Tyler was lounging on the soft grass and stretching his legs. Stephen sat down next to him, also relaxing but still felt the tension in his arms due to the forest training. The sky above was turning lighter gradually, and the very first signs of dawn were coloring the horizon with gentle gold.
"You seem to be very tired," Tyler said not to worry, and, to support his claim, he leaned back on his hands. "Take a breath. We must discuss… in a serious way, one matter."
Stephen silently nodded. He was very confused. He never before had such a conversation with any boy. He was surrounded by girls: his sisters, the concubines, and even his mother. But, he felt with Tyler like having an older brother around. Protective, joking, but at the same time serious when necessary.
"Why are you treating me this way?" Stephen quietly inquired, directing his gaze to Tyler's face. "As if... we were brothers?"
Tyler laughed. "Perhaps we are, somehow. You have never had one, right? I am just here to watch you a little."
Stephen was left speechless and blinked. He had never experienced this…normal, yet weird, communicating with a boy.
Tyler's metallic orbs shifted towards the heavens. "See that?" he inquired. "Daylight is coming up. Nearly dawn."
Stephen also directed his gaze upwards. "Yes… it is attractive."
Tyler agreed. "It is. Nevertheless, it is also a warning that not all lighthouses are safe. Not all small things… are innocuous."
Stephen looked troubled. "What are you talking about?"
Tyler shifted his attention to Stephen, now with a serious face. "I am talking about Somnora."
Stephen's belly felt uneasy. "Som... what?"
"Somnora. It is also known as Somnus. The word means 'sleep' in Latin. It is a curse. The one who gets it... turns into a never-ending sleeper. For eternity. And the one who comes into contact with the sleeper? Instant death."
Stephen gulped. "F-f-forever?"
Tyler accepted with a nod that had no signs of humor or lightness of any kind. "Indeed, it's the strongest and most dangerous of all the curses. A dark mage could only make it as a last resort, and only one at the very top level - Z - could perform it. And even then, it always involves something that is forbidden. So, casting it is practically impossible without breaking the rules that no one dares to touch."
Stephen's fingers turned into fists and he kept them in his lap. "And... it will be on me?" he spoke very quietly.
Tyler held his stare. "Based on my dreams... yes."
Stephen could hardly breathe. "Wha-wha-what do you mean? Who... who would do that?"
Tyler made a small gesture of his shoulders, signifying doubt. "One of your sisters. A person in your circle."
Stephen's thoughts went faster than any cheetah exist. Clarisse. Estella. Yeah, they were the ones! He could think that one of them would be the one to spill the beans. "It will be Clarisse... or Estella," he said to himself.
Tyler's head was slightly tilted. "Maybe. Maybe not. Dreams are not very explicit, they just hint."
Stephen made a sour face while he felt Tyler's look. "What is it?? What are you looking at?" he asked.
Tyler produced a faint but mischievous smile. "You're... beautiful. More than any girl I have ever seen."
Stephen was disoriented with disgust and simply blinked. "I'm... a guy! You know that, right?"
Tyler laughed a little. "I know. I am just... impressed. You do not take after your father or mother. You take after your sisters... but glowing. Almost too perfect."
Stephen felt his face getting red. "I repeat... I'm a guy!"
Tyler took a look back, still grinning, and never losing his cool. "And yet, you are no way near the man-image at all. Not especially when it comes to your height."
Stephen stopped in his tracks. "My height?"
Tyler gave a smirk. "You're an eight-year-old, yet your height resembles a five-year-old. It's… cute."
Stephen narrowed his eyes. Fourteen layers of magic erupted around him—popping with pure energy. His gun was already out, and sword was up. "You… you had better quit kidding me!"
Tyler chuckled and showed his palm. "Whoa there! Take it easy!"
Tyler then vanished just as the gun was about to be fired. It was by teleportation. The woods turned into a deserted area once more.
Stephen was mad, but he calmed down with a deep breath. There was no need to run after him.
He reduced his magic to a whisper and mumbled, "Transformatio celeriter." The clothes of a young boy fell off him and a princess gown, lovely and lightly flowing, took their place instead. He changed his hair and voice back, letting the soft and high-pitched tone take over.
The sky was becoming brighter. Dawn was almost there.
Stephen looked at the sun that was coming up. Ishould get back before anyone notices.
Without any noise, he blinked and teleported straight to his bedroom. The curtains were closed, and the soft morning light was spilling in. He lay down carefully on his bed, wrapping the gown around him, and closed his eyes.
Pretend to sleep… he thought. Pretend nothing is happening.
The first birds outside began to sing. Inside Stephen's mind, Somnora, the prophecy, Tyler's words were all racing around. But his physically was very still. Quiet. Hidden. Safe… for now.
The weather was very nice. A new day has come. However, the curse was there, still casting its dark shadow, and waiting.
Stephen was lying on his bed, still in the dainty princess gown which he wore the night before. The morning rays came in a gentle stream through the curtains. His eyes were shut pretending to be asleep but in fact, his mind was already alert. Every part of him felt very worn out, but he had learned to mask it long ago.
The door made a noise as it opened. Two maids, going very slowly, came in with baskets of clothes and morning supplies.
"Your Highness… Princess Stephanie?" one maid whispered, noticing her perfectly still lying figure. "You… you are already in your dress? So… ready… this early?"
Stephen slowly opened one eye, then yawned delicately. "Good morning," he told in his thoughtfully high-pitched, feminine voice. "I am always ready, right?"
The maids looked at each other in disbelief. "It's... magic, isn't it?" the younger maid questioned.
Stephanie shrugged, turning slightly, and allowing the gown to cover her beautifully. "Just a little magic," she confessed, showing her innocence with a smile.
The head maid took a deep breath, then shook her head. "No more jokes. Bath first. We do not have the whole day."
Stephen agreed, allowing the head maid to take her to the bathroom. As usual, she mentioned the spell, passing her voice and gender perception into flawless girlhood. The spell could only last for thirty minutes, thus the maids had to rush every morning.
Just as usual, the process was: bath, dress, comb hair, light makeup. Each action was fast, accurate, and graceful. Even though Stephen had hardly slept the night before due to his secret training, he used small spells to get rid of the tiredness, thus keeping his look perfect.
When done, the attendants brought Stephanie to the dining hall. The majestic room was shining with the light from the candles, and the irresistible smell of fresh pastries was also in the air. Empress, Emperor, his concubines, and four sisters—Anastasia, Clarisse, Danielle, and Estella—were already at the table. Stephanie sat down between Empress Phenicia and Anastasia.
The Emperor stood up, raising his wine glass. The audience was in suspense. He put the glass down after a while. Then there was noise of clattering utensils, but no one spoke. Breakfast in the royal family was always quiet, unless the Emperor himself decided otherwise.
When the Emperor had had his last piece of food, and he had had a glass of water, at last, he said something. His tone was icy and slow.
"I will only serve ten more years on this throne," he started. "The Empire has got weaker. The priceless thing we lost has drained our power. I want my five daughters to be able to prove that they deserve this throne. The most talented princess will in eight years be allotted the title of Crown Princess and then Empress in the next two years whether you want it or not. I want my daughters to bring peace back to the Empire. I still have to recover the treasure. This is my will."
After these words, he left the table and, taking subtle steps, made his way to the office to continue his work. He was still there even after he had gone, cold and far-off.
The Empress breathed out gently and, calming herself, got ready as usual to take care of the family breakfast. "Let us protect the Empire at any price," she said with great resolution. "The contest has started. Every daughter has to show her merit for the throne."
The five girls looked at each other reflecting the weight of the Emperor's pronouncement. They felt the mix of emotions: Anxiety, pressure, and the want to succeed were all on their shoulders. Stephanie, the one who ruined everything, felt it the most, as her chest was being squeezed under the dress and the secret she was carrying.
She coerced a little smile, maintaining her perfect posture, her eyes shining. But inside her that was going on with the lessons from Tyler, the Somnora threat hanging over her, and the knowledge that every passing day could mean danger was a chaos.
The atmosphere in the room was still; breakfast went on silently in a very civil way. All the daughters tasted their portions, not looking up, and their hearts were beating loud.
Stephanie very carefully took a sip of her tea and also allowed her little hands to shake just a tiny bit, which nobody noticed. She reminded herself to be careful, elegant, and… prepare for any possible situation that the day might throw at her.
The morning sun kept on rising higher and higher, pouring its golden light onto the table. The battle had already started. The Empire wanted that. And Stephanie was, by the very nature of things, that perfect.
The breakfast was over without any sound at all. The daughters stood up to go, each one laden with the burden of a responsibility, the invisible dread of future, and the realization that every second was important. Stephanie kept staring at the vacant spot where the Emperor had been, recalling his words, and feeling the weight of it all.
The contest has been launched… and I just have to get through it, she said to herself while fisting her tiny hands beneath the table.
TO BE CONTINUED