Chapter 14

After a long nap, Arya woke up refreshed and energized. She changed out of her nightgown and into her training clothes.

She was also famished. She devoured the meal that Myna prepared for her-a bowl of beef stew with white bread-in minutes. She got seconds as well.

She thanked Myna for her concern and for the meal and hugged her before she headed off for some training. 

She didn't have a sparring partner but Elijah and Catalina took care of that problem for her.

There were 20 dummies in total and they all looked the same with their wooden bodies carved and shaped to look like real human beings except their faces were blank and featureless so they looked more like crudely made puppets without a puppet master with strange and elaborate cravings engraved onto their wooden legs, arms and chest that Arya thought might be the source of their ability to move like a real person-some sort of magic or ability, Arya didn't know which one or if it was a mix of both. 

Arya knelt down in front of one of them and looked for some way to activate it. Was there a switch of some sort or a button that will turn the dummy on? Normally, it was Elijah who activated the dummies for her. As Arya ran her fingers over the dummy's body, the strange symbols started to glow and bright green color and Arya's green mana was triggered and came rushing out of her body but only a little bit. 

Arya realized that the dummy was activated by mana and she would need to channel mana inside of the dummy to activate it. She focused on bringing out her aura and pushing it inside of the dummy and her aura was being absorbed by the dummy until it gave a harsh jerk and its entire body began to shake as if it was having a seizure. 

Arya quickly removed her hand away and backed off as the dummy slowly activated. It stood up and it seemed to be looking directly at Arya despite having no eyes. The dummy raised its right arm and Arya watched as the puppet's arm transformed itself into the blade of a sword.

Arya smiled. A spar right off the bat? That would be good as she was itching for a real spar and not just swinging her sword at a wooden dummy that just stood there and took all her attacks now.

The dummy held its arm/sword and Arya readied herself into the 45 degree starting position that Mr.Elijah taught her. She trained her eyes on the dummy and watched its posture and body as Mr.Elijah taught her. The dummy appeared to be aiming to attack her from the right and Arya got ready to defend her right side.

The dummy came rushing at her at inhuman speeds and Arya was barely able to block the blow with the blade of her sword. She was pushed back a couple of feet and readied for the next attack which she was able to deflect with her wooden sword. Arya saw green-her entire world turned emerald green for a second-and much to Arya's shock, she swore that she could predict the dummy's movements and attacks.

She deflected and blocked every attack the dummy threw at her, every stab, slash or arc was intercepted and rendered useless and Arya was able to counterattack with a quick jab or slash, her quick and unpredictable attacks caused the dummy to barely be able to defend itself before Arya unleashed another attack. That caused the dummy to attack more aggressively. Arya responded in kind and her blows became more aggressive and stronger as her feet danced across the stone floor of the training court as Arya dodge and evade every attack the dummy threw at her while attacking whenever she saw an opening with a fast jab of her sword. Arya followed the teachings of Mr.Elijah and remembered every word he said and his advice. 

Arya and the dummy exchange blows and crossed swords and Arya was surprised at how much power the dummy had. Did the amount of aura correlate with how strong the dummy was? Or was the dummy like a sort of training tool that adjusted its strength to match the opponent's strength?

Arya felt the dummy pushing down on her and Arya gritted her teeth as she felt her arms starting to shake as the dummy applied more pressure on her sword. She was kneeling now and the dummy just continued to push harder down on her. Arya didn't know what to do but she wished that she had a little more strength in her to be able to push this dummy away. Suddenly, Arya felt a wave of power rush inside of her and she let out a scream of determination as she pushed off her feet and put all her strength behind that push and flick of her wrists. The power put behind those flicks was enough to push the dummy a few good feet away from her until it crashed into a tree where it slumped down and the estranged engraved symbols lost their glow and the dummy deactivated.

Arya was panting hard and her adrenaline high was coming to an end. She put down her twin swords for a bit as she grabbed the flask of water Myna handed her and she took some slips of that watery goodness.

It was still bisterling hot as usual in the summer afternoon but Arya never felt hot before despite training for so long outside. Something to do with the training court being magically enchanted to form a sort of invisible protective dome to shield her from the sun as she trained once she stepped foot onto the court.

Arya's eyes flickered towards the bushes where she saw the monster deer.

It was gone now.

How was that even possible?

Well, she wasn't going back to retrieve that throwing knife that was for sure.

The moving dummies proved to be quite a challenge for Arya to hit but she used her telekinesis to move the throwing knives and to alter their course to hone in on the moving dummies until they hit their target.

Knives zipped through the air like birds of prey, diving downwards and flying after their prey at Arya's command.

All 8 dummies were hit and taken out.

Arya felt a bit tired now and she decided to end things here for today.

….

She got a surprise when Baron Pax returned and was waiting for her in the library.

"Mr.Pax!!!"

Arya raced up to give him a huge hug and she nearly knocked him off his feet.

Baron Pax chuckled and was touched by this gesture as he was a father himself. He thought that if he ever had a granddaughter, it could be Arya. 

"Hello, princess. I'm back. Ready for our lessons to continue?"

"Yes!!"

Arya ripped herself away from him and took a seat in the chair next to him.

"How was the party?"

Baron Pax smiled as he selected some books for them to read and discuss.

"Lovely. It was just a private party with only family and close friends but it was a great way to celebrate my wife's birthday."

Arya nodded and she picked up one of the books with her telekinesis.

It floated off the pile and straight into her hands.

"You're getting better and controlling and using your telekinesis, little princess."

"We're reading Myths and Stories of the Ancient Times? Sounds fun!!"

Arya had already cracked open the book to the first story titled "The Dark Times and the Prince-Hero".

Baron Pax cleared his throat.

"Arya, I have a question to ask you."

Arya nodded and she continued reading but she was listening.

"What do you think of attending a royal ball or going to the Royal Academy?"

Arya ripped her eyes off the book and looked right up at her tutor.

"Why? I have you and the Malva siblings. Attending some school isn't something I'm interested in. A royal ball?....why are you bringing all this up all of a sudden?"

Baron Pax needed some time to come up with a reason.

"Well, it's just that we've all been thinking it's high time you debut now. It's already been five months since your identity was first revealed and even your uncle agrees that you're ready to face the world as a princess now. We just want to let you know and to make sure that you're ready and want to do this."

Arya pretended to be engrossed by the story of how some prince became a hero who saved his kingdom and people from being overrunned by monsters.

"Why is my uncle not contacting me? Is he alright?"

Baron Pax rubbed his head and looked like he was trying to hide something.

"Alright, you deserve to know the truth. It's a secret that not even the royal children or concubines know about but your uncle…the king…he's very, very, very sick these days. No-he has been sick for years now but he's been hiding it from the public and from his own family for years now."

The king? Terminally ill for years now?

"Why?"

Baron Pax gave her a small smile and gently tapped a finger on her forehead.

"Think, princess. You're a smart girl. Why keep it a secret from everyone? Remember what I taught you."

Royal politics were always messy and bloody with various factions and fighting going on with nobles supporting their chosen royal and only one crown for so many royal kids.

"They're starting to fight each other. A royal succession war will break out. Even if there is a crown prince or princess, there's still no guarantee that a succession war will not happen."

"Exactly, my dear girl, exactly. Fighting will break out if word ever got out that the king has fallen sick. We must keep up the illusion of strength and stability or else chaos will break loose. Civil wars and succession wars are never really pretty and history has proven that many, many times now."

Arya nodded, remembering how the succession wars played out in the books with various princes and princesses all trying to get the throne for themselves and fighting among each other. It was really cliche and repetitive really.

Arya frowned.

"That's confusing. Why can't the king just have two or three kids and show them all his love? I think those royal siblings wouldn't fight each other so often if they shared happy moments between them and if…some of them were unloved and forgotten while some got all the attention and love. This whole system sets the siblings up against each other and it's kinda sad that they don't get to experience what a real family is like, one with love, happiness and a close bond between siblings, and loving parents, right, sister?"

Baron Pax cleared his throat.

"I know. It's confusing and complex but you could say that that's how the world works. Siblings fight each other for the throne, nobles fight their own blood and flesh for the wealth and the inheritance left behind by their parents. I think it's stupid and not really worth it honestly. You only got one life to live and you might as well live it to the fullest, enjoying the wonderful things it has to offer. Not spending it fighting over some money and a little bit of land or a throne. Too bad the royal kids have been practically groomed and trained to fight each other for the throne-it's their fate as royal kids."

"What if they don't want the throne? What if all they want is a happy and peaceful life? Do they even have a say in their own future or was their future already written out for them in stone the moment they were born into the royal family?"

Arya just randomly blurted that out.

"I don't know. Maybe some of them just want a normal and peaceful life, not having any interest in politics or the throne. But just being a royal comes with its own dangers, little princess, and history can provide many reasons why being born a royal means you have to live your life always watching your back."

Arya nodded.

"I know."

Baron Pax frowned.

"No, you don't really know."

Arya did not talk to Baron Pax for the rest of the lesson.

….

Myna was busy preparing the meal for tonight's dinner when Arya burst into the kitchen unannounced and started cursing at Baron Pax. She stormed over to a small kitchen table and sat down in a chair and then proceeded to go on a rant.

Myna peeled potatoes and chopped up carrots while listening to Arya's rant.

"Don't know!!?? Don't know about danger?!! Hell, I lived on the streets for years and survived on my own without anyone's help!! I fought with dogs for bits of food and I faced down street thugs and all kinds of nasty people!! I know what danger is!!"

Myna put down her cutting knife, wiped her hands clean on her apron and sat down next to Arya.

"Sweetie, what happened?"

"He thinks I'm some pretty little flower that grew up in a greenhouse when I'm actually a wild weed living out in the wild, surviving until I got plucked up and became a princess overnight.Like, bitch, you think I don't know how to handle myself in a dangerous situation or that my head is only filled with flowers and bunnies and sunshine?!!"

Myna frowned. Arya normally wasn't the type to go on a rant or get angry this easily. Baron Pax must have really upsetted her.

"Sweetie, I think he was just looking after you in his own way. I mean, have you ever seen what the relationship between the royal children is like? It's almost nonexistent-it's more like they're a bunch of strangers living under one house or a pack of wild wolves fighting over a piece of meat than actual siblings."

Arya looked up at Myna, her maid/adopted older sister.

"Why fight? Why not enjoy their lives and get along with each other? Is power and strength all that important to them?"

Myna wasn't a philosopher or scholar by any means but she did her best to answer that question.

"I suppose yes and no. Pride and power is really all they think about but they're also loving and kind. Family does matter to some but power means more than their own kin to some. It just depends really."

"Myna, the soup is boiling over."

Myna quickly got up to check up on the stew and Arya looked out at the window to see the setting sun.

Maybe she should apologize to Baron Pax.

She hoped Elijah and Catalina were coming back soon.

She worried about what the future might hold in store for her as well.

….

With only a week left until the king's royal birthday party, nobles were gossipping and chatting with each other in anticipation for the biggest event of the year excluding the anniversary of the founding of the Kingdom.

Various noble households lived in the royal capital in order to be close to the royal family and every night, the city came alive with lights and partying from nobles throwing parties late into the night.

One such party taking place was hosted in a luxury hotel located in the center of the capital to celebrate a lord's birthday.

The finest and most beautiful dresses that money could buy were put on display, modeled by the daughters and mistresses of noble households. Baby blue, pale pink, daffodil yellow, deep red, dark purple, white and green, blue and gold. Women decked out in jewels and pearls, wearing delicate and beautiful accessories while they had their hair done up in elaborate and fancy hairstyles. The men wore their finest suits and ties and they looked positively plain and boring by comparison to their wives/sisters/girlfriends/daughters.

Music was provided by a small band of musicians who played soft music in the background. Tables covered with white cloth were piled high with food and drinks of all kinds for the guests to enjoy from glasses of wine around filled to the brim to roasted pig already sliced up and ready to eat to small chocolate desserts that could be eaten without a plate.

The lavish and decadent food, the beautiful and luxurious ballroom in the hotel, everyone was impressed with the amount of effort and planning that took place to host such a party.

The main star of the party, the lord whose birthday was being celebrated, relished the praise and compliments heaped onto him by the guests.

Lord Humil, a man with stark white hair and piercing dark purple eyes with a few wrinkles and signs of old age on him and dressed in a purple and white suit, stood by his only son, Frederick Humil-who was also dressed in a matching purple and white suit. Frederick looked like he wanted to be anywhere except his father's birthday party right now but he did a good job of hiding it as he greeted guests, made small talk with them, flirted with the few girls around his age that attended and just tried to be a good son to his father. 

The Humils were a low ranking noble family who were so small and obscure that no one knew about them. Their only property consisted of a small piece of land and a mansion. That was it. Pretty pathetic by comparison when other noble families were able to pass down mountains of wealth and huge plots of land that could be considered kingdoms in their own right to their sons and daughters. Screw that, other noble families had one thing that mattered more than land or money: Power. The Humils weren't a powerful family at all with their powers mainly consisting of small tricks or low-level abilities such as Fredrick's paralyzing ability. That was a problem that the patriarch of the Humil family, Frederick's grandfather, sought to correct by having a lady of a much more powerful household marry his son, Frederick's father, and having a child that was more powerful than both parents.

It was an arranged marriage between Fredrick's parents by the former Humil patriarch and his mother really had no say in the marriage-or did his father. Her family-a once powerful and influential family-had fallen into hard times and into debt. She needed money and a place to stay after her household fell and she was left with nothing to inherit except for a suitcase full of clothes.

The marriage was awkward at first but the two soon fell in love with each other and Frederick was born 6 years later.

 Frederick had both his parent's abilities: HIs father's paralyzing ability and his mother's shapeshifting ability. Such a rare phenomenon for a child to inherit both parent's abilities.

At this point, the old patriarch died and Fredrick's father become the head of the Humil Household and the three lived happily as a small family even if Frederick's father was a bit obsessed with moving up in the social ladder and his mother still reminisce about her former glory days, the two loved Fredrick very, very,very much and the family was filled with love and joy.

However, the tense political atmosphere was still present even at a birthday party.

Word had now spread that the Crown Prince had woken up from his coma now and rumors spread that the king was seriously sick and dying.

Whispering and talking took place among the nobility as they gathered and socialized.

A succession war was going to break out at any moment now and nobles were planning and paying close attention to the political state of the capital these days. Everyone had different opinions as to who to support if a succession war ever broke out. Nobles debated the odds of a royal being able to win a succession war and succeed the throne, others chose not to get involved with royal politics and stay neutral.

Almost everyone agreed that the Crown Prince stood the greatest chance of being able to win as he was the strongest out of all the king's children. But now, doubts started to spread as to how strong he still was after the failed assassination attempt on him.

A middle-aged woman in a daffodil yellow dress and her graying sea-green hair in ringlets leaned over and whispered to her friend behind her fan.

"It's a shock that his highness recovered after he was nearly on death's door just a month ago."

Her friend, a lady in a pale green dress and blonde hair twisted into a bun,frowned.

"Don't say such things, Suzane. What if someone hears you?"

Suzane continued.

"I'm just saying that the Crown Prince may not be as strong as he once was. I'm seriously thinking of switching my allegiance to the Second Princess, Mareena."

Mareena sighed behind her fan. There had been a huge split with some nobles choosing to remain on the Crown Prince's side, but there were others who had second thoughts and decided to switch their alliances to another royal instead.

Nobles were all talking about the succession war that might happen soon if the rumors that the king had fallen sick and was on his deathbed were true. Mareena sighed and grabbed a glass of wine from a passing servant.

"You know, my husband is an advisor for the king and he's heard some interesting things that were going on in the royal family. Did you know that the king has a secret daughter?"

Mareena choked on her wine and she got a couple of stares.

"Suzane, where did you hear that?"

Curse her best friend and her tendencies to gossip. Where in the world does she get all her information from?!

Suzane looked a little secretive and sly. She leaned over and whispered into her ear.

"Well, my husband was there when the king ordered a debut party for a princess on his birthday. But which of the 4 princesses needs a debut when they already debut? No, there has to be a secret princess that no one knows about."

Marrena knew she shouldn't be indulging in trashy gossip but she was also curious at the same time.

She whispered, "Who is she?"

Suzane shrugged, "Don't know except that she's illegitimate. I wonder what kind of princess she is."