The Warrior Son and the King's Daughter // Rainimator AU //

Prologue

~Sixteen years ago~
April 25th, 19:20
The Void Islands, End.
Stella

"When I found you my dear, you were a small little thing bundled up in a soft little white blanket, left on the edge of the End Witch Coven Island." Father explains, his hand strokes my cheek.

My young eyes widen with curiosity. "Oooo! Story time papa? Story! Story! Story!" I chant, my arms wrapping around his leg tightly, his long black cape drapes against me.

Father smiles, kneeling down. "I guess papa's got some time before he has to leave my dear!" He vocalizes, handing off his spell book to his two counsel-man and counsel-woman. "Take five minutes to sharpen your tools." He orders the vampire and scary-lady. The two nod, leaving us in the throne room. Papa scoops me up into his arms, and walk us over to his throne. I giggle.

Papa sat down on his large throne of silver and shiny black scales, placing me down on his lap. "Settle down my dear, it's quite a story." He comments, brushing a hand through my long violet locks.
My inky black eyes light up and I create a small ender whale plush in my hands. He chuckles warmly, kissing my forehead. "It's about time I told you how I found you, my little chorus flower."

"It was a colder night, from what I remember, and I was busy dealing with matters in the Coven, before they split up, when I heard someone crying coming from the outside. I went outside to investigate to see little five-month-old you bundled up in a soft little white blanket." Father said, pausing as usual for dramatic effect, leaving me on the edge of my seat as I clench my end whale plush tighter.
  "I scooped you up and tried looking for your parents. But no matter how hard I tried, I could never find them. I assumed they were a member of the old coven that had ran away and abandoned you. Tch, those careless know-it-all mages, too busy defying orders and reading to care about such a young bud of a blooming chorus blossom." Papa praises, growing a branch of chorus fruit and blossoms from his hands for his analogy, before popping a piece of fruit off, handing it to me, and following a beautiful blossoming flower before withering it to dust.

  I munch down on the bittersweet flesh of the fruit. "What did you do after that Papa?"

  He chuckles, brushing a tuff of my hair behind my pointed ears, which still resemble human-like ears when you put me next to him, tucking the flower neatly in place, but before he could continue, Sir Marcel, and scary-Lady Ceris walk in the room, stopping a few feet away before bowing to him simultaneously. I didn't need to hear the next words from Marcel's mouth to feel overcome with dread.

  "My King, it is time to go." Marcel, one of the nobles of the high counsel speak, looking up at my papa.
  Marcel was always a good friend of papa's, even before he went to study! He always comes across as big and scary, I mean, I was scared of him too when I met him! Papa said that when I was two, I burst into tears when he tried to talk to me.
But one day, papa took me to visit, and I had a play date with his daughter, who is about my age, and saw a whole other side of him! He was funny, and made me and her pancakes after his and papa's diplomatic business was done, and does the funny voices when reading aloud! Papa said that although he was defiant at first, he saw the error of his ways joined us after the war was over! Now me and his daughter go on play dates every now and then!

  The other noble says something in sign to papa. I don't know enough sign to directly translate what she said, but since papa didn't translate it, maybe it's not meant for me to hear.
  Ceris... well she's a hard one.
She was not good friends with papa before his studies like Marcel, or most other lords and ladies I know. In fact she never knew him before that! I was told she hadn't even been born when he had went into isolation, and that she had lead armies against him! He had to curse her so he could trust she won't try to betray him. Papa said it was because she was young and stupid that she tried to defy him, and that she's much happier now, living with her boyfriend!
  Hm... am I young and stupid? I always follow papa, and always eat my veggies though, so maybe I'm not! I remember papa say he put a curse on her so that she's trustworthy.
  She's not mean, no! She teaches me sign when she's over and promised to teach me sword-fighting when I'm older! She's just... kind of odd I guess?

"How about papa finishes the story when he gets back from his mission in the Pillagers." Father said, picking me up, placing me down, collecting his spell book from Marcel. "I will have a maid bathe you and put you to sleep." He said half-mindedly as he adjusts an arcane blade to his hip, and fixes his crown upon his head before walking away.
  Tears form in my eyes and I sprint up to him, grabbing his cape, and tugging him as hard as I could.

  "WAH!" He shouts, toppling backwards at my tug. I gasp sharply, my eyes widening when I had realized what I had done. I didn't want to hurt him, I just didn't want him to leave... not after last time.
  Father got to his knees, his face . "STELLA! WHAT WAS THA—" before he could finish, his black eyes met mine. That's when my tears came out. Tears pour down like human rain from my eyes. I run to papa and hug him tightly, looking at his right arm, there was a deep burn caused by the void.

  "I-I didn't mean to! I'm sorry!" I snivel, tears drenching his lavish black robes. "Don't go papa... don't go!"

  Father's last interaction with the Pillagers was nothing less than horrific. Those criminals had been robbing our trade ships, and when father went to investigate, they threw him to the void! It causing terrible burns from his right leg up to his fingertips, ones that doctor said that will only worsen with time. If Ceris hadn't been there, and called her dragons to help, he wouldn't be alive right now. I would have been an orphan again...

  I don't know what I expected to happen after I pulled him to the ground, but I don't think it was this. Instead of scolding me, he bites back the pain and sat down on the floor, and held me tightly, hand running through my hair.
  "Hey... it'll be okay, my dear." He solaces calmly. "What's wrong my child?"

  I hug him back. "I don't want you to go! I don't want you to get hurt!" I loudly divulge. The two nobles and household watching me might view me as an earsplitting, spoiled chit after this, but I don't care! I don't want papa to get maimed, or worse!

  Papa hushes me, gently attempting to comfort me. "Shhh, deep breaths my little chorus flower. It'll be okay, you know it will!" He whispers to me. Father pulls away, and cups my face, wiping my tears away. "Papa's just got some... unfinished business that I have to attend to those pillagers. I should be back home by the time you wake up for breakfast my dear, okay?"

  "Yes papa." I mumble through my tears, I turn to the two nobles slightly stood behind him. "I—I'm sorry I had an outburst like that. I didn't mean to make him fall." I apologize, looking to the ground.

I felt a hand pat my shoulder. When I look up, I see Lady Ceris kneeling in front of me. She said something in sign towards Sir Marcel to interpret.

"Oh! She said: 'don't worry child, your father has us to protect him.'" Marcel translates. "Of course! And do not worry. This is a scary situation, my kiddo still acts like this when I have to leave for missions. You're scared, we understand. But it will all be okay!"

  "Exactly my dear, now, I want you to take a bath, brush your teeth, put your pajamas on, and go to bed. Can you do that for me my chorus flower?" He asks, patting my head.
I nod and wipe the tears from my eyes which makes him smile. He kisses my forehead before standing up. "I will see you in the morning my dear."

"Bye papa!" I shout at him, waving goodbye.

~

And he did make it back, and untouched too. Just... soaked to the bone in a red liquid, bringing back two strangers. Father said they aided his plan, and would be staying with us for a while.
I was very thankful to see him at the time, of course I was. He was all I had in the world after all. He was my father, and I was his naïve child that loved him so.