A courier arrived as soon as the sun began to glint over the horizon. It was a strange sight, given that no one not of Yser or demonic blood should have been able to traverse the barrier. Mari had me awoken as soon as she felt the breach, having tied her magic to the stone long ago to be able to feel anyone using it for entrance. It was a failsafe I would eventually take onto myself or someone else I trusted. We were both waiting when the courier reached the gate and was led inside for an audience with me. Unlike most days, I had chosen to dress a bit more traditionally for a monarch, though it would still be considered daring, I wanted the visitor to have no doubts as to whom held the power in this kingdom.

The far door opposite the throne opened, revealing a human courier, at the very least I could not detect any sort of magic at work upon him. A quick glance to Mari confirmed that she agreed with my findings. He looked to be young, perhaps my age or even a little younger, it was common to make the very youngest in the military work from time to time as long distance couriers as a way to earn their keep and respect. The way the man snapped to attention and bowed low when I came into view confirmed my assumption that he was in the military.

"You may approach," I said, voice strong and in control.

The courier marched forward, then knelt on one knee before my throne, keeping his head down in a sign of respect. I took great pleasure in feeling powerful in the moment, it was all too rare to feel that my majesty extended beyond just the castle walls.

"You may speak."

"Thank you my queen," he said in a rich, though winded voice, "I bring a message from King Leon."

My eyebrows shot up in surprise, a message from my father would have been the last on the list of things I thought the messenger would bring. It was strange that now, after over ten years, he would take a sudden interest in me at all. There was a very distant tug on my heart strings, a yearning for acceptance that disgusted me immediately upon feeling it. He had betrayed me from the moment I had been born, I knew now that though I had fairly fond memories of him as a young child, he had been disappointed at my birth.

"King Leon Vivaldi demands that you return his betrothed, the Princess Tiffany, to his kingdom with her in good physical state and in good spirits."

I should have known. I despised the tiny ache in my heart from the demand.

"His majesty also further declares that an entourage will be dispatched to the castle Yser to collect his bride in a fortnight. King Leon does not require, nor desire a response."

"I do not care that he does not desire a response, he will have one," I stated.

The messenger drew a piece of parchment from his pocket and a thick stub of charcoal to write with.

"Those that reside behind my walls are under my command and he has no power to command them or myself. If his entourage should still insist on arriving, they are welcome to stay in my accommodations for one night, but they will begin their return trip empty handed the very next day."

There was nothing but the sound of the charcoal on the parchment, the messenger not bothering to look up or clarify what was said. After a moment he folded the parchment carefully so not to smear the words and returned it to his pocket. He then obediently returned his focus to me and awaited my command.

"You may be escorted to the kitchen and received a simple breakfast, then you must return at once to your king and deliver my message."

Without needing to summon a servant, one poised just outside the door entered quietly and motioned for the messenger to follow her. The messenger bowed deeply one last time, then followed the servant from the room, the door closing behind them.

"I knew it was only a matter of time before he deduced who was behind it," Mari said with a sigh. "I was sure to be careful, but it was a rather impromptu plan."

"I do not think it was you," I replied, "she's been sending letters to a select few people in her kingdom."

Mari's eyebrows raised in surprise and she looked to me in disbelief. "You've known about this communication and allowed it to happen? You had to know that this would be the result."

"I did," I answered, waving my hand in a swishing motion, "but she is of royal blood, a rightful heir to her kingdom. It would not be correct of me to limit her communication as she sees fit."

"Rightful heir?" Mari questioned with a laugh. "I should have known."

"She is the eldest, after all." I stood and stretched, not quite used to being awoken quite so early. As much as I wanted to share some tid bits about my plan with Mari, the idea of returning to my slumbering consort took precedence. "I will explain more at a later time, just be assured I have considered this eventuality and I am already several steps ahead."

Mari looked disappointed that I would divulge no further, but seemed content with the idea of going back to rest. She rose slowly from her chair, trying to draw as little attention to the fact that she used the table top to balance as she stood. Not but a month ago, she would have had no trouble with the same movement, either her progression down was accelerating or the time on the rode had wrecked a havoc worse than usual. Either way, I knew it would make no difference if I tried to pry from her which it was.

---

"I will not go there." Princess Tiffany tapped her feet on the floor to emphasize her words.

"That is what I told them," I assured, "even if the people arrive to collect you, they will be quickly turned away."

The pre-teen, pushed around lunch on her plate, mulling over whether she should throw a fit or not. She had been rather quick tempered as of late, I could not blame her, she was still coming to terms with the fact that her family was willing to sell her future and feed her lies to make her compliant. I very clearly remembered the coal of anger that fiercely burned in my stomach when I first recognized everyone I had ever known was a traitor and it would only ease once she had processed the situation and had a plan forward.

"I don't have to see them, do I?

"I don't see why you would need to. Surely you could stay in your room and no one would be the wiser that you were here at all. I could tell them you are away on a trip if that will satisfy you," I offered.

The princess was quick to nod her head in agreement. I wondered if she thought, if seen, she might be accosted or I might turn her over. It was apparent she had been deeply indoctrinated into the traditions of patriarchal monarchy, perhaps she was still struggling to comprehend that I was not like the idiotic women that used to be in her life, that I would not turn against her and prevent her from attaining her destiny. I may have had much to say against my mother, but she at least had not instilled in me the idea that women were subservient. Up until her betrayal, she had done an acceptable job of teaching me to stand equal to men, though I could now think back and identify several times she deferred to the king instead of pursuing her own desires.

"Then it's settled, I will tell them you're away and they won't even know you're here."

She nodded, then returned her gaze back to her plate, though she continued to push around food and look up to me in secretive glances, obviously wanting to say something more. I continued my meal and made light conversation with Mistra and Mari while she worked up the courage.

"So," Tiffany said suddenly in a lull in of the conversation. Nothing more passed her lips for a long moment, the look on her face expressing that she was surprised she had begun to speak. "Um, I'm just curious about something."

"Yes?" I offered.

"So..." She trailed off and made a soft humming sound, like she was trying to formulate what to say next. "You're a queen with a female consort."

"I am," I said with a light chuckle. Ever since she had been removed from the training schedule and allowed to take her meals with the other royals, she seemed intrigued and confused by the idea that there was not a male between us.

"I just- I guess- I didn't think that could be possible," she said, "I thought queens were to marry and bear the royal children."

"Why?" I asked simply. I looked to her, showing it was not rhetorical and expected an answer.

"Well, um..." Panic arose in her eyes, darting them back and forth between everyone at the table, hoping that one of us would provide the answer.

"You are a clever girl," I encouraged, "you can figure it out."

"It's just what's expected," she answered. "Both my mother and father told me that it was just what's done, I never thought to question it before coming here."

"That's a silly reason to do something, just because it's been done before. What if the thing being done is a mistake? Should we still make the mistake over and over?"

Her face scrunched up and her eyes narrowed slightly. "But if it's been a mistake, I wouldn't be here."

"Perhaps you would," Mari chimed in, "does not require people to be married for heirs to be born. Though I'm sure you've had the opposite drilled into your head."

The princess' face flushed over in indication that the belief had indeed been instilled in her.

"Does an heir even necessarily have to be of the same blood?" I proposed.

Mari glanced at me with an unreadable expression on her face, not outright disapproval, but more of a cautious warning that I may want to rethink what I'm saying.

"Of course they do," Tiffany sputtered, "otherwise just anyone could rule, even a commoner." She lowered her voice for the last word, hoping no servants might overhear and start thinking such nonsense.

"Perhaps power should go to the most capable and worthy to wield it, often times that will be someone of royal blood, but maybe not always."

Mari stiffened and let out a loud huff. "That's not what we should be teaching the girl," she said. "Royal blood should be kept intact through a royal lineage.

"Mari," I laughed, "you of all people I would not think you'd be so stuck in that antiquated idea. You have admittedly refused to have children and have never worried about whether you'd have an heir."

"I was never going to be queen." Her tone had taken on a snappy quality and her fingers griped the edge of the table hard enough to make them turn pale. "But it's very important that lineage stays in the family. Evonia did what she had to do for heirs, I was merely afforded a better life." Without further words, she jolted from her seat at the table and marched out of the room, leaving her meal uneaten.

The princess looked to me in shock and I met worried eyes with Mistra. The topic had not be broached before and the reaction was much different than either of us had anticipated. Mari had dropped small clues here and there that the idea of an heir needed to be considered, but I felt like I had been left out in the dark about why a blood heir was so necessary. I had mentioned the possibility as mostly a shock to the princess' traditional training, I didn't have any sort of plans for an heir at my young age. There was something deeper than I didn't know, Mari was keeping something secret, something painful.