Rebirth: Childhood friend of the heroine

[Dear Cela,

I know you must be hurt and probably would hate me for this but I am departing for Whiteden alone. I know you wanted to come along, to ensure my safety and protect me if the time comes. I really appreciate and feel fortunate to have you in my life, however, I cannot risk your life by taking you there. There are too many variables and I don't have a single clue what I would be facing and where I would be living. In such a situation I cannot bring you there.

So please, don't come after me if you love me and wait for me in the Capital. If you don't receive anything from me in the next fifteen days, only you can inquire about me.

-Your Alex.]

Tears welled up in her eyes, as Celestria ran out of the room and darted toward the room where Alex had been staying.

She refused to believe that he left her. She had faith in Alex that he wouldn't leave her behind, however, it would be a lie to say that in the corner of her mind, she didn't expect it.

'Why Alex…am I really a burden to you?' She couldn't help but feel herself being Alex's weakness, that's why he didn't take her with him.

"Ah!" Celestria exclaimed as she saw Edric coming out of Alex's room while holding a similar parchment and looking annoyed.

Noticing Celestria, he said, "He isn't in there. He left last night."

Celestria asked, "What did he write for you?"

Edric rolled his eyes before handing the paper to Celestria.

The princess ran her eyes through the letters, and was surprised to find,

[Don't even think of coming after me. See ya~]

"…" At least, Celestria received an apology from him.

"I am going after him." Edric made his intentions clear, "There is not a single ally he has there and there is a chance his father would recognize him even though he tries to hide his identity. We need to remember that the head of the Frostbate will be keeping a close eye on the contest they are holding as well."

Celestria muttered, "Then I will also come."

Edric looked uncertain, "Are you sure? I mean there a difference in my absence and-" Experience tales at empire

"If you don't take me with you then I will go all alone." She spoke firmly.

Edric was rendered speechless and it was the third person who jumped in, "Agree to her demand, or the Princess might as well exile you."

Amanda stood beside Celestria and asked, "You are crying?"

Celestria sobbed, "He broke the promise…he left me."

Amanda consoled the little girl, "First time?"

Celestria nodded as she wiped her tears, "We will find him, right Amy?"

Amanda looked at Edric and found him looking back at her with an assuring look, providing her with the confidence to say, "We will find him, and when we do, make sure to punish him."

Celestria clenched her fist as she muttered under her breath, 'I want you to know, Alex…that I am not your weakness…and for that, I am coming to find you…'

----**---

*Knock*

Sarah raised her brows as she heard someone knocking on her door.

She stopped folding her clothes and got up before approaching the door.

She sensed the person on the other side and couldn't stop herself from sighing, "Celestria." She said upon parting the door and seeing the blond Princess standing there.

"Alex left." She said and the response was quick,

"I know."

Celestria was surprised, "He told you?" Sarah nodded as she returned to the bed and resumed folding her clothes and packing them into her bag. She had a few days left for her vacation, so she wanted to spend them with her family.

Celestria was shocked, "Why didn't he tell me?"

"Because he knew you would ask him to take you with him and might as well cry…and Alex doesn't have much resistance against the tears of those whom he adores."

Celestria felt a strong lump in her throat as she took a moment of delay to ask, "And you didn't ask him to not go?"

Sarah couldn't tell her how much she had tried in the past but always failed. As such after a while, she started wishing him luck rather than crying in front of him.

"I asked him to take care. I knew there was nothing I could have said other than threatening him in the name of my life, to stop him. So rather than burdening him with mental pressure, I gave him the assurance that I would be waiting for him."

Celestria turned silent upon hearing that. Alex knew Sarah wouldn't try to stop him, that's why he told her.

Just as she thought Celestria was still not quite mature.

However, "I cannot remain calm and wait for him. That place is surrounded by those people who are waiting to execute Alex, and he cannot fight against a nation all alone. Not to talk, there would come a time when he would need someone beside him when the curse seal gets removed."

Sarah frowned, "Why do you think he would have the Seal removed?"

Celestria stated without much thinking, "As much as I know Alex I know he must be hating this seal on his body…to have an uncertain element on him."

Sarah had a frown on her face, "This is bad…"

Celesrtria raised her brows, seeing the Saintess suddenly getting up from her seat and approaching the bookshelf.

She went through a few pages of the book she had recently read when Celestria approached her and asked, "Did you find something about his seal?"

Sarah mindlessly muttered, "I recalled having studied a similar Seal in the past and realized I have a book related to it in the morning."

Celestria glanced at the book and saw the strange mark of a snake wrapping around a crown.

"What does it says?" Celestria asked, a tinge of concern written over her face seeing Sarah being so serious.

Sarah gestured for the Princess to sit down and the latter immediately listened to the wordless command, before Sarah began,

"The Curse Seal, known in dread whispers as the Brand of the Imposter, is etched upon the souls of those who have betrayed the Deities and defiled the sacred bearers of Soul Energy. It is not granted by mortal hand – the curse is either carried through bloodlines like a shadowed inheritance or emerges, unbidden and singular, as a mark of ultimate condemnation. No act of penance can remove it, and no force can shield those bound by its grip."

It was what she read in the book, but Celestria understood not much of it.

Sarah explained, "Those kinds of curses that change the personality of the being, enhance their powers, and make one question their origin are something which no mortal being, like us, should be possessing. The only being who was caught having this Cursed mark was…"

Sarah paused, urging Celestria to ask, "Who was it?"

Sarah took a strong gulp before revealing, "The first king of independent human civilization—Arthur Ashford."

-----**----

The weather around the Northern region is quite unpredictable since a moment of calm and serenity can never be a promise of a safe future.

Just like right now, the Royal Carriage was stuck in a snowstorm and was surrounded by Silver-scaled Tigers.

The carriage belonged to the person close to the patriarch of one of the three leading clans of Whiteden.

The soldiers were somehow trying to fend off the beasts so they could reach their destination in time. However, considering the situation it was highly unlikely they would be able to make it out alive.

"Eyes sharp!" Captain Harlow barked, his voice cutting through the storm. "They're out there."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

A low growl rumbled through the blizzard. Shadows flickered between the trees. Then – a flash of white, a blur of scales. A tiger lunged from the snowbank.

"Contact!" Harlow roared.

Steel sang as swords left their sheaths. The beast slammed into the nearest soldier, knocking him flat. Its claws tore at his chest plate, screeching over metal.

Two more tigers burst from the snow, circling the carriage. Harlow thrust his spear forward, driving one back, but the other lunged at the horses.

"Protect the carriage!" Harlow shouted.

Arrows flew. One struck a tiger's flank, but the creature barely flinched. It twisted, eyes gleaming, and pounced at the archer. The two crashed to the ground in a swirl of snow.

"Fall back! Close formation!" Harlow yelled, gripping his spear tighter. The soldiers formed a wall around the carriage.

However, their efforts resulted in vain as suddenly numerous beings started running through the formation, biting and scratching the soldiers, causing them to kneel in defeat or fall back to save their lives.

Harlow gritted his teeth as he continued to fight and in just a few minutes, only he was left on the battleground to ward off the danger.

"What is happening, Harlow?" A shaky voice arrived from the carriage, urging the commander to say,

"Please remain seated, Princess, I will deal with this in no time." Although he said that, Harlow feared that he would not be able to continue like this for long.

'Here it comes!' He braced himself and turned to face the beast which was about to lunge at him…

*Shlink*

But then suddenly, something unexpected happened and the beast stopped moving altogether.

"Huh?" Harlow couldn't believe his eyes as he saw the head of the beast rolling on the ground and a being, enshrouded in a cloak, appearing before the Commander,

"Need some help?"

------**-----

A/N:- Thanks for reading.