Lux was sitting at a table in the library with Lyra.

As part of her training, she needed to learn more about the outside world, so there she was, reading. In her entire life, Lux had never imagined that she would ever read with Lyra, considering Lux wasn't one to sit still for hours on end. Unlike the rest of her siblings, she didn't have a specific hobby; she did whatever struck her as fun that day, always making sure to incorporate magic somehow.

Humming a tune, Lyra turned a page and beamed at something she had read. Lux had no idea why she was so happy. This was killing her. Though, to be fair, she was learning things she didn't know before. For example:

Her mother was a queen because she was the queen of the country. They were the royal family.

The country they lived in was called Flei, and the capital city was called Polemus. However, her family wasn't in Polemus right now. Adamas Palace was in Sidus, a village next to the sea. The palace was built there because one of her ancestors had a connection to the place. It was nicknamed "The Sword on a Cushion of Stars" because of how unusual it was for a palace to be in a fishing village. The main castle was in Polemus, where her family should theoretically be. But in the main castle...

Lux had learned something else in her studies.

There were two royal families: hers, the Callis, and the other family, the Athas. Both of their ancestors had founded Flei together, agreeing that there was no need to fight over rulership, and both established separate families. The families ruled side by side, completely at peace with one another, both living together in the main castle, Chaconas.

Well, until now. They didn't seem to be ruling anything at the moment.

"Lux, did you know there was recently a coronation in the Athas family?" Lyra asked, turning a page with an even brighter smile than before.

"Lyra, it's most likely not that recent now," Lux said with little enthusiasm as she turned a page.

"Come on, be a little more excited! I've found five more books for us to read!" Lyra's smile somehow grew even wider.

Lux groaned so loudly she was sure the heavens could hear her.

✦✦✦

"Come on!" "Over here!" "Too slow!" Multiple voices whispered in Lux's ear as she darted around aimlessly, trying to grab something she couldn't.

"I think that's quite enough now," said a voice almost as regal as her mother's from somewhere nearby.

"Aww." "No fun." "Boo." A chorus of protests went up in the air, and Lux got up from her knees to face the voice.

It was her aunt, the Queen of the Mirth.

"Aunt, can't I play a little longer?" Lux protested, trying to make her eyes as cute as possible. Her aunt shook her head as she chuckled, her messy blonde hair freely bouncing around.

"If you stay here any longer, you'll risk turning into one of them." Her aunt smiled up at her with ruby eyes, the same as her mother's.

Lux sighed, but she knew her aunt was right. The Mirth were troublesome magical creatures—fun to play with, but that's how they trapped you. Her aunt had told her that she estimated half of the Mirth were actually once human but had been lured in by their games.

As Queen of the Mirth, her aunt's job was to look after them, but it meant she rarely left her room. Lux had asked her if it got lonely, but she chuckled and said that with the Mirth, she never was. Eventually, though, her aunt would join the Mirth herself before old age took her. Lux wasn't sure if a new queen would need to be crowned then, but she didn't want to find out. There was a big possibility she was next in line, and she shuddered at the idea of staying in one room all day.

"Oh, Aunt, there's something I've been meaning to ask you." Lux walked out of the mist of the Mirth and back into the room, following her aunt as they both exited.

"What is it, Lux? You can ask me anything." She smiled again, her hands resting on her throne made of leaves and twigs as she sat down.

"I'm sure you already know, but Rayne, Lyra, and I will be leaving for the outside soon, and I was wondering what you know... about the outside, I mean."

Her aunt's face visibly darkened, and she shifted on her throne.

"The outside won't be what you expect." Her gaze turned to a window, and she continued with stone-hard eyes.

"It can be a dark place, and it's easy to get tricked. Be careful." Her eyes met Lux's once again, and a chill ran down her spine.

Lux glanced behind her aunt's throne, at the small forest where the Mirth lived, and she wondered if her aunt was somehow confusing the two.

✦✦✦

Lux's bum was cold.

She was sitting directly on the marble floor of the throne room with Lyra and Rayne. It seemed that it was time for them to learn more about their quest.

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"My children, I'm sure you've been training well?" Their mother studied them from atop her throne.

Lyra spoke up first. "Yes, we have. I've made sure to read even more than I usually do."

Lux frowned. She was still against Lyra going outside, even more so now when she hadn't made a single attempt to learn any kind of self-defense.

"That's good, Lyra. How about you two? How fares your training?" Their mother crossed her legs and looked at them like she was more interested in hearing their answers.

"It's been going well so far," Lux said, twirling her hair, trying not to sound as nervous as she felt.

Rayne nodded beside her. Lux was jealous; he was most likely going to be fine on this trip.

"That's good. Make sure you continue your training..." She trailed off, and her face darkened.

"I'm sure... that in your studies, you've learned about the Athas family, yes?"

Lyra nodded straight away. "I know everything about them and their ancestors, not to mention—"

Their mother cut her off. "Then I'm sure you know that they are most likely the ones who trapped us in this palace."

Lyra nodded gloomily, no doubt sad about being interrupted.

"When you leave this palace, you will go to Chaconas in Polemus, where the Athas should be at the moment. Ever since we've been trapped here, I have been keeping track of the time, and if I'm correct, this is the time of year when new maids and soldiers are most common." Their mother continued on, her face still dark.

"Lux and Lyra, you will be maids. It should not be hard for you to make your way in, especially as we have extra uniforms in the old servants' quarters. Rayne, you shall be a guard. There will most likely be a test, but I have no doubt that you will pass it with ease."

Rayne nodded again. Lux was even more jealous now—being a guard sounded fun.

Their mother's face somehow grew even darker, and she leaned forward on her throne, looking Lux straight in the eyes.

"Lux, unless it is absolutely necessary, under no circumstances must you use your magic. It is true that among your siblings, you have the best magical ability, but in the outside world, it is uncommon to have magic. Using your water abilities could reveal your true identity, and that cannot happen." Her eyes were cold, her tone serious as she spoke to Lux.

Lux fought a shiver and nodded so hard her head might've snapped off.

Their mother sat back on her throne and rested her head on her hand. "When you enter the outside world, it will become harder to use your connection. It will only function in areas of high magic concentration, but there are many in the castle. Make sure to use your connection whenever possible so that your siblings may give me frequent updates."

Closing her eyes like she was about to go to sleep, she lazily waved her hand, dismissing them.

As Lux strolled out of the throne room, she studied Rayne.

He was the silent type, but he had said nothing during the meeting with their mother.

"Are you okay?" She stopped walking and looked him straight in the eyes.

He turned to the side like he was about to walk away, but eventually, he whispered, "I'm just... worried."

Lux smiled softly. "We all are. Don't worry, you'll be okay."

Rayne smiled in return and nodded before walking away.

As she looked at his back, she frowned. She didn't know if she believed that herself.

✦✦✦

Lux picked up a leaf and blew it into the air. She rolled over and almost slammed head-first into the headstone on her father's grave.

She sighed and stared at it. Three years ago, her father had fallen ill, and as there were no doctors in the palace, he had passed away, with all his crying children surrounding him.

Lux was at the grave because she felt it was only right to visit him before she left. Two months of training had flown by quickly, and tomorrow would be the day she left the palace.

It didn't seem real to her, even though it was so close. This palace was her world, and it was strange to think there was anything more than it.

Somewhere in the distance, Lux heard leaves rustling, and she snapped her head up to find Vivianne staring at her.

"You need something, Vivi?" Lux questioned, a playful smile tugging at her lips.

Her sister ignored her but sat down right next to her, holding her legs.

Lux studied her sister more closely and noticed that she looked... sad. Vivianne was a naturally angry person, so seeing her like this was rare.

"I miss him too, you know," Lux whispered. She got up from where she was sitting, deciding she had spent enough time there and that it'd be better to leave Vivianne alone.

As she walked away, she thought she heard, "He's not the only one I'll be missing," somewhere in the wind.

And that's when she saw it.

A painting, depicting her family. Her aunt and mother, with their ruby eyes; Aurelia and Merce, with wide grins; Luther, whose hair was getting in his eyes; Kaia, who was grabbing Arden around the neck; Rayne, who had a small smile on his face that was easy to miss; Lyra, who was clutching a book; Lux herself, waving enthusiastically; and the artist, Vivianne, who looked fed up on the outside but whose eyes were definitely smiling. And...

Lux sucked in a breath and looked at the blonde figure that was her father, standing next to Vivianne and smiling proudly at his children, as if he had never died.

✦✦✦

Lux was traveling down a long set of stairs. Her hands were shaking, and she thought she might vomit from nerves.

Tonight was the night Lux would leave the palace, along with Rayne and Lyra.

Her mother had told her they would need maid uniforms, which were in the servants' quarters, so she was walking down the stairs into a room she'd only been in twice in her life. Lux thought the servants' quarters were creepy, but she had still volunteered to go and collect the uniforms herself.

As she looked at the dust on the walls, she wished she had come down here sooner so that she could wash the dreaded uniforms and feel at least somewhat clean when she had to wear them at the castle.

Eventually, Lux arrived, and instantly a chill ran down her spine. The room was barren of any possessions, with only what seemed like an endless number of beds, stretching on forever.

Now she was nervous and terrified.

Lux somehow managed to lift her feet and start moving, beginning to search each bed for a uniform, resulting in tons of dust getting on her hands. It wasn't long before she eventually found a bunch of uniforms tangled together on a bed.

Thankfully, it looked like they had been washed before the servants all left the castle. Lux released a breath she didn't know she was holding, relieved she wouldn't have to wear filthy clothes, as she had never had to wear them in her whole life. In all their rooms, there was a laundry chute, and if you put clothes in them at the end of the week, they'd be returned cleaner than ever.

Seeing as she had acquired what she'd come for, Lux made her way to the stairs, preparing herself for the hike.

But suddenly, she heard a cacophony of noise, coming from... somewhere, somewhere, SOMEWHERE, and everything was chaos, distorted, unnatural, EVIL, IT'S EVIL.

And then it was normal again.

Lux clutched her head in shock.

What on earth was that?

She kept shaking her head in disbelief, but after clutching her heart for two minutes, she decided it was just nerves and headed toward the stairs.

But she was almost sure that something was calling her name.

✦✦✦