Chapter 283 Information
[Sultania City, Nagendra Kingdom's capital city south of the Avalon Empire]
Khonsu Nagendra and his three wives were bidding farewell to their children, who were preparing to depart for the College of Magic in the north.
The maids were busy packing the carriages; a separate one had been arranged for Halime due to the fear of her curse that was instilled in her siblings.
Halime stood patiently, awaiting her mother's approach. She observed how her other mothers doted on her three sisters and two brothers.
In the background, she caught snippets of her third mother's conversation with her siblings.
"My hatchlings, I hope you will enjoy your time there. Your other mothers and I have forged lifelong friendships in that place," commented Esra.
That's when Khonsu walked over to Halime and spoke. ''Hali. be careful with the curse we don't want any problems at the college, but you already know what to do.''
She nodded without speaking. While her mothers hugged the others, Yasmin came up to her and said, "My little snake, don't stress about anything. I believe things will go well when you attend."
Halime looked at her Mother who hugged her causing her to smile as she replied. ''Yes Mother I'll stop overthinking.''
After the family spoke the children were waved off and accompanied by over a dozen guards as they traveled north.
[Starfall City's Imperial Palace]
A teenage girl with purple hair, bright green eyes, and a cat's tail swaying behind her as she watched the sun setting in the distance.
Leira Avalon the third princess of the empire was sitting at a table as she admired the view.
Crystal spires stretched skyward, their surfaces catching the sunlight and scattering it into a myriad of colors that danced across the cobblestone streets.
Bridges arched gracefully over winding rivers, their delicate designs reminiscent of intricate lacework.
Gardens bloomed with flora of fantastical colors, flowers that seemed to possess a radiance beyond nature's palette.
Leira looked down at the busy market square. Stalls were filled with shiny gems, sparkling potions, and beautifully made objects that seemed to tell stories of faraway places.
Street performers weaved spells of entertainment, their music, and tricks adding an extra layer of enchantment to the already magical atmosphere.
As she sat there Leira started ranting to herself. ''Why are they trying to make me marry a dragon? Am I a sacrifice? I heard he is engaged to four princesses and two other girls.''
Leira stopped talking as she heard footsteps behind her and turned around to see her Mother standing there.
A thought came to her. 'What does she want now? Tell me to have kittens straightaway.'
Chloe sat down beside her daughter and spoke gently, "I'm sorry for engaging you to someone you don't know my kitten.''
She didn't say and remained silent. The empress sighed and apologized again as she went to stand up but heard Leira talk. ''I understand why you did it Mother, but why me? Why not Cleo or Luna they would make better wives.''
The older cat woman smiled as she replied. ''Because you are just like the boy. He loves adventures, exploring, and experiencing different lands. You know kitten, he has changed the Southlands and Mediterra forever.''
Liera got curious as her cat ears started to twitch and her tail swayed even faster now, so she questioned in a curious tone. ''What do you mean?''
Chloe continued speaking. ''For example, the Aquaria Kingdom is at the southern tip of the Pluoria. It was invaded by several kingdoms but because of their princess, he stopped the war by crushing the invading armies while uniting the Zenia Empire and Aquaria with marriage.''
The young cat girl nodded and started to intently listen as her Mother continued. ''He united the elven empires in Mediterra and they are now invading the western lands claiming it for themselves.''
Leira's eyes widened and her tail started speeding up as she got even more curious, when Chloe saw this she smiled and commented. ''Father is meeting with Ophelia to get him a spot in the college.''
The teenager nodded her head with a smile as the two continued watching the sunset until the stars were hanging in the sky.
[Ashguard Castle - Vessia City - Mistwood Duchy]
In the Duke's castle, the Ashguard family convened for a meeting, and all of the children were present.
Leonard rose from his seat and addressed his children. "Seven of you will be attending the College of Magic. However, there are rumors that your brother might also join, but not as an Ashguard."
He turned his attention to the girls. "Keia, Hyara, and Kestria make the Ashguards proud. Your intelligence will help you excel in the tests."
Each girl nodded in response, eliciting a smile from Leonard. He shifted his focus to the boys. "Rin, Aldwulf, Pallius, and Viden, your combat skills have improved significantly. I believe in your abilities."
The boys respectfully lowered their heads as their father spoke. Just then, Ksara unexpectedly voiced her thoughts. "You need to beat that monster and prove we won't tolerate disrespect."
Everyone turned to look at her, uncertain whether she was being stupid or actually believed it.
Before any more could be said, Janna intervened. "No more. You've caused enough harm to this family. If you continue acting that way it will ruin us.''
Everyone else nodded in agreement, except for Larka, who remained quietly seated.
Ever since the day Archer went mad and brutally killed the church knights, she had transformed.
She had come to understand the gravity of her mistakes and felt very deep remorse for how she had treated him.
Rising from her seat, Larka left the room and retreated to the courtyard. No one attempted to stop her, for they were aware of the inner turmoil she was grappling with.
Along the corridors she went, haunted by a rush of memories. She recalled the day she had given birth to Archer, his innocent gaze fixated on her with pure affection.
She could remember how cute he was as a baby but as he grew she noticed he wasn't like his older siblings.
He loved books and knowledge which she should have encouraged but her husband's pride rubbed off on her so she judged him harshly.
Larka couldn't fathom how he had changed so drastically, suspecting it was connected to the test he had failed and the way he was treated.
Filled with an earnest desire to atone, Larka had been in conversation with her father, urging him to gather information about Archer.
After a short walk, she stepped into a carriage that transported her to the manaship yard, where she boarded a ship.
The Silverthrone family's long-standing contributions to the empire allowed her access to it.
Her father had collected a lot of information about Archer and requested her presence, he was curious about his grandson whom he had never met due to his daughter living in Mistwood.
The journey to Starfall took a few days, and upon arrival, she was escorted to her family's estate.
Larka's heart raced as she rounded the bend in the cobblestone path, her eyes widening with wonder as the fantasy-Victorian mansion came into view.
The morning light caressed the estate with a gentle, golden embrace, illuminating every corner with a warm radiance.
The ivy-draped walls seemed to come alive, their leaves catching the sunlight and shimmering as a soft breeze rustled through them.
Nestled at the heart of meticulously tended gardens, the mansion stood as a testament to both grandeur and elegance.
Its turrets and spires soared skyward, their intricate designs reminiscent of pages torn from the pages of a fairy tale, reaching towards the heavens with an air of enchantment.
The carriage she was in passed through the gate, Larka saw the entrance to her childhood home and the giant man standing there.
When it came to a stop she stepped out and looked at her Father. He was a human who stood at 6'5 and looked a lot like Santa Claus from Earth.
His name was Albert Silverthrone, a general in the Avalonian army who was stationed in the capital before the negotiations succeeded and he decided to stay here.
Albert saw his daughter and exclaimed. ''It's been years since we've seen each other little Larka. I didn't realize how bad you've fucked up.''
She looked down when she heard him but the man just sighed to himself, he tried to be angry with her but couldn't.
He knew she was in the wrong for what she did but he wanted to help his daughter and grandson to reconcile.
Albert motioned for Larka to follow him into the mansion, when she walked in she saw her Mother who was an older version of her.
The woman stopped and spoke in a disappointed voice as she marched over to her. ''How could you treat our first grandbaby like that girl? Are you insane or ill?''
As she got close the older woman slapped her causing Albert to get speak out. ''Mia what are you doing? She's our daughter.''
Mia turned on him and spoke in an angry tone. ''She allowed our grandson to suffer due to her pride, now look she's come crawling back to find out about him.''
[A/N - Leave some comments, power stones, and gifts. It all helps support the book. Artwork in the comments or discord]
Updat𝒆d fr𝑜m fr𝒆ewebnove(l).com