The End of Innocence: Book 3 of the Kinstone series
Chapter 6: A New Norm

With the news of my lineage, you would assume that I would be bombarded with marriage requests and visitors…and you’d be right. In just the first twenty-four hours of receiving the news of being the princess of Dewloura, I had dozens upon dozens of invitations from all over the world.

Nobility, royalty, even people from countries that weren’t even on the maps the Court possessed all poured in. All races, be they human or not, stepped forward to vie for my attention. I groaned as I practically was drowning in gifts and letters of intent.

Rachel thankfully intercepted all of them, and “respectfully” declined and sent them all back. Meaning she told them to piss off, only in her most elegant of ways. No one even made it passed the foyer to see me. I’d often be elsewhere on the Estate whenever someone did show up, further reducing the chance for something to happen.

The Court had settled down after a while and gone quiet, with a few voices still popping up from time to time. I received calls from Rachel’s friends, all asking how I was doing. I smiled, telling them I was doing okay, even asking if they would like to come visit us. They regretfully declined, stating that even with the momentary peace, they weren’t able to leave.

Sabine did offer to send Kerrigan over, which I guess would’ve been okay. I did want to see her, but was weary that she’d want to give me some “relationship advice”. Master Andriy and I maintained a near constant line of contact, mostly through email. He told me that the dragons of the Court wanted to come visit me.

I was both amazed and humbled at the idea of meeting them. I know that Silvi would be at the forefront of their arrival, despite being “young” when compared to some of the older dragons I knew were members.

Josephine acted as partial gatekeeper to some of the European nobility. She was successful in keeping many at bay, something about her was able to scare off a lot of potential problems, which my mother is extremely grateful for. I also knew that somehow both Lana and Mistral were fuming at this news, but really couldn’t care less.

Arcturus and I grew closer since he left, often talking to each other on the phone. I have to laugh when I remembered how he proposed to my mother before she even sent me the necklace. So the idea of the two of getting married actually kinda started to sound okay to me.

I didn’t think of him like a father or anything, not even an uncle. He is a good friend and someone else I could turn to, which the list is growing rapidly. I think Rachel also likes the idea of the two of us becoming friends and was present whenever we spoke.

Viktor kept an open line to me if I ever needed him. He sent me some information on my “house”, which turned about to be not that much. I spent hours studying everything, just learning more of it.

It wasn’t that I was interested in assuming any form of role as the heir to it. But I did want to learn about it. I also learned a lot more of his house and its members, who a few were hesitant to the idea of me being their princess, a fact I equally share with them.

Now to say getting used to the fact that I actually had knights would be a gross understatement. For the following week after that terrible day, I had to get used to seeing both of their faces while at breakfast and during the day.

They didn’t hover around me at all times, which I was grateful for, but they were still close by. I think I just had to grow accustom to having a pair of new faces around the Estate. Everyone in fact had to.

But it all wasn’t too bad. I gradually came to accept them being there and even steadily grew fond of them. The first couple of days were the most awkward with being greeted with “Good morning, Your Highness” being a thing. That still was jarring to listen to. So I took it in stride and attempted to resume the old routines.

This also included seeing them at breakfast with my mother. It used to be a quiet affair with just the two of us, with the occasional inclusion of Silvi. The breakfast room seemed a little too crowded at times.

One thing I was grateful for was that they didn’t follow me all of the time or everywhere I went. My glen was one place that I expressly told them to never follow me to. They smiled and agreed.

I did however take them on the grand tour of the Estate, figuring if a princess was to have her knights, they should at least know her “kingdom”. I giggled when I think of that. The Estate really is my kingdom, Dewloura isn’t.

It didn’t take either of them long to replace a role to settle into. Orga quickly moved over the stables to help out with the care of the horses and cattle. I guess being a knight also meant that you had to have some veterinary knowledge. He and Lucayan quickly became friends, with the latter replaceing a kindred spirit in their love of horses.

I often found them laughing while listening to tales of battles or hunts. I stayed out of their way whenever I came to visit the stables and tend to Ember. Orga really knew his stuff when it came to handling horses, often teaching me a few things that even I hadn’t learned from the stable master.

One thing that I was pissed about while I was away was the fact that a couple of the mares had given birth to new foals. I knew that I was going to miss their births, but I still would’ve loved to have been there for it.

During the semester, I helped care for the mothers during their pregnancy. The corral was loud with the sounds of the newborns, running around the fenced enclosure, playing with each other. I giggled, seeing them chase and dance on the grass.

My horse in fact wouldn’t stop batting me with his head, having clearly missed me over the months I was away. He neighed loudly the moment I entered the stable, happily stomping his feet as I walked over to him. I giggled coming up to his stall. The horse would lower his head and push it into my chest the moment I stood in front of his gate. I’d grin and run my fingers along his face, pressing my forehead into his.

He had grown a little stronger since the last I saw him. His shoulders definitely were more taught as they rippled against his skin. I often would see Fenris sitting close by, staring at the horse, and bearing his wolfish grin. Obviously sending the message that he had gotten to let me ride him a lot during our time in Japan. My horse would snort at him, taunting for a fight.

I rolled my eyes when I brushed his reddish fur. Of course I would turn the tables of my bonded the moment I pulled my saddle and hooked it onto Ember’s back and went for a ride. I grinned at him, inserting myself into their little feud, given how I was at its center.

I hadn’t seen the dryads in months and was a frequent visitor to their roost. The moment they first saw me, they wrapped their vines around me and whisked me into the trees, sitting me onto a branch. I giggled as the elders held me close to them as they told me how they had missed me.

The forest here at home was going to take me some time to become reacquainted with. They weren’t quite as hilly as the ones near the village, but they were just as welcoming.

I explained that the trees there spoke a strange hybrid of Floraiun (the language of plants) and Japanese. I struggled for first couple of weeks in trying to learn how to understand it, but gradually I did, even having them sing to me.

Now hearing a tree sing is something else. It’s also a bit hard to describe, something akin to leaves blowing in the wind mixed in with actual singing, or something along those lines.

Kateryna found a kinship with the dryads, given the historical connection elves had with forests. She would traverse the forest, locating any potential problem that the dryads themselves might’ve missed.

Somehow seeing an elf walking through a forest seemed all too natural and she quickly came to love it. I’m saying the forest wasn’t doing anything different while she was there, but it felt…complete. Even the dryads recognized this.

I resumed the practice of running through the trees while as a kitsune and followed after the elf. I knew that I was quiet, given my lighter body and more spectral aura, but somehow she would appear right behind me.

I’d blush and fly to the next branch. It soon became a game, with the both of us chasing after the other through the trees. I never really knew how at home elves were in the trees, until I had one living with me.

The knights became a regular sight at dinner, with them often watching in confusion as Silvi and I would sometimes fling food into each other’s mouth. Rachel often scolded the both of us, until a piece flew right into her face. My sister and I each slowly turned our heads, fearing her forthcoming wrath. She sighed, lifting a glass of water, and dunking it onto both our heads.

I burst into laughter as the water dripped onto the floor. Silvi of course scowled at me. Aside from the rare dinner antics, both Orga and Kateryna easily settled in and soon began to enter in whatever conservation was happening at the time. They became so accustomed to it that I thought they had always been there.

I also resumed my training with the combat maids, who all were eager for my return. Our sessions picked back up as though I had never left, even going a little rough at times. But this was all fun for me. We even started combining magical and physical training portions together.

I’d often see both of the knights watching off in the distance, wondering if they would ever mistake a misplaced strike or spell as an attack. They never came too close, opting to view from afar. Given their station, I’d figured that they were also afraid that they could potentially harm me. Clearly they never really saw how hard Silvi and I would push ourselves. Sparring with Silvi and the maids was one way how I bonded with them. I wanted to do same with the knights.

When training with Lyra, I began wearing my Han Kote. Since my aunts created it in order to protect me, I wanted to learn how to fight with it. I paired it with my kodachi, adopting a sword and shield posture. I still preferred my style of fighting in extreme close quarters, but soon began to branch out. I learned how to parry strikes off the plates and countering with the sword.

The gauntlet weighed practically nothing and the armored plates were able to deflect any strike that landed on them. But I discovered not to take a direct blow with them, when one such attack caused my arm to go numb for a few minutes.

Fun fact about valkyries, their downward slashes are comparable to a punch from a dragon. This means that they can easily crush rock or cleave through it. The plates, along with a small amount of wind magic courtesy of Asha, were able to absorb most the impact. But it still hurt like crazy. Regardless, I continued to incorporate the gauntlet into my normal lessons.

One piece of training that I began with Lyra and Bianca is incorporating Dragon Ice into my sword techniques. While I often may infuse fire into my sword, giving an extra edge in cutting ability, I wanted to be able to use ice as well. A major failing of mine during the attack was my inability or unwillingness to use the ability given how destructive it can be.

Dragon Ice can be used without water, being that it’s drawn from within the dragon themselves, much like their flames. By mastering this, I can wield ice as easily fire without need of a water source nearby. Just another skill to pick up, but useful.

While not in dragon form, I still am able to wield the magic, but only around half of its full potential. So by transferring it into my sword, I can utilize it so that it coincides with my fighting style. Hence why I have Bianca and Lyra with me.

Bianca is unaffected by the ice so she is able to spar with me without fear of injury. Lyra on the other hand is amazing at fine-tuning my precision during sword fights. The three of us would spend hours, dancing around the training grounds, flinging ice accompanied by the sound of wooden swords clashing against each other.

I learned how to send a wave of frozen ice around me when I stab my sword into the ground, instantly freezing anything within a small radius. I know this will take time to increase the range, with it at best being ten feet at the present, but soon it will grow.

Bianca helped me in focusing and limiting the power of the ability, teaching me how the direct the attack if needed. As I said, Dragon ice is far more powerful than normal ice magic, requiring more control as to not hurt or damage something it wasn’t supposed it.

Fenris of course, stayed nearby to further aid in my training, often acting a secondary bulwark in the event my ice magic would accidentally extend beyond where I want it to. It also helped having a barrier erected around us to further deter any potential damage.

The knights and I began to enjoy having walks with each other through the Estate, which also involved having frequent conversations. I steadily learned more and more about them, as they did me. They also spoke of their house and those they served.

At its peak, Shyair consisted of a total of around twenty to thirty members, not including their knights. They chose their home to be far enough away from the center on the city in hopes to not become too embroiled in the politics of the imperial court. They did maintain a small residence near the palace in order to keep a presence during council meetings and would rotate when needed.

The estate was heavily wooded and tiered, with stairs leading into the trees and the grounds proper being hidden away. The more I listened, the more I recalled the dream I had after I solved the puzzle box. The members of Shyair also helped care for the few remaining Uldulvan wolves, and often hated whenever one of the other houses came to claim one.

To them, each of the wolves was like their children or siblings. The elder wolves in turn acted as guardians of the younger children whenever their parents were away. This sort of makes sense when you look at how Fenris is around me. That and the fact he is well over a hundred years older than me.

I discovered that Kateryna actually came from Western Europe and traveled east, seeking refuge after one the many wars between France and England. Contrary to what most people think of elves, she preferred the sword over the bow, having trained heavily with it.

When she arrived in the city, she slowly worked her way through the ranks of the military, until she fought in a one of the numerous attempted invasions by the Turks. There she was saved by a member of House Shyair and swore fealty afterwards.

Upon beginning her service to the house, she also changed her name. This signified her casting aside her old self in service to her new masters. Names have powerful meanings, something I know all too well.

The elf also played midwife on the rare occasion, helping give birth to several members of the house. She also served at the side of last Lady of the house, acting as her personal confidant. But her primary role was protecting the lady’s daughter, Celestine. A duty sometimes shared with her husband.

Orga was born into a long line of knights who served Shyair for centuries. His family was responsible for the primary security of the House, along with another small family of knights. In total Shyair only maintained a military strength of around two to three dozen knights. But like with any smaller house of nobility in history, they made up for being known for the highly skilled and trained knights.

Orga mentioned that he personally would serve as bodyguard for the head of the house whenever he or she would attend state meetings with the other Great Houses. He, like the other knightly families, lived within walls of the house’s estate. He served on many battlefields, which was how he met Kateryna.

While fighting against a band of Mongols, they were ambushed by a male gryphon and were separated from their group. Upon slaying it and defeating a small band of raiders, the two hid away in a cave to heal. They quickly fell in love, but it would be another eight months before the two were married. I grinned, listening to the love story.

During one such walk they asked about my life and I hesitated a bit. How could explain to knights from a time long before my birth that I used to be an adult man? I knew that part of my life was long over with, and everyone around me all accepted me as Aria and nothing else.

I know of certain cultures from around the world that also believed in certain aspects of how people are often reborn into new forms. I twirled my fingers around, taking long deep breaths, and stopped, facing them.

I slowly began to explain my life from my birth and then subsequent rebirth through my transformation. I spoke of my life here on the Estate and with the Coven. My speech dragged on and on about fighting in a duel, dealing with the loss of my birth family and then my adoption. I spared few details, mostly the boring stuff.

When finished, I hugged my arms and lowered my head. Both were silent and motionless. I closed my eyes, clenching my arms tightly, “You…you must think I’m some kind of abomination don’t you? That I’m something unworthy for you to protect and feel disgusted just being around.”

A hand then cups my face, raising it. I open my eyes and gazed into Kateryna’s deep green eyes. A broad smile stretches across her face as her thumb caresses my cheek.

“Your Highness,” speaking in an comforting whisper, “you were reborn into the little girl that we see before us. Whoever you were prior to this is irrelevant. One other thing, if your name was any different, then we would not have awakened.”

She then leans in and kissed my forehead, “Your mother informed us that you were rather self-conscious of yourself.” My cheeks turn a deep shade of red and looked up towards Orga, who smiles. “You are our princess, nothing shall ever change this fact,” he added.

I smile to them both, “Thanks.” Their smiles broaden even more as we then resume our walk.

It really felt good to swim in the lake again. As much as I loved swimming through the coastal waters near the village, this was still home. I spent a couple days with the gossip, reconnecting with them. The girls were all too eager to cuddle me and keep me holed up in the grotto.

At worse I thought they were going to start babying me after Tariel told them about nearly being killed. Thankfully that didn’t happen. We’d all sit around and talk about our trips.

The gossip had made numerous trips to Nerazon, far more than usual. One of the girls had gotten sick and needed medicine. So they decided to just stock up on supplies, knowing that I was coming home. The grotto had been spiffed up a bit, some new furniture was added, with the old being replaced.

Tariel did reveal that Savero had been asking about me while I was away. I blushed, now with us finally setting our feelings straight, it made it feel like he was just checking in on me. I did make the promise to go see him in Nerazon and I wanted to. I even left the option open for him to come visit me. So it would be something to ask my mother about.

Speaking of which, Rachel and I didn’t resume our lessons, opting to restart them once August rolled around, so that gave me a two-month summer break. But she and I would spend a lot of time together in her room or in mine.

She’d be working on business stuff while I read a book or even worked on my models, which I still hadn’t gotten through before I left on my trip. I grumbled knowing that I predicted that this was going to happen. I had a dozen kits to get through and they all were of higher tier difficulty.

During one dig through of the backlog, I discovered a couple Perfect Grade kits that apparently managed to slip past every search. They were definitely going to take me some time to get through.

We didn’t leave the Estate for obvious reasons. I really didn’t mind either. All I wanted to do was stay home and be with my mother. Yeah might be childish but it’s who I am.

She and I also spent a lot of time just wandering the Estate together, meandering through the beaten paths. I’d transform into a kitsune out of habit, with a tail absentmindedly searching for one to wrap around, only to remember that she didn’t have any. We would also retreat to my glen and spend hours relaxing amongst the trees.

It still amazes me at how tiny I am compared to my mother. Even standing at just shy of five feet in height, my whole body still was nearly indistinguishable from a child of a couple years younger. I’d lie curled up in her lap, with her stroking my hair and even ears.

I can’t help but melt at her touch, quickly replaceing myself slipping into the mindset of a child, still clinging to the fantasy of her again turning me back into one. I can still dream can’t I?

When news of the attack reached Japan, nearly all hell broke loose. Yukari and Asha both were outraged that their niece was nearly killed. It didn’t even matter to them when they were told about my “lineage”. They wanted badly to come and visit me. I would’ve loved nothing more than to have my yokai aunts with me again. But they relented, stating that I was home and with my mother and couldn’t have been safer.

They even told me the village was shocked when they heard the news. Hashibaba herself wanted to reach through the phone and yank me back into her arms. I giggled knowing she would if able to.

My yokai friends grew worried for me, asking if I was doing ok. I smiled, telling them that I was doing better and just needed time to heal. They all sent me pictures of them together, wishing and praying that I’d come back to them.

Kenji also called me, wanting to make sure I was all right. I heart shuttered as his voice came over the phone. We didn’t talk about “us”, guessing that hearing my voice was enough for him.

Silvi and I quickly resumed our sparring sessions, replaceing them therapeutic in a strange way. Having the wind spread over my wings was just amazing, that and the sensation of slamming my armored hands into her also helped.

We didn’t go quite as hard as we used to, even if we wanted to. We did manage to slam into a few trees when the match grew a little too heated, tearing out good sized chunks. None toppled over thankfully, but I did have to apologize to the dryads, who mended them.

Kateryna even scolded me, which shocked the both of us. She quickly begged for my forgiveness for stepping out of line. I blushed, telling her that I didn’t mind. I think Rachel liked the idea of yet another person being around to make sure I didn’t do anything too reckless.

When not flying, Silvi and I huddled up in her cave. We’d lie down onto the ground with the fire at our back, warming our scales. My sister loved having me close to her as she always did, often pulling me into her body and holding me. My face buried itself into her chest as my claws clung to her. Silvi would plant little kisses onto my head and hum to me. I always love her dragonic lullabies, which seemed to resonate more while as a dragon.

“Sweet little hatchling. Let your sister carry your troubles away on her wings.” I’d smile whenever she said that.

I restarted my nightly phone calls with my friends from the Coven. It had been a couple months since I really heard their voices and I really wanted to see them again. With the summer gathering coming up fast, the need and want grew with every passing day. I learned that Mandy had accepted an internship to a local designer clothing company and was set to start once July began. I really hope she does well.

Heather, to her unending joy, was moving away from New York and closer to Jenn and me. In fact her family was moving to Nashville because her father decided to move his company there. This made me happy because if Rachel Ok’d it, I could travel to Nashville and have Jenn meet us there. We’d only be missing Mandy of course.

Finally to Jenn, I learned that she and her boyfriend broke up shortly after school ended. Not sure on the details, something having to do with family issues on his part. He seemed like a nice guy and I actually thought he was cute, if a little flaky at times.

Jenn was devastated when he did, saying they thought about dating past high school and even into college. We spent the night consoling her, helping her cheer up. She thanked us in the end and said she’ll replace a way to move on.

During one night, the girls then all pounced on me about details about my time in Japan. They wanted to know about Kenji and if I told him about my feelings for him. I blushed heavily, curling up in my chair as the trio inched closer to the screen, crossing my toes.

“I…I haven’t figured them out yet,” I told them, seeing their eyes twinkling on the screen.

Heather huffs, slamming herself back into her chair, “Girl…It’s obvious you like him, just tell him already and better before he slips away from you.” I sigh, burying my face into my knees.

“Heather, she has time,” chimes Jenn. “She just met the guy and had a single date with him. I remember how it took you a year to tell Carl that you liked him, after crushing on the guy throughout your freshman year.”

The brunet groans, rolling her eyes, “Yeah, yeah. Don’t remind me. It turned out to be a mistake when we did start dating.”

Mandy giggles, “Well at least I can say that I’m in a stable relationship.”

I look up and grin at her, “You have the poor boy slaved around your pretty little finger. So there’s no way he could ever leave you.”

The sandy-blonde shrugs, “What can I say? Boys can’t help themselves when near me.” The four of us burst into laughter.

Jenn then looks to me, “Aria,” now serious, “we know what happened to you at the start of the month.”

My hands gripped my legs tightly, sighing heavily into my thighs. I looked up the screen, seeing all three of my friends staring at me concerned. My eyes darted away, “So I’m guessing you heard about the “other” thing right?”

The trio nods.

Mandy leans forward, “News like that spreads fast. To think we have an honest-to-God princess within the Coven. Just saying that gives me goosebumps.”

I buried my face into my knees. This was what I was afraid of. My friends would now start to act differently around me. I just wanted to be a normal girl, being royalty was never high on my list of things to be.

“So what if she’s a real princess?” asks Heather, “she’s been the princess of her Estate since forever. No one really cared about that then, and I bet they don’t now.” I look up to her, face blushing.

She smiles, “Hey, we love you for the girl we’ve known you as. Being the heir to a lost kingdom doesn’t change that.” The other two nod in agreement.

I sigh, smiling to them, “Thanks guys.” They all grin.

Jenn then leans forward, “You also know that no one would be stupid enough to try anything once we’re all together right? Miriam would go ballistic if something were to happen.”

I blush and giggle, “She’s the best isn’t she?”

Jenn nods, “Oh yeah. And not just her, all of us. No one messes with our family.”

I smile even brighter to her, “Thanks Jenn.”

She smiles, “You’re welcome babs.”

“Now,” sounded Mandy, “with all that out the way. I want to see pictures of the guy that stole our little Aria’s heart. I only saw the video of their first kiss, and have to say, really too dark to see anything.” My face shoots beet red, slamming my forehead into my knees. Not this again!!!

The other two nod, “Show us. Show us,” chanting in unison.

I grumble, “Fine…” I unravel myself out of my chair and email them all of the pictures that I had taken while in Japan.

I know I’m signing my death warrant as they more than likely would be forwarded to everyone within the Coven in less than two to three hours. The trio of girls scanned through the files, carefully examining them, with Mandy and Jenn pulling out a notebook. I slam my head into my desk, sheer embarrassment grips my mind.

“First off…major hunk you found babs,” says Jenn, “I think you could fry an egg on this guy’s chest.” My face burns red hot, still feeling his lips on mine.

“I have to agree. And being a kitsune also is probably why she’s so into him,” adds Mandy.

“Wait…is he a fisherman?” asks Heather.

I nod, sliding my head on the desk, “He helps out with his dad and uncle.”

The burnet leans back in her chair, “No wonder he’s so buff.”

I giggle, laying my chin onto the desk, “I often watched as they offloaded their boat. Kenji’s really strong…” only then did I realize that his name slipped out. The trio look to me, all now sporting massive grins.

“So that’s his name,” says Jenn, looking at me with devilish eyes.

I swear under my breath, knowing that I have given them even more ammunition to use against me. I grumble, looking away.

They grin even more. “Well…hopefully we’ll get to meet this ‘Kenji’ someday,” states Mandy.

Heather nod, “Oh yes, he must meet our approval before he can start to even think about having any major relationship with our Aria.”

I look to them, “Remind me how I need your approval?” They giggle.

Jenn leans back, crossing her arms, “You know my stance on this babs.”

I nod, “Yeah, I know.”

She smiles, “Well apart from that, it looks like you made a lot of friends while there.”

I let out a soft smirk, “Yeah. They all want to come here to meet y’all.”

She grins, “Well I for one would be happy for that to happen.”

I smirk, “I think with you and your affinity to cats that you’d really get along with the nekomata.”

She laughs, “Maybe so, and I have gotten better at ‘it’.”

I smile to her, “Can’t wait to see it.”

The blonde nods, “You bet.” The other two look on in confusion. I giggle, knowing that she’d likely show it off at the gathering.

“Girls, it’s time for bed,” hearing the voices of several parents echoing through my speakers. Heather and Jenn groan in unison. Mandy smiles, probably because of the time difference.

Jenn looks to me, “Well girls, looks like we’re gonna have to call it a night here. Hit you up another time?”

I nod, “Yeah, see you later Jenn.” She smiles, shooting me a text.

Hey, talk later. Want to know more about this guy and how you dealt with the other two.

I smirk, texting her back, “Ok”.

Jenn smiles, nodding to me before her screen went dark, followed by Heather. That left just Mandy and me. We talked for the next hour before Rachel came in and pulled me away from the computer. I smiled, saying goodnight to her and shut it off.