The Fight for the Crown

Not literally Unknown

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Astrids POV

I was stunned when I learned about everything that had happened. To be honest, it felt like my mind was being completely overwhelmed. I needed some time to process everything. After Sky finished speaking, she turned to me and asked, "Any questions?" My mind was racing with numerous questions, but I knew I couldn't ask all of them at once. Some of the questions seemed obvious and I decided to think about them later. I also didn't want to overwhelm Sky with all my inquiries, so I chose to ask one question at a time. I started with, "What happened to my parents?" When I asked her this, her expression changed as if she had forgotten to mention something important. Despite this, I found her explanations to be clear and straightforward, which made it easier for me to digest the information.

"Ohh, how could I forget to mention that?" she murmured under her breath. "Let me tell you now, well you see—" I cut her off, even though I knew it was very mean of me. There was no going back. "I won't feel emotional, just cut to the point," I said firmly, making her take a deep breath in and out. After a few seconds, she replied, "Your Father was a noble and a family man. He once had to go on a very dangerous mission to the dunes. Now, other than Hogwarts and Unision University, there are the Dunes. These dunes were not a part of the allied lands, which means that they were not ready to accept any form of peace with any other kingdom. Your father was sent the dead body of a little girl around the age of 7. Your father does not tolerate when women or little kids get hurt, being the gentleman he is. He decided to seek justice and went on a mission to the dunes. When he left, however, you and your sister were about 2 months old. Your mother knew he would not return alive and stopped him. In return, he said that even he knows that and that your mother should keep you and your sister safe at all costs. She agreed. As expected, your father never returned. One night, a man whose name is still unknown entered the balcony of your mother's room and tried to kill you and your sister. Thankfully, your mom woke up and sacrificed her life to protect you." She paused for a minute and continued, "Your mom's body is conserved in the royal dead room where your ancestors lie as well. I am sorry I couldn't save her," she said the last line in a low voice.

When our conversation concluded, I inquired further, "In what way are you connected to me?" She let out a light laugh at my question and explained, "Just as people pray to their gods, I am akin to a deity in the parallel world, known as Lord Skylar. Some call me Lord Sky, while a select few refer to me as Sky. However, you are welcome to address me as Sky." I then asked about my sister's guidance, to which she responded, "She has a council member as her guide, a minister. I am a close friend of your mother's, which is why I have taken on the role of your guardian. If it feels right to you, you can even consider me a mother figure."

Wow, that was a significant moment for her. Even though I never really saw her as a mother figure, and I've always been wary of trusting people, I didn't want to make things difficult for her. So, I chose to go along with it and responded with a small smile, saying, "Sure, Mom." It seemed to bring a smile to her face as well.

As Aisha spoke, I realized that I had completely forgotten about her existence. She said, "Well then, Roid, I will take my leave now. I know you will probably need a lot of time to process things. I will see you tomorrow at school. Bye!!!" Without waiting for a response, she swiftly departed. I glanced over at Sky, and she too bid her goodbyes before surprisingly disappearing into thin air. It always caught me off guard. As I pondered this, a sudden thought crossed my mind - perhaps one day I would be able to do the same. The idea brought a smile to my face, and I made my way to the kitchen to prepare myself a well-deserved meal. It had been an incredibly long day, and I felt that I had earned it.

Astrids POV ends

Astrid finished preparing herself some dinner and decided to take a late-night walk outside her apartment to clear her mind. As she strolled along, she unexpectedly ran into her coach, Michael. Despite never having had deep conversations before, they found themselves walking together, lost in their thoughts. Suddenly, Michael remarked, "Heading back to your kingdom, I see?" he inquired. After a brief pause, Astrid replied, "Yeah... I'll be honest with you, coach. I don't want to leave and get caught up in all the messy power struggles for the crown. I just want to live a peaceful life with my sister. I want to catch up on everything that has happened in her life all these years." After a moment of silence, she added, "I don't even know the name of the kingdom." This made her coach let out a small chuckle. "The name of the kingdom is 'Unknown'," he stated. Astrid was taken aback and asked, "Seriously? Unknown? You mean you genuinely have no idea what the name of the kingdom is?" Surprised, "No, I mean the name itself is 'Unknown.' Not literally unknown, princess. I thought you were smarter than that" he said, laughing.

Astrids POV

I felt a surge of embarrassment flood through me as his words hung in the air. I couldn't bear to meet his eyes, so I cast my gaze downward, trying to shield myself from the intensity of the moment. It felt like time had come to a standstill. I was utterly bewildered, but I hesitated to lift my gaze. Then, I felt his warm hands gently lifting my chin, compelling me to meet his gaze. As I looked up, I was taken aback by the emotions swirling in his eyes - concern, sorrow, and something else that I couldn't quite place at first, but then it became unmistakable - love.

His voice, tender and unwavering, reached my ears, and I found myself hanging onto every word. "There are countless dangers out there, lurking in the shadows, waiting for an opportunity to harm you," he said with a sense of urgency. "I can't bear the thought of losing you. You're my only confidant, my only family. I need you to promise me that you'll prioritize your safety above all else." His plea resonated deep within me, and without a moment's hesitation, I vowed, "I promise."

I'm not one to easily trust others. It takes years, sometimes even more, for someone to earn my trust. But in the short period that I've known Coach - perhaps a year, maybe two, or even three - he had managed to secure more than half of my trust. I found myself captivated by his warm, hazelnut eyes, drawn into a world of emotions that I had long kept at bay.

Suddenly, almost in a daze, he drew closer, and instinctively, I leaned in too. In a heartbeat, his lips met mine, and we shared a tender, unhurried kiss, our movements perfectly synchronized. His arms enveloped me in a protective embrace, and I reciprocated by winding my arms around his neck. And then it dawned on me - did I ever mention that he was just 23 years old? I'm 18, which means there's a five-year age gap between us.

We paused our kiss, our chests rising and falling as we sought to catch our breath. Leaning in, we rested our foreheads together, locking eyes in a moment of pure connection. "I love you," he whispered, his voice overflowing with emotion and tenderness. "I love you too," I responded, the words tinged with the depth of my feelings. Our lips met once more, igniting a rush of warmth and affection. The sensation was exquisite, and I yearned to cherish it endlessly, wishing for an eternity of such blissful moments.

Astrids POV ends

After sharing an intimate moment, Michael walked Astrid back to her apartment. As they reached her door, Michael reminded her about their practice session the next morning. "See you tomorrow morning for practice," he said. Astrid replied, "See you too, coach." They lingered at the door, gazing at each other, both lost in the moment. Summoning her courage, Astrid finally confessed, "I love you." Michael, with a tender smile, responded, "I love you too, captain," causing Astrid to blush. Reluctantly, they both turned to leave. Astrid remained at the door, watching Michael until he disappeared around the end of the corridor. He glanced back and waved goodbye, and Astrid smiled and waved back before closing the door.

Astrids POV

As I made my way to bed, I couldn't help but feel excited about the upcoming day. I eagerly anticipated meeting him the next morning. Exhausted from the events of the day, I flopped onto my bed and instantly succumbed to sleep. Despite my weariness, I wondered how I would manage to wake up in the morning.

Astrids POV ends

As the couple chatted and laughed, little did they know that a shadowy figure was lurking in the corner, observing their every move. Unbeknownst to them, this sinister individual was hatching a nefarious scheme to extinguish the budding happiness and love that filled the air, aiming to snuff it out before it could fully blossom.

To be continued...