{Aria}
Princess Aria's carriage rumbled to a stop in front of the palace gates.
The journey from Rhaya had been long and arduous, but nothing could have prepared her for the sight that greeted her upon her return. The palace, once a beacon of strength and stability, almost felt like it was sagging, in a way.
Black banners hung from every window. The knights standing by, spears in their hands, sohow looked even more stoic than normal, and, although there were no crowds here, the air almost felt harder to breathe and denser.
Aria took a deep breath, steeling herself for what was to co. She thought back to the lessons she'd learned during her ti in Rhaya. The techniques for maintaining composure in the face of adversity, the art of reading people's intentions beneath their words.
She'd need all of that now.
"Your Highness," Lord Caelum whispered, "are you ready to disembark?"
Aria nodded, her face reflecting the regal composure she wanted to portray.
"As ready as one can be."
As she stepped out of the carriage, her advisors fluttering around her like nervous birds, Aria's eyes were drawn to a strange shimr in the air near the palace entrance. Her breath caught in her throat as she realized what it was.
There, suspended in a cocoon of glistening ice, was the body of the queen. The body of her mother.
Aria's steps faltered for a mont, but she forced herself to keep moving. She was a small woman, with a petite figure and a sowhat frail fra. Just by stature alone, most people probably wouldn't assu she was 19, which she was. Maybe they'd think her a few years younger.
But, right now, she needed to look like a giant.
The Ice Magic preserving her mother's body was a masterful piece of spellwork, keeping her perfectly intact for the funeral to co. The funeral had likely been delayed so that Aria could be there for it. It was a kindness, Aria supposed, to be able to say goodbye to her mother as she rembered her, and not as decayed corpse.
Still, the sight of her mother's face, peaceful in eternal slumber, sent a jolt of pain through Aria's heart. She pushed it down, locking it away in that quiet place inside her where she kept all her inconvenient emotions. She could let them out later. Right now, they were nothing but a bother.
"Your Highness," one of her advisors murmured, "the king awaits you in the throne room."
Aria nodded, her white hair catching the sunlight.
"Very well. Let us not keep him waiting."
Aria didn't rember the throne room feeling like this, last she'd been here. Today, it felt empty and hollow, the grandeur around her almost mocking the tragedy that had befallen the royal family.
King Aldric sat upon his throne, looking a little older and more careworn than Aria had last seen him.
"Father," Aria said, dropping into a curtsy before him.
"Aria," the king's voice was rough with emotion. "My daughter. Welco ho."
As Aria rose, she studied her father's face. There was grief there, yes, but sothing else too. A wariness, a guardedness that she hadn't seen before.
[Is that aid at ? Or...]
"I ca as soon as I heard," Aria said. "Father, what happened? How did Mother...?" She let the question trail off, unable to bring herself to say the words.
King Aldric's face darkened.
"It was... unexpected. Your mother retired to her chambers after an evening walk. By morning, she was..." He swallowed hard. "She was gone."
Aria's mind raced as she slowly nodded.
It felt like there was sothing he wasn't telling her. She thought back to the rumors she'd heard on her journey ho, whispers of a nim girl who'd been seen entering the queen's chambers on the night of her death.
"And what of the investigation?" Aria pressed. "Surely there must be so clue as to what happened."
The king shifted uncomfortably on his throne.
"We've found nothing conclusive. The court sorceress, Lady Zephyra, was briefly under suspicion, but..." He waved a hand dismissively. "That line of inquiry has been abandoned."
Aria's eyebrow arched.
"Abandoned? On whose authority?"
"Mine," the king said firmly. "And that of... others who vouched for her innocence."
There it was again. That hesitation, that hint of sothing left unsaid. Aria's instincts, honed by months of diplomatic maneuvering in Rhaya, were screaming at her.
"Others?" she echoed. "Who else would have the authority to influence such a decision?"
The king's eyes darted away for a mont before eting hers again.
"Authority has nothing to do with it. But... it's a complicated matter, Aria. There have been... developnts in your absence."
Aria's mind whirled.
She decided now was the ti to ask about one such developnt.
"Father," she said slowly, "I've heard rumors of a nim girl. One who can use magic. Is this true?"
The king's surprise was evident, if only for a mont before he schooled his features.
"Ah, yes. lisa Blackfla. A... unique individual, to be sure."
"Tell about her," Aria said, her tone making it clear this was not a request.
King Aldric sighed, looking suddenly weary.
"She's a student at Syux Academy. A scholarship recipient, of all things. And yes, she can use magic... And is quite proficient with it."
Aria's eyes widened. A nim at Syux Academy? With magic? It was unheard of.
"How is that possible?" Aria asked, her curiosity getting the better of her. "I thought nim were incapable of wielding magic."
The king shrugged, a gesture that seed out of place on his regal fra.
"We all thought so, too. But lisa... she's different. She's found a way to channel Essence and has been making waves at the academy since."
Aria's mind raced with the implications. A nim with magical abilities...
"I have a feeling there's more to the story," Aria said. "Anything else I missed?"
"lisa... she saved my life," the king admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.
Aria nodded again.
[Right. So, the reports were completely true.]
"At the last royal gala," King Aldric continued. "There was an assassination attempt. A poison that would have killed in minutes. lisa used her magic to neutralize it. Without her, I wouldn't be sitting here now."
It wouldn't have made any sense to her if soone told her it would happen so years ago. A nim saving the king's life? Using magic??? It was too fantastical to be believed. And yet...
"I see," Aria said, her mind racing. "And this lisa Blackfla, where is she now?"
The king waved a hand vaguely.
"Back ho, I imagine. Or, she could be heading to the palace today, as well."
"Why?"
"Well... She's been granted certain privileges in light of her service to the crown."
"What kind of privileges?"
King Aldric shifted uncomfortably.
"Lady Zephyra has been assigned to her as a tutor."
"The court sorceress???" Aria pulled back, stunned.
"Indeed," the king replied. "I considered it a fitting reward, given that had it not been for her, you'd have co for a different funeral instead."
Aria nodded slowly, processing this information. A magical nim with free run of the palace. A mysterious death.
She didn't like any of this. Sure, she was thankful that the girl saved her father, but...
[Is it really just a coincidence that she's been running around here, completely free, and suddenly my mother died?]
"Father," she said carefully, "you do realize how this looks, don't you? Mother dies under mysterious circumstances, and just before that, suddenly there was a magically-gifted nim with unprecedented access to the palace?"
The king's face clouded with anger.
"Are you suggesting that lisa had sothing to do with your mother's death? After she saved my life?"
Aria held up a placating hand.
"I'm not suggesting anything, Father. I'm rely pointing out that the timing is... suspicious. Surely you can see that?"
King Aldric deflated, the anger leaving him as quickly as it had co.
"I understand your concerns, Aria. But I assure you, lisa had nothing to do with your mother's passing. I'm sure of it."
Aria studied her father's face, noting the conflict in his eyes. There was more to this story, she was certain of it. But pushing further now would only make him defensive.
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"Very well, Father," she said at last. "If you'll excuse , I need to rest after my journey. We can discuss this further when we're both less... overwrought."
The king nodded, looking relieved to end the conversation.
"Of course, my dear. We'll speak more later."
As Aria left the throne room, her mind was awhirl with questions and suspicions. She gestured for Lord Caelum to follow her.
Once they were alone in a quiet corridor, Aria turned to him, her grey eyes flashing with determination.
"We need to conduct our own investigation," she said in a low voice. "There's more going on here than ets the eye, and I intend to get to the bottom of it."
Caelum nodded.
"Of course, Your Highness. Where shall we begin?"
Aria's gaze turned toward the window, where she could see the shimring ice cocoon containing her mother's body.
"We start with lisa Blackfla," she said, her voice hard as steel. "I want to know everything about her. Her background, her abilities, her connections within the palace. And most importantly, I want to know where she was the night my mother died."
He bowed slightly.
"It shall be done, Your Highness. But... if I may ask, what are your suspicions?"
Aria sighed, running a hand through her white hair.
"I'm not sure yet. But, sothing doesn't add up."
"Do you think this lisa could have killed the queen?" He asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
"I don't know," Aria admitted. "But I intend to find out. We need to tread carefully, though. If lisa is as powerful as my father suggests, we can't afford to underestimate her."
Caelum nodded, his expression serious.
"I understand, Your Highness. I'll begin gathering information discreetly. Is there anything else you need?"
Aria's lips curved into a determined smile.
"Yes. Arrange a 'chance' encounter between myself and lisa Blackfla. I want to et this magical nim for myself."
"As you wish, Your Highness," he said, bowing before hurrying off to carry out her orders.
Left alone in the corridor, Aria stood lost in thought, her mind racing with possibilities and plans. She'd left Syux as a princess on a diplomatic mission. She'd returned to find her mother dead, her father hiding secrets, and a magical nim at the center of it all.
"Well, lisa Blackfla," Aria murmured to herself, her grey eyes glinting with determination, "let's see just how magical you really are. And whether that magic of yours was enough to kill a queen."
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