A massive airship roared overhead as it began to dock at the Whitegate skyport on a late autumn afternoon. Bridges extended from the ivory towers towards the air vessels as passengers prepared to descend to the magnificent station below.

Braenarim's largest skyport was Whitegate, and it was so large that it even had its own central rail station. All airships and trains stop here before heading further inland, making it the empire's central hub of all travel and commerce. The station beneath the port is always bustling with passengers, merchants, and workers going about their business. And if one is not cautious, they may become lost in the dense crowds. One child learned this the hard way when she and her aunt had to squeeze through.

The child was dressed in a strawberry red dress that was concealed beneath a light brown cloak. As they rushed through the crowded station, her golden blonde hair peeked through her hood.

“Are you going to do that again?” Her aunt said as she carried the child.

She was a slim but attractive young woman. She wore a long grey cloak that covered her pearl white gown, which looked regal even as they bumped and squeezed their way through the crowd. Her hood had come off, revealing her fair skin and long golden blonde hair in a ponytail. Her eyes, which were a brilliant blue, were filled with relief.

“Now you know what happens when you go off on your own, are you going to do that again?”

“No Aunty Cath.” The child sniffed. “I’m sorry.”

As they approached the area reserved for nobility and aristocrats, the atmosphere in the room changed dramatically. It was much larger and cleaner, with large glass windows that let in the sunshine. Color was added to the hallways by potted indoor trees with bright flowers. Cath put her niece down as they hurried through the terminal.

There were some guards at the departure hall's entrance who checked everyone's papers while a line of passengers waited their turn. They walked past the line, and when they approached the guards, Cath simply showed them the ring on her hand. The ring featured a gryphon's head with golden rainbow diamond eyes. They were let in with a single glance from the guards.

“If your mama asks, I won't tell her what happened today, alright? I don't want her to be upset with you. But only for today.” She said softly to her niece.

They arrived at the final hall, where the glass ceiling offered a view of the boarding tower and a massive airship from below.

A group of four people stood near the steel lifts. One was a young man with a stern expression on his face. Next was the oldest member of the group, an elderly man with a large body and a more relaxed demeanour. The third was a young woman with her brown hair pulled back in a tight ponytail. They were all dressed in dark blue tailcoat uniforms and guarded a woman in an ornate silver wheelchair.

The lady in the chair was dressed in a long-sleeved ivory gown that accentuated her hourglass figure and matched her platinum blonde hair. The woman exuded elegance and authority, from her stunningly attractive face to her regal posture. When she saw her daughter running towards her, her calmingly blue eyes, which were filled with worry, instantly relaxed.

"Mama!” Elizabeth hugged the woman tightly.

"Hey Al." Cath said as she approached.

"Catherine, Elizabeth, where on Pandora did you go?! The ship was about to leave, and I was worried sick." She looked at Catherine, who had beads of sweat on her forehead, and added Elizabeth’s slightly red eyes. She pieced it together.

"What happened? You didn't lose her, did you? "

"What?! No! No! We just enjoyed a very spicy snack, that's all.” But Elizabeth’s mother gave her a look of doubt.

“You’re overthinking things Al. This is why you need this vacation. Isn’t that right, Jasper?” Cath said as she asked for help with her eyes from the old guard.

“Don’t humour her, Jasper. She seems to think she can always get away with everything.”

Suddenly, an announcement came from above and called all the passengers for the final boarding.

“Lady Alice, we have to go.” The female guard said, and Alice nodded at them. As they began to head to the lifts, Catherine approached her sister and niece and gave them a tight hug.

“Have fun on your cruise, alright? And be sure to bring home lots of Dreboujan toffees. Everyone keeps sending us the wrong brand.”

Cath then faced Elizabeth, “Always stick close to your mama, alright? I don’t want you to get lost.” She gave her niece a kiss on the forehead.

“Don’t worry; I’ll make sure we bring home a mountain of chocolate. Diana already sent me a list of what sweets she wants me to send to her in Jargyr.” Alice replied, as Cath gave her a kiss on the cheek. “Are you sure you’ll be fine in your first grand assembly?”

“I’ll be fine, Al. You worry too much. I’ll be with Papa, and I have all your notes and books. I’ll go over them again tonight. You just worry about getting pampered and let me handle the rest. You need this.”

Elizabeth was already by the lifts as Alice smiled back at her sister. Her wheelchair turned and moved towards the entrance to the towers.

“Bring home lots of pictures!” Catherine waved as all of them waved back at her before the doors of the lifts closed. She knew it was only for a month, but she could not wait for them to get back.

=0o0=

Later that night, their airship glided majestically high above the clouds. The mighty vessel was built in a grand manner that gave it a regal appearance. The deck was lined with glass windows, and the hull was painted ivory and gold. The bow was meticulously shaped into the shape of a dove and was propelled into the air by four massive engines.

To match the magnificence, the engines were also painted in the same colours as the rest of the airship. It had no visible weapons or gun ports, and on the underside was a small hangar that housed the lifeships for its passengers.

It was a cruise ferry airship, a popular way for the very rich and affluent to travel around the continent. The air ferry, named “The Theris Rose”, was equipped with all of the amenities necessary to make the journey not only comfortable but also luxurious.

The dining hall, which is lined with magnificent glass windows, is one of its most famous attractions, where passengers are treated to an extravagant meal with a once-in-a-lifetime view of the beautiful night sky. Dining here, on top of the world, is the dream of most adults and children on the continent. And for Elizabeth, it finally came true.

Their table was right next to the windows, which towered above them. When the child arrived, she was immediately captivated by the breath-taking view of the night sky.

"Mama! Mama look! Wow!" As she pressed her face against the glass, the child's blue eyes twinkled with delight. She was now dressed in the same beautiful pearl white gown as her mother. Even her long hair was skilfully styled to look regal for their dinner.

"Elizabeth." Her mother softly called. "Come and sit down."

But she did not budge.

"Elizabeth," Alice repeated.

"Alright." The child sighed, and Elizabeth was helped into her seat by the female guard. Alice reached for the cone-shaped napkin on top of her plate and placed it elegantly on her lap.

Elizabeth did as her mother did and took the napkin, but she snapped and shook it first on her side before she gently placed it on her lap. While the other three members of their party stood guard, Elizabeth began to touch and pick up the various utensils placed in front of her.

“Jasper, Tristan, Kinney, it is alright. You can sit down.” Alice said to them.

“Your majesty, we can’t-”

“Please do not make me repeat it as an order. It is alright for us to break protocol for this trip, or at least for tonight.” The three guards exchanged glances.

“No one here knows who we are, and I won’t tell a soul. Cross my heart.” She winked and crossed her fingers above her chest.

With that, the guards surrendered and returned a smile. While Jasper and Tristan took their seats across from Alice, Kinney sat beside Elizabeth. At that moment, a server arrived and delivered some bread and placed water in their glasses. After she drank from her glass, Elizabeth gently circled the rim with her finger and produced a soft hum.

“Kinney! Kinney, listen!” Elizabeth called softly. Kinney leaned her ear towards the child and she produced the sound again.

“Very nice, but...” Kinney placed some water on her own glass and did the same, but she produced a higher and more audible sound than Elizabeth.

“How did you do that?” The child looked at her, clearly amused.

As the two of them had their miniature concert, the three others smiled in amusement. “Elizabeth is growing up to be a perfect copy of you, your majesty.” the older guard said softly. “She certainly has your brains and creativity.”

“Thank you, Jasper. Hopefully, she will not pick up my more… disruptive tendencies.”

“You know, I remember one incident way back at my first royal dinner, where our dear Alice was tinkling with the glasses using her knife, and she accidentally cracked it, spilling water all over the royal table.” The old guard told Tristan who sat beside him.

“Her majesty did that?” said Tristan, clearly amused.

Across the table, the woman in the story who sat in front of him closed her eyes and shook her head.

“I was bored.” Alice smiled as she reflected on her youth. “Those speeches and ceremonies were agonising to sit through. Breaking the glass was the most interesting part of that dinner by the way. But mama and papa did not let me off easily I will tell you that.”

Their dinner continued as Jasper told stories about Alice in her youth to the guards and her daughter, who responded with laughter and disbelief.

Their meals were soon delivered, and they all watched as Elizabeth struggled to cut her steak. Kinney had to assist her in the end because her cuts appeared to be the result of the violent murder of her meal. Tristan capped off their meal as he tried to show off by gracefully pouring their wine, only to have it spill all over his cuffs on his first attempt.

After they finished their meal, a group of servers arrived at their table with a trolley that carried the most dazzling and tallest chocolate cake Elizabeth had ever seen. It was covered in white frosting, adorned with berries and candies, and topped with seven candles, which made her eyes light up with delight. The servers then sang "Happy birthday" to her while her mother, their guards, and soon the entire room joined in.

They set the cake in front of her, and she stood on her chair, ready to blow out the candles. The day had been long, but it was still the best birthday Elizabeth could have asked for. She closed her eyes and made a wish.

I wish to be with mama, aunty Cath, aunty Dy, gramma and grampa, and my friends forever and ever. I also wish to have a willowbear.

Then she blew the lights out.

=0o0=

Unknown to its passengers, as the Theris Rose glided above the clouds, four smaller aircraft emerged from underneath it. They were much faster than the larger ship and quickly closed the gap.

Hooded, armoured men that wore white masks emerged from the aircraft's doors. They were armed with massive hand-held canons loaded with massive iron spikes. They took aim at the hull of the airship and landed direct hits. The spike was connected to the ferry and the canon by a thick metallic rope. More people began to secure the rope in their aircraft, and once fixed, they took out a machine that allowed them to hook onto the rope.

One by one, they leapt out into the sky with only the hook-contraption that prevented them from falling to their deaths. With bulky engines on their backs while they held onto the hook, the engine zipped them all the way up until they reached the hull of the airship.

They brought out handheld devices that fired lightning beams, allowing them to carve their way through. Once inside, they gave the signal, and more men soon followed. The ship's hangar was soon filled with dozens of masked individuals who were heavily armed.

The leader of the group then cleared his throat and began to address the crowd. He had a very soft and calm voice that barely made him audible but still made every person in the room snap to attention.

“You all have your orders. Leave no one alive, but remember to bring the blonde-haired woman in the wheelchair and her daughter alive and unspoiled. Understood?”

“Yes Alpha!” They said loudly that it sounded like a boom.

They all started to unpack their weapons and began to move out of the hangar.