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The Rebels
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2024-12-10 05:00:49*Maerilee*
The world comes back to me in bits and pieces. Blurred shadows shift above, and damp earth presses into my back, grounding me as I try to gather my senses. I blink, my vision sharpening gradually, until I see the dense canopy overhead. Water droplets hang from leaves, refracting the faint morning light into tiny rainbows that sway and shimmer as though they’re part of a dream. It’s quiet here, with only the soft trickle of water nearby and the gentle rustling of wind in the trees. I push myself up on an elbow, and that’s when I spot them.
River, Brook, and Akin are huddled around a low fire, surrounded by a group of strangers. My heart leaps as I focus on Akin, his wrists still covered, but not with chains. They’re covered in bandages, dark with some sort of balm underneath. His face is pale, but he smiles in the firelight, laughing at something one of the strangers said. Relief floods through me, so
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Last Updated : 2024-12-11The One The Princess is Throwing a Ball
MaerileeThe dog treat trembles in my hand, faint pulses of magic swirling around it like threads of silver. I close my eyes, focusing on the barrier I’m trying to create. The energies stretch from my fingertips, encasing the treat in an invisible shield, or at least what I hope is an invisible shield. My breath slows as I concentrate, willing the magic to hold steady. A faint hum tickles the back of my mind. My magic is attempting to do what it’s supposed to but deep down, I can feel how weak it is, how flimsy the barrier must be.I open my eyes, my gaze flicking to my dog, Duchess, curled up in a ball on my bed. Her small body rises and falls softly as she sleeps, completely unaware of the challenge I’m facing.The barrier needs to be perfect. If I can’t even manage this, what hope do I have of fortifying the one protecting our kingdom?“Just focus, Maerilee,” I murmur to myself. My fingers flex, sending another ripple of energy through the shield. It looks solid enough, a faint shi
Last Updated : 2024-10-29The One The Grand Entrance
MaerileeI stand in front of the mirror, assessing my reflection. The lavender gown clings perfectly to my frame, the soft fabric shimmering with every movement. It’s a beautiful dress, hand-sewn with threads of silver that match the pale glow of my hair, but all I can think about is how much I wish I didn’t have to wear it.I’m not looking forward to this grand spectacle to parade me around in front of foreign nobles, all in the hopes of finding my One. The thought alone makes me clench my fists, the material of my skirt crinkling under my hands. I smooth it out with a shaky breath.I can do this. I have to do this.The weight of expectation is heavy on my shoulders as I turn away from the mirror, heading toward the door where Akin waits. He’s dressed in formal attire, his expression as unreadable as ever."Are you ready?" he asks.I nod, though my heart is pounding in my chest. "As ready as I’ll ever be."He offers a slight smile but doesn’t say anything more. He guides me through t
Last Updated : 2024-10-29The One A Swing and A Miss
MaerileeThe ballroom swirls with color and light, the soft hum of conversation mingling with the music that drifts through the air. I try to keep a pleasant expression on my face, to hide the gnawing frustration that’s slowly taking root inside me. My mother told me that she felt it instantly, that deep, magical pull when she found my father. One glance, one meeting of the eyes, and she knew. It was that simple. That certain.But I’ve been circling this room for what feels like an eternity, and I haven’t felt even the faintest hint of it.I smile and nod at yet another nobleman, some duke’s son whose name I can’t even remember now. He bows, his eyes bright with interest, but when our gazes meet—nothing. No spark, no sense of recognition, just an awkward silence before he steps away, clearly hoping to find an engaging conversation.I sigh, trying not to let the disappointment show. I move on, my eyes scanning the room, searching the faces of every man I pass. Maybe I’ve missed him. Ma
Last Updated : 2024-10-29The One Quiet Conversations
MaerileeI move toward Brook, a smile on my lips as I approach. The grand ballroom is still buzzing with laughter and conversation, but all of that fades into the background as I focus on him. He’s leaning against a wall, arms crossed, his expression detached, almost like he’s observing everything from a distance, like he’s in the room but not really part of it.He glances up as I approach, his eyes meeting mine for a brief moment before darting to either side, as if to check if I’m actually heading toward him. The surprise in his gaze is subtle, but it’s there. He wasn’t expecting this. I can’t help but find it a little amusing. Did he really think I wouldn’t notice him, standing off to the side like that?“Brook,” I say, my voice light, as though we’re simply old friends catching up. “You’re hiding over here like you don’t want to be found.”I stop a few steps in front of him, my smile widening just a fraction. He straightens, uncrossing his arms, but he still looks a bit stiff, lik
Last Updated : 2024-10-29The One Disaster Not Averted
MaerileeThe moment the wine splashes over River, soaking him head to toe in red, I almost can’t stop the grin that pulls at my lips. I catch myself before it fully forms, pressing my hand to my mouth in an attempt to look concerned. But inside, I’m more than a little pleased.River has spent the entire evening trying to undermine Brook, I can see that clearly. There’s an air about him, a kind of casual cruelty, like everything he touches should bend to his will. I’m not certain, but I suspect that the spill was his fault in the first place. Still, seeing him get a taste of his own mischief, even if it’s accidental, feels oddly satisfying.Brook stands there beside me, looking slightly startled by what he’s done, yet doesn’t seem the least bit guilty. If anything, he seems almost surprised it worked out the way it did.I turn to him, allowing my smile to show now that I know River can’t see me.“That was impressive,” I say, my voice soft but sincere. “Thank you for saving my dress. Yo
Last Updated : 2024-11-17The One No Rest for the Weary
MaerileeThe rest of the ball seems to drag on forever. My earlier outburst and the whole ordeal with River leaves a sour taste in my mouth, and despite my best efforts to shake it off, I remain testy for the remainder of the evening. The Oceanans have excused themselves for the night, with King Alastair and Queen Lyria offering a brief, tight-lipped promise of a formal apology tomorrow. I can still see River’s embarrassed, red face in my mind, though the satisfaction I initially felt at calling him out has long since faded. Now, I just want the night to end.None of the other guests spark even the slightest interest in me. They all blend into one monotonous sea of faces, false pleasantries, and meaningless small talk. I try to keep up appearances, but my thoughts keep drifting elsewhere, particularly to Brook and Akin. Of all the people I’ve met in my life—nobles, commoners, visiting dignitaries—the only ones I’ve ever felt even a faint connection to have been those two. There’s some
Last Updated : 2024-11-18The One Formal Apologies
MaerileeThe next morning, I sit straight-backed in my chair, positioned on the dais next to my mother and father. The throne room feels colder than usual, though that has more to do with the political atmosphere than the physical temperature.The sun is streaming through the tall windows, casting the room in golden light, but the tension in the room is palpable. My fingers rest on my lap, carefully clasped to avoid betraying any of the unease building in my chest. I’m supposed to be calm, poised. Queenly, as my mother would say.At my side mother radiates composure. Father sits on her other side, his expression one of polite anticipation, though I know him well enough to see the glint of amusement in his eyes. The situation isn’t lost on him, though he’d never show it openly. He wouldn’t say it out loud, but he found the entire situation with River and Brook amusing last night. In his mind, it’s just a bout of youthful indiscretion.Of course, that’s because he comes from Dearlish, w
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*Akin*The moment Caelan strode into the Oceanan camp to save us, I recognized his fighting style. There was a rhythm in the way he moved, in the stance he took. It was unmistakably Altinnian, the subtle weight shift, the way his fingers hovered near the hilt of his weapon, always prepared for the unexpected. It was something only someone trained for combat in Altinna would know, and I knew that we were saved. His rescue mission was, obviously, a complete success.I watch as he talks to Maerilee now, offering her words of assurance with a calm that doesn’t waver. When he turns to me, I can’t help the grin that pulls at my mouth.“I’m glad to be fighting alongside another Altinnian,” I say, clapping him on the shoulder. “Not to speak ill of Maerilee’s other three men, but one was a traitor, and the other two are completely spoiled princes. Literally.”He
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*Maerilee*The journey on the ferry takes several hours, and they leave us bound on the deck, the bright sun beating down on us. My wrists ache from the tightness of the amethyst cuffs, and my mind feels even more constricted, trapped in a loop of disbelief and betrayal as I watch Permiton making friends with the soldiers.He’s sold us out.The thought circles over and over in my head, like a vulture picking at the remnants of a dead animal. I keep replaying the last few days in my head, remembering the moment Mother first introduced him to the court, when he cornered me and told me that we would need to connect for my power to fully be realized.I want to retch as I think of him touching me, of him inside me. Was he planning this even then? Perhaps he was even in on the plot to poison Mother. After all, he’s from Ambrosia. Surely, he knew Diereken. They’ve probably been in on this
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*Maerilee*I can’t believe it. My heart sinks deep into my chest as the commander approaches, his soldiers swiftly surrounding us, their weapons gleaming in the faint light. I feel the sting of betrayal, sharp and cold, radiating through me like ice. Permiton stands there, so calm, so collected, while we’re about to be captured.“How could you?” I hiss under my breath, barely able to contain the fury bubbling inside me. My hands shake, clenched at my sides. Permiton doesn’t even look at me. He moves to stand behind the commander as if he’s always belonged there. His expression is infuriatingly calm, like this is all going according to some master plan. But I can’t see the plan. All I see is betrayal.And then everything happens at once.Before I can even blink, River and Brook surge forward, their hands outstretched. The air around us shivers, the tension crackling like lightning. I feel the pull of their magic immediately, the water in the air responding to their commands. In an inst
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*Maerilee*We wait by the water’s edge, the air thick with unease. Brook seems weighted down with the reality of being banished from his kingdom. River, on the other hand, is incensed, muttering to himself about how unfair this all is.Akin is restless, eager to be moving. He tells us multiple times that he doesn’t like how exposed we are and thinks we should go back to the forest for cover until we figure out our next move. Permiton keeps telling him that our help will come soon.The vast body of water in front of us stretches endlessly, the deep blue surface unnaturally still. It reflects the gray sky above, creating an almost eerie mirror-like effect. I’m trying to stay calm, to trust in Permiton, but his cryptic reassurances aren’t doing much to ease my anxiety.“Permiton,” I finally say, unable to keep my doubts to myself any longer “are you sure about this?”He stands a little apart from the rest of us, his eyes scanning the horizon as if waiting for something only he can see. W
The One The Journey Begins
*Maerilee*The moment we set out for Oceana, there’s a palpable tension in the air. I can feel it coiling around us like a tight, invisible thread, threatening to choke me. I wonder if the others can feel it as well. Surely, they don’t all have the weight of grief so heavy on their chests, threatening to crush them.It took all the strength I have to leave my family in such a vulnerable state, knowing that war is inevitable. When I erected the barrier in the castle to seal them off from the rest of the world, I wasn’t sure if it would last. We’ve not even been gone an hour, and I can’t say for sure that the barrier is even still up.I can’t worry too much about it at present, though. My mind needs to stay sharp. The journey ahead is dangerous at best–and deadly at worst. It will define not only our fates but the future of Altinna itself. Most importantly, if we don’t complete it, Mother will die. My four Ones walk with me, surrounding me in a square formation. Akin leads to my left,
The One Impossible Goodbyes
MaerileeI close my eyes, focusing on the magic coursing through my veins. The power is there, simmering beneath the surface, waiting for me to command it. I can feel the barrier beginning to take shape in my mind, a protective shell around this room, around my mother and family. But this time, I need more. It needs to be specific, targeted, able to allow some things in and keep others out. Food, water, air, those must pass through. But nothing else. Nothing that could harm them.The magic resists at first, slipping through my grasp like water. But I don’t give up. I take a deep breath, reaching deeper, pulling on the strength I know I have inside me. And not just my own strength, Akin’s, River’s, Brook’s, and even Permiton’s. Their magic intertwines with mine, amplifying it, making me stronger. With their power, I push through the resistance.Suddenly, I feel it solidify and obey.The barrier flares to life around us, invisible but undeniably there. It hums with energy, a quiet pulse
The One This Has to Work
MaerileeAs soon as River and I step into my mother’s chamber, I’m struck by how still it is. My father stands near the bed, his hand resting gently on my mother’s arm, while my three siblings, Jimmen, Orindan, and Carmelina, are gathered around the room, their faces pale and drawn with worry. The weight of the situation hangs in the air, thick and suffocating. My mother, once so vibrant, now looks so small, so fragile, lying there motionless.I take a deep breath, trying to steady myself. I have to be strong. For her. For all of them.“I’m going to try something,” I say, my voice trembling slightly, but I force confidence into it. “I’m going to erect a barrier to keep you safe while we figure out how to save her.”My family watches me closely, their eyes filled with hope and fear. I can feel their expectation pressing down on me, and for a moment, the weight of it makes me falter. But I shake it off. I have to do this. I can’t fail.I focus on the magic within me, on the connection I
The One Strength in Numbers
Maerilee“What do you mean by that?” I ask, my voice barely above a whisper, but my question hangs in the still air of my mother’s chamber like a command.My father stands at the foot of the bed, his gaze steady as it meets mine.“You have enough power, Maerilee,” he says, his voice low but certain. “You must. You wouldn’t be where you are right now, wouldn’t have found your Ones, if the power wasn’t there. You can do this.”I blink, trying to process his words. I have power, yes. I can feel it, especially with Akin, River, and Brook close by. But enough to seal the entire room? To protect my family from whatever forces are marching on Altinna? The weight of his belief presses down on me, and I swallow hard, feeling the familiar thread of self-doubt pulling tight.“I’m not sure if I can, ” I confess, looking down at my hands as if the answer could be found in my own skin. “The most I’ve managed is a barrier around Duchess’s ball. I’m not sure I’m powerful enough to protect you all.”I
