Chapter 27

I stood in shock, staring at my hand as Audrey disappeared into her shadow. This isn’t how things were meant to go…

“But the royal family opposed the offensive plan so fervently! How could that be the case? Perhaps you were trying to protect one life in exchange for thousands?” Duke Rose continued to press, unaware of the turmoil he’s caused.

“Watch your words, Duke. I am still your king!” Father shouted angrily, casting an angry gaze over the spectating nobles. “My duties to the kingdom come first! But tell me…” He pointed toward the crowd. “Would none of you hesitate? Would you be so willing to cast your own daughter into the depths of hell?” His eyes turned toward Audrey’s father, eyes blazing. “Would you, Duke?” He asked, his voice low.

Duke Rose fell back a half-step. He has spent a long time cultivating his image among the other nobles. Even if he was indeed someone who would sacrifice his whole family, he couldn’t outright admit it. “O-Of course not.” Wow, this might be the first time I’ve ever heard him so uncertain. It didn’t make me feel any better after the expression I just saw on Audrey’s face, but it was a small victory.

“Then surely you can understand my feelings on the matter,” Father said simply. “Regardless, what I said was the truth. We will move forward with the offensive plan, with the divine guardian leading the effort.” A ripple went through the crowd, and Duke Rose smiled.

“A wise choice, Your Majesty. With such power on our side, not even the mighty empire can stand against us.” He turned toward the nobles, arms outstretched. “The empire dared to attack our king in his own castle; they have clearly underestimated us, and the ‘bloodthirsty emperor’ will pay for the attempt and the lives lost today!”

The other nobles cheered, and I could see a particular fire burning in the eyes of those who lost someone today. As I scanned the crowd, my eyes landed on Sasha. Her eyes were filled with sadness and anger as she glared daggers at me, and that only served to crack my heart further. I turned my gaze away shamefully. Please don’t look at me like that…

Father raised a hand to calm the vengeful nobles. “For now, we need to grieve those we lost today and regroup. So return to your homes, rest, and allow yourself to mourn.” He said. “Tomorrow, the sun will rise without those who were with us today, and we will bear our vengeance on the empire!” He clenched his raised hand into a fist, and another wave of cheering erupted from the crowd.

Then, the nobles began to leave, some holding their loved ones gratefully and others supporting the ones who couldn’t. Even as he left with his wife and daughter in tow, my eyes stayed glued to Duke Rose.

Father slumped down in his chair once the room was empty, save for my family and the knights. “He got us good this time…”

Mother sighed and squeezed his hand gently. “None of us predicted he would go so far, dear.”

She was right. We knew he was a conniving man, but staging an attack like this was beyond crazy. And Audrey’s presence only bolstered his plans… My eyes drifted to where my girlfriend had stood only a few minutes ago. I wonder where she went… I don’t feel her presence like usual when she’s in the shadows. I knew I should’ve talked to her sooner about the situation, but I hadn’t wanted to infect the birthday celebrations with anxiety. If I’d known things would turn out like this, I would’ve just come clean.

“I can’t believe we must rely on a child to fight…” Father said with a groan, rubbing his face tiredly. “Cecelia’s child at that. She’s probably cursing me out from the afterlife right now.”

Mother smiled at his comment. “I’m sure she is… But Audrey will be fine, I know it. It’s precisely because she’s my dear friend's daughter that I can say that with confidence.”

“She was just shocked… I haven’t talked to her about it yet.” I said, biting my lip in shame. “I couldn’t bring myself to do it right before the celebrations…” Mother pulled me into a hug as tears sprang to my eyes. “The way she looked at me, it hurt so much!” I cried.

“It’s alright, Lydia.” Mother said gently, running her hand through my hair. “We all share the blame for this. Your father and I wanted to give you two as much time as possible.”

“I know… Duke Rose forced our hand, but still…” I sniffled before stopping myself. I raised my head, wiping my eyes dry as best I could with determination. “I’m sure she won’t be gone for long. When Audrey returns, it’s probably best for us all to sit down and explain things properly.”

My family nodded in agreement. “Right now, It’s best to give her space. So, in the meantime, let’s focus on fixing what we can now,” Luke said, his eyes looking over the destroyed ballroom. Stone spikes were sticking out of the ground, and scorch marks were on the walls. Not to mention the bloodstains…

We weren’t a family who could sit back and watch as others worked, so Mother, Abel, and I joined the knights and servants in repairing and cleaning while Father and Luke left to handle the administrative work that was surely piling up already. I hoped the work would help me take my mind off Audrey, but the monotonous tasks only made me focus on her more.

“Please come back soon, Audrey,” I whispered to myself.

***

“Audrey… You know they wouldn’t use you like that.” Aurora said. She wasn’t trying to comfort me. She was just stating a fact.

“I know!” I said back. “That’s not what I’m upset about!” I curled myself in a ball, bringing my knees to my chest as I floated aimlessly. The space between shadows was quite comforting, and after I changed from my bloodied gown into some loungewear, I entered the shadows again, completely cutting myself off from the outside world.

“Lydia knew… She knew, and she didn’t tell me!” I tried to verbalize my feelings, hoping it would help me sort through them. “I would’ve understood! We could have worked through the worry together! Instead, she shouldered it all by herself again after she promised she wouldn’t!” I was frustrated at Lydia’s constant refusal to lean on me and at myself for not pushing the issue with her when I had the chance.

“She’s so stubborn!” I mentally shouted on accident, and I felt Aurora wince. “Sorry, Aurora.”

“It’s fine. I know you’re just working through everything.” She said, but her tone turned exasperated. “Honestly, Audrey… you’re being a little selfish about this.”

“How so?” I asked, offended. “How is it selfish of me to want to support her?”

“Because you aren’t understanding her feelings on the matter.” My goddess said simply. “Lydia obviously planned to talk to you about it tomorrow, remember? She likely asked you to wait because she was still tackling her own feelings.” She sighed, then continued. “Nothing is wrong with wanting to be there for her, Audrey. In fact, you were there. You did as she asked, which was what she needed from you.”

I grumbled as she pointed out the obvious. “That doesn’t change the fact she’s stubborn…” I pouted. “If I’d known we would be separated for a while, I would’ve been more lovey-dovey with her the last few days.” My body panged with regret at the lost opportunity, and my mind reeled with the embarrassment at my own words.

“...” I could feel Aurora judging me through our bond, and my face flushed with shame. “What does ‘Lovey-Dovey’ mean?”

My face burned even hotter at her question. “You know… Like, what happened this morning? In the bed with Lydia…?”

“Oh…” She said. “Well, it’s a good thing you didn’t know, then. You two would’ve definitely broken some rules by now.” I didn’t say anything in response this time as all the forbidden possibilities came to mind. “It’s a miracle you two have gone this long without anything serious happening.” She quipped.

“I know I said it… but please stop teasing me…” I pleaded, which only earned me a soft laugh. I sat in silence for a few moments before she spoke again.

“Audrey…” Aurora began, her voice laced with melancholy, “What comes next won’t be easy for you… It’s okay to be upset for yourself, too.”

“I’m not.”

“You can’t lie to me, I’m your goddess.”

“I’m fine.”

“Are you?” her simple question cracked open my fear, and it flooded out.

“I-I’m scared.”

“I know.” Her voice was gentle and warm.

“I barely got through today.”

“I know.”

“I don’t want to hurt anybody without cause.”

“I know.”

Her simple replies comforted me.

“Do you know everything?” I asked childishly.

“I don’t… But I know what you're feeling most.” She said. “Anger. You’re angry at yourself for being scared.”

“Why am I scared? So many people are helping me, and many more are already fighting to protect the ones they love.”

“You’ve spent half your life living in darkness. It’s why you find this place so comforting.” I looked around the endless void, tears pricking my eyes. “You’re scared that you’ll be dragged into that same suffocating darkness you escaped, away from the light you’ve found.”

“It isn’t fair,” I said.

“Life never is.” Her words were cold but resonated with truth.

“I could run… Leave everything behind and hide away forever.”

“But you won’t.”

I shook my head slowly, “Of course not.” I whispered to the void.

“And why not?”

“Because I love Lydia. And I love Sasha.” I said louder. “Leah and Lucia. Auntie and Uncle and the Princes. Brandon and Yuzuki… I love them all.”

“That’s right.”

Then, I stood up. Well, I did what passed for it in this realm of no direction. I wiped my eyes, pushing the fear away. “I’ll fight to protect them.”

“And I’ll be with you every step because I love you, my divine guardian.”

“I love you too, my goddess,” I said mentally. After taking a few more minutes to process my own feelings, I opened the shadows. I searched the castle for the person I loved most. When I found her, she stared out the window in my room, dressed in simple nightwear.

I slowly pushed myself out of her shadow, gently wrapping my arms around her from behind. Her hand raised to rest on my arm, and she smiled at me softly through the glass's reflection.

“Welcome back.”

“How is it that you seem to know when I’m in your shadow?” I asked, curious, and Lydia shrugged at me.

“I can just sense you.”

“Is that so?” I said, burying my face in the crook of her neck. “I’m sorry for leaving like that.”

“I’m the one who should be apologizing…” She trailed off, her eyes downcast. “I’m sorry you heard it like that and not directly from me.”

“It wasn’t your fault. We agreed to wait until after the celebration,” I said. “And I know if there had been a different option, Auntie and Uncle would have taken it.”

She only nodded, her eyes still looking at the floor. “Your father will likely push for the offensive to start immediately. You need to hear the details from my family.”

“It can wait,” I said simply. “Until morning.”

“It shouldn’t, " she said as I gently kissed her neck. She leaned back into my embrace, putting her weight on me. I held back the desires I felt resurfacing from this morning, pulling my face away.

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“The truth is… I’m scared.” I admitted softly. “I need you to chase the nightmares away tonight so I can stand strong for you tomorrow.”

She turned around, her hand gently cupping my face as I held her wrist. Those piercing emerald eyes stared into my soul, and a graceful smile formed on those irresistible lips.

“Anything for you, my guardian.” And our lips met. This wasn’t the chaste kisses we had shared before. This was the embrace of lovers who knew they didn’t have much time together—a continuation of those morning emotions that had been interrupted. The passionate kiss turned heavy as her hands wrapped around my head, pulling me in tighter. I was more prepared this time when our tongues met and danced together.

Her hands left my head, sliding down my neck and over my shoulders until they found the buttons on my blouse. I didn’t stop her; my own hands had slid to her waist and back up under her silk top. I broke the kiss as she undid the first of my buttons, pulling her in close to attack her neck. I could feel her pulse through my lips as I left my mark on her. Her heart is racing… Her hands fumbled for a moment in surprise before finding the following button.

“Is that revenge for this morning?” She whispered in my ear, her voice seductively low. No answer came from me as I suddenly picked her up. A note of surprise escaped her throat before her legs wrapped around my torso as I carried her to the bed. She finished unbuttoning my top, and I let it slide off me, leaving me in just a bra. We kissed again, her hands exploring my body with feather-like touches that sent heat through my body as I gently laid her down.

I slowly lifted her top off, as it didn’t open on the front, and she raised her arms to assist. Her golden hair fell like a waterfall through the piece of clothing, mesmerizing me. After I left a few more marks down her neck, I pushed myself up from the bed to admire her from above.

Her face was flushed, and her eyes dimmed with desire for me. Her porcelain skin sunk slightly as my fingers traced the curve of her chest, the fabric of her bra interrupting the intoxicating sensation.

“This isn’t proper for a princess,” I said teasingly, but she only gave me a slow, beautiful smile before wrapping her arms around my neck and pulling me down.

“Then it’s a good thing I’ve never been a princess to you.” Her breath was hot against my ear, her words breaking down the last of my resistance. She raised a hand, dimming the magic lamps in the room as we sunk into the depths of pleasure.

***

My eyes cracked open as sunlight flooded the room. I raised a hand to block the light, groaning. I’m so tired... Let me sleep a bit longer… I rolled over, my weary eyes opening wide as they landed on a breathtaking view.

Lydia lay beside me, a slight smile on her face as she slept peacefully. The evident flush of her cheeks sent memories of the night crashing through my head. Surprisingly, I didn’t feel any shame about our actions, my eyes admiring the way the covers molded to Lydia’s curves directly. My heart fluttered, and my body felt light as I reached out to brush some golden hair from her face.

But I froze mid-gesture when I heard someone clear their throat behind me. I turned slowly toward the window to see Leah, her face a mask of pure professionalism. Now I’m incredibly embarrassed! I hugged the covers to myself tightly.

“Good morning, my lady.” She said. Her voice was even and calm as she addressed me. Wait… me?

“Good morning back, Leah… But why are you talking like that?” I asked, momentarily forgetting the situation. She smiled gently at me in response.

“Because you two have confirmed your relationship, you are also my lady from this moment on.” The distance I heard in her explanation hurt.

“But I’d prefer it if you acted like you always have,” I said sadly, but she only shook her head slowly. “I cannot, for the same reason I can’t call my lady by name despite our closeness.”

I heard Lydia shift beside me, a tired but satisfied sigh escaping her as she turned her eyes toward the noise. Her eyes widened as they locked onto Leah, and she sat up quickly, covering herself the same way I did with the covers. “G-Good morning, Leah.” She stuttered.

“Good morning to you as well, my lady,” Leah said with a curt bow. “I was just explaining to Lady Rose my change of demeanor.” Lydia quirked a brow as Leah spoke, also surprised by the change. “As I told her, you two have officially confirmed your relationship. Lady Rose now holds the same status as my lady to me.”

Lydia opened her mouth to say something but closed it again in thought.

“But I’d really prefer you to use my name,” I said to Leah, but Lydia grabbed my hand for my attention.

“It’s fine, Audrey.” my girlfriend said with a smile. “You’re wasting your breath; I’ve spent nearly my whole life trying to get her to drop the formalities.” She leaned against me, our bare skin touching under the covers.

“Besides, if she’s treating you exactly how she treats me normally, then it will be just as before.” She looked at Leah. “Isn’t that right?”

Leah just left the window, moving to the closet to presumingly find us clothes to wear. “Of course, my lady. I’ll act as I always do.” She settles on two matching day dresses, laying them on the foot of the bed. “I’ll get a bath started. I’m sure my ladies have plenty to wash off.”

I was still so absorbed in the change of attitude that I almost missed her comment.

“There it is,” Lydia said before turning to me. “Don’t worry, she’s still the same Leah. She just has a weird sense of pride when it comes to these things.” I nodded in response, a bit of relief in my chest.

Lydia and I quickly slid out of bed and put on the bare minimum before Leah returned from the bathroom. Once the water was ready, we took turns cleaning up, deciding it would not be productive for us to go in together this time. While we were doing that, Leah quickly stripped the bed, replacing everything with clean linens—even the pillows!? We weren’t that crazy!

A while later, Lydia and I were both dressed and ready to go. “I already informed the royal family of your delay,” Leah said helpfully. “They are waiting for you in His Highness’s office.”

“Leah.” Lydia turned to her attendant with a serious look. “What exactly did you tell them?”

“I asked a passing servant to pass along your exhaustion from last night's events.” She said, being perfectly vague about what events she was referring to.

“I see… and did you mention any… events… From after I went to bed?”

“Of course not, my lady,” Leah said, sounding almost upset at the accusation. “I would never talk about my master’s private activities unless someone of higher rank ordered me to!”

Lydia cursed under her breath. “Mother…”

I panicked and stopped Leah from walking. “W-Wait. Did you or did you not tell them, Leah? Because I need to mentally prepare myself if I’m walking into a room full of people who know…” I said, desperate.

“Please relax, my lady,” she said gently. “I haven’t told anybody.” I breathed a sigh of relief and allowed her to walk past me. “Yet.”

My head snapped to her with that final word, but Lydia grabbed my sleeve and resignedly shook her head. “Just don’t think about it, Audrey. It really isn’t worth the energy.” We trailed behind Leah a bit, trying to delay the inevitable conversation about our relationship.

When we finally arrived, Lydia and I took a deep breath before entering Prince Luke’s office.

“There you two are. Did you get enough sleep?” Auntie asked, worried. “I know what happened yesterday was bad, so please let me know if you need more rest.”

Before either of us could answer, Leah spoke up from her post by the door. “I can assure you, Your Majesty. They definitely didn’t get enough sleep.” Lydia glared daggers at Leah, who took it straight-faced.

“Is that so?” Auntie said, a hand on her cheek. “We can postpone this meeting if you’re not feeling up to it, especially you, Audrey.” Again, before either of us could respond, we were interrupted again, this time by Prince Luke.

“I apologize, but we absolutely cannot wait any longer.” He gestured for Lydia and me to sit, which we promptly did. Then, he met my gaze. “Audrey. Let me fill you in on the situation.”

He laid everything out for me: what my father had been pushing for in the cabinet, the situation with the border, and how they suspected my father was working with the empire in some way.

“In order to bolster our armies and keep the public calm, we need someone they can raise as a hero.” He said at the end. I’d read enough children’s books to Sasha to know where he was going.

“You want me to be that figurehead,” I say, completing his thought. “To be a source of strength for everybody, whether they’re fighting or not.”

His face was grim as he confirmed my statement. “Yes… We do not have anyone else that would make the same impact you would. You’re kind, strong, and beautiful. Not to mention divinely blessed. Very few people wouldn’t root for such a character.”

Those are the best traits for a hero, regardless of gender… “I understand,” I said simply. “If it means I can protect everyone, I’ll do it.”

Prince Luke’s face looked both relieved and distraught at the same time. “Thank you… Of course, you won’t be going alone.” He gestured toward Prince Abel, who gave me a causal wave.

“I’ll be going to the frontline as well.”

“Wait! I didn’t hear anything about this!” Lydia stood up, angry. “If a member of the royal family needs to go, let it be me!”

“No.” Uncle Stephan said. His denial was so strong that it stunned his daughter. “Abel is going, and there’s no discussion to be had.”

“But why, Father?!” Lydia cried.

“For this exact reason, Lydia.” He said harshly. “It's clear you cannot keep a clear mind when Audrey is involved.” He raised a hand to stop her interjection. “Normally, that isn’t a bad thing. It’s exactly how your mother and I used to be with each other. But that fades over time and is replaced with implicit trust in each other and our abilities.” Uncle Stephan gestured between us. “Can either of you say you’d leave the other alone to handle a dangerous situation, even if you knew they could handle it?”

Lydia and I looked at each other, knowing full well he was right. “That sort of relationship on the battlefield will only get one or both of you killed.” His words were harsh but caring. “Strength-wise, there would be no difference between the two of you. But Abel is experienced in real combat, making him the best choice to lead on the battlefield and protect Audrey.”

I could tell Lydia begrudgingly understood their reasoning when he phrased it like that. “On top of all that.” He said. “The public would be uneasy hearing the two leading figures of the war were two young women.

“Alright, I understand all of that. Let me go with—” Lydia started but was cut off again.

“No. Abel and Audrey will be more than enough. There is no need to risk any more of our family. We need your talent here to strategize and plan our movements.” The king eyes his daughter seriously. “If you want to protect Audrey, you're better off doing it behind the scenes.”

I couldn’t find a flaw in his argument, and I knew Lydia couldn’t either as she sat back down, her arms crossed angrily. “Fine.”

Everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief as she backed down. “I’ll be fine, Lydia.” I turned to her, taking her hand. “You trust me, right? And you trust Prince Abel?”

She eyed us in turn before replying. “Of course, I trust you, Audrey. And at the very least, I know my brother wouldn’t lose in a fight…”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence.” Prince Abel said with a laugh.

“Alright, with all that out of the way.” Prince Luke said, steering the conversation again. “We need to figure out the best way to show Audrey to the public soon. Duke Rose has pushed his agenda through after yesterday and is now pressuring us to start reorganizing the army as soon as tomorrow.” He said, and Lydia gasped.

“Tomorrow? Does he not understand how much goes into such a thing?”

“He does, he just doesn’t care.” Prince Luke said with a scowl. “Duke Rose doesn’t handle logistics.” He paused for a moment to calm himself before continuing. “Most of the army is already on the border, but a few battalions are moving from the capital for the offensive. We plan to hold a parade for the departing soldiers, and we’ll announce both Audrey’s position and Abel’s command before then and have them join the parade out of the city.”

“A simple and effective plan,” Lydia mumbled, still fuming about the situation. “I assume you plan to have the two of them in a special carriage so the citizens can get a good look at them?”

The king and Prince Luke nodded. “At most, we’ll be able to push the departure back a few days, so be prepared to leave anytime.” The king directed at me and Prince Abel. The meeting seemed to be wrapping up, but Lucia spoke up as Lydia and I stood to leave. She was already present when we arrived with Leah.

“If I may, Your Majesties.” She said it with a bow and spoke after Mother gave her permission. “I would like to go with Prince Abel and Audrey.”

The royal couple exchanged a glance before looking toward Prince Abel and me. “What do you two say?”

“I’d rather have Lucia stay to protect Lydia,” I stated.

“It would be a good idea for her to come,” Prince Abel said over me. Lucia has grown quickly as a knight since returning to the castle. I trust her to watch my back and protect herself.” He said, looking at Lydia and me. Plus, it would be comforting for both of my sisters to have someone else watching over Audrey.”

“He’s right,” My girlfriend said, turning to me. “Lucia is better used protecting you, Audrey.” She squeezed my hand. “Thick walls and dozens of knights surround me at all times. I’d rather her go with you.”

I bit my lip but agreed to it in the end. Truthfully, I’m relieved to have somebody I know so close…

“Everything will be fine, Audrey,” Aurora said, and I gave her a mental smile.

“I hope so.”

***

After the meeting finally ended, Mother said she had something to discuss and followed Audrey and me back to our rooms. Once we settled down on the couches in my room, Leah served the three of us some tea.

“Do you know what I want to talk about?” Mother asked, her eyes twinkling with amusement as Audrey and I both squirmed in our seats.

“N-No?” I ventured, but I knew it wasn’t convincing.

“Oh? Well then, let me tell you.” Mother said with a clap of her hands. “Leah passed me a note using that handy wind magic of hers!” My head snapped to the traitor, but she merely smiled pleasantly at me. I was keeping an eye on her so she wouldn’t have a chance to speak to Mother! I didn’t think about magic!

“It said something quite interesting. Would you like to take another guess as to why I’m here?” This time, her expression was scary.

“P-Perhaps it has something to do with Audrey and I…?” I tried again.

“Yes! That’s exactly why!” She said, eyeing the two of us. Audrey was sitting silently next to me, her face red. “Tell me…” Mother said threateningly, and I was already wincing at the words she’d yet to say. “Lydia… why did you think defiling my best friend's daughter was okay?” Huh? What? Just me?

“Wait! It wasn’t just me—”

“You are the older one, so the responsibility falls on you!” Mother said, pointing at me dramatically. I was speechless. “Audrey has lived a sheltered life up until now! How could you take advantage of her?”

“Seriously, Mother, please wait—!” Again, I couldn’t defend myself as Leah spoke. What is with everyone today?!

“If I may, Your Majesty. I gave Audrey a presentation on “intimate” activities during her time at the academy. Something I’m sure they used to its fullest potential.”

Audrey looked like she was about to pass out from the embarrassment. She’s no help!

“What happened was a result of both of our feelings!” I finally shouted, shutting Mother and Leah up. “It was consensual and very passionate! Is that what you wanted to hear!” After the outburst, I huffed to catch my breath, then immediately regretted it as Leah leaned down to look at my girlfriend.

“We’ve lost her.”

I calmed myself and sat down again to see that Audrey had indeed passed out sitting up. “Mother… I know it was improper, but I intend to take full responsibility. I always have.” I said quietly, pulling on Audrey’s hand so her head rested on my shoulder. “I love her. It’s like my soul burns only for her.”

Mother’s expression turned gentle as she looked at us and smiled. “I know, darling. I took the teasing too far. I apologize.” Taking a deep breath, I shook my head.

“No, I’m sorry for getting so worked up.” I gently caressed Audrey’s hand in mine. “It was just too difficult. Once she leaves, it could be months before we see each other again, and if something were to happen…” I trailed off. “We just didn’t want to have any regrets.”

“I completely understand. I just wanted to make sure you understood the consequences.” Mother said.

“Of course I do, but I don’t intend to spend my life with anyone else, so it isn’t a problem.”

“Alright then, I think I’ll give my daughters some time alone together, then.” Mother stood up and made her way to the door. Before leaving, she turned around with a final question. “Did it live up to your expectations?”

I blushed and nodded happily. “We’ll both remember that night for the rest of our lives.”

“Good,” Mother said quietly, then left. Leah followed her out the door, leaving Audrey and I alone. My girlfriend stirred a few minutes later, blinking in confusion as she looked around the room.

“Where did Auntie go?” She asked.

“She had things to attend to,” I said, pulling her head back onto my shoulder. “Can we just stay like this for a while?” I asked, almost desperately.

She giggled and settled herself against me. “Of course, Lydia.”