SELPHYNA KELTHYRA:

Resting on the vine-covered stone parapet with my left hand, I observed my daughter’s training from above as she attempted to defeat her father with Alexander’s help. They’d been at it for weeks with little to no progress. Unsurprising, considering Elwyn wasn’t going to let them win. However, I had to admire their tenacity as no amount of beating slowed them down.

Each day my husband gave them an hour to defeat him under the conditions that if they failed, they’d fight each other afterward. Elwyn limited himself by refraining from using any spells and even sticking to a wooden sword while they could use whatever weapon they chose, not that it made a difference.

Knowing they were going to lose, he expected at least one of them to hold back a bit to preserve energy for their inevitable duel; however, they didn’t show a hint of hesitation to use up everything they had. He even tried including punishments for whoever lost their one-on-one fight, but nothing changed.

Alice consistently outmatched Alexander, but both saw massive improvements. His fighting style and fluidity resembled a true swordsman after adjusting what he had already learned back home, thanks to his relentless desire to get stronger and quick thinking. Meanwhile, Alice sharpened her fighting sense after dealing with Alexander’s cunning tactics, which enabled her to avoid falling for his tricks and even come up with a few of her own.

“Dammit!” Alice yelled as her butt hit the ground, marking yet another defeat for the duo. “Alex, you okay?”

Alex laid on his back, holding his chest while struggling to catch a breath.

“I’m alive,” he mumbled, glancing over at Alice. “Tell me you at least saw an opening.”

Alice shook her head before looking down in defeat, but a shy smile still showed.

Another full moon was nearly upon us as almost a month had passed since the Moonshine Festival, and I believed that it was finally time for Alexander and me to have a little chat in private.

“How come you’re not asking us to fight?” I overheard Alexander ask after stepping onto the training grounds.

I leaned against the back wall so as to not draw attention.

“Can you even fight?” Alice teased.

“Don’t want to hear it from someone who can’t stand back up.”

“I can!” Alice placed her hands to the side, trying to push herself up. However, upon realizing she couldn’t, she turned to Alex and said confidently, “I just don’t want to. . .”

“Maybe I should have you two fight now, seeing as you have enough energy to taunt each other.” My husband chuckled, glancing back at me while the two weren’t looking. “But more importantly, has my beautiful wife come to see me?”

“Mom!” Alice smiled, surprised to see me dropping by.

Being the queen meant I had to attend meetings, look at petitions, and deal with countless other affairs, so her reaction wasn’t unusual.

“Hello, sweetie.” Looking at my daughter’s smile always brightened my day, which is why I loved whenever she stormed into my office despite being told not to. Alexander struggled to get up as my gaze shifted to him. It was evident my husband took his training too far at times. “Alex, would you mind coming with me? I have something I’d like to discuss back in my office.”

“Is everything okay?” Alice asked.

“There’s nothing to worry about,” I reassured her. “Don’t worry. He’ll be back before you know it.”

“Mom. . .” It was cute seeing her flustered.

“Go on, Alex,” Elwyn said. “We’ll wait for you here.”

Alexander nodded, forcing himself back on his feet. We strolled back to my office, and I could tell his curiosity was piqued, but he refrained from asking questions.

“Do you know what I want to talk to you about?” I asked, curious as to what he thought.

“Honestly? I have no clue.”

“Not going to try and guess?” I leaned against the desk.

“If it’s true that everything’s fine, then the only thing coming to mind is perhaps the upcoming full moon?”

“Not a bad guess, but no. You’ll be having that discussion with my husband.”

“Then I’m truly at a loss.” He chuckled, scratching his head.

“Well. . . I wanted us to discuss your future.”

“Pardon?” He asked, looking confused.

“Do you remember the first time we called you over to discuss your gift, right before you started regularly training with Alice?”

“If I remember right, that was when you told me that you knew about my sealed core.”

“Yes, but do you know how we knew?”

“No.” He looked to the ground. “If I’m being honest, I’m not exactly sure how the old man that helped me form a frozen core figured it out either.”

“There are many mysteries surrounding the man you described, but that’s not as important as what I’m about to explain. So listen carefully, okay?” He nodded, paying close attention to what I was about to say. “Thanks to the frozen mana core, detecting your sealed gift became much easier for us elves as we can perceive changes to mana flow due to our mastery over mana breathing. However, what’s important right now is that over the last two months, the seal has significantly weakened, and soon anyone using divination magic will be able to tell that you have two cores.”

“Does that mean that it’s about to break?”

“It’s hard to tell since it heavily depends on the intensity of your training and other outside factors.” I wondered if he’d seek trouble had I told him that life-threatening combat was the best way for him to experience growth and break the seal. Though, it was probably for the best that I didn’t. “Just continue training diligently, and it’ll happen naturally. Don’t rush things.”

“I won’t,” he reassured me. “However, I assume you wanted to talk about the fact that everyone will soon know about my cores?”

“Yes. If people learn of your gift, you’ll find yourself drawing unwanted attention in more ways than one. Sadly, it was unavoidable that the elders find out the truth, but we must prevent that from happening in the future. At least until you’re capable of protecting yourself.”

“Thank you,” he mumbled, looking to the ground. “Thank you for doing so much for me. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t aware of how much trouble I must’ve caused you by staying here and accepting your husband’s training. I’m sure the elders must be delighted to see me hanging around the palace. I asked myself many times if it was truly okay for me to stay, and I knew the answer was probably not, yet I stayed anyway.”

He paused.

“Alex-”

“But I don’t regret making that decision.” It was the first time since he met me that he interrupted me. “There are endless things I’m grateful for, so I wanted to thank you. Originally I wanted to apologize for troubling you, but then I realized it might sound insulting. So, thank you for going along with my selfishness.”

Once he was done, I cleared my throat and sighed before finding myself showing him a soft smile. Pushing off against the table, I slowly got close to him and placed my hand on his shoulder.

“Who told you to worry about such silly things?” I chuckled, shaking my head in disbelief after learning such thoughts had dwelled in his mind. “We invited you because we wanted you to stay, and you shouldn’t have to worry if you’re wanted or not in the first place. Those that can’t deal with it should find somewhere else to live as Thysa is not the right place for them. Got it?”

Alex laughed and finally looked up again with squinting eyes caused by a wide genuine smile.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

“It seems I’ve said something unnecessary,” he whispered. “But I’m glad I got to say it anyway.”

“Yeah, well. . . Don’t let me catch you thinking about it again.” I let go of his shoulder and walked back to my desk. “Anyway, back to the topic.”

“Right. . .” Alexander said, regaining focus. “Is there a way to prevent people from finding out about my second core?”

“Luckily for you, there is.” Gazing into his eyes, I crossed my arms and thought about how it would affect him one last time, but ultimately it was his choice. “Alex. I’m sure Alice didn’t tell you this, but same as my brother, I awakened a divination gift. However, they’re fundamentally different. While he can foresee a potential future, my gift works as anti-divination.”

“Anti-divination?” He was confused, which was expected.

“Divination magic allows many things, but they mostly revolve around perceiving reality through mana, meaning your Mana Sense is a form of divination. Now I won’t be explaining to you how my gift works, but what’s important is that it can allow me to hide your core from others.”

“Wow? That’s convenient.”

“You could call it luck or fate, but it doesn’t change the fact that I can help.”

“Is. . . there a catch?”

“Sadly, it’s not perfect. If I were to use my gift and hide yours, then awakening it might become harder as your perception of it would weaken as well, and it’s not a permanent solution since the effect won’t last longer than a year.”

“Could you perhaps hide my frozen core instead?”

“Yes, but you’ll likely lose some control over your mana until you’re used to sensing it again, which brings me to the next issue. It won’t work against someone like that old man who did what was considered nearly impossible, so it’s not as if it’s completely hidden.”

“What about those like the elders?”

“Within Thysa, there would be at most three that could sense your core, four if I told my husband to try and sense for it.”

“That beats everyone knowing.” He paused for a second, glancing at the floor and then back at me. It was inspiring to see the determination in his eyes. “Let’s do it.”

“While I’m happy to see you confidently making choices, you should think about this until tomorrow at the very least. Choosing between concealing your frozen mana core or solid core will heavily impact how you progress in the future, and there’s always an option of not going through with it either since your progress will slow down.”

“Alright, I’ll think about it, but I’m confident I’ll be making the same choice.”

“I’ll trust your judgment, but let’s give it until tomorrow,” I said, glancing at the window. “Anyway, I’ve kept you away from training long enough. I’m sure Alice and my husband are eagerly awaiting your return.”

“Is it fine if I tell Alice about this?”

“I’d expect nothing less.” I smiled. “Now go before they blame me for keeping you here all day.”

“Thank you.” He chuckled, slowly exiting the office.

As the door closed behind him, I sat back in my chair and glanced over at the paperwork that still needed to be done today. A sigh escaped me as I tilted my head back and closed my eyes for just a second, but my hope of having a moment to myself was quickly shattered as someone knocked on the door.

“Who is it?” I asked, knowing it couldn’t be Alice or Elwyn since they never knock, and I wasn’t lucky enough for it to be Alexander forgetting something.

“It’s me,” said a disembodied voice of my old-time friend.

“Come in. . .” I mumbled, refusing to sit up straight after finding out it was him.

Orist entered the room, tying up his long black hair into a ponytail. He was a friend I met about sixty years ago while traveling to Vinilada, a neighboring elven kingdom.

“You look exhausted,” he commented, sitting by the window.

“I am, but more importantly, were you spotted?”

“Aren’t you underestimating me now?” He chuckled, reassuring me that he was successful.

Orist was a dark elf, an elven subrace with a darker complexion and a unique talent for stealth. He defined elven beauty and grace, making him a highly wanted man, especially for those that loved amber eyes. It didn’t help that his lack of formality with me pissed my husband off, but I made sure that there was never a reason for him to worry.

I got back up on my feet and stretched my arms, regaining my composure. “Need I remind you why you’re here?”

“No, no. . . I got it.” He chuckled, crossing his arms while looking out the window. “I’m done with my task.”

“How many were there?”

“Seven.”

“And you’ve taken care of all of them?”

“You’d be surprised how easy it was.” He smugly looked back at me.

“To be fair, they didn’t expect a master assassin going around charming them.”

“First rule as a spy, expect the unexpected. The elders of Thysa have proved to be quite inept, but I still don’t understand why seven spies were needed to watch over one human kid.”

I was surprised he couldn’t tell, giving me hope that others might not find out either.

“That shouldn’t concern you,” I warned him, knowing how much he loved snooping around.

“Relax. . .” He chuckled, brushing off my warning as a joke. “Besides, I’m already helping him.”

Orist didn’t align himself with anyone, but he accepted my requests without exception as I saved his life during a war against humans many years ago. It wouldn’t have surprised me if he refused to help, considering how much he hated humans for what they’d done to him.

“You’ve made sure that the charm doesn’t raise their suspicion?”

“Just as you instructed.” He sighed, looking back at me. “However, I don’t get it. Why don’t you just deal with them straight away? Why let them plot in the first place?”

“Because I’m not a tyrant. Strictly speaking, other than being rebellious at meetings and attempting to push marriage onto my daughter, they haven’t done anything yet.”

“Aymon, was it? Quite the talent.”

“I won’t lie. Aymon would be a good political choice, and his bloodline is strong, but Alice isn’t interested at all. And after the stunt the two pulled off, I’m confident she’d never marry him.”

“Heard it caused some discord?”

“Nothing I can do about that. It’s something my daughter needs to overcome by herself. How’d you react if your mother went over to your friends and told them to be friends with you?”

“I don’t have a mother nor more than one or two friends.” He chuckled.

“Of course that’s how you answer.” I sighed.

“So, what about that kid? Seems like he’s awfully close with the Princess.”

“Alice and Alexander getting married?” I paused for a second. It wasn’t as if I hadn’t thought about it before. “I wouldn’t be opposed to it. Politically speaking, he belongs to a powerful noble family that would help strengthen our bond with Eleron. His talent and bloodline check out as my husband picked him up as a student. And most importantly, they get along beyond what I’d call simple friendship.”

“Sounds like you have a high opinion of him.”

“I do, and I think he makes up for Alice’s weaknesses. He’s honorable and kind while proving to be coolheaded and strategic in his thinking. There’s also the fact that my daughter hasn’t stopped genuinely smiling since they returned together, something I was worried wouldn’t happen for a long time.”

“You’ve obviously made your pick, so why not propose it to them?” He teased before turning serious. “Or is it that you remembered that he is human.”

“Not all of us hate them, Orist.”

“And what does your husband think?”

“That’s none of your concern,” I warned him, displeased by his tone. “Your job is clear, so enough talk about my daughter and her potential future partners, regardless of who it might be. It’s her choice anyway.”

“Fine. However, I still don’t get why you don’t stop the elders from plotting before it escalates.”

“Orist, tell me. Do you believe their families have greater influence than I do?”

“You’re loved by your people and the outside world, so no. . .”

“And do you think that they together have stronger military might?”

“Why are you asking me this?” He looked confused.

“Just answer my question.”

“Of course not.” He sighed. “Even if all the elders got together, between the royal army, your husband and you, they stand no chance.”

“Right?” I looked up at the ceiling. “Without either of those, what are their odds of overthrowing me if that’s what they truly wanted?”

“Unless they assassinated you, which is impossible. . . None.”

I looked back at him. “That’s why they’re only pressuring us to secure a marriage.”

“That’s it?” He looked surprised, finding it simpler than he initially thought it was.

“No.”

“Huh?” He scratched his head. “But you just said-”

“Or at least it’s likely not as simple as that.”

“You’ve lost me.”

“Their moves are too bold, so they must have other goals in mind.”

“So. . . why not deal with it now?”

“Because if I’m right, then something is giving them the confidence that they stand a chance, which is why I wanted your help in the first place. We must find out what that something might be, or many will die needless deaths, and if I’m wrong, then it doesn’t matter in the end.”

“This all sounds like a lot of speculation. Do you have any proof?”

“Intuition.”

“Okay, now you’re just messing with me.”

“Believe what you will, but trouble brews in Eleron and Thysa. There are other places too. Something’s not right, and I won’t wait to find out what. Now, are you in or out?”

"Fine, but you got two more favors afterward and then I'm done."

“Deal.”

Chapter End.

Thank you for reading.