Willow, Smoke, and Cybrus had been trusted with guiding the sovereigns to safety.
"I think the treasury would be the safest place," Smoke said. The five of them had gotten far enough away from the entry to take a breather.
The treasury was deep within House Solarex. It contained the Gemstones Aureate had taken from the Gem Hunter establishment beneath Horizons Academy, way back when. It was the most secure part in the entire house.
"But what if the Princess defeats all of them, and then she finds the treasury, and we don't have a way to escape?" Willow brought up, running through every terrible possibility in her head. She'd seen what Aureate could do when berserk before. It was something she could never erase from her mind.
Cybrus shook his head.
"Cybrus is right. We can't tell what's going to happen, so getting to the safest place here is our best bet!" Smoke said as enthusiastically as ever.
Willow sighed. It looked like she was outnumbered. They picked up the pace, locking themselves in the vault that was the treasury. There were all sorts of coins and knicknacks neatly lined up in piles against the walls, but the most notable would be the contained Gemstones against the back wall. They were atop a pile of gold coins, still within the contraptions the Gem Hunters placed them in.
"Thank you, children. This is a tough situation to be in," Quynn said. "Your bravery is admirable."
"Of course! Your Majesties!" Smoke bowed his head several times. "Th-There's no need for that, dearies. Please, treat us as your equals," Gloria insisted.
"Of course! Your Majest–"
"I can't possibly imagine how you must feel, King Solarex," Willow tactically interrupted.
"It's nothing I haven't endured before. But I appreciate the concern.. Willow, was it?"
Willow widened her eyes, drawing a light chuckle from the nightcap. "Whenever Aureate comes to visit, she talks on and on about you all."
"Oh, wow.." Willow, personally, didn't consider herself to be that close with the Princess. She saw as more of a role model, than anything. They were on friendly terms, but.. they were still lacking that connection. Even if Willow wished to bond with Aureate, Stelora was always hanging around. And Stelora was always so bitter in a way that differed from Flare.
"Say, Willow, which is your kingdom of origin, if I may? You don't seem like you're from Sunfall." Quynn pulled her from her thoughts.
"O-Oh! Um.. I don't know?" Willow tried.
The king offered her a skeptical look.
"..Dearie, you sound like you're trying to convince yourself." Gloria was straightforward, at least. "None of you would believe me if I told the truth," Willow said.
"Try us!" Smoke encouraged. Cybrus was nodding along.
Internally, Willow groaned. "I'm from the.. Cumulus.. Kingdom.."
Silence. And then, "Sky Dweller.." from Quynn.
"Um.. what?"
"Recently, there have been these plants going from kingdom to kingdom, primarily Moonfall, claiming to have fallen from the fabled kingdom in the sky. They said the Cumulus Kingdom fell apart, if I recall correctly. I've nicknamed them, 'Sky Dwellers.'"
It's been destroyed? But.. how? Oh my Dave. I hope they're okay.
"But the story says only plants with Core Abilities that allow flight, or something akin to it, can reach the Cumulus Kingdom," Gloria thought aloud. "Your Core Ability is the one with the headaches, yes? Then how did you leave, dearie?"
YOU ARE READING
Golden: The Collection
Fanfiction"Do you accept this humble burden?" Luz demanded. "The burden to protect those who cannot protect themselves?" The princess stood for a moment. Her senses were screaming at her to decline and go back to her normal life, but there was this voice. Thi...
