《Butterfly》


 Chapter 1

    ¡°Are you done, my lady?¡± Lina said. ¡°You haven¡¯t touched your food at all.¡± I looked at her big brown sparkling eyes.


    ¡°I mean this, this is ridiculous to look at.¡± I looked at the huge table filled with all the food in the world. It was packed to the point that like everything was going to fall with just a little shake. Plates of chicken, pork, fruits, cup of wines, it was too embarrassing to eat at a table this greedy. I even had no idea about what some of the plates contained, I was never good at cooking or even recognizing herbs. But that¡¯s how my father liked to see his dining table. He likes to live a luxurious life even at his bathroom. Compared to him, my chamber was quite elegant and comfortable, with light colors to help to soothe the mind.


    ¡°You can¡¯t even tell how much I ate because it would take an army to finish all this food. I don¡¯t wanna see this much food again when I¡¯m eating. I don¡¯t care what my father says. Next time put a reasonable amount of food we can actually finish and tell me if he consists otherwise.¡± I was all alone eating with Lina standing right by me in front of this huge table. She confirmed by nodding.


    ¡°Do you think the people of the city fed well?¡± I asked to Lina. She was my dearest only friend and servant. Being a princess had consequences like being alone. We had a quite small family compared to other royal families.


    ¡°Yes, my lady. We always get free grains and fresh water, as you know.¡± She answered. Yes, I know that. My father was a generous king to his people, I cannot lie. But sometimes, I am quite overwhelmed about these wastefulness.


    ¡°Yeah, I know that. But is it enough?¡±


    ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t hear any complaints from people. But since I eat here, at the palace I must be in a much better situation than them. I don¡¯t think I am capable of understanding their needs.¡± She had a good point. I must hear what people think from them.


    As I was having a sip from my cup, then I¡¯ve heard a man¡¯s voice. ¡°My dear daughter! Look at you.¡± the mighty king has entered and walked to his glorious seat. I rolled my eyes with a little smile. He continued, ¡°How pretty you look today! Is that your mother¡¯s necklace?¡±


    ¡°You know me.¡± I giggled. ¡°I like to wear it when I wanna feel close to her.¡± She passed away when I was very little. I noticed my father¡¯s cheeks loosening and his eyes filling with grief. They had a powerful love that sprung all over the other kingdoms. Maybe that¡¯s why he¡¯s trying to fulfill himself with other things. I remember him being a nice fit knight riding on his horse while wind flowing through his cape. Now, his weight was out of control and he can¡¯t even ride properly. Everyone says that I look so much like my mom. I can¡¯t even imagine how hard it must be for him to look at me everyday. I have the same deep green eyes, full cheekbones and her blonde hair. Sometimes I feel like that¡¯s the reason I avoid seeing him.


    ¡°It hurts to sit on this table without her.¡± He replied. As soon as he finished, Rafeya, the king¡¯s hand, came into the room. He could barely walk due to being so old. Honestly, I¡¯m surprised he is not dead yet. He must be like 70 years old. I don¡¯t how he never catches a disease.


    It took him a good minute to get to my father¡¯s sight with his cane. ¡°Your grace, I am sorry to interrupt you on the dinner. But this is really important.¡±


    ¡°Go on.¡± My father replied. He was not ready for bad news I could tell. Then he started filling his plate with some chicken.


    ¡°The Virelan Empire, cut our trade routes. They sent us a delegate to inform that they won¡¯t allow us to use the forest routes to the east anymore. They must be angry about the shipping and port taxes you¡¯ve done.¡±


    Virelan, for so many years, have used our ports free to unload their goods that they have transported from other countries. They had no shoreline. We had three big ports that had enough capacity for the both kingdoms. As we made our naval army bigger, we started using one of the ports for only for the army. That¡¯s why we have to impose taxes. So two ports wasn¡¯t enough anymore, our ships was waiting in line to unload their goods. That means delaying and composing for foods. We had to make up our loses. That¡¯s fair enough for me. If you are going to use our ports then you have to pay for it. It was a mistake to let them use our ports for free. I¡¯m not surprised by their actions, they are a primitive and regressive nation.


    ¡°We can find new routes I¡¯m sure. They can¡¯t find a seaway.¡± he replied. Then he continued eating his chicken.


    ¡°Delegate also said that Virelan king wanted a meeting with you in their palace.¡± Rafeya replied. He was more concerned than my father. For the 23 years of my life that I¡¯ve existed, I¡¯ve never seen anyone from Virelan royal family. We don¡¯t have any kind of friendship with them. I¡¯ve never heard of them besides diplomatic stuff. Between Solaria and Virelan, there was a huge forest. So we are not considered neighbors at all. You can see their castles rising above the trees. My father was surprised when he heard that.


    ¡°Let¡¯s do it. I have nothing to fear from them and nothing to hide. I¡¯m sure you can get a way out Rafeya. These people live in a hundred years back from us.¡± He replied. I¡¯ve heard some stories of their disgusting war crimes. They had new king for a year, and I heard that the prince have killed his own father by assassination. Well, that is a rumor going around. Because no other nation took the blame for them.


    ¡°Prepare a troop to visit. We will go by daytime and return after the dinner. Let¡¯s go tomorrow. I don¡¯t wanna wait and deal with these people any longer.¡± Rafeya nodded quietly and turned around to left.


    ¡°Do you think it¡¯s a good idea for us to go? Why they don¡¯t come to our castle? I don¡¯t have a good feeling about this father.¡± I was worried because of the stories I heard.


    ¡°Erynda, don¡¯t you worry,¡± my father said, his voice steady and reassuring as always. ¡°The last time I visited them, you were very young, so you don¡¯t remember. But it¡¯s a tradition for them to invite us to their place¡ªit¡¯s no harm.¡±


    I wanted to respond, to voice the swirling doubts and uneasy feelings I couldn¡¯t quite explain, but I kept quiet. He always had a way of making things sound so simple, so logical, and I hated how often I felt childish for questioning him. Maybe he was right. Maybe I was overthinking, letting my unease grow into something it didn¡¯t need to be. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    As much as I wanted to resist, there was a part of me that felt curious. Perhaps I should see for myself before letting my mind leap to conclusions. After all, what good ever came from holding onto unfounded prejudices? And truthfully, I was tired¡ªtired of the same walls, the same routines, the same quiet solitude that wrapped itself around the castle like a heavy fog. This trip, however unexpected, might actually be the distraction I desperately needed.


    I stood up, smoothing my gown as I did, and nodded slightly. The fire in the hearth crackled softly behind me, but the pull of something new, something different, felt warmer than the flames. ¡°Maybe this will be fun,¡± I murmured to myself, not entirely convinced but willing to give it a chance. With that, I leave to take the walk I do every evening.


    ¡°I will go for a walk. See you later.¡± I said. He smiled at me continued eating. Then I looked at Lina and we left together to walk around in the garden. Although Solaria had a big shoreline, we had a cliff at the end of the gardens with a nice view that I like to visit very often. The sun going down on the ocean was mesmerizing to watch from there. First, we went to my chamber to get cloaks. It was quite windy.


    I chose a blue cloak to match my blue dress. Lina said, ¡°My lady, I should probably prepare for the road tomorrow. Maybe it¡¯s better to take a walk without me.¡± She¡¯s right, so I replied ¡°Well then, I go alone. Rafeya would bother you anyways.¡±


    I walked in the big halls of the castle and went down the long stairs that opened to the gardens. I walked around the flower bushes and big trees. The sky was turning pink and orange. It¡¯s my favorite time of the day. Maybe I am romanticizing it a bit a lot. I was spending my days dressing, combing my hair, taking a bath, reading, riding horses. I was doing the same stuff over and over again. I don¡¯t wanna be ungrateful but it gets boring when I do the same things all the time. I had no friend either. All I could talk to is Lina. I¡¯ve had knights children as friends when I was little but they all grew up and went somewhere else to live. I keep seeing them at the holidays. My father always welcomes them because I have no siblings so he understands me.


    He never wanted to get married after my mother passed away. The grief seemed to have hollowed something out in him, leaving a void that no one else could fill. I¡¯ve always admired his strength and loyalty, but sometimes I wonder if he¡¯s been too loyal to his pain. What would I do if he decided to get married now? Would I welcome the new queen into our lives, or would her presence feel like a betrayal of my mother¡¯s memory? Would she see me as her own, or as an inconvenient reminder of a life my father shared with someone else?


    The thought of having a sibling at this point feels so strange. I¡¯ve spent so many years alone, just the two of us navigating the world together. What would it be like to share his attention, his affection, with someone new? The questions swirl endlessly, but I¡¯ve never dared to ask him. I¡¯ve always believed he wouldn¡¯t remarry¡ªhis candor with me has always been unwavering. But what if I¡¯m wrong? What if he¡¯s just waiting for the right moment to tell me?


    As these thoughts weighed heavily on my mind, I realized the sun had slipped below the horizon. The sky shifted to a deep, velvety blue. A chill crept over me, and I shivered, pulling my cloak tighter around my shoulders. I let out a long sigh and turned to leave, my footsteps echoing softly on the stone paths.


    Then I¡¯ve heard a sound like somebody else was walking right behind me. I turned around instantly. But as it was getting darker and darker, it was hard to see. I guess I am getting paranoid, I¡¯ve thought to myself. It was the wind perhaps. There was no one there. The soldiers standing at the garden door has seen my reaction and came beside me.


    ¡°Is everything alright my lady?¡±


    ¡°I feel like I heard someone walking. But I¡¯m not sure. It¡¯s better to go check it out.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lady.¡± two of them went behind the big rose bushes to check around. Then came after a quick look.


    ¡°There¡¯s no one there, my lady. You must have heard the powerful wind.¡±


    ¡°Well then¡­¡± I replied and went ahead to the stairs. As I was climbing the steps I saw the meeting rooms window open and enlightened with candles. It was right on the path to my chamber.


    I went upstairs to the first floor. Stood right behind the closed door to listen to the council¡¯s meeting. They never invite me to their meetings like I am not the princess of this country. I always find a way to sneak and listen to them. As a teen, I usually snuck under the table to listen to them. Often they never understood that I was there. But soon enough they found out that I was hiding there and they completely banned me from attending the meetings. My father wants me to finish all my education with Rafeya to attend to the council. He thinks it would be confusing to attend to the meetings without proper political knowledge.


    My father was speaking, ¡°¡­engagement with them. He was going to insist upon that. There is no other choice but¡­¡±


    I knew it. They were doing all of this to get their widow queen to marry my father. Their reputation precedes them: a kingdom built on power, destruction, and violence, known for their unyielding warriors and relentless hunger for dominance. This wasn¡¯t about alliance or tradition. This was about control.


    My mind raced as the realization settled in. If my father refused their offer, what would they do? The Virelans were not the kind to take rejection lightly. They¡¯d see it as an insult, a challenge to their authority. A refusal could very well spark the flames of war¡ªa war we couldn¡¯t afford. We have an army but I¡¯ve heard that compared to Virelans, it¡¯s no way near the half of their soldiers. It¡¯s a war we can¡¯t win. We¡¯ve been sailors for centuries, we don¡¯t know how to fight on land.


    Although I wanted to go inside and yell at them, I was too weak under all of this instant chaos and pressure. I didn¡¯t wanna listen to them anymore and decided to go to my chamber. I would rather my father marry a normal woman from our people than their queen. Now I wished that my father got married after my mother¡¯s death. It was too late, they found a perfect way to conquer our country from inside. When my father and I die one day, there will be no Solaria anymore. There will be only Virelan doubled its lands.


    ¡°¡­they are doing these threats for a long time. I¡¯m afraid we need them too, as much as they need us¡­¡± I heard Arina, one of the older knights have spoken as I leave.


    I arrived to my chamber and Lina was there lighting all the candles and preparing my night routine. Every night, she gives me a face massage with the rose oil prepared with the roses she collects from garden. Lina¡¯s parents were servants in the castle. She grew up with me. She and her mother had every skill a woman could have. Her mom is a tailor, she makes me incredibly beautiful dresses. Today I am wearing a dress that is pale blue, shimmered with intricate embroidery, silver threads weaving patterns of blooming flowers and gentle waves. Tiny pearls adorned the cuffs, catching the light with every subtle movement. I adore every single thread of this. Her father is an equerry at the castle. Her parents have met in this castle and fell in love. I feel like their story is way more exciting and beautiful than ours.


    I sat on my bed. Lina was standing in front of my vanity and looking at me like waits me to tell what is it about me.


    ¡°My father is going to marry Virelan¡¯s widow queen. Can you believe that?¡± She was more surprised than I am. Could not say a word for a minute.


    ¡°So that¡¯s why we¡¯re going there tomorrow? Are they gonna get engaged?¡±


    ¡°Probably. He never said a word to me. I listened to them speaking at council meeting.¡± They at least could have talk to me for a minute about my beloved new step mom.


    ¡°Maybe this marriage will never happen.¡± oh, kind soul Lina tries to comfort me.


    ¡°I doubt that. They would start a war against us. We cannot afford that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you will find a way to cancel this wedding. You have done before.¡±


    So¡­ She¡¯s right. My father was set to marry her almost ten years ago, for diplomatic reasons,. She was a noblewoman, rich and elegant, hailing from the city of Liliana. Liliana, a small, forgotten city that lies just behind us, under our governance. Their kingdom had crumbled years ago, ravaged by disease, leaving them vulnerable and alone. They had no one else to turn to, and my father, was their last hope for protection.


    But I couldn¡¯t let that happen. I found a way to bring the old king¡¯s hand to hers, and she accepted¡ªperhaps she did so out of necessity, or perhaps she saw something in him. I can¡¯t deny it; he was more handsome than my father, with a youthfulness my father had long since lost. And when they spoke, I could see the spark in their eyes, the kind of connection I never thought possible for my father. They were, no doubt, deeply in love.


    I wonder if my father ever suspected what I had done, or if he, too, has been blinded by his own hopes for peace. He doesn¡¯t know the truth of my actions of how I subtly manipulated their paths to intertwine.


    Now, I realize the depth of my mistake. It wasn¡¯t just a small thing, it was the butterfly effect, the first tremor of a chain reaction that has led us all toward a darker fate. I have unwittingly set the course for our doom, and I can¡¯t help but feel that the weight of it will crush me. I will never forgive myself for what I¡¯ve done.

 Chapter 2

    Opened my eyes with the disturbingly bright sun rays. Alone in my bed, barely slept at all. What am I going to do to fix this now? It was going all over in my mind for the whole night.


    Lina had not yet arrived; it must have been quite early. I need to speak with King Dario, that was the Virelan King. This is the only way I can make this up. I could not allow my father to remarry, if he did, when he passed away, there would be nothing left of Solaria.


    Instead, I will marry with King Dario. If my father remarry,then our bloodline and kingdom will last, at least a generation longer. He can still have children, he is 48 years old, I believe still a reasonable age to have children. I¡¯m sure Dario would rule Solaria, when my father dies. How he can accept to get married? We are not considered enemies but we weren¡¯t living happily ever after either. For centuries they always were in a cold war with us. For years, they have stopped at nothing in their pursuit of power and wealth. Virelan¡¯s lands are rugged and barren, incapable of yielding fertile crops or nurturing fruit trees. Their gaze has always been fixed upon our resources and prosperity, envious of what they lack. And now, they dare to set their sights on claiming our entire kingdom. It¡¯s undeniable that the Virelans surpass us in crafting and wielding weapons¡ªa fact that has always given them an edge in conflict. Their ambition, however, knows no bounds, and this time, it threatens to consume everything we hold dear.


    I feel as though I¡¯ve aged thirty years overnight. Now, I must sacrifice myself for my people. At least, I don¡¯t have a lover or someone I hold dear to leave behind. I¡¯m not sure if Lina would want to come with me and live there, but one day, I will take my revenge on Dario. He forced us to surrender our kingdom without bloodshed, but it was no less humiliating. To be honest, even if war had broken out, I doubt we could have lasted a week. Their army is vast, and their weapons far superior¡ªI¡¯ve read about their might in books, but facing it now feels crushingly real.


    I need to make a plan. How will I get to Dario and talk to him? What should I do to him to accept marrying me? Is he even single? That¡¯s far as I know that he is single. I hope.


    As I drowned in my thoughts, Lina entered my room. "Good morning, my lady," she said in her cheerful voice, blissfully unaware of the plans I was about to set into motion. But I wouldn¡¯t tell her, not a word. She would certainly run straight to my father.


    "What would you like for breakfast?" she asked.


    I still can¡¯t believe the most foolish mistake of my life began with such a childish mistake. And I suppose the second one will come when I marry Dario.


    "I don¡¯t know. Just sort something out," I replied, my tone far less bright than hers.


    She left the room to prepare my breakfast. Finally dragging myself out of bed, I walked over to my wardrobe. My eyes skimmed over the array of exquisite dresses Lina''s mother had made for me. Today, I felt like wearing something pink.


    By midday, we would likely set out for Virelan. But how does one truly captivate a man? Could my beauty alone be enough to sway him? I¡¯ve never been one for flirtatious charm, and I doubt I could feign it now. Yet today, I had to be extraordinary. I had to be radiant, more than ever before. Should I ask Lina? She had boyfriends before. I hope she doesn¡¯t get what I¡¯m about to use her advices for.


    I sat down at my vanity and began brushing my hair, deciding to style it in a braided updo¡ªa technique I had learned from my mother. For a finishing touch, I picked out a delicate hairpin adorned with small diamonds. Normally, I wouldn¡¯t wear something so extravagant, but today was different. The irony that the diamonds came from Virelan wasn¡¯t lost on me.


    Would I even get a chance to speak with Dario? My father hadn¡¯t even mentioned his plans to me yet. There had been no preparations whatsoever. Engagements and weddings in our kingdom were grand and opulent affairs, requiring at least two months of meticulous planning. Perhaps things were different in Virelan.


    I couldn¡¯t suppress my frustration any longer. I was his daughter, yet he hadn¡¯t spoken a single word to me about this. My anger boiled over, and I shot up from my seat. Determined to confront him, I stormed down the hall toward his chambers. Without bothering to knock, I flung the door open with enough force to nearly break it off its hinges.


    My father looked up, utterly startled by my abrupt entrance.


    With a furious and bewildered expression, he shouted, "What is going on?" He was seated at his desk, and beside him stood Yuvio, the treasury advisor, who was now staring at me with equal surprise.


    "Yuvio, could you please leave us?" I said, my voice sharp yet controlled. He gave a silent nod and left the room within seconds, leaving the storm brewing behind him.


    "When exactly were you planning to tell me?" I shouted, my anger finally spilling over.


    His expression shifted instantly. He knew exactly what I was referring to. Lowering his gaze, he seemed to scramble for the right words, an uncharacteristic hesitation overtaking him. Then, looking back at me, he spoke, his tone measured yet defensive.


    "I was, of course, going to tell you¡­ at the right time.¡±


    "How old am I? And yet you still refuse to include me in your meetings!" I shouted, my voice trembling with indignation. "Do you not believe I am capable of ruling a kingdom? Or are you planning to hand it over to some nobleman you¡¯ll marry me off to one day?"


    This had gone far beyond simply keeping things from me¡ªit was an outright insult. Making decisions without me was a slap in the face.


    "You¡¯re too young to understand matters of state," he replied, his tone firm but dismissive.


    "Oh, really?" I said with a bitter laugh, my sarcasm cutting through the room like a blade. "At least I wouldn¡¯t be stupid enough to let them conquer our kingdom from within like you have!"


    Without waiting for his response, I turned on my heel and stormed out of the room.


    "Don¡¯t say things you¡¯ll regret, Erynda!" he shouted after me, his voice echoing down the corridor.


    When I returned to my room, Lina was already there, waiting for me with my breakfast. Given how close my father¡¯s chambers were, she must have overheard the shouting.


    "Are you okay?" she asked, her voice filled with concern.


    The anger inside me only grew. He still saw me as a little girl or worse, as someone incapable. If my father were to die today, the kingdom would be left to a princess who knew nothing of ruling. I was tired of being underestimated, tired of the endless books and lessons. I was old enough now to take on real responsibility. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    "I''m fine," I said curtly, deciding for now to focus on the breakfast in front of me.


    As I focused on my breakfast, Rafeya entered my room. "Princess, may I have a word with you?" he asked politely. Lina, sensing the need for privacy, quietly excused herself and left the room.


    Rafeya moved slowly, his gait deliberate as he made his way to the table and took a seat across from me. My eyes traced his bald head and hunched posture. He always wore plain white robes that looked as though they had been cut from an old sheet, yet his wisdom was undeniable. I held deep respect for him.


    The look he gave me felt understanding, almost as if he agreed with me. "Erynda," he began, his voice calm and steady, "you know how much I value you. And yes, I know you¡¯re right. But anger won¡¯t solve this. Today¡¯s visit to Virelan will shape our entire future. That¡¯s why we haven¡¯t spoken of it until now. This is, without a doubt, a conquest without bloodshed.


    "We need access to the trade routes that pass through Virelan, and most of our weapons come from them. You know as well as I do that our greatest strength has never been our military. The reason so many kingdoms have hesitated to challenge us isn¡¯t because of our might but because of the precarious, almost divine, positioning of our land on the cliffs. We¡¯ve been protected by the gods for long enough. Please, prepare yourself for the journey, and try to reconcile with your father."


    I didn¡¯t respond immediately, letting his words sink in. Then, with a faint smirk, I finally spoke. "The righteous are in no rush," I said, my voice carrying a tinge of irony.


    Rafeya smiled, patting my shoulder with a friendly hand. Though I listened to him, my decision hadn¡¯t changed. If my father had to marry, then I would marry in his place. That resolve was firm. I would simply wait for the right moment.


    The journey to Virelan would take two hours, a perfect stretch of time for an overthinking session. A true road trip companion: my thoughts. For now, I focused on finishing my breakfast, realizing how hungry I actually was.


    Lina, knowing it was my favorite, had made me fruity pancakes. They were enough to lift my mood, at least for the moment. I hadn¡¯t even washed my face properly, too distracted by everything weighing on my mind. The stress must have gotten to me more than I realized. I headed to the bathroom to freshen up.


    Lina came into the bathroom to let me know we¡¯d be leaving soon. Since we¡¯d return by nightfall, she wouldn¡¯t be joining me this time, which was unusual for her. Hopefully, I¡¯d find a decent companion for the ride. I¡¯d need to head to the courtyard early to make my choice¡ªI wasn¡¯t about to endure two hours in the same carriage as my father.


    Returning to my room, I quickly donned my cloak and hurried down to the courtyard. My father, ever impatient, had already boarded a carriage with Rafeya. Typical.


    I scanned my options. Commander Pallock was deep in conversation with some mounted soldiers, resplendent in his military uniform. Likely, he¡¯d be riding his horse, which meant he was out of the running, unfortunate, as I liked him.


    Next was Master Xavier. Despite being a knowledgeable elder, he talked endlessly. Absolutely not. Then there was Yuvio, the treasury advisor. I could already imagine him paired with Xavier, filling a carriage with unrelenting chatter. That left Council Head Wilcio. Just him. I approached with a polite smile, which he returned.


    "Princess," he said, stepping forward to open the carriage door for me. I climbed in, and he followed shortly after. I didn¡¯t have a problem with Wilcio. But I couldn¡¯t say I was overly fond of him either.


    After we¡¯d been on the road for a while, Wilcio broke the silence.


    "Princess, I believe everything is well, isn¡¯t it?¡± he said, flashing a faintly artificial smile.


    I glanced at his tired eyes, unimpressed. "Of course. Why wouldn¡¯t it be?" I replied dryly.


    His smile grew, as fake as ever. "With your secret attendance at meetings, I¡¯m sure you¡¯re already well-informed. But let me remind you¡ªyour father isn¡¯t the one who should be next in line for marriage."


    I stared at him for a moment, trying to process what he was hinting at. "I was under the impression that no final decisions had been made," I said cautiously.


    "Decisions are often made," he replied, his tone infuriatingly smug, "but they¡¯re not always carried out and done. It¡¯s just the flow of the life.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but notice how utterly ridiculous and stupid he looked in his ruffled shirt and embroidered purple coat, smiling as if he held all the answers.


    "You must have a solid plan, then," I said, keeping my tone neutral, though I could feel my frustration bubbling beneath the surface.


    The truth was, if there were a way to give Virelan what they wanted without a marriage, I would gladly hear it.


    "Certain sacrifices will be made," he admitted, his smile unwavering, "but I assure you, the outcomes will be far better for Solaria in the long run.¡±


    I didn¡¯t respond and instead kept my gaze fixed on the road. I couldn¡¯t get a single hint about what he was thinking. Perhaps it was land, perhaps a port, ships¡ªmaybe he was planning to give something to Dario. Whatever it was, I hoped it didn¡¯t result in anything worse than marriage. A part of me regretted not staying in the meeting longer, and listening to the rest of exactly what was being discussed.


    As we neared Virelan, the trees became sparse, and the landscape turned rocky and mountainous. The sun was beating down directly, making the air uncomfortably warm. I stripped off my cloak, trying to ease the heat.


    My mind was consumed with plans, yet Wilcio had managed to throw me off balance. Of course, I wasn¡¯t about to let him control our fate entirely¡ªbut for now, I would wait. More than anything, I was waiting for the night to end.


    This was my first time arriving in Virelan, and compared to Solaria, everything here seemed so gray and lifeless. There was a haze in the air, probably from the mines. Our carriages entered the courtyard, and once again, the castles looked so plain. As I stepped out of the carriage, I noticed my father had already disembarked and was heading straight toward Dario, who was waiting for him.


    That was the first moment I saw Dario. His jet-black, short hair and sun-kissed, darker skin, like everyone else from Virelan, stood out immediately. He had a youthful, sharp, freshly-shaven face with high cheekbones. He couldn¡¯t have been much older than me¡ªa young king. He wore armor of impeccable craftsmanship, that I could tell from a mile away.


    "King Astor! It''s been too long!" he greeted my father with cheerful enthusiasm, wrapping him in a friendly embrace. I knew this familiarity was all for show, but it still took me by surprise. Over my father''s shoulder, Dario¡¯s eyes met mine. In this dull, gray world, I must have stood out, a flash of color in my pink dress, like an exotic bird. It felt as though everyone¡¯s gaze was on me.


    "This must be the princess," Dario said, his voice smooth and calculated. My father turned to me and said, "Ah, yes, meet Erynda."


    I walked over with the same fake smile plastered on my face. I curtsied and said, "King Dario, it¡¯s an honor to meet you."


    My father, clearly catching the sarcasm in my tone, shot me a sharp look. Dario mirrored the same smile and replied, "The honor is mine.¡±


    His eyes were full of challenge, as though he knew we were at his mercy. His expression was unbearably arrogant. The man standing beside him, clearly an important figure, spoke up.


    "Your Majesty, shall we move to the dining hall?"


    Dario turned to me with that same condescending smile. "It would be an honor to accompany you, Princess," he said, extending his arm. I reluctantly placed my arm in his. What a gentleman.


    The forced smile on my face made my cheeks ache, and once I turned my back to my father, I immediately let my expression fall. We walked in front¡ªmy father on the left, and I on his right. After a minute or so, we reached the dining hall.


    As we walked, I noticed Dario would occasionally glance at me out of the corner of his eye. I never once looked back at him. Around him, there were a few government officials, but not a single woman in sight. So he is single, then.


    The dining hall was simple and plain, unlike anything I was used to in Solaria. The tables weren¡¯t overflowing with food, and the long dining table¡ªprobably set for about twenty people¡ªlooked sparse. A man approached me and, with a polite gesture, indicated where I should sit. He escorted me to my seat, and I sat down.


    Just as we were about to sit down, the Widow Queen and her two daughters arrived. Everyone left preparing to take their seats, and I do too stood to greet the queen.


    ¡°I am quite sorry for your loss, Queen Elyria," my father said, his tone respectful but distant. I followed his lead, offering the same words.


    I then turned my attention to the two girls. They were both around my age and resembled their mother greatly¡ªlong, jet-black hair and sun-kissed skin. I approached them and curtsied. "I¡¯m Erynda," I introduced myself.


    The first girl, with full lips and strikingly beautiful black eyes, smiled and replied, "I¡¯m Arina. It''s a pleasure to meet you."


    The other girl was similar in appearance, though she seemed less enthusiastic than her sister. I felt her eyes checking me from head to toe. "I¡¯m Tyrin," she said flatly. All three of them were dressed in simple, black dresses. Given the mourning, it seemed everyone had opted for dark colors. They had pearls instead of diamonds, as a tradition to wear while mourning. And these were from Solaria, for sure.


    The Queen seated my father at the head of the table, placing herself on his left, and Dario sat on his right. This began to irritate me. Rafeya sat next to my father, and I sat beside Rafeya. The daughters and their advisors took their seats across from us. The table was so large that conversing across it was not easy.


    Wilcio came and sat next to me. His eyes seemed to say, "You''re progressing perfectly."


    The Queen tapped her knife against her glass, signaling for the service to begin. "Let the service start, please," she said, her voice commanding. The servants began to serve our food and wine, while someone played the harp in the background. Their appreciation for the arts almost brought a tear to my eye.


    The meal looked exquisite. I ate in silence, avoiding conversation with anyone. I even didn¡¯t listen to them, I just enjoyed my meal. The girls did the same. They never ever had an eye contact with me. I don¡¯t know why they were acting so distant. I would try to be more friendly if they were ever visiting Solaria.


    Most of the table talk was about just normal stuff. I had no idea when the topic of the engagement would come up. The Queen, at intervals, would casually touch my father''s hand in a manner that seemed too intimate, which made me quite angry.