~Abigail's Pov~
As the march stretched on, the sun began its ascent, casting a soft glow over the landscape. A solemn hush enveloped the company, broken only by the rhythmic cadence of footsteps and the rustle of leaves in the nearby woods.
Mounted on my horse, I rode alongside the soldiers, my mind consumed by a whirlwind of thoughts.
Among them, the memory of Hannah, my mother, loomed large. She was the one who had brought me into this world within the confines of the Lotus Kingdom, she had been the late wife of Duke Luke, a man I once regarded as my father before I fled from that place.
As I rode silently alongside Alphonse, my thoughts swirled chaotically, clouding my focus and leaving me feeling disconnected from my surroundings. His earlier action had sparked a nagging suspicion within me—was he hiding something about my mother, about her past?
or should I say... about their past...
But why now? Why had these questions suddenly surfaced, demanding answers that had remained elusive for so long? And why had my father, Luke, hinted that the person who had raised me, trained me, and cared for me might be my real father?
How can I be able to answer that question when no one dared to say a word about it.
What secrets do I need to uncover just to get the answer?
"You're troubled," Philip's voice cut through the whirlwind of my thoughts, drawing my attention back to the present. He rode his horse alongside mine, his observant gaze fixed on me.
I remained silent for a moment, grappling with the weight of my thoughts
"About earlier... I wanted to ask... Is what Luciana claimed true?" He asked without hesitation, laden with anticipation and a hint of urgency. His directness caught me off guard that I couldn't even bring myself to meet his gaze directly. Instead, I sighed deeply, feeling the weight of the unspoken truth pressing down on me.
"I just... wanted to know, Abigail. You know, you can't keep your secret hidden for too long," he pressed, his tone filled with a mix of confusion.
As I pondered his words, a wave of uncertainty washed over me. Would revealing the truth destroy our engagement? Would it change everything between us?
As those questions swirled in my mind, a sinking feeling settled in my chest. Deep down, I knew that the answer to those question would likely be yes. Once he learned the truth, everything between us would undoubtedly change.
Our relationship would be altered,
And our interactions would be different,
The weight of that realization bore down on me, leaving me torn between the desire to confide in Philip and the fear of the consequences that would follow.
Could our love withstand such a revelation?
Would he still see me the same way once he knew the truth?
I think not.
With a heavy heart, I mustered the courage to steal a glance at him, grappling with the decision weighing heavily on my shoulders, but before I could utter a word, Alphonse's commanding voice rang out, halting our progress.
"HALT!!!" he ordered, his tone authoritative as he directed us to stop in our tracks. "The sun is shining, might as well get some rest for maybe an hour to energize yourselves," he exclaimed.
Following his orders, everyone dispersed, some soldiers standing guard while others found spots to rest. Some leaned against trees for support while others lay down on the ground, taking their time to take a rest even just for a few minutes.
I dismounted from my horse, followed by Philip and a few soldiers who tended to the animals. I avoided meeting Philip's gaze as he approached me, sensing that he was about to speak. Instead, I turned away and began walking towards the woods.
"Follow me," I uttered quietly, my voice barely above a whisper, but Philip heard and silently followed me.
As we reached the stream, I couldn't help but pause, the tranquil sight of the moonlight reflecting off the clear water calming my racing thoughts. I came to a halt, just a step away from the water's edge, and noticed Philip stopping a few steps behind me, his presence silent but palpable.
"You asked if there's something between us, right?" I turned to face him, meeting his cold gaze. He remained silent, waiting for me to continue, his expression unreadable yet expectant.
"Yes... Edward and I... we were dating behind everyone's back and yes..." I confessed, my words hanging in the air, heavy with uncertainty. I watched as Philip's expression darkened,
Philip frowned and looked away from me, he took a slow step closer, his movements deliberate as he avoided meeting my gaze. It was clear that he was struggling to contain his emotions, his clenched fists betraying his inner turmoil.
I braced myself for his outburst, fully expecting his anger and betrayal to boil over. But instead, he surprised me by stopping himself, visibly attempting to keep his composure.
"Why?... Why have you agreed to marry me?" His voice was soft, barely audible, but filled with a mixture of disappointment and hurt.
I frowned, uncertain of how to respond, my hands hanging limply at my sides.
"It's a long story... Philip—" I began, but he interrupted me, pleading for answers.
"Then tell me... Tell me everything. I'll listen, I'll try to understand your situation as best as I can... Abigail... please," he implored, his eyes brimming with tears as he reached out and took hold of my hands, resting his forehead against my shoulder.
His sudden display of vulnerability caught me off guard, leaving me at a loss for words. All I could do was stand there, feeling the weight of his emotions pressing against me, unsure of how to proceed.
"I'm sorry... Philip," I whispered softly, the words feeling inadequate as I wrapped my arms around him, returning his embrace and resting my head on his shoulder.
As we stood there in each other's arms, time seemed to stand still, the only sound the gentle rush of the stream nearby. Eventually, we both pulled away, and I took a deep breath, steeling myself to continue.
"It all started on my first visit to the Palace, when Alphonse introduced me as his very own daughter... That's when Edward and I met," I explained, my voice tinged with sadness as I recalled the memories.
Philip listened intently as I spoke, his expression a mix of curiosity and concern. I sighed heavily and lowered myself to sit by the stream, watching the water flow past in silence.
"I remember that day," I murmured, lost in thought as I relived the memories of our first encounter.
~Flashback~
"I wouldn't be surprised at how well-trained she is under your roof, Alphonse," Heridity, a close friend of his, remarked, her voice soft and sweet as she covered half of her face with a fan adorned with a pattern reminiscent of the deep blue sky.
Alphonse simply smiled in response, taking her words as a compliment as they observed the crown prince and Abigail engaged in a spirited wooden sword duel under the scorching sun.
Abigail, panting heavily, struggled to maintain her balance as Edward relentlessly pressed his attack. "I'm amazed. How can a skinny girl like you hold your own in a fight this long?" Edward teased, his strikes forceful and unyielding.
"You're not even strong enough to defeat me," Abigail retorted, a smirk playing on her lips as she deftly blocked Edward's blows before delivering a swift kick to his knee, causing him to lose his balance and grunt in surprise.
Seizing the opportunity, she swung her sword fiercely, forcing Edward to relinquish his grip on his own weapon as it clattered to the ground. Before he could recover, she swiftly aimed the tip of her sword at his neck, daring him to make a move.
Edward grinned, conceding defeat in their impromptu duel. "I'm impressed," he admitted, acknowledging Abigail's skill as he signaled his surrender.
Abigail gave Edward a stoic look before sheathing her sword and turning her attention to Alphonse, who nodded in acknowledgment before walking away. She followed suit, her expression unreadable as she made her way towards the hall.
"Hey, wait up!" Edward called after her, but she seemed to ignore him, her steps steady and determined. He sighed and hurried to catch up, attempting to lighten the mood with some small talk, but Abigail remained silent, lost in her thoughts as they continued on their path.
"At least let me introduce myself properly. My name is Edward, the crown prince of the Veoral Kingdom," he said with a warm smile, his gaze softening as he looked down at the lady standing before him. "And you're quite small for a girl, yet you managed to defeat me in our little play," he added, acknowledging the height difference between them as he leaned down a little to reach her height.
"Abigail... Your Highness" She replied before turning her back at him
"Please excuse me, your highness. I still have some errands to attend to while I'm here in the palace," Abigail said quietly, her tone respectful as she bowed her head slightly before walking away, leaving Edward standing alone.
"Well... if you ever need anything, you know where to find me," Edward called after her, but she didn't respond, disappearing into the corridors of the palace.
In the days that followed, an unexpected event shook the palace to its core. The Jing soldiers launched another attack, catching everyone off guard...
The gates lay in ruins, and soldiers struggled to evacuate those in need of protection as the enemy advanced, wreaking havoc upon the land. Despite their efforts to defend their territory, the defenders found themselves outnumbered and overwhelmed.
Alphonse, leading his best knights, fought valiantly to hold back the enemy onslaught, while others aided the royal family in their escape to safety.
"Edward... Philip, where are my sons?" the empress cried out in panic, realizing that her two beloved sons were missing amidst the chaos. "Find them... find them now," she ordered, her voice filled with desperation, as two knights hastened to obey her command.
"I'm sorry, your highness, but you must go now. We're struggling to hold back the enemy," Abigail said with concern, noticing the enemy drawing nearer with each passing moment.
"But-" the empress protested.
"Don't worry, we will find them and ensure their safety," Abigail assured her, swiftly directing the knights to escort the empress to safety.
As the battle raged on, the Emperor stood at the forefront, directing his men with precision as they fought valiantly to protect the Veoral Kingdom and vanquish the enemy forces.
Meanwhile, Abigail tightened her grip on her sword and sprinted towards the heart of the conflict, determined to aid her father in the fight. Amidst the chaos and din of battle, she searched desperately for any sign of the missing princes, her senses keenly attuned to the chaos
"Damn it" She murmured when two enemies rushed towards her, attacking her as they tried to bring her down.
With a determined sigh, Abigail expertly deflected the onslaught of attacks from the enemy soldiers, her sword flashing in the sunlight as she skillfully parried their blows. Spotting an opportunity to gain the upper hand, she swiftly darted towards one of the assailants, gracefully ducking beneath his swinging blade before delivering a precise strike with her own sword.
The enemy let out a pained grunt as her blade sliced across his face, drawing blood and causing him to stumble backwards, off-balance and disoriented.
As the other enemy soldier charged towards her, unaware of the danger he faced, Abigail remained calm and focused. With lightning speed, she withdrew a concealed knife from her belt, her movements fluid and precise.
As the assailant closed in, she deftly sidestepped his attack and swiftly drove the knife into his body, catching him off guard and halting his advance in an instant. With a grunt of pain, the enemy staggered backwards, clutching at the wound as he realized too late the fatal mistake he had made in underestimating his opponent
As soon as she eliminated the two, she quickly runs towards the castle, hoping to find the two Princes their.
"Prince Philip? Edward?... Edward, Philip?... Where are you?" She tried calling for their names, yet she failed to get answers. The sound of slashing and the cries of the people outside filled the air as she continues finding them and being alert at the same time.
However, after some time, she had already went to the backyard of the palace where she finally saw. Philip being carried by one of the Jing soldiers while unconscious while Edward was struggling to break free from three soldiers who held him down in the ground.
She cannot land an attack since it would possibly in danger the two, it was too risky. Especially when she was the only one who's around at that moment.
Finally, her desperate search led her to the backyard of the palace, where she spotted a distressing sight. Philip lay unconscious, being carried by a Jing soldier, while Edward struggled against multiple foes who had him pinned to the ground.
With a surge of adrenaline, Abigail assessed the situation quickly. She knew that any reckless action could endanger the princes further, so she held back from launching a direct attack. Instead, she carefully observed the scene, calculating her next move.
Realizing that she was the only one present to intervene, Abigail knew that she had to act swiftly and decisively. But with the odds stacked against her and the lives of the princes hanging in the balance, she faced a daunting challenge unlike any she had encountered before.
There were at most ten of enemies present, they were getting ready to leave while keeping Philip and Edward hostage. Abigail sighed, waiting for the right time.
And that right time comes, an explosion from the other side happens which caught those soldiers attention as they all looked at the opposite direction.
As the enemies were momentarily distracted by the explosion, Abigail seized the opportunity to spring into action. With a swift and calculated movement, she lunged forward and retrieved the sharp knife concealed at her waist, fueling her every step, she closed the distance between herself and the unsuspecting soldier.
In a single fluid motion, Abigail swiftly struck, driving the blade into her target with precision and efficiency.
The soldier fell to the ground, incapacitated before he even knew what had hit him. However, the sudden attack had caught its acquaintance's attention as they quickly turned their attention back to Abigail.
Undeterred, Abigail braced herself for the ensuing confrontation, knowing that she would need to rely on her skills and instincts to face them all at once.
"Secure those Princes, we need them" One of them ordered as four of them held Edward down, keeping him pinned in the ground while one kept watch with the unconscious Prince.
"Abigail! Get out of here, they'll kill you" Edward yelled, giving warning at the girl who just came.
She composed herself, looking at the enemies as they circled around her.
Abigail remained composed as the enemy soldier lunged forward, his sword aimed squarely at her. Yet, she was fast enough to avoid its deadly blow.
Seizing the opportunity, she swiftly struck, sweeping her leg to knock her assailant off balance. The soldier stumbled, his momentum broken, and he crashed to the ground with a resounding thud.
Before he could recover, Abigail sprang into action, her movements fluid and precise. With a deft thrust, she plunged her blade into his back, swiftly dispatching him with a single decisive strike. As she withdrew her weapon, she wasted no time in turning her attention to the next opponent.
"F*ck... This ones fast" One of them uttered.
With a swift and decisive motion, Abigail closed the distance between herself and the soldier, moving with a speed that caught him off guard. Before he could fully react, she seized his arm, wrenching it to the side and causing him to drop his sword with a pained cry.
With her opponent momentarily incapacitated, Abigail wasted no time in delivering a swift and fatal blow. With a deft flick of her wrist, she plunged her knife deep into his chest, aiming unerringly for his heart. The soldier gasped in shock and agony as the blade found its mark, his eyes widening in disbelief as he stumbled backwards, his strength rapidly fading.
With a grim determination, Abigail maintained her grip on the knife, ensuring that her foe could not escape. As the soldier slumped to the ground, his lifeblood staining the earth beneath him, Abigail stood resolute, her resolve unshaken by the violence that surrounded her.
She knew that there was no room for hesitation in the heat of battle, and she was prepared to do whatever it took to emerge victorious.
"Let the Princes go... or your life will surely end here" she declared, pointing her only weapon towards her enemies.
Despite having incapacitated two of her foes, eight remained standing. Undeterred, she maintained her stance, a smirk playing upon her lips as she assessed the situation.
She uttered, pointing her knife towards her enemies.
With two down, there are still 8 of them left. However, she maintained her stance, a smirk playing upon her lips as she assessed the situation.
"I should be the one saying that, Miss... You're completely outnumbered he-" His words were cut off when an arrow suddenly appeared out of nowhere and hit straight into his head.
"I'm not the one outnumbered here" She uttered.
"Get those hostages out of here, now... don't let her catch-" One of them tried to order its acquaintance to run away with the Princes but before they could even get on their horses, arrows flew from afar, hitting their horses, not once, not twice... but many times.
Killing their only chance to escape.
"Now... let them go, or else..."
"F-fine, we'll let them go... but in exchange, you'll let us go" he conceded, his voice trembling with apprehension.
"Hmm... If that's the case then... Let them go, now" She spoke coldly, lowering her weapon but keeping a vigilant gaze fixed upon them.
"There... they're all yours," one of them conceded, gesturing for his companion to release Edward and placing Philip's body a few paces in front of her before retreating. However, before they could make their escape, a volley of arrows descended upon them, striking their bodies and preventing even a single one from escaping her grasp.
"Abigail... Are you okay?" Edward inquired with concern as he approached her.
However, she remained silent, her focus solely on Philip's unconscious form as she stoically lifted him into her arms.
"Let me help—"
"Knights are awaiting you at the entrance hall of the palace. Proceed there at once to attend to your injuries," she interjected firmly, bearing the weight of the unconscious prince on her back despite its burden.
"... You instructed us to release them, yet... you then commanded their execution once we were free," he uttered as they walked inside the hall.
"Harming a member of the royal family has always carried the penalty of death," she retorted bluntly, raising her left arm and signaling someone concealed by the palace window.
"The war isn't over, Your Highness. Please remain vigilant and do not lower your guard," she cautioned.
"Call me by my name... At least"
~End of Flashback~
"After that... we began to develop feelings for each other," I murmured, gazing at my reflection in the water before gently trailing my fingers along the surface of the stream.
"We found ways to see each other... clandestinely," I continued with a sigh.
"But as time passed, I came to the realization that the situation I had entangled myself in could endanger us both. Eventually, I learned that he was already betrothed to another," I concluded, my voice tinged with resignation.
I felt my heart broke as I let those unwanted memories flow through my head all over again. It was like, a never ending cycle. Despite how many times I tried to forget, how many times I want to assure myself that my decision is for the best of everyone and the best for us. I still can't deny the fact that I was hurt, disappointed.
As I allowed those painful memories to resurface, my heart felt as though it were breaking anew. It seemed like an endless cycle, no matter how hard I tried to push the memories aside, to convince myself that my choices were for the greater good, the hurt and disappointment lingered.
Each attempt to forget was met with failure, leaving me grappling with the harsh reality of my situation. Despite my efforts to reassure myself that I had acted in the best interests of everyone involved, the pain remained undeniable.
"I attempted to end things with him numerous times, but my heart always held me back... Until that fateful day, just before the explosion incident last month. I finally summoned the courage to put an end to our relationship. I thought that he would finally comprehend my concerns, but I was mistaken," I confessed, the weight of disappointment evident in my words.
"At the hall... during the celebration last night, he expressed his desire to break off his engagement with the Varquez's daughter and propose to me instead... He was fully aware of the risks involved, yet he was willing to defy convention for our sake. However, I intervened and prevented him from taking such a reckless step," I revealed, a mixture of sorrow and resignation coloring my words.
As tears threatened to spill from my eyes, I turned my gaze skyward, willing myself to hold back the flood of emotion.
With a slow, steady movement, I rose to my feet and turned to face him. "I'm sorry, Philip... I'm sorry for causing you pain, but..."
"If you truly regret it... then love me. Choose me. At least this time," he implored, his voice filled with a raw longing and desperation....