The White Darkness

By Helbaworshipper

Epilogue Arc: Seno Kingdom

There were no shortage of people to potentially marry for Mayura Seno. As Queen, she found trying to read the reasoning rather troublesome. Why did so many men want her and Alice to be some pair? Still, Alice was at some point in Wakamiya Kingdom and wandering off past there. A part of her wished that she had spent a bit more time last time.

It had only been a year and a half since the war's end and yet the remains of what were the Lotis Tutors were making a mess. The few that remained demanded that they keep their positions, to which she couldn't allow that. She slowly got up from the desk and approached her current room. Her mother had chosen to take another room and keep a few select servants. The room itself looked similar enough to when she was a child.

She approached one of the night stands and opened it up to pull out a mirror. It wasn't her own, but… In a way, Kazuki hadn't been able to prove if he wanted to change. Eric would have killed him anyway out of spite. Her hand held the mirror a bit tighter. She hadn't even allowed him love letters. Placing the mirror back in, she slowly sat down on the bed.

"Is the guest room ready?" Her voice seemed more hurried than before. After three years Alice was coming to visit again with Frei for a longer time. Before, their visits would simply be a couple of days and then head off. She wanted there to be no issue of comfort. That and to swat away the people that couldn't get the clues.

"If anyone else saw this, they might think you're crazy." Her mother spoke, placing a calming hand on her shoulder. "Are you that excited to show her your choice for partner?"

"It's rare we get letters saying she's coming." A slightly annoyed tone. "Now I can at least give her the most comfortable of experiences."

"I know," a gentle squeeze as the woman moved forward. "At least introduce your partner properly since it took you this long." Her choice had taken a lot of courage, especially with how much she had to risk with it. Not that people had to approve, she wouldn't have stopped it now that she didn't care about their personal gains.

The main thought as she waited in the ball room was hesitation. She had everything ready and the man she wanted was by her side. Not the one she probably truly wanted, but that was how life was. Her anticipation and worry about what might happen probably was normal at this point.

"You didn't have to show us already." The voice melted the worry away as she uncharacteristically moved forward to to hug her sister. The woman's body was no longer the lanky version she had saw when she was recovering. After a moment, a pair of arms followed.

"You were asking for something for the first time since the war's end." Her voice couldn't hid the joy she felt. She lifted her gaze to look at the green eyes. The brown hair had grown and was being held by a simple ribbon. For a moment, one might have thought she was emulating Lotsuan. Perhaps a memory or two had stuck in and she kept it. "How could I not go all out for you?"

"Let's not go on how we made sure that no one else was visiting so we could not get a huge turn out." Frei looked different now. He was dressed very much like Alice at the moment. Traveling clothes that seemed not entirely commoner, but not particularly noble or royal. His own hair had grown a bit longer than before. The two matched in ways she didn't want to say. Yet, the ease in their manner was obvious.

"Of course." She moved back and moved towards Frei. "It's a double engagement for a small audience."

"Ah, so that's why you said I should be aware of competition." He looked a little annoyed. She could tell that Alice was someone that helped most anyone. Still, the fact he looked like that was a comfort. He might be able to fight off anyone wanting to restore the Lotis.

"So is that him?" Alice's voice reminded her of the figure waiting awkwardly. She turned towards the man and motioned for him to come over.

"Yes," she slowly put one arm around his. "This is Tatsuya." Her gaze relaxed a little. "He's one of the few Lotis Tutor descendants that has accepted the change."

"Glad to see at least one or two aren't power hungry got chosen." Frei commented, looking over Tatsuya. "Make sure not to piss her off or cause any bad things. I don't want my Alice to try and do something."

"Frei!" Alice's tone as she turned towards him. As the two seemed to be in a sort of small conversation about how they were not going to cause trouble, it comforted her. Alice blushing as Frei commented on how she had almost tried to break something over a person's head when they were running away. Frei equally blushing when Alice commented back about it being a simple misunderstanding. This is the way her sister was meant to be.

"She's pretty strong, isn't she?" Tatsuya's voice as she turned to look at him.

"Yeah," her smile grew a little. "She's always been strong."

Forty years after the war, Seno Kingdom was not prospering, but continued to exist. Mayura and Tatsuya gave birth to five children over that time. Through the struggles, the two continued to fight to keep their allies and the people strong. It was at a time of great struggle a pandemic had come over the kingdom. Mayura, doing what she did best, worked to heal it with the aide of her allies. However, it weakened her greatly and eventually a few years after it was solved, she died. She died an accomplished queen, just a year or two after her husband's death. Though a few people wanted Alice to inherit the throne after her death, it was Mayura's eldest daughter who took over. There is no telling how long the kingdom might last. Yet, Mayura always wanted the place for her sister to come back to one day...