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“And that was our grandparents?” Ariadne whisper.

“Foster We’re not blood related remember?” Ambrose interrupt. Ariadne turns to him with annoyed look.

“Shut up.” She gritted form her teeth.

Abram move closer to stare at the legendary king and queen of Zhatiera and the ruler of all Khiones. They are considered as bedtime stories, a made up legend made to scare children from roaming at night or do bad things. Stories has it they were awful, evil creatures with horrible disfigured face and monster like body that could rip a person to shreds and even eat them when they are terribly hungry.

It turns out that all that stories were all a lie. They weren’t ugly nor they were vicious, they were breathtakingly beautiful, pure blood line of their Goddess Khione. He can see where Aikaterina has her beautiful looks from. She had her mother features but her eyes, it was all her father and just like his, she was looking at him with so much love.

“I ugh... went near the forest. I didn’t enter it but I was near.”

The king’s expression drops and he look very upset.

“Aika, you’re not supposed to be near the dark forest. How many times have I told you it is dangerous!”

“But why dada? Why is it dangerous? I.. I don’t think it’s bad. At least I think I don’t.” She bit her lip feeling scared.

The beautiful queen sighed and pull Aika’s hair behind her ear.

“Angel, it’s not safe. Theres dangerous creatures out there. Hey will hurt you.”

“No they won’t mama. I have power. See...” Aika, in her father’s arm raised her hand and point it to a plant next to them. The plant suddenly starts to freeze with its stem barely covered in ice. Aika was pushing as much power as she can deeply into exerting her gift towards the plant but she became too tired and stops. She was panting hard and a pang of disappointment hits her guts.

“See, you are not strong enough, Aika. You won’t be able to protect yourself.”

“But Khalid can protect me!”

“Yes but Khalid is still a young boy like you.”

“Well, at least uncle Lawan is training him now. He can protect me, dada.”

“No I will not.” All eyes in the room turns to a small boy with messy long hair that falls that covers his eyes and reach beneath his neck. He had dusty silver hair, a bit darker shade than Aika and her parents but his eyes were blue, just like theirs.

“What the… is that Khalid?” Ambrose gasped. Khalid that they knew now with one third of his head shaved off and others dyed black with long scars covers his face was no way near to the boy in front of him right now. His young self bears a serious look and a small covered dagger was strapped across his body from his left shoulder and tied to his other waist.

“Khalid! I thought you will have my side!” Aika struggled to stand on her own two feet. Her father gently placed her down and both of her parents smiled seeing her looking agitated.

“I promised to protect you but I never promise to keep secrets from the king and queen.” He approaches Aika’s parent and knelt down at their feet. He offers his hand and says.

“King Aidan, Queen Aaliyah. I hope you are well today.”

Queen Aaliyah giggles at the young boy and brush her finger down his palm, “Stand up, Khalid. There is no need to be formal.”

Khalid stand up straight and bow his head, “I have to, your highness. You are my queen and your highness is my king. I will lay my life for both of you.”

Aika seems to be angry at his words. She stomps towards Khalid and pushed his shoulder.

“Why won’t you treat me like you treat my mama and dada? This is no fair! You are only nice to them but not me!”

Khalid crossed his arms.

“You are just a princess and a very naughty one at that. Once you become queen I will do the same.”

“But I want you to be nice to me like you did mama and dada too.” Her eyes become teary.

“You are only seven, princess. The king and queen is my focus!” He grunts.

“You are seven too!” She stomps his foot, making him yelp in pain and jumped.

Aika quickly run from there while laughing while Khalid put himself together and stand back straight. He groans at his aching foot. Both the king and queen was laughing at the scene, making Ariadne and his friends smile too. It was such a precious moment between her family and it makes Ariadne’s chest becomes heavy.

“Khalid, love. Is your feet alright?”

“I..I am alright, your highness. Just a small pain. I will be the princess loyal knight one day so this does not bother me at all. I am strong. I am fine.”

Aidan shook his head and kneel down to see him eye to eye.

“What a brave knight you are, Khalid. Your father must be proud of you. I know that for I am too. The goddess has whisper the same thing” Small gasped left Khalid’s lips and he nodded, biting his lips trying to hold the tears pooling in his eyes.

“I am, my King. Just like my papa.”

Aidan rubs his head and leave the garden, calling out Aika’s name while Aaliyah stayed with Khalid. Aaliyah too kneel down so that she can speak to Khalid eye to eye.

“Khalid, love. Can I ask you for a favour?”

“What favour, your highness?”

“A big one. Only if you can put all your hearts and effort into it. I could not seem to find anyone braver and stronger than you, so I really need your help in this one. Only if you are alright with that?”

Aaliyah tilted her head and smiling down at him. Her smile was so bright, making Khalid blushed.

“Anything, my queen. I’ll do anything. I am a strong knight.”

Aaliyah nodded.

“My Aikaterina is a very curious little girl, Khalid. Unlike you, she does not know the danger of the world. She likes to explore and see what is unknown to her. I wish I could stay with her longer but I could not. A queen has her own duty.”

Khalid snort. “Aika is very naughty, my queen. Just a child. I’m no child.”

Aaliyah chuckled. “That is true, Khalid. So that’s why I need you to always protect her. I need you to always be by her side, protects her, love her and care for her no matter what happen. Living here can be a bore for her seeing she is the only girl in this castle. She needs a companion. Someone she can trust.”

Khalid frowned, “How about Marion? He’s her best friend right?”

“Marian is just an owl, love. Sure he can be her friend but I don’t think a small bird like Marion can protect her, right?”

Khalid nodded and bowed down, “Alright my queen. I will protect Aika with everything I got. I am a brave knight like my father. I will care for her and be her friend. Not that I’m not now but we’ll be closer than ever.”

His words are adorable yet his reaction was serious and that makes Aaliyah wants to laugh harder. She rubs his unruly hair and leave the garden. Khalid turn his head and stare ahead. Ambrose approach closer to the young Khalid His hand was about to touch his hand when her surroundings starts to melt and become really blurred.