Fantasy The Stream of Life

[Han JiHyo]

Panic at the Fandoms x Han JiHyo

Spoiler: Plot

The Stream of Life
Muse A is a runaway royalty. Unable to endure being constantly in the shadows of their siblings, they decide to pave a path on their own. They will take their life into their own hands and forge their own destiny. After several adventures and mishaps, they find themselves offered a position they can't refuse: a Shield Guardian to the Crown Prince(cess) of A's rival nation. With long-standing tension between both nations (reason can be discussed), A is torn between keeping their secret and go along with B's wishes and watch their own kingdom fall, or perform their duty as a member of the royal family and off B. Or is there a third option available?

 

[Panic at the Fandoms]

It was dark, cold, and foggy this night that felt a bit unusual for some unknown reason. Princess Liliane Aria Evelyn of the kingdom of Novoselic was awake at a late hour, despite usually being asleep at this time. Her parents had called her to the main room to meet someone. She was really tired, barely able to keep her eyes open, so she did not hear who she was going to meet. When she was awoken by one of the servants and they told her the thing that she did not know, she just muttered a simple, "Mhm", before having to be dragged out of bed.

The kingdom was a fairly pleasant one, violence only happening every now and then. There were gardens, people who worked hard daily, and very little poverty. The commoners were kind to each other and welcoming to people who wanted to reside there. Liliane was sure that there was more than what she was told, but she did not think too much about it nor asked. The one time the princess asked about the violent crimes committed in the kingdom, her parents quickly changed the topic and told her that everything was alright. She trusted them, and if they said that everything was alright, she wanted to believe that. She was well aware of kingdoms that did not like Novoselic, but as far as she knew, she was safe inside her little bubble.

Her brown eyes were slowly closing and opening as she sat on her special "royal" seat as her parents called it ever since she was young. Her curled auburn hair that was once in a neat bun was now in a sloppy bun due to all her tossing and turning before she had been, what she considered, rudely woken up from her name. Liliane hated being waken up between her resting periods. They were the time she rested for a reason. More rude comments filled her mind, mostly because of how tired she was. It was odd, though. She didn't even have a long day. She honestly didn't care the reason and just wanted to meet whoever she had to meet so she could go back to bed.

Liliane knew very well that those thoughts were not thoughts a princess should have. Her mother would tell her how she should act, what she should think, what she should say, and everything else that would make her seem picture perfect. Following the "rules" she was given daily grew bothersome, but she knew she would have to suck it up and deal with it. Quickly going to the mirror, she let down her hair and finger-combed it as much as she could. She smoothed out her silk white dress she quickly put on and moved her hair to part all to the left. She noticed her pale skin was paler than usual. Perhaps she caught a cold. She hoped not.

As she looked in the mirror, Liliane began to wonder who she would meet. Was this person going to be nice to her? Were they someone that her parents knew for a long time but just were not telling her? Maybe a family friend? Or possibly a complete stranger? There were countless of possibilities and questions that she had now that she was fully awake. "Liliane. Liliane!" Her mother called for her. "Come sit. Your bodyguard is here already. Please do not keep him waiting much longer, young lady." Liliane nodded, make a quiet "Oh" when she heard that the guest was her new bodyguard. She hoped that he would be a good one and that he would be kind like the others that worked in the castle.

Taking a deep breath, Liliane walked back over to her seat and waited patiently. She fixed her tiara and smiled softly. Even though there was a lot to do and a lot to worry about, being royalty was fun to her. Having people admire you and look up to you was always so exciting. "I am ready to have him come in now," The princess said, sounding as regal and poised as possible. There was only one time that you could make a first impression, after all. She sat up straighter when she heard the doors open, waiting for whomever to come inside so she could finally meet him.

 

[Han JiHyo]

Everything was still a little too surreal for him to come to terms with. Face stiff and movements slightly ridged from tension, he sat ramrod straight astride Blaze, his large black warhorse. Used to experiencing his various shifting emotions, the stallion's gait didn't change even a little, cantering lightly beside the elaborate royal carriage made from the finest jarrah wood. The Pegasus could move faster if it so desired, but right now its wings were hidden, taking on the appearance of an ordinary horse.

The winding road leading towards the capital was long, but the relatively large party was making good time and had long passed the halfway mark. Here, surrounded by rolling plains and the occasional village on either side, there was no need for him to be on constant guard. Monsters didn't dare travel so deep into human territories, and any bandit daring enough to attack an entourage surrounded by knights and soldiers would be put down rather quickly. Not to mention, the Crown Prince of Novoselic himself requested his saviour to ride beside the carriage, which was right in the middle of the party. There was no safer location than this.

"Ah, there's the Old Relic Forest. I've forgotten how majestic a sight it was." The Crown Prince's voice sounded as he poked his head out of the carriage's window, two fingers lifting the curtains to one side. "A pity my duties doesn't take me pass here more often, but you are in luck, Sir Knight. It's not every day one can admire the splendour that serves as Novoselic's ancient holy site."

"A lovely scenery indeed, Your Royal Highness." The knight answered, dark amber eyes glancing around for a moment before returning to the prince, tone unintentionally curt and offering no further conversation.

Far from offended, the Crown Prince laughed and couldn't help but tease the serious-looking youth. The knight was no more than a youth, perhaps in his early twenties. "Relax, Sir Emory. We are nearing the capital. It wouldn't do for you to remain so stiff when we meet my Royal Father and Mother. And my little sister, of course."

"As you command, Your Royal Highness." The prince withdrew back into the carriage, leaving him to sink into his thoughts once more.

Before all these, Emory had been Karias Emory Di Raizel, third and youngest prince of the Ymir Kingdom. Compared to some of the other nations, such as Orobos to the West with its millennium long history, his homeland didn't hold such a long history. A few centuries ago, they were but a nomadic warband, a tribe numbering less than two hundred travelling across land and sea, surviving on what nature provided or pillaging a random town to acquire supplies and ensure they lived to see one more summer. Sick of this lifestyle where only the fittest survived, a life where the tribe wilted year after year, Urmar Di Raizel led his people down south, where small nations resided, and took over one of them. The conquest of what now served as the capital of Ymir wasn't as easy as it sounded, of course. Urmar seized the territory bit by bit, overtaking border villages and towns first, building up his forces little by little. It helped that the monarchs of that nation were despised by their people and within Urmar's lifetime, he successfully secured a place for his tribe. They were nomads no more. Di Raizel was recognised as the liberator, and hence, the rightful successor of the conquered throne.

However, war was in their blood. With generations of foraging for food, hunting preys and fighting off various beasts seeking to kill them, the Di Raizel line had bloodthirst engraved into their very selves. They made good soldiers and warriors, but peaceful kings they were not. After Urmar's death, his son continued expanding and strengthening Ymir, defending its borders from other nations seeking a weak kill. When the next ruler took the throne, the other kingdoms were wary of the warrior-like Ymir they were looking to take advantage of. It was when everything eventually settled down that the Di Raizel bloodline curse of bloodthirst surfaced.

Over the next two centuries, the once small kingdom marched forth their armies, invading its neighbours and bringing them under the banner. It was through the efforts of three Conqueror kings that the kingdom's lands grew to its present size. The last of the three was Vreis Di Raizel, Emory's own paternal grandfather. Unlike what historical records indicated, Vreis did not stop out of exhaustion and his advancing age. His descendants knew the truth. It was due to Novoselic, the neighbouring kingdom Ymir shared its eastern border with. While it was a nation that promoted peace and diplomacy before war and bloodshed, their armies were no push-overs. Even before Ymir expanded, they were the largest kingdom in the south, and had the manpower needed to protect their numerous borders. Their military might didn't diminish over the years as the Novoselic royals were smart enough to prepare for the eventuality that Ymir might eye their land in the future. With such an infamous war-mongering bloodline ruling the neighbouring nations, would they truly not take precautions? There exists a tentative truce between the two now, with one not daring to tangle with the other yet, but how long it would last was the question.

Still, it is this unofficial truce that changed Emory's life. Being the third son, he was considered a second spare. Even if he wasn't given much attention by his royal parents, he was well cared for by the various servants assigned to him. Materialistically, he lacked for nothing, but he was often forgotten. The Crown Prince Alenor, his eldest brother, was a splitting image of their Father both physically and mentally. Eye-catching bronze eyes and crimson hair, every bit the Di Raizel. Ruthless, calculating, determined. Gifted with a sharp mind and superb leadership skills. With Alenor as heir, there weren't any worries for the future of Ymir.

Then there is Second Prince Etrama, with Mother's brown hair and hazel eyes, gifted with a large sturdy frame and peerless swordsmanship. He wasn't as brilliant mentally as Alenor, but in battlefield tactics, he was a genius. Even before he fully matured, Etrama was unquestionably going to be handed the position of General of the army.

So with both the position of King and General taken, what was Emory going to be? A secondary General? No kingdom would risk splitting their forces' loyalties. Not to mention that would only increase the chances of a rebellion against the throne. A scholar? Peh, Emory didn't possess the drive to be surrounded by texts and scrolls all day. The Third Prince was an excellent spearsman and had a quick mind, but compared to his older brothers, he could be considered medicore. Not to mention, with his dark amber eyes and dark brown hair, he looked nothing like his parents at first glance. Thus it came down to only being a spare in case one or the other of his brothers were met with misfortune. Although that would be nigh on impossible as the two were protected like the precious treasures they were in the eye of everyone.

Sick of being faced with pity and scorn, Emory left the moment he turned sixteen. At his coming of age ceremony, he requested the freedom to roam the lands on his own from his Royal Father. Once granted the right, he packed his possessions - mostly money, his beloved spear and armour, a couple of mementoes - got on his mount and left, not looking back. Away from the castle, he chose to use his middle name rather than the unique "Karias". Over the handful of years, he travelled across the oceans to the west, recently coming back to the southern lands, returning to Ymir to witness Etrama being granted the position of General. The ceremony had been relatively simple and quick, and Emory had not announced his presence, content to watch the proceedings hidden within the cheering crowd.

He departed immediately after and rode eastwards, a sudden whim prompting him to head into Novoselic. Emory harboured no fears in being recognised as a member of the royal Di Raizel family, for he possessed none of their infamous striking looks. On top of that, he doubted anyone in this nation could recognise a prince that the Ymir citizens themselves were hard-pressed to identify.

Never in his lifetime did he dream his whim and a moment of impulse would land him in his current situation. All that ran through his head when he saw a party of men protecting a carriage besieged by bandits and the pet Skandrs was to help. Who knew the person inside was the Crown Prince of Novoselic? What kind of fortune - or misfortune, if one wanted to see it that way - was this?

Emory had tried his best to decline the shower of gratitude the other prince tried to heap onto him, but could do nothing when he refused to take no for an answer. It was considered slanderous if one rejected a royal request, so it boiled down to either risk offending the Crown Prince or reveal his true identity. There was really only one possible path to take. The Novoselic prince had beamed and sent a messenger off to his parents, probably to inform them of the potential bodyguard he managed to snag on his return trip home.

So here he was now, trotting into the capital of the very nation his grandfather and father - and most probably his eldest brother - thirsted to conquer. Although Emory himself had no desire to interfere in political affairs, a part of him was still a loyal subject of Ymir. Once through the gate of the city, he was instantly on high alert, taking in every detail he could. The layouts, guard rotations, number of guards around the place, exploitable weaknesses, strength of the surrounding walls, even the terrain itself. Subconsciously, he thought of how horrified the royal family would be if they knew just who the Crown Prince had asked to be the princess' Shield Guardian. He probably wouldn't even make it out of the castle before the entire army is brought down on his head. He wouldn't be killed, no, instead interrogated and imprisoned. Maybe held as a bargaining chip.

Shaking his head to dismiss those morbid thoughts, Emory watched quietly as most of the soldiers peel away from the entourage the moment they entered the castle gates, leaving only him and a few knights to escort the carriage to the inner courtyard. He dismounted with a short word to the stablehand not to pull on Blaze's reins lest they wanted to be bitten, then fell into step behind the prince as he led the way. A sweep of the castle's interior was enough to intrigue him. The design was so different from the home in his memories. While the scene he remembered is of sturdy stone walls, large sculptures and beast skin layering the floors, this was all elegant curves, flawless marble tiles and beautiful stained-glass windows depicting various Saints and possible-godly figures.

"Mother. Father. Little sister." The Crown Prince's steps paused for a second, surprise coating his words at the royal trio seating in their respective thrones, dressed as though they had been awaiting his arrival for quite a while now. He headed towards the dais, embracing his parents and ruffling Liliane's hair with a small grin on his face. "While I am immensely glad to receive your welcome this late at night, this matter is not so urgent. We could have had this meeting the next morning. Look, Lils seems rather dead on her feet!"

"It's only for a minute, son." The King spoke, voice low but tone unquestionably authoritative. "I would rather Liliane meets her potential bodyguard before the rest of the court does tomorrow." His voice rose a little as he beckoned Emory forward while the Crown Prince moved away so he was standing next to the princess' seat. "Step forth, Sir Knight, and identify yourself."

Needing no further prompting, Emory took one step forward and bowed at the waist. The king might have expected him to go down on one knee and put a fist over his heart, but Emory was not a citizen of Novoselic. This king was not his king and neither does he hold Emory's loyalty. By bowing from the waist instead, he clearly identified himself to be a foreign knight even before he spoke a word. Now here's to hoping the king would feel wary about a foreign knight protecting his daughter and send him on his way.

"Emory of Elsewyr. Former Knight of Regan. At your service, Your Majesties." Emory said, voice slightly raspy from unuse for most of the journey. "I was dismissed from my post when the fief-lord I served passed on and have been living as a selllsword ever since. Until I came upon His Royal Highness, of course."

The King merely nodded, scrutinising Emory and didn't deign to give a verbal reply. It was the queen who turned to the princess and asked, "Well? Why say you, daughter?"

The ultimate decision should come down to the princess. There would be no point in sticking a bodyguard to her if it was someone she wouldn't be able to tolerate, no matter how skilled or loyal the knight may be.

 

[Panic at the Fandoms]

Liliane, perking up a bit when she felt her brother ruffle her hair, let out a sigh of relief when she heard the knight come in. ‘Finally they have arrived. I am almost completely sure that if you could be bored to death, I’d already be in the ground,’ The princess thought to herself. She would’ve said that aloud, but then she would not be able to go to sleep for much longer, as her mother would give her a long lecture as always.


She yawned a little bit, trying for it to be unnoticeable. She hoped that it was not because she did not want to seem rude. She listened as she heard the knight speak and then looked over at her father when he asked his question.


Would having a bodyguard really be so much fun? Liliane did not think so. She could defend herself! It seemed easy enough to do, why couldn’t she do that on her own? Or, if defending herself wasn’t as easy as it seemed, why didn’t her parents allow her to have fencing lessons so she could wield a sword and harm those wanting to cause pain to her? Being independant, the fact that those questions would never be answered upset her.


The princess gave another glance to the knight in front of her. He seemed...young. Did he really have what it took to protect her? If she were to have a knight around her at all times from now on, he better be capable of doing that. Looks could be deceiving however, and that saying might be the case at the moment. He could look really young and without any training, but he could be able to do a lot of destruction in an order to protect.


Little did the family know that he was actually the prince from their rival kingdom. When or if they would find out, lord knows what would happen to him. It was likely that they would never find out, as they had not noticed yet. And something as big as that was one of those things that would give you a bad feeling even if you have not formally met.


“Mother, Father,” Liliane began, looking at her family and getting out of her throne. “I think…” The princess looked for the right words to piece her sentence together. “If you feel that there is no way that I can defend myself at the lowest of times or whenever I need, I think he will be just fine.” She finally answered her mother after a little bit.


While the girl wanted nothing more but sleep at the moment, Liliane did also want her parents to know how she truly felt about this whole situation. Her true feelings were that she did not think she needed a guard to tag around her like a lost puppy. That conversation would be saved for later, if it needed to be said, that is.


Perhaps having Emory around would be fun. She maybe get to go wherever she wanted without asking since she was not technically going alone. And maybe he would be sweet and help her whenever she needed or wanted. Those were only a couple examples of things that could happen, and Liliane really wanted them (along with her other thoughts) to come true as well.


On the other hand, Emory might be rude to her and only protect her because he was told to. Work was work to some people. He may stop her from going certain places or even tell her parents without a regard of her feelings. If that happened, Liliane would not be pleased at all.


Walking over to the male, Liliane figured that it would be nice to formally introduce herself. There were some servants who found her bratty and spoiled, and they were sure to make that clear. She did not want Emory to think of her as that, so she decided to be polite so he would think of her highly.


“Princess Liliane Aria Evelyn of Novoselic,” Liliane greeted. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. I look forward to having you around and hope it continues to stay that way.”


Liliane would just stare at the knight in front of her intently. She wanted to see what type of person he was before she opened up to him. It was rare for her to do that with anyone, mostly because they would tell her parents every little detail she revealed about herself to them, just so they made sure they knew exactly who their daughter was.


“Father, Mother, may I please return to my bedroom to rest now?” Liliane asked, her head tilted slightly. “It’s really late and I introduced myself. Won’t I have an early morning tomorrow, too? The tailor said something about making me a new dress, but I had to be up early if I truly wanted it,” The girl somewhat lied. She was going to get a new dress, but the tailor said nothing about her waking up early for it.


“He can lead me there, too, in case you’re concerned about me getting attacked on my way upstairs,” Liliane over-exaggerated a bit. While it was obvious that her parents were overprotective of their daughter, they didn’t get concerned over little daily things she did that were completely harmless.


The princess looked away from her parents and back to Emory. Pleading on the inside he would find her likeable, she gave him a small smile. She wanted her time she would be forced to have him by her side to be unforgettable, but only for the reasons she wanted it to be.