The port town of Gretraine was a bustling hub of activity, with ships of all sizes coming and going from the harbor. Despite the busy port, the town had a peaceful atmosphere that seemed to be in harmony with the surrounding crystal blue waters.
Walking through the streets, it was clear that magic was a known but rare phenomenon. Only a few individuals, known as mages, had the ability to harness its power. They were highly respected and sought after by those who knew of their abilities. The town itself was a mix of old and new buildings, with some dating back to the time when magic was more prevalent. One could see remnants of the past in the architecture and design of some of the buildings, with intricate symbols and designs etched into the walls and windows.
As the sun set over the harbor, the town took on a serene quality, with the sound of lapping waves and gentle breezes filling the air. The mages could be seen practicing their craft in secluded areas of the town, surrounded by a faint glow of energy. Despite their innate magical abilities, they were often humble and kept to themselves.
In the distance, one could see the imposing form of a large hydroelectric dam that supplied the town with power. It was a testament to the ingenuity of the people who had figured out how to harness the power of the water. Overall, the town of Gretraine was a peaceful and harmonious place, where the past and present coexisted in perfect balance. It was a place where the crystal blue waters and the power of nature were respected, and where the few who had the ability to wield magic were revered.
The Princess of the Kingdom, Lily, was at the docks, getting a boat ready to leave for good. Her best friend April approached her with a sad look on her face.
"Princess, is it true? Are you leaving?"
"Yes, I'm sick of the horrible treatment from my father and the expectations of being a Princess. I want to go out and see the world, make some friends, and go on all kinds of adventures. I just want to be a normal girl for once, not shackled by my duties as a princess."
"I'll miss you Princess. When we meet again, we'll have to go clothes shopping, and shop for books to read, oh and we'll have to get makeovers, go to the spa, oh there's so much I want us to do when we meet again.
I hope it's sooner rather than later. I'll miss you Princess, have a safe journey, and I hope you meet some great friends, don't hesitate to contact me via carrier pigeon if something happens, you know I'll come storming with the whole army if a hair on your head gets harmed." April said jokingly.
"That sounds wonderful April, and how many times have I told you to call me Lily! You're my best friend, and it's not like we're in the castle or anything, you can use my real name." Lily said.
"Sorry Lily, force of habit. But I'll miss you." April said, as she reached out to give Lily a tender hug, as if she wouldn't see her ever again.
After her tearful goodbye, and securing a boat, with her family jewels in hand, set out to venture into the world. "I wonder what I'll find out there." She said excitedly after rowing out to sea.
As she rowed, a memory hit her.
"Mama?" 8-year-old Lily whimpered. She rushed over to her mother's bed and noticed she was cold to the touch, and unmoving, while her eyes were blank.
"Mama? Wake up Mama!" She said trying to shake her awake, alas her efforts were futile. Lily began to cry loudly, with tears running down her face onto her mother, and onto the bed.
"Lily? What in the world is going on in here?" Her father, King Seymour Heart, asked her as he came rushing in. He saw a terrified expression in her blue eyes.
"It's mama," Lily exclaimed. "She's not moving, and she won't wake up!"
He rushed over to the bed and put two fingers on her pale wrist. "She has no pulse," He gasped.
"Lily, I'm so sorry to have to tell you this, but she's gone, she's passed away. "He said with tears openly falling down his cheeks, and onto the floor.
He grabbed his daughter and brought her into a tight hug, whispering, "It'll all be okay, she wouldn't want us to be sad, we must live on, for her sake. She will continue to watch over us from heaven forever, of that I have no doubt."
"No, that can't be true." She yelled, breaking free of her father's grasp, running back over to the bed where her mother was, and threw her arms around her tightly.
"Mama is still alive, she must be! Mommy?" She whimpered with tears running down her eyes.
"Lily dear what's happening to you? You're glowing." He said, noticing a green glow surrounding her body, as it began to get brighter, and brighter.
"I don't know, I'm scared Papa." She said with tears running down her face.
"Don't worry Princess, it'll all be okay."
Once the glow finally stopped, she passed out on the floor exhaustedly. He walked over and carried her over to the bed.
"Please remove her body from this room and prepare for a proper burial fit for a Queen.'' He ordered his servants in a quiet voice as to not wake up his daughter.
A few hours went by, and after he got some chores done, began to gently shake her awake.
"Lily, wake up, are you okay? Talk to me."He said as he tried to shake her awake.
"Mhm, what happened Papa?" She groaned and rubbed her eyes as she woke up.
"I remember seeing Mama stop moving, and then, that's right, Mama." She whimpered.
"It'll all be okay dear, now why don't we see what that glow was about, perhaps you unlocked your magic?"
"Really? Like Mama did?" She asked with awe, all starry-eyed about it.
"Yeah, let's go see!" They went out via carriage to a local witch, who told her,
"It seems like you've unlocked a very fitting ability." She said, looking intrigued.
"What is it? I wanna know!" She said all excited with a happy glint in her eyes.
"Alright then, your magic gives you the power to heal all non-lethal wounds, it's very ironic considering what happened, and you have my deepest condolences, now you can use that ability to protect those you care for, so hopefully something like that doesn't happen again."
"Darn, what a time to go down memory lane." Lily thought. "At least it didn't happen around anybody else, that'd be embarrassing."
While out there, she began to think about a game plan for what to do when she reaches land.
"Hmm, the first thing I'll do is get help from the locals, and see what they have to offer. Hopefully, I don't get too attached to anybody either, as I'm not going to be in one place for too long." Eventually after going through her stored rations, and rowing, she eventually reached land. She docked her boat, and started walking on land until she reached a clearing with a big sign in front of her.
"Gravelholm Isle," she said, reading the sign in front of her. "Sounds intriguing, I wonder what I'll find here."
While exploring, she noticed the isle had very lush grass, the crystal blue waters surrounding the island were as pretty as her hometown, combined with the waves crashing into the rocky shore made for a sight to see. While exploring, she rounded the corner, and didn't see someone else doing the same, so they collided.
"Watch where you're going!" He said angrily.
"I'm sorry," She replied hastily. "I wasn't watching where I was going.
"No biggie." He responded more calmly. As he began to help her up, he couldn't help but take in every detail of her appearance, from those blue eyes as deep as the ocean, to her golden blonde hair reminding him of an angel, not to mention an hourglass figure that would make most women jealous.
"Sorry for bumping into you, I'm Arthur, what's your name?"
"My name is Lily, nice to meet you, Arthur."
"Nice to meet you as well. Mind if I show you around town a bit, so you can get to know the sights, and where each place is, who lives where, and so on?" He asked.
"Sure, that sounds lovely, lead the way kind sir." She said teasingly.
"As you wish ma'am, right this way. Don't trip." He quipped back.
As he led her through town, he decided to ask her some things.
"So Lily, what kind of stuff are ya interested in?"
"Well, I like stargazing for one."
"No kidding? Me too! We should do that one of these days!"
"Yeah, maybe after we get to know each other better." She said. "So what kinds of things are you interested in Arthur?"
"Well for one, I have a big passion for martial arts, it's a way for me to keep in shape, as well as protect those I care for, and those who can't protect themselves! I also dream of opening my own dojo where kids of all ages can learn to defend themselves and feel like they are part of something bigger, like a family. Sorry, you must find that boring, it's not like you asked for all that."
"Oh not at all," she said. "I find it very honorable that you took up martial arts for such a selfless cause."
"So what else do you like Lily?"
"Well for starters, I love to read books, mainly suspenseful ones, I know, that probably sounds boring huh? Well, I also love to write, and someday I want to be a world-famous novelist, although I don't know if I have what it takes."
"That's a great dream Lily, and I'm sure if you keep working towards it, you'll get there someday!"
"Same to you Arthur, I hope you're able to open that dojo someday!"
He began to show her around town, first they went and visited the fountain in the center of town. Then he showed her the different farms they had in town, and showed her where the businesses were, from the local bakeries, to the lovely cafes, to that one blacksmith in town who's been forging equipment for as long as he's known. They walked by a Dojo which Arthur told her belongs to him now, after the previous owner, his mentor and father figure Ken, passed away after a battle with a gang protecting the town.
"I'm sorry that happened to your father figure Arthur, that must've been devastating for you. I hope wherever he is, he's found peace, where he can watch over his son forever." Lily said.
"Thank you, and yeah it really hurt, but I know he wouldn't want me to grieve forever, so while I'll always be sad, and forever grateful for everything he taught me, I won't let his death haunt me. He'd want me to live my life to the fullest, go out and travel, meet new people. And to just follow my dream. That's all he said he ever wanted was to pass down his legacy, and for me to live the life I always wanted. Heh, well his dream became my dream, and I won't let him down, I know he'd be proud of me." Arthur said, a wistful look on his face. "Anyway, let's keep going, I still haven't shown you everything this town has to offer."
He finished up for the day by showing her the rest of his neighborhood, showing her all the different homes, and who lived where, and the rest of the business district. He finished the day by showing her the massive hydro dam that powers the whole island. He then showed her a hotel she could stay at, and gave her some ryo so she could stay there for a few nights.
"Oh no, I couldn't possibly trouble you, besides I already have enough ryo on me, " Lily said.
"I insist, save your money, money isn't an issue for me, Ken had quite a bit before he handed over the Dojo to me, not to mention all the assets he had in the will he gave me." Arthur said.
"Alright, you win, but I will pay you back for this, make no mistake. Have a good night, and thank you for showing me around town. I had a lot of fun today." Lily said.
"No problem at all, I had fun too, tomorrow I'll show you this nice cafe in town," Arthur said.
As Lily lay in bed thinking about her journey thus far, she realized she's had a great time already, and hoped more fun would be to come. As she awoke, she checked the clock, and noticed it was noon. She began stretching, and began to think about what Arthur told her last night.
"A cafe huh? If it's even half as good as Arthur said it was, then I'm in for a good time." She thought to herself. Arthur knocked on her hotel room door, and they made their way to a place called the Eclipse.