Ascension Of The Villain

Just as Katelyn was about to pop a berry into her mouth, an invisible force bound her. It was as if she had been ensnared by an unseen rope. Panic surged through her veins, freezing her in place.

"Why can't I move?" she muttered, frustration and fear mixing in her voice as she struggled to make even the smallest movement. Her eyes darted around, searching for an explanation.

Suddenly, Althea came running over, her face a mask of concern, and swatted the berries out of Katelyn's hand. "Those are poisonous!"

"Huh?" Katelyn's mind whirled with confusion as the grip of the invisible rope loosened its hold, revealing that the spell was Althea's protective gesture. "How could that be? They looked like any other berry."

"Yes, they are quite poisonous, Princess," Iyana chimed in, approaching them with a calmness that contrasted with the tension in the air.

"Oh," Katelyn mumbled, feeling a wave of embarrassment and foolishness wash over her. She should have known better than to try to eat something unverified in a forest, of all places. Her cheeks flushed, the heat rising to her face as she thought, what a dumb thing to do in front of my idol.

"I know this might be overstepping, but I can't help myself," Iyana continued, her voice tinged with empathy. "Princess Katelyn, I noticed that you have been trying to push Princess Althea away, but I hope you realize that she still came to your rescue despite that. She could have easily ignored you eating that poisonous berry, but she didn't."

Katelyn's cheeks flushed deeper, the mix of embarrassment and realization hitting her hard. She glanced at Althea, for the first time seeing the genuine concern in her sister's eyes.

"Lady Iyana, you don't need to—"

"No, Your Highness, I need to. She has to listen," Iyana interrupted Althea, turning her focus back to Katelyn. She crouched down, meeting her gaze directly. "Princess, I don't know why you are treating your sister this way, and I am not saying you don't have your reasons, but maybe you could give her a chance to explain herself. Can't you see she has no reason to protect you but she still does?

In this selfish world, do you know how lucky you are to have someone who would selflessly protect you?"

As Katelyn remained silent, tears of shame and gratitude welled up in her eyes. Iyana's voice softened, "So, I hope you can show her more respect. Trust me, all she wants is to have a good bond with you. Nothing more."

Katelyn listened to Iyana's words, taking a moment to contemplate, then nodded slowly, the weight of her actions sinking in.

Iyana smiled in satisfaction as Katelyn glanced at Althea, her usual hostility absent.

"I am sorry… Sis—um, and thank you for saving me," Katelyn mumbled, her tone hesitant, her cheeks tinted with redness.

Althea's heart melted, feeling a rush of emotions she rarely let surface. She always maintained her strong facade, but moments like this chipped away at her vulnerabilities, especially the people she cared for. "You are welcome, Katelyn."

Unable to bear the intense emotions swirling around her, Katelyn turned on her heels and started walking, making both Althea and Iyana chuckle lightly.

"Thank you, Lady Iyana," Althea uttered softly. "You must have a great bond with Lady Sienna."

Iyana gave her a tight smile, not wanting to open the can of worms that was her relationship with her sister. "Something like that," she replied, her tone hinting at unspoken stories.

As they continued on their path, Iyana allowed the sisters to take the lead in battling the monsters.

Althea's protective nature shone through as she kept shielding Katelyn from every danger. Iyana noticed Katelyn's rebellious mask starting to slip little by little, revealing a softer, more vulnerable side.

When the sun finally started dipping below the horizon, painting the sky in beautiful shades of orange and pink, Iyana found herself in a good mood. The thrill of the hunt combined with the growing camaraderie among them made for a surprisingly enjoyable day.

Nevertheless, her mood instantly soured when her eyes landed on Vyan.

Without a second thought, she stormed over to him, interrupting his conversation with one of the Ashstone knights by gripping his elbow firmly and offering a curt, "Excuse me."

"Iyana, what are you doing?" Vyan asked, his brow furrowed in confusion. He barely had time to react before she dragged him behind a large tree, away from prying eyes.

Her eyes were narrow and fierce, her voice a low, urgent whisper as she questioned, "Who did this to you?"

Vyan's confusion deepened, his eyes searching hers for answers. "Did what to me?"

She reached out, her fingers trembling slightly as they brushed against his cheek. "This." Her touch was gentle, tracing the faint redness on his skin. The contact sent a shiver down Vyan's spine, making him acutely aware of the mark lingering from the slap.

"Oh, this?" He let out an awkward laugh, trying to mask his discomfort with Iyana learning of this incident. "I accidentally hit myself with the bow. It's embarrassing that you noticed." Inside, he cursed, Dammit, Ronan, I asked you if the redness was gone.

The truth was, the slap from Eryndor had left his cheek stinging for hours, a throbbing reminder of the altercation. He didn't want Iyana or his aunt to worry, and Clyde would kill the duke if he found out.

Then again, Iyana would probably react no differently than Clyde in this case. That was why he would have covered up the redness if he knew, but Ronan… ugh, why did Vyan trust him with this again?

"Vyan, do you think I can't tell the difference between a handprint and a mishap with a bow?"

"Shit, there is a handprint?" he blurted out, only to realize he had fallen for her bait when he saw her flat expression.

"Tell me who did it." Iyana stepped closer, the lower half of her face illuminated by the orange glow of the setting sun, while her violet eyes darkened with anger and concern. "Who dared to raise a hand against you?"

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