"Princess!" After Ashleah's lessons, Aziel will always run up to her. Smiling widely with open arms, Aziel who had been staying inside the Imperial Palace for almost a week now was kinda getting the hang of it.
"Oh my! Aziel, Princess already told you that it's bad running inside the Palace's hallway right?" Bending down her knees, she was now at the same height as Aziel. She smiled lightly and slowly brushed the excess hair away from his face.
"I'm sorry, Princess. I was just too excited to play with you! Princess promised that she's going to play tag with Aziel today, right?" His eyes were beaming, cheeks were lightly tinted with the shades of pink.
Giggling, Ashleah quickly lifted Aziel up and spinned him around. Creating a loud laugh from the kid. She was palying with him not until they both heard someone clearong their throat.
"Her Imperial Highness, Princess of Genry. Greetings! His Majesty has summoned us for our request." She saw Nash with the formal look on his face. Her brows furrowed and she gave him a confused look. Making her look like she forgot about their request.
"Oh! That request." She puts Aziel down and looked directly at his eyes. "Aziel, I promise you that I will make it up to you okay? Princess has some duties. Is that okay?"
"Yes! For now Aziel can play with Nanny Riley!" A relief sigh escaped her lips as she saw Aziel running away, trying to find where Nanny Riley was.
"Good thing there was no rumors spreading about you taking care of a lowly commoner." Nash said in a sarcastic tone, his arms crossed against his chest, with a smug look plastered on his face.
"Of course, thank you for stopping rumors!" Ashleah cheerfully said, she clapped her hands and walked the other way of the hallway. On the way to her Father's office.
"It's been a week, and I haven't heard anything from Axis." Nash whispered with a cold look on his face, Ashleah nodded her head. "We do know that Axis lives with the High Priest right? But up until now we don't have any news about tthem."
"However, I am sure that they aren't trying to hide Axis right?" Ashleah questioned Nash, making him stop and think for a while before answering the Princess' question.
"Yes, as far as I know from rumors there are no changes from the past. Axis still wants to be the next high priest of Genry." Nash said as he smiled while shaking his head softly.
Yes, in the past Axis, the child of God wanted to be the next High Priest. Sadly, due to the unknown spell that the black magicians did to him. 'He was blinded by something that we don't even know what it is.' Ashleah thought.
Knock. Knock. Knocking 2 times on the white marble with golden texture door, they both waited for a response before opening it. Ashleah twisted the door knob and saw her Father doing some paperworks.
However, what made them stop was when they saw someone sitting down at the single couch. He slowly turned around and smiled. "Her Imperial Highness, Princess of Genry. Greetings!" Axis with a bright smile on his face greeted Ashleah.
Axis Gien Luela, the son of Marquess Luela. The child of God. A guy with forest green hair, expressive brown amber eyes, pointed nose and thin yet pretty lips. The man that Nash killed in the past was right there in front of her.
"Oh, Ashleah. You're here. Welcome Lord Nash. Please do take your seats and hear me out about your request." Both nodded in sync, still processing what happened.
Ashleah glanced at Nash and gave him the 'This never happened in the past' look, and Nash widened his eyes and answered back by looking 'I don't know either!'
"Ehem" His Majesty cleared his throat and smiled politely. "I heard that the soon high priest Axis will visit the tower too. An idea popped up, let's have the three of you go there!"
Ashleah almost choked on her own saliva. Knowing that the black magicians has something to do with what happened in the past, it was like sending Axis to his own death grave at the age of 15!
"Father are you sure that it's okay for Axis—" Glancing at Axis, he was all smiles. There was no trace of black magic within him.
"Your Majesty, is it okay for the high priest for Axis to come with us?" Nash on the other side also tried making up some reasons. Both didn't want to send Axis to his own death!
"Please do not concern yourselves with it. I've already completed all the requirements for your visit, done talking with the high priest. Plus, Axis is very excited interacting with the oh-so-called Lord Nash and Princess Izel."
There was excitement inside his eyes, his smile was wide, brows were up. His Majesty blinked a couple of times, Ashleah exhaled in defeat and nodded.
Both of them knew that there was no way out of this situation. They just have to think of things and plan things when something goes wrong.
"The visit will happen tomorrow, 7 sharp. Please do not be late. Well then, I'm leaving you guys here. Interact more." Her eyes widened as she hopelessly looked at the back of her Father walking outside his office.
"Hahaha, I'm sorry. Is it awkward that I am here?" He said while scratching his nape with that shy smile plastered on his face, Ashleah knew she had to change everything.
"It's fine Axis! Look how you grew. You're a lot taller than me now." Ashleah tried to change the topic, giving Nash a look, he nodded and smiled.
"Was it fun at the church? Your hair looks cool!" Nash excitedly said, both trying to do every single thing so that Axis won't feel uncomfortable and awkward around them.
"Oh dear, do you even know how scared I was when I heard that his Majesty called for me? And that I'll be visiting the tower with you!" He gave him a gummy smile making Ashleah and Nash giggle.
The next few hours were a blur, time passed by like it was feather. The day ended with Ashleah saying her goodbyes to Nash and Axis.
The next day, Ashleah was wearing a simple light pink elbow length sleeve dress. Her hair wasn't tied up, it was curled.
Getting down the stairs, she saw Nash and Axis talking. A small smile appeared on her face, this was just too wholesome for her.
"Her Imperial Highness, Princess of Genry. Greetings!" Both said in sync, bowing down in 90 degress making her giggle.
"Good Morning to you too. Well then, I am so excited for our visit today!" she shrieked, Nash shook his head and chuckled.
"Well, we can really see that her highness is excited for today's visit. But please do remember we are there to inspect." Nash said, pouting her lips she glared at Nash.
"Woah woah, my Lord and your Highness please do calm down and don't fight in the first thing of the morning!" Axis innocently said making them stop in the middle of their tracks, laughing Axis' innocence was too cute to handle!
On the way to the tower, the trio agreed to not call each other in honorifics and just call each other by their names.
"Ashleah, may I ask a question?" Axis with a confused look on his face, tilting his head asked a question.
"Yes, what is it Axis??"
"Well, I am kinda confused why they call you Izel when your first name is Ashleah. I am sorry if it sounds stupid. I've been inside the church my whole life."
"The late empress, named me Ashleah Izel but what made Father call me Princess Izel was.. her last words were Princess Izel." Ashleah smiled sadly while looking outside the window and seeing the beautiful and refreshing view.
"I am sorry of the topic made you sad!" He quickly said sorry, making Nash chuckle.
"I mean, it's fine right Ashleah?" He said making Ashleah nod in response.
"Oh! look, a tower!" Ashleah pointed out, making Nash and Axis head turn to the right side of the carriage's window.
Mouth wide open, Axis finally saw a white and black tower, it was so fair and tall! So elegant and yet so mysterious to the human eye.
There they saw three magicians waiting in front of the towers entrance. Ashleah felt uneasy seeing the magician in the middle.
He had a cold aura, and mysterious look in his eyes. Then suddenly it felt cold and the breeze felt uneasy. 'Is this really a good idea?'