“It was the night of the assassination happened. Eiden had gotten into a fight with Evan before, and broken his belt. He's afraid he'll get punished so didn't tell us what happened, tried to fix it on his own, but couldn't. So, Dray and I decided to send Eiden to the mountains with Ravik, in secret, only for the night."

Enya remembered vividly that fateful night. Telling the story felt like she was reliving the horrible events again.

She kissed Eiden on both cheeks before leaving, while he protested.

"Star, behave yourself, alright?" Hadrian ruffled his hair.

After Eiden left with Ravik, Enya felt an unnecessarily alarming sensation of danger. But, she pushed it aside thinking it was due to Eiden's absence. Enya, with Hadrian, started to go through the schedules of the next few days again, as it helped both of them not to keep worrying about their son.

They heard a knock on the door. It was Maria, her mother's oldest and most trusted of companions, and Enya was surprised to see her, at this late hour.

"My lady, her ladyship wants to see you and lord immediately. Her ladyship is worried about something. Could you please come with me now?"

They knew this whole title announcement event was driving everyone crazy with nerves. Enya and Hadrian put their cloaks on and followed Maria, who led them to the deserted underground hallway that connected the two residences.

It was built in the past for secret meetings between the predecessors and successors, mostly when there were problems in the Palace. The hallway was often kept clean, but they never used it. Whenever Enya and her family went to see Mother, they used the front entrance, and the whole residence was informed before their arrival.

Enya clutched Hadrian's hand, worried about the meaning of this secrecy. They arrived in the small chamber, fashioned as a meeting room. Lady Eunthae, her mother, was sitting at the end of the table, her face was darkened with a worried expression. She stood up at once and embraced Enya with such force that Enya felt her ribs creak.

"Mother, what's wrong?"

Her mother was tense and her eyes shone with tears.

"Sit." she pointed at the seats.

"Enya, darling, I have a terrible feeling that something is wrong." Mother looked very alert and nervous.

"Oh, Mother, it's this stress from the title announcement. I've been feeling it for quite a while." Enya reassured mother.

"No, no, this is very different. Enya, listen, my daughter. I have a long story, a secret that I pondered when I should tell you. I was scared, it's such a burden, and I didn't want to impose it on you. Darling, I had been feeling that I let my insecurities cloud my judgment." Mother heaved a sigh.

Enya was bewildered and she couldn't understand what her mother was saying.

"Mother, I don't understand. Is it about your sight?" Enya had heard about some of their long lost relatives with sight, though her mother had no ability of crystal grazing or mind roaming, she a few times had a premonition of feelings, especially when Enya or her son was in danger, which came true.

"My feeling of being alarmed must be a warning. But, this is about our past Enya. It's about your father.

When I was young, we had a holiday house in Soeriend. From its yard, you can gaze far into the North Sea. Whenever I went there, I had this feeling, it was sad and lonely, but also filled with hope, and love, like a sad song. I dubbed this as the call from the heart of the North Sea. As I grew up, I felt it even stronger. I once blindly teleported to a small beach, sat there, and listened to this beautiful song. That's where I first met your father.

One day, I teleported there, and I saw a tall silhouette of a man staring at the ocean, and then I realized from far away from the shore, that he was controlling the water. The waves rose and fell like the keys of a grand piano.

I instantly knew this was the music, the longing I felt in my heart. Enya, my darling, it brought tears to my eyes, my heart ached. Then everything suddenly fell silent. He turned back, saw me, and smiled.

"You heard me"

I talked to him, I knew I was already in love with him, I think since the first time I heard his music. I told him, I dubbed it as the call from the heart of the North Sea. He looked at me with such a wonder in his eyes, I remember it to this day. I had to leave before my absence was noticed at home. During my stay, I met him every single day, on that little beach.

My papa kept telling me, it was time for me to now marry, and have an heir, to take the title. The day before we were supposed to leave, I told Esrion, I do truly love him. He said he loved me for thousands of years. I was very surprised, so I asked what that was.

It was then, he told me who he truly is."

With every word about a beautiful world that existed before the birth of the human race, Enya felt like she was thrown into a fairytale. With awe and wonder, they listened to her mother telling Papa's story.

"Enya darling, but that was only the beginning of your father's troubles. After his brother fell into cold sleep, Esrion left the old temple, and for one last time, he wanted to check the place where the doorway was located. When he went to the island he suddenly heard what left him chilled to the heart. He heard a laugh, like a giggle, faint but clear.

He saw far away near the doorway, the spilled blood was gathering like a mist, then a gust of wind dissipated the mist, and there was a shadow, holding the spear of ice that hurt his brother. Suddenly, the spear came at him, he managed to stop it, but the shadow figure disappeared.

Esrion guessed they might have left one shadow outside. But he didn't want to try opening the portal again. Esrion spent years and years trying to find this shadow, he also created a lot of protections for the Islet of Cora where the doorway to Anyar was located. Due to the long journeys and immense magic he was using, Esrion was growing weak.

When he finally caught this dark shadow, he didn't have enough strength to destroy it. He knew, only purifying fire could destroy it, but his brother had already fallen to the dark magic. So, he imprisoned the shadow, in a crystal, and hid it in a small statuette.

The battle made him extremely weak, and he decided to hibernate for a while. Then he woke up, he knew much time had passed, but he had to find a mate. So he created this music and waited until someone heard his call. Someone who's magically compatible and someone compassionate about protecting magic.

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He also went to check the shadow crystal, but he figured out he was wrong about leaving it there. As time passed, the temple had fallen to the sea, and some people had disturbed the ruins. The statuette had disappeared.

He was feeling the need to find his intended significant other, more than before. Then one day he felt someone had heard his call, it was only a feeling. But, it grew and grew stronger, and he decided to come to the mainland, it's the place where I met him."

Mother stopped to brush the tears off, Enya too felt her eyes sting.

"Oh, Mother," Enya's voice broke. Mother held Enya's hand in hers.

"I couldn't let him go, I loved him so much. I told him we could search together. He was very afraid that the shadow would hurt me if I got together with him. But, I held my ground. I secretly brought him to Papa. We didn't talk about his past, but the instant Papa laid eyes on him, he felt Esrion's power. He blessed us, and then we had you.

Esrion was quite sure he could track the lost statuette, and he started looking for it. Enya, my darling, I'm afraid, Esrion's death was no accident. I couldn't find any evidence, that's why I was so afraid to bring this out. And I..I wanted to protect you. I think I brought you up too sheltered, but I was afraid something would take you."

Mother hugged both of Enya's hands to her chest.

"But, I didn't stop looking for signs of magical loss, I knew it was happening, and I knew, one day, sooner than later, we need to act. you know I keep spies around, we can't trust everyone when we are in this type of position.

Darling, I recently heard, someone, a stranger, I still couldn't find their identity, is collecting information about Eiden's magic."

"What?" Hadrian, who's quietly listening to everything, interrupted.

"What about Star? Why does anyone want to know about Star?"

Even with the tears in her eyes, both Enya and Mother smiled at his outburst. Anything concerned with Star immediately becomes Hadrian's priority.

"That's exactly what I wanted to know. Then I discovered, my private research information is also being asked around. Someone from the place is involved in that."

Enya felt that like a punch to the gut.

'M.mother, you mean a conspiracy." Enya asked.

"Mother, is that why you recently asked for background checks on everyone in the imperial league, both guards and officers in command?" Hadrian sounded alarmed.

"Yes, there were no secret military gatherings, no signs of a coup. But, I..I don't know, darling, there's something very dangerous going on. Then, I finally unloaded my burdens on Alfred. He'd been helping me to find a lot of old documents.

Oh, Enya, I had overlooked a very obvious fact. You're not the only one with Esrion's bloodline now, darling, our Star is too."

Hadrian swore a really uncultured word. His eyes blazed with anger. Enya put her hand on his to calm the firestorm down.

"Enya, my daughter, I don't think I have too long to live."

WHAT.

"Mother?"

"Listen to me, you know I lived in this Palace for my whole long life, Enya, I fear an assassination or assassination attempt. I'm worried about both of you and Eiden. You know, there's only you and me, before Eiden, if we are gone, then he's the true heir. Eiden is loved by everyone, he's powerful, handsome, and popular. No one would object to him for taking his rightful title. But, Enya, he's naive, a child. He's not ready."

Enya thought word by word mother looked older. Enya never saw her mother, this old and tired. Mother's words are true and she felt like spikes of ice one after the other sinking into her body.

"Mother, what are you implying?" she asked. She felt that she was shaking.

"Enya, I can not leave the Palace, I'm the ruler, but you can leave the Palace, take the child, and leave the Palace." Lady Eunthae stood up, her eyes were glowing with magic. Enya felt Mother's protective magic envelop them.

Both Enya and Hadrian stood up, baffled and speechless. Mother went to the door, Maria was standing up there, like a statue.

"Please, ask Alfred to come." After Maria left, mother turned to them.

"Go with Alfred, you need help. Don't tell anyone." Then Mother took a satchel.

"Here's everything I found." Then Mother took her necklace and removed the moonstone crystal.

"Enya, this is the heart of the North Sea, the half of the key." Mother removed the concealer wards. They gasped, seeing the glowing crystal prism.

"Find a way to cleanse Papa's brother. He will help you to find the doorway." Mother put the necklace around Enya's neck.

"I'm so sorry, baby, I should have done this myself." Mother's words broke Enya's heart, she staggered, and they clutched her. Mother embraced her again.

"Err..mother" Hadrian addressed her quietly.

"Eiden is not at home right now, he messed up his armor, and we sent him to the Mountains," he said. Enya fully braced for Mother's rage. But, she heaved a sigh.

"Good. He'll be safer than you. Then, go to the mountains, Hadrian, and leave with them. If these people are going to go after you, it's your home they will target first."

"Mother, but.." Enya knew Mother's instincts were on the spot. But, just leaving everything, leaving her mother.

"No objections, Enya" Mother held her hand.

There was a knock at the door. Maria entered with Master Alfred.

"My lady," Master bowed.

"Alfred, my old friend," Mother stood in front of him.

"I want you to leave with my daughter, they need help from a magical theory expert." Mother stated simply.

"Alfred, my sight tells me I have no time"

Old master deeply bowed.

"My lady, I will go. Your heart had always listened to the magic from faraway realms. I trust your sight and premonitions. Yet, my heart aches for you, my lady. I will do everything I can to aid the young lady." Master Alfred solemnly said. Mother turned to them.

"Let's go to your quarters, Maria, come with us. Here, Hadrian, I packed some essentials.”

Enya walked behind her mother like in a dream. She couldn't fathom what was happening. Enya always followed her mother in everything, as her mother, and as her ruler. Losing her Father at a young age, they developed a special bond, even with her immense responsibility of being the Lady of the Dawn, her mother found time to spend with Enya when she was young.

As she grew up she saw her mother's effort to equalize the society, now she understood her efforts must have been strengthened by meeting her father.

Mother valued every life. She was sure that her mother wanted them to leave quietly to avoid unnecessary bloodshed, considering someone comes after his family, when Hadrian was around, he was going to burn the Palace down. On the other hand, everyone knew, Enya was one of the most powerful water elementals in the whole empire. There would be such a commotion if any attack happened in the Palace.

To prevent this, assassins or someone, would try to take their son as a hostage first. Now she wanted nothing else than to take Eiden in her arms to make sure he was safe. At this moment, Enya hated her monarchical heritage, making her choose either her mother or her son.

They silently entered their private quarters. Enya hurried to pack some of Eiden's things, while mother and Hadrian packed their belongings. Luckily, her boy had enough items in Uncle Ray's house because he had charmed his grandfather to get everything he wanted with a single mention.

Enya was in her study, getting important books, when she felt the presence of foreign magic. Wards hadn't been breached, but Enya being highly sensitive to magic, knew there was an intrusion.

"There's an intrusion." she gasped.

"Enya, Hadrian, leave now. Alfred, please take care of them." Her mother kissed Enya, and Hadrian. They weren't sure if the secret way was safe, or if someone was there at the end. But there's no other way.

"Oh," Enya and Hadrian both felt the wards breach, not around the house, but in Eiden's room.

There was a secondary set of wards in her child's bedroom to sense his emotional distress. If he had a nightmare or faced any other scary situation, it would pick up the elevation of heart rate and deeply troubled emotions. It was not specific for Eiden, and it had now picked up someone's distress.

"Someone in Eiden's bedroom." Enya stopped frozen.

"Go," Mother urged. Three of them ran along the secret passageway, which ended just beyond the treeline and teleportation barrier.

Enya stopped talking. That night was the last time she saw her mother. She realized tears were streaming down her face, and she tried to stop the sobs but they came with the force of a wave evoked by the wrath of the Sea goddess.