A few days later, one of the palace beast handlers approached them after training had concluded.
"Your Majesties, I wish to ask permission."
Lilith nodded.
"What is it?"
The elderly handler looked toward the fox.
"She has reached the age where instinct begins to develop. If allowed... I’d like to begin introducing her to proper hunting."
Atheline looked down at the fox. Although she had done remarkably well during the attack, her techniques had been crude at best.
"It isn’t dangerous?"
"Not at all. The first lessons involve tracking scents, moving quietly, and recognizing prey."
He thought for a moment before nodding.
"If she enjoys it... I see no reason to stop it."
Lilith agreed.
"So long as it’s supervised."
"Naturally."
The handler bowed.
"She won’t leave the palace grounds for now."
The lessons began the very next morning. The fox followed the elderly handler around the palace gardens with surprising enthusiasm.
She learned to recognize different scents, remain low while approaching birds, and move without rustling the grass. Most attempts ended in failure.
The birds flew away, the rabbits escaped, and even squirrels seemed to mock her efforts before disappearing into the trees.
Each failure, however, only made the little beast more determined. By the end of the week, she had successfully caught her very first field mouse.
The handler praised her enthusiastically.
The fox proudly carried its prize all the way back to the palace.
Atheline blinked, speechless.
"...Should we congratulate her?"
Lilith looked at the tiny creature standing proudly before them.
"I believe we should."
He crouched down before gently scratching behind its ears.
"Well done."
The fox chirped happily, her tail wagging so quickly that she nearly lost her balance. Watching the little beast grow alongside them somehow made the palace feel even more like home.
As the third week of spring drew to a close, the routine they had built had become second nature.
Neither of them realized it yet, but the peaceful rhythm they had found would soon be broken.
.
.
.
Three days later, Lilith closed the final document on her desk and looked through the tall window overlooking the palace gardens.
The afternoon sun was beginning its slow descent, bathing the Court in warm golden light. For the first time in several days, no urgent reports were awaiting her signature.
The council had finished earlier than expected. The border commanders had reported nothing unusual. The patrols around the Blood Sea remained stable. Even the investigations into the cult had reached another temporary standstill.
There was just silence, which was a rare luxury.
A gentle knock came from the chamber door.
"Enter."
Atheline stepped inside, having changed into a simple black training outfit instead of his formal court robes. His sword rested at his waist while his cloak hung loosely over one shoulder.
He smiled when he saw the stack of completed documents.
"Looks like you’re finished."
"For today."
She stood from behind the desk.
"I’ve been thinking."
He raised an eyebrow.
"That’s usually dangerous," Atheline jokingly said.
She gave him a flat look.
"I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that."
He laughed.
"So... what have you been thinking about?"
"Our training," she said, then continued. "We’ve become too accustomed to holding back."
He nodded slowly. The palace training grounds were designed for practice, not for warriors capable of reshaping the landscape with every serious exchange.
No matter how careful they were, they constantly restrained themselves because of everything around them.
Lilith walked toward him.
"I want to fight properly, as promised."
A grin slowly spread across his face.
"I was hoping you’d say that."
An hour later, they stood in one of the palace teleportation chambers.
Zelpher stood by the looking looking as though he wanted to say something.
"The destination has already been prepared, Your Majesty."
Lilith nodded.
"No one will disturb us?"
"No. The area was cleared yesterday."
Atheline looked curiously at her.
"You planned this?"
She met his gaze calmly.
"I suspected you’d agree."
He chuckled.
"So this wasn’t a spontaneous idea."
"It rarely is."
Darkness covered them, and they instantly vanished. A powerful mountain wind greeted them immediately. They now stood atop a vast plateau surrounded by towering cliffs.
Jagged peaks stretched endlessly toward the horizon while enormous stone pillars, carved by centuries of wind and rain, rose naturally from the earth. There wasn’t a single sign of civilization in sight.
Atheline slowly looked around.
"This is... the Southern Highlands."
Lilith stepped forward.
"The royal family has used this place for generations whenever they needed privacy."
He smiled.
"I can see why."
There was enough empty land here for armies to clash without threatening a single life.
The white fox immediately leapt from his shoulder. Unlike the palace gardens, this place overflowed with unfamiliar scents.
She sprinted happily across the rocky ground before stopping beside a large boulder, sniffing everything with endless curiosity.
Athelune laughed.
"I think someone likes it here."
"She can explore."
The Queen replied.
"We’ll remain nearby."
The fox gave a cheerful chirp before disappearing between several rocks.
The mountain breeze strengthened. Neither ruler spoke for several moments; instead, they simply stood facing one another.
Atheline slowly rested one hand upon the hilt of his sword.
"So..."
Lilith’s shadows quietly gathered around her feet.
"So."
A comfortable silence settled between them, then they vanished simultaneously. Steel collided high above the plateau, the impact echoing across the mountains like distant thunder.
Atheline landed first, sliding several metres across solid stone before immediately launching himself forward again. Wind gathered beneath his feet, accelerating every movement without wasting unnecessary mana.
His sword flashed toward Lilith’s shoulder. She disappeared. A ripple passed through the shadows behind him.
He twisted instinctively.
Their blades collided once more. This time, neither retreated. A rapid exchange followed. Every strike was answered immediately. Every opening vanished before either could exploit it.
Her movements remained almost impossible to predict. One moment, she stood directly before him, the next, she emerged from a shadow several metres away, above him, or behind him.
Atheline no longer reacted with surprise; instead, he watched the shadows themselves. The smallest ripple and the slightest distortion. Tiny clues that hadn’t existed a month earlier.
He still couldn’t predict every teleport, but he no longer waited to see her. He anticipated where she could appear.
She instantly noticed this. A faint smile crossed her face.
She increased the pace. Darkness erupted across the battlefield as dozens of shadows spread outward from her position.
The plateau dimmed noticeably as the shadows themselves deepened.
Atheline exhaled slowly.
"So we’re skipping the warm-up."
Her answer came from everywhere.
"You wanted a real fight."
He laughed.
"I did."