Setsuna/Lilin

After leaving her tent, Lilin felt like her head was boiling. Ideas and thoughts conflicted in her mind as she walked ahead, filling as she could barely see her surroundings.

She could hear people saluting her but she had no time to salute back and could only grind her teeth.

Lilin was angry.

Angry at the childish and hurtful words she had said to her mother. For all Lilith had not been the perfect mother. She had never intentionally abused her emotionally or physically.

She was also angry at the fact that she had not been able to tell what she really wanted to say.

Rather than threatening and provoking her mothers, she would have hoped to have a warm welcome.

But...All her life, she had never been taught how to show affection effectively to Lilith. The small moments others took for granted were things she had no knowledge of.

'Argil. What the hell.'

She felt like crouching down and crying. But at the very least she had been able to take one small step toward mending their relationship.

She stopped when she reached a lake.

"Who?"

She immediately put a hand at her hip, only to realize her sword was not there. She had been in so much hurry to leave that she had forgotten it.

"You got sloppy."

Lilin 's hair frizzled as an electric charge went through her spine.

She yelped and moved away only to see a thinly smiling Setsuna with sparks of electricity between her fingers.

"Firstly. This hurt and secondly. I have no reason to not be sloppy. If anyone can infiltrate this place with all those kings rank present then having a sword wouldn't be different."

"Oh? You seem quite prickly, princess?"

Setsuna chuckled as she patted Lilin on the back and walked up to a rock and took place on it.

Lilin looked at the back of her friend and rival and jumped as well.

The two sat quietly, gazing at the pristine blue lake. Each of them was thinking deeply about their situation. But they took solace in being next to each other.

"So, even if you were deep in thought, you should have felt my presence. What made you so upset?"

The first one to break the silence was Setsuna. Lilin closed her mouth for a moment. She took a small rock and threw it on the lake, watching it skip a few times before finally plunging.

"I had a discussion with my mother."

"Ah..."

"Indeed. Ah."

Lilin shrugged and started explaining what had happened and how she acted. When she ended, she sighed and stretched a little before lying down. Looking at the blue sky devoid of clouds and the few birds flying around brought a certain peace in her disturbed heart.

Sitting next to her, Setsuna mused a little before also taking a rock and throwing it. Making sure that it had more skip than the one Lilin threw.

"I envy you."

"What..."

Setsuna did not look at Lilin and simply gazed at the lake with empty eyes, "Your family is graced with loyal people. Your mother gave you the best teaching, you are the only princess of Lustburg and Sol is your family."

"More than anything...They are very much alive."

Her voice became low as she took another rock, "I remember my father. He was a kind but strong man. The perfect Alpha for the pack. He passed many important laws that helped in making my country a better one. My mother was a kind woman. She was quite withdrawn but she was respected by many. I loved them and saw them as the sky. They were everything to me-"

" -Then they were murdered by my uncle."

Her grip tightened and she reduced the rock in her hand into powder.

"My parents were killed by my uncles before I was even ten. My retainers died one after another as they fought to give me a chance to escape. In one night, I went from being the princess of the nation to being nothing but a famished kid fearing for her life."

"You know the rest of life after I came to Lustburg."

Setsuna dusted her hand and sighed, "Look, I am not telling this to say your pain is worthless or that you are spoiled. What I want you to understand is that in this world, nothing is eternal. The thing you take for granted can vanish in an instant when you least expect it."

A gentle smile formed on her face and she turned to look at Lilin,

"Let me tell you this as someone who lost everything - Cherish all you have. Because you never know when you will lose it. Be happy that you have a mother you can fight with because many don't. Finally...if you really wish to forgive her, then don't hesitate. Because if you do...You might regret it forever."

A sad smile formed on her lips. How many times had she woken up, wishing that it was all nothing but a nightmare?

How many times she thought...I wish I could have said I loved them more often. I wish I had been a better daughter.

Her parents sometimes scolded her in the past. But it was only after growing up that she realized how blissful it was to have someone who cared enough about you to take the time to scold you.

"Then again, your relationship with the Queen is filled with many secrets and pain and lie. It's normal to find it hard to connect with her. Normal to want to lash out. Why do you need to act mature? Your parents and lover are the only ones you can afford to act immaturely with."

She stood up and patted her butt, "Lilin, don't hesitate. Don't make it so you will end up thinking I wish I could have done this. Do it. You are lucky enough that Lilith is willing to recognize her error and try to mend your relationship. But this works both way."

Lilin looked silently at Setsuna and asked quietly,

"Do you miss them?"

"Every day of my life."

Lilin nodded and stood up and stretched her hand to Setsuna, "Then you need to become stronger. Won't it feel great if you can give a punch to that Uncle of yours?"

"Oh trust me, I am thinking of giving him way worse than just a punch."

The two friends gazed silently at each other. There was no need for more words between them.

Lilin's anger faded and she could feel her mind become clearer. Indeed, rather than dwelling on the mistakes of the past, it was better to focus on the future.

She did not know whether or not she would either be able to mend the fence with Lilith completely.

But just training with a sword wasn't enough. She wanted that, at the very end of this, whether this ended in failure or success, she could say proudly that she had done her best.

"Also, you know you sounded like Sol, earlier?"

Setsuna chortled, "I guess his preachy way rubbed off me a little."

The two smiled at each other and started walking back.

Lilin wasn't the only one who had managed to make her mind clearer, after this small discussion.

Setsuna had been walking a fog between decision and indecision. But now, she finally remembered one of the goals that had led her through her life and the reason she had wanted to become stronger.

The sword?

Focusing on elements?

She had no attachment to either of those. She had never pursued power for the sake of power. Nor for the beauty of it. She was not one to focus on aesthetics. She wanted power for the sake of two simple goals.

Protecting Sol.

Avenging her parents.

Setsuna could not feel it, but in the depth of her Mindscape, a gate started to form. What it would look like at the end was left to be seen.

(AN: So, I am falling deeper into Social Media loi. Even created a Tiktok. I made a small video with a few illustrations of SIIK.. The goal is to eventually use this for my future stories and promote like Midnight Prince SHK and new stories. Honestly, I suck. Yesterday was my first time trying. Didn't even have a Tiktok until then. For those who don't like Tiktok, I posted the same video on Youtube. .

I don't know how useful all this will be. But as long as it brings one more reader it's a win. So it's good.)