The Lightning Mage

II. I Need a Hero

Since meeting Keisukei some things have changed, and some time has passed. Five years to be exact. Keisukei and I made sure to have our own adventure before returning. That "one" desert excursion was far from being our last. We never returned home. Keisukei showed me as much of Iria as he could. We of course started in Filia, his home. It was this trip to Filia that changed it all for us, the day I met the Queen. As soon as we made it to the city Keisukei made it very clear that it was imperative that I meet the Elven Queen. Queen Castenea was thousands of years old, but she'd never looked a day over twenty. All of the Elves were that way. Elves age so slowly that most don't live long enough to look over the age of thirty. Castenea welcomed us into her home that day and made me an offer I could not refuse. Castenea and I made a deal with my father, that in the absence of my mother Castenea would prepare me for the throne herself in exchange for trade deals with my father. The Queen argued that I would never know how to be a proper lady if being raised by only the King. I told the Queen why I did not to return to my Kingdom and she understood.
"In Connous I don't require rulers to marry. I've always seen it as a little old fashioned." Castenea had always ruled independently during her reign as Queen and did not understand why others were forced into marriages. "I'll offer the deal to your father Sango. If he accepts I'll be sure that you are taken care of until it is your time to rule."
Castenea did just that. She made sure I had access to the finest instructors and educators in Errin. Queen Castenea made sure I was educated not just in the matters of the throne room but in economics, the sciences, magic, and combat as well.
"All the ingredients for a well adjusted girl." She'd tell me.
And while the instructors and classrooms weren't exactly for Keisukei's benefit, he still never left my side. Keisukei was Aliech's choice for my protection while I learned across the sea.
We spent all of our days together. Even the bad ones like today.

"Sango?" A soft voice accompanied a knock outside my bedroom door. "Can I come in?"
Keisukei slowly turned the knob and cracked the door open. "Hey," he whispered as he tiptoed quietly across the floorboards "I'm sorry it's so early, but I need to talk to you."
Kei tiptoes his way to the bedside and sits beside me. When I feel his weight shift on the bed I lift my head and open my eyes. He wasn't dressed yet, he was still wrapped tightly in his kimono.
"What's the matter?" I sit up and face him, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes.
Keisukei took a deep breath. Not quite able to look me in the eyes. He fumbled with the edge of his sleeve for a moment before looking at me. "Sango. It's the King." Kei picked up my hand and placed it in his before continuing. "He's-"
"He's dead." I squeeze his hand. In that moment the grief felt like it dropped from the sky directly onto me. It was heavy... crushing.
Kei turned his face towards me, this time meeting my eyes. He held my hand a little tighter.
Keisukei remained on the edge of the bed while I sat up. He kept looking at me like he had something more to say.
"Sango. He was killed."
"Excuse me?"
"There was an attack on Aliech. It happened three days ago. The King was killed when the castle was stormed." He paused and looked away from me now. "I'm sorry Sango."
I couldn't cry I couldn't scream. I simply tilted forwards and rested my head on his shoulder, he followed by putting his chin atop my forehead.
"What are Castenea's thoughts? I assume you've spoken to her."

Kei gets up from the bed and stands in front of the big wooden wardrobe across from us. He opens it and scans the contents inside.
"Castenea wants me to let you talk to her. She didn't tell me anything else. She knew I'd tell you."
Keisukei takes a particular liking to a gown in the wardrobe he takes it off the rack and holds it up for me to see. I respond shaking my head.

"That's not surprising." I uncover myself and place my feet on the floor. "Toss me that gown you had?"

"You said no?"
"I changed my mind. I don't feel like looking for anything."
Keisukei took it back off the rack and draped it across the foot of the bed. "What do you think happened?"
"I suppose we're about to find out." I stand up and motion for Kei to turn around by waiving my finger at him.
He quickly turns around and, even though he isn't facing me, covers his eyes with his hands. Like he always has. "Does this mean...?" He left his sentence unfinished- knowing we both had the same thought already.