New World - A New Beginning

ASTHIA DARCK'S POV:

I groaned as consciousness returned to me, my thoughts in complete disarray. I felt my eyelids open, my blurry vision slowly focusing on the unknown wooden ceiling that stood above me. A familiar feeling opened up within my chest, my link informing me of the proximity of my knight.

My eyes glanced to the left, seeing the silhouette of a boy looking out as he stood on the balcony. His clothes were completely tattered, the patches of skin visible under the clear moonlight were cut and bruised. Laying beside me was the mask that I Jay had worn during his time as an adventurer.

I sighed, closing my eyes.

It had happened again, hadn't it?

I had promised myself that I would never force Jay into a situation where he was forced to kill for my sake again. At the age of four, he had killed two adventurers for the sake of a girl he knew nothing about, an act that would remain within my memory and my heart for the entirety of my life.

How many had he killed this time to protect me? I faintly recalled the sudden kidnapping that I had undergone, but if my memory was correct, there were at least three entire carriages filled with soldiers.

Then again, I was probably put under the effects of some kind of potion at that time, so I couldn't rely on my own observations to be accurate.

I sat up slowly, putting my hand on my face as a wave of dizziness suddenly washed over me.

"Don't push yourself," said Jay calmly as he returned to my side. I didn't know how to respond to him. He had once again murdered fellow humans for my sake, the guilt taking over my mind as words refused to come out.

The boy smiled, realizing what I was thinking as he looked right into my eyes.

"I'm okay," he reassured me, "I don't blame you for anything."

I simply nodded, avoiding eye contact as I thought about something to say.

"On a more serious note. What do you want to do?" asked Jay, moving on as he disregarded the subject of his actions.

I remained silent, my mind slowly realizing the kind of position we found ourselves in.

"Do you know who did it?" I asked sheepishly, wanting to collect as much information as possible about my kidnappers.

"The Liech family. They're kind of like cousins to the royal lineage."

"So we were betrayed?"

Jay nodded at my question. The severity of this information finally made sense. This could easily lead to a collapse of trust within the kingdom, ultimately forcing the royal family to focus their attention on internal struggles rather than be a supportive ally in the eventuality of a war.

I could tell Jay was waiting for my suggestion. I strengthened my resolve, understanding what I was meant to do. Relying on my knight was something I couldn't do forever. If I wanted to become a Queen worthy of Jay's loyalty, I'd have to take the lead regarding matters like these.

If the Liech family was left standing after showing their true colors, it was clear that they would become a liability in the near future.

So we had to take out the Liech family?

But how could we possibly eliminate such a powerful and influential party within Imania? We were only two individuals against an entire organization. Did that mean confiding in the higher-ups of Eloria and trusting that they'd be able to handle the situation calmly was the best move?

"How do you think they'll react?" I asked Jay. He looked at me, his turquoise eyes briefly washing away the pressure I was feeling from the situation.

The boy immediately understood I was referencing the royal family. He sighed as he lay next to me, resting his head on the wall.

"Who knows? It's sure to be a shock when they learn that their cousins have betrayed them," he responded.

"That's true," I muttered, attempting to piece together the best-case scenario.

"Either way, the first thing we're going to do is head back to Eloria. I'm taking you to a healer," said Jay. I looked at him, stunned.

"You need to heal yourself first!" I exclaimed, standing up to prove my recovery. Jay's current state was a lot worse than mine. Why would he prioritize taking me to a healer before himself?

My legs suddenly gave in to some unknown fatigue. Jay caught me, smiling as if he had expected this exact scene to play out.

"You're still under the effects of the potion. I'll worry about myself after," he said. I frowned, wanting Jay to take care of himself. There was no point in arguing with him, though.

Jay suddenly lifted me off the ground, not a single trace of discomfort appearing on his face. I smiled, aware that he was trying to not make me worry. The soft breeze of dawn swept through my hair as we exited the cabin, slowly making our way towards the massive walls of Eloria.

I lay my head against Jay's chest, my heart drumming in my ears. Even though I knew Jay better than anyone, I felt as if there was so much about him that remained unknown to me. The pain and hatred that imbued itself within his aura, where did he experience all those horrors?

I recalled the events of the day I had met this mysterious boy eight years ago. A simple four-year-old boy had killed two fully trained adventurers without blinking an eye, not a shred of guilt or pain arising within him.

He had a fighting style unlike anything taught within Auroria, and it was almost like he had learned to fight before he was even born. A war was coming that would engulf the continent in a bloodbath, but for some reason, having this boy by my side gave me unshakeable confidence.

He gave me the strength that pushed me forward without looking back.

I tried planning out our next move, worried that Jay would hear the furious beating of my heart.

Diana was someone that I trusted wholeheartedly, and I was sure she would be able to handle the information calmly and reasonably. If the Princess of Imania were to suggest the banishing of the Liech family with a valid reason, I suspected the king would oblige.

So we just had to create a situation that would lead to some kind of ultimate disrespect of the first Princess. The act or insult had to be grave enough to enrage the king, and I was sure that Diana would be able to accomplish it flawlessly.

It was time for a major shift in power within Eloria.

Today marked the beginning of the end for the Liech family.