Boreas POV
Dropping out of the academy was supposed to be the easy part. I had it all planned out. I thought that all I had to do was fill out some papers, hand them in, and walk away. Simple, right? Wrong.
I never imagined that the bureaucracy of transferring out of the academy and into the Royal Guard would be this tedious. First, there were the forms. Dozens of them. Each one asks for more detailed information than the last. My name, my background, my magical abilities, my plans for the future, it felt like I was writing a novel rather than a resignation letter. And every time I thought I was done, someone would hand me another stack of papers that "needed my attention."
Then came the interviews. I had to sit through a series of interrogations from various officials, all wanting to know why I was leaving the academy and why I wanted to become a Royal Guard. I'm pretty sure Laurel is adding a few extra procedures just to mess with me, it didn't help as some of these so-called staff were my former teachers under director Benson, whom I've made mad in the past.
I tried to keep my answers short and to the point, but they kept pressing for more details as if they were hoping to catch me in some sort of lie. But the worst part? The ceremonial knighting process. You’d think that being a mage would exempt you from having to go through all the fancy processes, right? No. Even the Royal Guards, who were mostly highly trained mages, had to endure the whole ceremony.
It started with the oath-taking ceremony. I had to stand in front of a council of high-ranking officials and recite some ancient vow that I barely understood. Something about loyalty, honor, and defending the empire. I tried to look serious and focused, but my mind kept wandering. Did they really expect me to remember all of this? Next was the actual knighting. They dressed me up in this ridiculous ceremonial armor that was more for show than for any practical use. It was heavy, and uncomfortable, and made me itch in places I didn’t even know could itch. Isabella helped perform the ritual, tapping me on each shoulder with a sword as she mumbled some traditional words. I’m pretty sure she was just as bored as I was.
Finally, there was the "celebration." A formal gathering where everyone pretended to be interested in the proceedings while subtly checking the time to see when they could leave. I had to mingle with the other senior guards, making small talk about our duties and responsibilities. It was like being back at one of those awkward family reunions where you don’t know anyone, but you have to pretend to be happy to be there. The entire process felt like it dragged on for days, even though it was probably only a few hours. By the time it was over, I was exhausted, not from the ceremony itself but from the sheer boredom of it all.
Well mostly pretending to be someone I'm not was the worst.
Isabella POV
I'm currently relaxing in a bath. The warm water enveloped me like a comforting embrace, steam curling up from the bath, filling the room with a soothing mist. The past few days had been excruciatingly boring. Endless meetings, formal dinners, and discussions about state affairs...all things that made me feel like I was suffocating...I had a great time in the other world.
The only time I felt alive was when Boreas was around. He’s the only person who truly gets me, who can keep up with my pace and match my sharp tongue. But with him off doing his own thing, I was left mostly alone, I did get to meet my siblings a bit more often, but they also had their own things to tend to.
I sighed, sinking deeper into the bath, letting the warmth ease the tension in my muscles. I missed him. More than I cared to admit. Just as I was about to close my eyes and drift off into my thoughts, there was a knock on the door.
"Your Highness?" Amelia’s voice called from the other side, "May I come in to assist you? You have a meeting first thing in the morning, and it’s getting late."
I groaned inwardly. Of course, Amelia had to remind me of that dreadful meeting. All I wanted was a few moments of peace, but it seemed like even that was too much to ask for.
“Amelia, I’m fine. I’ll be out soon.”
There was a pause, and I could almost hear her hesitation.
“Are you sure, Your Highness? You’ve been in there for quite some time.” she commented
“Yes, I’m sure. Go and get some rest.”
But Amelia was nothing if not persistent. The door creaked open slightly, and I tensed, quickly pulling a towel over my belly. It wasn't big or anything...but I'm having twins, and it's quite visible. My heart raced as I tried to cover the growing bump. I wanted to keep it a secret for a little while longer
“Your Highness, I just-” Amelia started as she stepped inside, I tried to play it off, but she stopped in her tracks, her gaze locked on the towel I was holding against me. I could see the realization dawning on her face. She dropped the towel she was holding and gasped.
“Your Highness...”
My mind raced for an explanation, but nothing came. The look on her face was one of pure shock, her eyes darting from my face to my belly and back again. I could see her hands trembling slightly, and I knew there was no hiding it now. The secret was out.
"I've gained some weight, that's all, it's from my recent vaca-"
"Don't. Don't lie to me." she instructed as she forced me to reveal it, "Was it my brother?"
"Ew. No."
"Ew? He's my brother."
"He's not my type."
"Is the rumors of you fooling around with the knights and mages of the-"
"No...well..."
Technically, Boreas is my bodyguard now. But not when we got together. What do I do now?
