--- Elise

The two guests entered the house, and started looking around.

"Who's that boy?" inquired the armoured man. "Your fiancee, by any chance?"

"He is a good friend of mine, sir," replied Elise, blushing. "Recently, this village was attacked. He risked his life to protect me and this place."

"A warrior, then? He looks so young..." commented the stranger. "I spoke without thinking. My apologies, My Lady."

The girl was a little pissed to hear that kind of mockery, but didn't want to argue and let it slip.

"Behave, Cremont. Please," said the other traveler, who seemed better with words. "He didn't mean any harm, My Lady. He is just-"

"What's with you two?" huffed Elise. "Drop this My Lady thing at once. I don't like to be made fun of."

They stepped back and bowed respectfully.

"We are sorry, My... Miss," went on the man with the blue robe. "We should first explain why we came, perhaps."

"With him here?" said the other, pointing at Roric. "Our mission must remain a secret, you are well aware of it."

Elise glanced at her friend. He was still sitting there, with his eyes closed, without showing any sign of being awake. That taken into account, she knew him too well to assume that he was just pretending to sleep.

How dare these two to speak of him so lightly? I'd like to kick them out but... They seem important people. Why are they looking for a nobody like me? And first of all, why do they even know me?

That being said, she also needed to remind them that they couldn't do as they pleased in her house.

"You two are my guests, strangers. I know we are just simple villagers, but you can't simply come here and request something like that," she pointed out. "If my friend can't stay, then our conversation is over."

The travelers exchanged a look. Then, the one who was actually good at talking replied.

"If that's your will. Now, will you listen to what we have to say?"

"Go on," said the girl.

"We came to these mountains because of a letter. Sent by a man named Dominic, who was on the verge of death. It was addressed to the attention of your good father-"

"So he knew!" yelled Elise. "He is alive? Where? Who is he?"

"I'll answer all your questions one at a time," continued the man. "But first, what do you know about this Dominic? What did he tell you?"

Elise struggled to think. She went through the memories of her with the old man, painfully.

"He was... My guardian. A person asked by my father to take care of me in his place. He brought me here, to this village, and didn't want me to get too attached to its folks once I got older."

The robed guest nodded gravely.

"How typical of Dominic. He was good at hiding truths. It must have been so-"

"Wait," the girl stepped in. "You speak as if you knew him very well."

"He used to fill my role, fourteen years ago. My predecessor."

His predecessor? That old man?

She gulped. Somehow, she was scared to ask.

"And... And what's your role, if I may?"

The man cleared his throat.

"My name is Andrew Virgil, ambassador of the kingdom of Cassidia, in the South. I answer directly to King Sebastian, your noble father."

"Her what?" shouted Roric, standing up with a shocked look on his face.

"A... A king?" babbled Elise. "No, there.... There must be a mistake."

"We are sorry, Your Highness," said the armoured man. "But there's no mistake. You are most certainly the lost daughter of our beloved ruler."

The girl held her breath, stumbling across the main room in disbelief. Roric rushed at her side, and this time he was the one who was helping someone stand. When she was finally able to talk back, she turned towards her two guests once again.

"And... Who might you be?" she asked, addressing the bearded stranger.

The armoured man instantly gave her a military salute.

"General Hector Cremont, Grandmaster of the knights of Cassidia, loyal servant of your father, King Sebastian!" he announced, like he was talking to someone much more important than him. "My life for yours, Princess Elise."

Oh, yes. This is definitely a joke.

"I realize that it might be a little sudden-" started Virgil.

"A little? You barge into my house, tell me that I am a princess and that my father is the king of a distant land? How am I supposed to take that?"

"My apologies, Your Highness."

"Stop calling me that!"

"We can't. The secrecy of our mission allowed us to dare addressing you as Our Lady, but we would be impolite to call a member of Cassidia's royalty by her first name..."

"Fine! Do as you want then!" roared Elise, trying to calm down. "A princess. Me? And Dominic knew?"

The guests took a seat at the table. General Cremont gave Roric a quick suspicious look and proceeded to explain.

"Dominic... Well, Lord Dominic, like we used to call him, was an ambassador at court many years ago, like my colleague just told you. Those years, however, weren't peaceful at all. Despite Cassidia being a powerful kingdom that nobody dared to challenge, since the last war against the Republic there were still those who conspired against your noble father."

Helped by her friend, Elise sat as well. Roric chose to stay at her side, despite the hostile glances of the armoured man.

"You were just born when a team of assassins killed your mother. King Sebastian, being a highly spirited man, was so angry he wouldn't even listen to his advisors and opted for the most radical solution he could think of... He asked a man he trusted blindly to grab you and hide far, far away from Cassidia. He then proceeded to destroy the rebel faction, but at that point there was nothing he could do to find Dominic or make him know that the danger had passed. His rage faded, and he realized how much of a mistake his move was, on the long run."

"This King Sebastian seems very impulsive," commented Roric.

"How dare you? Someone of low born like-"

"General," intervened the ambassador. "The princess asked you to show respect to this young man."

Cremont got a hold of himself and went on.

"His Highness sent his knights out many times... To no avail," he said. "Dominic was a cunning man, one of the best we had in Cassidia. He knew these lands so well that he disappeared in the matter of weeks."

"So..." asked Elise. "That was the kind of promise he had made. And it also explains why he always feared me finding a man."

"He must have been in a difficult spot," explained Virgil. "Being the guardian of a young girl whose identity had to remain a secret. I'm sure he struggled to figure out what to do once you had grown up, Your Highness."

Your Highness.

Those words hurt like spikes inside the girl's heart.

"He raised me only because it was his duty, then?"

"We can't say it for sure..." answered the ambassador. "But he sacrificed fourteen years of his life for that. Talking about committment."

Fourteen years... All for me.

"Yeah, he was really suspicious of strangers, as well," she said, pushing the tears back. "Even Roric, who had just saved me when I was in danger."

The general took the word once again, while the other noticeably shivered when she said she had been in danger. Their king must have put a huge responsibility on their shoulders.

"There were... Still some people who knew of your existence. If they had somehow discovered that Dominic was in this valley, a single glance would have been enough to assume you were... Well, you, Your Highness."

"Drop that. I really mean it. It makes me at unease. Anyway, what about my looks? I always thought I looked... Like a normal girl, I guess?"

"I'm sorry, Your... Miss," the general quickly corrected himself. "But even a fool would notice those eyes. They are green and charming, to the point that they almost seem unnatural."

"Really?" wondered Elise. "Roric, did I seem unnatural to you?"

"No..." replied the boy. "But I have to say that your eyes are peculiar. I saw something similar in the Republic, maybe, but..."

"It's not the same," explained Virgil. "Common people can have green eyes as well, but a colour so intense can only be found in those who are from the lineage of Lanis."

"Lanis?" suddenly asked Roric, "I've heard the name before."

"King Lanis, to be precise. He founded the city of Cassidia, five hundred years ago," answered the ambassador. "He was son to Lynn, the brave man who united the lands of the South. Their descendants still bear his name. Like Your... Our miss here, whose complete name would be Elise Lynn Sebastiana of Cassidia."

Elise reacted to that name with a shiver, like it belonged to someone else. It sounded archaic and powerful, fit for someone who was supposed to have a life much different from hers. There were, however, still more things she wanted to ask about her late guardian.

When he died, he made me promise to take care of my people. Now I realize what he really meant. Yet...

"Tell me, ambassador," she said. "Dominic didn't want me to get involved too much with the village. Was it because he feared that someone would have found out about me eventually?"

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

Virgil thought about it for a bit, then he replied, "He probably didn't want you to express any form of dangerous leadership. Those of your lineage are naturally gifted at leading others, and with the right teachers... Why do you ask, miss?"

"Nothing. I just wanted to be sure of something."

A discomforting silence filled the room. Suddenly, Elise wasn't so sure of what to say. The first one to break the atmosphere was General Cremont.

"So, without further ado," he announced. "Ambassador, our mission."

"Right," nodded the other man. "We came here to bring you back to Cassidia and to your father. We are leaving as soon as you are ready."

Elise felt a lump in her throat. She turned to face Roric, but the boy just shook his head.

I should have known they were tasked with taking me away from Fradot, after all... But how can I leave? There's still so much I need to do. So much I have to apologize for...

"The people of this village," she admitted. "I led them into a dangerous situation and caused them harm recently. I have been reckless and believed I could solve things by forcing them to fight some bandits, even if they weren't fit for that battle."

The guests listened to her intently.

"I have to give them something in return. Nothing will ever be enough to fill the place of the loved ones they have just lost, but it's my responsibility. I'm sure you two will understand, holding such important roles yourselves."

"Even a princess can be mistaken, miss," replied the ambassador. "As I said, your father is a brilliant yet spirited man. In your place, he would feel remorseful just like you are. Allow me to repeat myself by saying that even a fool would tell that you are his daughter."

"That's not the point," insisted the girl. "Before we go, I'll promise everyone in Fradot that I'll try to amend for my sins once I get to this Cassidia. I don't care if it's what a king or princess would do. I'm just someone who loves her own people."

Dominic meant the people of Cassidia, I'm sure of it now. But it doesn't mean I can't care about the folks of this village too. They have been my family much more than my father ever was.

"We'll wait until you are done, miss." Virgil bowed in respect. "But then we'll have to hurry. Your father might get impatient if we are late."

Elise smiled with satisfaction. She instinctively searched for her friend's approval, but the boy had suddenly turned away from her.

"Roric?"

"So... You are leaving, huh?"

"What are you talking about?" she wondered. "I was about to ask if you wanted to come with me."

Roric looked at her, once again in disbelief.

"Even if... Even if I'm just me?"

"You are the most precious person I have," said the girl, fighting to hide the embarassment. "It's only natural that I want you by my side when we go to Cassidia, right?"

"Yes!" yelled the boy, suddenly lowering his voice. "But... Will your friends here be alright about it?"

"Princess," the general addressed her. "It's better if the boy remains here. There's little place for someone of common birth where we are headed, and-"

"He will come. Am I your princess, or not?"

The man was visibly on the verge of exploding, but gave her another military salute.

"Your will is my own."

"So, it's decided," concluded Virgil, who looked a little exhasperated. "Once you are done with your business and the boy is fit to travel, we will be leaving. Is this acceptable, miss?"

"It's fine," answered Elise. "Now, I would ask you two to give ourselves some space."

The guests bowed one last time and left the house, but to be completely honest Elise knew that they wouldn't have gone far. Not when they were following a direct order from their king.

"Elise, thank you," said Roric, once they were alone. "For doing this for me, I mean."

The girl winked back and smiled brightly.

"Don't mention it. Together till the end?"

Her friend smiled back. "Yes. Together."

***

--- Roric

It works. It's painful, but it works again.

Roric twisted his forearm for the first time after his recent injury. It was still a bit stiff and the wound hadn't completely healed yet, but even with his Elemental nature he couldn't ask for miracles. An ordinary person would have probably had the limb incapacitated for at least a month or two, so there was plenty to be happy about.

In the days that followed the arrival of the emissaries from Cassidia, sent to recover Elise, a couple of interesting things happened. First, the girl finally found the courage to face the council and took the blame of the many deaths on herself. Gardn tried to dissuade her from doing so, but she was firm. Even if the people of Fradot had chosen to follow her lead, it was her responsibility to amend for that mistake. She made the promise to do everything in her power to make their lives a little better, remarking the fact that they were, after all, her people.

Yeah, speaking of which... Elise started behaving differently after those two revealed who she really is. I wonder if she's trying to live up to her newfound role of princess. Damn, I can't even put in words how much I still can't believe it.

The fact that the girl had something special wasn't exactly hard to miss. But not even in his most absurd dreams Roric would have guessed that she was a lost member of the royalty of a distant, powerful kingdom like Cassidia. Since the moment the guests had left the house, that evening, the boy had thought a lot about it. He vaguely remembered speaking with Demios about the lands of the South but in all due sincerity he didn't know much, only that a white road connected Rayol to them.

A part of me can't wait to visit that kingdom. Still, for some reason, there's another part that doesn't want to go there. Why do I feel so uneasy about this trip?

The reason, he soon realized, was the fact that he was still clinging to his dream of living with Elise in Fradot, as a family. Making that desire a reality, however, wasn't possible anymore and Roric knew it well. There was no way the ambassador would have let his princess go after traveling through all the known world to find her.

My heart tells me that I have to follow her. At least to be sure she won't make the same mistakes again. Dominic said that she wouldn't have been my problem anymore, had the letter reached its destination. But she is important to me, and I still want to protect her.

The boy spent the hours alone in the new house they would have soon left behind. He went through the memories of the years spent trying to find his place in the world, amazed by how his life had always found a way to subvert his expectations, with all its twists and turns.

Once there was a kid who thought everything that mattered in life was being free of making his own choices, despite what his parents or village might have planned for him. Still, that child didn't know how weak he was. He had lost everything, but in that loss he had discovered his true purpose. Getting strong, so strong that bad things would have stopped happening.

That small, frail creature had grown. He had worked hard to reach his objective, putting everything he had into it. There were perils on the road, but also friends and genuinely good people who could help him find the right way and support him as he moved forward.

Through that process, the kid had become a boy. A boy who still didn't think to be strong, but was willing to take a test. Roric still shivered while remembering of his first battle, of the eyes of the man of Ekhar who was strangling him, of the lightning that surged from his body.

Back then... I was lucky. There was no way I could have been ready for what I had to face. And from that day things only became harder.

The memories of Lord Stelvan's mansion burned inside his mind. Demios dying before his own eyes had probably been the worst moment after that time when he had been forced to look into his mother's eyes as she left him. And the battle against the necromancer and his cult had been even harder to bear for him. Moreover, Rickhart was still out there somewhere, and Roric had a feeling that the Order wouldn't have caught him any time soon.

Just a little more than a year has passed... It seems like a lot more. There were so many things I wanted to learn from Tolwin, so many things I wanted to say to the others. They didn't deserve to die that way.

Yet, the boy who had lost so much had also found much more. He stood up, clenching his fists, and glanced at his sword that was hanging from a small chair.

I'll keep moving forward, like I've always had. No matter the cost.

***

The day of the departure finally came.

Right in front of the fireplace and Dominic's old armchair, Roric and Elise prepared to leave the house once and for all.

"A shame we can't bring that with us," said the boy. "You know, I was starting to really like it."

"Yeah," commented his friend. "In a way, it was like the old man was still living with us."

"We will remember him."

"Yes. We surely will."

After a brief moment of silence, it became impossible to ignore the fact that Elise had something important to say.

"Roric... May I ask you a question?"

"What is it?"

"After what I've done, do you think..." she wondered. "That I will make for a good princess?"

The young warrior thought about it for a couple of seconds, but in his mind there was little space for doubts.

"In my opinion, you'll be good at whatever you decide to do," he replied. "You are a... An incredible person. One I'm willing to follow to the other side of the world."

Elise blushed, hiding her face behind her raven hair.

"You are just flattering me," she complained, but in her tone there was more pride than shame. "I'm happy that you are by my side."

"My pleasure, Your Highness."

"Don't start with that," whined the girl. "I don't want to hear those words from you. Ever."

"Your will is my own," laughed Roric, intentionally making fun of the way the general talked.

She smiled a bit.

"Still... I don't think we can go back to what it used to be."

"What do you mean?"

"If I'm really a princess... And to be honest a little part of me still hopes that they are wrong on that," she admitted, "I know things will be different between us from now on."

Roric sighed.

"I already knew," he said. "But don't worry, you won't get rid of me that easily."

"Don't talk like that. I'm serious."

He walked forward and grabbed her shoulders. She was shaking.

"What do you fear, Elise?"

"I fear that I will lose you. Again."

"That won't happen. I'm not leaving you."

She looked at him, with those eyes that captivated everyone so much.

"Promise me."

She seems very serious about this. But so am I.

Roric cleared his throat.

"I, Roric son of Redian, will stay by your side," he declared. "You are my friend... No, you are like family to me. I don't know what happened in this short time after we met, but I can't deny it. I..."

He stopped talking. The words just wouldn't come out. In a single moment, the boy's heart had been filled with uncertainty. Still Elise was in front of him, between his arms, waiting for what he was originally going to say.

"You... You?" wondered the girl, glaring at him puzzled.

Their talk was interrupted by some harsh knocking on the door. General Cremont was growing impatient. Startled by the noise, Elise seemed to realize how awkward the situation had gotten and slipped away, her face red.

"We... We'd better go," she babbled. "We don't want to make them wait, right?"

"Yes, yes," quickly followed Roric. "Let me... Take my stuff."

The girl went out, clearly trying her best to hide the embarassment, leaving him alone in the room. As he grabbed the sword and his backpack, that now contained his ruined jerkin and the few other things he possessed, the young warrior took a moment to ponder on what had just happened.

Why... Why couldn't I tell her? I was just trying to let her know how important she is to me, but it seemed like something wasn't right. Damn, I need to figure things out as we ride.

His preparations finally completed, Roric headed for the door.

Don't worry, Dominic. As long as she needs me, I'll be by her side. No, even if she doesn't.

***

After a last chat with Elise's friends in the council, it was time to leave.

Two extra horses had been bought and saddled by the ambassador, who was about to lead the group away from Fradot. From the top of his mount, Cremont glared at his princess impatiently.

"Be careful," sobbed Enn. "It's a long way to that distant land!"

"We will," promised Roric. "There won't be many chances to come back and visit, but we can't say it for sure."

"Find a way if you can, right?" said Gardn. "We'll be here to wait you."

"Take care of the village, Gardn," quietly requested Elise. "If there is something I can do to improve things here, I'll do it."

"You have already done much for us," replied the carpenter. "And maybe even for someone else."

He winked at the boy, who averted his gaze just in time to avoid any misunderstanding.

What does he mean? I... Wait, no. Maybe he is right, after all.

"Just leave, already," encouraged Jordo. "We don't want to get too sentimental, around here."

"Dear!" his wife scolded him.

The man laughed a bit, and it was the first time Roric had seen him doing so.

"Your... Miss," stepped in Virgil. "Please, we should move before the winter snow blocks the way."

"I'm coming."

Elise hopped onto her horse, and hurried to join the others. Roric gave a nod at Gardn and waved at Lod, who was watching from the distance. He was probably too shy to stand in the presence of so many strangers at once. The priest waved back, however, and watched as the boy mounted.

"Goodbye, everyone!" yelled the girl, with tears in her eyes. "Be well, and wait to hear about me."

"We'll do!" answered Gardn, whose voice was getting further away behind their backs. "Safe travels, you two."

And so the group headed down the road, with the emissaries ahead, then Elise and Roric and the silent guards behind. As they passed in front of old Gerna's house, the boy crossed her gaze for a moment but couldn't find any trace of judgment into her. Even the old woman was smiling at him.

They are all happy for us... I wonder why. Oh, screw it! We are on the move!

***

Roric and the others reached the south-western pass in little more than two days. After crossing it, the three valleys and the mountains surrounding them started to become smaller and smaller in the distance. They went through an unnamed, unclaimed region of green fields and sparse little forests, a place the boy had also traversed when he was going North, until the lake of Guhrien finally appeared on the horizon.

A boat had been set to be always available for the ambassador and his following, to bring them back to the city of many granaries.

Guhrien... I'm here once again.

As the group rode through the market with new, fresh horses, Roric found himself thinking about the first time he had visited the city. He could almost see an image of himself many years younger, running in the crowd to reach commander Lowan before the company left. There, somewhere in Guhrien, was still the orphanage that should have been his home.

I imagine things would have gone very differently for me, had I simply accepted to stay. There haven't been wars around here recently, so my life would be going smoothly, without the need for all this violence and sadness.

Still, the young warrior wasn't convinced by his own thoughts. It was true that the town would have been a good shelter for him, but at what price? All the experience and the knowledge he now had, the many people he had met along the way... They were invaluable. He was a stronger person now, and all of that he owed to the choice of a small, frail kid.

There's the place where the others had camped. Looks like we are following the same road as that day.

General Cremont took the lead, forcing the rest of the riders to speed the pace. It was clear that he was uncomfortable, being so far from his home city, and was eager to return to Cassidia as fast as possible.

They traversed the border with the Republic and headed South, completely dodging the region of the capital. Not that Roric needed to stop at Rayol, but in all due sincerity the city was so magnificent that it would have been a good chance to show it to Elise.

Now that I notice it, she has been strangely silent since we left the valley.

She was probably too concerned by her upcoming meeting with King Sebastian, her father. Despite having barely seen a horse before, by the way, the girl seemed to have gotten the basics in the matter of a few hours. Even in that weird situation, the prodigy remained a prodigy.

A couple of days after that, having changed mounts a few more times, the group came in view of the town of Aregat, another of the places that Roric had already visited. From there, their route would have turned to the East until reaching the white road that led directly to Cassidia.

The boy, however, still had something to do before leaving that land. He asked the two emissaries for permission and headed South, with the intent of reuniting with Elise and her escort in a different place. All because, in the place he was going to, he needed to be alone.

***

The forest was quiet, just as Roric remembered. He dismounted and led his horse by hand into the trees, heading towards the clearing where his mentor was buried. To be honest, he didn't even know what he hoped to find, but he still needed to go there.

I'll pay respects to him one last time. He is the one who has done the most for me during all these years.

Tolwin's resting place came into view. It hadn't changed much, since the boy had left it. Grass and moss were now flourishing on the rocks that protected the body of the paladin, but it was pretty much it. The air was still, just like that day, and the only sound that could be heard was that of the nearby stream.

Roric lashed his mount to one of the trees and went closer to the grave, his heart suddenly burdened by memories. He went to his knees in front of Tolwin, remembering all he had lost inside that accursed forest. That man had become more than a father to him, only for some evil guy to snatch him away. Life felt like an injust, unfair trip.

Tell me, how am I doing? Did I meet your expectations, Tolwin? I traveled and traveled, until I finally met someone I could save... I think. It's just like you said. I wasn't a powerless kid anymore when you left me. Am I on the right path?

That question was more for him than for the old priest, he realized, and that thought made him smile. After bowing one last time, in respect, Roric stood up and walked away from that place, never to return.

***

One day and night of riding brought the boy East.

He climbed a small hill, spotting the white, shining road in the distance. Five people had stopped a mile ahead, and were waiting for him.

Where will this journey lead me? I don't know that much to say it. If it has to be Cassidia, Cassidia will be. I promised Elise I would be by her side, after all... And I want to be there when she will need me.

Roric took a long breath, and spurred the horse.

"I'm ready. Let's go."