(Other Realm)
Alethia made her way through the deserted halls of Greg Minister, an unusual sight for this time of day. She stopped outside the hospital wing and knocked, patiently waiting for someone to answer. After a few minutes, the door swung open, revealing Huan with his trademark crooked smile.
"Ah, Alethia, come in, child," Huan said, stepping aside to let her pass.
"Where is everyone today?" she asked.
Huan grinned. "They have all gone on their missions and such. Between the attacks by Yuber and the God of Chaos, they don't get much downtime. But enough about that," he said, taking her hand and studying her. "You look splendid in the outfits the tailor made for you. Lord Zepher insisted on only the finest clothing for his Queen-to-be."
Alethia laughed and twirled around, showing off her black pants and emerald green halter top. "You really didn't need to send a tailor, Huan, but thank you. He was quite insistent on adding more dresses to my wardrobe. I ended up with ten skirts!"
Huan chuckled. "Well, you look beautiful, my dear. Now, what are your plans for the day?"
Taking a seat on one of the beds, Alethia replied, "I am supposed to be meeting with Zepher in the garden. He wants to discuss more of the upcoming wedding." She couldn't help but flinch at the thought of the wedding.
Huan sat down beside her. "Are you getting nervous for the big day?"
Alethia sighed and chewed on her bottom lip. "Zepher is a wonderful man, and I've known him since I was a child. I just can't shake this feeling of unease."
Huan placed a reassuring hand on her knee. "It's normal to feel nervous about such a commitment. But trust me, you will be a beautiful bride and an amazing Queen."
Alethia smiled and nodded. "I hope you're right, Huan. Maybe it's just wedding jitters."
Huan smiled back. "Of course I'm right. Now, off you go, child. You don't want to keep your betrothed waiting."
Alethia stood up and thanked Huan for his support. As she left the hospital wing, she made a detour to her room to grab her sword, bow, and quiver. Even though she was meeting Zepher, she never went anywhere outside unarmed. It was something her father had insisted on, especially now that she was fully immersed in the other realms and memories of her training to defeat the God of Chaos were resurfacing.
As she made her way down the hall, Chris suddenly appeared beside her. "Where are you off to?" he asked.
"I'm meeting with Zepher to discuss more wedding arrangements," Alethia replied.
Chris nodded. "That's great to hear. By the way, isn't your younger sister Alhanna getting married soon?"
Alethia nodded as they descended the grand staircase. "Yes, I have to return to Kala-Moran soon to help with her wedding preparations."
Chris smiled. "You're going to be busy with all these wedding preparations. It seems like you won't have any time for training with your father or me."
Alethia stopped on the stairs and turned to look at Chris. "I never thought about it that way. It would be nice to have some time to just be normal for a change."
Chris let out a sigh. "Alethia, you are not normal. You live between realms, destined to destroy the God of Chaos and become the Goddess of War. There's nothing normal about you."
Closing her eyes, Alethia took a deep breath. "Thanks for reminding me, Chris. It would have been nice to forget about my supposed destiny for a little while." She continued down the stairs, leaving Chris behind. She didn't want to dwell on her destiny for the day. Instead, she tried to focus on her upcoming marriage to Zepher, but the feeling of unease in her chest grew stronger. She pushed those thoughts aside as she made her way through the garden to meet Zepher.
Taking a seat on one of the benches, she placed her quiver and bow beside her and leaned back, closing her eyes. Suddenly, Zepher approached, placing his hand on her shoulder.
"There's my beautiful bride-to-be," he said.
Startled, Alethia opened her eyes to look at Zepher. She couldn't help but marvel at how much he resembled the boy she had been dating in the other realm. However, Zepher had no recollection of those memories, no understanding of the other realm. Alethia had tried to hint at their shared experiences, but both counterparts seemed lost.
Chris had informed her that it was not yet time for him to awaken, but assured her that the moment would soon arrive.
Smiling, Zepher greeted her, "How has your morning been? Huan mentioned that you have all been occupied with the ongoing war."
Nodding, Alethia took a seat beside her. "It has been challenging. If Yuber isn't wreaking havoc, Kakaron certainly is. However, that is not what I wish to discuss today. Despite being the daughter of the God of War and valuing your insights, I am more interested in the upcoming wedding. You haven't spoken with anyone I have hired for the grand event. Don't you desire to have a say in the flowers, the food, or anything?"
Alethia looked away, her thoughts drifting. "I never imagined myself planning a wedding, Zepher. Of course, I want to have a say. I'm just uncertain where to begin. I promise to start taking this matter more seriously."
Zepher smiled, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. "Good, because you had me worried that you might become a runaway bride," he teased.
"I wouldn't put it past her, seeing as she doesn't love you," a deep voice interrupted them.
Startled, both Zepher and Alethia jumped to their feet, spinning around. Zepher reached for his sword as Kakaron emerged from the overgrown bushes. "What do you know of matters of the heart when you don't possess one?"
"You are a fool, Zepher. Heart or not, I can see that the princess does not love you" Kakaron retorted.
Alethia's head throbbed as she tried to steady her voice. "You are not welcome here."
Kakaron shifted his attention to her, a flicker of anger crossing his face before he spoke. "I go wherever I please, Princess."
Positioning himself between Alethia and Kakaron, Zepher took a step forward. He had never engaged in a one-on-one battle with the God of Chaos, but he was prepared to defend his home and his queen. "I will not repeat myself. Leave now."
In the blink of an eye, Kakaron stood before Zepher, his hand gripping Zepher's throat and lifting him off the ground. Zepher's sword fell to the earth. "You have no right to command me, mortal."
Quickly grabbing her bow and an arrow from next to the bench, Alethia swiftly nocked the arrow and drew the string, taking aim. "Release him, immediately!"
A low growl escaped Kakaron as he seemed to struggle momentarily with his next move. Finally, he set Zepher down, causing him to collapse to his knees, gasping for air. Alethia kept her bow fixed on Kakaron, her heart pounding in her chest. "You must leave now!"
Anger flashed across Kakaron's face. "You are making a grave mistake, marrying this mortal. You don't love him, he doesn’t love you. I will take my leave and wish you the best in your future marriage, though we both know it won't endure." With that, he vanished.
Helping Zepher to his feet, Alethia heard him mutter something about killing Kakaron the next time they crossed paths. Shaking her head, she guided him along the path.
