Mila

“Vera, he’s one of your suitors. . . you should go meet him at the docks.”

She rolls her eyes. “Mila, I already told you that I have more important duties to attend to.”

She’s always been stubborn, but this is one particular issue that we need to see eye to eye on. Rafael Von Nacht will be arriving soon; what kind of message would it send if she isn’t there to greet him?

Shudders roll down my spine at her harsh tone, but I grip the desk in the office. My fingers squeeze the edge, knuckles turning white. “Vera, please. . .”

“Stop whining. It’s annoying.” She looks up at me from the array of scrolls and papers in front of her. Despite being physically taller than her at the moment, her narrowed eyes remind me that I may as well be an ant.

“It’s important to make a good first impression, isn’t it?” My voice is weaker than I want it to be, but I press on anyway. “If you marry him, it would mean an alliance with his country. That would benefit us, would it not?”

She looks bored. When we were young, she would have the same expression on her face whenever one of our tutors lectured her. She didn’t care about a single thing they said. She doesn’t care about a single thing that I am saying.

I can’t help the pinch of anxiety festering inside me. Every princess must marry eventually—especially if they hope to be queen someday. But Vera is my sister.

As hard as she is to be around, we’ve been close our entire lives. We shared our mother’s womb. When she marries, what will happen to our bond?

A part of me wants to be happy for her, but I cannot shake the thought of being cast aside once she has her king. What use will she have for me then? Will the responsibility of peacekeeper fall to her husband? Would he be able to do it as effectively as I have?

I take a short, calming breath. At the very least, it wouldn’t be as bad if her husband is a good king, surely?

“Clearly, you don’t understand exactly what duties I will have as queen,” Vera says, leaning back in her chair while crossing her arms, her eyes staring at me heatedly. “A lot of things around here depend on me to stay orderly. Unlike you, I don’t have endless bouts of free time.”

Her nails drum against her arm menacingly. “So go meet the prince at the docks.”

How can I argue against the note of finality in her tone? I back away from the desk, returning to the compliant version of myself that she prefers. “Yes, Vera,” I mumble.

When I look closely at the expression on her face and consider the kind of person she is, perhaps I don’t have much to worry about. Perhaps a marriage isn’t enough to erase our bond, not where Vera is concerned.

No matter how handsome or kind or noble a prince is, he will never be enough to occupy her time.

My sister isn’t interested in the notions of romance. She has no desire to get to know a man, to learn his likes and dislikes, to find beauty in his smile or voice. She does not care about sweet gestures or declarations of love.

Marriage only means one thing to her—ascension to the throne.

If that is the case, then perhaps our sibling bond will stay exactly the same, even after a wedding. She will be too focused on being queen and ruling over me to pay attention to her husband.

She clears her throat loudly and I realize I’ve been standing and staring. With an arch of her brow, she points at the door to the office. “Go. You’d best not be late.”

***

Unease is my companion as I make my way to the docks. I keep my fingers clasped together to keep from wringing them in anxiety. I really wish Vera had at least accompanied me to meet Rafael.

The day is bright and cloudless, the smell of sea salt strong on the wind. With each clicking footstep, my nervousness fades more and more. Without Vera’s stifling presence, my mind is calm, more easily distracted by the sights, smells, and sounds of the bustling outdoors.

Workers bob to and fro against the backdrop of waves crashing against the stone walls below. Gulls circle overhead, their calls echoing out across the water. At the end of each lane, large crates are being unloaded, unleashing the aroma of fish and other imported foods into the air.

Amongst all of the small familiar ships belonging to traders, merchants, and fishermen, one stands out. It is a large and grand ship made of shiny wood that glimmers gold in the sunlight. The sails, big and snow-white, beat against the wind like wings of a great bird.

Banners drape over the sides of the deck, navy blue with a large golden star embroidered in the center. Another blue flag dances at the top of the mast, so dark it almost appears black.

Prince Rafael is the only suitor to come by ship. All of the other men vying for Vera’s hand arrived by land.

Traveling across the sea is no small feat. I’ve heard it’s a grueling way to travel; being stuck under the scorching sun day after day, having little to no privacy, completely at the mercy and will of the ocean. Tidal waves, storms, the treacherous lurching of the ship that can make even the strongest sailor’s stomach leap up into his throat.

The crew begins descending from the ship carrying various bags and crates. I wait patiently, studying each one.

I creep closer. Their laughter is musical, ringing out into the salty air. It’s a contagious aura.

A figure emerges from the ship, stepping onto the docks. He’s well-dressed but it isn’t flashy; there are no gaudy baubles attached to his coat or overwhelming patterns stitched onto his lapels. His appearance is light and airy, oddly relaxed after a long journey.

It’s the way the crew defers to him that gives his princely status away.

My breath grows a bit labored and my stomach becomes home to a dozen butterflies as I get my first good look at him. He’s handsome, with strong features that would make any woman take notice.

He’s tall and muscular, and even from here, I can tell his eyes are a vibrant green. The breeze plays with his dark hair, pushing it into his eyes, and he brushes it away, his movements regal and graceful.

This must be Rafael. Oh, how lucky Vera is to have a man such as this be one of her suitors.

I watch as he interacts with the crew members. He laughs with them, his voice joining the symphony of other voices filling the air. His grin is charming. The other men joke around, clapping him on the shoulder.

They are friendly, yet respectable since he is their prince. He’s clearly earned the admiration of his crew. He must be a good man.

As curious as I am, I am also stunned. All my life, Vera and I have lived separate from the common people—“plebeians,” as she called them once. They are so far beneath us that they don’t deserve much of our attention beyond what is necessary. We hardly speak a word to the servants unless we need to.

That is how life as a royal is. Everyone is invisible unless we need them not to be. I am not fond of it, but I’ve grown to accept it.

And yet, here is Rafael Von Nacht, rubbing shoulders with the same commoners. He has no air of superiority over these men. He doesn’t look at them with disdain. There is no expectation to kneel or bow their heads. They simply exist in his presence, and there is nothing but joy.

Vera would scoff in disgust if she were here with me.

I step forward, trying my best to discreetly get a better look, when my heel catches on something. With a gasp of surprise, I find myself suddenly falling into empty space.

Flailing my arms, I try to regain my balance before I go head first into the blue water below. The world teeters.

I hadn’t noticed how close I was to the edge of the dock. I should have been paying attention!

If anyone sees me fall into the water, Vera will be furious.

A large hand wraps around my arm and pulls me away from the edge, saving me just in time before I make a complete fool of myself.

And possibly drown.

My heart pounds both in relief that I hadn’t fallen and fear that this spectacle will get back to my sister. I whirl around to see who saved me.

It’s him. Rafael.

He continues to hold onto my arm, as if to make sure I don’t lose my balance and fall off the dock. The hue of his eyes startle me. They are like jades, sparkling and deep.

He smells like the sea. It’s an intoxicating scent that has my cheeks burning. I can’t speak. I should thank him, but no words emerge from my throat.

If I thought he was handsome from afar, it is nothing compared to his beauty up close.

This isn’t right. I should not be admiring him. He’s here to woo my sister’s hand in marriage!

The thought is like a bucket of ice water dumped over my head. I quickly jerk out of his grasp, my whole body trembling.

This dashing prince is off limits. The butterflies that have taken flight in my stomach will have to accept the disappointment.