Fenyang's Pov
As a kid I was extremely naive, impulsive, and negligent to all forms of responsibilities. I thought my guardians would have always been with me always in leading the kingdom and taking care of the important business. They weren't.
Sometime in October, the air was thick due to the gasses released by the explosives fired during the arrows training sessions. Neighboring kingdoms have been threatening our peace a great, and the Arrows training sessions had gotten intense - so did the atmosphere.
I have hardly seen Klaus this month, he was too busy training. He actually took it seriously, well, he had to being an Arrow. I should have done so myself, but I just couldn't bring myself to.
I remember the soft voice of Mother sounding 'Please pay attention' with a warm smile. The thought of her makes my heart ache, the thought of having lost her forever, the bittersweet memories that flood my mind everytime I think of her. The cold hands that she held my hands with as a young child. But it hurts more to think of Father, he taught me everything I know despite my opposition to learning and following the Kingdom's rules and traditions. What some might have called strict and detached was a role model to me - too bad that I figured it out only once he wasn't there to hear it.
"Master, I have completed my training",speaks Klaus with a sound voice bringing my thoughts to the present. I nod almost imperceptibly, and a few steps later he's sitting in front of me.
"How was it?". My throat is dry and it hurts to speak. Producing any sound brings my whole body shivers, running with agony from head to toe.
"It was good Master, hadn't trained so hard since the Great Battle." I can tell he doesn't like mentioning it because it was a day of loss for everyone. I force a smile of interest to ease the atmosphere.
"Master, unfortunately you will have to shadow the Arrows in preparation for battle, do you want me to schedule that in?", he asks, looking down at his silver armory to avoid my gaze.
"That's okay, I don't have much choice anyways." I heave a sigh.
This stings. This stings more and more, harder and harder every time. I have no choice but to accept that my guardians are forever gone and nothing will bring them back, that I hold the responsibility of leading the kingdom forward.
In a sudden movement, I stand up and reach for my brown leather coat, "don't wait for me, I don't know when I'm going to be back", I say with a stern look.
"But Mast-", I'm unable to hear Klaus replicate that I slam the door shut behind me, beginning my journey without a clear destination. When I'm finally outside the Palace grounds I decide to head towards the Enchanted Garden. The Garden is so big and mystical it's as though it's a maize. When I was younger my guardians would scare me away from coming here with myths and fables, and I never listened, never believed them given my stubbornness. It felt nonsensical that such a majestic garden covered in flowers and creatures would be a fatal destination for those who entered it. Some would say I was brave in my deficiency, others that I was simply naive.
Out of nowhere, I hear a growl. I had just laid down on the emerald grass by the blue roses that my peace was broken. The ground shook. An enormous ship lands on the ground. I begin to cough repeatedly as the gas expelled by the ship fills my lungs. Shakingly, I walk towards the mysterious ship and the smoke finally begins to dissipate.
A young woman with a deep rich skin tone and the hair parted in two flat twists that disappear round the back of her head makes an appearance.
"Can I help you?" I ask leaning forward, confused to see someone appear like this.
"Hello, I'm Zaffera", she says with a bow showing respect.
"I'm Fenyang...," moving my gaze away from her and onto the ship that brought her here I continue asking, "what brings you here? I rarely see other people in this place?"
"I am... I am here to see the Enchanted Garden. Yes, I heard so many mystical stories about it but never seen the place with my own eyes. My guardians are quite strict and hardly let me out of the house, especially not so far away from home." She says pacing around a purple tree, gently caressing the tree bark and ripping a piece at the end of her sentence, "I was quite surprised when they finally allowed me here."
She walks up to me and leans towards me staring into my eyes and frowning, "I shouldn't be talking to you." Then she leans back and starts walking away, towards the Enchanted Well.
Filled with curiosity, I follow her. "Why shouldn't you, do you know me?"
"No, and that's exactly why. Mother has always warned me against speaking to strangers", she says with a tenacious expression which makes her eyes glitter in joy.
"I may be a stranger now, but I soon won't be. Besides, I mean no harm." I raise up my hands as a sign of defense.
Once more, she walks up to me and grins. Her silver-blue eyes piercing me as though she is trying to read my soul. I begin to feel anxious and my palms feel clammy. I haven't spoken to a lot of people, I'm usually either alone or with Klaus. The other arrows don't like me very much since I always avoided my duties as a kid.
"Maybe." She begins to rotate the wheel at the side of the well to get some water and looks back up at me. "Water?"
I nod and reach to get some water with my hands. I figure I've just made a friend. This is a first for me, but I'm guessing that it's time for things to change things now. There's no point in mourning or living in the past like I have been for quite a while. I will be letting myself loose a little.