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Lucina
My heart hammered in my chest as I stared into the terrifying depths. The heat was immense—a searing, living breath that promised annihilation. The very air seemed to burn with malice, curling around me like invisible flames.
"The Wyverns won't be able to endure that heat," a subordinate muttered, his voice tight with fear, eyes wide as he followed my gaze into the inferno.
It was true. We had to save His Majesty, who had fallen into the Valley of Fire!
A wave of panic threatened to consume me. But it's not like we can ask the other Dragon Tribes for help! I squeezed my eyes shut, a cold tremor running through me despite the overwhelming heat. "I'm not sure if anyone but His Majesty can endure it... What should I do?!"
Then, the image of the Cardinal flashed in my mind—radiating light and unimaginable power. My pulse stilled for a fraction of a second, a spark of hope igniting within me.
My eyes snapped open. The roar of the fire still deafened my ears, but a new resolve hardened my gaze.
"Right... it's worth a try." I took a deep, steadying breath. "I might be able to handle it since I'm under the Cardinal's protection."
I took the plunge.
The instant I dropped into the Valley of Fire, a brilliant GLOW enveloped me. The Cardinal's holy power wrapped around me like a protective cocoon, a cool, shimmering aura shielding me from the inferno. Heat hissed against the edges of this barrier, but I felt untouched, invincible in its embrace.
Above, shouts erupted. My soldiers' astonishment cut through the roar of the flames.
"She just jumped into the Valley of Fire..."
"HUH?"
One of my most loyal men, a warrior named Hakan, tried to follow, but a brilliant surge of light—the Cardinal's holy power—flared from the ledge, blocking his path.
"MY LADY!" he roared, desperation lacing his voice, unable to reach me.
I stood amid the bubbling, blazing lava, perfectly safe.
"NO WAY..." I could hear Hakan's disbelief even from down here.
I looked up to see the Cardinal himself, golden hair radiant, his hand surrounded by an ethereal blue glow. Is this... the true strength of the Cardinal's holy power? I marveled at the sheer force emanating from him.
Hakan's voice rang out again, strained with awe. "Is this the true strength of the Cardinal's holy power? I can't believe he can keep her safe in the Valley of Fire..."
Panic flickered across his features, but I was already moving. My eyes locked on the spot where the King had fallen.
"HAKAN!" I shouted, my voice cutting through the roar of the flames, my resolve unshakable. I would save His Majesty—no matter the cost.
I rushed through the blazing air, the Cardinal's protection shimmering around me, scanning desperately through the glowing, deadly valley. And then I saw him—His Majesty. He lay prone, injured, his dark hair matted, barely conscious.
"HUFF, HUFF," I panted, dropping to my knees beside him.
He was bleeding, his chest rising and falling in shallow, uneven breaths.
"Hakan... please open your eyes..." My voice trembled as I gently placed a hand over his chest. "I've still got so much to say to you..."
My words seemed to reach him. His hand twitched, and slowly, painfully, he opened his eyes.
"... Lucina...?" he murmured, disbelief thick in his voice.
Confusion flickered in his gaze. "Am I seeing things...?"
I gently squeezed his hand—a lifeline in the midst of the inferno. "No, you're not!" I told him firmly. "I'm right here, Hakan. It's really me."
He drew a ragged breath, eyes never leaving mine, then looked down at our joined hands. "Since I can feel your hand, you must be real..."
A fresh wave of agony swept through him, and I saw blood stain his chest where the heat had likely worsened his injuries. My heart clenched painfully.
I leaned closer, my white hair brushing against his dark form. "Are you okay, Hakan?" I pleaded, tears glistening in my eyes. "Just hang on a little longer. They're going to rescue you soon."
Above the valley, his men reacted swiftly.
"Lady Lucina... saved him," one soldier said, awe coloring his tone.
"We have to help them get out of there!" another barked. "Bring me a rope or anything we can use to climb down!"
"YES, SIR!"
Moments later, a lifeline reached us. With coordinated effort, we were pulled from the Valley of Fire.
As soon as we reached solid ground, safe from the flames, his men rushed to our side. "They're both safe and sound, sir!"
I helped support Hakan, though his injuries were severe. He slumped against me, his body heavy and warm, but alive. My only thought: he was alive.
---
The moment we were pulled from the blazing valley, the world blurred into a flurry of activity. Hakan, my King, slumped against me, his body heavy, still bearing the scars of the fire and whatever had caused him to fall. The soldiers' relief was palpable.
"They're both safe and sound, sir!" one of them shouted, voice trembling with awe and gratitude.
Then, a figure stepped forward. The Cardinal, golden hair gleaming against his white and gold robes, approached with calm authority. He knelt beside Hakan, his expression serious and unwavering. Another soldier, eager to help, suggested, "Hold on, just a little longer, Your Majesty. I'll summon a cleric..."
"That won't be necessary," the Cardinal replied, his voice calm, yet carrying undeniable power.
He reached out, placing his hand gently over Hakan's chest where the injuries were gravest. A brilliant blue light began to glow from his palm—the same divine energy that had protected me in the Valley of Fire. It pulsed with a steady, comforting rhythm, washing over Hakan's battered body and knitting flesh and sinew with miraculous precision.
After a tense moment, the Cardinal stood, satisfied.
"He should be fine now," he announced.
I exhaled a breath I hadn't realized I was holding. Relief crashed over me in dizzying waves. "Thank you so much, Your Eminence," I whispered, voice thick with emotion.
I turned back to Hakan, who was already stirring. "How are you feeling, Hakan?" I asked softly, concern lacing every word.
He opened his eyes fully, and for the first time since the ordeal, a genuine softness glimmered there. He attempted to rise, testing the Cardinal's miraculous work. "I'm fine, Lucina," he said, voice hoarse but steady.
We found a quiet moment away from the soldiers, and I could no longer hold back my tears. They spilled freely, tracing warm lines down my cheeks as grief, guilt, and fear consumed me. I had put him through so much.
I pulled closer, my voice breaking as I whispered, "I'm sorry." A small, choking sob escaped me. "This is all my fault."
I struggled to explain the desperation that had driven me to such a reckless act. "I thought I had to leave—for the sake of you and your people." The logic now felt hollow against the weight of the pain I had seen in his eyes when he thought I was gone.
My gaze was pleading, stained with tears. "If I had known I was going to put you through all this pain, I never would've left you in the first place."
I took his hand—the one now resting gently in mine, perfectly healed—and looked him in the eyes, praying he could feel the truth in my heart.
"I don't hate you..." I admitted, voice trembling.
💍 A New Promise
I poured out my heart to Hakan, tears and guilt spilling freely. "I'm sorry. This is all my fault. I thought I had to leave for the sake of you and your people. If I had known I was going to put you through all this pain, I never would've left you in the first place. I don't hate you..."
He reached out, large, warm hands cupping my face. With gentle care, he wiped the tears from my cheeks with his thumb.
"It's my fault for making you feel that way... so, don't cry," he said, his voice husky, thick with emotion. His dark eyes held a tenderness I hadn't seen in a long time, a quiet promise of steadfastness.
"Don't you hate me now, Hakan?" I asked, still needing reassurance.
His reply was swift, absolute. "I could never hate you." He leaned closer, intensity in his gaze making my breath catch. "But I want you to promise me one thing: Don't ever leave my side again."
Relief and joy surged through me, and I nodded immediately. "Of course, I'll never leave you again." I repeated the promise with a second, determined nod, tears streaming freely—but now from overwhelming happiness. "WAAAH!"
"...And I don't want to leave you," he whispered, pulling me into a fierce, protective embrace.
In the quiet aftermath, as Hakan's men tended to wounds and the scorched valley around us, the Cardinal approached, his expression grave.
"Is it true that Lucina can't bear any more children?" he asked, his tone measured but serious.
"That's right, Your Eminence," Hakan confirmed.
I spoke softly, leaning into Hakan's side, my heart laid bare. "I'm even happy for you to marry Giaret... if it means I can stay with you. After all, I can't have any more children." I meant it—my love for Hakan was all that mattered.
Hakan lifted my chin gently so our eyes met. "You're the one I love, Lucina," he murmured. His words soothed me, a balm to my weary soul. "I can't get married and have a child with anyone else."
Meanwhile, the Cardinal studied me thoughtfully. "It appears that her body has become significantly weaker following the ordeal with Marissa," he noted. Then, with a resolute glance, he continued, "Since I'm also responsible for this situation, I will... heal Lucina."
Hakan's head snapped up, hope flashing across his face. "Can she really be healed?"
The Cardinal's gaze was firm, serious. "It should be possible if I conserve my strength in the temple until then. Even if I use every last drop of my power, once the battle with Marissa is over."
Hakan bowed deeply, relief flooding him. "Thank you so much, Your Eminence!"
A chance to be fully healthy, to stay by Hakan's side, and to know that his heart belonged only to me... suddenly, my future shone brighter than the flames of the valley we had just escaped.
Hakan gently took my face in his hands, his large, warm palms cradling me as he wiped away my tears. "It's my fault for making you feel that way... so, don't cry," he murmured, his voice thick with emotion. His dark eyes, usually so commanding, were now tender as he held my gaze. "I could never hate you," he promised, voice husky. "But I want you to promise me one thing: Don't ever leave my side again."
"Of course, I'll never leave you again," I confirmed, nodding through a fresh wave of tears. My voice shook as I whispered, "...And I don't want to leave you," and he pulled me close, holding me like he would never let go.
Even in this moment of relief, practicality nudged at my thoughts. "I'm even happy for you to marry Giaret... if it means I can stay with you. After all, I can't have any more children."
Hakan's gaze met mine with unwavering certainty. "You're the one I love, Lucina. I can't get married and have a child with anyone else." His words wrapped around my heart like a protective cloak, warm and unwavering.
The Cardinal, standing nearby, had witnessed our devotion. His expression softened, almost paternal, as he spoke to Hakan with measured seriousness. "It appears that her body has become significantly weaker following the ordeal with Marissa." Then, with a weighty declaration, he added, "Since I'm also responsible for this situation, I will... heal Lucina."
Hakan's eyes widened in astonishment. "Can she really be healed?"
"It should be possible if I save up my strength in the temple until then," the Cardinal explained. "Even if I use up every last drop of my power... once the battle with Marissa is over."
Hakan bowed deeply, relief flooding him. "Thank you so much, Your Eminence! I don't know how we'll ever repay you..."
The Cardinal's gaze shifted to me, soft and almost wistful, a paternal warmth in his eyes. He spoke quietly, almost to himself, yet I could hear every word. "Lierre, our child has grown into a wonderful woman... one who will risk her life for the one she loves." His voice held a mixture of pride and melancholy. He paused, a powerful resolve hardening in his expression. "I've watched her grow, and through her love for Hakan, she will continue to grow, just as I have persevered through everything until now thanks to her." He gave a firm, comforting squeeze of my hand, his tone resolute. "That's why... I'll do anything to protect her love. Even if it means using up all my powers until there's nothing left."
Later that evening, as Hakan and I rested in his chambers, a soft KNOCK KNOCK sounded at the door.
"Come in," Hakan called.
One of his men stepped inside, bowing slightly. "Your Majesty, it's Gilla! Please forgive me for disturbing you so late, but there's something I need to tell you."
He froze for a moment, surprised to see the Cardinal standing near our bedside. "I didn't know my lady and the Cardinal were here as well. Would you like us to leave?"
"No... I think you both need to hear what I have to say," the Cardinal replied firmly.
Hakan shifted, brow furrowed with concern. "What is it?"
The Cardinal's words fell into the quiet room like a stone, heavy and shattering. "Your Majesty, there's a chance... that your child is still alive."
The tension in the room was instantaneous, charged and unspoken. Every heartbeat felt deafening.
This revelation changes everything.