The Triton

Chapter 16: Vivien

I slept fitfully, aching and sore. The bed was too soft, the nightgown too smooth, the crackle of the fire too loud.

I wasn't fully asleep when two knocks came at the door, and it opened a moment later. I hadn't even gotten out from under the covers yet before my mother and Rosann had entered, crossing to the table by the window. Both were well-dressed, dressed in regal golds and whites. A maid followed quickly behind, a tea set in her hands.

"Good morning," I ventured, sliding out of bed.

My mother looked up, and smiled. It was a kind thing, simple, despite the pain that still hid in the corners of her eyes, as if just me being there––it was enough for her. There was tiredness in her face, but she hid it well––her back had regained its rigid posture, and her energy, the same I'd felt earlier yesterday, had recovered some of its former glory.

Walking was still difficult, but I managed to retain relative balance as I trekked to the table, managing to grab a cup of the tea without shattering it.

"Let us speak," my mother began, eyes taking me in.

I looked to Rosann, who'd raised a single eyebrow as if to say, I told you so.

"I would've wished your welcome to our world had been more bereft of pain and tragedy, but there is no sense in wishing and wanting for pasts of different outcomes. You stand among us now, destined to become an integral part of your realm, your people, our Kingdom.

"The kingdom you are fated to rule––will soon falter in tumultuous waters. The passing of Gelan will unsettle our people, sparking murmurs among the esteemed leaders, the Ring of Gold. To compound matters, the black-scaled beast roams free." She looked away for a second, eyes flashing. Her jaw clenched, and shook her head slightly, and when her gaze returned, a cold flame burned underneath it. "You, Vivien, my daughter." She took my hand in hers. "You, Vivien, are the cornerstone upon which a new epoch unfolds for our people. They yearn for a figure to rally behind, to admire and revere, to engage in discourse and admiration. While they will witness a family mourning, they shall also witness a family united, pressing onward. We shall safeguard our populace and honor the sacrifices your father and grandmother made to ensure their safety."

I somehow understood the gravity of it all. There was no time for disbelief or denial. This was the world, and so, it seemed, my place in it. "What does that look like, in practice?"

"Rosann will initiate you into the art of weaponry, instructing you on how to wield the formidable strength you now possess, transforming you into a force capable of breaking mountains instead of merely tea cups." I almost smiled at that. "And as for me, I shall be your guide in matters of statecraft. Our populace yearns for discourse that does not revolve around death or turmoil, and you, my radiant child, embody precisely that. Your newfound presence, your resplendent countenance, and the tale of a lost princess restored to her rightful home shall instill our people with hope and fortitude. Do you grasp the significance of this?"

I nodded. "We don't have tons of time, do we?"

"Time is, indeed, not our ally," she continued. "To lead is a mantle I have striven for since my inception. This is a realm kept secret, and therefore be governed by immutable laws. You shall acquaint yourself with them, for when one comprehends the laws, it falls upon the ruler to flourish within their constraints. They are not to be bent or broken. Only then can progress be achieved. As they have looked to me and to Rosann, so too shall they look to you. Together, we shall remind this realm why we are its sovereigns."

Unfathomably, it all made sense.

Her eyes left mine for a second, looking beyond the window. "But you, my dear, we have two weeks."