CHAPTER 2

Seven years later

“Again?”

She looked up at the voice, barely phased by the annoyance in the voice.

Verena smiled innocently, hoping to wipe the displeased look on her friend-and-handmaidens-face.

She sighed when she only crossed her arms. Verena slid fully into the room before shutting the window closed behind her.

“My dearest Adeena, I know you worry for me but please,” she said.

Adeena groaned. “I have no problem letting you go-sneak out. But understand what I go through when Her Grace continuously asks me to ‘wake you up and have you ‘join her for tea. I’m running out of excuses and you keep leaving for longer.”

She grimaced. Tea. Heavens, she was glad she left the Manor as often as she could. Joining the woman for tea with her sister was more of an interrogation if anything.

“Just tell her I’m much too engrossed in a book and simply couldn’t put it down.”

“That sounds worse,” she deadpanned.

“Then what? You wish for me to stay inside all day?” she questions, moving to remove her cloak and boots.

“No, but you could leave whilst telling them-”

“No.”

“Verena.”

“I might as well leave with a tiny cavalry on my back.”

“She won't-”

“Adeena, you know as well as I do what nonsense I’ll have to face if I even utter the words. The warnings, then trying to make me take the other two as well, then wait for them to get ready, then the number of guards.” She huffed. “Might as well not go at all.”

“The Duchess cares for your safety, Verena,” she said, though she didn’t sound too convincing, before leaving to prepare her bath.

She watched after her before slumping down on the nearest chair by the fireplace.

Adeena worries. Despite being twenty–three years older than herself–she was the closest she had to a friend. Well, female friend. She was friends with a noble lady here and there but they had other people as well.

Besides, who would be her friend? When they all feared her. Only because she was her father's most precious child. One he loves dearly. So much so that if anyone would so much as even lay a hand on her, he would make sure they wouldn’t leave their house without looking over their shoulder every second.

So no one dares to say much about her, spread rumours about her or do anything to upset her. Because that would upset her father.

And who would dare upset the Duke of Miren?

And, she supposed she had made herself quite unapproachable. But it wasn’t her fault that she had no interest in noble affairs and their trivial issues such as the colour of their dress, and their appearance. And worst yet.

Whom to marry? Was that really a topic of discussion?

She had made it clear to her father that she had no interest in half these things. He understood. Partly due to her history and the other reason-

Well. The Duke wouldn’t just hand his potential heir over to anyone now, would he? He had given her all the freedom she wanted. He knew of her exploits outside whilst he was at the palace most days.

She has always loved the ways of succession in Miren. Unlike the other kingdoms, they did not choose heirs of any noble because of them being first-born or first-born sons.

It depends wholly on who is capable.

“Verena, come. Dinner is in an hour.” She looked up and made her way to the bathing chambers in her room.

Dinner.

How dreadful.

“I do wish you’d come down more often, Verena,” Lyra said that night as they sat down for dinner. “I get invited to so many parties and balls these days, I would love for you to join me sometime.”

She glanced up from her dinner to Lyra sitting next to their mother who was across from her. What luck she had. But Duchess Morven Ezlyn only spared her a look.

Bringing her attention back to her food, she answered back, “We’ll see.”

“That’s what you always say, sister.” She could have laughed at the sadness in her voice, but she thoroughly ignored her. Until she felt her father's eyes on her.

She looked to her right where her father sat at the head of the table, her little brother Cathan next to her, giving not a single care to anyone else.

“You should go out as often as possible, Verena, dear.” She looked away from her father to look at her mother.

“And I would think it would be best to stay at the manor and rest until next week,” she answered.

That catches Cathans attention. “Can I truly not go with you all, mother?”

She sighs, “No Cathan. You know the ways.”

She caught her father's eye, amusement glittering in both their eyes. The same sapphire blue. But hers.

Oh, hers were different. Stars. That is what was in her eyes. Little twinkling stars that made them look like the night trapped within. And she could count on one hand the number of people who knew why.

“And since we are talking about next week,” the duchess directed her attention to Verena, her green eyes sharp. As always, only to her. “I should ask you to remove the colour from your hair.”

She takes a strand of her dark blue dyed hair in her hand to access it as if looking for faults.

She frowned. “Is the colour coming off, father?” she asked, already getting up to look at the tips of her hair she had dyed a deep blue since she was twelve. And at this point, the whole kingdom might have known she had.

But she couldn’t care if it wasn’t proper. She knows why she did it. Her father knew. It was enough. Besides, she saw no point in removing it, she had grown rather fond of it. Black and blue hair set her apart from the others. She likes it that way. And it was not so different since she has always been set apart from everyone.

Always. And she knew who to blame and who to thank.

She looked at the mirror in the room, there for more decorative purposes really. Her mother spoke as she made her way back to her seat,

“I would be glad if it did-”

“No,” Cathan whined, gripping her arm with all the strength in his ten-year-old body. “I like her hair.” She smiled down at him, patting him on the head, a way of telling him to move back.

“Don’t worry, I won’t.”

“Verena,” came to voices.

“Hmm?”

“Sister, it's the youngest prince coming of age ceremony. You can’t-”

“Everyone has seen me this way, I see no point in changing it for the sake of that pompous little prince.”

“I heard the second prince is back,” she said.

“And?”

“Whatever do you mean? Verena, no one has seen that Prince for years. Not even his coming of age ceremony two years ago.”

“And?” she questioned further.

“What if he’s there?” she wondered, almost dreamily. She however grimaced. Her elder sister, who had come of age last year, might be looking to marry. But she had made it clear he had no interest in such things.

She sighed and looked at her father for this.

He was enjoying this. He looked amused-

She sent him a glare. He chuckled. “Lyra darling, how is your dress coming along?”

Thank you, papa.

—

“That bad?” Adeena laughed as she readied Verena for bed. Even if she could do it herself.

“Should I care?” she asked, almost to herself.

“You’ve made your choice. I don’t see anyone who can stop you.”

“Except the royal family?” she questioned.

Adeena shook her head, gently brushing through her hair before braiding it. “You have a strong will, Lady. I believe you’ll find ways to defy even the royal family.”

“Really?” she mused.

A chuckle. “I know you, Verena. I’ve seen you work with the duke. Advise him, to do the work. I know your mind. You know more than most. And knowledge itself is power.”

She set the brush down on the vanity and squeezed her shoulders.

“Don’t forget that. You have survived the worst. Nothing can bring you down so easily.”