A knight charged at Kurai, a seemingly reckless charge. Just as he was about to reach Kurai, Kesshō’s eyes caught something shine in the knight’s hand, her eyes widening at the sight. He thrust the knife straight at Kurai’s heart. Kesshō’s breath stuck in her throat at that moment as the knife closed in on Kurai. Kurai easily sidestepped it, twisted the knight’s wrist and flung him over a nearby fountain to land in a bush.

Two other knights rushed to Kurai at the same time. Kurai stepped towards one of them and sidestepped at the last second as that knight tried punching him. Missing Kurai the knight staggered forwards, losing his balance. The second knight swung his arm at Kurai. Kurai grabbed his hand yanked him towards the other knight with all his force, pushing the knight's head down. The two knights crashed into each other head on and knocked each other out, a loud sound ringing through the area from their helmets colliding.

The remaining three surrounded Kurai, all three of them charging at him at the same time. The two to his sides planning to hold him and the one in front preparing to knock him out with a punch. Just as the two to Kurai’s side came close to hold him he jumped in the air and shot out both his legs, hitting both the guards on their chestplate. The two of them staggered backwards, the breath knocked out of their lungs, causing the last one to halt, which is where he made the mistake.

Kurai was defenseless just when he landed, but now, regaining his footing he charged straight towards the remaining knight. Punching him in the stomach, Kurai stepped to the man’s side and grabbing him by the side flung him in the air. The man landed on his back and writhed in pain.

The two knights which Kurai kicked on their chestplate were now back up and approaching him from behind. He sidestepped as one of them punched him, grabbing his hand and swinging him around towards the other knight. The two crashed into each other, rolling on to the ground. The both of them were knocked out from the blow, their heads having collided into each other.

Kurai signaled Kesshō over and she ran to him, stepping around the bodies that lay in the garden. A hand grabbed her leg just as she neared Kurai, causing her to fall. The knight Kurai had punched in the stomach was still conscious, having been waiting for the opportunity. Before Kesshō could call out for help or do anything a kick to the face knocked the knight out for good, blood spraying from his mouth to the side. Kurai helped her up and lead her towards the general.

“I completed the assignment,” He panted, trying to catch his breath.

“Very good," General Fletcher congratulated, reaching his hand towards Kesshō.

Without warning Kurai grabbed the general by his hand and flung him over Kesshō. Unlike the other knights, he landed on his feet, facing the opposite way, smiling wryly at Kurai as he turned his head sideways.

“You have passed, collect your equipment from the weaponry after escorting the queen to her room. You are to keep watch on her at all times. Be wary of anyone that nears her, just as you did.” General Fletcher ordered walking away into the building.

Grabbing Kesshō by her hand he led her to her room. She wasn’t sure he knew the directions to Kesshō’s room as he led her in an entirely different direction and a floor above. The two reached the room after a while, Kesshō still being certain it wasn’t her room, but the key Kurai used opened the door and he gestured her to go first.

“Stay." He ordered her in a call voice before closing the door.

She looked around, confused at her surroundings. This wasn’t her room, but the room of a real queen. The walls weren’t rotting, they were painted a light pink with a blue butterfly pattern all over them, a window placed on one of the walls, looking over the gardens. Her room didn't have any windows, or any sort of decorated walls.

There were two curtains, one on either side of the window, currently tied on the sides to let the light enter the room. A bed was placed in one corner of the room, near the window. The wood of the bed frame appeared to have been polished, and the bedsheets white as clouds, with two pillows placed on top of it, and it seemed to be very soft, not like she planned on testing her assumption.

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A table with multiple drawers was placed at the other side of the room, a large mirror installed in the center of the large table, directly above a gap, a stool sitting quietly in the gap. She remembered the table from the morning when the maids dressed her. They seated her on a similar table to groom her hair.

Despite what the king said earlier, and the fact that Kurai’s key unlocked the door, she still found it very hard to believe that this could be her new room. Not wanting to anger whosever room this was, she sat in a dark corner of the room by the door, the only thing around there being a lamp. She tucked her legs close to her body and rested her head on them, falling asleep before she even knew it.

When she woke up she found herself on the bed, the light of the moon shining on her through the window. As she looked around she spotted Kurai’s figure, sitting at the table with the mirror. The bed was comfortable and seemed like it didn’t want her to go, but she still got up and walked over to Kurai.

He seemed to be asleep, his head resting on his hands which were crossed to act as a pillow. She knew he would be tired after all the fighting and so she decided to leave him alone. Walking to the window she looked out into the night, a cold breeze hitting her face as she slowly pushed the windows open.

The full moon illuminated the surroundings, the trees and plants waving slightly as in the gentle, cold breeze. She saw guards walking around carrying lanterns every now and then, but other than them there didn't seem to be anything happening. She caught a glimpse of movement in the dark once, but discarded it as her imagination or a small animal.

With nothing worth seeing she turned to go back to sleep. Just as she turned she saw a shadow rising on the bed as something climbed the window. She turned around to see who it was but the person already stood near her. Closing her mouth with one hand the person turned Kesshō away before she could get a clear look at them or shout.

“Nothing to worry about, I am not here to harm you," A girl’s voice reassured. The voice was disarming and Kesshō decided against impaling the girl with her tails, which were already slipping out of from under her dress to do so. She ordered them to retreat and they retracted back into her clothes, disappearing out of sight before the girl could notice them.

Suddenly the hand over Kesshō’s mouth snapped away, causing her to stumble slightly to the side.She turned around to see Kurai holding the girl by her throat and her struggling under the force. She quickly pulled her hood down, being released the instant Kurai noticed her face. He grabbed her by her shoulders, examining her for injuries.

“Why hurt me in the first place?” She complained while rubbing her neck.

The girl possessed hair white as snow and eyes the same as Kurai’s in color, there did happen to be a major difference however. Each of her eye contained a light blue snowflake shape in them, the corners of the snowflake touching the edges of her irises. She wore an outfit black as the night, itself to conceal herself in the darkness. She looked slightly younger than Kurai and a bit shorter than him, but still much older and taller than Kesshō.

“What are you doing here? At this time even more so," He questioned her.

“At what other time will I have the highest chances of sneaking in without being noticed?” She replied matter-of-factly.

“Why are you here then?”

“right, about that. I was told to inform you that the king is planning on completely destroying our village, and many around it. They wanted you to return if you can," She explained, a tinge of sadness in her voice.

“I also needed to tell you something,” Kesshō informed, tugging on Kurai’s arm as she remembered the matter.

“She talks?!” The girl exclaimed, not loud enough to alert anyone, but still enough to display her shock.

“Yuki, that’s rude,” Kurai sighed, pulling on the girl’s ear. She rubbed at her ear as soon as he let go and bowed an apology.

“The king told me that I am ready to be the queen now, I thought I should tell you this but forgot to before,” Kesshō informed the two.

The both of them exchanged worried looks and then drifted into deep thought. "Seems like it’s decided then. Tell everyone I am going to be returning soon, with someone. I will make some preparations to bring that someone till then,” He ordered, turning to Yuki.

“Right away.” She smirked jumping on to the window. “Maybe I will tell them to prepare for a party to welcome your princess.” She chuckled mischievously before jumping off.

Kurai sighed before sitting back on the stool, preparing to sleep. “You should sleep as well," He mumbled to Kessho.

She nodded once and went back to sleep, though it took a while for her to fall back to sleep, a strange feeling of dread clawing at her heart again.