Liam's crisp black boots could be heard as he walked back towards Nectar's palace. It'd taken a while but he'd gotten Fauna and Tera's servitude contracts, even changing their names from 055 and 066.
He wiped his mouth as he sighed. Nectar had been acting strange lately, actually this whole thing was strange [ Nova should be here? Why would she give up the chance to be a ruler? ]
He'd gone on a mission for six months and when he got back, he found out Nectar was already an empress. Everyone in the Actso army was shocked but what seemed worse was how she didn't seem to remember them.
He'd grown up with Nectar, since she was a baby, when her mother Princess Doria gave birth to her. She was the ruler of Actso till she fell in love with General Famo, the youngest minister of defence.
So despite her councils advice, she married him and made him her king.....that was a mistake. Soon after Nectar was born, Famo began showing his true colors. He started building his harem and Consort Rensa came into the picture, daughter of the then richest merchant in Actso.
It was discovered that Resna and Famo had been lovers long before he met Princess Doria and even had a five year old daughter, Nova.
Liam had been taken in when he was a year old and he grew quickly within the Royal Palace. He could remember the arguing between Doria and Famo almost every night because of Resna.
So when he was two, Nectar was born. Her blue eyes were as clear as the ocean's and she had a full head of white hair to match it. She looked exactly like her mother, nothing like her father.
Then the arguing turned into fighting and usually ended up physical with Doria screaming in pain. Liam was powerless to stop them so the best he could do was try and entertain Nectar and keep her from hearing their constant fighting.
Nectar rarely smiled back then, as if she could feel her mother's pain but then she'd smiled one night when Liam was singing to her and it captured his heart.
He made a vow then and there to do whatever it takes to make sure that smile never faded [ I guess I'm jot doing a really good job. I failed you princess Doria, I'm so sorry ]
Nectar grew up quickly and always had Liam chasing after her. Then when he turned five, Doria gave him the phoenix earring he always wore. She gave him specific instructions never to take it off under any circumstances.
At first, the idea of wearing an earring didn't sit well with him but Nectar often complimented it smiling " Liam looks very good. Even more handsome than usual ".
So he'd wear it to please her and it soon grew on him. Doria had also given up on fighting with Famo but she'd lost her carefree gentle glow, She'd been broken.
Life was fairly easy once you got passed the infighting and lack of the kings favor but when Nectar turned five, everything changed.
Doria was executed for 'unknown reasons' leaving the two alone in the world. Nectar didn't even realize it, though she wasn't very close with her mother, she still remembered her and would constantly ask about her until she realized no one was going to answer her questions.
Then she was 10 and she was beginning to look as beautiful as her mother but her aura was a lot more serious than her mother's. Nova and Resna felt threatened by her beauty and would constantly try to get rid of her.
Slave houses, auctions, Brothels, Taverns, you name it. So Liam would go looking for her and beat whoever he found harassing or scaring her. Soon everyone knew about the pair. So did Famo.
Though the man was an asshole, he seemed to slightly care about Nectar but didn't like Liam at all. So since he'd heard of Liam's fighting, he wanted to send him to the army.
Nectar was so upset, she stormed into her father's council meeting one morning. Liam chuckled at the thought [ She was always so impulsive. Acting before thinking ] Famo too had answered her sarcastically, saying she should go with him.
Nobody expected her to take him up on the offer but she did. Liam protested constantly, How could he take her into the army? But she would hear none of it.
At first she'd constantly complain about the bed, or the bugs, or the food but Liam couldn't do anything about it. Soon she adjusted to it and happily followed Liam around the camp.
Liam would stay up late with her, teaching her how to use her water powers. Doria had the same powers and Liam would watch her practice whenever he was free. Liam didn't really care about rank as long as Nectar was happy.
Then the other recruits constantly bothered her. Nectar was already turning into a beauty at the age of 14, though she didn't even know the amount of heads she'd turned.
She'd sit cross legged on the dirt, watching them spar and cheering Liam on whenever he fought. Soon she was sparring with him as well and learned quickly. They even became popular as an inseparable pair at the time.
So it was that way, till he got himself hurt. He'd been patrolling a security point when he got ambushed by a terrorist group called the DEVIL'S FINGER, though he was stabbed in the gut he was luckier than some of his buddies.
He could remember lying in his own blood, being taken back to the camp but he'd never forget Nectar's face. He thought he was going to die, but Nectar's crying face wouldn't let him.
Her usually clear blue eyes were fogged with tears, snot all over her face and sobbing her eyes out, Liam smiled at the memory [ She was such an ugly crier ] She'd held his hand all the way to the infirmary, refusing to let go even when he needed to be sown back up.
Even her cold hands were icier than usual. She was the last face he saw before the anesthetic took effect and the first when he woke up but what she did within that amount of time was unexpected.