11

Princess Yeri.

I hesitate before opening the door of my bedroom. For the past three days, I have locked myself up. The only time I opened the door was when the harem keepers came to bring me food and take out my laundry. I have been rotting in bed, there are no books to read, no governesses to take me to my piano, cello and horse-riding lessons. No dancing or cooking classes, I miss talking and laughing with my maids. We would all sit on the floor of the kitchen, talk about what my life would look like when I married. The head governess would sneak me out of the castle to watch the festivals without telling my brother, I would pretend like I was a commoner, celebrating without worry. I miss it, they were my best friends—I loved them. I still do.

At the look of the weather, my brother would invite me to join him in firing arrows. It was an activity I used to do with my father but when he died, I thought I would never pick up an arrow again. Magnus didn’t allow me stop. We would fire ar