The Southern Duchy

Castle of Pearlforest, Kingdom of Aruhel, Year 285 AU.

Maela didn't think it was possible to miss something as simple as a bed. Yet, when she found herself back in her childhood bedroom, tears filled her eyes and she all but ran to the bed. The mattress, the many blankets, the pillows… She couldn't believe she had missed things as mundane as these. Yet, the texture of the fabrics and the smell of the soap pushed a sob out of her mouth. Oh, how happy she was to have finally returned. She had missed her home so much. Luthael had grown into such an adorable child, and she wanted to be with him as he grew up. She wanted to help him with his first pranks, to comfort him whenever he had nightmares or was saddened by something. She wanted to see him every day. She wished she never had to leave again, she wished she could stay forever. Yet, it was her duty to represent her House in the Kingdom of Voek, and she ought to fulfil it to the fullest less she shamed her family for generations to come.

There was a knock on the door, and Maela sat up, trying to look as dignified as she could. She couldn't afford to look stupid if Prince Vale or Ser Luka were visiting her for some reason. It was unlikely, but she didn't like taking chances.

"Come in!"

To her surprise, it actually was Prince Vale. His bright red hair looked barely darker despite the darkness of the night and the weak light provided by the candles. In a way, it looked even more like a roaring fire than before. Maela hastily got up to curtsy properly.

"Your Highness, I hadn't expected you to visit me, I apologise for the lack of decorum."

"I don't really care about it. Especially in your home. May I sit?" he asked, gesturing vaguely to one of her armchairs.

"Of course. Should I summon a maid to bring us some refreshments?"

The furniture creaked when the prince sat, and Maela contained a grimace. The Virinens were heavier than most whereas the Yales were light. Her furniture wasn't meant for a grown Virinen man to sit on it, especially one as tall as Prince Vale. The Prince seemed aware of it as he sat slowly. Thankfully, the armchair didn't break. It would be horribly embarrassing.

"None for me, I've had my fill for tonight. But feel free to have something. I'd like to talk, if that's alright with you."

Maela sat on the opposite armchair, eyeing the prince carefully. What could he possibly want from her at this hour? Nonetheless, she wouldn't refuse him. Marchioness Elenda had taught her that situations like this one were a golden opportunity to observe others and learn more about them.

"Please tell me."

"I'd like to know what you want."

"I beg your pardon?" she asked, taken aback by the strange question.

"My mother wants Helio to be King. I want to spend time with Luka at the casino. Your father wants to strengthen his family's position. Helio wants to make Mother happy. Neve wants my head. I think my father is thoroughly amused by this whole shitshow, and the Prime Minister wants to own the world. You are my mother's protégée, heiress of the richest duchy in the entire continent and the most desirable bride. I'm amazed you aren't bathed in gifts every day, by the way," he added at the end with an amused smile. Still, his blue eyes never lost their inquisitive glint. "So, I'd like to know what someone with so much untapped authority like you wants."

Maela remained silent, thinking about the prince's words and what everyone wanted. She had never thought him to be so observant, but it made sense in truth. As an illegitimate child, he had been at the mercy of Queen Neve and her sons many times. Becoming observant was among the bare necessities of survival for him. She felt a wave of sympathy for the child he had once been. If he had been a legitimate son, beloved by his parents like she and Luthael were, he wouldn't have been forced to grow too fast. He was probably wary of her and what she might do. Should Father be incapacitated in any way, she would become the head of House Yale and the South. She shuddered at the awful thought. She couldn't imagine life without Father.

"I want to stay here and see my little brother grow up," she said truthfully.

He seemed surprised by her answer, so she decided to expand on it.

"I don't care who becomes King of Aruhel, because the South won't suffer either way. Even if Father made us enemies of Her Grace, the South would remain rich and powerful. We feed Aruhel, we own the trading routes, we are close friends with all every merchant guild in the continent. No matter who sits the throne, we will be safe. As such, I have no interest in politics. I don't even like being in the capital, where the nobles look at us as if we were some sort of curiosity. They don't say anything thanks to your lady mother, but they still think it…"

A few tears had rolled down her cheeks, and she wiped them angrily. She hated looking weak and emotional in front of others.

"I just want to stay here, in the place I call home, and look after the land and people I love. All the power you say I have, I care little about it. So long as my loved ones are safe, I don't want to use it in any way."

The Prince stayed silent for a few seconds, clearly thinking about what she had said. Maela thought for a second that she may have said too much but pushed the thought away. He could do whatever he wanted with her words. So long as he left her and her family out of it. In the end, he stood up and smoothed his shirt, still silent.

"Thank you for your honesty, my lady. I sincerely hope you'll get what you want, although I doubt it. We'll be lucky if a civil war doesn't break out, truth be told."

With these words, he left her, closing the door without a sound behind him. Maela didn't move, thinking about his last words. A civil war… Lady Elyn Lorn had said the same thing, back at the reception held by Lord Lohan. Maela sighed and made her way to her bed, wondering what this possible civil war would look like. How long would it last? What about the innocents and the smallfolk? How much would they suffer? She wrapped her blankets around her and closed her eyes. She needed to have faith in Father. He would protect the South, and no one would ever be stupid enough to attack them.

Life in Pearlforest hadn't changed, much to Maela's happiness. People were the same, and so were the music and the food. It was still the lively, lovely place where she had been raised, and her heart was filled with love every time she saw the endless fields and forests beyond the walls of Pearlforest. The kind weather was like a mother's embrace, and Maela closed her eyes when the wind came to caress her face and bare arms. She was sitting under the oak tree and working on her embroidery, just as she had been when Set Gunther had arrived with King Rolan's message. Only this time, she wouldn't have the chance to stay here. She was bound to leave again, to meet with the royals of Voek and return to the Capital afterwards.

Luthael was sitting next to her, watching with intense curiosity her precise movements and trying to guess the pattern. So far, his closest assumption had been a snake. In truth, she was embroidering a dragon on a small coat he should be able to wear soon. Mother had told her in the morning that Luthael was currently obsessed with dragons. It was quite common among children, especially when they were told about the dragons of the continent of Ish-Al-Vin, where the elves and other magical beings lived. She hoped the green and auburn dragon of thread she was creating would please him. She would need to add some pearls or precious stones for the eyes to represent dragons' gleaming eyes. She couldn't be sure they truly had gleaming eyes as she had never seen a dragon, but she had always been told it was the case.

"Tell me what it is!" the little boy complained.

"No, you must guess. Isn't it more fun?" Marla replied, amused by his childish impatience.

"I want to know!"

"I will give you a clue, then. Do you like songs?"

"Yes! Songs!"

"Alright. You must be good then and listen until the end," Maela said gently.

Luthael eagerly nodded, eyes shining with excitement. He even put a hand on his mouth so as to not make any noise, making Maela smile fondly. She thought about which song she could sing; dragons were so strong, so marvellous, that many songs talked about battles and death. But Maela wouldn't sing such things to her baby brother. Instead, she wanted to sing a song of amazement and wonders, of magic and life. Thankfully, she knew just the one: The Dawn of Dragons.

When the world was young, there was only night,

But then the Sun was born, and with him light.

As he caressed the plains for the first time,

The Mother of All saw the world she had shaped.

The mountains shone, and the rivers glimmered

She found the world so beautiful and breath-taking,

That she couldn't bear to let the sun set again.

She took some of his flames and shaped them.

She gave them life so they breathe and remain.

She gave them wings so they may always be in the sky.

The flames of the sun sleep on beds of jewels,

In nests of carved stones with pearls upon the doors.

They know the secrets of the first night and the runes of the Gods.

And today, there are a thousand suns above Ish-Al-Vin,

Where magic lies and flies.

"Dragons! It's the dragon song!"

"Exactly, it's The Dawn of the Dragons. You're so smart, sweetling!"

He smiled proudly. Then, his eyes widened almost comically as he realised what the song meant.

"You're making a dragon!" he exclaimed.

"I am. Mother told me you love dragons, so I'm making a coat with a dragon on it."

He squealed happily and jumped on Maela, hugging her as tightly as he could with his small arms. She couldn't resist kissing his dark curls, inhaling the smell of his soap.

"You're the best sister ever!"

"Am I not your only sister?" she giggled.

A childish laugh was her only answer, and Maela put her embroidery aside to tickle Luthael. The boy shrieked, both offended and amused. He tried to retaliate, of course, but Maela was much older and stronger than the boy. The tickle battle lasted for a few minutes until they were interrupted by Mother's voice.

"My, my, I fear what could happen if I were to sit with you!"

Both children turned to see the Lady of Pearlforest approach them, her long green and auburn dress almost flying behind her.

"Don't worry, Mother, we'd never do that to you!"

"I hope so," she said, taking a seat with them. "How are you doing, sweet girl? We haven't had the opportunity to talk much."

"Well, now that I am home," she said as she hugged Luthael against her.

"Is the capital treating you poorly? You never say much, in your letters."

"It's… I dislike the political conflicts. I know I must learn from Marchioness Elenda to be a good Duchess, but I wish His Grace would just choose an heir already. Why should we care about who becomes king? We won't be impacted anyways."

"Oh, sweetling, of course we will," Mother said gently, almost amused. "What if His Grace accuses of some treason and gives Pearlforest to another family? What if he instructs you to marry a Blackstone boy, or the son of a House who loathes us?"

"I would refuse of course!"

"And yet, that is something His Majesty can command you to do. If you refuse him, the King might decide to retaliate by denying the South military protection. Our merchants would be at the mercy of bandits and other criminals. What if Queen Neve decided to hire mercenaries to attack our roads and pirates to attack our ships?"

Maela paled. She had never thought of such things. She had never thought the political rivalries would leave the capital. She had ever imagined something like this could even happen, that someone could think of such a plan to attack one’s enemy. She should have, in truth. Were Lady Lorn's and Marchioness Elenda's words not enough? Perhaps she lacked imagination, for such ideas had never crossed her mind. Instinctively, she hugged Luthael tightly. What if Her Majesty decided to go after her baby brother? Prince Vale's words from the night before came back to her mind. A civil war… She hoped it would never happen, but everyone around her seemed certain it would happen. She must have looked so stupid in front of Prince Vale.

"I hate it…" she confessed.

"Would you like to stay here? I could convince your father if you wish."

Maela bit her lip, considering the thought. It would be easy, to stay home and run away from the conflict. But was it truly a good solution? If war was doomed to come, she had to be prepared, she had to be strong enough to protect Luthael and the rest of her family. Moreover, they had sworn an oath to Marchioness Elenda and Prince Helio. They couldn't avoid them.

"No, I must learn from Marchioness Elenda. I shan't be a coward and run away! Plus, being in the Capital means I can send you plenty of unique gifts," she added with a smile.

The day of their departure for Peacekeeper, Maela hugged Luthael as tightly as she could. She would miss him so much. He was her precious baby brother, her family's little treasure, who had come after devastating miscarriages. Singers may have written a song about her, but she would write a hundred about her beloved brother. She hugged Mother just as tightly, clinging to her dress inhaling her expensive perfume. Luthael cried as she climbed in the carriage, and Maela found it hard to swallow back her own sobs. As much as she wanted to be brave and worthy of her bloodline, she wanted to run back to the gardens and forget about the conflict. Alas, she couldn't.

"Are you alright?" Hanika asked when Maela sniffled.

"I already miss Luthael…"

"Don't worry. Soon, he'll be old enough to write, and he'll tell you all about Pearlforest. By the time we come home to stay, he'll be old enough to chase everywhere. You'll never have a break."

"I cannot imagine being tired of Luthael. He's so adorable!"

"It's true he is a cute child," Prince Vale intervened. "He asked me about a dozen times why I'm so tall, it was quite amusing."

"He did?" Maela half-shrieked. "When?"

"In the gardens, yesterday. He called me, I quote, 'Red Giant'. I must admit no one ever called me like that before."

Maela couldn't help but burst out in laughter. She could easily picture going Luthael pointing his little chubby finger at Prince Vale and exclaiming 'Red Giant!' in the affirmative tone toddlers used whenever they were certain of something. It must have been both adorable and funny. She looked out the window as Hanika told the Prince and Ser Luka more about Pearlforest, enjoying the view. Soon, they would reach Peacekeeper and, as such, the bordel with Voek. What wonders lied beyond the border? Would the court of Voek be akin to the one of Aruhel? Or would she find peace amidst the foreign court?