In the martins estate in the capital known for its grandeur and sophisticated design was a place all rising nobles dreamt of associating themselves to but no one could imagine the horrors which where taking place there behind all the glamour
In his office Felix martins the formidable Duke of the West owner of all the major businesses in Sapline his light brown hair all pushed behind with his clear green eyes stood in his study a leather whip in his hand looking down at his now sobbing oldest daughter Eloise who knelt face down to her father without even daring to look up.
" Do you know the amount of disgrace you have brought to this household" he screamed at her his hand tightening on the whip.
In sobs Eloise responded" I am sorry father I - I never meant for all this to turn out like this please forgive me I would do better I promise pl- please " her gaze never leaving the floor
Stepping closer to her he used the tip of his shoe to lift up his daughter's face which was a deep contrast to the earlier graceful and domineering young lady .
" I understand " he said
Eloise face brightened thinking all was going to be forget and she would leave unpunished this time again "thank you fa---"
" Well darling I know you would do better next time but I still have to give you a good punishment for this disgrace it will be my own mistake for not being able to correct my own child right, so bear with me child this hurts me more than it will hurt you, so turn around and lift up your dress"
Hearing this Eloise eyes welled up with more tears and her body started trembling but she still complied and then he started hitting her more times she could even count her legs gave up after sometime before he ordered her maid Alexia to take her back but not without a warning.
"I will make her pay for the pain I feel right now " she whispered to herself her eyes gleaming with anger and resentment "both her and that good for nothing Neyrida for foiling my plans"
*** Dehlia
As we arrived the empress palace I decended the carriage and headed inside as ilariah helped Neyrida unload her luggage and bring it to the palace.
"Oh your highness what happened to you and your dress " said Luna as she came to welcome us i. I then realized the state I was my dark black hair was dishevelled , my make up was a mess and my dress wet .
Taking the baby Luna smiled sweetly at me before taking me upstairs and into my chambers where emerald was changed and laid to sleep, by the time she took to do all that I had already started to undress starting from the hair pins in my hair to my shoes then to the dress itself as I unzipped the dress it looked beneath my feet then I turned to look at Luna who helped me into the bathroom to my surprise hot water was already ready and Lunaera just smiled knowingly at me then helped me bath and then helped me change into my sleep ware then retired to do the same to ashtyn.
After the bath I retired to my study to go over all the documents of the guild and then my eyes fell on the deed of ownership signed in my head of guild name' Layna Azure' formally known as lady azure but something didn't feel right as I looked at the deed more carefully I realized that it wasn't the initial palace I wanted to purchase but another further from the capital so I summoned Celestia.
" What is this " I asked her when she arrived " this isn't the place I wanted you to buy "
" I know my lady but I decided to go against your orders and instead purchase this one instead"
" Can you care to explain"
" I knew you wanted to purchase a residence so as to pose as your house but also to bring in the people you want to purchase in there so when I went to your first location although the place was located at a more suitable location closer to the palace , the villa itself was crumbling and was unfit to house no one the cost of renovations would be more thatn that of purchase so I bought this one it's name is the craig palace owned buy a wealthy foreigner it can house a hundred and fifty people with huge gardens and of course just as the name suggests it has a beautiful craig which in my opinion was a perfect fit for what you are looking for "
After hearing her explanation I understood her intentions I needed a place ready for the slaves I was to bring in also to pose as my residence it would suspicious if I didn't have a concrete living amenities outside so I just nodded then a question suddenly came to me " so Celestia why the sudden formality didn't I order you to address me by my name?"
" You asked me nothing like that lady , it was princess dehlia who asked for such a request "
I looked at her in bewilderment then she sighed and then looked at me with a stern face" you are now my lady , lady Azure not princess Dehlia you have to learn how to adapt to your new role as the lady of the guild , you can't show any weaknesses,like here Dehlia you are so shy , timid, meak, scared and always so kind but this is not the leader we need we need some one who is brave , outspoken, witty ,proud and decisive . The world isn't kind to those who let their emotions get the hold of their judgement " looking at me she then added" the house would be ready by Friday everything would be prepared so think about what I just said " bowing she then left
I sat in my study and thought of all what she said then I resolved myself to be someone who is worthy of their trust their help and would make sure to raise my guild into the best in the continent ,yes that is what I need to do to escape the clutches of the royal family.with that resolve I then went to bed .
That night I had a strange dream I was walking in a vast land with only flowers on the path way the sky was golden and my surroundings white as I slowly made my way I saw I figure standing just in front of me . She has long black hair ,her skin was pale white and wore a pure white dress which held her at the waist and then flowed freely onto the grass as I approached her she turned and looked at me and her black eyes illuminated with something like love and happiness I am not sure she then started to approach me then before I realized she had hugged me so tightly that I thought she would kill me.
" Quantam leititiam habeo it tea videam mea dilectissima ,semper te volui amplecti sic.*1
Her words sounded strange to me but so recomforting when she looked at me with tears running down her eyes I finally noticed her eyes colours
" You are the supreme Guardian aren't you " I asked her then when she nodded I fell to my knees " I greet you, oh holy being please pardon my rudeness for not recognizing you "
She hurriedly tried to make me stand but I refused " minima"*2 she looked at me helplessly " please stand" she said finally in a language I could understand and slowly I stood up with my head bowed " minima please look at me I have longed to see your face " I looked up at her then she placed her hand on my cheek that's better you look more alive than in the fairy kingdom and similimus tibi es*3"
When I hered her words about the fairy kingdom I took a step back " wait you knew that I was locked up there " I asked anger rising " all these years that I prayed to you to do something to save me you never responded and you tell me you are happy I am free " at this point the tears started flowing freely all the years of pent up anger came out " after all these years I was finally free then you decided to tie me down with another thight rope in this hell like royal family to bear him offsprings why didn't you interfere with your powers huh now I have a little girl whom I didn't even want to survive for do you think I am better after all the years of suffering and calling of names my powers finally manifest but I can never freely use it and why give me all this powers what is the need of all this powers"
I stood there crying my eyes out before I felt some one hug me when I looked up it was a white haired man with clear blue eyes like the sky in his arms, I looked so petite the guardian Adelaide also hugged me their arms where so warm like that of my mother's and this made me cry even more, they held me till I stopped
" No amount of apology would make up for putting you through all this but the emperor was the safest choice we had to protect you and keep you and your --- safe from his clutches " the man said with very sad eyes like he just committed the worst mistake ever .
" Listen to me Asterlayna " Adelaide said in ten years of time date to date a war would breakout and the continent would fall into the hands of the Guardian god of darkness and evil Khaos only you can stop it your allies would be those the closest to you and your powers train as much as you can survive and make alliances with the strongest races ever I failed once because I had my children to protect but I know if you can find them and make alliances with them you can no you would win this unending war "
"But what if I can't do it I can barely control the powers of the elemental Guardian let alone that of the other seven what I can't do it and who are the ones I am to ally to I know no one strong enough to beat the entity you are talking about and by the I would have my own children to protect what if I fail" I said breaking out off the hug
" Mea amore*4 you can do it I can't tell you about anything you need to do because I know you can but I should tell you this "
I felt my consciousness coming back and the world I was in fading out " no I don't want to leave you I have so many things to ask you " I extended my hands to grasp them but to no avail
" Dehlia you have to stay away from Hessedeand his emperor at all cost , find my sacred spear make as many allies as possible. and please, never give up these are the words I have to say to you "
" Wait no " I screamed then the guardian held my hand and gave me a box " it would help you in your journey"
The white hair man then said " please forgive this old man ,be safe,be careful, be strong ,never trust that husband of yours always know it was the lasting I would have want for you my delicate star and also please say Hi to the girls Celestia, Sally,Ilariah,Lunaera and Neyrida tell them to never lose hope that one day we would all see each other again and also to your little baby, give her all our blessings Emerald would grow up to be a wonderful child". Something in his eyes made me look more keenly at him and his voice woke something in me a memory flashed in my eyes of that man holding a baby apologizing" no wait papa"
With that the space disappeared and I awoke with a start looking at my surroundings I knew instantly that I was in the palace surrounded by the people I knew it was early dawn and I heard footsteps rushing to my room and celestia and Sally burst in
" What happened" they asked simultaneously" why are you crying " Celestia. Asked coming close to me only then did I realize I was crying but I didn't stop and just continued Celestia just hugged me while Ilariah and lunaera who held the two girls stood there together with Sally and watched me cry . I held the box tightly as my heart bled as if I had again lost something
******
1 how glad am I to see you my darling I have always wanted to hold you like this
2 youngest
3 you look just like me
4 my love