The sun was already high when Blair and Asori finally left the room. The morning had been slow, filled with complicit silences and shy smiles, but also with the sense that the day would mark a before and after.
The castle's corridors were busier than usual. Guards, messengers, and counselors hurried from one side to another; Blair's revelation the previous day still kept the capital in a state of agitation. Part of the people celebrated her as the resurrected princess, the heir who had returned to give them hope. Another part, however, rejected her, accusing her of endangering stability by defying Zeknier.
Blair knew it. Every step she took down those halls seemed to bear the weight of those two contradictory judgments.
Asori, walking beside her, sensed it too. That was why he stayed close, without smothering her, but with that discreet firmness that said if you fall, I'll catch you.
The guards led them to the council hall, where Tifa awaited. Blair's aunt stood by a long table covered in documents and maps. Her expression was solemn, but when she saw them enter, her gaze softened.
—At last you're here —she said calmly, though her eyes shone with worry—. We have much to discuss.
Blair stepped forward, bowing her head respectfully.—Aunt… I'm ready.
Tifa studied her niece for a long moment. In her gaze there was no judgment, but a mix of pride and sorrow. Finally, she nodded and pointed to the chairs before the table.
—Sit.
Asori obeyed, though visibly uneasy. Political meetings weren't his strength. He would have preferred the battlefield a thousand times over parchment and royal seals. But seeing Blair so serious, he knew he had to be there, as support.
Tifa spread one of the maps, showing the four great empires: Caldus, Donner, Veltramar, and Nifelheim.
—Now that your identity has been revealed, Blair, there is no turning back. The kingdoms will move. Some will want to support you… others will try to use you. And Zeknier will, without doubt, adjust his pieces to get ahead of us.
Blair pressed her lips together.—Then I must become queen.
Tifa raised a hand.
—Not so fast. You cannot bear the full title yet. The responsibility is too great, and you lack experience. But you can become interim queen. That will give you the authority to negotiate while allowing you to learn before wearing the crown permanently.
Blair hesitated.—And the council will accept this?
—The council has no choice. The people have already seen and heard you. What began as an outburst in the arena became an official declaration. Now you must stand by your words.
Tifa walked over to a small carved wooden chest. She opened it carefully and pulled out an even smaller box of blue velvet. She placed it on the table and slid it toward Asori.
The boy blinked, startled.—Huh? Why are you giving this to me?
—Open it.
With trembling hands, Asori lifted the lid. Inside lay a silver ring, delicately crafted, with a pale stone at its center that glowed with a soft light.
—This ring —Tifa explained— has been passed down for generations in Azoth's royal family. It is not only a symbol of union, but also of commitment to protect our land.
Asori tensed.—You mean…?
—That when the time comes, you must give it to Blair —Tifa said firmly—. Not as a mere gift, but as a vow. I do not give this to you lightly, Asori. I do it because I see in you the strength and devotion Blair will need.
The boy swallowed hard, staring at the ring as if it weighed a ton. Blair, beside him, was blushing to her ears.
—Aunt! —she protested, though her voice carried no real anger, only embarrassment and contained emotion.
Tifa allowed herself a small smile.—I know love when I see it. And I also know how hard it will be for you both to remain steadfast in what lies ahead. That ring is a reminder.
Asori closed the box carefully, guarding it as though it were a sacred treasure.—I'll protect it. I swear.
Hours later, Blair visited the chamber where the royal maidens worked. She asked them to trim her hair a little and tie it into a high ponytail. When she looked in the mirror, she saw a different reflection: firmer, more mature, with a presence that reminded her of her mother.
—That's how she used to wear it… —she whispered with a melancholy smile, touching the ponytail.
When she stepped back into the hall, Asori saw her from afar. He froze, as if turned to stone.
—Wow… —he blurted without thinking—. You look… incredible.
Blair, noticing his reaction, blushed but lifted her chin with feigned arrogance.—Of course. Don't expect less from Azoth's crown princess.
Asori smirked sideways.—Yeah, sure, crown princess… though you're still the same girl who hits me every time I say something out of line.
Blair rolled her eyes and tapped his shoulder.—And it seems I'll have to keep doing it, bush-head. —She smiled wickedly—. You know, Mikan's right, your hair really does look like an untrimmed shrub.
—Hey! —Asori protested, offended—. At least my hair isn't gray like Master Eryndor's.
Blair crossed her arms, raising a brow.—Maybe, but at least one of us acts like an adult. You should learn from your honorable, beautiful, and brilliant Princess, don't you think?
Asori lifted his gaze to her, half-smiling defiantly.—Adult? Sure… very adult of the girl who hugs me like I'm her teddy bear at night.
Blair's face flamed and she shoved his chest.—That's different!
He laughed, stepping closer.—Yeah, yeah… very different.
Blair, trying to regain composure, lifted her chin with mock seriousness.—You know what? Maybe I should leave you without kisses until further notice.
Asori tilted his head, as if unfazed.—That's fine, I don't mind.
She blinked, surprised.—Oh yeah? You accept that so easily?
Asori smirked, leaning slowly toward her, gently lifting her chin. His voice came out low, almost a mischievous murmur.—It's because I don't need your permission… I can steal as many kisses as I want.
Blair's heart lurched. Her cheeks burned, and though she wanted to answer with sarcasm, her voice caught in her throat. They were too close, so close they could feel each other's breath.
The moment stretched, until—
—Well, well, what do we have here! —sang Mikan from the doorway, leaning on the frame with arms crossed and a sly grin—. My, my… if it isn't my "Champion of the Capital" and the "Princess of Fire" about to indulge in a romantic feast.
Asori jumped, quickly pulling his hand away, coughing nervously. Blair, red as a tomato, whirled around.
—Mikan! Don't you know how to knock?
—And miss this? Not a chance —the ninja replied, amused, spinning a kunai between her fingers—. You should thank me, I interrupted before you started… you know.
—We weren't going to do anything! —Blair protested, still crimson.
—Sure, sure. —Mikan winked—. You were just… practicing synchronized breathing.
Asori groaned, covering his face.—One day I'll get back at you for all these teases, Mikan.
—Ooh, I'm scared, bush-head. —She burst out laughing—. Though I don't know what's funnier: watching you fight in the coliseum, or watching you lose every argument against Blair.
Blair, though she wanted to scold her, couldn't help but laugh too. In the end, the tension dissolved into laughter, leaving the moment halfway between a couple's secret and a joke shared among friends.
The next day, Tifa allowed Asori to resume training with Eryndor. This time, the goal was clear and ambitious: to learn to fly.
The young bearer of Air stood at the edge of a cliff, staring at the abyss in terror. The wind roared from below, as if ready to devour him the moment he stepped forward.
—Are you sure this is a good idea? —Asori asked, throat tight.
—No —Eryndor replied with absolute calm, arms folded behind his back—. But it's the only way.
Blair, a few meters back, watched with crossed arms and an amused smile.—Come on, "Champion of the Capital." Didn't you say you could handle anything?
Asori scowled.—Don't use my own lines against me!
—Then prove it, darling —Blair shot back with a wink that made him even more nervous.
Eryndor stepped forward, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder.—Listen well, Asori. It's not just about jumping and hoping the wind holds you. You must channel Astral through your whole body, like a second skin. Let it flow from your feet to your crown, and then call the air to wrap around it. The air will be your wings, but Astral will be your anchor. If you use only one, you'll fall like a stone.
Asori gulped.—Astral and air at the same time… sounds easy when you say it.
—Then stop talking and do it —the master ordered.
With a huff, Asori shut his eyes, spread his arms, and leapt into the void. The wind slammed into him at once, tearing a strangled scream from his throat.
—AAAAAAAAAAH!
—Focus! —Eryndor shouted from above—. Feel the air, don't fight it!
The boy tried to gather Astral in his legs and arms. He pictured it as a white current coursing through him, vibrating under his skin. Then, with effort, he pushed it outward, forming a thin mantle around himself. The wind struck the mantle and, for an instant, he stopped falling.
—I did it! I'm flying! —he shouted in glee, shooting upward… just before crashing into a massive branch.
The impact spun him like a doll and he landed flat on his back in a bush. Blair couldn't contain her laughter, covering her face.—You're a disaster.
Asori stood, shaking leaves from his hair.—That was a strategic landing! —he declared, puffing his chest.
—Sure… straight into the biggest bush in the forest —Blair laughed.
Eryndor, unmoved, spoke again.—Again. This time, focus Astral in the soles of your feet. Think of them as the point of contact with the sky. Don't "jump," try walking on air. Each step will be a push.
Asori frowned, inhaled deeply, and leapt again. The wind caught him, but this time he steadied himself better. He channeled Astral to his feet and kicked the air with force. To his surprise, the air responded as if he had stepped on an invisible stair.
—It works! —he exclaimed, taking a second and third step in the air.
But excitement distracted him. On the fourth step, the Astral flow slipped out of control and the wind hurled him down. He tumbled among rocks and dirt until he landed sprawled on his back.
—Ouch… —he groaned, trying to sit up.
Blair rushed to him, though laughing.—Are you okay?
—Yeah… —he answered weakly—. But I swear next time I'll walk on air just to scare you from above.
Blair blushed, giving him a playful shove.—First try not to kill yourself, "strategic flier."
Despite the falls, Asori tried again and again. And each time, even if only a little, he improved. The Astral around his body began to flow more naturally, and the air no longer rejected him: it held him.
Blair watched from the cliff's edge, arms crossed, though her eyes shone differently. The clumsy, arrogant boy she'd met in the forest was changing. He was growing before her eyes, fighting his own limits, determined to learn to fly not just for himself, but because now he had someone to protect.
That night, back in their room, Blair slipped under the sheets while Asori rubbed his legs sore from failed landings.
—You know? —she said thoughtfully—. I'm glad we can laugh about these things now. Before it was all tension, fear, wounds… now at least we have a breather.
Asori looked at her.—A breather that won't last long. Tifa made it clear: we're going to the other empires.
—I know. And that's why I want to make the most of every moment with you.
There was a silence heavy with emotion. Blair reached out and took Asori's hand.—When the day comes that you use that ring… I want to be ready. Not only as a princess, but as someone worthy of walking by your side.
Asori squeezed her hand gently.—You already are. And even if you don't wear a crown… to me you're already my queen.
Blair's eyes widened, and then she blushed so hard she had to hide under the blanket.—Idiot…
Asori smiled and lay down beside her. Outside, the moon shone over the capital, lighting an uncertain future. But in that moment, in that room, the only thing that mattered was the silent promise they shared: to walk together, no matter how dark the road.