Chương 37: [BL] 36. Strength [4]

A damp, warm towel covered the back of her head, giving her leverage to see her newborn baby. Her daughter.

"Here, El," her handmaiden lowered her. Elesis's hand touched her daughter's plump cheek. A chill passed through her body. She was still dizzy from the pain, but she—her daughter. She was so… real. Her handmaiden had cleared blood from her body and carefully wrapped, tucked, and laid her beside Elesis. Her hand moved to the bridge of her nose. Two pairs of curious blue eyes searched her. A smile bloomed across Elesis's lips, and a tear soon followed. Wouldn't it be perfect if Ed were here?

"She is perfect," Helen said, kneeling and touching the baby's hand.

"She has your eyes, and Ed's too."

"She does, doesn't she?" Elesis smiled, but it dropped as quickly.

"Don't do that. I'm sure he will be fine. My father and Ed will be back, and then we can have the naming ceremony." Exhausted, Elesis just nodded. This moment was far from perfect; she had imagined Ed would be by her bedside while her mother would help the midwife welcome her grandchild. But reality was not so kind. The Riftborn stormed the army, and Ed, being the Duke's heir, had to fight in front where the soldiers could see him.

Not only that, her mother too, being a tier-four, was required to lead a raid team into a rift. Life never bent to the way she wanted, which was why this moment of silence where it was only her and Helen with her baby was something she treasured. Kicking all the midwives and the annoying group of lady-in-waiting was worth it.

"Don't tell him, but I already have a name in mind," Elesis said as she shot Helen a grin when her friend gave her a disapproving look. She shifted on her bed and pushed the blanket off her to prop herself up on one wrist.

"You're not supposed to do that," she chided.

"Alexis."

"After the emperor?" Helen raised an eyebrow.

"Your father?"

"It works for a girl's name too, no? It's for her to remember him." Elesis poked Alexis's cheek, and her baby gave a small whine.

"Though he must hate me now."

"As you said, you probably will not meet him again. So loosen up a bit, El. Also…" Helen bit her lips. She gave Elesis a desperate look that creased her brow, but the word did not come out.

"I know, Helen. I will find your father. In fact, I will find him now," Elesis carefully tucked Alexis up and put her into Helen's arms. She stood, making a fist and testing her limbs. Good, I can move. She tapped into her class, [Valkyrie]. Two wings of pure white feathers sprouted from her back; around her, burnished ember armor hugged her feminine figure, and a clinking bronze chain chimed down from her winged helmet against her small shoulder pauldrons.

[Valkyrie—Level 35] It had been two years since she upgraded her [Falconer] class and stopped because of her hidden pregnancy. Looking back, she was impressed that she had managed to keep it a secret from the emperor. Even after she was granted the [Falconer] class stone from the Radiant harpy's body. It was all thanks to those around her. Those who were willing to follow her just so she could pursue her love. Still, how many had died because of that? How many legionaries gave their lives?

"Don't do that," Helen said. She put Alexis's hand on the Valkyrie war plate chest. Her childhood friend read her mind.

"Most of us also come here for selfish reasons."

"Not everyone, though," Elesis said.

"Take care of her. I will be back." The door burst open.

"Your Highness!" Lady Nicole entered; the girl was just nineteen and had no respect for her older handmaiden by seven years. In fact, she glowered at Helen, who hung her eyes down as she nursed Alexis. Nicole clapped her hands, and instead of her usual maids, her lady-in-waiting scurried in, each carrying a dress meant for a ballroom. The girl scrunched her eyes at Elesis's armor.

"You need to switch to a dress. Now, my lady!"

"What's happening?"

"A bright star is coming." That word would've sent anyone else into a jubilation, yet it sent dread to Elesis. She was the Twelfth princess of the Empire. Twelve. Which meant that her hand in marriage would be withheld until a best prospect bright star came down and could be married into the royal family. That was why, despite Ed being the most sought-after bachelor, and both of them desiring each other—the emperor refused to approve the match. So, she ran to avoid being married away to an outworlder.

The soldiers in the camps, even her own lady-in-waiting, had been whispering how selfish such a decision it was for the Arkinhold duchy to abandon the capital and seek remote villages. If a bright star really was here, and the soldiers' unrest kept rising, then would she still be forced to do what she had escaped from? This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

"What do you mean a bright star is here?" Elesis demanded, almost snapping, and the girl at the very least showed a bit of fear as she took a step back.

"I—I don't know, my lady! Lord Kroos just told me to get you, and the legions cannot stop talking about someone with three classes." Three classes?

"Get out of my way," Elesis ordered. The girl's mouth hung open, and she quickly curtsied. Elesis exited her noble carriage, and soldiers lined the encampment in five lines deep, with the front being led by nine tier-threes [Champion] and [Royal Guard] classes. A grand welcome. Elesis walked between the soldier lines, and their gazes followed her. Their professionalism kept whispers from emerging, but as she trudged across the ground, she could hear them in her mind.

The selfish princess, and a saviour that just arrived. The [Champions] parted for her. The five Royal Guards, who were men and women the same age as Elesis, each being a fifth son or daughter and noble-born, had been assigned to Elesis since her birth as Royal Guards of the Princess. Their eyes followed her, and their expressions were full of mixed emotions. On one hand, her dear friends wanted her happiness; on the other hand, their duty whispered. The duty of the sons and daughters of the empire resurfaced.

When she crossed to the very front, Elesis dropped her shoulders in relief. The Bright Star was a woman, or perhaps a girl with blonde, almost golden hair, draped in green light armor of a ranger. Beside her were two knights of gold, escorting her as if she were their lord. [Hunter—Level 19] [Wind Mage—Level 16] [Guard—Level 10] The golden knights knelt on one knee toward the girl who stared back at Elesis and took one step to assess her.

Behind her, Lord Kroos the [Bannerlord] smiled, creasing his old face, and the wind bellowed his white hair.

"Her rune?" Elesis whispered to Coman, her [Royal Guard].

"It's all ascendant runes, my lady. Fireflies. Dark Wind. And… Bright Runes." Three ascendant classes? How? Or perhaps two? Bright Runes always viewed as a category of their own. Kroos locked eyes with Elesis, and a chill ran down her spine. Despite his always kindly elderly face on show, Elesis had always known that Count Kroos despised his Duchy lord's decision to abandon the capital. However, he still decided to be loyal to Ed's father.

Count Kroos Lavence—a tier-four of the empire—walked into the space where both parties stared at one another. He stopped exactly in the middle, facing Elesis, before a small, annoying grin curved on his mouth and he turned toward the girl. The next thing he did sent a ripple of whispers across the professional lines of the legionaries. The tier-four knelt to the outworlder—not to Elesis, but to this girl.

"My Bright One, I'm yours to command," he declared. Elesis opened her mouth to wrest the command, but the girl spoke first.

"March then. Two tier-four riftborn are fighting; you're the only one who can help." Bat-like scaly wings unfolded behind the girl, and she flapped them once and hovered upward.

"Can you fly, my lord?"

"Why, yes, I can, my lady," Kroos said, and he lifted his arm high above. At first Elesis thought Kroos would use one of the five banners he had planted to summon this fortification, but it looked like the lord still had not fully abandoned their cause. A new banner summoned, and Kroos stepped atop it and soared above with the girl. Everyone just stared at them. The very fact that a tier-four followed a Bright Star would undoubtedly strike some hidden chord of honor and glory inside the legionaries.

No, not just the legionaries. Elesis gritted her teeth.

"You," Elesis regarded the young man left behind. The two knights of gold followed after the two flying figures out of the fortification walls. The young man did not address Elesis; instead, he turned his horse and was about to ride forward until a voice cut him off.

"Hold!" Coman's command reverberated through the air, stopping the young [Rider]. The [Rider]'s shoulder rose, and he sighed out loud, an insulting sigh that made Elesis's guards clench their weapons tighter. He calmly turned his horse again and looked at her with eyes that had followed her her entire life—disappointment. Unconsciously, she balled a fist and calmed herself.

"I'm the twelfth royal princess of the empire, Elesis..." She stopped before giving her last name. It just felt no longer proper.

"Tell me, that girl… is she truly one? A bright star? How did she come by here? Are there any more bright stars in the village?" For a while, the young man did not answer; instead, he just looked around, then his eyes found their way toward the exit again, where some soldiers—her soldiers—gathered by the gate. Not to halt the young man, but to prepare to charge onto the battlefield. The duty did not compel them; they wanted to do this.

"Young man," Coman walked forward in his dark, heavy plate with a bardiche that looked like a cleaving moon. He put himself in front of the armored horse; Coman's height reached the young man's chest, his body covered with heavy dark plate while the [Rider] looked lean and almost wiry.

"The bright imperial highness asks you a question."

"Bright Imperial?" The young man stuttered a chuckle.

"You dare to use that tittle still?"

"What did you just—" Elesis walked toward Coman and put a hand on his pauldron.

"Let him speak."

"No, Elesis," Coman stuttered as he accidentally addressed her by name.

"He did not appreciate the sacrifice you made to be here! This backwater village of his should be on its knees and—""Perhaps. Perhaps we will not be strong enough to wither the cycle by our own. But, my lady, we made our plan based on your promise to aid us! My people are now crowded between a dark rift and the advancing riftborn on the other side. And who knows what is happening to the village itself and our other riftfarm! And yet… haven't you noticed?

The first thing you did after you recovered was questioning about an outworlder because you're worried what her existence would've meant for you instead of taking flight with them and helping with the fight fought by your men and women." Coman sneered.

"You do not understand what you're talking about."

"Then enlighten me! Why is it that our imperial princess did not use her wings to fight first before an outworlder?!" The young man's scream took her aback, a step back. Those words, perhaps said in pure frustration, or perhaps it was said because of the soot all over his clothes, the scratches all over his face, and the tears over his [Rider] leather armor. Elesis had to admit he was right to some degree. While she had been giving birth, a fight was still ongoing. Soldiers stabbed, cut, and dismembered.

Now was not the time to find out about the Bright Star. She could come later.

"Bring me to them," Elesis commanded. She flexed her wings and took flight upward. From below, the young man said.

"You can see them from up here." A battle of ice and fire soared through the skies as thousands of needles of frost battled an intense fireball that spread into a mowing flame. Elesis flapped her wings and launched forward into the battle.