Leah's amber gown caught the light as she stepped out of her chamber, the warm color soft against her pale skin. But it was her face that truly drew the eye.
Her violet hair, glossy and natural, was pinned up in an intricate arrangement, a pattern of loops and twists held in place by delicate gold pins.
The style framed her face like a careful halo, letting just a few wisps fall naturally around her face.
Her features were gentle: calm and composed but touched with something quiet beneath the surface.
Her eyes, clear and watchful, held a hint of morning weariness she couldn't quite hide.
Just then, she heard steady footsteps approaching from behind, confident, unmistakably armored. She turned, the soft fabric of her gown grazing the floor as she moved.
It was her personal knight, Sir Kolen.
He halted a respectful distance away, the morning light glinting off the polished plates of his armor.
His helm was tucked under one arm, revealing his sharp, attentive gaze.
Though his expression was disciplined, there was a flicker of concern in his eyes, the kind he rarely allowed anyone else to see.
"Your Highness," he said with a bow, his voice firm yet gentle.
Leah straightened slightly, masking the last traces of tension from earlier.
She didn't return his greeting. Instead, her dark-obsidian eyes swept over him from head to toe, sharp and assessing.
Sir Kolen remained still, unflinching, his posture rigid, though a faint flicker of unease passed over his features at her scrutiny.
After a long moment, she turned away, her gaze icy and unreadable, as if she had already passed judgment and found him… lacking and unworthy of her attention.
His jaw tightened imperceptibly, but he said nothing, respecting the unspoken command in her silence.
Her sudden change of attitude reminded Sir Kolen of her mother, Dowager Johanna.
In that rigid poise, she was a striking reflection of her mother.
She moved gracefully through the small lobbies. The soft rustle of her amber gown blended with the distant clatter of trays and murmured conversations.
Passing from one lobby to the next, the narrow corridors gave way to the wider expanse of the main hallways. Sunlight streamed through tall, arched windows, casting long, golden streaks across the polished floors.
Her violet-framed face remained composed, but her eyes, sharp and calculating, swept through the hallways, noting every detail.
The hallway was busy… too busy.
Yes … the usual morning bustle of servants and attendants filled the air with clattering trays and hurried footsteps, each tray representing miscellaneous dishes.
Freshly baked breads, bowls of fruit, jugs of cream, and small plates of pudding were being carried by maids in neat rows, their arms steady despite the crowded corridor.
Yet something felt different, and Leah was able to spot it.
Among the orderly servants, she noticed guards moving with quiet efficiency, carrying heavy bags that clinked with metal.
She caught the subtle glint of blades and armor pieces through the slightly open bags. They weren't parading their weapons; they were transporting them.
Her eyes narrowed. Amid the familiar chaos of breakfast preparations, an unfamiliar tension lingered.
"What is going on?"
She asked sharply, throwing her question at Kolen. She didn't look back as she made her way toward the breakfast.
Sir Kolen fell beside her, keeping up with her pace silently, his polished boots echoing lightly on the floor.
He didn't answer immediately; his eyes scanned the hallways. He wanted to know how much to reveal.
After a moment, he answered.
"His Majesty is making preparations for war and will be departing today, making his way to the battle lines."
"War?" The word escaped her lips, tinged with disbelief.
She paused mid-step as the news sank in.
How is it that she has been in the castle all this while but had no idea that a war was imminent?
"Where is my mother?" she asked, her voice steady but urgent, as she continued walking.
"I have no idea, Your Highness," Sir Kolen replied, his tone cautious.
"And my brother… Where is he?" She pressed on, her pace increasing slightly as she approached the threshold of the dining hall.
"Preparing for the war," he answered quietly.
The words struck her like a blow, compelling her to freeze in her steps.
She turned sharply, her violet eyes locking onto Sir Kolen's with an intensity that made his boldness falter.
"What did you just say?" she demanded, her gaze deep and unyielding, her voice coming out hoarse and shaky, betraying the composure she had tried so hard to maintain.
He swallowed, struggling to find the words beneath the weight of her stare.
"Prince William… He is to accompany the king to war…"
Hardly had he finished speaking when she brushed past him, her amber gown swirling with swift, determined steps.
Sir Kolen remained rooted for a moment, watching her go, the echo of her movement trailing down the corridor.
She moved with purpose, navigating the familiar lobbies and narrow hallways of the castle.
Every step carried a sense of urgency.
Her destination was clear: William's chamber. The thought of finding her brother, of seeing him before he departed for the front lines, drove her forward.
The usual hum of morning activity faded around her; servants and guards became little more than background noise as she focused solely on reaching his chamber.
Just as she reached the hallway leading to her brother's chambers, her eyes darted ahead, and she saw her mother moving in haste as well.
For a brief moment, their eyes met across the length of the hallway, a silent acknowledgment of shared concern.
Without a word, they both continued, their pace quickening, the echo of their steps blending.
Leah and Johanna reached the door to William's chamber at the same time, their hurried steps echoing in near-perfect unison.
Without exchanging a word, they moved together into his chamber.
Leah's eyes were sharp with concern, while Johanna's gaze was steady, radiating quiet disapproval.
As they barged into the room, William looked up, startled. The simultaneous arrival of both mother and daughter left no room for excuses.
"Why… why didn't you tell us you were going to war?" Leah demanded first, her voice laced with hurt.
William was seated at a sturdy wooden table, meticulously cleaning his swords.
Blades of every size lay before him, each one polished to a mirror-like gleam that reflected the morning light streaming through the window.
The soft scrape of cloth against metal was the only sound in the room as he worked, until the voice of his sister pierced the air.
His hands froze over the blade in his grasp, the polished steel glinting sharply in the tense silence.
"Courtesy demands that you knock before entering," he said, a taunting grin playing at his lips.
Leah's face twisted, eyes narrowing, lips pressed tight with barely contained fury.
"To hell with courtesy!
She snapped, her voice trembling with a mixture of anger and hurt.
"Were you really going to leave without saying goodbye? Am I… am I that insignificant to you?"
Her eyes glistened with emotion, the weight of her words hanging heavy in the room.
Johanna's gaze softened slightly, but her posture remained regal, allowing Leah's words to resonate fully.
William shifted uncomfortably, the taunting grin faltering as he met the raw, unguarded pain in her eyes.
"I thought you wouldn't want to talk to me after I scolded you for the incident with the Lord Commander during training," he admitted, his voice filled with honesty.
"If you have refused to talk to me since then, I thought to myself, why now?"
He added while carefully setting down the sword he had just finished cleaning among the others arranged on the table, each blade catching the light like a row of tiny mirrors.
Leah's hands tightened at her sides. The countenance of her face changed to that of guilt.
"That changes nothing," she said, her voice trembling but resolute as she watched him rise from the chair where he had been seated.
"You are still my brother, and the next time you do something like this… I will never speak to you again!"
Her hands clenched at her sides, knuckles white, while the tears she had been holding back rolled down her cheeks.
William smiled, a small, knowing curve of his lips. He could tell those were nothing but empty threats, words spoken in anger, in hurt, but beneath them, he recognized something far more important.
The fact that she cared… that her voice, her tears, and her fierce anger were tied to him mattered more than any scolding or admonishment.
"Come here," he commanded softly, his hands outstretched. There was no harshness in his voice, only a quiet insistence that made her hesitate.
She blinked away the tears in her eyes.
One step… two steps… And then, with a leap, she landed in his open arms.
He caught her effortlessly, enveloping her in a tight hug. Her arms wrapped around him, holding on as if to make up for every moment she had ignored him.
"Are you sure you want to do this, William?"
Johanna's voice from across the room. All this while she had been standing aside, just watching. Wishing she could join in the emotional rollercoaster, but she was someone that was built to be logical.
"I have been preparing for such an opportunity all my life, to prove myself. I am more than ready."
He answered without so much as looking at her.
"You don't have to prove anything, William. I am aware of what you are capable of; you will make a fine soldier on the battlefield."
She said calmly.
William met her gaze, a flicker of determination in his eyes.
"If you think you can try to convince me to stay back," he said quietly but firmly, "I suggest you leave… now."
"I am only trying to look out for you. I am your mother," she said softly.
"Are you?"
He continued, his gaze steady.
His words cut through her heart like tender blades, but her face remained cold.
"The battlefield… it is dangerous, bloodthirsty…,"
"Mother, stop."
Leah interrupted as she detached from the hug.
"For once…let him do something on his own, without having to seek your permission," she said as she turned toward her mother.
Silently begging her to stop speaking, to step back, and not undo what had just begun between her and her brother.
The subtle intensity in her gaze carried both warning and hope.
Johanna hesitated, the lines on her forehead softening slightly. She exhaled sharply and then finally nodded, a sign of retreat.
Leah smiled, then turned to look at her brother.
"I believe in you; outshine Ragaleon if you must," she said, and he gave her a curt nod.
She turned around and made her way towards Johanna. Entwining her hand in Johanna's,
"Let's go, Mother."
She said, leading the way.
Johanna understood Leah's reluctance to leave her in the room alone with William.
"So…you have picked sides."
Johanna said as they made their way out of the room.
"I have not!
Leah said, trying to defend herself.
"Now I am definitely sure I am all alone in this world."
She continued and then gave Leah a warm smile.
Just as mother and daughter were about to leave the room, Leah paused, her footsteps faltering.
"Oh, and one more thing," she said, tilting her head backward to look at William, her eyes sharp but filled with a quiet concern.
"The war is indeed going to be bloody," she continued, her voice steady despite the tremor of worry beneath it.
"But… try as much as possible not to yield, and also… don't get killed."