---
"Father," Tao Yuan called as he entered King Cassius's private chamber.
King Cassius looked up, his eyes calm and unreadable. "What is it?"
Tao Yuan scoffed, his fists clenched. "Did you hear the news? Eira—my betrothed—is being offered up to that formidable Crown Prince Derick of Tenebria!"
"I heard," the king replied, unnervingly composed.
Tao Yuan's brow furrowed in disbelief. "You heard and you're this calm? Father, she's mine! Why are you doing nothing about it?"
King Cassius leaned back, his smile faint and ominous. "Sometimes I wonder if you truly carry my blood, Yuan. Princess Eira belongs to the Kieran lineage. Her fate was sealed before she even drew breath on this planet. Her path was chosen long ago."
Tao Yuan's breath caught. "So that's it? You'll just let them have her?"
"I've already sent word to King Baltimore of Elyria," Cassius said smoothly. "He should prepare to receive us. We'll pay him a visit soon."
There was a dark gleam in the king's eyes, fleeting but unmistakable. Tao Yuan recognized that look—it meant his father was already pulling strings.
Relief washed over him. "Understood, Father. I'll go prepare. I'll dress appropriately for the journey."
Cassius nodded without a word, watching his son retreat with a dangerous smile lurking just beneath his calm exterior.
---
In Elyria, the air was soft with evening light as Lady Calantha stepped into her daughter's quarters.
"Eira," she called gently.
"Mother!" Eira rushed forward and wrapped her arms around her mother. "You're back."
"I am." Lady Calantha returned the hug, holding her daughter tightly. "How are you holding up?"
"I'm fine," Eira said with a small smile. "Just… preparing."
Lady Calantha pulled back, searching her daughter's face. "Preparing to leave for Tenebria?"
Eira nodded but hesitated. "Yes—but not for marriage, at least not yet.
Lady Calantha's expression grew complicated—equal parts concern and pride. "And you accepted this?"
"I had no choice, Mother. I only made this decision for the people . I never want to let anyone suffer for my own selfishness ."
Lady Calantha exhaled slowly. "Yet you still intend to go."
"I must," Eira said. "This is bigger than me. This has always been bigger than me."
Her mother's lips parted in protest, but then she only opened her arms again. "Come here, silly girl."
Eira fell into her mother's embrace once more, inhaling her familiar floral scent.
"You've always been selfless, my daughter," Lady Calantha whispered. "I only wish for your happiness. I know how you feel about vampires. I know you never wanted a loveless union. But perhaps… even without love, there can be care, safety, and respect."
"I don't want to be in love with a vampire," Eira murmured. "I don't even want to have children for one. I'll do what I must—as crown princess—but not as a wife."
Calantha's voice dropped lower, laced with knowing. "You say that now. But what happens when he shows you something different? What if he surprises you? It's not always easy to keep your heart separate from your duty."
"I don't intend to give him my heart," Eira replied firmly.
Her mother was quiet for a moment. "Do you want to know a secret?"
Eira looked up.
"I felt the same once," Lady Calantha admitted. "I didn't want to love your father. I wasn't even his only wife. But… he made it impossible to ignore him. And the jealousy I felt, oh, it burned me. I used to lie to myself, saying it didn't matter because our marriage was one of duty. But each time I saw him with someone else, something sharp twisted inside me."
Eira frowned. "Did it get easier?"
Lady Calantha smiled faintly. "Eventually, yes. I came to understand that the other women had roles to play, but they never had his heart. That made all the difference. Once I knew I was the only one he truly loved, it no longer hurt as much. I could live with the rest."
Eira's eyes dimmed with thought.
Just then, a loud voice rang through the hallway:
!! QUEEN BARBARA IS AT ARRIVAL !!
Eira's head snapped up. She turned swiftly and saw Queen Barbara approaching from the corridor, her presence serene yet commanding.
"Mother!" Eira cried out joyfully.
She rushed from her mother's arms and raced toward the queen, her laughter like bells in the quiet hall. She reached Barbara and threw herself into her arms with childlike joy.
"Easy, Eira," the queen chided gently as her daughter collided into her. "You'll knock me off balance."
"I missed you!" Eira beamed. "Are you well? Did you rest properly? You're not supposed to be walking around just yet. Why didn't you send a maid to tell me you were back?"
"Dear heavens, slow down," Queen Barbara said with a chuckle, rolling her eyes fondly. "One question at a time."
Lady Calantha approached at a more graceful pace, bowing slightly. "It's good to see you again, Your Majesty."
Barbara nodded. "And you, Lady Calantha. I see our daughter has grown more restless in your care."
"She has your spirit," Calantha replied with a sly smile.
Barbara turned back to Eira, placing a hand on her cheek. "You're leaving soon, aren't you?"
"I have no idea. I only just agreed to the marriage–– Eira sighed ."
Barbara's expression flickered—worry, pride, uncertainty all tangled in one look. "Be careful, Eira. That court is not like ours. Nothing is ever as it seems. And Prince Derick… he may not be what you expect."
Eira nodded slowly. "I'm ready. Whatever comes, I'll face it."
"You sound like me," Barbara said, eyes glistening. "But I hope your heart doesn't grow heavy too soon."
Eira looked between her two mothers, her birth mother and her stepmother, both standing beside her with different kinds of love in their eyes. She was stepping into the unknown, but she would not be doing it without the strength of her lineage behind her.
And even if love never found her, she would carry their hopes like armor.
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