Chapter 24

I knocked on the ornate double doors but didn't bother to wait for an answer. “You look exhausted, Brother,” I said as I sat on the sofa in Luke’s office. My brother sat behind his desk as usual, buried underneath a veritable mountain of work.

“Nothing gets past you.” He said without looking up from the document in his hand.

“It’s faint, but you have bags under your eyes. If it’s affecting even you, the situation must be awful.” I said while eyeing him. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him like this…

“Well, it certainly isn’t ideal. Give me a few minutes to finish this; then we’ll talk.” A maid brought me a cup of tea, which I sipped at casually while he finished his work. I was nearly halfway through my second cup when he finally sat on the opposite couch from me.

“Do I really have bags?” He asked, rubbing gently at his eyes.

“You don’t have to worry about others noticing. I only did because I’m your sister.” I said, setting my cup on the low table between us. “Well… your admirers might notice if you’re not as… sparkly as usual.” A small smile appeared on his face as I poked fun at him.

“If that’s the only reason they admire me, then they aren’t worth worrying about.”

“Fair point,” I said with a nod. The maid also brought Luke a cup of warm tea, and I let him relax for a few minutes before I got to the point. “Now, I know you didn’t call me here just because you missed your cute little sister.”

“You just can’t let a moment live, can you?” He ran a hand through his blonde hair, sighed, then stood up and headed toward the door. “Honestly, the situation is dire, but I think it’s best to see for yourself.” I hastily finished my tea and followed my brother out into the hallway.

“It’s something so complicated that not even the genius prince can explain it?” I asked teasingly, trying to lighten the mood.

“It’s not that I can’t. I just don’t have the energy.” A pang of guilt ran through me at his words and tired expression.

“I’m sorry,” I said sullenly. “You and everyone else were working yourselves to death while I enjoyed life at the academy.” Even since we returned to the castle, I’ve only been taking on menial clerical tasks so I could spend time with Audrey and prepare for my birthday…

I was genuinely upset with myself. My regular duties aside, there was a war on our doorstep, and public unease grew with each new day. How could I be focused on such frivolities? My responsibilities should be to my kingdom first and foremost. If the me from a year ago saw how I was acting, she’d burn me to a crisp.

We stopped in front of the council meeting room, and I looked up when he placed a hand on my shoulder. “You have nothing to apologize for. Those moments of peace are valuable, even more so when the future is uncertain. It reminds us what we’re fighting for.” He smiled at me, a sincere one that outshone the rest. “Besides, Father and I are the ones responsible for letting things develop as they have.”

With that, he pushed open the meeting room door, and the sound of arguing flooded my ears.

“You can’t be serious! You want to send our soldiers right into the belly of the beast?!”

“Sitting around and waiting only signals to the empire that we’re easy prey!”

The room was filled with ministers and nobles, all of whom were advisors to the crown in some fashion. The topic seemed to be what stance the Kingdom of Venyth should take regarding the Empire’s seemingly halted conquest.

The shouting died down as they noticed our entrance, and Luke and I made our way to the head of the massive table that sat in the room. I sat to Luke’s left, and the nobles who had been standing all took their seats as well. Looking around the room, I saw Duke Beldonna, who nodded at me when our eyes met. He was the head of the reformist faction that supported Father, so it made sense he was here.

Audrey's Father, Duke Rose, sat on the other side of the table. He was the leading figure of the traditionalists. The despicable man didn’t even acknowledge my presence and addressed Luke.

“Your Highness, what are the king’s thoughts on the matter? Surely he doesn’t believe shoring up our defenses as we have been is the best course of action?”

My brother gathered his thoughts before speaking. “He does. Going on the offensive will stretch our forces too thin. We need to make the enemy fight us on our terms if we want to survive,” Luke replied. “They made the mistake of giving us time to prepare. We won’t be taken by surprise like the countries before us.”

“With all due respect, Your Highness. Do you really believe we can win a battle of attrition? The empire controls eighty percent of the continent. If the war is drawn out, our resources simply won’t last.” Duke Rose argued. “We must make quick, decisive strikes against vital positions and supply lines. An army of their size requires an equal amount of support; if we cripple their infrastructure, we stand a better chance of negotiation!”

My brother nodded his head in agreement. “If we were facing a standard army, then I’d agree with you. But you’ve heard the rumors, right? Read the reports? The imperial soldiers are unnaturally resilient. The cause has to be magic, but we don’t know for certain.”

“Then we combat magic with magic! Our country boasts some of the strongest mages in the world! A single court mage is worth a hundred soldiers.” Duke Rose slammed his fist on the table in a show of anger. It was a convincing show of emotion that spurred his allies to voice their agreement. It’s a shame I know who he really is.

“And what do you think would happen if we sent our best against a threat we’ve yet to understand fully?” I asked, cutting into the discussion. Duke Rose turned to me as if just noticing my existence. “There has to be a reason the ‘bloodthirsty emperor’ would suddenly stop his campaign. Until we know what that is, we can’t act recklessly with the lives of our subjects.”

“As His Highness said, we were prepared. The empire's conquest was swift, but we still had weeks to prepare for them.” His condescending tone made me want to punch him in the face. Resist, Lydia… Resist… “The emperor is unsure if he can actually win against us; that’s why he’s taking his time to plan! We need to take the initiative in order to turn the tide! Not idle away, and hope our defenses hold when the enemy finally decides to advance!”

“Say we do advance and focus our numbers on the offensive. What’s to stop the enemy from circling around our main force? The empire’s troops outnumber us three to one.” Duke Beldonna said, drawing Duke Rose’s attention away from me. “Even if we use a hit-and-run strategy, as you say, we’ll leave ourselves wide open to counter-attacks from other directions.”

Now that the head of each faction was involved, the other ministers took it as an invitation to begin arguing amongst themselves, and the room broke out into noise. However, it wasn’t as loud as when we first entered, probably because two royal family members were present.

I looked over at Luke, who had his eyes closed in thought. After letting the others carry on for a few minutes, my brother opened his eyes and spoke.

“Enough.” He didn’t yell, but the word still echoed around the chamber, silencing even the two dukes. “I see the merit in your suggestions, Duke Rose. However, with our current information, I cannot fully endorse your plan in good conscience. Let’s see a show of hands. Who believes that we should go on the offensive?” Duke Rose and his entire faction raised their hands, which was to be expected. What wasn’t expected were the few neutrals with their hands in the air.

Luckily, it wasn’t the majority, but it was close. “Alright then, we’ll maintain our current approach while keeping an eye on the situation. We’ll discuss it again at the next meeting. Dismissed.” With that, the room was filled with wood scraping on the tile as everyone stood up from their chairs and began to filter out. A few nobles started arguing again in the hallway, but my eyes were on Duke Rose, and I didn’t miss the smirk on his face as he went.

After he was sure everyone else had left, Luke turned to me. “Understand now? He’ll have the majority before long. Father will have to acquiesce under that much pressure, and it will not end well.”

“I do… What I don’t get is why they’re so insistent on provoking the empire.” I said.

“From their perspective, it probably feels like we’re simply waiting around to be conquered, and it’s making them restless.”

I could understand how they felt, my mind flashing back to the attempt on my life. I felt so helpless, frozen in fear as I watched my friends fight for their lives… I never want to feel that way again. “It’s shameful for them to let fear dictate their actions. Fortifying our position is obviously the best strategy.” My statement was directed at myself as much as them.

“In any case, it doesn’t change the fact that we’ll be forced to mobilize our troops for an offensive in the near future.” He tapped the table anxiously, which was a shock. I didn’t even know my brother had nerves. “Lydia… The public is uneasy, and you can feel it when you go into town. When the time comes, we must send everything we have at the empire.”

“Isn’t that to be expected?” I asked, unsure of what he was trying to say. Frustrated, he ran a hand through his hair.

“The best way for us to quell the public unrest is to give them someone to believe in, a symbol. Someone who can stand as a source of hope. It would help to bolster the soldier's morale as well.”

“Brother, it isn’t like you to beat around the bush. Just spit it out already!” Now, I was getting frustrated with his hesitation.

“Damn it… We need to send Audrey, okay!?” He snapped, and my mind crashed to a halt.

“What?” My voice came out low and menacing.

“Who better to stand as a hero than someone chosen by the divine?” He said, maintaining eye contact.

“You can’t be serious! She’s spent her whole life barely surviving, and now you want to—” My voice turned frantic, but Luke cut me off.

“I don’t want to do anything! Do you really believe that I want to send a girl a decade younger than me to the battlefield? That I want to send our soldiers to what will most likely be their deaths?!” His voice cracked angrily, his words echoing around the empty council room. I looked down, gripping my skirt so hard my knuckles turned white. He rubbed his temples and took a deep breath.

“I’m sorry,” He said quietly. “I didn’t mean to lose my composure.” I shook my head at his apology.

“N-No, I’m sorry. It was wrong of me to imply that of you.” I couldn’t stop myself from shaking. The thought of sending Audrey to the battlefield was horrifying. In my mind, I saw Lucia bleeding from dozens of wounds, blood in her eyes as she desperately defended against the assassin—Leah, poisoned and unconscious on the ground. I remembered how Audrey looked as the assassin struggled in her merciless grasp.

There would be hundreds… no… thousands of people killing each other… The world spun around me as I envisioned Audrey standing among the bodies, being forced to kill more people. Or even worse, being killed herself. My heart thundered in my ears. I knew Luke was trying to talk to me, but I couldn’t hear him. She’d be by herself in that hell… We promised to face any threats together… But there’s no way I’d be allowed to go with her to the front line.

“N-No.” My mouth was incredibly dry, but the refusal slipped out anyway.

“Lydia, please. I know what she means to you, but we have to think about the kingdom!” His pleas fell on deaf ears as I stood up and stumbled towards the door. I felt dizzy now, and my stomach was doing flips as I entered the hallway. I’m such a hypocrite… It was only an hour ago that I was vowing to do better as a princess, but when it came time for me to choose, I couldn’t place my responsibilities above my personal interests.

I stopped walking down the hallway and leaned against the wall to catch my breath. I waved off a concerned servant, telling them I was okay. I know I can be stubborn, but have I always been this selfish? Once I finally got the nausea to subside a bit, I began walking again. Luckily, my brother didn’t give chase. He was probably berating himself for how he handled the conversation, but it wasn’t truly his fault.

I knew that Audrey could change the outcome of this war, but it wasn’t just one battle. She would be gone for weeks, maybe months, constantly in danger. Audrey wasn’t invincible; all it would take was a lucky arrow to the heart, and it would be over.

My fear was compounded all the more by the realization that I didn’t really have a say in the matter. Luke told me, not for permission, but so I could prepare myself. If I didn’t bring the matter to Audrey personally, I knew my family would go around me, even if it pained them to do so.

And I know what her answer would be.

I mindlessly wandered the castle before finding myself on top of one of the towers overlooking the capital. For the first time since we met, Audrey was the last person I wanted to see right now, and I was certain she wouldn’t know to look for me here. I leaned against the crenellations made of thick grey brick and let the wind wash over me as my gaze wandered the sprawling city below.

Why does life have to be so cruel? Audrey’s been through so much in her seventeen years… How much more does she have to suffer before the gods are satisfied? Tears pricked at my eyes as I stared into the open blue sky. I sat in silence, alone with my thoughts for a few minutes before the entrance suddenly slammed open, and I turned around in shock to see Leah standing in the doorway.

My ever-reliable lady-in-waiting was breathing heavily like she had been running all over the castle, and her carefully maintained hair and uniform were in disarray. When our eyes met, I hastily turned away to wipe my tears, but Leah crossed the space between us in an instant and wrapped me in a tight hug.

She didn’t say anything, but I couldn’t hold myself back as I clung to the front of her uniform, my emotions flooding out of me unrestrained as I cried into her chest. Starting tomorrow, I knew I’d have to be brave for Audrey’s sake. But for now… It’s alright if I cry, right?

***

I sat at the table, a cup of tea gracefully held in my hand as I conversed politely with Aunt Bella. Tomorrow was Lydia’s birthday celebration, so my performance today would be the deciding factor on whether or not I would be allowed to attend.

I maintained the perfect posture that had been drilled into me over the last week and listened intently to the conversation for cues to laugh or respond. I definitely wasn’t getting distracted by the colorful array of desserts and snacks on the table. We had both slowly eaten a slice of cake at the start of the tea party, but it only made me hungrier. Who decided it was impolite to have seconds? All this food just goes to waste…

Even though I complained internally, I kept a smile on my face and led the conversation when Aunt Bella changed the topic. I may have been a bundle of nerves for the entire hour, but I thought I did well. Now, I sat nervously, waiting for her judgment.

Aunt Bella had her hands folded under her chin as she stared holes into me, which didn’t help my nervousness. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, she spoke.

“It’s passable. You may go to the celebration.” I stood up happily and moved around the table to hug her.

“Thank you so much, Auntie!” I said excitedly. Since she was still seated, my arms were wrapped around her shoulders, but she rested her hand on my forearm to return the gesture.

“It was your own efforts and nothing more, " she said with a smile. “Keep in mind that I said ‘passable’; our lessons will continue even after my daughter's birthday.” I deflated a little at that, but I didn’t hate the idea.

“I look forward to spending time with you, Auntie, even if you are a little scary sometimes,” I said unthinkingly and froze as I realized my mistake. Her head turned towards me slowly, the smile on her face a little off. Ah… I summoned the Demon Queen…

“I’ll overlook the insult because you said something sweet.” I breathed a sigh of relief at her forgiveness and sat in my seat. Once I was settled, she reached across the table, taking my hand in hers. “I feel the same. Spending time with you makes me miss my dear friend less.” Her gaze held a hint of sadness as she spoke of my mother, but it quickly vanished as she let go of my hand and leaned back with a grin. “Now, I know you’ve been dying to have some more cake; go ahead.”

“Really?!” I started to say excitedly, my hand already reaching out for the plate, but then I caught myself. “I-Is this a test?” A coy smile played on the queen’s lips at my question.

“I’ll be lenient for the rest of our time today, don’t worry.” She also reached out for another slice. “But that’s a good mindset to have moving forward, my dear.” I gulped at her insinuation but happily helped myself to the sweets left on the table. After that, the atmosphere was light as we laughed and chatted, not as teacher and student, but as family.

This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

A while later, Aunt Bella checked the clock that ticked from the wall. “I believe it’s time for us to wrap up.” I gave her a confused look as the servants started to pack up the leftover food and clear the table.

“But we still have another thirty minutes.”

She smiled sweetly at my objection. “Someone is coming to pick you up. They should be here shortly.” Before I could ask who, there was a knock on the door. That’s frightening. Lydia entered the room, and Aunt Bella and I stood up to greet her.

“How was today’s lesson?” She asked.

“I have permission to attend your celebration tomorrow!” I said happily, taking her hand. She returned a smile and nodded.

“That’s great to hear.”

“Audrey’s indeed passed for now. However, she still has a lot to learn.” Aunt Bella said. “But she should be proud of the work she has put in.” I couldn’t help but glow at her praise. Then I remembered it was unusual for my girlfriend to finish her work by this time.

“Is there something going on today?” I asked. The mother-daughter pair looked slyly at each other but didn’t say anything. I folded my arms in mock anger and huffed. “It’s not very nice to exclude me like this!”

Lydia held her hands up in surrender and laughed. “You’ll find out soon. Come with me.” She took me by the hand again and said goodbye to her mother as she led me into the hallway. I studied her face as we walked and felt relieved that she looked much better than the previous night.

“I’m glad you’re feeling better…” I said awkwardly, and she glanced at me quizzically.

“What do you mean?”

“Well… It’s just last night. When you and Leah came to the bedroom, you were crying before, right?” I didn’t want to bring it up then because Lydia had looked so exhausted. I figured she would eventually tell me if it were important, but I at least wanted to show I noticed.

“Ah.” She scratched her cheek and looked away. “It’s not something you need to worry about for now.”

“I see… is there anything I can do to help, at least?” I asked, but she shook her head.

“Not right now. I’ll tell you everything after my birthday; I just need you to be with me until then.” There was something in her words that I really didn’t like, but I couldn’t quite pinpoint it.

“A-Alright? You know I will.” She still led me by the hand, but we fell into an uncomfortable silence. I couldn’t quite shake the feeling that I was missing something.

“Aurora, what do I do?” I turned to my goddess for help.

“It’s best if you just do as she asks.” She said.

“Do you know what’s going on?”

“No…” I felt her hesitation through our bond. “Not exactly, but I do have a guess.”

“Then–”

“Either way, it’s not my place," she said quickly, cutting me off. “Do as you’ve always done—trust her,” I grumbled a bit at that. It’s not that I don’t trust her. It just feels like I’m never in the know. I gave myself a moment to complain, then pushed the thoughts out of my head and resolved to wait.

It wasn’t long before we paused before a set of doors, and Lydia turned to me. “I thought this sort of affair might suit you best.” With that, she pushed open the doors and led me inside. The room was dark, but as soon as the doors closed behind us, the lights flickered to reveal most of the people I cared about.

“Happy Birthday!” they all shouted in unison, leaving me in shock. The room, which I think was one of the smaller meeting rooms, was decorated from wall to wall with banners and streamers. A white cake with my name written on it in red frosting sat on the table.

“W-What is all this?” I asked, fighting back tears. I won’t cry this time! Lydia squeezed my hand and looked at me with gentle eyes.

“What does it look like, silly girl?”

I moved forward, giving Yuzuki a big hug. “I thought you would head home for the extended break,” I said, and her stoic expression broke into a little smile.

“My family wanted me too. With the empire looming, they even tried to withdraw me from the academy altogether.” Her demeanor didn’t match her words, so I looked at her blankly. “Don’t worry; I told them I wouldn’t leave Venyth even if they did.”

“Don’t you have responsibilities back home? Your family is pretty important, right?”

“It’s nothing my siblings can’t handle, and I’ve deemed being here with my friends necessary. Plus, Her Highness entrusted the presidency to me; I can’t disappoint her.” I gave her another hug.

“I’m always glad to have you then.”

Moving on to Brandon, We settled for one of his casual high-fives since it would be inappropriate to hug a man I wasn’t engaged to. Thanks, Aunt Bella! Not that I’m interested in boys anyway…

“Yuzuki told me she’s ignoring family orders to be here. Lucky you!” I teased lightly, and he shook his head in denial.

“Maybe from your perspective! Do you know she’s invited me out four times since the break started?”

“So you have a cute girl asking you out? I’m failing to see the problem.” I said dryly.

“The problem is that all she does is bully me the whole time. If I even so much as look at another girl in town, my foot gets stomped! You know they have a word in Yamadian for her? I think it's called ‘tsundere’?” Yuzuki appeared behind him as he finished, but I could’ve sworn it was a demon at first.

A nervous sweat dripped down his face, and I gave him a pitying pat on the shoulder. “Well, good luck with that,” I said before promptly turning away. I have no idea what a ‘tsundere’ is, but judging by that reaction, it can’t be good. But I couldn’t help but smile as I overheard the start of what I’m sure would be another argument.

“What did you just call me?” Yuzuki asked, her voice dripping with sweet venom

“I-It’s not what you think! I was just…” I let their conversation fade away as I focused on the person I was most excited to see again.

She had been waiting, just as anxious as I was, and when our eyes met, she quickly approached me.

“Sasha.”

“Lady Audrey!” I held her in a hug for a long time, my hand running through her soft brown hair. It had only been two weeks since we had seen each other at the academy, but it had felt like an eternity. It pained me to greet her last, but I wanted to take my time with her and not make the others wait.

“I’ve missed you so much,” I whispered, and I felt her head nod against my stomach.

“Me too. I was so excited to receive an invitation, even if it was last minute.” I looked over at Lydia, who was watching us from the corner of her eye while talking to Yuzuki. Right, I guess she put this together after our conversation the other night… She didn’t have to do that.

“But she wanted to, so don’t take it for granted,” Aurora said. Her advice was so simple yet held the weight of eons behind it.

“I won’t,” I replied simply.

“Tell me, Sasha,” I said as I led her to sit down on the chairs. Have you been doing well at home?” I couldn’t help but ask. I knew life for her was much better than mine had been, but that didn’t mean it was easy. She shifted uncomfortably under the question, and I immediately regretted asking. “You don’t have to say anything if you don’t want to!” I amended hastily, but she looked up at me with determination in her eyes.

“No… I actually do have something to talk to you and Lady Lydia about.” Her eyes flicked to the others, who seemed to be waiting for us to begin eating. “But it can wait until after the party.” I could tell she wanted a little longer to prepare herself, so I let it go.

“Of course. Looks like they’re waiting for us. Are you hungry?” I asked as we made our way to the others.

“I skipped lunch today, so I was sure I had room to eat with you!” She said, her girlish charms on display, and my heart melted.

“Then let’s go clean those plates!”

The rest of the party passed in a blur. We played board games and danced. The white frosting on the cake was misleading because cutting into it revealed alternating light and dark brown layers. A mouth-watering sweet scent wafted through the air, and I couldn’t help but help myself to a slice immediately.

“Whash ish thish masherpiece?” I gasped in delight, a bite of cake still on my tongue.

Lydia rolled her eyes at me and smirked. “Mother would positively faint if she saw you speak with your mouth full like that.” I quickly swallowed the cake, the sadness I felt at losing the bite replaced by the realization I still had a whole plate left.

“What is this masterpiece?!” I repeated more clearly, and my girlfriend's eyes danced with amusement.

“It’s called chocolate. Have you never had any before?” She asked, and I shook my head while taking another bite. “Please swallow first.” She said as I opened my mouth to respond. Another moment passed as I swallowed again.

“S-Sorry. It’s just so good, I lost my composure.” I had cakes before, during my lessons with the queen. But it had been mainly simple cakes with fruit toppings. “I’d remember if I had something like this!” I said happily, and Lydia bit into her slice, her eyes widening a bit in surprise.

“I must say, this is quite good, even for chocolate. The chefs outdid themselves with this.”

“That’s because I specifically requested this cake.” A voice boomed from the entrance, and we all turned with a start to see the entire royal family. “I want my daughters to have the best for their birthdays, after all!” Uncle Stephan said with a big laugh, and I noticed Yuzuki, Sasha, and especially Brandon stiffen up. What’s with them?

“That’s enough, darling. You’re scaring their friends!” Aunt Bella said with a sigh. “I told you we shouldn’t just show up.”

“Mother’s right, Father.” Prince Luke said in agreement. Even as they argued, they entered the room and joined the party. Prince Luke stopped in front of the council members and bowed slightly. “Apologies, I hope we didn’t frighten you. We’re all friends here, so there’s no need to worry about formality tonight.” He gave them a princely smile, and I saw a faint blush creep up the girl's cheeks.

“O-Of course, Your Highness!” Yuzuki and Sasha said in unison. I totally get it, girls… The whole family was unreasonably attractive for some reason. However, Lydia’s the only one who affects me.

I heard my goddess scoff at me, and I directed my thoughts at her.

“What was that for?” I asked, almost offended.

“You and I both know Lydia isn’t the only one.” I fought the blush on my cheeks at her accusation.

“Stop reading my feelings! It’s involuntary! They are mother and daughter, and Aunt Bella is beautiful!”

“At least I know you have a type.” I could practically see the smirk on her face as she ribbed me.

“Goddess! I can’t believe we’re having this conversation! I only love Lydia! I’m just objectively stating the facts!”

Aurora’s sweet laugh chimed through my head. “I know, my guardian. As you said earlier, I know your feelings. I just feel slightly left out and wanted some of your attention on your big day.”

Sadness rushed through me at that. “Let’s visit tonight in your divine plane. I want to celebrate with you as well.”

“I’d love nothing more, Audrey. Now enjoy your party.” I did as she said and focused away from our connection.

Luke was still talking to the girls, and I noticed the scowl on Brandon's face as he looked between Prince Luke and Yuzuki and hid my smile behind my hand. He can complain all he wants… It’s not convincing.

Finally, Prince Luke turned to Brandon, giving him a firm handshake. “Brandon Hermosa, I presume? I’ve heard the Hermosa trading company is making waves. I’d love to discuss business sometime.” And just like that, Brandon’s attitude turned around completely.

“I’d be honored, Your Highness!” So easy…

The air quickly turned festive again as everyone settled with the new company, and the night wore on. Brandon was now sitting between the king and the crown prince, discussing something. I could tell he was nervous but was managing to hold his own. That’s the son of a merchant for you.

The girls had gathered together, plus Prince Abel mysteriously, to discuss all sorts of fashion and food. Aunt Bella made Yuzuki and Sasha feel comfortable without effort, and Prince Abel was surprisingly knowledgeable about the relevant topics. During a lull in the conversation, I realized I hadn’t seen two important people.

“Hey.” I grabbed Lydia’s sleeve. “Where are Leah and Lucia? Are they not coming?” It saddened me that they weren’t here, but they might have been busy.

Lydia looked around for them as well, and sighed with a hand on her cheek. “I wonder, where could they be?” Well, that was dramatic…

“We’re here, my lady.” I nearly jumped out of my skin as Leah and Lucia appeared behind me, giant grins on their faces. They each carried a couple of bags and set them gently on the table.

“Wha— How did they—” I stuttered but was ignored as Lydia pulled me into a seat, and everyone gathered around to see what was in the bags.

“These are gifts for you.” my girlfriend informed me, and I stared dumbfounded at the pile.

“From who?” Even though I knew it was a dumb thing to say, it slipped out.

“Everyone here, who else? Don’t you want them?” She put on a fake pout, and I corrected her hurriedly.

“Of course I do!” I didn’t let myself think about it too much as I started pulling items from the decorative bags—a beautiful hand-crafted folding fan from Yuzuki and a folding hand mirror from Brandon. The two princes got me a wooden practice sword reinforced with all sorts of magic to prevent breaking and splintering. Auntie and Uncle got me a set of comfortable-looking training clothes and soft silk pajamas.

“This was all last minute. How could you all…” I trailed off, knowing exactly how. “Thank you so much.” I clutched all the items to my chest, fighting down my surging emotions.

“L-Lady Audrey.” Sasha drew my attention, embarrassment etched on her face as she held out a wrapped box. I set the other items gently on the table and accepted the gift. I carefully unwrapped the paper, doing everything in my power not to tear it more than necessary. Once the top was finally free, I lifted it to reveal a bracelet resting on a plush support.

I lifted it from its container, the soft fabric resting neatly against my fingertips. It was woven of individual strings to form a thick band, all shades of red and blue. It wasn’t ornate by any means, but my hands started to tremble because I knew what it was.

“I-It doesn’t look like much, so don’t feel as if you need to accept it—” I pulled her into a tight, shaking hug and collapsed to my knees while holding her.

“Thank you, Sasha. I love it.”

“Really? That’s so relieving to hear.” She said into my shoulder, and I felt tears soak through my shirt. Damn it. I couldn’t stop my own tears now as we sat together on the floor, my mind going back to a different time.

***

“Sister!” I turned towards Sasha and watched the energetic eight-year-old run toward me down the hallway. I couldn’t help but smile tiredly as she almost tripped on the rug, then walked the rest of the way, still clearly buzzing with excitement. I put the bucket I had in my hand down, silently groaning at the blisters and aching of my body that would only get worse.

“Good Morning, Sasha,” I said, happy to see her at least. There were some days I didn’t even get that.

“I know your birthday’s around this time of year, right?!” The sudden question threw me off. Did I really give that much away? I never intended to tell her since I thought it wouldn’t go well for either of us if her mother caught wind.

“I can’t say,” I said, trying to make her second guess herself.

“So it is!” This girl is too bright… “This year would be your thirteenth birthday, right?” I hoped she’d stop chasing if I gave her a little to work with, so I nodded.

“I believe so…” Not that it matters. I barely bit my tongue before the rest slipped out. Her cute little face beamed, and I noticed for the first time she was holding something behind her back. That’s why she almost fell; what a silly child.

“I made this for you!” She extended her hand, and a half-completed bracelet made of colorful string sat on her palm. I reached out, grabbing it from her and admiring it in the rising sun's rays.

“It’s beautiful, Sasha.” Her grin grew bigger before she suddenly wilted a little.

“It isn’t done yet… I only started it a couple of weeks ago and can only weave it secretly, so I don’t have much time…” But she looked up at me with hope in her eyes. “But I wanted to give it to you for your birthday, and since I don’t know the exact date, I had to guess…”

I pulled her into a hug, my body ached in protest, but I fought through it. This girl is wasted on a big sister like me… After breaking the embrace, I put the incomplete gift back into her hand.

“Sasha, will you finish this for me?” I asked, and she looked up at me, confused.

“You don’t want it now?” I saw the beginnings of tears in her eyes and quickly waved my hands.

“Of course I do!” I said. “It’s just that you have time. You shouldn’t rush things like this out of fear.” I closed her fist over the bracelet and smiled. “Take your time with it, and when you feel it’s ready, I’ll happily wear it every day.”

My excuse seemed to work as she brightened up immediately. “I Understand, I won’t let you down, Sister! I’ll do my best!.” With that, I sent her off so that none of the other servants would see us together, and I picked up the mop and bucket I had set down earlier.

The truth was, if any of the servants saw me wearing something like that, as the lowly person I was, it would be ripped to shreds before my very eyes. That gift, those thoughts, and feelings she’ll put into it… Those are safer with her than they ever will be with me…

***

Still in our embrace, I sobbed into my sister’s shoulder. It still made its way to me after all these years… I had thought she’d forgotten about it, so I did my best to forget as well. But she was just keeping it safe… But why give it to me now?

Finally, I pulled myself together to ask, “Sorry, I don’t know what came over me. Would you tell me about this?” I asked as I carefully put it on my wrist. It was a perfect fit.

She nodded, her own face a mess of tears. “Of course!” She sniffled and wiped her face with a handkerchief Leah offered, and I did the same. “I made it for my sister a long time ago… but I never got the chance to give it to her before she…” She paused and took a shaky breath. “Anyway, You’ve grown to mean a lot to me, and I know my sister would approve of you having it.”

Her words broke me, and I looked painfully at Lydia. She looked on the verge of tears herself, and as we stared at each other, an unspoken conversation happened.

I can’t. I can’t lie to her anymore.

A fresh wave of tears broke out as I confessed.

“I’m sorry, Sasha! I’m so sorry!” I became a blubbering mess in front of everyone as the words I had waited for so long to say rushed out of me. “We— I didn’t mean to lie to you for so long! It was to protect you—No… To protect me. I didn’t know if you’d ever truly forgive me for leaving you behind. I—” The words flew out of my mouth before I could even think about what I was saying. I met my sister’s confused gaze, which made me doubt if I was even speaking coherently.

I attempted to take a deep breath. The room was silent, and I desperately looked to Lydia for support. Her eyes wavered with emotion, and she gave me a resolute nod.

“Sasha… The truth is I’m Audrey… I’m your Audrey.” I looked down in shame.

“I’m your sister.” I let the truth echo around the room and held my breath.