Death can easily be administered to anyone regardless of how successful they were in life.
A god agrees with the nihilist in this story.
There are many tragedies in this story. Many fortunes arising, too.
But the god and the antichrist don't car...
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Vandalism
Varbridge Palace, Ember's Rock, Saprea
"Sestra," said Venezia smiling impudently after she pushed the door to the balcony open with one hand—the other holding a glass of red wine.
Evadne turned around, grimly realizing that she'd been followed. Evadne could read her sister's thoughts and she knew that an explosion of half-suppressed laughs would begin to bubble in her mouth, a tipsy snicker that rendered her face red and her throat tight.
"What are you doing out here? We must celebrate Cassius's honor inside," Venezia giggled.
For a single, paralyzing second Evadne fought the urge to jump.
"And Princess Desyrae's as well."
Venezia looked down and murmured, "Her too."
"I'm used to people worshipping us wherever we go," Evadne grumbled.
"They should," Venezia said.
"Yes, I know, and I love it. Go back inside," she said tersely. "Father wouldn't want to catch us here. He would want to see that at least one of us is with the Crown Prince."
Venezia cleared her throat. "The Prince is nowhere to be seen."
Evadne understood it now. Venezia had been drinking to sum up the courage to speak to their father. But, of course, she couldn't do it alone.
Evadne clenched the balustrade tightly. So many possibilities blurred through her head, too fast for her tired mind to fathom. And they all came back to her father, for the relationship she had with her father was the only relationship in which the power dynamic was not pitted in her favor. Because of this it was the only relationship in which she required the first kind of approval—a genuine sense of love and affection. And, in contrast, in every other relationship, Evadne was the one in power. And thus, 'approval' was this more detached form of reverence, deference, and worship. A dynamic that involved manipulating and undermining others to be the most beautiful and smartest girl in the room.
Evadne felt winded, as though she walked into something heavy. She let go of the balustrade and turned around. "It's better that we find Father before he finds us."
Venezia nodded.
They found their parents easily but they took their time when walking towards them.
"Your Grace," Evadne said after a brief moment, dropping into a curtsy with her sister. When their father tapped his foot, they stood up.
Without preamble he asked, "Has His Royal Highness fallen out of favor with the Naparian princess?"
In her mind, her mother's voice intruded and instantly told her to lie. "Yes," she replied, her eyes faraway.
Like a person waking up, Evadne blinked rapidly. She cast a single confused glance at her mother before looking back at her father. Their father wasn't stupid. He knew that his wife was using her mind tricks on them.
