The Death of a Tyrant's Concubine

CHAPTER 03 - Let Us Be Off

✦✦✦

【𝐑𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐉𝐎𝐑𝐌𝐄】

I hugged my sisters tightly, my eyes prickling.

"We'll miss you, Sister," Skye sniffled against my shoulder.

"Take care of yourself," Claude cautioned.

We embraced by the stony shore at the foot of our mountainous castle. Mist clung to the air, obscuring the ship anchored further out, its dark silhouette barely visible. A solitary rowboat bobbed in the water, waiting for me, while the previous vessel had already ferried the emperor away to his ship.

I held onto them both, burning this peaceful memory into my mind.

At the end of my first life, I heard Claude was preparing to take over the throne. And Skye... My sweet Skye had been stolen, dragged away by Pyree's war-hungry king.

But now, they were here. My heart clenched and I hugged them tighter, as if my grasp alone could shield them from what's to come.

Claude was already aware of my plans, but Skye was not.

Though I dreaded involving my younger sister, it was inevitable. And instead of fighting an unavoidable fate, it was better to make use of it.

The three of us finally let go, tears glimmered in our eyes. 

"Don't worry about things here," Claude whispered. "I'll take care of everything. You focus on yourself, alright?"

"Thank you, Sister," I smiled, handing her a parchment. "I'll send letters once I'm able."

"Just don't get in trouble..." she said, her steely eyes holding mine. 

I knew I could rely on her with this. She'd always had my back.

"And, and I'll take care of Mistfang for you!" Skye piped up. "It's spring now. I'll make sure she stretches her wings after all that sleeping. Starscale's been eager to fly too."

"I appreciate that," I smiled and kissed her forehead, a prickle of guilt settling in my chest.

"We're proud of you, Raine," Father spoke up.

I turned and wrapped my arms around him. The wind tousled his dark hair, streaked with silver like the night sky brushed by lightning. He smelled of salt and leather, a familiar scent I had nearly forgotten.

As I pulled back, I noticed the tears glistening in his gray eyes.

"You... You be good now, ey?" he murmured gruffly. "Take advantage of Thornmont's luxury and live a good life."

"I will, Father," I lied, the words tasting bitter.

I already knew that what awaited me in Sylvos' court was anything but luxury. Father had been naive believing in anything otherwise. He had always been soft like that.

I'll leave it in Claude's hands to convince him of my plans.

Next, my mother wrapped her arms around me, enveloping me in warmth. Unlike everyone else at Drakfjord, she carried the scent of flowers and pine — an essence from her homeland that had clung to her despite living in Drakfjord most her life.

"We can never repay you for this," she murmured into my hair, her voice trembling.

When she pulled back, her light brown eyes shimmered with tragic beauty.

Though my sisters and I had inherited our father's defining features, dark hair and stormy eyes, we bore traces of our mother's grace — Skye most of all.