~ In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity~
Sun Tzu-The Art of War
Andronika woke up with an intense headache, a groan of pain escaped her lips as her eyes fluttered open, her vision was a bit hazy and unclear,
Andronika shut her eyes again, wincing at the intense pain pulsing through her head.
"Nika? You are awake, yes? How are you feeling?" An eerily familiar voice reached Andronika,
Andronika froze up in shock as she immediately recognized the voice, how could she not?
It was a voice that belonged to the most significant person in Andronika's existence,
Andronika knew it should not be possible for her to hear that voice, she was dead, was she not? Or had she been saved by any chance?
Andronika was not certain as to just what was going on.
Andronika shut her eyes tightly, too scared to open them to realize she had really been saved and brought to her father at the temple where he now lived on the outskirts of the city,
After retiring and giving all that he owned to the nation's treasury in atonement for Andronika's crimes against the kingdom of Dalagh and as a plea for Andronika's life to be spared by King Jalan.
"Nika? Please talk to father my jewel, I am sorry, it was my fault. I just did not know how to break it to your royal uncle that you wish to renege on the betrothal, It was a promise made when you were born and it would be dishonourable for me to take back my words but if you really detest Jalan that much, I shall do as you say, just please do not be angry at me anymore, I already feel so bad for hurting you this much." The voice pleaded with Andronika.
This voice was the voice of the Great General Cassimir Majeir and only Andronika could ever see this soft and pleading side of the most feared war god of Dalagh and this was because he was Andronika's precious father, her father who loved Andronika more than his own life.
Andronika could not understand why her father would be saying these words to her, these were the exact words the Great General had said to Andronika two years ago, before the betrothal agreement was broken on Andronika's account,
This was before Andronika had even met Ikkan of Kahlo, when she was just 15 summers of age,
'Why would father say this to me again, was he trying to remind me the point at which things started going wrong?' Andronika pondered to herself.
Andronika breathed in deeply as she gathered her courage and opened her eyes to see a baffling sight.
"Why are we in my quarters?" Andronika asked, looking around, it was obvious this was the Azure Dragon quarters, Andronika's personal courtyard in the Majeir mansion, everything was just the way Andronika had left it.... precisely two years ago.
"Uhmm..you do not remember what happened?" Great general Cassimir asked his daughter hesitantly, Andronika shook her head with a frown, wincing slightly and clutching her head at the intense pain her sudden motion caused.
"We...we were on the battle field...there was so much blood...so much death... even Dae, he...he.." Andronika trailed off at this point unable to continue, her voice was thick with pain as she pushed back the tears threatening to fall,
Andronika knew her father would not like to see her crying, the Great General had always taught his daughter to be strong and never show weakness no matter the situation.
The Great General stared at Andronika in silent shock and confusion for a while before his eyes flickered up to the bandage around Andronika's forehead and a look of understanding crossed his features.
"Anyone out there?....Get the royal doctor...hurry up!" The Great General ordered and Andronika winced at his loud tone which triggered the pounding headache threatening to split her skull in half.
The Great general gave his daughter an apologetic look even as the soldiers standing outside the door ran to do the Great general's bidding with a response of,
'Yes, Great General!"
Andronika fixed her father with a suspicious look.
"Why the doctor?" Andronika asked him suspiciously and the Great General gave me his daughter a guilty look.
"You hit your head really badly when you collapsed outside the ancestral hall where I told you to kneel till you changed your mind. You were there for seven days before your body gave out,"
" Daerev against my orders had been standing close by and observing you, the moment you collapsed he rushed to your rescue, although not fast enough to stop you from hitting your head on the edge of the lower step hence your head injury, when I returned I was glad to know that Dae had disobeyed my orders and kept watch on you, if everyone had left your side like I commanded, my precious jewel would have to remain unconscious outside the ancestral hall till my return." The Great General revealed sadly.
Andronika's eyes widened in shock, this could not be possible, Andronika remembered this event, if what her father spoke of was true, then...
'Impossible' Andronika exclaimed in her mind.
"Do not look at me like that Nika, you know father already feels horrible about this but in my defense I really did not expect you to actually kneel out there till my return." The Great General began in an aggrieved tone.
"Considering I did not place any guards to monitor you and block your exit, I thought you would leave once you got tired, but now that I think about it, how could I have forgotten that you are mine and your mother's daughter, our stubbornness is perfectly reflected in your unshakable will." The Great General said fondly, reaching out a hand to pat Andronika's head softly, The Great General pulled Andronika to him and wrapped his hands around her in a comforting hug.
"Father is sorry Nika, you know you are father's life line, it was never my intention to hurt you, I will head for the palace and inform your royal uncle of our decision, whatever my daughter wants, it has to be as she wants it." The Great General declared,
Andronika's throat was choked with sobs which she finally let out, crying into her father's chest, if Andronika needed any proof that this unbelievable event was really happening to her, her father's warm hugs was proof enough.
"Silly girl, why are you crying?" The Great General asked his daughter worriedly.
Andronika sighed, shutting her eyes as the tears fell faster, she moved even closer to her father, snuggled closer to his chest whilst sobbing quietly.
"I am not hurt, it's just that... father's hugs are still the best. I missed you father, so, so, so much. I missed you so much and I am so so sorry, for everything. I am unfilial, I failed father's trust, it was all my fault." Andronika sobbed out,
Andronika did not have to look up to know what her father's expression was, his grunt of disapproval was a dead give away that he neither understood nor approved of Andronika's words and tears, but he refrained from speaking, letting Andronika cry her heart out on his chest, soaking his expensive embroidered coat.
"It will be just this one time father, after today... never again, at least not in front of anyone else...ever." Andronika promised solemnly, referring to her temporary breakdown, the Great General hummed in approval, stroking his daughter's hair, although the great general never approved of his daughter displaying weakness, he had after all trained her to be a warrior of warriors, however at least with him, the great general did not mind his daughter being the little girl she actually was.
"Go to sleep my little warrior, father is here." The Great General said softly, his loving voice coaxing Andronika to give into her exhaustion,
Even as Andronika fell asleep, she noticed the entrance of the doctor and someone else.
Before completely giving into the darkness, Andronika could not help but think, her present situation was a lot bigger than a doctor's area of expertise...a whole lot bigger.
_________
Andronika woke up an hour or so later to a sight that both shocked and relieved her.
"Dae!" Andronika exclaimed as she caught sight of the dashingly handsome man leaning against the door, Andronika leaped off her bed and ran straight into his arms, hugging him like her life depended on it.
Daerev laughed, hugging Andronika tightly before pulling back and placing a kiss on her forehead before pulling Andronika back into his arms again.
"Someone is excited to see me, I take it you finally accept that I am your benefactor." Daerev said amusedly and Andronika smiled, refusing to let go of him, she did not care if he minded or not, Andronika had just held Daerev's cold lifeless body in her arms, her shattered heart needed to be sure he was real.
After a while, Andronika finally pulled away and Daerev grinned smugly to which Andronika rolled her eyes but smiled back.
"How are you, you know, after cracking your head open on a concrete step before our ancestors?" Daerev asked teasingly, Andronika chuckled while shrugging her shoulders.
"Just a slight cut on the head, it should be gone in a few days, nothing too serious..well apart from the fact that I am famished... that is serious." Andronika informed Daerev, she had just taken notice of her stomach's pleading to be fed,
If Andronika had really gone back in time to when she was 15, then putting into account the recent events, it meant Andronika had not eaten anything in seven days, kneeling outside the ancestral hall to convince her father to cancel her betrothal to second prince Jalan of Dalagh.
"What did your stubborn ass expect would happen when you do not eat for a week?" Daerev asked amusedly and Andronika glared menacingly at him, Daerev raised his hands up in surrender.
"I shall get you some nourishment, you just sit down and do not stress over anything, yes?" Daerev asked concerned and Andronika nodded with a smile, but the moment Daerev left, Andronika sat down and did exactly what Daerev had told her not do.. Andronika stressed over everything.
Andronika needed to figure out everything, if she truly went back to two years before her death, then it meant that this was the 23rd year of Andronika's royal uncle's reign.
Andronika had returned from the border wars a month ago, after quelling the unrest in the east caused by an organized group of bandits,
Andronika's army, the Azure Elite were all on a temporary leave awaiting their next assignment from the king of Dalagh the peace talks between the seven kingdoms would begin in a few days and that was when Ikkan would arrive in Dalagh,
Andronika would be meeting Prince Jalan the day after tomorrow to discuss their engagement, his actions at that meeting had spurred on Andronika's desperation to cut ties with him which had led her straight into the awaiting trap of Ikkan, Andronika would have to be ready this time.
At this point of life, she was Andronika Majeir, the only daughter of Great General Cassimir Majeir, currently 15 summers of age and had been betrothed to the second prince of Dalagh since birth.
Andronika was a renowned warrior across the seven kingdoms, popularly known as the Ice wrath due to her unrivalled ice energy and Andronika's army, the Azure Elite was one of the five major forces of the Dalagh kingdom as well as the most skilled.
The five major forces were, the King's Scarlet Army, headed by the crown prince and the second prince.
The Majeir Silver Army, the Great General's prestigious army.
The Gold Crest Guards, protectors of the royal city and palace, Andronika's brother, General Daerev's platoon.
The Black Aegis, the royal assassins headed by Generals Arauth and Caius, prince Jalan's two male lovers.
And finally the Azure Elite, the army Andronika had formed and commanded for the past seven years, the elite troops of the Dalagh kingdom.
Among the rankings of warriors, Andronika had topped the charts the previous summer when she had broken through to the Sage Warrior Realm, finally surpassing Daerev, Arauth, Jalan, the crown prince and Caius.
Jalan was a close second being at the peak stage of the tenth level of the Sage Master Realm,
Daerev and Caius were tied at third with their cultivation level at the eighth level of the Sage Master Realm,
While Arauth and the crown prince who were both at the seventh level of the Sage Master Realm were tied at fourth, all other generals and warriors of Andronika's generation fell off a pedestal below.
On the path to attain immortality, the cultivation ranks of the West continent were divided into ten sage realms, the sage novice realm being the first and lowest realm.
The ten sage realms were:
The Sage Novice Realm
The Sage Elementary Realm
The Sage Master Realm
The Sage Warrior Realm
The Sage Lord Realm
The Sage Saint Realm
The Sage Immortal Realm
The Sage Deity Realm
The Sage Demigod Realm
The Sage God Realm
Each of these realms were further divided into ten levels and each level was divided into low, mid, high and peak stages.
The path of cultivation was extremely difficult and so advancement from level to level was a tasking endeavor, most warriors barely ever surpassed the Sage Novice Realm in their lifetime.
This was why most cultivators chose to join cultivation sects since the methods of the sects provided more opportunities for advancement in the cultivation path.
Achieving the Sage Warrior Realm at just 14 years of age was an outstanding achievement, which would not have been possible without Andronika's ice core,
Being the only cultivator in the seven kingdoms to have survived practicing this cultivation routine, it gave Andronika an edge over others being the highest ranked routine in the seven kingdoms.
The peace talks between the seven kingdoms was being hosted by the king here in the kingdom of Dalagh, notable figures from the six kingdoms would be arriving in a few days,
Prince Ikkan being one of them, it was then Andronika would meet him and fall for him, leaving Dalagh with him at the end of the peace talks...not this time,
Andronika needed to ensure everything turned out differently this time, and Andronika knew exactly how she would do that.
Andronika still could not help wondering how something like this had actually happened, how she could have returned back two years before her death and then Andronika remembered, just as she took her final breath, the thought that had occupied her mind...a wish, a prayer for a second chance.
"I have been such a fool, if there was a second chance, I Andronika Majeir swear on my life and honor that I will right all my wrongs, I will live only for my duty as a Majeir, If there was a second chance, I will conquer love."
That must have been it, someone somewhere heard Andronika's prayers...her wish was granted.