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Prologue: Mother and Daughter

Prologue: Mother and Daughter

Princess Aisha Graham is the twentieth offspring of Amelia Graham and Eadric Graham. There are fifteen daughters and twelve sons within the family, Aisha being the seventh daughter out of the fifteen. Eadric Graham was a renowned warrior of his time. At the age of eighteen, he adopted the mercenary life as a soldier for many factions. He displayed such bravery and courage on the battlefield, impressing several lords. He became an officer at the age of twenty. He led various companies and armies under his command, ensuring victory in each engagement. After several years of his service towards his faction and ending the war with their enemies, he was rewarded with his own lands. Retreating to his new territory, he lived a luxurious and peaceful life as a noble at twenty-seven years old. He had amassed some wealth and contacts from the war, enjoying his new life. He did not plan on making a family nor did he want to share his wealth until he met Amelia Evans. 

How he married her is a mystery in itself. Eadric Graham would have wed someone who was stronger than him or someone on equal footing. A queen. A strong warrior. A mage. Anyone who certainly had some noticeable reputation. When this young woman appeared before him and asked to marry him, he was utterly speechless. He could have refused. He had every right to. 

Who was she? 

What did she do? 

Why did she choose him? 

All in all, she never shared anything about her past life with him. He should have asked about her history, but in the end, he accepted her. Even now, Eadric Graham does not know much about her. 

Amelia Evans. 

She is still a mystery to him. Yet, he accepted her hand in marriage because something made him do it. Besides, she was dead gorgeous. At the age of twenty-eight, he married Amelia Evans. A few months later, she wanted to make a family. She wanted kids. Eadric knew this would happen, but never thought about how many kids Amelia wanted. When they discussed this topic, Eadric was baffled at the numbers. This woman wanted a lot of kids. She demanded thirty or so. Bargaining with his wife, Eadric and her agreed to have around twenty or thirty kids.

The results were twenty-seven offsprings. The man was utterly surprised at the way Amelia handled herself. Even though they were getting many kids, it seems like she was in tip-top shape. As the years flew by and their family continued to grow, Eadric needed more money. It would be hard to support their growing family without any income. Seeking a nearby Emperor, he decided to join his faction at the age of forty-five. By this time, Aisha Graham lived in this world.

Serving under this new Emperor, he gained more land and wealth. This did not change Eadric. He loved and cherished his family. He played with his young daughters and sons. For the older offsprings, he taught and tutored them. He made each one of his sons wield a weapon. Sword, spear, or bow and arrow, he taught them how to fight with their desired weapons. Even if he was not a master with every single weapon, he knew how to use them and taught his sons the basics. Some of his daughters were able to fight, showing magnificent techniques with their weapons. Amelia taught her daughters about proper mannerism for a lady. Despite his growing family, he showed compassion and love towards each one of them.

Yet that changed when greed entered his mind.

Despite his age, Eadric could still fight. Serving under his new Emperor, he fought in battles against rebels and bandits. As the family's wealth continued to grow, Eadric was consumed by the numbers. He wanted more wealth. He never gained so much wealth from serving under an Emperor. With a good relationship with the Emperor and the other lords, Eadric wanted to expand his family even further and accumulate more wealth. With so many daughters and sons, they could easily marry themselves to other rich families. Once his mind thought about it, he changed. The loving, caring father turned into a strict and stern man. A greedy one as well. He made sure that the older sons and daughters knew that they were obligated to marry a wealthy nobleman or noblewoman. He used the excuse of making sure that the family heritage wouldn't be tainted by mere commoners. That they must ensure their name is spread throughout the world. Some did not like this notion, but they agreed with it. They did not want to displease their father.

Amelia knew that this would happen. She knew Eadric would change one day, yet she did nothing about it. After her last child, she became silent. She hired many maids and butlers to help out in their domain. She even asked them to tutor their kids about etiquettes and basic gestures exchanged between nobles. Why she did this is unknown. She became silent around the man she married as well. The only time she got out of this state was when there was a banquet or guests were in the house. She had such a lively, cheerful, blossoming presence about her. She only reverted to her quiet self once the banquets and parties ended, or the guests were gone.

Why did she stay quiet? No one knew. She would just stare off into the distance, looking out the window sometimes. It looked like she was thinking about the past or wondering about something. No one bothered her, though. Eadric knew better than to bother his wife, he left her be.

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One day, she watched her daughter, Aisha, play with her only friend outside the family. In a way, this child was Aisha's best friend. This child played with Aisha ever since the two met. Two young kids, enjoying their youth. A few minutes later, Eadric came out of nowhere, forcing the young boy out of their domain. Aisha had a strong relationship with the young boy. They were childhood friends after all. Amelia silently witnessed Eadric's scolding. The man she once loved warned Aisha about him. He insulted him, called him filth, and told Aisha that she was better than that. He even went to the point of calling all commoners trash. He says that the noble should stick with rich people. He tells Aisha that she should socialize with fellow nobles of her status. And Aisha blinked at her corrupt father. Of course, Aisha was confused by this. Her friend has played with her for five years. In those five years, Eadric was kind to the young lad. Her father thanked him for playing with his daughter.

Now... This sudden change was too much for the eleven-years-old. Aisha was standing there utterly confused. Amelia sighed as she was about to move away from the window, yet the words that came out of someone's mouth caught her attention.

"And you think I want to talk with those meanies?! With some stupid nobles who insulted me and treat me unkindly?! They are strangers! Why?! Why did you drive my friend away?! The one who understands me the most! The one who has been with me ever since! This is not like you papa!" Amelia recognized Aisha's voice. Her daughter spoke out, angry at her dad. It wasn't right. She was conflicted. Anger, confusion, and sadness filled her tiny body. She stood there, facing her towering father, screaming and asking him repeatedly, "What happened to you?!" Eadric stood there in silence. Several bystanders watched the scene between father and daughter.

Two minutes later, Amelia quickly rushed out of the room towards the courtyard in great haste. She saw Eadric burst through the doors, walking sternly down the hallway. The two glanced at each other. Before Eadric moved away from his wife, she boldly commented on his previous words. He, Eadric, was a hypocrite right now. And he forever would be one.

"I did not have any wealth on me when you married me, and yet, here you are, forcing some stupid law onto your children. What happened to you? Did greed convert you into a demonic beast within human skin? You sicken me. I no longer know you."Amelia coldly declared. This stopped Eadric for a bit. With no response, he walked away. Rushing out the doors, Amelia saw the bystanders crowd around Aisha. She was bleeding from her right cheek. Two guards tended to her wound, but the scar Eadric left behind in Aisha's heart would forever remain there. There was no way that stubborn man would ever apologize for his actions. Amelia embraced Aisha into her arms, saddened by the events that transpired. Tears streamed down her face, her daughter utterly confused at what had happened. No, she was confused at his sudden change. She kept screaming out daddy. Amelia frowned, feeling helpless. She hugged her tighter, realizing something. Out of all her daughters, Aisha resembled her the most. With her pale complexion, silver long hair and rebellious yet true nature, Aisha was the only one who spoke her mind. She did not blindly agree with the sudden change or law her stupid father declared. Amelia had those same moments when she was living her days as a princess…

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And there was something else that made Amelia... become active again. Aisha was…

After the healer tended to Aisha's wound, Amelia took her daughter into her bedroom. Aisha nuzzled against her mother's chest, thanking her mom. She was so adorable. Amelia just cuddled her a bit more, the two lying on her bed. Amelia had prepared a separate room away from Eadric. This was a private room, away from that wretched man. Despite the two being husband and wife, Eadric let Amelia do whatever she wanted. Amelia would have questioned the man, but why bother? Aisha looked straight at her mother and asked about Eadric.

"Why... Why did daddy say that? Why is he mean now?" 

"People change with time. Your dad is consumed by greed. Greed is a selfish desire for something. Power, food, money, anything. Do not be like your dad Aisha. Always stay true to yourself."Amelia poked Aisha's nose, the girl blinked at her mom. 

"But mommy... I am greedy for love." The response was random and ridiculous! Amelia chuckled at the remark, stroking her fingers through her silver hair. "Heh, that's not entirely bad, though. You will understand in due time." Aisha nodded her head. The next question Aisha asked surprised her.

"Why are you still young?"

"Oh? Did you notice? Let's just say... I used to be powerful. Due to certain circumstances, I am the way I am now." Aisha did not understand the laws or rules of the ranking system just yet. She just said, "Ah." The next question startled Amelia.

"Did you love daddy? Do you still love him?" There was silence. The truth was, she never loved the man. She wanted kids though, and a man could only fulfill said desires. There were other ways to go about it, but she wanted it to be naturally. Even though she was into women, she could not make babies with them. Besides, the girls she loved were out of her league. She was with them till that incident. There were other reasons as well... She chuckled lightly, tears streaming down her face. Ah. Amelia was trying to forget them. She loved them. She never wanted to part ways with them. Her emotions were getting the best of her, and she could not stop the tears leaking from her sockets. Aisha knew her mother was in pain. Closing the distance, Aisha hugged her. She then ushered out words of comfort.

"I love you, mommy..."

"I-I... love you too." Despite her past relationships and desires for those two, she had no regrets. She wanted a family. She had her kids. At least, she could love them, unlike the man that had changed. She loved Eadric's previous self, but this sudden change killed her affection. Even if she voiced her concerns, he could surely threaten in some way. She could do something, but at that time, she wanted to support her children. Amelia wanted Aisha to become the woman she wanted to be.

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Years passed by ever since that event. Aisha was becoming a young beauty. Even at the age of thirteen, many nobles wanted her hand in marriage. Of course, Eadric was glad at these results. Amelia, on the other hand, disliked it. One day, a group of Black Knights appeared before them. Eadric hired many soldiers into his domain, most ranging from rank ten to thirteen. The ranking system in this world could be viewed as a feudal system. The higher one's rank was, the higher their status was in life. This could be very beneficial for certain things like politics, military, or social means.

The knights before him were rank nine. In his eyes, they were weaklings. However, this was false. These knights before them were not weak. Most people within this world would not understand the value of these dark-armored knights. Amelia immediately knew how strong these guys were. Hell, several factors piqued her interest. For starters, Black Knights usually worked in small groups. This group had thirteen of them. These warriors were deadly due to their special perk. Right then, Eadric's entire army would not be able to win against them. Secondly, this group of Black Knights had high-ranking armor. Due to her experience, Amelia had acquired valuable information about these particular knights. Her thoughts were interrupted by her husband. Eadric did not know their history due to his insults towards them. He was planning to dismiss them. Interjecting the man, Amelia poke and surprised many within the court at that time. "I will hire you for your services. You will guard my daughter, Aisha. I will provide details later in my quarters." Of course, Eadric was confused as to why she decided to speak. The man would have denied it, but this was his wife's decision. She barely asked for things, so he let it go. Besides, in his mind, they were pretty weak. Even if Amelia used them to guard Aisha, they wouldn't be able to do much. Leading the knights, Amelia said this towards their leader with the red cape. "Nero, I am glad you came here." She was informed about the leader's name before their meeting.

"I am surprised YOU spoke out to us. The guards told us you would not state anything during our confrontation with the king. I can only assume one thing. You know about our history and us." His tone dropped to a hush, making sure no one else was tuning in on their conversation. 

"Speak no more," Amelia warned. "I shall discuss the details in private with you lot." They were in earshot of the other knights Eadric enlisted. They remained silent until their presence was gone. 

The Black Knights noticed a subtle change. The guards that were stationed in the main hallways and rooms changed into maids. Many of them. The maids walked around the place, cleaning, dusting, doing household chores. They looked like they were patrolling the perimeter. A maid pushed the door open to Amelia's room. After they had entered, the door closed behind them.

"Now... we can talk in private. Do not worry, the maids are under my command. Whatever we discuss will be away from that idiot's ears. Let's get started... I know about your group. The Black Knights..."

A few days after Amelia discussed their roles, she watched the Black Knights play with Aisha. The young girl enjoyed their company. Amelia smiled at her own daughter's happiness from her chair. She watched them fool around in the grass, rolling about. Out of everyone within this settlement, these Black Knights were strong. Stronger than her husband. The reason why their rank wasn't true was due to their need for secrecy. Their rank nine status was an alibi. They were using a perk to deceive everyone. Almost everyone. They also suppressed their powers. The queen just sighed silently. She could easily recall her past where she fought against some of these knights. It was a harsh fight. She stopped herself. She frowned at the old memories that slowly crept up on her again. She should forget about them, yet she knew she couldn't.

"Your Highness, are you alright?" A young woman wearing a black and white maid uniform stood in front of her. She had her hair tied up in a ponytail. She was one of her private soldiers from way back then. She asked these female warriors to become her maids. Amelia sighed to herself, looking out the window again. "I do not know. I barely show my face around my children. I selfishly did what I wanted to do, but I still feel empty. I can only lie and be silent about all of this. I even had to ask you guys to come here and work for me. Some of you have been treated harshly by my guests, my sons, daughters, and even the guards..."

"Don't worry. We can handle the stupid abuse from those morons. This is nothing compared to back then." The maid assured, "Although... why Aisha? Out of anyone, why her? You seem fixated on her. You always watch over her. I mean, of course you care about your offsprings! But Aisha..."

"I guess... it's because of a certain incident from my past. She reminds me of myself when I was young. You know, I ran away from my old noble family way back then. I loathed their ideals. I hated their mindsets. They never loved me. I got fed up with it and ran away. They even forced an arranged marriage onto me. I got sick of them and wanted out. They sent a lot of guards after me. I was running for my life almost every day once I left that cage. One day, I was cornered, though. They were going to drag me back towards the damn place until two girls came out of nowhere. At that moment, my life changed drastically..." She bit her lower lip, repressing the memories from the past. Amelia remained silent, halting her story. 

"I see. Even though Eadric is forcing arranged marriages on her, I am glad she is denying them."

"Eadric knows well I would not allow such things to happen. Besides, I made him a deal. In a few years, once Aisha hits twenty-one, I will call a genius over to one of our banquets." The term genius is a huge deal in this world. The maid wasn't surprised, though. She knew who this genius was. Yet the maid made a frown, asking out of concern, "Are you okay with this? I thought you..." 

"I know I never wanted to see them again." Amelia closed her eyes, "But I am going to gamble on something." The maid tilted her head, confused about the queen's scheme. She did not finish her explanation, concluding her statement.

"Such a tease. Not even telling me about what might happen..."

"Says the maid flirting with Nero." Amelia knew that the Black Knight leader, Nero, and this maid, Mel, were spending time with each other. They had been close. The dark-haired maid quickly raised the tray, hiding her cheeks. "I-I am not!"

"Yes, you are." Amelia sipped her tea, "But enjoy it." 

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As the years fly by, Amelia watched her children grow. She kept a close eye on Aisha, though. Even though several daughters were trained for combat, Aisha was denied any kind of combat experience from her father. Or more like, she was denied any sort of freedom away from the settlement. Eadric would change his mind if she agreed to any of the arranged marriage proposals he offered her. It was obvious this was a cheap tactic to keep her locked up. Of course, Aisha turned her gaze towards Amelia, her own mother. She was asking for help. Amelia said nothing, closing her own eyes. Aisha just left the court, frustrated at her parents. Amelia knew Eadric would be stubborn. If the queen spoke out and asked him to let Aisha do as she pleased, he would arrange assaults and schemes against her.

This happened when one of the nobles kidnapped Aisha on her trip to the store. He was going to rape her until Titan, one of the Black Knights quickly found her. Of course, he did not tell who was the mastermind. Yet his eyes locked onto Eadric. The man had a frown on his face, but Amelia could only assume he placed the man up to it. After that incident, Titan became Aisha's bodyguard whenever she went outside. No other incident happened from there on out, but if Aisha left this domain, he might try something again. Talking with Nero and Mel, Amelia told them to train Aisha instead. This did not create any issues with Eadric. He just let Aisha do whatever and saw her as a tool no matter what. 

After the party was done, they all retreated to their quarters. Amelia released a restless sigh. She laid on top of her bed, hugging a pillow. Soon, very soon, her old friends would be visiting them. It would be a huge uproar. Geniuses were a huge deal. They had done such a grand feat to make themselves known far and wide. Hopefully, they could save Aisha from this caged life. Maybe all of her daughters and sons from this stupid bastard of a father.

Her two friends from way back then. They both became geniuses, yet she was cursed. She grasped the pillow tightly to her, crying as she remembered the painful events from her past. But she also knew she was going to do something inhumane to her daughter.

She wanted her daughter to become the first being in thousands of years to obtain forgotten magic. 

Chaos magic.

She knew what she planned to do would create many issues. 

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