*Ana* It's not long before I have my reply. It takes a week before I find the letter from Dawny, sealed and delivered. Aunt Funda delivers it again on the standard silver tray. Though, there is a distinctly disgruntled look on her face, more so than usual, when she does. Enough so that I am beginning to wonder if something is wrong with her. Why do I get the impression that she is bothered by these letters? But I don’t dwell on the thought long as it doesn’t make sense. Since Aunt Funda barely pays attention, let alone cares about what I usually do. Outside of these being for diplomatic reasons, Aunt Funda has no reason to be overjoyed or upset over anything of mine. They are just letters. So I quickly dismiss my thoughts as just being overactive. “You may go, Aunt Funda. “ I wave to her as she has done her job. But to my lite surprise, she doesn’t move immediately. Instead, she stands where she is and stares at the letter like a cat to a bird. Did she not hear me? I feel i
*Ana* We will have Nicoli's next response by the next week. Again, Maddie and I find a need to hold in a laugh as we see another example of poor writing. But at least, this time, it’s easier to understand. I think he put in more effort this time to make it legible. “Learning is such a chore. And the lessons are so boring. “Nicoli complains in the letter. “It may be someone insufferable, little brother, as you are still young. But it will be worth your future to stay consistent. “I write back. Again, another of Nicoli’s letters soon follows in the coming week. “Are you sure about that, Ana? I think that could take forever. My brain is going to rot by then. “ Nicoli writes. “It will not, Nicoli. By learning, the brain feeds on books. “I have to counter. “I’d rather play and learn swords. “Nicoli writes. “You still can, but after lessons. You must wait. “I write back. “You wait! I’m running away to join the circus. I’ll work on the trapeze and teach the bear how to dance" Nic
*Ana* Truth be told, I do not have much to say about my cousin as I do not know him. In the score of four years, I have only met him once. And that was when I first arrived in Nocthen, and I was not in the best state of mind to remember things (as I was crying, yelling, and acting childish). So what I do know is what I have gathered from the bits and pieces Aunt Funda and Uncle have told me. Cousin Mykhol is fourteen years old to my seven- making an age difference of seven years between us. And he has, for the better part of the four years I’ve been here, been attending the famed military academy of Nochten this whole time. That alone is a fantastic feat, as this is no ordinary academy. Established by Nochten’s first emperor- it is said to make anyone who attends a great leader. And only those of nobility and wealth can attend. Save unless you are a girl. Not even my mother, an Empress, was allowed in. So this only makes me look forward to Mykhol’s return this winter break. Asi
*Ana* “Oh…“ I barely manage to utter as I feel myself freeze on the spot. I only watch the maid continue to pull the doll out. Mykhol takes it from her to push into my free arm. I numbly feel the doll's long red wavy hair cascading over my arm. What is this? Unable to speak, I can only look back at the teen. My eyes dart around him as if to see some answer. But he doesn’t help at all. He’s just standing there grinning at me. What...this… My mind is trying to process the next word and failing. Finally, though, the teen doesn’t seem bothered by my silence, instead, he seems to take the opportunity to speak. I feel a rush of relief as he lets go of my hand- which I instantly pull back toward me. Mykhol turns to face the court. “This is a doll that our finest crafter has created. He specializes in creating replicas. He is detailed down to the mere centimeters. Each is a perfect copy-“ Mykhol explains in a prominent voice that carries through the room. But here he stops to look ove
*Ana* “You’ll like the library.” I go as I lead the way. Mykhol smiles with a nod, but I can feel his eye drift. He seems to look forlorn for some reason. “Oh.” I find my steps slow as I see it. Does he not want to go? Am I being pushy? “Unless…you’d like to go elsewhere?” Because you don’t seem that interested. But I don’t say it out loud. It just looks like he isn’t. But Mykhol quickly shakes his head. His energy is back, and he’s looking at me eagerly. “Oh no, please-“ As if to make sure, I feel him squeeze my hand. Then, he drives to move ahead before stopping to look at me. “Please, I would like to see it. Really.” His grin curls as it did back in the court room. He seems to be waiting for me. Or some reaction from me. Am I supposed to make one? I’m not sure. But I nod with a quiet sigh. It looks like he means it- that he does want to go. Maybe I just saw something by mistake. “Yea, well,” I make to step ahead. “It’s right this way.” I continue leading us to t
*Ana* (song suggested for chapter: State of Mind II by Vetle Naero) “Look who’s here again. “Maddie hums, but the sound makes my stomach sink. I didn’t even want to look up. I can already guess who she means. I know it’s not Aunt Funda or, on the off chance, my Uncle. So that leaves only one other person who can come into my side of the palace. And I’m already dreading it. I can’t believe he’s found me. I thought this place would be safe, and he wouldn’t think to check here. I want to cry. But it looks like not even the rose garden is safe- in the middle of winter with no one else around. With no one else who would want to be outside- I thought surely, he wouldn’t try here. He’d overlook the gardens, at least. Nope. I am wrong again. Cousin Mykhol has again located my existence. "He’s rather adamant, isn’t he?" Maddie must have heard my groan because she looked at me with furrowed brows. Does she notice that I’m not enjoying the onslaught of attention? Because I’m not. I don’
*Ana* “Maddie, “ I sigh as I at last feel at ease. It finally comes to that time of the day- bedtime. The now most sacred time of the day. It is the only part of my day that Mykhol can not be with me. He is not allowed to be in my bedroom this late. No one is, save for Maddie. So I relish this moment beyond all others now. My precious time with her. Alone. No Mykhol to peer up beside me. The sheer bliss of the nightly routine has me grounded. All the tension and weariness lift away as Maddie unties my skirt and top to put them back into the wardrobe. She comes back to unravel my braid next. “A rose?” Maddie stops as she finds the dried-out rose. She holds it out to me. I look at it but make no motion to take it. I don’t want to keep it. “Heh,” Maddie shrugs and tosses it into the fire. I watch it burn from my chair. The petals sizzle into white smoke before being swallowed by orange lines. The sight makes me think of Mykhol’s eyes- how he will stare at me almost like I could
*Mykhol* “Good Morning, Lord Mykhol.” Maddie greeted while fixing the bed. She was calm despite Mykhol bursting in without so much as a knock. “Your Empress…” Mykhol stood at the door. His red eyes darted over everything. It was early morning- so he had expected to find her still asleep. But it wasn’t so. She wasn’t in bed. Or sitting at the vanity getting herself ready for the day. Ana wasn’t even here. "She’s…not here." Mykhol voiced quietly before narrowing his eyes at the maid. He didn’t need to hide the irritation. The human just smiled at him stupidly. Mykhol felt his stomach turn at the sight of her and turned his head to look elsewhere. How could she already be gone? That’s what he wanted to know. Looking over the room, Mykhol found the envelope on Ana’s bed. He could see the blue wax. It was a letter from Dawny. Was. Mykhol noted. The letter was gone alongside the reader. And to where was the choice question? They both seemed to have disappeared entirely. Mykhol fro