The Marked Phoenix: Little Red Bird - Chapter 3

“Like the late Queen.” Kalesin finished the sentence for her, his eyes softening upon seeing her distraught expression. He vowed to ruin whoever dared to gossip like that. The Palace did not need meddling workers. It was a known rule within the Palace that whoever offended the Princess offended the entire Kingdom.

Emerine glanced around them, cautious of any sightings of her father. It was strange to her. She knew her father loved her mother very dearly, yet there wasn’t a painting insight of the previous Queen. Her room was wiped from existence, her burial grounds were unknown, and everything about the Queen seemed to have vanished from the face of this Earth.

“You shouldn’t carelessly mention her.” Emerine thoughtfully said, even though she felt the opposite of her words.

Kalesin shifted his hand to his sword, preventing it from twitching. It was a bad habit of his hand to twitch when angered. “She’s your mother, your highness—”

“Didn’t I tell you to just call me Emerine?” she said in a weak attempt to change the conversation. Her pattern of speech was no match for her brain, but then again, her intelligence was something consistently praised for. Except, at times, she was very ignorant and naive. She was truly only book-smart and never street-smart.

Kalesin bit his tongue to prevent resorting back at her. The first and only time he had ever called her by her name, he was heavily punished for it. He said it in her room when a maid was present and cleaning it. One thing escalated to the other and he was dragged to the sentencing ground for a thorough whipping. All of which was kept a secret from Emerine. King Augustus [1] of the West made sure the incident was kept tight-lipped.

Kalesin couldn’t blame Emerine for it. It was his fault for giving in to the temptation that they could ever be on a first-name basis. ‘And what a foolish thought it is.’ He whispered in his mind, his fingers tightly gripping the sword.

“I just can’t break the habit, your highness.” he lied through his teeth. His smile became strained when Emerine stared at him as if she knew something he didn’t. His heart jumped out of his throat when she reached a hand out in an attempt to grab him. On instinct, he stepped back.

“You can’t touch me, your highness. You shouldn’t dirty your hands,” he warned her. As long as he was a simple soldier-in-training, he could never allow himself the privilege of being too close to her. Sure, he could tease her all he wanted to in private, but he knew better than anyone else, that as long as he was a low-ranked fighter, he would never be able to protect her. And this simple idea was enough for him to draw boundary lines that she continuously trampled on. With an innocent smile, she always crossed the line and wiped it from existence.

“I don’t understand you. You tease me one minute, but then act just like everyone else.” Emerine quietly said, climbing off the bench and standing to her feet.

“Who badmouthed you?” Kalesin attempted to change the subject with a forced smile. He could see she was offended by his words. No, he could see she was hurt that he even had such thoughts. She had desperately wished to be friends, but he could not afford that luxury. ‘Soon.’ He promised, ‘Soon, I will become someone worthy enough to protect you.’ He wanted to tell her that with all his heart in hopes of wiping the pain from her eyes. But he could not do so. Not with his current position. She was the sole reason why he trained his body beyond its limits during the scheduled fighting and training sessions given to a young soldier like him.

Kalesin could only visit the Princess in his spare time — a fact that must be kept from the King at all costs.

A gentle soul at heart, just like her mother, Emerine struggled to speak of a name. She was spoiled, but not heartless. She knew the consequences that would fall on the maids if she uttered their names.

“I-it’s no one.” Emerine glanced toward the side as something flashed in her eyes. She could see the neatly-trimmed blades of grass swaying in the wind. The beautiful evergreen should’ve calmed her down, but it filled her heart with uncertainty. She was magicless. Girls her age were supposed to reveal their magic affinity by now and begin training to hone their skills, but she hadn’t.

Her magic had still yet to develop, but there were already rumors that she might not be born with an affinity.

Daughters usually inherited their magic affinities from their fathers, and sons from their mothers. This was why it was so crucial for aristocrats to marry powerful blue-blooded daughters. However, there were rare occasions where a daughter could inherit magic from their mother and sons from their father, but there have not been many recorded cases of such events.

Whenever Emerine was surrounded by enticing flowers of all shades and shapes, she usually felt happy. Most little girls love everything small and pretty. But today she couldn’t feel that same glee. Instead, it reminded her that her father’s magic affinity was Florentine, the ability to promote plant growth. His power was extremely essential in keeping his Kingdom safe from any outsiders that wandered too close to the forests surrounding the entire capital at all sides, except for the grand entrances leading into the city.

Emerine was so lost in her thoughts that she did not see a massive presence approaching her. A man strolled through the clearing, accompanied by his advisor, imperial guards, and eunuchs, all of whom trailed behind him.

Kalesin could sense the King from a mile away as he immediately turned around and dropped onto one knee. His body bent before the King in a deep bow. He forced himself to not tremble at the sight of the King, at the sight of the man who could banish his existence far from Emerine.

“Pray for goodness, pray for the King, his Royal Majesty, the great tree of the West.” Kalesin formally greeted, never once raising his head even when the footsteps of the King approached him and brushed past him without stopping. He had expected this reaction. Why would the King stop to greet a peasant?

Emerine’s eyes lingered on Kalesin’s bent form. She could see his hands trembling to compose themself. She could feel his fear before seeing it in his eyes.

And to everyone’s surprise, the King paused and glanced at the small boy he had ignored. His large frame loomed over the simple soldier. “Well done, boy.” King Augustus acknowledged, his words piercing Kalesin through the heart.

Anyone would’ve felt joyous at the small praise and gratefully thank the King with their life, but not Kalesin. Never Kalesin. He knew the King’s true nature. No, he learned the King’s true nature through first-hand experiences.

Beneath that warm and laidback appearance was a frightsome man who hid his merciless smile behind the coy expression of a sheep.

“This peasant is unworthy of such praise.” Kalesin kept his head low as beads of sweat trickled down his back. Unnerved to his wit’s end, he could not stop himself from gritting his teeth.

“Everyone is worthy of praise.” King Augustus said, turning to Emerine. His warm expression became even more gentle at the sight of his lovely daughter. “Isn’t that right, my child?”

“Yes, papa.” A smile graced Emerine’s face, but it was concealed by the veil. The only indication of her smile was the uplift of her cheeks and the light that filled her unnaturally colored eyes. It was a gentle shade of amethyst purple and as the gem, it was the most beautiful thing about her, despite its oddness.

Kalesin wanted to swear under his breath. Damn him for thinking she would see past her father’s true nature for once. Of course, she didn’t. All she has ever known from the King was kindness and love. She would never think he was capable of harming a single living thing.

“I heard you were quite mischievous today, Emerine. Why is that?” King Augustus reached a hand out for his daughter to take. Despite his wife’s absence, his right hand still donned a pure white gold band.

Emerine took his hand without hesitation, her tiny ones easily enveloped by his large hands, soft from years of never touching a sword— even though, there was always one hanging from his waist. It was mainly for decoration because the King did not approve of violence. Or so, she believed.

“N-no reason.” Emerine dearly loved her father, however, she couldn’t help but stutter around him. It was as if she was fearful of something. Or perhaps, she was just traumatized from the first and last time she asked about her mother.

King Augustus let out a quiet hum before turning to the boy who had not yet been pardoned from kneeling. “Do you have something to add on?”

Kalesin bit his lips at the test of faith. The King wanted to see if he was going to betray the Princess or if he was going to betray the King. “Your Majesty, I—”

“I overheard mindless gossip, that is all, Papa,” Emerine interjected as she wrapped her free arm around the sleeve of her father. Not a single Princess in the Four Kingdoms was ever this close with the King. Not a single one dared to call the King by the foolish yet intimidating title of “Papa,” none but the spoiled Princess Emerine. Rules didn’t apply to her, King Augustus made sure of that.

“Oh?” King Augustus responded before letting out a soft chuckle, “It seems pests have entered this castle without my knowledge.” he said and patted her on the head.

Kalesin grounded his teeth and snuck a glance at the naive little Emerine who didn’t even catch what her father was implying. Someone was going to die today. Blood was going to be shed on the Princess’s birthday and the King didn’t even seem to care.

“U-uhm…” Emerine hesitated. She was caught in a moral struggle of keeping the servants safe or her heart safe from malicious gossip. She knew, regardless of her decision, someone was going to get harmed at the end of the day. And the King would ensure that it would never be her