Kingdom Hearts 1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: Hello everyone! I have a new story for you guys! Somewhat on the short side, around 30k, and I have nearly the whole story complete, so updates should come out at decent times. This was a project I worked on for CampNano, and I really hope you guys enjoy it. I'd really appreciate if you guys took just a few seconds out of your day to review as well. Thank you.

* * *

Spellstricken

Chapter One

* * *

There had only been one other time she had seen a ship of such vast size, and that was during the war. Aqua had been only a child. Just a few heads high, ducking out from beneath her Mother's gown, wide-eyed and curious.

The sails reminded her of the clouds painted on the ceiling of her room that she watched as she drifted off to sleep. The ship itself was carved like the statues that lined the hallways of her home.

Being so young, she hadn't understood the meaning of war, or what a ship like that could mean for her country. And while her Father had been worried it was an attack, when the ship finally pushed its way onto shore, it had been followed by a celebration of cheering, when the soldiers that gone off to war had came back to declare their victory.

Aqua ducked her head as the soldiers galloped past her, and even if she was wearing her full suit of armor, she couldn't help but duck whenever she was outside the castle with her Father's soldiers running around.

Too distracted with warning her Father with the ship, he hadn't seen her.

It was only one ship, Aqua thought. She lifted the visor to her armor, her eyes blinking back the blinding shine of the sun. But the ship's silhouette was definitely there, and if it was filled with King Xehanort's knights, then there may not even be a chance her people could fight back. Even if they had a chance to prepare themselves.

All Aqua knew was that she was here, and she was ready.

Covered head-to-toe in a specially forged armor just for her, and a small blade buried in the sheath on her hip, she she it was possible she could do something. Even if her Father wouldn't have liked the fact that she had been taking up sword lessons for the past couple of weeks from Master Eraqus, and had asked him to find her a blacksmith who could make something as questionable as female armor.

Because Eraqus knew as well as she did that, even if she was the Princess, she would stand up to anyone who tried to hurt her people, her Kingdom, and especially her Father.

She patted the neck of her Wyvern that stood beside her, hidden amongst the leaves of the trees. It growled, almost like a purr that rippled in its throat, and she thought for a moment, maybe if she could get a glimpse of those men on that ship, then she'd know what it was they were up against. And even if she knew in the back of her mind that her Father would be furious at her for doing something so dangerous, at least she would have the comfort of knowing her people had a fighting chance. And that was what was most important anyway.

There was nothing to worry about. She had flown her Wyvern many times.

And she was skilled in both Wyvern-riding and horse-riding, and yet that was about all she could do. And her Wyvern, although huge in relation to her, made her feel as if she were weightless. And so she hoped onto her Wyvern, and held the reigns it kept between its tongue and the roof of its mouth, and when she whipped the reigns, it took off.

Wings spread open, sun lighting the thin webbing of skin between bones. Its leg kicked at the open sky, soaring upwards into the clouds, thick as they passed through them. The wind brushed at her eyes, and she closed the visor and watched the sky in a horizontal strip of an opening.

It was always so great to be surrounded by sky, and there was nothing she didn't love about flying. There was something about the way the wind pushed her higher into the air and clouds that made her believe she could touch the sun, the stars.

Once they were flying overhead, she noticed the ship was much bigger, more colorful than what it had looked like sailing where the earth met sky. Embroidered and rich with vibrant colors spun from fine silks. Whoever owned this ship, they must have come from wealth, or something of the sort, so it very well could have been King Xehanort's ship. But even so, the bright colors were a bit uncharacteristic.

She pushed the visor up again, to get a closer view, and she saw men laughing, looking out from the sides of the ship with smiles on their faces Not a sword or spear beside them. She saw women holding their babies swaddled in cloth. Others swinging their young ones as the danced about. It seemed a celebration on that ship, and she saw no canons, no metal, no weaponry at all. And she was certain this was no trick.

She had to tell her Father, so that these people wouldn't be in for a rude welcoming when they reached the shore.

She ushered her Wyvern back towards the shore, and when she reached it, she saw the dozen of men on their horses that stood in a solid barricade that stretched across the beach. They were ready, with metal armor and surely their hands quick to reach for their swords.

She feared the worst. Her father making some sort of preemptive strike, sending his men leaping into the shallow water when the ship was close enough to strike. They'd have their swords drawn, and their mouths opened as they bellowed.

And she knew she had to do something before it was too late. She snapped the reigns, and her Wyvern dove like a shooting star aimed for solid ground.

The soldiers stood there, tense, awaiting the signal as the sails began to be released and the ship slowed down.

The Wyvern's wings pounded at the air like a war drum, the wind pushing past so fast it seemed it could very much cut steel. Finally they reached the ground, landed, and Aqua very nearly got whiplash, but still she jumped from its back and stood shakily amidst a crowd of gasps and lifted swords.

"Stop!" Her Father shouted immediately as he stepped out his horse and stepped forward, looking at the man with a serious, and almost panicked look on his face. "T-That's Aqua's Wyvern." And she hated that she was making her Father worry. His eyes fell on her armored figure, his mouth open in silent-awe, and once again Aqua felt small, like the little girl cowering behind her mother's gown.

She swallowed down the tight feeling in her throat and removed her helmet, before glancing back at the ship that was pushing its way onto the earth.

She heard a few words amongst the crowd of soldiers. "Is that the princess?" And as she looked at the faces of all her people, at the faces of the steady soliders, and finally landing on Terra and her Father, she licked her dry lips, and spoke up.

"Father, tell your men to stand down. I looked upon the faces of those on that ship. They may be outsiders, but they are not enemies. They are men and women, just like you and me," she said as she looked at the crowd, tried to appeal to them and make them feel compassion for these strangers.

"What are you doing, Aqua? The men on that ship could have shot you straight down from the sky. If I had known you would be using your Wyvern to go doing such rash things I never would have-"

Before her Father could finish, the ships docked, and a long and wide slab of wood came falling into the sand with a creak. She heard the sound of armor moving, and looking back at the soldiers she saw that they had tensed, lifted their swords, and waited anxious for an order.

"Please Father," she asked, her eyes pleading with his.

The sound of feet shuffling against the wood caught her attention once again, and she turned back around to face the ship. People were walking down, those same men and children, and when every man, woman, and child reached the shore, her Father finally spoke, and told the guards to stand down.

Aqua let out a huge sigh of relief, mouthing a 'thank you' to her Father, before turning back to the new crowd of smiling faces.

One man in particular stood out from the rest, and made his way to the front. His beard was long, possibly reaching to his waist, and his hat was tall and pointed. The robe he wore was bright and reminded Aqua of the patchwork blanket she had in her room.

Another boy stood beside him, looking similar, with a round colorful hat atop his crop of yellow hair, and armor, bronze and spiked on his shoulder. His vest was bright, and so were his eyes, and in his hands he held a large bag.

Aqua smiled, and dismounted her Wyvern to take a few steps forward, and bow in respect. "Hello. I am Princess Aqua-" But a few steps in, and her Father was already hovering over her, his hand protectively placed on her shoulder.

"And I am King Evans. And you are...?"

"Merlin," he said with a grin before he gestured to the colorful boy to the side of him with the bag. "And this is my young apprentice, Ventus."

"Call me Ven," he said with a cheery smile.

"My Lord," Merlin said with a humble bow. "We have come to you in times of need. Surely you've heard of the evils that happen across the ocean. King Xehanort is an evil king, and I wanted to give these people freedom, kindness, benevolence that I have heard about from your Kingdom. You are but a fair King, and all I ask is that you would allow us to reside here, work to provide for you and this land, do whatever we can, just as long as we have what any human wants. Food to eat and water to drink. And light...I am tired, so very tired of living in a land shrouded in darkness."

Aqua raised her hand to her chest, feeling a sadness come over her. She knew how evil King Xehanort was, but she had never heard first hand from the people who lived there. And the thought of a man so cruel made bile rise in her throat, her eyes narrow in anger. Hatred.

"Father, you have to let them stay," she said, turning to her Father, who nodded his head in agreement, stepping forward and patting Merlin against the back.

"You and your people may stay for as long as you would like. I can only imagine what you and your people have gone through," he said and he beckoned for Terra and a few of his knights to come forth. "Terra, you and your men will lead these people to the town, understood."

"Yes, your highness," he said with a nod of his head, riding his horse past the king, and when his eyes landed on Aqua, his eyes burned something strange, unreadable. The knights led the people away, and her Father looked at Aqua, his eyes scanning her up and down, at the armor she donned, at the way she looked dirtied up on the back of her Wyvern, and he sighed, a glint of shame in his eye as he walked away.

Aqua had a bad habit of stepping in when it wasn't her place, and she knew it.

* * *

"What has gotten into you, Aqua?"

"Father!" Aqua jumped with surprise, her bow falling from beside her cheek as she turned to see her Father, crown-less and dressed in casual garments. It was a rare sight to see him without his crown, even around the castle.

And unfortunately, she had a feeling what it was that creased his brow with worry like that. "You surprised me," she said as she turned back towards the target, drawing her bow once more, until she felt her Father's heavy hand fall against her shoulder.

"You really shouldn't be-"

"I just want to gain a hobby or two."

She closed on eye, focused entirely on the target, the bulls eye, and fired the arrow from her custom-made bow, held in custom-made gloves that hardly matched the normal attire for a young princess. Skin-tight velvet and draping silks. And yet, despite all that, the arrow landed just to the right of the bull seye, a remarkable feat for someone who had only begun practice.

"Well, it's getting to be more of a hobby," he said as he stared at arrow, and back at his daughter's bow, with a frown that remained partially hidden by his thick beard. "You're...really rather good." Judging by his tone, he was not too happy.

"Isn't that the point, Father?" Aqua asked as she lowered the bow. "You say that like its a bad thing."

He sighed, giving her shoulder a light squeeze. "You're a princess, Aqua. One day to be a beautiful Queen. I'm just not sure these hobbies are what you should be focusing your time on. I mean, I already let you take horseback riding lessons, I got you a Wyvern, but now archery?"

"And I've asked Master Eraqus to teach me the art of sword fighting."

"S-sword fighting?" He stammered, ears turning red behind his sideburns. "Now that is where I draw the line.

"Father...I am a princess, I understand that. But I want to be more than what that title offers me. There is the constant fear of war, and...I want to be able to protect my people. I want to be able to fight and protect them and-"

"But who would protect you?" He asked, his eyes pleading with her to give this silly idea a rest.

Aqua knew why he was so worried. He had already lost one of his girls, his Wife, her Mother, and now his Daughter was talking about fighting, putting her own life on the line when there were so many men who would do that for her already.

"If I learn, Father, then I can protect myself. And my people."

"No, Aqua. I just ... can't allow it. What about Terra? He will do the fighting for you. Do you not trust his capabilities?"

"Terra's great. I just want to be able to stand on my own two feet. I don't want to have to rely on someone else," Aqua said with a soft sigh as she raised her bow again, and aimed for the target in front of her.

He sighed, shaking his head as he held out his hand. "Just come inside, Aqua."

"Alright, Father," she said, and before she turned to walk away, she let her arrow fly.

It hit the bulls eye dead on.


	2. Chapter 2

a/n: i love writing terra. that is all.

SpellStricken

Chapter Two

"Don't look so surprised to see me," Aqua said with a small laugh, a joke in reaction to the way Terra tensed whenever she came near, despite the fact that they had known each other for so many years. Though the fact that she was on a warhorse, trotting up beside him like she had been riding all her life, might have also caught him off guard.

He cleared his throat, straightened his back and gave an affirming nod. His jaw was clenched as he stared at her with that hard expression of his. It was a rare moment when she saw Terra smile. Really smile, with the warmth from his heart shining through. A smile that reached his eyes. Aqua had sometimes wondered what it was that had made his heart so serious, and sometimes she felt saddened by it. But Terra was far too closed off to ever reveal that to her, and she she hadn't bothered to ask.

"Morning, Princess," he said, bowed his head, and looked straight ahead of himself. So stiff, he reminded her of the empty suits of armor that lined the hallways in the castle.

Terra was a good man. That much was clear, otherwise her Father wouldn't have chosen him to be his Knight, and the one that watched over Aquas as well. As much as her Father cared for his family, he cared for his people, and that was a trait the three of them shared at equal proportions.

But Aqua had a feeling Terra had a bit of a problem having to take direct orders from her. He was forced to place her on a pedestal, and she felt the animosity he had for her, like an instinct she felt. And it was for the fact that if there was one person he had to obey, it was her. She could ask him to bend this way and that, and he would, even if he didn't have the means. A single-jointed man doing a contortionist's work, he'd have to comply with no disagreements.

She wondered if that animosity would be quelled if she could become more of his equal. She wanted the respect he gave, not to the Princess, but to his fellow comrades. The only time she ever saw him smile in that way.

She felt differently that day, wearing her suit of armor, atop her chestnut horse she had just learned to fully ride. For once she felt as she were equal ground, with her discarded dresses and crown.

"I-if I may...what are you doing, Princess?" He asked, glancing at her for a second, then looking away just as quick.

She smiled, lifted her visor, and nudged her horse just a step closer to his. He still managed to flinch, a nervous blush creeping across the bridge of his nose. "How many times do I have to tell you, please call me Aqua."

"With all due respect, Princess," he said, and the word dug into her sometimes like a dagger, "I would feel much more comfortable calling you be your title. As I should, right?"

She saw, even dressed as she was, it still wasn't enough to take his edge of. It still wasn't enough to warrant any type of humanity. He still wasn't able to call her by her name. Because her identify was wrapped up in that of a princess gown and crown, after all, wasn't it?

"Even when I ask otherwise, but I suppose," she said, quirking a brow as she watched Terra nod his head, and directed her horse to trot faster.

"We have surveyed the perimeter, as your Father asked," Terra said, his horse walking up beside her, and said, "if that's what you came to check on."

"It was quiet at home. I thought I'd help."

He stuttered over his next words, and finally said, "Everything is taken care of. I assure you, Princess." There were dark undertones in his voice when he said, "Since when have you not trusted us?" And she was sure he thought she was trying to challenge him.

"I trust you guys with everything. Me and my Father have for years. I just thought it'd be good for me, if I try to help if I can. With whatever I can help with. I've been learning archery as well so that I can become more useful." She saw Terra's brows shoot up, a confusion scrawled over his face.

"Archery is all well and good," he challenged, "but you'll need me when someone comes at you with a sword."

She wasn't sure why an alliance with her had put him on the defensive. It was as if he was threatened, just by her mere act of learning, and she wondered if it was the fact that she was the Princess, or for the sole fact she was a woman.

"Master Eraqus is training me in the ways of sword fighting," she said, turning to him with a smile as she pointed to the sword that hung from her hip in its hilt. "Maybe soon enough we can spar," she said, and before she gave Terra the opportunity to answer she motioned for her horse to run, in the direction of where her Father was, over a ways at the edge of the surveyed fields.

"What was that all about?"

Behind him, Zack appeared just as quick as Aqua left atop his horse, his helmet already discarded, his eyes inquiring just as he did. "Details, come on,"

"Nothing, I just...she said she wanted to help us...she is even getting lessons from Master Eraqus on how to train with a sword," he said, a confused tone in his voice, and he couldn't even identify where it came from.

"Hey, girls are fighting now a days," Zack said as he reached over and patted Terra on the shoulder. Even behind the armor, there was a shocked expression evident in his face.

"You're starting to sound like Merlin," Terra said with a laugh.

"What? That old cook? No way. I'm just telling you how it is. Aqua's a tough girl, and I guess you're going to have to learn to accept it."

"Yeah, well I hope her Father puts an end to it sooner rather than later."

"Why don't you show Kingy what you're made of then, huh?" Zack said, a fierce look behind his eyes, and as Terra looked past, over towards Aqua and the King, he wondered just how much Aqua could change things.

"Devil!"

"Witchcraft!"

"We don't want you here!"

There was a lot of chanting; chanting that turned into yelling. Yelling amongst laughter. A laughter that was harsh and cruel.

There was the scratch of pebbles, the hollow thud of a stick falling against cobblestone, and Aqua heard a man's voice, laced with a tone of desperation, but not fear? No, there was no fear in that man's voice. And Aqua couldn't help but think that the voice sounded awfully familiar.

It didn't matter, stranger or friend, as a Princess, she thought it right to step in and help. She urged her horse forward, and it trotted around the corner with a flare and grunt of her nostrils.

She turned the corner, and took in the sight of a crowd of children, with their muddied feet and dirt-streaked face. They pointed their sticks at a man huddled in the corner, arms covering his face.

She didn't have to do much to get their attention, since few beside the soldiers and guards rose horseback throughout the village, but as soon as they did see her, they froze, stepping back and away from their discarded sticks and stones as if to claim their innocence.

"I-it's the princess. Shoot."

"We're in trouble now."

She leaped from her horse, and walked forward, her hands on her hips, and for every step she took forward, they took two steps back.

"This isn't the kind of behavior they're teaching you in school, is it?"

"N-No, your highness," one of them stammered while he fumbled with the hem of his shirt. He looked like a dog who had be scolded, head down and tail between its legs.

"I would hope not. In this Kingdom, we do not treat others with such a blatant lack of respect. We treat them with dignity, just as we wish to be treated. Understand?" She was soft-spoken but firm, getting on her knees to reach their level, flattening her dress over her thighs.

"Yes, your highness," they said almost in unison, and she sighed, patted one of them on the shoulder, and stood to her feet again. She wasn't sure if she had reached them, most likely they just wanted to get in good graces, but she knew there was little else she could do.

"Run along now," she said, and they ran from the scene of the crime as fast as they could.

"Thank you, your grace."

She recognized that voice, and she saw the shore, the ship, and she realized it was Merlin. She turned around, watched as he dusted his robe, took his hat from atop his head and walked forward. He looked weary, tired, and he bowed to her, as everyone did in her presecence.

No matter how many times it happened, she still never truly became used to it.

"As the old saying goes, boys will be boys, but I for one see that sort of behavior to be quite unacceptable."

"I would agree, sir, and would have hoped they would have learned better. No one should be treated badly."

"Even those as different as, say, me?" Merlin asked, and she looked to his long hat that was put back to rest on his head. She looked at his floor-sweeping beard that farmed his smiling mouth, and the colorful robes he wore. She laughed, putting a hand to her mouth before pardoning herself.

"No harm done," Merlin said with a smile as he reached forward, taking Aqua's hand in between both of his. "But thank you, my dear, for coming to an old man's defense. Quite noble," he said as he gently nudged her with his elbow.

"I wouldn't say noble. Just doing my duty." She laughed and a stray piece of her hair behind her ear, and she couldn't help but be a bit taken aback by the comfort a stranger showed in her presence. She didn't like it, not at all, when most people stiffened when they saw her, smiling and acting the utmost respectful, but deep down she knew they were nervous, just by the mere sight of her.

Because she was the Princess after all, and they wouldn't want to accidentally offend or disrespect her.

It was nice to not be treated so fragile.

"Well, I bid you good day, your highness."

"Wait." She grabbed the sleeve of his robe just as he turned away. He had answers, answers she had always wondered about, been desperate about. "So, you're from across the ocean, right? Surely there is no question as to why you came here," she said, her expression darkening.

The King who ruled the land across the sea was a wretched man. He obsessed over himself, and wished to cover his land in darkness; to leave no trace of light behind. It was a wasteland, where anything that went there went to die.

"Unfortunately, so. That Xehanort is no king of mine. I care a lot for Ven, he is like my son. I wanted so badly to see him safe. And when I thought of the many families there, I knew there was something I had to do. I had to get them somewhere safe. And so I set sail, it was the only thing I knew to do."

"What a journey that must have been," she said, and watched the sadness that overtook his eyes. It hurt her heart, to imagine her land filled with such unhappy souls. The last thing she refused to see. "I'm glad to have learned you all made it here safely."

"Hm, well with a bit of magic to aid you, nothing is impossible," he said as he threw her a quirky smile.

There had been rumors circulating. That someone had caught Merlin practicing magic. Engaged in a spell that left the person amazed, so much so that they went and let their mouth be unfiltered to whoever it was that would listen. That was how the rumor started, and she was sure that was why those children had been taunting him.

"Do you really mean what you say?" she asked. "That there is magic in this world, and you are capable of it?" Though the idea of magic was a prospect frightening and mysterious and so exciting all at once, there had been no one she knew who had ever been capable of such feats. But as she looked at Merlin she thought, if anyone was capable of it, perhaps he was.

He laughed, and it was like a wind gust, the bark of an oak tree being rapped against by someone's knuckle, all of nature and everything around them all at once. And her breath caught in her throat when he leaned in and whispered against his hand, "Yes, magic is real. Very real indeed. Though, it is a part of our mental capacity as well," he said as he pointed to his temple and smiled.

"Wow," she said, her lips growing wide into a smile, the kind of smile that children have when the world is at their fingertips and the possibilities are endless as their parents remind them of their potential in this life. Merlin had opened up another world to her, and all that she could do within its confides.

"Princess," he said, his voice gravely yet with the whimsy of a whistle, and he reached forward to clasp her hand in his, and the warmth of his smile reached his eyes, and it was then she knew this man was special.

"It feels..." she said with a gasp, as she felt an energy spread throughout her limbs, course through her very veins that functioned every steady beat of her heart. "Is that what magic feels like?"

He nodded. "Princess Aqua, I see a light here. A strong light. One I hadn't thought I'd see again. At lest, not in my home town." He patted her hand and continued, "It feels good, so good to see it once again." And she could have sworn she saw a tear in his eye that he blinked away, and it was gone. "I don't want that light to go away. I don't want Master Xehanort to claim it."

"But, what can I do?" She asked as she looked at her fingertips. There was no magic there. Her fingers didn't carry the same energy as his. She blinked away the tears, her eyelashes moist, and she wasn't even sure why.

"Princess, you can do anything you want, and I can teach you."

Could he really teach her magic? Was magic something she could even learn?

She bowed at the waist, and said, "If you would teach me, I'd be honored to learn," and he grabbed her elbow, pulling her in a direction with a laugh.

"I was waiting for you to say something like that," he said, and she followed, heart caught in her throat as many questions ran through her head, but she wondered if maybe she was meant for something like this.

"The ocean," Merlin said, as he gazed out onto the lapping blue waves, minerals sparkling under the radiance of the sun. The ocean responded with a gentle wave, pushing against the sand when he made a gesture with his hand. He commanded it, and Aqua could only stare and watch at the marvel of a man moving an ocean. She had never imagined such a feat possible.

The ocean was a living, breathing thing in and of itself. It moved on its own accord, unpredictable in its moods, and so how could one person control its temperament?

"It's like a channel, Aqua. A passage. A life flow, if you will." He took her hand and held it out, palm down, and her fingers splayed. "If you can control the water...you can control those who may leave, and who may enter. And that is not something to take lightly."

She shuddered, feeling a energy strong enough to make her gasp, pulsating at her fingertips. It radiated from her fingers throughout her entire arm, and she looked back at Merlin, an uncertainty in her eyes.

As a child, Aqua hadn't been afraid to try new things. And that fearlessness followed her into adulthood, where she felt nothing in the face of a bellowing Wyvern or with a sword pressed to her cheek during a spar.

But..."Who says I'm ready for that kind of power?" she asked. She was just a normal girl. Yes, a Princess, of course, but still, who was she to control anything? And yet, she knew control was all part of being a Princess after all. One day, she would be in control of her Kingdom, her people. All decisions left up. One day, she would dictate fate.

And that terrified her.

And maybe that was the reason she was so ready to retract her hand, and she would have, had Merlin not kept a steady grip on it as he smiled warm and comforting.

"You have a great deal of responsibility on your shoulders. And lucky for you, a clear head at that. You helped me. And you would have gladly put your life on the line on that day I first came to shore."

He must have noticed more than she had thought, and it was true, she would have put her life on the line if need be.

"And there lie the makings of a girl, no, a young woman, who can lead her people. I'm just here to aid you with a gift."

She nodded as she looked back towards the ocean, her hand trembling with fear or with energy, she wasn't quite sure.

"First, it'll just be a trickle, but then, you can move a tide. And eventually, the ocean. Just focus."

"Focus." She closed her eyes.

"And just breathe."

She did just that, inhaling the salty air, hearing the serene deep breathing of the waves, feeling the wind caress her cheek like it was her mother's hand. She let go, relaxed her skittish heart and troubled mind.

And she focused. Focused the energy surging from Merin's fingertips, and into her own. Her arm felt light, as if it were an extension of metaphysical power.

She told herself she could do it. Repeated it like a mantra in her head. If she willed this water to move, it would move. And all she had to do was focus, breathe, believe that it would move.

And when the water moved, lapped against her foot, she laughed, releasing a shuddered breath as she blinked back the tears pricking at the corners of her eyes.

"I did it," she breathed, smiling and laughing as she looked to Merlin. The way he smiled, was like a mirror of her father.

All she ever wanted was to prove something to herself. That if she believed, then she could achieve anything. All her hopes and dreams could become a reality. That was why she had her armor, that was why she learned to ride a warhorse. She was destined for greatness, she could sense it. She had a purpose far pass what the term 'Princess' meant.

She tested the waters, literally, moving her hand limber like the neck of a swan. The ocean stirred and the droplets of water glittered underneath the sun.

"This...is amazing," she said, letting her hand rest and the water rested. She turned to Merlin with a smile, giving a small bow in respect. "Thank you for showing me this."

"I would be a fool not to," he said. "Be smart. And practice as much as you can, Princess," he said as he held her hands in between his. Whenever he touched her, she felt a powerful energy, and she wondered just how powerful Merlin really was.

"Aqua," she corrected.

"Alright then, Aqua," he said, and she was surprised. Most others refused to call her by her real name, finding it disrespectful, when all she wanted was to be on equal terms in casual settings. "But I shall warn you. The more powerful you become, the weaker you will be. Using magic takes a lot of energy, so be careful."

She knew there had to be some sort of limits. Otherwise couldn't Merlin have just washed away all her Father's soldiers before they could have even prepared an attack, if he wanted? Instead he had held back, barely causing a ripple in the water, even if the energy and power practically radiated off him.

But a limit was a good thing, lest she get too carried away.

She knew of the responsibility she now possessed, but in the back of her mind, she wondered if there was a chance she might abuse it.

And she wondered, if she could stop her Dad from leaving to fight the war, even if it meant the safety of her people, would she?


	3. Chapter 3

Aqua sat perched upon an angel's wings, thought of the gift Merlin gave her, and what wondered what it really meant. It was late, when everyone was already warm in their bed, and even her Father had resided to his nightly quarters. As soon as he did, Aqua slipped away into the Courtyard where the moon gave her strength, and the angel statues, with water pouring from their mouths, would watch as she borrowed their water and gave it life.

The element danced in the air and when the lamplight hit the water just right, it sparkled like a glittering formation of stars. Her hands moved like an artist, as she painted the world around her. With more practice she had trained the water to curl around her like a serpent, and she created shapes like constellations. It was easy to get lost in its beauty, as Aqua had many past nights.

Aqua knew why the water was so precious to her. It reminded her of her Mother, but most of all, it reminded her of her Mother's hair. Her mother's hair always fell down her back in waves; an array of different shades of blue. A broach of pearls were usually combed through, to pull it back at one side, and Aqua at a young age imagined her mother's hair to be the ocean, and the broach represented the jewels that were kept safe beneath its tide.

As a child, Aqua had always been amazed, and she would pull on her mom's dress, and ask if she could brush and braid the long tendrils that fell over her shoulders. It had become a time that Aqua cherished most; a time when her Mother and her could really bond.

Her Mother promised Aqua the world, if only Aqua would reach forth and take it. Aqua would be Queen one day, that much was certain, but her Mother always warned her of the trials she would have to face. Still, as she brushed her daughter's bangs from her brilliant eyes, she knew Aqua would never falter. She was destined to be the beacon of light to her Kingdom, and she made Aqua promise that as she grew older, she would stay true to justice, truth, and light.

Aqua had promised, with every ounce of soul she had, and since then had never looked back.

Even if the world shunned her, even if her very own Father turned his back to her, Aqua would stand up for this gift Merlin had given her. She knew this power was special, and how foolish would it have been if she didn't reach forth and take it?

Aqua looked down at her open palms, felt the energy brimming at the ends of her fingertips, and smiled. She begun to realize why water was her gift: when she thought of water, she was reminded of her Mother. And remembering was probably the biggest gift of all.

The sun had barely started to peek from behind the hills, and the solitude of night would soon be broken by the cry of the roosters at dawn. With the last hour of darkness there was before the sunlight, Aqua took a few moments to relax, stretch out her back, and get a bit of rest and recovery in before she would return to her quarters and be greeted by the servants.

Another night well-spent, she thought, but she knew the sooner she returned to her quarters the better. Her late night training would be no-more if her Father or any of the servants were to find her bed empty. She didn't want to be forced to explain why her face was damp with sweat and her eyes were rounded by black bags.

And just as she felt it time to head home, just as she was about to fall from her perched position atop one of the marble statue's shoulders, she heard her name and felt her heart fall to her stomach. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw Terra atop his horse, with that same serious expression he always seemed to wear. Of course, she couldn't exactly blame him. Aqua knew the responsibility that weighed on his shoulders, and for Terra, it wasn't as easy to give himself a break.

But she knew it was a great misfortune that it was Terra who had found her. He would definitely question her and perhaps even tell her Father.

"Terra," she said politely before she took the time to jump down from the statue. She landed on her feet, gentle enough to avoid sores in her ankles, and did the polite curtsey expected of her.

"Princess," Terra said and did a small bow that one could do from atop a horse. "I would have thought you'd be in your quarters safe and getting your night's rest. What are you doing out here in the courtyard?"

"I couldn't sleep," she replied, and she felt the magic in her palm began to fizz out. "And you're here...?" she trailed off, though she was aware that it wasn't unusual for the guards to be out surveying the perimeter around the castle. Really, this run in with Terra was bound to happen sooner or later, and Aqua knew that.

"Surveying the castle. It's rather late, maybe it'd be best if you were to head home."

"Or early, depending how you think of it." Aqua tried to smile, but she felt the lingering sense of sadness. Sure, thinking of her Mother always brought on a feeling of melancholy, but there was something about Terra that always brought on that feeling as well. It was just a bit upsetting to know that she and Terra spent so much of their time together, and still Aqua was unable to form any sort of bond with him. Worse even, Terra didn't seem to have any interest in any bond.

"If you want," Terra said as he rubbed the back of his neck and his eyes shifted away, "I could walk you home. I wouldn't want you to get hurt."

"Sir Terra, what is this chivalry?" Aqua couldn't help the sarcasm that dripped from her tone. "I'm perfectly capable of walking only a few feet to the castle." She exaggerated just a bit, considering the castle was much farther than that, but it was the principle. She had lived her since she was a child and surely she had managed to walk from the courtyard to the castle quite well on her own. She she made her point by walking to the stone edge of the fountain to pick up her discarded sword that slept within its sheath. She tied it to her waist and turned to him, pointing an accusatory finger in his direction. "Why must you keep implying that I'm weak. No one has even given me the chance to demonstrate my strength."

Terra cleared his throat, pushed his hair from his brows, and smirked. "My apologies, Aqua, I never meant to imply anything. We both are aware the King would have my head if something happened to you."

"We haven't had a public execution in a while. We're a bit overdue," and as soon as she said it she noticed the dumbfounded look that crossed Terra's face for only seconds, before he became a man enraged. Seconds later and that man was gone as well, and it was Terra again, stoic as usual. Did he even refuse to admit that Aqua had offended him?

"I could bet..." he hesitated, and cleared his throat again before continuing, "I could bet I could make it to the castle before you.

At this, Aqua quirked her brow, and the smile slowly returned to her lips. She wet her drying lips and looked down towards the sheath around her waist, before her eyes glanced back to Terra and she said, "Better yet, are you up for a duel?"

Terra looked at Aqua like she had two heads and put a hand up to his face to "politely" hide his laughter. "A duel? You mean with swords?" His eyes immediately centered in on her sheath around her waist, his eyebrows knitting together.

"Oh, Terra, it worries me to think you aren't even exactly sure of the definition of a duel," she smiled playfully and unsheathed her sword, setting her feet apart in a sturdy position. "Why the face?"

"Nothing. We can't duel. And you know why. Not to mention I'm sure you're a novice swordsman," Excuse after excuse, but despite his complete Terra's refusals, Aqua noticed how he slid off his horse and stepped forward. She knew there was something in him that wanted a fight, and she could wager that reason was to prove something to her. "And plus your Father-"

"Is asleep. And I've been learning from Master Eraqus for a while now, and though I am a novice, I still think it would benefit me to learn from a swordsman such as yourself." There was a bitter edge to her tone like prick of a needle against her skin like she had felt so many times before while her seamstress altered her clothing. Aqua was used to the stereotypes put on women, especially women like her, and so in a way she appealed to what she knew Terra would respond to. But in other ways, there was a mocking way she talked, and she was sure Terra knew it.

He didn't say much, not for a little while, but she knew he was contemplating the horrible effects a spar with the Princess could have on his status, and whether that outweighed his secret desire for wanting so badly to wager his sword with Aqua's. He didn't have to speak, not when he took his sword from his sheath.

He pinched the bridge of his nose and asked himself, "Why am I doing this?" but Aqua was ready and so began the first ever meeting Terra and Aqua that would push them together.

–

The way she fought was poised. Her feet moved like a dancer's, with her toe pointed and her arm drawn back behind her in a way that was casual, and yet Terra saw the intensity in her brow. She was light on her feet even, and quick. With the way she challenged Terra with each step she took that met with his own experienced movements.

Terra didn't want to admit it, not even to himself, but there was something about the way she used her sword that was unique. Maybe it was the fact that Aqua was a woman, and Terra had never seen very many women that fought with swords and armor. But the look in her eyes was unfamiliar, perhaps even threatening. The intensity there, the tension across her brow, made Terra want to push her that much harder.

Terra grit his teeth; the weight of his armor evident in his dropped shoulder and hunched back. A sheen of sweat had already began mingling into his hairline by this time. They rushed forward, met in the middle, pushed their weight against their swords to try and get some sort of advantage. Their faces were close, noses close to brushing, and Terra was the first to break away.

Again they rushed. A misstep and Terra stumbled forward only slightly before catching his center of balance again and colliding his blade against Aqua's. He had never expected the power she had when she stood her ground against him. But there was something here Aqua could teach Terra, and that was to never grow cocky when facing an opponent. No matter how lean their figure or feathery their touch. No matter how pretty their eyes or soft their hair.

Terra blinked, distracted for that moment by his thoughts, and Aqua took that opportunity to bring her sword down and nearly knock the blade from his hand.

Terra was never a man to become distracted, and though he had never faltered where it counted, he knew one mistake and he would have a permanent reminder of his shortcomings. *

"You seem quite serious," Aqua said and her face gave off that of amusement, perhaps even arrogance, and continued, "for this being such a one-sided duel." She jumped forward and swung her blade with force and Terra dodged easily, his feet sturdy yet they swept against the ground as if they weren't firmly grounded there.

"I take every duel serious," he said, and although that was the truth, he had went into this duel with Aqua with a sort of humorous fascination. This whole duel had been just play, until he saw that Aqua knew more of Eraqus' technique than he had expected. He hated to show weakness, but he supposed his serious demeanor was weakness enough. It said he was trying. It said he thought Aqua worthy of his full focus. "You never know what skills your advisory could be harboring." And that was something he was learning now.

"Sir Terra, I'm surprised." Aqua said as he took a few steps back and readied her sword again. "Are you paying me a compliment?" He snorted and leaped forward in a show of his strength, and as Aqua lifted her sword to block he saw her struggle against him.

"If I may ask, Princess," he said as he pressed his sword against hers, once again their faces close and the intensity fizzing between their locked eyes. "What were you really doing out here in the courtyard so late?" As they struggled in an attempt to overpower the other, their swords' edges slid like a razor.

He saw her eyes soften, a contemplative look crossed her face before she finally pulled back, their swords separating with a metallic sound that rang in their ears. "I was thinking about my mother," she said.

Terra was caught off guard and for a moment his tense shoulders fell. Terra definitely hadn't been Aqua's knight when her mother had passed as Terra was just a child, albeit a bit older than Aqua. He didn't have the opportunity to talk to Aqua about her loss, nor the King. What Terra did recall was the look on Aqua's face when he had seen her in the streets the day it happened. He remembered Aqua and her father walking through the streets, surrounded by knights and the sad air of loneliness that followed young Aqua.

That moment was pivotal, not only because the Queen had passed and that itself had been a momentous, tragic event in the kingdom, but because seeing Aqua so lonely and sad made Terra realize they may not have been so different. Terra was a lonely child as well, forced to provide for his own mother when his father had died bravely fighting for their kingdom. Terra hadn't had friends or been allowed to be a kid, and so Terra's stern disposition was not only a wall to keep himself safe, but a result of being the man of the house at such a young age.

In those moments, Terra had wished he had been one of those knights who could have kept Aqua safe, who maybe could have brought a little security to her life during those hard times. His father was what made him want to take up being a swordsman so that he could become a knight, but seeing Aqua that day was what made him aspire to be her knight.

He wasn't entirely sure what made him so cold in her presence even as she made so many attempts to just be his friend, but deep down Terra felt a certain rivalry with her. He had expected to become the knight of a princess who he could actually protect. To be a knight of a princess like that would give Terra the feeling of responsibility and importance he had had as a child. With his mother being somewhat dependent on Terra for the fact that she, being a woman, couldn't get a job that paid anything over a munny a day, that had painted a certain picture of women for Terra. But when he got to know Aqua, who was more competent and motivated than he had ever known a woman to be, his pride had been hurt.

What was there for Terra if his princess didn't even need him? And Terra, deep down, knew that was what kept him guarded and perhaps even hardened to her learning how to use a sword.

"I'm sorry, Terra," Aqua said, dropping her sword for a moment. "I didn't mean to burden you." And that was when Terra realized he had been in a daze of remembering for a moment, and he snapped back to reality.

"I'm sorry, Princess. I'm sorry about your mother. But why the courtyard, if I may ask?"

Aqua smiled and looked down at her open palm before she closed it, her eyes shifting to the stone water fountain a bit away from them. "It was my mother's favorite place to be. She loved to garden. And the water. It reminds me of her hair. "

Terra recalled the Queen's hair and how it fell in waves like a calm ocean tide. Aqua had the same shade, he noticed.

"Enough talk about my Mother. I had my hour alone to think. Besides, it is not good to get distracted during a fight with the enemy," she said as she rushed forward with her sword drawn and cut through the air in a fast fluid motion that Terra almost hadn't time to dodge.

"You aren't the enemy," he argued and Aqua's brows drew together, her face suddenly regaining its intensity. It was a mirror of his own face, and such a hard expression on her face was a shock.

"Then pretend I am those vile men from across the sea. I want you to show me what you're really capable of, Sir Terra." The challenge in her voice sparked something in Terra and he braced himself again, getting into a fighting stance again as he smirked.

"With all due respect, princess, but I do not wish to hurt you."

"I'm more capable than you expected, Terra. I believe you even had a bit of sweat on your brow." A curtain of blue hair fell across her eyes of the same shade, and Terra found it hard to replace the lovely blue of her eyes with the gleaming yellow of Xehanort's men. *

Yes, Aqua was capable, but something in him thirsted for that ring of steel against steel that might have given him back his manhood, his dignity, his abilities to be someone Aqua needed. He still wasn't ready to give in, not to admit defeat, or admit that a Princess' worth could really be held in the palm of her hand, ready to wield and fight.

"If that is what you wish Princess."

"Yes, pretend I am those cowards across the sea. Show me all you have, Sir Terra," she said, the soft curve of her mouth hardened.

He saw her with eyes like the glaring moon, dressed in black garbs bleeding with crimson hues. He saw the hilt of her sword marked with the lion's pendant that marked King Xehanort. He hated them, and so chanelled his rage unbridled into his blade. The swell of anger in his chest hurt and he could practically feel his blood boil at the mere thought of facing one of Xehanort's man, something he longed to do, even though the thought did strike a chord of fear within him. Terra had learned to channel that fear to only add to his anger.

In that moment, Aqua was not the Princess, but the enemy, or at least that was what he told himself. He wanted to do as she asked and see her as such; nothing but a pedestal for his blade. But no matter what, when he rushed forward at her with a cry, setting that anger on his face and in his strength, even as she stood opposing him, even when he brought his sword high above his head to deliver a powerful blow onto her, there was always a jerk of hesitation, and he would stop himself. He couldn't bring himself to do it, almost as if his sword wouldn't allow it.

Even as she attacked him, swinging her blade elegantly above her before it came to blows with his sword he'd bring up at the last second, he could do nothing but guard or dodge.

It went on like this for moments before once again their locked swords, locked eyes, their eyes sharp and teeth grit, and Aqua finally said, "Is this what you would do if you were facing the enemy? A skilled swordsman as yourself cannot even bring yourself to attack? What are you waiting for Terra?" She asked, her voice strained as she pushed her weight into her sword.

He let out a cry, frustrated and angry not at Aqua but at his own hesitation, and with as much strength as he could muster, with the sweat beginning to drip from his forehead and the anger in him too much to bear, he brought his blade up and then down. The sheer force was enough to knock Aqua back a few steps, her sword falling from her hand and her feet misguided enough that she fell backwards onto the courtyard cobblestone. Terra pointed his blade at her and considered himself victorious when Aqua held her hands up in a surrender.

They stood like that for what felt like moments, and Terra hadn't noticed himself shaking with anger until he had stopped moving. His breath was labored and his palms sweaty, and he looked down at Aqua, but did not feel that swell of pride that came with winning. It wasn't as he had thought, not when she looked up at him, chest heaving yet her face remained determined.

Everything began to settle and Terra had just begun to notice that they had fought through the dawn, and the sky was a clear, pale blue. The birds chirped around the, the stream of the fountain steady, and the world began to settle to normal around them.

And just as Terra let out a deep breath, releasing the tension that so desperately needed to come out, he held out his hand for Aqua to take, and just before she could be given the chance to take it, they heard a familiar and booming voice that left them both shaken.


End file.
