Prologue - Eclipse

Today, the atmosphere at the castle was very heated. The queen was about to give birth to her second child, a long-awaited successor, hoping to be a big and healthy boy, unlike the first prince.

A child born with an incurable disease, weak body and appearing to collapse any second. His face so pale he looked like a ghost. Legs so thin everyone couldn't believe he could walk, yet he somehow lived, exceeding the expectations of everyone.

But he wasn't needed. A future king couldn't be a weak one, someone who could be easily brought down on a battlefield. So, the 4 years old boy awaited to see the outcome of his future, his mother's yells echoing in the tall and vast corridors of the castle.

And they've finally ended. A child's crying could be heard afterwards.

Standing behind the door, surrounded with the running maids, the prince wondered if he is having a suitable brother to take his place, and let his finally ease.

But the answer to his question didn't come, as the child's crying got louder, and the panic around grew and grew.

"The queen is bleeding out!"

He heard these words from behind a running crowd.

He couldn't get inside, no one allowed him to.

A vast feeling of something wrong sprouted in his heart.

"Bring more doctors!"

Someone else was calling for help with despair.

The little prince was standing before the door with people coming in with white clothes, and going out with them covered in crimson red. The doctors came, but they didn't allow him.

Finally, after a long waiting, the ruckus has decreased.

The king came out of the room. His face being pale, and hollow. Long wrinkles on his face, appearing to be deeper than usual. His empty eyes looked down at the short and weak prince.

This wasn't a face of a happy man.

The emperor walked by his son, not saying any word. His child was left alone in the corridor, the infant's crying has long disappeared. Disappearing at the end of the corridor, the prince wondered about the future that he realized won't go as he wanted. He won't get any peace. So, he sat down before the door, and glared into the floor in silence.

•••

A maid came out of the room. The little prince almost fell asleep on the cold ground of the corridor.

"Oh my, prince Convall! What are you doing here all alone?" — She immediately noticed a half-asleep child lying down.

The little boy woke up, but didn't respond. He felt like if no answers would satisfy the maid anyways. The prince just looked up with his almost teary eyes, and realized he didn't even know why was he still waiting here.

The maid picked up the skinny boy in her hands, and asked him:

"Prince, do you want to see your sister?"

The blonde-haired child's eyes sparked up a little bit. So, he had a little sister now.

This isn't what his father wanted. But why was he looking so down? Can't mother try to give him another heir? That's what the little prince thought.

The woman brought him inside of the room, which was faintly lighted up by the candles in the corner. On his left side, a big bed was standing, with a pale woman resting under the duvets. It was his mother, a once beautiful woman with hair in the color of growing wheat, and eyes like lavender fields.

But now she looked like a shade of herself, her skin shining from the sweat, and the bones on her face almost piercing the skin.

In the corner of the room was standing an infant's bed. The maid brought the prince over to it, showing him the baby inside.

A round looking child was sleeping peacefully, looking like if wasn't even breathing. But why isn't the mother holding her child closely?

"It's your sister, the little princess." — The maid whispered to the prince held in her arms.

He glared at the child's face inquisitively, now wondering about its future too. A sorrowful feeling surrounded the heart of the little prince, the baby was so innocent and couldn't know what sad fate awaits it. Being just a princess, not a male heir to the throne.

"What's her name?" — The prince asked quietly.

"…"

The maid didn't respond immediately.

"…They haven't given her a name yet."

This answer shocked the prince. Why? Why didn't his sister have a name yet? What could he call her?

His face went blank. Staring at the child, he realized what fate was given to it.

The maid, seeing the prince's face, she didn't have anything more to hide from him. Nothing like this could be held back, the child was bright and smart, despite its age. He realized it long ago.

"Prince…"

"Mother can make a new heir, right? So, why can't my sister have even a name? She is the same blood as me. She is a valuable part of the family… So, why am I feeling as if she won't be treated like it at all…"

The prince's voice broke at the end, and the tears fell out of his porcelain face.

"Prince… The queen. She can't give birth anymore."

Since he saw the blood-covered cloth's, his consciousness already knew what happened. Yet, he couldn't bring the answer to himself. He neglected it, as if there could be still hope for something else.

Now he knew his mother was unable to have any more children. He and his sister were the only two legitimate heirs to the throne.

The prince, a weakling with no hopes given by the doctor to live the old age. And a girl, who can't become a king at all. The young boy cried his tears out into the maid's outfit. The woman with a sad face brought him outside, and carried all the way to his room.

The infant without a name was left in a room with a woman who didn't want to embrace her newborn at all. It's future, being born in a royal family, is a greater curse than being a commoner.

••• 16 years later •••

The noises of the bright crowd could be heard in the entire capital. The laughter, cheers, whistles were directed at the cortege of the soldiers coming back from the war. They were the men of victory, winning battles after battles. Seeing deaths after deaths, after the two years of bloody fights with the neighboring country, they have finally returned.

The opposing kingdom signed the documents of subjection, and now we're the vassals of the empire.

The mothers cried, greeting their sons. The wives wailed, seeing their husbands.

The sisters embraced their long-awaited brothers. The daughters burned with joy when their fathers finally returned.

But not everyone returned. There were still those awaiting, having a glimpse of hope for their close ones returning. However, knowing that there won't be any more war, they mourned in joy, that their men could be required sacrifices.

Still, all of the citizens eyes were turned in one direction. The first person, riding a brown horse, opening the march. The proud king Emathion Callisto, of the Caulin Empire, holding a victorious banner in his arms, the sword he took countless lives was hanging by his side. The crowd cheered for him loudly, vivating and calling his name.

But what they were the happiest of, was the prince following just right behind his father. His bright hair swaying in the air, a tall and athletic posture with a shining armor on it. The aquamarine blue eyes shined in the glorious Sun. The maidens around sighed when seeing his handsome face. He laughed freely, observing the crowds of people around him. Prince Cornvallaria Stolase, the proud heir to the throne.

"Long live the king! Long live the crown prince!"

These words echoed through the capital.

•••

Standing on a stone balcony of the palace was a girl. Her ears have listened to the cheers of the people below her. Seeing the soldiers march through the city, her heart wasn't filled with joy. It wasn't filled with any other emotion, either.

A maiden with long, wavy hair in the color of the sand. Her lime green eyes were empty, observing the crowds. She didn't feel what they felt.

"Princess. Your father has returned."

A voice came from behind her back, announcing the arrival of the king, her father.

"What should I do with this fact? Greet him? I won't bother." — She responded coldly.

And she was right. Her father neglected her for the whole 16 years, not once speaking to her like to his dear daughter, but only as to someone who could lengthen the bloodline of the Callisto. She was never needed. It's because of her, that the queen couldn't give birth to any more children. Her mother was the same. No one ever treated the princess like a feeling human being.

That's why she lost the ability to feel. The hollow heart inside of her beating for no other reason than being sent off, married to an influential person, whose authority could improve the kingdom's power. No one showing her the necessary care, she lived on, awaiting the day of finally escaping from this castle.

"It's not appropriate to not greet the returning emperor." — The old mercenary of the king insisted.

The princess turned her head to the old man, the loyal servant of her father, who due to old age didn't venture onto the battlefield. He always cared for the princesses interest, despite being ruled by her father.

With an empty expression, she walked past the servant, and not even changing to appropriate clothes, the princess left the room. The old man just sighed, and followed into her steps, to go and greet the king's retinue.

•••

The great hall of the castle was filled with rushing servants. There was supposed to be a greeting feast, to celebrate the victory. Yet when the king put the first step inside of the palace, all of the people petrified, bowing their heads low to the ground. The king and his son have marched into the hall, all of the servants cheering as the leader of the soldiers have walked past them.

But there was one person who wasn't bowing. It was a young girl, whose hair and eyes were the same color as of the kings. She glared with her big eyes at the face of her father, who, seeing her here, was definitely surprised.

He stopped by her with a wondrous face, as if he forgot he even had a daughter.

The silence has fallen between them, and would last for long if not a discrete pinch from the servant standing behind the princess.

The pain ventured thought her body, and she realized that she had enough of it all.

She bowed her head lightly, and greeted the king.

"Welcome back, father." — Her words came out quietly. Yet in the silence that has fallen, they could be heard very well.

She didn't lift her eyes up to him anymore. He didn't respond, and just went further forwards, leaving his daughter without a word.

However, the princess didn't feel left out. She felt nothing.

Just right as she was about to return to her room, a solid grasp tangled around her wrist.

"Hey, Cassiana! Won't you greet your beloved brother?" — A manly voice laughed behind her back.

She turned her head, just to see the face of a young man, a blond haired prince, with his blue eyes sparkling like the water droplets. A smirk was written all over his face. But she didn't feel as joyful as him.

"You're not my brother." — She responded coldly.

His smile disappeared in seconds. The man looked around to see if someone has heard her words.

The grip on her wrist tightened even more.

"You're more naughty than I remember. No one taught you to respect the older?" — His face came dangerously close to hers.

But she didn't react in any way. She couldn't feel fear, nor anger. They both just stared in each other's eyes, his filled with anger, and hers being as empty as they always were.

He then pushed her wrist away, and with despise all over his face, the man walked away, following the king who went forwards. The princess only saw his cape disappeared in the grand room, where the feast was almost ready.

The soldiers started to fill the place to the brims, just when the delicious fragrance appeared. But Cassiana wasn't invited. She left the place, without feeling sad nor sorrowful. She didn't need any of that.

•••

The young girl was reading an economy books in her room, when the old mercenary of the king knocked on the door.

"It's Lidius, my lady."

"Come inside." — She responded. But even if she didn't, the man would come in anyway.

The gray-haired man came inside, but he wasn't the only person who entered the room.

Behind him, a tall man in his twenties hesitantly followed his steps. With his head almost hitting the doorway, a sour face that eagerly tried to appear as neutral as possible. But, probably from the nerves, only a grimaced smile was left on his face. His complexion was very pale, contrasting with the long black hair being tied up in a small ponytail. From beneath arched eyebrows came an inquisitive glare of two amber eyes, which searched the around the room. Wearing an elegant butler's outfit, the man's glare stopped at the girl sitting on her armchair.

She stopped reading her book, and her gaze went up onto the man she has never seen before.

"Princess, I would like to introduce you to your new personal mercenary. This is Yukuaki Sen, the best of the best, who was personally chosen by your father to, from now, assist you in daily life and teach you." — Sir Lidius stepped aside, to clearly show the posture of a man who tried to somehow hide behind him.

Yukuaki did his best to keep his composure. He looked very elegant and professional, anyone who could see him right now would definitely agree with the statement that this man was indeed the best at the academy.

"But I don't need anyone." — The princess responded bluntly, coming back to her book.

The old man and the new butler were left shocked.

"But princess…"

"Leave the room, I'm busy right now." — She didn't let Sir Lidius finish.

Yukuaki seeing the princess for the first time, he didn't expect anything like that to happen. Will he be free from his duty? He wondered, seeing the neutral face of the princess, falling deep into the letters of her lecture.

"If you don't agree with the king's decision, you'll have to personally declare it to him."

The princess closed the book with an impact. Her dull gaze landed on the servant, making him petrify in place.

She stood up from her armchair, and went closer to the old mercenary. The princess then turned her head up, to have a closer look at the man who was supposed to be her assistant.

"Father never showed interest in me, and now he sends me a servant?"

"Your personal maid has retired from old age, someone needs to take her place."

The silence has fallen in between both of them.

Cassiana wondered, why did her father even sent someone. He would never bother. But now, he came from the war, and personally decided for her to have an assistant…

Is he finally acknowledging her needs?

She neglected this idea, but came up with another thought. If she can't send this man by herself, she will make him resign from this role. The princess didn't need anyone in her life, she would be sent off to be married soon anyways.

"Okay. Whatever. Just don't disturb me." — She answered, coming up to the bookshelf, putting the book she was reading back in.

Both of the men standing in her room were left astonished by her response.

"Huh?" — It seemed like a surprised reaction came from both of them.

No one expected such a quick result.

Sir Lidius smiled in ease, and he wouldn't have to argue with the princess anymore. He was glad he could leave her in the right hands of the man standing next to him.

But Yukyaki's reaction was different.

His face became even more pale, almost like a sheet of paper. The man tried to hold the disappointment inside of him.

He never wanted to become an assistant of a princess in the first place. They forced him to become one. He begged for her to reject him.

But it didn't happen. So, he stood there, with all of his hopes lost, and her thinking she would send him away soon.

However, both of them were mistaken, as this was just a brief start of the changes that would turn their lives by 180 degrees.

No one yet knew that neither of them could make one quit, and thus started a journey of their hearts.