Blue eyes from past

Aiko has been transferred into her chamber. Akihiko stood by the bed where Aiko lay peacefully, observing her pale face in silence. Her breathing was light, almost imperceptible. He clenched his fist—his sense of helplessness suffocating him.

“You must fight. I could give you no more energy than this. If I could, I would give you the last drop, even if it meant my death.”

Suddenly, a vision appeared before his eyes, as if the veil of time had torn. He heard the cry of a child.

He was there again. A child. A boy with large blue eyes, carefully holding a small, soft, glowing golden orb. He stepped toward the cradle where a baby girl lay, with brown eyes and delicate golden reddish hair, and a serene face.

He remembered—princess Soraya.

He, little prince Akihiko, bowed his head to her and placed the gift beside her.

“To always protect you,” whispered the child’s voice, which he now, as an adult, heard again within himself.

The moment of peace was shattered by a scream. The sky of planet Akanehara was shrouded in darkness. Ice-cold, terrifying force cut through the air. Kaelrith’s father, king Kaelmar—mighty, dark, suffused with energy that smothered every ray of light—attacked.

Soraya’s mother queen Akari stood in the center of the hall, holding her daughter. Her eyes were full of tears and determination. Her husband king Kenshin clasped his hands together with hers, combining their powers. Both knew they had no other option.

“Keep her safe,” the queen’s voice echoed through time.

Kaelrith’s father Kaelmar unleashed all his power against them.

“If I am not to have her, then no one shall.” He said with determination.

At that moment, the light erupted from them, enveloped Soraya, and carried her away—through space, to a world where she could live.

The next moment, Akihiko saw only destruction. His parents hurriedly pulled him away. He felt a loss—not just of Soraya’s family, but of something that shattered them themselves. That night, his family lost their power. They lost the light that was their inheritance. And that night Kaelmar destroyed himself with his dark energy.

And now, as Akihiko stood beside Aiko, he understood.

All the threads of their destiny had intertwined that very evening. He and Soraya… had been connected since the cradle.

As the memory unfolded before Akihiko, his heart ached. He saw the moment he placed the golden orb beside Soraya’s cradle… and then how everything fell apart. How, in the chaos, he ran with his parents, seeing that small orb on the ground among ashes and rubble.

He didn’t know why he paused. Everyone was shouting that he had to run, that they had to survive—but something inside him knew he had to take it. He bent down, picked up the orb, and held it to himself before his father pulled him away.

From that night on, he kept it. First in his childhood chamber, then carefully stored in a small metal box. He never showed it to anyone—not his parents, not his brother. It was his secret. His memory of Soraya.

Now, he stood beside Aiko, and the memory was as vivid as if time had never passed. He went to his chamber. He looked toward the small metal box hidden among his belongings. He reached for it and opened it. It was still inside—a soft orb, with a gentle golden glow, though its light was rarely revealed.

He couldn’t believe the coincidence.

Or perhaps, it wasn’t a coincidence at all.

He knew he would have to give this orb to Aiko. It was a piece of her origin, her essence. And perhaps the key to fully awaken her as princess Soraya.

Aiko first heard the soft, muffled voices—gentle, concerned, yet warm. Slowly, she opened her eyes. Leaning over her were the faces of her father and mother. In their eyes, she saw tears of relief as they realized she was waking.

“Aiko…” her mother whispered, gently taking her hand. “Thank the gods,” her father added, his deep voice trembling with emotion.

Aiko’s gaze drifted slowly across the chamber. The warmth she felt in her chest grew stronger, almost painfully familiar. Her eyes lingered on the balcony.

A shiver ran through her… “Aura…” she whispered.

“Welcome back, Aiko,” replied the artificial intelligence in her chamber.

Her parents looked at her with astonishment. Aiko touched the bedsheet, as if to confirm she was not dreaming.

“Akarihoshi,” she said, her voice almost fragile. “And you… you are also here.” She gently said to her parents.

Her parents fell silent. It became clear to them that Aiko had been here before. When she was missing for six months.

She remained on the soft bed, slightly dizzy, exhausted. Her parents sat beside her, holding her hands with care, their expressions solemn.

“Aiko…” her father began, his tone gentle yet serious, “there is something we need to tell you, a secret we have kept for a long time.”

Her mother wrapped her hands around Aiko’s. “We are not your biological parents. When we found you as a baby in the courtyard, we took you into our home.”

King Kaito and queen Hanae entered the chamber. Kaito looked at Aiko and said, “You are princess Soraya. Your true home is not Earth, but Akanehara. Your true parents perished, and we believed you had perished with them. But now we know… they gave their lives to protect you, sending you to another world with the very last of their strength.”

Hanae added softly, “When I first saw you, I saw my friend—your mother, queen Akari. You were her image. Yet I never imagined you were truly her daughter.”

Aiko felt a swirl of relief and confusion. Her heart’s energy was slowly stirring, though not yet fully awakened.

Queen Hanae looked at her and smiled faintly. “You are safe now, Aiko. But your memories and your true name are still waiting to be discovered.”

“Princess Soraya.” The name echoed in her mind, but it brought no comfort. Instead, a swirl of confusion took hold. Her thoughts collided like waves in a storm.

“Parents by my side… their faces etched with worry… yet their eyes held a truth I cannot yet grasp. I am not theirs… I wasn’t born on Earth… and… I’m a princess?”

Her chest tightened, her heartbeat quickened, and a sense of vertigo swept over her. Every certainty she had held seemed to vanish, leaving only questions… and a spark of something powerful, something that was hers alone, flickering within. The silence was broken as Akihiko entered the chamber. Seeing Aiko awake, his heart swelled with relief. The king and queen motioned for Aiko’s parents to leave. Aiko was now alone with Akihiko.

He stepped closer and smiled at her.

“I’m glad you’re awake… that you’re alright.”

Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a necklace.

“I thought you might have missed this. I kept it safe…”

With a gentle smile, he handed her the necklace she had always worn.

Aiko’s eyes fell upon the necklace. For a moment, her breath caught — she had thought it lost to her forever. Yet here it lay, delicate and familiar, gleaming softly in the light.

A small, almost shy smile curved her lips, and warmth bloomed in her chest. Her fingers reached out, brushing against the cool metal, and a spark of happiness danced in her eyes. In that fleeting moment, the chaos around her faded, replaced by a quiet, unspoken comfort. She fastened the necklace, letting it rest gently against her chest.

Aiko thanked him in a gentle voice. “Thank you, Akihiko.”

Tears welled up at the corners of her eyes.

Akihiko’s gaze lingered on her for a few moments, quiet and unwavering. The world around them seemed to blur, leaving only the faint echo of their breaths and the soft rustle of the wind.

Then, his voice broke the silence, calm but carrying a weight that made her heart skip.

"There’s something else… something that belongs to you."

Aiko’s fingers instinctively twitched, a mix of curiosity and nervous anticipation stirring within her. Her heart raced as she looked up at him, unsure of what he meant, yet sensing the sincerity behind his words.

In his other hand, Akihiko held a small box containing a soft, glowing golden orb—a memento of her true home and the lost moments of her childhood.

“This is yours too,” he said quietly, voice warm yet resolute. “I always wanted you to have this back… I always hoped you were still alive.”

He passed her a small box, and when Aiko opened it, she discovered a soft, glowing golden orb nestled within. Gently, she took it into her hands.

A fleeting pulse of memory struck her. Images appeared in her heart as though emerging from fog: the boy’s blue eyes, filled with concern and warmth, as he gently handed the orb beside her, leaning over her cradle.

A sudden, chaotic flash followed—her as a baby in her mother’s arms, her father at her side, while the world around them collapsed, energy and darkness filling the space. Chaos, panic, power she could barely sense—but also the feeling of safety she felt with her parents.

Aiko’s thoughts as she looked at the ball…

“The orb… it’s more than an object… it links my past to my present. And Akihiko… he’s the same boy with those blue eyes… the one who promised to always protect me. He’s here… he never left.”

Akihiko then left Aiko alone in the chamber, allowing her the time to recall who she truly was and to rest, for she was not yet fully restored.

Akihiko stood in the palace corridor, arms relaxed by his sides, yet his gaze was distant, thoughtful. His heart raced, but his thoughts were heavy, as if he carried the weight of the world. He faced a harsh truth—he could no longer continue his engagement to princess Miyu.

His thoughts were consumed by Aiko, the one he was bound to protect, the one to whom he owed his loyalty.

Every step along the silent corridor felt like a decision. He knew it would hurt, but he could no longer deceive his heart—neither his own nor Miyu’s. His bond with Aiko was deeper, stronger, undeniable.