There was a storm coming.

Thunder rumbled outside the warm walls of Castle Cloudwoll, only a hint to the tumultuous calamity that was to come.

There was a storm coming, in more ways than one, and Her Highness Aru Shah of House Cloudwoll couldn't do anything about it.

A silver tiara upon her head and a kingdom's resources at her behest didn't change the fact that her life was about to get more complicated than ever.

The first droplet of rain hit the window of Aru's bedroom.  

It started when Kara disappeared.

Kara was the heir, and Aru had been the spare.

She was supposed to come downstairs for dinner the night where everything went so incredibly wrong.

The maids called for her, the sisters' father knocked on Kara's door, even Aru's recluse of a mother made her way up the palace stairs to Kara's quarters.

When Kara didn't respond from inside her room after what could've been 10 minutes, an hour, a day, the King, Aru's father, pulled open the door.

Instead being greeted with the whirlwind of books and parchment and ink that was Kara, the royal family and their staff were met with a quiet sort of stillness that was uncharacteristic for Kara. Even more out of character, the room was completely in order, a far cry from Kara's organized chaos. Aru would know. She'd spent many a night alongside her sister when the thunder outside grew too loud for the both of them.

The room was empty, like Kara was never there in the first place.

They hadn't accepted it then, but Aru knew, Aru had known, the minute she saw Kara's room so devoid and still.

Kara was gone.

Maybe she had died, maybe she had left, maybe she had sought her own adventure, but that didn't change the truth.

Kara was gone.

And Aru was the one left to pick up the pieces.

Aru went from the spare to the heir in the matter of months, learning everything Kara had years to learn in mere weeks.

And ocean's eye, it was hard.

Aru had never known the absolute stress that came with being the kingdom's heir. But ever since Kara's disappearance, Aru could see why her sister might've been compelled to run from the palace.  

But Kara was gone, and Aru couldn't focus on her now. There were more important things. Things like the reputation of House Cloudwoll. Things like social season. Things like the large gathering of the kingdom's nobles and their children on the floor below Aru's bedroom, right beneath her very feet. 

Aru sat up from her seat in front of her bedroom mirror. The rain was pouring now.

Aru looked at herself in the mirror. The silver tiara given to the royal heir of House Cloudwoll lay atop Aru's dark, slightly wavy hair. A maroon tunic, accented with silver, rippled around Aru's feet. A dark velvet cape was strapped to her shoulders, with the crest of House Cloudwoll embroidered onto it. And finish off the outfit, Aru's trademark steel spear, lovingly nicknamed "Vajra", was holstered on her back, reminding anyone who looked at Aru that she could kill in the blink of an eye.

Aru looked royal. Maybe even a bit like the heir she was meant to replace.

But memories of sisters, thunderstorms, and air too still could wait.

Her Highness Aru Shah of House Cloudwoll was expected to open the first ball of this year's social season, and needless to say, she did not plan to disappoint.

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Her Highness Aru Shah of Cloudwoll entered the ballroom of the royal palace, to be greeted with quiet.

Her mother and father were still working through their opening speech for the ball. The king, Suyodhana, and the queen, Krithika, were both exemplary at speeches. But it was when they spoke jointly that the real magic happened.

The king and the queen could finish each other's thoughts, one knowing what the other was thinking before they even thought it. You could hear the king's loud, booming voice one second, and the queen's formal, yet proud one the next, the two of them finishing each other's lines.

But as Aru walked down the hall, her father's warm baritone and her mother's confident words flew over her head as all eyes shifted to her.

Aru couldn't help but feel slightly anxious. She wasn't half the heir Kara had been. What if she tripped on the way to the platform? What if she stumbled in her opening speech? What if-

Krithika, almost as if sensing Aru's sudden nervousness, took over after her father finished his line.

Krithika raised hand grandly in Aru's direction. "I think you've heard enough from me and my husband."

The comment gathered a few scattered chuckles from the crowd.

Krithika went on. "So without further ado, I present to you, my daughter, heir apparent to the throne, Aru Shah of House Cloudwoll."

Krithika and Suyodhana walked off the platform, moving out of the way so that Aru could say the final few words before the ball began. Aru took a deep breath, scanning the crowd of elite nobles in front of her.

Among the crowd, she spotted a few faces. A girl, whose spectacles glinted in the low light of the ballroom's chandelier, the colors of her dress matching those of the noble House Bronzewell. A boy in a long evergreen coat, the crest of House Nessu stitched into the front, and the scowling knight next to him. And in the farthest reaches of the crowd, another boy in a seemingly bejeweled dark turquoise frock coat, a trademark of House Zeenca clothing.

Aru squared her shoulders, and began to speak.

"Lords, ladies, and those far too extraordinary for the gender binary," Aru began. 

It was a good opening.

"On behalf of the royal family, I bid you a warm welcome to Castle Cloudwoll. I hope you all have found the accommodations given to you by the staff more than adequate."

Aru steeled herself. Now to address the elephant in the room.

"Some time ago, you received a speech just like this one, but in my sister's voice, instead of my own. My sister, Kara, will forever remain in our hearts, wherever she may be. I must ask that you respect her legacy in this castle, for she was more of an heir than I may ever be."

Out of the corner of her eye, Aru could spot select faces in the crowd nodding along to her request.

Aru continued. "But tonight, we gathered here to celebrate unity. This ball should symbolize everything that we've built, everything we've achieved together. It symbolizes what we are, and what we will be. And what we are is united."

Aru let a small smile make its way onto her face. 

"So without any further delay, let the ball begin. Potentia in honorem." Aru said, echoing the ages-old motto of House Cloudwoll. 

Potentia in honorem. Power in honor.

"Potentia in honorem," the crowd repeated.

And the reverie broke. Chatter erupted across the ballroom. 

Aru let her shoulders droop, if only slightly. The speech was over. But now, it was time for something she dreaded even more.

It was time to put the "social" in "social season".

Aru stepped down from the platform, handing off her spear to the head guard, Sherrilyn. Her gaze travelled the ballroom, looking among the gathered members of the 6 other houses.

She could spot the deep purple clothing of House Bronzewell from across the room.

House Bronzewell was known as the house of innovators, of scientists. They hosted a plethora of doctors and engineers in their courts, and their members were always looking to the stars or to the seas, forever exploring.

The curious were often the most free minded, and therefore, the easiest to talk to, Aru supposed. 

Making her way across the hall, Aru's maroon tunic stuck out among Bronzewell's deep purple.

In her peripheral vision, Aru spotted the girl with the gleaming spectacles talking to a man who Aru assumed to be her father. Aru recognized him as the viscount of a territory near the Almaire mountains, a place where House Bronzewell controlled the most territory. As Aru approached the girl, she could catch snippets of her conversation with the probably-father.

"Father, I'll be cautious," said the girl, almost vehemently.

The now-confirmed father sighed. "Alright, Yamini, I trust you. But be careful."

The girl- Yamini - nodded. "I understand."

Yamini's father seemed to notice Aru approaching them. He crossed an arm over his chest and bowed lightly.

"Your Highness," Yamini's father said courteously.

"Greetings," Aru said formally.

Yamini curtsied. "Your Highness, it's honor to meet you."

Aru bowed her head serenely. "As it is to meet you."

Yamini's father, the viscount, looked back up, gaze stoic. "If you'll excuse me, Your Highness, I must go speak to the dowager baroness of House Nessu."

"You are excused." Aru said, voice curt.

The viscount bowed again, before leaving to presumably speak to the dowager baroness.

"Your Highness, pardon me if I sound particularly rude, but why exactly do you want to talk to me?" questioned Yamini.

Aru blinked. "I've heard that the members of House Bronzewell are the most curious, and the curious are almost always the free minded, so what better place to start off social season?"

"I see," said Yamini, nodding sagely. "This must be your first ever social season, at least, as heir apparent, correct?"

"Was it that obvious?" Aru asked, her formal tone breaking.

"I mean no offense, Your Highness, but yes, it sort of was."

Aru allowed herself a smile. "It's my first season in limelight after all. Before.. before everything, I usually remained in the shadows of these events."

"Hmm," Mini hummed. "That's fair. If I'm being honest, Your Highness, the only reason I recognized you on the spot was due to that spear on your back. Do you carry it everywhere?"

"Not everywhere. Only places where there's a risk. My father thinks danger is at every corner, I suppose"  Aru drawled sarcastically.

Yamini blinked. "Did you just joke about danger?"

Aru's eyebrows shot up. "Sorry if I offended-"

Yamini shook her head. "I'm not offended, but did you know that by just being in this room, you're exposing yourself to hundreds of little creatures, and if certain types of those small tiny things get into your lungs, you could be bedridden for days, or even die?"

Aru's eyes widened considerably. "Yes, but-"

"And if you took a single wrong step down the castle stairs, you'd be breaking a couple of bones!" Yamini almost hissed.

"I suppose? I've never fallen down the castle stairs." 

Yamini drew back, blinking a couple of times. "Did I scare you, with all of the medical talk?"

Aru shook her head. "Not really. Never knew that danger was truly all around."

And to Aru's surprise, Yamini snickered.

"Didn't know that House Cloudwoll had a sense of humor!" Yamini quipped.

Aru chuckled.

 "Thank you, we try," Aru said drily.

"Oh! It seems to have completely slipped my mind, I never introduced myself!" Yamini said, voice tinged with slight surprise. "My name is Yamini Kapoor Mercado Lopez, of House Bronzewell. For short, you can call me Mini."

"Well then, Mini, you can just call me Aru. Princess Aru works just as well."

Mini's eyebrows furrowed. "Are you sure, Your Highness?"

"Quite."

Mini nodded. "Alright then, Aru."

Mini's gaze travelled to the other side of the ballroom. 

"Your High- sorry, Princess Aru, I hate to cut this short, but I have a friend in Spenrene who just arrived. If I could be excused?"

Aru nodded. "You're excused, Mini. And one last thing."

"Yeah?"

"I have a feeling we'll be good friends," Aru said.

Mini beamed. "As do I. I'll see you soon, Aru."

"See you soon."

With that, the daughter of the viscount was off towards the crowd of Spenrene nobles dressed in the house's trademark yellow.

Aru turned her gaze towards the left side of the of the ballroom, where a large selection of food was being served. There, she spotted the boy in the evergreen coat and the girl who was presumably his knight.

Aru resolved to talk to them, as they looked of her age, maybe a year or two older, give or take.

Aru made her way to the dining table, steps sure and measured.

The knight in bluish armor saw her approach first.

The knight saluted Aru, alerting the noble boy in evegreen to her presence.

The boy's brown eyes snapped to Aru. "Your Highness."

He bowed in respect. 

"I hope the ball has been treating you well?" Aru asked carefully.

The boy nodded. "Everything is frankly spectacular." 

"Glad to hear it. If it's not a bother, may I hear your names?"

"I'm Aiden Acharya, firstborn of House Nessu, son of Baroness Malini," the boy- Aiden - said, gesturing to himself.

"And this is my friend, Dame Brynne, although she does prefer the title 'Knight'." Aiden explained, gesturing to the girl in armor, or Brynne, as Aiden had explained.

"A pleasure to meet you both. Say, how is dowager Baroness Malini faring?"

Aiden's previously relaxed smile grew slightly strained. "My mother is doing well as she can, I suppose."

Baroness Malini's husband had disappeared ages ago, a year before Kara had, give or take. The dowager baroness was rarely seen outside of the courts of House Nessu, so news of her health was rarely exchanged between nobles. 

Aru nodded. "Give her my well wishes."

"I shall, Your Highness."

Aru steepled her fingers. "Please, call me Aru, both of you."

The knight, Brynne, looked to Aru. "Your Highness- ah, sorry, Aru, I..I must leave."

Aiden nodded to Brynne. "Go on, Bee. We'll speak later."

Brynne saluted sharply to Aru. "Potentia in honorem."

Aru nodded. "Potentia in honorem."

Brynne briskly walked away from Aiden and Aru, hurrying off in the direction of a few Spenrene and Rosenon nobles.

Spenrene is the house of diplomats, Aru's brain supplied to her, and Rosenon is the house of merchants. 

Aiden shifted on his feet. "Well, Princess Aru? May I call you that?"

"You may."

"The waltzes start soon, so before that happens, would you like to meet my cousin? He's an eccentric one." Aiden asked. "He's of House Zeenca."

Aru quirked a brow. "Not of Nessu?"

Aiden guffawed, before regaining composure. "Our family tree is.. convoluted. It's easier to say we're cousins and leave it at that, lest we give ourselves a crisis."

Aru snorted. "Is it seriously that bad?"

Aiden nodded, mock solemn. "Very much so, Princess."

"If that's the case, he must be your nephew twice removed, or something."

Aiden let out a loud cackle, before slapping a hand over his mouth.

"Nephew twice removed," Aiden repeated. "Is that even a real relation?"

Aru shrugged. "I don't really know."

Aiden hummed. "But we do know you're a laugh and a half, Princess."

Aru nodded. "I'm glad my comedy is getting some recognition."

Aru scanned the crowd. "So, where's this cousin of yours?"

Aiden gestured vaguely across the room. "If you'll follow me."

"Lead the way."

Aiden and Aru ducked between Spenrene diplomats, Rosenon merchants, and the occasional Morburn strategist.

Morburn, Aru's brain blurted. The house of spies and strategists.

Aiden tapped her shoulder. "This way."

Aru followed Aiden, her feet sure and steady as they traversed the the ballroom, making it all the way to the designated dancing space.

"Hello, cousin!" called a voice from somewhere ahead of them.

Aiden groaned. "I'm sorry about him in advance."

Aru's eyebrows furrowed. ".. Apology accepted?"

The boy in the dark turquoise frock coat, embroidered with the House Zeenca crest, the same one Aru had spotted earlier, sauntered up to them. "Aiden."

House Zeenca, house of the iron-willed, Aru thought. Also the house of the miners and the treasury.

Aiden sighed deeply, as if he was regretting this already. "Rudy."

Rudy glanced at Aru, and back to Aiden. "So, the princess, huh? It's an honor. I'm Lord Rudra of House Zeenca."

Aru assumed that one of Rudy's parents must be a duke or duchess, considering the fact that "Lord" was in Rudy's title.

Aru maintained a semblance of formality. "Thanks? I think?"

The other boy- or Rudy, Aru supposed - nodded. "No problem. So.."

"So?" Aiden questioned.

"How do you feel about messing with the piano?"

Aru blinked. "What?"

"Rudy!" Aiden hissed. "Not in front of literal royalty!"

Rudy rolled his eyes. "What happened to House Nessu supporting free speech?"

Aiden rubbed his temples. "We support free speech, not the desecration of royal property!"

"It isn't the desecration of royal property if they don't know about it!"

"Ahem," Aiden said, gesturing to Aru.

Rudy's eyes widened, almost comically. "Whoops. Forgot you were here, Your Highness. That's my cue to leave."

And Aiden's cousin was gone before Aru could even blink.

Aiden rubbed his eyes tiredly. "Again, I'm so sorry."

Aru blinked. "I comprehended none of that, in all honesty."

Aiden frowned. "I guess it's better that you didn't."

Suddenly, from the chatter around them, a mellow piano melody picked up. 

Aiden hummed to the music. "Looks like the waltzes are starting."

Aru recognized the song. Kara had always liked it.

"Would you like to be my dance partner for this one?"

Aiden turned to Aru and blinked. "What?"

Aru realized how that statement would've probably sounded.

"Platonically," Aru amended quickly.

Aiden nodded. "Of course."

He put his arms in the waltz pose.

"On the count of three, we join the song," Aru said.

"Got it," Aiden replied, nodding. "1, 2..."

"3"

And they were right in time with the song. Aru had the pattern of a waltz drilled into her head. A waltz's pattern was almost always a 1-2-3 pattern, and you'd move in the same direction as your partner.

Aru let her feet move methodically, staying sharply in time with the music. 

"Say," Aru mused, steeping toward the right. "Do they teach you how to dance in House Nessu?"

Aiden laughed. "Yes, actually!"

Aru's eyebrows shot up. "Really?"

Aiden mimicked Aru's earlier step, staying balanced. "From a young age, yes. House Nessu is the house of the arts, after all."

"That is to be expected."

Aru let memory lead her through the song. Whoever was playing the piano truly had skill, because the music was bouncy and jaunty, changing the mood the minute it had entered the room.

Aru let the quiet chatter of the nobles surrounding them wash over her.

On her right, a Bronzewell noble danced with a Spenrene member, the two of them quietly discussing something, possibly diplomacy, possibly a new discovery, and possibly something else Aru didn't even know about.

Aru moved to the right, Aiden matching her steps, passing by a Rosenon member.

The song was winding down to a close, when Aru caught the words.

A Morburn member, dressed in black, dancing with another from Morburn, hushed and quiet, but audible still, whispered. "The insurgency.."

Aru's eyes widened slightly, shock pumping through her veins. "Aiden?"

"Hm?"

"Could you move us closer to that Morburn noble?" Aru said, pointing to the the Morburn member who had said those fear-inspiring words.

"Sure?" Aiden said quizzically, moving towards the Morburn noble.

Aiden left them just outside the Morburn noble's line of sight, but within hearing range.

Aru stayed quiet, waiting for the Morburn noble to speak again to his dance partner.

She didn't have to wait long.

The Morburn noble's dance partner spoke. "How do we know that things will go according to plan?"

The noble himself laughed. "Things going according to plan isn't even a question anymore. The insurgency has taken one royal heir out of the equation. The other will soon follow."

Aru felt numb, and in her vision she could see Aiden's face twist with shock at those words. Aru had almost forgotten Aiden would be hearing this too.

The song ended.

The two Morburn members disappeared into the crowd before Aru even had the chance to go after them.

Aiden dropped Aru's hands. "Please tell me I was hallucinating."

Aru breathed heavily. "I don't think we could be hallucinating the same thing."

In her peripheral vision, Aru could see Aiden's arm twitch. "They mentioned an insurgency.."

"It isn't some little insurgency if they've taken out my sister," Aru spat, the weight of the Morburn noble's words sinking in. "The noble said they took out my sister."

Aiden exhaled shakily. "There's a chance she could still be out there."

Aru gritted her teeth. "How?"

"They could be keeping her prisoner, for leverage."

"But why exactly would they do that when they could just end it right then and there?"

"Well," Aiden said, shifting in his place at the edge of the ballroom. "If there's one thing that House Morburn is going to want, it's leverage. They're house of spies and strategists, after all."

Aru's eyes widened. "They're the house of spies and strategists, Aiden. They could be listening in on us as we speak!"

Aiden winced. "That's just a risk we might have to take."

Aru felt a pit open up in her gut, one that spelled doom and despair. It was fear, in its purest essence. 

Aiden broke the silence. "Princess, that noble said that they're going to take out the other heir. That means you."

Aru clapped a hand over her mouth. 

"You'll have to be extremely careful," Aiden continued. 

Aru closed her eyes, letting her hand drop back to her side. "I might get killed."

"You know your spear, right?" Aiden inquired.

Aru nodded.

"Keep that on you at all times."

Aru's lips formed a thin line. "I shall."

Aru took a deep breath in. "These.. insurgents might've killed my sister."

Aiden frowned. "For all we know-"

"For all we know, she may still live, yes" Aru said, finishing the thought. "But that doesn't change the fact that she's been gone."

Aiden shook his head. "No, it doesn't."

Aru leaned her head back, still processing everything.

A moment passed, and then another.

"Your Highness, I have to ask. What are you going to do?"

Aru shifted on her feet. "I'll do the only thing I can do. Try to stop the insurgency from rising."

"Pardon me if I'm crossing any lines here, but.." started Aiden.

"But?" prompted Aru.

"I'd like to help you." Aiden finished.

Aru was about to speak, but Aiden beat her to the chase.

Aiden's eyes hardened. "I realize we only met tonight, but if I chose not to help you, I wouldn't be doing my duty as future baron of House Nessu."

Aiden continued. "And my father has been missing for ages. But I can help reunite you with your sister, at least I won't have to see another family break apart at the seams."

Aru gulped. "Is that a promise, Honorable Aiden Acharya?"

Aiden crossed his right arm to his left shoulder and bowed. "It's an oath, Your Highness."

Aru exhaled. "Thank you. You have my gratitude."

Aru turned to face the rest of the ball. Nobles were dancing still, as if there weren't traitors in their midst.

Aiden spoke first. "I'll find a secure way to message you by the next event of social season. We can't risk Morburn spies getting their hands on any letters we may send."

Aru nodded, still blankly staring out at the ballroom. "Perfect."

Aiden shifted, ever slightly. "And one last thing, Your Highness."

"Hm?"

He breathed in. "If we're going to try and stop this insurgency, we're going to need help. Allies, friends."

Aru nodded. "We'll get allies, we'll get friends. We have to."

"We will," Aiden confirmed.

"And Aiden?" Aru asked.

"Yes?"

Aru turned her steely gaze on him. "I'm not making a mistake in trusting you, am I?"

Aiden shook his head. "You're not. If I betray your trust on this matter, you're free to send all your soldiers after me."

"I see."

"Well then, Your Highness? What will we do?" Aiden asked. There was a double meaning to his words. He was asking Aru to make a statement.

Aru took a deep breath, turning towards the crowd of nobles. "We will try and stop the insurgency. We will find every last traitor in our midst. We have to."

Aiden nodded. "For the kingdom."

The deep purples of House Brozewell, the dark blues and greens of House Zeenca and House Nessu, and the bright yellows and pinks of House Spenrene and Rosenon swirled through the gathering. And within those pockets of people, Morburn's ominous black velvet glinted in the low light of the ballroom's chandelier. 

Aru stared unwaveringly into the crowd.

"For the kingdom."

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A/N: Hello everyone, and welcome to Fractured Kingdom, a whole new Aru Shah AU. I know this technically doesn't fall into the category of a oneshot, but then again, this book is just a collection of my writings. Technicalities aside, I hope you enjoyed this first part of the AU! Just some things I'd like to quickly clear up if you're confused:

-House Cloudwoll is the royal house, the one concerned with governance.

-Social season, in this AU, is basically the part of the year where the members of different houses meet to socialize, and while the events are ongoing, members of houses make deals, trade information, and secure agreements

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this first chapter! If anything feels too rushed, do tell me! Otherwise, if you have any thoughts, comments, or questions on the AU that I haven't already elaborated on, go ahead and drop a comment, and don't forget to vote!

Until next time,

-Stormii