After dinner, the king observed his daughter quietly. He had noticed how her gaze kept returning to Leo — and how the young man glanced back, hesitating, clearly captivated.
The king exchanged a brief look with his daughter before speaking softly:
— "Lita… do you know him? Have you met before?"
Lita tensed, replying in a hushed voice:
— "No… we haven't met. But… his aura… I feel like I've sensed it before. I don't know how to explain it."
The king, still watching Leo from afar, nodded slowly.
— "Strange… you're not the only one who feels that way. When I saw him under the glow of the markings, something familiar stirred in me… though I can't explain it. Either way, go rest now, my daughter."
Then, his voice hardened slightly, the protective tone of a father slipping in:
— "I trust him only because the man in Krakken recommended him. He said Leo came from a noble bloodline — but gave no further detail. If you grow close to him… be cautious. And if he ever hurts you… I will kill him, before your very eyes."
She smiled softly, blushing:
— "I understand, father… thank you."
She returned to her chambers, but sleep wouldn't come. Sitting by the window, she stared at the moon, her thoughts tangled and uncertain — his name whispered in her mind like a distant echo.
That same night, elsewhere behind stone walls, Leo lay wide awake, battling the same unrest.
And suddenly, a shared dream swept them both away.
⸻
The Shared Dream
The moon was brilliant, casting light over an unfamiliar land filled with glowing trees.
Lita and Leo stood in the center of a radiant circle of light, slowly walking toward each other.
Their eyes never broke contact. The pull between them was silent, magnetic — deeper than words.
Their hands reached out, fingers intertwining. The ground beneath them trembled slightly, as if the universe itself approved of their closeness.
Then, a distant, ancient female voice whispered:
— "When the fourth moon is full… the gate shall open. Are you ready?"
The light vanished.
They both awoke in their separate beds, breathless, sweat clinging to their skin.
A heavy silence filled their rooms — and an unspoken truth hung in the air.
⸻
The Next Morning
Dreyvis still slept soundly, so Leo headed to the dining hall alone.
There, he met Lita once more.
Both looked flustered, avoiding each other's eyes as if the dream had become a memory they weren't sure was real.
Leo stammered:
— "G-Good m-morning, Princess Lita…"
She turned away, cheeks flushed:
— "Good morning, Leo…"
Then suddenly, the king appeared.
— "What are you two doing?"
Leo straightened, scrambling for words:
— "Nothing! I just greeted the princess, and we were… heading to the— to the table!"
The king chuckled:
— "Is that so? Alright, let's eat. We have much to discuss."
As they sat down, the king grew serious:
— "Tomorrow, you will both be stationed at the border of Erethilia. I want you, Leo, to lead the royal guard there alongside Dreyvis."
Leo stood with respect:
— "It would be an honor, Your Majesty."
He then turned to Darin with a light grin:
— "Would you like to join us?"
Darin was about to respond, but his father interrupted:
— "That's a fine idea. Darin, you'll go with them. Bring Klaus too — strong lad. His father is a nobleman of this kingdom."
Darin nodded and left.
⸻
Later that Evening
During supper, the king asked:
— "Is everything prepared?"
Dreyvis answered confidently:
— "All ready."
Leo added:
— "We'll be fully set by dawn, sire."
The king nodded:
— "Good. Get some sleep. Tomorrow begins a new chapter."
⸻
Just After Midnight…
Lita stood by her window once more.
Something in the stars called her.
Below, Leo was training alone. His movements were intense — not for form, but to quiet a storm within.
She watched him until he noticed her.
He stilled, then focused his energy and approached her room.
— "Did you want to say something?" he asked gently.
She nodded.
— "Yes… I wanted to ask you… who are you really? And why… why do I keep dreaming about you?"
He hesitated, then admitted:
— "I've been dreaming too… for a month now. A woman standing in fire, holding a child, calling my name. Every night. And when I saw you here… I knew. That woman was you.
And I… I'm scared. I feel I belong to this place… to you… and I don't understand why."
Her voice grew quiet:
— "I've seen you too… in dreams. Long before I met you. As if… we've been tied together by something invisible."
She stepped closer, resting a hand against his chest:
— "My heart beats too fast when I'm near you…"
He held her hand.
— "Maybe… because we're no longer just dreaming."
(The moment lingers — heavy, symbolic. The silence says more than any words.)
Then, wrapped in the stillness, she whispered:
— "Do you know who your parents are?"
He looked away.
— "No. But… in my dreams, the woman holding me called me Leo. I saw her face clearly. And now… I saw her again — in a statue in your palace. The same face. The same woman.
Wasn't she… the queen who died a hundred years ago?"
Lita's eyes widened:
— "Yes… and if that's true… I'll look into our kingdom's records.
If what you say is real, then your father… could have been the last King of Krakken."
Leo's heart pounded.
A new thread had unraveled — and his journey was only just beginning.