The Silent Battle

The next day, in the training grounds, Akihiko and Naoru faced each other in melee practice, swords flashing under the bright light. Akihiko’s focus sharpened, each strike deliberate, every parry echoing with the weight of his resolve. Yet inside him, unease lingered—a gnawing fear he could not easily silence.

Between clashes, his voice broke through, low and troubled.

“Naoru… Aiko doubts herself. Her exhaustion, her worries—they’re slowly weakening her heart. And I… I’m here to protect her, but I can’t always shield her from an enemy I cannot see. The doubts eating at her heart are also chipping away at my own strength.”

Naoru met his words with a piercing but calm gaze, steady even as their swords locked.

“I understand. But more than power, you need resolve. Doubts are the true enemy—banish them first in yourself, then help her do the same. Show me, Akihiko… show me you’re truly strong.”

Akihiko inhaled deeply, tightening his grip on the blade. A glow stirred within him, the white-blue aura flaring brighter as if answering his call.

“I won’t let doubt defeat me—or her. For Aiko, for her safety… I’ll be stronger than ever before.”

Naoru’s lips curled into a faint smile, rare and genuine. “That’s the way. Since the day I met you, I knew you were strong. All we need to do is cast the doubts aside.”

Meanwhile, far away on the planet Tsukinara, Prince Tsukio clenched his fists as he watched the scene unfold through the shadows.

“They resist… but the cracks are there. The whispers already take root. The path to their downfall may be slow, but inevitable.”

Beside him, Princess Tsukina’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction. “Our strategy is working. Every flicker of fear, every doubt in themselves or each other—it all drags them further from their perfect bond. Time itself will wear them down.”

Far from their gaze, a faint, seductive voice drifted into Aiko’s mind, subtle yet insistent:

“He doesn’t truly love you. He only fights for you because of your title. Without it, he would leave. You don’t belong here, Aiko. You’ll fail. Everyone doubts you… you’ll never manage all your duties. You’re weak. But with me… things would be different. I would never doubt you. All doubt ends with me.”

Another whisper followed, soft and pressing against her thoughts:

“Everyone doubts you. You are too slow. You can’t keep up. He carries you, not the other way around. But with me, it would be different…”

Aiko froze, chest tightening, heart hammering as a cold shiver ran down her spine. "…does he only love me for the title? Am I really so weak?" Each word clawed at her confidence, planting subtle seeds of fear and uncertainty.

Back in the training yard, the clash continued. Steel rang out as Naoru pushed Akihiko harder, only to feel the shift—an unmistakable surge.

“Already, I can feel it,” Naoru murmured after a parry, his eyes narrowing in focus. “When did you become this strong?”

Akihiko’s aura burned brighter, steady and unyielding. “Since the day I swore to protect her. Doubts are nothing but distractions. And the only way to defeat them… is to stand firm.”

Naoru chuckled softly, shaking his head. “I knew you had strength, Akihiko. But now I see it clearly. Your true power isn’t just the aura—it’s your certainty. That’s what keeps her safe.”

Akihiko’s features softened, relief flickering in his gaze. “Then we continue. Together.”

In the days that followed, Aiko’s world grew heavier.

The whispers in her mind no longer struck only in silence—they crept into her training, her studies, her dreams.

You’re too slow. You can’t keep up. He carries you, not the other way around. You’re only here because of your title. He doesn’t truly love you. Everyone doubts you. You’ll never manage all your duties. You’re weak. But with me, things would be different. I would never doubt you.

Each word cut deep, leaving her chest tight, her breath faltering. Yet before the darkness could consume her, a familiar warmth always broke through.

Akihiko’s aura.

It flared instinctively, white-blue light wrapping around her heart like a shield. Sometimes it came in the brush of his hand against hers, other times in a simple glance across a crowded room. His energy pushed back the shadows, refusing to let them take hold.

One morning during sword drills, Aiko froze mid-step, her blade trembling as the voices mocked her clumsiness. Her knees threatened to buckle—until Akihiko’s aura surged forward. It swept around her, steadying her breath and silencing the whispers.

Lowering his sword, his voice was gentle but firm. “Aiko. Don’t force yourself.” His blue eyes locked onto hers, unwavering. In them, she saw not just concern, but a vow.

He stepped closer, his hand brushing lightly against hers. “You’re safe with me. No matter what happens, I’ll always protect you.”

Aiko’s chest tightened as warmth spread from her heart to her cheeks. She searched his eyes and, for a moment, let herself believe in the safety and care shining there. Slowly, the tension in her shoulders eased, her breathing steadied, and a small, genuine smile tugged at her lips. Even though the mysterious whispers still lingered at the edges of her mind, here, in this moment, she felt anchored by his unwavering presence.

At the royal dining hall, the assault came strongest.

Seated between Akihiko and Queen Hanae, Aiko tried to steady her shaking hands as she lifted her fork. When it slipped and clattered against her plate, the whispers pounced.

"Pathetic. Even here, you fail. Everyone sees it."

Heat of shame surged in her chest, the hall spinning around her—until warmth returned.

Under the table, Akihiko’s hand found hers. His aura flooded through her in a wave, driving out the darkness. His words were soft, spoken only for her. “It’s alright. You’re safe.”

Her gaze rose to meet his, and in his steady light, the voices shrank back.

The Queen noticed first—the trembling in Aiko’s hand, the quiet blaze of Akihiko’s aura shielding her. Then the King, whose sharp eyes narrowed with understanding.

Silence fell over the hall.

King Kaito set down his cup with finality. “Aiko. From this moment on, all your duties are suspended.”

Her eyes widened. “But—”

“No,” he said, firm yet not unkind. “You are not weak. But I will not watch you break under obligations. Until your strength returns, you will rest.”

Queen Hanae leaned forward, her voice soothing yet resolute. “Even the strongest must learn to lean on others. That is not weakness—it is trust.”

Akihiko’s hand tightened over Aiko’s, his aura pulsing as though sealing their words. “And I will never let you face this alone,” he whispered, his vow as much to himself as to her.

That night, Aiko lay awake in her chambers. The whispers lingered faintly, weaving doubts that Akihiko might care only for her title, that she was too weak, that everyone doubted her. I’m not strong enough… what if he doesn’t truly love me…?

Yet as the thread of darkness pressed, Akihiko’s aura wrapped around her mind like a shield. Even unseen, she felt the warmth, the care, the unwavering vow in his presence. Slowly, she exhaled, letting herself believe—even if just for a moment—that she was loved for herself, not her title.

On the far side of the palace, Akihiko sat at the edge of his bed, the moonlight spilling across his shoulders. His thoughts were heavy, his heart restless. He could still feel her presence—fragile yet unwavering—connected to him through the thread of his aura.

"She’s fighting so hard, he thought, fingers tightening over the hilt of his sword that rested nearby. And every time the shadows reach for her, I feel them too. I can drive them back, but what if… one day… my strength isn’t enough?"

The doubt gnawed, subtle but sharp. Yet as he closed his eyes, he recalled her smile—faint but defiant, shining even through her trembling.

“No,” he whispered into the silence, his voice steadying with each word. “I won’t let her fall. Not while I breathe. Whatever comes, I’ll face it—even if the darkness takes me instead.”

His aura stirred faintly, a shimmer of white and blue in the darkened chamber, as though answering his vow.

And though on Tsukinara, Tsukio and Tsukina reveled in their growing scheme, believing their whispers were winning, they could not yet understand the strength of a bond that even shadows could not sever.