Niffa slowly put down the basket on the table as she tiptoed to go upstairs to her room, but her mother the queen notice her.
"Oh, there you are Niffa, where have you been? I've been looking for you a while ago," Queen Luize said as she put down the crochet.
"Hello mother, I just hung out with my friends," Niffa responded with a nervous smile on her face.
"Friends? You don't have friends, ah! I knew it," her mother said approaching her on the stairs as she gulp in nervousness trying not to say that she's been off in the forest.
"I bet you spent the coins I gave you yesterday. And you smell like a cookie with peanut butter on it," Queen Luize said sniffing Niffa's clothes.
"Mother, yes I do eat peanut butter-flavored cookies I'm glad you knew it," Niffa said as she pretend to chuckle and slowly making her way upstairs.
"Wait, Niffa? Tell me you're lying right?" Niffa suddenly froze on the stairs as she slowly look back trembling. She can see her mother's furious eyes towards her as the maid behind his mother signed her to run.
"Mom, I just spent my time in the woods!" she said as she quickly runs upstairs towards the corridor and looks for her room, her mother run after her as the maids in the living room chuckled from their mother and daughter's petty fight.
"I like how Niffa still admits her mistakes and runs away from the queen," the maid said to the others.
"I know Niffa always do it, it's pretty hilarious to always have this bonding scene between them," the other one said. They saw the king enter the living room as two guards were behind him. The maids greet him immediately as he smiled, then they heard Niffa laughing from upstairs.
"What's happening? Don't tell me they had another petty fight?" King Morphis ask as a smile was painted on his face.
"Niffa admits her little mistakes again your highness," one of the maids responded.
"Oh not again," he said as he sigh and went upstairs to check them.
He opened the door and saw the Queen tickling Niffa in her bed as they both are chuckling.
"Father!" Niffa said as she run towards him and hugged him.
"So tell me, what mistakes you admitted today?" he ask as Niffa looked at her smiling mother.
"I was- Uhm, I-"
"She went outside the gate into the forest."
"Mom! Why did you tell him, you promise me not to tell him about it?!" Niffa said as she crossed her arms with a frown face.
"Sorry Princess, did I tell you that? I can't recall it," the queen said teasing her as she chuckled.
"Niffa? Why are you going out alone? What if someone kidnaps you?" the king said as he kneeled to her daughter.
"But dad what's the point in teaching me your battle moves if I can't protect myself."
"Okay fine, but do not show them such strong moves, it's too dangerous," he said as he hold her daughter's warm cheek.
"By the way, you wear a maid's clothes?" he asked.
"Yes father, it was a good costume," Niffa said turning around.
"Costume? Very clever," the king said as he turned to his wife and smiled.
"By the way my queen how was the meeting with the other kingdoms?" he asked as he holds his wife's hand.
"It was-" Queen Luize look at Niffa staring at them.
"Maybe we can talk about this outside so that we can give Niffa some time to change her clothe," the queen said as they kissed Niffa's forehead and leave her alone in her room. She wondered why they need such privacy about the meeting so Niffa quietly walks outside and approach her parents' room as she eavesdrop sticking her ear in the door.
"We can't let them do this Luize!" Her father's tone was a bit high.
"I know but they figured out about our secret that we lost our powers it was just an hour ago when King Seres suddenly showed up in the meeting with some of his sorcerers."
"What is the evil king doing in the meeting?"
"He knew that we lost our powers Morphis, and he is already planning on how to make Aldon fall! I don't want Aldon to become a fallen kingdom like what happened to the kingdom of Samari" Her mother was angry and nervous.
"How did you find out that Seres is planning something?" asked her father in still a serious tone.
"Rico told me."
"Rico? The violet-eyed sorcerer? I thought he is an adversary?"
"Rico is my oldest friend, he is one of the Royalties' trusted sorcerers and I trust him too." Her mother started sobbing.
"Then let's plan something to stop this." Her father's voice was angry and serious this time.
"How Morphis?! We don't have the powers to do this Niffa is still young she can't control the powers we passed her." She can hear her mother's voice tremble and started to cry.
"Then let's ask Rico to kill Seres."
"No Morphis! You don't understand! Rico cannot just show up to Seres he might be killed, I assigned him to take care of Niffa!" She was shocked by what she heard as she wondered who Rico is.
"Fine, I do trust you on that. But I can't just let Niffa go because of this war! That Seres bastard is ruining everything!" She heard a loud thud, her father punch the table.
"We have to make Niffa safe, she is our only hope to save the kingdom. If ever can control my powers to come back to me then I already did." Her mother sighed.
"But we don't have time left, we have to do something."
"Then there is only one thing to do."
"Tell me Morphis what is it?" begged the queen.
"War, we have to get ready for a war. I knew Seres for a long time and he is a big fan of beginning wars. And I will fight him." The king grab his sword as Niffa heard the sound of a sword being pulled in a scabbard.
Niffa gasped as she widened her eyes upon hearing all her parents' conversation, she stands up and accidentally hit the door by her elbow.
"Wait, you hear that Luize? Something is outside the room I better check it." Niffa heard footsteps coming towards the door she quickly runs back to her room closed her door slowly and hop into the bed pretending to be asleep. She heard her room's door open and she quickly closed her eyes.
"She was asleep maybe it was just the maids passing by," her father said as they closed the door. She opened the window to see that it was already dark, and she quickly fall asleep afterward.
Niffa smells smoke around her room as voices are heard outside panicking, it seems like a nightmare to her that she heard such horrific cries in the middle of the night. The atmosphere is also hot like it was almost going to burn her skin as she coughs smelling the smoke.
"Niffa wake up!" She was awake by the voice and the cold tap of a hand on her cheek, it was her mother crying while coughing from the smoke.
"Mother? What's happening?" She asked as she wipe her eyes to see fire everywhere, people are heard screaming for help outside and the sound of horses and swords clashing is too loud.
"Let's get out of here!" Queen Luize said as she wrapped her in her green royal cape. They quickly run down the stairs as Niffa witnessed such bloody wars inside the palace where other kingdoms came to fight with them, drops of blood everywhere as swords struck the lives of each man. They went outside the palace and she saw the townspeople losing their lives while they fight against the soldiers from the other kingdom.
"Mother we have to help them! We can't just escape!" Niffa said as they run away with the townspeople.
"Niffa no! It's too dangerous! You have to be safe!" her mother said as she was still covered by her royal cape and drags her closer. Niffa saw her father fighting a tall and huge man wearing a red cape and a crown, it was indeed King Seres they talked about.
"Father!" Niffa shouted and her mother was shocked by it. King Morphis and Seres look at them as Luize covered Niffa's face from the cape.
"Father? What does that mean King Morphis? So you do have a child?" Seres said taunting him.
"That means she had the green flame," he added and laugh evilly.
"Shut up Seres! Let's end this fight here!" Morphis said as he make his move against him, waving and striking his sword.
"Hopped in your highness!" General Malta said forcing his horse to stop in front of the queen and Niffa. They quickly ride as the horse lead them away from the war and they reach the forest peacefully as usual.
"Why is it quiet here? Where did the townspeople escape?" Queen Luize said as she looked around the dark forest.
"Others take the route to Thamali, sadly some died on their way because the evil soldiers followed them," General Malta responded.
"General Malta led us to the sorcerer's place,"
"Yes, your highness." The horse fastened its speed.
Niffa stared at her mother as she can see the fear, sadness, and infuriation in her eyes.
They stop in front of a cottage surrounded by a lot of flowers making such a violet radiant light, squirrels run away when they step into the door as queen Luize knocked on it. A tall man wearing a dark cape opened the door.
"Mister?" Niffa gasp in surprise looking straight at the man's violet eyes.
"Rico, I need your help! Take Niffa with you like what I told you yesterday!" the queen said as she grasp Rico's shoulder.
"Mother? What's wrong? I thought we will going to stay here together?" Niffa asked as she pull her mother's cloth.
"Niffa listen! Rico is my good friend and I want you to be safe with him. Rico takes care of her as you promise," Queen Luize said as rub her daughter's head and walked away from them.
"Mother? Mother, please don't leave me!" Niffa said as she run towards her and hug her from behind. Queen Luize started to cry as she hugged Niffa back.
"Queen Luize, are you going to do this?" Rico asks from behind.
"I'm sorry Rico but I don't have a choice, seems like I can't witness the promise I told you years ago," the queen said as Rico looked at her grievously.
"Mother you can't leave me!" Niffa begged to cry as she can't let her mother go of her hug.
"I have to go Niffa. I have to help your father in saving the kingdom. Here take my cape with you," she said as she covered Niffa with her cape and push her softly away from her. She pull herself together as she covered her mouth trying not to cry so much.
"Mother please promise me to come back!" Niffa shouted as she kneeled on the ground.
"I will," she said and wiped her tears, she rides back in the horse with General Malta and off they go.
Niffa was still kneeling on the ground crying while hugging her mother's cape. Rico left her alone outside for a moment.