn, you've too much on your mind already." This empire that looks down on her already doesn't deserve a person of her calibre. And it definitely doesn't deserve her losing sleep over it. She sighs, and then, she smiles. "I will see you tomorrow, Lucas. Have a blissful night."
Her smile has relief hiding under it. That and a bit of hope. If she needs me, she doesn't even have to ask. I would give her my life in a blink of an eye.
If anyone hurt her, I would gladly stain my hands again with blood, plunging such a wretch into bitter despair before gracing you with death.
If she were crying, I would go to the underworld and back to find the reason why.
And if she wanted the moon, I would bring it to her. I don't even care how I would do it. I just would.
The only thing I am not sure of what I would do is if you ever left me, Princess. If you were to love another, or if you got tired of me and told me to leave you alone. A thought so horrifying, I would rather tuck it under a blanket and pray that my biggest fear doesn't come after me. The greatest warrior in the empire, Lucas of Valeon, afraid.
And made to be afraid by a magicless princess at that. One who owns my heart.
For now, I will own the honour of being called your friend, Princess. I will own absolutely anything you give me.
"Goodnight, princess."