The Sovereign's Promise
The Prince's grip on his horse's reins tightened the moment he saw Xurien; the very wind seemed to shift during their first encounter. "My lady... are you the one who will bless us?" Prince Cerceux asked. His soulful eyes fell upon the cross she held before rising to her face. His voice faltered, and he suddenly spoke with a forced caution, as if every second were made of gold. Xurien's smile, in turn, awakened a soul weary from the trials of fate and adventure. It felt to the Prince as if time had stopped when their eyes met, only for the moment to be shattered by a shrill voice.
"Wait, your highness... didn't the guard say a priest would bless us?" one of his soldiers questioned. "These are just women."
Xurien laughed softly as she saw the Prince's expression darken, clearly annoyed by the soldier's interruption. To Xurien, however, the Prince's intensity felt almost playful.
"He is right. We are not the ones to give you the blessing," Xurien said, feeling slightly awkward under the Prince's unwavering gaze. "If you don't mind—horses are not allowed inside."
"No problem." With a single gesture from the Prince, the guards took the reins, and the sound of trampling hooves faded into the distance.
"Come, Father Gomenzer is waiting," Xurien said seriously, clearly trying to maintain her composure. But the Prince was bold; he intended to uncover the truth of who Xurien was.
"One moment!" The Prince blocked her path as she tried to turn away. He had assumed Xurien was like any other woman, easily swayed by outward appearances. "What is your name, lady?" he asked, his cheeks flushing with the boldness of his own question. Xurien stopped and gave him a gentle smile.
"I am Xurien Wrez. It is a pleasure to see a prince set foot in a place such as this. May God bless you."
The Prince cleared his throat to command the attention of everyone present. "If I remain alive in this war... can it truly be said that the god of the Cyprioxians has blessed me? Will God hear what my heart truly speaks?" Prince Cerceux asked, as if testing her. "Tell me truly, does God hold the destiny of each of us in His hands?"
As Xurien heard the Prince's challenge, even the light seemed to frame her face. "Prince, those who believe and truly pray find their fates blessed. But those who think they can change the course of destiny on their own are often cast aside. If you believe a man is merely a tool of war, you have already lost. It does not matter where a religion comes from; it is the content of your mind and heart that God listens to."
Prince Cerceux fell silent, his eyes fixed on her. A sudden surge of joy washed over him. He was impressed; he hadn't expected such depth of thought from a woman within the cathedral walls. "Since you have impressed me... if it is God's destiny that I triumph in this war, I shall return."
The Prince left a promise hanging in the air. His soldiers went still, and even the clanking of their swords ceased. On the other side, the women behind Xurien gasped at the Prince's raw sincerity. "And upon my return... may I ask for your hand?" It was a breathtaking moment; the women whispered prayers that it might come true, while the soldiers cheered as if they had already won a trophy.
Xurien Wrez remained silent, looking at the Prince with a soft expression. Remembering Orion's prophecy, she pressed the cross against her womb. Then, she smiled with hope.
"Promise me, and I shall wait... when you return in victory..." Xurien said seriously, though she feared the brutal reality beyond Thallerion's borders. "Expect my answer then." The women erupted in giggles, and the soldiers hammered their weapons in approval.
"Let this cathedral be witness, and in the name of the Great Orion, I, Cerceux Herzthroven, Prince of Thallerion... promise I shall return—I swear it."
That was the first time she met the Prince of the Herzthroven line. After the blessing, the Prince and his men departed. Xurien felt the weight of the responsibility he carried into the heart of the war. No one could say if he would prevail, but her faith in the Great Crux was strong, praying he would be granted the strength and wisdom to face the coming trials.
Two years of war dragged on, but the Prince's promise remained etched in Xurien's heart. Every day she waited by the cathedral doors, hoping to see the face of the man who had made his vow.
Time flew, and eventually, a king arrived at the cathedral on horseback. Xurien recognized him instantly. She knew that posture—it was the man who had promised to return. But he had changed; the Prince they had once blessed was now a true King.
"Pay homage to the new King of Thallerion!" a soldier shouted. The guards placed their weapons against their chests in a solemn symbol of loyalty. The citizens bowed, their faces lighting up at the King's arrival. The once quiet, somber place turned into a scene of celebration.
The two locked eyes again as if time had stopped. The King looked magnificent, and his soldiers carried the air of royalty. The women behind Xurien couldn't help but blush at the King's smile.
"I am here for your answer," Cerceux said. The women gasped again, in awe of his steadfastness. It was the chapter they had long waited for.
"You are indeed a man of your word," Xurien said, tears of joy streaming down her face.
Before Father Gomenzer and the gathered faithful, King Cerceux personally asked for Xurien's hand. In the kingdom within the province of Betelgeuse in Thallerion, a grand wedding took place. Xurien Wrez was crowned Queen. However, it wasn't long before the shadow of the Moonatorians began to spread. News arrived of a new king in Moonatoria—one rumored to be far more violent and merciless than his predecessor. Whenever his name was spoken, even the strongest blades trembled.
Despite the threat of invasion, Xurien never lost hope for peace in Thallerion.
"I hear Moonatoria is gathering an army to invade Brullasca. I am afraid, my love, for there is a new life within my womb... what if... what if Thallerion is next?"
King Cerceux froze—not because of the Moonatorian threat, but because of what Xurien had revealed. "Is it true... I am to be a father?" The powerful king nearly stammered.
"Yes, a gift to us from the Great Orion. Our child is the hope of our nation," Xurien said softly as the King embraced her, gently stroking her stomach.
"Xerxez—yes, I shall name him Xerxez... to follow the traditions of the Herzthroven line," King Cerceux said happily, kissing her belly.
"Xerxez?" Xurien was surprised. "We don't even know if it's a boy or a girl."
"I have a strong feeling it's a boy... Xerxez... which means—King of Kings?" Queen Xurien laughed softly at his confidence.
"The name suits him... for a child destined to save Thallerion." Xurien looked at the cross on their room's altar, then touched her stomach with hope.
"What are you saying, my love? Do you like the name I gave him?" the King asked, taking a deep breath. "Our child is still an infant... it isn't right for him to bear the heavy responsibility of this nation yet. Whoever is to bring peace to Thallerion, it must be us. Peace must come from our hands."
The Sign of Prophecy
Months passed. The sky screamed with the rage of thunder and blinding bolts of lightning. The rain fell like arrows upon the land, and the sea struck the shore like a sword. No one dared to sail. On that day, the people could feel the labor pains of the Queen. As the night deepened, the stars of Orion shone through the thick clouds with an unnatural brilliance. The elders believed this omen was a blessing from the Great Orion himself.
"Look at the sky, it's a miracle... Orion is signaling us. Is he returning?" an old man said to the crowd. While chaos reigned outside, the Queen was drenched in sweat, her face contorted in pain. But in King Cerceux's arms, her fear was calmed.
"My love, the baby is coming... be brave." King Cerceux held her hand as her body shook with the intensity of the pain.
"One more push! The head is crowning!" the midwife cried. "Go on! Go on, Queen... use all your strength!!"
"Aaaahhhhh!!!~" With her final cry, a massive bolt of lightning struck, shattering the spire of the palace roof.
"Oh God!!! What curse does this child bring?" the midwife cried, eyes wide with terror from the blinding flash. In his joy, King Cerceux almost snatched the baby from the midwife's hands to embrace him. But the old woman scolded him. "Keep your hands back! It is ill luck for the father to be the first to touch the child."
"Is it a boy?" The King was moved to tears as he heard the baby's vigorous cry and saw his lively kicks.
"You men... why is the reaction always the same? You think giving birth is easy," the midwife grumbled, though her voice quickly softened. "Yes, he inherited your handsome looks."
"My Queen, here is your son," the midwife said, placing the infant by her side. Xurien's fingers were still trembling, but she wept with joy at the sight of him. She glanced out the window and saw the brilliant constellation of Orion.
"The message of Marthew Cereun. Thank you," Xurien whispered in her mind.