A Soldier's Revelation

As the group returned to their cabin, Ayira's eyes welled up with tears as she noticed the small injuries that Lia, Leo, and Yuno had sustained while protecting her.

Guilt gnawed at her heart as she realized the danger they had faced because of her.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered, her voice trembling with emotion.

"I didn't mean to put you all in danger. I should have told you that I'm the princess."

Lia smiled warmly at her, reaching out to gently wipe away her tears.

"It's okay," she reassured her, her voice gentle and soothing.

"You're just a little girl, and it's only natural to be scared. But remember, even other people would want to protect a cutie like you."

Ayira sniffled, her heart swelling with gratitude for her comforting words. 

"Um, do you... do you guys know that Ayira is a princess?" Lucius asked, his gaze darting between the three. 

The three nodded in unison, their expressions serious.

"Yes," Lia confirmed.

"We could tell because of the gold aura that lingers around Ayira's body. Only royalty possesses such an aura."

As Ayira tended to their wounds, cleaning and bandaging them with gentle care, Leo's attention turned to Lucius, who stood nearby watching them with a mixture of curiosity and concern. With a simple command, Leo startled Lucius, his voice cutting through the quiet of the cabin.

"Heal me," he instructed. 

Lucius's eyes widened in shock at his request, his mind racing with questions.

"How... how do you know I can heal?" he stammered, his voice tinged with disbelief.

Leo simply shrugged, a knowing smile playing at the corners of his lips.

"The name of the Holy Saint is famous," he replied cryptically.

"I know when I hear it."

With a sense of uncertainty lingering in the air, Lucius approached him, his hands trembling slightly as he reached out to touch the wounded man.

As he channeled his healing magic, a sense of calm washed over him, his focus sharpening as he concentrated on restoring Leo's strength.

But as he worked his magic, his gaze fell upon the cloth that covered Leo's eyes, a silent reminder of the man's blindness.

Without a word, his hands moved of their own accord, reaching out towards Leo's blindfold. And then, with a deep breath, he cast a spell, channeling all his energy into a single moment of hope and possibility.

Leo felt a strange sensation wash over him as Lucius's magic enveloped him, a tingling warmth spreading through his body. And then, as if by some miracle, he felt a shift in the world around him, a flicker of light breaking through the darkness that had shrouded his vision for so long.

With a trembling hand, Leo reached up to remove the cloth from his eyes, his heart pounding with anticipation.

As he slowly opened his eyes, he was greeted by a sight he had not seen in years – the soft glow of candlelight, the warmth of his companions' faces, and the shimmering beauty of the world around him.

Leo's newfound sight filled the room with a sense of awe as he took in the world around him, his eyes wide with wonder. But amidst the overwhelming sensation of seeing for the first time in years, his attention turned to Lucius, who stood before him.

"Why did you do that?" he asked, his voice tinged with curiosity and gratitude.

Lucius met Leo's gaze with a small smile, his eyes shining with a sense of inner peace.

"Consider it a thank-you gift," he replied simply.

"A thank you gift?" he echoed, his voice laced with curiosity.

"For saving us," he explained.

"For protecting Ayira, even when you couldn't see. For being our guardian when we needed you most," he added. 

Leo's heart swelled with emotion at Lucius's words, a lump forming in his throat as he realized the depth of the young boy's gratitude.

He then playfully wrapped his arms around Lucius, pulling him into an unexpected hug, the young boy couldn't help but feel a blush creeping up his cheeks.

"S-Stop," he stammered, brushing away Leo's teasing hands with an embarrassed laugh.

He chuckled at Lucius's reaction, his heart warmed by the genuine bond they shared.

"Alright, alright," he relented, releasing Lucius from the hug with a playful grin.

Meanwhile, Ayira watched the exchange with a curious expression, her eyes sparkling with admiration.

"Leo is handsome," she remarked, her voice filled with sincerity.

"And his eyes are very pretty."

Lucius glanced over at Leo, studying his hazel eyes with newfound curiosity. Then, his gaze shifted to Lia, who also had hazel eyes. A realization dawned on him, and he turned to Ayira with a grin.

"You know, Ayira," Lucius began.

"Leo, Lia, and you...have the same color of eyes."

Ayira's eyes widened in amazement and disbelief as she processed his words.

"Really?" she exclaimed, her voice tinged with wonder.

"I never noticed that before!"

"Lia looks like Ayira's mother," he added.

Lucius's observation about Lia's resemblance to Ayira's mother that caught their attention. Lia's eyes widened in surprise, her heart fluttering with a mixture of curiosity and apprehension.

"Did you see her mother?" Lia asked, her voice tinged with nervousness.

Lucius shook his head, his expression thoughtful.

"No, I haven't had the honor to see Her Majesty," he replied respectfully.

"But you do resemble a grown-up version of Ayira." he explain. 

Lia let out a sigh of relief at Lucius's words, her anxiety easing slightly knowing that Lucius hadn't seen the queen put her mind at ease.

Meanwhile, Leo stood up and approached Yuno, his voice barely above a whisper as he shared his thoughts.

"Lucius has a very keen eye, like yours," he murmured, a sense of admiration in his tone.

Yuno nodded in agreement, a small smile playing on his lips.

"Yes, he does," he replied.

"He's a perceptive young boy, that's for sure."

-

-

-

The injured soldier burst into Christos's chamber, the atmosphere immediately shifted from one of pleasure to one of tension and anger.

Christos was caught off guard by the interruption. He watched as the courtesan he had just spent an evening of pleasure with walked out of his chamber, leaving him alone with the disheveled and battered soldier.

"How dare you interrupt my moment!" he exclaimed, his voice laced with displeasure and fury.

The soldier flinched under Christos's glare, his heart pounding with fear as he stammered out an apology.

"I-I'm sorry, Your Majesty," he said hastily.

"But I bring an urgent message from the knight."

Christos's expression darkened at the mention of the knight, his curiosity piqued.

"What knight?" he demanded, his voice sharp and commanding.

The soldier swallowed hard, his nerves getting the best of him as he struggled to compose himself.

"Dillon, Your Majesty," he replied, his voice trembling.

Christos's laughter filled the room, echoing off the walls as he shook his head in amusement.

"Dillon?" he scoffed.

"Dillon has been dead for years."

But the soldier's next words wiped the smile from Christos's face, replacing it with a look of grave concern.

"It was Dillon, Your Majesty," the soldier insisted.

"And he's not alone. He's alive with Her Majesty."

"Her Majesty?" he repeated.

The soldier nodded, his expression serious.

"Yes, Your Majesty," he confirmed.

"They're alive."

As he absorbed the shocking news, his mind raced with the implications of the princess and her companions being alive. With a sense of urgency gnawing at him, he wasted no time in issuing orders.

"Call Casimir immediately," Christos commanded, his voice tinged with urgency.

The battered soldier nodded, his heart pounding with adrenaline as he turned on his heel and hurried out of the chamber.

Reaching a communication station, the soldier swiftly accessed the secure network and composed a message to Casimir.

His fingers moved with practiced efficiency as he typed out the urgent missive, relaying the startling news of the princess's survival and the need for immediate action.

"Urgent message for Commander Casimir," the soldier typed, his words echoing the gravity of the situation.

"Princess and companions confirmed alive. His Majesty requests your presence at once. Priority: utmost urgency."

With a swift press of a button, the message was sent off into the ether.

As the hours passed and tension mounted within the palace, Casimir finally arrived, his demeanor nonchalant and uninterested. His lack of urgency only served to further enrage Christos, who stormed towards him with fury burning in his eyes.

"The Queen is alive, Dillon is alive!" Christos roared, his voice echoing off the stone walls of the tower as he grabbed Casimir's collar, his grip tight with anger.

Casimir merely scoffed in response, his expression indifferent as he rolled his eyes.

"And Alaunos is alive too," he added casually as if it were nothing out of the ordinary.

"I didn't kill them that night."

Christos's rage reached a boiling point at Casimir's blasé attitude. With a fierce snarl, he swung his fist, landing a powerful punch squarely on Casimir's jaw.

Blood spattered from Casimir's mouth as he staggered back, but he remained stoic, wiping the blood away with a casual flick of his hand.

"Why didn't you kill them?!" he demanded, his voice laced with fury as he advanced towards Casimir once more, his fists clenched with rage.

But before Christos could land another blow, Casimir seized his hand with lightning-fast reflexes, halting the punch before it could connect. Despite the blood trickling from his split lip, his expression remained calm and composed, his eyes gleaming with a hint of amusement.

"Killing them would make the game boring, wouldn't it?" he remarked, his tone almost mocking as he held Christos's gaze steadily.

"Besides, there's no fun in winning too easily."

Christos's jaw clenched tighter with anger at Casimir's arrogant demeanor. The audacity of the man standing before him fueled his rage, but he forced himself to maintain his composure. With a stern voice, he ordered Casimir to release his hand.

"Let go," he commanded, his voice cold and commanding.

Casimir complied, releasing Christos's hand with a disdainful sneer.

"Don't ever touch my face again," he spat, his tone dripping with contempt.

"Noble hands are disgusting."

Christos's fists clenched at his sides, his nails digging into his palms as he struggled to contain his fury. The insolence of his words grated against him like sandpaper

Before he could respond, Casimir turned on his heel and began to walk away, his steps echoing off the stone floor of the chamber.

"You wasted my time" he muttered as he disappeared from view, Christos was left seething with anger and frustration.