Ripples

Anchor XIII

Includes mana explosion and blood

~~~•~~~

"I still don't think that it would be a good idea for me to leave," Lucas argued, pacing in Athanasia's room. The young maiden on her bed glanced at him, watching his concerned expression before closing her book and patting her lap. "Come here Lucas, you need to take a deep breath."

To the calm princess, Lucas seemed like an obedient puppy coming to rest his head on her lap. On the contrary, he was just desperate.

It had already been a few months or so since her first gathering, and she could still remember the conversation between her father and her.

Claude had Athanasia by his side, patting her head gently as he smiled. "How was it? Did you have fun at the party?" Filled with elation from her recent realization that this life was turning out to be much kinder, "perfect," if she dared to say, the fourteen-year-old simply replied with, "yeah! It was fun!"

Her father hummed thoughtfully and thus came a few more tea parties with the same exact maidens. Still, that was not the issue. Ever since that first gathering, Lucas and Athanasia had been on high alert. Claude had his faint memories, so he recognized that there was an event coming up that may be of concern; however, the couple with their memories completely returned were on a different level.

They knew that Claude and Jennet would inevitably meet, so they placed as many preventive measures as possible. When the emperor and the princess (that never got to be) met, the emperor never lost his memories. With that, Athanasia relaxed and the crown of thorns dug deeper into her skull.

Unfortunately, a week ago, Claude caught wind of a need for an expert magician along the border. He did not trust anybody else other than Lucas so he asked the wizard if he would agree. Before said mage could even refuse for the sake of Athanasia, she had already agreed for him and turned those irresistible sapphires at him.

How could he refuse that?

Now, Athanasia and Lucas were spending their last night together before he could depart for the border. She trusted him to get the job done quickly, and she expected that nothing else would happen during his absence. "After all, the fated meeting of papa and Jennet went rather well. Sure, papa wanted to kill her on the spot for some reason, but he didn't turn amnesiac."

She did not know that, on the day of her next tea party, a catastrophe would descend on the palace.

After accepting a kindhearted gift from her sister, a ribbon with a gorgeous sapphire, she had asked Jennet to help her place it on her hair. The joy on her sister's face brightened Athanasia's day and, even though her heart began to beat a little too painfully when she sat down, she ignored it. "Nothing can possibly ruin this happiness."

Suddenly, Blackie came running out of nowhere.

"Wait a moment! It's not a beast!" Athanasia yelled, turning to face her companions, only to find that they had already ran and hid behind her guards. She then turned when a hand grabbed her by the arm, pulling her out of her chair. "Princess! Take cover quickly!"

Warmth burst in the young maiden's heart, realizing the significance of Jennet's action. She couldn't help but laugh loudly, turning to Blackie in order to hide her warm expression. "If we were in danger, despite not having a bond as close as before, she would still save me first."

She did not know that their bond, despite not being cultivated for that lifetime, was stronger than ever before.

"It's okay, Blackie won't harm me," "after all, I'm his mistress." Athanasia opened her arms and was instantly tackled by her holy beast, nearly knocking her down to the ground. Somehow, she managed to stay upright even as her heart was already beating much more painfully. "Blackie, maybe you should go back."

Just then, a zap resounded through the clearing. Athanasia stood still, petrified by the penetrating rhythm of her heart. And the noble maidens, who were just about to return by her side, suddenly froze when the princess fell to her knees and coughed out

Blood.

"Princess!" Jennet screamed, rushing to Athanasia's side, but her sister couldn't hear her. All that the princess could hear was the sound of her heart. And while Jennet was trying to diagnose the problem, her eyes tearful as she felt her heart break at the sight of her ill sister, another zap ran through the clearing. Athanasia's mana exploded, rendering her unconscious with a last call of, "Lucas..."