Harmonia Calendar 715, Thal 21 - Ashspire Estate, Elandor
Noon - Lucien's Room
I shut the chamber door with my heel and let my head rest against the wood, basking in the silence.
A few minutes passed like that.
At last, I pushed myself off the door and crossed to the desk.
The chair creaked as I sank into it.
Haah.
I let out a slow breath and closed my eyes for a moment.
My eyes opened, gaze shifting toward the parchment.
The letter lay exactly where I'd left it, the seal unbroken, resting before the mirror like it had been waiting for me.
My eyes lingered, then drifted past the parchment until they caught the glass behind it.
I met my reflection.
Short, practical blond hair and emerald eyes, Mother's eyes, stared back at me. Yet the expression I wore was one I couldn't name.
A dark vest lay snug over a simple linen shirt, the collar left loose. Not styled like Favian, who wore charm as a weapon. I lifted a hand, combing fingers through my hair, more to calm myself than to truly fix it.
I let my hand fall to the desk, fingertips brushing the old wood before my gaze slipped back down to the letter again.
I reached for it, thumb brushing over the wax. The seal felt cool beneath my skin, a circle etched with a sword at its center.
'Master's crest. A mark of power—'
Knock.
The sound cut through my thoughts.
The knob turned, wood creaking as the door opened, and Mother slipped inside, closing the door with her hip.
She smiled softly, her voice gentle.
"Have you decided?"
My finger drifted back over the wax, tracing it once, then again. I lifted my eyes to Mother and shook my head.
"Not yet."
She gave a small nod at my words and stepped past me toward the window, fingertips trailing along the thin lines between the panes.
Her voice came soft, but every word carried weight.
"Your Father will never name you heir."
The words lingered in the silence before she turned, emerald eyes locking with mine. When she spoke again, her tone was firmer.
"Favian will be heir. That won't change. But Lucien… you are gifted. Talented. Don't waste it here. Make something of it."
I broke her gaze and let my eyes fall to the letter. The seal caught the light, red against white.
"I don't want to leave them...Theodora and Adonis."
She stepped closer, her hand rising to my chin, gentle as it guided my head upward. My eyes resisted at first, but her touch left me no choice.
When I finally met her gaze, emerald eyes looked back at me, soft, carrying love and care that only a mother could hold.
Her voice dropped to a whisper.
"Lucien… leaving isn't the end. It's a part of life. We all leave, one way or another. What matters isn't that you leave. It's whether you return."
I gave her a faint smile and let my eyes fall back to the letter.
"You're right… I just have to come back. Thanks, Mom."
The words sat between us for a moment.
My thumb pressed harder on the wax, my voice came quieter.
"Do you think he would care if I left?"
Her eyes softened at my choice of words, and her hand pressed a little firmer against my cheek.
She drew a breath before answering, her voice came low.
"He would… he just won't say it."
I nodded, but the motion felt empty, more for her sake than mine. Inside, I already knew his answer.
'He wouldn't care. He never does. He'd wave me off with those same words, "Do what you want".'
'It's always the same. To him, nothing matters as long as Favian is here. I could vanish tomorrow, and he wouldn't even blink. And the worst part? I've stopped expecting anything else.'
Her hand slipped from my cheek as she moved back to the window. She lingered there, eyes watching over the garden. Then her head turned slightly, toward me again.
"I worry for him."
My eyes found hers. I set the letter down and straightened.
"Adonis?"
She gave a slow nod, then turned back to the window.
"He tries to make himself small. He shouldn't have to."
I pushed myself up from the chair and crossed the room to join her at the window. We stood together, looking out across the garden.
Below, Adonis stood out even at a distance with his damp hair falling to his forehead, and a black tunic sticking to his slim frame.
Beside him moved a young maid, perhaps thirteen, she was striking in her own way. Dark brown hair fell straight to her shoulders, and her bright amber eyes caught the sun like fire.
'I think that's the new maid the stewards mentioned, the one put in charge of washing clothes.'
She staggered under a bundle of cloth far too heavy for her arms, nearly stumbling. Adonis's hand shot out, one arm catching her waist, the other steadying the load.
He said something I couldn't hear, and her head flushed crimson in an instant. He took the bundle from her with a smile.
She hesitated, then laughed at whatever he added, her embarrassment melting into a grin that lit her whole face. Her gaze lingered on him, stars shining in her eyes.
I breathed out a quiet laugh through my nose.
'That boy will be a problem one day with all the girls falling for him. Good luck to Mother handling that.'
The thought made me grin, and my voice broke the silence.
"The maids really do love him."
Mother smiled at my words.
She turned, pausing just long enough to give me one last look over her shoulder. Her voice came low, knowing, almost amused.
"Not only the maids."
She left the room, the soft brush of her dress trailing across the stone floor until the door clicked shut behind her.
Thud.
Silence returned.
I turned back to the window, but the garden was empty now, they're already gone.
I sighed.
'Good luck, Theodora.'
The thought drew a faint smile as I moved back to the desk.
I reached for the letter, broke the seal, and slid the parchment free.
I read it line after line.
Then once more.
It was an invitation.
'If I go, I will leave them behind. If I stay, I will become Favian's shadow.'
I folded it, tucked it beneath the ledger, and let out a slow breath.
'Later.'