"Ready for our first day at Silver Heaven Academy?" Natasha asked, adjusting a strap of her leather sack.
"Yeah… I guess so," Shaun replied, gripping his sack firmly.
"Well then, Let's go!" Natasha took off at a lively pace, the tassels of her hanfu swaying in the breeze behind her.
**********
Natasha Ikazuchi, daughter of the renowned High Ranked Magus Knight Commander, Nathan Ikazuchi, a spirited young lady with a legacy as impressive as her father's swordsmanship.
Her father led the Silver Region Magus Knights, an elite force dedicated to protect the Emperor and the borders of the Silver Heaven Region. These Magus Knights are far from average guards. Their duties are vast and demanding, requiring strength, strategy, and unwavering loyalty.
Their responsibilities included gathering taxes for the Palace, resolving conflicts and maintaining justice in their territory. They also offer political and military counsel to the Regional Lords and even the Emperor. And of course, they mentor new recruits in the art of warfare, honing their skills for the upcoming battles.
Martha Ikazuchi, Natasha's mother, a devoted housewife, was the heart of their home, providing unwavering support to her busy husband and spirited daughter.
Natasha and Shaun, childhood friends, neighbours, partners in crime – you name it! They are practically inseparable. They grew up amidst the laughter and kind of adventures only a child's imagination can conjure.
Natasha is quite a firecracker! A harmonious blend of beauty and strength, inherited her parents' best traits.
She carries her mother's radiant optimism and unwavering kindness! But don't let that sweetness fool you! She also possesses her father's courage, a lion's heart thundering in her chest, and a warrior's spirit and strength to support her!
At the dojo he owns, she sharpens her martial arts skills with unwavering dedication. And when she's not busy kicking butts, she's lending a helping hand to her mother.
Natasha and Shaun's paths first crossed when Natasha's family, esteemed Aristocrats, relocated to the quaint and utterly charming Nuzzle Village due to her father's feudal duties.
Nuzzle Village, nestled within the Silver Heaven Region, though small but showcases a rich social structure, from Commoner farmers to influential Aristocrats. Among these esteemed families is the Village Chief, a member of the Noble class.
Aristocrats, unlike Nobles and Royals who inherit their privileges, earned their status through societal contributions, setting them apart from Commoners through respect and wealth. Natasha's family was one of these respected Aristocrats in Nuzzle village.
Natasha was just six when she first encountered Shaun. But unlike today, things were… different six years ago.
"Go away, you Commoner! You'll ruin my dress."
"B-but I just wanted to ask if you wanted to play…"
"Ew, no! Do you really believe I would ever play with someone like you? Go back to the dirt you came from, Commoner."
Natasha, a little cold princess laced with the privilege she was born into, held Shaun in disdain, an inconvenient Commoner unworthy of her notice. Her words, sharp as shards of glass, felt like a painful sting to Shaun's naive heart. But destiny appeared to have other plans.
"Look who it is, Miss arrogant Aristocrat lady! You think you're so high and mighty, huh? Let's see how pretty you are with a few bruises!"
"Yah, boss man! Maybe we should teach her a lesson about respect. What do you say, fellas?"
A group of bullies, riled by Natasha's haughty attitude and sharp tongue, cornered her near the riverbank. Though fearless and strong willed, a fear flickered in Natasha's eyes, revealing a vulnerability rarely seen. But then, a small figure stepped between them.
"Leave her alone!"
Shaun, despite his fear, stood firm, as if fuelled by an unforeseen surge of bravery. His small hands were trembling but his resolve was unyielding. He was about to learn a brutal lesson, yet he decided to risk everything.
A whirlwind of punches followed, the assault was swift yet brutal. Yet, he shielded Natasha with his own body, taking the blows. Even as he fell, his eyes remained fixed on Natasha, a silent vow of her safety.
That day, something changed within Natasha. His bravery crumbled her carefully constructed walls of pride. The cold princess begins to thaw. Seeing him risk himself for her sake, she finally saw beyond his Commoner origin.
Her arrogance was replaced by a deep respect and an unfamiliar warmth. A friendship flourished from the ashes of prejudice.
Over Six years, a shared laughter, whispered secrets and unwavering support forged their bond. They found solace in each other, their silences as meaningful as their words.
But little did they know, the fabric of destiny was crafting a tapestry far more complex than mere friendship... perhaps something deeper?
*************
An hour past dawn yet the sun still clung to the mountain's embrace. The first rays of dawn kissed the horizon, painting the sky with fiery shades of purple and orange. Although the sun remained hidden, its crimson long shadows cast across the Nuzzle village. Soon the Red-orange light spilled across the sky.
Beneath the vibrant canvas, Shaun and Natasha walked along a dusty road. Rice paddies stretched out on both sides, with farmers already knee-deep at work in the fields in the dim dawn light. The air smelled of damp earth and morning dew hummed with the promise of a new day.
The dusty path beneath their feet smoothed into a paved cobblestone road as they approached the outskirts of Nuzzle village.
"Shaun, look! I see a carriage!" Natasha pointed ahead.
Shaun saw a rectangular wooden carriage, sturdy yet simple, waiting patiently in the dim light. The white horse, though old, seemed strong and well-cared, standing quietly beside it and an old man holding its reins.
"Excuse me, Grandpa? Silver Heaven Town, please. We're going to Silver Heaven Academy," Natasha approached the coachman with a bright smile.
"Silver Heaven, eh? Indeed, young lady. Hop in, young squirrels! It's a long ride," the old coachman, weathered and wrinkled, nodded in response, gestered towards the carriage.
"Thank you! Come on, Shaun!" Natasha clambered into the carriage with Shaun, carefully stepping inside.
"Giddy up, Becky!" the old coachman tightened the reins and the carriage began to sway, followed by the rhythmic clip-clop of hooves.
The carriage rumbled forward, leaving Nuzzle village behind, carrying Shaun and Natasha towards the Silver Heaven Academy.
**********
"Shaun, look! The sun's just cresting the horizon. Isn't it so beautiful?" Natasha's eyes gleamed as she points out the carriage window.
"I still can't believe it! We're actually going to Silver Heaven Academy! My father was so anxious about my entrance exam results, you know. Father was nervous when he heard I got selected. He feared I'd tarnish the Ikazuchi name if I didn't get in," Natasha said with a playful grin.
"But now... now we can finally become powerful mages, together! Silver Heaven Academy, a prestigious magus academy that every aspiring youngster dreams to attend. After all those years of dreaming, it's finally happening!" Natasha said with her eyes sparkled.
Years of dreams crystallized in Natasha's eyes; a future forged in magic, intertwined with the boy beside her. But Shaun… he remained silent, gazed out the window, lost in thought. His usual bright spirit was clouded by a deep contemplation that Natasha instantly noticed.
"Shaun? You've been so quiet. What's wrong?" Natasha asked, leaning closer and gently touching his arm.
"Oh, sorry, Natasha. Just… thinking," Shaun blinked, startled from his reverie.
"Are you still anxious about our first day? Or thinking about your Entrance Exam result? I know the exam was quite rough and not many candidates succeeded. You barely made it through the Entrance Exam. But I wonder, how did you pull it off?" Natasha tilted her head, studying his face.
"Shaun, are you absolutely sure your ancestors weren't a secret lineage of powerful mages?" Natasha asked after thinking for a while, maintaining her intense gaze.
"N-no, Natasha. My family's been farming for generations. I'm the first one to even get accepted into the Silver Heaven Academy," Shaun said with a faint smile playing at his lips, avoiding her intense gaze.
"Then that just makes you even more special, doesn't it? Think about it! From a family of farmers to a scholar at Silver Heaven Academy! You're amazing, Shaun!" Natasha smiled, nudging his arm playfully.
"N-no, I... I was just lucky that time," Shaun's cheeks flushed a deep crimson. Natasha giggled, trying to meet his eye.
"Awww, look at you! Is my brave Shaun being shy? You look so cute when you're flustered," Natasha's playful teases raced Shaun's heart, showing hidden feelings he struggled to reveal. He turned his face, yet a faint smile tugged his lips.
"Natasha! Stop teasing me."
The rhythmic clip-clop of hooves on the cobblestone road was a lullaby to the passing fields. The coachman was humming a lively tune, unaware of emotions brewing within his young passengers.
A genuine smile lit up Natasha's lips as she saw Shaun's brief moment of ease. She leaned back, savouring happiness for a second. However, Shaun resumed gazing at passing trees outside the window and the smile faded, replaced by a distant look.
Seeing him, Natasha's cheerful expression vanished, replaced by a flicker of worry crossed her face.
"Shaun? Is something on your mind? You seem… troubled. What happened?" Natasha asked.
"Huh? Oh! No, no, Everything's fine, Natasha. I was just… thinking. You know," he snapped back to reality, trying to appear nonchalant.
But his forced smile failed to reach his eyes. A drop of sweat rolled down his forehead, betraying his inner turmoil. Natasha's concern deepened, a knot formed in her stomach. She rose and moved to sit beside him, took his hand in hers with her eyes filled with genuine care.
"Thinking about what? Shaun, you know you can tell me anything. I'm always here to listen to you. Whatever it is, we'll face it together."
Shaun looked into Natasha's eyes, seeing the depth of her care and an unwavering love shining from her. A genuine smile finally reached his face, dispelling the shadows momentarily.
He looked down at their clasped hands, his heart pounded in his chest. A genuine smile broke his face as he gently squeezed her hand.
Her touch was warm, a comforting anchor in the storm of his thoughts. He knew he should tell her, share his burdens, but the words remained stuck, choked by a fear he can't quite name. He gazed at her, his heart filled with gratitude and worry.
"Thanks, Natasha. It's... nothing serious, really. Just… stuff. You know," He fell silent again, the weight of his secret pressed down on him.
Though his smile was more real this time, Natasha could still sense a deep unease lingering beneath the surface. Her brow furrowed slightly, her hand tightened around his.
"Shaun…" Her eyes sparkled, fixed on him.
The carriage wheels rumbled softly, contrasting with the anxious flutter in Natasha's chest as she awaited Shaun's reply. He averted her gaze, stared at his hands, a shadow of doubt crossed his face.
"Natasha… I… I've been meaning to ask you something. Why do you care about me so much? I mean… you deserve so much better. I'm unworthy of someone as special as your… affection. Then why…?"
Doubt, a familiar shadow, clung to Shaun's heart, echoed fears about his worthiness of Natasha's unwavering love after that haunting nightmare.
Natasha's initial confidence wavered, replaced by a flicker of a fear of having unintentionally hurt the boy she loves.
"Shaun! What do you mean? Have I upset you in some way? Are you… mad at me? Don't you enjoy our time together?" her voice is laced with a touch of anxiety.
The vivid hues of Natasha's hanfu seemed to fade as concern clouded her usually radiant face. The air thickened with unspoken fears as Shaun's words struck her nerve. Aware that his words may have unintentionally hurt her, Shaun immediately reached, squeezed her hand firmly with his eyes pleading.
"No, Natasha, it's not like that at all! I cherish every moment we share. It's just…"
He looked away, feeling ashamed to meet her eyes and continued,
"I'm just a Commoner, Natasha. My father is a farmer and we barely make enough to eat sometimes. But you... you're Lady Natasha Ikazuchi, an Aristocrat and a daughter of a Magus Knight Commander. Our family is inferior to yours. You deserve better… someone of your calibre. So why waste time on someone like me?"
"And… your father doesn't like me. He doesn't like that we spend time together. Aren't you worried about his wrath? What will society say? You know not everyone accepts a bond between a Commoner and an Aristocrat."
As he looked down at his calloused hands, shame washed over him. Shaun's deep buried fears, surfaced like painful memories. The weight of their different worlds crashed upon him.
A flicker of pain crossed Natasha's face, but it quickly melted, replaced by a soft, unwavering smile. Natasha leaned closer, gently lifted his chin to make him meet her gaze sparkling with genuine affection.
"Shaun, look at me. My father's opinion doesn't matter to me, nor does what society thinks. What truly matters is what I feel for you. And what I feel… is that I...I love you, Silly," She brushed a stray strand of hair from his forehead, her touch feather-light.
"Y-You what? You… you love me?" Shaun's eyes widened with surprise.
The intensity of her confession hung heavy in the air while the rhythmic clatter of hooves against cobblestone faded into the background.
"Of course, I do, silly! It doesn't matter to me that your family is poor or that you're a Commoner. What truly matters to me is you, Shaun. Your compassion, your intellect, your dreams... I cherish every moment we spend together," Natasha playfully nudged his arm.
"Natasha… I… I don't know what to say," Shaun's cheeks flushed the crimson.
"Then say nothing. Just hear me out. I want to be with you, always. So, never think that you are unworthy of me, because in my eyes, you are the only one who truly deserves me. Yes, Shaun.. I love you with all my heart," Natasha wrapped Shaun's arm around her shoulder and leaned her head against him.
Shaun's breath hitched as he felt the warmth radiating from her, a comforting contrast to the familiar chill of self-doubt that usually plagued him.
"Alright, alright. Don't get all sappy on me now. Maybe… maybe we should focus on graduating first before anything else, huh?" Shaun rolled his eyes playfully, trying to hide his nervousness.
Despite the flippant tone, Shaun felt a weight lifted on his shoulders. The future may be uncertain, but for now, Natasha's presence was a solid anchor.
"Of course! Whatever makes you happy. Graduation first. But after that, you and your last name will belong to me, Shaun Thunderhawk. You hear?" Natasha snuggled closer and smiled softly, resting her head on his shoulder.
"Now, tell me. What's been troubling you? You've been so distant lately. Those shadows in your eyes... it concerns me."
Hearing Natasha, Shaun shivered involuntarily, a tremor ran through his body.
"It's... it's my nightmares. They haunt me every single night, Natasha. And last night... last night was the worst," Shaun said as his eyes were fixed on his hands.
"Nightmares? Tell me about it, Shaun," Natasha's voice was laced with genuine worry.
"I… I see us. We're married, wandering in Silver Heaven Market, celebrating our wedding anniversary. But then… darkness consumed everything. The Silver Heaven Region crumbled to ashes. A sinister shadow entity, I don't know what it was, it destroyed everything. Our home, the people... even us."
Shaun trembled, replaying the haunting memory played vividly in his eyes. Natasha's grip on Shaun's arm tightened slightly. Shaun clenched his fist in frustration.
"That dream… it felt so real. I don't understand why those nightmares keep haunting me. Was it just a bad dream… or a sign of impending danger?"
"It was just a nightmare, Shaun. Nothing more. And if anything like that were to happen... I promise you, Shaun, I will stand by your side and fight. We'll face that sinister shadow together," Natasha straightened her posture, regaining a steely resolve in her eyes.
"Now, enough of this gloom and let's embrace happier things! Today I also dreamt something special. Becoming a powerful thunder mage, marrying you, and having a family. We had a son and a daughter… their names were… Neo And Sierra," Natasha clasped her hands together with a dreamy look in eyes.
The sunlight filtering through the carriage windows casted a warm glow on Natasha's face, highlighting her radiant smile.
Shaun watched her with a warm smile, captivated by the vivid future she painted with her words, a future he desperately wanted to believe in. He clenched his fist, a newfound resolve in his gaze.
Her smile… it's so bright. I must protect it. I… I need to get stronger… strong enough to protect Natasha and Silver Heaven Region from the nightmares that haunt me.
"I promise you, Natasha. I will train harder. After graduating from Silver Heaven Academy, I… I will become the World's Strongest Magus! I'll even challenge the three Supreme Magus and will surpass them all!" Shaun's voice gained strength. The declaration hung in the air, bold and defiant, a challenge to destiny itself.
The nightmare, though terrifying, had ignited a fire within him. Shaun's youthful face, usually etched with shyness, now blazing with fierce ambition, driven by a desire to protect her happiness.
"The World's Strongest Magus, huh? That's quite a goal, Shaun! But I know you can do it. And I will be by your side, always. I'll support you in every way I can, my love," Natasha leaned closer with her gaze unwavering.
"Thank you, Natasha," Shaun's cheeks flushed, but his grip on her hand tightened.
The destination, Silver Heaven Academy, grew ever closer, carrying the dreams and heartfelt promises with it. A soothing silence settled between them, punctuated only by rhythmic clip-clop of hooves, the gentle creak of the carriage wheels and the distant song of birds.
The journey ahead might be uncertain and fraught with challenges, but their united dreams will surely illuminate the path.
**********
Moments later, the rhythmic thumping diminished, signalling their arrival at Silver Heaven Academy. The scenery began to shift, the rolling hills yielded to majestic stone walls. The carriage lurched to a halt, breaking the spell of their shared moment.
"We have arrived at Silver Heaven Academy, young squirrels!" A weathered voice of a coachman, rough but kind, announced from outside a tiny window.
"Finally! Come on, Shaun! Let's go!" Natasha said, lifting her head from Shaun's shoulder and sitting up straight.
She swung open the carriage door and leaped out, her yellow warrior hanfu was fluttering in the breeze. Shaun stepped out after her, blinking in the sudden sunlight.
"Woah..." His jaw dropped as he absorbed the stunning view before him.
"Magnificent, isn't it?" Natasha gazed up at the Academy with a soft smile gracing her lips.
The Silver Heaven Academy sprawled before them with its grand golden gates adorned with intricately carved celestial beings.
Beyond the gates, towering Vermilion buildings crafted from strong timber walls, and crowned with roofs of yellow glazed tiles soared towards the heavens, were shimmering in the sunlight. Water cascaded down from the fountain, creating a mist that formed rainbows dancing in the air.
**********