Chapter Text

The halls of Aico were quiet today, Lian liked it like that. Times were peaceful, as they often were.

Aico had little in terms of enemies: they had earned the right, after all. Lian’s father Kieran had spent decades on the battlefield. His fighting prowess was respected across the Realm. He had many a story to tell of his adventures in the wilderness, riding into glory and victory atop a mighty steed, his silver-white Aico hair floating in the breeze, dirtied with leaves and the blood of his enemies.

The heels of Lian’s boots clicked gently on the stone tiles as she made her way through the kingdom of Aico.The cream walls were smooth and clean, with gold spirals and swirls painted here and there in beautiful patterns. At the end of the hallway stood a great door, and above this door shown a mural of a phoenix, the symbol of Aico.

Lian pushed the door open gently. Bookshelves lined the walls, a greatwood table and a matching set of chairs inhabited the center, and the flickering light of the candle chandelier danced around the room, giving its contents a gentle and magical glow.

A man stood by the table, his hands resting on the wood heavily. His short silver-white hair was dried and thinned with age. His back was turned to Lian, but as she stepped in the room, she could hear his breath pick up, an acknowledgement of her presence.

“Hello.” She spoke gently. Kieran looked over his shoulder, watching her. He remained silent.

“Are you well?” Lian asked, giving a slight bow. Kieran turned back to the table. As Lian approached, she could see the map scrawled on the wood. Small tokens represented settlements and cities. To the north was the frozen landscape of the IceLands. To the East was the continent which housed the lands of House Aico and the Ruby Kingdom in its center and the Spires on its southern shore. To the west stretched the Badlands. To the far south was a small island: Crosswind Hold.

Lian approached her father and placed a hand on his shoulder. He sighed, before placing his hand on hers.

“What are you doing?” Lian asked.

Kieran shook his head, “Nevermind that. Why are you here, Lian?”

Lian moved to sit in one of the chairs, as Kieran moved it for her, before taking one himself.

“Can you tell me a story?” The princess asked, placing her hands on her lap. Kieran smiled and nodded, giving a slight chuckle.

“A story of the greatness of House Aico and the might of her armies? But, of course, my dear.”

His head rocked back, resting on his chair as he gazed at the ceiling.

“Perhaps, I will tell you the story of the siege of the Barbarians of Melan? You always liked that one when you were little.”

Lian nodded happily, crossing her legs.

“There had been tales of the horrible land, the country Melan.” Kieran began, “The barbarians would attack neighbouring villages and cities with no remorse, no sense of mercy. The laws and rules in the country were devastating. Boys would be brainwashed to prepare for military training as young as seven years old, enlisting at ten. Of course, Aico would never have such cruel regulations: our soldiers are not permitted into proper military training until they are fifteen, ten is so young. The people were all insane, believing their animalistic rulers were good and just. It was simply not so.”

Kieran tapped a finger on the map, motioning to the area where the kingdom had once stood, before continuing, “I led my people down in the valley, here. It was a farming village that we approached, we wanted to speak to the natives. They had such a queer tongue, but our translators were able to aid us… I think, anyway. Their brains were all backwards, they did not understand some of the things we tried to tell them, no matter how clearly the translators explained it. We wanted to show them better ways to do their farming, their technology was so far behind. They were confused and frightened by our tools. I enlisted some farmers from Aico to guide their farmers, but their farmers were stubborn. We only wanted to help! Their farmers threw a fit over everything, from us building quarters for our farmers to live on, to the time we tried to plant our own crops in an effort to show them how ours could grow faster and healthier with less work.” He sighed and gazed around the room, before continuing, “One day, an army arrived. Their leader had, I guess, felt threatened with the way we were trying to lead his people into better and more productive directions. He wanted them to stay backwards, easy to control, I guess. The soldiers attacked us, we had no choice but to retaliate. We tried to set up our bases in the farms, but suddenly, the brainwashed mongrels of farmers attacked us too! It was crazy.”

He pointed to another place on the map, a river in a forest, “Here, we pushed into the forest. Farther into their territory. I was able to summon more troops, attacking from the farmland, while we protected ourselves and fought into the farmland from behind. We were able to prevent their militaries’ supplies from making it to the stationed military, and our incoming reinforcements took the farmland and wiped out their stationed soldiers.

One day, while contemplating our next action, I stumbled across a small pool. There was a woman there, resting on the shore. She… she was a thing of beauty. Long black hair, eyes as dark as the night, a voice as soft as bird song, delicate little limbs… I could not believe beasts such as the ones we had met could create a masterpiece among them. She was like an angel. I called out to her, and she ran away in shock. I went after her, I found her cowering under a thorn bush… oh, she was adorable. The poor thing had been scratched up by the thorns, she was trembling like a fawn. I pulled her from the bush and led her to the camp, she came obediently.

I didn’t want her leaving the camp, not with the war going on around us. The poor doe would have gotten herself killed, caught in the crossfires. She was a stubborn one: if I didn’t have at least two guards on her, she would have vanished out from under me, no doubt to end up in a bloody mess on the battlefield from a mistaken blow. She didn’t understand, but I knew what was best for her. The translators taught her our language, but even then she did not understand. ‘Home’ she told us, ‘home’, not knowing that there was no safe way to go home. I tried to explain to her, but she never really understood. She had strange customs, it took us a long time to teach her, help her to learn to be a proper young lady.”

He pointed to another part of the map, a clearing on the far side of the forest.

“The siege was drawing to a close. We had obtained the farmland, our reinforcements had joined us, and we were advancing on the castle. The people in every town tried to stop us, and no matter how many times we told them we were trying to save them from their tyrannical rulers, they never understood. Finally, we came to the castle. Our army was stronger than theirs, my commanders were smarter, my soldiers were more capable.

The woman, she came to me in tears. I tried to tell her she was safe, she told me that she was frightened for her family. I assured her, her family would be safe. I am honourable, I don’t kill innocents. I asked her who her family were… the king and queen, she told me. She was the princess of the land.

We came to the castle finally. The siege was quick. When the soldiers stormed into the castle, it was to find the royal family dead. We had not laid a hand on them, their guards had turned on them, maybe, or they had taken their own lives. Died with their honour, I suppose. I had kept my promise to the princess, at least, I would have spared them had they not been so rash. Hell, none of it should have happened, they started it. They had attacked us for nothing but our attempt to help their farmers.”

Kieran leaned away from the table.

“I took the princess back home with me, took her in my home as my wife. Ling, she is a beautiful and sweet woman, it’s a shame you were our only child. We had others, nine, you were the only one who managed the whole nine months… well, you almost had a brother, but he didn’t make it through birth. I suppose there is something wrong with Ling’s body, but it’s okay. I love her and I love you.”

Lian watched her father as he spoke his tale. It reminded her of power, of the glory of House Aico, and how proud she was to be the heiress of this noble house.

“What do you think of Meili, the Ruby Queen?” She asked him. His dim blue eyes scanned the table, and she trailed his gaze to the kingdom’s location on the map. It was represented as a symbol of a castle, resting atop the Ruby Mountains.

“She’s a strange woman. A powerful woman, but a strange one. She is wise, I will say.” Lian’s father spoke, “She has befriended the other rulers of the Realm, from Karne and the Magistrate in the south, to the greatest Bandit Kings in the West. The northern frontier… savages, they’re all savages up there. No great kings and queens, but something we of the East need not worry ourselves about. I think Meili is wise, mighty, and most importantly, influential, and you will have that influence when you are the Ruby Queen, as soon as Prince Zhin returns and your marriage is settled.”

Lian sighed, glancing away.







