Two days later, the caravan arrived at the village of Thornwood, a small, dusty settlement nestled between two rocky hills. Its buildings were a hodgepodge of wood and mud, and the air was thick with the scent of dried herbs and animal dung. The group was there to resupply, but an uneasy feeling hung over the knights. One of them, a young man named Gareth, approached Owen as they unloaded the cart. "Sir Owen," he said, his voice low with concern. "I don't like this place. The people are… strange. And the road ahead is known for bandits. Perhaps we should hire some mercenaries to help with the rest of the journey."
Owen sighed, running a hand through his hair. "It's a good idea, Gareth, but we can't afford it. We lack the funds. House Roselié's recent... circumstances have left us with little to spare." He glanced over at Kofi, who was helping his mother carry a sack of grain. "For now, we just have to settle with the help we have." He didn't say it with disdain, but with a weary acceptance. He had watched Kofi duel for two straight days now, and while the young man's lack of a weapon still irked him, he couldn't deny the sheer skill he possessed.
"We'll be heading to the bathhouse," Alexia announced, her voice soft but firm as she approached the group. She was accompanied by a few of the female servants, all of them looking forward to washing away the dust of the road. "The rest of the women are joining me."
Owen, ever the vigilant guard, immediately stepped forward. "I'll guard the entrance, My Lady," he said, turning to look at Kofi. "And Kofi here can help me. The rest of you," he gestured to the other knights, "go and relax a bit. You've earned it."
Kofi simply nodded in agreement, his gaze fixed on the entrance of the bathhouse. Owen's new arrangement was a sign of his growing respect, a subtle acknowledgment of their newfound truce. The tension between them had been replaced by a quiet understanding forged in their daily duels.
"By the way," Owen began, breaking the silence as they stood guard outside the bathhouse. "Why don't you ever use your blade when we duel?"
Kofi looked at him, his expression unreadable in the deepening twilight. "I only use it to kill," he said flatly. "So unless you deserve death, you'll never see my blade."
A low chuckle rumbled in Owen's chest, growing into a full-blown laugh. "Thank you, Kofi," he said, his voice genuine.
Kofi's brow furrowed in confusion. "For what?"
Owen's gaze held his, a new respect shining in his eyes. "I know what you've been doing," he said. "You've been secretly training me, helping me master my Prana. I wasn't using it correctly, but you... you were pushing me, forcing me to use it. Now, when a threat like that spiked bear approaches, I won't lose so many lives...never again."
Kofi just shrugged. "Don't mention it," he said. He then started thinking to himself ' I honestly just wanted to beat his ass up. It was never about helping. Oh well, it is what it is."
Inside the steamy bathhouse, Alexia sat on a low stool, gently washing Ama's hair. "What's the full meaning of 'Ama,' anyway?" Alexia asked, her fingers expertly working through the tangles.
"It's Amanda," Ama replied, her voice muffled by the suds. "But I don't like it. So I told my family to just call me Ama."
From a nearby bench, Nneoma added."She doesn't listen. I've told her over and over that it's a beautiful name, but she refuses to hear it."
Alexia turned to Naomi, her voice gentle. "It sounds like a strong name to me, too. It has a noble ring to it."
"It does," Nneoma sighed. "But she says it reminds her of a time when people tried to make her something she wasn't. She says it's a Valkyrian name, but she has the heart of a Berseker."
Ama looked up at Alexia, her face serious. "It's true," she said. "I'm a lot like my brother. We're both Berserkers. We're not meant to be tamed."
"Well," Alexia said with a smile. "I think you're both a little bit of both. You have the heart of a warrior, but you also have a gentle spirit." She squeezed Ama's hand. "And I think Amanda is a perfect name for a princess, no matter what you say."
Amanda looked at Alexia with wide, curious eyes. "So, if I use my full name, Amanda," she said slowly, as if testing the words on her tongue, "can I be a princess, too?"
A warm smile spread across Alexia's face. "Perhaps," she said, her voice a playful whisper. "You might just catch a prince's attention if you do."
Alexia glanced at Nneoma, who was smiling softly at her daughter's change of heart. "But if you continue to go by Ama," Alexia added, her tone light and teasing, "no one will ever pay attention to you."
Amanda's eyes widened. "Then I'll use it!" she declared, her small voice echoing with newfound resolve. "I'll be Amanda from now on."
"So, why is Kofi so strong for a fifteen-year-old?" Alexia asked Nneoma, her voice filled with genuine curiosity. "It's like he has the strength of a grown man."
A soft, sad smile touched Nneoma's lips. "He gets it from his father," she replied, her voice filled with a quiet pride. "A true warrior of our people." She then added, her gaze turning distant, "But perhaps he also gets it from his grandfather. My own father was a great knight in his day, too. It seems the strength runs in our blood."
Alexia's eyes widened in shock. "I knew your parents were both Valkyrian due to your looks, but a knight?" she asked, her voice a mix of disbelief and awe. "Which House did he serve?"
A faint, bitter smile touched Nneoma's lips. "He served himself," she said, her voice dropping to a low murmur. "Or maybe he still does, I don't know." Her gaze became distant, lost in a painful memory. "It's been sixteen years now since we last saw each other. We haven't been on 'good terms' since he broke my Prana core and banished me into exile."
"I'm so sorry," Alexia said, her voice filled with sincere regret. "I was being too nosy. I hope I wasn't too much."
Nneoma shook her head, a gentle smile on her face. "No, my dear. It's alright. You have a kind heart. It's a rare thing these days."
Alexia than came to a conclusion. "I know, I'll tell you about my fiance to make it up to you."
Nneoma tried to tell her that it's alright but Alexua insisted that she has to. After a back and forth Nneoma gave up and listened.
Alexia sighed, a distant look in her sky-blue eyes. "My fiancé... his name is Lord Valerius Dragoblood . He's the son of Duke Silvanus, a man of great power in the Kronos Empire. Our marriage is an alliance, you see, a way to unite two of the most powerful houses in the land."
"But you don't sound happy about it," Nneoma observed gently, her voice soft with empathy.
A shadow crossed Alexia's face. "Happy? It's not about happiness. It's about duty. My father and the Duke have a long-standing rivalry. This marriage is supposed to end it, to bring our families together under one banner. It's a way to consolidate power, to prevent a civil war."
"And what of your feelings?" Nneoma asked, her gaze steady. "Does he care for you?"
"He's a man of duty, just like me," Alexia replied, her voice flat. "He's cold, calculating, and ruthless. He sees me as a pawn in his father's game. He doesn't love me, and I don't love him. But love has no place in a political marriage. It's a luxury we can't afford."
"Is he a good man?" Nneoma pressed.
Alexia was silent for a moment, the sound of water lapping against the stone walls of the bathhouse the only sound. "He's a good man to his people," she finally said. "He's a good leader. He's just not... a good man to me. He's a product of his upbringing, of a world that values power and conquest over all else."
"My husband always said a true leader values their people above all else, even themselves," Nneoma said, a sad smile on her lips. "I hope you find happiness, my dear, even if it's not with him."
Alexia's eyes filled with tears. "I hope so too," she whispered. "I hope so too."
"Sounds like what you need is a knight in shining armor to help you out," Nneoma said, her voice gentle and a little wistful.
Alexia laughed softly, the sound hollow in the warm, quiet air of the bathhouse. "Even if it's not a knight, I just need to increase my influence and power so that it rivals my fiancé's," she said, a determined glint in her eyes. "Only then will I truly be able to control my own destiny." "That's my plan," Alexia said, her voice firm with newfound resolve. "If I can restore my house's power to what it once was, and do it within a year before the weddin, i can officially call it off and still protect my people. My people won't have to suffer under a tyrant, and I won't have to marry a man I don't love."