Author's Preface
YEARS AGO
On an island divided by a looming wall, there was a dormitory where abandoned children would be cast aside. One that had been wiped out since, save for one child now actively trying to dig under the wall that seemed to reach the heavens.
A thirteen year old Naren's hands were completely tattered and dirty as he continued to dig. Occasionally stopping to see if anyone had caught him.
"What're we doing, Naren?"
The soft whisper had jolted Naren not noticing that Alice had snuck up right behind him.
"Alice! Since when did you come!"
Alice giggled as she grabbed Naren's shoulder, tightening it's grip.
"Naren. What did I tell you about trying to dig to Glasschuh."
Naren squirmed around in Alice's grip.
"But Alice! There's nobody here. I'm so bored! Maybe if I go to the Glasschuh Kingdom I can find someone like Maren."
Alice pinched Naren's nose as he spoke, his voice breaking into high pitched complaints as Alice continued laughing.
Bjorn spoke from Alice's waist. This time taking on the shape of a dagger.
"Listen Naren. You won't find anyone like him there. The kingdom beyond this wall isn't welcoming to people like you...So stay away."
Naren finally stopped resisting with Bjorn's words. Still unable to let the disappointed scowl off his face.
"What do you know!"
Alice flicked Naren's forehead.
"Just shut up and listen! I'm a princess so I'm right."
———————————————————
PRESENT DAY
The three men in a deadlock laid off as Yuna spoke. Cairo's glare still heavy on Dian.
"...As for being called a princess. You don't know the slightest about being a Shaman do you?"
Naren stared at Yuna as the memories of Alice came back. His expression went a little glum. He really wished he listened to Alice that day.
But that was besides the point.
Naren tilted his his head.
"What's a princess gotta do with it? You're just like Alice. Talking without explaining."
Yuna scowled at the mention.
"Alice? Lady Alice?"
She scoffed before continuing:
"Yeah, Like you know her."
"Why would I lie about meeting that coo."
Dian placed a hand on Naren's shoulder.
"How do you not know?! That's Princess Alice, Dear!"
Naren looked at Cairo, his eyes still locked on Dian.
Yuna interjected.
"Don't bother asking the stain. He barely knows anything...A princess, or heir, is a shaman directly acknowledged and throned by the head of a noble family. And those noble families are direct bloodlines of Grimm's party...In other words, they're the ones who stand at the top of this world."
Naren blinked, putting all the pieces together.
So Alice was someone special. And very important. Thinking back to how spoiled and self-centered she acted, Naren would've never guessed.
An expression of dread popped into his face as he instinctively straightened his back.
'I'd believe Bjorn...But Alice?!'
He looked up at Yuna.
Then if that was the case. And this girl here was a princess too. Then she was also someone special.
Naren's face scrunched up.
What a bigger bother than he originally thought. If this girl was such a big deal. Who knew what kind of stupid plans he'd be shoved into.
No no. All his plans of quietly trying to use her and fleeing after becoming a shaman was slowly falling apart.
Though before Naren could state his woes clearly, Cairo ran out of patience.
A spark of cinder flew through the air, Cairo flying diving past Naren in a split second.
The one-eyed man sunk his blade through eels that materialized, protecting Dian as he stumbled back, resetting his footing.
Naren watched, half hoping for Cairo to finish the job he couldn't and half waiting for his body to move on it's own through Yuna's words. But that didn't happen this time.
Looking at her, she was letting it play out.
Cairo sent smoldering shuriken flying through the air, narrowly missing Dian. But along with them was a thread of steel wire gripping onto the walls and festering around Dian's legs, immobilizing him.
Dian summoned his eels, attempting to sever the wire. But before they could, Cairo jumped atop the short man, placing his blade in his mouth. Grabbing onto his neck, a lick of flames began slowly squirming down Cairo's arm.
"Stop."
Yuna's arm grabbed Cairo's. A subtle cool feeling traveling down Cairo's arms as he struggled to break free from the princess' grip.
If all of Cairo's body hair weren't burned off, they would've stood on end, a cold embrace shackling him to the ground. Like a palpable sense of pressure.
In fact, everyone had felt it.
A feeling so direct and harsh, it completely snapped Naren into full alertness, his golden eyes staring at Yuna like a cat standing before a wolf.
Everyone in the narrow corridor held their breath for a second. As if only allowed to move on the princess' command.
Cairo's flames slowly retracted. But not without blistering Yuna's hands.
Only when, the one-eyed man let Dian go, did the pressure finally relieve itself.
Cairo pulled the broken katana out of his mouth, his grip on it straining as it looked like embers pulsed from his body to the blade.
"How the hell can you ?"
Yuna fell to the ground with a deep exhale.
"I'm a princess. You think I wouldn't at least be capable of this?...Look stain, I don't care if you kill this guy. We might eventually anyways. Just wait for now. If you do...Then I'll show you..."
Yuna pointed at the blade trembling in Cairo's hands.
"Where you can get another sin..."
Then with one final breath Yuna muttered:
"Soldier, protect me with your life."
With that, the princess fell back, seemingly unconscious.
Cairo's glare snapped onto Dian who stumbled back. Knocking into a collection of barrels and falling to the ground.
Cairo sighed rolling his neck in a circle.
"You boring me now. What happened to all that angst before? The wolf scare you shitless?"
Dian bit down on his lips.
"Ashwin wants a witch. Fine. She's a witch. But. But she's just a poor little girl, and I... I can't do this. Not after the wolf. I can't do that again. But I can't say no to that man either. I...I don't know. I'm stuck..."
Cairo fell to a seat atop a crate as he looked at Vera who hadn't uttered a single word. Instead the little girl walked towards Dian, stopping before him.
When the short man lifted his gaze, the little girl slapped him across the face.
In Vera's mind, she understood him. She was a witch. All witches are hated. It wouldn't even be a stretch to say that they're only their treacherous scenerio because of her. After all, witches are nothing more than a magnet for disaster and ruin.
She understood it all too well, but she still didn't want to go with Dian. She didn't know what this Ashwin man would do to her, but she didn't want to go.
"I-I'll go with you."
Cairo and Naren both tilted their head. Dian just as confused.
Naren spoke first.
"You'll go with him Shrimpy?! Come on, you gotta work with us here. This guy's a freak. And Ashwin's a maniac—"
Before Naren could finish, Vera cut him off. Looking at him dead in the eye for the first time. Her amber eyes full of determination.
She'd made up her mind. Yet she'd been loosely following that mindset up until now. Vera had been nothing but a side character swaying along with whatever would happen, so now was when she had to set the record straight.
"I do not know you...So please stop trying to coerce me. I've already made up my mind...So just leave me alone."