ᴀɴ ɪꜱᴇᴋᴀɪ ꜰᴀɴᴛᴀꜱʏ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ -: ̗̀➛
Awakening in a world beyond her own, she finds herself in a body she doesn't recognise - shattered, bruised, and bearing the name 𝒩𝒾𝓇𝓋𝒶𝓃𝒶 𝒱𝒶𝓁𝒹𝒾𝓈 𝒮𝒾𝓃𝒸𝓁𝒶𝒾𝓇. In this perilous new reality, survival...
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-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈
Ten years earlier...
Alistar stands before me, his expression torn between confusion and a desperate plea for understanding. His hands hang stiffly at his sides, as if unsure whether to reach out or hold back. My words hang heavy in the air, the tension between us palpable, almost suffocating.
The garden around us is a sight of tranquility, its beauty heightened by the soft glow of the moonlight filtering through the leaves. The night is serene, but the atmosphere between us crackles with unspoken emotions. Rylan watches us from a respectful distance, his presence barely acknowledged as the intensity of the moment draws all my focus.
"You cannot be serious," Alistar's voice finally breaks the silence, a mix of disbelief, concern, and something more—a raw edge of desperation that he struggles to mask. "War, Nirvana? You're heading off to war?"
It's the first time he's ever spoken my name without a title, and it takes me by surprise how much it affects me. The way it rolls off his tongue, laced with anger and worry, stirs something deep within me. His lapse in protocol is a testament to how deeply this news has shaken him.
I meet his gaze, my resolve unwavering even as the weight of my decision presses down on me. "I don't have a choice," I reply, my voice steady but carrying the turmoil I keep buried inside. "There are responsibilities I cannot ignore."
Alistar's brow furrows, frustration and urgency flashing in his dark eyes. "There is always a choice," he counters sharply, stepping closer as if to physically impose his will. "The obvious one here is to stay alive. To not get yourself killed in a war that even our greatest ancestors couldn't end."
His words are filled with genuine concern, but I absorb them without offence. I know he cares, but I also know what I must do. "I need power," I explain calmly, cutting through any argument about my status within the empire. "But not the kind that comes from titles or lineage—especially not one that was denied to me despite my right to it."
His eyes flicker with something akin to fear, his voice dropping to a whisper as he asks, "Is this some sort of revenge? A punishment for the Archduke?"
The question hangs in the air, and for a moment, I'm stunned that he could think so little of me. The hurt is fleeting, but it's there, a sharp pang that I quickly smother. "I thought you knew me better," I say softly, my voice carrying a hint of the disappointment I feel. "Do you truly believe I would risk my life for the fleeting attention of a neglectful father? Am I that desperate to you, my lord?"
Alistar's expression softens slightly, regret washing over his features as he realises the depth of his mistake. "Then why?" he asks, his tone gentler now, laced with a curiosity that's almost childlike in its sincerity.
