FaTejo Fanfic - The Lafandar and His Shadain (Complete)

Hello people! So, I'm back with another story (it took me about 2 weeks to complete it). This one will have multiple chapters and I'll post 2 today. I hope you'll enjoy it! :D 

Here’s the prequel to this story: FaTejo OS - Contemplation

Chapter 1 

“Tell me about the warrior princess again” he said and laid his head on her lap. She instinctively moved her arms and put away the book she was reading. 

The two were just spending a quiet winter evening indoors. It has been a relaxing day for the two.

Now they were in their bedroom, the mugs of chai empty, sitting on the table.

“Which warrior princess?” She asked, stroking his hair. “The one where she saves her kingdom and falls in love with her best friend?” 

Tejo stopped stroking his hair, her fingers hovering over his head. Which story was he talking about? Suddenly it clicked.  “You mean the Royal and the Hero?” She asked. 

“Yes!” He exclaimed. She smiled at him and said “I’ve already told you the story” as she continued to softly run her fingers through his hair. “I know, but I want to hear it again” he said. 

“Alright” she said before continuing “once upon a time in a faraway land, there was a princess. Her name was Tara. She had mastered the art of combat and often sparred with her childhood friend” “the court jester” Fateh added. “The commander” she said and softly glared. “Then who was the court jester?” He asked, grinning. Tejo rolled her eyes and said, “I’m sure they had one even though they didn’t mention it.”  “Ok, ok” he said. 

“The princess knew that after her parents had passed away, she would be next in line. The future of their kingdom depended on her. So, she trained to be the best since she was a child. Her childhood friend eventually became a Commander in chief. His name was Ferdinand” Tejo said.

“How did they meet?” Fateh asked. “They had met as children when Ferdinand’s father was the Commander in Chief. The two children didn’t get along well initially. To Ferdinand, Tara was a spoilt princess who was also very hard-headed and crazy. As for Tara, Ferdinand was that kid who boasts a lot but never does anything right. Ironically, at times the two were forced to interact” she said and chuckled.

“Tara loved to combat and so did Ferdinand! They both insisted they accompany their fathers during missions. They naturally disagreed as it was too dangerous. However, they allowed them to join when they were visiting their friends. They taught them the tactics that they had learnt from the best commanders and warriors in the world”

“These two kids learnt how to fight at a very young age. They both were similar in a lot of ways – independent, passionate and strong” she said, a distant smile adorning her features. It brought certain memories back – when Fateh and herself would butt heads. “Hello? Rani Tejo are you there?” Fateh asked. It broke Tejo out of her reverie.

“Oh yes, as I was saying” she started, before taking a quick pause. “Over time, Ferdinand and Tara realized how much they had in common. They spent hours sparring with each other. It seemed though they truly brought out the best in each other.”

“As they grew older, their friendship deepened too. These two were the best of friends. There was nothing they didn’t know about each other. No one seemed to have a problem with it, except for Ferdinand’s dad. His concern lied in the fact that a princess and the son of a Commander had no future. Ferdinand had assured him that he wasn’t in love Tara, nor was Tara in love with him.”

“That sucks” Fateh grumbled. “Why?” Tejo looked down at her husband and raised her eyebrows. “It’s unfair that even IF Ferdinand wanted to be with Tara, the system in place would try to prevent him from doing so” he said and pouted.

“People create systems and systems can be changed, what matters is if there is an effort and an intention of doing so” she said and gently pinched his cheek. “Ok wise one, you have a point” he said and chuckled. “I always do” she said smiling. “Then what happened?” Fateh asked, a childlike eagerness adorning his features.

Tejo softly smiled at Fateh, before continuing “Tara’s dad was happy about Tara, for he truly believed once he and his wife had passed on, Tara would be able to rule righteously. His people loved him and from what he saw, they loved Tara as well.

The young women of the Kingdom cheered her on every time she made a visit to the cities and villages. She would take time to listen to each resident of their kingdom, making notes of their concerns and then report them back to the king, while also suggesting proper actions to be taken. Ferdinand had admired this about the princess. She was always ready to fight for the right cause, dive head -first if she ever saw injustice. He always believed that the Kingdom will be right hands, even if the king were to pass away”

“I have a feeling something bad is about to happen” Fateh mumbled. “You have heard the story before” she said, tilting her to a side. “Yes, but it never gets old” he said and grinned. Tejo sighed and continued “everything was going well, until pesky feelings came in the way”

Fateh raised his left brow. “Both of their feelings came in the way. Tara knew she was slowly falling for Ferdinand” she said, before continuing “in the summer of that year, Tara’s cousin Jiya came to visit. Jiya was like the sun, lighting up everywhere she went, whereas Tara was more like the sea, whose depth seemed to know no bounds”

“I like the sea. It is calming” Fateh softly said. “I know” she whispered back. She softly chuckled and then kissed her husband on the forehead. Fateh smiled up at her and Tejo carried on with the story. “That summer Ferdinand met Jiya. It was like walking into sunshine, for Jiya’s light heartedness seemed to bring in airiness wherever she went. For Ferdinand, it was love at first sight”

“Oh no. What about Tara?” he asked for his heart broke for the princess. “Tara knew Ferdinand loved Jiya. She could tell just by looking at him – the way his eyes lit up every time she walked up to him or when he spoke about her. Tara knew Ferdinand had given his heart to Jiya and while her own heart was breaking, she decided she’d try her best to make sure Ferdinand received the happiness he deserved”

‘Tara, do you think Jiya likes me?’ Ferdinand asked. Tara stiffened.” Truth is, Jiya had asked Tara about Ferdinand after they had met – where he was from, what was his role. They were sitting in their veranda one evening, their chairs facing each other. Tara asked what she thought of Ferdinand. “Oh alright I guess” Jiya said. “What do you mean? You guys would make a cute couple” Tara said, her heart sinking. “Yes I know but, you know how I have always wanted to leave the kingdom right? I have always dreamt of going to Silverre. They say that the castles over there are made of glass” Jiya said, her eyes shining. “Jiya, you know that’s just a myth right?” Tara asked. “Oh c’mon Tara. Live a little. Even if it is just a myth, the Kingdom of Silverre is gorgeous” Jiya said. “Yes, it is, but so is our kingdom. The lush green forest, the warmth of the sun, wouldn’t you miss it?” Tara asked. Jiya shook her head. “I want to move to Silverre” she said. Tara sighed. Jiya wouldn’t marry Ferdinand. Unless he was willing to move to the Kingdom of Silverre for good. Knowing Ferdinand, it would kill him for he’d have to choose between duty and love. Tara didn’t want Ferdinand to go through it, but at the same time she didn’t know what to do.

“Ferdinand is a really great guy you know” Tara suggested. “I am sure he is, but I want to marry a man from Silverre” Jiya said and got up. Tara sighed. It seemed like there was no point in talking to Jiya about Ferdinand. What would she do?

“Tara” Ferdinand called out to her, breaking her trance. “Y-yes?” she managed to mumble. “Are you alright? What did Jiya say?” He asked. Tara softly said “She said that she’d only marry a man from Silverre .”

Ferdinand gulped. He felt his heart crack just a little. “Well then, I’ll see what I can do. Thank you, Tara” he said and turned away from her, before walking away.

“I hope everything works out on your favour Ferdinand.” She softly said. She knew Jiya was right in her own accord. Jiya had been clear about marrying a man from Silverre. Since Jiya was of age now, it is only matter of time till a proposal from Silverre comes along. Maybe.

Ferdinand was heading in a direction that could potentially tore him apart and Tara didn’t want that to happen.

P.S: The Royal and The Hero were inspired by #FaTejo, AND a story called The Crown and The Flame by Pixelberry Studios.

I messed up the sequence of the chapters - I repeated the same chapter hence, chapter 2 and the later chapters are now posted below. :) 

Plz do.

I am quite interested in this story inside story narrative structure.

You have fleshed out the connections really well.

Waiting for the next.

 - Niki

Originally posted by: mistofshadows

Plz do.

I am quite interested in this story inside story narrative structure.

You have fleshed out the connections really well.

Waiting for the next.

 - Niki

Thank you Niki! I really appreciate your wonderful comment! 😊

Chapter 2

If you've read chapter 2, I'd still ask you to read this one because I messed up the sequence and I don’t want my readers to be confused 🥲

Jiya had left for her home the next day. ‘Don’t worry too much about that Ferdinand of yours Tara’ Jiya said, before hugging her. ‘Also, learn to live for yourself sometimes’ Jiya whispered before pulling away. “I’ll write once I reach home” she said, before adding ‘take care of yourself big sister’

Ferdinand seemed distant. When Tara asked what was wrong, he said that he spoke to his father about relocating to the Kingdom of Silverre. His father glared at him before saying ‘do as you please. I cannot permit an action that can potentially put the kingdom at risk. You are a great soldier Ferdinand and no doubt you’d be an excellent Commander in Chief. However, if you wish to leave, then you must speak to the king. As for your father, my loyalty lies with this kingdom. I have taken an oath to never leave this kingdom’s side and I never will’

Ferdinand was in a dilemma. He knew what it meant to resign from the armed forces. He knew what it meant once he lost his badge and relocated. Although his highness wouldn’t mark him a traitor, he wouldn’t be able to forgive himself.

Tara wanted to pull Ferdinand into her arms. Instead, she softly patted his arm and said ‘I’m sure you’ll find your answer.’

Truth is she knew he would find his answer. The problem was that she didn’t know what the answer would be and how it would affect him. So she said, “however, please remember to think thoroughly before you take any step” Ferdinand was about to protest but the concerned look on her face stopped him. “Ok” he said.

Then about a week later, Jiya’s letter arrived. She was getting married. The groom was the prince of the Silverre.

How was she supposed to break this news to Ferdinand?

Tara sat on the floor with the letter in her hands. Ferdinand needed to know the truth. Did he already decide that he wanted to leave this kingdom? So she ran out of room.

Where can he be? The sparring ground!

So, Tara ran towards the area where they always spar, and there he was, wielding his sword as it glowed under the late afternoon sun.

‘Ferdinand?’ Tara called out. Ferdinand was about to strike an imaginary hurdle but stopped midway. He turned to look at her, and the look on her face made his heart sink.

‘What is it Tara?’ He asked worriedly. ‘Jiya sent a letter’ Tara started”

Tejo was about to continue the story when they heard a knock. Fateh got up, grumbling.

“They always have to bother when the story deepens” he said. “Do your legs hurt?” He suddenly asked, turning around to face his wife. it’s been a while since he was laying his head on her lap.

“I am fine” Tejo said.

Fateh got up from the bed and walked towards door, before turning around and saying, “you need to tell me the rest of the story.”

“Always” she said and grinned.

It was Fateh’s sister. “I see you two are spending some quality time together” she said and peeked into the room. “It’s ok, I get it. I wouldn’t wanna disturb you lovebirds but it’s dinnertime” she said and grinned.

Tejo sat upright on the bed, turning around to get down. “I totally forgot!” she exclaimed. “No, you’re not getting up to work or anything. We forbid you” Mahi said and chuckled.

She then entered the duo’s room before taking the empty mugs in her hands. “I’ll take these, you two remember to eat” she said.

“We’ll be right there for dinner” Fateh responded, before Mahi left. “Are you alright? How are you feeling?” Fateh asked as he walked towards his wife. Tejo smiled at him before saying “I’m ok” Fateh extended his arm to her, which she took.

He helped her get of the bed, and asked “are your feet sore?” “No. I’m alright. Really” Tejo said and smiled up at her husband. “Do you want me to bring your food here?” He asked. “No, let’s go and have dinner with the family” she replied.

The duo left the room to have dinner with the rest of family. Dinner was usual – a lot of chit chat about the day and plans for the week. When dinner was over, the two returned to their bedroom and freshened up.

“I want to go for a walk” Tejo said. “Now? It’s almost 9pm and you need to sleep by 10. Besides it’s cold outside” Fateh said. “it’s too early for bed and we just ate” Tejo insisted. “Ok ma’am, as you wish. Your humble knight is here to serve and protect” Fateh said and grinned. “You’re such a goofball” Tejo said. “I’m YOUR goofball” he said and smiled down at his wife. 

Fateh quickly went inside and brought his blazer. Tejo was surprised at her husband’s antics. He then put it on her, before proceeding to close each button. She looked at the blazer, and said looking up at him “this is my favorite blazer” “yep” he said and nodded. “But it’s not that cold outside” she protested. He cupped her face in his hands and said “it’s still cold and you need to be warm” before smiling at his wife. She smiled back at him before saying “alright, then go put on something.” “Yes, ma’am” he said and did as she said.

The duo came out of their house to go for a walk. Fateh had his arm around Tejo, occasionally glancing at her and smiling. His wife was playing with the hem of his blazer. He kissed her head and said, “you’re adorable, you know that?” She beamed at him and his smile broadened.

Being in love made really makes you smile a lot huh.

“So, where were we? Right. Tara ran to Ferdinand to show him the letter” Tejo started. “Ferdinand stiffened. This could either be the best or the worst news he could’ve received, so he dropped the sword with a gentle thud, and slowly walked towards Tara. ‘M-May I see it?’ he asked. Tara handed him the letter. He opened it only to have his heart broken. Part of him already saw it coming. Jiya was getting married. Was this it? Was Jiya about to be someone else’s even before he could confess about his own feelings? Could he stop the wedding? He wondered” She added.

“The guy will soon realize the truth” Fateh mumbled. “Hush. Who’s telling the story here?” Tejo asked. “Ok, alright please continue” Fateh said. “Exactly. Part of him wanted to go to the kingdom of Silverre and stop the wedding, but the other part of him thought it was a bad idea. It all seemed too much for Ferdinand. His straining relationship with his dad, loyalty to the kingdom and now this failing story of his love” Tejo said.

“He looked up at Tara. He noticed the worry her eyes. He smiled bitterly. The only person ever to truly understand him was his best friend” She added. “Tara softly called out to him ‘do you need some space?’ Ferdinand slowly nodded. Tara sighed and said ‘ok, take your time. I know it all feels a bit too much now. I’m here if you need me’ Ferdinand nodded his head and said ‘thank you, Tara’ Tara shook her head and said ‘no need to thank me Ferdinand. I’ll leave now. Make sure you head indoors soon as it’s getting dark outside’ ‘Will do’ Ferdinand said before turning away to walk towards the area where he dropped the sword. Tara turned around towards the direction of the castle and started to walk away”

Tejo took a pause and Fateh asked, “would you like sit for a bit?” indicating towards the bench nearby. “Ok” She replied. The duo then sat on the bench. Tejo rested her head on Fateh’s shoulder. Fateh’s arm was around Tejo. Tejo closed her eyes for a bit and sighed. The temperature tonight wasn’t too cold.

“This is so peaceful” he softly said. “Mhmm” she replied in agreement. “Sleepy?” He asked. She responded with a “no, just taking it all in. The beautiful weather and my beautiful husband” she said, looking up at him and smiled.

He grinned at her in response and said “why thank you. I’m grateful to be in the presence of the beauty next to me and to be able to call her mine.”

“Awww” she said. The two gazed into each other eyes. Tejo was the one to break the trance.  “Story?” she asked and it broke Fateh’s trance. “O-oh yes, right” he said.

Chapter 3

“The next day Tara and Ferdinand’s fathers called them to the library. ‘Our ally at the northern kingdom needs us so we have to leave tonight’ the king said. Tara looked at him worriedly and asked ‘may I join father?’ for the king’s health wasn’t as it used to be even a few years ago. ‘No my child. I must go. I promised Sameer that I’ll stand by his side so I have to keep my promise’ he said as he softly patted Tara’s head. ‘May I join you, your majesty?’ Asked Ferdinand. Surely the king wouldn’t say no? ‘No Ferdinand, I don’t think either one of you should be accompanying us’ the king said sternly. ‘Yes, your majesty’ Ferdinand said and bowed before the king.

‘My dear’ the king softly called out to Tara. ‘Everything will be ok’ the king said. He hugged her daughter and Tara hugged her father back. For some reason there’s an inkling of fear at the back of her mind but she couldn’t tell where the fear was stemming from. For some reason, she didn’t want her father or Ferdinand’s father to leave. She pulled away from his hold and said ‘please father, make sure to come back safely’ before looking at Ferdinand’s father and saying ‘please come home safely.’ Ferdinand’s father was taken aback. He knew the girl since she was a kid and no doubt adored her, but he never expected her to be this vulnerable. “Y-Yes your highness’ he said and bowed before Tara. ‘I asked you not to do that’ Tara said. Ferdinand’s father sighed. Tara never seemed to understand how different they were. ‘Ok’ he softly said.

The two bid farewell to their fathers that night. Ferdinand was quieter than he was for the past few days. ‘How are you feeling?’ Tara asked. ‘I’m ok Tara’ Ferdinand said and gave Tara a strained smile. Tara knew Ferdinand was lying, but she didn’t want to force the truth out of him. ‘You know I’m here for you right?’ She asked. ‘Of course,’ Ferdinand said and smiled at her, before saying ‘good night Tara.’ He didn’t wait for her to say it back.

‘Good night, Ferdinand’ she whispered into the air.

“The guy is an idiot actually” Fateh said. “Oh really?” Tejo asked as she looked up at her husband. “Yes. He really is” he said as he looked down at his wife.

“On the bright side, there’s still time for him to realize the truth” she said and smiled. “Ok then, please continue” he said.

That night Ferdinand couldn’t sleep. Everything just felt too much for him – his failed attempt at love, his straining relationship with his father, his guilt for almost leaving the armed forces and now his father’s departure. He got up from his bed and started to pace the length of his room. He felt suffocated. He wanted to run away or at least get away from everything for a little while”

“Wait what? What about Tara? He’s just gonna leave her like this?” Fateh asked and frowned. “He’s human, Fateh” Tejo said as she removed her head from his shoulder. Fateh looked at her, and Tejo said “everything was changing way too fast. Sometimes life takes a toll on us. At times like that we need space, not because we no longer love the ones, we love but because we’re human and we need to take care of ourselves too” she said. Fateh nodded in understanding. “I suppose what you said makes sense” he said and softly kissed her forehead. Tejo’s smile broadened and she resumed telling the story.

“He wanted leave but then the thought of leaving Tara behind pulled at his heartstrings. ‘I can’t do that to her, we don’t know how long will it take for our fathers to return home and I can’t let her face all of this alone’ he thought. ‘Maybe I’ll come back when our fathers return?’ he asked himself.

‘Should I, should I ask Tara?’ he whispered into the void. ‘I, I can’t hurt her like this’ he said. Tara was his best friend, his partner in crime. There was nothing he couldn’t talk to her about but this was different. This was him telling his best friend that he needed to go when she needed him the most. ‘What do I do?’ he asked himself. He contemplated on the situation for a bit and finally decided he’ll talk to her.

He left his room and walked into the courtyard. To his surprise, Tara was there. She was walking slowly, her head bent down, deep in thought.

‘Tara?’ he softly called out. She looked up at him and called out ‘hey Ferdinand, what are you doing here?’ ‘I should be asking you the same’ Ferdinand said as he walked towards her.

‘Couldn’t sleep’ she replied. ‘Same’ he said in agreement. Ferdinand looked down, his brows furrowed in deep concentration. Tara tilted her head to a side and said ‘what’s bothering you, Ferdinand? I know lately things have been quite disheartening for you, but I know there’s something more to this’ Ferdinand looked up and Tara said ‘the truth Ferdinand.’

‘I’m sorry Tara’ he softly said. ‘For what?’ she asked a little confused. ‘I-I don’t know what to do’ he said. Tara motioned for him to continue by nodding her head in agreement. ‘I feel suffocated, like I need to get away from everything, but I know how things are right now and I don’t want to be a bad friend, I don’t want to leave you alone’ he started to say. Tara quickly went up to him and put her arms around him. ‘It’s ok Ferdinand. It’s alright’ she said. Ferdinand slowly hugged her back. Tara slowly pulled away and looked up at him ‘it’s ok to feel vulnerable and it’s more than ok to ask for space’ she said.

‘So, if I leave you won’t be sad?’ he asked. Tara’s eyes watered at his question. ‘I’ll be sad if I see you hurt Ferdinand. You’re, you’re my best friend and I want you to be safe and happy’ she said. Ferdinand gave her a soft smile. ‘Thank you, Tara, for being the best friend anyone would be lucky to have’ he said. ‘Of course, Ferdinand’ she responded.

That night Ferdinand left the kingdom. He hugged Tara one last time – both trying not to cry. ‘I’ll be back, I promise’ Ferdinand said. ‘Take your time’ Tara softly said.

‘Goodbye Tara’ he said as he released himself from the hug. ‘Goodbye’ Tara said. Tara looked on, as Ferdinand’s silhouette slowly disappeared into the darkness.

‘Take care my love. Be happy, wherever you are’ she said, her tears finally spilling."

Chapter 4

“Their lives changed after that. As the years had passed, Tara had mastered the art of combat and now one of the most renown warriors of the kingdom. Then one day a news arrived. Both the king and his commander had been killed in a battle” Tejo said. This part hit home for Fateh. Losing a parent could be difficult.

“Did Ferdinand come back?” Fateh asked. “He did. As soon he received the news, he reached the kingdom of Sol. The first person he had seen was Tara and he felt a mixture of emotions – sad and angry because he lost his father and Tara lost hers, relieved because he could see her again. The pain in her eyes broke him, he wanted to pull her into his arms but hesitated” Tejo said.

“Why, I thought they were best friends?” Fateh asked. “They were best friends. It had been years and they both had changed. Ferdinand felt guilty for not being by Tara’s side when she lost her dad. There was a lot to catch up on for both. Hence his hesitation” Tejo replied.

“Did they make up with each other?” Fateh asked. He couldn’t imagine Tejo being in any kind of pain, let alone leaving her alone to deal with it.

“She was definitely caught off guard when she saw him. He had grown over the years, the boyish features of a young adult was now replaced by those of a man. She wanted to run to him, letting him know how much he means to her and that she’ll be by his side as they heal. However, she didn’t. Instead, she walked up to him, and took his hands in hers and said ‘I know it’s difficult, but we’ll make it through. I have faith that we can.’

Ferdinand was the one to hug her and break down into tears. It was overwhelming. The pain that he was trying to push away came back. Why didn’t he stop his dad? Why didn’t offer to join? Maybe both of their dads would’ve been alive now. Tara hugged him back and whimpered. She tried so hard to put a lock on how she was feeling but failed. So, they cried holding each other for they knew that maybe no one would really understand their shared loss and pain.

‘Why didn’t I stop dad? Why didn’t I join them?’ Ferdinand kept asking in a strained voice. Tara kept saying ‘it’s not your fault Ferdinand.’ When the duo broke apart, she cupped his face and said ‘it’s not your fault. Death is not something we can prevent.’ Ferdinand wiped his own tears as he wiped hers. ‘I am sorry I wasn’t here Tara; I am sorry I let you face this horror alone’ he said. ‘No, you didn’t. Please don’t be so hard on yourself. You’re in pain and so am I. We’ll go through this together, I promise’ Tara said. 

Ferdinand looked into her eyes and nodded. He had duties to his kingdom and to Tara.

Their lives had changed drastically that day. Ferdinand had decided to step into his father’s shoes. However, the current Commander in Chief had said ‘my son, I know it hurts. I won’t stay don’t step into your father’s shoes for your duty means everything to you, but I’d say right now, it’s important you are there for the ones you love. Take your time’

“Ferdinand does become the Commander in Chief right?” Fateh asked. “He does. Everything has a time and place. It wasn’t Ferdinand’s time to take up the responsibility.” Fateh nodded in understanding.

“Then a couple of years passed and with that, Ferdinand and Tara’s relationship had also changed. They were still best friends, but it seemed though Ferdinand was seeing Tara in a different light but couldn’t pinpoint as to what it was” Tejo said. 

“She had always been beautiful but now to Ferdinand, she seemed like the most beautiful woman he had ever seen and that confused him.”

“However, with the years, the queen’s health had changed well. She knew that the kingdom of Sol could be under attack any minute. Her health was deteriorating, and she was no longer able to lead as she once could. The royal physician had explained it was a disease it slowly eats the lifeline of a person. Queen Nyla wanted to crown Tara as the new queen and soon.

She called for the King’s advisor and cousin Sathit. The man had served the family since Tara was a little girl and always considered Tara to be his own child.

Sathit arrived as soon as he could. Nyla explained how important it was to let the kingdom know that they have a new queen. ‘I want to step down’ she explained. ‘Yes your majesty. I’ll get started with the preparation for the ceremony’ Sathit explained before he left.

Nyla hoped things went as planned for there was an inkling of fear that something could go wrong at any minute.

Tara’s coronation took place in the wee hours of morning. Most of the people of their kingdom cheered on for they had always loved her. There were some that didn’t like the idea of an unmarried queen. ‘Who will rule after she passes?’ ‘The kingdom needs heirs’ ‘the queen NEEDS to get married’ were some of the concerns that the people had raised.

Tara knew the kingdom needed an heir, and for that she would either need to get married or find another solution. The latter was to declare an acting ruler in her absence. Tara understood the people’s concern. They were afraid that after she herself passes, they’d be left all alone and vulnerable. She couldn’t let that happen, but she also couldn’t tell the kingdom the reason for her mom’s decision. It could cause chaos and can even invite danger. Tara couldn’t take any chances. She knew she had to protect her people at any cost.

‘The people of the Kingdom of Sol, I promise you, that I your queen Tara Ryh shall always protect you. I promise that this kingdom shall thrive during my reign and beyond’ Tara declared.

Ferdinand was near her, as her Commander in Chief. He stared at her in awe. Gone was his friend princess Tara and in front of him was standing the queen.

‘Your majesty, I pledge my loyalty to you and the kingdom of Sol’ he declared. He did. He just didn’t know if that loyalty only remained in the circle of ruling and didn’t go into the territory of personal.

“Wooo, this is getting good” Ferdinand said and grinned. Tejo softly chuckled and said, “I know this is your favourite part.” Fateh’s grin turned into a soft smile to which his wife replied with a smile of her own.

Tejo now started “Unfortunately the queen had passed away soon after. During those days, Ferdinand never left Tara’s side. He made sure she fully recovered, for the kingdom needed her and he hated to admit this, but he needed her too. Then because if there’s day, there’ll be night as well, one day Ferdinand learnt from his spy Remy that the king of Timor was planning an attack. Timor was once known as Serenterre, meaning serenity - land or Land of Serenity. However, the present-day king who called him Malus, poisoned the king of Serenterre and his entire family. Once they were killed, he carried out an attack and took over.

“That’s sneaky” Fateh said and scrunched up his face. “Mhmm, he was known for carrying out attacks like this.” Tejo commented.

Tejo placed her head back on Fateh’s shoulder. “Sleepy?” He asked. “No” she said. Fateh kept his head on hers and sighed. “Tired?” Tejo asked. “Nope” Fateh softly said. Tejo smiled at her husband, as she basked in the safety of his arms. His smile meant the world to her and she had vowed to protect it.

Fateh smiled and teased “I know I’m super handsome but if you want to stare you can always tell me.” Tejo poked Fateh on the side and Fateh faked a wince, “ow, woman you pack a punch!” he teased again. Riling up Tejo was fun. He often teased she resembled Rudolph when she got mad. “Is your nose red” He asked. Then he said, looking at her, his eyes shining with all the love he had for her, he said, “I love you and your nose.” Tejo’s face broke into a smile and she said, “I love you too.”

“How are you feeling? Are you cold?” Fateh asked. He needed to make sure she was ok. While some might say he’s acting like a “mother hen” he doesn’t care. They were about to have a new family member, so he was always extra, extra cautious.

“No, I am not. How are you feeling?” She asked him. Her concern for him always warmed his insides. “I am quite alright” he said and then asked, “would you like to continue the story?”

“Yes! Oh no, I forgot what I was saying, right” Tejo rambled on, making Fateh softly chuckle. Flustered Tejo was cute, not that she otherwise wasn’t. “So, the kingdom of Sol was on the verge of being attacked. Ferdinand knew the type of tactic the king of Timor, Malus often used. He planned to kill Tara without raising any suspicions. Once the ruler has been removed, he will carry out his attack, because he believed a kingdom without its ruler was vulnerable. So, it was crucial he made sure to move Tara to a safer area. The next day Sathit and he came up with a plan – make sure Tara wasn’t in the kingdom, and make it seem as if she’s “missing” and no one is by her side. ‘We have to be careful Ferdinand’ Sathit said and added ‘we don’t want the people of our kingdom to panic or lose faith in the crown.’ ‘That won’t happen Sathit. We’ll assure it."

Chapter 5

“Ah, Ferdinand is quite smart then” Fathe commented. “While yes, he is, and you’ll see why in a minute” Tejo said and continued with the story. “So, Ferdinand decided to explain the plan to Tara, who was very reluctant to listen. He said, ‘Tara, I mean your majesty, we need to leave.’ Tara shook her head. ‘I can’t! I can’t leave my people Ferdinand! I need to stay’ she said. ‘Tara, please’ Ferdinand pleaded.

It hit him that moment.

Ferdinand wondered how come he missed noticing the gift he had near him. The love he longed for was in front of him all along. The love of his life had been the woman he had considered to be his best friend. His Tara.

His mind drifted back to a fortune teller he met once. Tara and he were teenagers then. They were heading north to meet one of the king’s friends and decided to stop to take a break.

He remembers the day very vividly. It was a sunny day and they had stopped near a forest. Some used to say fairies lived there. He never believed them. Tara on the other hand totally thought there was something magical about the forest.

They had ventured into the woods, much to Ferdinand’s dismay, but he always a had a hard time declining Tara’s request. There was a woman sitting below an oak tree. People said it was a portal to the Fae realm. Not that he bought it. The lady stared at him for a while before telling him ‘I see you stuck between two connections of possible love.’ He was taken aback, and slightly annoyed. However, Tara went near the woman, practically dragging Ferdinand with her. ‘What do you mean? He’ll fall in love twice?’ She asked. Ferdinand didn’t like this one bit. ‘That’s something he’d need to figure out my dear’ the lady said before getting up. ‘Remember this child. You’re one of the few lucky ones to receive the gift of true love. Use it wisely’ she said before disappearing into the forest.

‘What was that’ Ferdinand asked, a bit perturbed. He couldn’t shake off what the lady had just said, and it bothered him. ‘I think that’s something you’d have to answer’ Tara said. Ferdinand stared at her with a ‘help me out here Tara please?’ look. Tara now responded ‘maybe it means YOU’D need to realize whether what you feel is love or not, and for whom you feel that’ Ferdinand nodded in understanding. It was all too bizarre. How in the world would he meet the woman he’s supposed to truly fall in love with? Not to mention two women, one of which is his ACTUAL soulmate?

Alas, now that he finally understood who he truly loved, he was about to lose her. He had come back after travelling to the kingdoms near and far, searching for some solace. What was interesting was that all this time, his mind kept drifting back to his father and Tara. There were times when he was confused about the situation of his heart. He had truly believed he loved Jiya. If he truly loved Jiya then what was that he was feeling for Tara?

Now that he realized his love for her, he knew he needed to tell her how he felt. There was no guarantee that he’d get his happy ending, but he vowed to protect her with his life, and he would.

So, with a heart beating increasingly faster against his ribcage, he took her hand in his. Tara’s eyes widened. She always had very expressive eyes. She reminded him of the sea – full of mystery and serenity.

‘I love you’ he softly said and before he could continue, she smiled up at him, her eyes brimming with tears. ‘I love you too’ she softly said, her voice croaking.

Ferdinand could feel his own eyes tearing up. He gulped and said, ‘I don’t know if we’ll unite again but I promise to keep you safe.’

‘We WILL get our happy ending’ Tara said, determination sparking in her eyes. ‘I know we will’ she said.

He pulled her into his arms and hugged her. It was bittersweet. He found the love of his life but deep down he wasn’t so sure if they’ll see each other again.

‘You need to leave’ Ferdinand said. ‘Please understand Tara. The king of Timor is known for his sneaky tactics. He’s not the type to attack up front.’ ‘What about our people Ferdinand?’ Tara asked. ‘Sathit and I will take care of it. I assure it’ he begged. ‘Please my love, you need to leave. It’s the only way I can keep you safe. Your people need their ruler too and if you’re safe, your kingdom will be as well’ he said. Tara looked into his eyes and said ‘Ok Ferdinand but promise me you’ll be safe. Promise me we’ll meet again.’ Ferdinand nodded his head ‘we will Tara. I promise’ before pulling her back into his arms.

The duo finally broke apart and Ferdinand cupped her face in her hands. ‘Rain will show you the way, ok? She’ll guide you to safety’ he said, looking into her eyes. He softly kissed her on the forehead and said again ‘I love you to which Tara replied, ‘I love you too.’

Ferdinand was scared because Tara’s life was at stake. While Timor didn’t have the strongest armed forces, they were known to be quite vicious. What they had was an expertise in carrying out attacks that often didn’t involve any war.

Ferdinand knew he had to make it seem as if Tara wasn’t in the kingdom, at least that’s the news Timor’s spies will receive. Keeping her in this kingdom was too risky. Once the king of Timor felt it was time to attack, Sol’s armed forces could make necessary preparations. Ferdinand knew Timor was growing weaker, their natural resources were running out. Due to the king’s nature no kingdom wanted to associate themselves with him.

They needed to keep the people of Sol calm. If they learnt that their queen was ‘missing’ it would cause chaos. ‘The queen is ill and wishes to take rest. Sathit and I shall be attending to the crown’s affairs’ Ferdinand explained, hoping that it works. ‘The queen shall see you once she recovers’ Sathit added. The crowd murmured. Ferdinand needed to find out when exactly was the king of Timor planning his attack.

‘He plans to attack on the seventh day of this summer’ Remy had said. ‘Seventh day, that’s only 2 weeks away’ Ferdinand said. ‘Do you wish to go and bring Tara home?’ Remy asked.

‘Not now. It’s too risky. I can’t take any chances. I’ll bring her on the 5th day before the crack of dawn’ Ferdinand said. Remy bowed before Ferdinand. ‘As you wish. I ensure you Tara will receive your letter” he said.

‘The king of the Northern kingdom has sent his spy to relay an information to you your highness’ Remy said. ‘Continue’ Ferdinand said. King Sameer has always been a faithful ally of the kingdom of Sol. ‘He wishes to send his troops to Sol to help defeat the king of Timor’ Remy said. ‘That’s an excellent news Remy! Ensure that he receives my gratitude on behalf of Sol. Inform him that we’d humbly accept his aid. Let him know when we plan to attack the troops of Timor’ Ferdinand said, and handed him a letter containing the same information that he had given Remy. ‘As you command your highness’ Remy said and bowed before Ferdinand before disappearing in a puff of smoke.

Tara was sitting with Rain and Sania, when she heard the rustling of leaves. The trio stood up and pulled out their swords.

Tara’s heart was beating against her chest. It was dark outside. Their only sources of light was the lamp they had lit. They’ve been hiding in the woods for hours. Did anyone from the king’s family found out they were hiding here?

A figure emerged out of the woods. Tara took her stance, ready to pounce the mysterious enemy.

‘Tara, it’s me’ the mysterious figure said. It sounded like Ferdinand. “S-show yourself” Tara said. She cursed inwardly for her shaky voice.

The figure came closer. In the faint light of the lamp, she could make out his features. ‘Ferdinand’ she softly whispered. ‘It’s me my love’ he said. She dropped the sword and ran to him, almost toppling him over. He hugged her as tightly as he could, chuckling with his tears in his eyes.

‘I promised you we’ll reunite’ he said. Rain and Sania had lowered their weapons by now. ‘Are you ok?’ Tara asked as she pulled away, but keeping her arms around him. ‘Yes my dear. I’m quite ok’ he said." 

Chapter 6

Here was my "attempt" at writing a reunion scene and also "everything is now fixed" scene 😅

Enjoy!

"Rain and Sania coughed, breaking the duo’s moment. Tara was the one to break out of the trance. She said ‘Ferdinand, I know the king of Timor has finally decided to attack in 2 days.’ Ferdinand nodded and said ‘Remy has also informed Sathit about his plan’ ‘Tonight marks the end of the 5th night’ Tara said. ‘That gives us only two days to reach our kingdom. We must leave tonight’ Tara added. Ferdinand nodded in agreement. ‘We’ll be taking the eastern route for that is rarely used for travel’ he said.

The trio left that night. Thankfully they reached Sol without raising anyone’s suspicions.

The king of Timor boasted about how he managed to kill Tara without even raising the tip of his sword. Truth was that he heard the queen was severely ill and was bedridden. Her commander in chief had fled. All she had was her father’s aging advisor Sathit. The king of Timor didn’t want to admit that his army had shrunk in size – many passed away due to lack of food or medical aid. Sol was known for its abundant natural resources and for the king of Timor that meant that he could finally add another kingdom under the list of kingdoms he had conquered.

Unbeknownst to him, the army of Sol was ready to attack. Timor’s army had lost miserably. Not only were they fewer in number, it seemed as if they never learnt the newer tactics of fighting, nor they had the most efficient weapons.

“Why did the king of Timor attack then?” Asked Fateh. “Pride and greed. Pride made him to lose sight of the truth and greed made him chase something that wasn’t his” Tejo replied.

“What happened after that?” Fateh asked. ‘The king of Timor was arrested. However, as he was not a person of Sol, Tara couldn’t decide what happens to him. She felt that the people of Timor should get to decide what happens to him’ Tejo said.

“Then?” Fateh asked as he furrowed his eyebrows. “Tara decided that the king of Timor should be brought to Timor, with the help of Sol’s army so that he doesn’t escape”

“Hmm. That’s clever!” Fateh commented. “Yep!” Tejo exclaimed.

“When they arrived at Timor with its ruler in shackles, the small nation of Timor looked at them, half in confusion and half in fear. They didn’t know if this was a new ruler ready to dictate their lives as the ruler “Malus” once did. Tara and Ferdinand had assured them that there was no such thing. Tara said ‘the people of Timor, I understand you’re scared. I’ve come here to assure you that your ruler has been arrested. I know how ruthless he was, and I promise you he won’t be able to hurt you again. I’m not here to rule, I’m only here to let you know that you have nothing to be afraid of.’ The people of Timor looked at her in awe. It was first for many – to be treated with respect by their ruler. There were murmurs about who could be the new ruler of Timor.

Suddenly Remy appeared, and the crowd grew silent. ‘The people of Timor, I understand that once this land used to be full of life, your ruler was kind, and you were treated with dignity. I know he was mercilessly assassinated along with his family’ Tara said. ‘May I interject?’ a young woman called out. ‘You may’ Tara said. ‘They said that the king had a son who was nowhere to be found’ she said. ‘Forgive me your majesty, my daughter has a very imaginative mind, please don’t mind her’ a man said, who Tara believed was the young woman’s father.

She smiled kindly and said ‘actually she’s correct. King Naveen did have a son. Thankfully he was saved by the chambermaid. Later, he mastered the art of being discreet, and today he is one of our most faithful friends. His name is Remy, without whom this fight against Malus would’ve been impossible to win’ She looked at Remy and smiled. Remy smiled back at her and bowed, before saying ‘I’m grateful your majesty’ Remy turned to the crowd and said ‘I understand this is shock to many of you. I understand if you have your doubts, but I promise you I bear no ill will. I’m here to guide you towards success and peace. I wish you’d give me a chance to prove that I’m worthy of being your king’ he then paused.

The crowd slowly started to chatter. ‘Do you promise what you’re saying?’ asked the young woman from earlier. ‘Yes. I promise’ Remy said. ‘The people of Timor welcomes, you, your majesty,’ said a man. The crowd cheered. Tara then turned to the people of Timor and said ‘people of Timor, I present to you your king Remy Khy’ the cheer only grew louder. Remy then waited until the crowd grew a little quiet and said ‘to start off, I declare a name change. Timor will once again be known as the kingdom of Serenterre’ the crowd cheered louder this time. ‘All hail for king Remy’ it cheered. Tara took a deep breath and looked up at Ferdinand, only to catch him gazing down her the entire time. ‘You’re magnificent, you know that’ Ferdinand asked. ‘you just realize that now?’ Tara teased. Ferdinand chuckled.

When the coronation of newly crowned king Remy was over, the trio headed home”

“Woo, it’s getting chilly out here, let’s get you inside” Fateh said and tightened the blazer around her. The duo got up and headed towards their house. Once in bed Tejo continued from where she had left off. 



“Tara asked Ferdinand if he’d like to be the king of Sol” ‘Did the great Tara Rhy just asked me to marry her?’ He asked. ‘No, I’m asking you to be the court jester’ Tara said, bored. “Aha! So, there’s a court jester!” Fateh exclaimed. “You’re a court jester” Tejo said. “For you, anything” Fateh said. Tejo shook her head, a smile drawing across her lips. 

“What happened then?” Fateh asked, as he laid next to his wife, gazing into her eyes. “They were married” she softly whispered. “And?” Fateh said as his gaze lowered at her lips and then back at her. “Did they live happily ever after?” He whispered. “Yes, they did” she whispered and smiled. He slowly reached for a kiss and softly said, “good night, my heart.” Tejo softly replied, “good night” and snuggled into his chest. “Sleep tight princess” he said before he put his arm around her and kissed the top of her head. 

The duo prayed that there would be countless nights like this where they can sleep soundly in each other’s arms.

P.S: The Royal and The Hero were inspired by #FaTejo, AND a story called The Crown and The Flame by Pixelberry Studios.

Songs: Amazing by Westlife

Its so beautiful like a fairytale👏