“I can’t believe it.” Lady Callafon said. The trunk's contents strewn around her and Aneira as they sifted through Aneira’s parent’s things. Lady Callafon looked at Aneira. “You know what this means right?” Aneira didn’t say anything, they couldn’t. Not after they had seen all the things buried so deeply in the past.

“You are the lost heir.” Lady Callafon pushed up to her knees so she was kneeling and bowed to Aneira.

“Stop that.” Aneira barked. “I am not lost, nor am I royalty of any kind.” Aneira snatched the seal from the lady’s hands and began putting away the contents of the chests.

“You are! You’re father was-”

“My father was a country farmer who lived his life quietly with my mother and my sister.” Aneira snapped. “If he wanted to be a prince then he could have returned at any time.”

“It’s not that simple.” Lady Callafon said, pulling her letter out again. “When the Queen died the king and his son made a law so that everyone who claimed nobility without the proper proof and the approval of the council would be put to death!”

“What?” Aneira asked, pausing in their shuffling. “And you want me to show up and declare I’m lost nobility? There are much easier ways to kill me if that’s what you’re after!”

“I’m not. You have proof you are nobility!” Lady Callafon pleaded impatiently. “Please! You have to let me take you to the palace!”

“Why? Why is this so important to you?!” Aneira snapped, ready to tear the letter the disgraced noble pulled out again.

“This is all I have left of my family! They were murdered by the king because of this letter!” Lady Callafon shook the letter as she yelled. Aneira fell silent.

“The Queen wanted to find her family. Any family that still lived.” Lady Callafon said slowly. Holding the letter to her chest. “She trusted my parents. Trusted them with finding the family, finding you, and then the Queen fell ill. I know it was the king. I know it was. He made the decree and there was a witch hunt for false nobility. So many people died…”

“That’s awful,” Aneira said quietly. Slowly starting to put away the scattered items again. “I’m sorry.” Lady Callafon sighed, the paper in her hands crumpling.

“It’s all I have left of my family. Of our history.” She said quietly. “I need you to come with me to the palace. To bring this seal and this entire trunk if we can to the council.”

“I don’t think this is enough to prove I’m royalty. Not if those currently in power are determined not to find me.” Aneira said. Closing her parent’s trunk.

“This seal is,” Lady Callafon said. Holding it up. “There’s only two of these seals, they were made by the king for his two sons, the eldest son’s seal is now in the palace. Held by the current prince. The other, the one given to the younger son, has been lost since he was. But here it is. Here it is with all this other evidence. This is indisputable.”

“Even so, I can’t be king.” Aneira said.

“You have a sister. Abdicate the throne to her, hell! Abolish royals altogether for all I care!” Lady Callafon snapped, slamming her hand on the wooden floor. “But I have to finish what my parents started, whether you come with me willingly or I have to drag you there kicking and screaming!”

“Abdicate…” Aneira said, staring into the distance. The thought of giving their sister an entire kingdom was a wonderful one. Followed by the harsh reality of only dragging their sister into a horrible trial that would only end with both of them being executed. “Look. I’m sorry. But I can’t and I won’t. You need to leave my house. Now.” Lady Callafon narrowed her eyes but stood up.

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“Fine. Have it your way.” She said, walking past Aneira and leaving the attic. Aneira watched her go, turning to look at the chest with disdain. They glared at it, thinking about throwing it all into the fireplace. Letting it all burn and returning to life as it had always been. Uncomplicated. Simple. They picked up the lantern used to read the pages. Really considering throwing it into the chest and letting it all burn.

The ladder creaked again and Aneira turned to the noblewoman coming again into the attic. But now armed with a length of rope.

“What are you doing?” Aneira snapped. Rising to their feet.

“I told you. I’m taking you to the kingdom to take the throne whether you like it or not.” She said, snapping the rope. She lunged at Aneira and they dropped the lantern as they were seized and tangled. Aneira fought back but they couldn’t match Lady Callafon’s muscle. The oil from the lantern spilled over paper and clothing alike and the fire traveled after it, igniting the debris of the attic. Lady Callafon threw Aneira to the side with a scream.

“No! We can’t let it burn!” She hopped over the fire and ran to the trunk. Panicking, she grabbed a canvas tarp and started beating the flames. Aneira wiggled against the rope that kept her bound on the floor. Ignited oil with sparking flames spilled closer to where they squirmed.

“Hey, hey!” Aneira yelled as they flailed ineffectively against the knots. The heat closed in toward Aneira and the panic overcame them. They screwed their eyes tight and a wave of cold ice hit the attic. All the flames vanished instantly and Aneira drew a long sigh of relief as the heat vanished from their face. The Lady stumbled back with wide eyes filled with horror.Looking at Aneira completely slack-jawed.

“Did you? I mean you couldn’t have-” Lady Callafon said, stumbling backwards. Her ankle hitting a box and falling to the ground. Aneira snapped their frozen bonds and stood up.

“Are you okay?” Aneira asked shakily. Not daring to approach. They held their hands tightly to them and picked at their fingernails.

“N-no! I’m not okay!” Lady Callafon’s voice broke as she sat up. “What was that? How did you do that?”

“I don’t know, it’s always been like this.” Aneira said. “Please, you have to keep it to yourself. I’ll-”

“You’ll do anything?” Lady Callafon’s voice changed. Looking slyly at them. Aneira felt their heart drop.

“I’ll do anything.” They agreed, looking down sadly.

“Then I’ll keep your secret.” Lady Callafon stood up and brushed herself off. “And you’ll come with me to the palace and take the throne.”

“And you’ll take it to your grave?” Aneira asked.

“On my life.” Lady Callafon stepped over the burned ashes and held out a silver dagger. “Should I ever speak of this to another soul, may I plunge this blade through my heart. As long as I live.”

“That’s a dangerous promise.” Aneira asked.

“I make it in confidence, I know I won’t say anything. If you want to seal it with a magical curse, then do it.” Lady Callafon kept a determined eye contact with Aneira.

“I would never.” Aneira said. But they looked at the dagger and nodded in defeat. “All right. Fine.”

“Good. Let’s get this chest downstairs. Do you have a carriage or something we can use?” Lady Callafon asked, Aneira held themselves.

“Not really, we don’t have much means to go off the farm. But we can check the stable shed. Maybe there’s something left over from my parents,”Aneira suggested. “Let’s worry about getting this stuff downstairs first. That fire probably left some damage in the floorboards.” Lady Callafon and Aneira worked carefully to move the trunk to the side and down the ladder. Only causing a few creaks of the boards. Aneira looked up at the ceiling from the second floor. The scorch marks on the ceiling made Aneira sigh.

“What is it?” Lady Callafon asked.

“I know it doesn’t matter. But those floorboards are going to have to come out and be replaced.” Aneira said. Lady Callafon looked up and then back to Aneira.

“You’re right. It doesn’t matter. By this time next week, you’ll be living it up in the palace.” Lady Callafon slapped the lid of the trunk a few times to really bring home the point. Aneira didn’t find it funny and only nodded grimly.

“I guess once we get this downstairs, Lady Callafon, we can check the shed for the cart.” Aneira said, bending down to pick up the chest.

“At this point you can probably just use my first name.” Lady Callafon said. “At least when it’s just us.”

“Oh,” Aneira said. Ignoring it and picking up the chest. Lady Callafon stepped in and took the chest from them.

“Please let me.” She said, “You’re royalty after all.”

“Right, thank you…” Aneira stopped before calling her by her title again.

“Bellaire,” Lady Callafon suggested. Aneira nodded but didn’t say her name. Feeling a funny tingle that tried to make their cheeks pink.

“Let’s get this downstairs.” Aneira said.