Hykings - {Progression Fantasy}

"Enough, you two! We're all friends here!"

Tilla rushed in and pushed the two apart before their weapons moved any further. For a moment, the glare between them almost seemed palpable before Jurgen finally turned around.

"Whatever, just leave me alone." He clicked his tongue, then glanced at the princess. "I don't know why you came here, but I have work to do."

"Don't say that! Let's all go see the White Garden again, the one you took me to last time!" The princess took a step towards him, but quickly stopped herself.

"White Garden?" Lucine mumbled beneath her mask from behind, then looked over to Tilla with a blank stare.

Jurgen hunched down to the side and picked up a long wooden plank, resting it on his shoulders. Looking over to the unfinished side of the boat, he gave the elf royalty one last turn.

"My dad still hasn't come back from his last expedition! I need to finish this boat quickly!"

"Jurgen…" Tilla grimaced slightly, feeling a sudden tightness in her chest as her thoughts took over. He must be going through a tough time alone now…

She watched as he turned his back to her and started hammering the new wooden plank to the side of the boat.

"Okay, we'll leave you to it, but we'll be visiting you every day from now on!" The princess added, waving her hand despite the recipient unable to see the gesture.

"Don't bother, listen to your guardian." Jurgen took out another nail from his pouch and began hammering it in, not sparing a moment to look behind him anymore.

"But I want to! You have to taste my cooking, remember?! You're not even eating right, are you?!" The princess bombarded him with questions.

"I eat plenty." The boy answered bluntly. "Once every day. I either buy or catch a fish."

"That's not enough!"

"..." Lucine sighed in exasperation, noticing the princess adapt her usual huff and puff tone.

"Well, you don't have a choice, see you tomorrow! Let's go, Luci!" Tilla grabbed her guardian's hand suddenly as she stomped away, pulling her along. "We still have to play with our brothers tonight, we promised them!"

"Yes, princess."

As he hammered another nail, Jurgen didn't stop the corners of his mouth from curling up a bit. He could still hear the princess stringing the dark elf along and talking about whatever came to her mind.

"If only everyone here was like her…" He mumbled before hearing his stomach announce that time of day. "I guess I should savor my last meal alone today."

**👑**

"It's so unfair, don't you think, Luci?!"

Having ignored another summon from her parents and left the palace, Tilla was confined to her room for the evening. She stomped through the room a few times, before jumping into her bed and addressing her guardian standing still in front of the door.

"It is not for me to say, princess."

"Oh, come on! You should speak your mind more often!"

"..."

"Come and sit next to me, why are you standing there like a statue?"

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"As you wish, princess."

Obeying as if it was an order, Lucine stepped closer and sat on the edge of the bed. Tilla quickly sat up and scooched beside her.

"I'm sorry, Luci…" The princess began, lowering her gaze as she dangled her short legs. "I really wanted to show you the White Garden, you know?"

"..." Lucine listened in silence, only allowing herself to glance towards the princess every now and then.

"It's as they say, an endless field of white moonflowers, growing sorely on the light of the moon! I know it's not easy to find, but I'm sure we'll find our way there eventually, Luci! Together with everyone, we'll go see it!" By the time she finished, Tilla's beaming smile almost made Lucine's eyes twitch.

"I do not think that would be wise, princess." The dark elf said bluntly, turning her gaze away.

"We have to, Luci!" Tilla reached over and grabbed her friends' shoulders. "You especially! Your last name means moonflower after all, I'm sure you'd love it!"

"..."

For an instant, Tilla noticed a slight change in Lucine's expression. However, instead of a smile, the dark elf had just begun to furrow her brows before she stopped herself again.

"Luci, you-"

THUD! THUD!

"?!"

Before she can ask her about it, two quick knocks on the door interrupted the princess.

"Who is it?" She asked, jumping to her feet.

"Prince Aymeric requests an audience."

"?"

Tilla looked over to her friend expecting at least a shrug, but Lucine's face turned to its usual blank look.

"Seriously…" The princess sighed, then turned towards the door again. "Come on in, Reianard!"

As the door creaked open, Aymeric walked inside first.

"Sister, since we spoke of playing together this evening, we have come to your room instead." The prince started, his steps picking up speed as he almost ran to his sister. "I asked Keerla, and your punishment only pertains to you staying in the room, so long as you go to your most important meeting tomorrow!"

"..."

Tilla lowered her gaze for an instant, remembering the responsibility that was expected of her as the princess the next day. She quickly recovered and gave her brother a hug.

"Thank you for coming, Aymeric! Let's play cards, can you fetch them from the play room?"

"Do not worry yourself, sister! I have asked the dark elf to retrieve the cards already! And so he has!" Aymeric announced while gesturing towards Reianard standing behind him. "He does everything I say and only speaks when I address him, it is quite fascinating! I could tell him to jump off your balcony and he would do it!"

"Aymeric! Don't joke about such things!" Tilla rushed to pull on his ear. "What did I tell you?"

"But… he's a dark elf!"

"What did I tell you, Aymeric?! Repeat it!" She shouted as she grabbed his other ear and pulled on it too.

"Ow! Ow! Okay! You said to think about what is better for our clan, and everyone who shares our Sign, not just our race!" The prince blurted out and immediately clutched his ears as his sister let go of them.

"Good! Don't you forget it!" Tilla held up a finger in front of her puffed up face. "I want you to treat Reianard better from now on, and Keerla too! They're people with feelings too!"

"..."

Hearing her, Lucine glanced over to her own brother. Ever since he had walked in, his face hadn't changed at all. In fact, it was the same blank and emotionless face he always had. She quickly retracted her gaze away from him.

"Okay, enough of that!" The princess suddenly announced, sauntering over to a small table with chairs. "Let's play!"

"Sister… is that not the same table you used to have tea parties-"

"Aymeric! Would you like your ears to be pulled all evening, perhaps?"

"No, please no!"

"Then sit down and let's play! Lucine and Reianard join us too!"

"Princess, I am afraid we cannot." Lucine let out bluntly. "We have never played such games."

"..." Tilla looked towards her guardian for a moment, then ran towards her and interlocked their arms together. "Then I'll teach you! It's easy! You come too, Reianard!"

"Yes, princess." The two dark elves spoke in unison.

The princess quickly made sure everyone was seated and the cards were correctly distributed.

"Okay, listen up! The game is called Crownbreaker! Your ultimate goal is to dethrone the enemy monarch and win the war!"

She dived into the rules soon after, giving the game her full concentration. Whatever thoughts dwelled in the back of her head regarding the next day, she completely pushed back.

At that moment, Tilla simply wanted one last evening of normalcy before her world shattered into pieces.

**👑**

"Good morning, princess."

"..."

Tilla was greeted by moonlight once more as Lucine pulled back the blinds and opened the door to the balcony as usual.

"I am to remind you that your scheduled meeting will take place in a few hours." The guardian spoke matter-of-factly. "The lady-in-waiting will be in shortly with the rest of your preparations."

The princess simply stood up and with slow steps, walked towards the edge, stopping at the railing.

"Luci…"

"Yes, princess?"

"Can you leave me alone for a bit?"

"Princess, I…"

"Please?"

"..."

Watching the back of the princess for a moment, switching between her and the shining moon above them, Lucine eventually gave in.

"As you wish, princess." She said as she turned away towards the door. On her way, she added. "The moon looks rather glum this morning anyway. I will wait behind the door."

"..."

Tilla stood silent until she heard the door close. Immediately, she tightened her grip on the railing as she gritted her teeth.

Her heart began to beat faster, a sudden shiver overtook her nerves, and her knees almost gave out.

She quickly controlled her breathing to the best of her ability and looked up towards the moon.

"Eversun Goddess, Sacred Tree, K'edemiti, or the Emerald Star… even the distant blessed moon above." She whispered as tears began to fall down her face. "Please… I beg of you, if there is a way out of this for me, guide fate in my favor."

She stood there on the balcony for a while longer, collecting herself and strengthening her resolve for the upcoming meeting.

The entire time, she hadn't noticed her guardian keeping watch over her from behind the balcony wall.