Prologue - A Gleam of Hope

The night felt silent inside the prison estate of Asahi Academy this were students who'd failed the magical exam will considered disqualified and sending them to retake it later or tomorrow, anyone was gone for home subsequently passed their the exams except for Aurora, who was left behind after incident, accidentally by exposing her wings made out of her hair fibers, believing she was the grand prize of possession of the prince instead her love interest Charlotte, a real man, other called her unique one made her heart shattered into thousands pieces.

Her long dark blue hair with crimson streak spilled against the floor like an ink stain. Her gaze staring at her own reflection in the mirror for hours—no freedom just to stay silent despite the enchanted chains depleting her energy, making her grow weaker and exhausted due to starvation.

Heterochromia eyes staring back, red streaks of her hair strands suddenly gleaming, a weak yet determined light of cyan hue began to flow somehow.

"No one could save me…" she whispered to herself despite, gaze lowered, almost sulking into void.

"I'm tired of hiding these secrets, no matter what I'd say, they didn't understand what I was saying." she added, vision began watery with a sniffle.

I feel hopeless… maybe I never see myself changing.

"Mom… I love you too and you too, Mama, I miss you both, thank you for raising me under your care." she said, the strand of her hair flowing back on the surface.

"Even though I look different from others, you look at me like your own daughter."

They looked at me like a normal person, but still worthless. she thought to herself, began to hug herself, knees pressed against her chest, she might've been the end of her hope, but until a loud slam of the wooden door distracted her a rising voice made her heartbeat skip into its beat.

It could be… C-Charlotte! she wondered to herself, gaze suddenly shifts towards the silhouette in the door frame, wide in relief and anxious. 

A hope, she let out a soft gasp and called her name louder.

"Charlotte! Help me!"

Then, a door slammed open, mist swirled around the figure in the center of the doorframe.

"Your majesty, Princess Aurora! I'm coming to save you!"

Charlotte steps inside, smirk hiding her struggles beneath those lips that her job doesn't want to make her princess worried, wearing duty paladin covered in dirt cuts still bleeding on her lower on her left eye and crimson stain on her breastplate following fought monsters and enemies with her blade to risk her own life to rescue Aurora.

"Charlotte!" Aurora cried, immediately rushing towards her wrapping both weak slender arms around the paladin's burying her face against her shoulder crying harder, her slender fingers curling against the fabric of the sleeves.

"I… I thought I'd never see you again!"

Charlotte's gaze wide in disbelief, heart ache at the words, though she might've disappeared leaving her behind, she immediately curled her arms around her back, pulling her close against her, mumbling.

"I'm sorry… I'm sorry I made you worry because of me." she sobbed, tears flowing continuously on her face as her arms around her tightened.

"Shh… It's okay it wasn't your fault, I'm here I'm here I'm not going anywhere."

"Just don't do that ever again! You've risked your own dignity for me."

I thought Aurora might've already controlled the dawn wing… but she wasn't. Charlotte thought to herself, looked down at the vulnerable princess on her arms with a forlorn look forming on her.

"You didn't pass the exam, did you, Princess?"

Aurora lifted her head up, her mismatched eyes red from tears.

"Yes I didn't make it…I'm so sorry to make you worried, you believe I am gone for good." she said, wiping her stray tears, ears flattened against her skull.

"I'm sorry for leaving you behind like this, I'm a very selfish person." Charlotte muttered under her breath, avoiding her gaze but Aurora didn't care.

Instead she placed her slender hand on her cheek wiping the crimson residue from the cut mismatched gaze focused on the piercing ones.

"Love, don't blame yourself it's not your fault, you fought a lot to risk your life to save me."

Charlotte swallowed hard, feeling guilty because she passed the exam by herself.

"I know, love…but we have to get out of here!"

"But how!? We cannot get out of here because guards are still around the hallway—! Ah!" Aurora winced, mismatched gaze squeezing shut, her hands moved clutching the side of her head, ears flattened against her skull with gritting teeth exposing her fangs as the pain spread worse.

"AURORA!"

Charlotte freezes, letting a sharp gasp in both fear and awe, gaze immediately shift towards Aurora's hair which the dark blue hair fibers start to glimmer, forming themselves, shifting into wings, spreading wide in cyan hue that blinding everyone with the eternal beauty of the Dawn Wing. 

"Love…look, you've awakened the Dawn Wing!"

"R-Really?" 

Aurora winced, both hands on her chest fluttered her mismatched eyes glancing over her shoulder with a gasp, both eyes wide in disbelief and awe tears flowing continuously with laughter of happiness filling her chest.

"I… I did it! Look, I love it! I can maintain my dawn wings!" she laughed through tears, flexing her wings made out of her own hair fibers while wrapping her arms back around Charlotte.

"You did it, you made it." Charlotte said, feeling proud and scooping Aurora on her arms in bridal style without leaving her gaze at her princess. 

"let's get out of here. Together."

Aurora nodded, her dawn wings tucked as she and Charlotte left the dorm without looking back before the guards arrived back to visit their prisoner.

꒰ა ✦ ໒꒱

"Where are we going, love?"

"Anywhere." Charlotte said simply, gaze focused on the darkened hallway while dashing with Aurora on her arms torn cape trailing behind her Aurora tilted her head in both curiosity and confusion.

"Anywhere? Are you really sure about this? What if guards came to my room looking for me?"

"Nobody is looking for you, Princess. I'll repay your freedom because that's my duty as a knight." Charlotte responded with a faint smirk forming on her lips despite exhaustion and stains on her armor made her look like a real prince charming, but a noble sacred paladin princess made Aurora's heart flutter.

"O-Okay, thank you." Aurora whispered, giving a quick kiss on Charlotte's cheek made the knight flustered, almost stumbling on the hallway because of the quick kiss from the Princess on her arms.

"GET BACK HERE, YOU INTRUDER!" 

Charlotte froze mid-run, spun around with her boots screeching against the wooden floor Aurora still on her arms sigh mockingly.

"Really? You thought you could stop me by rescuing my 'princess'?"

"Love, watch your mouth!" Aurora hissed, face flushed furiously in crimson as ripe strawberry, but the Paladin refused to lose her grip from her.

"Relax, I can handle them…"

"Your what? With your old duty blade?" 

"Yes! Absolutely it is."

"Are you kidding me!? Those bad guys are stronger than us. You're just a guard of mine rather than a warrior."

Charlotte sank gently on one knee, her movements deliberate and steady despite the weight of the armor made her sluggish while the vulnerable woman on her strong yet feminine arms, lowered Aurora on the ground until her bare feet pressed against the wooden floor even the physical support ended, Charlotte's hands still on Aurora's waist to support her for a second although both of their faces still flushed in brilliant crimson, she whispered to her ear while her hand moved to tucked the stray strand of dark blue hair.

"Thank you…" 

"You're welcome, love."

"Well, well, well… what do we have here?"

"?!"

The sound of the voice sending both of them shift their gaze from the guards towards the silhouette standing on the hallway, Charlotte didn't hesitate, immediately threw her arm to sweep Aurora behind her that makes the princess into the safest corner while thrusting herself fingers curled around the hilt of her sword, shoulder plates and breastplate blocking every inch of sight to Aurora behind her, she asked with a snarl gaze never leave at the tall man.

"Who the hell are you…?!"

"Me? I'm Aurora's love interest. I'm here to take her from your hands."

"I'll never hand her over to somebody else like you!"

The silhouette smirk vanished, replaced in irritation as he hiss back. 

"Oh really, woman in those dirty armor? Do you honestly think Aurora could love you forever?"

"I love her!" Charlotte shouted, her body still shielding Aurora behind her, gasping in both awe and determination with her Dawn Wings began to spread wider, those eternal feathers were made in silky hair fibers it impossible to tear by using a sword, blinding the entire hallway in cyan light.

The silhouette just smirked beneath the shadows hiding his face.

"Impressive…" he murmured simply. 

"You awakened the Dawn Wing didn't you, Aurora?" 

Aurora didn't argue, instead she stood beside Charlotte with her Dawn Wings exposed and ready to combat alongside with a sword and the Dawn Wing together as one.

꒰ა ✦ ໒꒱

Back in reality, Aurora's hand twitched on the mattress, stirred up from her slumber.