Despite taking stops in between teleportation for Ember’s sake, allowing her brief rest every time to ensure her body’s condition, it took them hours to reach the Kingdom of Valor. The sun had long set by the time they stopped at the borderline mountains of the capital city.

In the darkness of the night, the city was calm, the streets mostly empty, many of the city residents  asleep in their own houses.

“We have arrived,” Draven informed her as he set her down to stand on her feet.

Ember looked ahead towards the city. Under the night sky, the city lights looked like flickering fireflies. It seemed large, the buildings spreading out the horizon, seemingly too much to take in at a single glance.

In the middle of the city, there was a looming presence, a palace complex tens of times larger that the one in Agartha.

From where they were standing, Ember could see beyond the walls, and the buildings and gardens inside remained bright despite it being deep into the night.

“This is Valor?” she asked.

“It’s the capital city and that is the royal palace,” he explained.

‘The capital…’

In books, it was said that the capital was the most magnificent city in every kingdom. Not only was it the most beautiful, it was also the most lively since it was bound to have the densest population as well.

This was the location where the influential people and families gathered, the center of the nation.

Almost two decades of her life was spent in Valor, but as she remained only on that dead mountain, she had never seen such a marvelous sight before.

‘The capital must be more amazing during the day, right?’ Expectation flashed on Ember’s face. “Why are we here? Does my family live in the capital city?”

“Yes,” he replied. “If you are feeling fine, we can enter the city.”

“Do you know which house they live in?” she asked nervously.

Ember somewhat began to imagine a scenario–an older man and woman waking up from bed, terrorized to find out a pair of intruders suddenly appeared inside their bedroom.

Draven couldn’t be planning to meet her parents that way, right? He wouldn’t be so rude…right?

“Yes, but before that, I need to show you something, and for that, we need to go  to the palace.”

“Hmm,” he replied and held her close to him once more, only to disappear from the mountain and appear on top of the palace wall where groups of royal guards were patrolling.

Ember immediately buried her face in Draven’s chest the moment she saw the guards. Draven found her reaction adorable. As if she could hide herself like this.

“They won’t see us…” Draven said, only to get his mouth covered by her hand. He heard her whisper like a thief.

“They will hear you. Lower your voice.”

He removed his hand from her mouth. “Trust me. You don’t need to hide like this.”

“Why are we here?” she whispered again.

Draven signaled for her to look at the flags attached on the stone rampart, as well as the flags attached on the spires.

With the illumination from the lighted torches placed on the walls, as well as the lanterns carried by the patrolling guards,  Ember could see the design embroidered on the flags. The crest was familiar to her.

“It’s…the design I have on that silk cloth,” she said and looked back at Draven. “Why is it on the flag of the royal palace?”

“I think you can guess why,” he replied.

Ember gulped and looked back at that flag. “Since these flags are in the royal palace, then it should be the crest of the ruling royal family, isn’t it?”

“You are right,” she heard him say.

As she gazed at those flags once more, her next words were muttered so softly, the wind seemed to bring them away.

“What are you trying to imply, Draven?”

“Exactly as you think.”

Complicated emotions appeared on her face, and her grip on his arm tightened. “Are you trying to tell me that I am a part of the royal family of Valor?”

“Yes.”

“Do you really think I will believe it?”

“You have to because it’s the truth.”

“You look so sure about it. How long have you been aware of it?”

“Quite some time,” he answered vaguely. “I needed to know everything about my mate.”

“Then why didn’t you tell me before?”

There was blame in her voice, somewhat unhappy, but Draven felt like she didn’t truly mean it.

“Because you never asked me. I didn’t wish to interfere.”

“Then why now?”

“I felt it’s the right time for you to know everything.”

“Everything?”

“That you are the daughter of the King of Valor, the only princess of the Valor Royal Family,” he replied.

Daughter of the King.

A royal princess.

The only princess.

Ember let go of him out of reflex and stepped away, shaking her head. She felt like she was hearing something wrong. Was Draven just teasing her…?

“It can’t be. How can I be a princess? I am just…just…I am…”

If she’s the only daughter of the most powerful man in this kingdom, shouldn’t she be spoiled by her family, growing up under the loving gaze of the people like all those princesses in the books?

Draven reached out towards his shocked mate and held her hand. Her moist eyes were still in shock, but a sense of betrayal could be seen growing in them.

“It’s the truth, Ember. You are the royal princess of this kingdom. Do you think I will lie to you?”

“M-Maybe you are just mistaken.”

“I am not. What I am telling is the truth I personally confirmed.”

The tears she had been holding back rolled down from her eyes. “If…If I am a princess, why…? What was I doing on that cursed mountain? Why was I left there to live worse than an animal? Even if they don’t want me, they could at least guarantee a life where I have my most basic needs…I didn’t have to…I… I don’t believe it!”

“You have to believe it,” he said as he cupped her face in his hands and his thumbs wiped the tears from her cheeks.

“I…I thought my parents were dead, that was why my nanny and I were forced to live like that to avoid enemies,” she sobbed. “Then, are my parents the current King and Queen of Valor? Why did they abandon me? They didn’t want me?”

“After your birth, you were branded as a cursed child. They could not kill you, so they left you on that mountain.”

“A-Am I cursed?”

“No, you are not, Ember.”

“Then why? I know they call me an evil witch. Is that why this kingdom hated me and wanted me dead? B-But I’m human and I’ve never hurt anyone–“

“Humans fear what they don’t understand.”

“My family, they wanted me dead?”

Draven knew it was going to hurt her and replied, “Maybe not all. The ones who helped burn that mountain were the royal soldiers, so that means at least someone from the royal family does.”

“My family, my mother, father…they all wanted me dead?”