THE SUMMONER NAMED KIRAN

"You think this makes me look fat?" Alfonse asked the Summoner while he stood in front of the mirror. Turning around to see if the royal garments were exactly what he needed for this upcoming ball his royal father and mother so kindly prepared for the crown prince's upcoming birthday.

Kiran removed her hood, looking at Alfonse with royal robes of white and gold. "You look small."

"Very funny…" the prince couldn't help but feel that this was a waste of time.

Kiran stood up from her seat, walking towards the prince as she began to fix the stash on his shoulder. "You've been frowning the whole day."

"It's just a waste of time… and a huge expense." The prince couldn't help but scratch his head while the Summoner continued to fix the medals on this chest. "And we're at war."

"Oh," Kiran let out jokingly – gesturing the prince to turn around. And when he did, the Summoner started to fix his cape. "I nearly forgotten."

"Kiran!" Alfonse scolded.

"Twelve-thousand infantry men, one-thousand eight hundred mounted lances, two thousand in support, provisions so that the kingdom can survive the upcoming winter. A million bushels of wheat, half a million bushels each of barely oats and rye. Twenty-thousand head of cattle, fifty-thousand sheep." The Summoner verbally recited the list of wartime expenses to the prince. "You don't need to lecture me about wartime expenses, Alfonse. I am very much familiar with it."

"You barely talk about your past, let alone your world." Alfonse smiled, turning to the Summoner in hopes she would share a bit.

But knowing her, she was too stubborn to do so. "The people are hungry for more than just food, Alfonse." She gently reminded the prince as she brushed his bangs off of his face. "They crave distractions and if we don't provide for them, they'll… start creating their own. And their distractions are likely to end with you and your nobles being torn to pieces. A royal birthday is much safer, wouldn't you agree?"

Alfonse couldn't help but sigh again, avoiding the Summoner's gaze. "I would."

"Askr is rich in land, natural resources and the people have full support on their royal family." Kiran reminded him as she folded her hands behind her. "And we both know that the reason why the people didn't want you to join the Order is because you are their heir, their future king. Once the crown prince dies, all their hopes and dreams for this kingdom dies with you. One of these days you will have accept your place as crown prince –"

"I know, I know…" Alfonse said as he walked past the Summoner. Walking by the window as he gazed out, everyone seems happier from up there in the royal castle. "But I want to do my part… not play politics."

Kiran nodded, following Alfonse as she pulled out a journal from her satchel, standing by the prince. "We can't be everything to everyone and still be true to ourselves. We do what we have to do as leaders. That's our job."

Alfonse's attention was caught by a simple leather covered journal with a special, odd looking lock. Covered in wooden branches spreading around like it was some sort of vine. On the middle was a small sapphire jewel, and with a single wave of her hand, the journal began to open – the Summoner was flipping through the pages as she showed him some writings from her world. "This is how I'd like to spend all my time." She said, showing a page with a flower pressed inside.

He remembered those flowers. Kiran insisted on taking care of the garden during her free time when she first arrived. On the pages itself where the flower was placed, were writings of tactical formulas that Kiran made during her free time. "It's what makes me truly happy. And I actually think it's what I was born to do. Until… the other things came along, that someone else was born to do."

Notes of the Heroes strengths and weaknesses, which teams would show the better part of their strength. Other pages showed simple drawings such as flowers, occasionally faces. Some pages were music sheets, patterns, and many more. "Which meant that first my father and then I, had to do a job we were never meant to do. And on days like today you get a glimpse of what it all might have been like…" she said, closing the journal at hand. "The unlived life. And how much… happier it might have made me."

Alfonse knew this occasional sadness in her eyes, even though she refuses to let others hear it through her voice. She was always like this – she was brilliant with it, maintaining an image where as she carried herself with pride and dignity, detached and yet amused. He never saw Kiran confused and he admired her for that – even a year later since she came into their world.

"The crown is not just an ornament to be worn, Alfonse." She gently reminded him, with an emerging smile on her lips. "It is a privilege and at the same time, a burden which comes with formidable expectations and responsibilities. We have all made sacrifices and suppressed who we are. Some portion of our natural selves is always lost."

"That is a choice." Alfonse answered. He didn't want to sit still on a throne and squabble with nobles.

Kiran on the other hand, had a different approach when it came to royal duties. "It is not a choice, Alfonse. It is a duty – and we do not choose our destinies. Great or small, we must do our duty."

"Sometimes I wonder where I would be without you…" Alfonse couldn't help but show a gentle smile as he looked at the Summoner's way.

"You'd probably be lost." Kiran couldn't help but chuckle as she patted the prince's shoulder. "I need to go and see Sharena. Don't do anything stupid while I'm gone."

"How can I? You're taking all the stupid with you." The prince could hear her chuckling as she saw herself out of the room. And just like that, Alfonse found him alone. He knew he was blessed with the right company and the right friends.

The prince thought that he would have difficulty in befriending new people and Heroes after the last Summoner, Isaiah went home and Zacharias went missing after a battle. Those two would grow fond of Kiran, much like he has.

The Summoner found herself in the grace of the Askran Princess – passing or denying gowns that would be presented to her by servants. Sharena couldn't help but show her excitement, considering that she barely even saw Kiran out of those regular clothing and her coat. The princess thought that the Summoner would politely decline her invitation of choosing a dress or try and escape – but to Sharena's surprise, Kiran said yes.

It was like having a sister to share things with.

"Ohhh~ Kiran~ This blue dress would look brilliant on you!" Sharena squealed as the tailor presented a pale blue v neck tulle lace evening dress.

Kiran gently touched the fabric, inspecting the embroidery pattern on the top part of the gown. "This pattern… Vanir?" She mused as she turned to the tailor.

The tailor smiled brightly. "Yes, my Lady Summoner! You have a sharp eye! Vanir art has always been found here on Askr – legends suggest that Vanir was once a great ally with our kingdom. But their world and their people were lost to us after the era of King Lif. But their influence has remained in our culture…"

"They say Vanir has influenced both Askr and Embla," the Summoner smiled as she admired the embroidery of the gown. "Such a lovely piece of art."

"If you want it Kiran, you can have it!" Sharena says happily with a beaming smile.

"Oh no Sharena – my pay from the order couldn't afford this gown—"

"Consider it a royal gift!" The princess patted Kiran's back, hard as she gestured to the tailor to pack up the dress along with the one, she chose on the spot. And besides, the Askran royal siblings were aware of the… situation about the financial payment of the order's troops as well as the Heroes. And how angry Kiran was at the commander for blowing up their whole monthly budget.

Luckily, rediscovering Aether Keep was a huge help but it wasn't enough to feed the families of the troops. The whole year supply of carrots and pumpkins they won from tournament festivals have been… well… Kiran was slowly to get sick of them.

Kiran wandered around the royal castle, looking through the sculptures and paintings that were on display as she waited for the royal siblings to finish their duties. She couldn't help but wonder life back home – how things have become while she was there in Askr, there were times where she would like to go home and then her conscious would tell her to stay.

The Summoner found herself in an empty throne room, looking up at the chair that was up in a few flights of stairs. To think it was simply that, a fancy chair that only those who wore the crown were worthy upon to sit on.

Coming here reminds her of what she was before becoming Askr's Summoner.

That throne, Alfonse and Sharena – they remind her of the freedom she gave up so long ago. The royal archives have always been a welcoming sight for the Summoner, looking over the books – wanting to see if there would be materials that could help her with the war effort against Embla, so she could finally go home.

"Who taught you how to read?" A stern, deep voice asked – causing the Summoner to be startled.

Realizing she was in the presence of King Gustav. She gave a firm nod once she regained composure. "My father."

Gustav didn't smile – he barely smiled ever since he found himself crowned king. He had his hands folded behind his cloak, walking towards the Summoner who had a few books in hand. "I taught Alfonse how to read, the tutor came to me one day and told me he wasn't learning."

He said as he was looking at the Summoned in the eyes. "They said he couldn't make sense of the letters and reverse them in his head… I had healers look into it and they said it would be difficult for him and that we simply must accept it. And after that, I sat Alfonse down four hours, every day until he learned. He hated me for it. For a time." Kiran didn't break her eye contact with the king. Stern and harsh as people would say – but everyone respected him for trying to keep the peace between Askr and Embla, even when Embla declared war in the end. "For a long time… but he learned."

Silence greeted the odd pair – it wasn't every day that the Summoner would have close contact with the King. She barely even remembered having a straight conversation with him ever since she arrived on Askr. Kiran always saw him from afar with his royal wife and children – and nothing more, not even formal greetings.

"Where is your father now?" The King asked as he watched the Summoner gently put down the books on the table near them. "Is he alive?" Kiran glanced up to the king for a while, shaking her head the moment she looked back down. It piqued his curiosity even more. "What was he?"

"A… general for my kingdom's army." The Summoner answered respectfully.

"A general of an army." He noted. It made sense that the Summoner was placed the Chief Tactician of the Order of Heroes if she had such a figure teaching her as she grew older. "Sounds like quite a man… what killed him?"

Kiran was quiet for a while, not wanting to meet his gaze. But eventually she did – looking into that deep blue eyes that were similar to Alfonse's as she answered. "Duty."

He smirked in amusement. "You're a sharp little thing, aren't you?"

"Forgive me, King Gustav… but I'd be losing battles if I wasn't sharp."

"I expect great things from you, Summoner. And I shall not be disappointed."