For my Kingdom, For our Love

1 - An "Amazing" Mission.

Isn't it just every knight's dream to work side by side with the rulers of their Kingdoms? In the kingdom ruled by Queen Asahina, and her very unspoken of husband, everything was different. If you worked for her you were feared. If you spoke against her you were killed. Even her own daughter ran away because of her mothers actions. The Asahina kingdom was well known for making wars with lands that the Queen knew couldn't withstand against her army, it was her way to expand her Kingdoms land. The Hidden Forest and the Asahina kingdom had been at war for many years, it was rumoured that there was magic in the forest that can do very powerful things, and that their ruler was only a mere 24 years old, having began ruling after the death of his father a year after the war had began.

Among those who were feared for their work, Tsukasa Tenma was one of the most highly respected knights in all of his kingdom. His loyalty to the Queen was unmatched. He had been fighting in many battles in connection to the war, but has remained loyal since the start. He wasn't feared, for he was kind, loyal, and very generous compared to the other knights. He understood his people, he knew who his enemies were, and he was very accommodating to those in need, often allowing people from other Kingdoms past the borders while on duty, within reason of course. He would let immigrant families escaping from violence or discrimination in other kingdoms in, because he knew how that felt. His own father had fled to try and find a better kingdom for Tsukasa and his family, despite knowing that Tsukasa secretly had found one by accident. One that he could potentially be named a ruler of. "Attention everyone, the Queen requests a meeting with you in the throne room" one of the guards called out to the knights, who had only just returned from morning training.

The throne room was gorgeous, a familiar place for the knights, but gorgeous nonetheless. Six marble pillars, 3 on each side, stained glass windows, and of course, the throne itself. Pure gold with diamonds embedded on the armrests and the top point of it. It sort of sickened the knights. They were all working their asses off to make ends meet for their families, fighting the years of their life away, while the Queen spent the money that could supply the kingdom of food and houses on stupid things like making a throne room that only she used beautiful. Queen Asahina sat in her lavish gown, waiting patiently for her knights. She had always been one to go above and beyond with everything, and strive for perfection, to the point where everything feels extravagant, again, sickening. "Ah! Welcome everyone!" She greeted. At first glance, she seemed very sweet and caring, the perfect Queen, but under all of the lavish-ness and acts is where her real self takes the light. There were roughly thirty knights there, standing in 6 rows of 5, bowing down to her. "I have called you here to discuss our next move against the Hidden Forest. That ruler of theirs has kept up the magic for long enough now, he'll be exhausted soon, so now is our time to strike" She explained. "Fifteen of you will go head first into the forest, and I will choose those fifteen now.." She called out fourteen out of the fifteen names, leaving the last sixteen with goosebumps.

"How could I not, Sir Tenma, you will go along too". Tsukasa elegantly bowed low. "Yes, your majesty!" He exclaimed, causing a slight giggle from the other knights. Despite having one of the highest ranks, Sir Tsukasa still got picked on for being so loud and positive all the time. No body knew that the real reason is because he had to grow up thinking positive, even when things weren't. Tsukasa and his family never had an easy life, his sister was born with a weak body, making her prone to illnesses a lot and while his father was away in a different kingdom, working for a better life for his family, Tsukasa's mother stayed home and looked after her two children, relying on Tsukasa since he was a young child to help support his family. Tsukasa always tried to do things that would benefit his mother and sister, that also being one of the main reasons he joined the Asahina kingdom knights. Back then he had heard that there was a high pay rate for the knights who performed well, which instantly interested him. His family wasn't poor, but they weren't exactly rich either, an average middle class family of the time, so Tsukasa figured that this job would work well for him. His skill that he had learned from his father before he left was sure to increase his ranks, making more money. It was the perfect plan.. except younger Tsukasa Tenma was not aware of the realities of working for the Queen.

"Perfect! You all leave on Monday, so prepare yourselves!" She clapped her hands together and smiled. Before she dismissed her knights, she added one final point. "You have served your kingdom well, soldiers, thank you" She gleamed. The fifteen knights stared directly into her deceiving eyes. "I beg your pardon, your majesty?" One of the higher knights spoke up. "Ah, I must have forgotten, this is a mission where I am expecting no-returns, a fight to the death, almost.. unless you succeed, of course!" She explained, in a creepily excited manner. "I see, thank you, your majesty" The knight said and they were all dismissed.

In the knights clubroom, the knights spoke in distress of the queen's declaration. "A suicide mission? What is she thinking?" One of the newer knights shouted. "We can't speak badly of her, she obviously has her reasons, so we must obey" An experienced knight added. Tsukasa didn't say a thing, he simply sat on one of the benches and stayed silent. A fight to the death, with his own comrades, against people who he gained some trust of. It didn't feel right, he wanted to hide, but he had the Queen's trust, and if he did succeed, he could get more money for his family. "Hey Tenma, you ok?" A friend of his asked him. "Yeah, I'm fine! Thanks, Shinonome.. are you ok?" Tsukasa smiled. Akito Shinonome was a good friend of Tsuksa's who had also been chosen for the mission. He was a year younger than Tsukasa and came from a slightly lower middle class family. He joined not too long after Tsukasa, too, which made them good friends over time. "Ehh, I know Ena won't be happy about it, but me, I'm happy this is my last mission" He sat down beside Tsukasa. "Why are you happy about it? You might die.." Tsukasa asked. Akito sighed. "No.. not like that, I mean, I'm glad this is my last mission.." He began to whisper. "In the Asahina kingdom". Tsukasa's eyes widened. "What?!"

One of the knight generals walked over to them. "Tenma, Shinonome, it's time to go home" He told them. "Yes sir!" They both responded, stood up and walked out together. "So.. you're leaving?" Tsukasa asked. "Not exactly, well, I don't know yet, I just know I'm done serving the Queen"

Tsukasa was in shock. "But your family-"

"My sister, Ena, she's moving to another kingdom soon, there's a knight there who said they'd take care of her, so I trust them, and Ena seems to be excited" Akito explained. "So you're going with her?" Tsukasa was upset that one of his only friends was leaving the knight corps. "I'm not sure yet.. what about you? I know you hate fighting against his kingdom.." Akito added.

He wasn't wrong, Tsukasa hated this war against the Hidden Forest, and Akito was the only one who knew the reason why. "I don't know, its hard.. I feel horrible, but I would be killed otherwise, and he knows that.. but still.. and he knows the reason why I do it which still makes me feel worse.. I'm attacking his people just to benefit mine" Tsukasa sighed. "It's not like that, i've seen your sister before, and I know what its like, sorta, but y'know what I mean" No one knew, but Tsukasa had a very strong connection with the Hidden forest, a connection that only very few of the soldiers of the forest knew about, it was a secret between him and a certain person on the other side of the border. Tsukasa began to rub the ring that rested on his wedding ring finger. "And hey, it's only Friday night, we still have 2 days until we leave, so try to relax" Akito said in an attempt to reassure him. "Yeah, thanks Shinonome, I'll see you tomorrow" Tsukasa thanked him before they walked their separate ways.

"I'm home!!" Tsukasa called out as he got in the door. "Big brother! You're back!!" His younger sister, Saki, ran over to greet him. "Wow, Saki, you seem energetic, shouldn't you be asleep?" He asked as he pulled her into a hug. "I'm actually just back too! I was out with Ichann and the others!" She exclaimed. "Oh! That's great, Saki!" Tsukasa was overjoyed to hear that Saki was out with her friends again, she's had to wait for so long, so it was amazing that she was able to do that now.. and he couldn't ruin that buzz just yet.. "Where's mom?" He asked, pulling out of the hug to take of his boots. "Upstairs!" Saki said before running up to her. Tsukasa left his boots at the door and began to follow Saki to go see their mother. Before entering his mother's room, Tsukasa slipped his ring off of his finger and into his pocket, out of sight from his mother. He only ever had to hide it around his mom, because Saki never noticed it. "Mom, I'm back!" He opened the door to see his mom in her room folding some freshly washed clothes. Mrs Tenma walked over and hugged Tsukasa "Welcome home, dear, any news?" She asked. "Well..." Tsukasa started awkwardly. He felt really bad about telling his mom about this. "I'm being send out on a mission" He told her. "Oh.. um.. you'll be ok, right? When do you leave?" His mother cupped his face with her hands. Tsukasa placed his left hand over one his moms hands. "Monday.. but mom.. this is.." He began. "It's...?" No. He couldn't do this to his mother, she would worry and wouldn't let him go.

"It's.. going to be an amazing mission"