“...About th-that woman...”

“I don’t regret anything,” he immediately retorted. “I apologized to her, but I am not sorry for choosing you. She knew my heart would never be hers, and she was using me as much as I was using her. Her anger comes from another place, even if I might have fueled it some more.”

“I know,” suddenly answered Cessilia. “I’m not mad at you, b-but I don’t regret letting her go this one t-time. But if she g-gets in our way again, I won’t be so k-kind.”

“...I understand.”

They exchanged a faint smile, and Ashen gently tightened his grasp around her hand. Staring back into his dark eyes, Cessilia felt like something had definitely changed in him. Perhaps since he and Kassian had sorted out the truth about why he had been really forced to leave the Dragon Empire, Ashen seemed... happier, lighter. The way he looked at her too. It was a bit... different. There was something more serene but also, more... bittersweet about it.

“...What is it?”

“I’m happy like this. I know we’re about to run into battle, but... I’ve felt more free in the past eight hours, hiding from the world and staying with you, than I’ve been in a long time. I feel like I’ve found something I had lost. I don’t know how to describe it, but after I spoke with Kassian, I felt like something finally got... fixed inside. Before that, I was always... angry, unsure, and even madder at myself for constantly doubting everything. I felt like I had to repeatedly toughen myself up to survive, and bury my emotions inside, negative or positive. Now... I feel like I can finally be myself, thanks to you being here. I don’t care anymore about being the King. Actually, no, for the first time, I truly feel like the King of this Kingdom. I feel like this is my place, and I am ready to defend it. I finally know why I’ll be fighting.”

Cessilia smiled.

She was glad, but deep inside, she felt a little part of her was disappointed too. Disappointed in herself. When she had come here, she had found a broken Ashen, a man who was nothing more than the dark, angry shadow of the boy she had once met. Now, she could tell this Ashen she was holding hands with was the one she had been yearning for all along. The true partner she needed, a man who could stand tall and strong, bold, and not hide his intentions anymore. He wouldn’t have to submit to the willfulness of the Lords, or act so cold all the time. He had truly grown, in such a short time.

Meanwhile, she...

“Lady Naptunie,” suddenly said Aglithia, climbing up the stairs off the tunnel. “This is the starting point of all of our tunnels. If you’re not coming with us to fight at the plaza, you should take a different tunnel, and head to the port as fast as possible. Ask my people, they will show you which one to take. If you can signal us when the Yekara spot the Silver Dragon, we will know when to strike at the Central Plaza.”

“I will! I can grab what I need at my auntie’s place, and climb on the roof of her house. It’s not raining too much, so you should be able to see the fire from very far!”

“Find a place to stay hidden as soon as you’re done, Nana,” said Tessandra. “Alright? We won’t be able to save you if something happens, so make sure no one notices you.”

“What? But I want to be useful! I even put on these heavy protections! I should be able to help like Lady Bastat!”

“You’re no fighter, Nana, you know that!”

“J-just make sure you s-stay out of harm’s way,” said Cessilia. “S-stay with your family, but we will fetch you when we c-can.”

Naptunie nodded, but she didn’t seem too happy about this. Cessilia could understand. Although she didn’t have any fighting abilities other than her knowledge, this was about saving her older brother’s life. Plus, Naptunie had been brave enough to stay by their side all this time, and had grown a lot in the process too.

“Nana, you need to t-talk to the Dorosef Tribe for us,” Cessilia added. “They are the b-biggest tribe of all, if you c-can get them to help us out, p-perhaps we can spare many lives during the upcoming fight.”

Naptunie’s eyes lit up again, and she immediately nodded, clearly very happy.

“I will!”

“Good, because this is where we split,” announced Aglithia, who had just stepped out of the tunnel first, into the Cheshi residence.

She extended her hand to help Tessandra and then Naptunie climb up, and turned around, showing Naptunie a corridor.

“If you continue this way and get to the blue door with a white marking on it, two of the triplets should be ready inside. They will show you how to take the tunnel, and accompany you too; once you’re inside that tunnel, you’ll find stairs that go up and lead into a sea-level cave. It’s a smaller tunnel, but luckily, so are you! As soon as you get out of the cave, you’ll find man-made stairs to climb up, which leads to one side of the port. It’s invisible to most people, but you’ll end up right behind the docks! You can ask one of them to come to us once you’re safe or if you need to message us.”

“I’ll be fine!” exclaimed Naptunie, still visibly upset about being sent away from the fight. “...Cessi, Tessa, you make sure to save my brother, and the others, please? And stay safe!”

“We will, Nana, don’t worry.”

To her surprise, both of the cousins suddenly grabbed Naptunie to hug her, making some noise with their armor. Still, Naptunie smiled, prouder than ever.

“I’ll do my best!” she exclaimed, surprisingly clenching her fists just like Darsan before.

Then, she turned around and ran. Tessandra chuckled.

“You know... It didn’t hit me until now, but maybe she would be a good pair with that meathead Darsan, after all.”

“Of c-course she would,” smiled Cessilia, before turning to Aglithia.

“Let’s go.”

Aglithia nodded and guided them, once again, through the Cheshi residence. It was a very brief walk, just two corridors away. They arrived in a large open space, an indoor garden filled with people. As soon as they entered, everyone present, men and women, put a knee down in one spectacularly synchronized motion.

“The Cheshi Clan greets the White King! We greet the Imperial Dragon Princesses!”

Tessandra grimaced, very uneasy about the title referring to her as well. Meanwhile, Cessilia nodded, and Ashen turned to Aglithia.

“That’s everyone?”

“Half of them,” she said. “The others are already going to the south to help out Prince Kassian and Lady Bastat, and another group is currently watching the area around the Central Plaza. Even those here will know to split up in several directions to take control of all the streets.”

“It won’t be an easy fight.”

To their surprise, Aglithia’s father appeared behind them, wearing full battle gear as well. His outfit was surprisingly similar to those of his men, who wore very simple dark garbs, with reinforced leather protections and pieces of armor. Some wore colored chevrons, probably sub-leaders meant to lead their groups. Aglithia’s father only wore more dark steel, and large shoulder protections that made him look taller, especially with those two swords at his flanks. The man glanced at Ashen, his eyes going up and down on his figure, and very faintly, he bowed to him and Cessilia, who were still holding hands and standing next to each other.

“...My King,” he said.

“So now you’ll admit it,” scoffed Ashen.

“We have made some urgent decisions.”

Cessilia softly pulled on Ashen’s arm, a bit annoyed with his sudden show of pride. She knew he had bad blood with the Cheshi, but they really didn’t have time for that now. He sighed, but looked away, visibly withholding his disagreement with the Cheshi Leader. They could always solve the issues between them at a later time, and from the way Aglithia’s father was staring at the King, Cessilia thought they had a lot to discuss indeed...

“...We are ready to go any time,” he finally said.

Cessilia nodded.

“The sooner the b-better.”

“Then let’s get going now.”

They turned around, following Aglithia who was leading them to another of their secret passages. This time, they had about a hundred men following right behind them, although the large group strangely made close to no sound at all. Tessandra glanced at the floor beneath them, but their light step technique was just impressive. Some of them even climbed up the roof, using a different, more aerial way to get to the plaza before them.

While Aglithia was running ahead, her father was right behind Ashen and Cessilia, side by side with Tessandra, and all the other Cheshi fighters behind them. This time, the tunnel they were using, hidden under what seemed to be a fake tombstone, was actually large enough that two or three people could stand side by side, and for everyone to run, which they all did.

“Aglithia will stay with you while I lead the men within the Capital,” explained the Cheshi Clan Leader. “They all will know what to do and whom to fight, and half of our leaders were already told to stick with you no matter what, so all our troops won’t be scattered away from you; plenty of them will stick by your side to help when you get inside the castle, notably.”

As Cessilia nodded, the man suddenly stepped to the side where the tunnel split in two. He swiftly disappeared down the branch, with the men behind them knowing exactly whom to follow. Cessilia felt her heartbeat quicken. This time, they were heading to the real battle. Only a few minutes had passed since they had left Bastat’s house, but now, everything was accelerating. She hoped Naptunie would be fine, far from the main battle.