A Star in the Darkness

The Royal Balcony of Shaernaen Castle loomed high above the capital, a vast, marble expanse overlooking millions gathered below. Banners of the Mordos House fluttered in the wind, their golden dragon insignia gleaming under the midday sun. The air was charged with anticipation; rumors had spread across Asiendal that the King had an announcement.
And when Eremon Mordos made an announcement, the world listened.
Clad in his regal black and gold attire, the King of Asiendal stepped forward, his emerald-green eyes surveying the ocean of people before him. Beside him stood his wives, the queens who had long ruled at his side—powerful, noble Asiendalian women, the pillars of his House. And yet, it was the smallest figure among them who drew the most whispers.
Yukino Hayasaka.
A Winter Caethe—a rarity among rarities, and even more unthinkable as a queen.
She stood by his side, not in royal robes, but in the battle-worn armor of a warrior, her massive greataxe resting against her back. The wind played with her short, snowy hair, her ice-blue eyes steady despite the countless doubtful gazes upon her.
The crowd murmured.
The noble families whispered.
The kingdom waited.
Eremon raised a hand, and all fell silent.
With a voice strong as thunder, he spoke.
"People of Asiendal—my people." His deep voice echoed across the capital. "You have followed me through war, through peace, through victories and hardship alike. You have trusted in my leadership, my wisdom, and my strength. And today, I ask for your trust once more."
The crowd held its breath.
He turned slightly, his gaze falling upon Yukino before returning to the people below. "This woman, Yukino Hayasaka - henceforth Yukino Mordos, shall be my first wife—my queen above all others."
A wave of shock rippled through the city.
Gasps. Murmurs. Some in the crowd even cried out in protest.
"A Caethe?!"
"An outsider?!"
"Not even an Asiendalian woman!"
Eremon’s gaze hardened.
"I know your hearts," he said. "I know what you fear. You believe she is not of our blood. That she is not worthy. That this choice is beyond reason. But hear me well—Yukino is not merely a woman. She is a warrior who has saved nations, a protector of the weak, a beacon of light in the darkness."
His emerald eyes burned as he continued.
"You doubt her because she is not Asiendalian. But tell me—when she fought beside your sons and daughters against the demons of the Numaenmexes Gates, did her bloodline matter then? When she rode into the flames of battle to defend your homes, did her ears or her tail make her any less worthy?!"
The murmuring waned.
People remembered.
They remembered the city of Garrad Hoerren, where a demonic horde had broken through the kingdom’s defenses, swarming its streets, devouring its people. The fields burned. The sky had turned black with smoke, the air thick with death. Even the most hardened Asiendalian knights had faltered, their forces crumbling beneath the tide of monstrosities.
And then she arrived.
The small Caethe warrior, standing atop the city’s last intact wall, her massive greataxe raised high, a roar of defiance escaping her lips as she threw herself into the abyss.
They had watched as she fought without hesitation, without fear. As her axe carved through demons like the blade of a reaper, her ice-blue eyes burning with fury, her presence alone rallying the defenders into one final, desperate stand.
And against all odds—they won.
They had named a square after her. A statue now stood in her honor, her axe raised high, a symbol of protection and resilience.
And more than that—they remembered how, in the weeks that followed, she did not rest in a palace.
She walked the streets, tending to the wounded, raising funds to rebuild. She spoke to the people, organized charities, and personally delivered food and supplies to the starving.
She had fought for them.
Lived among them.
And she had asked for nothing in return.
The whispers of protest faltered.
Even among the nobility, some lowered their heads in thought.
Eremon let the silence linger before he spoke again, softer now, yet no less resolute.
"She is my Queen. Not because of duty, nor obligation, but because she is my light. My guiding star. In all my years, through all my battles, I have never known joy as I do at her side. She is my heart, my strength. And I will not allow doubt to taint what should be celebrated."
He turned to Yuki, his gaze gentler now, and extended his hand.
She took it without hesitation. Smiling faintly at her husband, she stepped closer towards the crowed below them.
And as she did, the first cheer erupted from the crowd.
"My Queen"
"Long Live Yukino Mordos! Queen of Asiendal"
Then another.
And another.
Like wildfire, the hesitation melted away, replaced by something new.
Hope.
Acceptance.
Love.
The people cheered for their King and Queen.
And in that moment, Asiendal changed forever.
Caethe women received more admiration than ever before. Asiendalian men, seeing the joy their King found in his Queen, began to seek Caethe partners themselves.
Not out of curiosity, nor fascination.
But because they saw the truth—
That love was not bound by race, by lineage, or by tradition.
That a Winter Caethe, once a stranger to their lands, had become the beating heart of their kingdom.
That she was more than just their Queen.
She was Asiendal’s Warrior of Light.
And for that, she would be loved until the last dying breath of her people.