{Aria}
Aria watched her father hunched over his paperwork. As always, he looked so admirable. The sheer level of focus on display, the one bead of sweat sliding down the side of his face, it brought a smile to Aria's face just watching this dedication.
But, at the sa ti, it made her worry a bit.
[He's going to work himself to death at this rate,] she thought, leaning against the doorfra of his study.
"Father," she said, keeping her voice light despite her concerns. "The sun's barely risen and you're already buried in papers. Co walk with ."
King Aldric didn't even look up.
"Not now, Aria," he said quietly. "The trade agreents with Yalmir-"
"Will still be there in an hour," she interrupted, making an attempt to channel every ounce of her mother's imperious tone.
The thought of her mother sent a familiar pang through her chest, but she pushed it aside.
"When was the last ti you saw the gardens? Really saw them, not just glimpsed them through your window while signing your life away?"
The king sighed, finally looking up at his daughter. Dark circles shadowed his eyes, making him look older than his years.
[Gods, he looks terrible,] Aria thought, her heart clenching. [How did I not notice before?]
And yet, he appeared very energetic, paradoxically.
"The gardens will also still be there in an hour," he countered, though his lips twitched slightly.
Aria rolled her eyes, striding into the room with all the authority her petite fra could muster. Which, despite her size, was quite a lot.
"Yes, but I won't be. I have tutoring sessions all afternoon with Lord Caelum about the northern territories." She perched on the edge of his desk, deliberately blocking his view of the papers. "Co on, Father. Mother always said you needed soone to drag you away from work occasionally."
Sothing flickered across the king's face at the ntion of his late wife - sothing Aria couldn't quite read. But before she could analyze it, he was already standing, a fond resignation in his smile.
"You're as persistent as she was," he said softly, offering his arm.
[Victory!] Aria thought, linking her arm through his.
Though the comparison to her mother sent another wave of grief through her. Lady Belstadt's words echoed in her mind: "The queen was a Shadow Mage..."
But what did that even an? She had a hard ti mixing the image of her kind mother with that of the ideologues and terrorists the Shadow Mages were known to be.
The gardens were beautiful this early, dew still clinging to the flowers and making everything sparkle. The air was crisp and clean, carrying the scent of blooming roses - her mother's favorites.
"Rember when Mother used to host her morning teas here?" Aria asked as they walked, her voice wistful. "All those noble ladies pretending they weren't terrified of her while she served them those little cakes..."
She trailed off, noticing how her father had tensed beside her.
"Father?" she asked, concern creeping into her voice. "What's wrong?"
King Aldric stopped walking, his face grave. He looked around, ensuring they were alone among the roses.
"Aria," he began, his voice heavy with sothing that made her stomach clench. "There are things... things about your mother that you need to know."
Aria blinked.
Really? They were going to have this conversation?
[Oh gods,] Aria thought, her heart beginning to race. [Is this about what Lady Belstadt said?]
"What things?" she asked carefully, studying her father's face.
The king seed to age years before her eyes as he struggled with his words.
"Your mother... she..." he paused, pain etched into every line of his face. It was like he was visibly trying to make what he was about to say as palatable as possible. And, he still failed. "We have reason to believe she was involved in the attempt on my life at the gala."
Just like that, it felt like the world tilted sideways.
"What?" Aria's voice ca out as barely a whisper. "No, that's- that's impossible. Mother would never-"
"The evidence suggests otherwise," the king cut her off gently. "The poison used... it was a very specific type. One that only certain people would have access to. Not just that, but, the person who applied it went out of their way to ensure she wouldn't be poisoned along with ." He sighed. "Given those facts... Well, it's all circumstantial, but it's still compelling."
Aria pulled away from him, her mind spinning.
"But that nim girl - lisa - she was the one who-"
"Saved my life," her father finished. "The rumors that she poisoned have no basis in reality. And, after all, why would your mother take her own life so suddenly afterward? Why would she-"
"She didn't, she was murdered!"
The king sighed.
"Perhaps. But, the list of suspects is so narrow that it seems more and more likely by the day to that she wasn't killed, Aria."
"No," Aria shook her head, backing away from her father. "No, you're wrong. Mother loved you. She loved us. She-" Her voice cracked. "She wanted to see after I got back from Rhaya. She... she couldn't have..."
The king reached for her, but Aria jerked away.
"Aria, please-"
"Don't," she choked out. "Just... don't."
She turned and fled, leaving her father standing alone among her mother's roses. Her vision blurred with tears as she ran, nearly colliding with a servant who quickly jumped out of her way.
The idea that the queen killed herself, the idea that the queen planted that poison in the king's dinner at the gala...
[It can't be true,] she thought desperately. [It can't be. But... but if it is... what else don't I know about her?]
The question haunted her all the way back to her chambers, where she collapsed onto her bed.
She had wanted answers about her mother's death.
Now she wasn't sure she could handle them.
---
{Jaylin}
Jaylin slouched in her seat, glaring at the classroom's far corner where lisa and her personal band of giggling sses were chuckling about sothing. She couldn't quite hear what but she could take a guess. It was probably involving cocks. Or tits. Or both.
[Ugh, they're basically having an orgy with their eyes,] she thought bitterly, watching Isabella practically drape herself over lisa's shoulders while Armia tried (and failed) to maintain her ladylike composure. [It's so... so gross.]
The worst part wasn't even their constant horniness - it was knowing she'd have to see them all again at ho.
Eight years. She'd been stuck living with the Blackflas for eight fucking years, ever since Aunt Javir had decided to play charity and take in the "gifted" nim family.
[At least lisa's usually busy getting railed by soone or another,] Jaylin thought.
Then she imdiately blushed as her traitorous mind supplied an image of Margaret.
Gods, Margaret. With those curves and that knowing smile and the way she'd caught Jaylin staring at her tits last week and just... bounced them. Actually straight-up bounced them and winked.
[Stop it!] Jaylin shook her head violently. [Don't think about Margaret's giant... purple... milk- FUCK!]
The professor droned on about magical theory, completely oblivious to the fact that Isabella was probably jerking off under her desk while Armia pretended not to watch. Or, at least, that was what Jaylin imagined was happening.
[When are they moving out?] Jaylin wondered for the millionth ti. [Surely they can afford their own place by now. lisa's practically nobility these days, what with saving the king and all...]
The thought of the king made her scowl deepen.
Yet another thing lisa had to be special about. As if being the first nim to openly use magic wasn't enough, she had to go and be a hero too.
The bell finally rang, saving Jaylin from her increasingly bitter thoughts. She stayed in her seat, waiting for lisa and her fan club to clear out first. No way was she getting caught in that parade of perpetual horniness.
[Finally,] she thought as the last student left. She stood, gathering her books-
And froze.
There, on her desk, was a letter. One that definitely hadn't been there a mont ago.
[What the...?]
The envelope was black, sealed with dark red wax bearing no insignia. Her na was written in silver ink that seed to shimr in the light.
Heart pounding, Jaylin broke the seal and pulled out the letter inside.
"Dear Jaylin,
We've been watching you. Your potential. Your power. Your... resentnt.
We can help you beco more than just the jealous niece living in her aunt's shadow. More than the girl forced to watch as a nim steals everything that should have been hers.
We can make you stronger than lisa could ever dream of being.
If you're interested, et us at midnight at the intersection just south of your aunt's manor. Co alone.
-The Shadow Mages"
Jaylin's hands trembled as she read the words again. And again.
[... What the fuck?]
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