Thethia: Royal Palace, Queen's Bedchamber

• Jason •

"Knight Wayland," Marie greeted him when she saw him waiting outside the Queen's bedchamber.

"Marie," he nodded slightly and requested, "Can I request for an audience from Her Majesty?"

"Definitely." Before opening the doors, Marie sighed a little as she cautioned him, "Her Majesty isn't in her best condition today, please be aware."

"I'll be mindful," Jason assured her before following behind her to enter the Queen's bedchamber. 

He looked towards her as she sat in her usual armchair, whilst staring out of the window blankly. Marie mentioned that her condition had worsened lately and she began forgetting things and were confused by many things. At times, she would wake up thinking that she was still back in the Veilstein Manor. Other times, she would wake up afraid of the maidservants that had served her for many years, claiming that she didn't know them. A fear darted through him when he was unsure when she would also erase him from her memories.  

"Your Majesty, Knight Wayland is here." Marie leaned close to her, speaking softly to announce Jason's presence. 

The Queen had no response. She continued to stare at the window. He continued to glance towards her as he recalled how cheerful, optimistic and full of life she once was. It was absolutely heartbreaking for him to see her spending her days quiet and lost in herself — somewhere too far for him to reach.

Jason looked into her eyes. Those striking amber eyes that complemented her enchanting beauty. His heart ached at how they used to shine brighter than citrine, but they had since lost their light. The amber looked dull and empty, almost without any trace of life.

He lowered himself on one knee, kneeling beside her. He sat close to her but never touching her for the fear that it would startle her and for the fear that he didn't have the rights to even be that close to her. He sighed internally.

Jason was appointed by the Queen to be her knight ever since he turned eighteen. Then, she was only seventeen. She was still Nadia Veilstein, the daughter of the powerful Duke Veilstein. On the other hand, he was an illegitimate child of a Baron. Since he was a child of a commoner woman, the Purdine family was intolerant of his existence. Therefore, when he turned seven, Baron Purdine took the chance to chase him out of the manor when his mother died. If not for Nadia, he would've died in the cold winter night then. 

He was forever indebted to the Veilstein family. Not only had they brought him back to the manor, but also gave him food and clothing. Moreover, Nadia begged her father to convince Earl Wayland to adopt him. The Earl was a man faithful to his love. Unfortunately, his wife passed early due to an illness and since then, he remained widowed with no children. There was no heir to the Wayland household and from the first meeting with the Earl, the kind man accepted him immediately at first sight.

Perhaps it was the fates at play because being kicked out of Purdine family allowed him to find a family that loved him for who he was. Earl Wayland had played the role of a father better than his biological father. For that, Jason felt most thankful for Nadia because she had given him a life that he would never be able to imagine should he stayed in the Purdine Manor.

Nadia became his motivation as he worked tirelessly in order to gain the title of a Knight. Jason swore to protect her with his life and keep her safe. Even his title as the Genius of Thethia was all for her. Jason didn't deem himself as someone with surpassing intelligence. He was simply a person who worked harder than anyone else for the hope that he could have the rights to stand right behind her.

While he had protected her from all the senseless battles within the walls of the Royal Grounds, he could not protect her from her own despair. He could only watch her growing weaker each day and it tormented him to see her suffering like that. 

"Your Majesty," Jason addressed her, voice low. 

Her face remained impassive and there was still no response from her. 

Lowering his head, he mouthed her name silently. Nadia. He tried to swallow the lump of emotions in his throat before pushing himself off the ground and turned towards Marie. "I shall take my leave today. I will visit another time." 

"Jason, don't go." 

He immediately halted his step and looked towards the hands that were clinging onto him. She used to hold onto his arm this way when they were younger. Since Nadia was the only daughter of the Veilstein family, her brothers were always busy with their studies and had no time to spend with her. When Jason came along, she finally had someone to keep her company and she would follow him around often. 

"Your Majesty, I'm still here," Jason placed his hand on top of hers but withdrew it quickly when he realised that he was not supposed to display such acts of affection. He had also pried her hands away from him and rested them on the arm of the chair. He lowered himself beside her again, closing the height.

Nadia lowered her gaze, frowning as she stared at him before grumbling in a petulant tone, "Jason, you used to call me Nadia, why have you stopped calling me that now? Have I made you upset?"

Words stuck in his throat, choking him. He took a deep inhale but the air pierced right through his chest. He spoke gently, "Your Majesty, it's different now."

"How different?" Nadia gently tilted her head to the side, her gaze filled with curiosity. 

You are the Queen, and I am just your knight.

All that he wanted to say formed in his mind but never speaking them out loud. Jason only smiled at her. An expression of hurt surfaced briefly before he quickly wiped it away and composed himself again. 

"Your Majesty, I am here to talk about Princess Elianna." 

As much as Jason wanted to keep her company, he had his priorities set. Nadia was the one who entrusted him with Elianna, and he would do nothing to let her down. That name held magic in them and at the mention of Elianna's name, Nadia sat upright. Her unfocused gaze turned sharp and they lifted to meet his grey eyes. "Eli?" she murmured. "Did something happen to her?" 

"In a few months, Her Highness will be turning nine." 

"Nine, nine—," Nadia sunk back into her armchair, biting on her nails nervously. "Nine's not good." 

"As per your request, I have prepared the place for her once she leaves the royal grounds," Jason reported accordingly. "The only thing now is to get her out of the Royal Grounds as soon as possible." 

Nadia was careful in making sure that she left no noticeable tracks for anyone to find out that she had been plotting to get Elianna out of the Royal Grounds. She ordered for him to prepare a hideout which no one would possibly find her. While all her plans were communicated in details to Marie, Jason and Lylia, she left the most crucial part blank.

Nadia never told anyone about how she wanted to transport Elianna out of the Royal Grounds. With her worsening conditions, Jason began to worry if she could still think of a rational plan to move Elianna out. He waited for her to answer but she fell silent instead. Nadia raised her head slowly to look towards him and Marie while her eyes brimmed with sadness. Her hands clutched tightly onto theirs before tears began pouring relentlessly.

"Your Majesty?" Jason gasped. He firmed his hold on her thin hands, knowing that it had been tough on her since she lived under great pressure for the past eight years in order for Elianna to live. 

"I'm sorry..." Nadia apologised while she cried sorrowfully.

━━━━━━━━━━

Thethia: Heather Palace, Elianna's Bedchamber

• Elianna •

"Lylia, it is cold tonight," Elianna commented.

"It is indeed cold," Lylia brought a thick stole and drape it across Elianna's shoulder. "Your Highness, you should close the windows."

It was off that Jason cancelled her training today and Thunder was not sent to train with her. The child glanced towards the cloudless and starless skies beyond the rusty windows that were rattling noisily when the wind blew.

I wondered if something had happened. 

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