I felt a warm, worn hand brush my hair back from my forehead. “You’re so grown up. How I wish I could turn back time,” a gruff voice mumbled. My eyes fluttered open, focusing on the figure sitting at the edge of my bed. He was staring into the moonlight streaming through the window, the silver glow making his black hair shine like polished obsidian.
“Dad,” I whispered, my voice hoarse and dry.
“Did I wake you? Go back to sleep, my dear,” he said softly, leaning forward to press a kiss to my forehead.
I wanted to stay awake, to keep him here a little longer. Seeing him had become rare, his time consumed by the court and the endless battle over the succession. But my eyelids grew heavy, and before I could stop him, I slipped back into sleep, the warmth of his presence fading as he left.
I woke up quickly to get to work since it was the day before my father’s banquet it was long and bustling. I spent most of it helping the staff, arranging decorations and ensuring every detail aligned with his favorite colors: purple with a touch of red, symbolizing his connection to the kingdom. The halls hummed with activity as servants bustled about, their faces focused but tinged with excitement for the grand occasion.
“You should rest, Princess Kira,” one of the attendants said gently, urging me to take a break.
“Alright,” I relented, dragging out the word as I made my way back to my room.
I counted the tiles on the floor as I walked, a habit I’d picked up as a child. The rhythmic clicking of my shoes was almost soothing—until I heard an extra set of footsteps. I glanced up, and my heart sank. Lady Catherine. Her arrogant gaze locked onto mine, her dark brown hair perfectly coiled into a high bun, and her sharp eyes glinting like polished stone.
“Lady Catherine,” I greeted evenly, hoping she would pass by without incident.
Lady Catherine was a constant shadow in my life—a reminder of a time when my mother, Queen Lyssara, was thought to be unable to bear children. She was the only concubine my father ever took, and her presence in court was more a matter of obligation than desire. It was said that she was originally my grandfather’s concubine, brought into the palace at a young age. When her child passed away, my father, out of pity, allowed her to stay. Years later, she became entangled in the belief that she might bear the heir the kingdom desperately needed.
But then my brother and I were born, and the entire court turned its gaze back to my mother, the true queen. For Lady Catherine, we were both a miracle and a curse—proof of my mother’s worthiness and a barrier to her own ambitions.
“Princess Kira,” she replied, her voice dripping with faux sweetness. She stopped, her painted lips curling into a sickly sweet smile. “Captain Valehart is very attentive to you. It’s charming how loyal he is… though some might wonder if it’s entirely appropriate.”
Her words were a needle beneath my skin, but I held my composure. “Excuse me?” I asked, my brow furrowing. She smiled wider, but before she could add anything more, I turned to leave. I had no interest in her childish games.
I released a breath I didn't realize I had been holding in, putting my hand over my chest. All I've ever wanted was to see her smile, my heart ached.
“Your highness!” Fennie’s excited call interrupted my thoughts as I returned to my chambers. A faint smile fell upon my lips as I turned to her.
“What is it, Fennie?”
“You have some visitors waiting in your chambers. I even brought you some of your favorite little honey cakes!” She pulled back the door, letting me walk in. My heart felt whole seeing the two people sitting on the couch. Emerald green eyes met my ocean blue ones.
“Kira,” Cassian’s soft voice relaxed me immediately.
“Kira!” Kai turned on the couch, waving me over.
“I feel like I haven’t seen my brothers in the same room since I was fourteen.” The couch creaked lightly as I took a seat. Cassian, my older brother, handed me a small plate with the sweet honey cake on it. The smell alone made my stomach grumble.
“Honey cake is the best!” I groaned while taking a bite.
“You’ve always had such a strong addiction to honey cakes.” Cassian sighs, a warm feeling crept into my chest, thinking of when I was younger.
The grand halls of the castle always felt too big for me. When I was little, I used to imagine they were built for giants, not people. The high ceilings, the vast marble floors—every step I took echoed endlessly. I often wondered if the walls could hear secrets, if they whispered them back and forth when no one was listening.
I didn’t like being alone in them.
But today, I wasn’t alone. Today, I had a mission.
With my bare feet pattering softly against the cold stone, I darted down the hallway, my dress slightly too big for me, the hem brushing against the ground as I ran. My heart pounded with excitement. If I moved quickly, I could get to the kitchens before anyone noticed I was missing from my lessons. I wasn’t in the mood for reading today—not when I knew fresh honey cakes were being made.
Rounding the corner, I skidded to a stop. A figure blocked my path.
Cassian.
My older half-brother stood with his arms crossed, his green eyes narrowing slightly as he looked down at me. He was taller than me by a lot—though that wasn’t saying much, since I was only seven. His black hair was neatly combed, his royal attire pristine. He always looked so much like Father, even when he was annoyed.
"Skipping lessons again?" he asked, arching a brow.
I straightened my back and put on my best innocent face. "No. I was just... walking."
He sighed, but there was a flicker of amusement in his eyes. "You’re a terrible liar, Kira. What are you really doing?"
I hesitated. "I just wanted a honey cake."
He shook his head, stepping aside. "Fine. But if Father asks, I didn’t see you."
I beamed up at him before darting past, whispering, "Thank you!" over my shoulder.
The kitchen was warm and smelled of cinnamon and melted sugar. I barely had time to peek around the corner before I saw another familiar figure—Queen Lyssara, my mother, standing by the large wooden table, speaking with one of the cooks. She had golden hair, neatly braided, and sharp blue eyes that always saw more than I wanted her to. My stomach dropped.
Too late to turn back now.
"Kira," she said without even looking at me. "Shouldn’t you be with your tutor?"
I shuffled forward, clasping my hands behind my back. "I was... taking a break?"
She gave me a look that made me shrink slightly. "Honey cakes, was it?"
I nodded, my earlier confidence gone. But instead of scolding me, she sighed, then took one of the golden cakes from the tray. "Here. But next time, finish your lessons first."
I accepted the treat with wide eyes. "Really?"
"Really," she said, a small smile tugging at her lips.
Maybe the castle wasn’t so big after all. Not when I had people who saw me, even when I was trying to disappear. My brother’s voice pulled me from the fond memory.
“Why are you guys here? Not that I’m against it. I miss my brothers all the time,” I sighed, my heart aching lightly as I looked at Cassian. He was my father’s carbon copy.
“We wanted to make sure you’d be okay tomorrow. Lots of nobles will be coming for Father’s banquet. You haven’t met some of them yet. Well, you might’ve when you were younger, like the duke’s kids,” Cassian spoke up between bites of his cake.
“Oh, the duke’s sons. We met them at one of your birthdays, I think,” I pondered, rubbing my chin.
“The duke has a daughter. We haven’t met her yet,” Kai informed me, giving me a light pat on the back. Cassian held out a fork to Kai, I watched as Kai’s face hardened as he reached for it.
I nodded. “I’ll be fine. Thank you for worrying about me,” I smiled softly, reaching my hand toward my older brother. We continued to catch up throughout the night, enjoying each other’s company, reminiscing about older times, and simply being ourselves without worrying about our duties.