I stare back at her, flabbergasted for a moment, confused at her words to me, "Y—You know who I am?"

She nods once swiftly, "You are the daughter of General Draco. What happened to him, Katarina? Why are you here?"

Something clicks in my mind and the story Papa told me about his time serving as a Royal Knight resonates in my thoughts. But he served a King. King Zeke.

"I—Is King Zeke your father?"

She nods swiftly once again, and her gaze never leaves mine. Her shoulders slump slightly and her expression softens a bit, "I guess you were too young to remember. My father has two children, Vega and myself. We are twins. We reign Thebe together,"

"My father did... tell me his story about me and my mother not too long ago,"

Her expression lights up slightly, "Then you already know how our system works a little bit then?"

"You mean about the Pegasus Knights and the Cavaliers? Yeah, kind of,"

"Good. But since father passed, Vega and I split the two groups between us. All of our female Knights, the Pegasus Knights, serve under me and all of our male Knights, the Cavaliers, serve under him,"

I nod, "I—I see,"

She studies me closely, "Katarina, is there something bothering you?"

I glance around us for a moment before looking back at her, "Does your brother not like me?"

My question seems to catch her off-guard as her eyes widen slightly, "Oh, I don't think so. Is this about what happened yesterday?"

I nod.

"I cannot answer that, but you may go speak to him yourself about that. As a matter of fact, I would like for you to go speak to him, soon. He has things to tell you that I cannot that I am sure you wish to know,"

What could he possibly have to tell me that Lady Nova can't say herself?

I just simply nod, "Okay, I will find him later,"

So many questions. But if she remembers me when I was here those years ago with Papa, then her brother will too. Maybe that is partially why they responded the way they did yesterday. They remember me differently than they saw me yesterday. I was emotionally unstable and, in a wreck, alone, without Papa with me.

"Please, Katarina. Tell me what happened to your father. Why isn't he here with you? Something is on your mind that you are not saying,"

Suddenly, tears threaten my eyes as my throat tightens up. Should I tell her I don't know, or should I say what I actually feel? I honestly don't know but...

I think he may be dead...

I see Lady Nova watching me fight away these tears as she patiently waits for me to answer. I look away, "I—I don't know where he is... I think he might be dead..."

I swiftly slide my gaze back to hers when she covers her mouth with her hand softly, "Dead?"

Tears defeat me and a single one slides down my left cheek as I nod. I pull my hands up to my face and I rub my eyes. I feel arms surround me as Lady Nova pulls me into an embrace. She silently allows me to softly weep for a moment into her shoulder.

"I'm so sorry to hear this, Katarina. That must have been devastating for you... this now makes sense why you appeared to us the way you did yesterday..." She says softly into my hair.

I pull away from her as I wipe away the tears from my cheek with my sleeve. She patiently waits for me to recover. Something about her calms me. I hold myself with my arms, gather my courage and organize my thoughts before telling her more.

"The last time I saw him was yesterday morning. We had a disagreement and I left to go back to my room,"

"A disagreement?"

I nod and look away again, "Yeah... my best friends left the village not too long ago and I was distraught they left. I wanted to go too but Papa wouldn't have any of it... Kept telling me I was too young,"

A moment of silence.

So, I continue, "They didn't tell me where they went, and Papa seemed to also know but he refused to tell me too... And I don't know why..."

I pause for a moment, not liking what happened next, "Our village got attacked again, later in the morning, and Papa was nowhere to be found. When I looked downstairs, his armor and lance was still in the living room. I took his lance and hid in the closet, only for my home to be destroyed by them. I only survived because your Knights came when they did... or I..."

I tightly grip my arms and stop talking while the silence allows for what I said to sink in once again. I add quietly, "I was forced to leave my village without Papa's permission... and I am searching for my best friends... not even knowing if they are still alive either..."

My gaze finds Lady Nova's and she just watches me in silence. The expression on her face tells me she is trying to understand what I just said to her. Should I have told her everything? I guess it won't hurt. Maybe she knows if Cain and Abel are here.

"I see. I'm so sorry, Katarina. You are safe here with me. I hope we find your father and your friends,"

I slide my eyes back over to hers, "Would you happen to know if they are here? Their names are Cain and Abel,"

I step closer to her and I study her, hoping she knows them, hoping she knows anything about them. Something appears on her face for a split second, but she pushes it away quickly and shakes her head at me.

"I'm sorry, but I don't know them. My brother has not mentioned any new Knights to me with those names. My brother has requested of me several things that it might be better if he explains them to you. Maybe before I get you started with your training, you should pay him a little visit,"

She turns towards the staircase that we used earlier, "But first, I wish to get you your armor and I would like for you to change into it before wandering around the Castle again,"

I nod, and she begins to glide towards the stairs. I follow her, and she quickens her pace as we flow down the stairs. I follow her all the way back to the armory, but she leads me through it back to the courtyard. I follow her back through the path Ophelia brought me and I find myself back into the throne room.

She glides over to the doorway in the back of the throne room and disappears into it for a moment. When she emerges again, she is holding a box.

"Come, Katarina. I have some armor here that should fit you well. Now follow me to the fitting room attached to the armory. Sorry for making you follow me all around the Castle like this,"

I nod once again, "It's okay, Princess,"

I follow her all the way back to the armory. She leads me to the back of the armory, past all the many different armor sets and lances on display and through another doorway. When I enter this room, there are many different colored pieces of clothing lined up on display.

"Please select a color for your garments to wear underneath your armor,"

She places down the box she was carrying and opens it. She steps away and I step up to per down inside. A beautiful set of armor shimmers as I look down at it. I lift the chest piece and admire it in the light. The armor set is a seafoam green color with purple trim.

I lower it and look around at the rainbow garments displayed before me. My gaze stops on a dark red color and wander over to it. I hear the Princess chuckle a bit behind me, "I knew somehow you would pick that color, Katarina,"

My very first armor set. And the Princess is just giving it to me. I guess this means this is my first step in becoming a Knight. Maybe it's for the best I learn to fight. This may be the best way to search for you, Cain.

I just want to stand by you. And be strong like you... I want you to be proud of me.

I take down the garment and hold it in my hands. That is when I notice the matching gloves that cover my entire arm up to just below my shoulder. And on the floor beneath where the garments are displayed have matching leggings with boots as well. All of them are the same beautiful dark red color.

"Hehe, I will wait for you outside,"

The Princess takes her leave and I am left in the dressing room alone. I gather up all of the pieces of clothing and armor and lay them out in front of me. I take each piece into a single room in the back of the dressing room and close the door behind me.

As I put on each piece of armor, I feel myself become physically heavier. After completing the set, I find it much more difficult to move around as I study myself in a mirror. I look back at myself and find the same expression plastered on my face as I saw in my own mirror at home after that talk with Papa.

Confusion. Sadness. Worry.

Well here goes nothing. I am officially the Princess's Knight. This begins my journey to self-discovery. The journey that will lead me to find myself in this world that was lost within war.

I narrow my gaze as I continue to stare at myself in the mirror. Starting today, I will not be that timid little girl I used to be. I will become a Knight and I will stand strong or I will never find you, Cain.

I will not let this war break me anymore. I open the door and carry my favorite clothes out with me as I stand tall, getting used to my new armor. Every day, for now on, this will be what I wear, and my life is now devoted to Lady Nova.

I step outside the armory's dressing room and the Princess's gaze falls on me. Her expression lights up with something I can't figure out and I take a quick bow for her, "At your service, Lady Nova,"

What do you think Sir Vega has to say that Lady Nova claims she should not?

What do you think of Vega and Nova?

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

This is update one out of three for my Birthday [JUNE 8]!
Some bonus stuff for you.
One part each for Lance Knight and TDMG: Through the Mirror!
Also a new piece of art of Katarina!
Look out for all three!