1 Chapter 1: The Great War

For as long as I could remember we were at war.

Our kingdom was small. Just a little river valley nestled in the crooks of the cragged Khione mountains. I remember when I was small and it was too rainy to play outside I would trace the tips of their peaks on the glass of my bedroom window. Their snowcapped peaks fading into the gray sky. But I learned never to let their beauty fool me, they only promised one thing. Danger. The Orinth Empire.

They raided our Northern borders at night. Lighting the houses aflame and burning the barns. We'd built walls, enlisted soldiers, crafted weapons from the finest steel in our mines to quell the invaders. But nothing seemed to hold them at bay for long. They had been chipping away at the kingdom for nearly 50 years. So long that I had grown used to the snort of the calvary's horses in every courtyard and the laughter of the young soldiers on every corner. I'd even forgotten the wrinkles of my father's smile. He used to laugh a lot before my grandfather died and he took over. I'd gotten used to the way he constantly rubbed his temples with tired hands. It had all seemed normal until it was over.

It was mid winter when we'd gotten the letter. I was with my father in the war room. Watching as the old men and women pushed the wooden legions around the huge map of our kingdom. Through the thin windows that lined the war room I could see the whole world blanketed in a layer of pristine snow. The joy of the winter season didn't seem to warm the cold marble war room however.

"The raiders took our northernmost villages" General Sampson said as he knocked over a little toy house that used to be the epicenter of our Northern front lines. My heart panged at the simple gesture the signified so much destruction. The town in question had been a large one. One that we thought to be fortified from Orinth. How many refugees were left homeless and starving out in the coldest time of the year? General Sampson was a hard edged man. Shaped by a rough life. He'd served in the war at its beginnings, as a young soldier, ignorant of the terrors yet to come. When I had first met him as a small child I had been scared of his sharp eyes and hollow face. But now it seemed like everyone looked like him now. Even my father. Though no one said so, I could tell, we were nearing a breaking point. We couldn't hold Orinth off much longer.

"What happened to the 2 legions who were positioned there" my father questioned from beside me. I glanced up at him. He hadn't slept well last night and I could tell. Purple shadows rimmed his eyes and his salt and pepper hair, once a soft brown, was unkempt from him running his hand through it constantly.

"We don't know sire" General Sampson admitted with a sigh,

A hush fell across the room as everyone bowed their heads. Two whole legions? I couldn't remember the last time we'd lost that much.

I quickly changed the subject, "Captain, what's our next move?"

Captain Macintosh clamored for her notes. She was never the most organized of Father's war cabinet but she was top of her class and was a strategic genius when it came to managing her calvary.

"We've already sent out a small squad to asses the damages Your Highness, only then will we had the full details, for now we are in full retreat" she said.

Full retreat. Now that definitely wasn't good. We'd already lost nearly three quarters of our Northern farm land by this point. People were beginning to go hungry.

" Pull your elite calvary men from the group and have them head west, see if they can take back a few of the villages, away from the fronts pull the rest of the infantry back to Lethe to regroup"

I said, gesturing at the markers, General Sampson shifted them in accordance. I looked up at Father looking for his permission. He nodded curtly, eyes never leaving the map. "Good plan Eira" he murmured. I could tell he was lost in thought, but I still swelled with pride at his praise.

Captain Macintosh busily scribbled away in her notes,"Right away Your Highness"she said,

It was at that moment the door creaked open, its rusty hinges screeched loudly announcing the entrance of a shaking page boy.

"Yes?" Sampson snapped impatiently,

The boy seemed to shake like a twig in the wind,

" A letter for His Majesty" he managed, voice barely even a whisper,

"I'll see to it later" Father replied, waving him off,

"Your- Your Majesty, its from King Runar"

Father's eyes lit up, the room went silent. A letter from the Orinth king, never before had we gotten a direct correspondence before.

"Here boy" Father almost yelled at him, I wanted to reprimand him for scaring the poor kid but I couldn't deny the importance of this letter, whatever had been sent needed to be read as quickly as possible. Father tore open the cream enveloped, his hungry eyes scanning the contents of the pages within, I saw him face contort into a thousand different emotions. Fear? Relief? Anger? Doubt? Sadness? Joy?

Finally he slammed the contents on the table, head bent, unspeaking. I didn't dare move. The world was still,

"King Runar is coming to the Capital he has called for peace. He's asking for a truce."

Father's voice was broken and soft. My shoulders slumped, I closed my eyes. Peace. Was this really happening? Could it really be over?

"Negotiations will have to be held we need to arrange a meeting with the diplomats-" Councilman Miranda spluttered,

"No need" Father interrupted, standing straight again, "I've already agreed to accept his terms"

What? What could possibly have been decided on in those spit seconds.

"What- what did he ask for?"

Father waved his hand, he was putting off the question,"It will be discussed further in a later meeting after I arrange the details. You can pull together a few delegates but a whole comity won't be necessary Councilman. Focus your efforts on receiving Runar and his full court in a two weeks time. This meeting is dismissed" the room filled with buzz. Apprehension, hope, but most of all excitement. The Great War was ending, and soon.

"Eira" Father called, grabbing the letter from the table,

"Come"

my stomach lurched, was he going to tell me what the letter said? He never confided things like this to me. Not things he hadn't already shared with his whole cabinet? Or maybe he just wanted to keep it away from the prying eyes of the other members. I knew of a few who would definitely try and sneak around later on to try and take a peek inside the paper. Nevertheless I followed him into the side chamber as quickly as my skirts would allow. I had rarely been in this room. It contrasted the cold marble war room elegantly with a plush red rug a desk and a finely carved wooden set of drawers with a decanter on top. Father sank into the desk chair, decanter in hand and gestured for me to sit across from him.

"Eira I have something to ask of you" he said, pouring a measure of whiskey into a crystal glass.

My heart leaped, "Yes, anything. I'll do whatever I can to help" I said, maybe a bit to eagerly, because he warded me off with his eyes. Father and I used to be close when I was little but when he became king and took on even more duties, he and Mother moved into a new set of chambers further away from me and my sister's nursery. I was lucky if I saw him in the evenings after dinner when he slumped in to kiss me and Astra goodnight. He was always so tired. I'd felt bad asking him to do things with us. When I'd come of age at 16 I'd finally been able to be a part of his Imperial Council. But he was still as somber as ever. Anything I could do to take some stress off his shoulders I would do in a heartbeat.

He handed me the letter, "Read it silently" said, "I don't want people to hear it"

More curious than ever I unfolded the vanilla pages.

The first few lines were empty pleasantries and than a plea for peace.

We wish this war over. That we must no longer be enemies. The fighting has taken a great toll on our people as I'm sure it has done to yours. This is why the Volenstaags propose a peace treaty. One we hope will bring both joy and prosperity to both kingdoms. Antheia is a small kingdom with few assets to protect itself with. We propose a convergence of two states through nuptial union. We bring with us our full court in half a fortnight's time to arrange and agreement. We look forward to our meeting as allies.

"What?" I breathed, reading the letter over again, not quite processing,

"Nuptials, he doesn't mean marriage does he?"

Father furrowed his brow, "That's exactly what it means."

"Marriage, to me? Am I the one getting married?" I could feel tears of panic prick at my vision. This couldn't be happening. A marriage alliance? I was getting married. And apparently it had already been decided upon.

"King Runar's heir is Crown Prince Laurent. He is currently nineteen. I assume he asks for a pairing for the two of you"

"But I don't even know him" I cried, disbelief was being replaced by desperation. I couldn't let this happen. I hid my head in my hands, not wanting him to see the tears that I couldn't hold back anymore.

"Eira, this could be the end of everything" Father whispered, when I looked up he was staring right at me. His tired eyes seemed to be sharper now than I'd remembered them in years. He grimaced, pain flickering across his face. I could tell this wasn't easy for him to say.

The end of everything. The war could be over for good. I wanted to say yes. To forget everything and just throw it all away for peace. But fear held me back. I was only 18, so so young. I still felt like a teenager and here I was throwing it all away. There had to be some other way. I looked back at the letter, now crumpled and tear stained in my palms.

One word stuck out to me "Converge?" I thought aloud, "What does he mean, converge" to my dismay, I felt my voice quiver. I was pretty sure I already knew but I didn't want to.

"Eira, King Runar doesn't want us to part ways as allies, we can't hold the whole Empire at bay by ourselves. We're being conquered." he sighed, shoulders slumping, he no longer wanted to look at me. I guess I was just a reminder as his failures as a leader.

"What happens if we refuse to be conquered?" I asked, it was so quiet I didn't think he had heard. But Father leaned back, tipping the remains of the whiskey into his mouth.

"They'll burn the capital to the ground"

My breath caught. It was all over wasn't it. On one hand we'd lose the kingdom, on the other hand I'd lose my freedom. I already knew what the right decision was but the thought of it made me want to burst into tears again.

The sound of voices outside startled me out of my chance. Below us, in the snow covered gardens a group of boys were chasing each other around, snow balls flew through the air, accented by shrieks of joy and laughter. I felt a smile tug at my lips. It had been forever since I'd been out to play in the snow.

I turned back to Father, he stood at my attention, waiting expectantly. I realized my decision would be the deciding factor for peace. Everything was riding on such a simple thing. Not willing to say the words aloud, I simply nodded before breaking down. I felt Father hold me against him and I leaned into him embrace.

"It's not going to be easy Eira, but as a ruler, you did the right thing for your people, I'm just sorry this was the decision you were forced to make."