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Polin took his leave.Once she heard the door hinge click into place, Kallie threw the rest of the blankets off of her. She hurried over to the window and let the cool air kiss her skin. Tilting her head up to the stars, she took a deep breath.
She wanted to scream, to cry. Her heart hurt, but she couldn't let thoughts of her mother distract her. As much as she wished her mother could be there, as much as she believed she should be there for tomorrow's events, Kallie knew better.
She could not change the past, but she could change the future.
The seven kingdoms of Vaneria were weakening, strife was building among the people.
She rolled her neck, the top of her spine popping. She forced her lips into a smile and smoothed the wrinkles from her nightgown. Dawn was approaching and with it, her choice would be revealed to all of Vaneria.
She would be done taking orders. She would no longer have to sit idly by as the world turned to shit around her. As kingdoms refused to change, as they continued to let their people suffer in every corner of Vaneria. She would be the piece that united the kingdoms.
She would no longer have to hide her gift out of fear. She would use it to help her people. She would put an end to those who spoke out against them, against her father. Against peace.
Then, with their plan set into motion, Kallie would no longer have to fear the fire consuming her, for she would become the fire.
And she would set the world ablaze and watch it burn before her.
* * *
Hundreds of eyesstared at her as she stood on the dais behind her father once again.
Today Kallie wore a simple dress—simple by the king's standard anyway. The off-the-shoulder pale blue dress left her collarbone bare, restricted her movements, and made Kallie yearn for her cloak and leather trousers. The fabric cinched her waist, then flowed to the ground. Similar to the dramatic gown she wore the previous day, Myra had weaved diamonds throughout the fabric, though far fewer than yesterday's extravagant gown. Kallie stood with her arms in front of her, one hand over the other. The picturesque princess each suitor thought she was.
The energy in the room was stifled, sparking with nervous energy. The suitors shifted their weight from one foot to the other. When her eyes landed on Sebastian, his chin tilted upward, confidence dripping off of him.
He knew. They all knew, yet they all waited for the words to leave her mouth. There was no competition here, not when someone offered Kallie an entire kingdom.
But alas, her father wanted it to appear as if the others had a chance.
King Domitius addressed the hall, "After much deliberation, Princess Kalisandre has made her decision." With a hand, her father called Kallie forward.
Kallie took a step toward her father and spoke to the crowd, "I am flattered and humbled to have had so many of you show up to our kingdom and not only ask for my hand, but grant me the comfort of knowing that my choice will be respected. It has shown me how strong we, as separate kingdoms, can be when joined together under one roof, one goal.
"I hope that after today's decision we can continue to build upon the relationships that we have begun to forge. It is also because of this hope that surrounds me today that I have come to my decision," she paused as she scanned the crowd. Dramatics were not formally a part of her lessons with her father, but she had learned them nevertheless. Taking in a quiet breath, a soft, serene smile graced her lips. "Prince Sebastian, please come forward."
Fabric rustled as people shuffled in the crowd to make a path for the prince. Sebastian’s gait was sure and did not falter when he approached the dais. He knelt at the edge of the throne and pressed a fist to his heart. "King Domitius. Princess Kalisandre."
Kallie’s lips twitched. "Prince Sebastian, yesterday you spoke of King Rian's desire for stability and strength after the unfortunate passing of the late King Lothian. Although I cannot remember when my mother passed, her death still lingers and pulls on my heart, so I can empathize with you and your family. As King Rian and I will learn to lean on each other during these trying times, my wish is that our kingdoms will learn to do the same. I believe that we are reaching a turning point in our history, and forging a bond between our two kingdoms is not only mutually beneficial for Ardentol and Frenzia, but beneficial to Vaneria as a whole. It is my hope that you will relay the news of my acceptance of your brother's proposal to King Rian."
Sebastian bowed his head. "Princess Kalisandre, it would be my honor to share this delightful news with my brother. Your engagement will be the light that guides our hearts back toward the shore during this tumultuous time."
Beside her, King Domitius added, "We look forward to building a relationship between our two kingdoms. Prince Sebastian, we will discuss travel arrangements in my study."
Prince Sebastian nodded and took his leave. The king then directed his attention to the rest of the room to express his gratitude. As his voice bounced off the walls, Kallie began reviewing the next part of their plan and she couldn't stop the smirk that crept onto her face.
* * *
The next fewdays slipped by like a skilled thief in the night. Gone before anyone noticed.
Preparations for the journey were made. Prince Sebastian and his men had already left to notify King Rian about the news before Kallie arrived. Her father and Sebastian had agreed that she would depart a week after Sebastian's party since traveling together would draw too much attention and would only endanger their journey. Kallie and the king had then chosen a select group of soldiers for the journey, including Alyn and Polin. The king also had agreed that Myra would accompany Kallie since Kallie still required her services (and company).
While she waited to leave, the king was insistent on Kallie spending every minute either training, studying, or reviewing their plans. He reminded her that they could not predict what obstacles she might encounter. So, she went to work.
When her body ached for a break, she ignored its pleas. When her stomach grumbled during strategy meetings, she fed off her hunger to accomplish their task. When her eyelids became heavy as she reviewed the countless maps, she threw water onto her face to stay awake. And when her head hit her pillow each night at long last, deep exhaustion blanketed her, keeping the nightmares away.
Today she ran through her training one last time before she embarked on her journey. Over the past decade and a half, she had grown to enjoy her training, often sneaking out in the later hours of the night to train on her own. After donning the mask of a well-mannered royal during the day, Kallie was enthralled by the grittiness of training. The sweat beading at the base of her neck made her feel accomplished. The changes in her body, the muscles in her quads and arms, made her feel powerful and in control. The slick material of her training gear was more pliable than her formal wear and allowed her to move freely. She wasn't restricted by heavy skirts or tight, lung-crushing bodices.
But more than anything, when she trained alone, she enjoyed the quiet—the absence of others watching and judging her. She didn't have her father telling her she wasn't good enough from the way he shook his head.
