After she finished explaining things to him she attacked his ears again, but she wasn't done there she quickly moved on to his neck, and he felt her sharp teeth sinking into his skin.
The sensation sent waves of pleasure coursing through his body, causing her to burst into laughter as she ceased her playful attack.
Wearing a mischievous smile, she cast her gaze down upon him, her hips swaying in a seductive rhythm, purposefully teasing him with every deliberate movement.
Her actions had the desired effect, as he could feel his dragon stirring, Archer's blood boiled with a mixture of anticipation and longing as she continued her teasing.
Unable to resist any longer, he leaned in and captured her lips in a passionate kiss, catching her off guard.
In that moment, she melted into his embrace, wrapping her arms around his shoulders as their kiss deepened with passion and intensity.
After what felt like an eternity, they finally broke apart, their gazes locked in a shared understanding.
Sera's smile was radiant as she spoke, her voice filled with gratitude and affection. "Thank you Archer for rescuing me. The Junglebanes would have eventually got me, but you saved me and took me in when my own family cast me aside."
When he heard her mention her family, a sense of connection washed over him, realizing they had both endured similar hardships.
Archer gazed at her, gently brushing her hair away from her face as he inquired, "If you don't mind me asking, why were you in the jungle all alone?"
She got a sad look as she cuddled up to him and started speaking about her past.
[Sera's POV]
[Coya Empire - Avidia - Southern Continent] [Two years before Archer saved her]
Sera, the youngest princess of the Coya Empire, made her home in a sprawling valley, nestled within a jungle on the western side of the continent.
Her true name was Aylla Coya, the seventh princess of the empire, renowned for her joyful personality and mastery of Infernomancy.
She possessed the ability to wield destructive flames, capable of reducing anything in their path to ashes.
Among her peers at the Celestia Academy, she consistently ranked highest in her class.
While the imperial family enjoyed reverence and admiration from the people, not everyone shared the same sentiment.
A group of nobles conspired to overthrow the imperial family, driven by their anger with the Emperor's imposed laws governing the nobility.
Unable to directly harm Emperor Kavi Coya or the older siblings, they devised a plan to target the youngest member of the family.
Their scheme involved infiltrating the Celestia Academy by enrolling their own children, and instructing them to befriend the princess.
Once they gained her trust, they would fabricate evidence of a scandalous affair between her and one of the professors, aiming to bring shame and disgrace to the imperial family.
The nobles were aware of the strict taboo within the family regarding such acts, and they knew that previous princes had been banished due to similar scandals throughout the empire's history.
Additionally, they also planned to accuse her of practicing Shadowcraft, an outlawed magic viewed as evil throughout the southern continent.
The nobles successfully concealed their schemes from everyone and managed to acquire numerous Shadowcraft artifacts from the black market, which they planted in her dorm room.
When the scheming nobles gathered the fabricated evidence, they went straight to the palace to get an audience with the Emperor.
They presented the evidence of the alleged affair and told him of the rumors surrounding her involvement in Shadowcraft.
Upon hearing this, the Emperor ordered the royal guards to search her dorm room. However, he had doubts about the claims as Aylla had always been a well-behaved and virtuous girl.
After the nobles left, he let out a long breath, as Empress Xochitl approached him with a stern expression on her face.
''Darling, if the rumors are true, we will have to banish her before your name is tarnished in the eyes of the nobles and people.''
Xochitl, who was the daughter of one of the leading nobles, felt threatened by Aylla's talent and knew her own children would be overshadowed by her.
Thus, she joined her father's scheme to undermine the imperial family and secure the throne for her eldest son.
She moved closer to her husband, subtly poisoning his mind against his daughter from his fourth wife, a girl she truly despised.
"It's no surprise to me that she is interested in learning Shadowcraft. Many spellcasters strive for greater power and choose to explore the dangerous and forbidden arts," Xochitl whispered, planting seeds of doubt.
Hours later, the royal guards returned, carrying books, scrolls, and artifacts related to Shadowcraft.
The sight shook him to his core, triggering memories of his grandfather's assassination by the Shadows of Silence, practitioners of this dark art.
Consumed by anger, he commanded the arrest of the seventh princess, demanding her presence before him not as a princess, but as a criminal.
"Bring the criminal here immediately! She must face the consequences of her scandalous behavior and her fascination with Shadowcraft," he bellowed, Xochitl stepped back with a sinister smile as their devious plot unfolded.
On the day everything unfolded, Sera was seated inside her classroom, preparing for the lesson, when a group of royal guards stormed into the room.
They charged at her, seizing her and forcefully dragging her out of the room. Confusion and panic overwhelmed her as she struggled to understand what was happening.
The guards treated her roughly, forcefully throwing her out of the front entrance. The impact with the stone floor caused pain to surge through her body.
Yanking her up by her red hair, tears welled up in her eyes as she tried to comprehend the accusations hurled at her.
"You wretched harlot! You were a princess, not some commoner! How dare you bring shame upon the Empire with your despicable actions!"
Sera was utterly bewildered, having done nothing more than devote herself to her studies and spending time with her friends.
As her silence persisted, their anger escalated, and they resorted to assaulting her, repeatedly striking her in the stomach.
Finally, they threw her into a carriage to transport her to the palace. Two guards accompanied her in the back, while Sera struggled to regain her composure amidst the pain.
As she tried to rise, a boot ruthlessly pressed down on her head, forcefully keeping her restrained.
"Stay down, you criminal! You are no longer a princess and do not deserve the respect befitting one," they taunted, their cruelty evident.
The guards continued their torment until one blow struck her with such intensity that her temper flared.
In a burst of anger and desperation, she unleashed her power, casting "Inferno Blast."
The scorching flames engulfed the two guards, rapidly consuming the carriage itself. Summoning her strength, she rose to her feet and managed to escape the blazing carriage.
As she emerged, more guards appeared, only to meet the same fate as they were incinerated by her raging red flames.
Sera shook off the pain and Ignored the throbbing ache in her body, she mustered all her remaining strength and began to sprint.
With each stride, her heart pounded in her chest, pushing her forward. But her escape was short-lived.
Before she could make much headway, a group of elite Spellcasters, renowned for their mastery over the elements, intercepted her.
Their swift movements and formidable power proved too much for her exhausted state. In a matter of moments, they closed in on her, their magic crackling in the air.
Overwhelmed and outnumbered, she was swiftly overpowered and subdued. Her struggles were futile as they grabbed her firmly and forcefully dragged her back to the palace
Not long after being apprehended, they reached the palace, and Sera was unceremoniously dragged into the grand throne room, and forcefully thrown to the cold, hard floor.
As she lifted her gaze, her eyes met the sight of her entire family standing behind her father, and it was then that she noticed a smile playing on the lips of her father's first wife.
Her father's voice echoed through the room. "Are you nothing but a common harlot? Why would you engage in an illicit affair with a professor, Aylla?"
Sera's eyes widened in disbelief upon hearing her father's accusations.
With a mix of shock and indignation, she vehemently denied his claims, her voice trembling as she got to her feet. "Father, I hardly interact with the professors! Why would you believe such a falsehood about me?"
As he listened to her words, rage consumed him, and Kavi bellowed, "Stop lying! The evidence is undeniable, proving your illicit affair with the professor and your involvement in the forbidden practice of Shadowcraft. Aylla, you have deeply disappointed me."
Xochitl, seizing the opportunity, chimed in with further accusations. "She must have used her body to climb the ladder. How else could a sixteen-year-old achieve such success?"
Frustration etched upon his face, her father's complexion turned crimson as he massaged his temples. With words that would shatter Aylla's world and cast her into profound despair, he spoke.
"You are hereby banished from the Empire, never to return. Guards, escort her to the dungeon, where the royal enchanters will prepare for the banishing ritual."
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