Romulin
At least it seemed fast for him. For Vi, she had lived her entire life waiting. She folded the letter and sought out her mother’s next, hoping for a little brightness.
Vi was not disappointed. Much like Romulin said, the missive contained words of love, excitement, and encouragement. Only Vhalla Solaris could pen a letter that was equally beautiful and sorrowful. She clutched the letter to her chest, as if it could ease the dull ache there.
One more important letter remained: her father’s.
Both Romulin and Vhalla had mentioned her father’s departure, along with Jayme and Andru, and now Vi hoped that his own words would give more clarity on such a critical decision. Yet she found the letter painfully lacking. Judging from his penmanship, he’d clearly scribbled it in haste.
My darling daughter,
I did not want to miss the opportunity to both send you an almost ceremonial final letter in this last batch, as well as my apologies with it.
There is reason for me to believe that a cure for the plague sweeping across our lands is on the Crescent Continent. I must go and meet with their leaders, inquire as to this potential cure myself. It is imperative for our family, for our future together.
The leaders on the Crescent Continent refused to discuss it with anyone else and our situation—our personal need of it—has become dire. Please understand, had this not been the case, nothing would’ve taken me from this land so close to bringing you home.
Please forgive your father for not taking the time to come north and visit you before leaving. The urgency surrounding these matters cannot be expressed in a mere letter. But the sooner I depart from Norin, the sooner I can return and make everything clear.
I promise you, I shall be there with your mother and brother when the time comes to collect you. We will be one family soon enough.
With love,
Your father
“I understand, father,” Vi said with a thick throat. She’d spent her life being groomed to take his seat and assume the throne following him. Yet Vi couldn’t imagine what it was like to be an Emperor or Empress. To be simultaneously responsible for all the good and bad of the Empire.
To think that was a job some imagined the Senate to take from them, Vi thought bitterly. The more power they attempted to chip away from the crown, the greater their own responsibility. She’d heard it said that a heavy crown made a good ruler, but from where Vi sat, the Senate seemed to have necks far too thin to wear the sun crown—even if it were split among them.
Rubbing her eyes, making sure no rogue tears slipped from them as they were wont to do whenever she received her box of letters, Vi returned the envelope to sit with the rest. There were others among them, their wax seals telling Vi who was vying for the eyes of the Crown Princess. She recognized a few crests of court members; one senatorial seal was possibly noteworthy, but likely just another noble attempting to get in the good graces of the future Empress.
She placed the box on her bedside table and picked up the final letter she’d read for the night. Vi slid her finger under the seal and lifted. The flap opened and, just as Andru had said it would, her brother’s script greeted her.
V—
Forgive my brevity. I’m sure you’ll understand. I had to send something ahead and there’s no time.
Andru is more important than you could possibly know. Please, be on your best behavior.
R.
Vi flipped over the letter, looking for more, but there wasn’t any.
“What does that even mean?” she groaned, flopping back onto the bed. Vi gripped her pillow, rolling onto her side, clutching it.
Be on her best behavior. Be the perfect princess. Manage her magic that just so happened to show her strange visions of the future now, when normalcy was the watch-word.
She pressed her eyes closed and took a breath, stopping the spark before it set her bed sheets ablaze.
The only thing Vi wanted to think about was the freedom tomorrow would bring. One more sleep and then she’d be on the hunt—far away from everything—and would hopefully have a moment to herself to think.
Hopefully.
Chapter Six
“Wake up, sleepy princess!”Ellene declared, barging into Vi’s room.
She didn’t remember falling asleep and her letters were still strewn about her on top of the covers.
