One Day More - a Sartorias-deles fanfic

Chapter 5

Iris sat on one of the couches in her family's parlor room, poking a needle through the embroidery in front of her.  She hated embroidery.  Iris was good at many things, but embroidery was not one of them; she had more little pinpricks in her fingers at the moment than she could count. At least blood did not stain the fabric, though, and her work was passable.  Or at least she thought it was; her mother might disagree.

She would have rather been reading her book.  Iris glanced at it, resting atop the table at the end of the sofa. She had tried to read on the way back from Remalna-city, but Iris had become very queasy.  It had shocked her, but then again, she had never attempted to ride in a carriage and read simultaneously.  Motion sickness was a new sensation for her.  Maybe, too, it was the circumstances surrounding the novel.  That book almost killed her.  Literally.  Yet she still felt nothing but interest for it; anyone else might have felt hatred or disdain.  It might have almost killed her, but it also introduced her to new friends, Bren and Enda.  Would they remember her?  If she returned to the city, would they recognize her if they saw her?  And what about the redheaded man she met in the inn?  Who was he?  He had to be a friend to Bren and Enda, since he delivered the book she had coveted, which meant he was probably a noble.  But he did not look like one...then again, neither did Enda.

"Daughter."

Cetus's voice caused her to jump, and she nearly poked herself with the needle again.  Iris looked up at him, watching as he pulled an envelope from behind his back.  He tossed it into her lap and waited for her to open it before saying anything more.

"You leave tomorrow."

Iris squealed, for inside the envelope was a formal invitation to the prince's name day festivities in Remalna-city.  All the cities and towns in the realm were celebrating in their own ways, but the biggest—and most exclusive—party was the one occurring in the royal residence.  She ran her fingers over the inked paper, reading its contents once more before frowning as her eyes settled on her name at the bottom of the page.

"I'm not a lady," she said, looking up at father.  Even if the Therens had been a noble one in the past, they were courtiers no longer. "And our surname isn't 'Bell.'"

"No, it isn't."

"How did you get this?"

"I have my contacts," he said vaguely. One of the same contacts they had met during their last visit to the capital, perhaps?

"Is this genuine?"

"For all intents and purposes, yes."

She felt the blood drain from her face, and Iris tried to keep the tremor from her voice. "I don't understand. Are you going with me?"

"No, you'll be escorted by your brother."

"But I don't have a brother."

"You do now."

That came from Cassiopeia, who had entered the room at some point.  She had pulled back her dark hair into a carefully braided knot that Iris recognized immediately.  She had seen it in Remalna-city.

"What's going on?" Iris frowned.

"Pack a bag and get some rest.  You're going to need it for your journey," Cetus said.

"Is anyone going to explain?  What if they notice this isn't a true invitation?" Iris waved it near her ear, allowing the embroidery project in her laugh to drop to the floor.

"They won't notice.  You have nothing to worry about," Cassiopeia said dismissively.

"But I do." Iris closed her hands around her upper arms, holding the invitation against her skin. "Last time I checked, forgery was a crime. Punishable by imprisonment."