April looked over the balcony yearned for. She would imagine her father fondly playing, and cherishing their juncture. But the time changed- it changes for everyone.
He never stopped loving her, but the situation got abuzzed. Her foster mother fell prone to a grievous disease.
Tistra in those times had a mission- which was still deferring. Emperors of all the seven Ascensions were determined to draw out an open war against the upper god. It would be a crusade of blood- no guarantee of return. And that is why April bought an idea.
She would help Tistra become the strongest by exterminating every other Emperor. This would endorse her old man to have a fair war.
The spiralled thoughts were interrupted by a vanguard
"Princess… The Emperor is asking for your presence in White Plow"
A redolent garden of white tulips was its persona. A place only accessible for the emperor, his wife and his daughter.
She knocked the grand hatch
"Come in, My dear" Tistra shouted afar.
A beautiful walkthrough guided by the peace flowers. She glanced at her foster mother, resting on the wheel chair, smiling at her. Tistra was guiding her through the garden, dictating to her the only beauty she can access in her condition.
"How is my daughter doing?" May asked April
"Fine, My Queen" she whispered
"Do you know April, you are our only child. And that too adopted" her tears dropped to the peace tulip "when will you start calling me mother"
She was furious as her cry echoed loud
"That's enough May" Tistra was concerned "ignore it April… I will take your mother to her room"
April was shocked by her mother's reaction. She was dejected by her sharp words. She stood gazing at the moist soil. Her reluctant self was still convincing her to cope up.
She remembered the day her eyes opened in the castle. May and Tistra were the first she discerned. She had just hit her puberty so May helped her with the norms. Those were her first few blinks in the castle.
Tistra in those early days clarified his side
"Listen girl… I only see you as a potent weapon"
He would paise
"But yes… May is quite fond of you. Just pray God of not being a witch, or else I will behead you myself"
"I am a human" April would cry out loud
Her mother would rush to her rescue…
Holding Tistra by his ears she would swing him away.
But again- time changes…
With time Tistra grew the fatherly bond. His hardened emotionless stare veered to a softened warmth.
He earlier hesitated- even to touch her…
But soon after he cradled her in his arms…
"My daughter"
The words were first spoken when April fell gravely ill. May, who was an apothecary, treated her, while Tistra remained her supporting hand… day and night beside his daughter's bed, he sacrificed his sleep.
From then onwards- the family grew strong, barely penetrable.
April, still locked on to the grief, was comforted by Tistra.
He patted her head "don't worry my child. Your mother is frustrated by her illness"
"I know" April replied instantly "she wants to travel with us. She wants to run with her daughter through the White Plow."
She trailed off
"But you know I love you, and My Queen. It's just that… I want to be worthy of being your child. You raised me when I was nothing, even though I'm not your true blood. I am beholden"
She held Tistra's hand "you understand me right?"
"You have nothing to prove" Tistra whispered as he kissed her forehead "but take your time. Do what you feel best… and don't forget- we are always there for you"
April felt a inefflable tenderness from Tistra. She looked at the soft man inside the hard shell. The common man hid inside the mask of the Emperor.
Hours rushed by…
The night turned rich…
May woke up by a jerk. Only to discern her daughter sleeping beside her, holding her tight. She smiled and whispered
"I'm sorry… your mother was rude to you, wasn't she"
April was fast asleep so the response didn't come. But her hug got tighter, relieving the emptiness.
May's smile grew as she went back to sleep beside her loving daughter.
April had reason to become the brute she formed. No matter how absurd it was for others, it was justified for her. In the newly forged desire and flame, she initiated the Paths of Sweet Dreams.
She summoned Leon, revealing herself through the mist
"How are you, young boy" she giggled
"Not fine actually" Leon was sitting beside a camp fire. Which was quite amusing for April- as it was her domain to control.
Leon manipulating it, even though slightly, was a big renewal.
"Seems like things are out of your hands" she grinned
"Not exactly" he whispered "I am quite sad about how May would feel when I will kill you"
A slight smirk revealed
"How dare you say My Queen's name"
"Can't I" he replied
"How do you know her name" she was obliterated once again
"I recently received a skill" he turned around "Pseudo- Potency… I can see parts of people's stories, I have heard or talked about. There is still a next stage to it, but I'm not quite sure about that"
She simply laughed
"I don't care about any of it… but keep her name out of your mouth"
She summoned a pinnacle of energy, conspiring a pyramid, charged towards Leon.
He obliterated it the next instance, ravishing its energy into glowing fragments.
"The war is coming closer" she churned "I will destroy your family, I will destroy the people you love and lastly I will destroy your soul too"
"We will see" Leon smiled to the voided words "I don't want to… but have to kill you… I don't know why"
The Path deactivated…
The dream faded off…
And with it, Leon was left stranded at the edge of Tergoray Nols…
He kept gazing at it, unfazed and undesired…
His eyes weren't tired, but they couldn't open anymore…
"Here I come" he raised his hand "to bestow my mercy upon you"