A BROKEN VOW

The night was growing old in kingdom elarion

The sky was dark full of clouds not a single star visible tonight . Looking like a heavy dark blanket of comfort. A stray moonlight peaking from the clouds made it look like a single shining stray of hope in the dark .

Under the night sky there were sharp sounds of a sword cutting the flowing air

A faint sound of a sigh came .

"It's enough for today my lady "

A lady in her 20s stopped the practice she was doing the sounds stopped she looked up at the source of the voice with her moonlight slightly emerald eyes . Her long locks escaping her half bun flowing with the night breeze like river streams falling on her back till her hips .long bangs covering her face . Sharp features pink fuller lips well structured nose and long lashes . She looked breathtaking even in the dark .  

Her composure was as calm as a lake. the cream cotton dress she wore contrasts with her milky white complexion . The fabric of her dress flowing with the air .         

Her sharp eyes tight jaw softened looking at the source of the voice the girl standing in front of her . Her pink lips curved into a beautiful smile revealing her Dimples . 

She is none other than Aurelia nightshade

The princess of elarion with her honey sweet melody voice she replied to the girl

" Well time flew lara . i didn't notice"

Aurelia told the source of the earlier voice her ladies maid lara the girl is sweet with her long braided locks and her beautiful smile . Lara has been with Aurelia for a long time . She is a little younger than Aurelia but like a little sister to her aurelia is 22 and lara is 20.

Aurelia was practicing her sword . Well she is not like those typical noble ladies her upbringing has been different her grandfather loves her and Pampers her a lot since her childhood he thought her the art of war , trained her in combat , taught her martial arts . She mastered every skill in fact one of the top fighters in the world.

To the people of eloria she is their diamond of the water .     Well she has a younger brother but her parents nor her grandfather never treated them differently always equal.

She looked delicate and sophisticated like a noble princess but she was anything but delicate. But as calm as she looked from outside there was always a storm brewing inside her .

She kept her precious  golden sword down carefully then moved towards lara . and wiped the sweat from her forehead from the napkin lara gave .

"What happened to your highness? you look rather distracted today "

" I mean you never train this late , not until something is bothering you " 

AURELIA'S Pov

I sighed at Lara's question looking around the beautiful garden surrounded with lilies and beautiful white orchids a large pond reflected the dark sky above.

Well I sighed remembering the earlier events .

My grandfather TRISTAN NIGHTSHADE the king of elarion the one who adores and Pampers me the most.

Earlier this evening when . i was standing in the garden admiring the flowers and thinking about the storm coming our way . Just then an attendant came to call me on  my grandfather's instructions soon i was in his chamber where i greeted him he made me sit his face was flashing guilt .he looked at me with those strikingly similar amber eyes like me .

He asked me what happened because I was looking worried i told him about my worries.

Soren blackwood was the storm coming our way with the thirst of revenge and blood to destroy our kingdom and my family . All because of one broken promise which destroyed everything years ago . I was a little kid that time. it has been 17 years since that destruction.

My grandfather's voice snapped me back from my trance . 

"You were so little that time lia ( aurelias nick name ) let me tell you something he said "

"You know about the disaster lia "

"Years ago during the deer hunt i met Sorens grandfather teberius blackwood we became very good friends instantly . The empire is like a huge deer which is divided into 5 independent kingdoms now but years before the tragedy they were all under the imperial palace. At that time i and teberius became great friends he was a very easy going man and we clicked together instantly . We wanted to build canals and trade routes to expand trade and provide water to every kingdom. We proposed the idea to the Emperor and he agreed to it . And we started building trade routes and canals together during that process our friendship grew stronger and we became partially like family . But that made the emperor anxious seeing the two biggest and strongest kingdoms of his empire becoming close he feared that one day elarion and kavareth will out grow imperial palace in power and stage a coop so the foolish Emperor plotted with the weakest kingdom which lies between kavareth and elarion . valcoria to attack and break the strong relationship between our kingdoms . One day he secretly ordered valcoria to attack the trade route when we were there and called me to the palace told me that only one of our families will survive either blackwoods or nightshades i didint waver there because I know me and teberius promised and vowed to be there for eachother everytime but the twist came when he showed me a letter and told me to choose one the people of eloria or the blackwoods he said if i help the blackwoods none of elarion people will survive it was a threat. I was so shocked and confused when I got back . I had to choose between loyalty to my friend or my people i have to make a decesion be a good king or be a loyal friend and i was in pure dilema before i could grasp what's happening. a messenger came from blackwoods requesting back up because the trade route and kavareth have been attacked and at that moment i had to make a decision be the king or be the friend and i choose betrayal which caused the vow we made to break . I denied the request betrayaed blackwoods with a stone on my heart no backup came and kavareth lost a large sum of their land . Lost three generations of men . After that the blackwoods and nightshades became sworn enemies and after a few years the imperial palace faced its downfall too ."

My grandfather looked at me after finishing the flashback story his eyes were moisty and helpless. I have never seen my grandfather this vulnerable. I looked at him I have been listening to his story which he never told anyone silently and carefully and the only thing i could see was guilt and he blamed himself. It shocked me hearing about the fallen Emperors deeds . Well he

Deserved what happened to him . I know it would have been very hard for my grandfather to choose at that time he couldn't leave the people who depended on him so he did what he had to . Which was his only choice.

"You had no choice grandpa you did what you had to "

He smiled the faintest at my words and shook his head .

"Iia now soren blackwood the king of kavareth he is coming for revenge he reclaimed all the lost land and recently the iron valley next he will come for us for revenge"

"Write now we are weak we cant survive a war it will destroy us . "

The moment i looked up at him i knew he had a solution but his eyes were showing guilt towards me .

" Lia to stop this disaster from happening there is only one solution and that is marriage you were once engaged to soren . Before all this before we became enemies. So I sent a letter to lady elara she is sorens grandmother she is very farsighted and is considering accepting the proposal to renew your engagement with soren and let go of hatred"

As i looked up at him with a shocked expression because the only words i could grasp were that i was going to get married with soren and the only question in my mind was why would lady elara ever agree to such a proposal??? .

As if understanding my confusion my grandfather spoke again.

" Lia you are the princess of elarion and its your duty and i know you won't back down all our hopes and all the Lifes here depend on you and to answer your unasked question . lady elara is a very farsighted lady she wants to let go of hatred and dosent want her grandson to drawn in hate forever she wants to see him happy and let go of hate that's why she is ready to accept the proposal "

"Lia I hope you understand and not hate me for this . It's our last hope and only solution "

I looked at him the man who adores. me the person who pampered me the most since childhood taught me everything i know and i couldn't disappoint him or turn my back towards my people so I did the only thing which felt right that time i smiled hiding the storm brewing in side me and nodded .

" I won't disappoint you grandfather i will protect the people . I Know you have no other choice and i understand it's my duty as the princess "

Seeing my smile my grandfather's eyes filled with relief he nodded. 

Flashback end's

Laras voice brought me to the present and broke my chain of thoughts .well lara has been with me since long my most trusted companion i looked at her .I could partially see the question in her eyes she wanted to ask but was holding back . So I looked at her and smiled

" Lara out with it ."

She looked at me with confused eyes.

" What do you want to ask ?? Say it . "

" Your highness are you really getting married to Soren Blackwood ??. . I...i heard someone talking while coming here . " "Did his majesty call you for this ?? "

I could hear the worry in her voice and the concern in her gaze i nodded.

" Lara i will do everything to protect our people It's my responsibility as the princess."

She just looked up at me and understood that right now I am too tired to talk. so she just nodded .

"Lara prepare a bath for me ."

She nodded bowed and left .

I looked up at the sky and the only ray of light . Fate likes playing games a lot doesn't it ?

It's bringing me back to the only person i thought I would never see again . Well looks like we are destined to meet soren .

I sighed well The circumstances are different 17 years ago we met as friends. But now we have different paths and goals. We are enemies now .he wants to destroy what I want to protect and i would never let him destroy what i protect.

Standing here i swear I will always protect my people my family and our land i would never let innocent people suffer .

Looks like a nice game of chess is waiting for me . I sighed

I have fought wars alongside my grandfather many times. But now this war is my own to fight .

Grandfather i won't ever let you down . I whispered to the dark sky and went inside my chamber.

" Your highness the baths ready "

I nodded and went .

Hope you all liked the chapter 💗