Princess Vivianne & Juniper the Guard

Chapter 1: Tempting Fate (1)

Since his parents left him in front of Sunset Orphanage, Juno's life had consisted of a small villa and garden. Never beyond unless to the nearby farm run by Uncle Smith and his many daughters for fresh milk and vegetables or the nearby forest and hills.

The orphanage was a small red brick building with a sloping roof and several chimneys. The front door was a heavy wooden gate with a brass knocker shaped like a lion's head. The windows were tall and narrow, with wooden shutters that could be opened to let in the cool breeze.

Surrounding the orphanage was lush and green landscapes. The village was nestled between a valley surrounded by rolling hills covered in emerald green grass. The sound of the nearby river was a calming ambience. It snaked its way through the valley and provided fresh water for the village.

In the orphanage, the children played in a bright, airy hallway with a polished wooden floor and a staircase leading up to the second floor. Their cheers were bouncing off the walls—painted a cheerful shade of yellow, with colourful paintings and posters adorning them.

The main room was an ample, open space with several tables and chairs arranged in a semi-circle. The children sat at the tables, often eating a simple meal of bread, meat, and soup. The walls were lined with shelves filled with books and games, and several toys were scattered around the room.

At his age, many boys left the village to join a guild or become miners. Mrs Reeves had urged him to explore the world, but he had everything he could wish for in the village. The many hills and valleys were an adventure on their own.

The small children would join him on his hikes during the summer; their starstruck expressions felt like he was reliving the experience of seeing the grand green fields through them again. The field trips taught them about dangerous plants and let them move their small bodies around.

So, he stayed under the premise of helping out Mrs Reeves, who had grown old and tired through the years.

Deep down, he knew it was because he had nowhere else to call home.

...

Men dressed in maroon uniforms would come by each fortnight and speak to Mrs Reeves for many hours on end; they'd also make the children write and calculate various texts and equations.

Mrs Reeves was a great teacher, but he spent his time studying out of boredom rather than interest. Nevertheless, Juno consistently scored well, proud even if he didn't know exactly why he had to do the tests.

Juno would serve the knights' tea and small cookies after everyone else went to bed; they never spoke in his presence, just observed him with unmoving eyes.

It sent chills down his spine without fail every time, yet, he responded politely to their prodding questions despite the odd feeling he got from them. Two years ago, they stopped visiting, but Juno never asked why, secretly happy that the late-time visitors finally left them to their own devices.

The Nor kingdom was the furthest north among the three on the Iorian continent, surrounded by mountains up north and their neighbouring countries south.

The harsh winters meant that food was sparse, but a good reason for a treaty with the Maritime Empire of Caspia to the east. In exchange for raw metals, they had plenty of crops and fish to last them through the dark and brutal months.

It had improved the general state of the nation, but no one had it better than the upper class, who had gone all out with their flashy gowns and marble statues. Suddenly, they were the wealthiest country on the continent by a small margin.

Many worried that the Southern Empire of Sol would take that as a provocation upon hearing about the treaty, as they had battled many times with Caspia for fishing routes. Similarly, The Kingdom of Nor had gone to war a hundred years ago for the disputed Island Io with Caspia.