On a freezing winter morning in the year 1374, the Kingdom of Northern Luxon suffered an unexpected and devastating defeat against the Southern Kingdom of Novastrum, condemning the entire land to the darkness of invasion and plunder. The battlefield became the grave of King Andre, while the lifeless body of Queen Beatrice lay upon the cold marble at the entrance of the palace where she had once walked in splendor. The kingdom's final hope rested upon the shoulders of an infant still wrapped in swaddling cloths, Crown Prince Hyoga.
Despite her trembling hands, the young palace servant Emily held the small Prince Hyoga tightly with great determination. With swift urgency, she ran toward the stables where smoke was rising. Mounting a horse in a single motion, she cast one final glance at the looted city and the collapsing kingdom behind her, then galloped toward the endless fields of snow.
"Do not worry, little prince. I will protect you." Emily held Hyoga closer in her arms as she continued to drive the horse straight into the storm. The small amount of gold she had managed to take from the palace vaults was now her only security in the world. After hours of exhausting travel, she reached a small village buried under snow. Completely worn out, she knocked on the door of a guild hall and rented a modest room for a single night.
In the silence of the room, accompanied by the crackling sounds from the fireplace, her mind was in turmoil. She questioned the logic of every step she had taken, feeling crushed beneath the enormous burden placed upon her shoulders while she was still in the prime of her youth. The last member of the royal bloodline slept defenselessly in her arms.
She wiped her tears away with trembling hands and smiled faintly as she looked at Prince Hyoga's innocent face. "I suppose difficult times await us, little prince," she whispered. After gently placing the baby onto the soft bed, she prayed to God for this chaotic day to finally come to an end and fell into a deep, exhausted sleep.
As the first rays of sunlight filtered into the room, Emily was already awake. Like every palace servant who had served the king and queen, she was accustomed to rising early through a life shaped by strict rules and discipline. The moment she opened her eyes, her first action was to check on Prince Hyoga. As she gazed at the baby's innocence, a bittersweet smile appeared on her face. "Good morning, little prince. I hope today will be kind to both of us," she whispered.
She quickly ate a small bite for herself, yet the true concern troubling her mind was something else entirely. How was a newborn baby supposed to be fed? The answer was obvious, and impossible. Blushing with shame, Emily looked first at her own chest and then at the helpless baby before lowering her head. "I am so sorry, Prince Hyoga. If only I could provide you with the milk you need myself. Please forgive me for being so useless."
Rather than collapsing under despair, she quickly gathered herself. She was no longer merely a servant, she was now a protector. Thinking in a solution oriented manner, Emily lifted Hyoga into her arms and left the inn. After another long and exhausting journey, she arrived at a quieter looking village. There, she encountered a woman holding a baby who had clearly given birth recently. Emily bowed respectfully before her and began to speak while hiding the child's true identity.
"Please, my lady. This poor baby is the last keepsake of my sister, who was killed by raiders. He has been hungry for days, please give him at least a little milk." The woman smiled with compassion. "Of course, young lady. I would gladly nurse this little one," she said. At that moment, several children approached them and asked curiously, "Hey, what do you want from Archmage Lola?" When the woman raised her hand to calm the children, Emily froze in place.
She looked at the woman in shock. "You… you are the Archmage?" The woman smiled in confirmation. "Yes, dear. I am Archmage Lola." Trying to understand where fate had carried her, Emily stammered, "W-where exactly are we?" Lola let out a soft chuckle as she replied, "It seems your sense of direction is a bit weak, child. You are currently in the Kingdom of Aethelgrad, lands where magical power takes root and flourishes most strongly."
Minutes later, Archmage Lola and Emily arrived at a peaceful cabin on the edge of the forest. After briefly glancing at the calm face of her own sleeping baby, Lola gently took the small prince from Emily's arms. However, the moment her hands touched the baby's body, an indescribable surge of power flowed through Lola's veins.
Her eyes widened in astonishment as she turned toward Emily. "This is truly incredible. There is a deep and ancient power within this child, still dormant. Tell me, was your sister or her husband gifted in the magical arts?" Emily hesitated for a moment as vivid memories of King Andre and Queen Beatrice surfaced in her mind. Remembering their might on the battlefield, she nodded. "Yes," she said with a trembling voice. "My sister wielded the water element, and her husband possessed the ability to control fire."
Lola was shaken by the answer.
She gazed at the baby she was nursing with admiration, as though she were looking at a priceless treasure. "So you come from a lineage that carries both water and fire within its veins. You are a miraculous little child." After gently stroking the baby's cheek, she returned him to Emily's arms.
Looking directly into Emily's eyes, the Archmage made an offer that was difficult to refuse. "Listen, child. I will be honest with you. It is clear that you have nowhere left to go, and this baby needs nourishment. A young woman like you cannot survive alone while carrying such a burden. Therefore, you and this little one must stay with me. This cabin will be a home for both of you. And in time, I can personally teach this child how to use the immense magical power sleeping within him."
Emily knew this offer marked the most critical turning point of her life. Since the terrifying moment she fled the palace, she had only one goal. To keep Prince Hyoga safe and raise him in good health. Taking a deep breath, she nodded her head. "All right," she said with a voice filled with gratitude.
"I have no other choice, and I am deeply thankful to you, Archmage Lola. I promise I will help you with every aspect of the household." A warm smile appeared on Lola's face. "I am glad to hear that. I am certain this little one will get along very well with my small daughter."
At that moment, Lola's awakened baby began to cry. Hearing the sound, Hyoga soon joined the chorus, and the sharp cries of the two infants echoed throughout every corner of the small cabin.
With a calm demeanor, Lola released her magical power. A faint shimmer drifted through the air, and within seconds both babies fell into a deep sleep. They gently placed them into the same bed, and at last a peaceful silence settled over the home.
Seeing Hyoga sleeping so peacefully, Emily felt the weight on her shoulders lighten. She collapsed into an empty chair, as the relentless journey and the terrible stress she had endured had left her body completely exhausted. Her eyelids grew heavy, and she soon fell into a deep sleep.
Seeing the young girl's weary state, Lola chuckled softly. She picked up a blanket from the floor and gently covered Emily. "After all, she is still just a child," she whispered to herself. "What she has endured at her age is truly horrifying. It seems I now have three small children to care for."
The Archmage picked up her book in the warmth of the fire crackling in the hearth. Despite the raging storm outside, the first seeds of a new life were taking root within the cabin.