𝙎𝙃𝘼𝘿𝙊𝙒 𝙊𝙁 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙁𝙇𝘼𝙈𝙀

𝘁𝘄𝗼

Maven

My birthday goes by uneventful. Well, there is a party of course, but nothing out of the ordinary. A few members from Houses Iral and Samos come to share drinks and feral smiles with Father. I receive them and their gifts with trained courtesy, exchanging empty compliments. They're not here for me, not really. They're here because my brother is a few years away from marriage and they want to be in the King's favourable side.

After the reception and an elaborate six course dinner I take some Silver girls to the dance floor. Mostly, though, I spend the evening avoiding people. Cal is kind enough to deal with them to allow me my space.

Father hasn't mentioned his plan about sending me to the front with my brother. I pray that he has changed his mind about it, but I doubt it. Even though I have improved at target practice thanks to Mother, I know it's not enough. He is right. I'm too soft. I prefer using my brain than my hands.

The following morning we have breakfast with members of the other Silver Houses and I'm saved from any more talk of the matter for one more week. Until they leave.

"How was your birthday, Maven?" Father asks me over breakfast once the guests have left for their respective residences. "I didn't see much of you after dinner."

"I moved around a lot, with our guests. That may be why you didn't see me." A half truth. I did move around behind curtains and between pillars.

"Well, I hope it was pleasant. The other Houses travelled far to come here and made the party quite lively."

"Yes it was, Father. Thank you." I'm not sure what to do with his attention. He hardly ever directs it at me fully.

"I did see you dance with a lot of girls," he claps a hand on Cal's back. And just like that, his eyes are all for my brother.

"Yeah, well, they insisted," he jokes, earning a laugh from the King.

Looking at them like this, it's hard to tell them apart. Cal stopped being a child years ago, and any traces of it have been erased from his face in his early teenage years.

I glance over at Mother. She eats her breakfast silently, paying no attention to them. Or maybe just trying to ignore them.

"I have been thinking," Father starts, "Cal, you've visited the front with me a few times now, haven't you?"

"Yes, Father."

"I thought it would be nice to take your brother too. It could help with your training, Maven. There's no better training field than the front. What do you say?"

He adds the question out of courtesy because I don't actually have a choice. If I did, I'd tell him that I'd rather leave war talk to my dear brother Cal.

"Whatever is your wish, Father," I answer dutifully.

He flashes a smile at me, feeling triumphant. I'm either really good at acting, or he's really good at lying to himself that I'm actually happy about this.

♛

Before I know it, weeks have passed and I'm bidding Mother goodbye outside the transport that will take Father, my brother, and I to the war front with the Lakelanders. It's an aircraft that will shorten the trip to only a few hours instead of a few days.

"Have a safe trip," Mother kisses my head before letting me go.

Be smart and keep to yourself.

I enter the transport without looking back at her. Her whispers are for me alone, not for anyone else to listen in on.

I find a seat by a window, next to Cal. He always gets nervous when flying. Father sits opposite to us. Whitefire Palace grows smaller as we take off and I slip into a mask of calmness. I can prove myself, I can be strong. The King would never allow real harm to come to his sons and I cling onto that thought. We're the Princes of Norta. We are the future of the nation.

I can make it through the war front.