《Priestess Of The Land》


 Where Am I?

    "I''ll see you tomorrow, Thea"


    "See you, tomorrow, hun", last to leave from the office, Amalthea is still typing her report for today''s day of work.


    ''Ugh, I''m so tired, I''m going straight to bed when I get home'', she thinks stretching her tired back while twisting around.


    Amalthea, an immigrant from A country, she came to M country, hoping for better opportunities and a better future. However, now, 15 years later, she is still working from check to check, trying to make ends meet. It is not what she expected her life to be like, but she''s already here, and it is somewhat better than her previous situation.


    She did not have many hobbies, except for trying to learn everything, she just couldn''t help it. She liked to try new things, because she got bored easily. Dancing, cooking, learning new languages, watching international movies, you name it. She even learned martial arts, one of her favorite hobbies, because that is what she did to let off steam. Working under others can be stressful, if you want to keep your job, you do what you need to and say what sounds right to your superiors, even when you wanted to say or do otherwise.


    She was originally, a medical student in her home country, she was getting ready for her residency, until there was an attack and she became a refugee. In this country, she could not continue her major, and she did not have any financial support. Instead of starting over, she worked at the doctor''s office, as an administrative assistant.


    Done with her report, she hits the road, just to get stuck in traffic. However she was not bummed out about it since she was used to it. She had the radio on and she was rocking to that new Luis Fonzi, and Daddy Yankee''s song:


    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation."Despacito


    Quiero respirar tu cuello despacito


    Deja que te diga cosas al o¨ªdo


    Para que te acuerdes si no est¨¢s conmigo


    Despacito


    Quiero desnudarte a besos despacito


    Firmo en las paredes de tu laberinto


    Y hacer de tu cuerpo todo un manuscrito (sube, sube, sube)


    (Sube, sube)"


    Amalthea was not fluent in Spanish, but having tried to learn it, she can completely understand what someone is saying. So far in languages, she tried her hand at Spanish, French, German, Chinese, and Korean; she''s only mastered the basics though. She got home about two hours later, tired, walking barefoot, she carried her shoes and stuff up the stairs to her place.


    After work, she is always hungry, but she barely cooks because she is always tired, so she heats up her take-out from the night before, while searching for something to watch on the TV. Which is always a pain since she''s watched almost everything available. Today, she ends eating while reading a novel online, and it just so happens that there was an update from her favorite Chinese translated novel.


    It was getting late, so she cleaned up around her apartment, showered, and got ready for bed. Hovering in the dream world, she often ends up sleeping thinking about the novels she reads, about how the main characters gets transmigrated to another world and having a second chance. They would live life how they want, kick some ass, and end up with the perfect man.


    ''yeah¡­if only'' she mumbled in her sleepy state, slouched on her side.


    "Tria! Wake Up! Tria!"


    "Ugh, what the heck?" Amalthea wakes up to a kid screaming at her, disrupting her sleep.


    ''Who the heck is this kid? How did he get into my apartment? Gah, I just went to bed too¡­and who is Tria???''


    Holding to her head, Amalthea finally sits up in bed, looking around dumbfounded.


    She was in a huge room, surrounded by silk drapes, hanging down the walls, with just her bed at the center. The bed was enormous, it could fit at least 10 people, and it was extremely cushy and warm. However, for some odd reason, that she could not understand, she was feeling extremely uncomfortable, as if she was not used to sleeping in such luxury; well, she wasn''t.


    Nevertheless, there was a big question mark in Amalthea''s mind at the moment.


    ''Where am I???''

 The Ashir Family (Part 1)

    "I have been trying to wake you up for the past 15 minutes, after what you did last night, you think Master is going to forgive you?"


    Glancing at the kid, Amalthea is surprised. It''s a bald boy, of dark illuminating complexion with clear blue eyes, who looks around 15 years old.


    "Who are you?" asks Amalthea


    "Did you lose another screw up there?" he pointed at her head, questioning.


    "¡­."


    ''How dare this boy talk to me like this, I''m like twice his age, doesn''t he know how to respect his elders?''


    ''Hold on...''


    Amalthea gets off the bed, looking at her hands


    ''Yup, I''m still black, but why does my skin look like it''s glowing like that kid''s?''


    The boy, looking at Amalthea, is confused.


    ''What''s wrong with her? Did she hit her head?'' It can''t be that she doesn''t remember what she did last night right? Did she get even dumber?''


    "Hey! Tria! Are you listening to me? We need to talk about last nig- "


    "Shush!" Amalthea coldly looks at the boy, while walking towards what seems to be a mirror at the corner of the room. She''s already unhappy with him scaring her out of her sleep and this headache that just seems to hurt only on one side of her head.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    The boy was stunned, he did not know what was going on with her, and why he got scared by her look just now, so he stayed quiet.


    When she got to the mirror, she almost fainted when she saw herself.


    ''O-M-G, I''m glowing! Oh my, is this the natural glow people always talk about? Ooh, hey girl!''


    Amalthea was grinning at herself in the mirror, she was still black, but her skin was bronzed all over. She had big brown eyes with long curvy lashes, her nose was not flat, nor was it pointy, it was just right, and her lips were full and a little bit rosy. However, why did she look so thin? Does she suffer from malnutrition, she wondered?


    While she was looking at herself in the mirror, the memories of ''Tria'' was flashing in front her eyes. Amalthea''s expression changed from bliss to pure disbelief, with a hint of disgust and anger.


    Tria Ashir, is the 2nd daughter of Ra Ashir, the Prime Minister of "The Land of All". Ra Ashir has been the PM since he was 18 years old, thanks to the contributions he made towards the Land. He is now 46, and he has over 10 wives, one main wife while the others are concubines, and 12 children. ''Tria'' has met her siblings, some more often than she needed to.


    Those she met often never meant good, as they would bully her and sometimes beat her. She could not defend herself because she did not have any talents and seemed to have been a bit slow as well. For that reason, her father did not care for her as he does for some of his favorite children, for example her 4th sister, Nala, who has been paired up with the Land''s heir since young. Tria has seen her from afar a few times, as she was not allowed near the inner parts of the estate, where Nala resided.


    The previous Tria remembered Nala as a beautiful 14 years old girl, with the most golden hair, the most bronzed skin, and the most talented; and for that she was titled the Land''s Child. She would receive the utmost respect wherever she went, as nobody would dare to look down on the future Queen.

 The Ashir Family (Part 2)

    While Nala was put on such a high pedestal, Tria was treated the complete opposite. Tria was known as the fool and disappointment of the family, her mother died soon after giving birth to her. She was never given any personal servants, and she barely saw her father; therefore, she basically raised herself. Her living area was in the outermost of the estates, in the back towards the dark forest, and it was quite shabby. She had to do everything herself, and sometimes would go to sleep starving when the servants would deliberately shorten her supply of food.


    Now that she thinks about it, the night before was one of those times. She was extremely hungry, and knowing that she was becoming an adult soon, she figured she would be bold enough to go to the inner areas to find food.


    ''She really was quite slow, she didn''t even reach far before she got caught and dragged away. Yet, she still dared to come back and actually fell asleep here- wait, the memories of this girl are hazy, there''s something missing'', Amalthea turns to look at the bald boy by the bed who''s been quiet since getting shushed earlier by her.


    He is one of the servants of the estate, however, his identity is a bit special because he used to be upper-class. His family tried to commit treason and was then entirely executed, leaving him as the last one of the Clars. He was barely 3 years old, and so he was spared and got sold into this estate as a servant.


    The Land of All is divided into four powers under the King: the Sun Land, the Moon Land, The Earth Land, and the Unknowns Land. The Land of All, shaped almost like a rectangle, in the upper left corner would be the Sun Land, where Tria currently resides, is where it was always sunny, and the inhabitants used the power of the Sun to derive powers from. Opposite of the Sun Land, in the right upper corner, is the earth land, though it is sunny there as well, however, the Earth Land people get their powers from the land. As for the right lower corner, it is where the Moon Land people live, deriving their powers from the moon. The days there are always dark, as if time was stuck at dawn all day. In the remaining right left corner, the Unknowns Land, is still a mystery to the people. It was a forbidden area before, but as the other powers have found out there is spiritual power there as well, people migrated there in hopes to get stronger. The Spiritual power in the Unknowns Land is invisible, nobody knew where it came from, however it was a very magnetic power.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    The boy currently standing in front of Tria, was from the Earth Land, born as the noble Phi Clar, but now a lowly slave named Lan.


    "Lan, you were saying?"


    Lan was extremely puzzled, rubbing his eyes he looked at Tria from head to toe.


    ''She is Tria, but what does she seem so unfamiliar?''


    "What are you playing at? After what you did last night, everyone has been looking for your whereabouts, and you escaped into the guest room to sleep?" said Lan, with his eyes bulging at her, there no signs of respect whatsoever,


    "What''s the big deal, I''ll just go back to my area and await my punishment, ha ha, here I thought I did something irreversible with your nonstop banter" answered Tria nonchalantly, picking up her stuff to sneak out the room.


    "STOP!", Lan face-palmed himself, not knowing where to start, he decided to blurt the most crucial part, rapidly saying " After you waltzed into the guest room last night, you saw someone in a situation, you should not have seen, and so you were betrothed to that person after the master learned of it"


    "¡­", Tria blinked her yes at him


    "¡­", Lan blinked his eyes back at her, waiting for her response


    "¡­"


    "¡­And so, you are currently being summoned by Master in the meeting hall, along with your fianc¨¦''s representative to sign the official documents for the wedding", Lan observed Tria, and seeing her not respond, he believed it was because of her slow brain, and so he did not care to explain much, "let''s go now, the master has been waiting."


    "¡­"


    ''What is this situation? I just got here, and I am already getting married to someone I don''t even remember seeing, what had this stupid girl got me into? What if it''s an old man, or some pervert? Gah, just take me back to my world please'' crying in her head, Tria had no choice but to follow Lan, as she just learned from the body''s previous owner, it''s in her best interest to not anger her ''father''. She is too weak right now, she could not offend anyone. She will think about how to deal with this later, right now she has too little information about her circumstances to make any moves.


    ''Aw, my head'' she moans, massaging her head, hoping to relieve the throbbing pain.

 Flower Pot

    Along the way, Tria could not keep her eyes from looking around. ''Tria'', before, has never been in these parts, so she now is taking in her entourage hoping to learn more about the estate.


    The people she met on the way, mostly servants, were looking at her in disdain and did not even try to lower their voices talking ill about her.


    "That''s the fool of the family"


    "What is she doing here?"


    "I heard she went into one of the guest''s bedroom, who came to the dinner last night"


    "Maybe she was hoping to elope with a rich young man, that whore"


    "Ha, too bad she went into that waste''s room, good for her, a fool and waste, what a great pair"


    ''Waste? ha, if it''s a waste, then maybe, just maybe I might be able to get out of this predicament'', thought Tria, not realizing that she had reached her destination.


    "We''re here, I am not allowed in, so you will go by yourself, go through the red double doors and you''ll reach the hall" said Lan, while turning, not even looking at her. ''She already sealed her own fate, paired with a cripple, she will have no future, no need to waste my boot-licking skills with her'' thought Lan, walking back, not noticing the cold gaze of Tria on his body. She really did not like this boy, not only was he extremely arrogant, he gave off the feeling of an opportunist.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Pushing in the heavy doors, Tria walked in with her head down, nervous. She was even shaking, feeling a pressure over body.


    ''It must be the bone deep fear, of the previous owner towards her father. They have met probably a couple of times all these years, but it was never a good meeting.'' However, from what Tria can deduce, this man of a father was quite the hypocrite. Since when did he ever need her approval or presence in matters, he must be getting sonething in return from my marriage.


    Arriving in a big open space, that was extremely well decorated, Tria noticed two figures sitting down. She recognized her father from the memories, he was tall and muscular, he looked younger than his age. Then there was another man, dressed a gray robe with a gold belt around his waist.


    "Tria, you have come", said her father, surprisingly smiling, "eunuch Zuang, this is my 2nd daughter, we can now finalize the wedding", not sparing Tria a second glance, he ordered her to sit on the side.


    "Your daughter obeys", said Tria through gritted teeth, she was not happy, why was she called here if they were not going to include her in their talk; she might as well turn into a flower pot.

 Ill Show You

    While they were negotiating her away, Tria was busy scanning around the room. This estate is extremely well built and decorated. The buildings were very contemporary kind of like ancient Egypt, and now that she realizes, even the way they were dressed were ancient. Her father was wearing a long plain kilt, accompanied with gold jewelry. Her eyes hovered over the man representing her fiance, he was not an ugly man however he looked interesting. His eyes were slanted with eyeliner on, sword like eyebrows and a small nose and mouth. He felt her gaze on him and turned his face to her.


    "His Highness the third Prince will come tomorrow at sunrise to accompany you towards his manor , this marriage was not planned, therefore, there will not be much fanfare" he said looking at Tria, then turned his face towards the Prime Minister, "His Highness also wishes for your cooperation to have the princess consort ready at the said time", standing up and collecting his documents to leave.


    The Prime Minister stands up, eyeing Tria to do the same, in respect of the eunuch leaving. Right after his leave, somewhere behind a pillar, came out a beautiful woman dressed in a red silk dress with her blue hair down her side, smiling and walking towards her. This woman was the main wife of the Prime Minister, Nala''s mother, Madame Ashir. From her memories, this woman always stared down at her, what is with her ugly smile today?


    "Tria, darling, congratulations on getting engaged, there is so much to get you ready for", Madame Ashir said while putting her hand on Tria''s shoulder.


    Tria stared at the lady''s hand on her shoulder, her grip was tight, it was not a kind grip at all.


    "What congratulations? Who would have thought that my, the Prime Minister''s, daughter would barge into a Prince''s room while he''s changing", roared Ra, glaring at Tria he continued, "Tomorrow, you will become third prince''s wife, even though he has no future prospects, he is still a prince, heh, you lucked out because you were almost on your way out to be your uncle''s concubine since no one would want something like you"Stolen story; please report.


    Ra continued like that for a while, it sounded like he had a lot to say, however, Tria just stood there, unbothered like she was just there for decoration. After a while of awkward silence, Tria thought it would be best she goes back to get ready for whatever it is she''s about to experience tomorrow, after all it''s only been a day since she somehow traveled to this weird world where everyone''s skin glowed.


    "Thank you, Madame Ashir, I will have to trouble you then", trying her best to ''sincerely'' thank this weird lady, she stood up and waited for an answer.


    Madame Ashir didn''t think she would thank her, so she was startled for a second, then awkwardly smiled at Tria. Then she took Tria''s hand to lead her out, leaving Ra still grumbling by himself in the hall. With the Madame at the front and Tria following, they traveled to a small room behind a old courtyard. It was a storage room filled with dust, and there were two servants there already digging through things while coughing and pulling out a bunch of debris.


    "Have you found it?", asked Madame Ashir authoritatively to the servants


    "Yes, madame, um, however with the state of the dress, we will not be able to have it read-"


    "It doesn''t need to be ready, she will wear it as is, so she can really honor her dead mother" she said while turning towards Tria, "You will wear the same dress your mother wore when she came into this estate, I''m sure you appreciate this sentiment?"


    ''Going back to your mean self I see and what is there to like, you''ve clearly thought so carefully about it, after all I am not your daughter, what was I expecting?'' thought Tria, but she answered


    "Thank you, Madame, I like it very much"


    "Good", Madame Ashir then orders the servants to wrap up the dusty dress and hand it to Tria, so she can leave.


    Tria received a bundle of dusty clothes, while Madame Ashir already walked off with her servants.


    ''So much to get ready for huh, I''ll show you, I will definitely be a beautiful b

 Flock Of Ducks

    The next day, at dawn, there was a procession already at the front gates of the Prime Minister''s estate. Surrounding the area was a crowd, curious at whose wedding it was since there was no announcement made from the royal family. Looking at the beautiful carriages with the royal insignia, they knew it had to be a prince, but which Prince? Well, there is always that one nosy person, who knows everything and likes to gossip about other people''s businesses.


    "I heard the third Prince got engaged to one of the Prime Minister''s daughters", said that certain nosy person,


    "Is it the same third Prince I am thinking about?"


    "Shh- do you have a death wish, whoever is getting married is not your business", said one sensible bystander


    Out of fear of the royal family, the crowd''s curiosity decreased, however they really did not care to talk ill about the third prince. He was famous for being extremely handsome, however most people knew him as a waste. As great as he looked, this land respected the strong, if you were not strong then you were trash. Even though, the third prince was not strong, everyone knew it was due to his spiritual health, as someone had intentionally hurt his soul as soon as he was conceived. If someone''s soul is injured, they have no hope of absorbing spiritual power, hence a cripple.


    Meanwhile, Tria, was slowly walking towards the gates. She encountered many servants, even though they knew she was getting married off today, nobody really cared, as there were no celebration going on. However, when the servants saw her, they were stunned, Tria looked like she came down from another world. The dress that her mother wore for her wedding, was not an ugly dress, but it was too stuck-up, so she made a few alterations. The dress that used to be just a long peach dress with long sleeves and only the cleavage showing, turned out to a backless, short sleeve dress with a slant all the up to her thigh. She had her hair in a high bun with her sides curls out and used some flowers from the outskirts of the forest to make a crown, which was emitting a nice floral scent. She looked mature, and that dress nicely accentuated her bony curves. As such, she continued towards the front, with a little crowd of servants following her like a flock of ducks.


    Waiting at the front gates, along with the passengers from the carriages, were Tria''s father, Ra, and his wife Madame Ashir. They both dressed like it was just another casual day, and they had an unhappy look on their faces.


    "Did you tell her the time that she had to come out?" asked Ra to his wife,


    "Yes husband, I did, this girl must be trying to make things difficult for you", Madame Ashir never liked Tria, so she will always try to make her look bad any chance she gets, and she also did not tell her anything about the time.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    "Hmph, get one the servants to drag her out of there this instant!", Ra crossed his arms across his chest and looking unhappily towards the carriages. Since the third Prince came, he hasn''t taken one step out of his carriage, nor have his servants said anything; they just simply waited.


    Before a servant could go inside, Tria came out of the gates with a crowd behind her.


    "I am here, father. This daughter was told by eunuch Zuang that I needed to be ready right by sunrise. I decided to come early, I would not want to cause any trouble for the family." In fact, Tria heard Ra Ashir ordering to go drag her out. Well, what is he going to say now.


    What could he say, after all he was there himself when the eunuch said it. Eunuch Zuang was a a personal servant of the king, disrespecting an eunuch is nothing major, however he would be put in a tight spot when he goes to court; it was not worth it.


    Ra Ashir was looking at his daughter, ''When did she become so beautiful, she could even be compared to Nala'', he thought


    Even Madame Ashir was blinded by Tria current charms, though the girl was only skin and bones, that dress made her look like a mature young lady.


    "Ahem, it is good that you have come out early, now it is time to meet your husband," signaling Tria to follow him towards the prince''s carriage, and right at that time, the third prince came down from his carriage.


    He was looking right at Tria, while Tria met his gaze but suddenly lowered her head, because of the sudden pain she felt when she looked at him.


    ''Ouch! My eyes! What''s going on now? What was that dark shadow I saw around his body, it felt like it was sucking my soul out, what was that?'' Tria was puzzled as to why her eyes were hurting while looking at this man. However, to him, when she acted like that she seemed weak and timid. Though she seemed to be a very charming girl, he was not in state of mind to appreciate beauty at the moment.


    "Prime Minister Ashir, I, the third Prince of the Land, Crei Chen, will take your daughter as my wife today", getting right to the formalities of when one was accepting a wife, Crei continued to pledge of protecting and honoring Tria, to handing out gifts to the Ashir family, however he never once called PM Ashir, father-in-law. The whole process seemed forced, and like a chore each side couldn''t wait to complete. With everything completed, Ra Ashir made a respectful waive to the Prince, and walked off to his estates along with his wife and servants, not giving one glance to his daughter.


    Tria was about to ask Crei about the proceeding of this ''union'' when he heard him speak,


    "Look at me", his voice was so magnetic that it almost made Tria''s body slump on the ground.


    "I dare not, your highness",''not that I don''t dare but your energy is hurting my eyes you know'' was what she really wanted to say.


    "Then get in the carriage", he wanted to say more to her, however there were still many eyes on them, so he decided to take this inside. He needed to find out ''his wife''s'' intentions, before deciding whether to bring her along to his manor or drop her off outside the city with some villagers.


    <hr>

 The Golden Temple

    After Crei followed Tria into the carriage, before he even had a chance to ''talk'' to Tria, he found her sprawled on the seat, unconscious. She was shaking slightly, then she seemed to eventually calm down. Crei got close to take her pulse to make sure she was alright. When suddenly, his expression turned serious as he discovered that, this wife he had just taken, is not simple. After careful consideration he decided to take her to his Manor.


    "Send someone ahead to prepare a quiet room in the side Manor, and also have them prepare some warm porridge." Confirming his order, outside the carriage was the movement of someone moving away from them.


    Meanwhile, Tria was inside her consciousness, flabbergasted. This was truly unbelievable, she was standing in front of a large temple, illuminating a bright golden light.


    Heading inside, she found a big open room with an altar in the center. On that altar was a giant book, a cup with some kind of liquid inside, and a pouch. There was also a note, Tria read it, then cupped the drink down her throat in one go. There was no need to think about it, when it came to opportunities, she would not let it slip through her fingers; especially if it was something she believed she could handle.


    '' The cup contains a substance that will allow you to open your true potential.


    Drink it if you wish for power, however be ready to bear the pain of the universe ''.


    Right when she finished the drink, she could feel the space around her swirl, while her body was levitating as some kind of energy was being released inside of her. It was not exactly painful; however, it was extremely uncomfortable, it was as if there were thousands and thousands of eyes on her, revering and praying to her. She was not used to this kind of worship, she always kept to herself, attention was something she never craved.


    Her body slowly descended after what seems to be ages, the energy in her body calmed down. She felt extremely calm as if she just went through multiple lifetimes and experienced many situations. She could feel her wisdom has leveled up to a scary level, it would not be an understatement to compare that level to that of a godly being.


    Opening her eyes, there a new luster to them, her wavering gaze was now as calm and clear as lake. Her eyesight has changed; however, she could not understand it what the change was. Tria walked to the altar to look at the remaining items, the book and the small pouch.


    She decides to open the book first, and there was a letter in there as well. She twitched in annoyance after reading the first few lines.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    "Congratulations! You''re alive! Good! I probably should have added to the note that there was a chance of dying in case your body could not contain the released energy then explode and die. Don''t be too upset, it is not good for health.


    Ahem, anyways, this book contains everything about the power in your body. I''m sure you have noticed your eyesight change, it will be clear when you look at either a living or dead body. When you go through this book, I suggest you go through it step by step. Do not try to do more than your current energy can afford, or you will explode and die. Don''t say I didn''t warn you this time around.


    Also, you''re probably still wondering what is happening, right? Well every millennium, there would be a chosen one to carry the legacy of the women who used be the core of this world.


    These women were Priestesses, our nurturing nature gave birth to the power you now hold in your body. Though women are kindhearted, we can also be the most imposing beings, and not many are able to tolerate that. Many millenniums ago, there were a majority of people who opposed us and eventually brought about the end of us. With the powers, us priestesses had combined, we were able to let our powers choose one girl, every era, worthy enough to carry our hopes. You are the chosen one, you shall carry our hopes and dreams. You will not live peacefully, being the chosen is not a blessing, however, you will be a blessing to others. You are now the only Priestess of this Land, able to spiritually and physically heal those who are injured and give rest to the souls that lingers around, among other things, and there is a lot for you to learn.''


    Having read that far down, Tria had to digest the previous information for a moment. She wanted to know why this power was only manifesting now, but she understood when reading the next lines.


    ''As for the reason for your awakening, you must have met someone with enough energy that nullified the seals on your body. The seals were to protect you from being discovered by those who wish priestesses harm. No need to fear that person, they will be very beneficial for you as you to them, you will find out more from the book; it will have all the information you need to know.


    Now the pouch on the side, is an inter-dimensional storage space, inside are some of the most valuable herbs and oils, along with miscellaneous things you will find useful. You can take it outside your consciousness however, be mindful to keep it hidden.


    Keep in mind, when your energy was released, the world outside was made aware of the awakening of a Priestess. Nobody should know that you are the chosen one, when they do, you will be revered, and you will also be hunted.


    You are a woman, you will know what to do. The rest is up to you.''


    Tria finished reading the letter, she was absorbed in her thoughts. Earlier, in addition to her energy being released, she also had all sorts of knowledge transferred into her brain;it was the accumulated knowledge from all the previous priestesses. Tria was getting a better understanding of this world she was now living in, however, that will have to wait for later. She needed to wake up first, because she was still in the process of becoming a wife.

 Husband

    As soon as Tria opened her eyes, she heard the voice of Crei Chen, "You''re awake, here, drink this it will help calm your nerves", he handed a bowl of soup to her. She did not hesitate and finished the whole bowl, she was not worried of him harming her.


    "Thank you", she said, looking up at the man, her eyes did not hurt anymore. She was able to clearly see his features now, it would not be an understatement to call this man a godly beauty. He was tall, lean, and his bronzed skin made him look ethereal. His face was nicely sculpted with a sharp jaw, he had dark eyebrows and deep hazel eyes above a pointy nose and dark rosy lips. As for the ill energy surrounding him, she now knows what it was and noted in mind to help him as soon as she got a better understanding of her powers.


    Crei felt her gaze on him, he was not bothered by it, that should even out him checking her out earlier.


    Breaking the silence, he said, "I am sure, you have many questions" he sat on a chair near the bed, awaiting her questioning.


    "Why did you ask for me to marry you?", she asked first, because when her energy got released, she remembered everything that happened that night. The truth of what really happened was known only to him and her, and there was no need for an engagement so why did he ask for her hand in marriage?


    "¡­."


    Noting his silence, she continued, "let me guess, were you worried that I would spill the secret of you not being a real cripple? You decided marrying me would not give me a chance to tell anyone. Killing me in the manor would have you investigated, however if I became your wife, and died, it would be up to the husband to investigate."Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    "Smart, that is mostly true, who would have thought that you would also turned out to be different from the rumors."


    "¡­", now it''s his turn to make her speechless.


    "No offense, if anything it was a compliment"


    "Other people not wondering why a prince would marry a waste like me, is because of your reputation. However, anyone with a brain would suspect something. You''re not a woman, what''s there to be so bashful about a girl seeing your body, by the way did you come up with that excuse?", Tria slightly mocked him, and his eyebrows furrowed


    "You dare to mock this Prince?" he then realizes how bad that actually makes him look, then he goes toward the door, he orders, "whoever came up with the excuse for me to marry the daughter of the Prime Minister, have them get whipped 20 times".


    The poor soul, who had to rack his brain for the prince to marry the Tria was originally celebrating about his contribution, was now being dragged to the dungeons. It was not even his idea to begin with, he just thought if men must take responsibility when such situations occur with women, why couldn''t women take responsibility as well? It was too late to regret anything, if he doesn''t die, next time he will think twice being wronging another woman.


    Taking a serious tone, Crei said, "I originally did not want to bring you back, I saved you that night because you reminded me of myself. I used to be bullied by the lowliest servants, at that time, I too had someone save me, and so I did the same for you. If you want to leave my side, I will not stop you. However, if you decided to stay, you are now my wife, you will need to perform your duties. I will give you until tomorrow, I will come back by lunch to know your decision."


    Before Tria could answer, he had already left the room. If he stayed longer, he would not be able to contain what he was feeling. He has never conversed with another woman so comfortably. Though Crei gave Tria an ultimatum, he hopes she stays.


    Looking towards the direction Crei left to, Tria laughed to herself at how he was acting. Then she whispered to herself, "I have already made my decision, Husband."

 Appreciation

    If Tria was told she had to perform ''wife duties'' when she had just woken up in this new world, she would have probably dug herself a hole to hide in. However, with her new transferred knowledge, she knew marriage in this world was quite particular.


    Normally, since she just married in, she should be getting ready to consummate her marriage with her husband, and then go through a honeymoon period for a while. That is what they did on earth, in this world, it is different. When the wife marries in, the first thing she does is learn about the household affairs and get acquainted with the concubines, if there are any. Even though Crei Chen was extremely handsome, he was highly unwanted because there were no benefits to being with a cripple, even if he was a prince, and so he had no concubines. Tria was happy about that point, she was not used to sharing her lover under the same roof, not having to deal with such a situation will save her some brain cells for now.


    Secondly, the couple was not allowed to see each other for a period of time. They can only interact with each other through other means, they called that timeframe the ''birth of feelings'', or longing period. Either side could take the initiative to create friendship, so they could learn more about the other person. Some used their spiritual powers to communicate, while others chose a more romantic way; such as letters, gifts, and would even leave funny notes, or sweet treats within their manors for the other to find. The women, to get their husband''s attention would sometimes cook or bake food, and sew or knit some clothes, as well as paint or play musical instruments from afar. As for the men, they would write poetry, and play musical instruments as well, however the most popular act was to search for rare spiritual items, jewelries, and antiques to impress their wives.


    Finally, when they''ve learned enough and longed to meet each other, they would agree to go on date, and end the longing period. Most couples would consummate their marriage on such occasions and make it official. At that point, they would pay respect to their in-laws to declare their nuptials vows to one another.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Tria is quite fond of such a tradition, arranged marriages do not always work due to numerous factors such as lack of communication, incompatibility, and unfamiliarity. If you get a chance to learn about the other person before giving yourself to them, you build an emotional bond between each other and connect better. Tria was a hopeless romantic so she was looking forward to learning more about Crei and do some of these things with him. She did not have any romantic feelings towards Crei, she was just eager to try something new.


    Crei was the first person to ever stand up and protect Tria. That night that she decided to go look for food in the inner areas but ended up being dragged away and beaten by those evil servants. It was none other than her own siblings playing pranks on her, they had deliberately brought her to the prince''s sleeping room, so she could get punished. Crei saw it all, unable to accept the way they were treating, he beat up those servants to protect her. He ended up having to kill them because he had to keep news about his powers hidden. To keep his powers hidden, those servants had to disappear, as well as Tria.


    He never wished to hurt Tria, asking for her hand in marriage, was not so he could kill her but to set her free from the clutch of such people.


    She appreciated him for acting on her behalf, such a man why she would not want to stay by his side. She was the type of person who took all given opportunities, she would not quit now. Besides, he was the only person she could count on right now. Setting off to the wild in hope of making her name for herself had a 50-50 of success, she might either make it, or she might accidentally irk the wrong person and get killed, it was not worth it.


    Later that night, Tria was served dinner by the manor''s servants, they had brought over some potato chowder, along with some warm buttered bread and cheese, it was the warmest meal this body has ever had. Even the servants were very respectful towards her and had even asked her if she wanted to have anything specific, they were willing to make it for her. Back at the Prime Minister''s estate, the servants would just drop off her meal in the front porch. It would always be cold meals with coarse stale bread, and barely enough to fill her up. The kind of treatment she received as a daughter of the Prime Minister, she surely won''t forget to reciprocate it to them later.

 Disturbance

    Tria''s curiosity towards the priestesses'' book have been spiking up, and so after she took a bath and got ready for bed. Settled, she did not delay entering her consciousness.


    Submerged into her consciousness, Tria was standing in front of the altar, scanning the book cover. Plastered all over it, was an image of a rune portraying a line of women with their hands raised towards the sky. Their hands were projecting lights that converged into one big light radiating over what seems to be many people. That light even reflected over the cover of the book, although though dim, it was rather majestic.


    Keeping in mind the warning from the previous letter, she decided to go through the book, page per page; and the first few pages detailed the basics of cultivation. Before she could start cultivating, she had to first understand what spiritual energy was.


    Spiritual Energy was simply energy particles that can be absorbed and stored into your spirit. You can make breakthroughs and advance to greater heights by storing a lot of energy into your spirit, until you undergo a spiritual change and upgrade your spirit capacity. The greater the capacity of your spirit, the greater the power contained in your body.


    Power Levels were categorized in this order Master, Grandmaster, Saint, Sovereign, and the legendary Celestial. These were each sub-level into lower, middle, and upper class. At a Master level, one''s spirit size is about the size of an apple and improving into greater sub-levels do not make it grow bigger. Instead it refines and strengthens itself, and the color changes from clear to muddy, and lastly to a solid hue.


    Tria was nicely surprised to know she had already leveled up to a Grandmaster level comparing the capacity of her spirit to an apple, hers was at least the size of a cantaloupe. The quality and strength she felt, also had placed her in the middle class.


    Absorbing energy requires the person to meditate and sense the energy particles given off by their lands'' attribute, as the land Tria was currently on, it would be the Sun''s energy. The Land''s people could only cultivate their own land''s attribute. Upon birth, the local energy gets accepted into their spirit and imprinted onto their souls; limiting them from absorbing foreign energies.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    Tria''s case was special, from the knowledge that was passed down to her, she learned that all the previous priestesses were able to absorb energy from the different lands. That is why it was possible for them to connect with all kinds of people, even they contained different energies within their spirits. Therefore, she also had that ability, but then it required her to travel there to get her spirit acquainted with the different energies.


    Next, Tria learned how use her powers as a Priestess. She was looking forward to this part, because one her goals of learning how to use her powers is so she could repay Crei''s kindness by healing him. She thought it would have been extremely hard. Yet, the most holy act that priestesses do is purifying souls, and that only required her connecting her spirit onto theirs, and basically cleanse them. Other acts were a bit more complicated, however they were rarely done, since the most common illness was inability to cultivate.


    Now that she had learn these points, she was ready to call it a night and get some rest. Crei would come in tomorrow expecting her decision.


    ''I wonder how he will react when I tell him I''ll stay,'' is what she last thought about before falling into a deep sleep.


    Not far from her room, down the hall was another large and well decorated room. Inside is a certain someone who was unable to sleep due to anxiousness. Since talking to her that morning, he has not been able to get her off his mind. She did not have any ties to him, so he was certain that she would decide to leave his side. Crei thought of getting one his subordinate to think of a way to make her stay, but he knows how it went last time, even though it did work; that was not how he wanted her to portray him.


    Though the world viewed him as weak, his character was not. The commoners were not privy to such information and so they did not know, but the people in the palace, how else would they stop bullying and talk bad about him, to even be mindful of him. The servants knew him as a ruthless master who had no hesitation in killing and getting rid of those who disrespected him. His closest subordinates knew him as their Lord, while his royal siblings feared him. They feared him for reasons that was not known to the public but shocked them to illness when they learned of his background.


    While Tria was in deep slumber and Crei was diving into insomnia, the world outside was currently going through changes that will greatly disturb the lands.

 Longing Period (Part 1)

    The next day, Tria woke up feeling refreshed, this is the best sleep she''s had in both lifetimes. There is no alarm clock waking her, nor any rude servants dragging her out of bed. The servants from the prince''s manor were waiting outside her door, hearing that she has woken up, they asked first for permission before coming into the room.


    "Young mistress, his highness has assigned us to take care of any of your demands. Breakfast should arrive soon; would you like to take a bath now?" asked one of the girls. There was no disdain, nor disgust in her voice, she seemed sincere in serving Tria.


    Tria noticed her demeanor, and she was pleased with the girl


    "Yes, I will take a bath now. What are your names?"


    "This servant is Nia, and this is this servant''s younger sister Mia, young mistress." They were both wearing the same servant attire, but Tria did notice the similarity between them.


    "When serving me, there is no need for ''this servant this, this servant that'', there is no need to address yourself as such." Tria stood up and walked in front of them, "Nia, Mia, I am new to this household, and so I will need your assistance in many affairs, if you''re going to serve me, I hope you do it whole-heartedly. If you do not create any problems for me, I will not treat you poorly and shall even treat you both as my people," Tria continued in one breath, with an air of dominance radiating around her.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    The servant girls were stunned, they have both heard the rumors about their young mistress and knew not to believe them. However, not even one percent of the rumors were true, their young mistress was so domineering, who dared to spread such fake crap about her. They both made up their minds to stick by Tria''s side, no master has ever treated them as kin, so they will take this chance.


    Nia, the older of the two have done her best to take care of her younger sister, and she was fortunate to be able to bring her along, so they could provide themselves. They originally worked in laundry yard, until this morning when they were chosen to be sent here. Nia and Mia did not have any expectation towards their new mistress, but now they were absolutely surprised to find out about her might and personality.


    It had always been just the two of them, hearing Tria''s words brought a new resolve in them. They decided that they will serve their young mistress to the best of their ability.


    They both went down on one knee and said, "Young Mistress, we swear to be loyal to you and serve as best as we can."


    "Good, I''ve been sleeping all morning, so the day has already progressed this far. The prince will come in a while, instead of breakfast, bring in lunch, I shall have it together with him."


    "Yes, young mistress", said Mia, the younger sister, as she left the room


    Nia stayed behind to help Tria with getting ready, while Tria was taking her bath, she brought out a dozen of gorgeous dresses that the prince had purchased that same morning so Tria didn''t have to wear the same dress.


    When Tria saw the beautiful dresses, she smiled she was pleased in her heart, ''I really have to give him props, he''s so thoughtful'', Crei is giving her more and more reasons to like him.

 Longing Period (Part 2)

    Around noon, lunch arrived, and Tria was sitting in front of the table in the garden under a plum blossom tree, waiting on Crei''s arrival. She was wearing a long tent lavender dress and looking out the sky.


    On Crei''s arrival, he saw this beautiful picture, he was stunned, and his heart skipped a beat.


    Tria saw his handsome figure from the corner of her eyes, he looked like a true royal wearing a silk Navy tunic on. Seeing him make his way towards her, she respectfully stood up to receive him.


    "You have come, your highness."


    "There is no need to stand in ceremony, be at ease, please." He said while seeing the table full of food and two sets of tableware, his heart eased up noting her thoughtfulness.


    "I do not know if you have eaten yet your highness, I hope you will hold me company."


    "I have not eaten yet, it would be my pleasure."


    There was quite a lot of food on the table, the kitchen prepared some roasted ham along with some eggs, sweet potatoes and some steamed vegetables. There were some fruits as well, which there were some that Tria never heard of in her previous life, but still ate them since they were juicy and sweet.


    Silently, they ate for about half an hour, Crei had a lot on his mind but he was still able to swallow down his food. The servants cleaned out the table when they were finished.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    "I have my decision your highness," mentioned Tria, breaking the silence, she was extremely calm. Her poise made Crei anxious.


    "You have? Will you be leaving?" answered Crei, trying to keep his heart in his chest, he could feel his palms sweating as he was talking.


    "Leave? Husband, would you like me to leave?" Tria changed her respectful demeanor and became playful.


    Hearing Tria call him husband, he was startled then understood; he let out a big sigh of relief.


    "Ha-ha, I''m sorry, I didn''t mean to laugh", Tria really found him cute.


    "Ha," waving off, he continued," I do not wish for you to leave, I want you to stay by side."


    Tria did not think he was going to be so resolute in his feelings, she was surprised but she felt warm inside.


    "I can see you have been thinking about my decision, I never wanted to leave but you did not give me a chance to tell you yesterday."


    Crei really regretted sprinting out yesterday now, he could have slept in happiness instead of staying wide awake all night. However, this was fine too, it confirmed his strong feelings for her, and how much he wanted her by his side.


    "I thought you would take this chance to leave, since there was no connection between us. Does that mean that you feel the same I do?", he did not express what he felt exactly, but he knows she knows about his feelings. He clumsily tried to hide them, he did not want to scare her away. He would not go full-on yet, not before he knew their feelings was mutual.


    "First, I would like to thank you for helping me out when you did. As well as for your feelings towards me. Though I do not feel the same way as you feel towards me, it is not far off. Do not get distressed, we have the longing period ahead of us, we shall learn more about each other. Then, if you feel the same about me, I will consider you feelings."


    Crei was bummed out, however, after hearing her words, he understood she was giving him a chance to earn a place in her heart. He smiled at her, while the sun shined upon his handsome face, starting his chase after her, he said, "My wife, be at ease, since you decided to stay, you will not regret it."

 Longing Period (Part 3)

    Sitting together under the plum blossom tree, Tria and Crei conversing and laughing with each other, produced quite a loving picture. Crei was reluctant to leave, knowing he would spend the next few days without seeing her, he was imprinting her image into his memory as much as he could. He also made sure to leave a lasting impression on her, so she could think about him.


    "I know I am saying this early, and I know you might feel skeptical about me saying this to you. However, I want you to know, this longing period, you will be the only person I will ever get to enjoy it with, I will not take any other wives, I promised to be yours and only yours for as long as we''re alive." Saying this, he stood up, and walked out of the courtyard.


    Tria was made speechless from his statement, and why is he always leaving after saying such things.


    Nia, who was not far from her position, saw her expression and came forward.


    "Young mistress?"


    "Nia, what do you think love is?", she asked, still startled from Crei''s proclamation.


    "U-Um, I think it is what his highness feels for you, young mistress," she chose her words carefully, because she could see how Crei was when interacting with Tria; so, she decided to help a little. He would usually look so cold and unapproachable, but today she got to see a whole different side of him. For the whole time he was there, he smiled and laughed, and even made jokes about himself; who would have thought that the devilish third prince was actually a normal human being, with the ability to fall in love?


    Unknown to Nia, Crei himself did not know his feelings were growing that fast for Tria, he only knew that she was the only one who made him feel the way he felt.


    Nia really respected her young mistress''s abilities; before her, no women has been able to move her master''s heart. Although the rumor about the third prince''s talent was spread around, the fact that he was a godly beauty did not keep the bees at bay, it was because the prince would always thrown them out that they stopped flaunting their bodies around the manor and now acting like they''re the ones who don''t want him.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Tria did not know what was going through Nia''s mind, looking pensive and heading towards her chambers. Understanding what Nia was doing, smilingly she just answered, "You think so?", ''Such bold words, is he afraid that I''ll run away, or does he really mean it?''


    Since that day, Tria has not seen Crei. He knew that she would busy this week to learn about the household from the butler and servants, so he did not bother her. Besides, he had so many things to get ready for their longing period. Usually, he would not have so much free time, though he was an idle prince, the king would still find a few things for him to take care of, for appearance''s sake. The palace knows he had accepted a wife, taking some time off was not a big deal as everyone knew the long-standing tradition.


    Tria was not slacking either, after a week of getting accustomed to the manor, it was not as hard as she thought. The third prince manor only had one master, with the butler in charge of the servants, Tria only needed to be informed before they made certain actions and either approve or disapprove, other than that, the servants knew what their respective duties were. However, having not been used to having servants, she still did many things herself. Crei gave her the authority to make any changes she wished, and changes, she made.


    The manor that used to look dull and dark, now looked lively with some plants being added and less clutter. She also made use of decorations that were collecting dust in the storage room, they made a big difference to the picture. When the servants were finished cleaning and adjusting, even the air felt fresher with the light breeze flowing around.


    Crei noticed the busy servants, and thought they were just cleaning, however when he saw how clean and elegant the place looked, he inwardly was proud of his wife. Many women would hire others and spends a lot of currency to decor their new homes, but his wife did not do that. He did not mind her spending money, she could spend as much as she wants, however her maturity and reliability deserved praise.


    He did not dally around much, as he had just sent one of his servants out to deliver his first letter to Tria. His heart could not settle down, he has to wait again for an answer, at least this time he would be able to fall asleep.

 Crei

    Tria was taking a rest, sitting on a bench admiring the beautiful garden in her backyard, it was no longer full of weeds and dead plants, the flowers were blossoming nicely. Nia and Mia who were standing behind her noticed a male servant approaching from over the fence and went to receive him, it was Dewen.


    Announcing his arrival, Dewen waited for the young mistress''s invitation to go in. Dewen was the third prince''s closest servant, Tria has seen him before, she guessed that Crei must have already sent something to her.


    "Young mistress, Master has sent a letter for you. Master also wanted to let you know that the longing period officially begins." Dewen went straight to the point, handed out the envelope and respectfully took his leave.


    Both Nia and Mia took steps back because they knew they were not allowed to know private information about their masters'' life. Tria was holding on the envelope and didn''t hesitate to open it up, and smiled at the sight of the first lines of the letter,


    "My wife,


    It has not been long since I last saw you, and I already long to see you again. There is so much to say, and following tradition, I can only use this method to talk to you for now. First and foremost, since we had not known each other before, we have never had the chance to meet, and I have not even formally introduced myself to you.


    My real name is Creisur, I am known as the third prince of the king, however, to be honest I am not. I am telling you this truth, because not only do I fully trust you, I also want you to trust me. My father is from another place, somewhere beyond the Land of All. I shall explain more later, I just want to share this with you my wife, so there will be no surprises later. I am not tied to the Land, so if you wish to leave, we can go anywhere you want. Now that you are my wife, you are my home; where you are is where I will be, wherever I go, I will always come back to you.


    Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.I will be awaiting your answer, take your time to think it through.


    Please burn all letters I send to you and let no one else read them.


    Also, do you miss me, my wife?


    Your husband,


    Crei."


    Tria felt her mood sweetened, and she was pleased to know the magnitude of his trust in her; he was right, this truly proves that he could be trusted. She was also a bit surprised to find out that he was not the king''s son. For the king to claim him as his royal son, Crei''s background must be no less than extraordinary; she''ll wait for him to tell her more in detail later.


    Nonetheless, she herself did not belong here, she was just a soul transmigrated from another world. However, she could not share with him that her soul was from another world, not yet at least.


    She did not wait long to write up an answer, after burning the letter, she had Nia prepare some ink and paper and started her reply. Unknown to her, she had already started opening her heart up to him. Her words fluttered across the paper like the wind, she was in a good mood and almost wrote two pages. Finished, not planning on having the servant deliver it and so just stored it on her body.


    ''With these kinds of secrets, I have to be cautious, I will send it to him later using my powers.''


    Tria''s powers have advanced extremely fast, what would usually take others ten years to complete, she had achieved in the past two weeks. She has been absorbing spiritual energy at every second of the day until her spirit body burst numerous times, into a new fuller sized one; she now has a spiritual ball three times the size of a watermelon.


    After sunrise, she stealthily had her letter glide with the wind towards Crei''s room. When Crei''s received it, he was amazed to see the letter fly in the air. To be able to manipulate the elements one must at least be at the Saint level, he thought.


    ''My wife is a Saint level practitioner? Ha-ha, of course she is, to be the one who was able to move this King''s heart, I wouldn''t expect any less.'' He was proudly looking at the letter in the air, he had yet to grab hold of it.


    If Tria could see his shamelessness, she would definitely have face-palm herself and probably smack that prideful smirk off his handsome face.

 Until I Met You

    "My dear husband,


    I greatly appreciate you trusting me with your secret. Also, you have already earned my trust since the day you have decided to stand up for me and go through all this for me.


    Everyone has secrets, I do too, however I must wait until the end of the longing period to tell you.


    One of my other secrets you should have seen for yourself when you received this letter, haha, were you surprised?


    We shall deliver our letters as such from now on. Place your letters on the window, I will sense it and send the wind to retrieve it.


    I look forward to your next letter, please tell me about the things you find interesting or dislike.


    Tria"


    "My wife,


    I now know that you also have a great sense of humor, you have made my day.


    As for the things I find interesting, there has been nothing, until I met you. Now what you like, will also be what I like, and anything you dislike shall never come near."


    For a few days, their romance continued as such, Crei and Tria exchanged many gifts and treats during the day, while their letters flew over the wind across the manor at night. They were building up their relationship pleasantly, and Tria was quite happy with her husband, he was caring, affectionate, and had a good sense of humor. Although there were some things about him she was still in the dark about, she was, nonetheless, content with him.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Crei was feeling the same, and he never thought he was capable of such emotions. He had been through a lot, and has experienced many things, but this period of time of conversing with Tria has to be the most cheerful he''s ever been.


    Unfortunately, their longing period had come to an abrupt end. The couple was summoned to the palace, along with the rest of the royal family, and even some high-ranking officials. Crei didn''t want to go, however this summon was related to a matter involving to the entire Land, therefore, he and his wife had no choice but to go.


    From the past few days, Crei was made aware by his subordinates of many reports coming in from all over the Land, detailing the movement of many powerful forces. These forces have been going from city to city breaking and entering, kidnapping, and even murdering many innocent people. This summon must be about these disturbances, and all of this is occurring because of a single event, a Priestess has been awakened.


    To the people, a Priestess was an entity that deserved respect and reverence, one awakening meant fortune for many, life-changing opportunities were a possibility if you were able to meet one.


    Priestesses were known to be beings that were close to Gods, the power they held could even bring the dead back to life, incurable diseases were nothing but child''s play to them, and their light could cleanse the darkest souls, among other miraculous feats. However, such fame came with a negative effect as well, there were many who would kill to have such a powerful person tied to their factions in order to rise up from the masses. In the past, most of the priestesses came from impoverished families, and due to that fact, right now they are the ones suffering the most from these evil people''s taunting.


    ''Greed is what will lead humanity to its end,'' thought Crei, he felt great respect for the ancient Priestesses, however he felt pity for them as well.


    Priestesses were people, not objects, that could be tossed around and owned like property. He felt greatly displeased by these people''s act, but he knew it was not his place to feel that way, he didn''t even know who the chosen one was.

 Harmonious

    -


    Royal Palace


    There were already numerous people arriving at the receiving hall of the palace. There was no separation of genders, but people had to be seated with their own families. Most of the royal family have already arrived and were seated close to the throne. Some of the high rank officials, have also already made it and had located their assigned seats.


    Prime Minister Ra was there as well, he was busy conversing with his colleagues, however he wasn''t enjoying it, one of the things he disliked the most was conversations regarding that certain daughter of his. In his younger years, he used to brag to these same colleagues about how lucky he was to be the one to wed Tria''s mother, however now he is always trying to avoid the topic, to not bring shame upon himself.


    "Congratulations Prime Minister Ra, I would have never known that your second daughter married the third Prince if it weren''t for the confirmation made by the Emperor. How come you didn''t even hold a celebratory reception?" asked one of the officials.


    The Emperor had confirmed the marriage during court, and that''s how most of them learned of the Union. When one''s child marries, the parents would usually hold a banquet to send them off while inviting friends and other family members. Prime Minister Ra''s estate didn''t even have the bow of happiness on their gates, so not many were aware of it.


    "It was such a hurried marriage, and it was quite a busy time for me, so there was no reception held. Thank you, friends, for your kind words, however today''s matter is of grave importance, let us focus on that." Ra tried to divert the topic away, bringing up the importance of today''s summon.


    However, who didn''t know about Ra''s 2nd daughter, she was known by most as the fool of the Ashir family. Some of these officials were glad that Ra was losing face, while others were glad that their sons did not have to be paired with the girl. If anything, some of them were hoping their sons would marry Nala, she was such a talented and beautiful girl, she would bring pride to any family.


    "The Emperor has arrived, please rise!", announced a loud eunuch, and instantly all the people stood up in respect to the emperor''s arrival.


    "At ease, this One has arrived early, as this matter has made me anxious, we shall wait together for the others to arrive," said the emperor while sitting down on his throne, he was getting into old age, however his vigor was still apparent.


    "Long live the emperor!", the crowd chanted while taking their seats. Their bustle had died down a bit, now that the ruler was here.


    "Announcing: The Jari family has arrived."


    "Announcing: The royal Grand Duke of Kiov has arrived."Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    "Announcing: The fifth prince has arrived."


    There were many people that had yet to arrive, the summon was short noticed, therefore some had to travel from afar to make it.


    "Announcing: The third prince and the third prince''s princess consort have arrived."


    Boom!


    A commotion exploded from the quiet crowd.


    "Princess consort? When did the third prince take in a wife?" Although the king confirmed it, not everyone was aware of the news, plus the couple didn''t even get to complete their longing period before being summoned here.


    "Why wasn''t I aware that the third prince took in a consort? Who is she?" asked some of the girls who had once taken a liking to Crei.


    "What is with all this commotion? Have you all forgotten where you are right now?", asked an older figure. From his questions, the people realized their impudence in front of the emperor and calmed down.


    However, before long another commotion arose.


    Crei holding onto his Tria''s waist, smilingly walked into the receiving hall. The couple both wore matching colors, a pale hue of olive, highlighting their skin tones. Crei wore a comfortable linen tunic, while Tria''s dress was a long turtle neck dress, revealing only her toned arms. The pair were both wearing gold ornaments, and they complimented each other nicely, Tria''s beauty did not get outshined by Crei''s handsomeness at all.


    The crowd was stunned, the unapproachable third Prince was smiling to his wife who was a stunning beauty, and they looked very harmonious with one another.


    The emperor, the royal family, the officials, and not to forget prime minister Ra, were all made speechless by the couple''s radiant entrance. The emperor was the fastest one to gain back his composure, since he knew beforehand about Crei''s wedding, and had even sent out the royal decree. However, he didn''t know the girl would actually match Crei''s charisma so well, she even looks brighter than most of these girls.


    ''Didn''t they say that she was a fool, which part of her resembles a fool?'', the King felt dissatisfied with the Prime Minister''s negligence. He now understood what Crei meant that night he informed him that he would marry Tria, she must have had a rough time at the Prime Minister''s Residence.


    On the Prime Minister''s side, he himself was shocked to almost unconsciousness just now, okay? The daughter he almost never met with, he could never communicate properly with her, and would always be so be dirty and feeble-minded. She was an eyesore to him and so he intentionally neglected her and had her placed in the back of the estate to fend for herself. However now, he is seriously rethinking into the past to see if he missed out on something.


    Crei was surprised this morning as well when he saw his wife after a few weeks. The girl was no longer skinny, her curves, chest, and behind had gained some roundness, her skin was glowing fiercely, and even her curls were looking healthier and more golden.


    When he saw her cute face, he could not contain the urge to pinch her round bronzed cheeks and ended up caressing them because her skin was so soft.


    Tria was startled at his sudden touch, that was the first time they had ever made skin contact; omitting that time he carried her into her room when she was unconscious. However, she liked him breaking that barrier, his hands were so warm and his touch so gentle, why would she not take advantage of this moment.


    To Crei''s surprise, she didn''t shy away from his sudden intimate move, and even dug her little face further into his palm, as she snuggled herself into his embrace comfortably. He found her so adorable, she looked like a little kitten trying to find the coziest corner. His heart was overflowing with emotions and felt his feelings for her growing more intense.

 The Next Step

    After Crei and Tria saluted the emperor and took their seats, though the racket subsided, they were still being stared at from all corners. Especially Tria, she never used to go outside, so no one knew her, her being in the open right now, as the new wife of the third prince, was a novelty to the people present.


    Tria did not shy away from their stares, and even returned some of them, but such childish acts bored her, so she focused her attention on Crei instead. He was very attentive to her and made sure she wasn''t feeling uncomfortable, he was displaying his affection as if it was just the two of them in the room. Resulting in some envious housewives, and even led some single ladies to daydream shamelessly.


    "Ahem, well it is about time we start, as most of you already know, you have been called here because of the turmoil occurring within the empire. As well as the fact that a Priestess has awoken on our Land", the emperor started, breaking the awkward atmosphere.


    The majority of the guests have already learned of the news, and some were already preparing to set off to where the Priestess might be.


    "Your Majesty, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity, we should try to get the Priestess to our Land so we can strengthen the power of our land. Also, with the priestess here, we would be able to have many more powerful warriors within our ranks."


    "Your Majesty, we should send forces to protect the innocent lives endangered, we do not know where the Priestess is currently located, but we still have a duty to protect the citizens."


    "Your Majesty, these clans have run rampant all over, and they are currently getting closer to the capital, we should have our army ready to defend the city."


    The people present have long been waiting for the emperor to open the topic up, to them this was a chance to contribute and to hopefully gain some benefits. They were coming with ideas, one after another, although some seemed to care about the innocents, they are only trying to make themselves look good.


    Tria was listening to all of their statements, after all, she was that one priestess they were plotting about. She looked over at Crei to see her attitude towards this. He looked like all the talk around them was nonexistent, he was busy peeling some grapes for Tria, and was even thoughtful to take out the seeds.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    "Husband, why do you look like you do not care about a priestess awakening?", Tria decided to grasp his stance on the matter.


    "I care, I care a lot, but there is not much that I can do."


    "What if you could do something, what would you do then?


    "I''d tell you, but I wouldn''t want to make wifey jealous", he teased her, he was getting even more intimate in the way he talked to her


    "Haha, what? You''re already planning to take another wife?", she teased him back, only they could hear their conversation, so nobody heard the couple''s teasing game.


    "No wifey, I made my vow to you, you will be the only one for me in this lifetime", he paused and seriously continued "What I mean is, priestesses have always been pitiful when it came to strength, although they could heal, save, and power up others, they had no ability to protect themselves because whatever amount of energy they absorbed, they could never advance in power level; that energy would instead be used to help others. With such vulnerability, unless they had loyal people to protect their lives, they were easy targets, that is why most priestesses did not live long lives."


    Tria came to a realization, ''That is true, through the knowledge that was passed down to her from the ancient priestesses, none of them had the ability to cultivate. Then doesn''t that mean that I would be the first to be able to? Ah that will make it easier for me to hide my abilities.'' She also realized Crei''s intentions.


    "You want to provide protection for the priestess?"


    "I would just send someone trustworthy to support her, build her a temple to settle down in, by then the populace will know where she is and go there if they needed her help, it will be harder for the greedy humans to do anything to her."


    Just as he finished his sentenced Tria''s eyes detected a leak in his energy, she did not know what it was, but that small speck of it contained an extremely powerful aura. She scanned her knowledge and her memories to see if she could find out what it was, but she came up with nothing.


    Letting the matter go, she was surprised at her husband benevolence, she liked that he was different from these officials still rambling about how to possess her.


    After a full afternoon, and what seemed like an eternity to Tria, she and Crei made their way back to their manor. Back at the palace, she thought they''d have to participate in the emperor''s debate, but Crei told her that this summon was just a formality, the real intentions of the emperor will be discussed with a much smaller group of people.


    It didn''t matter to her, as long as they didn''t know that she was the chosen one, what they do next does not concern her. Right now, she had bigger issues to think about, like the next step of her and Crei''s wedding.

 I Am The Chosen One

    Having had their longing period ending so abruptly, Crei and Tria did not go their separate ways, and headed together towards the manor''s pavilion. There was a lot on Crei''s mind on their way there, and he was anxious about Tria''s feelings for him. He wants to know exactly where she stands so he knows how to proceed pursuing her.


    Before he could ask her anything, she already beat him to it.


    "Crei, I will need to leave the royal city for a while."


    Crei had not expected her to say that, so he was shocked, and to even call him by name, she must be serious about this.


    "Wifey, have I done something to displease you?", he asked, recounting his actions to see if he did or said something displeasing to her.


    "No, in fact, there is something you and I must discuss." Tria smilingly said, but her tone was firm.


    "You can always talk to me wifey, if there''s anything I can help with as well, I will. However, let us change our location." Crei stood up and took Tria''s hand. He led her towards his study room.


    Tria went along with him, she thought he must have understood the seriousness in her voice and changed location in fear of prying ears.


    Arriving in the study room, Crei ordered for the royal guards to keep everyone away while he is with his wife.


    "Mexi!" Crei''s cold voice called out after closing the doors.


    Out of nowhere a dark figure showed up from a dark corner of the room.


    "At your service, My Lord" an eerie voice came out from the dark figure while it turned Tria, "Greetings, Mistress."


    Tria was now a Saint level practitioner and she could feel who was within 1000 feet of her, but she did not sense him. Mind you, on the Land of the Sun, the amount of Saint level practitioners could be counted on one hand, not even the emperor had advance that far yet. How could such a person be here, she wondered, but she didn''t have any fear, as this person was related to Crei and even called her mistress.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    She simply nodded her head at the figure. Crei''s noticed her calmness and commended her for it, most would not be as calm in front of one his shadows.


    "Mexi, stand guard, and make sure no one comes near," ordered Crei, the loving look he had when talking to Tria had disappeared, the air emitting from him was terrifying.


    "Yes, My Lord," the figure turned into a shadow and disappeared.


    Tria was surprised, she came here to tell him about her secret, but it seems that he had just showed her another one of his secrets as well.


    "Husband, you''re quite mischievous, are you trying to give me a heart attack?" Tria jokingly said, she was not scared at all.


    "Ha ha, wifey, I knew you could handle it, and showing is better than telling, because there is too much to tell." He wanted her to know more about him, so displaying his secrets one at a time would not scare her away and would bring them closer.


    "Husband, I know you know the current extent of my feelings for you?"


    "I do, and I hope to intensify that."


    "Why, you have not even known me for long, I myself, if it was not for the many factors that have brought us together I would not be here right now."


    This statement from Tria, strongly pulled a string of his heart, he knew he should have not gotten ahead of himself, but his feelings for her came out of nowhere and he simply could not contain his yearning for her love.


    Although she has embraced him and seemed harmonious in public, he knew it was because she was such an open and mature person, it did not mean that she was interested in him at all.


    "I know, since I have met you, conversed with you, and had our longing period, I have appreciated you more and more. That is not an easy feat, because you are the only person to have ever moved me, and so, wifey, how can I not pursue you?"


    In the end, he had to be honest with himself, he could not force anything on her, she was already his wife, unless she decides to leave him, he would wait for her.


    "I will not leave you, we are already husband and wife, we have plenty of time to know each other better. Besides, we still have yet to proceed with the tradition for weddings on the Land."


    "That is true, and I am also looking forward to that", Crei said with his eyes smiling, looking like a renowned silk pant.


    Tria paid his antics no mind, and just rolled her eyes at him, she knew of his shamelessness.


    "I just want to leave the royal city for a while, after all, being the priestess comes with its struggles, there are many things I have to take care of, "she said naturally


    Crei was happy at first, but then became shocked at her last words


    "Did you just say you were the priestess, the chosen one? that same priestess?"


    "Yes."


    Crei thought he heard wrong at first, but hearing her confirm it gave him another shock.

 Karma Had Its Ways

    ***Bonus Chapter***


    "Wifey, this is shocking news, but how could that be, you know how to cultivate, right?"


    "I do not understand it myself, I did not think much of it when my levels would continuously advance to the next, the fact that priestesses should not be able to cultivate escaped me."


    Crei was indeed surprised from Tria''s revelation, and he was worried for her safety. However, knowing that she could cultivate her powers, he felt better. He never thought that the woman, he had saved and even married, and now had feelings for, would turn out to be the priestess that everyone was looking for.


    "Can I go along with you?", he asked, he wanted to help her.


    "No, however, before I leave" she got closer to Crei and took his hand, "I want to help you remove that ill energy surrounding your body."


    "You can see it?", Crei was startled, no one should be able to see that energy around him.


    "Yes, I can. However, I cannot tell what it is without further inspection."


    "Wifey, I thank you, however look, it is not an ill energy at all." He stood up in front on her.


    The ill energy that was surrounding Crei suddenly started to dissipate, revealing a radiant aura from his body.


    "This is just some cautionary measures my parents have left me with, so I could blend in with the people of this realm better, I am actually able to absorb energy as well." Crei continued, he looks totally otherworldly at this moment.


    The power coming from Crei''s body triggered Tria''s ability and her eyes turned to a bright gold as she scanned him. That power was what awakened her priestess abilities before, she thought, when she first laid eyes on him, it had hurt her to the core of her soul. However, at this moment it did not harm her at all, what she was seeing left her bewildered and flabbergasted for a while.


    "What are you?", she finally asked.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Tria never thought that the man she married would be such a powerful existence. The world saw him as a cripple and even ridiculed him nonstop, it is now no wonder that it had never bothered him. Crei did not tell her what he was, claiming it was for her own safety.


    Wherever he is from must be somewhere a lot more developed than this land. She did not push the matter, right now she had to prepare herself to leave. Back when she and Crei discussed over her departure, she did not let him go with her.


    ¡°With my powers, there will be no dangers to you, let me be your shield.¡±


    ¡°I know, however, if you come along, it will limit my growth,¡± she stared into his eyes and continued,


    ¡°I can tell you are stronger than anybody on the Land, if in the future I want to stand by your side when you need me to, how can I defend myself?¡±


    He thought about it and was reluctant but how can he say anything he see such determination in her eyes.


    ¡°Fine, but let Mexi come with you,¡± he seemed hesitant to continue his words, but he thought, ¡®while you are away I will settle with my own enemies so that when it comes the time for us to be together again, we will not need to hide.¡¯


    Tria accepted his offer, she figured he would feel more at peace with her departure knowing his shadow is accompanying her.


    ¡°That is alright with me, I will leave next week. Before I go, I need your help to go to the palace and to the prime minister¡¯s estate to make our vows, so when I leave, no one suspects anything.¡±


    ¡°Going to the emperor is not important, I¡¯ll let someone notify that old man,¡± Crei said nonchalantly, his wasn¡¯t the emperor¡¯s real son, so there was no need to go see him, ¡°however we can go to the Prime Minister¡¯s estate, do you have anything you hold dear from that place?¡±


    Crei did not know the whole story from Tria¡¯s upbringing from the prime minister¡¯s estate, but he knew she didn¡¯t have any happy memories from there. He wished he met her sooner, maybe her struggles would have been less, and right now they would have been much closer. Crei did not have any good feelings towards prime minister Ra, no parents should neglect their children like he did. Such a man would never amount to anything much.


    Tria thought about his question.


    ¡®Anything I hold dear? Heh, I don¡¯t know how the previous owner of this body made it this far, but from my memories other than her dead mother there was nothing to hold dear to, except for the fact that she was stupidly waiting for the day her father would look lovingly at her. Unfortunately, she was killed, and here I am.¡¯


    ¡°Not really, this will probably be the last time I set foot in that place.¡± She already married out, there was no need to go back there, as for their retribution, karma had its ways.


    ¡°Shall we go now?¡± Crei was ready to go over there to make a scene and get some face for his wife.


    Tria knew his intentions, she just laughed at his naughtiness, but still agreed to his request.

 Elaine Blanc

    Prime minister Ra had just returned from the palace and was currently having his meal along with his main wife, Madame Ashir, and his daughter Nala. He was still thinking about Tria''s entrance earlier in the day, she looked extremely radiant and had reminded him of her late mother.


    Tria''s mother, Elaine Blanc, was actually not from the Sun Land. About 20 years ago, she was passing through the capital and her beauty had captivated many young masters'' hearts. Elaine was accompanied by her senior disciple from the same school, and they have come to take part in a famous auction going on at that time. From her arrival to the capital, Elaine was courted by many young men; however, her heart was stolen by Ra, and against her senior''s advice, she had decided to stay back in the Sun Land, even if meant her cultivation stagnating to its current level. She had fallen head over heels for Ra, and even agreed to become a secondary wife, while Madame Ashir was the main wife.


    Elaine''s background was never revealed to anyone, however from her mannerism, everyone knew she was not a commoner. She was so graceful and enchanting, and so likeable, therefore there were no questions asked. After marrying Ra, the couple lived happily and after a few months, Elaine had become pregnant for Ra''s child. She became even more pampered with his love and the two had become inseparable. However, everything changed when the child was born, the baby was renounced to be mentally ill. Ra was devastated by such news, and stopped showing up to Elaine''s courtyard, and Elaine deprived of his love became depressed and in the end, died not even two weeks after giving birth to Tria.


    Ra reminiscing about Elaine made him lose his appetite, he really missed those times. Back then, to win Tria¡¯s mother¡¯s heart, he had promised her so many things, but he ended breaking her heart. He was ashamed of himself now, but at that time he was ashamed of her. He truly did not deserve her, and because of him, she ended up dying. Over the years, his grief had turned into blame, and that blame was all thrown on Tria.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    As he was thinking about the past, a servant came into the dining hall and announced the arrival of the third prince along with his princess consort, Tria.


    Madame Ashir was the first one to speak.


    "Why has she come?", she disliked Tria, since they were able to get her out of the estate, she never wanted to see her again.


    "Mother, second sister has come along with the third prince, maybe they had completed their longing period." Nala said, she has already learned the matters of the household, so she knows the tradition.


    "Have them go into the receiving hall," ordered Ra, although he should go in person to receive the prince, he did not care to


    "U-um second young miss has already brought the prince towards her courtyard, she said she will go in the receiving hall when everyone has gone since she came unnoticed," the servant knew how the second miss was treated in the household so he nervous with his words


    "What courtyard?" asked Ra


    "The one in the back estate, Master"


    "Why would she bring the prince there?" asked Madame Ashir this time, the back courtyard was basically a hut, it was not a place to bring a prince, even if it was the cripple third prince


    "I heard her say that she missed her time there, and wanted to show the prince the back of the estate"


    Ra was put in a really tight spot, although he did not care about the third prince, he was still a prince. If matters of the household were to spread into the court, he would lose a significant amount of face.


    "I shall go to the back estate as well," he stood up and just hurried to the back estate.

 Lans Demise

    ***Bonus Chapter***


    *Profanity Ahead


    At this time, Tria had already arrived along with Crei to her old place.


    "This is where you used to live?" Crei was looking the ''hut'' in front of him.


    It was some hut made of dried wood, inside was a bed with a chair on the side of it, and right across from there was a small table with some dishes on there. At one corner was a pile of dirty clothes, while in another corner were bunch of dried fruits and vegetables that seemed to have been there for months, while the floor was covered with weeds growing through some cracks.


    He could not believe that the lofty prime minister would ever leave his own daughter to live here. This was a huge blow to him, the person he held so dear and wished he could give his everything to, used to actually sleep in here.


    Tria could sense Crei''s anger, he was angry. He was really angry.


    That was not all, while they were standing around, a person came out of nowhere holding a sack. Tria recognized the person, and the sack. It was Lan, holding on to her sac, which she would often use to go to the forest to harvest wild fruits.


    Lan has also seen her upon his arrival, although he had missed out on Crei''s figure in the corner, an overlook he will soon hope he never did.


    "What are you doing here? Haha, were you thrown back to the estate by the prince?" Lan started, while walking toward the corner with the dried fruits, he continued, "well, everybody expected as much, a cripple prince is still a prince, why would he want something like you, I guess Master will really have to send you as a concubine to your uncle this time."


    Lan continued to insult Tria nonstop, and she did not stop him either. He wanted to bury his own grave, she might as well just watch the show.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Lan was used to her silence, so he did not think too much about it and kept on going.


    "It is too bad really, however, I have started to live here, so you''re going to have to sleep outside. You''ll be ok-


    Before he could finish his sentence, his body was thrown out through the hut, leaving a big open space. Lan did not understand what happened and tried to lift his head to see who dared to attack him, but he didn''t even get the chance before he felt a forceful power pushing his head into the ground, resulting in him swallowing dirt.


    Lan could not take this lying down, so he pushed himself up to berate Tria, since he thought it was her.


    "Tria, what the f*ck are you doing?"


    Pow!!


    Lan''s body goes flying again, this time he could not move, all of his bones have been shattered to ashes.


    "WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE SPEAKING TO?"


    Lan''s haggardness suddenly cleared up when he heard the powerful voice reverberating a strong pressure down his body.


    His eyes were staring at Crei in fear as his whole body trembled to incontinence, what has he done this time, how come the third prince is emitting such strength, wasn''t he supposed to be a cripple who can''t cultivate?


    Ra who was going to the hut along with Madame Ashir and Nala, had all been pushed down to the ground by the powerful force. Ra was scared silly, which legendary figure have come to their manor, and how did they offend them?


    The only person safe from that torment was Tria, although Crei was raging at that moment, he did not forget about her safety.


    "Second young miss, please, please save me!!'' Lan''s attitude turned a whole 90 degrees, begging for life from Tria, he knew begging to the third prince was hopeless, and he tried to beg for his life to the ''dumb'' Tria.


    Ra who was just rushed to the scene heard Lan, and his head buzzed. He didn''t even properly think about it before blaming it all on Tria.


    ''It was her again! Is she the one who has infuriated that powerful person?''


    "Tria, what have you done this time? Do you wish for the whole estate''s death? Hurry p and apolo-", as he turned his head to the powerful ''person'', he almost fainted due to shock.


    "Third prince?"


    "Prime Minister Ra, I have come here today to make my vows to your family with my wife, however out of respect of coming unannounced, I have accompanied her to wait here in her old¡­courtyard, but from I have seen here, you owe my royal family an explanation."

 Lans Demise Part 2

    Sensing the arrival of more people, Crei walked back to Tria''s side while he was reversing his powers. Lan, who was puddled on the ground, still had some life left in his body, as he was begging him to end his life; with the state he was in, he should have already died. What he didn''t know was that Tria was subtly keeping him alive longer using her abilities. How can she let him die before the rest of the audience arrives?


    Ra was still speechless to find how powerful Crei actually is, and it was not until Crei had returned to normal, that he realizes how foolish he''s been and suddenly felt extreme fear for his life. How many times had he ridiculed and disrespected the third prince. Now that he saw the state Lan was in and didn''t know what he did to make Crei so furious, but he knew that could easily be him lying there. Ra''s thoughts were a mess, he was visibly fidgeting with drops of sweat rolling down his face.


    Madame Ashir and Nala have arrived a little later than Ra, therefore they had missed on Crei''s release of power. However, as soon as the mother and daughter saw Lan''s state, they had both lost their strength, and collapsed on the ground.


    "Husband, what has happened here, which Master have we offended?" asked Madame Ashir in a shaky voice. She only saw Crei and Tria, so she assumed the ''Master'' had already left.


    "..."


    Madame Ashir was upset, she could not understand why her husband was not answering her. Nala saw Tria standing on the side with her handsome husband, although she was jealous of her having such a man next to her, she knew of Crei''s lack of talent and unlikelihood of becoming the heir.


    "Second sister, can you tell us what happened? Why is father not talking?", Nala asked Tria.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    Tria ignored Nala, and walked towards Ra.


    "Father?", she called out.


    Ra, too submerged in his fear, did not see Madame Ashir or Nala arrive, neither did he hear his wife talking to him earlier. It was not until he heard Tria''s voice that he woke up.


    "T-Tria, y-your f-father is s-sorry, I h-have t-truly dis-disregarded you, and sh-should have n-never left you in t-this place. I-I will go to t-the palace and d-demand p-punishment," he started crying and stuttered out to her, then turned to face Crei, "T-third P-prince, t-this humble official h-has b-been blind and h-has neglected h-his own daughter, I w-would like a ch-chance to m-make amends", prostrating himself on the ground towards Crei. Ra had lost all of his nobility.


    Madame Ashir, Nala, and the servants who have followed them were thunderstruck, they had no clue of what was occurring.


    Crei did not care about what he was rambling about, so he turned to look at Tria, but she just shrugged her shoulders. He didn''t want to drag this any longer, and walked towards Lan, while kicking his body.


    "Are you dead yet? If not, apologize." Crei did not forget about Lan, and he knows Tria was keeping him alive.


    "Argh!" Lan''s whole body was numb from pain, and Crei kicking him made it even more unbearable.


    Lan realizing his demand, and since he could not move, just cried out, "Second young miss, no, Princess, please forgive this servant''s impudence, and all of my past wrongdoings towards you, even if I was given ten lives, I would never act the same way again."


    Lan did not last long after that, Tria had stopped feeding him life essence.


    Crei then took Tria''s hands, and made their way out, as he was walking past the prostrated figure on the ground, he coldly said:


    "Having my wife, your daughter, live worse than an animal, and left to bully by lowly servants, you truly do not deserve to be her father. She is now, my manor''s Princess, and from this day forward, will no longer have any ties with you."


    Passing everyone, they both walked out of the ''courtyard'' looking like two refined beings.


    Tria did not say anything, nor did she lift a finger throughout the whole affair. She did not oppose anything Crei did and had saved her the trouble of meddling with these people in the future.

 Journey Ahead

    Late in the evening, along the illuminated streets was a beautiful carriage riding towards the third prince''s manor, inside was Crei and Tria. Since they have left the prime minister''s estate, neither one of them have uttered a word. Crei, however, could not contain his excitement for long.


    "Wifey, are you satisfied with my actions?"


    "Hmmm."


    "Then why do you not seem happy?", he slightly frowned.


    "What is there to be happy about? The way I see it, you just want me all to yourself." Tria said jokingly.


    "Cough! Cough!" Crei choked on air, he didn''t think he would have gotten caught.


    "Haha, I''m only teasing. With that family out of the way, when I leave the city, there shall be no one to come look for me, so I will not need to worry."


    She has not prepared anything for her departure yet, but having spent the whole day out, she needed to rest more than anything right now. Bidding farewell to Crei, she took her leave.


    After Tria left and sensing she was far enough, Crei called out Mexi.


    "My Lord," Mexi''s eerie voice sounded out.


    "Mexi, when you follow after my wife, you know what to do, correct?" Crei asked with his back facing Mexi, while looking towards the sky, his figure was quite picturesque.


    Mexi slightly tilted his head at Crei, because he doesn''t remember being given any orders.


    "There are three things you need follow." said Crei, looking extremely serious.


    Thinking the Lord must be giving him an important mission, Mexi''s attention was at its peak, but he was soon demoralized.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    "One, if any man looks at my wife, kill. Two, if any man smiles at my wife, kill. If any man thinks about my wife, kill.


    ''My Lord, then won''t I be killing every man she meets? And how am I supposed to know when someone thinks about her?'' Mexi was crying in his heart, he could not refute Crei, so he solemnly nodded his head and slowly left.


    Crei was very satisfied with his shadow''s loyalty, next he had to help his wife to get ready for her trip. Crei did not sleep a wink that night, he spent it packing things Tria might need, and didn''t stop until the whole front yard was filled with various things. By that time, it was already dawn, while he made his way back to his room humming happily, the tired servants who helped him had to stagger back to their beds.


    When Tria woke up and saw the bundles of things in the front courtyard, her face twitched uncontrollably.


    "Princess, Master has been working hard all night to gather everything, and there are more things coming in the afternoon," said Nia, who was following behind Tria. Crei had ordered everyone to address Tria as princess since his return yesterday. She was his wife, she was no longer the young miss of the Ashir family.


    Hearing that there was more coming, Tria felt a headache was also imminent so she went to Crei courtyard. When she got there, she found him under an apple tree, looking into the distance, with a stern look on his face.


    "Husband?"


    "Oh! Wifey! You''ve come?" he said with a wide grin on his face


    "Are you that eager to see me leave, husband? I still have another five days, but I can leave right now since you''re pushing me out?" Tria pretended to wipe some tears,


    Crei seeing that almost lost his balance, when did he ever push her out?


    "Wifey, what are saying ha-ha" he laughed nervously


    "With the number of things, you have packed, I should be gone for about five years, "Tria continued, pretending to look pitiful.


    As soon as Crei heard that, he understood where he went wrong, and flashed out the door.


    Mexi who was in the shadow, as well as Nia who was accompanying Tria, applauded her acting skills.


    "Nia, let''s go back. There is a lot to prepare, have Mia get some servants meet me in my courtyard."


    "Yes, princess."


    In Tria''s courtyard was a line of servants, going up to her one by one to take orders.


    "I need these made as soon as possible, and have the tailor take your measurements."


    "I need the herbs and oils, check to make the prince haven''t already got them before you go."


    "I need a map of all the Lands with markings explaining circumstances there."


    She continued as such for a long time, the adventure ahead was something she really was looking forward to, since she''s always wanted to travel the world, although it''s not her original world, it is still traveling.

 Road Bump

    -Five days later


    Bidding farewell to a solemn Crei, Tria had left the third prince''s manor early in the morning, along with Mexi.


    They had both changed their appearances, although no one would recognize Tria other the Ashir family, she still made some changes to her face. As for Mexi, Tria had long thought of him as a man, but it turned out that she was a girl, and a really pretty one at that.


    "Mexi, you will address me as Thea from now on, and you and I are fellow disciples who have decided to travel around, ok?" She gestured her hand in an ok sign.


    "Yes, mi-


    "Senior sister! Also stop being so formal, play the role well so we don''t look suspicious."


    "Ah yes, s-senior sister", Mexi knew Tria was as strong as her, but calling the Lord''s wife senior sister made her really nervous.


    Leaving the capital, they made their way towards Earth Land, Tria learned that there were many herbs available there that no other places had, and so she chose to go there first.


    Their carriage had already proceeded along the road for two days, they had each taken turn at night, and so far, there had been no troubles. Well, that was not until they had come upon an intersection, with over 20 people fighting each other.


    Tria had no plans of interfering in other people''s business, so she had Mexi direct their carriage to the side, so they can move along, but these people had refused to let bystanders be bystanders.


    "Young Master, hurry and go along with these ladies, let us take care of these bastards." Said one said one subordinate to a dressy clothed man.


    "Un, your sacrifice will be remembered," he pledged as he made his way towards Tria''s carriage.


    "Excuse me, who said you could join this young lady''s carriage, mister please stay away, Mexi hurry along."


    "Please wait, I will pay you" the man said as he hopped on Tria''s carriage and making himself comfortable. He did not seem hurt from the fight at all.


    Mexi, who remembered her master''s orders was about to slash at this bold man, but she was stopped by Tria.


    "But Master said to ki-


    "He said nothing. This man is not a threat to us, so let him be." Tria knew the orders Crei gave along to Mexi, but he''s not here, so there''s no need to kill anyone.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    "Mister, we do not want any trouble, we can only drop you off in the next town," Tria said to the man.


    "That''s fine, my name is Ji Enho, you can call me Enho, I say for two girls to be traveling along this dark road, without any guards, why don''t I keep you compa-


    Shwing!


    "Mexi, no!", Tria had stopped Enho''s head from flying, just in time.


    "Oh-ho, so feisty, did I offend you? Haha, I apologize, I was just trying to help", he said while looking outside then continued, "there is a shortcut that way to the next town, we''d arrive faster, and you''d get rid of me sooner, let''s take it."


    "Sure, Mexi, follow along that road then,"


    Mexi was extremely puzzled as to why her mistress was indulging this man, they did not even know him.


    As such, they continued their journey through the shortcut. Tria and Mexi have both been silent, but that man was rambling nonstop about his adventures to the two young women.


    "Senior sister, there seems to be people ahead, I can see some fire." Mexi said, cutting off the guy''s voice.


    "Just ignore them."


    "Why, we have been riding for such a long time, we should rest," offered the man.


    Tria squinted her eyes at him, ''so I was right,'' she thought.


    "Okay, Mexi, let''s rest."


    Mexi stopped their carriage near the group of people, as they all came down.


    Soon after they came down, the group of people surrounded them.


    "You really shouldn''t trust strangers so easily little ladies, now that you have come into our den, be good and keep me and my brothers'' company." Enho said said, while taking out a dagger and licking it.


    "Hahahaha, you''re too funny," Tria laughed maniacally, then menacingly looked at the man, "Did you seriously think YOU have lured us here? Think again, Mexi kill them all!"


    Tria knew from the time that guy got into their carriage that this guy was setting a trap, if she let them be, who knows how many more this guy will trick and lead them down this road. In both lifetimes, if there was anything she could not tolerate, it was these types of men.


    They all deserve to die.


    "Little lady, with only just you two? I am a middle level Grandmaster, be good and I will not hurt you," threatened the man, but he soon regretted it, as the answer he got was his head falling off.


    "Argh, big brother, save me!"


    "No!! Please, don''t kill me!?"


    Pow!


    "Brothers let''s run then separate so they can''t catch us", they agreed, but had their legs cut off before they could even start to run.


    Shwing!


    "I won''t do it again, little lady, no, great one, spare this one and I will become you slave"


    "Shut up!" rang out Mexi''s voice, killing the three who were left in one move.


    Keugh!


    Silence.


    It only took one minute for Mexi to finish them all off.


    "To dare to lure us here, despicable humans! Wait, princess, you knew all along?" Mexi asked Tria, she had become a lot more talkative since she had gotten out of her shadow.


    "You didn''t think it was weird? Over twenty people fighting, one gets away and nobody chases us, and he even dared to point out a shortcut into the dark woods. Where would you see such a thing?"


    Mexi was enlightened, she had been with prince since young, therefore she was still lacking in experiences, since all she knew was to kill anything her master told her to.


    "Let''s continue, this path really was a shortcut, but it was made by them, we''re close to the next town, we''ll take a break there."


    "Yes, senior sister."


    Riding to the nearest town, these two women left behind the aftermath of a gory battle. It is good that this shortcut is not known to the public, because if anyone was to see this gruesome scene, they would automatically have their souls fly away from their bodies.

 Azul Town

    Checking into the first inn Tria and Mexi encountered, the ladies decided to go straight to sleep.


    The next morning, the many things they did not pay attention to since it was nighttime, were now clear. This town was called Azul, and it figured, because everything was blue, it was quite beautiful, Tria had asked some kids why it was all blue, and she learned that it was from long ago.


    An old man and his family decided to settle here and had called the town Azul. They found this place quiet, reserved, and it did not attract much attention, just like the color blue, hence this magnificence; colorful blue town surrounded by green trees.


    "How long ago was that?" asked Tria, she was surrounded by over six children


    "I don''t know, mommy said a long time ago."


    "My dada said it was only a few years ago, I know he''s right, he said he came with them,"


    "My mommy said long time ago"


    "No, my dada said~~~


    The children started arguing between themselves, and so Tria awkwardly walked away from them. She and Mexi had to continue their journey.


    "Little ladies, here have some candy, so you can sweeten your hearts on your travel", said an older lady.


    "It''s such a shame you are already leaving, we barely get any visitors," said another older lady, looking really down.


    All the townspeople were nice and welcoming, but Tria had to continue on her journey, so she and Mexi left after having their breakfast.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    "That was a great town, so many nice people," said Mexi as she chewed on some hard candy made from the townspeople.


    "Yeah, it''s a pity their hearts were darker than charcoal."


    "Huh, why do you say that"


    "That hard candy you are chewing on is poison, but before you freak out, it has no effects on saint level cultivators"


    Pteuh!!


    "Why would they give me poison, I didn''t even do anything wrong to them," she said as she spat out the candy, feeling wronged she continued "they seemed nice too."


    "Ask yourself, why were those bastards'' den so close to that town, they are so secluded into the forest but judging from their behavior, they did not seem to be scared of them or any thieves for that matter. Blue also means detachment, the emotions they displayed were not real; just too welcoming." she shuddered, "the way I saw it, that town was no different from a cult."


    "Waaa, senior sister, you are so wise, but what''s a cult?"


    "A cult is a group of people whose belief is directed either at someone or something. I do not know what their thing is, but since they are not moving against us, we will not move against them either." She said as she sensed the uneasy movements in the bushes on the side of the road.


    The people who were waiting for them felt the pressure exerted by the girls and renounced any ideas they had, their lives were more important.


    Tria and Mexi have been on the road for only three days, and they have only met with maniacs. They still have about three more days before they make it to the border, and cross into the Earth Land.


    For the past weeks, although Tria has not gone back into the golden temple, she has not been slacking in her cultivation either, but she had been stuck in a bottleneck. Her powers had stagnated at the middle saint level, and no matter how much energy she absorbed, her spirit did not burst.


    ''I need to get stronger, only with strength can I stop hiding, my abilities.'' Tria thought as she looked at the scenery out the window.


    As they were getting closer to the Earth Land, although the air was a lot fresher, it was a lot colder.


    Along the side of the road were tall colorful trees, which created a dense atmosphere. Tria liked the jungle look of this place, it reminded her of old home, in the other world. She would often go hiking on the weekends, she loved to reach the top, just so she could overlook the tall trees down below, everything was strikingly green, just like the name, Evergreen.

 Earth Land

    After days of traveling nonstop, Tria and Mexi had finally reached the first town in Earth Land. This Land was very different from the Sun Land, cultivators living here could only absorb the spiritual energy from the earth. The inhabitants were also different, they looked like normal human beings, except their ears were pointy, their skins glowed as well, but their bodies seemed translucent, which indicated that they were one with nature.


    It amazed Tria to see such a wonder, and the people were quite hospitable. Tria and Mexi''s figures stood out because of their skin tones, but the people did not feel surprise since they get travelers all the time. After checking into an inn, Tria and Mexi were digging into some local food, they ordered some potato soup loaded with bean sprouts and seitan.


    "This so good, I can''t believe it''s not meat," mumbled Mexi with a mouthful of food.


    "Me neither, apparently they do not eat meat here, since doing so would disturb their spiritual energy," answered Tria marveling more at the amount of food Mexi was eating.


    "Mexi in a while, I need you to go find out if they have any slaves trading around"


    "Yes, senior sister, I''ll go now."


    "Hmm."


    -A while later


    "Senior sister, I have found a slave trading place, however they are about to send the remaining slaves they have to the capital."


    "Let''s go there now."


    As they reach the slave trading place, there were people outside loading slaves onto a carriage.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    "Excuse me, I am interested in these slaves, would it be possible for you to wait a moment."


    "Oh hello there! You are the new travelers in town, right? Sure, sure, come right this way," said a little man, while signaling Tria and Mexi inside, "you came just in time, I was just about to send the ones I have to the capital to-


    "Oh, there is no need, I will just buy everyone you have right now."


    "Everyone?" the little man was taken aback, there were more than 20 people on that carriage.


    "Yes, everyone."


    Although the little man was surprised, this was good business for him.


    "It''ll be 10 hedj per person, and I have about 21 people, so 210 hedj."


    "Mexi, pay him."


    Currency was the same on all the lands, everyone used silver, but they called it hedj. So, 100 hedj was equivalent to 100 silver.


    Taking the whole carriage of people back, Tria had Mexi rent a house, so she could take a look at everyone, as well as to give them somewhere to rest.


    Forming two lines in front of Tria and mexi, were the slaves with some of them injured, while the others were either solemn or scared.


    Sensing the odd vibe, Tria used her ability to slightly relieve the mood while saying, "Everyone, I understand that buying everyone together may seem skeptical to you and so you''re scared. Don''t be, although I have bought you, you are now a free person," she started burning their slaves'' contracts, "I will heal your injuries, and you can eat and sleep here tonight. Tomorrow, you can decide to either stay or leave, I will not stop you, nor will I force you stay. However, if you decide to stay, you will need to pledge your loyalty to me."


    Tria started treating some of their injuries using her medical skills, she did not use any of her abilities, since she did not want to startle the snake.


    Finished she bid them good night.


    "I will see you in the morning, Mexi, let''s go."


    Watching Tria and Mexi go and leaving them in that big house along with food with a place to sleep, the people were happy, but some of them were still skeptical.


    "I don''t believe she''s up to any good, now that I am free, I will go to the Unknown Land and find riches," agreed a few of them.


    "Hey! Chukah, you want to come with us?"


    "No, I''m staying," said a man who was examining the wound Tria had taken care of for him.

 Gratitude

    The next morning, when Tria had come back, less than half of the slaves had stayed. It was great news to her, as long as there was at least one, but there were nine of them who stayed.


    As the remaining people noticed Tria''s arrival, they walked up to her.


    "Master, we are indebted to you for our freedom, although we also don''t have anywhere to go, we decided to stay because you had saved us. Slaves who goes to the capital eventually die not long after they''re bought. You have healed our injuries, gave us food, and a place to sleep. We are determined to be your servants, we will serve you with our lives."


    A teen girl had come forward along with the others and pledge to Tria. She was surprised, she was expecting some to stay, but since she had not promised them anything, she had not expected such determination.


    "What''s your name?" asked Tria after a while.


    "I do not have a name, but everyone calls me Ka''an," she said while looking down, spiritless.


    Tria could feel the pain of everyone standing in front of her. She could feel the the pain they have accumulated from abuse as slaves, the helplessness of their fate being controlled by others, and the hatred they felt for their abusers, and themselves for their uselessness.


    Tria had finally felt the pain the ancient priestess from the book of knowledge had referred to, this was the pain of the universe. However, she could not get rid of it, not hers, and not theirs. For such pain, wisdom was the only thing that can alleviate their pain.


    The people saw Tria standing there as she did not speak, nor did she move, but into her eyes they could see something that was extremely familiar to them. It was the pain, the pain that''s been eating at their souls for countless years and had rendered them lifeless.


    "Everyone, sit," Tria finally said as she sat on the ground, inviting them to do the same, "close your eyes and relax your breath. Until I tell you to open your eyes, do not move, or talk."The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Tria had Mexi keep a look out while was with everyone inside. Sitting cross-legged, she began to open her spirit field and reached out to the people sitting across from her. They had all experienced tragedies, and had their lives ruined. Tria could see it all, their families being murdered, them becoming slaves, tortured, imprisoned, and some of them were left to the brink of death.


    She continued to probe towards earlier times of their lives and saw them happy and content with their lives. They were regular people, but some of them had come across evil people and had fell into their schemes.


    After she finished exploring their pains, Tria began with the purification of their souls. Her spiritual energy invaded their spirit bodies, as she worked through each one of them. She had cleansed every ill energy that might have latched onto them, she had cleansed them of their negative thoughts, and had even either opened or repaired their spiritual roots.


    The whole process only took a couple of minutes, the people were told to open their eyes, and as they were experiencing the changes within them, they had all tears streaming down their faces.


    "You''re the Priestess??"


    "Yes."


    They were all sobbing and kneeling on the floor as they thanked her and prayed towards her. They had never expected themselves to be so fortunate, to meet the Priestess and for her to cleanse their unworthy souls, they were revering her faithfully.


    She did not stop them, instead she just walked towards one of them that was still sitting on the ground with his legs crossed. She approached him and tapped his shoulder to wake him up.


    As he woke up, he saw everyone crying and praying, he was startled. Not long ago, all these people were just lifeless zombies, what had happened to them?


    "I was not able to enter your spirit body, are you a native from the unknown Land?" Tria asked the man, he was not extremely handsome, but his untamed hair and stubby beard made him look quite manly.


    The man was startled at the question, but he did not answer.


    "Why did you stay behind?"


    "To repay my gratitude."


    "You don''t need to, you can leave."


    "¡­.", startled he said, "I apologize Master, I want to stay, I am indeed from the Unknown Land, I was just surprised that you were able to find out- wait, how did you find out?"


    "No need to apologize, and I could just tell."


    "¡­."


    "I can feel your pain, and I''m sorry. However, I need you to let me in, I cannot trust you if I do not cleanse you, there is so much negative energy surrounding you, and all it does is attract more."


    "Let you in where Master?"


    "Hey Chukah! You numbskull, Master is the renowned priestess! She had cleansed all of us, and I can even feel the energy around me now," shouted Ka''an from from the little crowd of people.


    Chukah''s whole body went numb from shock, but this gave Tria an opportunity to access his spirit and so she took it. However, she was not ready for what happened when she had her energy enter his spirit.

 Fellow Disciples

    As soon as Tria''s energy entered Chukah''s spirit, her consciousness was dragged along in there and brought her into another dimension.


    Tria felt the same way she does when she goes into the golden temple, except Chukah''s consciousness did not have a temple. Instead, hovering in midair was a black scepter, along with the image of a jackal. Tria knew of this image, from her memories it referred the jackal as the ''Lord of the Sacred Land''. She did not know why it was inside Chukah''s consciousness, however she knew for sure that this scenario was exactly like hers. Crei was the one who triggered her awakening, now she will be the one to trigger Chukah''s.


    As soon as she got close to the jackal''s image, the jackal opened its red eyes, emitting a pressure that pushed Tria out. She did not panic, she had all the slaves surrounding them back out and give Chukah space. There was nothing she could do for him; the rest was up to him.


    After what seemed to be an hour, Chukah finally woke up, opening his eyes showing the same red glow as the jackal, he stood up and let out an ear-piercing howl, as his head changed from a human''s head to a black jackal''s.


    Awooooooooo!!!!!


    His howl reverberated throughout the whole town. His body was radiating a powerful force, which scared the slaves as they sheltered themselves in a corner.


    Chukah walked over to Tria and half kneeled in front her.


    "It has been millenniums since I have been woken up, I am one the guardians contracted to the priestesses, Nub," he said telepathically.


    "You are the Lord of the Sacred Land?"


    "Yes, I have resided in this human''s family bloodline since the beginning of time and should have been awoken every generation using a divine artifact, but it seems that the same people who were after the priestesses'' power have gotten hold of it."


    "I see, what happened to Chukah?


    "He is currently merging with the jackal and succeeding his powers. He will also be instructed of his role as your guardian. My essence is running out, I am glad that the priestesses'' legacy is still alive, please take care."


    Chukah''s body returned to normal as he collapses on the ground.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Tria was amazed of what just happened, she had never expected such a turn of events. She had only bought and freed these slaves the day before, and had purified their souls, but she did not think that she would end up awakening a being that her predecessors did not have a chance to awaken.


    As she looked upon Chukah''s body, she remembered that there were actually four guardians, they have been forgotten since they have not appeared for eras, but they existed. There was the Lord of the Sacred Land from what is now referred to as the Unknown Land, the Mother of the Sun from the Sun Land, the Father of Snakes from the Earth Land, and The Traveler from the Moon Land; they had never been awoken at the same time.


    As Tria waited, she called Mexi back in to help move Chukah''s body inside the house, and she gathered the crowd of people in the front yard.


    "As you know, there are people searching for the Priestess across all the Lands," she started, "you have decided to stay, and I have decided to trust you. Before I continue, tell the others more about yourselves, you first Ka''an."


    "Yes, master. I am Ka''an and I am 17 years old this year, I am originally from the Moon Land, and I have been a slave since I was 9 years old. When my mother died, my father had remarried, and he sold me away to some travelling merchants. I do have anything to go back to, an I do not want to go anywhere either. I hope we can all stay together and become a family, I don''t want to back home¡­" she said as she started sobbing.


    Tria walked over to her and gave her a hug, Ka''an cried even harder, she has not been hugged since her mother died. Feeling Tria''s warmth, she calmed down and just silently sobbed.


    "I have been a slave since I can remember," started another person, it was an older boy with red hair and bushy eyebrows, "I have never been given a name, so I don''t know what to call myself. I think I am about 19 or 20 years old, I also hope we can become a family."


    "Is it alright if I gave you a name? "asked Tria.


    "That would be my greatest honor, master."


    "Good, then I will name you, Khen."


    "Thank you, master, I, Khen, will serve you for life."


    The other people told their stories as well, the remaining were named, Voni, Kal, Seti, Talei, and a pair of twins Djo and Dja.


    Voni, was a 24-year-old woman, who had just been sold to the slave trading place by her own husband.


    Kal, a 16-year-old boy, was also sold by his family.


    Seti, was a 29-year-old man, he was the oldest out of them all, he made the wrong choices in life, and ended up as a slave.


    Talei, was a 26-year-old woman, she used to be a servant for an influential family but because her master tried get her to sleep with him, she was sold away by the master''s wife.


    Djo and Dja, the boys were barely 8 years old, they both do not remember what happened to them, but Tria knew and it broke her heart to know there were such cruel people around.


    "Thank you for staying, all of you. The eight of you will now be my people, my family, my kin. You are no longer slaves, so do not act like one, also cease from calling me master, call me senior sister," she said as she smiled at the group, "on this trip, Mexi and I are identified as fellow disciples, and so are you now. Except for Djo and Dja, you guys will be now be my little brothers, so call me older sister" she said laughing as she looked at the cheerful crowd, but then turned to look back at the house, as she sensed Chukah''s arrival.

 Big Brother

    While Tria''s fellow disciples went to get acquainted with each other, she and Chukah were the only two left in the courtyard. When Chukah came out, he had golden tattoos around his arms, and wrists. Tria could see the darkness around him was gone, and even him as a person seemed to have changed as well.


    "Priestess, before anything, I w-


    "It''s alright, let''s leave that in the past, how are you feeling?"


    "I-I''m feeling alright, there is a lot that make sense to me now. Would you like to listen to my story?"


    "Sure."


    Tria could feel an air of sorrow enveloping him.


    "I am from the Wepwawet Tribe in the Unknown Land, my tribe is¡­well, was one of the most ancient tribe in the Land. My father has always told me stories from the ancient times, about how great of a tribe we were, but by the time I was born, there was only a few of us left. My father would always tell me about how we had a God''s bloodline and that we had a purpose to serve, but I never believed it.


    How could I? If we were so great, why were we being murdered and hunted if we were seen by outsiders, is what I used to think. I didn''t want to live my life in wait for something miraculous to happen, and so I ran away from home. When I did, I opened the barrier that was supposed to protect the tribe and led all the outsiders into our home. They plundered through every home, and murdered everyone, I was still alive because I had already run away.


    When I went back and saw what they did, I thought I could avenge my family, but ended being taken away instead and got sold into slavery. I have gone through so much, but the pain from losing everything I held dear was greater, and the hatred I felt for those bastards many times greater.


    However, after years of being traded around as a slave, I have lost all hope of getting revenge, and continued living waiting for the day I was able to reunite with my family¡­that was until yesterday, when I heard you wanted to buy everyone on the carriage. I did not know why, but the hope that I lost had come back, even more so when you had taken care of all our injuries."


    Tria was just silently listening to Chukah, his story was really heartbreaking, but because she could feel his pain, it made it even more extreme.


    She continued to listen to him.


    "I wish I had taken my father''s stories more seriously, and I wish I had not ran away, but it was fated to be like this. I have been awakened to be your guardian, my life is now yours, Priestess," he finished as he kneeled on the ground towards Tria.


    Tria silently looked at him, this man has gone through a lot in his lifetime, although he was now a free man, he still had to serve her as a guardian. Tria has never liked to force anyone to do anything, and wanted to reverse this situation but Chukah who could see her intentions stopped her.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    "Priestess, it would be my greatest honor to be your guardian, not only mine, it would be my whole tribe''s honor to finally be able to fulfill our purpose."


    "Are you sure?"


    "Please."


    "Alright," she stood up smiling, "however, you are not my servant, please get up, you are now my brother, my big brother."


    Chukah almost fainted again from surprise, for the priestess to refer to him as her brother, and for him to gain a sibling after losing his family, unable to control his tears, he broke down and let out all the pain he had pent up in his heart over the years.


    Tria consoled him as she patted his back, he was now her big brother and she vowed to always be there for him. As she felt that he was feeling better, she called over everyone and told them about Chukah. Although they were surprised, they were happy that all of them were a family, the little time they spent learning about each other brought them closer.


    This image really pleased Tria, everyone was laughing and enjoying each other''s company. Who would have thought that these were the same guys who stood in the courtyard all solemn and scared to even look at her, just the day before?


    "Alright everyone, although I have said that you would be my fellow disciples on this trip, in reality, you are not. I will have you guys be my elders, although I do not have a temple at the moment, but that will happen soon. As we travel, I might have to leave some of you behind, to take care of some things. That''s for the future though, I must also say something else," her tone getting serious, she continued, "Although I am the chosen priestess, I am still human, do not expect me to always be benevolent. When I do something, or say something, it must not be questioned, I want us to be on the same page so there will not any complications later."


    "Senior sister, we understand." How could they not understand, after everything they have been through, they understood what was needed to survive in this wolrd.


    "Good, then we are ready to set off, we have been here for too long and after that howl earlier, I am sure there are people wondering what it was," she looked towards Mexi, "Mexi, get another carriage as soon as possible."


    "Yes, senior sister."


    As Mexi left, Tria had brought out and had them wear the same clothes that she and Mexi were wearing, that indicated they are from the same school. They did not fit Chukah''s large size and Djo and Dja, but they were her siblings, there was not a need to match their clothes.


    "Actually, Chukah, I am going to have you bring Djo and Dja back to where I live, and have you meet us later."


    "Big sister, we are not going with you?" Djo and Dja ran to Tria, looking up at her with sad eyes.


    "Aw, my little cuties," she smiled as she pinched their cheeks, "big sister is going to send you to see where I live, and to also meet your big brother-in-law."


    "Brother-in-law?"


    "Big sister, you''re married?" they both asked at the same time.


    Even the rest of them were surprised, they did not think that she was already married.


    "Haha, yes, you will meet him when you get there," she said as she rubbed their heads. The kids were too cute, after washing up and wearing clean clothes, she could tell they would grow up to be lady killers.


    "I will make sure to come back as soon as possible," said Chukah, he was already getting ready to go right now.


    "Take your time, we will wait for you in the capital, I hope to stay there for a while."


    "Alright, is brother-in-law treating you okay?" he asked nervously, she was now his sister, it was only right that he cares about her well-being.


    Tria smiled at his care for her, "Yes big brother, he does. You two will get along well," she said smiling, unknown to what kind of disaster she was setting up.

 Brother-in-law

    Sending off Tria and the rest, Chukah along with Djo and Dja went on their way to the Sun Land.


    Chukah was surprised to find out that Tria was actually not from an impoverished family like the most of past chosen priestesses, and she was even a princess consort. Although he was assured by Tria that everything would go fine, and even gave him a letter to arrange everything, he was still nervous. How should he interact with a brother-in-law, and an imperial one at that?


    The three of them have never been to the Sun Land, they''ve always heard of how prosperous it was, however seeing it now was an amazing sight to them. Well, it figured that this Land was like this, since it is where the current emperor was from, and the royal city where he resided in was even more flourishing.


    "Big brother, do you think brother-in-law is going to like us?", asked Djo as he ate some treats they had just bought.


    "Of course, he will, just remember what your big sister said, behave and do not go running around."


    "We will, big brother."


    Arrived after over two weeks of travel, Chukah finally made it to the third prince manor. He did not want to rest, he wanted to go back to the priestess''s side as soon as possible.


    "Who goes there? This is the third prince manor, what business do you have?" shouted one of the guards upon seeing a man with two children, he had never seen them before.


    "Please inform the third prince that his nephews are here to see him," Chukah slowly said, the guards did not scare him at all.


    When the guard who shouted earlier heard what he said he did not believe him, why would the prince''s nephews come in a commoner''s carriage? However, the man in front of him was extremely powerful, although he doesn''t know what level he has reached, he knew he could not go against him, therefore he just ran in to inform the prince.Stolen novel; please report.


    "This prince''s nephews? When did I get nephews who would come to visit me? Have them come in."


    Chukah, who was standing in the courtyard instructing Djo and Dja to behave and be good until Tria came back, was interrupted by Crei''s arrival. As Crei walked over closer to them, he was amazed at the man''s beauty; it would not be a disrespect to compare him to God.


    "Are you the ones who claim to be my nephews?" asked Crei staring down at the three, he has never seen them before.


    Looking around and realizing the many people surrounded them, Chukah tried to whisper to him, "Tria sent me."


    Although Crei was happy to hear that Tria sent them, he was really unhappy at how intimate the guy called his wife''s name.


    "Is that so?" he said while waving everyone else away.


    "Yes, she has passed on this letter to explain everything," Chukah said while handing him the letter.


    Reading the letter, Crei''s smile reached all the way back to his ears, he had probably re-read it like ten times already.


    Watching him smiling like a creep, Chukah and the siblings were just looking at him, they seriously wondered what their sister wrote to make him so happy.


    "Good, good," putting the letter into his bosom he then crouched down to the siblings, " Djo and Dja, you two are now my little brothers then, very well."


    As he smiled at the boys, he called out Dewen to take them around and prepare rooms for them.


    Left, was only him and Chukah.


    "And you? She has also accepted you as her brother as well?"


    "Yes,"Chukah was confused, why was he treating him differently from the twins?


    "Why? I can understand the little ones, but why would she choose you as well?"


    "¡­.", ''what the heck?''


    "Did you confess to her?"


    "¡­.", Chukah was about to explode, if Crei was not a prince or his brother-in-law, he would have plunged at him already.


    "Did you?" Crei could see Chukah''s face getting ugly, but he didn''t care.


    Taking in large breath to calm himself, chukah decided to let it go and answered:


    "¡­no"


    Crei stared at Chukah, scrutinizing him, then he suddenly formed a great idea as he changed his attitude.


    "Brother-in-law, since you''ll be on your way back to my wife, I''ve missed her so much already, I shall go back with you," Crei said as he wraps his arm around Chukah''s neck informally.


    Only he knew what schemes he was planning in his head. Since Mexi did not understood his orders, he shall go there himself.