The next morning, Raven woke early and had cold wash stretching and an hour of silend training until her muscles warmed and her breath steadied in Elyra's courtyard.
When she finished, she headed toward the palace to meet the king.
The city streets were quiet, washed in soft morning light, birds singing somewhere above.
She walked slowly, enjoying the rare peacefulness.
When she reached the massive palace gates, two guards stood watch.
One of them hurried inside to announce her arrival, then returned and guided her to a small waiting room.
"Please wait here for a moment," he said before leaving.
A few quiet minutes passed.
Then — knock, knock — two gentle taps on the door.
The princess stepped inside with a bright smile.
"Good morning, Raven."
"Good morning, Your Highness. I'm here to meet the king," Raven replied calmly.
Lyria moved closer and took Raven's hand, gently pulling her along.
"Father has an important meeting, and it looks like it will take a while. I told the servants to notify me when he's done.
So—for now—come drink tea with me. Waiting alone in this room must be boring."
Raven didn't object. She allowed the princess to lead her through the corridors.
They sat together on Lyria's spacious balcony overlooking the gardens.
A table stood between them with tea and sweets arranged neatly.
Raven barely touched her cup. She didn't like tea… and she wasn't fond of sweets either.
But she said nothing.
The morning air was warm, a soft breeze lifting her short hair.
For the first time, she actually looked around and noticed the palace's details — the carved stone, the blooming gardens, the knights and soldiers scattered across the grounds.
It really does look like something out of the movies I used to watch, she thought.
I never imagined I'd see a place like this in my life…
She sighed without realizing it.
Lyria tilted her head.
"Raven? What's wrong? That was a very deep sigh."
Raven smiled faintly — a smile that never reached her eyes.
"Nothing. Just thinking."
"You haven't touched your tea. Is it bad? I can have them change it if you want."
"It's very good," Raven lied gently, lifting the cup and taking a sip.
Lyria clearly didn't believe her, but she let it go.
The door opened with a loud creak.
Kara walked in, hair messy as if she had only just woken up, and greeted them with her signature sarcastic grin.
"Morning. What are you two doing?
Did I interrupt your little date?"
Lyria's cheeks instantly turned red.
"We're waiting for my father. His meeting is taking longer than expected, so I brought Raven here instead of letting her wait alone."
Kara slipped into a chair and smirked.
"Well, you won't mind if I join you then."
She turned to Raven with a curious look.
"So. What does the king want with you? He summoned you yesterday and again today. He seems very interested in you ."
"I don't know," Raven answered quietly, her eyes drifting back to the garden.
Kara didn't stop.
"And what do you plan to do after meeting him? Anything fun?"
"Nothing much. I'll go home, train Ren and Lira, and help mother Mary for a bit."
"And tomorrow, you're free tomorrow?"
Raven narrowed her eyes slightly.
"…Why do you ask?"
"No reason." Kara grinned. "How about the three of us go to the marketplace? There's a place I want to show you. I'm sure you'll like it."
Raven thought for a moment, then nodded lightly.
"Alright. I don't mind."
Kara winked at Lyria, whose face turned rosy again — but she smiled.
They chatted for a while before a maid arrived and bowed.
"The king is ready to see Lady Raven."
⸻
The three headed toward the king's office.
The moment they arrived, the king stopped Lyria and Kara from entering.
"I need to speak with Raven privately," he said.
Lyria tried to insist, but he gently pushed her out and closed the door behind Raven.
The king sat on one couch and motioned for Raven to take the one opposite him.
A pot of tea rested on the table between them.
Tea… again.
Raven sighed internally.
I would do anything for a cup of black coffee.
The king cleared his throat twice.
"I'll get straight to the point," he began.
"First, I'm sorry for what the nobles and council members said about you. And… I never properly thanked you for what you did regarding Lord Kassin's coup."
He paused, expression heavy.
"I trusted him. I was blind. And he planned to destroy my family… to kill my daughter.
Thank you, Raven. You helped us even though you owed us nothing."
Morrivayne laughed inside Raven's mind — low, mocking.
The king continued.
"The nobles… they fear you. Fear your strength. Fear that dark aura you carry.
We humans fear what we don't understand.
To prevent future problems, I wanted to make you an offer."
Raven cut him off before he could finish.
"I don't care what they say about me. And I don't care if they fear me. I already told you I'm not a threat — and I won't become one."
"I know," the king said. "And I believe you.
But your power grows faster than any hunter or mage in the kingdom. You can't hide your aura. And I know your true strength is far greater than what we've seen. I won't ask about that."
He straightened.
"So… I would like to offer you one of the two positions among my personal knights."
Raven's expression didn't change.
"Thank you for the offer and for trusting me. But I refuse."
"May I ask why?"
"If you served the king, no one would dare speak against you or harm you."
"I don't serve anyone," Raven said simply.
"And I never will. Their opinions don't matter to me. My decision won't change."
The king sighed.
"I expected that. But I had to try one more time."
He leaned forward, voice quieter.
"That's not the real reason I summoned you.
I want to ask you for another favor. A personal one."
Raven waited.
"I want you to protect Lyria."
Raven blinked once.
"She is the crowned princess — the future queen. And I know she's grown close to you. Lyria is kind, compassionate, and dreams of ruling her people with love and fairness. I want to protect that dream."
His voice tightened.
"Kara is strong, but you are… different. You saw her curse with one glance. Something no healer detected for twenty years."
He swallowed.
"Please. Protect my daughter. Protect the future of this kingdom."
Raven hesitated.
"I don't think I can. I don't plan to stay here forever — not even for long. I could leave at any moment."
"That's alright. Protect her until you leave.
I'm asking not as a king… but as a father.
And Lyria trusts you more than you realize."
He lowered his voice.
"She still receives threats from supporters of Lord Kassin and from those who oppose the crown.
She doesn't know. I haven't told her — I don't want her to worry."
Raven frowned.
"Why are they still trying to kill her? Kassin is dead. What do they want?"
The king exhaled deeply.
"They still follow his ideals. They want a ruler who governs with fear and iron control — not love and equality."
Raven went silent, thinking.
"Okay …Fine. I'll protect her until I leave."
She paused.
"But with one condition."
"What is it?" the king asked.
"It must not be an official request. No one must know — not the nobles, not the council.
I will protect her as a friend, not as a bodyguard.
You may tell Lyria and kara, but no one else."
"Agreed," the king said immediately. "No one will know."
Raven nodded.
"One more thing," she said. "What happened to the noble families who supported Kassin's coup?"
"They were given a swift trial. The council wanted them executed publicly to set an example.
I refused.
Instead, I stripped them of all titles and wealth.
Each will spend thirty years in a cell."
Raven said nothing.
She stood and bowed lightly.
Before reaching the door, she paused and glanced back.
"I don't mean to insult you… but your soldiers are very weak.
I noticed it when they fought the mercenaries.
They need harsh, serious training."
The king blinked.
"Will you help train them?"
"No," Raven said. "How about the one who trained me — Elyra Voss ."
The king's eyes widened slightly.
"You mean the retired hunter? I thought she left that life behind."
"She left hunting behind. But I asked her to consider training the soldiers. I think she'll agree."
The king looked thoughtful.
"She is incredibly strong… a legend among young hunters. If she accepts, that would be extraordinary."
"She is extraordinary," Raven said simply.
She opened the door.
Lyria and Kara were waiting right outside.
They pounced immediately.
"What did he say?"
"What did you talk about?"
"Did something happen?"
Raven gave them a small smile.
"Nothing important. He'll tell you later."
She waved and left the palace.