Surrounded by mountains, one would think the kingdom of Yutis would have no rivers whatsoever or would flood until it became a lake. The truth is far from that. In the middle of this valley lays a bottomless saltwater lake a few kilometers in size in a roughly circular shape that is said to connect to every ocean underground. Lake Abyss it is properly called. The rivers that begin in the mountains all around run down across Yutis into this lake on whose shores the water rise and fall with the tides like any ocean. Fish and aquatic monsters from every ocean can be found here if one is lucky or unlucky enough. The dangers of monster attacks greatly reduce the economic value of the lake. Navigation is not recommended or required as one can do a full lap around the lake in a single day using a fast horse. 'Go drown in the Abyss' is a common insult in Yutis.
Excerpt from A primer on the world's nations vol 2.
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Aidan had a special ability now that he was a dual-bodied existence. He could keep his consciousness while one body slept. He would be limited to the senses of the awake body but it meant he could remain active twenty-four hours per day and still feel rested. There seemed to be no problems with memories either during these days he experimented doing that. He could also mentally wake up the other body, a real boon for someone as heavy a sleeper as him.
But the confirmation on the progress of the fusion with Lumina yesterday was a point of concern. If the fusion continues further, separating their souls would be even harder. It would make him a mage with all six elements and that brought a slew of problems by itself, but the worse problem would be this:
He would have usurped Lumina's body and soul for himself.
Intentions are damned. He stole the princess body, took her soul for himself and devoured it for personal power. There was no wizard who could be called more heinous or wicked than him. He would've murdered Lumina in the worst way possible.
He felt cold and it was not because of the remnants of winter that insisted on lingering around. What was his morality? On what grounds could he justify what he did? What about his family's creed? Two thousand years of heroes culminated in this. In him. An immoral soul-stealing villain.
The carriage droned ahead while Aidan wallowed in self-pity. He sat there on the driver's bench like a specter. Skippy didn't fly away to hunt that morning. The little dragon curled himself on the top of the carriage and slept to weather out the torrent of gloomy feelings he was getting through the familiar link.
It only intensified as they moved north in the capital's direction. The quality of the road improved and more travelers could be seen going back and forth.
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They traveled for another day and a group of eight armored men appeared in a bend of the road. Aidan and company readied themselves for a fight, but they bore the crest of Yutis in their tabards and one of them had a Yutis flag unfurled.
The knight in the lead with a captain's pauldrons rode forward, his lance in a neutral position.
"Halt travelers." He shouted. "We are knights in the service of the Kingdom of Yutis. We are going to inspect your carriage."
Royal Knights, for the looks and the polish job on their armor. Aidan had seen them in the semester he spent at the academy and in some of the social functions he was invited to. There was no way they were just looking for forbidden goods or other things. They were here for the carriage's illustrious passenger. Aidan shook himself from his guilt trip and focused on his other self.
The door of the carriage was thrown open and out came said VIP.
"That is unnecessary, knight captain." Dawn came to the front of the wagon, revealing herself to the knights. "I can vouch for the carriage and this group."
Poise. Class. Self-confidence bordering haughtiness. Aidan focused all the effort of his being in that set of movements, that set of words. Make it sound like Lumina. He kept her in the line of sight of his male body. It allowed him to make minute corrections to her walk or body language.
The captain removed his helmet and bowed his head. "Your Highness Princess Lumina. We are happy to see you alive and well."
The other knights also removed their helmets and saluted the princess. Some of them were really happy. It only placed another anvil over Aidan's shoulders. He denied these people their princess. She was a symbol of the country.
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He could not let Dawn's mask falter, but it was hard to keep faking it. He failed and Dawn scowled. He decided to go with it. Expressing annoyance, Dawn tried to dismiss the knights.
"We don't want to take you away from your business, captain. You can move along."
The captain placed his helmet back and so did the other knights. He looked around, stopping to measure Gurf. The knights at the back tensed and their horses clapped hooves on the ground without moving, a clear sign of readiness for a fight.
"Our business was finding your Highness and escorting you back to the castle. And dealing justice to your kidnappers." The captain looked at Sora and Aidan.
Dawn lifted her forearm and commanded Skippy to come. The dragon landed on her arm and she glared at the knights.
"Watch your words, captain. Speak ill of my companions and I'll have you punished. Do I look like a prisoner or a hostage to you?" Dawn placed her left hand on the rapier's hilt. She tilted her head back a little, showing the emerald necklace on her elegant neck. The jewelry borrowed from Pearl helped too. "And before you entertain any stupid thoughts, know that inside this carriage is a guest of the kingdom. I will not suffer to show an unsightly display in front of the Crown Princess of Gohar, Pearl of house Juvela."
Their stance shifted immediately. Showing signs of internal strife to a foreign royal was a surefire way to ruin one's career. It would make the whole nation look weak in negotiations and cause a slew of problems. It would be a concern for Dawn too, but she was not even a little worried about what Pearl would think of it. She knew she could trust her friend.
In fact, Pearl decided to give a helping hand. She showed up at the door, dressed to kill. She even had her tiara on. She spoke. Her tone was full of contempt. The way she rolled her eyes while delivering slander with icy cold disdain, the dismissive and subtle movements of her hands, the brief but noticeable pauses in her speech to give emphasis to every scornful remark, the confidence of being an absolute superior existence.
"Lumina dear, why are you wasting words with these insufferable tin men? I am weary from the road, sore from bumping in this carriage for days and without a bath since this morning. Please do your thing, dear and set us back on the road."
Pearl locked her gaze on the knight captain. She was not done yet.
"Oh, to have the gall to talk back to one's own princess! Is this rabble Yutis' finest? Lumina, send these idiots to the gallows and hire the first drunk beggars you find near the town gates. I, for one, wouldn't see the difference."
The boiling anger, the indignation of the knights' wounded pride was palpable. But they could feel it. The very fact that this small girl clad in gold, silver, and gems could insult them with a clean face with not a sliver of fear was proof enough for them. They were royal knights. Trained to fight for these very existences. To obey them.
The captain's lance was lowered until it touched the ground. He lowered his head. silence reigned until someone couldn't hold it in.
"Pffffff!" Cythrel chortled from inside the carriage. She disarmed the tension and the captain spoke.
"Please, your Highness, allow us to escort you back to the capital."
Aidan knew he could dismiss the knights or send them to drown in the Abyss or anything, but it would cause them trouble down the road. It was better to give them face and win these knights to their side. If he could word it properly, they would pledge themselves to Lumina. What could be its own problem, as the one in front of them was not Lumina but him.
"Knight captain, speak only when allowed." She commanded. "I shouldn't but I will explain. There was no kidnapping, everything was a cover story. I went away for a while to avoid an assassination attempt. If any of you sport any thoughts of harming my companions or even separating me from them, you will be sorry." Skippy opened his mouth, a ball of flame nested in his throat for all to see. "And the dragon will be the least of your worries, I can assure you."
There was an implied meaning that the Knights failed in protecting the princess and that these ill-dressed escorts were their betters.
"Lord Aidan, I will get a sunburn If I stay here any longer. If you allow me to abuse your services just a bit more, I shall leave everything in your capable hands." Dawn used this to set the pecking order in their group, placing the knights under Aidan's control and painting him as a noble worth of the princess' trust.
The captain thought about his choices and spoke before Dawn could disappear inside the carriage. "Your Highness, you are on the road to the capital, can I assume you are returning home?"
He clearly disobeyed the first command the princess gave him and Aidan decided to roll with it. Prove that Lumina was the greater person and win this exchange.
Dawn stopped in her tracks and turned around gracefully to stare at the captain with a neutral expression. The tension returned. Would the captain's gamble end in ruin for them? Was the thought in the other knight's minds. Then she smiled only slightly.
"Indeed you can. Clear the way for us, captain."
Skippy flew back to Aidan's shoulder and roared at the knights. Aidan patted the little dragon's head and he rubbed his neck on his master's hand, growling.
"The fastest two of you ride ahead and warn of our coming. The princesses are not to be delayed for any reason. Captain, you ride ahead of us. Two men should flank the captain, the other three should ride after the carriage. Gurf and Sora keep our flanks. Forward." Aidan commanded.
The Knights saved their honor and would enter the capital as the unit that 'rescued' the princess. Dawn established her legitimacy as Lumina.
And they ruined Aidan's plans of sneaking into the castle and rescuing Claire from the stockades. His odds of success were abysmal anyway. Deep inside he knew that.