Apollo is the god of Sun, music and healing. He rules over the Light and Sun elements. He reigns over the day, hospitals, and places of music and poetry. His taboo is spreading plagues, destroying music and torture. Blessings come to those that perform great works of art or musical performances in the form of artistic inspiration and health.
Excerpt from The Twelve Gods.
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Late afternoon in Yutis. The sun was already painting tones of red and orange in the sky and the world below. People in a street near the academy were graced with the sight of her princess taking an afternoon stroll, holding a picnic basket and merrily strutting around, a smile capable of melting a glacier.
"Bread, ham, and wine. Pastries, juice, and cutlery. Sweets, napkins, and a basket. I think we are ready, Sora."
Dawn and Sora were merrily strolling around the shops and food venues around the academy. While the main food source of the students is the cafeteria, it caters the same menu to all students. Counting nobility and royalty among its students, it was not enough. A varied selection of delicacies was offered around the square outside the gates. In fact, back at the end of that fateful semester, most of the students at the square were going to celebrate the start of vacation in the restaurants, cafes, and taverns in the region. Even now you could see some of them around, enjoying the afternoon warmth before a cold early Spring night shrouds the whole city.
"I'm impressed at how much they love Lumina," Sora commented.
"Well, the princess is beautiful and a symbol," Dawn answered looking at her own hand. "That is why we are working so hard to bring her back, right?" She beamed a true smile.
"It is good to see you back, Dawn." Sora returned the smile.
"Well, get used. Because this girl is not leaving your side. Ever." She flirted.
The shopping was more of a grab and go thing than actual shopping. Dawn knew from what Pearl told her that offering coin would be an offense to the shopkeeper unless the goods were very valuable, on the gold coin spectrum. But even the wine bottle they wanted was upgraded for free by the liquor shop owner to one that should cost between five and seven gold. He mumbled something about not allowing the princess to drink dirty water. Dawn allowed the man to kiss her hand. He did it respectfully, never actually touching her with his lips. He was moved to tears.
Their idyllic stroll was interrupted by female voices.
"Lumina? Princess Lumina! Over here!"
A group of three girls was merrily approaching them. Dawn considered running away, but their faces were friendly. Since they called her by the title the second time, they should be friendly with the princess but of a lower station. They were wearing some jewelry, nobility. Probably the daughters of some local nobles and personal friends of good old Lumina. Dawn searched Aidan's memory and remembered seeing these girls at the academy with Lumina. They were Aidan's classmates in the spellcraft and wizardry classes, but he really paid little attention to the other teenagers in his class. They didn't know their names.
She nodded at them and made a motion for them to approach. They were keeping a respectable distance. Dawn held Sora's hand. The three girls took a few steps forward, then they stopped and curtsied respectfully.
"Lumina, how much we missed you!"
And luck had it, Aidan was approaching from their side.
"Hey, girls. Did you get everything?" He asked. It was a bland question because he witnessed Dawn doing the shopping. But since they decided to talk to each other, they had to act the part.
The groupies looked at Aidan and their mood soured immediately. It was like Aidan was a sludge slime like the ones that sometimes spawn in the sewers.
"Is something the matter?" Aidan asked them.
"We are talking to the princess, Underworld Boy. Can you step aside, please?"
Yes. That disdainful and vitriolic tone. How long he didn't miss that. After everything that happened, he really had not a mote of patience to deal with them. Time to bring down the pain. Dawn took a few steps forward to get in front of Aidan.
"Is something the matter?" Dawn asked them.
"Lumina, it is us. Don't you remember us?" Their leader asked with a hopeful tone.
"Unfortunately not. I'm afraid I lost my memory during the attack. What is it, Lord Aidan?" She leans and Aidan pretends to whisper in her ear. "It seems we were classmates before our unfortunate hospitalization, is that correct?"
"Yes, we are friends!" they answered, hopeful.
"I see. I really hope we could remain as friends, however..." She trailed off on purpose.
Dawn's insinuation hit them square on. To these girls losing the connection to the princess was terrible. What Aidan wanted to know is what they valued more, their friendship to Lumina or the social status.
Stolen story; please report.
"What is wrong, Princess Lumina?"
Aidan sighed internally. It was really troublesome for him to expose himself like that. But now that he was tangled in the web of court politics and princesses, there was little hope of keeping his low profile lifestyle. The stakes were too high. If he left these bickering nobles alone with their own devices, they would soon attempt to murder another of his friends or even himself. He needed to spread a web of influence. These three girls would be the first.
"What did you just call this gentleman?"
It was cringeworthy to call himself gentleman like that but he had to. They fidgeted and mumbled some inscrutable sounds, but no answer came out.
"I heard what you said back then. Don't make me repeat it." Dawn let a little impatience seep into her voice.
"We are sorry, your HIghness." The three of them lowered their heads.
Aidan used a few moments to think. As long as he controlled Dawn these girls would do anything she asked them. Drafting Lumina groupies into working for them could be useful. They had a lot of objectives to accomplish at the academy. If they were to pursue them in parallel, they would lack manpower.
The only downside was the absolute lack of belief in their ability to hold secrets. But that was yet to be tested.
"Raise your heads and listen carefully." Dawn hardened her tone of voice. "Apologize to Lord Aidan. I won't suffer disdain or slander targeted at him."
They remained silent and exchanged looks between them. It was not something they expected. After all, Lumina was the leader of the bullying squad that tormented Aidan. But didn't she lose her memory? Was she being deceived by this man?
"Lumina, let it slip," Aidan asked. All an act. He could tell through Dawn's perception that the girls would know he was not too keen in really letting them slip, but the gesture was done.
"No, I won't. You three, did you witness the assault on my life last year?"
"No, your Highness."
"But you heard someone saved me, right?"
"Yes, but it was kept under wraps by the academy and the castle, we never got any news about you until you were kidnapped from the hospital despite us trying to see you."
Dawn took a step back and grabbed Aidan's left arm, holding him tight. "I owe my life to the bravery of Lord Aidan. He kept me safe all this time even at a great personal cost. Any insult directed at him is an insult thrown at me. And I don't think there is anyone insane enough in this kingdom to cross me." She spoke a little too loud. Several students and bystanders were listening.
They were frozen with fear. They were only regular teenagers, raised in a sheltered glasshouse called aristocracy. Just like Aidan was, in a way. The trip, the calamity that fell on them tempered their spirits into something harder, resilient. It might have scarred them physically and mentally, but they now were made of an entirely different material.
One of them decided to kneel. "Your Highness, milord. I beg for your forgiveness. We were not aware you were the princess' champion." The other two also knelt.
It felt super awkward. Everyone was staring. What would Pearl do?
"Lord Aidan. I'll leave their punishment in your capable hands." She let go of him. Yes, Dawn. Pearl would do exactly that. Ditch the responsibility and the problem on him.
Aidan walked in front of the girls. "Raise your heads. Look at me." They did. "I believe a person's worth is measured by their achievements, not their birth. If it matters, a high birth means only higher expectations. This is why Royalty rules aided by us, nobles. The burden of the crown falls to the worthiest among us, the King. Tell me, my ladies, what have you achieved so far?"
They had no answer. But Aidan's words found purchase in their minds. They were looking at a student ranked among the lowest in the social ladder of the academy noble scions earning the princess' favor after all.
"Arise." They did. Pleading eyes scanned Aidan's face. "I want you to look inside yourselves and find something in your abilities that can bring glory and prosperity to the realm. And to never look down on anyone else in your lives. All people have their worth, it is just a matter of finding it and setting them on the right path. This is your punishment."
He turned his back to them and bowed to Dawn. Then he marched back to her side, standing a step behind her. Aidan thought he aced the situation. He exalted the King, praised the nobility, and showed mercy to these girls.
"We are thankful for you sharing your wisdom with us, milord."
Aidan looked at the sky. The sun was almost touching the horizon.
"We have some time left. Lord Aidan, Lady Sora if you don't mind I'd like us to go to a café to have a talk with my old friends.
They spent some time having tea and some cookies. The three girls were Lumina's ladies-in-waiting at the academy, and they were lodged in the auxiliary chambers of the dormitory royal wing. After the attack, their lodging was downgraded to ordinary nobles and without her protection, some of the bullying Lumina's posse did rebound on them. Night came and it was time to dispatch these girls.
"Report to Cythrel at the dorm royal wing tomorrow morning. She will get you lodgings. We have another royal guest with us, a very dear friend, please be respectful to them."
The girls went away, excitedly talking to each other.
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Now all that was left was Aidan, Sora, Dawn, a few blankets, and the picnic basket. Aidan had a few pre-drawn, single-use magic circles with him. They reached an alley without anyone, and Aidan checked the latch on the picnic basket. It would do no good to spill their dinner.
"Time to go. Our date is starting now, Sora." He held Sora's hand.
"And where are we going?"
"A special and magical place." Dawn held Sora's other hand.
"Shadowbloom's Veil."
"Warmth Aura."
They cast these spells on all three of them.
"Skywings." Dawn and Aidan used the same spell at the same time.
And up they went. In the pitch black night, nobody would see three shadows flying in the sky above.
They rose until they broke the clouds on the other side. Sora's eyes widened. All around them a world of white fluff and ephemeral wisps. And above a huge gibbous moon, bathing the world in silver light, the queen of the night attended by uncountable stars glittering all around.
"Cloud Fortress." Dawn pointed at a cloud and used a Sky spell. They flew to that cloud and to Sora's surprise landed on it. The wisps of vapor felt like a solid, steady floor. They dismissed the wings and the shadowy shroud. The magic would hold the cloud together and block strong winds from blowing over it. Their low affinity meant they could not create a real fortress without burning all their mana. The upkeep cost was big but at that size she could keep it until morning using one of the smaller seven cores Aidan set apart. For their moonlight picnic, the platform and wind protection was enough.
Sora looked around, unable to take in her surroundings. "This is amazing. By the twelve, it is so beautiful." She played with the wisps of cloud trailing off like a child. Aidan set the blankets on the cloud and placed the picnic basket in the middle. On each corner of the enchanted area, he set one of the magic circles, erecting a privacy ward.
Dawn sat by the basket and Aidan got next to Sora. He wrapped his hands around her waist and gave her a long kiss. Both wanted to disrobe and get it going that very instant but they take their time, enjoy the view and savor their picnic first.
"Tonight the sky belongs to us. Only the two of us."
"Three," Sora answered, eyeing Dawn.