𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐄𝐀 ￫ 𝐛𝐧𝐡𝐚

（𝐈𝐈.）𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐓𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐎𝐑

"SO, PRINCESS," HAWKS STARTED TO SMIRK, "WHAT IS IT THAT YOU NEED?"

F/n kept quiet, observing the man in front of her. Apparently, he was supposed to be the winged and courageous. Only half of it is correct to her. Sure, he was winged but he did not appear very courageous to her. He was more self-absorbed if anything.

"I have told you," she said, gripping her dagger tighter than before. "I don't need anything. So, I command you to leave this instant!"

"What about going back?" he asked, not appearing to be afraid of the weapon that was directed at him. "Do you know your way?"

The girl grew quiet but decided he needed to leave and return to the utopian realm.

"Which part of the Utopian Realm are you from?" F/n asked, the sudden question slightly confused the man but he stayed indifferent.

"Seems like the princess knows her realms," the man smirked before saying, "Verna."

"And you're an archangel?" she asked again and the impressed smile he gave answered her question.

The girl pursed her lips before straightening her arm.

"That is the end of the conversation and we have never met before," F/n stated before turning around. "Leave the enchanted forest at once. The sacred land does not need anyone polluting its purity."

"Polluting its purity?" Hawks scoffed, following behind her. "I'm the purest of them all. Perhaps even purer than you, Princess. How else would I be able to enter and leave at my will?"

F/n took note of that.

"Besides." Hawks fluttered his wings and stood in front of her, preventing her from walking further. "My job is to protect you."

"Your job is to leave me alone," she said, moving aside and continuing on her way.

Hawks sighed at her stubborn actions. Letting her have a minute of silence, Hawks turned around and flew towards her, following behind her.

"The prince of the Utopian Realm had sent me to protect you," he said, this time in a more serious manner. "Why did you think the feather led you here? Why did you think you were able to enter the enchanted forest?"

F/n continued walking, not once stopping or even looking at him. Moving the vines away, she kept on walking straight ahead.

"Being in need does not necessarily mean being poor," Hawks continued. "In this context, being in need could mean life problems with friends or families or lovers. Anything that the spirit of the forest acknowledges."

She did not stop. However, a fight did escalate in her mind.

"Even the destiny of Astraea."

That made her freeze in her spot next to the flowering purple willow tree, very much alive despite the cold winter air. A flower petal fell on top of her h/c hair. Hawks raised his arm and removed the flower from her hair, looking deeply into her eyes as though they had known her since the beginning.

F/n's eyes hesitantly looked away from his, her hands grasped onto her thick cloak. She pursed her lips and thought for a moment. She would meet a prince tomorrow and in just a month, she would become his wife.

But if she could lead the Kingdom of Astraea to success and fill it with happiness that the present king failed to do and not get married to the man she did not love, she would do it with all her might.

"Very well then."

A wide smile grew on Hawks' face as he watched her turn and continued on walking.

F/n released a soft breath, staring down at the snow in front of her. The winged and courageous, a creature that no one had ever met in their life. Well, today marks the day the one had.

He was from Verna of the Utopian Realm. Those in Verna are usually archangels and he apparently is one who works for the Utopian Prince. Having such a position should mean that he certainly is more courageous than he seemed to appear, wouldn't he?

Perhaps he wasn't at all that bad.

"You're going in the wrong direction, by the way."

His attitude has to be fixed though.

[ ~ ~ ~ ⚘ ~ ~ ~ ]

The strings of her corset were pulled, forcing her to stand up straighter than ever. F/n grimaced at the tightness as the piece of clothing restricted her from breathing properly. She glared at the young maid through the reflection on the window as she helped her get into the thick gown as another maid did her makeup. Once she was fully clothed, an elderly maid touched her hair and adjusted it again before turning her to show herself in the mirror.

The young maids let out soft gasps at the beauty of the princess. Her hair was styled in a way that suited the dress and her facial features. Her makeup was light and just enough to make her look like she was glowing. Her wings were neatly combed with droopy golden jewellery hung, making it look more angelic than ever.

She looked ethereal.

F/n looked at herself in the mirror with mixed emotions. She looked decent, she had to admit but all of this was because she had to get herself a husband by tonight.

The maids left the room to give her a little privacy before the king could call for her. Nakahara, the eldest maid of the group, paused slightly by the door, giving the child she had been raising for 18 years, a royal family member that she treated as her own daughter.

But the child that used to run along the hall only dressed in a thin nightgown, a troublemaker that could influence anyone just from the sound of her soft giggles, was long gone, only to be replaced with an isolated young woman who wants to do nothing but stay in her room or hide her face behind stacks of books.

F/n didn't notice her presence in the room as she looked at herself emotionlessly in the mirror. Nakahara took it upon herself and left the room, shutting the door as quietly as possible.

For a long time, her eyes did not leave their reflection but soon, they trailed down to her hand, fingers fidgeting with the piece of jewellery that her friend could only afford after getting his first salary.

A golden open ring, one end a flower and the other a gem, a rose quartz. An unconditional love. The ring was on her left index finger like he had his, given by her. His was a simple golden ring, with words written on the inside: こいびと [lover].

It was then that she realised she was crying when a tear rolled down her tinted cheeks. She sniffled, carefully wiping the tear away in an attempt not to ruin the makeup.

The tapping noise interrupted her mourning session, making her glance at the curtained windows. She pulled the curtains out of the way and the light illuminated from her room into the darkness. The red feather gave her a twirl before flying away, presumably back to its owner.

It took a moment for her to realise what it meant: he would be there. Out of nowhere, she felt her worries and doubts fly away like the feather did. Oddly enough, she felt safe.

Surely enough, the Kingdom's fate had been lying on her shoulder since the day of her birth. Only this time, she had a friend, a protector that could lead her to success.