“I’m not sure I want to go to the Ball,” Penelope announced as they sat down for tea by the fire. The Sisters exchanged cautious glances while Marmalade tipped her head in thought, continuing to stroke Marmot’s fur with a shoe brush. Steph looked away into the fire as he eased himself into an armchair.

Sister Heely set her cup and saucer on the table with a clink.

“We’ll support you, gem, whatever you decide. But…” Sister Heely drew in a breath and glanced at Sister Rosin, who nodded unhappily. Sister Heely withdrew a folded page from her pocket, fretting at the creased page before holding it out. “You should read this first. It came this afternoon while you were in the garden. We weren’t sure whether to…”

Sister Heely shook her head and trailed off as Penelope took the page. She frowned, flicking her gaze between the Sisters, unsettled by their nervous demeanour. Sister Heely hunched her shoulders as she sat back in her chair and Penelope began to read.

Dear Sister Rosin of Noble House Devier and Sister Heely of Noble House Fellworth,

We thank you graciously for the duties you have performed for the Royal House of Starwood these many years. We commend the loyalty, grace, and excellence with which you have kept your oaths of service.

Penelope paused her reading, lips twisting as her eyes lingered on the words oaths of service. She continued reading, a sour taste in her mouth.

We understand that you have consented to accompany our daughter, Penelope, First Scion of our House, to the Dark Moon Ball in Grimwood. We have every faith that you will continue in your diligence and ensure she is delivered in safe attendance.

We look forward to the delight of your company, and discussing future roads.

May the wisdom of clear sight guide your path,

Queen Theia and King Obi of Royal House Starwood.

“They signed it themselves…” Penelope said after she had read the letter several times over, tracing her parents’ signatures with her fingers.

Penelope had barely begun to process the implications of the letter when Sister Heely spoke again, her voice thin.

“And… there’s this one as well. It was contained inside our letter, we didn’t realise it was for you until we’d opened it…” Sister Heely pulled another, smaller square of creased paper from her pocket, passing it to Penelope.

Sister Rosin growled something under her breath, words which sounded like “twice-damned manipulation”.

Penelope smoothed the page and read.

Our dearest north star,

We so look forward to seeing you again on the coming Dark Moon. We know you must have many questions for us.

Your little sister, Clarity, is so eager to meet you. She has spoken of little else since receiving our invitation to the Ball in Grimwood.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

We love you so much, darling Penelope.

Until then, may the stars of destiny guide your way,

Mother and Father

Penelope clenched her fist, crumpling the pages in her hand. Her chest burned with sudden, inexplicable fury.

“Those— How can they— Just as I—” Penelope spluttered, launching to her feet to pace the rug by the hearth.

“After years, years, of no contact, they suddenly just— just demand my presence? Demand yours?” Penelope looked back down at the letters held in her shaking hands. “And they haven’t even promised any answers!”

Snatched phrases swirled through her mind. Our daughter… Ensure she is delivered… Little sister… Love you so much... Future roads…

Acid burned in Penelope’s throat as she fought the churning in her stomach.

“They wish me returned… They mentioned future roads for you…” Penelope murmured, reading the first letter again. Her head felt light, her hands tingling and numb.

Sister Heely was breathing hard through her nose while Sister Rosin grumbled under her breath. Steph leaned on his elbow, pressing his palm across his lips as he watched Penelope pace.

Marmalade’s eyes narrowed in distant thought, and Marmot curled into a tighter ball in her lap.

“I suppose this means you’ll finally be free to leave here,” Penelope said at last with a shaky breath. “You’ll be free of me.”

“We don’t want to be free of you, Penelope!” Sister Rosin launched to her feet, reaching up to clasp Penelope by the shoulders, forcing her to stillness. Penelope shuffled her slippers against the hearth rug as she looked down into Sister Rosin’s furious face. Penelope gave a jerky nod, shoulders sagging as Sister Rosin rubbed her arms.

“If you don’t want to go to the Ball, we won’t go,” Sister Rosin bit out. “They don’t have the right to... to—”

“They have every right,” Sister Heely cut in.

“They can’t just—”

“They can.”

“After all this time, they’re just—”

“We knew from the moment we got that invitation that Penelope might be returning to them. We knew that, Rosin—”

“WHOSE SIDE ARE YOU ON?” Sister Rosin rounded on her, tears in her eyes.

“Penelope’s,” Sister Heely articulated carefully, misery etched in the lines of her thin face. “But we have no recourse to deny them.”

“We could just refuse—”

“They’ll send soldiers.”

“We could hide—”

“They’re Seers. They will find us.”

Penelope watched the Sisters argue, heart thundering in her chest as she understood, for the first time, that their life in the forest was truly coming to an end. They would leave their makeshift home behind. The Sisters would return to their own life. Penelope would return to hers.

Penelope clutched the letters, feeling dizzy.

“We... we could...” Sister Rosin trailed off, sinking into her seat, defeated.

“We could go to the Dark Moon Ball...” Penelope whispered, her mouth dry, “...and find out what they really want of me.”

Sister Rosin nodded and cradled her face in her hands, scrubbing tears from her cheeks.

All Penelope had ever wanted was to return to her family. Yet now that she was holding their words in her hand, the first words they had personally written in nearly a decade, all she could feel was a blistering resentment.

Their words were so clearly crafted to draw her to them. To compel her to their path, wherever that would lead.

She ached to meet Clarity. To see her father’s smile again. To have her mother hold her tight and explain their absence if they truly loved her so much.

And Penelope had always wanted more for the Sisters, besides. Had always hated that their obligations kept them isolated in the forest with her.

Yet now, faced with the real possibility of them being taken from her life, she wasn’t ready to give them up.

Penelope squeezed her eyes shut against angry tears as pangs of loss and longing seared through her chest.

With a growl she tore the smaller letter to shreds and hurled the pieces towards the hearth. They arced through the air before raining like petals to the floor, falling shy of the flames.

With a whining groan, Penelope tugged at her hair and stared down at the mess, laughing weakly when Steph failed to suppress a snicker.

“So it looks like you’re going to the Ball after all,” Marmalade stated as she stretched out her legs, flicking a toe at one of the scraps.

“Looks like I’m going to the Ball,” Penelope echoed, sinking back into her chair with a weary huff, her chest aching. They all watched in silence as Marmot scampered about the rug, feeding the torn pieces to the fire.