The next day, an urgent great council was called, this time the entire imperial family was summoned and even though Lilla had not yet recovered, and all the most important lords. The imperial hall was full of people, everyone wanted to know what had happened to the crown prince.
"All hail Emperor Mordret Lucius Artal Aquarion I" - shouted the announcer.
The emperor immediately hurried and sat on his throne:
"I'm glad you all came" - said the emperor.
"Yesterday, our empire suffered a direct attack."
"A necromancer attacked the Aquarion Palace and gravely injured the crown prince."
"According to our scouts' information, they were multiplying in the old city of Bastion in the east" - said the emperor firmly.
"We recruited adventurers to investigate, and as far as we know they only found a few walking dead. And they eliminated those creatures."
"But it seems there were more things hidden there."
"First they attacked Princess Lilla and now a frontal attack on my palace."
"And gravely injuring the heir to the empire is an immense felony."
"I have already sent soldiers to that old city to burn it and kill any creature that may be crawling in the shadows of that place."
While the emperor spoke, Lilla was still in shock. "It's my fault my brother may die!! Why did I do that!! Maybe I should accept my fate and marry some noble from this kingdom."
"On one side the Vermilion and now the discovery of a nation of walking dead hiding in the shadows of our empire" - continued the emperor.
"We can no longer accept political divisions in the empire, we must remain united!!"
"To put an end to this threat and end the wars with the kingdom of Volkaron, I ask for unconditional support."
"May all the lords and nobles of this empire contribute with the maximum men and resources until this ends."
The emperor abruptly rose from his throne in the great council hall. All the lords and nobles present fell silent immediately.
"This meeting is over. You have your orders, now fulfill them." He said impatiently waving his hand.
Without another word, he turned his back and left through the side door, his blue cloak billowing behind him.
Lilla observed in silence from the back of the hall. Her body still ached from her injuries, but her inner pain was even greater. Relon slowly approached. "Are you alright sister? Don't worry, everything will be fine!" He said, trying to comfort her. Lilla just gave him a sad smile. "I wish I could cry, to relieve this anguish. But the tears won't come anymore." spoke the girl in a weak, low voice.
"Our brother will be fine. He is strong, like you." Insisted Relon, although in his heart he shared his sister's doubts.
Relon and Lilla went to Morfrey's chambers, trying to escape the pain in their own rooms. Upon arriving, they found Shiera, their empress and mother, standing beside Morfrey's bed, who lay unconscious. Seeing them enter, Shiera frowned in disdain. "What are you doing here? Haven't you caused enough problems?"
Lilla swallowed hard. "We came to see our brother, mother."
"Get out of here! It's this creature's fault that my son is like this." Shiera said, pointing to Lilla. "Your blood is too weak for the throne. Because of you we may lose the perfect heir."
Relon took a step forward, his eyes sparking. "Don't say that! Lilla is a hardworking and strong person, and you do nothing."
Shiera slapped Relon hard across the face. "Dare speak to me like that again and you will not live to regret it, son." She hissed furiously.
Lilla stifled a sob. The queen had always looked down on them for not being the oldest son. But at this moment, the hatred in her heart exceeded all limits.
Before another word could be exchanged, Morfrey stirred in bed, moaning in pain. Shiera ran to her son's side, ordering servants to prepare healing potions. Her harsh expression momentarily softened by maternal concern. Relon held Lilla's trembling hand. "Let's get out of here. He will be fine, you don't need to witness more of this cruelty." And he took her away, both feeling injustice corrode their souls a little more.
Lilla walked alone through the palace gardens, lost in thought. Even amidst the exuberant spring blossoming around her, her heart was cold as ice.
It had been a week since Morfrey fell ill after saving her from the false Lilla. Since then, nothing but bad omens. Her elder brother, who had always supported and understood her free spirit, now fought between life and death amid violent fevers. And why? Because of her fault, as the queen mother had not tired of shouting. If Lilla were an obedient noble, silently accepting her fate as wife to some ambitious lord, Morfrey would not have needed to risk his life in this way.
Lilla stopped under the shadow of a flowering tree, clenching her fists tightly. She hated the idea of being traded like a trophy in some political deal, without her consent. She hated the idea of living imprisoned like a porcelain doll, never able to soar with her own wings. At the same time, she bitterly regretted having challenged the laws of the empire by going alone to the Forest that fateful day. If she hadn't done it, perhaps Morfrey would not have needed to save her. Perhaps now he would not be fighting between life and death because of her.
A solitary tear rolled down her cheek, free from all the rest she refused to let escape. Would her indomitable spirit end up costing the life of the person she loved most? Was it better to renounce her freedom in exchange for Morfrey's health? Lilla didn't know the answer. She had never felt so torn in her journey between duty and will, between heart and reason. She just wished for her brother to recover. And she felt she would give everything to see him smiling again, even if it meant renouncing herself.
After a week, the princess had recovered from her injuries and was able to return to her daily routine. Lilla arrived early at the academy, hoping to focus on her classes and take her mind off the problems at the palace. Lilla tried her best, but she lacked the focus of other days. Her mind wandered, reliving discussions with her mother and Morfrey's uncertain condition. During a break, Kal observed her, worried. There was something wrong with Lilla, who was normally very attentive and energetic. He decided to approach her.
"Princess, are you alright?" He asked during a pause.
But Lilla avoided him. "I'm fine."
Later that day after classes, Lilla returned home for her personal fencing lesson. Her teacher Wu was waiting for her, and after preparing, this time without her brother Relon she wanted to start. They began with simulated combats, this time with wooden swords. Lilla attacked with fury, ignoring Master Wu's advice to calm down. In one blow, she lost control and hit Wu for real on the shoulder. "Sorry, I..."
Wu massaged the spot, without getting angry. "Your mind is distant. That is dangerous."
Lilla lowered her head, feeling even worse. Relon arrived at that moment, saw the whole situation, and said:
"We can talk if you want help."
She exploded. "I don't need your pity! Our family is falling apart and you think words will solve it?"
Lilla threw her sword to the ground and ran off, tears welling in her eyes. Wu watched her with concern.
"She is suffering greatly inside. I hope she finds the peace she needs."
Relon agreed in silence, determined to support his sister in any way possible, even if she did not want it at the moment.
The next day, at the Imperial Academy, Kal took the opportunity during break to talk to Lilla.
"Hey princess, do you want to train with me, Suzannah and Clara after classes?" He asked with a friendly smile.
Lilla hesitated. She knew accepting meant setting aside problems for a few hours. But she wasn't sure she could focus. Noticing her indecision, Kal added: "The Waters Festival is in three months. And I think you should participate in the tournament, you have talent!"
Lilla frowned. "I'm not sure I want to commit so much..." Her thoughts were still divided between her duty to her family and her independence.
"Let the outcome of the fight decide what to do with your life." Kal insisted confidently. "If you win, it proves you can choose your own path!".
She gave a slight smile, surprised by his support. She knew Kal just wanted to help, without judgment. And maybe participating in the tournament would really bring some clarity to her turbulent mind.
"Alright, I'll train with you guys today." Decided Lilla at last. She was willing to try moving forward, even if only for a few hours of peace with friends.
The moon began to appear as Kal and Lilla prepared for another day of training in the academy arena. They had been dedicating themselves in recent weeks to improving their sword skills, wanting to be prepared for any challenge. Lilla tied her short hair in a ponytail as Kal stretched his shoulders, eager to begin. When ready, they positioned themselves facing each other and waved, starting the combat.
The swords clashed loudly as the young warriors fought determinedly. Lilla attacked with agility, relying on her lightness to dodge Kal's blows. He used his brute strength to push her against the defense. They moved gracefully through the field being illuminated by the large moon shining brightly, circling and attacking, dodging at the right times. Droplets of sweat were already beginning to form on their foreheads from the intense movements.
At one point, Lilla managed to get past Kal's defense and pinned him to the ground, putting her blade to his neck as a sign of victory. However, he took advantage of the proximity and quickly rolled their bodies, reversing positions. Now Kal had Lilla under control. Their faces very close, he smiled triumphantly. Then Lilla realized how impressive Kal's eyes were, full of life and warmth. She felt a strange tingling in her stomach, realizing that in recent weeks the doubts about her family and the pain over her brother's situation had become lighter, so she realized. Could it be...
Suzannah and Clara were also training nearby. The teacher was sitting, closely watching Kal and Lilla train, when Clara showed herself ready for a new lesson.
"Are you ready for today's lesson, my young apprentice?" - said Suzannah with a kind smile.
Clara nodded excitedly, always eager to learn more about her gift. Suzannah then began to explain how to feel the magic flowing through the veins until concentrating in the hands. For several minutes the girl focused on her own heartbeat and breathing, trying to grasp that subtle energy. Until suddenly, something stirred in her fingers.
"I'm feeling it!" - she exclaimed.
Suzannah signaled for her to continue. Slowly, a silvery thread began to materialize, floating lightly between Clara's hands. Her eyes shone enchanted. You learn quickly, young one. Soon you will be able to freely control mana - praised the teacher, proud of her new disciple's progress.
Relon was worried about how much dedication Lilla was putting into her daily training with Kal. Although he believed it helped distract her from her problems, he feared she would exhaust herself physically and emotionally. One afternoon, he managed to meet her on the way to the Academy and stopped her.
"Sister, you have been dedicating yourself too much, more than is healthy. Why don't you take some time to rest your mind?"
Lilla sighed.
"I need to keep myself busy, otherwise my thoughts only get worse."
"I understand how you feel, but overexerting yourself will bring nothing good. Come, let's go see how our brother is doing."
They went to the prince's room. To Lilla's surprise, he seemed to be in better condition, talking animatedly with the nurse. Upon seeing them, Morfrey smiled.
"Look who decided to visit me! I'm almost healed, don't worry anymore."
Lilla felt a weight lift from her shoulders. In the following days, Morfrey continued to improve. She ran to hug him tight like she used to, and just cried silently, while Relon shed only a few tears.
The Emperor decided that the Waters Festival would be the perfect opportunity to thank the gods for his heir's recovery. However, he feared that Lilla would get into trouble during the celebrations. He assigned a guard to watch her closely, forbidding her from leaving the palace alone.
Unable to train at the Academy, Lilla felt frustrated. At the academy Kal tried to cheer her up:
"It will pass soon. And in the tournament, we will show everyone what we are capable of!"