How Shadows Turn to Ash

Chapter 13: Octavia

Her father's day of rest was the same as Lord Savoy's.

Octavia had attended plenty of days of rest. One attended the ceremony after death to release the spirit to the earth. She had joined in the ritual for murdered soldiers, fallen members of the royal household, nearby citizens, and other noblemen.

But the day of rest she remembered most was her aunt's.

To be clear, Jivanta had died before Octavia was even born. The matter of her body, however, had not been settled until almost a decade later.

Octavia wasn't entirely sure what happened, if she was honest. Her parents hadn't given her details, but someone had apparently stolen her aunt's corpse. It had taken talented investigators to track down the bones so they could finally let Jivanta rest.

Nobody told her why the corpse was stolen away or even how she was found. All Octavia really remembered on the matter was how Friedrich screamed that Jivanta had wanted a Dualian funeral. Guards had eventually come to drag him away, leaving Octavia to watch in utter confusion as a five-year-old Antonia argued with their father that the bones they were about to burn couldn't be their aunt. Their father had just looked at Antonia in confusion before gently reminding her that she had never met Jivanta.

Looking back on it, Octavia wondered if her aunt was perhaps the first victim of the revolution. Maybe she was even Friedrich's first victim.

"Have you decided yet?"

Octavia blinked. She was on the floor with her knees to her chest. A map lay beside her, and Dainn stood above, looking at her warily. She said nothing. She couldn't even remember the last time she had spoken.

It had been three days since her father's murder. Possibly four days. Maybe five. Six? They all blurred together.

Dainn grimaced as he shifted the crutch under his arm. He had returned a few days ago from whatever battle the Revolutionaries had sent him out to. He looked relatively unharmed aside from the missing leg. She hadn't asked if the dragon or a Royalist had taken it from him. She wasn't even sure why he was here right now.

Wincing a little, he moved around until he could lower himself onto the floor next to her. Her bed remained untouched, and the room unused. Plates of uneaten food surrounded her, alongside fresh clothes and buckets of water to wash in. Octavia hadn't touched those either. She was still covered in dried blood, the flecks breaking off into clumps of brown. She wasn't entirely sure if she even slept.

"The ceremony is tomorrow," Dainn prompted her. "They are going to lay Lord Savoy to rest in his gardens. That'll be nice." It would be. Octavia was sure Savoy would enjoy it. He always relished his time among all of his plants in the courtyard. His spirit would do well there. "Where would your father like to go?"

Dainn grabbed the map and held it up. "Octavia," he tried again. When she didn't respond, he sighed. "Your wedding will be soon. If you don't hurry up and pick someone, they'll pick for you."

Pick someone. The thought almost made her laugh. Licking chapped lips, she tried to find the strength to fix Dainn with an indignant smile.

"Friedrich was going to kill us," she said, voice gargling from the lack of use. Dainn's expression tightened. "And now Antonia and I are left to live? Why?" She studied Dainn's face, but he didn't answer her. "Your people think Antonia's some kind of god, don't they?"

"No." Dainn's fingers twitched, voice hardening as he shot her a stern look. "Some people might think she's Life's Envoy. It just means Life sent her down as a savior for the followers of Life. Friedrich is worried he'll lose support from Dualians if he hurts your sister." Dainn's eyes flicked Octavia up and down. "He's worried that maybe you might be Death's Envoy. Especially after..." he trailed off, but Octavia didn't notice.