Hello everyone.
Sorry for the wait. Due to some communication errors, this chapter was delayed. But don't worry, we got it all sorted out.
Once again, thank you all for the support. Without further ado, hope you enjoy the story!
Chapter 6 - Across the Ocean
"This is amazing in a completely different sense…" Hayami whispered in awe.
Ever since Arthur and the kids left Sayo and Ieyasu's village, they've been traveling through the country. Throughout their journey, Hayami had seen vast dry deserts, freezing cold tundra's, lush green forests, huge bustling cities and sailed across the seemingly endless blue ocean.
But somehow, the view before her made her jaw drop further than ever before.
A simple sea of green. The free and open plains with small hills decorating its surface. The bright sunshine glistened off of the morning dew that coated each blade of grass. A breeze swept across the grassy plain causing the countless blades of grass to sway like waves in the ocean. The breeze brushed against her face, blowing her waist long hair into the air.
Hayami took in a deep breathe, feeling liberated. Free.
"You're right, there's nowhere in the Empire with this feeling of liberty. No matter where you went, there was always pressure. The hold of oppression gripped not only the cities, but the entire country. This country is the complete opposite, one of peace and prosperity." Arthur analyzed, visibly relaxed. He missed this atmosphere. The atmosphere that allowed him to lower his guard without worry, an environment that truly allowed him to relax. But they were not allowed to enjoy the fresh feeling for long. A soldier approached Arthur from behind and saluted.
"Sir, we should get going, we have a day's worth of journeying ahead of us." A soldier said. Arthur nodded and waved him away. The soldier turned around and joined the larger group that awaited them a few hundred feet behind where the pair stood. Arthur patted Hayami on the head.
"Let's get going." He said. Hayami nodded.
"Alright, Shishou." The teacher-student pair returned to the troops and they began marching across the open plains. They marched in silence for hours on end and Hayami took her time to observe and enjoy her new surroundings. But after a while, nagging boredom finally reared its ugly head and Hayami began thinking about her journey across the ocean.
It's been nearly a month since her little family separated in the Capital of the Empire. It took a little over a week to reach the port on the Eastern coast of the Empire. They were met by a large ship filled with soldiers from the Empire, and with a quick show of his emblem, Arthur and Hayami were welcomed aboard. The journey across the ocean took a little over two weeks.
Sailing was a completely different sensation than anything she's experienced. The feeling of motion all the time caused nausea for the first few days. It was incredibly embarrassing for the young lady and she, for the first time, was glad Tatsumi and Yoshiro weren't there.
I miss them… Hayami inadvertently let a small, sad smile course, that didn't escape Arthur's eyes.
"If you're feeling lonely, why don't you send a letter?" He suggested, responding to her thoughts. She smiled and nodded. Nothing escapes the eyes of her Shishou.
"Don't send one to Yoshiro, I've instructed him to send us a letter when he feels he's confident he won't get caught." Hayami nodded, slightly disappointed. She really missed her playful best friend. She moved a few dozen feet from the marching group and began preparation for her message.
She stuffed her hand into her bag that she had hanging from her shoulders and rustled around in there until she found a small sheet of paper. She pulled out a pen after another round of searching and quickly wrote a letter before rolling it into a tube and tying it with a small string.
After preparing the message, she brought her hands to her mouth and a high pitch screech rang across the grassy plains. A few moments later, a shadow descended from the skies. She held out her arm and it landed on her outstretched arm. She opened the small capsule bound to the bird's talon and slipped her letter into it.
"Tatsumi." Hayami said while gently brushing the bird. It let out a high pitched cry before flying off into the distant skies.
Hayami nodded, satisfied, and chased after her Shishou and the other soldiers.
As they marched throughout the day, the landscape slowly changed. The grassy plains melded into light forestry as small patches of woods appeared, scattered around the increasingly hilly terrain.
The afterglow left behind by the sunset was slowly dissipating into the darkness of the night when Arthur's company stepped foot into the Imperial Army's main camp. The camp was cleverly hidden in an inconspicuous forest that was located a good distance west of the capital city. The camp was surrounded by wooden walls and barricades, with patrol marching twenty-four seven. From what Hayami's heard, although this camp was the headquarters, not even twenty-five percent of the infiltrated troops were stationed here. Instead, the troops were scattered throughout the country in various camps and stations.
Since they had skipped dinner in order to reach the camp by nightfall, the soldiers were hungry to the point their stomachs were making noises akin to war drums. Arthur's company was immediately led to the mess tent where they were served an extravagant meal of half-cold curry with some fruit.
Hayami grimaced at the meal. Lukewarm curry feels disgusting on the tongue and not very appetizing, but she knew better than to complain. This was a foreign warzone, not a luxurious resort. With a bit of effort, she managed to finish her meal without regurgitating the contents of her stomach.
The last hints of sunlight faded into darkness and Hayami was brought to her tent which she had to share with Arthur. She felt much more comfortable sharing the tent with her father-figure than with other soldiers in a foreign environment. Hayami felt oddly lightheaded, but waved it off as fatigue and decided to got to bed early. The moment her head hit the hard and uncomfortable pillow on her bed, she fell into a deep sleep.
Hayami slowly pushed herself up. It was a chore, her body felt a dozen times heavier than usual. Her mind was clouded and the world spun in circles. She could feel her own heartbeat pounding in her head, robbing her of the ability to focus at all. It took a few moments before she was finally able to push herself into an upright sitting position. Holding her aching head, she slowly scanned her surroundings.
She was surrounded by cobblestone on three sides and iron bars on the fourth. The room was a cube with hay spread over the floor and a small barred opening in the wall opposite of the iron bars which allowed a small amount of the morning sunlight to seep into her cell.
Fear and confusion quickly cleared out the haziness from her mind and she began analyzing her situation. It didn't take a lot of a brain power to deduce where she was.
"This is… a dungeon?" Hayami whispered to herself. How did she get here? Was she captured by the enemy? The last thing she remembered was biting into bland, lukewarm curry after a day-long march. Did someone drug her curry? Why? She was interrupted by a quiet voice that permeated through the wall on her left.
"Hayami, are you awake?" She turned to the wall in question, the voice was all she needed to identify who the person speaking was.
"Shishou? Are you over there? Where are we? Have we been captured by the enemy?" She asked, question after question flowing out as relief mixed with panic.
"Calm down Hayami. We have been captured, but not by the enemy." Arthur said quietly. That raised even more questions than it answered.
"What-" Before Hayami could finish asking the all-important question, the ear-piercing sound of a rusty steel door interrupted her. Loud footsteps echoed through the dungeon, slowly closing in on the student-teacher pair before finally stopping in front of Hayami's cell.
"Good morning princess, sleep well?" The moment the man who spoke entered her line of sight, Hayami decided that she hated him. The man had grey hair despite being only in his early thirties. His hair was messy and his eyes were sharp. He was around five-foot-seven and he wore the uniform of the Imperial army. But what Hayami hated most was his smile. A condescending smirk that mocked everything Hayami took pride in.
With burning instinctual anger, Hayami glared at the man. He smirked at her glare for a moment before erupting into a hysterical fit of laughter that resembled that of a psychopath.
"Good reaction, I like your eyes." He said. Hayami gritted her teeth and released a small growl.
"Who are you? What do you want?" She asked as menacing as she could.
"Oh, how could I? Allow me to introduce myself. I am Freed, the leader of the Empire's recon corps. It was I that first reported back the existence of this land to the Empire." Hayami's eyes widened. Is this bastard is an ally?
"Then why have you captured us?! We are from the Empire." Freed apparently found her reason to be outright hilarious as he bent over in laughter once again.
"Do you think I'm retarded? We already know you guys are no longer loyal to the Empire." He said as he laughed. Hayami lowered her head and glared at the laughing man.
… So Arthur was right, the Empire knows. She grimaced internally.
"What do you want?" Hayami asked sharply. Freed grinned and crouched down on the other side of the bars, bringing himself to her eye level.
"You, little girl. You are going to kill some people for us." Hayami scoffed and turned her head away from the face that disgusted her to the core of her being.
"I refuse." He sighed and shot Hayami a sad look. He stood up and spun around, taking a dramatic pose. In an overdramatic manner, he recited pre-prepared lines.
"What a tragic ending, I could almost cry. Men, drag the traitor, General Arthur, outside and execu-"
"Stop!" Hayami yelled in panic. Freed raised his ugly eyebrows before returning his gaze to the girl.
"Oh? Having a change of heart?"
"Who do you want me to kill?" Hayami asked through clenched teeth. Freed wiggled his fingers left and right and shook his head.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk, not like that little girl, is that how you speak to your superior?" Hayami clenched her fists tight enough to make her hands bleed and begrudgingly lowered her head.
"Who am I to kill? Sir." She hissed out with as much venom as her eleven-year-old voice could produce.
"That's more like it. Your job is to assassinate the leader of Archana, the Royal Princess, and her right-hand man, the Grand Tactician." Hayami grunted, she has to assassinate presumably the two most powerful people in this country. But on the bright side, since this is going to be a long-term task, no doubt, it will give her chances to find a way to save Arthur.
"Who am I going with?" Freed laughed again and it pissed Hayami off. What did she say that was so funny?
"No one. You are going alone, we won't provide you with any information, and if you don't come back within seven days, we will kill your precious teacher." Her eyes widened in despair and she looked at the man like he was crazy.
"You're crazy! You want me to kill the two most important people in this country within a week with no backup and no information?!" It took Hayami, Yoshiro, and Tatsumi several months to assassinate a group of businessmen with a few bodyguards. She has the same chance of success as swimming back to the Empire with a backpack filled with rocks. But despite knowing that, Freed grinned and shrugged.
"That's exactly what I want you to do, you catch on quickly for such a small girl." He signaled for the men to open the door. Hayami was dragged out of her cell and thrown into Arthur's.
"I'll show you a little mercy and let you speak with your precious teacher, maybe ask for some advice. Damn, I am such a compassionate man. HAHAHAHA!" He laughed as he walked away.
Hayami looked at her Shishou weakly. She felt manipulated and abused, with enough anger to cause her blood to boil but nowhere to vent. She could feel tears welling up in her eyes. Arthur pulled her into a hug and whispered comfortingly to her.
"I'm sorry, I brought you to a dangerous place." He apologized. Hayami shook her head, she was the one who wanted to come. He pushed her away and looked her in the eye.
"Hayami, you have two options now." He whispered quietly. Hayami looked into his stressed and regretful eyes and gulped. She already knew her options and she didn't like either.
"Option one, you try to accomplish your mission and assassinate your targets in seven days. You'll either die and I will get executed, or you succeed, in which case you and I will both be put to death and this country will be engulfed in a chaotic war." Flashbacks to her own village being burned and her parents died in the conflict before her eyes caused her body to shudder. She would never even wish that upon anyone else, much less be the reason for it.
"Option two, you run away the moment you get out of here. Find some way to join the Archanean army and fight for the peace of this country. This is the option I recommend."
Hayami couldn't help but laugh at the helpless situation. None of her options include a happy ending, so logically, she should try and minimize the damage she causes. That's also what her Shishou recommends.
But there's no way she could leave behind the man that was as precious to her as a father. She wouldn't be able to live on as herself anymore.
"Hayami?" Hayami wiped away some tears and pushed herself off of her Shishou. She stood up and looked down at Arthur.
"Shishou… I'm too selfish to let you die. I will never be able to face my family after death, nor will I be able to face Tatsumi and Yoshiro. I will never lose a member of my family again." She said with conviction. Arthur looked conflicted, but sighed. He couldn't say he didn't expect her answer, but he sure did hope she would choose differently.
"Whatever you choose to do, I believe in you." He said with a defeated tone. He pushed himself off the ground and knelt down in front of Hayami, looking at her at the same eye level. He firmly placed her right hand on her left shoulder, squeezing it lightly.
"Hayami, even if you don't make it back in seven days, know that I won't blame you, I won't hate you, no one will. I also don't plan on going down without a fight, I will take that bastard Freed down with me at the very least. With the failure behind your back, defend this country.
"I won't fail, definitely." Arthur pulled Hayami into another hug.
"I'm proud to call you my student."
"Thank you, Shishou."
"Remember, seven days."
Those words that Freed said as Hayami left the camp weighed down on her heart like a boulder. She felt the urge to rush into the palace, but all logic and instincts told her not to. That would be the worst mistake she could make. But at the same time, she knew herself enough to know that if she infiltrated the capital right now, she would definitely crack under the pressure and rush into her own death.
That's why she was stuck here, outside the Capital of Archana, Velisse in the middle of a small patch of forest. Dirt, sand, and grime coated her clothes and sweat caused her hair to stick to her face uncomfortably. She had tripped during her hunt, an embarrassing mistake that hasn't happened in years. A testament to her current internal state.
Hayami sighed, disappointed in herself as the crackling fire before she slowly roasted the bird that she had caught earlier. As she waited for her meal to finish, she began thinking about her mission. How should I go about doing this? Sneaking into the city wouldn't be difficult, but where do I start? Information gathering? Observing my target's movements? Should I try to infiltrate the castle or wait for an opportunity where my targets step outside? There were too many unknowns and too many limitations, it felt like she was trying to climb a marble wall with nothing but her nails.
She sighed again, the stress beginning to make her head dizzy. She noticed her dinner was ready and decided to put off the decision making until after the meal. She was reaching for her meal when suddenly, the bush behind her shook. She stumbled forward, tripping and falling onto her back, her hand holding onto a knife ready to retaliate against her attacker.
"Hm? What is a child doing here?" A mature voice, filled with childish curiosity, asked. Hayami took a good look at the assailant. She was a woman, probably in her early thirties. She had short, messy, black hair that reached right above her shoulders and dark purple eyes filled with life. She wore a large coat that reached her heels and covered her front, her legs were covered in steel guards and her hands in gloves.
"Morgan, stop wandering away!" A man yelled, stumbling into the clearing. He looked nearly identical to the woman, hinting at their relationship as twins. In fact, he wore the exact same coat. He grimaced as he pulled a few twigs out of his black hair and shot a glare at his sister, who completely missed the memo.
The woman walked up to Hayami and knelt down with eyes filled with curiosity and energy. Looking into those eyes, Hayami couldn't find a hint of animosity and she unconsciously released her grip on the blade.
"Hey there, what's a little girl like you doing around here?" Hayami opened and closed her mouth, unable to conjure up a response. The woman named Morgan frowned while the man behind her looked down at me curiously.
"Are you alone?" The man asked. Hayami hesitantly nodded. Morgan's frown deepened and she pointed at the man.
"Mark! You're scaring her." Mark took a step back at the baseless accusation.
"Wha- At least she responded to my question, she was so scared of you she didn't even respond!" He yelled back in indignation. Morgan stood up from her kneeling position and turned to face her brother. She threw her hands up at the sky and yelled back.
"That's because you stumbled so violently into the picture!"
"No, it's because…" Hayami could only stare in confusion as these two adults argued it out like kids. As the absurdity of the situation caught on, she couldn't help but let out a giggle. The sound of her laughter caught the attention of the bickering siblings and they smiled at each other. Morgan leaned forwards and placed her hands on her thighs.
"What's your name?" She asked.
"Hayami." Hayami responded quickly. Morgan nodded in satisfaction, glad to see their new little friend in a better mood.
"Hayami, where are your parents?" Mark followed up. Hayami smiled sadly, thinking back to both her parents and Arthur.
"They… aren't around anymore." Morgan and Mark both frowned. It was the answer they expected, but didn't want to hear. After all, there aren't many reasons for an eleven-year-old girl to be wandering around alone in a forest in the middle of nowhere.
"Are you out here alone? Are you from a village around here?" Morgan asked as quick confirmation. Hayami nodded quickly, She never thought she'd get into this type of situation so she doesn't have a background story prepared.
"Why are you out here?" Mark asked. Hayami felt sweat rolling down her forehead as she desperately wracked her brain for an excuse. AS she began panicking, images of her past and her village flashed across her mind.
"B-bandits." She blurted out. After a tense moment of silence, Morgan sighed and Hayami's heart skipped a beat.
"She might be from the village around here that the bandits raided last week. Looking at her clothes, that seems to be the best explanation." Morgan deduced. Mark looked at Morgan oddly, before nodding in agreement. Hayami sighed in relief. Luck was on her side, she somehow managed to fool them.
"What should we do with her?" Mark asked. Morgan grinned and her eyes shone with excitement. Mark shivered, that's the look she gets when his sister is about to say something befitting of her nature as the harbinger of chaos.
"Let's take her back to the palace!" She suggested cheerfully.
"… Eh?"
To say Hayami was confused would be like saying she mildly disliked Freed or she kind of enjoys watermelons on a hot summer day. She didn't even get to try her roasted dinner before Morgan dragged her away. She was then brought into the city by the sibling pair.
The city was large, on par with some of the other cities in the Empire that she had visited, but nowhere near the size of the Empire's Capital. Yet unlike the clustered cities of the Empire, the buildings were spaced graciously, giving Hayami a feeling of freedom. The houses were built from bricks, the roads were paved, and nature was preserved throughout the city through trees, small gardens, and large parks. Civilians happily roamed the streets with the grand palace in the background.
The royal palace was built on the top of a large hill, similar to the Imperial Palace. The castle was white and was surrounded by a large forest at the edge of the city. By twilight, Hayami was being led through the gates of the Palace. She had been completely thrown off pace by the hilariously convenient turn of events and really didn't know what to do except follow the woman who unknowingly helped her. She was finally recovering her ability to think when Morgan dropped another bombshell.
"First of all, let's take you to see the princess. She's the ruler of this country and she should know about you." Morgan said happily. Once again, Hayami's mental functions shut down and she dumbly nodded. At this point, everything was too convenient and borderline scary and suspicious. Please, somebody, stop her… Hayami begged internally. The heavens must have heard her plea because someone finally put an end to Morgan's nonsense.
Morgan was leading Hayami through the corridors of the palace, bragging about how beautiful and nice the princess was, when a man stopped her.
The first impression Hayami had of the man was that he was definitely an important person. He had an aura of authority without the need for facial expression, as he wore a black mask that covered his eyes and the sides of his face. He was around five foot nine with auburn colored hair that has been brushed backwards, exposing his ears and forehead. His entire body was covered in jet-black armor so Hayami had nothing as a reference to deduce his age, but if she had to take a wild guess, the man was around his mid-thirties.
"Morgan, you're back." The man acknowledged in a stern and stoic tone. Morgan turned her attention to the man and smiled.
"Aaron! Yeah, I'm back, and I've brought a new friend with me!" Morgan greeted energetically. She took a step back and knelt down behind Hayami, placing her hands on Hayami's shoulders and rubbing her cheeks on Hayami's. "Her name is Hayami. We found her in a forest to the west of Velisse during our patrol. She was alone and dirty, so we decided to take her with us!" She explained enthusiastically.
"I don't remember having any say in that decision…" Mark mumbled a few steps behind her. Aaron took a good look at Hayami before crossing his arms.
"Morgan, if we allowed every orphan we come across into the palace, we'd be drowning in children." The masked man sighed, exasperated. With bandit being a recurring issue throughout the country, the patrols have reported hundreds of orphaned children in the areas around the capital city. The Princess and the Grand Tactician have been doing their best to come up with countermeasures as well as setting up orphanages around the city, but the issue still lingers.
"But Aaron! We couldn't just leave her!" Morgan complained with a pout. "C'mon Mark! You tell him too!" She said as she turned to her twin. Mark shrugged with a small frown.
"Sis, I told you this would be an issue, but you didn't listen to me."
Hayami stood to still as the adults argued the issue. She took the moment to reevaluate her situation. She, who was an assassin trying to infiltrate the capital and the royal palace, was just brought to the said palace without any form of resistance or hardship. Should she attempt to stay? It would be risky considering her shady background and terrible cover story, but she didn't have the time to play it safe.
"C'mon, let her stay a few days until we finish repairing the village to the west, right outside Velisse." Morgan pleaded. Aaron paused for a moment and frowned, giving off a confused impression.
"The village to the west?" Morgan nodded enthusiastically. Aaron looked at Hayami suspiciously under his mask. The intimidating gaze caused Hayami to instinctively duck behind Morgan. She tightly grasped onto her bow, a natural response for her when she's uncomfortable with her situation. Of course, the gesture didn't escape Aaron's eyes.
"… Why does she have a bow, arrows and a knife?" Aaron questioned. Hayami quickly clung to her weapons, holding them protectively. They were her only comfort in a strange and foreign situation.
"We found her in the forest, she hunted a bird for dinner." Mark explained. Aaron frowned and was about to say something when a crisp, charming but authoritative voice interrupted him.
"What seems to be the issue?" A young woman walked in. She wore leather armor, fingerless gloves, shoulder pads, and boots, all dyed sky blue. Her silky, flowing hair and her soft eyes matched the color of her clothes. Her snow white skin and noble red cape contrasted the blue to further emphasize her beauty. Yet at the same time, she gave off a gentle but authoritative feeling that made Hayami want to kneel before her.
"Your Highness." Aaron said coolly before giving a quick, but deep and respectful bow. Morgan's reaction was on the opposite side of the spectrum. She jumped towards the beautiful lady and pulled on her arm.
"Leicia! You came at the perfect time! Help me out here." Leicia smiled as she looked at Morgan.
"Good to see you back safely Morgan. Now, what's the issue?" As she asked, her eyes scanned the surrounding and landed on Hayami. Hayami stared into Leicia's eyes, enamored by her beauty and benevolent aura.
"Hm? And who do we have here?" Aaron responded like he was reporting an important issue.
"This girl was found by Morgan and Mark in a western forest while on inspection. She was alone with a bow and arrows as well as a dagger." Morgan pouted at the way Aaron made Hayami sound way more dangerous than she was. She raised her hand high and attempted to clarify the situation.
"Objection! She's a survivor from the village raided in the west a week ago. We found her dirty and tired in the forest and decided to bring her back." She argued. A small frown appeared on Leicia's face as she looked at Morgan. Morgan looked back, silently communicating some sort of message through her pleading gaze. Leicia then turned her eyes back to Hayami, observing her for a few moments before speaking.
"The village in the west… That was an incident resulting from our lax security. We have to take responsibility for allowing bandits so close to Velisse." Aaron's expression dropped visibly despite the mask that covered his eyes. Leicia seemed to notice as she shook her head.
"I'm not blaming you, Aaron, relax." She then took a few steps towards Hayami until they were within reaching distance. She bent over slightly and spoke with a gentle smile.
"Would you like to stay here in the palace until we can rebuild your village?" Hayami hesitantly nodded, unable to believe my ears. Leicia nodded and patted her head. Hayami reacted and shook off her hand before taking a step back. The situation was too unbelievable. Although Hayami couldn't detect any sort of animosity coming from the princess, she also couldn't fully trust her.
Hayami immediately noticed a change in Aaron's gaze. His eyes were filled with rage. His hand flew to the handle of battle axe he had strapped onto his back.
"How dare you be so disrespectful to her highness the Princess!?" He bellowed, preparing to draw his weapon. He would have if Mark hadn't rushed up and stopped him.
"Aaron! Calm down!" Mark yelled. But it was too late, the damage was done.
Hayami's mind had already shut down. She just heard something unbelievable.
"Huh?" She asked stupidly. Morgan grinned and Leicia smiled.
"Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Leicia. I am the Royal Princess of Archana."
"And me! I'm Morgan! The Grand Tactician of Archana!"
…
"Huh?"
Day one of Hayami's suicide mission, she's infiltrated her target's stronghold.
Just that morning, she was stuck in a cell despairing over her impossible mission. Now? Now she was sleeping on a super-sized bed inside the Archanean Royal Palace with her bow and arrows by her bedside and knife behind her back.
Is this some sort of joke? A prank? Am I dreaming and I'll wake up to find Yoshiro and Tatsumi holding a pail of water over my head?
Is this a miracle? Are miracles really so easy to come by? Hayami couldn't help but feel slightly insulted by the ridiculous situation. She was ready to face hundreds of guards just to cross those palace gates. She felt as if her resolve was being belittled.
Whatever. Getting angry at the world won't help me. I'll think about what to do in the morning. She thought tiredly. Slowly but surely, the exhaustion and stress crushed down on Hayami, sending her into a deep slumber.
By the time she woke up, it was nearly noon. She pushed herself off her ultra comfy bed and stretched. A good night's sleep was incredibly refreshing and her mental functions were finally back up and running. She looked around her room, which she was too tired to care about the previous night.
Her room was spacious and luxurious, able to fit half a dozen bunk beds with space to spare. To either side of the super-sized bed were identical nightstands with identical lamps sitting on-top. On the opposite side of the room from the bed was a door that led to a large bathroom with a bathtub, sink, and toilet all made of polished marble. Beside the door to the bathroom was a large closet that was built into the wall. The door to the palace corridor was to the left of the bed while several windows and a small balcony laid to the right of the bed.
After cleaning up in the bathroom, Hayami walked out into the palace hallways intent on finding some nourishment for her grumbling stomach. She stumbled around the halls of the palace, lost in the labyrinth of corridors until she happened upon a maid. Hayami stared at the woman with the legendary occupation before asking her where to get some food. The maid giggled and gave Hayami detailed instructions to the kitchen. Following her instructions, Hayami finally reached the kitchen where the cooks offered to make her breakfast. But knowing that it was nearly lunchtime, Hayami politely refused their kindness and asked for an apple.
Once again wandering around the palace, this time with an apple in her hand, Hayami stumbled upon a huge door labeled 'Library'. Isn't this the place where Arthur mentioned people store books and knowledge in? Hayami's never been to one, but if Arthur is correct, then there should be a ton of knowledge about this country behind this nodded to herself, hoping she wouldn't stumble into anywhere she shouldn't be, and pushed open the door.
Hayami was, once again, amazed by the view.
The room was several times larger than her bedroom. A dozen rows of bookshelves filled the huge space, with multiple floors to boot. No matter where she looked, there were books, books, and more books. Hundreds upon thousands of books filled the bookshelves to the brim. The room felt like a holy sanctuary of knowledge due to its intricate design to fit in as many books and scrolls as humanly possible with utmost efficiency.
"Ah, good morning, sleep well?" Hayami turned to the familiar voice and saw Morgan waving at her. Hayami walked up to her and greeted her.
"So? What brought you here?" Morgan asked curiously. Hayami looked around the library and a good excuse popped into her mind.
"I've always been interested in reading, but my family couldn't afford it." She answered. Hayami wasn't actually lying. Her family had very few story books, but the ones that they did have, Hayami loved them. Morgan smiled sadly before nodding and standing up. She patted Hayami's head with a renewed grin.
"Alright! I will grant your wish! What do you want to read? Just name it and I'll find it for you." Hayami smiled and nodded excitedly. This was a great opportunity! There were so many things she wanted to-
That's when she stopped.
This cheerful and childish woman. She was Hayami's target. Hayami would have to kill her in order to save her Shishou… was that not enough? Now Hayami was taking advantage of her kindness to manipulate her.
The guilt took over for an instant, showing on her face. Morgan did not miss that look.
"Hayami-chan?" Hayami looked away. The best course of action is to pretend nothing was wrong...but...
"Why are you so kind to me? You found me randomly in a forest and took me in, now you are taking care of me… why?" Hayami blurted out, trying to find some reason to justify her actions. Her words implied that she should be suspicious, which directly went against her objective, but she couldn't help it.
In response to her question, Morgan simply smiled and shrugged.
"Because it felt like you needed help." She answered.
Hayami stared at Morgan incredulously. Morgan understood her look and she laughed.
"You see, when I first met Leicia, I was in a similar situation. One day ten years ago, I woke up in the middle of nowhere with nothing but my coat and my name. Even so, Leicia found me and took me in despite my unbelievable background. Therefore, should I not show that same kindness to others?"
Hayami closed her eyes. Silently thinking over Morgan's words.
This was the woman she was destined to kill.
"Now, which books do you want to read?" Hayami stayed silent for a moment.
"I would like to learn about the history of Archana and its geography please." Morgan tilted her head confused.
"Those are some boring topics." Hayami smiled, trying to hide her conflicting emotions.
"I've always been interested, my parents used to tell me epic tales of heroes, I wanted to confirm those stories." Morgan nodded sagely.
"I will be right back." She stated before dashing off into the rows upon rows of shelves. After confirming that Morgan had indeed left, Hayami slowly slid down to her knees, covering her face with her hands.
What should I do?
Hayami silently read through the mountain of books Morgan had kindly collected for her. It was past noon and Morgan had left for lunch a while before. Of course, Hayami felt too guilty to accept Morgan's offer to join her at lunch, instead immersing herself in the world of knowledge.
The history of Archana was long and rich with stories. From the tales of Prometheus, the founder of the Kingdom of Archana, to the adventures of the Ancient Hero Atheneus, who united the continent under the name of the United Kingdom of Akenfall. Then the decline of the Kingdom over a millennium into the current day Archana and Wakoku, as well as the exploits of the previous Royal Prince Corrin and Grand Tactician Kylan. Every story was detailed and exciting, truly inspiring tales of heroes and their struggles to greatness.
But what truly amazed Hayami was how this country has a history of graceful rulers who brought peace and prosperity in their wake. Sure this country had its fair share of corruption and wars, but for every year a war was fought, a dozen years of peace followed and for every generation under the rule of corruption, ten generations were ruled under benevolence.
How is it possible for two countries, so different in every way, to exist in the same world?
The Empire was much more advanced as a country, but rotten to the core while Archana is behind the times in technology and agricultural practices, but people live in peace and the rulers are kind and compassionate.
Polar opposites who will soon meet in conflict.
And the eventual victor is clear to everyone who understands the difference.
Hayami sighed and was about to put away the book she read when a chapter caught her eyes.
"The three sacred treasures of Archana." Hayami slowly scanned down the page.
"The Kingdom of Archana is in possession of three Regalias – Sacred treasures that possess miraculous powers.
The Blade of Light forged from the bones of the Divine Dragon Celestia– Excelion
The Holy Shield forged from the scales of Celestia – The Aegis
The Bow of Seven Elements – Artemis
Both Excelion and the Aegis have been passed down through the Archanean Royal family since before the time of the Ancient Hero Atheneus. The Excelion chooses its wielders, only allowing those of the Archanean royal bloodline to wield its powers. The Aegis, on the other hand, has been stolen and moved around the continent multiple times in the past.
The Bow of Seven Elements – Artemis, on the other hand, did not originate from Archana. It was brought to Archana from a land beyond the sea during the Era of the United Kingdom of Akenfall, where its tremendous powers earned itself a spot in the sacred treasures of Archana.
But the bow picks its wielders arbitrarily. Only two other men outside the original wielder have been able to pick up this legendary weapon. Those who are deemed unworthy face the risk of death."
"What are you reading?"
"Eep!" Hayami involuntarily squeaked, her heartbeat was spinning out of control before she realized it was Morgan. The childish woman grinned and patted Hayami's head before setting down a plate onto the table Hayami was sitting at. A pair of sandwiches containing tomatoes, lettuce, meat and several other ingredients presented itself deliciously on the plate.
"Hehe, sorry if I scared you, let's see… the Sacred Treasures? The Excelion is by Leicia's side twenty-four seven, the Aegis is used only during national emergencies, and Artemis is nothing more than an antique because no one can pick it up without incurring some nasty injuries." Morgan commented offhandedly before sitting down. She picked up one of the two sandwiches from the plate and bit into it hungrily. Hayami looked at Morgan and then at the other sandwich, which was begging to be eaten, and then back to Morgan. Morgan noticed her hunger filled gaze and smiled, tilting her head at the remaining sandwich, indicating that she had brought it for Hayami.
Hayami hesitated, but picked up the sandwich before thanking Morgan for the food. She bit into the delicacy and an array of flavors erupted in her mouth. The crust of the bread was crunchy, while the bread itself was warm and soft. The tomatoes were fresh and sweet. The lettuce was cold, which contrasted with the meat which was roasted beforehand. There was a hint of sourness in the sauce they spread on the bread, which served to accentuate all the other flavors in the sandwich. There were other flavors that Hayami couldn't identify, but each served their own purpose and elevated the flavor of the sandwich above any others she had tried before.
The royal chefs here are amazing! Hayami complimented. She quickly scarfed down the rest of the sandwich, enjoying and relishing every bite of it. As she licked the last crumbs off her fingers, she asked the question that was on her mind before the sandwich stole her attention.
"Why can't anyone wield Artemis?" Morgan shrugged. She never really thought about it.
"Legend says that only the purest of souls can wield it, or that only those who swear to uphold peace and justice may pick it up. But to be honest, no one's is willing to risk their lives anymore to try. Most men end up with heavy internal injuries or die outright if they are deemed unworthy." Morgan said before finishing up her own sandwich.
"But one thing is for sure. Whoever picks up that bow will no doubt play a large role in keeping the peace of this country." Morgan stated with confidence. Hayami tapped her chin, thinking about the uncanny similarities between the sacred treasure and a certain set of fifty weapons.
This bow… could it be a Teigu?
The day flew by and morning came. As the sun reached its highest point, Hayami found herself in the presence of the Royal Princess, her highness Leicia.
It was a pure coincidence. Hayami was admiring the gardens of the royal palace which, filled the open fields left and right of the main path from the walls surrounding the palace to the palace gates. The garden was filled with flowers and plants of every shape and color, arranged in a way that appealed to the eyes no matter from which angle it was looked at. The fragrance coming from the thousands of blooming flowers mixed together, stimulating Hayami's senses in a way that was strong but not overwhelming.
She probably would've spent another hour or so admiring the garden's beauty and the amount of work put into it had the Royal Princess not appeared from the palace gates. Her presence completely stole Hayami's attention from the garden. Leicia had the same attire as when they first met, wearing leather armor, shoulder pads, fingerless gloves, knee-high boots, all dyed sky blue. But unlike the other day, the sword that hung by her side stood out to Hayami.
The Sacred Treasure Excelion took on the appearance of a sword with a blade about three feet in length that started out three inches in diameter and reaching a point. The blade spread out from the hilt, forming a teardrop shaped hole at the base of the blade.
Aaron, who held the position of Leader of the Knights as well as assigned to guarding Leicia, sent a glare at Hayami. She quickly realized that it was rude to stare at the ruler of a country, so she quickly lowered her head and greeted Leicia.
"G-good morning, your highness." Leicia giggled and waved her hand.
"Please, do me a favor and cease the formalities." Hayami tilted her head in question but hesitantly nodded.
"Hayami... right? Will you join me on my trip to the city today?" Leicia politely invited. Aaron frowned deeply, but didn't say anything. Hayami hesitated, but felt like refusing would be rude and suspicious, so she nodded.
"If you don't mind having me by your side." She replied. Leicia smiled and walked outside. Aaron followed her, standing a respectful distance behind and Hayami walked at the same distance.
After a mere half hour, Hayami realized that the city of Velisse was completely different from what she imagined it to be. In fact, it reminded her of home. The warm, tiny village she lived in where everybody was a neighbor to each other. That sense of companionship and warm welcoming was shared by the huge capital city.
As Leicia walked through the city, Hayami noticed several things.
First of all, everyone looked at her with love, admiration and spoke to her like to a respected friend. Second of all, she had no one but Aaron as her guard, which meant she either didn't expect an attack or she's confident in Aaron's as well as her own skills. Lastly, Aaron was keeping an eye on Hayami. Apparently, he was the only cautious of the bunch, which actually felt kind of relaxing for Hayami, knowing that her sense of what is normal is shared by at least one other person.
"Hayami, I would like your opinion on some clothes." Leicia requested politely as she stepped into a clothes shop. Aaron was about to follow her in, but Leicia said something to him and he backed off, waiting at the entrance. Leicia walked into the store with Hayami and spoke to the clerk, who quickly bowed in respect to her, obviously overjoyed. Hayami followed her around and they picked several different dresses for Leicia to try.
Hayami was standing outside the changing room, waiting for Leicia, when the situation sunk in. She stared at the fragile, wooden door of the changing room. Right behind that door was her unarmed, unaware target. On the other hand, Hayami always kept a knife behind her back. If she charged in right now, she'd be able to silently kill her target and sneak off.
Her hand twitched towards her knife when the door opened. Hayami was treated to the sight of Leicia in a pure white dress. The dress covered her modest chest, accenting her waist with a line of golden fabric. The dress draped down to her heels and her arms were covered in white gloves that reached her elbow. In an instant, Hayami felt her mental barriers as an assassin shattered by her instincts as a girl.
No matter how you spin it, she was an eleven-year-old girl. It was only natural that she would want to play dress up, right?! Right?!
Right!
Hayami walked out of that store feeling both satisfied and disappointed. She never thought that she'd fall to her own desires like that, it was a huge blunder. She missed to most opportune moment to complete her mission. Leicia's girl power is too strong... She groaned internally. That same scenario repeated itself a few times in the span of Leicia's shopping trip and Hayami eventually gave up on trying.
A few hours after Hayami returned to the palace, she was once again wandering the halls of the palace. But this time, she wasn't lost… probably. She held a few sheets of papers in her hands and she was mapping out the interior of the palace.
"You. What are you doing?" A menacing voice asked. Hayami turned around and met face to face with Aaron. Hayami felt her heartbeat increase, but she quickly used the excuse she had rehearsed beforehand.
"U-um, I don't know how long I'll be staying, so I wanted to make a map for myself. I don't want to trouble the maids every time I want to go somewhere." Hayami said honestly. She wasn't lying, it was one of the reasons she had for the making the map. Aaron's menacing gaze did not ease and he scoffed.
"Hmph. Like hell I'll bele-" Once again, Morgan conveniently came to the rescue. One of the doors nearby suddenly few open and Morgan popped out from behind.
"Oh! That's right! I haven't given you a tour yet have I?! How could I forget?! Stupid! Stupid!" She yelled while smacking her head lightly with her fists. She rushed up to Hayami and grabbed her wrist.
"We must make up for lost time! To adventure!" She yelled before running down the hallway with Hayami in tow. With her help, Hayami was able to map out the entirety of the Palace before sunset. And what's more? She was laughing the entire way.
This is fun!
…
NO!
Hayami pushed herself off the super-sized bed. She grasped her face with her right hand and closed her eyes. I can't do this. I can't be enjoying myself. Shishou… Shishou is still waiting for me. I… I have to….
She leaned forward, resting her forehead on her open palms. Deep breath… in…. out…
A light breeze came through the window. She slowly opened her eyes. Her piercing blue eyes.
Cold as winter's night.