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Ch. 4 Loyal Little Princess
Terakhir Diperbarui:
2024-02-17 08:07:29I forced a quick grin at my mother before taking the letter from her hand, my eyes skimming its contents. "So, these men will be here later tonight or tomorrow morning, and then what? If this guy decides I'm—" I flicked back to the relevant section, narrowing my eyes at the phrasing. "Found to be favorable." I glared at her. "Then what? He leaves to report back to the king that I'm good enough for the royal line? While I sit here, waiting with packed bags for the verdict; for them to come load me up to go live in a kingdom full of humans?"
My mother took the letter back and tucked it into her pocket. "You'd be leaving with the King's men when they leave tomorrow," she said softly, her gaze drifting away from mine.
A knot formed in my stomach. "I didn't see that in the letter," I replied, my voice quieter than I'd expected. I was struggling to comprehend the idea of leaving my home—the only place I had known—so soon.
"It was in the other letter. Your father and I thought that one was a little too sensitive for you right now. We didn't want to bother you with trivial matters after everything you've been through lately."
"I'm the one getting carted off; I think I deserve to know everything the King had to say," I shot back, frustration bubbling in my voice.
My mother sighed, shaking her head as if grappling with some internal decision. "The only thing I need to know is... Are you... Have you um..."
I blinked in surprise, my eyes widening. I had never seen her so flustered before. This woman—who was always so steadfast and sure of herself—was suddenly stumbling over her words. "What, Mom?" I asked, not sure if my tone, or the casual use of 'mom' had startled her, but the Queen Mage finally met my gaze, taking a deep breath.
"Are you still a virgin? You and Gil never..." Her voice trailed off, and my mouth fell open slightly.
"What does that matter?" I demanded, my voice rising in disbelief.
"The royal family of Scepterfall has very strict beliefs about the purity of their bloodline. They insist that women must be virgins at the time of marriage and can only share their bed with their King. It's a religious belief, I assume," she explained, her tone serious.
I lifted a brow, folding my arms. "And what about the men of the family? I noticed the belief conveniently avoided mentioning them. Are they required to live by the same rules?" I shot back, irritation lacing my voice.
Sylvren sighed, shaking her head in resignation. "No, it's the typical double standard of male-dominated religions you'll find common among the humans. When men do it, they're simply expelling their seed. But according to their teachings, women take in impurities from their partners, so they're considered unclean if they do it. It's nonsense. But the bedside habits of your future husband aren't what's important. They never will be. All you need to focus on is being what your people need you to be. And right now, I need to know—are you a virgin?"
I was so stunned that I couldn’t speak for a moment. Finally, I stuttered out, "Y-yes. Gil and I have never... We’ve never gone that far..." My voice was barely a whisper, mortified to be having this conversation with my mother. Now it was my turn to avoid her gaze.
"Are you sure? I need you to be absolutely honest with me, Lyra," she insisted. I set my shoulders, forcing myself to look directly at the Queen. My temper began to rear its ugly head, as it always did in uncomfortable situations. In fact, my anger often defended me whenever I felt anything other than contentment.
"Yes. I told him that I didn't want to risk pregnancy. So no, Mother. Gil's dick has never been inside my—"
"Lyra!" She scolded me, her expression scandalized.
"You wanted me to be absolutely honest, so I was," I shrugged, picking at a piece of fuzz on my sleeve.
Silence fell between us, my mother trying to regain that cool, haughty demeanor she wore as the Queen Mage—which just happened to be her default mode now after years of welding it.
"So, in short, I marry into the King's family, stay a virgin until then, and be a loyal little princess until I can bear them an heir. We use our people's loyalty to get them to fight a war they have no stake in, give up our freedoms, and lose our culture as they force their beliefs on us," I summarized, my voice softening in response to the somber mood my brash recap had created.
I turned to look at my mother and paused as a tear slipped down her cheek. Sylvren wiped it away faster than her lightning magic could strike, keeping her gaze fixed on the edge of the floating island us mages called home. I looked out over the swirling mist, deep in thought. The outline of the mainland barely peeked through the humidity and fog; denser today than normal. Leaning over the banister, I gazed down at the moss-covered rock face that supported our little haven, a breeze winding through my red hair. I took a deep breath, using the quiet that had settled between us to work through my thoughts.
Bab terkait
Fire's Determination Ch. 5 Life as I Knew it
The small island that we mages called home floated in the middle of a giant crater that held nothing but water below. It was connected to the mainland by a single land bridge that was just big enough for three horses to walk side by side comfortably. There weren't many people that dared to bring a wagon over it. I had lived my entire life in this magical place. Our ancestors, while trying to avoid persecution, were searching for a way to keep their people safe. They had found this small chunk of land in the bottom of the chasm and lifted the little haven up and held it there with some of the most powerful magic ever wielded. Magic that was long ago lost to the mages of our time. By doing this, they'd effectively made an impenetrable stronghold for their people to find refuge from the prejudices of their time. I reflected for a moment how I was similarly working on a way to free my people from the oppression that after centuries of peace had resurfaced over the past few decades. Onl
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-02-19Fire's Determination Ch. 6 I Just Ran
Why did today have to start off so early? I thought irritably. I had barely gotten more than two hours of sleep by the time Lilly, ever watchful and reliable as always, had woken me up from my night terror. I sighed, overwhelmed by all the tasks that still needed to be taken care of. The council meeting that my mother was supposed to announce was coming up soon. There was a possible meeting with the man from Scepterfall, if he decided to show up today. And I still needed to find Gil and break the news to him, hopefully before the time of the actual meeting. I yawned, realizing I should probably get started on that last task. I pushed myself off the banister. My mother had told me I should get more rest, but I knew that wasn't going to happen. My mind wouldn't turn off enough to allow me to get any more sleep. Instead, I headed out to the training field, where I figured I'd probably find Gil, but only Lorna, one of the oldest mages on the island who lived in and worked for her roo
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-02-24Fire's Determination Ch. 7 Blood Beasts
"Lyra!" My father hissed behind me, thundering through the trees on my heels. Branches whipped past, stinging my cheeks and bare arms whenever I failed to block them. "We need to save her, dad." I shot back, my voice a tense whisper. "We can't lose another one," I said, feeling panicky. The thought of losing even a single life was too much to bear. I pushed my legs to move faster. We paused, straining to hear Carmella's call for help again. "Carm?" I asked tentatively, keeping my voice just above a whisper to avoid alerting the nearby humans. I prayed silently that we'd find her before they did. "Help!" Another scream echoed through the trees, still distant enough that I knew she hadn't heard me. "I don't think she knows a hunting party is nearby," my father said, urgency in his tone as we took off again. I nodded, saving my breath for running. When we broke into the clearing, I felt my blood freeze, despite having my fire magic pulled forward and ready to use. Carmella dangled fr
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-03-22Fire's Determination Ch. 8 Wrong Move
I froze, my hands stilling where they were. A warm trickle of blood escaped my nose—a grim reminder of my waning power. It was taking an immense amount of energy to keep those walls burning thick and high enough to prevent the beast from rushing through or leaping over them. "Girl, turn around. Let me see your face," the man commanded. "Man stays put and doesn't move, or girl gets throat slit. Do I make myself clear?" "Why are you talking like a caveman?" I forced calm into my voice as I turned around to face my attacker. He stood there, legs apart in a threatening stance, the cold blade his sword pressed firmly to my neck. Was he alone or were the rest of the hunting party lurking in the shadows? If he was alone, that was incredibly stupid of him—taking on multiple mages single-handedly. Of course, the Blood Beasts would have evened the odds, if he was dealing with weaker mages. Unfortunately for him, we weren't your average mages. "Shut up. Ah, yes. Exactly as described. You'll f
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-03-22Fire's Determination Ch. 9 Alive, Not Dead
I gasped and sat bolt upright, my eyes darting around frantically, trying to figure out where I was. Ellis swam into view, relief and awe written on her face. Then I felt it—dark tethers, invisible to anyone but me, extended outwards, connecting me to every nearby life force. I looked up into Ellis's face, feeling her life force pulsing in front of me, alongside the throbbing energies of the others nearby. One of them was so weak already... I flinched, pulling back the magic and slamming it deep inside me. As soon as I did, Ellis took a deep breath as though she suddenly felt better. She shook her head in confusion, as if she had felt the shift, but offered me a small smile. "You know, a normal mage would've been out cold for days," she mused, pressing the back of her palm to my forehead. I waved her off, watching her face closely for signs of suspicion or doubt. "How long was I out?" I asked, throwing the blanket off and ignoring Ellis's attempts to get me to lie back down. I coul
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-03-22Fire's Determination Ch. 10 Constant
"So, what's this meeting about?" A familiar voice asked, and I turned to see Gil walking into the council room. Apprehension rushed through me. How is he feeling about Wulfrud? How am I going to tell him about the alliance? How will he take it? He froze as he saw me, "You're up already? You used so much energy, Lyra. Are you sure you're ok to be here?" Concern dripped from his voice. My mother had pushed the meeting back a few hours while I slept, but after my father and I found her, she made it clear just how displeased she was with my recklessness. She assured me how happy she was that I wasn't dead, but then reiterated on how angry she was that I wasn't still resting and recuperating after my ordeal. Once her rant ended, we had come to the council room to wait for everyone else to arrive. I had avoided telling her—or anyone else—exactly how I had recovered so quickly. I didn't want my people looking at me like I was a monster. The Queen Mage and the Mage Consort were alread
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-03-22Fire's Determination Ch. 11 No Secrets
I could feel my mother preparing to jump in when, finally, Triguni spoke up. "We've been waiting a long time for your birth. You'll accomplish much in your lifetime. As you've already shown, you understand the importance of calculated action rather than just merely relying on magic. Aeon would be proud of the woman you've become, Princess." She leaned back in her chair and resumed her silence. I swallowed the lump that formed in my throat at Triguni's words, my gaze once again drifting to Aeon's empty seat. For a moment, no one else spoke until Perrin, tentatively, ventured, "Yes, I see the appeal of this union," the Potioneer mused thoughtfully. "With those added supplies, we wouldn't have to keep stretching Kiell, Liza, Terra and Enid to their breaking points. The workload those four have endured over the last few months is beyond what I thought they could handle. But I fear they might be a little too willing to sacrifice certain things for our future." "What do you mean by
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-03-22Fire's Determination Ch. 12 Broken Lines
The healer set her shoulders as if steeling herself to say whatever was on her mind, then sighed loudly. "Humans? Princess, they don't care for their people; they own them. They shouldn't be the answer to our plight." She paused to gauge my reaction, and when I merely nodded, allowing her to continue, she pressed on, bolstered by the looks of everyone else around the table—everyone except for Gil, who was still pointedly staring at me. In turn, I continued avoiding his gaze, focusing instead on Amnati. "By doing this, you're not only selling yourself into the ownership of the King; you're selling all of us. We'll lose our way of life, our independence, our beliefs and culture. The humans will drive away everything that makes us who we are and force us to replace it with their own ideals, thoughts and beliefs. And why should we trust these people? They've butchered us, enslaved us and tortured our kind for sheer amusement in the past. They make sports out of grotesque acts. Aeon isn
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-03-22
Bab terbaru
Fire's Determination Ch. 19 An Exemplary Leader
The smell of food was intoxicating as we walked through the doors into the dining hall. Mages from all over the island came here to eat, so it was rarely a quiet occasion. My stomach twisted painfully as I inhaled the aroma of fresh bread and seasoned meats. This was the only good outcome of yesterday’s tragedy; those who managed to return safely hadn’t abandoned the spoils of their hunting ventures. My people would eat well for a few weeks before another hunting party would need to be dispatched. The mages who offered up their services to cook and prepare meals always laid out the choices buffet-style on a long table. Everyone understood the importance of being mindful of their portions. We had little food to share between a large group of mages. I helped myself to a slice of venison, some fresh vegetables from the royal gardens, and one of Godfrey’s fresh rolls. He had absolutely perfected them. They had a beautifully crisp exterior, and once you took a bite, you would discover a
Fire's Determination Ch. 18 Not in a Hurry
Sylvren's voice cut through the air like ice, her tone sharp as if crackles of electricity surrounded the Queen Mage. I watched Gil very slowly wiping his fingers on his pants, his face as red as my hair, which I was hurriedly trying to fix. As if regaining control of my wind-blown hair could erase what my mother had just witnessed. "A little inappropriate, don't you think, now that you're engaged?" Sylvren's words lingered in the air, tinged with disapproval. "Technically," I breathed out, more of a pant than a response, attempting to mask my embarrassment with false bravado. "I'm not engaged yet." I added, my hand grasping for the contract. When my fingers only felt the hard stone of the bench, I looked over and saw the contract lazily making its way back towards me on a soft breeze—our passion tornado had rehomed it several feet away. Snatching it from the air, I whispered, "Thank you," to Gil under my breath. I extended the paperwork to my mother, who ripped it from my grasp. "
Fire's Determination Ch. 17 Too Warm
Gil covered my hand with his. "That's the future. Don't worry about it right now. Live in the present. Right here. With me. In the garden you love so much," he said softly, and I looked up, meeting his golden-brown eyes—the ones that looked so much like Ignatius's. "No, don't go there. Don't dwell in that dark place in your mind. Stay here, with me. In this garden, with this beautiful Morning Glory vine that Enid absolutely hates because it's a waste of space and kills everything it touches," he crooned. He always seemed to know what I needed, even before I did. My thoughts, which had been a jumbled mess just moments ago, began to dissipate, pushed back enough to give me time to breathe and relax. He understood my struggle to prioritize my thoughts sometimes and always did what he could to give me a break from the constant noise of ideas and emotions in my head. "Don't think about earlier. Don't think about tomorrow. Just think about right now. Just this," he whispered right before
Fire's Determination Ch. 16 I am Your Right Hand
"Malorie," I called softly once I was outside the Council Chamber doors, knowing the Potioneer had stayed nearby in case she was needed. The other mage rushed out from around the corner and gave me a quick bow. “Princess,” she acknowledged. "Malorie, could you please show the esteemed Captain to the guest chambers where he can stay for the night? And if he would like to get out and stretch his legs at all throughout the day, make sure someone is there to escort him," I said, fully aware that Tross was listening through the open door, though I didn't turn to look at him. "It will be done, Princess," the Potioneer replied with another bow. I sighed and shook my head slightly. "Seriously, stop with the bowing, Mal," I whispered, and she nodded in compliance. I turned to walk away but paused and looked back over my shoulder at her. "If you run into my mother, and she seems in a foul mood, tell her I'll be in the gardens, would you?" With that, I headed out the side door that led into
Fire's Determination Ch. 15 Courtesy
"No..." He said, pausing to give me another look up and down, as if verifying something in his head. "In the event that she is still too young to marry and fulfill wifely responsibilities, she'd be promised to the Prince until she is old enough to carry out those duties. Obviously, we'd still take her with us and let her finish her childhood in the Kingdom, as per the letter we sent. But the sooner we can present this unity to our people, the better." He offered, looking like he'd rather be discussing anything but my daughter’s "wifely responsibilities" with me. Frustration bubbled up within me; apparently, there had been more in that letter than my mother let on. "Hmmm," I said, leaning back. "So, how old is she? If you don't mind my saying, Queen Mage, you look awfully young to have an heir old enough to be married off," he noted. "The Princess is plenty old enough to be married. She goes into this willingly. Fiery, a little temperamental maybe, but willingly nonetheless." I repli
Fire's Determination Ch. 14 Only So Far
"Your Majesty—" "And stop calling me that." I waved a hand in his direction. "That's a made-up human title meant to bolster and feed the egos of those who wear your unnecessary crowns. Real leaders don't need inflated egos or fancy accessories to prove their worth to their people. So for me to be called as such is insulting," I finished coolly. Tross just stared at me, wide-eyed for a moment, before shaking himself back to the present and clearing his throat. "Yes, Queen Mage. I apologize for any offense. But if I may, what do you mean you don't want to be ruled by the King?" "I mean just that. We'll ally with him; we'll help when needed, when we can. We'll fulfill our part of the contract. But at the end of it all, mages will still be their own people, their own rulers. This alliance, between," I paused, almost saying "myself and the throne," but corrected it to maintain the ruse, "the Princess and the throne, will, as your King put in his letter, be a symbolic marriage to sho
Fire's Determination Ch. 13 Captain of the Guard
I remained standing as the stranger stopped just short of the table, keeping a respectful distance before bowing at the waist. "Queen Mage," he began, but I held up my hand to stop him, and he fell silent. I saw his posture stiffen, but I didn't care. I truly intended to show this man that he wasn't as important to us as his King had probably convinced him he was. If I could unnerve him, all the better for me in what I hoped would be a negotiation. "Thank you, Malorie, for delivering our guest to us. Council, we shall end here for today. Everyone out besides our guest, please." There was scraping of chairs and the soft patter of footfalls as everyone walked towards the door. Given how little I was looking forward to this conversation, it was a painfully short process. The council room wasn't large and extravagant; unlike the types of halls favored by humans, which were always grandiose and expensively made. We preferred simplicity and efficiency when it came to matters of design.
Fire's Determination Ch. 12 Broken Lines
The healer set her shoulders as if steeling herself to say whatever was on her mind, then sighed loudly. "Humans? Princess, they don't care for their people; they own them. They shouldn't be the answer to our plight." She paused to gauge my reaction, and when I merely nodded, allowing her to continue, she pressed on, bolstered by the looks of everyone else around the table—everyone except for Gil, who was still pointedly staring at me. In turn, I continued avoiding his gaze, focusing instead on Amnati. "By doing this, you're not only selling yourself into the ownership of the King; you're selling all of us. We'll lose our way of life, our independence, our beliefs and culture. The humans will drive away everything that makes us who we are and force us to replace it with their own ideals, thoughts and beliefs. And why should we trust these people? They've butchered us, enslaved us and tortured our kind for sheer amusement in the past. They make sports out of grotesque acts. Aeon isn
Fire's Determination Ch. 11 No Secrets
I could feel my mother preparing to jump in when, finally, Triguni spoke up. "We've been waiting a long time for your birth. You'll accomplish much in your lifetime. As you've already shown, you understand the importance of calculated action rather than just merely relying on magic. Aeon would be proud of the woman you've become, Princess." She leaned back in her chair and resumed her silence. I swallowed the lump that formed in my throat at Triguni's words, my gaze once again drifting to Aeon's empty seat. For a moment, no one else spoke until Perrin, tentatively, ventured, "Yes, I see the appeal of this union," the Potioneer mused thoughtfully. "With those added supplies, we wouldn't have to keep stretching Kiell, Liza, Terra and Enid to their breaking points. The workload those four have endured over the last few months is beyond what I thought they could handle. But I fear they might be a little too willing to sacrifice certain things for our future." "What do you mean by
