Princess Milina sat in the carriage staring down at her shaking hands. She was cold, scared, but most of all, the shaking came from the knowledge that she had taken a life. Making a tight fist, she tried to force her body to stop shaking, failing as adrenaline coursed through her body. Closing her eyes she started to take deep breaths, in and out, in and out, each breath shallow and uneven. As the seconds passed by-marked only by the rattling carriage and rain outside-she knew she could not stop her body from shaking, she was wound up too tight.
Glancing sideways at her younger half-sister who was sleeping, Milina carefully brushed the loose strands of hairs that covered her sister’s face, moving as little as possible so as not to wake her. Elina was almost seventeen-bright, and outgoing. Her dark brown hair, almost bordering on black, clung to her head, still damp from the rain.
Feeling her touch, Elina groaned softly before leaning her head against Milina’s shoulder, burrowing herself deeper against her body. Feeling the warmth from her sister, Milina placed her own head against her sister’s head, clutching her hand tightly. “Don’t worry. I’ll keep you safe,” she whispered, her voice never truly leaving her dry throat.
From time to time, Milina wished she was as outgoing as her sister, always smiling and making friends with the maids and butlers, her very presence lighting up the room. But it was not meant to be. No matter how hard she tried, she could not let her guard down; she could not tear down the walls she had subconsciously built around herself after her brother had passed away, her father’s neglect adding to the thickness of the walls.
Looking down at her blood covered nightgown, she unconsciously reached for the small saber that was leading against the side of the carriage wall, the feel of the cold handle comforting. Perseus, her older brother had given the saber to her on her eighth birthday. She still remembered how his excitement had vanished when she burst into tears. She did not want a weapon. He had tried to comfort her by telling her how he would teach her how to wield it, but she had refused, demanding that he give her another gift. In a strange way, she still resented him, resented him because he was not there, resented him for dying, resented him because the saber was all that was left of him.
“Assassins from the right! Cam, try to cut them off. San, stay by the carriage, I’ll engage them!” The loud voice of General Todo dragged Milina’s mind back to the present, nerves once again causing her heart to beat painfully. Holding her breath in anxiety, she clutched her saber with all her might. Ancestors protect us, she prayed.
With a sudden jerk, Milina felt her sister waken, Elina’s clammy hands tightly hugging her arm. Across from both of them the two maids whimpered as they held each other, fear and stress causing their faces to turn pale. This was not the first time they were attacked during their flight, but it had been some time since the last.
“It will be over soon. You’re safe, General Todo will protect us.” Milina spoke, not sure if she was trying to reassure her sister or herself. “I am confident we will reach Mr. Maliri’s residence in no time. We just need to trust Todo.”
Soon the all-too-familiar sounds of combat mixed with the storm, echoed harshly throughout the forest they were traveling through, each clash causing the women to flinch in fear.
“Milina, will we be alright?” Elina timidly asked, trying to get closer to Milina.
“General Todo is an Arcane Lord, his Auctoritas is only second to our uncle,” Milina replied, tightly holding her sister’s hand. “And General Todo told me that the two Maliri guards escorting us are part of the Diamond Guard, they must be at a minimum Arcane Knights, we will be fine.” Milina tried to put confidence in her voice, even if she did not have the power to fight with the warriors outside, the least she could do was to keep the morale inside the carriage up. “Let us trust our guards.”
As Milina’s words brought some calm to the women in the carriage, a new sound joined the fierce battle outside, a high-pitched call. At first Milina thought she was hearing things, but there it was again! Mixed in with the sound of battle, the quiet call of a horn.
“Everyone, quiet! Did you hear that?” She motioned with her hand for silence and froze, concentrating on the sounds around her.
As the three other women in the carriage held their breath, hands covering their mouths, the sound of the horn once again drifted from up front.
“I hear it, I hear it!” Elina shouted, jumping up and down on her seat. “That's Maliri’s horn! They are coming to save us!”
Hearing the sweet horn call, Milina felt all the energy in her body fade away, she had not realized that she was held up by pure will and stress. Without them she sank deeply in her seat. Contrary to her, her sister and the maids seemed to come alive, laughing and hugging each other, happy smiles splinting their faces wide open, fear chased away.
“They are coming to save us!”
Slumped in her seat, Milina smiled as she closed her eyes, the sweet sound of the horn ringing in her ears. She was so tired.
The sound of battle changed as Milina sat with her eyes closed, the urgent commands from Todo turning defensive in nature, his deep voice still cutting though the storm.
“Hold! Fight together! We just need to wait! Burns, stay behind us, don’t overextend! Reinforcements are coming! Stay strong!”
In just a few minutes the call of the horn was no longer a faint whisper but the war cry of the Maliri Golden Guard, the thundering hooves of horses louder than the actual storm.
“Zenrom! Bring your riders to the left! Try to cut their retreat!” Cam’s booming voice shook the walls of the carriage as he shouted, the excitement in his voice causing Elina and the maids to shout with joy.
“Don’t chase too far! The safety of the princesses comes first!”
Hearing Todo's voice, a small grin appeared on Milina’s face, the man was loyal to a fault.
“Milina move! I can’t see! Push the curtains to the side!” Elina shouted, leaning over Milina as she peered out the window. Wondering if she should allow Elina to see the battle outside, Milina shook her head before joining her sister in watching what was happening outside. The storm and darkness outside should obscure most of the violence.
With the skill and strength that could only be bought by the richest man on the continent, Mr. Maliri’s Golden Guard smashed into the assassins, the veteran warriors scattering the assassins like leaves. Within seconds, the sounds of fighting vanished, replaced by the falling rain.
“Princess!”
Hearing Todo’s voice, Milina glanced slightly to her left seeing the man ride out of the dark. Opening the window ajar to hear him better she spoke. “Are we safe, General?”
“With Maliri’s guards with us we are safe, we should arrive at his manor in less than an hour.”
“Thank you General, you have done everything we could have asked for and more.” Milina smiled, seeing the exhaustion on Todo’s face.
“Yes, thank you so much,” Elina added still leaning over Milina, her face staring out the window, marveling at the famous Golden Guard. Gently pushing her sister back to her seat, Milina cleared her throat. “Let us go, we may be safe, but I will feel much better once we are out of theses wet clothes and inside.”
“Yes, Princess.”
By the time Milina and her sister reached the residence of Maliri, the storm had turned into a light drizzle, the violent storm moving away from them. The Merchant lived in a large town consisting mostly of his trading operation, training facility, and administrative building, his impressive manor built on a hill above the town, a testament to his wealth.
“Wow, his house is almost as impressive as our castle,” gasped Elina, bouncing up and down with excitement. Her weight pressed down on Milina as she once again pressed her face against the carriage window. “Look they have a fountain out front!”
“Princess please, it is unbecoming of royalty,” Rose, one of the maids, pleaded with Elina as she prevented Elina from opening the window and sticking her head out.
Reluctantly sitting back down, Elina gave Rose a sour look before opening her mouth. “The title of being The Richest Merchant in the World is very appropriate of him. Milina, what does he look like? I’ve never met him, is he as grand as his title?”
Smiling as she was not sure what to say, Milina turned her face slightly away. “He is indeed very grand,” she finally answered, picturing the round merchant, a momentary feeling of amusement running through her. The merchant was by far the largest person Milina had ever seen, his kind but small eyes always hidden by his round face. It was joked that his size could be measured by how wealthy he was, and he was very wealthy.
Nodding her head at Milina’s response, Elina smiled. “I heard that even grandfather kept him in high regards. He must be grand! Do you think he would have the latest dresses from Arioria? I heard that they are adorned with intricate embroidery inspired by their House Crests! I would love to wear a dress adorned with our Houses Crest!” Looking down at the horse-shaped crest on the back of her hand, she frowned. “Do you think father will allow me to use our House Crest?”
“Of course he will!” Milina confidently said, pulling her sister into a one-handed hug. “Father loves you the most. And so do I!”
“Thank you, Milina.”
With a gentle crunch, the carriage finally came to a stop in front of the massive manor, the panting horses standing still as everyone dismounted. They had finally arrived! Slowly breathing out, Milina patted her nightgown down before sitting up straight, her face devoid of emotions. She had to look presentable to the merchant, even in this state.
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“Princess we are here,” Todo announced as he opened the carriage door, his head bowed slightly. “They are waiting for you.”
“Thank you, general.”
Climbing out of the carriage with the help of a butler who had appeared seemingly from nowhere, Milina looked around and spotted the round merchant who was waiting for her.
“Princess, welcome to my humble home!”
The merchant was bigger than what Milina remembered, his large frame easily that of three or four people. Most people found him imposing but she had always liked the man, his friendly smile and round shape reminded her of a giant stuffed bear.
“This is not what I meant when I said grand,” Milina heard Elina whisper from behind, the sharp intake of her breath causing the corner of Milina’s lips to lift slightly. If it were not such an urgent situation she might have laughed out loud. But this was not the time or place.
Glancing back at Elina, who had her mouth opened wide, Milina gave her a stern look trying to convey her thoughts to her using just her eyes. Stay on your best behavior!
Watching Elina quickly close her mouth with a sheepish grin, Milina nodded before turning her focus back to the merchant. “Mr. Maliri, thank you for your hospitality. We will be imposing on you until my father and uncle are able to secure our castle.”
“Please, Princess, it is my honor and duty to help House Salizia. The kindness that your grandfather, King Ortis has shown me has allowed me to acquire most of my wealth,” the Merchant responded, trying to bow before settling on a slight lean forward, his massive girth preventing him from bending forward.
“That may be, but I would like to thank you nonetheless. Mr. Maliri, let me introduce you to my darling sister. Elina, come and greet Mr. Maliri.”
“Hello Mr. Maliri, thank you for your hospitality,” Elina said, shuffling over, curtsying clumsily.
“Please, please be at ease. There is no need for formality,” Mr. Maliri laughed, stepping forward and helping Elina find her footing. “You all must have had such a terrifying night. Come inside, my daughter, Ashley will help both of you to your rooms. Come, come.”
“Mr. Maliri, I must first have a word with General Todo. A moment, please,” Milina cut in, an anxious wave of emotions pressing down on her. She had to make sure that the men who had escorted them from the castle were safe.
“Of course, Princess.”
Stiffly she walked over to Todo, gripping her nightgown in dread. “General, is anyone injured?” she inquired, searching for familiar faces among the guards. From what she could see, the two Diamond Guards they had picked up in the city looked healthy-tired and covered in mud, blood, and water-but physically fit. On the other hand, only the stable master and one soldier from the castle remained, his right arm wrapped in a makeshift splint, his face pale. Stomach sinking, she searched in vain for the taller soldier, the one they had met at the stable.
“We lost one soldier on the journey, but the rest of us will recover,” reported Todo, his back straight, his clear eyes unwavering. “Princess, forgive me, but I must leave you. Master Maliri has lent us a large force. I will take them to Castle Salizia and help clean up the remaining assassins.”
Holding her breath as she composed herself, Milina nodded sadly. She knew she had to be strong, but it was so difficult. “Thank you, General, but before you go, I would like a world with the remaining soldier.”
Making her way over to the last soldier she looked into his young eyes. “What is your name?” she kindly asked, her voice steady.
“Pelton Burns, Your Royal Highness,” the boy answered, standing at attention, saluting with his left hand, his right wrapped tightly in a makeshift splint.
“Thank you for keeping us safe. Please tell me the name of the two soldiers who have gone to the Last Shore.”
Milina could see tears starting to form on Peltons’ face.
“Floyed Fields, and Timothy Baker, Your Royal Highness,” tears started to fall from his eyes, but he still stood at attention, letting them run down his cheeks.
“They are the bravest men I have ever met. I will personally make sure that their families are well taken care of,” Milina promised, the knowledge that they had died for her heavy on her shoulders.
“Thank you, Your Royal Highness.”
Turning back to the manor, she glanced at Todo seeing his small nod of approval. Taking a deep breath, she made her way up the stone steps, silently wondering why such a small gesture made her feel better.
A couple days after their arrival at the merchant’s manor, Milina sat in her bed, the morning sunlight streaming in between the heavy drapes, blinding her tear-soaked face. The following days had been a wreck of nerves, and bad news. She had relived a pain she had not felt since her brother’s death. Once the castle had been secured, General Todo had returned, bringing with him the devastating news that her father had died, and her uncle was seriously injured.
Remembering how she had mutely stood there as Todo told them the information, she wondered why she had felt no emotion at the time, almost as if the shock froze her ability to feel. In contrast, her sister had started to cry, her loud sobbing wails filling the room. Next to her Mr. Maliri had sunk to the floor, almost as if he had been deflated, his complexion turning pale.
Standing there, next to her crying sister, Milina remembered promising Todo that they would keep her father’s death a secret, her words sounding hollow to her. Logically, keeping her father’s death a secret was the best course of action. If it were known that the King had been killed, her family’s reputation would be tarnished, their already strained relationship with the Kingdom’s Great Lords worsening. This was the kind of situation that many of the Lords were looking for, a circumstance that would allow them to gain power over the Royal House.
Sitting there wordlessly crying, Milina clutched her blanket to her chest, every muscle in her body stiff, her opened mouth silently screaming into the morning light. As the sunlight slowly touched an arbitrary mark on her bed she stopped crying, forcefully pushing the pain she felt deep into her soul. Stop crying! Stay strong! She had promised herself that she would only cry until the sunlight touched that point on the bed. You made a promise to yourself! she told herself roughly.
Wiping the tears from her eyes, she crawled out of bed, trying to control her breathing, slow deep breaths in and out of her lungs. In and out. In and out. Control yourself you are no longer a child, she firmly repeated to herself. Subconsciously she knew suppressing her emotions could not be healthy, but she had to be strong for her sister, strong for her House, strong for her Kingdom. As the eldest daughter of a House with no living sons, tradition dictated that she would be given three years to find a husband, after which the crown would be passed to him. Her new duty would then be to bear a son, who would ascend the throne on his sixteenth birthday.
“Rotted tradition,” she muttered to herself, knowing that if she broke tradition, the disgruntled Great Lords would seize the opportunity to gather arms, citing House Salizia’s inability to adhere to traditions that bordered on laws as their justification. Once one of the Great Lords had enough power, they would come storming in, taking the crown for their own House. Milina knew she could never allow that to happen. She would never allow House Salizia with its thousands of years of history to fall because of her. She would die before that happened.
Making her way to her washbasin, she started to get ready for the new day, splashing her face with the room temperature water. Taking a moment to gently massage her swollen eyes, she carefully washed away the tears that had just covered her face. Once satisfied, she grabbed a hand towel before drying her face. Looking up she peered into the mirror just above the washbasin. Staring back at her was her own reflection, her eyes puffy and red from crying. Sighing at the condition of her eyes, she drooped her shoulders slightly. This will not do. She could not go out in public looking like this.
Walking to the balcony, she reached for the small metal spoon she had hidden outside the night before. She had hoped she would not need to use, it but she was glade she had the hindsight to hide it. This would be used to make her eyes look less puffy.
Pressing the cold metal to her eye, Milina slowly counted to ten, switching to the next eye. Repeating the process until she was satisfied that her eyes looked presentable, she replaced the spoon outside again. Walking over to the vanity, she began sorting through the various herbs and ointments that Mr. Maliri had given to her, selecting the ones that would help reduce the redness in her eyes.
Picking up a clear ointment that she did not know the origins of, she dropped two drops of the ointment into both of her eyes, her vision instantly becoming blurry. Rapidly blinked to clear her vision she turned to putting on makeup. Usually, she did not bother with such things, but she had to show the world that House Salizia was still standing strong.
After putting on foundation and making sure to blend it down her neck-she did not want to look like the court jester with only his face colored-she started on her still-red eyes. The most important thing to her was to make the whites of her eyes look brighter, taking the attention away from their redness. Using a very fine brush, she carefully applied a thin blue line on the skin between her eyelashes and her eye, knowing it would help with hiding the redness.
Scrutinizing her reflection, Milina tilted her head back and forth before deciding that she had sufficiently hidden the damage that crying had done to her face. She was ready to face the world. Picking out a bold green dress, she left her room, looking for breakfast and Mr. Maliri.
Stepping outside her room she saw her maid, Rose patiently waiting for her. “Rose, is Mr. Maliri eating breakfast?”
“Yes, my lady. I saw Mr. Maliri and his daughter walking to the small dining hall,” Rose responded, bobbing up and down, a small curtsy.
“That sounds wonderful, let us also make our way to breakfast.”
Trying to embody her old etiquette instructor, Milina glided through the manor, making her way to the dining hall, each step carrying her farther into the manor.
The Maliri residence was enormous, the most beautiful, gaudy, and expensive items filling every room and hallway. Even as a princess, Milina was impressed at the sheer amount of wealth that was on display. Over there, an extravagant fountain carved from white marble, built in the middle of a room. And parallel to the hallway she was walking along, an indoor garden with a fishpond. The more she saw, the more she felt a disconnect from her surroundings, she had not realized that she preferred a less extravagant way of living.
Finally reaching the Small Dining Hall, Milina looked around. The Small Dining Hall was quite large, able to comfortably fit a hundred people, two rows of tables leading up to a main table set on a higher elevation. Chandeliers made from the finest crystals hung overhead, scattering the morning light into dazzling shapes. The two Maliri's sat at the head table, seemingly enjoying their breakfast of exotic fruits, pastries, and breakfast meats.
“Good morning Mr. Maliri, Lady Ashley. The mornings here are so lovely,” Milina said, gliding over to them. Mr. Maliri was wearing a beautifully sewn orange silk tunic, his massive size making him resemble a pumpkin. Ashely was the complete opposite of her father, slim and fit, her golden long hair matching their house’s banner of three interlocking golden rings.
“Good morning, Your Royal Highness,” the large merchant said, rising from his seat, followed by his daughter.
“Please sit. As a guest, I would feel quite awkward if I made you bow and curtsy in your own house,” Milina replied, putting a warm smile on her face. Walking over to the table she positioned herself next to Ashely.
Idly chatting with Ashely and her father, Milina helped herself to the delicious but exotic breakfast. As the most renowned merchant, the Maliri manor was full of interesting foods and items taken from around the world. Taking a bite out of a sweet but strangely textured fruit Milina shook her head slightly as she put the fruit down, reaching for a pastry instead, the texture of the fruit was not to her liking.
Midway through the meal, a haggard Elina stumbled into the room, her light footsteps making no noise. Elina did not look well, her eyes were bloodshot, large black rings from lack of sleep surrounding them, her once silky hair a matted nest. Seeing the state that her sister was in, Milina quickly stood up rushing over to give her sister a tight hug. “Are you still having trouble sleeping?” she asked, knowing the answer. Elina had been having nightmares ever since they had been forced to flee from their home. Feeling the weak nod against her body, she made up her mind.
“Mr. Maliri, I would like to ask for a favor,” she said, knowing what she was going to say next was ridiculous. “I would like you to introduce us to a martial systems instructor.”
“A martial systems instructor?” Mr. Maliri blinked, taking a moment to understand what was being asked of him.
“Yes, a martial systems instructor,” replied Milina, determination shone from her eyes. Looking at her sister, she knew she never wanted to feel this helpless again. “I need to learn how to protect the people closest to me.”