The Shield of the Kingdom

A smirk tugged at Syra's lips, though she tried to hide it.

"Wow. We just got promoted and insulted in the same breath."

A small shake of Kyra's head, yet her face held a soft glow. Quietly warm, it stayed just beneath her eyes.

"It's accurate."

Then Aria faced Leon again, calm folding around her slow. Her lips stayed curled just slightly, steady with quiet knowing. She did not look away.

"Well," she said, voice smooth, decisive, "shall we move on to the next ministry?"

He paused before speaking.

Beyond where he was looking, things changed without warning. His eyes moved first, though nobody saw it happen.

Syra and Kyra.

A pair stands close, alike when first seen - hair the color of leaves, eyes just as vivid - yet nothing like each other up close. Stillness between them, but not the same stillness; one rooted, the other waiting to move. Shape echoes shape, yet tension builds where differences show. Light catches one slightly more, revealing edges the other hides. Not twins, though some might guess that. One breathes slower. The space between grows without widening.

Light played across Syra's bright green hair, falling loose like morning through trees. Leaning slightly, she held herself with ease, not stiff or posed. A grin flickered there - sharp, knowing, edged with mischief. Clothes followed her shape quietly, drawing attention without shouting. Her stance spoke of balance, rooted but ready. Power showed in stillness, not force.

Kyra stood nearby, a contrast in every way.

Under moonlight, a still lake mirrors Kyra's calm, unlike Syra's warmth. Quiet composure shapes her presence, not noise. Framed by green hair, cut neat, her face stays closed, giving little. Sharp eyes stay locked, always watching, never drifting. Straight back, tight control - that's how she holds herself. Each motion has weight. Purpose lives in every gesture. Discipline drapes her uniform; it doesn't just hang.

Sun and moon.

Impulse and restraint.

A beat passed - just one - before Leon looked away. His eyes had stayed fixed, almost caught, on what stood before him.

Then -

"Syra."

"Kyra."

One of the women with green hair stood taller, her body moving without thought. The other matched her, spine aligning like pulled thread.

Syra grinned slightly.

"This sounds dangerous already."

A puff of laughter slipped out from someone at their back - then hushed just as fast.

This moment, Leon stayed serious. His face showed nothing.

"You two will handle defense."

A silence followed. The syllable stayed, unmoving above them.

"Fortification systems. Border security. Internal threat detection."

Foward he leaned a little.

"And emergency response coordination."

Her face changed fast, eyes narrowing without warning.

"That's… a large responsibility."

Her smile softened, yet beneath it danced a quiet thrill.

"You're giving us the kingdom's shield."

"Yes."

Simple was Leon's reply.

A sigh slipped out of Syra while fingers combed loose strands back. Her chest fell slow, sound filling the pause between thoughts.

"Wow… no pressure at all, right?" she muttered, glancing sideways at Kyra. "Just the entire kingdom depending on us not messing up."

Funny as it might have been, Kyra stayed quiet. Stillness sat heavy on her shoulders instead of laughter.

Her voice stayed calm when she spoke. Yet a small squeeze of her hand gave something away.

Syra noticed.

A whisper slipped into her words, barely there.

"Hey… relax. We've handled worse."

Kyra glanced over, eyes quick and curious. A single nod followed after that.

Fingers curling tight around her own sleeves, Syra pivoted toward Leon.

"You're not afraid we'll break it?"

Her gaze caught Leon's. He looked up, then still.

"I'm afraid of what happens if I give it to someone else."

Quiet now. She stopped talking.

For a second.

A soft whistle slipped through the air behind them.

"Damn…"

A hush crept out, trembling just beneath the surface

"He really just said that."

One blink. Then another followed slow behind. Her eyes opened wider after that second pause.

A quiet smile curled at the corners of her mouth once more.

She exhaled, shifting beneath the moment like an old coat finally buttoned. "Fine," came her voice, quiet but firm. Moving forward seemed less about wanting and more about what was left. The air between us tightened without another word

A quick smile flicked toward Kyra from the corner of her mouth.

"Come on, partner. Let's try not to let the kingdom collapse on day one."

Fog lifted from her breath, quiet like a whisper; yet something unbreakable sharpened in her gaze.

"We won't fail."

Her chin dipped sideways, a soft spark back in her eyes. Stillness followed, but lighter now.

"Good. Because if we do, I'm blaming you."

Kyra stood still, eyes fixed ahead. Not a flicker of movement crossed her face.

"I'll make sure you don't get the chance."

Some folks standing back let out quiet laughs.

A weight lifted, though only a little.

For once since people started talking, the air in there felt light.

It felt… alive.

Quiet filled the space where words might have been. A pause stretched, soft at first, then edged with meaning. His voice stayed away on purpose. The air between them changed, grew close, more aware. Without thinking, almost by accident, his mouth tilted slightly upward. One corner lifted, just enough to show.

His eyes shifted.

She fell onto him.

Nova.

Midnight strands trail behind, flat against her spine, hushed like the air just before thunder rolls in. Those green irises? Sharp. Not shouting, yet never missing a thing. Standing loose, sure, though something tight hums under the surface - like steel tucked into a sleeve. Frame at rest, but energy on edge, refusing to settle. Legs stretch long, planted without effort, frame shaped by motion, not posing - built to strike, not impress.

A moment passed before Leon looked away. She held his gaze just past what felt normal.

Not as a king.

As someone who understood exactly what she was.

She didn't flinch under his gaze. Didn't look away. If anything, her lips curved just slightly—like she already knew.

She stepped forward.

Not loud. Not dramatic.

But deliberate.

"Nova."

Her voice was calm, grounded.

"Yes."

Leon spoke clearly.

"You will hold a position above the current military command structure."

That made Black and Johny both glance up.

A shift in the room. Subtle—but real.

"You will act as the strategic overseer of the army."

A pause. Just long enough for the weight of that to settle.

"Commander Black retains direct command."

"Vice Commander Johny maintains operational execution."

Leon's eyes sharpened, voice lowering just slightly—not softer, but more precise.

"But you…"

He lifted a hand, pointing toward her—not casually, but with intent.

"You will hold the authority to override, redirect, and restructure military operations when necessary."

Silence.

It didn't just fill the room—it pressed into it.

Even the air felt heavier.

Black looked at Nova. Then at Leon. A brief moment of calculation—then acceptance.

He nodded.

"Understood."