PROLOGUE

TWENTY YEARS AGO

"Get the duchess out of Winterspring, Terrowin. This might be my last executive order." Said the duke while looking outside the window of the room. He sees that the rebellions have finally reached the castle after attacking the city. He has already been warned about their incoming but he never thought that they would be this quick to find their way to the royal family.

He was told by the ministers to escape the city but he couldn't do it--not when the city had fallen to the hands of these rebellions. He doesn't have the heart to leave his people even if it means his and his family's lives. Not to mention, his pregnant wife, Ryleia.

He looked over to her with pain in the eyes. He promised a happy safe life with Ryleia and their soon-to-be daughter but look what's happening! It must be his negligence that made the city fall into the enemy's hands. He should've strengthened his city army. He should've invested in newly crafted weapons. He should've believed in the powers of the students of Prulesia Academy but he didn't. If only he could bring back the time where he should've listened to his wife's advice and not the greedy ministers.

Terrowin, though is obviously unease and scared for his life, is the only cabinet member that he can fully trust. He saw him and his wife grow together as a couple and as married. He acted like a father but of course without stepping boundaries. Terrowin is a loyal disciple of Crestfall royal bloodline and unlike the other ministers, he simply lives far away from luxury.

"O-of course your highness!" He managed to say to the duke as he stumbled upon bowing down in front of him. His hands started to sweat; he cupped his fist to prevent it from shaking. It is the first time the duke gave him an arduous mission. And it must be the last. He wanted to cry--he didn't want this to be their last farewell. The duke and duchess had yet to meet their only daughter.

The king walked his way to the bed of the duchess and sat beside her--he was surely worried. Knowing she'll be giving birth anytime soon to their first daughter and the siege of the rebellion. If he could just run away with his wife, he would. But he is the current ruler of Winterspring. His people come first before his family.

"Live for me and our daughter, Ryleia." He held her hands and raised it for him to kiss. She nods and a weak smile formed on her lips even though her eyes are already giving up, she ought to say something. Both of them were incontrovertible that the duke will no longer live the next day. Even as weak as she is now, she managed to say something to her love.

"Please, my duke, take care of us." The double meaning of her last words hit the duke and he immediately understands what she meant. The duchess then closed her eyes. The duke left a kiss on her temple before standing up. He didn't face his servant, Terrowin definitely understands the agony of the duke. The latter took his cue and went beside the duke without looking in his face. "Bring Raphael and some comrades with you might as well take care of your troop." And to that, the duke left.

Terrowin took his tooupe, a device in which two parties can have a conversation but in a short span of time, and called Raphael, a Divine Knight.

"Sir Raphael I'm in need of your help. This is according to the duke. Please bring two troops with you and go to the duchess room immediately."

"Yes, lord Terrowin, I'm on my way." He answered and the tooupe has worn off.

Terrowin is the most impatient person in the whole cabin of Winterspring. He wants everything to go smoothly, work out easily and immediately. Raphael knew this kind of behavior of Terrowin. When lord Terrowin is in command, all the troops are in a panic.

Terrowin was astounded that someone had knocked on the door. He forgot that he was waiting for someone and to take the duchess out of the castle. He dashed to the door and opened it and saw Raphael. He was wearing his white uniform with light blue straps on its sleeves and collar. His pants are dark blue with embroidering at the end of them. He was carrying his Sonata-a blue arm-sized scepter.

"I have come in a hurry, Lord Terrowin, and pardon me, have I distracted you from a deep thought?" Raphael asked sincerely.

"Absolutely not. Anyhow, we are in a hurry. The city is in chaos and we cannot wait for the other Divine Knights for I figured that it's not only Winterspring is being attacked by the rebellions." Terrowin said making himself calm.

He figured it. Why would they first assault Winterspring? He watched Raphael lose his breath to his astonishment. "Give the orders, my lord." He then said and then bowed in front of Terrowin. The other knights behind him are wearing their white uniform that has blue stripes in it but it has less than the WinterSonata they also bowed their heads to the minister.

Raphael Maltioa Helewys Frost Divine 4 the WinterSonata, is a young fine man who grew up in the streets of Noliad City--a city of a non-nimphian. He was selling rags for him to live but something had changed his fate. When the duchess Ryleia visited Noliad, Raphael offered her a rag. At first, Ryleia was taken aback. Do this young know who I am? She thought. She refuses the poor Raphael. The latter then thank her and walk away to offer rags to her knights. She let out a chuckle and called the young child.

"What is your name, young one?" Asked the duchess as she kneeled so that the young will not look up to her.

"I'm Raphael Helewys." He answered with no such hesitance.

"You have no parents I suppose?"

"Yes, I don't. They died and I wonder in the streets after that."

Ryleia widened her eyes as she was astounded by what the young have said. To think Raphael wandered in the streets right after his parents died is inconceivable. Some children will just cry and starve to death but this Raphael was strong enough to live alone. The death of his parents is not a burden to him rather it is where his strength comes from. She knew she had to carry for the parents of Raphael were under the care of Ryleia. She took Raphael from the filthy city and sent him to Livonia.

She assured the young child that he would be taken care of and hoped that he would be successful someday. After a decade, Raphael went back and showed himself to the duchess. He was grateful and offered his life to serve the Crestfall family. Ryleia was proud of what he became. He did not just graduate from a prestigious school at Livonia, he is one of the great Divine Knights!

"We have to get the duchess to a safer place," Terrowin said while he let the three inside. "Raphael, carry the duchess. We are to head to the tunnel. The duke said that the rebellions are only attacking the castle and not the forest. It is the safest choice. If there are bandits, then we're allowed to kill them. Understood?" They all bow. The WinterSonata hurried to carry the duchess and followed the lead of his lord.

The troop heard many moans and swings of the scepter. The knights, however, use their ice magic to stop the rebellions but these rebellions use inverse magic--it is contra-ice magic that uses fire.

Once they were in front of a steel door, Terrowin whispered a magic spell that opened the sealed. He let the other three go first for he will be the one to close the seal of the tunnel's door.

The four-headed straight but they didn't walk faster. The problem was, it's too dark and narrow. It was hard to move not to mention Raphael is carrying the duchess which she's getting heavier minute by minute.

It only indicates that the duchess will soon give birth to offspring.

Raphael hadn't known that Maidens or other Nimphian women get heavier when they're in labor. It is because the offspring is getting a lot of energy he needs when he is ready to be born.

It is to help the mother in her labor. The offspring opted to get in his small size but the effect of this is that he'll be heavier than his usual weight.

"I need help." Raphael faced his men and nod to them as if giving them the cue to carry the duchess. "Whew, what a weight." He added when his hands were free and then they continue to walk. They hurried until they saw an illuminating passage. When they were outside, one of the men was being shaken to his feet.

"Dear Lord . . ." he said. They stopped walking and saw the man. Lord Terrowin and Raphael went to the duchess.

"The offspring!" Terrowin shouted and panics again. Blood was running onto the duchess legs.

"Lord Terrowin, I believe we have to be quiet so as no one will see us," Raphael said looking down at his shoes.

"W-w-we need to find an en-enchanter!"

"The enchanters are far to the south, Milord. We have to go to Elise Town to see enchanters. But I think my wife knows how to do this. Considering we're all men, I wouldn't want the duchess to"

"Yes, yes, Sire . . . Please lead the way and be quick!" Terrowin soon cut him off he already knows what the knight will say.

The troop turned its way to the southern part of the Vally Forest. The forest has two different colors of trees. There are green and blue leaves. The trunks are all brown but their leaves are different. There are also trees that bear snowflakes rather than fruits. The Vally Forest is also called the Centennial Cemetery.

It is one of the largest forests in Napolia. It also says in the legend that all the trees in the Vally are corpses.

If you bury dead people in the Centennial Cemetery, after three days, it'll grow into a sprout then on the tenth day, it'll become a full tree.

When Raphael saw his house, he ran towards the door and knocked many times. He was going to break that door. After a minute or two, the door had opened and he saw his wife, panting to her lungs while she was holding on to her knees.

"Geez, Ruf! We only have one door. Don't you break it or else-"She said while catching her breath. The troop immediately hurried to get the duchess into the bed.

When Olivia saw what's happening, she cupped her mouth with her two hands with her eyes widened in astonishment.

"Goodness gracious! What in the world happened?!" She ran towards his husband.

"Olivia, she's giving birth right here, right now. We don't know what to do. Heck! We're not a pack of women!"

Olivia had panicked but she shook it off. The life of the duchess is in the line. "Get a pile of water, scissors, and a rag, dear, hurry!" She ordered then kneels in front of Ryleia, she's now facing the duchess' legs.

She pulled the legs up and opened it wide. "I guess you have to leave this room." She said without looking at the men. The men soon left the room.

The men outside went alarmed when they heard someone's crying. They went to the room only to find Olivia carrying the baby. The baby was still covered with little blood on her cheeks, toes, and her belly. She was crying out loud. They all became nervous when they notice the duchess isn't awake.

"The duchess, she didn't make it," She said without looking at them and pauses as if she was letting the words sink. She was staring at the baby who stopped crying.

"But she said something to me." They can't speak. They were all waiting for Olivia to continue to talk. "That no one should know about their daughter-"

"But why?!" Asked Terrowin who's still terrified about what happened. The duchess promised the duke she will live for him and their daughter yet she died.

"Why? She died because she lost a lot of blood. She doesn't want to know her people, is it as if she was giving them the privilege to kill the only heir to their throne."