The Tale of Artemisia

After receiving the Prophet's ominous prophecy, Adelaide, the revered Saintess of the Tethoria Kingdom, collapsed to her knees, tears streaming down her golden eyes. Claude, her beloved husband, rushed to her side to offer solace, embracing his weeping wife and tenderly running his fingers through her golden locks. The weight of the prophecy, foretelling their child as the kingdom's downfall, left them both devastated. "I apologize, Saintess. It is my duty to convey the message of the Goddess. The King is likely aware by now," the Prophet expressed with sympathy, though powerless to change the course of events. With another apology, he left the temple, leaving the couple to grapple with the devastating revelation. Adelaide trembled with fear. "Claude, w-what shall we do? I cannot bear the thought of harm befalling Sia," she sobbed, her voice quivering with despair. Claude, once the esteemed knight of King Bartram, felt his helplessness keenly. He knew he could not thwart the King's actions, nor could he comprehend why their daughter would spell the kingdom's ruin. Even the prospect of lavishing their daughter with care to prevent her from turning to darkness seemed insufficient. Gazing upon Adelaide and their slumbering daughter, he harbored a growing sense of self-reproach. "Shh. We will find a way, Adel. I will protect both of you," Claude vowed, pressing a tender kiss to her forehead before gently laying her beside their daughter, still weakened from childbirth. "Saintess!" Suddenly, Adelaide's apprentice burst into the room, panic etched across her features. "Sera, what is it?" Adelaide inquired, her voice tinged with apprehension. "Saintess, Mister Knight, news has arrived! The imperial knights are advancing upon us! We must flee!" Sera implored urgently, her distress palpable. "How can I leave you here and escape?" Adelaide weakly replied. "If they don't find us here, they'll torture all of you to death," she added, acknowledging the grim reality. "We understand that...but we can't simply allow them to kill your child!" Sera cried out, her anguish palpable. "This is unjust, Saintess! Why is this happening?" Adelaide offered Sera a comforting smile and gently patted her head. "Don't worry, Sera. I'll reason with them. I promise nothing will happen." Claude's eyes widened in disbelief. "What do you mean you'll reason with them, Adel?!" "There's no other choice," she replied resolutely. "Do you realize what you're saying? Do you think they'll listen if you try to reason with them?! No! You'll only end up getting yourself killed!" His voice reverberated with desperation. Adelaide looked away, steeling herself. "I'm prepared to sacrifice myself to save my daughter." Claude clenched his fists and shut his eyes, tears streaming down his face as he grappled with the cruel reality of their situation. Was there truly no alternative? He couldn't bear the thought of losing Adelaide and their daughter. Determined to protect them both, he resolved to delay the pursuers to facilitate their escape. "No. I can stall them so that both of you can get away," he declared firmly. Adelaide's lips quivered, tears flowing unabated as she cried softly. "N-No, Claude..." "We can assist you in stalling the Knights, Mister Claude," the priests offered suddenly, having listened in from outside the room since the beginning. They, too, were willing to sacrifice themselves to protect the Saintess. "No! I cannot allow this!" Adelaide protested vehemently. "I'm sorry, Adel, but I must," Claude replied, poised to depart. However, Adelaide rose and rushed toward him, enveloping him in a tight embrace from behind, causing him to freeze in place. "Saintess!" Sera and the priests exclaimed in surprise. "If...If you're going to do it, then so will I," Adelaide whispered, her voice trembling. "Adel..." "Let's do this together, Claude. We both understand that my time is limited after giving birth to Sia, don't we? I won't be able to care for her," Adelaide expressed, sensing Claude's trembling body as she made him look at her, confirming her words as tears welled up in his eyes. Adelaide gently held his face. "Sera can look after our daughter. They will escape while we delay the knights. Together," she stressed. "W-What? Me?" Sera exclaimed in surprise, taken aback by the unexpected request. Adelaide turned to face Sera. "We believe you can care for her in our absence, Sera. Please. This is the final favor I will ask of you," Adelaide pleaded, her desperation evident. As Sera heard the words "this will be the last thing I'll ask you," she understood that the Saintess and others would soon perish. The realization shattered her internally. Sera closed her eyes and nodded, determined to care for and love Artemisia while ensuring her own survival to honor their sacrifices. "Thank you," Adelaide mouthed gratefully. Adelaide then turned to her tearful lover. They both acknowledged the inevitable fate awaiting them, taking a moment to memorize each other's faces. "Are you certain about this?" Claude asked her one final time. Adelaide's smile was bittersweet as she affirmed, "Yes," before tearfully kissing Claude on the lips. They embraced Artemisia tightly, bidding her farewell as tears streamed down their faces. Sera and the priests were moved to tears by the emotional scene. "Then, let's proceed," Claude declared firmly, clutching Adelaide's hand tightly. Claude directed Sera to utilize a concealed rear exit, explaining that it led to Elden Village, the safest place far from the capital. He had arranged for a carriage for their journey. Sera absorbed his instructions, bidding farewell to them all while cradling the baby, praying fervently for their survival. The sound of explosions signaled that diplomacy had failed; the Imperial Family was resolute in their pursuit of Artemisia's demise. With a heavy heart, Sera followed Claude's guidance, encountering no interference and finding the prepared carriage awaiting them. "Saintess, Mister Claude, I promise to care for your daughter. May you reunite in your next life as ordinary people," Sera prayed silently as the carriage set off. Claude was taken aback by the overwhelming force the Imperial Family had marshaled—over a hundred knights and wizards—to eliminate his daughter. They perceived Artemisia as a significant threat, given his own training as the King's personal knight. "We're only following orders, Sir Claude. Hand over that child now," Ansel declared, now holding the position of the King's personal knight, having replaced Claude after he relinquished his license to be with Adelaide. "You'll have to kill me first, if you can manage," Claude taunted, provoking Ansel's fury. "Even in this situation, you remain arrogant," Ansel retorted with a smirk. "I'll cut your damn head off, you bastard!" With that, he charged, signaling the beginning of the war. Adelaide remained at the rear, aiding the wounded. Weak from childbirth, she refrained from using her offensive powers. Explosions and cries of pain filled the air, unsettling her, but she steeled herself for her daughter's sake. Wizards targeted Adelaide, but the priests intervened, erecting barriers to shield her, drawing the wizards' attention to them instead. The battle raged on for thirty minutes. Claude grew weary, contending with numerous knights, particularly Ansel, whose strength surpassed the others'. Exhaustion took its toll on the priests, their barriers faltering as they struggled to maintain them. Adelaide witnessed a priest being stabbed and rushed to heal him, but more priests fell victim to the knights' onslaught, leaving them vulnerable. Knights closed in on Adelaide as she tended to the injured priest. Claude, seeing the impending danger, cried out and dashed to her aid, but Adelaide couldn't evade the swords in time and was stabbed. Enraged, Claude swiftly dispatched those who attacked her, but he himself fell victim to Ansel's sword, pierced through the heart. Adelaide's vision began to blur, the world fading around her. In her final moments, she caught sight of Claude's smile, blood staining his lips. With a faint smile, she mouthed, "I love you, Claude." The priests, witnessing Adelaide and Claude's demise, resigned themselves to their fate, making no effort to defend themselves. They were prepared to meet death as bravely as the couple had. Later that day, the King, consumed by fury upon learning of the child's disappearance, ordered the gruesome display of Adelaide and Claude's severed heads outside the castle walls, branding them as traitors. Such was the cruel hand of fate.