Red Princess

The atmosphere within the capital had changed. Military presence had increased even further, and Amaragi didn't waste much time as she urged Maren to follow her back to the palace, intent on reporting their recent findings. 

 

As they walked, she glanced from side to side around the markets, but apart from the fact that the people seemed to be tense, she didn't witness anyone suffering due to poisoned food, at least from what she could gather at first glance. 

 

The guards at the entrance gate couldn't even bow in time before Amaragi had already rushed past them, having taken Maren by his hand. However, just as they arrived at the palace grounds themselves, multiple battalions were about to head out onto the streets, ushering even more questions into Amaragi's mind. 

 

But luckily, she saw a figure that could finally answer some of them. 

 

"Sister!" Namagi turned around with a brief moment of surprise before she almost hastily made her way over to the pair, looking them both over to see if they were alright. 

 

"I'm glad you are both unharmed, as well as that you are back. There is dire news that you should know about." her expression was more than serious, and Amaragi was torn between the growing urge to report what had taken place at the outpost and the fear to ask what else could have happened that might prove to be even worse. 

 

However, Namagi firstly glanced behind the pair, witnessing only a fracture of the soldiers they had taken with them to examine the situation at the borders. 

 

"Where are the rest of your troops?" this time, Maren was the first to respond to that when he witnessed the tension that was hiding beneath Amaragi's outward appearance. 

 

"We had to leave them behind at the outpost after we found their previous occupants dead inside. They had been poisoned." Namagi's eyes widened in shock, and her expression grew even harder than before. 

 

"Yes, most of the weapons were stolen as well, and we know that the supplies from Norin are to blame for what happened. It seems they used the poisoned food to infiltrate the fort without taking a single casualty themselves." Amaragi finished that with a tightening of one of her hands. 

 

And yet, Namagi merely closed her eyes. 

 

"Then that fits exactly to the recent events. Norin has officially broken with our truce, and they have declared war on us once more." her eyes remained closed even when she heard the almost simultaneous gasp from them both. 

 

Instead, Namagi's expression turned even more grim despite that. 

 

"But that's not all. So, too, did the land of Glenrock turn against us. Their declaration of war towards us followed not long after." 

 

This time, Amaragi could barely believe it for a moment. 

 

"What?" her hand involuntarily relaxed in shock, and her mind was dead set on trying to sort out the whole situation that became more and more grim by the second. A mere information that was spoken and shared in a matter of seconds, but the implications it brought along… they were devastating. 

 

"A war against the brutal tyranny and oppression of the bloodthirsty Empire to the north. That was their reasoning. The accident within Byanzinth that you had mentioned, it seems like that had served as a good reason as any to turn against us." 

 

For a moment, Amaragi felt as though she could slump to the ground, her head growing dizzy. For years she had tried to quell her father's interest in dominion, to help her people even though she knew that they were being ruled with an iron hand. No, she could not deny the sins of their past, sins in which she herself had taken part in by even leading some of their armies herself when they had invaded other lands to gather more resources. 

 

But this time, she knew that the other nations were not any better. 

 

Meanwhile, Maren was almost consumed by his own thoughts when guilt began to course through him without stop. Just like Amaragi, he had hoped so much for peace… and when the fact hit him that, this time, it was the Norin kingdom to break the truce, to turn to violence and revenge instead… he felt once more out of place within the land that he had come to grow so fond of. 

 

At least, until suddenly, and surprisingly, a hand was placed upon his shoulder. And not only his, but upon Amaragi's as well. 

 

"Don't think that you are responsible for this, I'm sure that Magi has already told you numerous times before, but…" it was Namagi, having caught the attention of them both after seeing the sheer amount of distress on both of their expressions. And from their shoulders, she took Maren's hand, which was adorned by the beautiful ring upon his finger, as well as Amaragi's, before bringing them together. 

 

"... you're one of us, understand? I'm not that good with words, but Magi trusts you, as do I, and Kiel as well. Don't forget that." Namagi stared into his eyes, and slowly but surely, Maren nodded, his previous thoughts beginning to disappear. 

 

"I still don't understand Glenrock's involvement. With their land not specifically ruled by anyone, and with each noble lord having their own interests in mind, I didn't think them capable to be able to make such a decision." Amaragi muttered part of her thoughts out aloud, and to this, Namagi didn't have an answer either. 

 

"That is what unsettled father as well. When the message first arrived, I could see through his mocking face and manner. That situation has never been there before, and I know that it worries even him." for a moment, Namagi turned her head to look at the town below. 

 

"Sometimes I think it is necessary for him to lose a war in order to understand the error in his ways. But then I think about all these people living here… our people… and we cannot let that happen." thus, she looked back at the pair. 

 

"Father is mobilizing the majority of our troops and forces to head out. Both the Norian army, as well as Glenrock soldiers, have been reported to pass our borders. And when they meet, I will be there as well. I'll fight for our people until my last breath." Namagi's eyes were filled with a fierce determination, and for a moment, Amaragi couldn't even stop herself from wondering. Was that how it had felt like for her siblings who had always told her that they looked up at her? 

 

For this time, she couldn't have been any prouder of her younger sister. 

 

When Namagi had removed her hands from the pair, Amaragi actually found the ability to finally curl her lips into a faint smile. 

 

"Look at you. Already managing to lift my spirits when it should actually be me to be strong." for a moment, these words began to dawn upon Namagi before she abruptly shifted her head to the ground. 

 

"Don't talk like this, in my image, you'll always be our big sister whom we'll look up to, and-" Namagi began to stutter when she saw the way her older sister was smiling at her, all with a single, knowing message. 

 

That she didn't need any protection anymore. Even if she didn't yet realize it.

 

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AN:

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