The long, cold war between the kingdom of Solanir and the kingdom of Marcelline had finally ended.
It could have turned into a full-scale war, as two kingdoms strong enough to declare themselves empires were holding each other back. But at the right—or should I say worst—moment, it broke out.
A plague spread through both lands, and the ongoing wars with neighboring kingdoms only added to the chaos.
The Royal House of Solanir had five crown princes, making them both powerful and potential victims of royal slaughter. But who knew that the slayer would be fate itself?
The crown prince, Sebastian Von Solanir, died from poisoning. The one who poisoned him was the third Prince Aymin Von Solanir's mother, Consort Hylin.
The third prince, nineteen years old, was sent to a faraway land with only a handful of land, while his mother spent her days in a dungeon.
The second prince died in war.
The fifth prince, being the youngest, died in the plague.
And now comes the fourth prince, Orion Von Rimense Solanir, the newly appointed crown prince, who was sixteen years old.
When I mentioned before that Marcelline and Solanir had come to a peace treaty, I meant that Marcelline had negotiated everything they could to at least preserve their reputation.
And, of course, the political marriage was part of it.
But another trouble came to visit them. The Royal Family of Marcelline did not have a princess, so they chose someone perfect for the role: the duke's youngest daughter, Selina Marcelline. Solanir, having the princess, would also get the opportunity to hold her as a hostage.
Lady Selina Marcelline was fifteen years old. While the agreement stated the marriage would take place after five years, she— as the future crown princess and political hostage—had to pack her belongings and leave for Solanir immediately.
I looked at the mirror. In a few moments, the maids would come and doll me up for my prison journey. Yes, I was Lady Selina Marcelline, niece of the king, and the future bride of Prince Orion.
My nanny entered once again.
"My lady, please, whatever they say, do not expect to be the crown princess. Palace politics are too cruel to let you off the hook. You should just try to survive, okay?"
I nodded, just as I had the previous night when the king himself told me to never forget that I am of Marcelline. My true duty lay with my birthland.
To be honest, the only thing that made me cry was that I wouldn't be able to take Aurora with me. From my father's perspective, she would only make me heavy-hearted. He expected me to sever my roots with my family and become the lady of Orion.
Aurora peeked through the door. After confirming no one was there except me and my nanny, she ran straight into my lap. The kitten I'd been raising since I was eight had grown quite the lady along with me, I noticed.
"Nanny, shouldn't they pick something colorful for an occasion like this?" I asked. The gown was black with golden stitches and would suit me poorly.
"It's to show that even if Solanir considers this day remarkably joyous, Marcelline does not," she replied, clapping her hands. Five maids rushed inside, quickly handling me.
What a foolish thing to say. Shouldn't they dress me lightly, if only to avoid embarrassment like they always do? I really wished my mother were here. She could at least let me wear something between white and pink.
"Listen, my dear, you should not show any immature behavior. You should act like a lady. The maids will try to underestimate you. If anything, never let them dance you in their palm."
My neck hurt from nodding. I knew nanny meant well, but wasn't it too much? I wasn't a child.
They started brushing my lavender hair.
"Can I tie it up? It feels hot," I asked.
"No, my lady. We can't cover up the scar with powder for such a long journey. Let's not make it difficult." They never listened. It wasn't my fault.
After a long hustle and bustle, they finally placed a semi-transparent black veil on me.
The tradition of Marcelline was that only the groom could lift it. Why did they keep adding things, knowing we weren't getting married yet?
The carriage outside was prepared. My father was hurrying my nanny to avoid delays. Aurora, on the other hand, refused to let me take a single step outside. Father almost dragged her away before I intervened.
My elder half-brother, Shian, was hiding in a corner, avoiding eye contact. At the last moment, as I broke into tears holding Aurora, he approached.
"Hey, please take care of her, okay? When you come to visit, take her with you. And… write to me about her. Nanny knows her routine. Don't let her roam outside… and—" I couldn't continue.
Shian and I had a big age difference. We never got along and had never had a proper conversation. But when I was sick at night, I could always pick up his scent beside nanny's. So I trusted him with Aurora.
I rode the carriage with unfamiliar people, while outside the King, Queen, and Shian stood. I swore never to forget my roots and began my journey toward an uncertain future.