The Forgotten Queen

Kidnapped Guardian

Isla groaned and panted heavily, both hands-on holding onto her knees and lifting her head. She narrowed her gaze at a chuckling Aiden. "Are you good?" Aiden asked, smirking down at her.

She rolled her eyes and dropped her head, trying to calm her breathing. Aiden chuckled but stopped and flinched when Duke Jared hit him with the wooden sword. Aiden ran, stepping aside and narrowing his gaze at the Duke.

The Duke lifted his eyebrows and nodded his head. "Hundred more laps around the field," he said.

"What?" Aiden gaped in confusion. Duke Jared tilted his head, and Aiden threw his head back, groaning, and dropped his wooden sword before jogging away.

Once Aiden was away, Duke Jared turned to Isla. "Are you okay, Your Grace?" he asked.

Isla nodded her head, slowly standing straight. She took a deep breath and gulped. "Please don't go easy on me. How am I to learn without a challenge?" she asked.

"Who said I'm going easy?"

She stared at him in silence, then glanced over at Aiden, running calmly. Isla noticed Duke Jared kept making Aiden take laps for anything. If Aiden made a small mistake, then a hundred laps waited.

While Isla had to learn how to hold a sword and swig it. If her hands and arms hurt, then she would take some laps. And she does not make even do half of the given laps.

"I don't even finish my laps..."

"Look at your gloves. Your legs are shaking," Duke Jared said, pointing at her trembling legs. Isla's lips pouted after noticing these things. "Each day, we train, I add. You need to understand that you are new to physical training, unlike Aiden... He is used to it."

They glanced over at Aiden, who seemed unbothered by the run. Isla never used to be this weak. She remembered as a child that she and her siblings would run all day. They would climb mountains during summer to enjoy juicy fruits.

She cannot believe she barely catching her breath. However, it could be just age as she grew older each passing year.

"But he needs to work his speed and keeping up with magic."

"Oh, yes. Before I forget, why did you make Aiden my personal guard?" Isla asked, turning her gaze back at Duke Jared.

"I thought having someone around your age could help lighten your mood and keep you company. After all, you need an outsider to help you get by."

Isla smiled.

"Now, let's get back to training," he said with a smile back. Isla's smile dropped, and he shook his head. "And you thought I was going easy on you."

"I wish you were..." she groaned under her breath before returning to her training.

Later that night, she had dinner with Duke Jared and Edward, discussing matters regarding the lifting of the shield. Some council members are trying to sign a petition to prevent it from being lifted due to personal reasons.

Mainly for their business.

Aurora Kingdom's population was mainly magus, creating magical items and studying the arts of magic and elements. Ranked number one, many would travel far and wide to be part of the kingdom.

The Dukes are willing to have the shield up from what Isla gathered, but the concern was continuing the trade.

After dinner, Duke Jared was seen out by Edward while Isla was escorted into her room. Sara prepared Isla's warm bath with herbs to help her aching muscles.

Isla sighed in relief, feeling the warmth of the water as she entered the bath. She closed her eyes, leaning back and enjoying the water. Sara seated on a stool behind Isla.

"I don't think the council respects me as the Guardian," Isla said with a heavy sigh. She opened her eyes, staring up at the white marble on the ceiling.

"Who cares what the council thinks? You're still the Guardian," Sara said, pouring water onto Isla's head and hair.

"I care..."

Sara hummed, massaging Isla's head as she washed her hair. "The council is listening. You mentioned lifting the shield, and they are talking about it. It looks like they are taking it seriously."

"They are serious because my suggestion would damage their business. But it is the first of I voicing my concerns. Edward also advised me to go to these meetings and listen to learn until I'm old enough and learned."

"Really?"

Sara stopped, tilting her head, and stared at Isla. Isla nods, leaning back and tilting to look back at Sara.

"Sometimes, I question my role as a Guardian..." Isla said, turning her gaze down to the dry leaves floating in the bath.

Sara sighed before leaning in and wrapping her arms around Isla's neck, pulling her into an embrace. "Don't worry, you have my respect. You have ordered, and I'll follow."

Isla chuckled, and Sara followed after. Sara leaned back, unwrapping her arms from Isla's neck and brushing Isla's hair with her fingers.

"Let's finish up," Sara said.

After Isla's bath, Sara helped her get ready for bed. Isla's dressed in her nightgown, her hair dried, brushed, and braided. Edward did not return, and Isla went to bed without saying 'good night.'

Sara was Isla's trusted handmaiden who stepped in for Edward. She searched around the room, ensuring nothing was out of the ordinary and being the last one out.

The night was silent. A few people were wandering around the open hallway. Guards stood on their posts, moving when it was time to change positions.

Nothing different.

Isla was in peaceful slumber.

She felt a presence hovering beside her as she rolled to her other side. Her eyebrows frowned while she forcefully opened her tired eyes. Her widened when she saw the shadow figure.

Only a gasp escaped her lips as the person hurriedly covered both Isla's mouth and nose. A covered scream muffled under the cloth as she struggled against her attacker.

She heavily inhaled the scent of cloth, staring up at the person's dark eyes. Isla felt her eyes growing heavy and her body becoming weak to struggle.

Isla raised her weak hand, trying to grab the person's mask. But she was too weak, failing to take hold of the material before slipping into a deep slumber.

Hesitantly, Isla's kidnapper removed the cloth from Isla's face. Once they confirmed that she was knocked out, they threw the blanket off her and glanced around to ensure no one was aware.

The kidnapper pulled out a sack and opened it wide enough to slip unconscious Isla before zipping it closed. Carefully, they threw it on their back as they made their way to the balcony.

One last glance over their shoulder then opened the doors and walked out. Outside there waits for a magic circle marked on the floor.

As the kidnapper was making his getaway, Edward entered Isla's room. His eyes widened, seeing Isla's messy bed and opened balcony doors. He hurried towards the balcony. He stepped out, and a flash of bright white light.

He groaned, opening his clenched eyes as his hand covered his eyes. He muttered a spell before jumping into the light.

The white light fades, and Edward stumbles on his footing, glancing around and seeing people staring at him in shock and confusion. But he did not care, as he looked out for the kidnapper until he spotted commotion heading down into the market.

Edward waved his hand, releasing thousands of firefly-like blue lights. The lights flew out to the sky in the direction the kidnapper ran. Edward jumped from building to building, keeping an eye on the back of the kidnapper's black hoodie.

The blue fireflies were closing in on the man, trying to land on the sack, when a gash of wind surrounded him and blew the fireflies away.

People gasped, stepping away, giving the kidnapper room to escape.

Edward was preparing another attack when out of the blue, the kidnapper tripped. Edward flew off the building, approaching behind, and spotted Aiden stepping forward. "Good evening, Edward," Aiden said, smirking at Edward.

Edward frowned, narrowing his glare at Aiden.

News spread of Guardian Isla's k********g attempt. Council members ignored their sleep and hurried to the Temple Palace. They bragged themselves to the council room, arguing back and forth as they waited to hear news of Isla's health.

"I should have stayed in her room just as Edward does!" Sara said, sobbing loudly.

Aiden rolled his eyes and watched other servants walk in and out of Isla's room. Sara grabbed Aiden's sleeve and shook, getting Aiden to turn his gaze over at her. "I can't face Edward or Isla!" she cried, violently shaking his sleeve.

"You're overthinking this matter," Aiden said, pulling Sara's hands away from him. "Firstly, it's weird staying in someone's room as they sleep, and second... Who would have thought this would happen?"

Sara pouted, stepping back and lifting her head. "Well... Isla did raise a concern about her safety. So, she knew it would happen."

Aiden glanced over his shoulder, taking a glimpse into Isla's room. The Imperial physicians found traces of shadow dust. It weakens magus, and to low-level magus, it can turn deadly.

Isla may be the Guardian of Aurora but have low-level powers for the time being. This was turning deadly for Isla, and Edward oversaw Isla's care.

"She will be alright. She's strong," Aiden said, turning his gaze back.

"May the gods protect her..." Sara sighed, closed her eyes, and placed her palms together. Sara opened one eye and glanced at Aiden, who stared at her. "Why are you not praying?" she asked.

"I don't really care," he shrugged his shoulders. "I just hope I still get paid for the overtime..."

Sara gaped, then scoffed and closed her eye. She continued to pray, and Aiden glanced over his shoulder, looking into Isla's room. He sighed under his breath, turning his gaze away.

The physicians calmed Isla's fever and informed Edward that Her Grace must rest. Edward increased security around Isla's chamber and ordered Sara to take care of Isla.

Edward entered the council room, and all eyes were on him, then questions were thrown at him.

"How is Her Grace!?"

"Who hired the k********g?"

"Is it Veritas?"

"Or is Amun!?"

"Or is it the Black Raven coven?"

Murmuring filled the room again as they threw questions back and forth. Edward stood at the head of the table in silence. The four Dukes, too, were seated in silence as the rest yelled.

Duke Blaise slammed his hands on the table. "SILENCE!" his voice roared.

Everyone's eyes widened at the head of the table, but there was silence, and they calmly sat.

"Her Grace is safe and recovering. We are still trying to find who planned the k********g. Trusted guards are interrogating him," Edward said.

"What 'safety'?" Duke Ivar asked. "Her Grace was kidnapped from her own chambers and poisoned with shadow dust. If she wasn't saved in time, then history will repeat, and how long would wait for a new Guardian?"

Murmuring hummed under the council's breath. "Maybe we should move Her Grace from the Temple Palace?" Duke Jared voiced, tilting his head to meet Edward's gaze.

"She must never leave Temple until her time has come," Edward said.

"We can offer some of our knights! You know how skilled they are!" Duke Blaise said, leaning back against the chair and folding his arms across his chest.

"We cannot afford to lose another Guardian before they reach their full potential. If we don't complete this again, how can we continue the flow of magic?" Duke Nix asked.

"... Especially for our clans."

"Then we must lift the shield. I have found a spell for trades to pass through, but I can create a few..." Edward said.

Silence filled the council room, knowing that they needed to protect Isla. They had a lot of magic invested in a Guardian. If Isla dies before she connects to her protection and spirit world, Aurora's powers will weaken.

"All in favor of the shield?" Edward asked.

There was hesitation within the council, but they raised their hand in favor of the shield. However, everyone's eyes were on the four Dukes. If one of the votes against, then it would be a roller coaster of arguments.

Duke Jared and Duke Blaise raised their hand in favor. Duke Ivar thought to himself before lifting his hand with a heavy sigh.

All eyes were on Duke Nix. The trade was his business, but protecting the Guardian was key to securing his family's powers. He glanced up at Edward.

He lifted his hand as he turned his gaze. "Pray to the gods your charm works..." he said.

Edward smiled at Duke Nix and lifted his gaze to the council. "Let's get to work on the shield," Edward said.