Walking through the cities was a surreal feeling. It is not every day a king is seen walking the streets of people without his guards or some noble beside him. But it is not every day a king must watch as his people suffered an attack at the hands of a madman. I watched my people as they came together, healing the hurt, and giving food and shelter, and felt the pride a ruler should feel seeing his people. I also felt the rage at the being who did this burning behind that pride as I saw the scar left on my city. It has been too long. I must put an end to this.

I left the Seekers some time ago, it should not take me this long to return to the castle. As I stepped through the front gate, I saw the lack of soldiers standing in their position. Right, I sent them away to look after the city. My eyes trail to the bright ivory-white walls of the castle, the famous Light Palace, "my" castle. A laugh hits me as I push the heavy wooden doors open.

"Right. 'My' castle..." I wasn't born this, this will only "belongs" for a little longer. I am a Warden, not a Von Eon. Marrying into power isn't the same as really having it, and I am painfully reminded of this as the entrance hall stretches before me. The faces of noble kings and queens who all had great deeds to this name flank the walls.

 Veriza Von Eon, the Prince Who Rose from Fire.

Ludovicus Von Eon, was a king who kept his kingdom safe during the War of the Wilds.

Etelka Von Eon was a queen who quelled an army of necromancers and found peace with them.

Each of them saved their kingdom, each of them serving their people from crisis. But it was the last one that stopped me. She had long black hair that fell below her shoulders with white streaks that ran through it like rain on a starless night. Wearing the royal blue and gold robes of a newly crowned queen, she held herself with the grace and pride of a woman who wanted to prove herself. Her crystalline staff in hand, the queen who help slay the mad fire giant king Cusippo, the queen who bought the might of the last Maxwell back to Nordlitcher, the queen challenged a cue and crushed it in a single night, and the woman I loved most dearly, Queen Shia Von Eon.

I have seen this painting more times than I can count and the thing that strikes me isn't the gold or the royal crown, it was her eyes. The pools of glistening silver held such kindness, always looking toward some adventure only she knew about. Those eyes looked towards the beyond and wanted to see so much of the world outside of her city.

"Shia... What would you do?..."

"Check the Market Square! She couldn't have gone far! Squad 3, go towards the plaza!"

My commander called out over the crowds of people. Over the streets of Alra, knights spread out with one unifying mission in mind: to find Princess Shia. It wasn't the first time that she had escaped her quarters to roam about the grounds, but this was more than before. The king ordered us to find her at all costs, fearing the worst for her.

"I just had to be the lucky guard on duty today," I cursed as my squad moved southward to the plaza. It was bad enough to be a glorified babysitter, but now I have to play hide and seek? What kind of insult to the house of Orandi that I am stuck with this kind of work. "These peasants should be searching for this brat, not me."

My squad soon reached the plaza and split up further to cover more ground. It was the middle of the day, people filled the streets everywhere. My eyes scanned over the crowds of people for some sign of the princess. There are too many people, how could I- wait, there! I could see a cloaked figure near the plaza's edge, talking to someone. Who is this person? I move closer and there I see a faint shine of the princess's hair.

"Princess!" I call out while making my way through the crowd. The horde of people is dense, but I make out the two of them making a run for it into a nearby alleyway. I curse to Theodosia for the patience to deal with this woman. Pushing the people from my path, I hurry after the pair. I catch a glimpse of the person with her. Some man with a great sword on his back. An adventurer? A kidnapper? He didn't carry a crest of the guilds here. I needed to stop him before he took the princess any further. Fighting my way into the alley, I drew my sword and ran as fast as my legs could carry me. They rounded a corner, they didn't have many places to go. I could hear the princess's voice, but couldn't make out what she was saying. She must be calling for help. The alleyway straighten out to where I could finally see the kidnapper ahead of me. The man had shaggy, unkempt hair, and a green cloak he tried to hide the princess behind with some crest on it. Stole from a knight no doubt. They exited out into an opening, some more expansive space, but barely, but I had closed the gap enough, and now I had him.

I will save the princess. I have to!

"She was quite the queen for her short time. You were lucky to have someone so grand as a wife sir knight."

I didn't need to look to know who it was speaking to me now. The owner of that firm voice and I have recently become well acquainted. "She was wonderful to her people and her kingdom. More so than all others." I let out a reluctant sigh and turned to see the face of the hero of light, law, and vigilance, The Crowned Fire, Veritas. "She was truly amazing in every sense of the word."

The hero stood in front of me, his platinum armor shining in the faint light he emitted. His blonde gold hair flowed onto his shoulders like rivers and framed his eyes as they held onto the painting with a gaze of knowing sorrow and understanding. "Yes. I have seen very few like her in my time."

"So you understand why I must fight to protect my people and my son Sire." I turn to him, kneeling before him.

"Stand knight." His voice was even, but his face did not move. I lifted my head and watched his eyes. They were locked somewhere, but it wasn't on the painting anymore. "You are right. You are a king, act like it."

I did just that, standing back to my feet, and it was then when his eyes fell back upon me. I may have been standing, but I felt small until the heat from the hero's glare. He was not happy with me. "You let those Seekers leave you without answers. Why?"

"The Seekers are not our enemies. I need not fight them to put an end to this." I answered with a step to start moving once more.

"They look to release the beast and work with her servant. They will betray your trust, sir knight." There were no footsteps accompanying the hero's movements, but I could hear his voice just over my shoulder.

"And if they do, then they will be dealt with. They are good people, saviors to my people in a time of need. I will not forsake them because of a misplaced sense of right. The servant poisons their minds. I know they will see what needs to be done to keep order."

"And if they don't?"

I had reached my chambers by this point and stood for a second to choose my words carefully. "Then as king, I will do what I must. No matter whom I must cut down."