Byanka was occupied with the affairs of the realm, leaving Varenka with little to do but wander through the palace. With her mother constantly busy, Varenka's curiosity began to consume her. One question in particular refused to leave her mind: Who was her father?
Then, a faint voice disturbed her thoughts.
"Varenka... Varenka..."
She froze.
The voice seemed to come from somewhere nearby. Curiosity overcame her caution, and she followed the sound through the quiet halls. As she approached its source, she noticed a mysterious figure standing in the shadows.
Before she could recognize who it was, everything went dark.
Varenka had been kidnapped.
When she finally regained consciousness, she realized that she was nowhere near her home. The unfamiliar surroundings immediately frightened her. Before she could gather her thoughts, she noticed someone standing nearby.
"Wh-Who are you?" Varenka asked, backing away. "Don't you know who I am? I-I'm the Princess of..."
Cierra interrupted her calmly.
"You're the Princess of the Icelands and the Firelands, am I right?"
Varenka's eyes widened.
She could hardly believe what she had just heard.
"No, that's not true," she insisted. "I'm not connected to the Fire Bloodline."
Yet as she denied it, fragments of memories began to surface. She remembered moments when her emotions became intense, particularly when she was angry or overwhelmed. During those moments, something about her appearance had always seemed different.
Cierra watched her carefully before finally revealing the truth.
She told Varenka about her past and explained that she had been the one who took away Byanka's memories. It had been done so that Aamon could keep Byanka's true identity hidden and protect her from those who might seek to use her bloodline for their own purposes.
Varenka stood completely still.
She was shocked and speechless.
Cierra then told her that her existence was connected to the will of the heavens. She was destined to bring peace between the opposing kingdoms, but such a destiny would come with a price.
After revealing what she knew, Cierra made Varenka an unexpected offer.
"Will you accept me as your master?"
Varenka stared at her in silence. She considered Cierra's words carefully, weighing the truth she had just learned against the uncertainty that still surrounded her.
Finally, she accepted.
Meanwhile, Byanka was overwhelmed with worry after Varenka's disappearance. She searched for her daughter relentlessly, but no trace of her could be found.
The Firelands soon learned of Varenka's disappearance as well. Aamon's generals urged him to take action, believing that the Icelands might have been responsible.
"Your Majesty, we cannot remain idle. We must make a move before the Icelands take advantage of this situation."
Aamon remained silent for a moment.
Then he gave his order.
"No one will make a move. If anyone acts rashly, disobeys my command, or turns the Icelands into our enemy, I will not be responsible for the consequences."
The generals fell silent.
None of them dared to question their King.
They could only obey.
[One Year Later]
A year had passed.
Varenka had trained diligently under Cierra's guidance. Day after day, she learned to control her abilities, strengthen her body, and understand the mysterious power within her.
What she did not know was that Byanka had never stopped searching for her.
At the same time, Aamon was being increasingly pressured by his own subjects. Many demanded that he declare war against the Icelands, insisting that the disappearance of the princess could not go unanswered.
Yet Aamon refused.
He rejected their demands repeatedly, unwilling to allow the situation to escalate into a war that could destroy both kingdoms.
Eventually, Cierra decided that the time had come.
She restored Varenka's memories and released her from her guardianship.
Although Cierra had once taken Varenka's memories without her permission, Varenka did not resent her. Instead, she respected Cierra for everything she had taught her and continued to regard her as both her guardian and her master.
With her memories restored, Varenka returned to the Icelands.
However, she had barely arrived when she noticed someone suspicious.
A spy.
Varenka immediately confronted the intruder and managed to take them down.
"Let me go, you brat!" the spy shouted as they struggled against her grip.
The commotion quickly attracted the attention of the people nearby. A crowd began to gather, whispering among themselves.
"Are they spies?"
"I think they're fighting."
"Maybe they know each other."
Varenka was dressed in a black cloak, concealing her identity from everyone around her. No one recognized her as the missing princess.
Then Bella arrived.
Seeing the growing crowd, Bella immediately ordered everyone to disperse. Her attention soon fell upon Varenka and the captured spy.
"Enough!" Bella commanded. "Ice Guards, arrest both of them. They're causing a disturbance."
Two Ice Guards approached.
But before they could lay a hand on Varenka, she lowered her hood.
"Do you really intend to arrest an innocent princess whom you've been searching for this entire time?"
The Ice Guards froze.
Bella's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Your Highness...?"
The guards immediately stepped back.
The missing princess had finally returned.
Varenka was escorted back toward the palace, but she had no intention of leaving the matter there. She wanted to personally interrogate the spy and discover why they had infiltrated the Icelands in the first place.