Valarya de Mertaire

Waking up was usually fairly easy, but after I delivered my letter to the messenger's building by scaling down the Palace walls, I was tired. My knee was also scratched. It was worth the scratches, though.

I quickly got ready for my day, changing into an extravagant emerald green gown with silver jewelry. The beadwork itched my skin, but I dealt with it.

Knocks came from the door. I called out for them to come in, knowing it was going to be Ilias.

Sure enough, there he was. "Good morning, Princess Valarya."

"What's the schedule for today?" I asked, yanking my tangled hair with the hairbrush. I specifically told the hands to not help me get dressed. Instead, I requested that they got me a lot more parchment and ink.

Ilias cleared his throat. "You look beautiful."

"I know." I jerked my head at him. "What's the schedule? Don't make me repeat myself."

"You have breakfast—"

"Next."

"You're requested in the library by Queen Merelle."

Mother. Why hadn't she been with Father? Why was she just now asking to see me?

I set my hairbrush down and attempted to pin my hair back. "Very well. Anything new from my father?"

"Yes. He wants you to join him in sparring."

What a great opportunity to prove that I hadn't learned any fighting from Ashe. "I'm terrible at sparring. Why did you never want to teach me how to spar?"

"You shouldn't need to know how to fight, my lady. You have plenty of experienced guards ready to defend you." Ilias placed his scroll into his pocket. "Besides, don't worry yourself with knives and blades. Leave those to the capable people."

I made a mental note to grab a knife and strap it underneath my dress once I got to the dining hall. "You're right," I muttered out.

Ilias held the door as I walked out. Briskly walking to the dining hall, I caught Ilias walk alongside me.

Finally, I decided to say, "So, what happened today? Any news?"

He looked mildly annoyed to the side. "Ashe got away. We found multiple corpses in Jade. They were charred to the core."

My eyes widened, but I kept my composure as I pressed. "Ashe did that?"

"Of course he did. That sick man."

An urge to shove him came, and it wasn't going to be a friendly shove. I shook the thought away. "Ashe wouldn't do that. He's a good man—"

"Your father told us you were insane. I didn't think it'd actually be true."

Ilias glared at me, and I glared back. "I'm not insane."

"Ashe Knightley as brainwashed you. He's killed people. He killed your sister!" I rushed forward, trying to avoid him, but he only sped up. "Tell me I'm wrong."

"You're wrong."

"You're an idiot if you think Ashe is a good person. He should burn for what he's done."

The doors to the dining hall were just ahead. I just needed to walk faster so I could get away from him. Right when I got to the doors and tried to open them, Ilias grabbed my arms and pushed me back.

"You're delusional if you keep thinking this!" he yelled, pushing me again.

Guards surrounded me, holding me back as Ilias slowly stepped back, realizing what he did.

"Princess Valarya, King Lorcan has ordered you to keep yourself in line," one of the guards told me.

"I'm not doing anything—"

Ilias spun around and made his way down the hall. What a child.

"You are ordered to follow your schedule and immediately return to your bedchambers."

I debated trying to shove my fingers through the guard of his helmet and gauge his eyes out, but I knew murder was the last thing that would prove I wasn't insane.

*~⚜️~*

My knife that I got from breakfast was still strapped tightly on my thigh as I entered the library. Mother sat at the opposite side, her hair framing her face. It was the first time I ever saw her golden hair down, and I understood why most people thought she was an angel.

"Mother?"

She spun around on her chair and rushed up, holding her gown as she tackled my body. Her hands gripped my face as her tears came down. "My little Arya," she whispered into my hair. "Why didn't you come home? Am I really that bad to you?"

I held her and placed my head on her shoulder. "Father makes everything difficult."

"I know, dear." Her hands ran through my hair, perfectly avoiding the pins in it. "I will make sure your father never locks you up in your room again—"

"Don't bother. Ilias pushed me and the guards got mad at me."

It was like a chair dropped on her foot. The way she pulled away and tightened her grip on my arm. "I'll handle that."

My lips instinctively curved up. "I missed you."

We sat at a table and talked. She repeated the story of me and Manea when we were younger and nearly made a tree fall down on her. It was comforting to know someone cared enough to talk to me.

I curled my lips in as I asked, "Mother, do you think I'm crazy?" 

"No." The answer came quick. She held my hand, rubbing her thumb along my fingers. "And I don't care what your father thinks. You're our daughter, and I won't ever think that."

I held back the burning sensation threatening to come out my eyes. "I need you to do something for me."

"Depends what it is."

Sighing, I said, "Do you know the enchantress that hid my eyes?"

She glanced down. "Not exactly. We sent a formal request to all the lords asking them to find an enchantress."

"And which lord responded?"

"Antile Selorn. He sent an enchantress from Bairin."

My head pounded. "Bairin is obliterated. And Antile Selorn is dead."

"Precisely." Mother tapped a finger on the table, then snapped her head back up. "The enchantress was from Kandose. They used magic to cover your eyes."

"And did she say where in Kandose?"

"I believe Ahmet. Why?"

Ahmet. I remember reading about that place when I was in the library many weeks ago. When Cadice was enslaved by Kandosian's, he was sent to the mines in the mountains of Ahmet. Northern Kandose.

"Is it possible to find a magic source in Ahmet?"

"We cannot risk angering Kandose." She leaned in, whispering, "Your father has received news from a messenger. There are assassin moving in, but no one knows why."

"The Wall?"

The Wall. Wasn't Ashe trying to get to the Wall as well?

"Yes, there. Someone triggered another flare of magic from it. It incinerated a large part of one of the cities bordering the wall on the Kandose side. Your father thinks they might be trying to infiltrate Thaeleck and kill him."

I wondered why.

"Thank you for the information, Mother. I should be going now."

She smiled, gesturing me to the door. "Send for me whenever, dear."

*~⚜️~*

I got back from the messenger's building, picking up two letters from Ashe.

Valarya,

I just arrived to the ports. Address your next letters to the address I provided you prior. I'll do my best to respond to them quickly.

Thank you for wishing me safety. I wish the same back to you.

Ashe Knightley

I placed that letter in a box and opened the second letter from him.

Valarya,

It has been bothering me for quite some time. All right, maybe just a few hours, but I'm a curious man. Is Ilias everything you hoped he would be?

You don't have to answer this letter. Avaloryn made me write this because she said I was being obnoxious. I was just simply asking her a few questions about you, and she thinks I've suddenly turned into a prying ass.

Do Avaloryn a favor and tell me if Ilias is as spectacular as you said.

Ashe Knightley

Grinning, I pulled out a parchment to answer.

Dearest Ashey boy,

Ilias is splendid. I feel myself still in love with him just as I was before. You'd love him too if you met him.

Tell Avaloryn to kindly stop annoying you. I'd hate for you to come back from Torth traumatized because of her.

I have information for you. There were dead bodies in Jade. Bodies that were charred. Those faeries are growing stronger by the day. You need to work quickly. Also, when you wanted to go to the Wall, were you going to meet with a bunch of assassins? My father as become extremely paranoid about dying lately, and not because of his old age.

Don't try lying to me.

I also stole a kitchen knife and have it as a form of protection. Is that good? Not that what you think matters to me.

Yours,
Valarya M.

I folded the parchment into an envelope, getting ready to jump out my window, but the voice in my head said, "You seem to look forward to reply to Knightley."

"I simply enjoy his company through words," I told the voice in the head. "And anyway, I still don't know who you are."

"What about Ilias's company? You don't like talk to the love of your life nearly as much as Ashe. You should reconsider, especially since that ass decided to push you. I would've broken his body in half if I was there."

"Do I know you?" I asked the voice in my head.

"Depends. You know me better than anyone I've ever met."

"I've met you?"

"Of course, Princess. And I've fallen helplessly in love with your attitude."

Checking around my bedroom, I was confident no one was in here.

"Who are you?"

"The love of your life, Arya. Now, you shouldn't be late to giving Ashe his reply letter."

"Have you seen me change?"

The voice stayed awfully silent. Then, it said, "No. I make sure to not look through your eyes when you change."

"So I can look through your eyes, too?"

"If you tried hard enough, you'd know who I was. Maybe I'll teach you, one day."

At least I was never going to get bored.