"Chris?" I ask tilting my head as he slowly swings the sword he fabricated.
The soft purple glow of his sword reflecting off his silver eyes.
"Yes Ivory?"
I stand up from the ground under the dogwood tree," do you remember dad?"
"I remember that you look just like him."
"Really?"
"Yes, but of corse I'm not the best person to ask. I don't remember that much. They all say you look like him."
"Most people say I look like mom too though, but you definitely look more like her!"
I walk over to Chris where he stands. I touch the sword in his hands.
"Whats wrong?" He asks sensing my sadness.
"When do you think I'll be able to use magic like you and mom?"
He smiles lowering the sword and placing his hand on my head.
"You'll figure it out one day Ivy, and because you can't summon objects very well doesn't mean you're bad, it just means that your power is different from mine and moms."
I huff," but what if I don't? They all laugh at me when they find out I'm the only royal that can't use magic."
"You'll figure it out eventually, maybe you have a rare power? So you're going to have to work extra hard to figure it out."
I start walking over to the tree pressing my hand to the bark. I focus really hard on trying to send my light into the tree.
"What are you doing Ivory?"
I only wine in response to his question, because if I said anything he would intervene. He gives a small laugh and I hear him walk over to the tree. I open my eyes to watch him, with one hand his magic runs threw the crack of the bark glowing a soft purple. With a quick spread the tree quickly became preserved in his crystal. He takes his hand away from the bark.
"There, now you can come back to this tree every time you want to practice," he smiles," and I'll help you out ok! Don't worry about it."
A guard rushes up to us in the woods," prince, princess," he greets with a bow.
"What is it?" Chris asks.
"It's the Queen, she's critical."
Chris drops his sword and grabs my hand," We need to go back Ivory."
"Is mom ok?"
"I hope she will be," he says looking down at me with a sad expression.
————
I open my eyes slowly feeling almost as if a film has been laid on them. My body felt heavy as I laid on the mattress. I turn over forcefully, feeling tired and heavy. I try and sit up, but it's like my head became 20 pounds heavier. Is this what sickness feels like? I don't like it. I hate this place, I can feel the death here, and more than that, I can feel his soul here. I know where I am, and at this point it seems like the end of the empire. I can feel Chris' soul in this place, it contacted me, it made me dream of him. I reach out in the air focusing my power to my fingers, I can feel the spark of energy change, so I know it's him. He also didn't make me feel sicker. The door opens and in walk Landor and his sister.
I lower my hand when I see them," what?"
"You don't look great princess," Landor tells me.
"You think?"
"My lord has requested you come see him."
"Yes," Landor confirms," I came as well in case you collapsed again."
"Ok, what is it about?"
"I'm not sure," the maid responds.
I ease myself off the bed, and wobble slightly on my feet once I'm up right. I take a step and feel worse that I did standing up.
"Landor, your arm please."
"Yes Princess."
He walks over and I tuck my arm under his. The maid leads as we walk down the hall. All the walking made me a little light headed. She stops at a door and turns to us.
"This is the door."
I let go of Landor and steady myself taking a breath, and try to stay composed. After everything I've been though I've become a pretty convincing actor. She opens and I walk down the center hall, Landor next to me even though he was a step behind me.
"Ah, Lovely to be in you're presence princess."
I lift my eyes to look at him, the leader of the Kiro Gang. He sits shoulders back in his chair.
"Are you not going to greet me princess?" He says frowning.
I look to the side," my time is very valuable I don't have much of it, and I'd rather skip the useless stuff and get the message across that I despise you."
"Ow, that's a little mean isn't it? I haven't even met you before."
"I'm as familiar with you as you should be of me, especially after that little gift you dropped on our doorstep."
"Oh yes that, my father had a strange way of dealing with things, but I promise that I'd never do such a thing."
I raise my eyebrow, his father? Seems our data's a little outdated.
"Oh, you look surprised I thought you were familiar with me?"
"I'm mistaken, but that doesn't change the past, you're family has still wronged me even if it was not you personally."
"I don't wish to simply let you die princess, I want you alive, because I want you."
I take a step back in surprise, and it seems everyone else does as well.
He stands from his chair walking over to me," of corse I know that you'd never accept it if I told you this formally."
He walks right up to me, his black eyes look down at me as his red hair glows in the dark. He touches my face, I try to stay stiff faced and not show my emotion.
"I reject all request such as yours," I tell him looking in to his eyes.
"But will you continue to say no if I keep you here? You're father can always have more children, even if there not legitimate," he isolates a lock of my hair running it between his fingers.
"My lord," a man opens the door rushing in.
"I'm very busy right now what's so important?" He says clearly annoyed.
"The kings men are sweeping through the whole empire, and there getting close to our region. We already had to kill a group of them that entered the forest."
I turn my head sharply to the man at the door. His clothes are drenched in blood as he gets closer, I feel my legs start to shake. The death that follows him makes my head spin. I loose my balance on my already week legs. I fall to my knees, I lay my head down, forehead to the floor.
"Princess! Are you ok?" Landor says getting down next to me on the floor.
"I-," my voice shakes in week exhaustion," the dead," I say hoping he understands.
"My lord, I know that he is here to tell you something, but his presence is making the princess worse."
"Worse? What's wrong with her?" He says waving the man away.
Landor's sister, the maid, speaks up," my lord she has the same sickness her brother had I'm afraid."
He turns his head to her," is it in the family? Are they all sickly."
"I'm not surprised you didn't know the cause of her brothers death, since you were young. She's ill because she is away from a temple. If you'd wish for her to stay alive bringing her here wasn't a good idea."
"Do we have to bring her to a church or something?"
"Only a place with gaurdanium, or bringing it here also works but I doubt that will happen since the substance is hard to obtain."
"Is there any other way?"
I lift my head," if you wish to help me give me up, bring me home. I can always consider you're offer, since I must marry anyways. You're family and this organization is something that can not be forgiven, but I can change that if you surrender me. You had no intention on killing or hurting me. This can be remedied."
"I don't know how much I can trust you on that though princess."
"I cannot promise a thing, because it is my fathers final say. All I can do it try my best to be convincing, or give you another shot on equal ground."
"Princess?" Landor asks me," didn't you tell me about that ring you had? Isn't it supposed to help."
"Yes, it had gaurdanium in it, but I believe it's long gone. Since when I awoke I no longer had it around my neck. You also said you couldn't find it."
The leader turns to another into the room," find the ring, find it and bring it to me."
"Yes my lord," the one he addressed said running off.
"Princess I'll find the ring," he says," I'll help like this."
Landor helps me up off the ground. I stand holding on to his arm.
"Bring her back to her room, and Landor I want you to watch her incase she gets worse."
"Yes sir," Landor says walking me out of the room and back down the hall.