The White Darkness

By Helbaworshipper

False Treaty Arc: The Wakamiya Kingdom's Welcome

Picking up an arrow from the nearby quiver Kyo began to concentrate. He felt strangely off at the moment. Certainly he hadn't dreamt whatever that was again. Over time, the dream started to fade off into a place that he seemed to seal off subconsciously. Perhaps even more so when he thought of what other memories could be there. As he let loose an arrow, the image of something unpleasant came to mind. Seeing he hadn't hit a person, he lowered the bow back down.

He could feel his hand shaking as he tried to push what he recalled. He put the bow down slowly and tried to calm the ache. This was the right decision for the kingdom. His mother would not want the kingdom to fall apart. She wouldn't want him to be uncertain.

"Alice," he spoke under his breath slowly as the pain started to go away. "Why isn't it you?" His voice was even softer as he remained in place for some time. The thought that for a moment that he might have felt even more excited. Just thinking of all the times the three had spent together made his Lotis feel stronger. If only he could have made an argument to his father. If only it could have been set up before everything fell apart. Taking a deep breath, he slowly turned towards the entrance of the dojo.

"Kayna told me you were up earlier than usual." The calm he had spent that time to make work suddenly felt like it had fallen to the usual levels. "Is this what a Lotis student should be doing with their time?"

"One must be able to fight and use Lotis at the same time." He was uniform in his tone. "If anything, it is not even time for breakfast."

"Yet you choose not to prepare more for the treaty? There are many invited and you've yet to prepare a proper greeting."

"Didn't you tell Kayna not to bother if I was studying?" He answered with a bit of of a snap in his tone. Not enough for his father to tell. This was something that he had learned early on after his mother died. His father never wanted him to be a person to learn without being a pawn. Even if he died, why should Kyo be something other than his tool to show his worth? To start with, the Treaty was mostly his father's idea. If it wasn't for the treaty, then he wouldn't have the ability to make the Weilhausen's envious. "If anything, you should be preparing for what could happen."

"What sort of nonsense are you saying now?"

"The Lotis is wavering. I can feel it without a mirror."

"I will recheck that." He could hear the desire to yell, but not quite feeling it show on the man's face. "Go back to studying your Lotis."

This was supposed to be a monumental celebration of peace and a potential end to the war. Yes, that's what it was supposed to be. However, while being forced into fancier clothing than he expected, he couldn't find the enthusiasm to feel inside. If anything, the feeling had gotten a bit worse. The Lotis users that were going around had done the best they could to make it feel better. Was it really that the Lotis was waning in the castle on a day like this? Or was it simply his mind playing tricks on him?

He looked at the mirror to examine his overly fancy outfit.

He was dressed in what he assumed to be what a commander of a Lotis unit was given. The Navy Blue wasn't quite black, but accented with lighter blue to show the contrast. The buttons were a simple silver with only a few of them having a glowing gem that must have power inside. He figured this was probably a splurge to impress the Seno Kingdom in general. He felt like a random doll made to look the part he was meant to play.

"Kayna, do I really have to wear this all event?"

"Of course not," the woman was currently trimming a few strands of thread. She continued her task of making sure that outfit did not fall apart on him. "You are simply wearing it for today."

"I imagine he just wants a good first impression."

"Will she not find you handsome?" He blushed as she asked. He knew that she didn't mean Mayura. In fact, Alice looking at him might have been even better. He wanted her to hurry it up at this point for other reasons now.

His father was quite lavish when he came to sit inside the best carriage they had. The procession would be going down early and then make it a grand parade of flowers and other such things his father must have cooked up. The cape he wore was a bright red with some sort of fur most likely from a downed Maram beast. Underneath was a somewhat similar garment, but more for a general soldier. It would be a crime for him to wear a Lotis user uniform if he could not use it.

There was little talk between the two for a long period of time. If anything, this was the most family like they would be normally. Normal royal families with power would probably have gotten along better. However, this was not what Kyo had ever noticed. Not only would tutors refused to come out, they would note that the fact the Lotis Master was not the one the main ruler was their main reason.

For a moment he felt as if things had stopped. The carriage was suddenly so silent he couldn't find a reason why it would. Before the public was talking and preparing. There shouldn't be-

"Kyo," a black haired woman was sitting in the spot next to his father. The uniform matched his except it was made to allow for her more formal skirt. The woman was so familiar, yet he couldn't seem to understand. "You must be strong." The face wasn't quite showing features as she stood up and moved a little closer. "The power of your words will change many things."

"What?" His voice was like a whisper as the woman's hand moved to carefully touch his Lotis Bracelet.

"The horrible feeling you have..." She seemed to be weakening as she spoke. "You must protect her. All she truly wants is what you want."

"Mayura?" The woman's hand tensed. "Or is it Ali-"

"Are you okay?" He heard the sound of someone other than his father speaking. He blinked, realizing that he had been staring blankly into a now empty side of the carriage. It was a servant preparing to greet outside the kingdom. He took a deep breath and momentarily forgot what he had seen. If it was true that this was not noticed by others, was it his Lotis telling him? Or was it something left behind to help him?