1 Chapter One

The war have just ended. A treaty was just made in between the two kingdoms, both a contract and a promise that would benefit their people in the incoming years of peace.

The people from both sides have had enough of fighting; it was clear that they were both in the wrong, and prolonging the war would just mean death to both of them. And so, they have decided to honor their once enemies' wishes.

"This side would like for your people to promise that you will never wreck havoc again. There would be no more fights in between our people, no more stealing, no more insults, unless it was proven to be necessary." The King of the Kingdom of Yuvilia said, reading the first wish that they wanted the other to fulfill.

The other party, the Kingdom of Reverine's Queen, nodded in answer, using her magic to bind the first wish to her and her people.

"On our part, we would like the discrimination and prejudice of our people to end." This made the everyone inside the meeting room silent. Some are looking away, embarrassed and shy that they probably were one of the people that started the war in between them.

Some of them nodded in agreement, most of them are creatures as well, far different from humans and have faced discrimination from them as well.

"We... will fulfill your wish as well. In part of this wish, we are sorry and asks for forgiveness at what my kingdom have done to your people. We know that you only started this war in retaliation to... the killings that have happened to your people." The King said, bowing his head in forgiveness, with the other people in their side doing the same.

"It has happened. There is nothing more that we could do about it." The Queen clenched her fists at the reminder of what has happened to her kind that led them to start the war in between their two kingdoms.

It is no secret that other creatures, especially humans, have hated the people from their kingdom. They were seen as the pariah of society; living creatures that they bore no love and respect to. They were Reverines; Demons, pixies, witches, and etc., creatures that are born of the night and the dark, as opposed to those in Yuvilia who are seen as the personification of everything light and good.

Prejudice to their kingdom's people have led to a horrible incident involving families burned at the stake; with no apparent reason but that they are seen as horrible creatures with no rights to live. No one could tell them that they started the war unprovoked for after the horrible burning, other incidents of them killing their people have also started to happen.

They have no other choice but to get their King's attention. And when they were ignored, they've decided enough was enough. Still, they were made out to be the villain in the humans' and other creatures little fantasy story.

But that all will end now.

"Still... to help your kingdom recover, we have decided to pay for half of the damages that we have caused." The Queen nodded in agreement, smiling slightly at what the King have said. At least, she could hold unto the contract that they have. As it is magically binding, the people could not do anything but follow what they have written down... unless it shows a different situation.

"Thank you. This is enough from you and your kingdom." She knows that they have also done some devastating things to their kingdom, and they could not afford more than what they have offered now. It was no secret that her kingdom's people raged when they were given the chance to do so, calling it payback for what happened to their kin.

She, of course, tried stopping them, reminding them at every moment that killing innocent people is not the way for them to get revenge to the people that killed their people.

"You are kind... thank you for forgiving my people and I." The King said, settling down again.

For the rest of the week, they have done what they should have done a long time ago. If it was this easy, then there shouldn't be so much blood spilt for the ongoing prejudice of a group of people. She wished that it really is this easy...

It ended with them announcing their decisions to their own kingdoms. They do so, with solidarity with one another. She sent her younger sister, with guards as protection of course, as the diplomat for their kingdom, while the King sent his own son to them.

With everything said and done, and their kingdoms on the way to a peaceful alliance and future, she have decided to do what she have always dreamt of right when she was a child.

To live peacefully in a village, in a little cottage.

"To live peacefully in a village... in a little cottage." The Hero answered, his gaze never leaving the night sky that he have not had the chance to enjoy for a very long time. The King, who was one of his closest friends, is doing the same, though his gaze was clouded with uncertainty.

"Do you think that everything is... over?" There it comes, the reason for his worry. Creatures living in their kingdom are quite... fickle creatures. He would even say that they are stupid and vile, being the literal reason why the war between two kingdoms have started.

He was, unfortunately, one of those people that instantly judged the people on the Reverine Kingdom, listening to the gossips and whispers that surrounded them. It did not help that the woman that took care of him in the orphanage would always tell them that their parents died because of the other kingdom when in reality...

His parents were not as innocent as he thought they were.

"As long as our people does not bore heavy judgement towards the Reverines, as long as the Reverines see that we are keen on keeping the peace... then we are good." Though their kingdom is not to be entirely blamed, as there ARE Reverines whom have not done their kingdom's name any favors, but most of the attacks against them are unfounded and unprovoked. Instead of persecuting the people that are really guilty of what they accuse most of the Reverines to have done, they have instead brought out their anger towards the innocent.

"I think... we can do it. Both of our sides are exhausted, I can tell by the Queen's face that she have not slept greatly... or she have not slept at all." The words 'just like you' hangs in the air. As the proclaimed Hero of their Kingdom, he was burdened with the heavy responsibility of doing everything that he can to protect his people.

But, though at first he kept on justifying himself as 'killing' the enemy and that he was not the one forcing them to fight from the start... it was slowly turning into disgust and regret by every battle. Every night, whenever he would try to fall asleep, he would hear the cries of his enemies, begging him not to end their life because they... have a family, they have loved ones to go back to, and that they are only in the battle as revenge for someone that they knew.

He heard every single words in the battlefield, enemies of his crying out in anger and desperation, allies crying out with the same reason, but with the twist of mocking of the Reverines. He... is not proud of what he have believed before, and he prayed that people would change.

"Exhausted, and desperate for peace. We are both suffering greatly, from misunderstanding and prejudice." The Queen... he have met the Queen before.

He respected her so much for the sole reason that whenever she is in the battlefield, her people are trying to stop themselves from killing anybody, only injuring, and rendering enemies unconscious. He could tell that she is a woman that only wanted the same as he; peace.

"I think that you have made up your mind, haven't you?" Oh, he did. Right from the start, before he would even enter the war, he knew what wish he would ask the King. If everyone deserves rest like the King said... then he does deserve it too.

"Yes, I have. I will, of course, send letters updating you of my life. I hope that the next time that you call for me, it is to better circumstances and not to aid you to war." The King agreed to his words, nodding in answer. He knows that the man in front of him does not need him no longer, he can stand on his own two feet and he will assure that the kingdom would keep their promise and continue to grow.

"Where would you be settling down, then?"

"On this village that was said to be the very open to everyone no matter their status or history. They call it..."

"...Avasta Village." The Queen said, answering her subordinates' question. It has been a day ever since she announced her stepping down and declaring the her brother as the new king. She expected some kind of negative reaction from her people, which she understood since they literally just came back from a war but... it looks like they understood her more than she realize.

They just cheered her on, accepting the fact that she is entitled to having her own life, and that she deserves it after giving most of it to serving them and their kingdom.

"My Queen, are you sure that you do not want a carriage?" One of the palace servants asked, still fussing over her and the luggage that she have decided is enough for her. She did not bring anything with great value, though she did have with her personal belongings that are close to her heart.

"I am fine with just a horse. Besides, I do not want anyone knowing who I am and treating me differently." The servants sighed, just nodding along with her answer. She knows that they cannot accept that someone who was once the beloved Queen of their kingdom to be left off with just the bare minimum, but this is her choice.

"Be careful, my Queen!"

"I hope you will fulfill what you wanted to have."

"Be safe, sister." She clasped her brother's hands, staring into his eyes with a smile on her face. She is going to be alright, she can handle herself more than anyone else in their kingdom, and she would do just fine.

"I will. Be a good King, and do not falter. You can come to whenever you want to." With that final goodbye she let go of her brother's hands and climbed up her trusted horse, a mare that she fondly named Alicia. Double checking if everything that she needs is with her, she turned towards the people that are seeing her out and smiled warmly to them.

"Be well, everyone!" And she rode off, away from their palace, away from their kingdom. The Avari village is in a forest in between the two former warring kingdoms, which she have discovered while looking for refuge when she was once mortally wounded.

The place is... a neutral ground to be exact. They were a strange combination of different creatures that has no care for any biases and prejudice that the two warring kingdoms have. But, they were still caring folks, and have immediately decided to help her the minute that they saw the state that she was in.

Which... is also the same time the hero have stumbled on the village, fatally wounded as she was. They did not have any care of who they are, probably also really NOT knowing who they are based on how they have treated the two of them, nursing them to health side by side for three days. She and the Hero have talked a bit... which is probably one of the reasons why this treaty in between their kingdoms took form.

'He may have probably thought of living there as well.' She thought, musing a guess just on the short period that the two of them have conversed with each other. He was the type of man to seek a peaceful life, having had enough of the glory that he was being given in their kingdom.

"Well, I hope that we do meet again."