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

Chapter 2

April 24th, 16:15
The Void Islands, End.
Stella

"So, is there anything new at the outpost? I heard the Nether Palace was taken over a few weeks ago!" I ask as Ciara dusts my cheeks and nose with a light blush. She shrugs, closing the pallet of blush, and picking up a simple black liquid liner.

"Yes we— hey, eyes closed Stella!" She directed, seizing the lower half of my face. I close my eyes, as I hear the top of the liner come off with a small 'pop'. "—Yeah, we did! Unfortunately, that new warmongering Queen and most of her people and guard escaped; but we managed to capture a few highly ranked individuals."

  "What kind of individuals? How many? How many do you guys estimate escaped the—" I rapidly fire questions as the End assassin.

  "Woah, woah, slow down a bit!" She giggles, while she lines my eyes with the black liner.

  "Sorry..." I whisper under my breath.

  "It's okay. But, you should go to my brother or your father for most of these. You know I'm just a glorified apprentice." She laughs, moving on to my other eye. "Why don't you go to your father? He's the head-honcho of this whole thing, he should be able to answer some of your questions, and worlds better than I could!" Ciara suggests.

  I flinch back from the liner brush as it neared my eye. I pause before answering her suggestion. "He doesn't talk about this stuff with me after I started being homeschooled. He deliberately avoids it even!" I mention, holding my own arms. "It's annoying, I'm not a child anymore."

  Ciara pauses. "Maybe there's a good reason behind it Stella. There are bad people out there, a lot of them. He's your father. He wants to protect you from that part of the world."

  Letting out a heavy sigh, I sink onto my canopy bed. "I know... I just wished I knew more about everything!" I state. Ciara lays down next to me, and stays quiet, letting me vent. "I've read every historical book in every library of this kingdom! With my knowledge, I could help him out there now if he lets me. I want to do more for the End than just sit up here in a guarded palace and look pretty."

My best friend sighs and starts helping with my hair. She begins twisting in a long mermaid tail braid out of my violet locks. I sit up to make the braiding easier. "You history nut." She chuckles, and I roll my eyes. "...Your father has lived through crazy parts of our history Stella. Multiple battles, wars, and rough times. It's hard on him. War is a difficult topic. Just because we're holding our own against the barbarians that attacked us, doesn't mean everything is safe. He doesn't want you out there because he's scared you'll get hurt." She pauses, "I'd be scared about that too..."

  I hold my face in the palms of my hands. I knew she was right.
Witnessing death is an experience that sticks with you, one that changes you from what father had always said. I have never directly witnessed death. I don't know it as well as Ciara did, or as Kane did, or as Ceris and Marcel, or even my father. I believe what they say, but the inquisitive nature of a witch never allows them to cease the desire of knowledge, sometimes no matter the selfishness or danger assigned to it.

  "I understand." I cave, not wishing to argue, but I couldn't help but feel bummed. Why, why did such a spirit of curiosity have to be chained into a life of royalty.

"Hey, maybe it's for the best though! You're not necessarily the sturdy type." She giggles, and I jokingly slap her hand as a response. "Hey, hey! Don't move too much, I'm almost done!" Ciara laughs out. After a few more minutes of sitting there, she helps me up, and walks with me to the mirror and smiles.
"Voila! What do you think?" She asks, joyfully revealing her work.