Soulbound: Dual Cultivation

Lucas did not delay after parting with Henrietta. His mind heavy with the words he needed to deliver. He knew Nyx was waiting, and he did not wish to waste her time, the King had already summoned her to join the formal welcome of the Rus emperor. When he finally reached her chamber, he knocked softly, and a servant opened the door at once. Nyx was already standing.

"Xavier," she said quickly, moving toward him. "You must speak fast. The King has ordered me to come without delay, so that I may be present when the emperor arrives. Whatever you have to tell me, be quick with it."

Lucas studied her for a moment, his chest tightening. He had hoped to come bearing only good news, but the truth was layered and far more complicated than that. Still, he would not leave her in the dark. He drew in a breath and spoke clearly. "The King has allowed me to travel to Lechia to propose an alliance on Valerion's terms. He has granted me the chance to meet their queen and attempt to bind them to us."

Nyx's face lit up immediately. She clasped her hands together, her lips curving into a smile that was bright with both relief and joy. "Truly? He gave you permission? Then you have done it, Lucas. This is more than I could have hoped for." She stepped closer, her voice trembling slightly with her excitement. "With Lechia by our side, Rus will not matter, nor will any other kingdom. This changes everything."

Lucas felt a pang of guilt at her unguarded happiness, he knew he was yet to deliver the part of the truth that would temper her relief. His voice grew softer, his tone careful. "Nyx, there is more. The King has agreed to allow me to pursue the alliance with Lechia, yes, but he has not abandoned his dealings with Rus. He intends to present the emperor with new terms. If the emperor accepts, then your marriage will no longer be required. The alliance can be sealed through shared strength. But…" He paused, his eyes steady on hers. "If the emperor rejects the proposal, then the original terms will remain. Your hand in marriage would still be the price."

The light in Nyx's face faltered, though it did not vanish entirely. She stood very still, absorbing his words, her smile fading into a conflicted expression. A thousand thoughts seemed to war within her, relief at the hope Lucas had bought her, dread at the uncertainty still looming, and gratitude that he had fought so hard on her behalf. She drew in a slow breath, her hands lowering as her shoulders sagged just slightly.

"So it rests on the will of the emperor," she whispered, her eyes shifting away for a brief moment before returning to his. "That man will decide whether I am given a chance at freedom or bound in chains of marriage. And all I can do is wait." Her voice quivered faintly, but then she steadied it, forcing strength back into her tone. "Still… you have given me something I did not have before, Lucas. You have given me hope, and you have given me a chance. Whether it is enough will be decided soon, but I know you have done everything you could."

Lucas stepped closer, lowering his voice so that only she could hear. "I promised you I would not stand by and let them take you without a fight, and I meant it. Whatever happens when the King and the emperor meet, know that I will not abandon you."

Nyx nodded slowly, her eyes lingering on his, her emotions swirling like a storm beneath the surface. She did not say more, a servant knocked hurriedly at her door, summoning her once again. She straightened her gown and drew herself upright, the regal mask of a princess settling over her features even as her heart remained tangled in uncertainty.

Lucas watched her leave to fulfill her duty, he knew the weight of what was to come pressed down on both of them.

As Nyx left hurriedly, her attendants trailing behind her, Lucas remained in the corridor for a brief moment, watching the flutter of her robes vanish around the corner. A weight pressed on him, the kind that comes when one knows the future holds trials that cannot be avoided. He exhaled slowly and turned toward his own chambers, needing solitude, needing to set his thoughts in order before the tides of duty swept him away again.

When he entered, he was not surprised to find Lira waiting. She always seemed to know when he would return, as if some quiet tether of loyalty bound her to his comings and goings. The moment she saw him, she rushed forward without hesitation and embraced him. Her arms wrapped around his waist, and she looked up with a smile that was both proud and earnest. "I saw it, my lord," she said, her voice brimming with excitement. "I saw what you achieved before the King. You've done something no one else could. I'm so proud of you."

Lucas let out a faint chuckle at her unrestrained enthusiasm. He reached out and gently ruffled her hair, the way one might a younger sister, though there was more tenderness in his gesture than he often showed. "Thank you, Lira. Your words mean more than you realize."

She beamed at him, her eyes bright, though she quickly composed herself when he drew back and motioned toward the writing table. "Fetch me a sheet and a quill," he instructed. "There is someone I must write to before the night grows late."

"Yes, my lord," she said at once, moving briskly across the room. She returned quickly with parchment and ink, setting them neatly before him. Lucas sat down, dipped the quill, and with swift strokes began to write. His thoughts turned to Sage Raph, the man who had trusted him with the task of studying the core of dominion, a task of immense importance. Yet the days had slipped by, consumed by the urgency of Nyx's situation and the burdens that came with it.

His hand moved steadily, each word an apology woven with sincerity. He wrote of his regret at the delay, explaining that the matter of the kingdom had demanded all of his time and effort. He reassured Sage Raph that he had not forgotten the task, nor set it aside, but rather postponed it only out of necessity. He promised to resume his work with full dedication and to deliver his answers soon. When he finished, he read the letter once, nodded in satisfaction, and then rolled it tightly, sealing it with care.

Lira was already waiting by the open window with the raven perched upon her wrist. Lucas tied the letter to its leg, whispered a few words, and then released it into the sky, the bird took flight immediately.

When the chamber grew quiet again, Lucas leaned back in his chair, letting the silence settle. But it did not last long. He turned his gaze to Lira, who stood nearby with her hands clasped in front of her, watching him attentively. "Lira," he said, his tone calm but firm, "go and prepare for a long journey. We will need food, water, medicines, and other essentials. This journey to Lechia will not be short or easy, it will take us no less than forty-five days in total."

Her eyes widened slightly, and for a moment her mouth parted in surprise. Then, just as quickly, her face lit up with an eagerness she could not contain. "Truly? We are leaving the capital? We are going beyond Valerion?"

Lucas allowed himself a faint smile. "Yes. You will have the chance to see the outside world. But remember, it is not a tour of wonder, it is a duty. Be thorough in your preparations, we cannot afford carelessness."

Lira nodded vigorously, though the excitement dancing in her eyes betrayed her true feelings. To her, this was not just a mission. It was freedom, a rare opportunity to step beyond the walls of her life of service and into the vastness of lands she had only ever heard about. She curtsied quickly, her voice trembling with anticipation. "I will prepare everything, my lord. You can count on me."