"Clang, clang."
"Come on, keep going! You want to become the princess's protector, so you have to be able to defeat me!" said the commander, his voice rough and full of challenge.
"Yes, Commander!" I replied, out of breath but determined.
As some might have guessed, I'm in the middle of sword training. But to understand how I got here, let's go back a year.
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"Grandfather, do you know why Her Majesty is asking for me?" I asked, unable to hide the worry in my voice.
The head butler, whom I consider my grandfather, gave me a reassuring look. His face, lined with wrinkles yet kind, showed a hint of doubt.
"I don't know, Aiden. Her Majesty only said to bring you to her."
We walked quickly, as it's unwise to keep the queen waiting, especially when she calls for you personally. The palace corridors seemed darker than usual, silent, almost as if they held their breath. The air smelled of burned wax and the leather of old parchments. Around us, other servants watched discreetly, their murmurs fading into the echoes of the cold stone. I could feel their heavy gazes and the spreading rumors—some envying my closeness to the princess, others doubting it.
After a few minutes, we arrived at the massive doors of the throne room. The butler adjusted my clothing, his face serious.
"Stand straight and speak with respect. The queen is demanding but fair. Everything will be fine," he said with a small, reassuring smile.
"Your Majesty, may we enter?" he asked in a strong voice. A deep, composed voice answered from behind the doors.
"Enter."
The doors opened, revealing Her Majesty seated on her throne. Despite the wrinkles marking her face, her gaze remained sharp, full of the wisdom and authority of a ruler. The atmosphere in the room was heavy, and the silence seemed to weigh down on my shoulders. I stepped forward, my heart pounding, and knelt before her.
"Aiden, greet Her Majesty."
"Sebas, greet Her Majesty."
A brief silence settled before the queen spoke.
"You may stand." She looked into my eyes, as if trying to read my soul. "Do you know why you were summoned, Aiden?"
"No, Your Majesty."
She let out a nearly imperceptible sigh. "No matter. We're waiting for someone."
At that moment, the doors burst open, and a familiar figure rushed in. Ciri, the princess, burst into the room, out of breath, her gaze frantic.
"Grandmother, don't do anything to Aiden!" she cried, her eyes full of worry. She scanned the room until her gaze found mine, then she hurried over to me as if to shield me.
The queen smiled slightly, amused by her granddaughter's intensity.
"Who are you trying to protect, Ciri? From me, no less?" she asked, amusement glinting in her eyes.
"I don't care! You can punish me, but not Aiden!" she replied firmly, almost defiantly.
The queen raised an eyebrow, surprised. "Who said I was going to punish him?"
"Huh? But… you said if I didn't come right away, Aiden would be exiled from the castle!"
The queen let out a light laugh. "Would you have come if I called you without mentioning Aiden?"
Ciri looked away, mumbling, "No."
The queen sighed, with a hint of exasperation. "Don't worry, Ciri. I won't do anything to Aiden. On the contrary, I'm going to reward him for taking care of you. Because yes, looking after a hothead like you is a true ordeal, you know."
"That's not true! Taking care of me is a blessing, isn't it?" said Ciri, casting an intense, almost pleading look at me.
I gave her a small smile, amused despite the situation. "Yes, princess, it's truly a joy to look after you."
Ciri straightened up, proud, and threw a triumphant glance at the queen. "See? I'm a great princess!"
The queen nodded, a slight smile on her lips, before looking back at me. She seemed to notice something in my hair.
"You've changed… It even looks like some white hairs are starting to show. Did I get tricked into buying an old man in disguise?"
"No, Your Majesty, I don't understand why these white hairs are appearing either."
For the past few months, strange changes had been happening to me. Sometimes, I felt like I could sense things through walls, or dodge movements without even seeing them. One day, a stray arrow had come right at me, and my body had moved on its own to avoid it, without me even realizing how. Even the soldiers had been taken aback—just like me.
But what troubled me the most were my dreams… or perhaps they were visions. In these dreams, I saw myself running through the forest, carrying Ciri, as Cintra's castle burned behind us. Black riders were chasing us, their armor gleaming in the firelight. Each time, I woke up in a sweat just as a strange man appeared, pushing back the soldiers with a simple hand gesture.
"Do you have anything to tell me, Aiden?" The queen's voice pulled me out of my thoughts.
"No, Your Majesty."
She nodded. "Very well. I called you because I believe a reward is deserved, after all these years of loyalty to Ciri."
"You don't have to…"
She raised her hand to cut me off, her tone suddenly commanding. "I don't want to hear any refusals. Tell me what you desire."
I took a deep breath. Only one thing came to mind, but I wasn't sure she would accept it.
"If you would allow it, I'd like to be more than just a servant. I would like to protect the princess, not only as a friend but as her personal guard. I'd like to be trained as a soldier so I can defend her."
The queen remained silent for a moment, then a thin smile stretched across her lips.
"So be it. But you'll need to train as hard as a soldier, while continuing to watch over Ciri at night. Understood?"
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
"You may go, but Ciri, you stay here."
I got up, bowed, then left the room. Ciri hesitated, casting a look toward me, but obeyed, though worry still sparkled in her eyes.
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As I left the room, the queen turned her gaze to Ciri.
"Ciri, you're far too attached to this servant," she said, her voice gentle but firm.
Ciri's eyes flared. "So what? At least he cares about me for who I am, not because I'm a princess!"
The queen's tone grew sharper. "Watch your tone, young lady." She saw Ciri hold back tears, and her heart tightened, but she knew her duty was to ensure Cintra's future, even if it meant breaking her granddaughter's heart.
"You're engaged, Ciri. By getting close to this servant, you're humiliating your fiancé. It's time to put a stop to it."
Ciri burst into tears, then fled to her room without a word. The queen raised a hand, as if to stop her, but it was too late.
Sighing, she settled back onto her throne, looking at her hand, marked by her nails pressing into her palm. "Ciri… Forgive me. One day, you'll understand, and on that day, you'll become an extraordinary queen."
She saw Aiden's face in her mind, and strangely, she also saw Ciri, a young woman, holding his hand.
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"Alright, that's enough for today," said the commander, wiping the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand.
"Thank you for the training, Commander," I replied, still slightly out of breath, but my eyes shone with satisfaction.
"Don't worry, kid, you…" The commander stopped as he noticed a figure rushing toward us.
"Aiden, are you okay?" asked Ciri, arriving in a hurry. Her eyes scanned my arms, looking for any injuries.
I gave her a reassuring smile. "Princess, don't worry. The commander is… pretty lenient with me."
She frowned, crossing her arms. "Pretty lenient, really? Even if you're training, I don't want you to get hurt."
The commander gave an amused smile and nodded, as if to ease the young princess's concerns. "Princess, you don't need to worry. This boy is incredibly tough, I assure you."
She shook her head, giving him a mock-stern look. "Hmm, maybe… but I'd rather be sure. Come on, Aiden, we're getting you some bandages." She took my hand and led me away.
I glanced back at the commander, who gave me a good-natured smile and a wave. "Go on, kid. Take care of yourself."
-----------------
After we left, the commander stayed lost in thought, a smirk on his face, until his second-in-command, Chris, brought him back to reality.
"Commander, are you alright? You've had this… strange smile since earlier," Chris observed, looking at him curiously.
The commander let out a small laugh, a rough sound betraying a kind of satisfaction. "It's that kid, Chris. I thought I was being 'lenient' with him, but he's wrong, you know." He paused, shaking his head as if he still couldn't believe it. "Every training session, I have to give it my all to beat him. He pushes me to my limits."
Chris's eyes widened. "Impossible, Commander! You're the best swordsman in Cintra. No student could…"
The commander interrupted him, raising his hand to calm him. "That's what I thought, too." He took up his sword, letting it twirl between his fingers, his gaze lost in memories of their training. "But Aiden… he's more than just a skilled student. There's something… icy about him, Chris. A sharp calm, a cold determination, like he carries a piece of winter within him. And the longer he fights, the more that cold intensifies, like a frozen storm waiting to be unleashed."
Chris shook his head, fascinated but still doubtful. "You really think this boy could…"
The commander cut him off again, his eyes shining with admiration mixed with challenge. "I know it. Aiden is a prodigy… no, he's much more than that. He's a warrior of silent ice. That calm he exudes isn't a lack of fear—it's control. A strength that simmers, ready to freeze anything in its path."
He placed a hand on Chris's shoulder and, in a lower voice, almost like a shared secret, added, "This boy is a living challenge. He's not just here to learn from us… I'm beginning to think he's here to remind us of what true mastery is, the kind that doesn't break, even under pressure."
Still shaken, Chris nodded, looking at his commander with renewed respect. "Well then… Commander, if you're up for another fight, I'm always ready."
The commander straightened up, a gleam in his eye. "Alright, Chris. Show me what you've learned. Because with boys like Aiden around, it's us who have to prove we deserve our place."
4o