Chapter Text
Everyone had found out, the news spread like wildfire… The daughter of the swordmaster proved her bloodline with her talent for the sword. Her father couldn't stop it… Even with the strength to wield a weapon, he could not protect her from the people that held power.
Elizabeth couldn’t understand why she would be guided away from her mother, her father who would always scream at the guards and try to reach out to her, she tried to reach back but her arm was too short, too powerless… Without noble blood she could not be put under the royal decree, even with her swordmaster father's achievements.
“Train her to become a soldier! A knight!" The nobles yelled around her and she could only cower in fear, unknown faces with loud voices. Then came the people in black uniform, she'd heard of them from stories told by her father, how the people of order helped him throughout the battles and wars.
Then all the noise stops… Elizabeth blinks before looking up, her hands reaching up to touch what was blocking her ears. Staring into green eyes, she takes note of the green shades scattered in the woman's hair, a small smile on her lips as she kneeled in front of little Elizabeth.
"I'll keep you safe.” Elizabeth heard her say in a whisper and although the other people's mouths were moving, she could only hear her voice. The soft lull of her low voice deafening everything else and the fear slowly dissipates— Before she was hearing screams again, this time more urgent… Terrified…
"Aren't you a special one?” The green eyed woman asked and Elizabeth blinked before smiling. She feels the warmth slowly bloom from her chest, spreading across her entire body before nodding as if to accept the compliment.
"Fire! She's on fire!” Someone yelled and Elizabeth tilted her head a bit before a flicker of blue caught her eyes, she looks down to see the flame sitting on her torso and her eyes widened, with a panicked look to the woman in front of her, the flame flickers and the woman shakes her head.
“It's okay, you're okay… It doesn't hurt, right?” The woman asks gently and Elizabeth’s breath comes in short gasps as she fearfully shakes her head in answer.
“You're okay, I promise… See? It doesn't hurt me too because you're not trying to hurt me, see? It's okay." She spoke softly as she placed a hand over the flame and only then did Elizabeth see the intricate line on the woman's hand.
"We'll need to—”
"Take her! She's powerful! She can wield a sword and she's clearly something else! She might become a threat if she stays here! We shall give her to the order!” Someone yelled and Elizabeth flinches at the sound of it. The woman in front of her turns to glare at the others in the room before turning back to Elizabeth and holding out her hand.
"Want to come with me?” She asks and Elizabeth looks around, the nobles flinch when her eyes roam and Elizabeth takes the hand in front of her, the woman lifts her up carefully and doesn't spare another glance to the nobles in the room, her eyes fixated on the child in her arms.
"My name is Cecilia, I'm an automaton, see? I'm like a doll.” Cecilia introduces herself as she walks and Elizabeth stares at her.
"Dolls don't talk…" Elizabeth blurts out and she immediately clasps her hands over her mouth in both embarrassment and fear.
“Right? But I'm a special kind of doll!" Cecilia takes it in stride and smiles, letting Elizabeth ease up again as they make their way out of the castle.
“M-my name is Elizabeth Rose Bloodflame…” Elizabeth says almost quietly and Cecilia nods her head.
"A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Elizabeth. I'm Cecilia Immergreen, I heard you can use a sword right? And that you cut a tree with a wooden one." Cecilia starts up and Elizabeth examines her face before slowly nodding.
“I shouldn't have done it… Mother got sad and Father… Was yelling… I was bad—"
“No… These people were bad to take you away from your parents… I'm sorry… Do you want to see them before we go? I'm afraid I can't bring you back to live with them again… The best I can do is let you say goodbye for now." Cecilia says with a worried look and Elizabeth looks back down to see the flame on her chest that flickered as her vision blurred.
"Y-yes please… Just… G-goodbye, right?”
"For now… I promise… Just for now… It's not a forever goodbye.”
When they reached the Bloodflame house, Elizabeth dove into her mother's waiting arms, sobbing as her father embraced both of his precious girls, her little brother babbling in his mother's arms as he reached and touched Elizabeth's tear stricken face and it only makes the little girl cry harder.
“I apologize… Sir Bloodflame but… The headquarters are already aware of her and I must take her with me." Cecilia awkwardly breaks the sad air and Elizabeth’s father raises his head to look at her before slowly nodding.
“Please take care of her… Her flame…"
“Comes from me… It's connected to her emotions… When it flickers… Please be there for her, always.” Elizabeth's mother speaks up and Cecilia looks at her, she pulls on her shawl to reveal a small flame on her own chest, calm but wavering in emotion.
"She's… Human?" Cecilia asks carefully and both the parents nod at her.
“She's human but… The flame is a gift… It comes with our voice that can be used for power, it strengthens us, it helps keep people and ourselves together…" Elizabeth's mother explained and Cecilia nods.
“I see… Her voice is a source of power but she remains human, it helps… Keep people together?" Cecilia asks and Elizabeth's father nods.
“It brings people closer, creates a stronger bond within the people who we trust… It's nothing evil… Just that… It's still connected to her emotions.” He explains and Cecilia looks at Elizabeth who was hugging her brother gently, whispering soft goodbyes. The flame on her chest getting smaller and flickering faster.
"Can it fester negative emotion to others if the flame becomes dull and a bond is severed?" Cecilia asks for clarification and both parents shake their heads.
“No, the connection just goes… It doesn't have any side effects… Generations of my family have slowly cultivated it within us to remove the impurities of the gift, I can assure you of it… But please… Make sure that her flame never goes out because when it does…” Elizabeth's mother explained and Cecilia nods, apologetically nodding and smiling at them, having understood the implications even without hearing the next words.
“I'm afraid we have to get going if we want to make it to the headquarters in time before the moon is high… I appreciate the information, I swear that I will take great care of Elizabeth… I'll make sure she stays under my care until she decides things for herself." Cecilia declares and both parents immediately take Elizabeth back into their arms, kissing her goodbye before nodding at Cecilia.
Once inside the carriage, Cecilia watches as the flame grow small on Elizabeth’s torso and she can only wonder if she can keep that light shining for both herself and Elizabeth, afterall… They've only got each other now.