hearts and crowns

VII. vindicate

"Danton won the election," said Suki tersely. Cyrus watched Asteria for any signs of distress at this announcement, but the princess's face didn't falter.

Like always, they were gathered around the giant map of Kespia, looking in wonder at Suki's meticulous plannings that surely took her all night.

"Surely the people aren't just accepting this?" Lucas asked in his smooth voice. Suki shot him a look of pure loathing.

Something had happened between the two of them, Cyrus was sure of it. Their antagonism had intensified, if that was even possible.

Suki shook her head, looking unwilling to concede his point. "Rebellions are erupting all over Calydon, and a new faction called the Royalists, who support the search for the lost princess, has emerged."

"That's good, isn't it?" Cyrus asked. "Won't a weakened Republic be easier to unseat?"

Suki's gaze darkened. "Between the rebellions and the war fracturing the Republic, if we don't act quickly, there won't be an Calydon to save."

Asteria nodded, and Cyrus could see the determined glint in her eye. "We'll cross the Calydonian-Lyonian border today, then," she said. "Begin to pack, everybody. Our kingdom cannot afford for us to waste time."

As he was leaving with Asteria at his side, Cyrus heard Suki say, "Cyrus, we need to talk."

He looked to Asteria for permission, and she nodded her approval. He squeezed her hand, suddenly, she was gone.

The tent felt much darker. The dark felt much heavier.

He turned back to Suki, who had clearly been watching their whole interaction with narrowed eyes.

He opened his mouth to explain, but she cut across him first. He was glad in a way. How could one explain their whole situation, with the it shouldn't have happened but it did and I don't regret it?

She sighed. "I won't soften my words, Cyrus. If you're serious about this-"

"I am."

"Then you need to evaluate your course of action moving forward. Are you willing to return to Dantongrad - no, Calys?"

Cyrus felt as if a blow had hit his chest.

How could he have been so stupid? Try to convince himself that they didn't need to worry about what this was, that all that mattered was that they cared for each other? He never even thought about the future of his romance with Asteria, where it would go after her restoration.

She continued, sparing no harsh words. "The princess is the type not to care about the pedigree of her king, and you have Heron blood anyway. But you need to decide what you are going to sacrifice to get her."

Cyrus closed his eyes, trying to understand the storm of emotions brewing up inside him.

He loved Asteria - he knew that. There was no trying to pretend it was infatuation, because you didn't know that you would sacrifice your life for the happiness of someone you were infatuated with.

But acting on that love meant returning to Calys.

And, relieving his last memories, he knew that he would die before returning to that accursed city. Every stone in the road was a stone that she might have stepped on, every building was a building she might have cast her eyes at, every breath of air was air that she might have taken in when she was still alive.

He already reexperienced her death every night. He would not experience it in the day as well.

He could not, he would not go back. And he knew what he had to do.