Faylinn

"Where did you go yesterday?"

Kieran glanced up from his post in the corner of the room and raised an eyebrow.

"I also have things to do when I'm not babysitting you," he replied smoothly, and I scowled at his jab.

"It's not like I ask you to..." I trailed off, frowning as I realised he was dodging the question, "and that's besides the point."

"So what is the point?" A smirk crossed his face and I nearly threw my hands up in frustration.

"The point is-"

"No point," Kieran stated, pushing off the wall and coming around to peer over my shoulder. "Besides, I feel like it'd be more in your interest to pay attention to what you are doing."

I glanced down, my eyes widening in horror as the report I had spent hours on was stained with a large drop of ink from my quill.

"You-!" I tried to say, my mouth opening and closing as I glanced from his cheshire grin to my soiled report and back again.

"...are very handsome? Why thank you, Your Majesty!" he exclaimed with fake enthusiasm, grin widening when I glared daggers at him.

Sighing, I rubbed my temples--I could feel a headache brewing. My only real job was keeping Xylia happy, but I even had problems with that.

"Do you need a nap?" Kieran asked, face unusually serious.

"Since I am not a five-year-old, I will go take a walk instead... meanwhile could you check up on Ysaim? I was thinking of travelling there tomorrow." I glanced back down at my ruined report, hoping that he would not see through my lie.

He raised an eyebrow at that but complied, letting the door swing shut behind him as he left.

I let out a sigh of relief, able to breathe now that he was finally gone.

After a few minutes, I decided to brave a peek out the door, a feeling of mischief filling me as I saw that the hallway was empty.

I began tiptoeing down the corridor, before clearing my throat as I remembered to walk normally in case anyone were to walk past. Reaching the large oak door of the Royal Guard's quarters, I hesitated for a second before pushing it open.

"Your Majesty?" I jumped, face blanching as I was confronted by Steiv--the Vice Captain of the Royal Guard. "What are you doing here?"

 "Is there a reason to why I cannot be here?" I asked back, lifting my chin in an attempt to be more queenly.

"Of course not, Your Majesty." He bowed swiftly, and I could see his large muscles rippling underneath his shirt. Restraining a shiver of fear for anyone who got on the wrong side of him, I turned away with only one goal in mind.

Kieran's room.

Something in there may just give me an upper-hand over him and find out where he always snuck off to every now and then. Smirking at my own ingenious, I turned the knob to the Captain of the Guard's room, eyes widening in horror as I realised that it was locked.

Had I really been that dense to think that Kieran would leave his door open?

I sighed heavily, resisting the urge to stomp my foot in frustration.

"Need this?"

I spun around to the sound of Steiv's voice, almost losing my balance in my panic. He held out a silver key, smile playing on his lips.

"Ah, yes, I was looking for that..." I trailed off, eyeing the key in his hand.

"Let's keep this a secret between you and me," he grinned and dropped it into my open hand, his ice-cold fingers brushing my palm and sending a chill through my entire arm.

I shrugged it off internally--perhaps he was just a naturally cold person--and I gave him a poised smile, turning back to the door without another word. Why he had decided to help me, I had no idea, but now I could do what I came here for.

Slipping the key into the lock, I smiled as it unlocked with a satisfying click. I pushed open the door, stepping softly on the carpeted floor of the room.

The room was unsurprisingly normal, though some part of me had wanted to find some obvious blackmail, perhaps even signs of a secret lover. I almost giggled at that, the thought of Kieran with a lover was completely absurd. Sure, women fell for his looks, but he was far too devoted to his job to give them a second glance.

I gazed around the room, trying to determine if anything was worth snooping around in. A simple wood table took up the right side of the room with papers littering its top. His nondescript bed with beige sheets sat in the corner of the room, a set of drawers next to it.

Would something be in there?

I edged closer, glancing towards the door as guilt and the fear of being caught wormed its way into my mind. But I was the Queen of Xylia, wasn't I? There were no consequences for me.

I sucked in a breath and gathered up my courage. Glancing around the room again, I tiptoed my way to the set of drawers that had caught my interest.

I pulled open the top draw, wincing as the hinge gave a loud creak. Holding my breath for a few seconds, I sighed in relief when no signs of movement outside were heard. Shaking my head furiously, I peered into the draw, pulling a face when all I saw was a Royal Guard Handbook and a few pens.

Really, Kieran had no life, did he?

I pushed that drawer back in, ignoring the creak this time and pulled out the one below it. Biting my lip in frustration when all I saw were a few pairs of socks and a deck of cards, I grabbed the handle of the lowest drawer and pulled it roughly out.

The items inside the drawer jostled loudly and I winced. Shrugging the twinge of guilt away, pushed a few yellowed papers aside, frowning when I saw an ornate wooden box carved with a delicate design.

Ah ha! Surely that would be for his secret lover?

I eagerly picked up the box, thrilled to finally have something to hold over him before I felt a familiar buzz of magic in my fingers.

It was coming from... the box?

I took a seat on his bed, intrigue getting the better of me and slowly pried the lid open, a small gasp leaving my mouth as I saw what it held.

Inside the box was a pure Xealite crystal framed by small diamonds. Sunlight streaming from the open window reflected against the crystal and cast a kaleidoscope of colours onto the dull walls of the room.

Touching the crystal, I felt a strange warmth spread through my fingertips. A thin golden chain unfurled as I lifted it up and I felt the powerful buzz of magic that emanated through the crystal. True, pure Xealite was beautiful, but it held no other use to Xylia than to be aesthetically pleasing.

All of a sudden, a agonising sharp pain tore through my skull and my vision swam. I gasped out, feeling a heavy pressure settle on my chest as a darkness shrouded my mind.

"-isia! Over here!" A young boy with bright green eyes and jet hair called out excitedly.

...Kieran?

I glanced around in confusion as a girl a little younger than me skipped across the field, throwing a small round ball into the air. She was wearing a lavender, long-sleeved gown, and her dark hair was tied into a loose plait.

I felt a rush of familiarity, but I couldn't put my finger on it.

The girl laughed, but it sounded a distorted and I stumbled, landing on the grassy field. She glanced towards me as I fell, before dropping the ball she was holding and running to my side.

"Fay! Are you alright? What happened?"

I glanced at her shadowed face, who was she? And why was she so concerned?

I opened my mouth and tried to speak, eyes widening as the girl in the lavender dress began fading.

"No!" I tried to scream. "Don't go!"

But the words would not come.

The girl only patted my head reassuring before turning around and disappearing from sight.

I gasped, feeling as if the ground had been swept out from beneath me. Gazing at the necklace clutched tightly in my grasp, I could feel the dizziness slowly ebb away.

I brought a hand up to my cheek, shocked as my fingers came away wet.

Who was that girl in the vision? Why had she called me 'Fay'? The only nickname to those around me was 'Linn' and I found it a little strange... yet comforting.

Shaking my head, I replaced the necklace into its box and stood up, making sure to smooth the covers on Kieran's bed before I left.

Closing the door with a soft click, I jumped when I felt a presence behind me.

"Did you find what you were searching for, Your Majesty?" Steiv asked with a slight smile. I hurriedly shoved the box behind my back.

It wasn't that I was stealing, per say, I was just... borrowing it for awhile.

I plastered a matching smile on my face and subtly fixed my posture. "No, but it was adequate."

Steiv shot me a strange look before bowing, effectively bidding me on my way. I nodded in reply and hurriedly returned to my chambers, locking the door behind me.

"Where have you been, Your Majesty?" A voice called, and I jumped for the second time within the space of five minutes.

I glared at Kieren as he stepped out of the shadows of my room, hiding the box between the folds of my dress. "And why is that any of your business?"

He smirked, walking towards me, "Just concerned for my Queen, is all."

"I'm--er--I am not feeling too well right now and plan to have an early night," I stuttered out, cursing my inability to lie smoothly.

I expected him to interrogate me further but instead, a surprisingly concerned expression made its way onto his face as he took another step closer. 

"Are you alright? Do you have a fever?" 

I mutely shook my head, ducking into my wardrobe to hide from his sharp gaze.

"Call Prim and Estella--I need help to get undressed."

Hearing his retreating footsteps, I breathed a sigh of relief and took the box out from between my clammy palms. I held it to the light, frowning when I saw an inscription on the bottom.

Ilona

A woman's name--did his secret lover really exist? I frowned in thought. Perhaps it was a family heirloom.

I held the box higher with the intention examine it closer, but stopped at the sound of voices.

"Your Majesty? Are you unwell?" Prim called from outside the wardrobe, her voice slightly muffled.

Quickly shoving the box into my underclothes drawer, I pushed open the wardrobe's door and peered out.

"I'm here Prim, thank you. And no, I was just feeling a little under the weather so I thought to have an early night." I said, an innocent smile on my face.

Prim flashed me a concerned expression, but said nothing, simply helping me out of my heavy gown.

"The bath will be ready soon, do you need anything else?" She asked, voice warm and soothing.

I shook my head and took a seat at my desk, thoughts whirling around my head. What did that vision mean? Was I becoming delusional?

But more importantly, who was that girl?