That evening, Zaiveil found herself alone in her chambers, carefully packing the last of her supplies into a sturdy travel pack.
A soft knock interrupted her packing and Elder Cryzton's voice carried gently through the door.
"My princess? May I have a word with you before you depart tomorrow?"
"Of course," Zaiveil responds, setting aside her packing as he enters, Elder Cryzton sitting slowly in the chair near her window.
"I wanted to give you something," he said, reaching into his robe and producing a small, intricately carved wooden charm on a leather cord.
"This is a protective artifact in the form of a necklace, using my own design. It wasn't that powerful but it would give you some warning when a dangerous energy got near you."
Zaiveil accepted the small artifact carefully, turning it over in her palm before slipping it over her head alongside the locket. "Thank you so much for this, Elder Cryzton, I would always keep in mind every help you gave to me."
"My princess, part of me wishes to also accompany you by myself. However my strength hasn't fully recovered since the Cosmic Soul Connection, and I fear I'd become more of a burden for you all, than help within that forest." Elder Cryzton admitted, his weathered expression carrying a quiet concern.
"You've already helped more than you probably realize, Elder. I personally think that you're the best Guardian, Celestia Kingdom is so lucky because you're here to guide and protect everyone." Zaiveil said gently while giving Elder Cryzton a smile of gratitude.
"Well, I guess you're right, However I would like you to promise me that you will all remain cautious, my princess." he said, a smile crossing across his face.
"I promise." Zaiveil said, and meant it.
After hearing her promise, Elder Cryzton said his goodbyes and departed from her chamber.
Leaving her once again alone with her own thoughts, Zaiveil moved towards her window, gazing out at the moonlit palace grounds stretching toward the distant, shadowed edge of Havenmyst Forest itself.
"Whatever happens, whatever challenges or unexpected events I'll face, I'm ready to conquer them all."
The morning of their departure arrived brighter than Zaiveil expected, sunlight spilling gold across the courtyard where the family had gathered near a small convoy of packed horses.
"You look like you didn't sleep at all, little sis," Zyver said, appearing at her side with a satchel slung over one shoulder that was full with vials.
"I slept enough, Second Brother." Zaiveil said, though the shadows beneath her eyes likely told a different story.
"I bet, that's not a real answer." Zyver squinted at her with the exaggerated concern of an older brother who fully intended to fuss regardless of what she said.
"If you collapse in the middle of the forest, I'm blaming myself, and then I'll have to invent something to fix it, and then Herox will yell at me for testing untested things again." Zyver playfully complained.
"Then I suppose, I need to always stay conscious, so Big Brother won't yell at you, " Zaiveil said flatly, her voice still lacking emotions, and Zyver burst into a laugh that drew Heriot's attention across from them.
Empress Hernia looked towards them, her expression composed
"Everything's packed," Hernia said, smoothing an invisible wrinkle from Zaiveil's sleeve, an excuse Empress Hernia said, to simply touch Zaiveil for a moment longer.
"Elder Nixie has all the healing supplies within her. While your brothers have their weapons and sr
strengths, and you have what Elder Cryzton gave you, so always be safe, my daughter." Her hand paused over the collar of Zaiveil's clothes, just above where the two pendants were hidden.
"I will, we will. Mother." Zaiveil covered her mother's hand gently with her own.
"I know you will, I just can't help but to worry." Hernia's voice slightly wavered.
She's an Empress of a kingdom, even though she's worried about her children she still decided to stay within the palace, because the Celestia Kingdom needed her and Emperor Zyron to be their ruler.
"That is a mother's privilege," Emperor Zyron said, approaching with his usual aura, he strode towards them with restraint, but his eyes lingered on his daughter with the same restrained anxiety he'd carried since the council meeting.
"Herox." Emperor Zyron called out.
"Father?" Herox stepped forward, inclining his head with practiced formality, but that formality had grown less guarded since Zaiveil's return.
"You have the map, you're the eldest, take care of everyone and always remember the boundaries that the elders had set." Zyron's gaze swept over his four sons and finally settled on Zaiveil.
"Understood, Father," Herox said.
He wasn't mad about the responsibilities that had been given to him, because as the eldest among the siblings and the crown prince of Celestia Kingdom, he was trained to be ready for every possible thing.
This time, he will not do this for their kingdom's people but for his family, for his siblings that he all cares about, so he would make sure to do his best to ensure everyone's safety.
"If something feels wrong, all of you should retreat immediately." Zyron pressed, his voice carrying the particular firmness of a man who had already lost his daughter once to circumstances beyond his control and had no intention of losing her again to an unforeseen carelessness.
"Father, I promise that everyone will be fine." Zaiveil said, meeting her father's eyes directly.
The weight in Emperor Zyron's shoulders eased a lot, although the worry never left his face. He still stepped forward and looked at his children's one by one, like his etching every detail of their faces in his head
"Come back safely." he murmured, quiet enough that only Zaiveil could hear it.
When Zaiveil heard what her father said, she slightly nodded to him as a reassurance.
Elder Nixie arrived a moment later, a satchel of neatly organized supplies at her hip and her gentle expression turned into a more focused expression, Zaiveil had never seen from her before.
"Your Majesty, the Emperor and Empress, Princes and Princess Zai, I've already prepared everything I believe we'll need, we can go now." she greeted while bowing her head slightly.
The convoy set out shortly after, the palace gates rolled shut behind them as they rode through the outer districts of Celestia's capital.
Zaiveil watched the city unfold before her eyes, the morning bustle of merchants opening their stalls, the children darting between carts and playing around the place, the distant chime of the Celestial Elysium's bell marking the hour.
Word of the returned princess had turned into something more ordinary over the past few weeks, there are fewer stares now when the royal carriage passed by, fewer whispers, and a handful of citizens still paused to watch the royal procession pass, murmuring amongst themselves.