Chapter Nineteen: A Fathers Mistakes

Not a soul moved within the throne room, as if by some miracle staying still would allow them to witness the scene that was only seconds away from unfolding. Two figures kneeled before the throne. Nobles decorated the walls watching with bated breaths to see how the king would react, unfortunately, he was in no mood to deal with the beasts.

"I would like to discuss privately with my family." The King's voice was calm and would have been soft, if not for the small amount of mana infused with his voice. It had an eerie effect, and he was glad that he had picked up the ability from the traveling old sage all those years ago.

The stagnate room erupted into chaos as dozens of people frantically went for the door as fast as their legs could take them, no one wanted to be an impromptu scapegoat for the king's anger and so, the room was left empty only two kneeling figures left, in a matter of seconds.

Finding his son, the crown prince, Kato wanting was not an unusual occurrence, due to his mischievous personally, and he knew, despite his title, that his son would never take the throne. Out of the two, Katarina was much more suited to the role.

'I believe I have her late mother to thank for that.' He thought bitterly. his daughter was not a kind soul, at least that is how she presented herself. A facade carefully constructed by often and rough beatings felt out by her very own mother's hand.

'You are how people perceive you to be.' The King's hand clenched, anger welling up in his heart as he recalled the first time he had heard those words, an eight-year-old girl's bright smile leaving the world forever, a whip, and a woman broken by war. The king despite his stilling emotions kept a calm face as he looked down at his own flesh and blood. It felt like eons ago that he had knelt in the very same place trying to make amends to his father for whatever hair brain scheme he had tried to pull in those days. It was closer to centuries than eons, after all there was a limit to how long a mana core could keep you alive.

'If I had known earlier if I had stopped her madness earlier.' Righteous anger built within his heart as his mind focused back onto their mother, he looked up. 'But alas I was naught but a king of fools.' His rage subsided and finally, he spoke.

"Why?" The word was restrained, clipped off as if he had cut himself short. It was not the domineering of a King, but that of a hesitant father, but it mattered not if it was her father or a stranger standing in front of her, in the end, everyone was met with a stoney face. After a long moment spent in what the king assumed was analysis, she spoke.

"I was curious, and in my curiosity I made a mistake." her voice was a matter-of-fact tone and held no emotion, she did not give her enemy a chance to advance. The King was the opposite side of such a mask and his emotions played across his face. First came Sadness, then despair, and frustration turned its head as he held his hung face within his hand.

"An equal dance between a cultivated dragon princess and a newly born dragonling." Kato uncharacteristically spoke up, for the most part, he kept quiet during lectures such as this, since more often than not he was the source for such discussions. His eyes turned from the carefree rogue's to that of a viper. "The birth of a legitimate ruler, by the princess own hand no less." It was an exaggeration of the events, but they still held merit. The princess had danced on equal ground with the girl, in a manner of speaking that was an acknowledgment of one or two things. The first being equal social status, and the second was a marriage partner. The king highly doubted Katarina wanted to marry someone she had met for the first time. His eyes drifted back up to the two young adults. His son holding a smile sharper than any blade, and his sister, whose stare could make a royal torturer take pause.

'What demons we have created with our own hands.' The king spoke only to himself and outwards to his late wife. The war had broken her mind, and although she hid it well, the ugly and paranoid woman that lurked beneath eventually revealed herself. In the end, he could not blame his wife, no more than anyone he blamed himself. 'Perhaps if I had been a father, not a King, a teacher, not a lecturer... Perhaps if I hadn't been so distant...' Bile rose in the king's throat as he began to think, pushing his emotions away.

"Threat assessment." A King's voice embed with mana bounced around the room.

"Minimal, as of now-" Katarina started to speak.

"I was not asking you." The girl's voice stopped her face unmoving. Kato on the other hand had a dumbfounded smile plastered across his face.

"It seems father has found us out." He spoke a bit of sarcasm within his voice. "I have to admit having my father know that I've been dressing up as my sister and tricking people… how to feel how to-"

"Enough, Answer." He was getting tired of their antics, and honestly, he had known almost as long as they had been doing it. It helped with the public image of the two as well, Katos kind and carefree demeanor helped make Katarina out to be a more kind and caring person within the noble circles, and when Katarina played as Kato it alleviated the stress some higher-ranked army officials felt towards the crown prince. In the end, the two played the parts they were best at switching in and out of each other's lives to fill in for the spots they were best suited for.

"Unknown, " His son answered matter of factly, "It is true that Ashley von Blanc was injured and lost a significant portion of her memories, that being said she holds a tremendous amount of skills and knowledge. math, science, agriculture, economics, and even combat…" his eyes drifted off as if in thought. " she had no real skill in long blades, but I was able to see her training and her small blades, well I believe she is hiding how well she can use one." His mind was still in thought as the king spoke.

"A body double?" He asked. "It's rare, but there are Magic's that can change one's appearance, as you two already know." The king's face was also in thought as he spoke.

"I thought so too, but I don't believe so, she had no knowledge of our kingdom, nor knowledge of outside kingdoms. geography, history, and culture were all struggles for her to learn. I mean the bewilderment she exhibited while learning of magic and magical phenomena was that of a child." The king's eyes darkened.

"An Ascended?" The king asked. It was a term spoken only maybe once within a kingdoms life, it was more of a myth than an outright truth, stories had been passed down From generation to generation about the all-powerful beings who founded the original kingdoms and empires, tails stating that they lived through dozens of lives across multiple worlds before becoming kings and emperors within this one. "Nonsense." He spoke with a dismissive tone. "We haven't seen a heroes summon in six generations across the entire continent."

"Nevertheless, she will be attending the academy soon and it will be much easier for us to keep an eye on her. Quite a few nobles of particular interest…"

The conversation kept on for hours, Akatsuki was unaware of the consequences of a simple dance. He would come to know this as his first mistake within his new life. One that would cement his place in the world, unfortunately his life of leisure would have to wait due to the unfortunate fact that fate had plans, and they were as about as volatile as a particular redhead's hair caught on the wind.