The following afternoon...
The skies above the Kingdom of Norvoss remained calm.
Along the northern border, a pair of watchmen lazily scanned the horizon.
Then—
A streak of brilliant blue tore across the heavens.
One guard barely had time to point before the blue comet vanished beyond the clouds.
"What in the world was that...?"
Neither of them realized...
It had already crossed half the kingdom.
---
At the Royal Palace of Norvoss...
BOOM!
A tremendous gust swept through the palace courtyard as Ebruhan descended from the sky.
His massive claws struck the stone with a heavy thud.
Dust rolled across the courtyard.
Despite the controlled landing, fatigue was evident in his breathing.
The nonstop journey had drained far more mana than he cared to admit.
The palace guards reacted instantly.
"Dragon!"
"Protect the palace!"
Dozens of spears were lowered.
Archers drew their bows.
Battle mages hurried into formation.
Before anyone could act—
"Stand down."
Selene's voice echoed across the courtyard.
The soldiers froze.
She jumped gracefully from Ebruhan's back.
Aerys landed beside her moments later.
The guards looked between the princess...
...and the Storm Dragon.
Selene spoke firmly.
"Lower your weapons."
"He is a friend."
Ebruhan slowly tilted his head toward her.
"...A friend?"
There was genuine surprise in his voice.
Without waiting for an explanation, he pushed himself back onto all fours.
His enormous wings unfolded.
"My task is complete."
"I should return to Lumeris."
He lowered his body, preparing to launch back into the sky.
"Please wait here for a while.."
Selene's voice stopped him.
For the first time...
There was no command in her tone.
Only a quiet request.
Ebruhan looked at her for a long moment.
Then, without a word...
He folded his wings once more.
The great Storm Dragon settled back onto the palace courtyard.
"...Very well."
"I'll wait."
Selene hurried into the palace without another word.
Her footsteps echoed through the halls.
Aerys remained behind for a brief moment.
He turned toward Ebruhan.
The great Storm Dragon stood quietly beside one of the palace fountains, lowering his head to drink the cool water after the exhausting journey.
Aerys placed a fist over his chest.
Then bowed respectfully
It wasn't the gratitude of a general.
It was simply the thanks of a man whose princess had been given a chance no one else could have provided.
Ebruhan gave a small nod.
Nothing more.
Aerys turned and hurried after Selene.
Ebruhan remained where he was, quietly drinking from the fountain.
---
Inside the royal healing chamber...
The room smelled faintly of herbs and medicine.
Royal physicians stood silently around the bed, their expressions heavy.
No healing spell glowed.
No miracle remained to be cast.
There was only waiting.
King Idris lay beneath a thin blanket.
He looked almost unrecognizable.
His once broad frame had withered.
His hands were little more than skin stretched over bone.
Even breathing seemed to demand tremendous effort.
A fit of coughing suddenly seized him.
"Cough...!"
"Kh...!"
One of the physicians quickly brought a silver bowl to his bedside.
Dark blood stained its surface.
When the coughing finally subsided...
The chamber doors burst open.
"Father!"
Selene rushed inside.
Without caring for royal etiquette, she dropped to her knees beside the bed.
Tears finally escaped the composure she had maintained throughout the journey.
"Father..."
King Idris slowly turned his head.
His tired eyes found his daughter.
A weak smile appeared.
"...My..."
"...daughter..."
"You..."
"...came..."
Before he could finish—
Another violent cough overtook him.
"Kh...!"
His frail body trembled with each breath.
Selene immediately supported his shoulder, her own hands shaking.She gently held his hand between both of hers.
"I'm here, Father."
"You don't have to speak."
"I'm here now."
Idris slowly looked at her.
The worry that had weighed upon his tired eyes since falling ill seemed to ease, if only slightly.
Selene looked at her father.
The tears she had held back for so long finally spilled freely down her cheeks.
She couldn't bear seeing him like this.
Not the man who had once stood proudly before an entire kingdom.
Not the father who had always seemed invincible.
She slowly stood.
Her trembling gaze shifted toward the royal physicians gathered around the chamber.
"...Why?"
Her voice cracked.
"Why aren't any of you doing something?"
"Don't you all—"
Before she could finish—
A frail hand gently wrapped around her wrist.
She froze.
King Idris looked at her with tired, affectionate eyes.
"...Little flower..."
That made Selene look back. The name her father used to call her when she was younger..
His voice was barely more than a whisper.
He paused to catch his breath.
"...There is..."
"...nothing more..."
"...they can do..."
"...for a dying old man."
Selene immediately shook her head.
"No..."
"No, Father."
Her voice broke.
"Please don't say that."
She knelt beside him again, holding his hand tightly.
"Let them heal you."
"You'll recover."
"You always do."
"There has to be someone..."
"There has to..."
Idris smiled faintly.
A warm...
Gentle smile.
One she hadn't seen in a long time.
"...Huf..."
A fit of coughing interrupted him once more.
"Cough... cough..."
When it finally passed, he looked at his daughter again.
"...You've..."
"...grown up..."
"...Little flower..."
His thumb weakly brushed against the back of her hand.
"...I'm..."
"...so proud..."
"...of you."
Selene couldn't answer.
Her throat had closed completely.
She lowered her head, pressing his frail hand against her lips as tears continued falling uncontrollably.
"...Father..."
That was all she could manage.
Across the room...
General Aerys remained beside the doorway.
The battle-hardened commander who had faced dragons without flinching now stood in complete silence.
His head lowered.
His fists quietly clenched behind his back.
There was nothing a soldier could do here.
Idris slowly lifted a trembling hand.
His fingertips gently brushed away the tears on Selene's cheek.
"...Don't..."
"...cry..."
"...Little flower..."
Selene shook her head desperately.
"I..."
A sob escaped her.
"I can't, Father..."
"I..."
"I'm not strong enough for this..."
Idris smiled with quiet warmth.
Even now...
His concern was not for himself.
It was for his daughter.
"...You are..."
He struggled for another breath.
"...stronger..."
"...than..."
"...you believe..."
His gaze slowly drifted toward the palace window.
Beyond it...
Lay the kingdom he had ruled for so many years.
"...This..."
"...kingdom..."
"...needs..."
"...you..."
Another violent cough interrupted him.
"Cough... cough..."
Blood stained the corner of his lips.
Even so...
He forced himself to continue.
"...And..."
"...remember..."
"...this..."
His tired eyes met hers one last time.
"No matter..."
"...what..."
"...happens..."
"I..."
"...have..."
"...always..."
"...loved..."
"...you..."
His smile grew faint.
"And..."
"...I..."
"...always..."
"...will..."
"...Little..."
"...Flow—"
His voice faded.
The hand resting in Selene's grasp slowly lost its strength.
His fingers became still.
The gentle smile remained upon his face...
As King Idris drew his final breath.
Silence.
"...Father?"
Selene blinked.
"...Father...?"
No answer.
Her breathing quickened.
"No..."
She tightened her grip around his hand.
"...No..."
"...No!"
"Please..."
"Please wake up..."
"Father..."
"...Please..."
One of the royal physicians slowly approached the bedside.
With practiced hands...
He checked for a pulse.
Then listened for a heartbeat.
Several long moments passed.
The physician quietly closed his eyes.
He lowered his head.
"...His Majesty..."
His voice was barely audible.
"...has passed."
The room fell utterly silent.
Selene stared blankly at her father's peaceful face.
As though refusing to accept what she had just heard.
Then...
The last of her composure shattered.
"...No..."
She leaned forward, burying her face against her father's chest.
Her cries echoed through the royal chamber.
Not the cries of a princess.
Not the cries of a commander.
Only...
The cries of a daughter who had just lost her father.
Near the doorway...
General Aerys slowly lowered his head.
He remained perfectly still.
Giving his king one final salute...
And allowing Princess Selene the privacy to grieve the man who had loved her until his very last breath.
Selene remained where she was.
Her forehead rested gently against her father's chest as quiet sobs echoed through the chamber.
No one disturbed her.
No one dared.
Time seemed to lose all meaning.
Eventually...
The sobbing grew quieter.
Slowly, Selene lifted her head.
Her eyes were swollen and red, yet her expression had become strangely calm.
She reached for her father's frail hand one last time.
Holding it carefully between both of hers...
She pressed a gentle kiss upon it.
Then, with trembling fingers...
She slowly let go.
"...Rest well..."
A faint smile touched her lips despite the tears.
"...Father."
Silence answered her.
She remained there for another long moment before speaking again.
Without turning around...
"...Aerys."
The general immediately straightened.
"...Standing by, My Princess."
Her voice was quiet.
Steady.
"...Prepare the funeral."
Aerys placed a fist over his chest and bowed deeply.
"...At once."
He offered no words of comfort.
None were needed.
He simply turned and left to carry out his king's final rites.
Selene remained alone for a moment longer.
Then she quietly walked from the healing chamber.
The moment the doors closed behind her...
She stopped.
Closed her eyes.
Drew a long, shaky breath.
And forced herself to stand straight.
The grieving daughter...
Had to become the Princess of Norvoss once again.
---
She made her way through the silent palace corridors until she reached the council chamber.
Several royal scholars immediately rose upon seeing her.
"My Princess—"
"I need parchment."
Her voice allowed no delay.
"And ink."
Within moments, both were placed before her.
Selene sat.
She wrote carefully.
The first letter.
Then the second.
Every stroke of the pen remained steady despite the tears that occasionally blurred the ink.
When both letters were finished...
She folded them neatly.
Pressed warm wax onto each.
Then sealed them with the royal crest of Norvoss.
Only then did she rise.
She wiped the last traces of tears from her face.
And walked back outside.
---
Ebruhan still stood beside the palace fountain, now in his human form.
The moment Selene stepped into the courtyard...
He looked at her.
One glance was enough.
He didn't need to ask.
He already knew.
Selene approached him quietly.
Without speaking at first, she extended the two sealed letters.
Ebruhan accepted them.
"This one..."
She indicated the first.
"...is for my commanders."
Her hand rested briefly on the second.
"And this..."
"...is for your king."
She lowered her gaze.
"...Thank you."
"For bringing me home."
Her voice nearly faltered.
"I am... truly grateful..."
"...for your kindness."
She managed a small, weary smile.
"You may return now."
Ebruhan looked at her silently.
Then he carefully placed both letters into his spatial inventory.
He gave a single nod.
A flash of blue light enveloped him as his human form dissolved.
In its place stood the great Storm Dragon once more.
Before taking flight, he lowered his head slightly.
"...Farewell, Selene."
Without another word...
His enormous wings unfurled.
BOOM!
A powerful gust swept across the palace courtyard as he launched into the evening sky.
Within seconds...
He became a streak of brilliant blue racing toward the distant horizon.
Selene stood silently, watching until even the fading trail disappeared into the clouds.
Only then did she turn away.
Without looking back...
She walked slowly toward the castle.
-----