It felt cold. Her whole body felt cold. Alejandra tried to breath but her throat felt like ice. Struggling to move her fingers, she squeezed her arms in what felt like some sort of restraint. She opened her eyes and peered into an endless void of bckness.

  “Thou ist awake…well thy soul is, at least.” A vaguely Masculine voice spoke…

  No. Voices. It was voices not a voice.

  The entity spoke in a choir of different tones as they id out a sigh.

  Alejandra still couldn't speak, she only had her eyes open. She felt strange, like her heart was melting into a puddle. It hurt. Her chest hurt.

  The bckness around her didn't feel like a void anymore, it was like she was covered by a smoke or haze that enveloped her body and diluted her vision.

  “I took over your body for a while.” The voices spoke all together. “I didn't expect you to lose your sanity, Dear Benefactor.”

  Benefactor?

  What did that being just call her?

  Why her?

  And why Benefactor?

  “Twould assume mine Benefactor can't speak.” Its looming voice whispered again. “Thou must've been quite exhausted.”

  A glowing pair of frosted blue eyes shone from the deepest ends of the bck mist that clouded her entire vision.

  “Be not afraid, mine Dear Benefactor…or would thee prefer Master, as thou’s title.” The eye blinked curiously. Almost adorably.

  But Alejandra could feel a chill form on her body. Whatever that thing beyond the bck mist was, was a being she would rather not see.

  “I’m afraid thou time hast come for thee to wake.” Through its hidden figure, Alejandra could tell it smiled. “I trust in your continued health, Master.”

  The Lady’s eyes opened wide awake, like an electric shock sparked through her body. She snapped upwards, awakening from an incomparably unsettling nightmare.

  Who was that creature?

  What was that creature?

  She looked around. She seemed to be alone in a rge bed, in a quite astounding room. It had beautiful walls adorned with marble pilrs and golden mplights. The room was also fashioned with a crystalline chandelier with lights that shone like glowing gemstones.

  Her bed was also inid with sheets so soft it could only be the highest quality of wool. The pillows were rigid but soft enough to embrace and the tables that stood by her bed were varnished mahogany as well.

  As a merchant’s daughter. It was only right she could tell how expensive this room must've been. A few thousand gold coins wouldn't even come close to a fraction of the furniture in this pce.

  She gnced to the side. A familiar bde was leaned on the bedside table. It’s power hidden away in it's impressive leather sheathe.

  The Crown Princess's sword…well more like it was her sword now.

  She picked it up and it radiated the feeling of winter as her fingers started hurting from the immense cold emanating from it. She quickly put it back down before she lost one of her beloved finger to its powerful magic.

  “Seriously…” She cussed at the sword. “Won't even let me touch it.”

  “It wouldn't let anyone touch it.” The door to the room opened as a handsome man with striking red hair and a cloth taped and bandaged to his cheek.

  Alejandra smiled. A familiar face being the first thing to see is as good as any. “Good day, Your Highness.”

  Ben sighed as he walked over and picked up a seat to sit on next to her bed. “I would tell you to drop formalities when we’re alone but I assume you'd never agree to such a thing.”

  Alejandra bowed her head. “Such unscrupulous behavior is beyond me, I’d never know when we are actually alone, especially in public, You Highness.” She gave him the fakest smile she could and he could only ugh.

  After all, she was right. Having the Heir of Ramirez and the Crown Prince speak informally to each other is bound to spark rumors shall a bystander so much as so accidentally by chsnce find themselves eavesdropping.

  “You always carry such a dignified aura to you, My Lady.” He reached over to her hands and kissed it, with no slight objection from her. “How are you feeling?”

  “I feel fine…albeit cold.” Alejandra shrugged as she said that and a frown forms in the Prince’s face.

  “That's worrying.” Ben pouted. “It's been five days and you should’ve fully regained your normal body heat.”

  “FIVE DAYS?!” The Lady found herself unconsciously yell. She blinked, realizing her overreaction, before clearing her throat and reverting back to a reserved persona. “I’ve been asleep for five days?”

  “Indeed.” Ben leaned back on his chair. “Your mother has been gravely worried, especially after that dispy of Spirit you showcased in the second garden.”

  “I see…” Alejandra couldn't remember much. Only vague hints of a battle before she passed out. It was a haze, like trying to remember a memory from so many years ago.

  “I should call towards the Duke and Duchess soon and inform them about your awakening.” He spped his knees and stood up.

  “Wait a minute, Your Highness.” Alejandra stopped him. “Why were you here?”

  The Crown Prince simply gave her a sly smile. “In the five days you have been unconscious, My Lady. I have never once left your side.”

  The door closed and she was alone again.

  What was that?

  What did he mean by that?

  Alejandra’s lips quivered and her eyes gnced downward as she tried to force her blushing cheeks back to normal.

  He’s just a kid..

  It was just like a young boy trying to flirt with an older sister figure like her. She reasoned. A young man like him needs to be much older before he could even try to make a move on her.

  She sighed and spped herself back to reality. Alejandra must worry first about herself, her position, her domain, and then her retainers.

  She was fine now, only with a slight bit of cold. Her mother would probably send her through a rough scolding but that didn't matter right now, she would just be happy to see her mom again.

  The East should be needing its Lord and Lady soon, so she expected to return to the Ramirez Duchy in a few days after her recovery. She missed the smell of the sea and the coastal feel of the territory.

  She wanted to py and walk on the sand again, with Teresa and Asher behind her.

  Her heart dropped.

  Her breathing hitched.

  Panic set in.

  What happened to them?

  Surely, they're alright right?

  Teresa's not just a maid but also a young dy of a noble house, she would likely be escorted to the evacuation area as fast as possible. What about Asher?

  Asher….

  She grit her teeth.

  Knowing that man, he would probably risk himself to protect people. He’s extremely selfless, to an unhealthy degree. He would sacrifice himself to save even a single random stranger.

  Alejandra didn't understand him in that regard. She was prepared to sacrifice herself for her people and for her loved ones, but the desire to protect one single human to your utmost…Alejandra could never see herself like that.

  She was far too practical to be that heroic.

  She must go find them.

  She needed to know they were safe at all times.

  She stepped out the bed and put a robe on top of her existing one and as she was about to prepare to leave, a stomp opens the door to her room.

  “Young Lady!” A bellowing scream of maternal authority shook her to her very core.

  There, by the door side, stood her Mother, whose expression was stern and strict, with her Father behind her carrying the softer look of the two.

  “M-Mom!?” Alejandra panicked. Faced with the fury of her mother even she could not help but shiver her timbers. “I was just gonnaook for—” She tried fo expin herself but before she could, arms already circled her entire body into a warm embrace.

  “Oh my dear sweet child,” Roselia’s voice was hoarse and parched. Her every word needed a breath in between due to how anxious she seemed to have been, “you're okay…thank the goddess you're okay.”

  Alejandra blinked. Her chest felt heavy and well of emotions began to crawl its up to her eyesm “I-I…Mom I–” For some reason, she had trouble speaking her thoughts.

  “Shhhhh.” Roselia caressed her cheeks as the stern Duchess of Ramirez gazed lovingly at her daughter, wtih tears dripping down her cheeks. “I’m here…I’m so gde you're okay.”

  Finally, they burst out as Alejandra’s tears flowed down like a river of her worries was pouring itself away. “I was— I was scared, Mom.” She admitted.

  “I know. No one is ever not afraid. Especially when you have something to go home to.” Roselia wiped the tears away from her cheeks. “I love you so much.”

  “I love you too.” The Daughter cried into her mothers embrace. As if she wasn't already a dy nearing her twenties. As, a child of a mother will always and forever be a child of a mother.

  The Duke stood by with a smile before walking over and embracing the two most important people in his life.

  Alejandra had always been different from other kids.

  It didn't take a while for her to pick up her Father’s genius and her Mother’s swordsmanship.

  With her official noble training starting at a very young age of four, and being put under her Father's wings a close two years after. Afterwards, she began her full swordsmanship training at the ripe age of ten.

  Of course, even if she was prodigious in such categories. The ones teaching her were far more involved and experienced in their own respective art, whether it be business or combat. She had to work hard to live up to the expectations of everyone around her, including herself.

  She realized, she had to work harder than anyone else so that she would be able to stand as the heir of Ramirez.

  Of course, such thoughts turned into doubts in her mind the moment she came across nigh impossible obstacles.

  Such as the time where a beast somehow found its way into the Eastern Lord’s domain when she was young.

  The Young Lady, around the little age of thirteen, with a ten year old Teresa behind her, stood face to face with a bck bear.

  It wasn't a rge bear, but for a child it was as gargantuan as a demonic beast. It growled at the young Alejandra, whose knees buckled and her fear overwhelming every other sense in her body.

  Of course, a normal child would've been mauled to death in such a situation.

  But the the scene ended with the bears head rolling on the ground, detached from its body.

  The blood of Azarol is powerful, even when one is yet to awaken their Spirit, the body of the bloodline itself is impressive.

  Still it wasn't just her blood that saved her.

  It was overcoming the overwhelming fear.

  The only thing that stood behind what she desired to protect and what seeks to destroy it… was her.

  Should she fail to defeat the bck bear, it would kill her then undoubtedly go after Teresa next. She could not let that happen. No matter the cost. Her own life and everyone she loved, all of them mattered.

  There was never an option to lose.

  It was like instinct, like your Body moving kn its own. She felt her feet kick up the ground and her hand swing with all its strength. She remembered not being able to cut cleanly through the Bear’s neck that she had to force her way through.

  That was the first time.

  The first she had ever drawn blood.

  A desire to live, to protect. This desire overcomes everything else.

  Of course, this was not the only lesson she learned from that fight.

  As the whimper of young cubs of the bck bear broke from the trees and ran to check up on their dead parent.

  Alejandra watched coldly, as the cubs used their noses to shake their mother awake. Their cries and whimpers piercing her heart with guilt.

  She sheathed the sword and helped Teresa up. “Let's go.” She turned her back and began to walk away.

  “But My Lady, the cubs—” Teresa tried to speak but the young Alejandra cut her off.

  “It was either us or their mother. The best we could do is let them be.” She clenched her fists.

  The thirteen year old that day.

  Learned that taking a life means taking a life.

  A life that was lived.

  A life that was loved.

  A life that had somewhere to go home to.

  But as she knew and the reason she could face the act of killing head on.

  Was because she, herself, had somewhere to go back home to.

  And that was why she could never see herself as a hero.

  Going back to the present as the mother and daughter had finished their tearful reunion. Alejandra finally managed to ask.

  “Where's Teresa…? and Asher?” Her face was a mix of emotions, some hard to fully identify.

  “Teresa’s fine but…” The Duke, Joseph, pursed his lips. “Asher…is still unconscious.”