A Message from the known-Knight

As the morning sun began to paint the sky with hues of orange and pink, Ayira and Lucius emerged from their tents, rubbing the sleep from their eyes. They soon noticed Lia, Leo, and Yuno gathering their belongings, preparing to head out.

Curious, Ayira approached Lia, her eyes bright with interest.

"Where are you all going?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.

Lia smiled warmly at the young girl.

"We're going to the market in town," she explained.

"We need to buy some supplies for our next journey."

Lucius perked up at the mention of the market.

"Can we come with you?" he asked eagerly, his eyes shining with anticipation.

"Of course you can," she replied.

"It'll be a good opportunity for you two to see the town and maybe even pick up a few things for yourselves."

With that settled, the group set off towards the town of Absalom, the bustling market beckoning them with its colorful stalls and lively atmosphere.

When they arrived at the market, they were greeted by a riot of sights and sounds: vendors hawking their wares, the smell of fresh produce wafting through the air, and the chatter of shoppers filling the streets.

As the group wandered through the bustling market, Ayira's sharp eyes caught sight of a group of men wearing the distinctive cloak of the Tower of Ariadne. She nudged Lucius, her voice low with concern.

"Look, Lucius," she whispered, nodding subtly towards the men.

"Those men are wearing the Tower of Ariadne cloak. Do you think they could be looking for us?"

Lucius furrowed his brow, his mind racing with possibilities.

"It's possible," he murmured, casting a wary glance in their direction.

"Maybe your father sent them to find us."

"Nah, they're probably just looking for Adira's sister," she replied naively.

Lia couldn't help but notice that their hoods were slipping. With a gentle smile, she motioned for them to stop and quickly stepped in to help fix their cloaks, ensuring they were properly concealed.

"Thanks, Lia," Ayira said gratefully, adjusting her hood with a grateful nod.

With their hoods securely in place, Ayira's attention was soon caught by a colorful stall filled with dolls of all shapes and sizes.

She grabbed Lucius's hand excitedly and tugged him towards the vendor, her eyes alight with excitement.

"Look, Lucius! It's Lulu!" she exclaimed, pointing at a familiar-looking doll on the vendor's table.

Curious, the adults turned to see what had caught Ayira's attention. Yuno arched an eyebrow in confusion.

"Who's Lulu?" he asked, his curiosity piqued.

Ayira beamed, her eyes shining with nostalgia.

"Lulu is Lucius's precious doll," she explained, her voice filled with fondness.

"He gave it to me when we first met."

"Well, that's because you didn't like reading books and you wanted something to play with" he admitted shyly, his gaze dropping to the ground.

"I didn't want her to be sad so I gave Lulu to her."

"How precious is your doll to you?" Yuno sought out. 

"My...My father bought it when I was still in my mother's tummy..." he murmured, feeling shy. 

"That's a very special gift indeed," he said as his eyes softened with a mixture of pride and sadness.

"Yeah, it's the only thing I have from my father," he replied quietly, his gaze drifting to the ground.

Lia couldn't help but feel a surge of happiness as she listened to the exchange between the two children.

She reached out and gently pinched Lucius's cheek, a playful glint in her eyes.

"How gentlemanly of you, Lucius," she teased, her voice filled with affection.

Lucius blushed at the attention, his cheeks turning a deeper shade of red.

"Oh, um, thanks," he stammered, feeling a little embarrassed by the attention.

Yuno chuckled, reaching out to brush a stray lock of hair from Lucius's forehead.

"You're a good lad, Lucius," he said.

[...]

As they continued their stroll through the market, laughter, and conversation filling the air, Leo suddenly stopped in his tracks, his head tilting slightly as he strained to listen for something beyond the usual sounds of the bustling market.

Lucius furrowed his brow in confusion, glancing around at the others.

"What's going on?" he asked, his voice filled with concern.

Lia and Yuno exchanged a worried glance, their senses on high alert. They knew that Leo's keen instincts were rarely wrong, especially when it came to detecting potential threats.

Without a word, Leo gestured for them to follow him, his movements decisive and urgent. Lia and Yuno nodded in understanding, their hands tightening around the young children's as they hurried after Leo.

As they moved through the crowded streets, Leo led them to a secluded alleyway, away from prying eyes and curious onlookers. Once they were safely hidden from view, he turned to face the group, his expression serious.

"We're being followed," he stated simply, his voice low but firm. 

As Leo finished his warning, tension hung thick in the air, but before anyone could react, soldiers from the palace emerged from the shadows, launching a surprise attack.

Ayira's heart pounded with fear as she instinctively sought refuge behind Lia, her grip tightening on her hand.

But Yuno was quick to react. With a swift movement, he positioned himself in front of the group, his shield raised in defense as he braced for the onslaught of attackers.

"Hand me the princess!" the attackers demanded as they promised that they wouldn't harm them if they complied.

Lia held Ayira's hand tightly, her protective instincts kicking into overdrive as she faced the threat head-on.

Leo's voice rang out defiantly as he stepped forward, his stance unwavering.

"You'll have to get through me first," he declared. 

But as one of the attackers reached into his cloak, a sense of foreboding filled the air. Their eyes widened in alarm as they watched him pull out a small device, and point it towards the sky. In an instant, realization dawned on them, It was a signal.

Before anyone could react, the device was activated, sending a signal into the air. Ayira's heart sank as she realized what it meant. More attackers were on their way, and they were outnumbered.

Leo wasted no time in springing into action. His sword flashed in the dim light as he unleashed a flurry of strikes.

As he clashed swords with one of the attackers, their blades ringing out in the confined space of the alleyway, the attacker sneered, his voice dripping with contempt.

"You're outnumbered, blind man. Why don't you save yourself the trouble and hand over the princess?"

Leo's lips curled into a defiant smirk as he parried the attacker's blows, his movements fluid and precise despite his lack of sight.

"You'll have to do better than that, coward. We won't bow to your threats."

Yuno's gaze flicked towards Lia.

"Protect the children," he instructed firmly, before turning to join Leo in the fray.

With a nod of understanding, Lia tightened her grip on Ayira and Lucius's hands.

Meanwhile, Yuno faced off against another group of attackers, his shield raised in defense as he blocked their advances.

"You're fighting a losing battle, old man. It's only a matter of time before we overwhelm you. Hand over the princess, and we'll spare your lives."

Yuno's gaze hardened, his resolve unwavering as he stood his ground against the onslaught.

"I'll die before I let you lay a hand on the princess. You'll have to go through me first."

As Leo and Yuno engaged the attackers in combat, Ayira and Lucius watched in awe, their eyes wide with fear and excitement. It was their first time witnessing a real fight.

They managed to overpower two of the attackers with swift and decisive strikes. However, before they could finish them off, more soldiers emerged from the shadows, launching a fresh assault.

The soldiers descended upon them, their numbers bolstered by reinforcements. But the two warriors were prepared.

Leo raised his sword in defense, his movements swift and fluid as he deflected the attackers' blows. Meanwhile, Yuno summoned his magic, conjuring a shimmering shield to protect them from the onslaught.

But amidst the chaos of battle, Lia and the princess were left vulnerable to the attackers' onslaught. With a sense of urgency, Yuno glanced over his shoulder and saw Lia trying to protect and defend herself and the two children. 

Without hesitation, Yuno extended his hand towards Lia, channeling his magic to create a protective barrier around them.

The shield enveloped the three, warding off the attackers' attacks and keeping them safe from harm.

As the battle raged on, Lia's keen eyesight noticed the strain on Yuno's face as he struggled to maintain the protective shield around her and the children. With a sinking feeling in her gut, she realized that the shield was beginning to falter under the relentless assault of the attackers.

"Yuno put down the shield!" She shouted.

"Focus on the attack, I'll defend the children!"

Yuno hesitated for a moment, torn between his instinct to protect them and his duty to hold off the attackers. But as he saw the determination in Lia's eyes, he knew she was right. With a nod of agreement, he released his magic, allowing the shield to dissipate.

With the shield gone, Lia sprang into action, positioning herself between the children and the attackers. Drawing upon her training as a former dame, she wielded her sword with skill and precision, fending off the attackers with swift and calculated strikes.

The children huddled behind Lia, their eyes wide with fear as they watched the battle unfold before them. But despite their fear, they felt a sense of reassurance knowing that Lia was there to protect them.

As Lia fought with all her strength to defend the children, Yuno focused his efforts on attacking the assailants, his movements swift and decisive as he unleashed a barrage of spells and strikes.

The battle began to subside, Leo, Lia, and Yuno stood amidst the aftermath of the fierce skirmish. Seventeen soldiers lay defeated at their feet, their presence a grim reminder of the dangers they faced.

Leo's gaze fell upon one of the injured soldiers, his sword still in hand but his stance softened with a touch of mercy.

He approached the wounded man and knelt before him, his eyes searching for answers amidst the chaos.

"Why do you want the princess?" he inquired.

The soldier, his body battered and broken, pleaded for mercy.

"Please, spare me," he implored, his voice barely above a whisper.

"I was just following orders... It's Christos... he's the one behind all of this."

Lia's expression darkened at the mention of Christos. Her heart was heavy with anger and sorrow.

"Why would Christos want to harm the princess?" she demanded, her voice laced with frustration.

The soldier, his eyes filled with pain and regret, struggled to speak.

"The king... he wants to see Themis miserable," he explained, his words strained.

"He knows that the princess is Themis' weakness... He wants him to witness the devastation firsthand."

"Kill him," she ordered Leo, furious. 

"We cannot let them get away with this."

Leo raised his sword, poised to deliver the final blow, the soldier pleaded for his life, his desperation palpable.

"Please... I beg of you... Spare me," he begged, his voice filled with fear.

Leo's stance softened as he approached the soldier, seeing the humanity that still lingered within him despite the darkness of his actions. After a moment of contemplation, Leo made his decision.

"I will spare your life," Leo stated, his tone cold and menacing as he leaned in closer to the soldier.

"But know this: if Christos ever dares to lay a finger on the royal family again, I will find him, and I will kill him."

The soldier's eyes widened in fear at Leo's words, his spine shivering at the threat. But Leo wasn't finished yet. He leaned in even closer, his voice dropping to a low whisper.

"And tell Christos that this message comes from the undefeated knight," he added, his words sending a chill down the soldier's spine.

As he rose to his feet, leaving the soldier behind, he turned his attention to the children. With a reassuring smile, he approached them, his demeanor softening as he extended a hand to each of them.

"Come," he said gently, his voice warm and comforting.

"Let's go home."

Together, Leo, Lia, and Yuno led the children away from the scene of the battle, leaving the wounded soldier behind to deliver Leo's ominous message to Christos.

As the group walked away from the scene of the skirmish, Lia couldn't resist one last glance back at the injured soldier. With a mischievous smile playing on her lips, she turned to face him, her gaze meeting his with a hint of amusement.

The soldier's eyes widened in realization as he met her gaze, a flicker of recognition sparking within them. And then, in a hushed whisper, he uttered two words that sent a shiver down his spine.

"Her... Majesty."