"So you've summoned me, Prince Shouto." Tenya Iida, loyal knight of the Yuuei Kingdom bowed reverently to his king
"You don't need to do all that for me." Shouto urged "We've been training together since we were kids."
"Etiquette must be followed at all times." Tenya softly admonished before chuckling "But enough with the formalities- How can I serve you?"
"As you know, my father is forging an alliance with the neighboring kingdom…and while diplomacy was never his strong suit, he had actually managed it."
"You seemed disappointed. Eager to ascend to the throne with your father out of the picture?"
Shouto let out a snort "I wish it were that simple. You know how ruthless he can be."
Tenya nodded "He wasn't what I would call a model parent by any means. Since you are royalty yourself, I hope I won't catch any trouble for calling him a terrible parent. I do find it odd how he mellowed out as we aged."
"Probably has to do with King Toshinori sacrificing himself during the Liberation War. I guess seeing the wise and beloved ruler my father spent his entire life trying to surpass die made my father look back at all he did and realize it was for nothing." Shouto suggested
"Perhaps. Maybe this is all just his attempt to atone for his actions."
"I don't know. I don't care." Shouto said grimly "With my father being busy and the rest of my siblings are estranged at best. I'm the one who has to take the throne if only for a bit."
"I guess it's a good practice for when you eventually ascend to the throne for good?" Tenya commented "but I think we both know that this is enough small talk between friends. What would you have me do?"
"You're aware of the Lord of the Whispering Woods, right?"
Iida shuddered, "unfortunately, I'm well aware of all the lords of the Shiketsu Empire and the twisted magik they've mastered."
Shouto smirked as he pointed to the engravings adorning Iida's armor "A little hypocritical, aren't you? You're quite adept at magik."
"There's a difference between magiks focusing on enhancing one's strength and speed and the demented spells they know." Iida scoffed "I've heard the Lord of the Whispering Woods' castle is full of her own creations and the reanimated dead of any would be assassin"
"You sound frightened" Shouta teased
"Of course I'm scared! Only fools are fearless! But while I'll gladly lay down my life for the throne, I don't want any knight under command to die."
Shouto placed a hand on Iida's shoulder "admitting your fears so candidly while also showing concern for your me. That's commendable and it's why you're you're one of my most trusted warriors."
Iida brushed Shouto's hand away "While I appreciate your compliment, I still have qualms about this entire idea."
"Did you forget my father is undergoing negotiations with the Shiketsu Empire? They'll be expecting you as an envoy." Shouto informed the knight
"This doesn't seem like a task I'm suited to, my liege." Iida argued "Midoriya should have the honor."
"Izuku is one of our finest rangers and because of all the work that must be done for this alliance, he's really busy." Shouto explained
Iida rubbed his chin "Yes, I should have known that was the case. But still, I don't think I'm the right fit for this mission."
"You're too hard on yourself, Tenya." Shouto softly admonished "You're beloved by the kingdom not just because you're fighting prowess but your heart that shines as bright as your armor."
Tenya scrunched his face in confusion "That all sounds very rehearsed."
"A King has to be good at making speeches, right?" Shouto asked "Besides, everything I said was true."
"Save the speeches for people who didn't grow up with." Iida teased
"But seriously, I need someone I trust to carry this out. Someone whose chivalrous and caring nature can win over anyone. And uh…someone who could escape with his life if things turn south." Shouta trailed off "I'm well aware of the danger the Lord of the Whispering Woods presents and that's why I don't to send an entire band of knights."
"True, it's better if just one person confronts her just in case she isn't open to discussion. I feel honored to have your faith." Tenya acknowledged
"Yeah well, I still feel terrible asking a friend to do something like this." Shouta admitted "I want to see you come back after this is done."
"I don't envy your position." Tenya affirmed "Especially not in a time like this. Every mistake that could happen all leads back to you. It's a burden you must bear since your father isn't going to be around forever."
Shouto took a deep breath "I know…it's just that…My family is fractured and my friends are all I have. I didn't even want to send Izuku out there, but my father asked him to partake in the negotiations."
"Yuuei Kingdom is our home too, my liege. Midoriya and I are willing to lay down our lives to protect our this land. Us and so many others. If this alliance with the Shiketsu Empire pans out than our future is secured. Nobody will be bold enough to attack a powerful kingdom that has a backing of another Empire. I'm sure the Lords of the Shiketsu Empire feel the same way. We must make sure everything goes right." Tenya articulated
Shouto took a moment to really digest what the knight said before responding "You're right. All of this is too important for me to have cold feet."
Tenya smiled "That's what I want to here."
"Pack up your necessities. The Lord of the Whispering Woods is expecting you before the week ends." Shouto ordered
Tenya gave his king a salute "It will be done, my liege."
0000
Sir Tenya got off his horse as he reached the edge of the Whispering Woods. The knight had left Yuuei Kingdom territory long ago and he could almost feel the miasma emanating from the swampy forest in front of him.
Despite the fact the dawn had just risen not too long ago, the forest was shrouded in darkness. It was as if time itself bowed to the magik of this eldritch location.
"I'm afraid that this is where we part ways, Sora." Tenya whispered as he slowly ran his hands down his loyal steed's mane "I don't want any of my men to follow my march into this hell and that includes you."
Tenya's horse whinnied in defiance. Even though the knight could see the primal fear in his horse's eyes, Sora was loyal to his master and didn't want to abandon him.
"Sorry boy, but I cannot take you there. I wouldn't know what to do with myself if you end up hurt or worse."
Tenya placed a charm inside a pouch that was attached to the horse's saddle "This ward should keep you safe and guide you back to the Kingdom. Shouto will take care of you.
The stallion seemingly nodded and galloped away, sparing one final glance at his master before departing.
"At least once of us is guaranteed to make it back home…" Tenya mused as he stepped foot into the Whispering Woods
The sun's bright rays were replaced by the ever present cool moonlight that seemed to envelop the place. Tenya had to admit that if it weren't for the danger he was sensing, the area seemed quite beautiful. There were all sorts of fireflies dotting buzzing about, shining with lights in colors that he hadn't seen before. There were also small herds of deer with glowing horns trotting along, just living their lives. Tenya found it odd that unlike most deer he encountered, these were not weary of the strange human that wandered in their home.
"The fact that the deer here aren't afraid of humans doesn't sit right with me." Tenya whispered to himself "It probably means no human survived long enough to be a threat to these creatures…"
Iida was roused from his thoughts when he saw hands tunnel out of the ground. He readied his claymore to fight whatever was making its presence known as bodies crawled out of the earth and towards him
"Revenants…judging from their attire, they must be bandits who thought they could take on the Lord of the Whispering Woods when they heard she had no guards stationed to protect her." Tenya said to himself before attacking
Each swing of his sword caused the revenants to dissipate into wispy blue and black smoke. They were hardly a challenge outside how unnerving it was to fight them. But before he could draw his breath, Tenya noticed a gigantic wolf charging towards him.
The knight barely held up his sword in time to block the beast's charge before throwing him away. Thankfully, it seemed that this was literally a lone wolf since Tenya couldn't see any other wolves. Normally, they were pack hunters that were great at outflanking their targets.
Well, nothing about this beast could be considered "normal" anyway.
The first thing that caught Tenya's eyes was the fact that the wolf stood several meters taller than any wolf he had seen in his life. The beast's fur was coated in what looked to be arcane runes, hinting at some sort of magical prowess and its eyes were pure white.
The creature sized Tenya up and with a howl, its fangs turned a bright blue and some sort of spectral sword materialized inside its maw. The Wolf brandished its blade with confidence.
"Looks like this beast knows its way around a sword…" Tenya mused before pointing his sword towards the giant wolf "Very well then! I shall fight you like a fellow warrior!"
The knight's words seemed to excite the creature as it charged forward and deftly swung the large magical blade with more grace than Tenya expected. The knight was no fledgling, however and his body was not only trained to physical perfection but was also augmented with magic, making him supernaturally strong and fast.
Tenya slid under the beast and stabbed its underbelly, the momentum of his slide, pushed his blade forward until he nearly bisected the beast. Instead of guts spewing forth from the grievous wound, a shower of otherworldly blood stained Tenya's armor. The color was a mirror of the knight sky bespeckled with stars. It would have been beautiful if not for the fact that his armor was covered in the remains of the giant wolf
Tenya took off his helmet and gasped for air "Disgusting!" he yelled at nobody in particular. But after a moment of revulsion, his senses returned to him and the knight turned to his now slain foe.
"You fought well." Tenya acknowledged. The dying wolf seemed to nod back before it dissipated into smoke like the revenants he had fought
"Are all these illusions?" Tenya asked himself "Am I just imagining these battles?" The knight ran a gloved finger down the otherworldly "blood" that stained his armor "But this is real?"
Tenya shook his head in annoyance. He had been in this place for only about an hour, and he already felt like he was losing his mind!
The knight was shaken up from his thoughts when he saw the sky…burning with fire that was just as blue as the knight sky. Tenya raised his sword to defend himself on instinct but he had no idea what he could do if the very environment decided to attempt to slay him.
His fear was momentarily displaced when he noted that the flames in the sky were…spelling out a message.
"WELL DONE! YOU'VE PROVEN YOURSELF" the flames spelled out "ONLY THE PEOPLE I CHOOSE CAN SEE BEYOND THEIR SIGHT"
Tenya can see the horizon just beyond the flaming message in the sky slowly shift. What was once a seemingly endless expanse of forest within the swamp gave way to a large, obsidian castle.
"Huh…this castle was hiding in plain sight all this time…"
If Castle Todoroki was a beacon of hope and safety for Sir Tenya, then this imposing monument only instilled a sense of unease in the knight. It appeared to be forged by bricks of pure darkness with only large windows that shined with a sickly orange glow breaking up the ebony walls. Towers and spire seemed to extend to the heavens and frightening gargoyles littered the rooftops
"MAKE YOURSELF AT HOME! YOU'RE WELCOME, SIR TENYA!"
"Seems like Shouto told her about me specifically. Hopefully this isn't an ill omen."
Iida took the time to wipe off as much of the blue blood off his armor. If he was going to meet with royalty from another kingdom, it would be uncouth of him to be is such disarray. After several minutes of futilely cleaning the stains off his armor, Iida gave up.
"She must have seen me fight off these creatures, right?" he asked himself "Surely, she would know why I look like such a mess!"
The knight was caught off guard when the giant wolf he fought reappeared out of thin air right where it died. Tenya scrambled for his claymore and readied himself for round two of their bout.
The wolf had other ideas it seemed like
Instead of scowling at Tenya, the giant beast wagged its tail and started energetically panting. It looked less like an intimidating creature and more of an oversized puppy. Tenya reluctantly sheathed his sword and inched closer with his hand stretched out, hoping to communicate that he meant no harm.
He was blindsided when the wolf pushed him to the ground and pounced on him. Iida knew that he couldn't pick up his sword in time and turned away, waiting to be mauled by the beast. The wolf did no such thing. Instead, it licked his face as if he was a loyal companion.
It took Tenya a second to realized what was happening and he couldn't help but chuckle at the bizarre situation he found himself in.
"Alright! Down boy!" Iida ordered between bouts of laughter and the oversized wolf listened to him and sat down, waiting for more orders
Tenya stroked his chin before extending a hand "Shake"
To his delight, the wolf understand what he meant and shook his hand.
"Your owner must have trained you well. Tell me, is she the Lord of the Whispering Woods?"
The wolf happily barked at the question, acknowledging his owner. He then circled around Tenya to get his attention before crouching low and giving Tenya an expectant look
"Do…Do you want me to get on your back?" Tenya asked
The wolf barked what seemed like a "yes"
"Are you going to take me to your master?"
The wolf barked once again and to make the message more clear, the sky lit up once again "HE'S WELL TRAINED, ISN'T HE?"
"That he is…" Tenya mused before hopping on the giant wolf "Alright boy, let's go to that castle!"
As the wolf trotted along, more revenants started crawling up from the ground only instead of attacking Tenya, they merely pointed forward, giving the wolf directions.
The level of control The Lord had over this entire area had frightened Tenya. Not only did she have an endless supply of soldiers to fight for her but no matter how many he killed, she can revive them seemingly instantly. Even the sky was under her dominion and judging by the messages she wrote in fire, the Lord was watching his every move.
Even with all his skills and training, Tenya knew that she far outclassed him with her sheer versatility and magical power. If she so demanded it, Tenya wouldn't be able to leave her domain alive.
After several more minutes of riding the giant beast, the two arrived at the castle gates. A gaggle of spirits appeared out of thin air, looking humanoid but seemingly not like the revenants The Lord revived from the souls of fallen foes worked together to lower the gates to the castle. After their task was done, they disappeared just as quickly as they showed up.
Sir Tenya got off the giant wolf and was about to bid it farewell before he noticed his new animal companion take the lead and step inside the castle.
"Well, I guess The Lord of the Whispering Woods is a dog person…" Tenya noted as he followed his unorthodox guide. "I was probably going to get lost trying to find her anyway."
The halls of the eerie castle were adorned by lanterns that burned with bright blue flames. Despite how eerie it should have been, Tenya had to admit that the lighting did calm his nerves. Blue was his favorite color after all. Still, he wasn't sure whether he could trust this person but he didn't feel as afraid as he felt like he should.
The Shiketsu Empire was once ruled by a terrible dictator until very recently. Four young individuals, no older than himself (and in the case of the Lord of the Northern Winds, younger!) teamed up to overthrow the dictator with the aid of the old guard who were sick of the dictator's reign of terror.
To stop a possible succession crisis, the four young warriors agreed to rule together alongside a council of older scholars to steer the Empire on the path of righteousness. Even though all four lords were blessed with outstanding magical prowess, they risked everything to save their country and Tenya couldn't help but be in awe of them.
The Yuuei Kingdom had a good rule under King Yagi and Tenya worried that his death during the gruesome Liberation War would lead to chaos and turmoil. Thankfully, Lord Enji stepped upland took control of the Kingdom and made sure King Yagi's efforts to create a peaceful kingdom wouldn't amount to nothing after his death. Even though Tenya was one of the few people who knew about King Enji's sordid past, Prince Shouto decided that revealing his father's secrets would throw plunge the kingdom back into chaos.
Now that the Shiketsu Empire was under new rule, King Enji pursued an alliance. The Four Lords were thankfully receptive to the ideas and were open to negotiations. If this alliance works out, then true peace would no longer be a pipe dream.
Everyone in the kingdom had to pull the weight to make the dream come true and Tenya knew that this meant himself too. Even though he was more of a warrior, Tenya did appreciate a mission that involved talking to someone instead of slaying anything. He had his fill of death during the war.
While Tenya was absorbed in his thoughts, the giant wolf gently nuzzled his shoulder to indicate that they were about to meet the Lord of the Whispering Woods. Tenya cursed the fact that his armor was still a mess and covered with the blood of his new friend.
Before Tenya could knock on the large doors, they had already opened, seemingly aware of his presence. The knight braced himself to finally come face to face with the Lord…
…And was met by an empty throne room
The room was opulent and ornate, with an enormous platinum chandelier hanging from the ceiling, it's candles burning with the same ethereal blue light. At the far edge of the room was an empty throne. The throne itself looked more like some expensive art piece that was painstakingly forged by the gods themselves and it shone bright platinum just like the chandelier.
After taking in the scenery, Tenya was left with one question- Where on earth was she?
Part of him wanted to ask the giant wolf where his master was. That's how crazy the events of the day were.
While Sir Tenya was left befuddled by what was happening, a flight of what looked to be glass stairs appeared out of thin air starting at the top of the throne room. Tenya noted that the stairs appeared in a burst of blue flame just like everything else the Lord of the Whispering Woods summoned.
At the top of the spectral steps, some sort of portal cleaved through the air. Tenya steeled himself for whatever was going to come out of the portal. He looked at his wolf companion and noticed that the creature was sitting calmly, as if this was routine for him.
Tenya figured that if the giant wolf wasn't surprised by anything that was transpiring, then he shouldn't be quick to draw his blade and be patient. Still, he made sure not to take his eye off the odd portal.
It didn't take long for the woman he was tasked to meet up to make her entrance. Camie Utsushimi, the Lord of the Whispering Woods. Sir Tenya had heard rumors about her beauty throughout his travels, but it was clear that none of the rumors did her justice
Contrary to the rumblings he's heard all his life, Sir Tenya wasn't oblivious to women. Some of the members of his company even outright asked him if there was anyone that struck his fancy, man or woman. Tenya appreciated them for just asking him instead of spreading rumors so he gave them the honest truth.
He was aware that he was something of a "desired bachelor" for a number of reasons. Being part of a long line of noble knights who always served the King of Yuuei made him stand out even amongst nobility. More than a few noble women tried to woo him in hopes of marrying into the Iida family for upward mobility. He was more appreciate when the women just thought he was attractive. Even though Tenya was proud of his family, he never liked the idea that he was sought after because of who his parents were. Shallow it may be, he at least had to work for his physique.
Despite having a lot of beautiful women try to woo him. Sir Tenya had to admit that none of them have made his jaw drop like Lord Utsushimi. Tenya didn't know much about fashion of foreign kingdoms but he was sure that nobody in the Yuuei kingdom dressed like this. Hell, Tenya wasn't sure he could accurately describe what Lord Utsushimi was wearing
The fishtail dress was as pure obsidian and hugged her curvaceous figure like a second skin. The way it reached the ground made it look like Lord Utsushimi was floating just a couple of centimeters off the stairs, like some sort of beautiful and ethereal ghost. To seemingly make sure Lord Utsushimi left nothing to the imagination, the neckline of the dress plunged much deeper than any noblewoman Tenya had ever encountered, the parts covering her rather ample bust connected to what looked like a choker. It also made it clear that the dress was also backless. Not only that but the risqué outfit had nothing covering Lord Utsushimi's hips, a bold message that she truly wore nothing underneath. To drive home the sensuality of the outfit was only enhanced by gold chains breaking up the deep blacks of the chains themselves were placed on Lord Utsushimi's bare hips and adorning her cleavage, drawing any observer's eyes to such sinful places.
In contrast to the dress, Lord Utsushimi's makeup was tastefully simple. Just the bare minimum eye shadow. Tenya wasn't even sure she was wearing any lipstick. That did nothing to detract how stunning she looked with her fawn colored hair framing her perfect features.
"Sorry for making you wait, I had to look my best for the company." Lord Utsushimi giggled almost casually
That managed to snap Sir Tenya out of his haze "Greetings! My name is-"
Lord Utsushimi cut him off as she finished walking down the flight of phantom stairs "I know who you are." she smirked while clapping away the floating staircase "Sir Tenya."
Tenya was still wary that Lord Utsushimi knew him by name. He felt equal parts honored and a bit terrified. Nevertheless, he made sure to uphold the code of chivalry he was raised by. Tenya bowed in reverence
"It's an honor to be in your presence, Lord Utsushimi"
"Relax. You can call me Camie. It's not like I'm a lord in your kingdom, right?" Camie answered casually
This left Tenya at a loss for words. He did not expect a member of Shiketsu royalty to be so blasé about such negotiations "Uh…I'm sure that since you are aware of who I am-"
"Well duh, I met with the Prince like a week ago. He's a nice guy. Really funny but I don't think he was trying to be?"
Tenya had to admit that was an accurate description of Prince Shouto at times "Okay, so you know why I'm here, then?"
Camie nodded "Yes. It's for negotiations, right?"
Tenya smiled. "Indeed. I'm sure you want this these rather bothersome conversations over with sooner rather than later so I'll try not to consume a lot of your time."
"You want to leave that bad, huh? Am I really that ugly?" Camie said lamented, she even made sure to turn away from Sir Tenya dramatically to complete the act
"Gods no! You're gorgeous!" Tenya responded without thinking. It took a second to register what he just said "What I mean is that the quicker these peace negotiations go, the faster our two kingdoms can live in peace."
Camie tapped her chin "Hmm, you're right. But how could I negotiate with someone I don't know?"
"You do bring up a good point." Tenya conceded
"Well, I know you can fight but I don't think that's good enough. Plus, I put you through a lot of grief before I met up with you just so I could get ready so let me do you a favor." Camie stated while nuzzling the giant wolf "Pochi likes you too!"
Tenya smiled at the sight. It was clear that Pochi adored her owner. To the point where he was loyal enough to get disemboweled for her.
"By the way, don't do the "I don't want to impose on you" thing." Camie addressed "I'm one of the Lords of the Shiketsu Empire and if someone, especially an outsider denies a favor then I just might feel disrespected."
Camie's tone was even throughout but Tenya was aware that it was a threat
"I could go with a bath." Tenya affirmed "Pochi made quite a mess when I…slashed through his innards."
"Oh yeah! That makes sense!" Camie giggled "Lucky for you, I renovated this castle myself and the bath chambers are the best in the kingdom!" She snapped her fingers to get Pochi's attention "Be a good boy and show Sir Tenya the way to the baths."
The wolf nodded diligently before performing the task he was given
"There should be some of my servants waiting for you. They'll do all the work. You just have to relax." Camie instructed
0000
The baths felt wonderful after hours toiling away in that marsh. Tenya Iida actually wanted to personally thank the constructs Lord Utsushimi summoned to serve him for the time being but they didn't seem to have any human emotions. All they did was follow rudimentary orders.
Except for that one construct whose job was apparently to spread rose petals into the baths. Tenya suspected that Lord Utsushimi made it that way on purpose. Still, having time to relax after such a stressful day and experience such exotic (for his experience) soaps and bath oils
He could spend the rest of the night just luxuriating here but alas, he had a mission. Thankfully, Lord Utushimi seemed turned out to be much more pleasant than he had feared.
0000
Tenya stepped out of the bath chambers with, clad only in a towel wrapped around his waist. The knight walked into the room adjacent to the baths to dress himself but he almost fell on the floor in shock when he saw what was waiting for him.
Lord Utsushimi herself sat across from him, a wide grin on her face as she scanned Tenya from head to toe "Did the baths live up to the expectations?"
It took Tenya a second to find his tongue "They've exceeded them! Pardon my manners but may I ask why you're here?"
Camie shot him a pointed look "I live here? Duh."
"I meant in right here. In this changing room." Tenya clarified
"I just wanted to get a good look at you." Camie replied "They say that you can only trust a knight after you look at what's beneath the armor."
Tenya quirked an eyebrow "I…Don't know if I ever heard such a saying before but I suppose it makes sense. Knights are respected in the Yuuei Kingdom and some less than savory individuals can take advantage of that esteem."
Camie nodded "I see that you have a lot of scars on your body. Way more than I expected since you were such a gentleman." she clapped her hands and out of the blue, a construct walked in and handed Tenya a robe "Your armor and clothes have to be cleaned up"
Tenya let out a snort as he put on the robe "If only my job entailed traveling the lands and forging peace treaties. That's what I thought being a knight was all about when I was a young child. But I've fought and I've killed people. Of course when I grew up, I knew that we knights don't carry swords just because they look good for a portrait, but sometimes the people you fight aren't murderers and bandits. In war, you often have to fight good men who happen to just have a different ideology than you or follow a different ruler."
Camie tilted her head "And now what's your take on being a knight?"
"That I'd much rather be stationed to defend than go to war." Tenya answered "But it's not something I have a choice in most of the time. I grew up comfortably and I've seen just how bad poverty can make someone's life miserable, so I have no right to complain. Defending my people is the price I must pay. It's not all about glamour and prestige. It's about doing what needs to be done even if it gives me nightmares.
Camie thought over Tenya's answer for a few minutes before responding "That's a good answer"
Tenya sat across from "I'm glad my answers were satisfactory." he snorted "And may I be so bold to ask you a few questions?"
Camie shot him a smirk "Depends on what kind of questions?"
"You're magic. I've never seen anyone with such total control over the land. You're creating a seemingly endless amount of minions to work for you, observe me wherever I am, write messages in the sky, even teleport! Just what kind of mage are you?"
"Everyone has the ability to use magic, right? I saw you go way fast out there! And it looks like you can make yourself stronger too."
"But some people are just naturally attuned to magic. These gifted people are usually among royalty with their ancestors claiming the thrones due to their magical prowess. My first assumption is that you are blessed by Gods with immense magical ability." Tenya theorized
"I was blessed by a god…personally." Camie answered cryptically
"That just opens up more questions" Tenya noted while raising his eyebrow
"I wasn't blessed by magic when I was born. My parents were poor miners who worked around here. Dust Stones were found in these marshes, and it's a hell of a lot easier to mine out in the open then it is in tunnels and caves." Camie twirled a lock of hair around her finger "I don't remember much but it wasn't that bad."
Tenya seemed to pick up on the implications "You're parents…Listen. I think I know what happened to them but If you don't want to divulge I completely understand."
"I already told you enough to give you an idea, didn't I? No point in keeping quiet."
Tenya nodded. It seemed like this was cathartic for Lord Utsushimi "Very well then, I won't interrupt."
"A cult dedicated to the God of death, Zodiark made their home here. Since the Whispering Woods were in such an out-of-the-way location, the old regime didn't care enough to station any guards or rangers here. One night they carried out a plan. A sacrifice to Zodiark. The people who lived here didn't matter so we were easy targets. Everyone who lived here was round up as an offering."
"...And you were the only survivor?" Tenya observed
Camie let out a mirthless bout of laughter "I was the last one to be sacrificed. They figured that Zodiark would appreciate a young soul. At least they said something like before they slit my throat."
She punctuated that shocking revelation by pulling down her choker, revealing a nasty scar "Turns out the God of Death didn't see eye to eye with them when he finally was summoned. Zodiark was furious that his job was being manipulated and killed all of them on the spot. But even the God of death couldn't bring the dead back to life."
"Zodiark did have the power to save a dying girl with his power, but he wasn't used to saving lives. He gave me way more than he expected. Maybe he just felt guilty that he couldn't save anyone else and that was just a God's way of clearing their conscience. Whatever happened, he looked after me until Inasa's family found me while investigating the Cult of Zodiark. Zodiark filled them in before leaving to wherever Gods go."
Tenya stroked his chin "So Yoarashi's family took you in? That helps explain some of the camaraderie between the Four Lords."
"His family sent some of their retainers over here for my safety and to raise me. Every now and then Inasa's immediate family would send an envoy to see if I was holding up all right. It was pretty horrible at first. My parents were gone and I couldn't control all the powers but time healed both of those problems."
"I'm sorry that you had to suffer through such tragedy." Tenya lamented
"I don't want anyone to go through what I place was a nameless shithole bog before we overthrew the corrupt monarchy but I think the Whispering Woods is a more dignified name. What do you think?"
"I assume you named it to honor the souls that were taken before their time. They say that those are the souls that don't go gently in the afterlife." Tenya mused
"If the people who ruled this empire actually gave a shit about more than their own, then maybe they wouldn't have been overthrown. Maybe my family and everyone who lived here would still be alive." Camie mewled
Tenya leapt off the bench he was sitting on to comfort her "It's a tragedy that we cannot change the past but only the best of us can ensure the future. Your actions made it so that nobody else will suffer under the iron fist of the old regime. You and your friends have improved the lives of so many Shiketsu Citizens and mere knight like me is privileged to be in your presence!"
Tenya's words seemed to lift Camie's spirits "Thanks for that. The guys tell me that all the time, but it feels nice to have someone from a different Kingdom say that. Wow, Yuuei really lucked out when it came to the Royal Guard, huh?"
"You flatter me Lord Utsushimi."
Camie clapped her hands "Alright! Let's go negotiate! My guys are probably done with your clothes and armor. It would be weird to make a deal wearing just a robe, right?"
"I've noticed that you personify your constructs and that Pochi acts like a domesticated dog. Can you…honestly create life?" Tenya questioned
"That would make things easier but for the servants and guards I make or resurrect from people trying to kill are basically puppets. I can give them a few orders and they'll follow through. Animals are easy to work with compared to people but even then Pochi is my limit. He has his own personality though."
Tenya rubbed his chin "Fascinating. Sorry, I had that question on my mind for a while. We really should negotiate."
"Yeah, talking to a beautiful woman while wearing just a robe must make you real anxious." Camie teased
"Perhaps."
0000
"And since your domain lies closest to the eastern border of Yuuei Kingdom, we can warn you if there's any trouble brewing that the Shiketsu Empire should prepare for." Tenya finished his rather thorough dissertation as to why an alliance between the two kingdoms would benefit the both of them
Camie nodded intently "Wow, you're very good at convincing a girl you know that?" she leered
Tenya chuckled "Thank you for the compliment." He was getting a little more used to Lord Utsushimi's teasing
"Hmmm…I wonder if the rest of the negotiation squad is as convincing as you…" Camie cooed
"What a surprise. I was actually quite anxious at the prospect of partaking in something like this. Such important political moves are a bit beyond me." Tenya sheepishly admitted "I'm better at reassuring the populace in times of need."
"Yeah, I figured you're too nice to be a politician." Camie quipped
"While I do have certain opinions on King Todoroki, he's good at running a kingdom, I'll give him that."
"I heard he really mellowed out after King Yagi died. That true?"
Tenya nodded "Indeed. He used to be quite the schemer when I was merely a squire but he had to change when he suddenly was thrust into the throne. The public hated him for quite a few reasons that I really can't argue with but King Todoroki did change the perception people had of him."
"He's meeting Nagamasa, who's probably the most level-headed of all of us. He's the backbone of the Four Lords." Camie informed "Me, Inasa, and Seiji wouldn't get anything done without him."
"Prince Shouto is meeting Lord Yoarashi. Something that does frighten me." Tenya jokingly admitted "I just hope Yoarashi doesn't mistake my friend's stoic demeanor for condescension."
Camie rubbed the back of her neck "Yeah…Inasa can get emotional but he did tell me that him and your prince got along after a bad start. Inasa doesn't really see to eye with King Todoroki. Something about Inasa thinking your new king treated him like some scrappy upstart in the past."
"Prince Shouto isn't really too keen on his father too so I suppose that's common ground found." Tenya hypothesized
"Feel bad for the poor guy who has to deal with Seiji."
"The Lord of the Southern Wilds?"
Camie nodded "Uh-Huh. Good Guy but he has a lot of pride in the Shiketsu Empire's new regime. He kinda called you folks savages."
"Well, I suppose I can't blame him for having pride in the age of prosperity he helped usher in." Tenya mumbled "But the Yuuei Kingdom's best Ranger was sent to start peace talks with him. Midoriya could convince a fish to take a stroll in the desert."
"We'll see…But enough about everyone else, let's talk about us." Camie dedicated
"Yes, our negotiations. I already made my lecture on how this alliance could benefit us. You're the one with the power to deny my plea." Tenya confided
"I mean after your little lecture, I can't find a good reason to turn you down…especially if the rest of the Four Lords agree to it. But a deal goes both ways and I have an idea."
Tenya smiled "By all means, name your price! I'm sure that the Todoroki Royal Family can accommodate you."
"Oh, I already told Prince Shouto what I want and he really tried to haggle with me." Camie beamed "But he realized I wouldn't budge."
"Wow, that must be some demand. Prince Shouto isn't really that attached to much of his material possessions so it must have been something important to make him desperate enough to try and find a compromise."
"Well after spending an entire day with my gift, I understand why Prince Shouto wouldn't want to give it away." Camie grinned
"I uh….I don't understand what you're implying."
"Riches come and go, but good help is hard to come by, Sir. Tenya." Camie acknowledged "The Shiketsu Empire has a lot of capable warriors but something the Yuuei Kingdom has that we don't is the illustrious Iida Family who've been serving the rulers for generations. We just went through a revolution and while some of the old guard chose to serve us, the rest stuck with the old regime and well, they made the wrong choice."
"Am I the leverage?" Tenya questioned
"Uh-huh! I love Pochi but I want someone around here that I could talk to." Camie noted
"But what about your friends, the other Lords?" Tenya stammered
"They're my best friends but with all the work we do, we hardly get to see each other. Do you know how hard it is to make friends when you're royalty? Especially when your family weren't in charge when you were a kid."
Tenya inwardly admitted that Lord Utsushimi had a point. All his friends were people that served the crown.
Midoriya, who was an ace ranger and King Yagi's prodigy
Sorceress Kendou, the rising star of mana development
In fact, the only friend he had that wasn't working for the crown was Prince Shouto himself! Lord Utsushimi and the rest of the Four Lords had their duty thrust upon them after waking up to justice and overthrowing the corrupt monarchy. They had to use all their skills to transform an ailing Empire into something better. All of them must be working non-stop!
That doesn't even take account how Lord Utsushimi's horrific past affected her. Having to see your parents murdered in front of your eyes and having your own throat slit by some dastardly religious fanatics is an experience nobody should go through, let alone a child!
Not to mention the fact that Prince Shouto agreed to his transfer. Tenya felt like he should have felt angry at his friend's betrayal, but he felt great pride that Shouto would do something he really didn't want for the benefit of the Kingdom. After all, loaning one knight to an allied nation in exchange for a nation that will be strengthened for generations is an amazing bargain.
"Aren't you worried that you'd end up with a resentful knight who has no love for you?" Tenya questioned "That seems like something that should have crossed your mind."
Camie leaned forward in her seat and crossed her legs "It did. But I figured a loyal knight like you would realize that it's a small price to pay to make sure everything goes down smoothly. Am I right?"
"You in fact…are quite correct. If it's for the good of the Yuuei Kingdom, I'm willing to transfer my services to the Shiketsu Empire. And since we're allies, and the Whispering Woods is close to my old home, it's not like I will be saying goodbye to my friends forever
"And a gentleman like you totally wouldn't say no to a beautiful woman, right?" Camie teased
"Yes, I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I did that." Tenya joked
"Guess I have to officially make you my knight, right?" Camie suggested
"Indeed you do." Tenya confirmed as he got on one knee
Camie summoned a bright blue spectral sword out of thin air and tapped Sir Tenya's shoulders "Sir Tenya Iida, do you vow to protect your Lord and to make sure she's never bored?"
Tenya looked up "Is that it?"
Camie gave him a pointed glare "Look, we both know how this is supposed to go, alright?"
Tenya shrugged "I guess there's no need to keep with the formalities between us."
Yeah, especially since I saw you nearly naked a couple of hours ago." Camie quipped "Gonna be honest- don't know what to do now. I kind of assumed you'd say no, and I'd challenge you to a duel and if I won, you'd be my knight forever."
"That's a little drastic, don't you think? I wouldn't jeopardize my country's future even if I hated you." Tenya affirmed "Though I must confess that such a decision is much easier knowing that you're a good person."
"Wow, you know how to make a girl feel special!" Camie chirped "Guess it's time I show you a tour of your new place, right?"
0000
"Again, I'm really sorry that I blindsided you like that." Shouto profusely apologized as he walked with his former knight (And still close friend)
Tenya waved off his friends apology "You did what you had to do for the Kingdom. I'm proud of your decision, Shouto. And besides, this is perhaps the tenth time you've apologized to me. It's been a year and I find my new precision quite fulfilling."
"Is that because you've officially upgraded from "Knight" to "Consort" or something else?" Todoroki joked
"Mostly that." Iida said with a chuckle
"I thought I would have to deal with some conspiracy theories about me sending you to seduce the Lord of the Whispering Woods. Instead we got publications in Shiketsu praising how Lord Utsushimi managed to charm a loyal knight of the Yuuei Kingdom whose family faithfully served the crown into her service." Shouto grumbled
"Aside from the media mud-slinging, I'd say that this little alliance has gone off without a hitch, don't you think?" Tenya said with a smile.
"Better than we even thought. Our Kingdom alliance is now a major trade hub and the port cities in western reaches of Yuuei and the eastern reaches of Shiketsu are bustling with activity. Even the Barbarian controlled northern continent sent out an envoy to establish relationships."
Tenya nodded "Indeed. Our economic power is causing quite a stir everywhere. I've been selected to lead a group of Shiketsu explorers to establish trade routes to the Northern Continent."
"That's really far. You better be prepared. I don't want you to freeze to death." Shouto warned
"I'll be sufficiently prepared. And the Prince of the Barbarians will meet us halfway to act as our guide." Tenya informed his friend
Shouta raised an eyebrow "That's pretty bizarre? Are they short on staff or something?"
Tenya shrugged "Apparently he's really stubborn and thinks nobody else is equipped to be a guide."
"Well, Good luck with that."
0000
Camie flopped on the bed after a long and hard day of helping her consort pack for the expedition into the Northern Continent. She caught Tenya at the edge of the bed, checking a list of provisions for the trip and moved closer to him
"Go through all the trouble of getting my own knight and now he's abandoning me." Camie huffed as she hugged Tenya from behind
"Do not fret my love, I shall return to your loving embrace in due time." Tenya assured while softly placing a kiss at the top of her hand
"But what if the Barbarian Tribe sees how amazing you are and try to keep you for themselves?" Camie teased "What then?"
"Then I shall fight my way through heaven and hell to return to your side." Tenya declared "But I'd much rather return with souvenirs and clothing from the Northern Continent for you to try."
Camie giggled and softly slapped Tenya's bare shoulder "Remember how embarrassed you were seeing me after you cleaned yourself up after we first met? Now look at you, showing off those toned muscles every chance you get!"
Tenya scrunched in confusion "Yes because the circumstances are much different." he pointed out "We just met back then." he then ran his eyes down Camie's translucent nightgown "Though I suppose you've always been confident with your fashion choices."
"No point in being the most beautiful woman in two countries if you're not willing to show off a bit" Camie bragged
"Something to motivate me to return in one piece then." Tenya quipped
"But seriously, don't make me wait too long, okay?" Camie pleaded "I nagged Nagamasa to make you a cloak out of his magical hair that would keep you warm no matter what."
Tenya bent down to place a gentle kiss at the top of her head "You're much too kind to only have one actual knight attend to you. Knowing that you're alone is the thing that's going to keep me up at night."
"Eh, the empire is stabilized so me and the other Lords have a lot more time on our hands. It's been enough time since we overthrew the corrupt monarchy in charge and the old supporters either realized we're better and switched sides, left to other places in exile, or tried to do something stupid and failed. Plus I have some new friends from your side of the table…"
"I'm glad you think highly of my friends."
"I'm surprised that Seiji somehow hit it off with that ranger friend of yours."
"I've said it before but Midoriya could convince a rune bear to follow him around like a pet. Kendou has said some great things about you whenever she visits as well."
"Yeah! It's nice to have another woman to talk to. I love my friends and we went through a lot together but every now and then I'm reminded that they're men. And then there's this princess from a very rich eastern land that I'm like, ninety percent sure Prince Shouto is infatuated with. I'll try to set that up."
Tenya let out a chuckle "Guess I shouldn't worry about you being lonely during my expedition
"Oh no!" Camie pushed Tenya on to the bed and crawled on top of him "If I find out you started goofing off in the Northern Continent, I'll make you sleep in Pochi's doghouse for a month!" she threatened
Tenya pulled Camie closer until her head rested on his chest "Worry not, no matter how much time or distance is between us, I'll always find myself back to you."