The hour before daybreak was a sacred moment. It was a moment of quiet reflection and growth, a time when the barriers between the worlds of the living and the dead were at their thinnest, and a time when anything was possible.

  Elina sat meditating, rotating the Aether in a complicated pattern through her body, a weave of energy covering her body like a fitted shirt. She had learned the complex pattern from the first section of the book that Veston had given to her.

  Taking slow and steady breaths through her nose and out her mouth, she carefully followed the path, smiling as she realized she was getting better at it. When she had first started, the patterns felt like a maze, leaving her lost and confused. But now, she could follow it without looking at the book.

  Breathing even more deeply, she settled into her meditation, all sense of self disappearing. Pulling the Aether through her Gate of Power, she felt the energy being filtered as it entered her body, a unique blend of morning and night energies. Smiling softly to herself, she brought the energy from her Gate of Power to her heart, circling it twice before guiding it into her Energy core.

  Feeling her heart burn with power, she started to follow the complex hidden path she had carefully learned, guiding the energy from her Energy Core to every inch of her body.

  The pattern in the book was more amazing than she had expected. By following the patterns daily, her ability to control the Aether in her body had skyrocketed. She could now freely rotate the Aether without most of it dissipating.

  In the book, it was written that when in a real fight, most people would force the Aether directly to an area of the body where it was needed, leading to a significant loss in power as the energy was forced through areas with no clear path.

  However, it was different for her. Using the pattern written in the book, she was able to guide her energy throughout her body without losing much of it. The shortest path was not always the fastest path.

  The book said that once I can circle my heart five times, I can move on to the intermediate pattern, she thought to herself, the corners of her lips rising. I was able to circle my heart twice in just a couple of days. I expect to be able to move on to the intermediate pattern by midsummer, end of summer at the latest.

  After finishing the exercise, she moved on to the next one. The first exercise was designed to train her ability to control energy, while the second one was to increase her power.

  Breathing as deeply as she could, she drew Aether into her Energy Core until she could no longer hold any more.

  Carefully now, she told herself, remembering how the first time she had gotten lightheaded.

  Focusing her mind, she exhaled forcefully, pushing all the energy from her core throughout her whole body, erupting with power. This exercise was meant to strengthen her ability to withstand enormous strain and expand her energy pathways.

  After repeating the exercise a couple of times, she smiled, feeling a warmth slowly enveloping her body. Letting go of the Aether, she opened her eyes. The rising sun met her, she had once again spent most of the night meditating.

  It had been a couple of months since June, and she had stumbled across the man in the farmhouse, leading to the rescue of the kids.

  Since then, she had endured multiple sleepless nights, haunted by the cold blue eyes of the monster that had mutilated the helpless child. Each night felt like a battle against exhaustion.

  She had begun meditating daily to keep the nightmares at bay. Fortunately, she discovered that the meditation not only warded her mind from the nightmares but also left her body feeling refreshed with just a few hours of sleep per night.

  Grabbing a towel, she wiped the sweat from her forehead before standing up and making her way to the small water basin in the corner of her room. Reaching into it, she cupped a handful of the water and splashed it on her face. As the cool water hit her face, her heart skipped a beat, her breath catching. She knew that water was cool enough to make her gasp, but she did it anyway, knowing the shock would wake her up.

  Shaking the water from her hands, she reached for a towel before drying her face.

  “Anna! I'm awake, can you help me with the dress?” she called out.

  Since Elina had started wearing training gear every day, she had insisted that Anna no longer needed to help her get dressed, but today was different.

  “Yes, My Lady!” Anna called from behind the door.

  Picturing the dress she had chosen the night before, Elina smiled, realizing it had been months since she had last worn one. She didn’t miss it, exactly, but she couldn’t deny that she felt pretty when she did. If it were for a special occasion, she wouldn’t mind wearing them again, and today was Ashely’s wedding day!

  To the surprise of everyone, when Ashely and Zenrom returned from their trip to the Silkbug kingdom, they announced their engagement, causing wild rumors to flood the town. For the next couple of days, Elina couldn’t go anywhere without hearing the villagers talk about it excitedly, their faces split into large smiles.

  When the rumors first started, Elina had told herself not to pry into Ashely’s love life, but with each new whisper, her curiosity grew. She couldn’t help herself; she had to know. Cursing both herself and Ashely, she finally gave in and asked what had happened.

  The tale she was told was more alarming than Elina had envisioned, a story of bandits, kidnapping, and rescue. By the end, Ashely explained that Zenrom had realized how important she was to him.

  Truthfully, Elina did not think that was a good reason for Zenrom to realize his feelings. Needing such a situation to come to terms with one’s feelings was questionable to her. However, Ashely seemed happy, so she had let it go, silently wishing them well.

  The quiet sound of feet rushing over came from the other side of the door, soon followed by Anna gracefully stepping in, a radiant and joyful smile on her face. “Princess! The wedding is today! I’m so excited,” she squealed, a genuine smile on her face.

  Seeing the happy maid, Elina felt the infectious glee jump over to her. She did not mind weddings! This day would be great!

  Smiling from ear to ear, she ran over to stand in front of the mirror, her arms spread wide. Anna rushed over, bringing the dress.

  The dress was beautiful, sewn in the deep red and gold of her house colors. Elegant embroidery formed the pattern of a dancing phoenix across the fabric, its wings outstretched in flight. Though Elina had been born with her mother’s Crest, she still belonged to House Salizia and was required to wear its emblem and colors.

  “Princess, please stand there, and stop moving,” Anna commanded, putting on her battle face, the one she reserved for days in which she tried to make Elina look her best.

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  “I’m sorry. I will.”

  As Anna dressed her, Elina began to hum a tune her father had taught her. When she was young, he used to sing it, claiming her mother had taught him. It was one of the few things that connected her to both of her parents. As she continued to hum softly, Anna kept working.

  Standing there, allowing Anna to dress her, Elina realized that she strangely missed being dressed. It was almost as if she were back in the castle.

  “Princess. I am finished.”

  Smiling at her reflection, Elina spun around to the delight of Anna, her dress fanning out into a wide circular cone. Laughing happily, she let Anna apply makeup on her, giggling at her comically serious expression. Catching a glance at herself in the mirror, Elina couldn’t help but silently thank her parents for how she had turned out. With just a touch of makeup and some careful styling, she knew she could easily be counted among the beauties of the Kingdom.

  “You look beautiful, Princess,” Anna sighed from behind her, a proud look on her face.

  “I have you to thank,” Elina said, smoothing her dress with a graceful sweep of her hand. “You always make me look good.”

  Pretending not to notice Anna blush, Elina fixed her gaze on her reflection and collected herself. She was ready. She had finished putting on a different kind of armor, but armor, nonetheless.

  “Let’s go!”

  Shadowed by Anna, Elina made her way to the Grand Hall, marveling at all the work and wealth Mr. Maliri had poured into the wedding. Great bouquets of rare and gorgeous flowers adorned every wall, while Elven crystals hung from the ceiling, causing rainbow lights to dance across the floors and walls. Fountains of crystal-clear water bubbled in every room, and countless other luxuries filled every nook and cranny. Even as a princess of Vanura, Elina had never witnessed such extravagance.

  This probably costs more than what my family spends every year on the army, Elina marveled, spinning around as she took in the surroundings.

  As she stood in the Great Hall, her stomach started to grumble. Blushing, she turned to Anna.

  “Anna, we should get a little to eat before the wedding,” she said, tearing her eyes away from the paradise Mr. Maliri had created in his manor.

  “Is it appropriate to eat now?” Anna asked, her wide eyes.

  “The wedding is at noon, but I fear it will go on much longer than expected. If we don't get something to eat now, we won't eat until much later,” Elina reasoned, dragging Anna along to the kitchen.

  “If you say so, Princess.”

  The kitchen was even more shocking to Elina, the sheer number of chefs rushing back and forth, cooking and shouting at each other, overwhelming her senses. Standing there in stunned silence, she felt as though they couldn’t enter such a battlefield-like environment.

  “You two, come over here!”

  Snapping out of her daze, Elina looked over to see Rose waving them over. Relieved, she grabbed Anna’s hand and ran over.

  “Rose! Can we get something to eat?” she asked.

  “Your sister and Master Maliri are dining in the private dining room. Please follow me,” Rose replied, ushering her to a door Elina had never noticed before. “Anna and I will eat over at the side room, please enter.”

  “I didn't know there was a room here,” Elina said, waiting for Rose to open the door.

  “Master Maliri uses it when he does not feel like eating in the Great Hall,” Anna explained, standing to the side.

  “I see…” Elina muttered softly as the door was opened.

  The room was smaller than she had expected, just large enough for a massive table overflowing with food and refreshments to take up much of the space. Four large chairs were arranged around the table. At one end of the table, Mr. Maliri happily sat eating, while Milina daintily ate at the other end.

  “Ah, Princess, welcome to my private dining room!” Mr. Maliri sang, his jolly voice causing his body to jiggle. “You look positively divine today! Please forgive me for forcing you to eat in such a small room. I usually use this room to eat when I need a midnight snack. But I thought it would be best for us to use this until the wedding.”

  Wiping his face on a napkin, he stood up, awkwardly trying to bow to her.

  “Please sit, Mr. Maliri,” Elina said, grinning. “Good morning, sister. How is your training coming along?”

  Since Zenrom had returned, Milina had spent every available second training, waking up at first light and making her way to the training field. Some days, Elina only met her sister during meals and training.

  “Elina, come eat some of his fruit, it's called a Pomegranate. It's quite lovely,” Milina said, gesturing to a red fruit. “As for my training, it's coming along slowly, but according to Mr. Zenrom, my foundation is solid. How is your archery coming along?”

  “My archery is going well,” Elina replied, quickly making her way to her sister. Frowning, she inspected the bowl of red, corn kernel-like fruits. “June told me that my archery is already as good as any guard in town. Do I just eat this as is?”

  “Yes, just eat it. There’s a small seed inside each one that you can eat.”

  Tentatively reaching for a spoon, Elina scooped up some of the kernels, looking at the exotic and unheard-of fruit. “It reminds me of small jewels,” she uttered, before bringing the spoon to her mouth. As she bit into the small seeds, her eyes widened. “My, this is quite lovely. It's sweet and a little tart!” she exclaimed, scooping up another spoonful.

  “Elina, make sure to keep the red juices from staining your dress or face.”

  “It’s fine, Milina, we are wearing red dresses, even if I get some of it on me, it won’t show.”

  Happily eating, the two sisters chatted about nothing much, catching up on all the little things that they had been up to in the last couple of days.

  “Once Uncle Hector calls us back to the castle, I will ask him to teach me our house’s martial system,” Milina said, taking a sip out of her cup and looking over at Elina. “I know he won’t allow you to learn the advanced forms, but I’m sure that I can convince him to let you learn the intermediate ones. If you want.”

  “It’s fine,” Elina answered, feeling awkward. Knowing her uncle, he would most certainly be against her learning anything past the basic forms. “Just learning the basic forms should be fine. And anyway, I’m more of an archer.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yes, I’m sure.”

  “Well, if you ever change your mind, let me know,” her sister firmly said, reaching over and giving Elina’s hand a firm squeeze.

  Feeling her sister’s grasp, Elina smiled. “Thank you.”

  “Princesses, you must excuse me,” Mr. Maliri announced, cutting into the conversation. “Unfortunately, with Ashely’s wedding, I have been too nervous to eat much. I will try to calm my nerves by making sure everything is set up just right.”

  Bowing slightly, the fat merchant made his way out of the room.

  “I didn't know he had lost his appetite,” Elina murmured, staring at the door the man had just walked out of.

  “I don't think he did,” agreed Milina, covering her mouth as she chuckled. “I saw him devour a whole cake just now.”

  Laughing cheerfully, the two sisters continued their meal.

  The wedding was beautiful and went off without a hitch. The couple was married in the Gera tradition, with earth from both of their homes mixed together in a wide container. While receiving blessings from the Abbot, Ashely and Zenrom planted various seeds in the soil. The next step would take place at a later date. Once the seeds sprouted, the couple would eat the harvest together, signifying the Goddess’s approval of their union.

  The ceremony was just as long as Elina had expected. By the time it ended, it was well past lunchtime.

  After congratulating Ashely and Zenrom, Elina made her way towards the food, silently apologizing to the newlyweds, who were still busy attending to all the guests. It would be at least another hour before they’d have a chance to eat.

  Snacking on the bite-sized appetizers, Elina floated around the Great Hall, waving at Shina and the rest of the Diamond Guards who were supervising the security, their usual battle-worn armor changed for new sparkling ones. Spotting June near the balcony, she made her way to him.

  “Hey June!” she cheerily called.

  “Princess, you look beautiful,” he replied, bowing awkwardly.

  Giggling at June’s bow, she spun around for him. “Look at my dress! Isn’t it wonderful?”

  Straightening up, he nodded. “It is… You look like a real princess!”

  “I am a real princess,” Elina laughed.

  Ignoring his stammers of apologies, she continued. “I heard you were officially accepted into the Diamond Guard! Congratulations! That’s such an amazing feat! The youngest Diamond Guard to date!”

  Watching June’s face turn red, she grinned.

  “Thank you, Princess,” he stammered, scratching the back of his head.

  “Have you ever eaten a pomegranate?” Elina asked, changing the subject. “It's quite lovely, I had some this morning.”

  “I’ve never eaten one, but I had a large breakfast this morning. We’re working, so we’ll eat after the wedding,” June informed her, standing straight and glancing around as if he had just remembered he was still on the job.

  “I'm sorry. I forgot, you still had a job to do,” Elina said, berating herself for not remembering. “I’ll have Anna save you some of the pomegranate,” she promised, waving at him before melting back into the crowd once again.

  As Elina wandered around, she heard her name being called. Glancing around, she saw her sister with Uncle Hector, waving her over. The sight of her uncle made Elina feel small. For as long as she could remember, she could sense his disapproval; it was well known that he looked down on her mother for being a commoner. In her memory, every time she entered a room, her uncle would scowl, causing her to feel unwanted.

  Drawing a minuscule amount of Aether, she used it to calm her nerves before approaching them.

  “Elina, Uncle Hector brings us good news,” Milina said, a smile on her face.

  “He would like us to come back with him. We are going home!”