The Last Shores
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“I am going to have a baby!” she announced as if it were the most natural thing in the world. “And I’m not even married yet.” She looked at me with an expression that was equal parts awe and pity.
My heart sank into my stomach like a stone. My mouth went dry; all of this had happened so quickly! And now here we are, just two days later…
She sat down on her bed next to me and began fiddling around with some papers. Her hands moved over them rapidly but without any real purpose or direction—just moving through motions until they found what they wanted to do: hold something still long enough for her fingers to work their magic upon it.
After several minutes of this, she finally stopped and turned toward me again. The look on her face told me everything I needed to know about how serious she really thought this whole pregnancy business was.
“So you’re telling me,” she said slowly, “that there’s no way out?”
It wasn’t exactly news to me that I’d been trapped by the curse when she hit me with it back in Rolmund. But hearing her say those words made it feel more real than ever before. It felt like someone else had taken control of my body while I slept last night, and now he was forcing himself onto another woman against his will.
Even though I knew better, part of me couldn’t help thinking that maybe somehow I could get away from him if only I tried hard enough. That’s why I asked myself, What would Prince Siegfried do? He wouldn’t let anything stop him, right? If anyone can break free of these chains, then surely it is he who has already done so once before.
But the truth was that I didn’t actually want to be rescued anymore. Not after seeing how much trouble Princess Amakawa had gone through trying to find a cure for the curse. I don’t think I’ll ever understand women very well.
Sometimes I wonder whether men and women were meant to live together under one roof or not. Maybe we should just stay apart forever and never see each other again. Then everyone would win.
As I stood up to leave, Lady Azurite put her hand on mine. She squeezed gently but firmly, and it took every ounce of willpower I possessed not to pull away from her touch. When she saw the struggle in my eyes, she smiled sadly.
“You needn’t worry yourself so much,” she whispered. “This isn’t your fault. You’ve got nothing to blame yourself for.”
Her voice sounded almost like a prayer, which struck me all the harder because I understood its meaning perfectly. This was the same kind of sympathy I used to hear from Father whenever I did something wrong. So why does it hurt so badly when it comes from a complete stranger instead?
“Lady Azurite…” I started to say.
“Don’t try to talk,” she interrupted. “Just listen. Your father entrusted me with something important years ago. Something that might save us both someday. Now that time has come. Will you trust me?”
I nodded silently. Whatever this was, I trusted her implicitly. There was no reason not to. I mean, she saved me twice already today alone. Why shouldn’t I believe whatever she says?
After a moment’s hesitation, she continued speaking. “Your mother was pregnant with you when she died. Before that, she gave birth to three children: a boy named Bordeaux, and twin girls named Liane and Cécile.”
That name rang familiar somewhere deep inside me. I remembered it from the stories Mother used to tell me when I was little, but where…?
“Bordeaux?” I repeated. “Liane and Cecille… Are they dead too?”
“No,” she answered. “They survived. They grew up to become princesses themselves, and they lived happy lives with their husbands and families and empty inside.
“That mark on your forehead,” she explained quietly, “is the symbol of our family crest. A sign that tells people who you are, and what you stand for. We call it the ‘mark of the dragon.’ Our bloodline goes back thousands of years.
To the first king of Rolmund, who united the country and founded the kingdom. His wife bore him many sons, including the twins mentioned earlier. Unfortunately, none of them inherited the power of the Dragon King from their father. All of his descendants since then have been powerless, unable to use the powers granted to their ancestors. At least, that’s what history records show.”
The room suddenly seemed darker as the words sunk in. In my mind, I heard an ominous rumbling grow louder and closer at the edge of my consciousness. Was that thunder? No, it must be my imagination.
A strange feeling came over me as if I were being watched from behind. I looked up to see Lady Azurite staring intently at me, her expression unreadable. I shivered involuntarily and pulled my cloak tighter around myself.
She sighed heavily. “In any case, the story doesn’t end there. One day, long ago, a mysterious traveler arrived in Rolmund bearing gifts for the royal family. Among them was a young girl, a foreigner from across the sea.
Her hair was black and shining, her skin white as snow, and her eyes bright blue. The queen fell instantly in love with her beauty, and she begged the man to bring her daughter home. He agreed without question. And so the girl became the third princess of Rolmund.”
My breath caught in my throat. It couldn’t possibly be true! How could someone from another world come here and marry into royalty?! That was impossible!! But even more than that—why hadn’t anyone told me about this before now?
If I’d known sooner, maybe things wouldn’t have ended up like they did between me and Princess Amakawa. Maybe I would still be able to go back to Japan and visit my friends and family once in a while. Or perhaps I could’ve taken my place by her side and helped fight against the Demon Lord alongside her. What good is having magic if you can’t actually do anything useful with it?
But those thoughts didn’t matter anymore. My future had changed irrevocably thanks to this woman sitting next to me. Now all I cared about was finding out how much truth there really was to these unbelievable claims.
“What happened after that?” I asked carefully, trying to keep my voice steady.
“According to legend, the princess’ parents welcomed her warmly, and she married Prince Bordeaux, becoming Queen Azurite herself. She bore him two daughters, one of whom was my mother. Afterward, she ruled the nation together with him until he passed away, leaving her a widow at only thirty-five. Then she took the throne for herself, ruling the country alone ever since.”
So that’s what happened to my real mom. I felt a twinge of pain as I thought about her again. For some reason, I found myself wondering whether or not she knew that her husband was alive. Did she know what happened to him? Had she forgiven him for abandoning her and running off to the other side of the world like that? Would she want to meet me someday?
And then, just as quickly, the questions faded away. This wasn’t the time to think about such things. Not yet anyway.
“Why haven’t I met either of my grandparents?” I wondered aloud. “Didn’t we live in the same castle?”
“Yes, but neither of them wanted to get involved with your life. You’re the last descendant of a bloodline that stretches back through generations, and they feared their influence would corrupt you. So they kept their distance, hoping you might find happiness elsewhere. As far as they were concerned, the best thing for you was to forget everything about your past and start fresh.”
I frowned. “How old am I supposed to be right now?”
Lady Azurite gave me a wry smile. “You look sixteen, seventeen tops. I’m guessing that means you spent most of your childhood in the capital, living among commoners instead of nobility. Your body may appear mature, but your heart is still innocent and pure.”
Her words made me feel uncomfortable. Something about them set my stomach churning.
Still, I decided to press ahead. “Then why does everyone treat me like a child?!”
“Because you act childish sometimes,” she replied simply. “It comes naturally to you. Don’t worry; no one will take offense if you don’t try too hard to change. Besides, acting immature has its advantages when dealing with certain individuals.”
Huh? Who exactly are “certain individuals”? I racked my brain for a moment, trying to figure out which ones fit that description…but nothing came to mind. I guess I’ll never know unless I ask her directly.
As Lady Azurite continued talking, I gradually began to understand where she was coming from. To be honest, I kind of liked the idea of people treating me like a kid. At least then I wouldn’t have to deal with all the pressure and responsibility that goes along with being a princess. Plus, it sounded pretty nice to be treated like a little sister rather than a grown adult.
At the very least, I hoped they would stop asking me inappropriate questions. Like, say, whether or not I planned on getting married soon.
“Anyway…” Lady Azurite said suddenly. “That’s enough talk about your past. We should focus our attention on the present. There’s something important I need to tell you first: the demons aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. They’re still plotting ways to destroy us, and we must prepare ourselves accordingly.”
The room went silent as she spoke. Everyone looked tense, waiting anxiously for her to continue.
Finally, she cleared her throat. “To put it bluntly, humans and demi-humans alike are doomed to die. The only question left is who dies first. And unfortunately, I believe the answer lies within each of you.”
She paused briefly, letting her words sink in. When she finally resumed speaking, her tone was completely different. Her face seemed to radiate an air of calm confidence, almost as though she already knew what was going to happen.
“If you wish to survive, you must learn to use your power properly. Even more importantly—you must master the art of controlling yourself. If any of you can do that, then perhaps you stand a chance against the demon army.
But even so, I doubt anyone here will make it out unscathed. That’s because the path to victory is fraught with danger. It won’t always go according to plan, and many of you will fail. Some of you will fall by the wayside, while others will end up dead before you’ve had a chance to grow stronger.
In fact, there’s a good chance someone close to you will perish at some point during this journey. No matter how much training you undergo, none of you will ever reach perfection. Life isn’t fair, after all. However, those of you who manage to overcome these obstacles will eventually become heroes worthy of admiration.
Those who succeed will earn the gratitude of countless people, including myself. On top of that, you’ll also gain the respect of your peers. These rewards alone could prove invaluable in times of trouble. After all, few people want to work alongside weaklings.
My advice is simple: train harder, and strive to improve yourselves every day. Do whatever it takes to protect the world around you. For example, maybe you could help build a new village somewhere else. Or perhaps you’d prefer to join the military. Whatever you decide to do, remember to keep moving forward. Never give up hope!”
With that, Lady Azurite turned toward the door. She opened it wide and stepped outside without saying another word. Then she disappeared into thin air, leaving behind only a faint trace of magic energy.
Everyone stared blankly at the spot where she used to be, unsure of what to think. Eventually, they started whispering amongst themselves again. This time, however, their conversation revolved entirely around Lady Azurite’s speech.
A short while later, Lord Odin returned with a group of knights in tow. He stood next to his throne and addressed the crowd.
“My fellow citizens! Today marks a historic occasion. Our beloved queen passed away yesterday evening due to complications related to childbirth. As such, I am now the ruler of this nation. Please allow me to express my deepest condolences to her family. Now then, let us begin the funeral proceedings.”
He raised his voice and called out to the gathered nobles. A number of them immediately rose to their feet, eager to hear what he had to say.
Lord Odin took a deep breath and continued. “I’m sure most of you were surprised by Queen Iris’ sudden demise. Rest assured, her passing wasn’t caused by anything suspicious. Rather, she suffered a stroke and died shortly thereafter.
Aside from her husband, no one saw it coming. Unfortunately, she didn’t leave behind any heirs, which means the crown passes straight to me. Furthermore, since she never formally adopted the title of ‘queen,’ I don’t technically hold royal status either. Instead, I consider myself the king of a small country known as the Kingdom of Rolmund. So please treat me accordingly.”
His announcement drew murmurs of surprise throughout the hall. Many of the attendees appeared confused; some even looked angry. Apparently, they hadn’t expected him to take over the reins quite yet.
However, Lord Odin ignored their complaints and pressed onward. “As you may have guessed, I intend to abdicate the throne. Once my duties are complete, I shall retire to live out the rest of my days in peace.
Of course, I expect everyone to follow suit. Otherwise, things might get awkward. Anyway, if we’re done discussing trivial matters like succession rights, let’s move on to the main event. We still need to discuss the details surrounding our upcoming war against the demon army. First off, does anyone know when it’s supposed to start?”
Several lords shook their heads in response. They probably assumed the date would be announced once everything was finalized. Others simply remained quiet, uncertain whether or not they should speak up. Meanwhile, a handful of noblemen quickly volunteered to provide answers. Their responses varied greatly, but they all agreed that the invasion wouldn’t commence until spring.
According to them, the war would likely last for several months. The demons intended to launch an offensive sometime between late winter and early summer. Naturally, this meant they couldn’t afford to waste precious resources preparing for battle.
The general consensus among the audience members seemed to be that the invasion shouldn’t come too soon. Winter was already upon them, and the weather conditions weren’t favorable enough to support large-scale warfare.
Plus, the roads leading to the capital were icy and treacherous. Anyone foolish enough to travel through them risked falling victim to accidents. Consequently, there’d be little point in launching attacks during these harsh times.
On top of that, the population was currently focused on mourning the loss of its queen. There was also the matter of the impending birth of King Oswald’s child. It made sense to wait just a bit longer before unleashing monsters on innocent civilians.
In other words, the majority of people wanted to postpone fighting the demons until after the new year. However, Lord Odin refused outright. His reason? To avoid burdening the kingdom with unnecessary expenses.
After all, the government couldn’t possibly foot the bill alone. In fact, many of the nobles present were worried about how much money they could realistically spare for the cause.
Despite this, Lord Odin insisted on starting the war right away. Without hesitation, he declared, “We can’t delay the inevitable forever. If we want to survive, we must fight back. That said, we’ll need plenty of soldiers to do so.
Therefore, I’ve decided to make recruitment a priority. All able-bodied men will be drafted into the military. Those who refuse won’t receive any compensation whatsoever. Is anyone opposed to this plan?”
No one responded. Most of the nobles looked stunned, while others merely shrugged their shoulders. Some even expressed concern over whether or not they’d be allowed to keep their weapons.
Still, none of them dared object further. For better or worse, Lord Odin had spoken. And thus, the Kingdom of Rolmund officially began preparations for war.
***
Winter came and went, bringing with it more snow than ever before. By midwinter, the ground was covered in white powdery fluff, making it difficult to walk without slipping. Thanks to the cold temperatures, however, the air felt crisp and refreshing.
Even though the sun rarely peeked above the horizon, the moon shone brightly at night. This helped light the way for travelers venturing outside.
All in all, it was a beautiful time of year. But despite the frigid temperature, the streets stayed busy. People walked around town carrying bundles of firewood to warm themselves up. Others carried crates filled with foodstuffs purchased from local merchants. As always, children ran amok, laughing and playing games under the watchful eyes of their parents.
It was a sight to behold—one that reminded me of home. Back then, I used to spend every day running rampant along the snowy hillsides. My friends and I would build makeshift sleds using branches and logs, then race down the slopes together.
Sometimes we’d play tag instead, racing each other across open fields. Other times, we’d go hunting, gathering wild berries and mushrooms as we searched for the game.
I never imagined such carefree days would end so abruptly. Still, I knew what awaited us ahead: war. Sooner rather than later, we’d be forced to leave behind our homes and loved ones. Then again, perhaps we wouldn’t be going anywhere at all. Perhaps death would claim us first. Either way, no amount of worrying would change anything.
“Hey, Lady Elianna,” someone called out to me. “Are you coming?”
At my side stood Princess Diana. She wore her usual smile, which lit up the entire world. Her golden hair glistened like sunlight reflecting off the water. Unlike most girls, she didn’t have freckles dotting her face. Instead, they appeared only on her cheeks. A few strands fell loose from beneath her hood, revealing the smooth skin underneath.
Her blue eyes sparkled with life, and her lips curved upwards into a pleasant grin. Yet, something wasn’t quite right. Something…off. Like a puzzle piece missing from its proper place.
Princess Diana’s expression suddenly turned serious. With a quick motion, she grabbed hold of my hand. “Come on.”
She pulled me towards the castle gates. When we arrived, two guards stopped us. One of them asked, “What business do you have here today, Your Highness?”
Diana answered, “My friend is sick. He needs medicine immediately. Please let him pass.”
The guard nodded his head. “Very well. Follow me inside. We’ll get your visitor settled in an empty room. You should take some rest yourself. Don’t worry; there are beds available. Rest assured, everything will be taken care of by tomorrow morning.”
With that, the guards opened the massive gate and ushered us through. Once we stepped onto the grounds, Diana led me straight to the infirmary. Inside, I saw several patients lying unconscious on cots. Their faces were pale, their bodies weak. The smell of sickness permeated the air. It made my stomach churn.
After checking to see if everyone was okay, Diana left me in charge of tending to those who needed help. While doing so, I heard footsteps approaching. Turning around, I found myself looking upon Prince Siegfried.
He smiled when he noticed me standing near the door, but quickly grew concerned once he spotted the state of affairs within. “Is everything alright, Miss Elianna?”
I shook my head vigorously. “Not really. There aren’t enough healers to treat all these people. Plus, half of them don’t seem to be getting any better. What can I do? How long until things improve?”
Siegfried sighed heavily. “We’re working as fast as possible. Unfortunately, this isn’t exactly a normal situation. Normally, we could call for reinforcements from neighboring kingdoms. But now…” His voice trailed off.
A chill ran down my spine. If he couldn’t count on anyone else, then how would we survive?
Prince Siegfried continued speaking. “You know, I’m not sure whether it’s good news or bad. In fact, I’ve been wondering about that very same thing lately.”
I tilted my head curiously. “About what?”
“Well, I think I may have figured out why this happened. Why did we find ourselves trapped between two armies, fighting for control over the kingdom?”
His words caught me completely off-guard. “Wait! Are you saying…you might actually know where we stand?!”
“Yes, I believe I do. And before you ask, the answer is yes.”
I stared blankly at him. Was he telling me the truth?! Could he possibly be correct? Or was he just trying to reassure himself…?
Regardless, I had a feeling I already knew the answer. After all, it felt like fate itself had guided me in this direction. Maybe, deep down, I wanted to hear the truth more than anything.
So, without hesitation, I said, “Please tell me!”
***
It took a while, but eventually, Prince Siegfried managed to convince me to listen. As promised, he told me everything—from start to finish. About how the king summoned the royal family to the capital, forcing them to flee the country.
To how the prince and princess set sail across the sea, searching desperately for a new home. All the while, they tried to keep themselves hidden from the enemy army. They even pretended to be merchants, selling goods along the road.
The End