The night was draped in a serene silence, cooled by a gentle breeze that whispered through the tall grass. A few hundred meters from her grandfather's house, Zen lay on her back, her eyes fixed on the glittering tapestry of the stars.
"Little Zen," her grandfather called out from the doorway, his voice weary but kind. "How much longer will you stare at the moon? Come inside and rest."
"Just a little longer, Grandfather," Zen replied without looking away. "I'll be in soon."
"Fine. But change your clothes before you sleep. Do not spend another night in that heavy armor; wear something comfortable."
Zen let out a soft snort. "This armor is my comfortable clothing."
"Talking to you is like shouting at a stone wall," he sighed. "Goodnight, child."
As the door creaked shut, Zen remained in the grass, her mind racing. What is happening at the palace? Are they all bowing and scraping before that snake, Ezekiel? And Kaien... what is he doing right now? Hours passed. The darkness remained absolute, but Zen's eyes snapped open at a sound—the rhythmic thundering of hooves. And then came the scent. A scent she knew better than her own—the sharp, metallic tang of Kaien's presence. She stood up just as Kaien pulled his horse to a violent halt.
He didn't greet her. His face was a mask of cold, vibrating fury. "Draw your sword," he commanded.
Zen's heart hammered against her ribs. "What? Kaien, why are you so angry?"
"I said, draw your blade and strike me! Because I promise you, I will show you no mercy in this fight!"
"Have you lost your mind?" "I'm not going to attack you—"
Before she could finish, Kaien's blade whistled through the air. Zen instinctively drew her sword, the steel clashing with a shower of sparks as she blocked his overhead strike.
"Tell me what I did wrong!" she shouted, straining against the weight of his blade.
"If it were just one thing, I could tell you!" Kaien roared. "But your mistakes are too many to count!"
Miles away, a massive procession cut through the dark heart of the forest. Inside the carriage, Amelia and June had succumbed to exhaustion, their heads lolling as they slept. On the opposite seat, Ezekiel sat in the shadows, his eyes cold and predatory.
When I first met Zen, he thought, a dark smirk touching his lips, I imagined her sisters would be just like her—fierce, untamable. But these two... they are no different from the pathetic princesses of every other kingdom. A few hollow promises of gold, and they walked right into the cage. He looked out the window. They had no idea of the nightmare that awaited them in the North.
Back at the estate, Zen was covered in bruises. Kaien delivered a devastating blow that sent Zen flying backward, slamming into a jagged rock. She let out a piercing scream of agony.
Seeing her in pain, Kaien dropped his sword and rushed to her side. He knelt down, his hands trembling. "Zen? Are you—"
In a flash, Zen whipped a hidden dagger from her belt, aiming for his throat. But Kaien caught her wrist in a vice-like grip. "Your tricks won't work on me," he whispered. "You couldn't bring yourself to strike me truly."
"I'm not afraid of anything!" Zen hissed.
Kaien's hardness broke. He pulled her into a fierce, crushing embrace. "When will you stop making me worry about you? When I found out you had encountered Ezekiel alone... I have been in agony every second since. You are the only family I have in this world, Zen. If anything happened to you, I would never forgive myself."
Zen went still, the warmth of the hug softening her defensive stance. "What happened, Kaien? Why are you talking like this?" she asked softly, her voice laced with concern. "Nothing happened to me. I am perfectly fine... I mean, I was perfectly fine.
Kaien pulled back and sat in the grass beside her. "I saw him, Zen. In your room. That's when I knew."
He flashed back to the moment in the palace...
"Are you a member of this family?" Ezekiel had asked. "You look hauntingly familiar."
"I am no royal," Kaien had replied. "I am merely the protector of the Little Princess."
Ezekiel had smirked. "Ah, so you are Zen Edward's guardian? Then tell me... why was your 'shy and cowardly' princess wandering the woods alone last night? Because the Zen Edward I met... she didn't seem shy at all."